In her heyday, veteran actress Yu Mo-lin starred in many of Stephen Chow's movies and was unforgettable as an unattractive auntie, earning her the moniker of Hong Kong's "ugliest female star".
In showbiz for more than 40 years, the 83-year-old has appeared in at least 200 TV shows and films, but there are now reports of her being severely ill.
According to Hong Kong media, a friend of Mo-lin revealed that the actress suffers from hematitis, a rare disease and a type of blood cancer.
Earlier this year, Mo-lin had bouts of dizziness due to otolithiasis — an inner ear problem that causes repeated episodes of vertigo — and a few months ago, she was hospitalised for pulmonary fibrosis, a condition in which the lungs become scarred over time.
Most recently, she was admitted to the intensive care unit at Queen Elizabeth hospital in Hong Kong and intubated.
Mo-lin was originally supposed to have undergone a targeted treatment for her condition but it later deteriorated and her situation is reportedly not optimistic. Hence, she had to remain in the intensive care unit for hemodialysis treatment to "clean" her blood.
"Because the blood disease has harmed her lungs, she is very weak, so she has to be intubated," a friend of hers shared.
Her close friend, fashion designer William Tang, said that she had always wanted to donate all her wealth to charity but she was admitted to the hospital without signing any documents. He worries that in the worst case scenario, no one would know how to handle her inheritance.
In a recent update on TVB's Weibo account last night (Nov 9), her condition is currently under control and her lungs have not shown any signs of deterioration.
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Entertainment
After Mr Joe Biden was announced as the winner of the United States presidential election, actor Mark Hamill was quick to react. His tweet referenced his most famous onscreen work, the Star Wars films, and garnered more than 423,000 "likes" and was retweeted over 94,000 times in less than 12 hours.
The 69-year-old American, who played Luke Skywalker in the space epic, posted a poster featuring former US president Barack Obama, current US President Donald Trump and president-elect Biden.
Corresponding to the titles of the original Star Wars trilogy (1977 to 1983), Mr Obama's image accompanied the poster for A New Hope, Mr Trump's image with The Empire Strikes Back and Mr Biden's image was paired with Return Of The Jedi.
Hamill added the caption: "Best episode ever."
The actor has been vocal in his criticism of Mr Trump during his presidential term.
"At long last, our 4-year national nightmare is over," Hamill tweeted after Mr Trump lost.
In the run-up to the election, he did an official ad campaign for Mr Biden.
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On the first night of her Taipei concert on Friday (Nov 6), Mandopop singer Rainie Yang fell from a high stage.
She escaped with only slight injuries to her hands and legs, but her husband, Chinese singer-songwriter Li Ronghao, was clearly concerned.
Yang, 36, told audiences in a break between performances that she fell down early in the concert, after the lights dimmed when she had finished her rendition of her new song Bad Lady.
She said: "It's the first accident of my life in 20 years." The Taiwanese singer thanked a staff member who caught her in his arms as she fell.
Li, who was not able to attend the concert, posted on Weibo a video of it sent to him by a friend.
He wrote on Friday night: "I honestly thought she was insane several times during her preparation for this concert. I even told her off a few times. She was practising her dance moves so much her joints were inflamed and she didn't want to take medication either. She couldn't even lift her arms this morning.
"When I found out she fell down, I was worried but also a little angry. Don't worry, she was fortunately caught by someone and it's just external injuries."
Despite worrying, Li praised his wife's concert as "amazing".
To appease her husband, Yang replied to his post: "Hubby, don't worry. Everyone, don't worry. I'm fine, thanks to the protection of my staff members. I'll take care of myself tomorrow and the day after that."
On Saturday, the second of three nights at the Taipei Arena, she dedicated the song Anonymous Friend (2010) to her high school sweetheart - the late Taiwanese host-singer Alien Huang who died suddenly of an aortic dissection in September. Although they broke up as teenagers, the two remained close friends and Yang considered him to be family.
Huang's manager was in the audience on Saturday night with a toy to symbolise Huang's attendance.
Before his death, Huang had asked Yang to save him tickets for her show on Saturday (Nov 7).
This article was first published inThe Straits Times. Permission required for reproduction.
Kendall, in true Kendall fashion, casually wore a sports bra for the occasion, because why not, right?
Hailey, for her part, wore an oversized Changes hoodie from husband Justin Bieber's tour merch. She paired the hoodie, which proudly said "Bieber" on the front, with a pair of barely-there, skin-tight short shorts.
Looking for some light, casual celebrity news to cleanse you media palate a bit after all of the monumental, wonderful, world- and life-changing news this weekend? Well, how is this for some celebrity brain fluff: Kendall Jenner stepped out in a sports bra to go shopping, grab smoothies, and generally hang out with her friend Hailey Baldwin on Friday in Los Angeles.
Yep, that's definitely some celebrity brain fluff. But sometimes that's what your brain needs, just to take a second and prepare to process more complicated and important things, so here we are.
Kendall looked all kinds of breezy and casual in a tight, black Nike sports bra, which she paired with high-waisted, very tight leggings and a loose-fitting, cropped brown sweater. She accessorized, as any responsible human being should in 2020, with a face mask.
Photo credit: BG004/Bauer-Griffin - Getty Images
Photo credit: MEGA - Getty Images
Photo credit: BG004/Bauer-Griffin - Getty Images
Hailey also wore a face mask like a good, responsible person, obviously, and she also sported an oversized Changes hoodie straight from her husband Justin Bieber's line of merch. She paired the hoodie with skin-tight pair of bicycle shorts, creating a pretty glorious illusion of pantless-ness in many pictures:
Photo credit: Getty Images
Photo credit: Getty Images
Does your brain feel all rested and refreshed now and ready to tackle the hard-hitting questions of the world? Good.
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Entertainment
Johnny Depp on Friday was forced out of the Fantastic Beasts movie franchise days after losing a libel case in Britain against a tabloid that branded him a "wife beater".
The A-list actor, writing on Instagram, said that AT&T Inc's Warner Bros movie studio had asked him to leave his role as villain Gellert Grindelwald. "I have respected and agreed to that request," he said.
Warner Bros said in a statement that Depp "will depart the Fantastic Beasts franchise," and that his role would be recast.
Depp recently resumed production on the third film in the spinoff from Harry Potter author J.K. Rowling. Warner Bros said on Friday its release date had been pushed back to summer 2022 from November 2021.
Rowling - herself a survivor of domestic abuse - declined to comment on Depp's departure.
His exit marked a relatively rare move by Hollywood to recast an actor on ethical grounds.
Charlie Sheen was fired in 2011 from television's top-rated Two and a Half Men after months of drink and drug-fueled partying. He was replaced by Ashton Kutcher.
Depp, 57, who plans to appeal the London libel judgment, wrote that his "life and career will not be defined by this moment".
The Pirates of the Caribbean star had sued the publishers of the Sun newspaper after it said he had been violent toward former wife Amber Heard, 34. The newspaper also questioned his casting in the Fantastic Beasts franchise.
The three-week libel trial in July heard evidence from both Depp and Heard about a tempestuous marriage marked by violence on both sides and of heavy drinking by Depp. The judge on Monday ruled against Depp.
Rowling said at the time that the circumstances of the divorce were a private matter. Warner Bros. also said in 2017 that it supported to decision to keep Depp.
Fantastic Beasts, based on the magical adventures of Newt Scamander, is set some 60 years before the Harry Potter films but features several of the same key characters when they were younger.
The first two of five planned films earned $1.5 billion at the global box office, according to Box Office Mojo.
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It just got easier for residents of major world cities to find the best tipples in town.
The World's 50 Best Bars were announced on Nov. 5 in London via a virtual awards ceremony, with the city's Connaught Bar clinching the No. 1 spot. The bar — which ranked No. 2 last year — traded places with 2019's top slot, New York's Dante, which moved to second place this year.
First published in 2009, the annual bar list aims to be a "survey of current tastes and [is] a credible indicator of the best places to drink across the world," according to the company's website.
The 2020 winners
This year's list includes bars from 23 countries, with 11 new entries.
The U.K. had the strongest showing, with bars in London accounting for eight of its nine rankings. Europe took 21 spots in total, more than Asia's 15 and twice that of the Americas — North and South America lodged 10 slots in total.
Connaught Bar is known for its martini trolley, which allows waiters to prepare drinks at patrons' tables.
Courtesy of The World's 50 Best Bars and Connaught Bar
Singapore dominated Asia's rankings, with four bars being named among the world's best, an outsized showing for the city-state that is home to nearly 5.7 million people. Tokyo registered three bars on the list, while Hong Kong and Taipei each netted two.
Sydney accounts for Australia's three rankings, while Dubai's Zuma bar gave the Middle East its sole award.
The full list includes:
Connaught Bar, London
Dante, New York
The Clumsies, Athens
Atlas, Singapore
Tayer + Elementary, London
Kwant, London
Florería Atlántico, Buenos Aires
Coa, Hong Kong
Jigger & Pony, Singapore
The SG Club, Tokyo
Maybe Sammy, Sydney
Attaboy, New York
Nomad Bar, New York
Manhattan, Singapore
The Old Man, Hong Kong
Katana Kitten, New York
Licorería Limantour, Mexico City
Native, Singapore
Paradiso, Barcelona
American Bar, London
Carnaval, Lima
Salmon Guru, Madrid
Zuma, Dubai
Little Red Door, Paris
1930, Milan
Two Schmucks, Barcelona
El Copitas, St. Petersburg
Cantina OK!, Sydney
Lyaness, London
Himkok, Oslo
Baba Au Rum, Athens
Panda & Sons, Edinburgh
Swift, London
Three Sheets, London
The Bamboo Bar, Bangkok
Tjoget, Stockholm
Buck and Breck, Berlin
Employees Only, New York
Bulletin Place, Sydney
Bar Benfiddich, Tokyo
Artesian, London
Sober Company, Shanghai
Indulge Experimental Bistro, Taipei
Bar Trigona, Kuala Lumpur
Drink Kong, Rome
Room by Le Kief, Taipei
Alquimico, Cartagena
High Five, Tokyo
Charles H., Seoul
Presidente, Buenos Aires
How the list is created
This year, the voting process changed to highlight emerging bar scenes around the globe, said Mark Sansom, content editor for The World's 50 Best Bars.
The 50 Best organization appointed an outside chairperson to 20 geographical regions around the world. Each chairperson then chose a voting panel for each region, which cumulatively formed the organization's voting "Academy."
"The 540-strong Academy is made up of drinks experts, including bartenders, bar managers, drinks consultants, brand ambassadors, drinks writers, historians and cocktail aficionados who are selected for their knowledge of the international bar scene," said Sansom.
A cocktail from Galaxy Bar, the winner of this year's Campari One to Watch award.
Courtesy of The World's 50 Best Bars and Galaxy Bar
Normally Academy members cast seven votes, in order of preference, for bars they most enjoyed in the previous 18 months. This year, however, the voting period ended in March, around the time when "the majority of the world went into lockdown," said Sansom.
As to what makes a bar one of the "best" is left to the judgment of each voting member.
"There are no set criteria for each expert voter to evaluate … though there are strict voting rules," said Sansom. "Voters must have visited the bars they vote for during the voting period, and they cannot self-nominate or nominate a bar in which they have any financial interest."
Each member must also vote for three bars outside of their current home country, or if in the U.S., their home state.
More top bars around the globe
Last week, the 50 Best organization released the bars named to an extended 51-100 list. It included 26 new entries, 11 of which are in Asia.
Individual awards were also given last month. Renato Giovannoni of Buenos Aires' Florería Atlántico (No. 7) won the Altos Bartenders' Bartender award for 2020.
Renato Giovannoni of Buenos Aires' Florería Atlántico won the Altos Bartenders' Bartender award for 2020.
Courtesy of The World's 50 Best Bars and Florería Atlántico
Dubai's Galaxy Bar won the Campari One to Watch Award and Sydney's Maybe Sammy — which 50 Best named the "Best Bar in Australasia" nine months after it opened — took home the Michter's Art of Hospitality Award.
Aid for an ailing industry
To help the bar industry recover from the global pandemic, the 50 Best organization has raised more than $1.2 million, which it is distributing to nonprofit organizations and private businesses.
So far, more than 200 bars and restaurants across 53 countries have received grants from the organization's recovery fund, according to the company's website.
"We hope that the announcement of The World's 50 Best Bars 2020 will act as a show of strength for the global bar community," said Sansom. "It displays to the world that even in the face of the ever-shifting challenges and restrictions being thrown at them, bars are still doing everything that they can to continue to provide great hospitality experiences."
The couple took to Instagram to share the happy news, admitting next year is "looking brighter".
Liv shared a picture of the Crazy Rich Asians actor touching her baby bump, and she posted: "Such immense joy this little one has brought us already. Now we get to share it with you. We love you!"
Several of their famous friends, such as actress Freida Pinto and pro golfer Michelle Wie, were quick to congratulate the couple.
Paul Feig, who directed Henry in Last Christmas, wrote: "Oh my god!!! So happy for you both!"
In September, the 33-year-old actor admitted his wife - whom he married in 2016 before his rise to fame - keeps him grounded.
He said: "It's all about transactions.
"I went into the industry with a strong head on my shoulders and I'm lucky to have a wife who doesn't let me get away with anything.
"We've known each other for a decade and have been dating for almost as long. We've been through the wringer, through the highest and lowest times."
And amid the coronavirus pandemic, Henry was able to put his former career choice as an apprentice hairstylist to good use by helping Liv with her tresses.
He said: "Once in a while, when she's struggling with a blow-dry in the morning, I'll finish off the back for her."
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SINGAPORE - In a year where travel restrictions crippled global travel and hospitality, bars from the Republic had a mixed showing on the World's 50 Best Bars list with two bars in the top 10, but two falling out of the top 50.
Atlas at Parkview Square, best known for its 1,400 bottle gin collection, climbed four spots to No. 4, and is also the top-ranking bar from Asia, beating out the likes of Coa in Hong Kong (No. 8) and The SG Club in Tokyo (No. 10).
Meanwhile, Jigger & Pony at Amara Singapore broke into the top 10 for the first time this year, with a No. 9 spot. Founded by husband and wife team Indra Kantono and Gan Guoyi, the bar which puts Asian twists on cocktail classics, climbed 20 spots after first entering the list at No. 29 last year.
It has been a year of successes for the bar, which also clinched the top spot on the Asia's 50 Best Bars list in May.
The 12th edition of the annual results was announced in a virtual countdown that was live-streamed on Nov 5 from London.
The top three spots on the list went to bars in the United States, Europe and Greece - namely Connaught Bar in London, Dante in New York, and The Clumsies in Athens. Connaught Bar and Dante swapped their top two spots from last year's ranking, while The Clumsies climbed two spots to No. 3.
Elsewhere on the list, Singapore bars slipped in the rankings. Manhattan, which placed at No. 14, fell three spots, while Native, which placed at No. 18, fell six spots.
Only four Singapore bars made the top 50 this year, compared with last year's six. Operation Dagger, which shuttered its doors on Oct 31 on Ann Siang Hill, is no longer on the list, while The Old Man Singapore fell out of the top 50 from No. 38 to No. 58.
Outside of the top 50, Singapore bars also had a decent showing on the 51-100 list with year-old No Sleep Club in Keong Saik Road ranking as the highest placing bar from Asia at No. 53.
Elsewhere, Tippling Club re-entered the 51-100 list at No. 64; 28 HongKong Street, which placed at No. 86, fell from last year's No. 61; while Gibson was another re-entry at No. 92.
The World's 50 Best Bars list is compiled by votes from The World's 50 Best Bars Academy, comprising over 540 global drinks experts, including renowned bartenders and consultants, drinks writers and cocktail specialists.
The academy is now also 50-50 gender balanced, with the voting process and results independently adjudicated by Deloitte.
For this year, the voting period only ran from January 2019 to March 2020, since the majority of bars were forced to close due to the pandemic.
"We at 50 Best hope that the announcement of list will act as a show of strength for the global bar community," said World's 50 Best Bars content editor Mark Sansom in a press release.
"It displays to the world that even in the face of the ever-shifting challenges and restrictions being thrown at them, bars are still doing everything that they can to continue to provide great hospitality experiences."
"As we move into the next stages of international recovery, it is vital to get the message out that bars are open for business and ready to receive guests safely and securely," he added.
Top 10 bars in The World's 50 Best Bars 2020
1. Connaught Bar - London, Britain
2. Dante - New York, United States
3. The Clumsies - Athens, Greece
4. Atlas - Singapore
5. Tayer + Elementary - London, Britain
6. Kwant - London, Britain
7. Floreria Atlantico - Buenos Aires, Argentina
8. Coa - Hong Kong, China
9. Jigger & Pony - Singapore
10. The SG Club - Tokyo, Japan
Correction note: In an earlier version of the story, it was stated that Atlas climbed one spot to No. 4 on the World's 50 Best Bars list. This is incorrect. The bar rose four spots on the list. We are sorry for the error.
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Entertainment
Donald Trump raises his fist as he and US First Lady Melania Trump board Air Force One to depart Nashville International Airport after the final presidential debate in Nashville, Tennessee, on October 22, 2020. (Photo by MANDEL NGAN / AFP via Getty Images)
In the run-up to the 2020 presidential election hordes of celebrities in the US encouraged their fans and followers to vote - with many being vocal about who they are supporting.
Many stars have been very vocally anti-Trump, both leading up to the election and throughout his presidency, with a few even threatening to leave the country should he be voted into the White House for four more years.
Similar vows were made back in 2016 before Trump became the nation's 45th president by the likes of Miley Cyrus, Cher and Samuel L. Jackson, but none of these can be said to have come to fruition.
Watch: Spokesperson for the Women’s Equality Party says Trump re-election will be ‘bad news for all of us’
Chrissy Teigen and John Legend
Chrissy Teigen and John Legend attend the 2020 Vanity Fair Oscar Party at Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts on February 09, 2020 in Beverly Hills, California. (Photo by Toni Anne Barson/WireImage)
Married couple Chrissy Teigen and John Legend have weighed up leaving the US if Trump is granted a second presidency.
The All of Me singer has disclosed that it was something they had considered due to Trump's "embarrassing" leadership.
"Every once in a while you think about it," Legend told Cosmopolitan. "We were born and raised here, all of our families are here. It would be hard to leave. But I don’t know what one’s supposed to do when you have a leader who is trying to destroy democracy."
Ricky Martin
Ricky Martin speaks during a Hispanic heritage event with Democratic presidential nominee and former Vice President Joe Biden at Osceola Heritage Park on September 15, 2020 in Kissimmee, Florida. (Photo by Drew Angerer/Getty Images)
Puerto Rico born singer Ricky Martin has been a keen campaigner for Biden throughout his bid for presidency.
However, the Livin’ La Vida Loca hitmaker has said he and his husband had thought about leaving the country if Trump wins the election - but that they’d rather “stay and fight”.
“We just take it one day at a time and we’ve had plans like we might leave the country, but no. We have to stay here and we have to fight for our rights and what we believe,” he shared with Variety.
“I’ve been supporting Biden forever … I think he is the only option we have and he is great and he has been in politics all his life. This is the moment. We all need to get together and be loud about the course of this nation.”
Tommy Lee
Tommy Lee of Motley Crue speaks during the press conference for THE STADIUM TOUR DEF LEPPARD - MOTLEY CRUE - POISON at SiriusXM Studios on December 04, 2019 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Emma McIntyre/Getty Images for SiriusXM)
Motley Crue rocker Tommy Lee has repeatedly criticised Trump throughout his presidency and has vowed to make a move to Greece if he wins again.
The drummer, who was born in the European country, said he would relocate to one of its islands in such an eventuality.
"Dude, I swear to god if that happens then I'm coming over to visit the UK," he told the Big Issue.
"I'm out of here. I'll go back to my motherland, go back to Greece and get a house on one of the islands."
Bruce Springsteen
Bruce Springsteen performs at the 13th annual Stand Up For Heroes benefit concert in support of the Bob Woodruff Foundation at the Hulu Theater at Madison Square Garden on Monday, Nov. 4, 2019, in New York. (Photo by Greg Allen/Invision/AP)
Bruce Springsteen playfully said that he plans on going Down Under in the event Trump is re-elected.
The Boss joked as he told Australian media that he'd be fine making a new life for himself in the country.
"If Trump is re-elected—which he will not be; I'm predicting right now he's gonna lose—if by some happenstance he should be, I'll see you on the next plane," he told press.
So while Springsteen is a Biden supporter, it's unlikely he is seriously looking to flee his home country.
Watch: Chrissy Teigen responds to Trump calling her a ‘filthy-mouthed wife’
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NEW YORK: The United States was on knife's edge on Wednesday (Nov 4) waiting for electoral results, but the fate of one candidate was clear: Entertainer Kanye West will not win the 2020 presidential race - but still has future aspirations.
The mercurial rapper, who decided to run for the nation's highest office late in the game as an independent candidate under the Birthday Party, received about 60,000 votes from the 12 states where he managed to get on the ballot.
His numbers were less than a pin drop in a razor-thin presidential race, with Democrat Joe Biden holding the slimmest of leads over Republican incumbent Donald Trump as many ballots were still being counted in key states.
The hip hop star and fashion designer saw his highest numbers in Tennessee, where about 10,000 people cast their ballots for West, according to The New York Times.
The mogul who once voiced ardent support for Donald Trump made a social media show of casting his own ballot in Wyoming, saying it was his first ever.
According to the picture the rapper posted of his ballot, he did not participate in any of the congressional or local races.
A California ballot for the 2020 US presidential election listing US rapper Kanye West as Vice Presidential running mate to Roque "Rocky" De La Fuente Guerra for the American Independent party, in Los Angeles, on Oct 6, 2020. (Photo: AFP/Chris Delmas)
"God is so good," tweeted the superstar, who made a public turn to Christianity in recent years.
"Today I am voting for the first time in my life for the President of the United States, and it's for someone I truly trust ... me."
Later he appeared to concede defeat while hinting at a future run, tweeting: "KANYE 2024."
Big Brooklyn, a 31-year-old rapper and music producer, told AFP in Times Square he had voted for West - and said who becomes the president is less important than vowing to push the future leader to listen.
"It's like everybody's being distracted by who is going to win," he said.
"It doesn't really matter who's going to win if we have a plan in place to present to that president about what we need to have done."
But more broadly the campaign by Kim Kardashian's husband, who suffers from bipolar disorder, raised more questions than enthusiasm.
West long ago broke ranks with most of the left-leaning entertainment industry to loudly voice his support for Trump.
In 2018, they met in the Oval Office - a surreal tete-a-tete that included a hug from the rapper as well as an on-camera rant.
But in 2019 he said his support for Trump had been a way to razz Democrats.
LONDON (REUTERS) - Britain's Prince William contracted Covid-19 in April at a similar time to his father Prince Charles, British media reported late on Sunday (Nov 1), citing Kensington Palace sources.
Prince William, grandson of Queen Elizabeth and second-in-line to the British throne, kept his diagnosis a secret because he did not want to alarm the country, The Sun newspaper reported.
"There were important things going on and I didn't want to worry anyone," Prince William was quoted by the newspaper as having told an observer at an engagement.
He was treated by palace doctors and followed government guidelines by isolating at the family home Anmer Hall, in Norfolk, the newspaper said, adding he still carried out 14 telephone and video call engagements during April.
"William was hit pretty hard by the virus - it really knocked him for six. At one stage he was struggling to breathe, so obviously everyone around him was pretty panicked," a source told The Sun.
The BBC also confirmed the news from sources late on Sunday, with Kensington Palace and the office of Prince William refusing to comment officially to the news outlet.
The palace was not immediately available for comment late on Sunday.
The residence of Prince William's father, Prince Charles, had said on March 25 that Prince Charles tested positive for the coronavirus.
The heir to the throne had self-isolated at his residence in Scotland for seven days with mild symptoms.
Britain has been hit hard by the coronavirus outbreak and has reported 46,717 Covid-19 deaths - defined as those dying within 28 days of a positive test.
A broader measure of those with Covid-19 on their death certificates puts the toll at 58,925.
China’s economy is recovering swiftly from the coronavirus shock as normal life returns, but the trumpeted revival is not all it is made out to be. The Straits Times China Bureau reports.
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LONDON (AFP) - Iconic Scottish actor Sean Connery, who has died at the age of 90, suffered from dementia in his final years, his widow Micheline Roquebrune revealed on Sunday (Nov 1).
He died peacefully in his sleep surrounded by family members, his widow Micheline Roquebrune told the Mail on Sunday.
"I was with him all the time and he just slipped away," the 91-year-old told the newspaper.
"He had dementia and it took its toll on him. He got his final wish to slip away without any fuss.
"It was no life for him. He was not able to express himself latterly." Connery will be honoured in a private funeral ceremony, with a memorial event to be held later, according to a publicist.
The actor, who was knighted in 2000, won numerous awards during his decades-spanning career encompassing an array of big-screen hits, including an Oscar, three Golden Globes and two Bafta awards.
But it was his smooth, Scottish-accented portrayal of the suave licensed-to-kill spy 007 that earned him lasting worldwide fame and adoration.
The first actor to utter the unforgettable "Bond, James Bond", Connery made six official films as novelist Ian Fleming's creation, giving what many still consider to be the definitive portrayal.
Former 007 actor Pierce Brosnan joined the flood of weekend tributes to the Scottish actor, who he said "led the way for us all who followed in your iconic foot steps".
"You were my greatest James Bond as a boy, and as a man who became James Bond himself, you cast a long shadow of cinematic splendour that will live on forever," Brosnan added.
Meanwhile US President Donald Trump, like Connery a golf fanatic, took to Twitter to praise the big-screen star after he passed "on to even greener fairways".
"He was quite a guy, and a tough character," Trump added, claiming Connery had once helped one of his Scottish developments win approval by saying "let him build the damn thing".
....all I needed, everything went swimmingly from there. He was so highly regarded & respected in Scotland and beyond that years of future turmoil was avoided. Sean was a great actor and an even greater man. Sincere condolences to his family!
"He was so highly regarded & respected in Scotland and beyond that years of future turmoil was avoided."
'Model of a man'
Connery, born in Edinburgh in 1930, married French artist Roquebrune in 1974, a year after he divorced first wife Diane Cilento.
The couple first met in Morocco in 1970. They had lived outside his native Britain for decades, previously owning a home in the Spanish resort of Marbella and then in the Bahamas.
In one of the last photographs said to have been taken of the 007 legend, and published by the Mail on Sunday, Connery can be seen clasping the hand of a smiling Roquebrune.
The picture was taken on the pair's 45th wedding anniversary on May 6, according to the paper.
"He was gorgeous and we had a wonderful life together," the Tunisian-born widow said.
"He was a model of a man. It is going to be very hard without him, I know that. But it could not last for ever and he went peacefully."
A couple was caught behaving inappropriately in a cinema at Shaw Theatres Lido and CCTV footage of the incident was sent to Stomp.
Stomper M, who identified herself as a friend of a Shaw Theatres employee, said the incident occurred on October 15, at around 8.15pm.
M said: "My friend saw this couple through the CCTV during one movie. The woman was straddling her partner and moving up and down.
"I feel disgusted that people will do this in public."
In a 17-second video that M shared with Stomp, a man can be seen seated with a woman on his lap. The woman is seen moving her hips.
No other cinema-goers are seen seated around the couple.
In response to a Stomp query, a spokesman for Shaw Theatres said: "Once aware of the incident taking place, the manager went into the hall and issued a warning to the couple to stop behaving inappropriately (they were fooling around and were fully clothed)."
According to the spokesman, the couple complied and exited without further incident at the end of the movie screening.
He added: "Shaw Theatres does not condone such behaviour and requests that our patrons respect our cinemas for their intended purpose of film appreciation and entertainment.
"Shaw Theatres has taken disciplinary actions against the staff who made and disseminated the unauthorised recording."
Stomp will not be uploading the video due to its inappropriate nature.
Article From & Read More ( Couple 'fooling around' in Lido cinema given warning, action taken against staff who leaked video: Shaw Theatres - STOMP )
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NXIVM guru gets 120 years in prison in sex-slaves case
NEW YORK (AP) — Disgraced self-improvement guru Keith Raniere, whose NXIVM followers included millionaires and Hollywood actors, was sentenced to 120 years on Tuesday for turning some adherents into sex slaves branded with his initials and sexually abusing a 15-year-old.
U.S. District Judge Nicholas Garaufis called Raniere “ruthless and unyielding” in crimes that were “particularly egregious” because he targeted girls and young women in the sex-trafficking conspiracy that resulted in Raniere's conviction last year.
He handed down the unusually stiff sentence in Brooklyn federal court after hearing 15 victims call for a long prison term to reflect the nightmares and anguish they'll confront the rest of their lives.
As he announced the sentence, Garaufis noted that Raniere labeled some of the victims' claims lies. The judge told a woman who Raniere ordered to be kept in a room for two years when she was 18: “What happened to you is not your fault." He said that went for the other victims too.
Raniere, who looked at victims as they spoke in the courtroom, maintained his defiant tone, although he said he was “truly sorry” that his organization led to a place where “there is so much anger and so much pain."
“I do believe I am innocent of the charges. ... It is true I am not remorseful of the crimes I do not believe I committed at all," Raniere said.
Prosecutors had sought life in prison, while a defense lawyer told the judge Raniere should face 20 years behind bars.
The sentencing was the culmination of several years of revelations about Raniere’s program, NXIVM, which charged thousands of dollars for invitation-only self-improvement courses at its headquarters near Albany, New York, along with branches in Mexico and Canada. Adherents endured humiliation and pledged obedience to Raniere as part of his teachings.
NXIVM has been the subject of two TV documentary series this year, HBO’s “The Vow,” and the Starz series “Seduced: Inside the NXIVM Cult.”
Prosecutors said Raniere, 60, led what amounted to a criminal enterprise, inducing shame and guilt to influence and control co-conspirators who helped recruit and groom sexual partners for him. Raniere was convicted on charges including racketeering, alien smuggling, sex trafficking, extortion and obstruction of justice.
After victims spoke for 2 1/2 hours, the judge grew impatient and a bit angry when defense lawyer Marc Agnifilo sought to portray his client's organization as “doing good” for women before things turned bad for some.
“I've heard enough about Mr. Raniere's theories," Garaufis snapped.
The judge said Raniere groomed a 13-year-old girl so that “two years later he's having sex with a 15-year-old girl."
At another point, he cut Agnifilo off as the lawyer tried to argue victims were not always factually correct.
“You're starting to tire me out here," the judge said. “It's pretty clear he took advantage of people sexually."
Earlier, India Oxenberg, the daughter of “Dynasty” actor Catherine Oxenberg, called Raniere an “entitled little princess” and a sexual predator and lamented that she “may have to spend the rest of my life with Keith Raneire’s initials seared into me.”
Another victim said she had the initials removed from her body by a plastic surgeon.
Other victims labeled him a liar, a parasite, a terrorist, a sociopath, a racist, a sadist and “a toddler with too much power and zero accountability."
And the woman who was sexually abused beginning at age 15 said Raniere groomed her by telling her she was mature for her age.
“It is false. I was a child," she said.
She said that when Raniere saw blood running down her arm after a botched suicide attempt, he revealed his self-obsessed attitude, asking her: “Do you know how bad that could have been for me if you killed yourself?”
The likelihood of leniency had seemed to dissipate with the recent sentencing of Clare Bronfman, 41, an heir to the Seagram’s liquor fortune, for her role in NXIVM, which has been described by some ex-members as a cult. Bronfman was sentenced to nearly seven years in prison. Prosecutors had only sought five years.
Ex-followers told the judge that Bronfman for years had used her wealth to try to silence NXIVM defectors.
Reniere’s followers called him “Vanguard.” To honor him, the group formed a secret sorority comprised of female “slaves” who were branded with his initials and ordered to have sex with him, the prosecutors said. Women were also pressured into giving up embarrassing information about themselves that could be used against them if they left the group.
Along with Bronfman, Raniere’s teachings won him the devotion of Hollywood actors, including Allison Mack of TV’s “Smallville.” Mack also has pleaded guilty to charges in the case and is awaiting sentencing.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Tanya Hajjar told the judge only a life sentence would protect the public because Raniere otherwise “would be committing crimes today, tomorrow and in the future."
Outside court afterward, Barbara Boucher, who described herself as the first whistleblower of Raniere's scam when she left the group 11 years ago, said the sentencing left her “enormously relieved."
“I loved Keith for many years. I really thought he was my soulmate," said Boucher, who recalled her role in helping to build the organization when she first viewed it as a kind of Camelot where people could be empowered to be more loving and compassionate and live better lives.
“A lot of people today in this room will carry their wounds with them for life. You don't recover fully from something like this. It's deep," she said. Still, the once-successful financial planner sees a future.
“This is a 20-year book and this is the last chapter of the book and when I leave here today, that book is closing," Boucher said.
