lifestyle WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 3, 2016 MUSIC & MOVIES Egyptian actress Yousra aims to raise Mideast AIDS awareness In this Sunday, Jan gyptian film star Yousra has taken up a role Saudi Arabia, Sudan, Yemen, and parts of with the United Nations to help combat Somalia, and criminalized in most of the other 31, 2016 photo, EHIV and AIDS in the Middle East, where states in the region. Drug use is also punishable Egyptian film star prevalence is low but growing rapidly. In an by death in several countries. HIV epidemics are Yousra speaks interview Monday in the Egyptian capital, Cairo, concentrated among high-risk groups - people after being where she was named a UN Goodwill who inject drugs, migrants, sex workers and appointed as UN Ambassador for the cause, she said that stigmas men who have sex with men. Goodwill and taboos associated with the virus must be Ambassador in combated and societies taught to be more sym- Antiretroviral therapy Middle East and pathetic to those infected. “For us to defeat it we Yousra, whose career spans four decades and North Africa have to admit it exists,” she told the Associated who has worked with celebrated filmmaker during a ceremony Press. “Because people have a right to medica- Yousef Chahine and actor Adel Emam, says she in Cairo. Yousra tion so they can live with dignity, and so preg- took up the cause after meeting people who has taken up a role nant woman can prevent passing it on to their had been abandoned by their families after with the United children. We have to break the silence and over- being infected by the virus. “I felt that society Nations to help come the fear.” and human beings were crueler than even the combat HIV and Some 240,000 people live with HIV in the virus itself,” she said, adding that she has known AIDS in the Middle Middle East and North Africa region, which is people suffering from HIV and AIDS since the East, where facing a worsening refugee crisis, rising inequali- epidemic emerged in the 1980s. “The virus can prevalence is low ty, humanitarian emergencies and discriminato- be handled but the people affected cannot han- but growing at a ry laws. New cases of HIV, the virus that causes dle the harmful regard of society against them, AIDS, rose by 26 percent in the region between society ejecting them.” rapid pace. Deputy 2000 and 2014, the United Nations says, making Globally, around 36 million people are living Executive Director the Middle East and North Africa one of the with HIV, with some 2 million newly infected in of UNAIDS Jan areas where it’s growing the fastest. Europe and 2014. The virus is steadily being beaten back, in Beagle stands the United States have also seen recent setbacks part due to increasing access to antiretroviral at left. — AP in fighting new infections. therapy, leaving new infections nearly 40 per- Policy in the Middle East, however, greatly cent lower than they were in 2001. AIDS-related contributes to the stigmatization of those infect- deaths - which stood at 1.5 million in 2013 - ed, with many countries imposing harsh rules have fallen 35 percent since peaking in 2005. UN Clive Owen to join Meryl Streep surrounding activities that can lead to the virus’s efforts to fight HIV aim to reduce the number of transmission. Consensual same-sex sexual con- new infections to 500,000 by 2020 and 200,000 duct, for example, is punishable by death in Iran, in 2030. —AP on Berlin film fest jury Adele: No permission given to political campaigns to use her music

ritish singer Adele made biggest seller in the United clear on Monday that she States last year, was contem- Bhas not given permission plating legal steps to prevent for anyone to use her music for the unauthorized use of her political campaigns. Adele’s music. Adele is far from the only spokesman issued a statement pop or rock star to have seen after Republican US presidential politicians co-opt their music contender Donald Trump played for political purposes. Adele’s 2011 hit song “Rolling in Rock band R.E.M. lashed out the Deep” at rallies in Iowa, and in September at Trump for using Dieter Kosslick, director of the international film festival Berlinale Mike Huckabee released a its hit song, “It’s the End of the speaks at a press conference prior to the 66th edition of the festival in YouTube parody last week of her World” at a rally, and Frankie Clive Owen Berlin yesterday. — AFP 2015 single “Hello.” “Adele has not given per- Sullivan complained about the use of the ritish actor Clive Owen and French-born based photo portraitist whose iconic work in West Berlin in the late 1970s. “Bowie was a mission for her music to be used for any politi- band’s 1982 hit “Eye of the Tiger,” at a news con- fashion photographer Brigitte Lacombe appears regularly in Vanity Fair, Vogue and the tremendous musician, an avant-garde artist who cal campaigning,” the singer’s spokesman said ference in September featuring Kim Davis, a will serve on the seven-member prize jury Financial Times. expressed his creativity in many disciplines,” in an email. The spokesman did not say county clerk in Kentucky briefly jailed for refus- B of this month’s Berlin film festival chaired by The panel will be rounded out by British film Kosslick said. The festival will screen Bowie’s 1976 whether Adele, whose new album “25” was the ing to issue gay marriage licenses. — Reuters Meryl Streep, organizers said yesterday. The 66th critic Nick James, Italian actress Alba Rohrwacher, movie “The Man Who Fell to Earth”. annual Berlinale, as the event is known, will kick German film and stage actor Lars Eidinger and Among the most keenly awaited premieres off on February 11 with a screening of Joel and Polish director Malgorzata Szumowska, who won in competition this year are “Alone in Berlin”, an Ethan Coen’s “Hail, Caesar!”, a send-up of the festival’s Teddy Award for gay and lesbian- adaptation of the Nazi-era international best- Hollywood’s Golden Age starring George themed cinema in 2013 for “In the Name Of” seller starring Emma Thompson and Brendan Clooney. about a closeted priest. Berlinale director Dieter Gleeson, and “Genius”, a British-US biopic star- The competition among 18 international pro- Kosslick announced a special Berlin Camera prize ring Colin Firth as legendary literary editor Max ductions will start the following day and the pan- for US actor and director Tim Robbins, who will Perkins. The cast includes Jude Law, Nicole el led by three-time Oscar winner Streep, whose be honoured with a screening of his 1995 death Kidman, Dominic West and Guy Pearce. Other appointment was previously announced, will row drama “Dead Man Walking”. The festival will titles drawing buzz are an audacious eight- select the winners of the Golden and Silver Bear also pay tribute to three luminaries who died last hour-long Filipino film, Lav Diaz’s “A Lullaby for top prizes on February 20. Owen, the star of month: British actor Alan Rickman, who will be the Sorrowful Mystery”, which will be shown in movies including “Children of Men” and “Inside commemorated with a presentation of Ang Lee’s a single screening, and the feature debut by Man”, is currently appearing in Steven 1995 drama “Sense and Sensibility”; Italian direc- Tunisian director Mohamed Ben Attia, “Hedi”, a Soderbergh’s television series “The Knick”. He will tor Ettore Scola, whose 1983 film “Le Bal” will be love story set against the aftermath of the Arab be joined on the jury by Lacombe, a New York- shown; and rock legend David Bowie, who lived Spring. —AFP George Miller’s long ride from ‘Mad Max’ to Cannes irector George Miller, the followed. His latest instalment, next president of the jury at “Mad Max: Fury Road”, starring Dthe Cannes Film Festival, is Charlize Theron and Tom Hardy as known for his violent, high-speed Max, has picked up 10 nominations “Mad Max” road movies but the ex- for the upcoming Academy Awards doctor is also celebrated as part of including best director. Miller has the renaissance of Australian cine- said he has aimed for the audience ma. Post-apocalyptic visions aside, to be able to pick out the story as the 70-year-old can also boast a the film rushes headlong past, softer oeuvre, bringing to the likening it to watching a silent Music Review: screen titles such as “Happy Feet”, movie. “The task was to see how “Babe” and “Lorenzo’s Oil”. Miller, much story or experience or felt the first Australian to chair Cannes, life you could create for an audi- ‘Cold Chilling:Compton’ just sort of tepid unleashed the first “Mad Max” star- ence during a very fast action ring a young Mel Gibson in 1979 piece,” he told The Sydney Morning alifornia knows how to party. So goes (aka 2Pac). Pop song cover rendition special- and has said the cult feature was Herald in October 2015. the refrain on 2Pac’s enduring rap ist Dan Henig rattles off the appropriate vers- influenced by his childhood in car- “I’m always interested as to how Cfavorite “California Love.” That love is es, but it comes off dry and without the emo- obsessed rural Queensland. film language is evolving. “It’s an on display in the form of an homage on tional punch that the staccato rap style of “It wasn’t until I really ended up acquired language. It basically laid “Cold Chilling: Compton,” an album of 2Pac might have injected. The best track is being a doctor in emergency and down its syntax in the silent era. In reimagined takes on West Coast rap classics. “Tha Crossroads” delivered by Los Angeles seeing the kind of carnage as a many ways, ‘Mad Max’ is a silent Musically, the release is polished. The vocals singer-songwriter Dannelle Sandoval. The result of car accidents or bike acci- This file photo taken on May 14, 2015 shows South African-US actress movie with sound.” Besides film, are carefully crafted and the lyrics are true to inventive minimalist arrangement of the dents that it kind of got into me,” Charlize Theron (left) and Australian director George Miller leaving Miller has also been involved in their origins. But songs like Snoop Dogg’s Bone Thugs-n-Harmony hit with her sweet he told Australia Screen Online in the Festival palace after the screening of the film “MadMax : Fury making acclaimed television in “Gin and Juice,” reworked by The Rooks, seem vocals feels just right, and she quickens the 2006. “It kind of disturbed me quite Road” during the 68th Cannes Film Festival in Cannes.” — AFP Australia, including mini-series conflicted. The lyrics don’t seem a solid fit for vocals in all the right places. Sandoval keeps a bit. And I think all those things such as “The Dismissal”, “Bangkok the mature, lush vocals. Moreover, the saxo- just enough of the old-school flavor intact were part of the mix of the ‘Mad went on to direct “Witches of “Babe: Pig in the City” (1998) Hilton” and “Bodyline”. Miller, phone work is too lazy, even for the medi- while adding her distinct approach. Her track Max’ films. Particularly the first Eastwick” (1987) starring Jack and the penguin movie “Happy whose father came to Australia um-paced song. is a gem, while most of the others sound like one.” Miller gave up a career as a Nicholson, Cher and Susan Feet” (2006), for which he won an from Greece, is married to film edi- Also lackluster: “Hail Mary” by Mackaveli dull wedding band fodder. — AP doctor to concentrate on film and Sarandon. Oscar for best animated feature, tor Margaret Sixel. — AFP Cosby’s lawyers to urge dismissal of sexual assault criminal case

awyers for disgraced comedian Bill Cosby assaulting her. Cosby’s lawyers have asked according to court papers. yesterday will urge a Pennsylvania judge to Common Pleas Court Judge Steven O’Neill to But prosecutors have said in court filings that Lthrow out criminal charges of sexual dismiss the case, citing a supposed agreement no documentation exists to corroborate any assault against him, arguing that the case vio- reached in 2005 with then-District Attorney such agreement. Moreover, they argue, Castor lates a prosecutor’s decade old agreement not Bruce Castor. did not have the authority to bar his office for- to charge Cosby. Cosby, 78, is set to appear in a Under that deal, Cosby’s lawyers say, Castor ever from pursuing criminal charges against criminal court in Norristown, Pennsylvania, promised not to prosecute Cosby over Cosby. The Constand allegations played a cru- where he was charged in December with the Constand’s allegations if he agreed to testify cial role in last year’s campaign for district attor- 2004 assault of Andrea Constand, a former under oath in a civil lawsuit she filed against ney, which pitted Castor against Kevin Steele. women’s basketball team manager at Temple him. A judge last year unsealed that testimony, Steele, who attacked Castor during the race for University in Philadelphia, Cosby’s alma mater. in which Cosby acknowledged giving her failing to prosecute Cosby, won election in Dozens of women have accused Cosby of Benadryl, an anti-allergy medication, but por- November and then charged Cosby just before assaults stretching back decades, but the prose- trayed the encounter as consensual. Prosecutors the statute of limitations expired. The accusa- cution brought by the Montgomery County dis- are generally free to use civil depositions as evi- tions by more than 50 women have destroyed trict attorney’s office is the only criminal case he dence in criminal cases. Castor is prepared to the reputation of the once-beloved Cosby, has faced. Constand, now 44, said Cosby plied testify that he told Cosby’s lawyers he would not whose father-figure persona made him a popu- Actor and comedian Bill Cosby, center, arrives for a court appearance yesterday, in her with drugs and alcohol before sexually bring charges in exchange for the testimony, lar entertainer for years. — Reuters Norristown, Pa. — AP