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Entertainment

 Hollywood, Bollywood and Arab stars shine

If you thought red carpets were dramatic, wait until Hollywood, Bollywood, and Arab superstars collide on Riyadh’s lavender carpet tonight.

The 6th Joy Awards is here, and Gulf News Manjusha Radhakrishnan will be there, front-row, keeping tabs on celebrity arrivals, jaw-dropping gowns, and every headline-making moment before it even hits your feed.

Held under the Riyadh Season umbrella and put together by the General Entertainment Authority, the Joy Awards has become way more than just an awards show. And yes, the lavender carpet — not the usual red — is part of the vibe. It’s a nod to Saudi identity: the purple wildflowers that bloom in the deserts, symbolising growth under Vision 2030, generosity, and a celebration of local heritage. Think of it as prestige with a cultural twist, giving the ceremony its own unmistakable look.

And did you know, the guest-list is a closely-guarded secret. Last year, that mix was next-level — Morgan Freeman, Anthony Hopkins, Amanda Seyfried and Christina Aguilera all in one room. And while the Hollywood stars were turning heads, Egyptian cinema had its moment too, with Sons of Riz sweeping the public-voted categories.

Earlier editions have delivered their own surprises, with unexpected appearances from names like Matthew McConaughey, Alia Bhatt and Salman Khan, keeping audiences guessing until the very last minute.

This year, the first confirmations have already generated buzz. Nancy Ajram, the Arab world’s pop icon and a guaranteed crowd-puller, is among the stars officially announced, with expectations that more high-profile appearances will reveal themselves as the evening unfolds.

And yes — we’re low-key worried about the weather. Temperatures are expected to dip to 10°C, so gowns may need thermals, and blazers may need extra layers. If you spot someone on the lavender carpet looking like Joey Tribbiani wearing all of Chandler’s clothes, don’t worry — that’s just me, trying to survive in style. After all, nothing says “glamorous reporter” like three scarves, four jackets, and a questionable fashion choice that may or may not break social media.

While the ceremony itself will play out later in the night, the real tone is set much earlier. The lavender carpet is where fashion risks are taken, viral interviews are born, and the event finds its pulse long before trophies change hands.

Inside, the evening promises a slick, high-energy production, blending live performances with awards that reflect what audiences connected with most over the past year

Winners are determined entirely by public vote through the awards app, across six main categories: Music, Cinema, Drama Series, Directors, Sports and Influencers — keeping the results firmly in the hands of fans.

By the time the final award is announced, one thing is usually clear: the Joy Awards trades not just in trophies, but in moments.

GN

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Entertainment

Meryl Streep comeback in ‘Mamma Mia 3’ 

In Mamma Mia, Meryl Streep portrayed Donna Sheridan, a single mother and independent hotel manager. Fans raved about her performance in the musical hit franchise.

But in the sequel, Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again: her character was revealed to have died. Though it was not shown how.

Now, as the third instalment is confirmed, according to Dame Donna Langley, chairman of NBCUniversal Entertainment, questions are raised: would she make a comeback?

“If Meryl Streep would like to come back, we’ll find a way to bring her back,” the head responds to a question about the actress’ character’s return.

Further, the executive confirms the film has been greenlighted. “Yes, I’m going to say right now that there will be a Mamma Mia 3.”

Though, Langley insists the project is in an early phase, so there is no specific time when the movie will roll out in theatres. “We’re talking about it.”

Earlier, Amanda Seyfried, who played Sophie in the Mamma Mia franchise, said her character Sophie should be the third film’s focus.

The international News

Shakira to perform at Egypt’s iconic Pyramids of Giza in April

 Colombian pop star Shakira is set to perform live at the Pyramids of Giza on April 7, as part of her worldwide “Las Mujeres Ya No Lloran” tour, organisers said.

The concert is expected to draw a large audience to one of Egypt’s most iconic landmarks, with the global singer planning a visually ambitious production designed to match the scale and symbolism of the ancient site.

The show marks Shakira’s return to Egypt nearly two decades after her successful 2007 performance at the same venue as part of her Oral Fixation Tour, which at the time drew a large audience and widespread media coverage.

Shakira is expected to perform a selection of her most popular hits that have shaped her global career over the years, in a setting that blends music with history.

Gold, Silver Prices Make Olympic Medals Most Valuable in Modern History

It isn’t solid gold — but it’s never been worth more.

Athletes stepping onto the Winter Olympic podium in Italy this month are being draped in the most valuable medals in the Games’ modern history thanks to near record-high precious metal prices.

Since the Paris Summer Olympics started on July 26, 2024, spot gold prices have jumped roughly 110% to about $5,000 per ounce, while spot silver has surged about 180% hovering near $78 an ounce, according to FactSet data.

At current prices, the intrinsic or “melt value” of an Olympic gold medal — value based solely on the metals it contains — is roughly $2,300 to $2,500. Silver medals now carry a raw metal value of about $1,400.

Each gold medal handed out at this Olympics weighs in at about 506 grams, roughly 17.5 ounces, but only six grams of that total is pure gold.

Surprisingly, despite the name, Olympic gold medals are mostly silver. There hasn’t been a solid gold medal since the 1912 Stockholm Summer Olympics.

Under current International Olympic Committee guidelines, gold medals must consist of at least 92.5% silver and include a minimum of six grams of gold plating. Those six grams — about 0.2 ounces — are worth just over $1,000. The remaining silver core adds roughly $1,300 or more, depending on daily market swings.

Silver medals have about 500 grams of silver. Bronze medals, made primarily of copper and weighing in roughly 420 grams, carry only minimal intrinsic value at current commodity prices, worth just $5 to $6 in metal value.

Precious metal prices have climbed sharply over the past year as investors have poured money into traditional safe havens amid geopolitical instability, inflation concerns and ongoing economic uncertainty.

“The fundamentals and the tailwinds of this debasement trade are still in place, and the global central banks all over the world are acquirers of gold for the first time in many years,” Joe Terranova, a CNBC contributor and senior managing director for Virtus Investment Partners, said on CNBC’s Halftime Report Thursday. “You want to have some ownership.”

Even with bouts of volatility — including recent pullbacks over fears precious medal prices had overshot fundamentals — bullion remains near historic highs.

“The sell off [of precious metals] was attributable to excessive speculation,” Terranova said. “I don’t think it was attributable to any form of the shift in the fundamentals.”

Just this week, precious metals prices stabilized from that slip as investors assessed U.S.-Iran tensions and a drop in U.S. jobless claims that pointed to labor-market stability ahead of inflation data later this week.

Despite the soaring value of this year’s medals, they have been accompanied by an unexpected wrinkle.

The Milano Cortina 2026 Organizing Committee has acknowledged it’s looking into what is described as an “issue affecting a small number” of medals after several athletes reported broken ribbons or clasps during celebrations.

Organizers said they are working with the Italian State Mint to address the issue and repair affected medals.

CNBC

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Entertainment

Shakira to perform at Egypt’s iconic Pyramids of Giza in April

 Colombian pop star Shakira is set to perform live at the Pyramids of Giza on April 7, as part of her worldwide “Las Mujeres Ya No Lloran” tour, organisers said.

The concert is expected to draw a large audience to one of Egypt’s most iconic landmarks, with the global singer planning a visually ambitious production designed to match the scale and symbolism of the ancient site.

The show marks Shakira’s return to Egypt nearly two decades after her successful 2007 performance at the same venue as part of her Oral Fixation Tour, which at the time drew a large audience and widespread media coverage.

Shakira is expected to perform a selection of her most popular hits that have shaped her global career over the years, in a setting that blends music with history.

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Entertainment

Alan Cumming Thanks BAFTAs Audience After Activist’s Tourette’s Interruption

Host Alan Cumming addressed the audience at the British Academy Film Awards on Sunday night after audible outbursts from Tourette’s campaigner John Davidson were heard during the ceremony.

The event, held at Royal Festival Hall and broadcast on BBC One, was briefly disrupted when Davidson, 54, let out involuntary shouts. At one point during the ceremony, Davidson could be heard yelling, “Shut the f*** up,” during a speech from BAFTA chair Sara Putt, as well as “f*** you” when the directors of the winner for Best Children’s and Family Film accepted their award.

Davidson also shouted a racial slur as actors Michael B. Jordan and Delroy Lindo presented the award for Best Visual Effects, per Variety. Davidson, who was diagnosed with Tourette’s Syndrome at 25 after experiencing symptoms from childhood, is the inspiration behind the nominated film I Swear.

Those in attendance, including BAFTA president Prince William and Catherine, Princess of Wales, reportedly reacted with visible surprise as the auditorium fell silent during speeches, making the outbursts more noticeable.

“The auditorium fell completely silent during the speeches, making the sudden outbursts clearly audible. The reaction in the room was one of visible shock, yet no one openly responded,” a source told HELLO!

Cumming acknowledged the moment on stage, explaining that strong language can be part of how Tourette’s presents for some individuals. “You may have noticed some strong language in the background. This can be part of how Tourette’s syndrome shows up for some people as the film explores that experience,” Alan said on the stage. Thanks for your understanding and helping create a respectful space for everyone. We apologise if you are offended.”

Cumming addressed the audience again later in the evening, this time apologising to anyone who may have been offended by Davidson’s words. “Tourette’s syndrome is a disability, and the tics you’ve heard tonight are involuntary, which means the person who has Tourette’s syndrome has no control over their language. We apologise if you are offended tonight,” he said.

Prior to the show as well, the event’s stage manager introduced Davidson, 54, to the audience and alerted attendees that they might hear some “involuntary noises or movements” during the ceremony, per Variety.

Davidson appeared to have left the audience during the second half of the show, per Variety.

I Swear, directed by Kirk Jones, received five nominations, including best leading actor for Robert Aramayo, who ultimately won the award as well as BAFTAs EE Rising Star. 

During his acceptance speech for the latter award, the actor praised Davidson and called for greater understanding of his condition. “John Davidson is the most remarkable man I ever met,” Aramayo, 33, said. “He’s so forthcoming with education and he believes there should still be so much more we need to learn about Tourette’s.”

Aramayo continued, “I just want to say for people who are living with Tourette’s, it’s the buzz around them that helped define what their experience is, so to quote the film, ‘They need support and understanding.’” 

The international News

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