ISLAMABAD (AFP) ― The United States has turned to oversized puppets in its newest attempt to win hearts and minds in Pakistan, funding a $20 million remake of popular children’s TV program Sesame Street.The U.S. show that popularized characters like Big Bird, Oscar the Grouch and the Cookie Monster is being remade for a Pakistani audience, to promote “shared values and ideas” said USAID’s educatio

TV dramas take second crack at unsuccessful comic book hero genreIn Hollywood, comic book heroes are a surefire draw. “Superman” helped jumpstart a cinematic pantheon of costumed crusaders. “Batman” swooped onto the scene in 1989, “X-Men” in 2000 and “Spider-Man” in 2002. Fascination with the genre spawned the NBC TV series “Heroes” in 2006. A macabre exploration of the dilemmas that torture human

Sean Penn and Scarlett Johansson (MCT)Hollywood icon Scarlett Johansson, 26, turned up at Reese Witherspoon’s March 26 wedding with Sean Penn, 50, new reports said Tuesday. “Turning up at a wedding with your boyfriend is definitely a huge statement, especially that wedding. What it’s doing is announcing to the whole of Hollywood that they are serious,” a friend of Johansson was quoted as saying in

Earthquake-driven plot of new multinational TV series to remain unchangedNo one could have predicted the massive earthquake that hit the coast of Japan on March 11, especially not the team and cast of the forthcoming quake-centric drama, “Strangers 6.” On March 3, just nine days before disaster struck, a press conference in Seoul unveiled the ambitious joint collaboration among Chinese, Japanese a

Singer Kim Gun-mo said he has voluntarily decided to stay out of MBC’s survival program “I am a Singer,” apologizing for his earlier choice to remain in the program even after he received the lowest score from the audience in the competition against six other singers in the latest episode. In each episode, seven singers are given a mission to perform in front of a 500-member audience made up of or

Singer Kim Gun-mo (Yonhap News)Top singer Kim Gun-mo, one of the contestants of TV singer survival program “I am a Singer,” announced Wednesday night that he was leaving the show. Speaking at a press meeting, he said he felt sorry and responsible for any problems caused by his decision.MBC said they will replace the main producer of the show as he keeps singer Kim in the show despite him being eli

MBC said Wednesday it will replace Kim Young-hee, the veteran producer of singer survival program “I Am a Singer,” admitting that the producer’s decision to keep Kim Gun-mo ― who should have been eliminated in the first round of the competition with six other singers ― was wrong.In each episode, seven singers are given a mission to perform in front of a 500-member audience made up of ordinary view

MBC’s new singer survival program is mired in controversy as its participant Kim Gun-mo ― who was eliminated in the first cut on the episode televised on Sunday ― was given a special offer to compete in the next round. The decision to keep Kim in the next episode breaks the rules of the show.The show, “I Am A Singer,” pits a total of seven real-life, big-name singers in Korea ― Kim Gun-mo, Baek Ji

NEW YORK (AP) ― Sometimes it’s a fast-moving ooze: A street becomes a stream, grows into a river and then a raging mountain of moving debris. Sometimes, it’s a wet curtain of water crashing over a shoreline, tossing trees, ships and cars casually aside as a child would a stack of Legos.Until a week ago, a tsunami was one of the most mysterious of natural events, its devastating power usually evide

Actor Jung Woo-sung has admitted to having a special relationship with Lee Ji-ah, who played a former lover of Jung in the spy drama “ATHENA: Goddess of War.” Jung told his fans at a fan meeting on Sunday that he has been dating Lee Ji-ah. “The relationship has just started. I hope you all understand in a good way,” Jung said. The two stars in “ATHENA: Goddess of War” were spotted on a date in Par

WASHINGTON (AFP) - US celebrities are rallying their fans to raise money for survivors of the massive earthquake and tsunami in Japan, with Lady Gaga leading the charge and raising $250,000 in 48 hours. The larger-than-life pop icon announced her plan Monday to raise money for Japan by selling red and white wristbands bearing the message "We Pray for Japan" for $5 a piece via her online merchandis

Two stars in “ATHENA: Goddess of War” were apparently spotted on a date in Paris, domestic news reports said Friday. The local Kyunghyang Shinmun revealed three photos of Jung Woo-sung and Lee Ji-ah, walking on a street in the French capital looking like a couple.“Lee Ji-ah was with Jung Woo-sung with her hand inside of Jung’s coat pocket. They walked a street while looking around to check if anyo

Korean star actors Hyun Bin and Song Hye-kyo ended their relationship earlier this year, it was revealed Tuesday. Hyun Bin’s entertainment agency, AM Entertainment released an official statement confirming the rumored breakup. (Yonhap News)The breakup announcement came one day after Hyun joined the Marines on Monday. The relationship between the two actors began to form in 2008 when they starred t