Oscar-winning Hollywood actress Anne Hathaway and her husband, producer Adam Shulman, are expecting their first child, celebrity news website E! reports. "Anne is in her second trimester and feeling great," said a source close to the 33-year-old. Hathaway, who received an Oscar in 2013 for her performance as Fantine in Les Miserables, married Shulman, 34, in 2012. - AFP
The Force Awakens “not suitable for kids”
The Motion Picture Association of America says Star Wars: Episode VII – The Force Awakens may not be entirely suitable for younger kids. The organisation has given the JJ Abrams-directed film a PG-13 rating because of sci-fi action violence. The designation tells parents that some scenes might be inappropriate for those younger than 13 but doesn't prevent them from attending. The movie, which was partly filmed in Abu Dhabi, is due out in the UAE on December 17. Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith also got a PG-13 rating in 2005. The other five films in the series were rated PG, although the first three were released before PG-13 rating was created in 1984. – AP
Adele announces first tour in five years
Adele is set to embark on her first tour since 2011, with a string of dates planned in support of her record-breaking new album, 25. The British singer announced on Thursday that she will play venues across Europe, starting February 29th in Belfast, Northern Ireland. Adele has previously said she finds touring lonely but in a video posted on Facebook, the 27-year-old said she was “relieved to finally tell you I am of course coming on tour and I can’t wait to see all of you there.” Her album sold a record 2.4 million copies in its first four days on sale in the US, according to Nielsen Music. In Britain, it sold 737,000 copies in its first week. – AP
Harry Potter author talks about Snape
Readers of the Harry Potter series have long wanted to know: Why did the boy wizard choose to honour Severus Snape – a teacher who had been so mean to him? Author JK Rowling took to Twitter to answer the enduring question on Friday, in an exchange with a fan who asked why one of Harry’s children received the middle name of Severus. The author explained that Harry paid tribute to Snape because of “forgiveness and gratitude”. Though Snape bullied Harry, he also saved him. “Harry hoped in his heart that he too would be forgiven. The deaths at the Battle of Hogwarts would haunt Harry forever.” Rowling said that while a whole essay could be written on why Harry gave his son Snape’s name, it goes to the “heart of who Harry was, post-war.” Rowling’s seven Harry Potter novels have sold more than 450 million copies and were made into a hugely successful series of eight films. - AP
Roman Polanski will not be extradited to US
Poland will not extradite Oscar-winning filmmaker Roman Polanski to the US after prosecutors declined to challenge a court ruling against the request. Prosecutors in Krakow, who had sought the extradition on behalf of the US over an almost 40-year-old case in which he admitted having sex with a 13-year-old girl, said on Friday they found the court’s refusal of extradition to be “right” and said they found no grounds to appeal it. A lawyer for Polanski, Jan Olszewski, said that Polanski’s reaction was of “great relief” and “satisfaction” that the irregularities in the US procedure have been exposed. Polanski lives in Paris with his family. The decision by the prosecutors closes the case in Poland and means Polanski, 82, is free to reside and work in Poland, where he grew up and studied filmmaking, and where he is preparing to make a new movie. Preparations for the movie were stalled by the arrest and extradition requests that the US made last year. In 2011, Switzerland rejected a US request to extradite Polanski. - AP
