Entertainment News

SINGAPORE (Reuters Life!) - Move over, Matt Damon: a survey has found that videogame characters Mario and Pac-Man are the real heroes for many U.S. consumers.

CANBERRA (Reuters Life!) - IKEA's stylish, affordable furniture has found its way into millions of homes globally and now the world's largest furniture retailer is set to equip even more residences, this time in the virtual world.

By Steve Gorman
LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - The Screen Actors Guild and major Hollywood studios agreed to return to the bargaining table by May 28 to resume contract talks that broke off more than a week ago, sources close to the talks said on Thursday.

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Legendary Hollywood publicist Warren Cowan, whose clients included Ronald Reagan, Elizabeth Taylor, Paul Newman and Frank Sinatra, died at age 87 after a fight with cancer, a spokeswoman said on Thursday.

LOS ANGELES (Reuters Life!) - Canadian country star Shania Twain has separated from her husband of 14 years, reclusive record producer Robert John "Mutt" Lange, People magazine reported on Thursday.

By Michelle Nichols
NEW YORK (Reuters) - From Manolo Blahnik high heels to designer dresses, the materialism of the characters in television's "Sex and the City" has made the movie version a marketing dream that some companies are paying for dearly and at least one is getting for free.

By Paul Thomasch
NEW YORK (Reuters) - Fox Broadcasting on Thursday rolled out a fall television schedule that adds a science-fiction thriller from one of TV's hottest producers, and a workplace comedy, to a lineup that is already tops with viewers.

OTTAWA (Reuters) - A Canadian man who asked his lover to carve a heart-shaped symbol on his chest during a rough sex game almost died when she accidentally pressed too hard and punctured his heart, a newspaper said on Thursday.

NEW YORK (Reuters Life!) - Most Americans believe the choice to end one's life is a personal decision and that physician-assisted death should be legal, according to a new survey.

By Bob Tourtellotte
CANNES (Reuters) - Who needs movie superheroes like Iron Man when audiences can rely on a panda named Po with a sick kung fu kick? Not Dustin Hoffman, Angelina Jolie, Jack Black or any of the stars of "Kung Fu Panda".

By Mike Collett-White
CANNES, France (Reuters) - A daring new animated documentary follows Israeli director Ari Folman as he tries to piece together memories of the 1982 massacre of Palestinians in Beirut's Sabra and Shatila camps.

By Jeremy Lovell
LONDON (Reuters Life!) - Nearly 120 ancient paintings charting the life, struggles and eventual triumph of the legendary Indian king Rama go on show to the public on Friday for the first time at the British Library.

By Mabvuto Banda
LILONGWE (Reuters) - Malawi's High Court delayed on Thursday its ruling on whether U.S. pop diva Madonna may adopt a two-year-old Malawian boy, to allow it to review a new human rights report which says the move would be illegal.

By Conor Sweeney
YEKATERINBURG, Russia (Reuters Life!) - Sex, power and fabulous wealth are images of modern Russia and also the theme for an ambitious new musical evoking one of Russia's most famous rulers.

By Belinda Goldsmith
SYDNEY (Reuters Life!) - Turning 50 for comedian Rita Rudner was a scary experience but also enlightening as it made her reflect on the good things in her life -- her husband, her daughter, her career and her large closet.

By Marie-Louise Gumuchian
MILAN (Reuters Life!) - The models strutted past, the celebrities sized up the fashions and the prison guards kept a close eye on the catwalk.

By Andrew Hough
LONDON (Reuters Life!) - Actor Hugh Grant, his ex girlfriend Liz Hurley and her new husband won thousands of dollars in damages on Thursday after paparazzi pictures taken while they were on holiday were published in tabloid newspapers.

By Bob Strong
HUSAVIK, Iceland (Reuters) - Sigurdur Hjartarson is missing a human penis. But he's not worried: four men have promised to donate theirs to him when they die.

TOKYO (Reuters Life!) - No ice, no problem -- Japanese skaters will soon be able to lace up anywhere and at any temperature at rinks made from petrochemical panels.