Lindsay Lohan says she was racially profiled for wearing a headscarf
Lindsay Lohan claims she was “racially profiled” while wearing a headscarf at London’s Heathrow Airport. The actress told a British talk-show that she was stopped while travelling to New York. She said an airport worker “opened my passport and saw ‘Lindsay Lohan’ and started immediately apologising, but then said: `Please take off your headscarf’.’ She said the incident made her wonder “how would another woman who doesn’t feel comfortable taking off her headscarf feel?” Lohan was returning from Turkey, where she recently met President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. She said she wore a headscarf in Turkey out of “personal respect”. Lohan, who has been photographed carrying a Quran, says she finds “solace” studying the Muslim holy book and other religious texts. — Associated Press
Shooting begins for Han Solo spin-off
Alden Ehrenreich has taken control of the Millennium Falcon. The Han Solo Star Wars spin-off has begun production. The Walt Disney Co has announced that shooting has begun at London's Pinewood Studios. To kick off the untitled Han Solo movie, the studio released a photo of the cast at the controls of the Millennium Falcon. Ehrenreich plays a younger version of Harrison Ford's iconic smuggler and is seated amid cast members including Woody Harrelson, Emilia Clarke and Donald Glover, who plays Lando Calrissian. The film is directed by Phil Lord and Christopher Miller, who helmed The Lego Movie. Disney will release the film in May 2018. — Associated Press
Small cafe mistakenly awarded a Michelin star
It’s a case of culinary mistaken identity. The Michelin Guide has accidentally awarded one of its coveted stars to a local cafe that shares its name with a gastronomic restaurant 150 kilometres away. In the annual restaurant list released on February 9, the publishers confused Le Bouche a Oreilles in Bourges, which serves up burgers and fries, with Le Bouche a Oreille in Boutervilliers that has an award-winning chef. Calling it “impossible,” cafe owner Veronique Jacquet laughed when the local radio called to tell her the news. Jacquet, who seemed to be enjoying her 15 minutes of fame, said humbly she has “a small brasserie open from Monday to Friday, serving workers, so nothing to do with a gourmet restaurant.” - Associated Press
Video emerges of Harrison Ford’s dangerous flyover
A video released this week shows a plane piloted by Harrison Ford mistakenly flying low over an airliner with 110 people aboard. The 45-second video shows the 74-year-old Star Wars and Indiana Jones star's potentially serious mishap at a Southern California airport. In it, an American Airlines 737 is taxiing slowly. Then Ford's yellow, single-engine plane suddenly zooms in from the right of the frame, flying low over the airliner and casting its shadow down the middle of the bigger plane before landing on the taxiway. Ford was supposed to have landed on a runway that runs parallel to the taxiway. "Was that airliner meant to be underneath me?" Ford asked the air traffic control tower. No reason has been given for why Ford made the mistake. — Associated Press
Chris Brown hit with restraining order
Singer Chris Brown has been ordered to stay away from an ex-girlfriend, model Karrueche Tran, after she said he punched her and threatened to kill her. With the restraining order in place, Brown faces arrest if he comes near her. Tran said the 27-year-old singer punched her in the stomach and pushed her down the stairs several years ago but that she did not call the police. The model said she requested the restraining order as Brown has recently sent her threats by text message. Brown, who rose to fame at a young age with his R&B voice and later rap, has become notorious for allegations of abuse. He was convicted of beating Rihanna, then his girlfriend, before the 2009 Grammy Awards, forcing the pop superstar to miss the music industry’s annual gala. Brown is scheduled to headline a 33-date tour of North American arenas joined by the rapper 50 Cent and other stars, starting on March 31. — Agence France Presse
Tom Hanks to release a book
Tom Hanks will publish a collection of short stories in October. The Oscar-winning actor's first book, Uncommon Type: Some Stories, features 17 stories, each in some way involving a different typewriter (Hanks owns more than 100 typewriters). Among the stories is one about an immigrant arriving in New York City, another about a bowler who becomes a celebrity and another about an eccentric billionaire. Hanks said he began work on the stories in 2015: "I wrote in hotels during press tours. I wrote on vacation. I wrote on planes, at home, and in the office." The book is due out Oct 24. — Associated Press
Dhanush pairs up with director Duraj Senthil again
Actor-filmmaker Dhanush said he will reunite with his Kodi director Durai Senthil Kumar for another project. In a tweet, Dhanush said: "Yes. After blockbuster 'Kodi', Durai Senthil Kumar is writing his next for me. Too early to disclose further details. Thank you." In Kodi, a political thriller that was released last year, Dhanush played dual roles. Dhanush is currently wrapping up his directorial Tamil venture Power Paandi, in which he also plays a cameo. He has also nearly completed shooting for Tamil action romantic Enai Nokki Paayum Thota. — IANS