logo
Sixties icon Marianne Faithfull dies aged 78

Sixties icon Marianne Faithfull dies aged 78

Express Tribune31-01-2025

LONDON:
British singer and actor Marianne Faithfull, best known for her hit song "As Tears Go By", has died at the age of 78, a spokesperson said on Thursday.
The singer got her first break in 1964, after being discovered by Rolling Stones manager Andrew Loog Oldham.
Her first hit "As Tears Go By" written by Mick Jagger and Keith Richards, was followed with a string of successful singles, including "Come And Stay with Me", "This Little Bird and "Summer Nights".
She also acted in films including "The Girls on a Motorcycle" and theatre productions and was known for her tempestuous relationship with Stones frontman Jagger.
"It is with deep sadness that we announce the death of the singer, songwriter and actress Marianne Faithfull," a statement sent to AFP said.
"Marianne passed away peacefully in London today, in the company of her loving family. She will be dearly missed."

Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Diddy defence questions ex
Diddy defence questions ex

Express Tribune

time10 hours ago

  • Express Tribune

Diddy defence questions ex

Sean Combs's defence lawyers on Tuesday began questioning a woman who dated the music mogul up until his arrest, and who has testified in agonising detail that he pressured her into drug-fuelled sex with escorts, as reported by AFP. In the initial hours of questioning, defence attorney Teny Geragos sought to demonstrate that the woman speaking under the pseudonym Jane had agency throughout her relationship with Combs — an attempt to show that what prosecutors deem to be sex trafficking was in fact consensual. The defence exhibited loving messages and voice notes the pair shared, and also asked Jane about her "jealousy" regarding Combs's "polyamorous" lifestyle that involved other girlfriends. Geragos elicited testimony from Jane in which she said she gravitated to men who were "successful." The witness, who told jurors she still loves Combs, also testified that at points she felt "very loved" by him, and that he was her "baby." Attorney Geragos spent much of the afternoon prompting Jane to read lengthy, lewd texts aloud. During the uncomfortable, painstaking process Jane repeatedly emphasised there was an "undertone" to the messages in which she felt compelled to write what Combs wanted to hear. Jane was largely calm and confident throughout defence questioning, but one particularly tense exchange saw her patience wane. Pressing her over jealousy related to the gifts Combs gave other women, Geragos asked her if he ever gave her a Chanel bag. "No, I only got trauma," Jane responded. "What is a Bottega bag?" Geragos then asked, referring to another luxury accessory that Jane had previously said she received from Combs. "I'm sure you have one," Jane quipped, before the lawyer asked her how much a Bottega bag costs. Jane clapped back: "How much does my body cost?" Violent outburst Jane previously told jurors how the final year of her relationship with the artist known as "Diddy" exploded into violence in June 2024. At the time Combs was already under investigation by federal authorities, and the now-infamous security footage of him assaulting his ex-girlfriend Casandra Ventura in a hotel was public. Jane, who began seeing Combs in early 2021, detailed how she had longed for a more traditional romantic relationship with him. But she said 90 per cent of their time together resulted in sometimes days-long sex parties that saw Combs direct her to have sex with male escorts while he watched, even as she told him the encounters made her feel "sleazy" and "disgusted." Jane told jurors Combs paid for her rent at the time and still does, and he covers her legal expenses. She previously testified at length that she felt "obligated" to participate in the so-called "hotel nights" for "fear of losing the roof over my head" that Combs was bankrolling. A June 2024 date-turned-argument escalated when Jane said she pushed Combs's head onto a marble countertop in her home and began hurling candles – acts of "built-up" anger, she testified. Combs was livid: Jane said he kicked down doors and ultimately put her in a chokehold. She ran out, but upon return Combs kicked and punched her until she had a black eye and "golf ball" sized welts, she said. Combs instructed her to ice the injuries and prepare for a hotel night with an escort. "You're not going to ruin my night," she said Combs told her. When she said she didn't want to participate, he stood close to her face as he asked in a "forceful" tone: "Then is this coercion?" Jane ultimately complied: "I just felt like I wasn't even in my own body," she said. 'Sexual trauma' When Ventura – who last month testified of physical and psychological abuse in similarly excruciating detail – filed her 2023 civil lawsuit that opened the door for a federal investigation, Jane said she "almost fainted." "There was a whole other woman feeling the same thing," Jane said. "I feel like I'm reading my own sexual trauma. It makes me sick how three solid pages, word for word, is exactly my experiences and my anguish," she messaged Combs, in text records read in court. The 55-year-old faces life in prison if convicted of racketeering and sex trafficking. Jane's story was not in the original indictment against Combs, but she was added after receiving a subpoena requiring she testify in November 2024 before a grand jury. Jane has not filed any civil suit against Combs, and testified she has no plans to do so. She is expected to stay on the stand through Thursday. Now in its fifth week of testimony, the Manhattan federal trial is anticipated to continue at least through June.

BTS megastars to reunite after military service
BTS megastars to reunite after military service

Express Tribune

time10 hours ago

  • Express Tribune

BTS megastars to reunite after military service

Two members of K-pop supergroup BTS were released from South Korea's mandatory military service on Tuesday and announced they wanted to start performing again "as soon as possible", prompting a fan frenzy, as reported by AFP. BTS, South Korea's most lucrative musical act, has been on a hiatus since 2022 while its seven members complete their military service. Hundreds of fans gathered at a site near the two army bases where band leader RM – recently named "Favorite K-pop Artist" at the American Music Awards – and singer V were separately discharged. Cheers broke out as they stepped out of different vehicles and hugged, with RM playing a quick song on the saxophone as V stood next to him smiling, holding bunches of flowers. "What we want most right now is to perform again," RM, still wearing his army uniform, told reporters and fans after his discharge. "We're working hard on the new album so we can return to the stage as soon as possible." RM said there had been "many difficult and painful moments" during his 18 months of military service. "Since returning, I've grown closer with my father and old friends – many of whom had already completed their military service," he added. V said military service was "a time for me to reset and rebuild both my body and mind". "Now that I've done that, I truly want to run straight to ARMY as soon as possible," he said, referring to the band's official fandom name. This week, four BTS members will complete their service. Two were discharged last year, and the final member, SUGA – who has been working as a social service agent for alternative non-active duty service – will be released later this month. HYBE, the band's agency, had urged fans not to go to the discharge location, citing safety concerns. Flouting the warning, dozens gathered outside V's military base, eagerly awaiting the return of their star. "Honestly, I came here with such high expectations," Yang Ho-hee, 28, told AFP outside the base. Reunion tour? On a football field where the newly released BTS members spoke, hundreds of fans from around the world gathered, hoping to catch a glimpse of their idols. RM and V later held a live chat on their superfan platform, Weverse, where fellow member Jin joined. "We have plans. Please wait just a little longer," said RM. "I've had time to recharge, so I'll make something good and show it to you. We'll make sure everyone knows that we're back." All the band members signed new contracts with their agency HYBE in 2023, and once SUGA is released on June 21, analysts expect profit-driving reunion activities. "In the case of HYBE share prices, the current market consensus is seen as not fully reflecting BTS's impact," Lim Soo-jin, an analyst at Daishin Securities, told AFP. Despite an ongoing police investigation into the company chairman for suspected insider trading and a recent raid by authorities, analysts say HYBE's shares are up, rising by 10 per cent over the past week through June 9. GDP impact Prior to their mandatory military service, the boy band generated more than 5.5 trillion won ($4 billion) in yearly economic impact, according to the Korea Culture and Tourism Institute. That accounts for roughly 0.2 per cent of South Korea's total GDP, according to official data. HYBE has hinted at a BTS comeback this year, but has also said the members "need time for reflection and preparation". "Normally, the process goes from song production to album release, then a tour," Lee Jae-sang, CEO of HYBE, told a shareholder meeting in March. "But since BTS have already become global top-tier artists, we are continuing discussions about their vision and what's next," Lee added. The HYBE headquarters building in Seoul was wrapped with the slogan "WE ARE BACK", the official logo for the upcoming BTS FESTA. HYBE shares opened nearly three per cent higher Tuesday morning, reaching their highest level in two years.

Princess Diana's pricey dresses head to auction
Princess Diana's pricey dresses head to auction

Express Tribune

time2 days ago

  • Express Tribune

Princess Diana's pricey dresses head to auction

Diana's wedding dress from 1981 is also up for auction. Photo: Reuters From colourful frocks and hats to handbags and shoes, items belonging to the late Princess Diana go under the hammer this month in what Julien's Auctions says is the largest collection of her fashion to go to auction, reported Reuters. The live and online "Princess Diana's Style & A Royal Collection" sale will take place on June 26 at The Peninsula Beverly Hills, offering an array of fashion items Diana wore. "This is the largest Princess Diana auction because we have over 100 items from her amazing life and career — keeping in mind Diana herself — sold over 70 of her dresses — back in 1997 to raise money for her charity," Martin Nolan, executive director and co-founder of Julien's Auctions, told Reuters on Monday. He was speaking at the Museum of Style Icons in Newbridge in Ireland during a pre-sale exhibition. Among the highlights is a 1988 silk floral dress by Bellville Sassoon, dubbed the "caring dress" because Diana wore it several times on hospital visits, with a price estimate of $200,000-$300,000. A cream silk embroidered evening gown Catherine Walker designed for Diana's 1986 Gulf tour has a similar price tag, while a Bruce Oldfield two-piece yellow floral ensemble she wore for Royal Ascot in 1987 is estimated at $100,000-$200,000. Other sale items include a Dior handbag gifted to her by former French first lady Bernadette Chirac in 1995, a sketch of Diana's 1981 wedding dress with tulle fabric cut-offs from when she married then Prince Charles in 1981 and a peach hat she wore for her honeymoon send-off. As per the Daily Mail, the collection will also feature a Murray Arbeid midnight blue tulle strapless gown that Diana wore twice in 1986 — to the Phantom Of The Opera premiere and to a dinner with King Constantine of Greece — and to a Royal Opera House performance of Cinderella in 1987, which has a top estimate of $400,000 (£315,000). Additionally, the auction includes pieces belonging to other British royals including the late Queen Elizabeth II and the queen mother. Nolan said Julien's Auctions had previously sold a dress belonging to Diana for $1.14 million. "People do consider these items as an asset class now, because if people own these items today, chances are in years to come they will sell them for more than what they pay for (at) auction," he said. Part of the proceeds from the sale of Diana's items will go to charity Muscular Dystrophy UK. The pre-sale exhibition in Newbridge will run until June 17.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into the world of global news and events? Download our app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store