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Arundhati Roy Criminally Charged In India For A Speech She Gave 13 Years Ago

The author of The God of Small Things gave a speech about Kashmir and the Indian government's counterinsurgency campaign there at a conference in Delhi in 2010. She's now "accused of making statements promoting social enmity, prejudicing national integration and inciting offences against the state and public tranquillity." - The Conversation

One of Iran’s Leading Filmmakers And His Wife Found Murdered Outside Their Home

Dariush Mehrjui, 83, one of the founders of Iran's "new wave," and his wife/co-screenwriter/costume designer, Vahideh Mohammadifar, were discovered by their daughter with knife wounds in their necks. - AP

Suzanne Somers, Star Of Three’s Company And More, Has Died At 76

Somers demanded equal pay - and was fired for it. - The New York Times

Iranian Filmmaker And His Screenwriter Wife Killed In Their Home

Dariush Mehrjui, 83, "one of the pioneers of Iranian cinema’s new wave movement, and his wife, Vahideh Mohammadifar, 54, a screenwriter and costume designer, were found dead by their daughter." - The New York Times

Piper Laurie, Who Starred In The Hustler And On Broadway, Has Died At 91

Laurie rebelled against the studio system, volunteered for the McGovern candidacy - and came back to perform in Carrie and Children of a Lesser God. - Los Angeles Times

Nobel Prize-Winning Poet Louise Gluck Has Died At 80

Glück also won the Pulitzer in 1993. She "wrote about childhood, family, loneliness and death, drawing inspiration from Shakespeare, William Blake, ancient mythology and her own life as a teacher, mother, sister and spouse." - Washington Post

Scrotum-Nailing, Bank-Burning Russian Refugee Artist Sentenced To Prison In France For Leaking Sexts

Pyotr Pavlensky was sentenced to six months' imprisonment and fined €20,000 for broadcasting sex videos of politician Benjamin Griveaux, this driving him out of the Paris mayoral race. (Background: Eight months after claiming political asylum in Paris, Pavlensky set fire to the Bank of France.) (in English) - Le Monde (France)

A Theory On Who Banksy Is

At one time, there was one Banksy who had a graffiti career and a famous “beef” in the subculture with London graffiti legend Robbo. That time is gone. Banksy is now a collective of artists who work together to produce thoughtful, provocative and subversive pieces and installations. - The Conversation

A Never-Before-Published Interview With Gabriel García Márquez

"What would be great is to collect all the myths that exist about me, because maybe they’re more interesting than my life!" Q: "Could it be that you yourself encourage these myths?" A: "Well let’s see …" (in English) - El País (Spain)

John Waters Is Organized And Disciplined. Yes, Really.

"He wakes up every day at 6 a.m., … checks his emails, and reads (several) newspapers before beginning his writing at 8 a.m. on the dot. He also jots down his daily schedule on a file card, crosses off each of his tasks when completed and then stores the card away." - CNN

New Orleans Drummer Russell Batiste Has Died At 57

Batiste was a "pyrotechnic" drummer, "the "whose furious style and genre-busting approach provided the rhythmic pulse for bands like the Meters and Vida Blue and musical artists like Harry Connick Jr." - The New York Times

Rock Hudson’s Semi-Secret Double Life

A new biographer says,"Let’s be frank about it: he was a horndog!" - The Guardian (UK)

Filmmaker Terence Davies Dies At 77

Davies, who won numerous awards with his semi-autobiographical work as well as the adaptation of Edith Wharton's House of Mirth, was working on a new film at the time of his death. - The Observer (UK)

How Lisa Simone Made Peace With Brilliant, Tormented (And Tormenting) Mother Nina

"Sometimes she despised the woman who bullied, rubbished, physically abused and neglected her. At other times she adored the woman who could be fun, loving and nurturing. And she was always in awe of the inspirational artist and activist. … Now, 20 years since Nina died, Lisa regards herself as keeper of the flame." - The Guardian

Remembering Parterre’s James Jorden

Here was a zine, and then a website, dedicated to “remembering when opera was queer and dangerous and exciting and making it that way again.” - Van

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