मनोरंजन

By Danielle Broadway LOS ANGELES (Reuters) -While the lead vocalists in animated film "KPop Demon Hunters" are largely inspired by the work of other K-Pop artists, EJAE, Rei Ami and Audrey Nuna said they also admire Black American hip-hop stars like Kendrick Lamar, Missy Elliott and Doechii.  “I think I discovered West Coast rap in high school, and I learned a lot about storytelling, lyricism and rhythm,” Korean American rapper and singer Rei Ami said. All three vocalists told Reuters that rapper and record producer Lamar’s music had particularly impacted their musical styles.  “His (Lamar’s) flow is insane, cadence, his way of writing, his way of vocal producing, I learned a lot from that,” Korean American singer and songwriter EJAE said.  "KPop Demon Hunters," directed by Maggie Kang and Chris Appelhans and available on Netflix, is trending around the world. Its soundtrack has dominated the charts this summer, boasting more than 3 billion global streams to date, and breakout hit “Golden” reached No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, Netflix reported in August. The streaming platform reported on Tuesday that the movie was currently its most popular English-language film. A sing-along version of "KPop Demon Hunters" topped the domestic box office during its opening weekend on August 23 and 24, in what appeared to be a historic first for Netflix.  The action-packed movie received 2.1 billion on-demand audio and video streams in the U.S. across all platforms and earned a total of 5.4 billion minutes watched on Netflix in the U.S. by late September, according to Luminate. Luminate added it was the most-consumed soundtrack in the U.S. so far this year when looking at album sales and streaming equivalents.  FIRST LIVE PERFORMANCE ON SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE While the first live performance for the lead trio of "KPop Demon Hunters" was originally going to be October 7 when the singers will perform "Golden" on "The Tonight Show," there was a surprise performance on Saturday Night Live (SNL) on Saturday, which marked their official live singing debut together. EJAE, Rei Ami and Audrey Nuna performed "Golden" during an SNL skit with host, singer Bad Bunny. "It's official," the singers said in unison, talking about the upcoming performance on "The Tonight Show." "These girls, it's an honor being on stage with them," Rei Ami said, noting that for her, this history-making moment is "overdue."  The movie, which came out on June 20, follows a K-pop girl group called HUNTR/X, comprised of Rumi, Mira, and Zoey, who are also a trio of demon hunters that perform K-pop music to impress fans and combat demons. EJAE provides the singing voice for the lead singer Rumi and cowrote "Golden,” which she performs with Rei Ami, who sings as Zoey, and Audrey Nuna, who’s the vocalist for Mira. The film was produced by Sony Pictures Animation.  With the musical movie continuing to trend, directors Kang and Appelhans said they are considering what the future may hold. Both said they are thinking about a potential sequel, but right now, they are just trying to take their busy schedules day by day.   They are also appreciative of the Oscar and Grammy awards buzz they have received. “It’s an honor to be even recognized, to be potential nominees,” Kang said.  (Reporting by Danielle Broadway and Jane Ross; Editing by Mary Milliken, Jamie Freed and Diane Craft)

(The article has been published through a syndicated feed. Except for the headline, the content has been published verbatim. Liability lies with original publisher.)

By Danielle Broadway LOS ANGELES (Reuters) -While the lead vocalists in animated film "KPop Demon Hunters" are largely inspired by the work of other K-Pop artists, EJAE, Rei Ami and Audrey Nuna said they also admire Black American hip-hop stars like Kendrick Lamar, Missy Elliott and Doechii.  “I think I discovered West Coast rap in high school, and I learned a lot about storytelling, lyricism and rhythm,” Korean American rapper and singer Rei Ami said. All three vocalists told Reuters that rapper and record producer Lamar’s music had particularly impacted their musical styles.  “His (Lamar’s) flow is insane, cadence, his way of writing, his way of vocal producing, I learned a lot from that,” Korean American singer and songwriter EJAE said.  "KPop Demon Hunters," directed by Maggie Kang and Chris Appelhans and available on Netflix, is trending around the world. Its soundtrack has dominated the charts this summer, boasting more than 3 billion global streams to date, and breakout hit “Golden” reached No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, Netflix reported in August. The streaming platform reported on Tuesday that the movie was currently its most popular English-language film. A sing-along version of "KPop Demon Hunters" topped the domestic box office during its opening weekend on August 23 and 24, in what appeared to be a historic first for Netflix.  The action-packed movie received 2.1 billion on-demand audio and video streams in the U.S. across all platforms and earned a total of 5.4 billion minutes watched on Netflix in the U.S. by late September, according to Luminate. Luminate added it was the most-consumed soundtrack in the U.S. so far this year when looking at album sales and streaming equivalents.  FIRST LIVE PERFORMANCE ON SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE While the first live performance for the lead trio of "KPop Demon Hunters" was originally going to be October 7 when the singers will perform "Golden" on "The Tonight Show," there was a surprise performance on Saturday Night Live (SNL) on Saturday, which marked their official live singing debut together. EJAE, Rei Ami and Audrey Nuna performed "Golden" during an SNL skit with host, singer Bad Bunny. "It's official," the singers said in unison, talking about the upcoming performance on "The Tonight Show." "These girls, it's an honor being on stage with them," Rei Ami said, noting that for her, this history-making moment is "overdue."  The movie, which came out on June 20, follows a K-pop girl group called HUNTR/X, comprised of Rumi, Mira, and Zoey, who are also a trio of demon hunters that perform K-pop music to impress fans and combat demons. EJAE provides the singing voice for the lead singer Rumi and cowrote "Golden,” which she performs with Rei Ami, who sings as Zoey, and Audrey Nuna, who’s the vocalist for Mira. The film was produced by Sony Pictures Animation.  With the musical movie continuing to trend, directors Kang and Appelhans said they are considering what the future may hold. Both said they are thinking about a potential sequel, but right now, they are just trying to take their busy schedules day by day.   They are also appreciative of the Oscar and Grammy awards buzz they have received. “It’s an honor to be even recognized, to be potential nominees,” Kang said.  (Reporting by Danielle Broadway and Jane Ross; Editing by Mary Milliken, Jamie Freed and Diane Craft)

(The article has been published through a syndicated feed. Except for the headline, the content has been published verbatim. Liability lies with original publisher.)

ANKARA (Reuters) -British singer Robbie Williams said city authorities called off his upcoming Istanbul concert “in the interests of public safety” after Turkish NGOs and social media users campaigned for the event to be cancelled and protested against his appearance. The October 7 concert was scheduled to take place on the second anniversary of the Hamas attack on southern Israeli communities that led to Israel’s military offensive in Gaza. For days, Turkish social media accounts and pro-Gaza NGOs had been calling for the event to be scrapped, accusing Williams of being "Zionist". The 51-year-old singer has faced renewed scrutiny in predominantly Muslim Turkey over his family’s Jewish heritage and his 2015 performance in Israel, which drew criticism from pro-Palestinian groups. Bubilet, the ticketing company, said it had cancelled the concert at the request of the Istanbul Governor’s Office. The governor's office was not immediately available for comment. Williams wrote on Instagram late on Saturday that the safety of his fans “comes first,” adding he was deeply sorry for the cancellation, which he said was “beyond our control.” (Reporting by Ece Toksabay, Editing by Louise Heavens)

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By Dawn Chmielewski LOS ANGELES, October 3 (Reuters) -Superstar Taylor Swift's 12th studio album, "The Life of a Showgirl," arrived on Friday with a promotional blitz including midnight sales at Target stores, a release party at movie theaters around the globe and pop-up experiences in New York and Los Angeles. It follows "The Tortured Poets Department", which debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 album chart, and sold the equivalent of 8 million albums in the United States, according to Luminate, a firm that tracks music sales. Swift's latest offering is expected to be similarly lapped up by her huge global fan base, even though the music press gave the release a mixed response. It became Spotify's most-streamed album of the year, hitting that milestone in less than 11 hours. "With this album it's exactly where I am at in my life," Swift told Britain's Capital Breakfast radio show, kicking off promotional appearances. "I am exactly in the same spot as I was when I made this record so it feels very accurate to my life experience right now." Swift once again worked with Swedish producers Max Martin and Shellback on "The Life of a Showgirl," the duo also worked on records including her best-selling album, ''1989,'' and ''Reputation." Many critics praised the upbeat songs and humor on the 12-song album, whose title track features Sabrina Carpenter. Rolling Stone gave it five stars saying Swift "shoots into a fresh echelon of superstardom — and hits all her marks", while Britain's BBC called it "a triumphant pop victory lap."  Awarding it two stars, The Financial Times and Guardian newspapers were cooler, with the former saying the album was "charismatic as ever, but lacks sparkle" and the latter describing it as "dull razzle-dazzle from a star who seems frazzled." Fans who went to the flagship HMV store in London to buy the album were nonetheless enthusiastic. "It's a little bit of a pivot for her," said Dan Poliak, 62, who lives in Seattle. "But the songs are great … (the album) shows off her songwriting as always, which is her strength. And it's fun. It's a fun album." 'RARE POSITION' Swift has been building anticipation for the album since August 11, when she posted a countdown on her website that kept fans waiting until 12:12 a.m. ET on August 12, when she revealed the new record. The next day, she appeared on the "New Heights" podcast hosted by her fiancé, Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce, and his brother, retired Philadelphia Eagles lineman Jason Kelce. The Top-10 rated sports and pop-culture podcast provided a friendly platform for Swift to talk about the album, which she said had been inspired by the joy she felt while performing around the world on her record-setting Eras Tour. The August 13 episode has surpassed 23.4 million views on YouTube.   "She occupies a very rare position in today's fragmented music landscape: she is an active superstar with a massive and loyal fan base," said Tatiana Cirisano, vice president of music strategy for MIDiA Research. These passionate followers, or "Swifties," help the artist rise to the top of the charts, said Cirisano. "So few can get such a massive number of people listening to the same thing at once. So, it would surprise me a lot if the new release did not reach her usual level of success," she said.  Even before the album was released, the Recording Industry Association of America said Swift had made history as the first and only female artist to surpass 100 million album sales. Once "The Life of a Showgirl" dropped, Google reported spikes in searches for lyrics to new songs, including "Opalite," "Ruin the Friendship" and "Actually Romantic," according to Google Trends.  Swift's globe-trotting Eras Tour was the highest-grossing tour of all time, surpassing $2 billion in ticket sales by the time it concluded in December 2024, according to Pollstar, a trade publication that tracks the concert industry. That figure does not include the boost to hotel and Airbnb rentals, restaurant tabs and merchandise sales.  Academics have said Swift rivals other pop icons, like Elvis or Michael Jackson, in terms of her cultural impact — whether it's driving tune-in to NFL games or leading voter registration drives. Business partners have been eager to tap into the phenomenon that's been dubbed "Swiftonomics." AMC Theatres announced plans to distribute "The Official Release Party of a Showgirl," an 89-minute film that features the album's first music video, "The Fate of Ophelia," behind-the-scenes footage, and Swift's reflections on the album's songs. It will be in limited release, from Friday through Sunday, in more than 50 markets. The limited release is expected to top U.S. and Canadian box office this weekend, bringing in $30 to $50 million in ticket sales, according to Daniel Loria, senior vice president of The Boxoffice Company, which provides insights to the movie industry. Retailer Target opened some stores at midnight to sell a limited-edition vinyl pressing of the album with a "gold shimmer," and three CDs featuring exclusive album and poster art. "Taylor Swift-related products and merchandise have been a bright spot for Target over the last few years, helping to offset sales weakness elsewhere," said Michael Baker, senior research analyst for D.A. Davidson, who noted a previous exclusive Swift book and special-edition vinyl record lifted the retailer's entertainment category. Music streaming service Spotify opened a three-day pop-up in New York on Tuesday, with song lyrics hidden among displays that included a dressing room and other trappings of a concert tour. On Friday, TikTok opened its own "Life of a Showgirl" installation in Los Angeles.  Swift's promotional appearances include stops on "The Graham Norton Show" on Friday, "The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon" on Monday and "Late Night with Seth Meyers" on Wednesday. (Additional reporting by Marie-Louise Gumuchian and Sarah Mills in London and Savyata Mishra in Bengaluru; Editing by Patricia Reaney and Toby Chopra)

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By Luc Cohen and Jack Queen NEW YORK (Reuters) -Sean "Diddy" Combs was sentenced on Friday to more than four years in prison over his conviction on prostitution-related charges, with the judge rebuking the hip-hop mogul for subjecting two former girlfriends to years of abuse. Combs, 55, was stoic as U.S. District Judge Arun Subramanian announced the 50-month sentence at the end of a day-long hearing in Manhattan federal court. He could be released in less than three years after receiving credit for the time he has already spent locked up at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn since his September 16, 2024 arrest. Combs had faced a maximum possible sentence of 20 years behind bars over his conviction in July on two counts of arranging for paid male escorts to travel across state lines to take part in drug-fueled sexual performances with Combs' girlfriends while he recorded video and masturbated. The jury acquitted him on the more serious charges of racketeering and sex trafficking, which could have earned him a life sentence.  Those charges hinged on prosecutors' accusation that Combs used violence and threats to coerce two of his girlfriends – the rhythm and blues singer Casandra Ventura, and a woman known in court by the pseudonym Jane – to take part in the performances, sometimes known as "Freak Offs." COMBS APOLOGIZES  Despite his acquittal on those charges, Subramanian said a significant sentence was justified given the harm Combs had caused Ventura and Jane. "The court rejects the defense's attempt to characterize what happened here as merely intimate, consensual experiences, or just a sex, drugs, and rock-and-roll story," Subramanian said. "This was subjugation, and it drove both Ms. Ventura and Jane to thoughts of ending their lives." Combs pleaded not guilty. He will appeal the sentence, defense lawyer Marc Agnifilo told reporters after the hearing, arguing that Subramanian "second-guessed the jury's verdict."  In addressing the court before Subramanian imposed the sentence, Combs apologized to Ventura and Jane and said he had learned his lesson.   "I know I'll never put my hands on another person again," said Combs, the founder of Bad Boy Records, who is credited with elevating hip-hop's stature in American culture. The New York-born entrepreneur is one of the most prominent men in the entertainment industry to have faced trial on sex crimes charges. "While nothing can undo the trauma caused by Combs, the sentence imposed today recognizes the impact of the serious offenses he committed," Douglas Wigdor, a lawyer for Ventura, said in a statement.  COMBS' CHILDREN URGE LENIENCY Combs' lawyers acknowledged Combs had physically abused his girlfriends, but argued they willingly took part in the sexual performances. Defense lawyers said the appropriate sentence would have been 14 months, while prosecutors had pushed for a sentence of at least 11-1/4 years. At the hearing, prosecutor Christy Slavik said the judge should consider his abuse of his girlfriends.  "To not account for it now would be to let the defendant get away with years of domestic violence and abuse," Slavik said. Before Combs spoke, his children urged leniency for their father, telling Subramanian that he had become a better man in the year since his arrest. "We aren't here to excuse any of his mistakes," Combs' 18-year-old daughter Jessie Combs said through tears. "But your honor, he is still our dad, and we still need him present in our lives." Combs put his head down as his children spoke, and had tears in his eyes when their remarks concluded. Combs' lawyers also showed the court a video about his background and philanthropy. The video showed Combs playing with his children, speaking to public school students, and running in the New York Marathon to raise money for charity. Subramanian said prosecutors' request for a harsh sentence did not take into account mitigating factors, including Combs' charitable acts. At the end of the hearing, the judge thanked Ventura and Jane for testifying, and said they could encourage other women to report sexual abuse. "The number of people who you reached is incalculable," Subramanian said.  (Reporting by Luc Cohen and Jack Queen in New York; Editing by Noeleen Walder, Nick Zieminski and Bill Berkrot)

(The article has been published through a syndicated feed. Except for the headline, the content has been published verbatim. Liability lies with original publisher.)

By Luc Cohen and Jack Queen NEW YORK (Reuters) -Sean "Diddy" Combs was sentenced on Friday to more than four years in prison over his conviction on prostitution-related charges, with the judge rebuking the hip-hop mogul for subjecting two former girlfriends to years of abuse. Combs, 55, was stoic as U.S. District Judge Arun Subramanian announced the 50-month sentence at the end of a day-long hearing in Manhattan federal court. He could be released in less than three years after receiving credit for the time he has already spent locked up at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn since his September 16, 2024 arrest. Combs had faced a maximum possible sentence of 20 years behind bars over his conviction in July on two counts of arranging for paid male escorts to travel across state lines to take part in drug-fueled sexual performances with Combs' girlfriends while he recorded video and masturbated. The jury acquitted him on the more serious charges of racketeering and sex trafficking, which could have earned him a life sentence.  Those charges hinged on prosecutors' accusation that Combs used violence and threats to coerce two of his girlfriends – the rhythm and blues singer Casandra Ventura, and a woman known in court by the pseudonym Jane – to take part in the performances, sometimes known as "Freak Offs." COMBS APOLOGIZES  Despite his acquittal on those charges, Subramanian said a significant sentence was justified given the harm Combs had caused Ventura and Jane. "The court rejects the defense's attempt to characterize what happened here as merely intimate, consensual experiences, or just a sex, drugs, and rock-and-roll story," Subramanian said. "This was subjugation, and it drove both Ms. Ventura and Jane to thoughts of ending their lives." Combs pleaded not guilty and is expected to appeal his conviction. In addressing the court before Subramanian imposed the sentence, Combs apologized to Ventura and Jane and said he had learned his lesson.   "I know I'll never put my hands on another person again," said Combs, the founder of Bad Boy Records who is credited with elevating hip-hop's stature in American culture. The New York-born entrepreneur is one of the most prominent men in the entertainment industry to have faced trial on sex crimes charges. "While nothing can undo the trauma caused by Combs, the sentence imposed today recognizes the impact of the serious offenses he committed," Douglas Wigdor, a lawyer for Ventura, said in a statement.  COMBS' CHILDREN URGE LENIENCY Combs' lawyers acknowledged Combs had physically abused his girlfriends, but argued they willingly took part in the sexual performances. Defense lawyers said the appropriate sentence would have been 14 months, while prosecutors had pushed for a sentence of at least 11-1/4 years. At the hearing, prosecutor Christy Slavik said the judge should consider his abuse of his girlfriends.  "To not account for it now would be to let the defendant get away with years of domestic violence and abuse," Slavik said. Before Combs spoke, his children urged leniency for their father, telling Subramanian that he has become a better man in the year since his arrest. "We aren't here to excuse any of his mistakes," Combs' 18-year-old daughter Jessie Combs said through tears. "But your honor, he is still our dad, and we still need him present in our lives." Combs put his head down as his children spoke, and had tears in his eyes when their remarks concluded. Combs' lawyers also showed the court a video about his background and philanthropy. The video showed Combs playing with his children, speaking to public school students, and running in the New York Marathon to raise money for charity. Subramanian said prosecutors' request for a harsh sentence did not take into account mitigating factors, including Combs' charitable acts. At the end of the hearing, the judge thanked Ventura and Jane for testifying, and said they could encourage other women to report sexual abuse. "The number of people who you reached is incalculable," Subramanian said.  (Reporting by Luc Cohen and Jack Queen in New York; Editing by Noeleen Walder, Nick Zieminski and Bill Berkrot)

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(Reuters) -Movie star George Clooney said on Friday that U.S. President Donald Trump's threat to impose a 100% tariff on all films produced overseas was the wrong solution for a real issue.  Clooney spoke before the annual Albies awards ceremony in London, a program that he and his wife Amal created to recognize global human rights defenders. He said that Trump's take that movie industry jobs were leaving California was true, but that it's "because we don't have proper tax incentives or rebates like you do in New York."  George Clooney said that if Trump "wants to implement a federal incentive, that would match the kinds of incentives we get in Louisiana and New Jersey and New York, then I think that would make a big difference in helping out." Among the honorees at the Albies were Melinda French Gates, the ex-wife of Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates, for her decades of efforts to champion women's health and gender equality, along with Marty Baron, the former editor of the Washington Post and the Boston Globe for his media leadership, and Darren Walker, president of the Ford Foundation, who created a billion-dollar social bond in U.S. capital markets to stabilize non-profits during the COVID pandemic.  Two other honorees were Fatou Baldeh, a leading global voice on the dangers of female genital mutilation, and Jose Ruben Zamora, a Guatemalan journalist who has spent three decades investigating corruption. (Reporting by Natasha Montague in London;Editing by Shri Navaratnam)

(The article has been published through a syndicated feed. Except for the headline, the content has been published verbatim. Liability lies with original publisher.)

By Luc Cohen and Jack Queen NEW YORK (Reuters) -Sean "Diddy" Combs was sentenced on Friday to more than four years in prison over his conviction on prostitution-related charges, with the judge rebuking the hip-hop mogul for subjecting two former girlfriends to years of abuse. Combs, 55, was stoic as U.S. District Judge Arun Subramanian announced the 50-month sentence at the end of a day-long hearing in Manhattan federal court. He could be released in less than three years after receiving credit for the time he has already spent locked up at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn since his September 16, 2024 arrest. Combs had faced a maximum possible sentence of 20 years behind bars over his conviction in July on two counts of arranging for paid male escorts to travel across state lines to take part in drug-fueled sexual performances with Combs' girlfriends while he recorded video and masturbated. The jury acquitted him on the more serious charges of racketeering and sex trafficking, which could have earned him a life sentence.  Those charges hinged on prosecutors' accusation that Combs used violence and threats to coerce two of his girlfriends – the rhythm and blues singer Casandra Ventura, and a woman known in court by the pseudonym Jane – to take part in the performances, sometimes known as "Freak Offs." COMBS APOLOGIZES  Despite his acquittal on those charges, Subramanian said a significant sentence was justified given the harm Combs had caused Ventura and Jane. "The court rejects the defense's attempt to characterize what happened here as merely intimate, consensual experiences, or just a sex, drugs, and rock-and-roll story," Subramanian said. "This was subjugation, and it drove both Ms. Ventura and Jane to thoughts of ending their lives." Combs pleaded not guilty and is expected to appeal his conviction. In addressing the court before Subramanian imposed the sentence, Combs apologized to Ventura and Jane and said he had learned his lesson.   "I know I'll never put my hands on another person again," said Combs, the founder of Bad Boy Records who is credited with elevating hip-hop's stature in American culture. The New York-born entrepreneur is one of the most prominent men in the entertainment industry to have faced trial on sex crimes charges. "While nothing can undo the trauma caused by Combs, the sentence imposed today recognizes the impact of the serious offenses he committed," Douglas Wigdor, a lawyer for Ventura, said in a statement.  COMBS' CHILDREN URGE LENIENCY Combs' lawyers acknowledged Combs had physically abused his girlfriends, but argued they willingly took part in the sexual performances. Defense lawyers said the appropriate sentence would have been 14 months, while prosecutors had pushed for a sentence of at least 11-1/4 years. At the hearing, prosecutor Christy Slavik said the judge should consider his abuse of his girlfriends.  "To not account for it now would be to let the defendant get away with years of domestic violence and abuse," Slavik said. Before Combs spoke, his children urged leniency for their father, telling Subramanian that he has become a better man in the year since his arrest. "We aren't here to excuse any of his mistakes," Combs' 18-year-old daughter Jessie Combs said through tears. "But your honor, he is still our dad, and we still need him present in our lives." Combs put his head down as his children spoke, and had tears in his eyes when their remarks concluded. Combs' lawyers also showed the court a video about his background and philanthropy. The video showed Combs playing with his children, speaking to public school students, and running in the New York Marathon to raise money for charity. Subramanian said prosecutors' request for a harsh sentence did not take into account mitigating factors, including Combs' charitable acts. At the end of the hearing, the judge thanked Ventura and Jane for testifying, and said they could encourage other women to report sexual abuse. "The number of people who you reached is incalculable," Subramanian said.  (Reporting by Luc Cohen and Jack Queen in New York; Editing by Noeleen Walder, Nick Zieminski and Bill Berkrot)

(The article has been published through a syndicated feed. Except for the headline, the content has been published verbatim. Liability lies with original publisher.)

By Luc Cohen and Jack Queen NEW YORK (Reuters) -Sean "Diddy" Combs was sentenced on Friday to more than four years in prison over his conviction on prostitution-related charges, with the judge rebuking the hip-hop mogul for subjecting two former girlfriends to years of abuse. Combs, 55, was stoic as U.S. District Judge Arun Subramanian announced the 50-month sentence at the end of a day-long hearing in Manhattan federal court. He could be released in less than three years after receiving credit for the time he has already spent locked up at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn since his September 16, 2024 arrest. Combs had faced a maximum possible sentence of 20 years behind bars over his conviction in July on two counts of arranging for paid male escorts to travel across state lines to take part in drug-fueled sexual performances with Combs' girlfriends while he recorded video and masturbated. The jury acquitted him on the more serious charges of racketeering and sex trafficking, which could have earned him a life sentence.  Those charges hinged on prosecutors' accusation that Combs used violence and threats to coerce two of his girlfriends – the rhythm and blues singer Casandra Ventura, and a woman known in court by the pseudonym Jane – to take part in the performances, sometimes known as "Freak Offs." COMBS APOLOGIZES  Despite his acquittal on those charges, Subramanian said a significant sentence was justified given the harm Combs had caused Ventura and Jane. "The court rejects the defense's attempt to characterize what happened here as merely intimate, consensual experiences, or just a sex, drugs, and rock-and-roll story," Subramanian said. "This was subjugation, and it drove both Ms. Ventura and Jane to thoughts of ending their lives." Combs pleaded not guilty and is expected to appeal his conviction. In addressing the court before Subramanian imposed the sentence, Combs apologized to Ventura and Jane and said he had learned his lesson.   "I know I'll never put my hands on another person again," said Combs, the founder of Bad Boy Records who is credited with elevating hip-hop's stature in American culture. The New York-born entrepreneur is one of the most prominent men in the entertainment industry to have faced trial on sex crimes charges. "While nothing can undo the trauma caused by Combs, the sentence imposed today recognizes the impact of the serious offenses he committed," Douglas Wigdor, a lawyer for Ventura, said in a statement.  COMBS' CHILDREN URGE LENIENCY Combs' lawyers acknowledged Combs had physically abused his girlfriends, but argued they willingly took part in the sexual performances. Defense lawyers said the appropriate sentence would have been 14 months, while prosecutors had pushed for a sentence of at least 11-1/4 years. At the hearing, prosecutor Christy Slavik said the judge should consider his abuse of his girlfriends.  "To not account for it now would be to let the defendant get away with years of domestic violence and abuse," Slavik said. Before Combs spoke, his children urged leniency for their father, telling Subramanian that he has become a better man in the year since his arrest. "We aren't here to excuse any of his mistakes," Combs' 18-year-old daughter Jessie Combs said through tears. "But your honor, he is still our dad, and we still need him present in our lives." Combs put his head down as his children spoke, and had tears in his eyes when their remarks concluded. Combs' lawyers also showed the court a video about his background and philanthropy. The video showed Combs playing with his children, speaking to public school students, and running in the New York Marathon to raise money for charity. Subramanian said prosecutors' request for a harsh sentence did not take into account mitigating factors, including Combs' charitable acts. At the end of the hearing, the judge thanked Ventura and Jane for testifying, and said they could encourage other women to report sexual abuse. "The number of people who you reached is incalculable," Subramanian said.  (Reporting by Luc Cohen and Jack Queen in New York; Editing by Noeleen Walder, Nick Zieminski and Bill Berkrot)

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By Mimosa Spencer PARIS (Reuters) -Victoria Beckham showed a collection of slip dresses, roomy suits and soft, leather jackets with crinkled edges for her namesake label's spring summer runway show, held at the 17th century Val-de-Grace abbey in Paris on Friday. Guests arrived after dark, crossing rain-slicked cobblestones to reach the cloisters inside. Models marched under the arched corridors in sharp-toed shoes, parading dresses cut in asymmetric shapes and uneven hems, the fabric bunched together in places, some covered with a dusting of spray paint. Trousers were low-waisted, cinched with thin belts and paired with tops that were slit open in front, while suit jackets came in boxy shapes, without lapels. Handbags included a roomy duffle bag, a structured camera bag and one that resembled an accordion. In written show notes, the brand described the collection as an "abstract adaptation of the coming-of-age wardrobe," noting that Beckham had spent time reviewing photos of herself as a young adult. Paris Fashion Week, which runs through October 7, features big name brands including Louis Vuitton, Dior, Chanel, Saint Laurent and Hermes. This season has featured a record number of designer debuts as brands across the industry seek creative reboots to spark interest from inflation-weary shoppers. (Reporting by Mimosa Spencer; Editing by Leslie Adler)

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