Canadian singer The Weeknd donates $300,000 to victims of Beirut blast

The donations will be made to the Lebanese Red Cross, the Children’s Cancer Centre Lebanon and the World Food Programme. (AFP)
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Updated 14 August 2020
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Canadian singer The Weeknd donates $300,000 to victims of Beirut blast

DUBAI: Canadian singer The Weeknd donated $300,000 to victims of the Beirut explosion that ripped through the city last week, killing over 200 and injuring thousands. 

Lebanese-Canadian entrepreneur Wassim Slaiby, who is the CEO of record label XO and the manager of The Weeknd, announced the news on his Instagram account on Thursday revealing that the donations will be made to the Lebanese Red Cross, the Children’s Cancer Centre Lebanon and the World Food Programme. 

“I am so honored and humbled to work with artist’s who have such deep care for the world and right now for our brothers and sisters of Lebanon who are in pain and need our collective help,” Slaiby wrote to his 213,000 followers. “I want to thank my brother @theweeknd for his generous and class act of donating $300,000 to the Global Aid for Lebanon campaign.”

Other celebrities such as Bella Hadid, Kylie Jenner, DJ Khaled and Dua Lipa, have been taking to social media to show solidarity for the victims. Other online influencers around the world have also been urging their followers to make donations towards rescue and recovery work.

American actor George Clooney and his wife, Lebanese-British human rights lawyer Amal Clooney, also revealed last week that they donated $100,000 to Lebanese charities.

American singer and songwriter Madonna also announced this week that she and her two children, David Banda and Mercy James, were hosting an art sale to support the hundreds of thousands who were left homeless after the deadly explosion.


‘One Battle,’ ‘Hamnet’ claim top prizes at Golden Globes

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‘One Battle,’ ‘Hamnet’ claim top prizes at Golden Globes

  • Timothee Chalamet wins male actor award
  • Jessie Buckley gets trophy for film ‘Hamnet’

LOS ANGELES: The 83rd Golden Globe Awards has offered a clear reflection of a year defined by range, ambition and strong creative voices across film and television.

Dark comedy “One Battle After Another” and “Hamnet,” a story about William Shakespeare’s grief over the death of his son, claimed the top prizes on ​Sunday at one of the first major ceremonies in Hollywood’s annual awards season.

Leonardo DiCaprio at the Golden Globe Awards. (Supplied)

The film “One Battle” was named best movie musical or comedy, one of its four Globe honors, and “Hamnet” earned the best drama prize.

Timothee Chalamet triumphed in one of the most competitive categories, taking the trophy for best male actor in a movie musical or comedy for his role as a professional table tennis player in “Marty Supreme.”

Chalamet defeated “One Battle” star Leonardo DiCaprio, “Jay Kelly” actor George Clooney and other big names at the red-carpet ceremony in Beverly Hills, California. “This category is stacked. I look up to all of you,” Chalamet said to his fellow nominees.

The acting categories highlighted established and international talent. Wagner Moura’s win for “The Secret Agent” marked a significant moment, underscoring the Globes’ continued openness to global storytelling.

The film “Hamnet” imagines how Shakespeare and his ⁠wife dealt with the death of their 11-year-old son, whose name was Hamnet. Some historians believe Hamnet’s death inspired the playwright to produce “Hamlet.”

Irish actor Jessie Buckley ‌won best female actor in a movie drama for playing Shakespeare’s wife, ‍Agnes Hathaway. (Supplied)

Irish actor Jessie Buckley ‌won best female actor in a movie drama for playing Shakespeare’s wife, ‍Agnes Hathaway.

Beyond traditional categories, the awards also reflected a broader cinematic landscape. “Sinners” claimed the Cinematic and Box Office Achievement award, while “KPop Demon Hunters” demonstrated how animation and music continue to expand the boundaries of mainstream storytelling. Television honors echoed this diversity, with strong representation across drama, comedy, and limited series.

Taken together, this year’s Golden Globes felt like a genuine snapshot of the industry’s current moment: expansive, international and willing to reward bold choices alongside emotional truth.