PEOPLE
TEHRAN, Iran — British soul singer Joss Stone says she was deported from Iran after arriving in the Islamic Republic as part of a worldwide concert tour, even though she didn't plan to perform there.
Posting on Instagram, Stone appears in a video wearing a white headscarf saying: “Well, we got to Iran, we got detained and then we got deported.” She said she knew solo performances by women were illegal, but she still wanted to see Iran.
She wrote that Iranian authorities placed her on a “black list” because they believed she might try to perform a public show. She described the authorities who met her on arrival at Iran's Kish Island as professional throughout their interaction.
“These people are genuinely nice kind people that felt bad that they couldn't override the system,” she wrote in a caption.
Under Iranian law, women cannot perform solo concerts, though women do play in ensemble bands and orchestras. It's unclear what Stone planned to otherwise do in Iran.
LONDON — Buckingham Palace says that the Duke and Duchess of Sussex will not reveal the names of the godparents of their son Archie when he is christened this weekend.The palace said in a statement that the christening at Windsor Castle on Saturday will be private and that “the godparents, in keeping with their wishes, will remain private.”The decision sparked controversy in Britain's media on Thursday, in part because the royal couple's home was renovated with $3.06 million of taxpayer money. Antimonarchy campaign group Republic questioned why so much money was spent at a time when public services are under financial pressure.Critics suggest that occasions like christenings should be public, but Prince Harry and his wife Meghan have repeatedly signaled that they're entitled to privacy.
CHICAGO — Jussie Smollett wants the lawsuit that the city of Chicago filed against him moved from state court to federal court.The motion filed Wednesday and released to the media by Smollett's representatives comes after the city sued the actor in April for the cost of investigating his allegations that he was a victim of a racist and anti-gay attack in downtown Chicago.Prosecutors dismissed charges against Smollett related to making a false report. However, the Police Department and city officials maintain Smollett orchestrated the January incident and they're trying to recoup $130,000 the city spent on police overtime.Smollett's attorneys argue federal court is the proper venue for the case because the actor, who lived in Chicago while filming the TV show, “Empire,” is actually a California resident.By Associated Press
