Rolling Stones take on London show

The Rolling Stones made a triumphant return to the London stage on Sunday night in the first of five concerts to mark the 50th anniversary of their debut as an American-oriented blues band.

They showed no signs of wear and tear* — except for their aging, heavily lined faces — as frontman Mick Jagger swaggered and strutted* through a stellar* two-and-a-half hour show.

Taiwan’s Golden Horse Film Festival

“Beijing Blues” won the best film award and Hong Kong’s Johnnie To took home the best director award on November 24 at Taiwan’s Golden Horse Film Festival, an event considered the Chinese-language Oscars.

“Beijing Blues” portrays the lives of the urban dwellers through the work of a squad of plainclothes* crime-hunters. In receiving the award, director Gao Qunshu was visibly* shocked, and he thanked the “world” for giving an inexperienced director like him such honor and recognition.

One Direction tops Billboard chart

British band One Direction made U.S. Billboard chart history on November 21 after storming to the top of the 200 album chart with their second album “Take Me Home,” holding off competition from Christina Aguilera, Soundgarden and Lana Del Rey.

“Take Me Home” notched* the third-biggest opening week sales of the year with 540,000 units sold according to figures from Nielsen SoundScan, placing it behind only Mumford & Son’s “Babel” and Taylor Swift’s “Red,” which had the year’s biggest opening with 1.2 million copies sold.

Kate Winslet and Gary Barlow receive royal honors

Actress Kate Winslet has been made a CBE for services to drama by the Queen at Buckingham Palace.

The Reading-born star said it was “a completely different kind of honor” to her 2009 Oscar for “The Reader.”

Singer Gary Barlow, who masterminded* the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee concert in June, was made an OBE for services to the entertainment industry and charity.

(SD-Agencies)