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Cher, Tina Knowles and the late Rob Reiner are among Audie Awards finalists

NEW YORK (AP) — Cher, Tina Knowles and the late Rob Reiner are among the finalists for the 31st annual Audie Awards, which honor the audio editions of fiction and nonfiction books.

Cher’s narration of “Cher: Part One” brought her a nomination for best biography/autobiography, the Audio Publishers Association announced Thursday. The other finalists are Knowles for “Matriarch,” which she narrated along with daughters Beyoncé and Solange among others; the late Virginia Giuffre’s memoir about her harrowing years with Jeffrey Epstein, “Nobody’s Girl,” narrated by Thérèse Plummer and Gabra Zackman; a recording of the late Maya Angelou’s “The Heart of a Woman,” narrated by Uzo Aduba; and Scott Payne’s “Code Name: Pale Horse,” narrated by Payne and collaborator Michelle Shephard.

Suzanne Collins’ latest “Hunger Games” novel, “Sunrise on the Reaping,” is a nominee for audiobook of the year, along with a new audio edition of Jane Austen’s “Pride and Prejudice”; crime novelist S.A. Cosby’s “King of Ashes”; Garrett M. Graff’s “The Devil Reached Toward the Sky”; Devney Perry’s “Shield of Sparrows”; and Charlotte McConaghy’s “Wild Dark Shore.”

Narrators for the best book finalists include Oscar- nominated actors Glenn Close, Marianne Jean-Baptiste and Jessie Buckley on “Pride and Prejudice.”

Reiner is a best nonfiction nominee for “A Fine Line Between Stupid and Clever,” an account of the making of “This Is Spinal Tap” and “Spinal Tap II” that also includes cast members Christopher Guest, Michael McKean and Harry Shearer. Reiner and his wife, Michele, were found dead in their home in December. Son Nick Reiner is facing charges of first-degree murder.

Reese Witherspoon is a nominee in mystery for the thriller she co-wrote with Harlan Coben, “Gone Before Goodbye,” which also features the narration of Chris Pine. Finalists for short stories/collections include Julianne Moore’s narration of “Notes to John,” a private journal of the late Joan Didion.

Winners in 27 categories will be announced March 2.

Dutch court allows rapper Ye concerts in the Netherlands

AMSTERDAM (AP) — A judge in Amsterdam on Wednesday rejected an appeal by a Jewish organization to block two performances by the rapper Ye, formerly Kanye West, ruling that the concerts are not a threat to public order. Ye has drawn widespread controversy in recent years for a series of antisemitic remarks, leaving Dutch authorities under mounting pressure to cancel the gigs on June 6 and 8. The Central Jewish Council filed the emergency lawsuit on Tuesday, arguing that Ye should be banned from the country for voicing admiration for Adolf Hilter and selling T-shirts featuring swastikas. According to the Amsterdam District Court, there were no grounds to bar Ye from performing. “There are no indications that West’s presence in the coming days will lead to concrete public order dangers,” the court said in a statement.
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