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Taylor Swift to make her film directing debut
Pop megastar Taylor Swift is set to direct a feature-length film, US media reported Friday.
Bootleg album of jailed R&B star R. Kelly surfaces on Spotify and Apple Music: media
A previously unreleased album by disgraced US R&B singer R. Kelly, who is serving a 30-year sentence for sex offenses, dropped Friday on the Spotify and Apple Music platforms, a recording that the music press described as a bootleg.
Kristen Stewart named youngest-ever Berlin film fest jury chief
US actor Kristen Stewart will in February head up the jury at Berlin's international film festival, Europe's first major cinema showcase of the year, organisers said Friday.
The art teacher who showed the world China's protests
Just a few months ago, he was an ordinary Chinese art teacher who posted his personal thoughts and paintings online.
Views cool towards Harry and Meghan in city of first royal visit
Prince Harry and Meghan made their first visit as a royal couple to the central English city of Nottingham in 2017.
New York Times workers stage first strike in 40 years
More than 1,000 New York Times employees went on strike Thursday in the first industrial action of its kind at the newspaper in more than 40 years.
Stiff-person syndrome, Celine Dion's rare neurological disorder
Stiff-person syndrome, which has forced Canadian superstar singer Celine Dion to postpone her European tour, is a very rare neurological condition that causes progressive muscle stiffness as well as muscle spasms.
TikTok hit by US lawsuits over child safety, security fears
TikTok was hit Wednesday with a pair of lawsuits from the US state of Indiana, which accused it of making false claims about the Chinese-owned app's safety for children.
Veronica Ryan wins Turner Prize evoking Windrush, Covid
British artist Veronica Ryan on Wednesday won the prestigious Turner Prize for her installations focused on the Windrush Generation and Covid.
Avatar's James Cameron on art, AI and outrage
From "Terminator" to "Titanic" to "Avatar", director James Cameron has pushed Hollywood's technical wizardry to new limits, but human emotion must always come first, he told AFP.
Falsehoods plague elections as voters tackle Trumpian tactics
From the United States to Brazil and Israel, a barrage of election-related misinformation hammered voters around the world in 2022, but many pushed back against the conspiracy-laden Trumpian tactic of sowing distrust in the democratic process.
Prime time or Netflix? Streaming wars come to Thailand
International streaming platforms were among the biggest pandemic winners, seeing subscriber numbers soar, but US giants have turned abroad as countries re-opened -- with Thailand firmly in their sights.
Apple loosens tight grip on App Store pricing
Apple on Tuesday announced the biggest upgrade to the App Store pricing system since the launch of the shop, allowing developers to charge from 29 cents to $10,000 for their offerings.
Nobels an institution 'for men', says French winner
The Nobel Prize is an institution "for men", literaturelaureate Annie Ernaux of France told AFP on Tuesday in an interview ahead of this weekend's formal awards ceremony.
Pogues star Shane MacGowan admitted to hospital
The Pogues frontman Shane MacGowan, best known as the singer of Christmas favourite "Fairytale of New York", has been admitted to hospital, his wife said.
Emmy-winning 'Cheers' star Kirstie Alley dies at 71
Kirstie Alley, the two-time Emmy-winning actor who starred in the hit television sitcom "Cheers", died Monday after a battle with cancer, her family said. She was 71.
'Harry & Meghan' Netflix docuseries opens old wounds
Britain's royals are braced for Netflix's six-part docuseries on Prince Harry and his wife Meghan, after the first extracts reignited a simmering row with his brother William.
Gunman in Lady Gaga dog robbery jailed for 21 years
A man who shot Lady Gaga's dogwalker during an attempt to steal the singer's prize French bulldogs was sentenced to 21 years in prison Monday after pleading no contest to attempted murder.
'Goblin mode' conquers Oxford's word of year contest
"Goblin mode" -- a slang term to describe "unapologetically self-indulgent, lazy, slovenly, or greedy" behaviour -- has won an inaugural public vote for word of the year, Oxford University Press said on Monday.
'A dirty game': Netflix teases new clips of Harry and Meghan series
A new Netflix trailer released Monday for an upcoming six-part docuseries on Prince Harry and wife Meghan risked further deepening their feud with his family, with the royal calling life within it a "dirty game".
Meet the Spanish twin chefs who earned a third Michelin star
When they were just eight years old, Spanish twins Sergio and Javier Torres set a goal: they wanted to become chefs who were among the top in their field.
Head of UK broadcaster Sky News resigns after 17 years
The head of Sky News will step down after 17 years, having steered the broadcaster through a tumultuous period in British political history and journalism's digital revolution.
Acclaimed French author Dominique Lapierre of 'City of Joy' dies at 91
French writer Dominique Lapierre, the author of best-selling books on India like "Freedom at Midnight" and "City of Joy" and whose novels sold tens of millions of copies, has died.
Glitzy Washington gala honors legendary artists including George Clooney, U2
Hollywood's finest joined politicos including President Joe Biden for a rare night of Washington glitz Sunday, celebrating the newest Kennedy Center honorees, including George Clooney and U2.
From DeSantis to Jabeur: 10 people who will make the news in 2023
From Florida governor Ron DeSantis to Tunisian tennis star Ons Jabeur and Britain's Prince Harry, here are 10 people who are expected to make headlines in 2023.
French author Dominique Lapierre dies at 91
Dominique Lapierre, a French author with a passion for India and whose novels sold tens of millions of copies, has died, his wife announced.
'Wakanda' stays atop N.America box office for 4th week
"Black Panther: Wakanda Forever" saw weekend ticket sales drop to an estimated $17.6 million but still extended its rule of the North American box office for a fourth week, industry watcher Exhibitor Relations said Sunday.
Dissident says Cuba regime has unleashed 'repressive fury'
Trailblazing blogger Yoani Sanchez said Saturday the Cuban regime has hit any sign of discontent with "repressive fury" and warned that a new penal code seeks to stifle independent journalists.
UK groups hope creative biodiversity message takes flight
A human "murmuration" using dance techniques previously showcased by French choreographer Sadeck Waff at the Tokyo Paralympics will deliver a powerful message of "hope" to next week's United Nations biodiversity talks.
Dior showcases fashion in shadow of Egypt's pyramids
French fashion house Dior on Saturday held its first show at Egypt's ancient Giza pyramids, presenting its 2023 fall men's collection in the shadow of the millennia-old tombs.
Cuba's 'Nueva Trova' music movement named as part of cultural heritage
Cuban cultural authorities have declared the musical movement known as Nueva Trova, a folk-music genre melding poetry and progressive politics, to be part of the nation's cultural heritage, the official newspaper Granma reported Saturday.
Ukraine detains 8 over Banksy mural theft
Ukraine has detained eight people over the theft from a wall in the Kyiv suburbs of a mural painted by elusive British street artist Banksy, the authorities said.
US hoax trials spotlight misinformation profiteer
American radio host Alex Jones reaped millions spouting conspiracy-laden falsehoods that helped drive up sales of products like libido boosters, exploiting an internet ecosystem that experts say makes misinformation a lucrative business.
Weinstein jury mulls verdict in Hollywood rapes case
Jurors in Los Angeles began deciding the fate of Harvey Weinstein on Friday, weighing rape and sex abuse charges that could see the former Hollywood titan jailed for the rest of his life.
Dutch turn against blackface festive character: poll
The Dutch are rapidly turning against the use of blackface for a popular festive character, with young people in particular saying it has no place in modern society, a survey showed Friday.
Tea culture in Azerbaijan, Turkey enters UNESCO list
The culture of tea practised in both Turkey and Azerbaijan was on Thursday added to UNESCO's Intangible Cultural Heritage list, recognised as a symbol of "identity, hospitality and social interaction".
Beckmann self-portrait breaks German auction record
A self-portrait by expressionist artist Max Beckmann smashed the record price for a painting sold at auction in Germany, when it went under the hammer in Berlin on Thursday.
Taliban take off air Radio Free Europe's Afghan service
The Taliban on Thursday removed from the airwaves US-funded Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty's Afghanistan service, which has vowed not to comply with the country's Islamist rulers.
France's Mylene Demongeot dies after 70 years of screen stardom
French actress Mylene Demongeot, a box office star from the 1950s right up to the present day, who also appeared in several British productions, died on Thursday at the age of 87.