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Stars come out for Met Gala, showcasing Black dandyism

It's the first Monday in May, which means it's time for the Met Gala, the extravagant Manhattan charity ball that this year spotlights Black style through the lens of dandyism's subversive history.

Jury selection begins in Sean 'Diddy' Combs sex crimes trial

Jury selection began Monday in New York in the blockbuster federal sex trafficking trial of music mogul Sean "Diddy" Combs, who stands accused of years of harrowing abuse.

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Russia sets back global progress on internet freedom: study

A Russian crackdown has driven a global decline in internet freedom although a number of smaller countries are making headway, Freedom House said in a study Tuesday.

Sri Lanka welcomes Booker win for novel on civil war

Colombo welcomed on Tuesday a Sri Lankan author winning Britain's Booker prize, despite his novel focussing on the island's civil war -- in which government forces stand accused of atrocities.

Zelensky set for Frankfurt book fair as Ukraine stars

Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky will address this week's Frankfurt book fair, with organisers offering emphatic support to the country's literary scene in the wake of Russia's invasion.

Kevin Spacey denies sex assault charge in US court

Disgraced movie star Kevin Spacey takes the stand at his New York trial, rejecting as "not true" accusations he sexually assaulted fellow actor Anthony Rapp when he was a minor.

Parler seen as home for far-right -- and now Kanye West

Seen as an online home for extremist rhetoric unwelcome at established social networks, Parler won fans in the ultra-far right and an aspiring buyer in celebrity Kanye West.

Netflix defends 'The Crown' after ex-PM lambasts 'malicious nonsense'

Netflix on Monday defended its latest series of "The Crown" after former British prime minister John Major lashed out at a story line showing King Charles plotting to oust the late queen.

Daft Punk join TikTok

Dance legends Daft Punk may have hung up their robotic helmets last year, but they are hoping to build a new generation of fans with their own TikTok channel launching on Monday.

BTS to fulfil military service obligations, agency says

The members of the K-pop supergroup BTS will enlist in the military, their agency said Monday, putting an end to a years-long debate on whether the stars deserved exemptions from mandatory service.

'Knives Out' sequel stars laud Angela Lansbury at Europe premiere

Daniel Craig and co-stars of "Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery" lauded Angela Lansbury on Sunday as the whodunit sequel in which the late actress makes a cameo closed the London Film Festival.

'Halloween Ends' starts strong, topping N.America box office

Universal scarefest "Halloween Ends" scored a strong start this weekend, topping the North American box office with an estimated take of $41.3 million, industry watcher Exhibitor Relations reported Sunday.

Aston Martin showroom hit as UK vows action on climate protests

Climate activists on Sunday sprayed orange paint over an Aston Martin showroom in central London, as the government vowed new powers for police to halt an intensifying wave of "direct action" protests.

Fire and clashes at Iran's notorious Evin prison amid Mahsa Amini protests

A fire and clashes erupted at Tehran's notorious Evin prison Saturday night as the protest movement sparked by Mahsa Amini's death in custody entered a fifth week.

BTS throws free concert to promote S. Korea's World Expo bid

K-pop mega-band BTS reunited on Saturday for a free concert in Busan to support South Korea's bid to host the World Expo, four months after the musicians announced they were taking a break from group activities.

BTS to hold free concert to promote S. Korea's World Expo bid

K-pop mega-band BTS will reunite on Saturday to throw a free concert in Busan to support South Korea's bid to host the World Expo, four months after the musicians announced they were taking a break from group activities.

Immigrant tale 'Riceboy Sleeps' charms in native South Korea

A Korean-Canadian filmmaker's poignant coming-of-age story has charmed audiences at Asia's top film festival, with the director telling AFP he made the movie to help people like him feel "a little bit less alone".

Harry Potter's Hagrid, Robbie Coltrane, dies aged 72

Scottish actor Robbie Coltrane, who played Hagrid in the Harry Potter films, has died aged 72, his agent said on Friday.

'She Said' explores the investigation that took down Harvey Weinstein

"She Said" recounts the beginnings of Harvey Weinstein's downfall but at its core the new film is an ode to investigative journalism and the bravery of the women who spoke out against the former entertainment mogul.

Climate activists throw soup over Van Gogh's 'Sunflowers' in London

Environmental protesters threw tomato soup over Vincent van Gogh's "Sunflowers" painting at the London's National Gallery on Friday, in the latest "direct-action" stunt targeting works of art.

London New Year fireworks to open to crowds again

Crowds can attend London's new year fireworks on December 31 for the first time since 2019, the mayor announced Friday, after Covid-19 restricted the spectacle to television for two years.

Street art animates Johannesburg's gritty streets

Next to a wall surrounding an empty lot in central Johannesburg, a cherry picker carries a man above the street.

Long, bumpy 4WD ride to Qatar's acclaimed desert art

Deep in the Qatari desert, security guards have a lonely time keeping 24-hour watch over one of the world's most isolated artworks, created by renowned US sculptor Richard Serra.

Meta working to speed up metaverse, but success far from certain

A year after rebranding itself from Facebook into Meta, the social network titan is striving to make the metaverse a routine part of daily life, offering users new features and promoting new virtual reality gear.

New glimpse into Bob Dylan book see artist riff on songwriting

Bob Dylan fans on Thursday got a glimpse into the nobel laureate and folk-rock legend's new book, "The Philosophy of Modern Song," set for publication next month.

'Great sadness' for artists after French venue ransacked in Burkina coup

The day after Burkina Faso's latest coup, protesters attacked the French Institute, wrecking not just a symbol of the country's former colonial power but also a valued showcase for artists and free expression.

Russian conductor Gergiev expelled from Swedish academy over Ukraine

Russian conductor Valery Gergiev has been expelled from his position as a foreign member of the Royal Swedish Academy of Music for his reluctance to condemn Russian invasion of Ukraine, the academy said Thursday.

Asia's top film festival roots for regional talent

From a Singaporean widow on a K-drama voyage of self-discovery to teenagers seeking revenge on a bully, the movies vying for the key prize at the Busan International Film Festival showcase a diverse array of Asian experiences.

Picasso's first lover more than a victim in Paris expo

Fifty years on from Pablo Picasso's death -- and five years after the #MeToo movement started highlighting celebrities' abuse of women -- a new exhibition in Paris focuses on one of the early partners of the controversial artist.

Chaos agent Kanye West crosses line with bigoted remarks

Kanye West has long been one of the entertainment industry's most polarizing figures, but his recent actions including anti-Semitic comments and white supremacist messaging have alienated fans and business partners alike.

Auctioneers unveil Microsoft co-founder's $1 bn art collection

Auctioneers unveiled the most expensive art collection ever to go under the hammer Wednesday, which belonged to Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen and is valued at $1 billion.

Google allows Donald Trump's Truth Social in Play Store

Google on Wednesday said it has allowed Donald Trump's Truth Social app in its Play Store for Android devices -- after receiving assurances it would meet the platform's standards for moderating harmful content.

Copyright or copycat?: Supreme Court hears Andy Warhol art case

The nine justices of the US Supreme Court took on the role of art critics on Wednesday as they grappled with whether a photographer should be compensated for a picture she took of Prince used in a work by Andy Warhol.

Native Americans fear loss of Indigenous languages in US

As Native Americans this week celebrated Indigenous Peoples Day -- the holiday increasingly recognized in the United States in lieu of "Columbus Day" -- members of the continent's hundreds of tribes shared a common concern: the ongoing extinction of their ancestral languages.

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