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N.America moviegoers embrace 'Sinners' on Easter weekend

North American moviegoers feasted on Warner Bros.' vampire thriller "Sinners" as it debuted to an estimated $45.6 million over the Easter holiday weekend, analysts said Sunday.

Sri Lanka police probe photo of Buddha tooth relic

Sri Lanka police launched an investigation Sunday into a photo circulated on social media claiming to show a Buddha tooth relic, which has gone on display under tight security.

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Hidden items found in Vermeer's famed 'Milkmaid' painting

Experts have found a hidden jug holder and basket in Dutch master Johannes Vermeer's famed painting "The Milkmaid" which he later painted over, Amsterdam's Rijksmuseum said on Thursday.

Gay family joins Peppa Pig

Children's TV show "Peppa Pig" now features a lesbian couple among its much-loved cast of characters, in a development hailed by rights campaigners.

Dark reality of Marilyn Monroe comes to Venice

The film with the biggest buzz going into the Venice Film Festival, a dark new portrait of Marilyn Monroe starring Cuban actress Ana de Armas, finally gets its world premiere on Thursday.

US returns antiquities to Egypt

Authorities in New York announced Wednesday the return of 16 antiquities to Egypt, including five works that were seized from the Metropolitan Museum of Art as part of a probe into international art trafficking.

Ancient skeleton reveals amputation surgery 31,000 years ago

A skeleton discovered in a remote corner of Borneo rewrites the history of ancient medicine and proves amputation surgery was successfully carried out about 31,000 years ago, scientists said Wednesday.

Deal reached in 'Queen's Gambit' defamation suit against Netflix

Georgian former chess world champion Nona Gaprindashvili has resolved her legal dispute with Netflix after suing the streaming giant for defamation over its hit show "The Queen's Gambit," her attorney said Wednesday.

Kim Kardashian launches private equity firm

Reality TV star-turned-entrepreneur Kim Kardashian announced Wednesday she is branching into a new business arena with the launch of a private equity firm co-founded with a former partner at industry giant Carlyle.

Ukrainian grit on show in Venice documentary

For director Evgeny Afineevsky, there was no time to waste in showing the world how ordinary Ukrainians are braving the grinding war with grit and determination in his new documentary at Venice.

US judge lets Musk amend Twitter claims, rejects delaying case

A US judge permitted Elon Musk to amend his complaint against Twitter on Wednesday, but rejected delaying the lawsuit over the disintegration of the billionaire's deal to acquire the social media company.

School trains new generation in Mexican cowboy traditions

Wearing a wide-brimmed hat, silver-buttoned shirt and embroidered tie, teenager Victor Teran skillfully twirls a lasso at a Mexican school training younger generations in traditional cowboy skills.

Iranian film about disabled father to open Asia's top film festival

An Iranian film about a disabled father who looks after his paralysed son will open Asia's biggest film festival next month, organisers said Wednesday as the event returns to "fully normal" for the first time since the pandemic started.

Roots rock: Chimpanzees drum to their own signature beats

The drummers puff out their chests, let out a guttural yell, then step up to their kits and furiously pound out their signature beat so that everyone within earshot can tell who is playing.

Uganda bans 'immoral' festival linked to sex, drugs, LGBT

Uganda's parliament on Tuesday slapped a ban on a popular music festival, the second time that authorities have taken steps against the annual event over accusations that it promotes sex, drugs and homosexuality.

Tilda Swinton on the importance of believing in ghosts

Tilda Swinton spoke on Tuesday about the "therapeutic importance" of believing in ghosts as she presented a haunting, semi-autobiographical new film about a woman dealing with the death of her mother.

'Not a god': Filmmakers dissect Leonard Cohen through 'Hallelujah'

A filmmaker duo retracing Leonard Cohen's life through his legendary anthem "Hallelujah" said they were so in awe of the Canadian singer that it took them years of preparation before tackling the documentary.

Colin Farrell on his 'painful, violent' new Irish film

Colin Farrell's new film, starring alongside old friend Brendan Gleeson, takes the pitch-black humour of their much-loved "In Bruges" to even darker, stranger places.

Debate flares over Spain bull-running fiestas as 10 die

Spain's controversial bull-running festivals have once again hit the headlines after a deadly summer in which at least 10 people lost their lives, exacerbating divisions over the centuries-old tradition.

Gender identity gets starring role at Venice Film Festival

Transgender issues have taken centre stage at the Venice Film Festival this year, with Italian director Emanuele Crialese even using the platform to reveal he was born a woman as he presented his new film starring Penelope Cruz.

'Top Gun' soars back to surprise lead in N.American theaters

In a reflection of Hollywood's deep late-summer slump, "Top Gun: Maverick," first released 15 weeks ago, climbed back to the top of the North American box office this weekend despite a relatively slim four-day take of $7.9 million.

Israel concedes soldier likely shot Al Jazeera journalist

The Israeli army conceded for the first time Monday that it was likely Palestinian-American reporter Shireen Abu Akleh was shot dead by an Israeli soldier who mistook her for a militant.

Russia revokes print licence of independent paper, jails ex-reporter for treason

Russian courts on Monday revoked the print licence of top independent newspaper Novaya Gazeta and jailed a respected ex-reporter for 22 years for treason, in the latest moves against the media and journalists.

Venice gets a dose of Harry Styles fever

Fans went wild for the arrival of music star Harry Styles in Venice on Monday, but any discussion of controversies around his film "Don't Worry Darling" was quickly shut down.

Bookish and traumatised: the real Marilyn Monroe comes to Venice

Sixty years after her death, Marilyn Monroe is back in the limelight as the subject of the buzzy Netflix biopic 'Blonde', which premiers at the Venice Film Festival on Thursday.

Film legend Paul Schrader is seriously ill but on a roll

Few thought Paul Schrader would ever match the success of his early scripts for "Taxi Driver" and "Raging Bull" -- but suddenly, in his seventies, the writer-director is back at the top of his game.

Brendan Fraser makes 'Whale'-sized comeback in Venice

In one of the most unexpected movie comebacks ever, Brendan Fraser transformed into a morbidly obese man for "The Whale" that premiered at the Venice Film Festival Sunday.

Barack Obama: president, Nobel laureate, and now an Emmy winner

Hollywood newcomer Barack Obama was awarded an Emmy for narrating his Netflix documentary series "Our Great National Parks," the Television Academy announced Saturday.

'Lord of the Rings' prequel is Amazon Prime Video's biggest premiere

Amazon announced Saturday that its big budget series "The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power," based on the works of J.R.R. Tolkien, had marked the biggest premiere in the history of Prime Video -- with 25 million viewers.

Google allows Parler app back into Play Store

Google allowed social media network Parler back into its Play Store Friday, more than a year after banning the platform popular with conservatives in the wake of the insurrection at the US Capitol.

Actress Jane Fonda says she has cancer

US actress and activist Jane Fonda announced Friday that she has cancer, and has begun chemotherapy in her battle against the disease.

Glenn Close to preside jury at San Sebastian film festival

US actress Glenn Close will be president of the jury for the San Sebastian film festival in Spain in September, the organisers said on Friday.

Timothee Chalamet hungry for blood in Venice

Fast becoming the defining Gen Z filmstar, Timothee Chalamet will test the stomachs of his many fans with a bone-crunching, blood-splattered "cannibal romance", premiering in Venice on Friday.

Reality has no allure for Mexico's Oscar-winning director at Venice

It is one of the most unforgettable opening scenes to play at the Venice Film Festival: a baby pushed back into its mother because, he informs the doctor, who would want to live in this screwed-up world?

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