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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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Twitter says it is actively testing edit button

Twitter said Thursday it has begun actively testing an edit button, after months of publicly discussing such a tweak.

De Beer becomes first female director of Vienna's Volksoper

Dutch opera director Lotte de Beer takes over on Thursday as artistic director of the Volksoper opera house in Vienna, the first woman to hold the post.

Lies, damn lies and social media: fake news stalks Brazil vote

In a divisive election campaign blighted by fears of unrest if far-right President Jair Bolsonaro refuses to accept defeat, Brazil is waging an uphill battle against disinformation wielded as a political weapon.

Netflix in row over inspiration for Mexican drug 'queen' show

A Mexican woman whose links to drug traffickers earned her the nickname "Queen of the Pacific" is demanding compensation from Netflix for an award-winning show that she says is based on her life.

California law would make tech firms think of children

California legislators on Tuesday passed a bill to require tech firms to put the well-being of children over profits when designing apps or other online products.

Between the covers: Librarian reveals left-behind treasures

Family photos, a Public Enemy backstage pass, a weekend to-do list ("Saturday: file taxes, Sunday: chill, watch game") and unused beer vouchers from 2002: it's amazing what people leave in library books.

Exec departures at Snap after report of workforce cuts

Two top executives at Snap are leaving to join Netflix, the streaming giant said Tuesday, after a report emerged that the Snapchat parent company is to slash its workforce by a fifth.

South African actress Charlbi Dean dies aged 32

South African actress Charlbi Dean -- who appeared in Palme d'Or winning film "Triangle of Sadness" -- has died at the age of 32, her representative said Tuesday.

Musk cites whistleblower to justify scrapping Twitter deal

Elon Musk's lawyers have filed a fresh notice to terminate his $44 billion buyout of Twitter, citing whistleblower testimony by the platform's former security chief as "distinct" justification for scrapping the deal.

Musk cites whistleblower in new filing to scrap Twitter deal

Elon Musk made a fresh filing to terminate his Twitter deal, citing new revelations from the platform's former security boss about major security gaps and misleading account data, a document made public Tuesday showed.

US regulators sue firm selling sensitive location data

US regulators on Monday filed a lawsuit to stop data broker Kochava from selling smartphone location information that could help trace visits to "sensitive locations" like reproductive health clinics.

Turkey moves pop star from jail to house arrest

An Istanbul court Monday moved one of Turkey's biggest pop stars from jail to house arrest pending trial on charges of "inciting hatred" by making a joke about religious schools.

'They made me feel like nothing': Britney Spears addresses conservatorship

Britney Spears on Sunday released a lengthy audio message concerning the controversial guardianship that kept her primarily under her father's control for more than 13 years.

Bad Bunny, Taylor Swift lead MTV Video Music Awards

Bad Bunny, the Puerto Rican Latin trap and reggaeton artist who's among the world's biggest stars, scored MTV's artist of the year award Sunday at the annual Video Music Awards.

Los Angeles residents protest 'Fast and Furious' street races

A Los Angeles neighborhood featured in the "Fast and Furious" movies held protests against the filming of the franchise's latest installment Friday, claiming the community has been blighted by a spate of illegal and dangerous street racing.

'House of the Dragon' renewed for second season

HBO announced Friday that the "House of the Dragon" fantasy drama would return for a second season, after the "Game of Thrones" prequel debuted to nearly 10 million US viewers.

With Elton John, Britney Spears releases first new song since 2016

Britney Spears released her first new song in six years on Friday with the debut of "Hold Me Closer", a duet with British music legend Elton John.

Traditional beauty pageant battles to keep pace in modern Ireland

As the Rose of Tralee beauty pageant concluded this week, the contestants in colourful ball gowns and silk sashes swayed as they sang the 19th-century ballad that inspired the competition.

'The cultural front': Ukraine theatre goes underground

It's an opening night like no other at Mykolaiv's theatre, with the audience ushered down into an underground shelter this week for the first performance since war broke out.

Twitter ordered to give Musk additional bot account data

A US judge told Twitter on Thursday to surrender more data to Elon Musk on fake accounts, a key issue the billionaire is using to try to cancel his buyout bid.

Thousands throng to Iran museum with Western art masterpieces

More than 20,000 people have flocked to an Iranian museum showcasing renowned Western artists' works, some for the first time -- part of a treasure trove amassed before the Islamic Revolution.

Court clash shows Musk battle plan in Twitter fight

Attorneys for Elon Musk and Twitter squared off in court Wednesday over the key issue of fake accounts, showing potential battle lines for the trial over whether the Tesla boss can be forced to conclude his $44 billion buyout bid.

US regulator queried Twitter on false accounts

Twitter faced scrutiny from US market regulators over how the platform calculates the number of false or spam accounts, a topic at the heart of the firm's legal battle with Elon Musk.

'Star Wars' spy thriller 'Andor' explores galaxy's murky underworld

Following a glut of flashy, lightsaber-whirring "Star Wars" television series, spy thriller "Andor" aims to stand apart with its grounded and morally ambiguous origin story of the galaxy's brave rebels, said star Diego Luna.

Indian tycoon's bid for broadcaster stokes media freedom worries

An Indian billionaire close to Prime Minister Narendra Modi is trying to buy a broadcaster seen as the last major critical voice on television, stoking fears about media freedom in the world's largest democracy.

Whistleblower accuses Twitter of hiding major flaws

Twitter misled users and US regulators about "extreme, egregious" gaps in its online protections, the platform's ex-security chief claimed in whistleblower testimony that could impact the court fight over Elon Musk's buyout bid.

'House of the Dragon' ratings boost as 'Rings of Power' nears

As "House of the Dragon" debuted to nearly 10 million US viewers this weekend, HBO appears to have claimed first blood in its much-hyped TV fantasy epic showdown with Amazon's upcoming "Lord of the Rings" prequel.

Israel unveils 1,200 year-old desert mansion

Israeli archaeologists unveiled a 1,200 year-old mansion on Tuesday, broadening knowledge of the southern desert region where a mosque was recently discovered.

Belgian magician's paper dance casts a spell

A crumpled ball of paper that takes on a life of its own and leads the apparently perplexed magician on a playful dance -- it's a simple but poetic and engaging scene.

Ex-security chief accuses Twitter of hiding major flaws

Twitter misled users and federal regulators about glaring weaknesses in its ability to protect personal data, the platform's former security chief claimed in whistleblower testimony likely to impact the company's bitter legal battle over Elon Musk's takeover bid.

Elon Musk subpoenas former Twitter chief Jack Dorsey

Elon Musk has served former Twitter boss Jack Dorsey with a subpoena in a hunt for material to help him get out of buying the giant social media platform for $44 billion as agreed.

Bad guys turn good in China 'Minions' movie ending

What's small, yellow, loves bananas and promotes the rule of law? A Minion, at least according to an edited version of the latest animated film featuring supervillain Gru and his army of tiny sidekicks being screened in China.

The China Mail - Culture (English)