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Vin Diesel drives 'Fast and Furious' tribute in Cannes

Vin Diesel and Michelle Rodriguez will lead a cast reunion of "The Fast and the Furious" stars on Wednesday in Cannes ahead of a special screening to mark the 25th anniversary of the original movie.

For hantavirus, experts aim to inform without igniting Covid panic

Thrust back into the front line by a deadly hantavirus outbreak, infectious disease experts have to balance informing the public about its potential risks without provoking undue fear of a Covid-scale pandemic.

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Japan rides box office boom into Cannes

The Japanese film industry, fresh from a record box office year in 2025, is carrying its domestic momentum into the Cannes Film Festival where it made its debut Wednesday with Koji Fukada's latest movie.

Pacific nation Nauru to change name in break from colonial past

Pacific island Nauru said it will hold a referendum to change its official name, described as a colonial relic from a time when "foreign tongues" mangled the native language.

Conan O'Brien to host 2027 Oscars: organisers

Comedian Conan O'Brien will return for the third straight time to host the Oscars in 2027, organizers announced Tuesday.

Germany wants to put TikTok 'in European hands'

TikTok's European business should be "in European hands", following the example of the United States, Germany's Culture Minister Wolfram Weimer said Tuesday.

Singer FKA twigs to play Josephine Baker in biopic of anti-racist legend

British music star FKA twigs is to play Josephine Baker in a new biopic of the Roaring Twenties icon who became a hero of the French Resistance and the American civil rights movement.

'Seeds of instability': Health disinfo targets Philippine leader

Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos last month jogged out of his office and broke into impromptu jumping jacks in an attempt to dispel rumours he was paralysed, dying of late-stage cancer, or dead.

Epstein files on display at New York pop-up exhibit, all 3.5 million pages

A US transparency advocacy group has opened a temporary exhibition in New York with only one text on display: a print-out of all the files released by the US Department of Justice -- roughly 3.5 million pages -- relating to financier and convicted sex criminal Jeffrey Epstein.

Cannes Film Festival opens, grappling with AI and Hollywood

Cannes Film Festival rolls out the red carpets on Tuesday for its annual showcase in France, grappling with the dizzying speed of AI-powered disruption and the absence of major Hollywood studios.

Fraught marriage of Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera at heart of dreamy opera

Like a macabre scene from one of her vivid canvases, Frida Kahlo holds Diego Rivera in her arms as he dies at the foot of a gaunt red tree, their silhouettes framed by blue curtains, at the end of an opera devoted to their tumultuous relationship.

No longer peripheral: SKorean director makes Cannes history

Director Park Chan-wook told AFP on Monday that he was hugely moved to make history as the first ever South Korean head of the Cannes Film Festival jury in a further sign of his country's cultural rise.

Boycotting Spain, Ireland, Slovenia will not show Eurovision

The public broadcasters for Spain, Ireland and Slovenia said Monday they will not show the 70th anniversary Eurovision Song Contest this week, as they boycott the TV extravaganza over Israel's participation.

Nazi-looted portrait found in home of Dutch SS leader's family: art sleuth

An artwork plundered by the Nazis from the world-famous Goudstikker collection has surfaced in the family of a notorious SS collaborator in the Netherlands, Dutch art detective Arthur Brand told AFP Monday.

Selfies galore as Eurovision kicks off in Vienna

Eurovision kicked off in Vienna on Sunday, with thousands of fans flocking to the city for events and music ahead of the song contest's grand final next weekend, with renewed calls for a boycott over Israel's participation.

'Devil Wears Prada 2' holds strong at N. America box office

"The Devil Wears Prada 2" withstood a strong challenge from "Mortal Kombat II" to remain atop the North American box office for a second week running, industry estimates showed Sunday.

Turkey show displays photo master Ara Guler's Cannes shots

One shot shows Sophia Loren lifting a champagne glass beneath the adoring gaze of fans. In another frame, Brigitte Bardot lies carefree in the countryside in a T-shirt and jeans.

Eurovision fever hits host city Vienna

Eurovision fever was set to hit Vienna on Sunday with events planned for thousands of fans in advance of the song contest's grand final on May 16, with the build-up once again facing calls for a boycott over Israel's participation.

Cannes Film Festival: what to watch out for

The world's most glamorous film festival kicks off in Cannes on Tuesday, promising another action-packed fortnight of world premieres, star-studded red carpets, parties and fashion.

Fervent and fake: High-glam AI avatars boost Trump ahead of midterms

Clad in swimsuits or military fatigues, the blonde women lavish praise on President Donald Trump and tear into his rivals -- but these influencers are AI-generated, flooding tech platforms with fervent political messaging ahead of the US midterm election.

European minnows bid to challenge social media giants

A flurry of new schemes to launch Europe-based social networks faces a steep, rocky road to seduce users away from American and Asian giants in the sector.

Eurovision: how it works

The rules of the Eurovision Song Contest -- the biggest live televised music event -- have evolved to keep pace with technological, artistic and geopolitical changes over the past 70 years.

AI use surges globally but rich-poor divide widens, Microsoft says

Generative artificial intelligence is being used by 17.8 percent of the world's working-age population, but the gap between wealthy and developing nations continues to widen, according to a report published Tuesday by Microsoft.

Australian state overturns Melbourne ban on World Cup watch party

Australian authorities on Thursday reversed a ban on public watch parties in Melbourne's Federation Square for the 2026 football World Cup after the decision sparked an outcry.

Pioneering CNN founder Ted Turner dead at 87

Ted Turner, the flamboyant US entrepreneur who transformed television news with the creation of CNN in 1980, has died at the age of 87, the network said Wednesday.

Ghana artist's billboard campaign takes aim at fast fashion fallout

On a busy roadside in Accra, a billboard that would normally advertise soft drinks is draped in a cascade of worn shirts -- frayed collars, faded blues and greys and a striking circular pattern stitched at its centre.

Protests as Venice Biennale opens in turmoil over Russian presence

Bare-breasted activists protested at the Venice Biennale on Wednesday, incensed over the return of Russia for the first time to the prestigious art festival since the Ukrainian war broke out.

Paris gets taste of Nigeria's Nollywood

Paris gets a taste of Nigeria's film industry on Wednesday with the start of the NollywoodWeek festival, with movies exploring love, family and duty, shorts and documentaries.

Venice Biennale opens in turmoil over Russian presence

Resignations, boycotts and threats to cut funding -- the Venice Biennale opens to the press on Wednesday in turmoil over the return of Russia for the first time since the Ukraine war broke out.

Hollywood star Malkovich gets Croatian citizenship

US actor John Malkovich, who has Croatian ancestry, was granted Croatian citizenship on Tuesday in a special ceremony.

Ex-model accuses French scout of grooming her for Epstein

Former French model Juliette G. says it took her years to make sense of how she ended up in a New York bedroom with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

Top five moments from the Met Gala

The Met Gala turned New York's Metropolitan Museum of Art into the world's most glamorous red carpet, with A-list actors, musicians, athletes, artists and designers coming together for charity -- and offering their best looks.

Stars shine at Met Gala, fashion's biggest night

The brightest stars in Hollywood, music, sports and style hit the red carpet Monday for the Met Gala, the extravagant Manhattan charity ball that this year spotlights the intersection between fashion and art.

Blake Lively, Justin Baldoni agree to end lengthy legal battle

Actor Blake Lively and "It Ends with Us" co-star Justin Baldoni settled on Monday their acrimonious court battle, sparked when Lively accused Baldoni of inappropriate on-set behavior, meaning they will avoid a costly civil trial.

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