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Show shines light on Mormons' unique place in US culture

The breakout success of the US reality TV show "The Secret Life of Mormon Wives," the third season of which begins Thursday, shines a light on America's fascination with the Christian religious movement.

Szalay wins Booker Prize for tortured tale of masculinity

British-Hungarian writer David Szalay won the Booker Prize on Monday for his novel "Flesh", a tortured story of a Hungarian emigre who makes and loses a fortune.

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Three found guilty of murdering US rapper XXXTentacion

A Florida jury on Monday found three young men guilty in the shooting death of the rising rap star known as XXXTentacion in 2018.

Media mogul Murdoch, 92, engaged for fifth time

Conservative media tycoon Rupert Murdoch will tie the knot for the fifth time, at the age of 92 years, he said Monday in an interview with his own newspaper, the New York Post.

Spurred by TikTok, some Americans return to cash to curb spending

Manicured fingers meticulously place cash in transparent envelopes marked "food," "gas" and other categories, demonstrating in a TikTok video a retro technique for controlling what you spend that is newly popular with some money-conscious Americans.

How AI 'revolution' is shaking up journalism

Journalists had fun last year asking the shiny new AI chatbot ChatGPT to write their columns, most concluding that the bot was not good enough to take their jobs. Yet.

How AI could upend the world even more than electricity or the internet

The rise of artificial general intelligence -- now seen as inevitable in Silicon Valley -- will bring change that is "orders of magnitude" greater than anything the world has yet seen, observers say. But are we ready?

'I'M BACK': Trump returns to Facebook, YouTube after two-year ban

Former president Donald Trump wrote his first posts on his reinstated Facebook and YouTube accounts Friday, more than two years after he was banned over the US Capitol insurrection.

'The Wire' star Lance Reddick dead at 60: publicist

Actor Lance Reddick who played steely Baltimore police lieutenant Cedric Daniels in hit TV show "The Wire" has died, his publicist said Friday. He was 60.

Microsoft seeks EU nod for Activision Blizzard bid with new offer

Microsoft said on Friday that it has offered formal commitments to the EU in its bid to persuade the bloc to approve its $69-billion takeover of video game giant Activision Blizzard.

Two halves of Flemish 17th century family portrait reunited

Two separated halves of a 17th century Flemish painting have gone on display together for the first time, reuniting the family portrayed 200 years after they were torn apart.

Paris fire exposes hidden iron holding up Notre-Dame

The fire that engulfed Notre-Dame four years ago has revealed a long-hidden secret about the Paris landmark: it was the first Gothic cathedral in which iron staples were used extensively throughout construction.

One billion users, but trouble mounts for TikTok

TikTok's breakneck rise from niche video-sharing app to global social media behemoth has brought plenty of scrutiny, particularly over its links to China.

Philippine social media users face barrage of bogus medical posts

Philippine vlogger Rosanel Demasudlay holds a heart-shaped "virginity soap" bar in front of the camera and assures her hundreds of YouTube followers it can be safely used to "tighten" their vaginas.

TikTok confirms US urged parting ways with ByteDance to dodge ban

TikTok confirmed Wednesday that US officials have recommended the popular video-sharing app part ways with its Chinese parent ByteDance to avoid a national ban.

Brazil's first lady turns heads, champions causes with fashion

Whether sporting a red Workers' Party star on her wedding dress, breaking taboos by wearing pants to her husband's inauguration, or rocking eco-friendly clothing, Brazil's new first lady is turning heads and making statements with her fashion choices.

Once dying, then a novelty, vinyl is back and thriving

Like many people in his generation, Vijay Damerla finds most of his new music online -- but the 20-year-old is slowly becoming a vinyl junkie, amassing records in his room.

BTS absence hurting global K-pop growth: HYBE chairman

Making megastars BTS do their South Korean military service is slowing the global growth of K-pop, the chairman of the septet's agency HYBE said Wednesday.

Satellite constellations multiply on profit hopes, geopolitics

The massive constellation of satellites operated by SpaceX, while still growing, will soon be joined in low Earth orbit by many more commercial competitors, but also government-sponsored programs.

The Saudi designer to the stars

He has dressed celebrity royalty around the world from Beyonce and Deepika Padukone to Zendaya and Cardi B but for years few of Mohammed Ashi's clients knew he was Saudi Arabia's first big-name designer.

Harvey Weinstein will not face retrial on deadlocked rape charges: LA judge

Convicted rapist Harvey Weinstein will not be retried for alleged attacks on two women, a judge in Los Angeles ruled Tuesday, after a jury was unable to reach a verdict on the charges.

'Nigerian Billy Elliot' meets British royalty

A poor Nigerian boy whose unlikely journey to a British dance academy is being chronicled by Disney met royalty on Tuesday, as he trains to become a professional.

Google lets testers access ChatGPT-style generative AI

Google on Tuesday began letting some developers and businesses access the kind of artificial intelligence that has captured attention since the launch of Microsoft-backed ChatGPT last year.

Afghan musicians in Portugal tell of 'cultural genocide'

"We are here to save our music," proclaims Ramiz, a young Afghan musician who has been welcomed in Portugal, along with other students from the national music school he left as he fled the Taliban's cultural crackdown.

Rock legend Lou Reed's tai chi book to be published

Rock pioneer and poet Lou Reed began writing a book in 2009 on an art at the heart of his lifestyle: tai chi.

'Almost ballet': Keanu Reeves brings 'John Wick' to Paris

Keanu Reeves is back with the fourth chapter of his megahit gun-frenzy franchise "John Wick" next week. He sees its expertly coordinated action scenes as "almost ballet".

Georgia leader visits EU chief after 'foreign agent' row

Georgia's president was set to meet EU chief Charles Michel in Brussels Monday after the South Caucasus nation dropped a controversial "foreign agent" bill in the face of major pro-Western protests.

Ukraine war fears give eastern Europe's populists new ammo

A year of war between Kyiv and Moscow has handed eastern European populists a potent weapon: fear.

Kenzaburo Oe: novelist who won Nobel with 'poetic force'

Nobel-winning Japanese novelist Kenzaburo Oe, a leading liberal voice who defended the disenfranchised and challenged the conformity of modern society, has died aged 88.

Mum and Malaysia celebrate Yeoh's Oscar win

"Malaysia boleh!" cried Michelle Yeoh's mother in a video chat with her daughter minutes after her historic Oscars win was announced -- citing a popular slogan that loosely translates into "Malaysia can do it!"

Oscars night: five talking points

"Everything Everywhere All at Once" won top honors at the Oscars on Sunday, claiming seven prizes including best picture.

'Naatu Naatu,' Gaga and Riri: Oscars night in music

The viral dance song "Naatu Naatu" made Oscars history Sunday as the first song from an Indian film to win the Academy Award for best original song -- besting heavyweights Lady Gaga and Rihanna to snag the prize.

Michelle Yeoh makes history as first Asian to win best actress Oscar

Michelle Yeoh on Sunday made history by becoming the first Asian woman to win the best actress Oscar, for her exuberant portrayal of an immigrant business owner thrust into a zany multiverse in the sci-fi trip "Everything Everywhere All at Once."

The Daniels, duo behind 'Everything Everywhere', scoop directing Oscar

Daniel Scheinert and Daniel Kwan unleashed a film featuring people with hot dogs for fingers, rocks with googly eyes and emotions, and an everything bagel as the ultimate universal truth -- that nothing matters.

The China Mail - Culture (English)