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Trump fires librarian of US Congress

US President Donald Trump has fired the country's top librarian, his spokeswoman confirmed Friday, cutting short the term of the only woman and first African American to take on the role.

'Jumbo': the animated Indonesian film smashing records

An Indonesian animated movie is smashing regional box-office records and could be set for wider success as it prepares to open beyond the Southeast Asian archipelago's silver screens.

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Ukraine's reopening cinemas offer refuge from reality -- and air raids

From the Hollywood blockbuster to the high-brow film noir, the silver screen offers a few hours' peace in a darkened refuge from the mundane grind of the nine to five.

Brad Pitt says retirement still a long way off

Brad Pitt scotched talk of imminent retirement as he travelled to Paris for the premiere of his Jackie Chan-inspired action caper "Bullet Train".

Musk and Twitter: Volatile liaison ends up in court

Elon Musk's pursuit of Twitter was a melodrama from the beginning -- a volatile courtship between a mercurial billionaire and an influential social media platform.

Court battle to open in Musk, Twitter buyout fight

Elon Musk and Twitter will face off Tuesday in the first court hearing over the Tesla chief's move to abandon their $44 billion buyout deal, a case with massive stakes for both sides.

'Thrones' and 'Rings' fans ready for battle as Comic-Con returns

Comic-Con finally returns to San Diego this week, where new "Lord of the Rings" and "Game of Thrones" TV series will compete before tens of thousands of cosplaying geeks and nerds at the world's most famous pop culture gathering.

Uber settles US lawsuit over disabled rider 'wait fees'

Uber will offer several million dollars in compensation to tens of thousands of passengers with disabilities who were charged extra fees, US prosecutors said Monday.

Pop art sculptor Claes Oldenburg dies aged 93

US-based pop art sculptor Claes Oldenburg, known for his giant work depicting everyday objects such as hamburgers, lipstick and electric plugs, has died aged 93.

Thai democracy activists targeted by Pegasus spyware: report

Dozens of Thai democracy activists were targeted by the controversial Israeli spyware known as Pegasus during the height of intense anti-government protests, according to an international digital rights group report.

IS ex-bastion in Syria hosts Jackie Chan film shoot

A ghost town since a 2018 operation to flush out jihadists, Hajar al-Aswad near the Syrian capital has come back to life as the location of a Jackie Chan-produced action movie.

Rattled and uncertain of its future, Twitter stumbles on

Anxious employees, wary advertisers and hamstrung management: Twitter is limping along as it waits to learn how the fight over Elon Musk's buyout bid will end.

After sensational trial, Johnny Depp releases an album

Fresh off his highly publicized, controversial defamation suit, actor Johnny Depp sought to show his creative career was back on track Friday, releasing an album with English rocker Jeff Beck.

'Booked, blessed and busy': Lizzo returns

Lizzo's summer turned up a notch Friday, with the poster child of self-love dropping her long-awaited album "Special" fresh off an Emmy nomination and ahead of a forthcoming tour.

Julianne Moore to preside over jury at Venice Film Festival

US actor Julianna Moore will be jury president for the 2022 Venice Film Festival in September, organisers said Friday.

US actress Constance Wu says attempted suicide after Twitter storm

US actress Constance Wu made a suicide attempt three years ago, bruised by a bitter social media backlash, the "Crazy Rich Asians" star said Thursday.

Students embrace new rhythms at Saudi music schools

Saudi businessman Ahmed Abdullah watches intently as his seven-year-old daughter Yasmine practises keyboard scales at a Riyadh music school, an opportunity he could only dream about when he was young.

Wimbledon trailblazer Jabeur receives Tunisian Order of Merit

Tennis trailblazer Ons Jabeur, who became the first African woman to reach a Grand Slam singles final, was honoured by Tunisian President Kais Saied on Thursday for "her remarkable sporting successes".

Outage briefly hits Twitter service around the world

Twitter experienced a widespread but brief outage in nations around the globe on Thursday -- fresh turbulence for the firm locked in a buyout battle with Elon Musk.

UK gallery unearths hidden Van Gogh self-portrait

A gallery in Scotland said Thursday it was "thrilled" to announce the discovery of a previously unknown self-portrait of Vincent Van Gogh, with his ear intact, hidden behind another painting.

Spain's Fermin bull run fiesta ends with five gored

Spain's San Fermin festival comes to an end Thursday after a week of frenzied bull runs that left 52 people hospitalised, including five who were gored, but none too seriously.

Defiant Philippine Nobel laureate Ressa fights for her freedom

Less than a year after winning the Nobel Peace Prize for her efforts to protect free speech, Philippine journalist Maria Ressa is fighting to stay out of jail while her news site Rappler faces possible closure.

Spacey due in UK court again to face sexual assault charges

Hollywood actor Kevin Spacey was on Thursday due to make his latest British courtroom appearance after he was charged last month with sexually assaulting three men and granted unconditional bail.

France nods to Ukraine in Bastille Day military parade

Paris's traditional Bastille Day military parade on Thursday is a salute to Ukraine, and to France's eastern European allies who are among guests of honour, officials said.

Pet hate: Dogs and cats confront division in 'Paws of Fury'

Dogs and cats must put their rivalry aside to save a village -- and offer audiences a lesson in inclusion and diversity -- in the new animated film "Paws of Fury: The Legend of Hank."

Finding fame... and family? AleXa's Korean-American K-pop dream

Korean-American K-pop star AleXa has wanted to be on stage since she was a kid, but her search for fame in South Korea was also fuelled by another reason -- to help her mother find her birth family.

Three men charged in plot to sell stolen Eagles notes

Manhattan's district attorney on Tuesday charged three people with conspiring to illegally possess and sell some 100 pages of handwritten notes and lyrics for the Eagles album "Hotel California."

Tourists trample all over protected, prehistoric Peruvian hill carving

Tourists have left footprints all over Peru's Paracas Candelabra, an enormous hillside carving that dates from some 2,500 years ago, according to officials who have launched a search for the culprits.

Emmy nominees in key categories

Here is a list of the nominees in key categories for the 74th Emmy Awards, which will be handed out in Los Angeles on September 12.

The Dutch art detective who says he recovered the 'Blood of Christ' relic

It was 10:30 pm on a Friday when Arthur Brand got the delivery he was nervously expecting.

Global talent, Korean-trained: K-pop's new recipe for world domination

From Indian K-pop idols to Swedish songwriters, South Korea's music industry is now a hotbed of global talent -- a smart strategy as it aims for world domination, experts say.

'Gangnam Style' impact endures a decade after it broke the internet

When South Korean rapper Psy released "Gangnam Style" a decade ago, few anticipated the scale and speed of its success, and how it would help usher in the streaming revolution.

US senators fear Facebook censoring abortion posts

US senators on Monday demanded Meta address reports that its Facebook and Instagram social networks have been censoring information about how to legally get an abortion.

'In love with my country': Arrested Iranian director Jafar Panahi

Iranian director Jafar Panahi, renowned for his gritty social commentary which has drawn the ire of his country's rulers, was arrested on Monday -- the third filmmaker to be held in less than a week.

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