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Owners of collapsed Dominican nightclub formally charged

Prosecutors in the Dominican Republic filed manslaughter and other charges Friday against the owners of a nightclub where 236 people died earlier this year when the crowded building's roof collapsed.

New Zealand 'Once Were Warriors' director Tamahori dies

New Zealand film-maker Lee Tamahori was described as a "classy and very clever" director on Saturday following his death aged 75.

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Google's new California offices bank on in-person work

Roofs coated with canopy-like solar panels and indoor spaces awash in sunlight: Google has bet big on in-person work with its sprawling new Silicon Valley offices.

Woody Allen says 'thrill is gone,' next movie may be his last

In a rare interview on Tuesday, filmmaker Woody Allen did not rule out Tuesday that his next movie, to be shot in Paris, will be his last, saying that "a lot of the thrill is gone."

Netflix 'actively' working on ad-supported subscription

Netflix is "actively" working on building its cheaper, ad-supported deal, the company's French team said on Tuesday, but added there was no clear timeline.

Jewel thieves in brazen Dutch art fair heist

Flat-cap wearing armed robbers staged a brazen daylight raid on an international art fair in the Netherlands Tuesday, smashing a jewellery case with a sledgehammer in front of terrified visitors.

First ever 'Africa Fashion' exhibition opens in London

Britain's most extensive exhibition of African fashion is set to open in London, showcasing designers past and present, as well as the continent's diverse heritage and cultures.

Kyiv's plans to ban works in Russian divide book lovers

Ukraine plans to ban many books in Russian as part of a wartime battle against propaganda, but the new law has divided both literature fans and booksellers alike.

S.African police search bar for clues after 21 teens die

South African police were on Monday combing a township tavern where 21 teenagers mysteriously died as survivors described a battle to escape the jam-packed premises and one reported a suffocating smell.

Billionaire Italian eyewear mogul Del Vecchio dead at 87

Italy's second richest man, eyewear magnate Leonardo Del Vecchio, has died at age 87 after building an optical empire that saw him buy up major brands like Ray-Ban, Persol and Oakley.

Murdered rapper's song pulled from YouTube in India

YouTube has removed a viral music video in India released posthumously by murdered Sikh rapper Sidhu Moose Wala following a complaint by the government.

S.African police seek clues after 21 teens die in bar

Police in South Africa were combing a township tavern for evidence on Monday after the mysterious death of 21 teenagers after a night out.

'Crime not to help': South Korean ex-SEAL has no Ukraine regrets

A former South Korean Navy SEAL turned YouTuber who risked jail time to leave Seoul and fight for Ukraine says it would have been a "crime" not to use his skills to help.

'Elvis' puts the King back in spotlight in N.American theaters

Baz Luhrmann's rock'n'roll biopic "Elvis" hip-swiveled to the top of the box office on its opening weekend in North America, taking in an estimated $30.5 million in a rare tie with "Top Gun: Maverick," industry watcher Exhibitor Relations reported Sunday.

Menswear regains its muscle at Paris Fashion Week

Menswear proved to be in reinvigorated form as Paris Fashion Week ended on Sunday, with spectacle, innovation and the return of big-name designers to the catwalk.

Iran's next revolution will be female, says Cannes winner

Iran's next revolution will be brought on by women taking back the freedoms denied to them in the Islamic republic, said Zar Amir Ebrahimi, the winner of this year's Best Actress award at Cannes.

Mud, sweat and cheers: Traditional Thai water buffalo race enthralls crowds

Boys scurry, duck and weave through crowds sheltering from the suffocating heat before upending buckets of cooling water on beefy bovines waiting to compete at the annual traditional Thai buffalo races in Chonburi on Sunday.

McCartney rolls back years as Glastonbury enters final day

US rapper Kendrick Lamar will bring the curtain down on Britain's Glastonbury Festival on Sunday, after Paul McCartney ran through a set of Beatles classics, helped out by Bruce Springsteen and Dave Grohl.

Rich heritage buried under impoverished Gaza Strip

While workers laboured on a large construction site in the Gaza Strip, a security guard noticed a strange piece of stone sticking out of the earth.

FBI seizes Basquiat paintings amid doubts over authenticity

FBI agents seized all 25 works at a Jean-Michel Basquiat exhibit in Florida amid questions about their authenticity, the museum which was showing them said Saturday.

Turkey's banned musicians sing the blues in run-up to 2023 vote

A tattooed pop star banned for her slinky dresses and support for women's rights. Kurdish artists blacklisted and concerts cancelled out of concern for alcohol-fuelled frolicking between boys and girls.

European festivals should not be scrapped due to monkeypox: WHO

The World Health Organization said Friday that European summer festivals should not be cancelled due to the monkeypox outbreak but should instead manage the risk of amplifying the virus.

UN says Israeli fire killed Al Jazeera journalist

The United Nations said Friday it found that Israeli forces fired the shot that killed Al Jazeera journalist Shireen Abu Akleh, with Israel swiftly branding the UN's findings unfounded.

Top Spanish designers Victorio and Lucchino get own museum

Top Spanish fashion designers Victorio and Lucchino, who have dressed singers and aristocrats, on Thursday inaugurated a museum dedicated to their works in their southern home region of Andalusia.

Eurovision chiefs insist Ukraine cannot host 2023 show

The Eurovision Song Contest's organisers confirmed Thursday that the 2023 edition cannot be held in Ukraine due to the Russian war, despite angry protests from Kyiv.

Swahili smash for Osaka's new venture

The name of Japanese tennis ace Naomi Osaka's new venture Hana Kuma has raised eyebrows in Africa -- as the term has a lewd meaning in Swahili.

Short hair, don't care: Saudi working women embrace cropped locks

When Saudi doctor Safi took a new job at a hospital in the capital, she decided to offset her standard white lab coat with a look she once would have considered dramatic.

Oscar-winning deaf actor Marlee Matlin becomes Academy governor

Oscar-winning deaf actor Marlee Matlin, who appeared in this year's Best Picture winner "CODA," has been elected to the Academy's board of governors, the organization said Wednesday.

Bill Cosby to appeal civil ruling on teen sex assault: rep

Bill Cosby will appeal the civil verdict that saw him ordered to pay $500,000 to a woman he allegedly sexually assaulted almost five decades ago, a spokesman said Wednesday.

Google agrees to pay for beefed-up Wikipedia service

Google has agreed to pay for ramped-up Wikipedia services, part of a growing trend for the US tech giant to strike commercial deals with other web companies.

Fiery Scottish Viking festival lifts curbs on female participants

Women will be allowed to take part in the main Viking-inspired torchlight procession on the remote Scottish island of Shetland for the first time next year, organisers said on Wednesday.

'The world's gone mad': Kate Bush on 'Stranger Things' and chart reprise

Kate Bush, in a rare interview, has described her return to the top of the music charts as "quite shocking" after Netflix drama "Stranger Things" wowed a new generation of fans.

Ancient Afghan Buddhist city threatened by Chinese copper mine

An ancient Buddhist city carved out of immense peaks near Kabul is in danger of disappearing forever, swallowed up by a Chinese consortium exploiting one of the world's largest copper deposits.

France's music street party back at full blast

One of France's biggest street parties is back in full force after two years of Covid disruption -- the annual Fete de la Musique returns to towns and cities across the country Tuesday night, boasting everything from classical to rap.

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