The China Mail - Culture

Music industry girds for looming US TikTok ban

TikTok has dramatically changed music discovery and marketing -- a reliance the looming US ban on the popular app has underscored as the music world braces for an unknown future.

Trump names trio of divisive stars as Hollywood 'ambassadors'

US President-elect Donald Trump named controversial movie legends and long-standing supporters Sylvester Stallone, Mel Gibson and Jon Voight as special envoys to Hollywood on Thursday in a bid to make the entertainment industry "stronger than ever before."

David Lynch: the dark side of the American dream

For seven years, US director David Lynch drank the same chocolate milkshake each day at the same time from the same place in Los Angeles because he believed it helped his creativity.

'Mulholland Drive' and 'Twin Peaks' director David Lynch dies at 78

David Lynch -- the groundbreaking director behind "Mulholland Drive" and television's "Twin Peaks," who gained a cult following for his unsettling portraits of American life -- has died. He was 78 years old.

World needs a new Bob Dylan, actor Chalamet says

The world needs a new Bob Dylan for an age that has become too "cynical", actor Timothee Chalamet said on Thursday while presenting the new biographical film on the US folk troubadour.

'Parasite' director Bong Joon-ho to show new film at Berlin festival

South Korean director Bong Joon-ho will present his new film "Mickey 17" out of competition in Berlin next month, the city's film festival announced on Thursday.

Trauma and tragedy in the City of Angels: covering the LA fires

Terrified residents caught in blazing neighbourhoods, influencers ignoring the ban on drones and the frightening unpredictability of the wildfires are just some of what journalists covering the fires ravaging Los Angeles for AFP have had to manage.

Rice fields turned into art in northern Thailand

A two-acre paddy field in northern Thailand has been transformed into an artwork depicting a dragon and a cat, symbols of hope and resilience as the community recovers from floods.

Drake files defamation suit against Universal over Kendrick Lamar track

Rapper Drake on Wednesday filed suit against his own label, saying Universal Music Group's release and promotion of a Kendrick Lamar track dissing him amounted to defamation and harassment.

Society centred around women in UK during Iron Age: scientists

Scientists analysing 2,000-year-old DNA have revealed that a Celtic society in the southern UK during the Iron Age was centred around women, backing up accounts from Roman historians, a study said Wednesday.

'Take my data': US 'TikTok refugees' flock to alternative Chinese app

Furious at the prospect of a US government ban on social media platform TikTok, American users have flocked to another Chinese-owned app in droves, many with a defiant message: "Take my data!"

French woman faces cyberbullying after falling for fake Brad Pitt

A French woman who revealed on TV how she had lost her life savings to scammers posing as Brad Pitt has faced a wave of online harassment and mockery, leading the interview to be withdrawn on Tuesday.

Fresh off latest hit album, Bad Bunny announces Puerto Rican concert residency

Megastar Bad Bunny announced on Monday a 21-concert residency in his homeland Puerto Rico, with the first nine shows limited to residents of the island.

Italy's Benetton ad photographer Toscani dies: family

Oliviero Toscani, the Italian fashion photographer known for his work on Benetton's provocative advertising campaigns, died Monday aged 82, his family announced.

Chinese artist cashes in on Buddha-like Trump statues

Donald Trump is not typically known for his calm or reserve, but in a craftsman's workshop in rural China the US president-elect sits in divine contemplation.

Meghan Markle's Netflix show delayed due to LA fires

A new Netflix series starring Meghan Markle, the actress wife of Britain's Prince Harry, has been delayed due to the devastating Los Angeles wildfires, the Duchess of Sussex said Sunday.

Los Angeles fires deliver latest blow to embattled Hollywood

As Los Angeles is gripped by wildfires that resemble a Hollywood disaster movie, the city's vast entertainment industry is already counting the costs of yet another drastic setback that its workers can ill-afford.

'Den of Thieves 2' snatches top spot in N.America box office

Lionsgate's heist film "Den of Thieves 2: Pantera" opened atop the North American box office this weekend with an estimated $15.5 million in ticket sales, industry watchers said Sunday.

Meta abandons racial diversity programs in further right-wing shift

Social media giant Meta announced Friday it is dismantling its diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) programs across the company, marking another major shift in strategy as it aligns with politically conservative priorities.

Brazil gives Meta 72 hours to explain new fact-checking policies

Brazil on Friday gave social media giant Meta 72 hours to explain its fact-checking policy for the country, and how it plans to protect "fundamental rights" on its platforms.

Anti-war Russian theatre in Latvia fights language ban

In Riga Russian Theatre's rehearsal room, actors gather for a table-read of the season's big premiere, "Lady Macbeth" -- but the play's poster will not crop up around the Latvian capital as it normally would.

Right-wing disinformation targets DEI, 'liberal' policies as LA burns

Months of dry weather and recent strong winds created optimal conditions for the deadly wildfires engulfing Los Angeles, but narratives on social media falsely single out "liberal" policies -- including those to increase diversity in the city's fire force -- as the culprit.

The Melrose Group Files Motion for Default Judgment Against Hank & Uptempo's Michael A. Hilmer and Jason Ewart

Hank Payments board members, Michael Hilmer and Jason Ewart are defaulted for their malfeasance in the formation, operation and ongoing frauds in Hank Payments Corp and Uptempo Inc. Specifically, for actively and maliciously stopping the majority shareholders from participating in the shareholder meeting and vote bringing Uptempo/ Hank Payments public in October 2021. Banking providers FinWise Bancorp and Metropolitan Commercial Bank are hereby noticed as are purported "Directors and Officers" insurance carriers Lloyds of London and its agents.Motion Document

Musk promotes German far-right leader in latest European intervention

US tech billionaire Elon Musk doubled down Thursday on his full-throated support for the far-right party Alternative for Germany (AfD), promoting its leader Alice Weidel during a livestream on X in his latest intervention in European politics.

E-Power hits the slopes: new wave of snow sports emerges

Following in the footsteps of electric scooters on land and wakeboards at sea, young entrepreneurs are bringing electric power to snow travel with self-propelled skis and all-terrain skates.

London Van Gogh show to open all night to meet demand

London's National Gallery will open all night on January 17 to give art lovers a final chance to see its blockbuster Vincent Van Gogh exhibition, the museum said Thursday.

Raspy-voiced hit machine Rod Stewart turns 80

Singer Rod Stewart, who helped British rock conquer the world with a string of megahits, turns 80 on Friday -- with no plans to slow down.

Australia frets over Meta halt to US fact-checking

Australia is deeply concerned by Meta's decision to scrap US fact-check operations on its Facebook and Instagram platforms, a senior government minister said Thursday.

Campaigners fear spike in hate speech as Meta lifts restrictions

Tech giant Meta has rolled back restrictions around topics such as gender and sexual identity, a sweeping move advocacy groups fear will fuel hate speech.

Meta's 'Musk playbook' fans misinformation concerns

Meta's decision to swap professional US fact-checkers with crowd-sourced moderation has raised fears that Facebook and Instagram could become magnets for misinformation similar to the Elon Musk-owned X, researchers say.

UK music sales hit record year, helped by Swift: industry

UK music sales reached a record high in 2024 thanks to massive streaming and increased vinyl purchases of hits by top artists, notably Taylor Swift, an industry body revealed Wednesday.

French magazine run by autistic journalists hits newsstands

A French magazine produced by autistic journalists went on sale on newsstands for the first time on Wednesday, further raising the profile of a project that has already made waves on television.

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