The China Mail - Culture

Featured

'Demon Slayer' tops N.America box office with record anime opening

The latest entry in Crunchyroll's "Demon Slayer" anime film series took first place in the North American box office this weekend with a genre-record $70 million debut, industry estimates showed Sunday.

Shakespeare family tragedy 'Hamnet' wins top Toronto film prize

"Hamnet," a devastating period drama about the life of William Shakespeare and his family, won top prize Sunday at the Toronto International Film Festival.

Last news

'KPop Demon Hunters' takes N. American box office by storm

Netflix's monster animated hit "KPop Demon Hunters" ruled the North American box office with a special singalong event, raking in $18 million in a first victory in theaters for the streaming giant, industry estimates showed Sunday.

Kneecap to play Paris concert in defiance of objections

Irish rap group Kneecap, one of whose members faces a British terror charge for allegedly supporting Hezbollah, are to perform outside Paris on Sunday, despite objections from French Jewish groups and government officials.

Indonesian child's viral fame draws tourists to boat race

Armed with colourful oars, rowers pack into long boats in western Indonesia, paddling furiously in front of race crowds swelled by the viral success of a young boy famous for his dancing at the front of the traditional vessels.

Summer brings overtourism fears for 'Bavarian Caribbean'

A picture-perfect Alpine mountain lake in Germany draws so many visitors every summer that the first thing they see is crowded busses, traffic jams and a packed-out carpark.

Rebrand of US culture 'fixture' Cracker Barrel sparks backlash

Cracker Barrel has a special place in the hearts of many Americans, offering homestyle American cuisine in a folksy "Old Country Store" setting complete with rocking chairs and occasional country music performances.

'KPop Demon Hunters' craze hits theaters after topping Netflix, music charts

Netflix's gargantuan hit film "KPop Demon Hunters" has captured the global zeitgeist this summer, smashing streaming and music chart records. Now it is coming for movie theaters.

TikTok's UK content moderation jobs at risk in AI shift

Social media platform TikTok announced on Friday it will restructure its UK trust and safety operations, putting several hundred jobs at risk as it shifts to AI-assisted content moderation.

Bayeux Tapestry not too fragile to move to UK, French official says

A French official overseeing the loan of the Bayeux Tapestry to the UK said Friday the artefact was not too fragile to transport, defending the move from increasingly sharp criticism.

Erik Menendez denied parole, decades after parents' murders

Erik Menendez was denied parole Thursday more than three decades after he and his brother Lyle slaughtered their parents in the family's luxury Beverly Hills home.

Autopsy rules out 'trauma' in Frenchman livestream death

A post mortem on a Frenchman who died during a live stream found that he was not killed by trauma or a third party, a public prosecutor said Thursday.

Ghana singer Shatta Wale held in US fraud probe over Lamborghini purchase

Ghanaian dancehall star Shatta Wale has been taken into custody in Accra as part of a US investigation into his purchase of a Lamborghini, prompting hundreds of fans to protest for his release.

Indian heritage restorers piece together capital's past

In a climate-controlled room in India's capital, restorers carefully piece together rare historical documents and artefacts to rescue irreplaceable fragments that provide a unique window into New Delhi's past.

Games publisher kepler on cloud nine after smash hits

Games publisher Kepler Interactive has notched up two of the breakout titles of the year with "Clair Obscur: Expedition 33" and "Rematch", reaping the rewards for developing independent projects on tight budgets.

Tall ships sail into Amsterdam for giant maritime festival

Tall ships from around the world paraded up the North Sea Canal into Amsterdam on Wednesday, with crews from Peru, Uruguay, Germany and France waving from their decks as crowds cheered along the banks.

Chinese mega-hit 'Ne Zha II' enlists Michelle Yeoh to woo US audiences

It is the highest-grossing movie of the year, and the biggest animated film ever made -- but if you live outside China, you've likely never heard of "Ne Zha II." That may be about to change.

City girls snub traditional Hindu face tattoos in Pakistan

Grinding charcoal with a few drops of goat's milk, 60-year-old Basran Jogi peers at the faces of two small Pakistani sisters preparing for their first tattoos.

Polar bear waltz: Fake Trump-Putin AI images shroud Ukraine peace effort

From a fake image of Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin dancing in the snow with a polar bear to a fabricated photo of European leaders waiting somberly outside the Oval Office, AI-enabled disinformation has clouded the diplomatic push to end the war in Ukraine.

White House starts TikTok account as platform in US legal limbo

The White House launched a TikTok account on Tuesday, as President Donald Trump continues to permit the Chinese-owned platform to operate in the United States despite a law requiring its sale.

300-year-old violin to star at UK music festival

One of the most valuable violins in the world, crafted three centuries ago and once owned by composer Niccolo Paganini, is to be played at a top UK classical music festival.

Downton Abbey fans pay homage to 'beautiful' props before finale

As Downton Abbey draws to a close in September, some fans took solace by getting close to memorable props and costumes from the much-loved British saga as they went on sale Monday.

'Skibidi' and 'tradwife': social media words added to Cambridge dictionary

Words popularised by Gen Z and Gen Alpha including "skibidi", "delulu", and "tradwife" are among 6,000 new entries to the online edition of the Cambridge Dictionary over the last year, its publisher said Monday.

Terence Stamp, 60s icon and Superman villain, dies

British actor Terence Stamp, a leading man of 1960s cinema before reinventing himself in a series of striking roles -- including as Superman villain General Zod -- has died aged 87, UK media cited his family announcing Sunday.

Terence Stamp in five films

British actor Terence Stamp, who has died aged 87, played characters who tended to be both charming but disturbing, and starred in more than 60 films since his Swinging Sixties beginnings.

'Pickypockets!' vigilante pairs with social media on London streets

On a recent weekday, Diego Galdino was on the hunt for pickpockets in central London, patrolling tourist hotspots for familiar suspects and telltale signs of those about to commit thefts.

US suspends visas for Gazans after far-right influencer posts

The US government said Saturday it is suspending visitor visas for Gazans after a far-right influencer with the ear of President Donald Trump complained that wounded Palestinians had been allowed to seek medical treatment in the United States.

Falsehoods swirl around Trump-Putin summit

From false claims of a Ukrainian assassin shot dead in Alaska to baseless reports of Russia declaring the sale of the territory to the United States illegal, misinformation has swirled around the summit between Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump.

Historic Swedish church being moved as giant mine casts growing shadow

A historic red wooden church considered one of Sweden's most beautiful buildings is to be moved from its longtime home in the Arctic town of Kiruna next week as part of a campaign to expand Europe's biggest underground mine.

Indonesian roof tilers flex muscles to keep local industry alive

A young Indonesian man turns his back to a crowd, flexing his oiled-up muscles before picking up a stack of roof tiles, holding as many as he can in a pose reminiscent of Mr. Olympia.

Taylor Swift sets October release for new album

Taylor Swift's "The Life of a Showgirl" will be released on October 3, the star has revealed, as she showcased cover art and a tracklist for what is expected to be one of the biggest albums of the year.

Hong Kong court to hear closing arguments in mogul Jimmy Lai's trial

Jailed Hong Kong media mogul Jimmy Lai's national security trial, which began in late 2023, will enter its final stages on Thursday as lawyers present closing arguments.

US singer Billy Joel to sell off motorcycles due to health condition

US pop great Billy Joel will auction the motorcycle collection he maintains in New York state after being diagnosed with a brain condition that forced him to cancel a planned tour, his management said Wednesday.

Renowned Egyptian novelist Sonallah Ibrahim dies at 88

Egyptian novelist Sonallah Ibrahim, famed for his critiques of political repression, neoliberalism and Western hegemony, has died at the age of 88, the culture ministry announced on Wednesday.

The China Mail - Culture (English)