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A night out on the town during Nigeria's 'Detty December'

The first winds of west Africa's Harmattan dry season are in the air, and Lagos, the economic capital of the continent's most populous country, is abuzz.

India's Bollywood counts costs as star fees squeeze profits

From fleets of private trailers to personal chefs and sprawling entourages, Bollywood stars' "obnoxious" demands are driving up production costs and putting a strain on the Indian film industry's finances, insiders say.

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Race for first private space station heats up as NASA set to retire ISS

With NASA's International Space Station set to come out of service in 2030, American aerospace firm Vast has stepped into a frenzied race for the world's first commercial space station.

K-pop group NewJeans ends feud with record label ADOR

All members of the K-pop group NewJeans have resumed working with their record label, the company and their lawyers said Thursday, after accusations of mistreatment and a year-long dispute that stalled their careers.

TV soaps and diplomacy as Bangladesh and Turkey grow closer

In a recording studio in Dhaka, voiceover artist Rubaiya Matin Gity dubs the latest Turkish soap opera to become a megahit in Bangladesh -- a pop-culture trend that reflects growing ties between the two countries.

Prague cathedral's long-awaited organ to pipe up in 2026

Prague's St. Vitus Cathedral, a favourite feature of postcards from the Czech capital, is next year set to inaugurate a long-awaited organ that befits its Gothic splendour.

Humans can no longer tell AI music from the real thing: survey

It has become nearly impossible for people to tell the difference between music generated by artificial intelligence and that created by humans, according to a survey released Wednesday.

Mellon Blue diamond sells for $25.6 million

The Mellon Blue, a 9.51-carat fancy vivid blue diamond formerly owned by the US art collector Bunny Mellon, sold for $25.6 million at auction on Tuesday.

Monumental art displayed in shade of Egypt's pyramids

Installations by renowned international artists including Italy's Michelangelo Pistoletto and Portugal's Alexandre Farto have been erected in the sand under the great pyramids of Giza outside Cairo.

BBC grapples with response to Trump legal threat

The BBC's outgoing boss on Tuesday defended its journalists as the broadcaster grappled with how to respond to US President Donald Trump's threat of a lawsuit over a misleading speech edit.

Japanese 'Ran' actor Tatsuya Nakadai dies at 92

Japanese stage and movie actor Tatsuya Nakadai, who starred in a string of Akira Kurosawa films, including the lead in "Ran", has died aged 92, his acting school said on Tuesday.

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.

Trump threatens $1 billion action as BBC apologises for edit error

US President Donald Trump threatened the BBC with a billion-dollar lawsuit Monday as the broadcaster apologised for editing a speech that gave the impression he urged "violent action" ahead of the 2021 assault on the US Capitol.

Trump threatens $1 billion action as BBC apologises for speech edit

US President Donald Trump has threatened the BBC with a billion-dollar lawsuit, US sources said, as the broadcaster apologised Monday for editing a speech that gave the impression he urged "violent action" just before the 2021 assault on the US Capitol.

Bulatov, pillar of Russian contemporary art scene, dies at 92

Erik Bulatov, a pillar of Russia's contemporary art scene known for works mocking Soviet propaganda, has died in Paris at the age of 92, the Russian Academy of Fine Arts told AFP Monday.

The 'ordinary' Arnie? Glen Powell reboots 'The Running Man'

It is often said Hollywood doesn't produce movie stars anymore.

Protests suspend opening of Nigeria heritage museum

The opening of a contested museum in Nigeria, meant to display west African art, has been postponed after protesters disrupted a private visit on Sunday, officials said.

BBC chief resigns after row over Trump documentary

The director general of the BBC announced his resignation Sunday following a row over the editing of a documentary about US President Donald Trump.

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.

Iran unveils monument to ancient victory in show of post-war defiance

Crowds packed central Tehran on Friday for the unveiling of a statue celebrating an ancient Persian victory over foreign enemies -- a show of defiance toward Iran's modern-day foes in the wake of its recent 12-day war with Israel.

Key nominees for the 2026 Grammy Awards

Here is a list of nominees in the major categories for the 68th annual Grammy Awards, which will be handed out on February 1, 2026 in Los Angeles.

Chinese microdrama creators turn to AI despite job loss concerns

Ultra-short video series "Strange Mirror of Mountains and Seas" is filled with dragon-like monsters, handsome protagonists and plenty of melodrama -- almost all of it, including the lifelike human characters, created by artificial intelligence.

'Soap opera on cocaine': how vertical dramas flipped Hollywood

In a faux castle atop a Los Angeles hill, a small film crew with their cameras flipped sideways squeeze into a bedroom and shoot a raunchy affair scene, under the gaze of their Chinese producer.

'Vibe coding' named word of the year by Collins dictionary

"Vibe coding," a word that essentially means using artificial intelligence (AI) to tell a machine what you want instead of coding it yourself, was on Thursday named the Collins Word of the Year 2025.

Turmoil in tiaras at Miss Universe pageant in Thailand

This year's Miss Universe in Thailand has been marred by ugly drama, with allegations of an insult to a beauty queen's intellect, a walkout by pageant contestants and a tearful tantrum by the host.

Meghan Markle set for big screen return: reports

Prince Harry's wife Meghan Markle is to make her return to the big screen, media reported Wednesday, with a small cameo role in a film being shot around Los Angeles.

Star designer Rousteing quits fashion group Balmain

Star designer Olivier Rousteing announced Wednesday he was quitting as artistic director of French fashion house Balmain after 14 years in which he revolutionised the luxury group.

Reddit, Kick to be included in Australia's social media ban

Popular social media website Reddit and streaming giant Kick will be added to a list of websites banned for under-16s in Australia from next month, Canberra said Wednesday.

Getty Images largely loses lawsuit against UK AI firm

US media company Getty Images largely lost a case it brought against a British AI firm over use of its copyrighted content without permission, a court in London said on Tuesday.

King Tut's collection displayed for first time at Egypt's grand museum

Thousands of visitors streamed through the Grand Egyptian Museum on Tuesday as almost the entire collection of King Tutankhamun's treasures -- over 4,500 artefacts -- was displayed together for the first time since the young pharaoh's tomb was discovered in 1922.

Laurent Mauvignier wins France's top literary award for family saga

French writer Laurent Mauvignier on Tuesday won France's top literary award, the Goncourt, for a 750-page family saga spanning more than a century.

Finnish ex-PM Marin says her female cabinet faced torrent of sexism

Finland's former prime minister Sanna Marin has highlighted the online sexism her government experienced while in power, in her memoir published on Tuesday.

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