The China Mail - Culture

Armani's will lays path to potential buyout by rival

Fashion legend Giorgio Armani asked in his will made public Friday for a major luxury group to take a stake in his company, citing LVMH, EssilorLuxottica or L'Oreal as potential buyers.

New David Bowie museum unmasks the man behind the make up

A moving letter written by David Bowie's father and fan mail from Lady Gaga are among 90,000 items at a new London museum offering intimate insights into the man behind the Ziggy Stardust make up.

For theatre legend John Kani, art must 'speak truth to power'

South African stage legend John Kani shuffled between rows of red chairs in the 450-seat theatre named after him, searching for one in particular.

Guinea's Tierno Monenembo: stolen words and diehard critic of military rule

Guinean writer Tierno Monenembo will boycott his country's upcoming constitutional referendum, calling the vote a "farce". Unwaveringly critical of the authoritarian junta in power, he said he is ready to "die for his ideas".

'Your own brother': Student supporters mourn Charlie Kirk

For university student Dave Sanchez, seeing Trump acolyte Charlie Kirk murdered during a campus event was like watching his own brother get shot.

False AI 'fact-checks' stir online chaos after Kirk assassination

With a fire hose of misinformation surrounding the assassination of US right-wing activist Charlie Kirk, social media users have turned to AI chatbots for reliable updates -- only to encounter contradictory or inaccurate responses, further fueling online confusion.

DiCaprio stars in politically charged 'One Battle After Another'

Radical violence. Immigration raids. White supremacists. Leonardo DiCaprio's politically charged new movie "One Battle After Another" could scarcely be more timely.

People misidentified as Charlie Kirk's shooter fear retaliation

Two people misidentified online as suspects in the fatal shooting of right-wing US activist Charlie Kirk told AFP Thursday they were terrified by the misinformation targeting them, as the manhunt for the real killer continued.

Acclaimed French director tackles 'commercial colonialism' in new film

In "The Fence," a haunting new film from Claire Denis, the celebrated French director returns to a theme she has explored throughout her career -- the shadow of colonialism in West Africa.

Ed Sheeran to release eighth studio album

British popstar Ed Sheeran, who recently revealed an upcoming United States tour, will release his latest album "Play" on Friday.

Belgian festival axes German orchestra over Israeli conductor

A Belgian festival said Thursday it stood by its decision to axe a leading German orchestra's performance over concerns about its Israeli conductor -- despite furious protests from Israel and Berlin.

China penalises popular app Xiaohongshu over content

China's internet regulator said on Thursday it had ordered "warnings and strict punishment" to bosses at popular social media app Xiaohongshu over its online content, slamming "trivial" and "negative" posts.

China says imposed punishment on Xiaohongshu over content

China's internet regulator said on Thursday it had ordered "warnings and strict punishment" to bosses at popular social media app Xiaohongshu over its online content, slamming "trivial" and "negative" posts.

Britain's Baxter Dury swaps 'ponderous' indie for dance music

British singer-songwriter Baxter Dury, more than two decades into a career of delivering deadpan lyrics over sometimes mournful indie music, has discovered the joys of making his fans dance.

Silent for 800 years, medieval organ sings again in Jerusalem

The pipes of a medieval organ, buried for centuries and discovered near the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem in the occupied West Bank, are once more filling a Jerusalem monastery with ancient melodies.

400-year-old Rubens found in Paris mansion

A long-lost painting by 17th-century Flemish master Peter Paul Rubens has been found in a Paris mansion, a French auctioneer said on Wednesday.

Viking ships make final high-risk voyage to new Oslo home

Three 1,200-year-old Viking ships that have stood the test of time are embarking on their final and possibly riskiest journey to their new forever home in Norway.

Classical music is not Netflix, says Latvian mezzo-soprano Elina Garanca

In her decades-long career, star Latvian mezzo-soprano Elina Garanca has seen the ups and downs of the music industry first hand.

Salvaged shipwreck porcelain gets new life in Malaysia

Chinese porcelain shards salvaged from a famous shipwreck are being reimagined in Malaysia, hundreds of years after the Portuguese vessel is said to have sunk in battle.

'It was bananas': Colin Farrell shoots new movie in Macau casinos

Colin Farrell plunges into an intoxicating fever dream among the high-stakes baccarat tables of Macau casinos with "Ballad of a Small Player," a rare major Western film shot on location in Asia's gambling capital.

Concert cancellations just made us bigger, say Kneecap

Irish punk-rappers Kneecap believe the cancellation of a string of gigs in recent months has only added to their popularity, while a "ridiculous" upcoming court case in London against them will be "thrown out".

Nepal rocked by protests despite overturn of social media ban

Young protesters in Nepal defied a curfew on Tuesday to vent anger at the government a day after one of the deadliest crackdowns in years in which at least 19 people were killed.

Nepal ends social media ban after deadly protests

Nepal rolled back its social media ban on Tuesday, a day after at least 19 people were killed in youth protests demanding that the government lift its restrictions and tackle corruption.

From rocky start to Oscar hopeful: Dwayne Johnson hits Toronto

Wrestler-turned-actor Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson's surprise Oscars campaign for his first arthouse role in "The Smashing Machine" barreled into the Toronto film festival Monday.

From Dada to Surrealism : NY's Met bags major modern art injection

Nearly 200 works from the Dada and Surrealist movements, including "Ingres' Violin" by Man Ray -- the world's most expensive photograph -- will join the Metropolitan Museum of Art's collection, it said Monday.

Prince Harry pays respects at grandmother's grave

Estranged British royal Prince Harry visited Windsor Castle west of London on Monday to place a wreath at the grave of his grandmother, Queen Elizabeth II, who died three years ago.

Private hometown funeral for Italian fashion legend Armani

Close friends and family of late fashion legend Giorgio Armani paid their final respects Monday at a small, private funeral in the village in northern Italy where his parents are buried.

Russell Crowe shaken by Nazi role in festival hit 'Nuremberg'

Russell Crowe's nerve-shredding portrayal of a notorious Nazi on trial and Angelina Jolie's deeply personal dive into the world of French fashion led a busy Sunday of world premieres at the Toronto film festival.

Chloe Zhao tackles Shakespeare's true tragedy in 'Hamnet'

When Oscar-winning director Chloe Zhao first studied Shakespeare at her British boarding school, the young Chinese pupil did not even speak English.

Tatum says earned his place as an actor after 'Roofman'

Channing Tatum says his performance in "Roofman," which tells the true story of a man who robbed dozens of McDonald's and hid out in a toy store, helped the stripper-turned-actor overcome "imposter syndrome."

Vienna State Opera opens season with free, all-star gala concert

No dress code, no stiff atmosphere and no entry fees: Thousands flocked to a Viennese park Sunday as the Vienna State Opera opened its 2025-26 season with a star-studded open-air gala concert for the first time.

'The Conjuring: Last Rites' makes huge debut at N. America box office

"The Conjuring: Last Rites," the latest in the popular horror film franchise about a couple of real-life paranormal investigators, debuted atop the North American box office with a whopping $83 million in ticket sales, industry estimates showed Sunday.

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