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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.

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EU brings down the hammer on big tech as tough rules kick in

The world's major tech titans must crack down on illegal content and keep European users safe online from Friday, when far-reaching EU rules force digital firms to fall into line.

Meta's Twitter rival Threads launches web version

Threads, Meta's challenger to depose Twitter as the go-to platform for celebrities, companies and governments, is now available on the web as it seeks to revive its underwhelming launch.

Lars von Trier in hot water over 'Russian lives matter'

Danish filmmaker and provocateur Lars von Trier defended himself on Thursday after a controversial social media post critical of Denmark's donation of F-16 fighter jets to Ukraine caused a stir.

Kenya says TikTok agrees content moderation deal

TikTok has agreed to moderate content on its app in Kenya, the country's presidency said Thursday, days after parliament received a petition to ban the popular video-sharing platform.

Google unveils changes before strict EU rules kick in

Google vowed Thursday to be more transparent about content moderation across its services, including its ubiquitous search engine, as tech firms rush to meet stricter European Union rules that kick in this week.

Fool me once? Fyre Festival wants a second chance

The fraudulent organizer of the infamous Fyre Festival is amped for round two, announcing a reprise of the Caribbean event that lacked music, food or adequate shelter and landed its founder in prison.

Kaliningrad stands in for Europe on Russian film sets

With their access to the West cut off since the beginning of the conflict in Ukraine, Russian filmmakers have turned to the city of Kaliningrad as a backdrop for Europe in their pictures.

Big tech to face full force of new EU law

The world's biggest digital companies will have nowhere to hide starting Friday, when the toughest EU rules on online content since social media first burst onto the scene enter into force.

'We're still fighting:' striking actors march in New York

Hundreds of US entertainment workers rallied outside the New York headquarters of Amazon and HBO on Tuesday in a National Day of Solidarity with the strike that has shut down Hollywood.

'Total frenzy': Swift fever grows in Latin America

Excitement is building among Taylor Swift fans in Latin America who have endured months-long queues, expensive tickets and, in one case, assault to realize their dream of seeing the pop superstar.

Rihanna a mom again: report

Rihanna has given birth to a baby boy, her second child with rapper A$AP Rocky, a report said Monday.

'Beetle' beats 'Barbie' in N.American theaters

It was a good news/bad news weekend for "Blue Beetle," the latest superhero film to hit North American theaters and the first built around a live-action Latino protagonist.

Rise from rubble: Czech brewery wins EU heritage prize

For Czech architect Pavel Prouza, restoring a run-down building with historic value was a childhood dream nurtured during family tours of old monuments.

Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr join Dolly Parton on 'Let It Be'

Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr have joined Dolly Parton in recording a version of the Beatles classic "Let It Be" on the country legend's upcoming album.

Taiwan's antique jade dealers see trade losing lustre

Tracing a palm-sized jade pig resting on its haunches, an antique trader in Taiwan said the ears on the nearly 400-year-old piece are a marker of its authenticity.

Britney Spears' husband says marriage over, files for divorce

Britney Spears' husband said Thursday his marriage to the troubled pop star is over, filing for divorce just 14 months after the pair wed.

Britney Spears' husband files for divorce: court papers

Britney Spears is headed for another marital split after her husband of just 14 months, Sam Asghari, filed for divorce, in the latest personal crisis for the troubled pop star.

Britney Spears, husband head for divorce: media

Britney Spears and her model husband Sam Asghari are heading for a divorce after 14 months of marriage, US media reported -- the latest personal crisis for the troubled pop star.

Bernstein family defends Bradley Cooper from 'Jewface' storm

The family of Leonard Bernstein has defended Bradley Cooper's controversial decision to wear a large prosthetic nose while playing the Jewish composer in a new film.

Iceman Oetzi was balding, darker-skinned than thought: study

Oetzi, the "iceman" mummy of the Alps, had darker skin than previously thought and was likely bald or almost bald when he died, the study by Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology said.

China's Tencent reports jump in Q2 income, misses revenue expectations

Chinese internet giant Tencent announced on Wednesday a 41 percent year-on-year jump in second-quarter net income, but missed analyst forecasts for revenue.

Iran sentences film-maker over Cannes-selected movie

A court in Iran has sentenced prominent movie director Saeed Roustaee to six months' prison for the screening of his film "Leila's Brothers" at the Cannes Film Festival last year, local media reported Tuesday.

BBC sells historic Maida Vale Studios

The BBC announced on Monday that it has sold its historic Maida Vale Studios to a group including the German film score composer and music producer Hans Zimmer.

Renewed interest in sumo proves big pull for tourists

Their interest piqued during Covid lockdowns and by a new Netflix drama, a fresh rush of foreign tourists are flocking to Japan for a look inside the insular world of sumo.

Nas, Run-DMC, Snoop helm marathon birthday party for hip-hop

Thousands of people partied deep into the night Friday as part of an all-star Bronx bash celebrating 50 years of hip-hop, featuring trailblazers including Run-DMC, Nas, Lauryn Hill and Snoop Dogg.

Catch 'em all: Pokemon hooks kids, parents and investors

Dressed up and ready for battle, around 10,000 Pokemon fans have descended on Yokohama in Japan this weekend, looking for fun but also collector's item cards potentially worth serious money.

K-pop to the rescue? S. Korea all-in for scout jamboree closing concert

Tens of thousands of scouts are set to gather for a massive K-pop festival in Seoul on Friday, as South Korea seeks to salvage a problem-plagued jamboree with "the power of Korean culture".

Striking Hollywood writers return to bargaining table with studios

Hollywood's writers' union will return to the bargaining table this week after studios requested a meeting to explore ways to end the ongoing strike, the guild said Thursday.

Emmys postponed until January over Hollywood strikes

The Emmy Awards have been postponed by almost four months, organizers said Thursday, as crippling strikes by Hollywood's actors and writers drag on with no resolution in sight.

Disney streaming service sees subscribers fall again

Disney on Wednesday reported a loss for the most recent quarter, with the number of subscribers to its streaming service shrinking again, but a pledge to crack down on password sharing sent shares higher in after-market trades.

Robbie Robertson of The Band dies at 80

Robbie Robertson, guitarist and main songwriter of the seminal rock group The Band, has died, the trade publication Variety said Wednesday, citing his manager. He was 80 years old.

Disney+ service sees subscriber numbers shrink

Disney on Wednesday reported that its Disney+ streaming television service lost more than 10 million subscribers in the recently ended quarter, in large part due to the Indian market.

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