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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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Hollywood writers slam 'milestone of shame' as strike hits 100 days

Hollywood writers marked the 100th day of their industry-crippling strike Wednesday, dubbing the occasion a "milestone of shame" for studios as the two sides remain deadlocked.

'Sugar Man' singer Rodriguez dies at 81

Sixto Rodriguez, the once obscure American singer-songwriter who found a career renaissance after his music developed a cult following abroad, has died at the age of 81, according to his website.

Piano great Argerich axes German, Swiss shows over illness

Celebrated Argentina-born pianist Martha Argerich has cancelled concerts in Germany and Switzerland in the coming days due to illness, organisers of the shows said Wednesday.

WeWork warns it might go out of business

Embattled office-sharing firm WeWork on Tuesday warned US regulators that it is worried about its survival.

Tory Lanez sentenced to 10 years for shooting Megan Thee Stallion

Canadian rapper Tory Lanez, convicted of shooting US artist Megan Thee Stallion in the feet during a drunken argument after a Hollywood party, was sentenced Tuesday to 10 years in prison.

Ireland bids farewell to singer Sinead O'Connor

Mourners and fans gathered Tuesday in the Irish town once home to singer Sinead O'Connor to pay their last respects ahead of her burial.

Scout jamboree SOS issued to BTS megastars

With national embarrassment building over the World Scout Jamboree evacuations, a South Korean lawmaker has issued an SOS to supergroup BTS.

Scores of horses suffer sunstroke at Japan samurai event

Organisers of an annual horse festival in Japan where riders dressed as samurai re-enact battles said Tuesday they were considering changing dates for the gathering next year, after sunstroke affected 111 animals, killing two of them.

Fading neon signs shine again in Hong Kong exhibit

A fuchsia sign for a bridal shop, the Chinese "double happiness" character, a cool-blue flying dragon -- luminous lights of dozens of neon signs removed from the streets of Hong Kong flickered on once again at a downtown exhibit.

From East to West to southern trap, 50 years of hip hop

From the disco samples of old school hip hop to the deadpan delivery of today's drill, American hip hop has morphed in every direction over its 50-year history, defying categorization.

Pioneering documentarian protects hip hop's memory box

In the basement of a suburban home on Long Island lives thousands of tapes of footage documenting the origins of hip hop, the dominant music genre of our time.

Born in New York's Bronx before dominating the globe, hip hop turns 50

A genre, a culture and a lifestyle all at once: hip hop has traveled from the block party to the billionaire's club, soundtracked protest and celebration, and asserted seismic influence over the course of pop.

PayPal debuts US dollar-backed stablecoin for payments

PayPal on Monday launched a stablecoin digital currency backed by US dollars to be used for transactions at its global online payments platform.

'The Exorcist' director William Friedkin dies aged 87

William Friedkin, the groundbreaking US director of "The Exorcist" and "The French Connection," died on Monday, a family friend told AFP. He was 87.

William Friedkin, incendiary director of 'The Exorcist'

US director William Friedkin, who died Monday, will forever be remembered for his Oscar-winning "The Exorcist" in 1973, one of the most controversial horror films of all time that still chills new generations of moviegoers.

Third BTS member to enlist in South Korean military service

A third member of K-pop megastars BTS has begun the process of enlisting in South Korea's mandatory military service, the band's agency said Monday.

Sublime! 'Barbie' tops $1bn globally in first for solo woman director

Hollywood's pink wave has yet to crest as Warner Bros.' "Barbie" dominated for a third straight weekend in North American theaters, pushing the film's global haul past $1 billion in a first for a woman director, industry watcher Exhibitor Relations said Sunday.

Ukraine puts trident in place of Soviet emblem on tallest statue

Ukraine's trident coat of arms glimmered on the shield of a gigantic statue overlooking Kyiv on Sunday, after construction workers winched it up to replace a Soviet hammer and sickle.

Pope winds up Portugal visit with big outdoor Mass

Pope Francis celebrated an open-air Mass before a huge crowd on Sunday at a riverside park near Lisbon to wrap up an international jamboree of Catholic youth.

China's village basketball league a slam dunk

Thousands of raucous Chinese basketball fans pack tightly into a floodlit stadium filled with swirling fog, eager to spur on the teams battling in the tournament final.

Icon Grandmaster Flash leads the Bronx in 70s-style hip-hop jam

As a teenager Grandmaster Flash began pioneering the turntable-as-instrument, playing the now iconic Bronx block parties that gave birth to hip-hop and revolutionized music.

'Breaking Bad' actor Mark Margolis dies at 83

Mark Margolis, who played the sinister, wheelchair-bound cartel don Hector Salamanca in acclaimed TV shows "Breaking Bad" and "Better Call Saul," has died aged 83, his family said Friday.

New Ukraine stamp shows F-16 jets 'rubbing out' Kremlin

Ukraine on Friday issued postage stamps featuring US F-16 fighter jets, which it says it urgently needs Western allies to deliver to protect it from Russian attacks.

Romania court lifts Andrew Tate's house arrest order

A Romanian court Friday lifted a house arrest order on controversial influencer Andrew Tate and his brother as the men await trial on human trafficking charges.

Pianist dedicates music to Indigenous people who inspired him

Romayne Wheeler sits at his grand piano overlooking Mexico's Copper Canyon and plays music inspired by the mountains and remote Indigenous communities that he now dedicates his life to helping.

US police drop Cardi B mic throw probe

Cardi B will not face criminal charges over an incident in which she threw her microphone at a member of her audience, police in Las Vegas said Thursday.

Taylor Swift adds Canada tour dates after Trudeau plea

US superstar Taylor Swift announced Thursday several Toronto dates for her much-hyped world tour after a plea from Prime Minister Justin Trudeau not to skip Canada.

Freddie Mercury's private collection goes on show in UK

Among the trove of items are Freddie Mercury's signature crown and cloak ensemble, worn throughout Queen's 1986 'Magic' TourFrom fanciful costumes and working drafts of "Bohemian Rhapsody" to ashtrays and art, hundreds of items Freddie Mercury owned go on show in Britain on Friday before being sold next month.

Hollywood A-listers donate millions to aid striking actors

A dozen of Hollywood's highest-earning stars, from George Clooney to Meryl Streep, have each donated $1 million or more to support out-of-work actors as their strike enters its fourth week, their union's charitable foundation said Wednesday.

Zimbabwe election disinformation spreads on WhatsApp

From doctored photos making small crowds big to posts praising government accomplishments that never were, WhatsApp has become the channel of choice for disinformation in Zimbabwe before this month's elections.

Captain Kirk to the holodeck: Shatner beams in to remote meeting

More than half a century after he materialized on far-flung planets as Captain James T. Kirk of the Starship Enterprise, William Shatner has beamed into a distant land in a demonstration of hologram technology.

Hollywood writers to resume talks over strike

Hollywood studios will meet with writers this week to discuss reopening talks for the first time since a strike began nearly 100 days ago.

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