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No stars? Comic-Con returns to roots as Hollywood strikes
A-listers are skipping this week's Comic-Con due to a historic Hollywood strike -- but while some ticketholders are disappointed, long-standing comic book fans are delighted to have their world-famous event back.

'Oppenheimer' a warning to world on AI, says director Nolan
The story of the invention of the atomic bomb told in the new film "Oppenheimer" is a "warning" to the world as we grapple with artificial intelligence, insists the movie's director Christopher Nolan.

Rapper's Delight as New York celebrates 50 years of hip-hop
From a display of Jay-Z lyrics on the facade of the Brooklyn Library to a concert of rap pioneers at Yankee Stadium, New York is celebrating 50 years of hip-hop, a genre born in its ghettos and now dominant around the world.

Netflix adds 6 mn subscribers after password crackdown
Netflix on Wednesday said subscriptions to the media streaming service climbed by nearly 6 million in the wake of its crackdown on password sharing.

Naples fetes Italy's great tenor Caruso with new museum
A century and a half after his birth, Italian tenor and opera legend Enrico Caruso is finally being celebrated by his hometown of Naples with a new museum.

EU digital chief urges TikTok to quickly adopt new rules
The European commissioner overseeing the digital market on Wednesday urged Chinese video-sharing platform TikTok to accelerate its adoption of new EU standards.

Filipino Barbie fans flock to see fantasy film
Hundreds of Filipino Barbie fans dressed in pink expressed joy and relief Wednesday at the opening of the film about the famous doll that many had feared would be banned.

Free divers find love and death in Netflix's 'Deepest Breath'
Early in "The Deepest Breath," an underwater drone follows free diver Alessia Zecchini as she plunges 100 meters down into the ocean's dark depths, and back up, all on a single breath.

Paris Titanic exhibition opens in shadow of explorer's sub disaster death
A major exhibition dedicated to the Titanic opened in Paris on Tuesday, with many of the objects on display brought up from the ship's wreck by a French deep-sea explorer who died in a submersible disaster last month.

'Let's go party!' Barbie readies to paint world pink
The world is about to be hit by a pink tsunami as "Barbie" -- Hollywood's ironic new take on the doll feminists once loved to hate -- opens with a vast marketing campaign.

Egypt union bans US rapper Travis Scott's pyramid concert
The Egyptian musicians' syndicate announced Tuesday it would not allow a planned concert at the Giza pyramids by US rapper Travis Scott, in a rare move citing offence to "traditions".

Unlikely hit 'Sound of Freedom' opens new front in US culture wars
With superhero movies, video-game adaptations and sequels bombing and getting panned by critics, Hollywood was braced for another disappointing year -- until an unheralded thriller about child trafficking upended industry expectations.

Taylor Swift sets women's record for most number one albums
Taylor Swift now has more number one albums than any other female artist in history following the recent release of "Speak Now (Taylor's Version)," Billboard said Monday.

London exhibition spotlights migrant business owners
From the co-founder of retail giant Marks & Spencer to the owners of a family-run Chinese takeaway, a new exhibition is showcasing migrant entrepreneurs and the role they played in moulding Britain.

'Call of Duty' to remain on Playstation
Tech giants Microsoft and Sony reached a deal to keep releasing the popular "Call of Duty" video games on the Playstation game console, Microsoft announced Sunday.

Jane Birkin, British-French celebrity and style icon, dies at 76
Jane Birkin, the British-born singer and actress who became a style icon in her adopted France, has died, a close source said on Sunday. She was 76.

'Stunning' cache of gold coins found in Kentucky cornfield
A trove of more than 700 gold coins dating back to the US Civil War found buried in a cornfield in the state of Kentucky is being put up for sale and is expected to reap millions.

Japan animator Miyazaki's first film in a decade released
Oscar-winning animator Hayao Miyazaki's highly-anticipated film -- his first feature in a decade and probably his last -- was released in Japan on Friday.

France awards AFP's Arman Soldin its highest order of merit
France posthumously awarded AFP video journalist Arman Soldin, who was killed while working in Ukraine, the Legion d'Honneur (Legion of Honour) on Thursday.

Afghan village potters keep centuries-old tradition alive
Twice a month, Noor Agha Faqiri lights up the kiln at his small workshop around 50 kilometres (30 miles) northwest of the Afghan capital to fire a fresh batch of pottery.

'We were duped' by studios, says Hollywood actor union president
Hollywood actors were "duped" into extending negotiations for two weeks by studios who wanted more time to promote their summer blockbuster movies, union president Fran Drescher told AFP on Thursday.

Spacey denies 'aggressive' behaviour in UK sex assault trial
Kevin Spacey said Thursday he was a "big flirt" but denied any "aggressive" behaviour as the Hollywood actor entered the witness box of his sexual assault trial in south London.

Hollywood actors poised for strike after studio talks end without deal
The union representing Hollywood actors said Thursday that crunch talks with studios to avert a major industry shutdown had ended without a deal, paving the way for a vote on the first actors strike in more than four decades.

Hollywood on knife-edge as deadline for actors strike passes
Hollywood actors on Thursday were left anxiously waiting for their union's decision on whether to strike, as the deadline in crunch talks with studios to avert a major industry shutdown passed without any announcement from either side.

Baldwin v Buckley: legendary US racism debate still has sting
It was a legendary debate about racism in the United States between two of the country's great minds. One a gay Black writer, the other a blue-blooded white dandy and leading thinker of the American right.

'Really hurtful': How LGBTQ disinformation ensnares Americans
Waving a rainbow flag, Desmond Napoles ambled through a confetti-soaked pride parade -- in defiance of a troubling disinformation campaign that sought to link LGBTQ Americans to pedophilia.

Ancient Egypt artists altered their work, study shows
From subtly shifting the position of Ramses II's sceptre, to touch-ups on a necklace or headdress, ancient Egyptian artists were more creative than previously thought, according to a study published Wednesday.

Huw Edwards named as BBC presenter at centre of explicit images row
Veteran news anchor Huw Edwards was on Wednesday revealed by his wife as the BBC presenter accused of paying for explicit images but police said no criminal offence had been committed.

'Succession' tops Emmy nominations with 27
"Succession," the HBO drama about an ultra-wealthy family fighting for control of a sinister media empire, led the nominations Wednesday for the Emmys -- television's version of the Oscars.

'Extremely angry' BBC star in sex pictures scandal faces new claims
Allegations mushroomed Wednesday against a star BBC presenter accused of paying a teenager for sexually explicit pictures, as three more people came forward with complaints.

Italian artist Pistoletto's 'Venus of the Rags' destroyed in fire
One of Italian contemporary artist Michelangelo Pistoletto's most famous works, "Venus of the Rags", has been burnt to cinders in a suspected arson attack in Naples, authorities said Wednesday.

Czech-French writer Milan Kundera dies at 94
Czech-French writer Milan Kundera, author of "The Unbearable Lightness of Being", has died aged 94, the Milan Kundera Library said Wednesday.

Philippines allows Barbie film but wants 'child-like' map lines blurred
Philippine censors said Wednesday they have allowed the Barbie film to be shown in cinemas, after asking its Hollywood distributor to blur lines on a brightly-coloured world map drawing allegedly showing China's claims to the disputed South China Sea.

Hollywood on edge for latest actor strike deadline
Hollywood actors on Wednesday anxiously awaited their union's decision on whether to strike, right at the peak of the film industry's key summer blockbuster season.

Philippines allows Barbie film but wants controversial map blurred
Philippine censors said Wednesday they have allowed the upcoming Barbie film to be shown in cinemas, after asking its Hollywood distributor to blur a map allegedly showing China's claims to the disputed South China Sea.

France to pay bonus for shoe, clothes repairs to cut waste
From October, France will pay a bonus to encourage people to have their clothes and shoes repaired rather than throwing them away, the government said.

Jury declares Aretha Franklin will found in couch valid
A handwritten document found in Aretha Franklin's couch cushion is a valid will determining the late Queen of Soul's wishes, a Michigan jury found Tuesday, according to the local Detroit Free Press newspaper.

Doubt cast over BBC presenter 'explicit photos' claims
BBC representatives met police in London on Monday over allegations that one of the broadcaster's top presenters paid a teenager thousands of pounds for sexual images.

UK broadcaster under pressure after presenter accused over 'explicit' pictures
The BBC was on Monday facing questions after a high-profile presenter was accused by a newspaper of paying a teenager tens of thousands of pounds for "sexually explicit" photos.