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Pope calls for 'arms to be silenced' in Christmas appeal

Pope Francis called Wednesday for "arms to be silenced" around the world in his Christmas address, appealing for peace in the Middle East, Ukraine and Sudan as he denounced the "extremely grave" humanitarian situation in Gaza.

Pope kicks off Christmas under shadow of war

Christmas revellers around the world donned red and white Santa hats, offered meals to the homeless and lit candles on Wednesday, as Pope Francis launched observation of the global holiday with a sombre mass in the Vatican.

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Megan Thee Stallion works up a hot girl sweat on Coachella's main stage

Megan Thee Stallion corralled thousands of hotties to Coachella's main stage Saturday night, gyrating her way through one of the weekend's most anticipated sets.

Coachella's return brings big business to California desert

"We've waited years for this!" exclaims Jesus Medina as he dishes out burritos to the hungry masses at Coachella, the music festival that's back on in the California desert after three years.

French presidential debate: pivotal campaign moment

The live televised presidential debate Wednesday between President Emmanuel Macron and his far-right challenger Marine Le Pen is set to be a crucial moment in a tight race for the Elysee.

Elon Musk's move to buy Twitter faces roadblocks

Even for the richest person on the planet, buying Twitter was always going to be a challenge –- a highly complex financial transaction now made even trickier by a defensive "poison pill" move from the platform's board.

Harry, Meghan make first public appearance in Europe since royal exit

Britain's Prince Harry and his wife Meghan on Friday made their first joint public appearance on this side of the Atlantic since quitting royal life and moving to North America two years ago.

Coachella music festival kicks off with pandemic back of mind

Revelers in thong bodysuits, glitter eyeshadow and flower crowns gathered Friday in the California desert as the first Coachella since the pandemic's onset got underway.

Get this straight: Curls bounce back in Cairo

"Shaggy," "messy," "unprofessional". Natural curls were once looked down upon in Egypt, where Western beauty standards favoured sleek, straight locks. Now, things are changing.

Coachella music festival returns after three-year hiatus

California's Coachella will kick off Friday for the first time since 2019, with hundreds of thousands of people flocking to the premier desert music festival, as the United States sees Covid-19 cases edge up.

From backstage to spotlight: LGBTQ samba group takes on Rio carnival

For the first time ever, a majority-LGBTQ samba outfit will take part in Rio carnival's famous street parades, flaunting rather than hiding their sexual identity.

Daniel Barenboim cancels concerts for health reasons

Legendary conductor and pianist Daniel Barenboim, 79, has cancelled a series of concerts for health reasons for the second time in just over two months, Berlin's State Opera said on Thursday.

Hollywood stars and cult directors announced for Cannes

The Cannes Film Festival announced the line-up for its 75th edition on Thursday with a mix of cult arthouse directors and Hollywood glamour heading for the French Riviera in May.

Elon Musk launches hostile takeover bid for Twitter

Tesla chief Elon Musk has launched a hostile takeover bid for Twitter, offering to buy 100 percent of its stock and take it private, according to a stock exchange filing.

Italian anti-mafia photographer Battaglia dies aged 87

Italian photographer Letizia Battaglia, whose shots of bullet-riddled bodies captured the dark world of the Sicilian Mafia, has died aged 87.

Ukrainian graffiti artists thumb their nose at war in Odessa

Painted on a wall in the southern Ukrainian city of Odessa, a blue cat grins triumphantly as it tramples on a pile of smouldering Russian planes.

Damascus art installation turns ceramic doves into war symbol

Hundreds of ceramic doves are suspended over the streets of the Old City of Damascus, part of an art installation that had been set to debut before the start of Syria's war.

Johnny Depp lawyers seek to discredit ex-wife domestic violence claims

Lawyers for actor Johnny Depp sought on Wednesday to discredit a claim by his ex-wife Amber Heard that he threw a mobile telephone at her in May 2016 and hit her in the face.

French acting legend Michel Bouquet dies at 96

Michel Bouquet, a legend of French stage and screen known for his collaborations with new wave directors like Francois Truffaut and Claude Chabrol, died on Wednesday at the age of 96.

Montreux Jazz Festival gets back into the swing

The Montreux Jazz Festival is to return this summer promising a "dizzying panorama of sound" after two years muted by the pandemic, with Diana Ross, Bjork, Stormzy and Herbie Hancock in the line-up unveiled on Wednesday.

Women bear weight of Easter rite in changing Spain

The team of women rocked rhythmically from foot to foot carrying a 1.5-tonne float topped with a statue of Jesus and Mary on the streets of Granada in southern Spain.

Britney Spears, newly free, says she is pregnant

Britney Spears on Monday announced she is pregnant with her third child, six months after a judge ended the controversial guardianship the pop icon said barred her from having more children.

Elon Musk no longer joining Twitter board: CEO

Elon Musk is no longer joining the board of Twitter, the CEO of the social media company said late Sunday, in a reversal less than a week after announcing the Tesla chief would be appointed.

Indian sari weavers toil to keep tradition alive

In a dim room near the banks of India's Ganges river, arms glide over a creaking loom as another silken fibre is guided into place with the rhythmic clack of a wooden beam.

'Sonic' sequel zips to top of N.America box office

Paramount's action-adventure film "Sonic the Hedgehog 2" took in an estimated $71 million in North America this weekend, a welcome sign for Hollywood that families are returning to in-person viewing, industry watcher Exhibitor Relations reported Sunday.

Iceland chilled by violence worthy of its noir novels

Long considered the "most peaceful country in the world", Iceland's tranquillity has been shattered by a spate of shootings and stabbings involving criminal gangs.

After Covid blues, French saxophone maker hits the right note

After the financial blues of the Covid pandemic, the French saxophone maker favoured by American jazz greats celebrates its 100th birthday looking to expand further in Asia and the United States.

Jennifer Lopez announces engagement to Ben Affleck (again)

Singer and actress Jennifer Lopez has announced her engagement to Ben Affleck, 18 years after they ended their relationship for the first time.

As Ukraine's war bites, comedy offers light relief

On stage in war-torn Ukraine, 32-year-old comedian Sergii Gromov says the army has called him up and he might have to fight the Russians.

Oscars governors discuss sanctions for Smith over slap

Academy governors on Friday began talks on possible sanctions against Will Smith for slapping comedian Chris Rock at the Oscars, with board members Steven Spielberg and Whoopi Goldberg among those invited to rule on the actor's fate.

Twitter employees to meet with new board member Musk

Twitter plans to hold a meeting for employees concerned about Tesla Chief Executive Elon Musk's influence on the company's board, a Twitter spokesperson said Friday.

Long-lost video of Prince as child unearthed in Minnesota

A CBS affiliate in Minnesota has unearthed video footage of late music legend Prince commenting on a teachers' strike when he was just 11 years old -- a child instantly recognizable to the journalist who found it purely by chance.

Sound of Mughal-era sarangi instrument fading away in Pakistan

In the shadow of Lahore's centuries-old Badshahi Mosque, Zohaib Hassan plucks at the strings of a sarangi, filling the streets with a melodious hum and cry.

Australian flood disinformation sparks threats to pilots

An Australian aviation company says it has received more than 100 threats following an online conspiracy theory that its pilots unleashed a flooding disaster by cloud seeding.

India's Hindu hardliners jump on Kashmir blockbuster

Indian Hindu hardliners have jumped on an explosive new film endorsed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the mass flight of Hindus from Kashmir 30 years ago to stir up hatred against minority Muslims.

Pink Floyd release first new song since 1994 for Ukraine

Pink Floyd have written their first new song in almost 30 years to support Ukrainians, the band announced on Thursday.

Still no buyer for Roman villa with Caravaggio mural

A Roman villa housing the only mural by Caravaggio failed to sell for a second time Thursday, the lawyer charged with the sale told AFP.

Renee Fleming, soprano star and long Covid therapist

Star US soprano Renee Fleming has found a new use for her world-class breath-control: helping people suffering from long Covid.

Stopped press: Algeria billionaire to shut Liberte newspaper

Algeria's French-language newspaper Liberte will run its final edition next week, the newspaper announced Thursday, criticising the decision by its owner, the country's richest man.

Famed Japan manga artist Fujiko Fujio A dies: reports

Famed Japanese manga artist Fujiko Fujio A, known for beloved children's cartoons including "Ninja Hattori" and "Little Ghost Q-Taro", has died aged 88, local media reported on Thursday.

Beatles fan's lost letter turns to story of pandemic hope

Like so many victims of Covid-19, Brazilian Karlo Schneider never got to say goodbye to his family. Unlike most, he managed to get them a message a year after he died.

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