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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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Oscars meeting to discuss Smith sanctions expedited after actor resigns

Possible sanctions against Will Smith for slapping Chris Rock at the Oscars last month will be discussed on Friday, 10 days earlier than previously scheduled, the body that oversees the awards said.

Number of spider species creeps up to 50,000

There are now 50,000 known different species of spider crawling the Earth, the World Spider Catalog announced Wednesday -- and there might be another 50,000 out there.

Bolsonaro vetoes Covid aid for Brazil culture sector

Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro vetoed a bill Wednesday that would have provided aid funds to artists and cultural programs hit hard by the coronavirus pandemic, triggering an outcry from opposition lawmakers, who vowed to override him.

Next stop the Oscars? Lewis Hamilton eyes biopic similar to 'King Richard'

Lewis Hamilton says he is open to a biopic being made about him in a similar vein to 'King Richard', the critically acclaimed film based on Venus and Serena Williams and their father.

'TikTok is having a bad war,' say disinformation experts

The war in Ukraine has rapidly positioned TikTok as the number one source of misinformation thanks to its gigantic number of users and minimal filtering of content, experts say.

Mark Wahlberg piles on the pounds as boxer-turned-priest

Mark Wahlberg has a famously punishing physical routine that has kept the 50-year-old in enviable shape.

Twitter announces Elon Musk to join board of directors

Elon Musk will join Twitter's board of directors, the social network's chief executive announced Tuesday, a day after the Tesla boss bought a major stake in the company and became its largest shareholder.

'Drive My Car' director ready for Hollywood 'challenge'

Japanese director Ryusuke Hamaguchi, whose "Drive My Car" won this year's best international film Oscar, said Tuesday he is ready to "take on the challenge" of a Hollywood blockbuster.

Grammys night: Tributes, digs and a Ukraine moment, but no slaps

Las Vegas hosting the Grammys for the first time ever might have been an opportunity to the music world to scintillate -- but the 64th edition of the industry's most prestigious awards stayed relatively zipped up.

Ukraine's Zelensky appears in taped video at Grammys

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky made a surprise appearance at the Grammys in Sunday, urging support for his country and asking the industry's top artists to "fill the silence" brought by war with music.

Music's top stars burn up the Grammys red carpet

Music's biggest night is the awards season event with the boldest looks, and moving the Grammys to Sin City certainly amped up the edginess -- the industry's top names sizzled Sunday on the red carpet, showing lots of skin.

Batiste, Rodrigo, Kanye win early Grammys ahead of Vegas gala

Music's best and brightest on Sunday strutted down the red carpet in Las Vegas for the Grammys, where leading nominee Jon Batiste jumped out of the gate with four pre-gala awards.

Foo Fighters win three Grammys, one week after drummer's death

The Foo Fighters won all three Grammys they were nominated for Sunday, just over a week after the rock band's drummer Taylor Hawkins died unexpectedly.

Pakistani singer Arooj Aftab wins first Grammy

The Brooklyn-based Pakistani vocalist Arooj Aftab on Sunday scored her first Grammy, winning a prestigious trophy for her song "Mohabbat" in the Best Global Performance category.

Sri Lanka cabinet resigns after protesters defy curfew

Sri Lanka's entire cabinet aside from the president and his sibling prime minister resigned from their posts Sunday as the ruling political clan seeks to resolve a mounting economic crisis, with a social media blackout failing to halt another day of anti-government demonstrations.

Vampire flick 'Morbius' tops N.American box office

The vampire movie "Morbius" topped the North American box office this weekend, albeit with an opening take seen as lackluster for a comic book superhero flick at $39.1 million, Exhibitor Relations said Sunday.

Sri Lanka protesters defy curfew after social media ban

Armed troops in Sri Lanka had a tense confrontation with a crowd protesting a worsening economic crisis on Sunday, after a social media blackout failed to halt another day of anti-government demonstrations.

Crisis-hit Sri Lanka blocks social media to contain protests

Sri Lanka blocked access to social media platforms on Sunday after authorities imposed a weekend nationwide curfew to contain protests over a worsening economic crisis.

Will Smith resigns from Oscars Academy over Rock slap

Will Smith resigned from the body that awards the Oscars on Friday, five days after he assaulted comedian Chris Rock during a live global broadcast.

Over 50 landmark Ukraine sites damaged in Russian invasion: UN

The UN's cultural agency on Friday said it had confirmed that at least 53 Ukrainian historical sites, religious buildings and museums had sustained damage during Russia's invasion of the country.

Russian war reporter Andrei Babitsky dies at 57

Russian journalist Andrei Babitsky died at home in the eastern Ukrainian city of Donetsk aged 57, regional media and Radio Free Europe reported.

Rock's professionalism allowed Oscars to go on after slap: producer

Chris Rock's professionalism after being assaulted by Will Smith on live television was what allowed the Oscars to go on, the show's producer said in comments broadcast Friday.

Metaverse builders grapple with sex harassment conundrum

Nina Jane Patel felt confined and under threat as the male avatars closed in, intimidating her with verbal abuse, touching her avatar against her will and photographing the incident.

Famed French fashion photographer Patrick Demarchelier dies

French photographer Patrick Demarchelier, who took iconic images of Princess Diana, Madonna and other celebrities but was later accused of sexual misconduct, has died, his family announced on Friday. He was 78.

Police 'ready to arrest' Smith after Oscar slap: producer

Police officers were ready to arrest Will Smith after he attacked comedian Chris Rock at the Oscars, the show's producer said Thursday.

Bruce Willis's declining health evident for some time: filmmakers

The announcement that Bruce Willis was stepping back from acting because of cognitive difficulties came as no surprise to people who have worked with the action hero, reports said.

Depardieu denounces Putin's 'crazy excesses' in Ukraine

Veteran actor Gerard Depardieu on Thursday denounced the "crazy, unacceptable excesses" of Russian President Vladimir Putin in Ukraine.

Ramadan prayers return to Istanbul's Hagia Sophia mosque after 88 years

"Tarawih" prayers which Muslims perform every night during the holy month of Ramadan, are returning to Istanbul's Hagia Sophia mosque for the first time in 88 years, the country's top religious body announced on Thursday.

Ukrainian YouTubers in Japan make #NoWar plea

Their "extremely noisy" YouTube videos usually show them playing Mario Kart and goofing around, but two Ukrainian brothers are now using their popular Japanese-language channel to speak out against war.

Mennonite social media influencer rips up rulebook

A rising TikTok star from a Mennonite community in Mexico that once shunned rubber tires and electricity is embracing technology to give a glimpse of her life through social media.

'Things you never learn in school': Croatia's cannabis museum

With an admission ticket that can be rolled and smoked, Croatia's new cannabis museum offers a experiential guide through the plant's intoxicating history, featuring odes to reggae music and stoner movies.

Eclectic new artist Grammy nods signal inclusion, with or without wins

When the Brooklyn-based Pakistani singer-songwriter Arooj Aftab learned last fall she was among the nominees for the best new artist Grammy, it was a shock.

Will Smith refused to leave Oscars after Rock slap: Academy

Will Smith refused to leave the Oscars ceremony after attacking comedian Chris Rock, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences revealed Wednesday, as it began disciplinary action against the mega star.

Action hero Bruce Willis to retire because of illness

Action hero Bruce Willis, star of the "Die Hard" franchise, is to retire from acting after developing a cognitive illness, his family announced Wednesday.

Academy pledges 'action' over Will Smith Oscars slap

The Academy of Motion Pictures and Sciences has pledged to take "appropriate action" over Will Smith's shocking assault of Chris Rock at the Oscars ceremony, amid reports that its board of governors would meet Wednesday.

Facebook's Meta funded attack campaign against TikTok: report

Facebook's owner Meta has hired a consulting firm to carry out a US campaign denigrating its fierce rival TikTok, according to a Washington Post report Wednesday partially confirmed by AFP.

'Game of Thrones' prequel 'House of the Dragon' to hit screens August 21

"House of the Dragon," the new HBO series set 200 years before the events of the mega-hit show "Game of Thrones" will premiere August 21, the network announced Wednesday.

Action hero Bruce Willis to retire due to illness

Action hero Bruce Willis, star of the "Die Hard" franchise, is to retire from acting due to an illness affecting his cognitive faculties, his family announced Wednesday.

The Wanted singer dies of brain tumour aged 33

Tom Parker, one of five members of British-Irish boy band The Wanted, died on Wednesday aged 33, less than two years after revealing he was suffering from an inoperable brain tumour.

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