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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.

As India's Bollywood shifts, stars and snappers click

From riding pillion on zooming motorbikes to round-the-clock airport stakeouts, India's celebrity-hunting paparazzi photographers have gone from "outcasts" to becoming a key part of Bollywood's vast film industry machine.

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'Sunglasses hide tears' as show goes on at Milan Fashion Week

The fashion set put their best face forward on Thursday despite worries over the invasion of Ukraine, as Milan Fashion Week guests and workers vowed to go on with the shows.

Lebanese turn to public libraries to check out of financial crunch

In many countries, public libraries are considered a dying relic amid the shift to digital, but in Lebanon they are getting a new lease of life as its economy flatlines.

Meta lays out moves being made to build the metaverse

Meta chief Mark Zuckerberg on Wednesday talked up his company's efforts to build the metaverse, an immersive virtual world he has billed as the Facebook parent's future.

Twitter mistakenly pulled accounts monitoring Russian troops

Twitter acknowledged Wednesday it suspended in error some accounts relaying information about Russian military movements as the threat builds for an attack on Ukraine.

Dublin film festival returns after bumper year for Irish film

The Dublin International Film Festival, forced online last year, opened Tuesday with stars of the feted Irish-language "An Cailin Ciuin" ("The Quiet Girl") taking to the red carpet in the centre of the Irish capital.

Tunisia withdraws 'Death on the Nile' over Israeli actress

Tunisia has withdrawn from cinemas a new Agatha Christie adaptation starring Israeli actress Gal Gadot, following protests over "normalisation" with the Jewish state, officials said Wednesday.

Michelangelo's three 'pietas' united in historic first

It is admired the world over as an exquisite depiction of maternal grief. But Michelangelo's "Pieta" has overshadowed two other moving sculptures on the same subject by the Renaissance giant.

Fashion set heads to Milan for live shows -- for real this time

The who's who of Italian fashion retakes the runway with the return of Milan women's shows Wednesday, which organisers hope will boost an industry stifled by two years of coronavirus.

Fears grow for Cuban artist 7 months after arrest

Seven months after his arrest, loved ones of Cuban dissident artist Luis Manuel Otero Alcantara worry for his health, locked away mostly incommunicado in a high-security prison.

Oscars to pre-tape some awards in bid for 'tighter' show

The Oscars next month will pre-tape the announcements of eight winners in an attempt to make the televised ceremony "tighter and more electric," organizers said Tuesday.

Daft Punk returns to social media, releases deluxe 'Homework' album

Exactly one year after French duo Daft Punk shocked fans by announcing an unceremonious split, they've returned to social media and are hosting a one-day-only livestream of a 1997 show on Twitch.

Grunge pioneer Mark Lanegan dies at 57

Mark Lanegan, whose dramatic baritone vocals fronted the proto-grunge band Screaming Trees, died Tuesday at his home in Killarney, Ireland. He was 57 years old.

Five things to know from London Fashion Week

London Fashion Week sashayed its way through the city this week in a welcome explosion of colour and sexiness, reflecting growing optimism in the industry as Covid restrictions ease.

Dubai adds to striking architecture with Museum of Future

Dubai opened its Museum of the Future on Tuesday, a structure it touts as the world's most beautiful building.

City Pop: the soundtrack to Japan's boom years goes viral

Tel Liyanto wasn't alive during Japan's 1980s boom, but she loves the "timeless" City Pop hits of the era, now going viral thanks to a new generation of young, international fans.

Trump's new social media app begins slow rollout

Donald Trump's new social media app started a gradual rollout late Sunday and should be "fully operational" by late March, potentially raising the former president's profile more than a year after he was banned by major platforms.

Textiles fan inflation fears amid London Fashion Week

Textile prices, like many raw materials, are soaring on resurgent post-pandemic demand and the rocketing cost of both energy and transport, industry experts say.

Benin exhibits stolen treasures returned by France

Benin President Patrice Talon on Saturday will inaugurate an exhibition of historic artworks returned by France last year, nearly 130 years after they were stolen by colonial forces.

Pitt sues Jolie over sale of French vineyard where they married

Brad Pitt is suing Angelina Jolie for selling her share of the French vineyard where they got married.

Kanye West says new album won't be released on streaming platforms

Kanye West on Friday dropped the tracklist to his planned new album "Donda 2," just after saying it would not be available to stream but instead exclusively on his own "Stem Player" device.

Ukraine's Russian speakers worry about being 'saved' by Putin

Kyiv driving instructor Andriy Atamanyuk does not want to be saved by Vladimir Putin despite the Kremlin chief's pledge to fight "discrimination" against Russian speakers in Ukraine.

Little-known bullfighting tradition lives on in UAE village

Far from Dubai's gleaming skyscrapers and renowned camel races, a bullfight is under way in the emirate of Fujairah, where the tradition continues unbeknown to most in the United Arab Emirates.

Treasured trash: UK waste gets new lease of life

From facial scrubs using coffee grounds to clothes made from plastic bottles and furniture decorated with agave fibres, efforts to upcycle or repurpose waste products are gaining traction in Britain.

Spanish agricultural drama 'Alcarras' wins Berlin film fest

The 72nd Berlin film festival awarded its Golden Bear top prize on Wednesday to Spanish director Carla Simon's semi-autobiographical drama "Alcarras", about a family of peach farmers fighting for their future.

Chile's last Yaghan speaker dies aged 93

Cristina Calderon, the last native speaker of Chile's indigenous Yaghan language, has died at the age of 93, her family said Wednesday, in a blow for a dwindling culture at South America's extreme southern tip.

Sotheby's tips largest blue diamond at auction to fetch $48 mn

Sotheby's announced Wednesday that it would offer the largest-ever blue diamond to go up for auction at a sale in Hong Kong in April.

'Little Prince' manuscript visits France for first time

The manuscript of "The Little Prince" travels to France for the first time this week as part of an exhibition about its legendary author Antoine de Saint-Exupery.

Olympic snowboard king Su Yiming showcases a more confident China

Sporting shoulder-length hair, rings and baggy trousers, teenage snowboarding sensation Su Yiming looked every inch the cool, confident ambassador of China's new youth as he swept to home Olympic gold.

India's 'disco king' Bappi Lahiri dies at 69

Indian singer-composer and "Disco King" Bappi Lahiri, who collaborated with the likes of Snoop Dogg and Samantha Fox, has died aged 69, his family said Wednesday, prompting tributes from the world of politics and Bollywood.

US satirist PJ O'Rourke dead at 74

US political satirist PJ O'Rourke, who skewered both Democrats and his fellow Republicans in barbed works including "Republican Party Reptile," has died at age 74, the writer's friends and employers said Tuesday.

Social networks pledge to fight fake news in Brazil vote

Eight leading social networks signed an agreement Tuesday to fight disinformation during Brazil's October presidential elections, though far-right President Jair Bolsonaro's new favorite, Telegram, was notably absent.

Acclaimed Brazilian filmmaker Arnoldo Jabor dies at 81

Filmmaker, writer and journalist Arnaldo Jabor, a leading figure in Brazil's "cinema novo" movement whose work won acclaim on the international festival circuit, died Tuesday at 81.

New taboo -- Wordle removes 'insensitive' words

Some four-letter words are taboo, but the New York Times has added a few five-lettered ones to the list -- by removing them from the hit game Wordle.

Italian director Taviani flies solo after brother's death

After more than half a century making acclaimed films with his brother Vittorio, Italian director Paolo Taviani premiered a movie on his own in Berlin on Tuesday at the age of 90.

Family of woman killed on 'Rust' set sues Alec Baldwin

The family of a woman shot by Alec Baldwin on the set of the movie "Rust" sued the US actor on Tuesday, claiming "substantial" damages for her wrongful death.

British Museum exhibition traces rise and fall of Stonehenge

A new exhibition on the Stonehenge stone circle in southern England sheds new light on its 4,500-year history, linking its declining influence to the Bronze Age population's discovery of metal working.

Wanda Sykes, Amy Schumer and Regina Hall confirmed as Oscars hosts

Next month's Oscars will be hosted by three doyennes of comedy, Wanda Sykes, Amy Schumer and Regina Hall, it was confirmed Tuesday, as organizers amp up efforts to lure viewers back to the ceremony.

Italy woos UNESCO with 'magical' espresso coffee rite

A shot of dark, velvety coffee is more than just a quick caffeine hit: Italy's espresso is a prized social and cultural ritual the country considers a national heritage worthy of UNESCO status.

Young labels make sustainable fashion headway at NY Fashion Week

Two years after losing her job in fashion due to the pandemic, Emma Gage founded her own brand, Melke, that debuted at this season's New York Fashion Week with an emphasis on sustainability.

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