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End of a love affair: news media quit X over 'disinformation'

News outlets have begun quitting X, formerly Twitter, once a favourite of global media but now accused of enabling the spread of disinformation under its owner, president-elect Donald Trump ally Elon Musk.

Jeff Beck guitar collection to go under the hammer in January

A collection of guitars and other musical equipment owned by influential rock guitarist Jeff Beck will go on sale in London in January, Christie's auctioneers announced on Friday.

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EU watchdog urged to reject Meta 'pay for privacy' scheme

Civil rights groups on Friday called on an EU watchdog to rule against Facebook owner Meta's scheme to let Europeans pay to opt out of data tracking, which they say violates EU law.

Dissident directors hold up 'mirror' to Iranian women's desire

Two Iranian directors said they have been barred from travelling to the Berlin film festival for their new movie's premiere Friday for breaking one of their country's biggest taboos: showing a woman pursuing a "normal life".

French actor Depardieu faces new sex assault complaint

A woman has accused French screen legend Gerard Depardieu of allegedly sexually assaulting her during a 2014 film shoot, according to the police complaint and a newspaper report.

'You need to calm down': Swift-mania hits Australia

Thousands of die-hard Taylor Swift fans flocked to a Melbourne stadium Friday, snapping up bagfuls of merchandise hours before the first Australian date of her money-raking, two-year-long "Eras" tour.

Oscar-nominated 'Perfect Days' is 'not about toilets', Wenders says

When German director Wim Wenders revealed his latest inspiration -- Tokyo's public toilets -- newspapers in his country "treated it like a joke", but now the film "Perfect Days" has been nominated for an Oscar.

Docuseries shines light on New England Patriots, 'Beatles of football'

American football dynasty the New England Patriots have been compared to the Beatles for having the same leading lights for more than a generation.

Bad Bunny, Jennifer Lopez among Met Gala co-hosts

Showbiz A-listers Bad Bunny, Jennifer Lopez, Zendaya and Chris Hemsworth will be the co-hosts of this year's Met Gala, one of the highlights of the New York social calendar, the Metropolitan Museum of Art announced Thursday.

Cillian Murphy tackles Irish 'shame' with Berlin fest opener

Oscar nominee Cillian Murphy said Thursday his latest movie aimed to tackle Ireland's "collective trauma" over notorious laundries used for decades as prison camps for "fallen" young women, as it opened Berlin's international film festival.

Macau's firecracker free-for-all sparks joy for New Year celebrants

Excited crowds pose with lengthy red chains of firecrackers hoisted on towering tripods along Macau's waterfront, revelling in the final hours of the Lunar New Year holiday before igniting the fuses.

Before dawn at the Vatican Museums, the key keeper unlocks history

It's still dark outside when Gianni Crea pushes open the imposing entrance door to the Vatican Museums, a heavy ring of keys in his hand.

Cillian Murphy opens Berlin film fest with Irish scandal

Oscar nominee Cillian Murphy will open Berlin's international film festival Thursday with the world premiere of a drama about Ireland's notorious laundries used as prison camps for "fallen" young women.

Vibrant homage to black women wins Rio carnival contest

A kaleidoscopic tribute to the strength of black women won Rio de Janeiro's cutthroat carnival parade competition Wednesday, as samba school Viradouro took home the coveted title to close out Brazil's pre-Lent party season.

Online images reinforce gender stereotypes more than text: study

Images on the internet reinforce gender stereotypes -- such as doctors being men or nurses women -- more than text, contributing to a lasting bias against women, a US-based study said Wednesday.

Across the sea from Venice, Albanian studio crafts carnival masks

As carnival celebrations are held across the globe, more than two dozen craftsmen in a quaint studio in northern Albania put the final touches on a series of elegant Venetian masks destined for balls, film sets, and street parties.

Be gone, winter! Young Slovenians reclaim sheepskin monster parade

Clad in a shaggy sheepskin costume, Denis Kokot is among a young generation of Kurenti performers who descend on the northeastern Slovenian town of Ptuj every February to chase away winter.

London exhibition celebrates 'unknown artist' Yoko Ono

She is the world's most famous unknown artist -- everyone knows her name, but no one knows what she does, John Lennon once said of the perceived disregard for his wife Yoko Ono, who turns 91 on Sunday.

Musk's X feeds monetization of wartime misinformation

Influencers on X are monetizing misinformation about conflicts in the Middle East, leveraging the platform's contentious policies that researchers say prioritize engagement over accuracy.

Rio parades until dawn in final carnival extravaganza

In a shimmering riot of colors, thousands of costume-clad, gyrating Brazilians paid tribute to everything from the humble cashew to the fight against slavery in the final parades of Rio de Janeiro's carnival Monday night.

BLACKPINK singer Lisa to star as 'White Lotus' hits Thailand

Singer Lisa of megastar K-pop girl group BLACKPINK will join the cast of "The White Lotus", HBO said Tuesday, as the third season of the hit TV series moves to her homeland Thailand.

Anne Frank musical hits Dutch stage, 'we should never forget'

A new musical production based on Anne Frank's diary has hit the stage in The Netherlands, with the producer and star convinced the story needs telling now more than ever.

'Better than a real man': young Chinese women turn to AI boyfriends

Twenty-five-year-old Chinese office worker Tufei says her boyfriend has everything she could ask for in a romantic partner: he's kind, empathetic, and sometimes they talk for hours.

Academics hold 'Swiftposium' as Tay Tay heads to Australia

Whether it is her relatable pop songs, connection with millions of fans worldwide or role as a feminist icon, the power of Taylor Swift is now too large for academics to ignore.

Dating app helps Swedes with disabilities find love

For 24-year-old Sira Rehn, a dating app for people with mild intellectual disabilities and autism has opened up the world of online dating and a chance to find love in a safe space.

A-list stars to confront dicey politics at Berlin film festival

New movies starring Cillian Murphy, Kristen Stewart, Gael Garcia Bernal and Adam Sandler will top the line-up of the Berlin film festival starting Thursday which risks getting upended by geopolitics.

Ukraine debates future of downed Soviet monuments

In Ukraine's westernmost city of Lviv, a statue of the first woman in space, Valentina Tereshkova, sprawls on the ground, red paint splashed around her helmet.

S. Africa's Tshepo Jeans, from township to stars' closets

Growing up in a rough township outside Johannesburg, Tshepo Mohlala was mocked for wearing skinny jeans before they were popular.

Beyonce, Swift command conversation as Usher helms halftime

Usher delivered a Las Vegas-appropriate set heavy on glitz, choreography and nostalgia as he headlined Sunday's Super Bowl halftime show, but it was new music from Beyonce and the Taylor Swift cam that grabbed the most attention.

'Argylle' sees big drop but still tops N.America box office

Universal's wacky spy thriller "Argylle" held on to the top spot in North American theaters on a molasses-slow movie weekend overshadowed by pro football's Super Bowl championship game.

Guenter Brus, last of Austria's 'actionism' art movement, dies at 85

Contemporary artist Guenter Brus, the last surviving key member of Vienna's famed "actionists", has died at the age of 85, the museum dedicated to the radical and provocative art movement said Sunday.

Parades, parties, pageantry: What to know about Rio's Carnival

After weeks of sweaty, pulsating street parties, the Rio Carnival reaches its crescendo this Sunday with its main event, in which samba schools compete in dazzling parades.

Spain cinema faces #MeToo moment at Goya awards

Spain's glittering Goya film awards ceremony, which takes place Saturday, looks set to be overshadowed by allegations of sexual assault directed at an independent Spanish filmmaker.

A car-free Eiffel Tower zone? Paris mayor faces pushback

Removing cars from an expanse around the Eiffel Tower to create a green pathway sounds pretty good on paper, but the mayor of Paris is struggling to win over residents and above all the police force to revamp one of the city's most celebrated views.

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