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New York auction records expected for a Magritte... and a banana

With a Magritte painting estimated to sell for nearly $100 million, drawings by pop artist Keith Haring and... a rather gnarly banana, New York's auction houses will try this week to shake up a stale market.

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.

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Taylor Swift 'devastated' by fan's death at sweltering Rio concert

American superstar Taylor Swift said Saturday she was "devastated" by the death of a 23-year-old fan during a show in Brazil before a crowd of 60,000.

Singer Cassie, Sean Combs settle lawsuit alleging rape

Singer Cassie and rap mogul Sean Combs have reached a settlement "amicably" a day after she filed a lawsuit accusing him of rape and physical abuse, her lawyer said Saturday.

Guitar from Kurt Cobain's last tour fetches over $1.5 mn

The guitar that the late Nirvana frontman Kurt Cobain used during his last tour sold for more than $1.5 million, an auction house announced Friday.

Sam Altman, ousted pioneer of OpenAI, is serial entrepreneur

Sam Altman, the tech titan behind ChatGPT, was abruptly fired Friday by OpenAI, the company that launched the revolutionary artificial intelligence chatbot.

White House condemns Musk's 'abhorrent promotion' of anti-Semitism

The White House on Friday condemned the owner of social media platform X and the world's richest person, Elon Musk, for "abhorrent promotion" of anti-Semitism.

Rio's Christ statue welcomes Taylor Swift with open arms

After lobbying from "Swifties," Rio de Janeiro's Christ the Redeemer statue was lit up to welcome Taylor Swift to Brazil ahead of a concert on Friday as part of her global blockbuster "Eras Tour."

Ex-Olympic walking champion Schwazer blocked from Paris Games

Ex-Olympic champion walker Alex Schwazer, suspended for doping until August next year, has lost his last hope of participating in the 2024 Paris Games, the Italian has announced during a reality TV show.

Shakira to go on trial in Spain for tax fraud

Just days after her success at the Latin Grammys, Colombian pop idol Shakira is set to go on trial in Barcelona on Monday for allegedly cheating Spain's tax office out of 14.5 million euros.

Hit Pakistani cricket show wins hearts in India

Long-simmering rivalries on and off the pitch divided India and Pakistan once more at the World Cup, but a cricket show run by Pakistani greats of the game has won fans across the border.

Oprah says 'Color Purple' helped her deal with childhood rape

Oprah Winfrey said "The Color Purple" helped her cope with the trauma of being raped as a young girl, as she introduced a new film based on Alice Walker's acclaimed novel Thursday.

Karol G wins Album of the Year at Latin Grammys

Colombian singer Karol G won the coveted Album of the Year award for her LP "Manana sera bonito" at Thursday's Latin Grammy Awards, the first ever held outside the United States.

Weed enthusiast Snoop Dogg is 'giving up smoke'?

Snoop Dogg, the acclaimed rapper whose image has long been tied to his professed love of marijuana, on Thursday said he's giving up smoking.

African cinema seeks bigger role on world stage

As a filmmaker and head of Ghana's film agency, Juliet Yaa Asantewa Asante said she always had the same sense when attending international industry events: African cinema had so much more potential to deliver.

'French Elvis' Hallyday labels publish new songs

Fans of the late Johnny Hallyday, "the French Elvis Presley", will be able to commemorate the sixth anniversary of his death with two songs never released before.

End of an era: 'The Crown' concludes with Diana's death

Netflix's acclaimed series "The Crown" chronicling the reign of Queen Elizabeth II, draws to a close from Thursday, focusing on a subject still highly sensitive to the British monarchy -- the death of Princess Diana.

New York's Met stages Spanish opera for first time in nearly a century

For the first time in nearly a century, the Metropolitan Opera in New York City will stage a performance in Spanish on Thursday, as the company works to expand its appeal to wider audiences.

Roger Waters faces Argentina, Uruguay hotel ban amid 'anti-Semitism' row

A complaint of "anti-Semitism" was filed against Roger Waters in Argentina Wednesday as the former Pink Floyd frontman, on tour, accused "the Israeli lobby" of barring him from hotels in South America.

Roger Waters claims 'Israeli lobby' blocking Uruguay, Argentina hotel stays

Singer Roger Waters, who has been repeatedly accused of anti-Semitism, claimed in an interview published Wednesday to be the victim of a hotel boycott in Uruguay and Argentina led by "the Israeli lobby."

Top French art expert faces fake furniture trial

A leading French art expert is to face trial on charges of forgery for building furniture that he falsely claimed to be from the 18th century and was sold at high prices to buyers who included the Palace of Versailles.

Media mogul Murdoch says he'll stay 'active' after passing torch

Conservative media mogul Rupert Murdoch, who hands control of his empire to son Lachlan this week, on Wednesday pledged to maintain an "active role" in the business and slammed "intolerant" elites for silencing debate one year before the 2024 election.

Muslim anti-LGBTQ groups protest Coldplay's first Indonesia gig

Hundreds of conservative Muslims protested outside Coldplay's first ever gig in Indonesia on Wednesday, clashing with police and booing concertgoers over the band's support for the LGBTQ community.

Bangladesh garment factories reopen after violent protests

Bangladesh garment factories reopened Wednesday as hundreds of thousands of workers returned to key manufacturing hubs after days of violent protests demanding a near-tripling of the minimum wage.

'Matilda' Australia's word of the year after Women's World Cup run

"Matilda" was picked as Australia's word of the year on Wednesday after the national football team's historic run to the semi-finals of their home Women's World Cup.

Jordan aims to score big in global gaming industry

For many, gaming is a waste of time. Hours lost staring at glowing screens. But Jordan is betting on its youth to capture a slice of a lucrative global market.

Snapchat to add in-app Amazon shopping

Amazon on Tuesday confirmed it is partnering with Snapchat-parent Snap to let users of the ephemeral messaging service buy things from the online retail titan without leaving the app.

'Friends' stars LeBlanc and Cox pay tribute to Matthew Perry

"Friends" actors Matt LeBlanc and Courteney Cox paid emotional personal tributes to their late costar Matthew Perry on Tuesday, some two weeks after his shock death.

Outkast rapper Andre 3000 releasing new album -- of woodwinds

For nearly two decades fans of Outkast -- the rap duo that ruled the early 2000s with hits including "Hey Ya!" -- have prayed for a solo album from member Andre 3000.

Musk's X fails to pay Australian watchdog fine

Elon Musk's X has not paid a fine imposed for failing to outline its plans to stamp out content depicting child sexual abuse on the platform, Australia's internet safety watchdog told AFP on Tuesday.

'He could get killed': Information war inflates Israel-Hamas fight

Months after he was discharged from hospital, his right leg amputated, Mohammed Zendiq saw his image swirling online in a vicious disinformation campaign downplaying the horrors of the Israel-Hamas war.

Indigenous writer Ailton Krenak, postponing the end of the world

The year was 1987, Brazil was just exiting a long military dictatorship, and Indigenous writer Ailton Krenak stood before the country's constitutional assembly in a pristine white suit, smearing black paint across his face.

Israel-Hamas war beyond darkest 'Fauda' plot, says co-creator

The Israeli TV action series "Fauda" has won Netflix fans worldwide for its gritty take on the exploits of an undercover unit that fights Palestinian militants.

Barcelona's Sagrada Familia lights up new towers

A celebratory light show graced the newest towers of Barcelona's Sagrada Familia basilica on Sunday as the iconic attraction moves closer to completion 141 years after construction started.

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