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Composer of Piaf's 'Non, je ne regrette rien' dies aged 95

Songwriter and singer Charles Dumont, who composed the song "Non, je ne regrette rien" ("No, I do not regret anything") made world famous by Edith Piaf, has died aged 95, his partner told AFP Monday.

Quincy Jones awarded posthumous Oscar

The late Quincy Jones was posthumously awarded an honorary Oscar at an emotional and star-packed Hollywood gala on Sunday that also handed golden statuettes to the producers of the James Bond movie franchise.

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French minister defends Playboy shoot as criticism mounts

A feminist French minister who posed for Playboy told the magazine she backed the right of women to pose nude if they wanted to amid fresh criticism from her cabinet colleagues about her stunt on Wednesday.

Johnny Depp film to open Cannes fest

Johnny Depp's new film, a French period drama in which he plays King Louis XV, will be the opening film of the Cannes Film Festival, the organisers announced on Wednesday.

Dissident Chinese artist Ai Weiwei launches new London show

China feels it has the "right to redefine the global world order", Chinese dissident artist Ai Weiwei told AFP on Wednesday ahead of the opening in London of his first design-focused exhibition.

Quake anger ebbs in Erdogan stronghold ahead of vote

Latif Dalyan offers shirts and sweatpants at knock-down prices to Turkey's earthquake victims from a storefront surrounded by piles of debris.

'Look brave': Children taught bullfighting at Venezuelan torero school

Nine-year-old Cesar Paredes enters the bullring impeccably dressed in his traditional Venezuelan bullfighter's suit, pink cape neatly folded over one arm, to the ovation of an enthusiastic crowd.

Eyes on Apple to join quest for the metaverse

Apple fans are watching to see whether the iPhone-maker puts a culture-changing spin on virtual reality, even as rivals slow their march toward the metaverse.

Global art market up slightly at $67.8 billion in 2022

The art market rose slightly to $67.8 billion last year despite an uncertain global climate, thanks to high-end and digital sales, an annual report said on Tuesday.

Picasso: king of the $100 million club

Pablo Picasso, who died 50 years ago this week, remains the star of art auctions, with several of his works commanding record sums.

Disney chief says Florida punishing its free speech

Disney chief Robert Iger on Monday said Florida's governor's is retaliating against the entertainment giant for exercising its right to free speech in an anti-business move that "seems really wrong."

Trump, Trump, Trump -- US TV turns to old habits

Call it "Trump Cam."

BTS's Jimin first S. Korean solo artist to top US songs chart

Jimin, a member of the K-pop supergroup BTS, has made history as the first South Korean solo artist to land the number one spot on the top US songs chart, Billboard announced Monday.

Serge Gainsbourg home to open in September

The time capsule home of Serge Gainsbourg, one of France's most loved -- and notorious -- singer-songwriters, is to finally open to the public on September 20.

Ghosts in their machines: Thai livestream spooks a new generation

It is almost midnight, and above a semi-abandoned Bangkok shopping centre, Ghost Radio is on air.

Russia condemns Western 'hype' over US journalist's arrest

Russia's foreign minister on Sunday condemned Western "hype" over the arrest of US journalist Evan Gershkovich on espionage charges, dismissing Washington's latest call for his release and saying his fate would be decided in court.

Right-wing video site Rumble grows, as does its misinformation

The video-sharing platform Rumble, flush with cash after a $400 million investment, is pushing toward its goal of becoming the YouTube for American conservatives, even as it faces criticism for allowing misinformation and conspiracy theories to proliferate.

The pianist who's been playing for more than 100 years

Colette Maze has been playing piano for more than a century, and is still drawing thousands of fans on social media.

Andrew Tate: From kickboxer to misogynist influencer

Flaunting his bulging muscles, cigars and fast cars, Andrew Tate's videos posted on social media fascinate millions of teenage boys.

Arts duo Gilbert & George open permanent London exhibition space

Eccentric British art duo Gilbert & George will open their permanent exhibition space in London on Saturday, driven by an "art for all" ethos -- and a desire for immortality.

Cinema's undying love for Dumas and his Musketeers

The work of French author Alexandre Dumas has attracted stars since the birth of cinema, through silent-era hero Douglas Fairbanks and Leonardo DiCaprio, not forgetting a certain Volodymyr Zelensky and -- almost -- The Beatles.

Netflix, UNESCO seek breakthrough for African cinema

It's a revenge thriller where a mother turns into a ruthless vigilante, tracking down and drowning a soldier who has killed her baby, in an explosion of violence and jubilation.

James Bond's latest mission: to save King Charles III's coronation

Legendary spy James Bond faces a race against time to save King Charles III's upcoming coronation in a new story to be released ahead of the May 6 ceremony, it was revealed Friday.

Killer mum: Top S. Korean actress deadly but domestic in action flick

Dispatching assassins is easy, but handling her moody teenage daughter is impossible: one of South Korea's top actresses is back with a new action movie, blending killer fight scenes with parental angst.

Tycoon's 'unvaxxed sperm' auction taps into conspiracies

A fugitive Chinese billionaire plans to auction "unvaccinated sperm" on an online platform rife with misinformation -- a sale that vaccine skeptics bill optimistically as a chance to buy the "next Bitcoin."

Legendary UK guitar amp maker agrees Swedish takeover

Britain's Marshall Amplification, legendary maker of guitar amps used by rock icons including Jimi Hendrix and Kurt Cobain, agreed Thursday to a takeover from Swedish speaker giant Zound Industries.

Meta vows EU privacy tweak after massive fine

Facebook owner Meta said on Thursday it would tweak how it collects data on users in Europe after it got fined for failing to ask for proper permission.

Streaming films more diverse than cinematic releases: study

Films released by streaming services are more racially representative and more likely to have female leads than those that debut in theatres, a study released Thursday showed.

China's 'art factory' painters turn from fakes to originals

Painters in a Chinese village once known for churning out replicas of Western masterpieces are now making original art worth thousands of dollars, selling their own works in a booming domestic art market.

'Dumbphone' fans disconnect in face of smartphone dominance

Shunning his smartphone for a "dumb" one changed the way Jose Briones engages with the world -- and he likes it that way.

French court jails man for 2020 cathedral arson attack

A French court on Wednesday handed a four-year jail term to an arsonist for starting a fire that severely damaged a Gothic cathedral in the city of Nantes in 2020.

Italy curator slams 'ignorance' in US Michelangelo row

The head of the Italian museum housing Michelangelo's David criticised Monday "twisted minds" who equated nudity with pornography, after a US teacher was forced out for showing pupils the statue.

UK's Prince Harry makes surprise showing at UK privacy case

Britain's Prince Harry on Monday made an unexpected appearance at London's high court when he arrived for a hearing in his claim against a newspaper publisher over allegations of unlawful information gathering.

'Dungeons and Dragons' aims to recapture 80s film magic

More jokes and less reliance on computer effects -- the makers of "Dungeons and Dragons: Honor Among Thieves" wanted their blockbuster to be a throwback to the classic family films of the 1980s.

'Glaze' software aims to protect art from copycat AI

Researchers at the University of Chicago have released free "Glaze" software that they say can thwart efforts by generative artificial intelligence (AI) to copy an artist's style.

Elon Musk puts Twitter's value at just $20 billion

Elon Musk has put the current value of Twitter at $20 billion, less than half the $44 billion he paid for the social media platform just five months ago, according to an internal email seen by American news media.

Latest 'John Wick' tops N.America box office in a big, bloody opening

Lionsgate's neo-noir action thriller "John Wick: Chapter 4" opened this weekend with North American ticket sales estimated at an impressive $73.5 million, industry watcher Exhibitor Relations reported Sunday.

Researchers unearth 2,000 ram heads in Egypt temple

Archaeologists in Egypt have discovered more than 2,000 ancient mummified sheep heads left as offerings in a temple to the pharaoh Ramses II, the tourism and antiquities ministry said Sunday.

It's no joke: club helps Jordanians win comedy gold

When life gave them lemons, two Jordanians launched a club to train people in the art of comedy in a country where years of economic woes have left little to laugh about.

Taiwan father-daughter design duo's road trip to Grammy glory

Driving down a desert road, fresh off a heartbreaking loss at the Grammy Awards in Las Vegas, Taiwanese designer Xiao Qing-yang and his daughter were already working on their next project.

Hugh Grant: romcoms are a 'big fat lie'

Romantic comedies made Hugh Grant one of the most famous men in the world, but he has a few doubts about their premise.

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