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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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Microsoft says 'new day' for search as AI-powered Bing challenges Google

Microsoft's long-struggling Bing search engine will integrate the powerful capabilities of language-based artificial intelligence, CEO Satya Nadella said on Tuesday, declaring what he called a new era for online search.

AI supercharges battle of web search titans

A new generation of AI chatbots has unleashed a titanic battle between Microsoft and Google for the eyeballs of billions of web users, and the dollars they bring.

10-year-old becomes first official dual-national kabuki actor

A 10-year-old French-Japanese boy will become the first officially recognised dual-national kabuki actor, following in the footsteps of his grandfather, a star of the traditional art form.

Vermeer shines at 'once in history' Amsterdam show

The Dutch master Johannes Vermeer himself never got the chance to see so many of his paintings in the same place.

Vermeer in five masterpieces

As the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam unveils the largest ever retrospective of Dutch artist Johannes Vermeer, we look at five highlights from the show.

George Clooney to remake hit French spy show 'The Bureau'

Hollywood star George Clooney is to direct an English-language remake of hit French spy series "The Bureau".

Marvel superheroes return to Chinese cinemas after nearly four years

Marvel's superheroes began their return to China's massive movie market after an apparent ban of nearly four years on Tuesday, with fans streaming into cinemas to watch "Black Panther: Wakanda Forever".

Google to release ChatGPT rival named Bard

Google said Monday it will release a conversational chatbot named Bard, setting up an artificial intelligence showdown with Microsoft which has invested billions in the creators of ChatGPT, the hugely popular language app that convincingly mimics human writing.

Rushdie says 'very difficult' to write after stabbing

British author Salman Rushdie has said he finds it "very difficult" to write after being stabbed in New York last year, in his first interview since the attack.

From reggaeton to Iran, five key moments on Grammys night

Music's biggest stars turned out in force at the Grammys on Sunday in Los Angeles -- and a LOT happened.

Beyonce: music's golden girl

Beyonce, the music royal whose art has shifted the culture time and again, long ago cemented herself as one of the world's seminal stars.

Beyonce breaks all-time Grammy record, Styles wins for best album

Pop queen Beyonce on Sunday reigned supreme at the Grammys, breaking the all-time record for wins with her 32nd prize and fourth of the night -- but the Album of the Year prize that's long eluded her slipped from her fingers once again, going instead to Brit Harry Styles.

In West Bank, last vinyl repairman preserves musical heritage

From Jamal Hemmou's ramshackle workshop in Nablus's Old City in the occupied West Bank, classic Arabic songs blare into the surrounding cobbled streets.

Beyonce breaks Grammy record for most wins ever

Beyonce on Sunday broke the record for the most Grammy wins of any artist, scoring her 32nd prize ever and fourth of the night to resounding applause.

Captain Tsubasa creator targets real-life football glory

Japanese cartoon hero Captain Tsubasa inspired Lionel Messi and countless other football stars worldwide. Now its creator is laying down his pen and aiming for the top with his own real-life team.

NY Youth Symphony wins Grammy for debut album

The New York Youth Symphony on Sunday won the Grammy for best orchestral performance -- the first youth orchestra to do so.

'Assassin's Creed' composer wins first ever video game music Grammy

"Assassin's Creed" composer Stephanie Economou won the first ever Grammy honoring video game scores at Sunday's gala in Los Angeles.

Viola Davis secures EGOT status with Grammy win

Actor Viola Davis on Sunday joined the rare firmament of showbiz luminaries to have won competitive Emmy, Grammy, Oscar and Tony awards -- the so-called EGOT -- after taking home the gramophone for best audio book, narration and storytelling.

Beyonce poised to break record for most Grammys by an artist

Pop superstar Beyonce on Sunday upped her chances to break the record for winning the most Grammys ever, scoring two early awards ahead of the main gala, where she appeared primed to shine.

Can Beyonce finally take home the top Grammy?

As music's elite gather in Los Angeles for the Grammy awards on Sunday, one question is playing on loop: Will Beyonce finally win the coveted Album of the Year prize?

Cult Soviet-nostalgia band Russkaja breaks up over safety fears

Cult Austrian ska-punk band Russkaja, surfing Soviet nostalgia in Vienna for two decades, announced its break-up Saturday over safety fears following the Ukraine war.

Motown's Smokey Robinson, Berry Gordy celebrated at pre-Grammy gala

Smokey Robinson and Berry Gordy, the visionary creative duo behind the revolutionary Motown genre, saw their legacy play out onstage Friday at a pre-Grammy gala honoring their life's work.

Musk found not liable in Tesla tweet trial

Jurors on Friday found Elon Musk not liable for investors' losses in a fraud trial over his 2018 tweets falsely claiming that he had funding in place to take Tesla private.

Jury mulls whether Musk's 2018 Tesla tweet was fraud

Jurors on Friday began deliberating whether Elon Musk committed fraud and should pay dearly for 2018 tweets falsely claiming that he had funding in place to take Tesla private.

Mixed response as UK's historic Jockey Club scraps dress code

Britain's Jockey Club has scrapped dress codes at its 15 courses, including some of horse racing's most illustrious venues, generating a mixed response in Friday's newspapers.

Child abuser Gary Glitter freed from UK jail

Convicted paedophile and former rocker Gary Glitter was released from a jail in Britain on Friday after serving half of a 16-year sentence.

Shah Rukh Khan: Indian heartthrob and King of Bollywood

Shah Rukh Khan is Bollywood's most popular star and at 57 still its biggest sex symbol, whose silver-screen repertoire of dance, romance and shoot-em-up heroics made him the cinematic avatar of a changing India.

Egyptians hope to bag bargains at book fair as crisis bites

Thousands of Egyptian bibliophiles weave through a labyrinthine display of books, reviving an annual tradition at the Arab world's largest book fair, but this year it comes at a steep cost.

Who are the best new artists? Check TikTok

After several years of Grammy ceremonies with clear frontrunners for Best New Artist, Sunday's race is wide open -- but no matter who wins, many of the nominees have TikTok to thank.

Seeing is believing? Global scramble to tackle deepfakes

Chatbots spouting falsehoods, face-swapping apps crafting porn videos and cloned voices defrauding companies of millions -- the scramble is on to rein in AI deepfakes that have become a misinformation super spreader.

Meta reports sales fall, but beats expectations

Facebook and Instagram owner Meta on Wednesday reported its first annual sales drop since the company went public in 2012, but the fall was less brutal than expected, sending its share price soaring.

Russian police seize protest artist's work in exhibition raid

Russian police seized a protest artist's work in a raid on an anti-war exhibition in Saint Petersburg on Wednesday, organisers said.

ChatGPT: the promises, pitfalls and panic

The excitement around ChatGPT - an easy to use AI chatbot that can deliver an essay or computer code upon request and within seconds - has sent schools into panic and turned Big Tech green with envy.

Welsh rugby ban choirs from singing 'Delilah' after sexism row

Choirs have been told they can no longer sing the Tom Jones hit 'Delilah' while performing during Wales rugby international matchdays at Cardiff's Principality Stadium.

Romanian court denies bail request for influencer Andrew Tate

A Romanian appeals court rejected Wednesday a new bail request by Andrew Tate, the controversial influencer being investigated along with his brother for alleged human trafficking and rape.

Second top Italian minister takes reporter Saviano to trial

Just weeks after going on trial in a case brought by Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, Italian investigative journalist Roberto Saviano was back in court on Wednesday facing allegations of defamation lodged by Meloni's deputy.

Flat owners overlooked by Tate Modern win privacy appeal

Owners of luxury flats in London on Wednesday won a legal battle to force the adjacent Tate Modern gallery to stop visitors peeping into their homes from a public viewing platform.

Does Asterix have the magic potion to save French cinema?

"Asterix" returns to the big screen Wednesday as France tries to match Hollywood by weaponising nostalgia in the battle for box office success.

Clickbait or creativity? The art world wrestles with AI

Online tools that can create wonderful, absurd and sometimes horrifying images using artificial intelligence (AI) have exploded in popularity, sparking soul-searching over the nature of art.

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