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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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Twitter shares fall as Musk takeover faces fresh questions

Twitter shares fell about five percent early Friday as the proposed takeover by Elon Musk faced new questions and weak Snap results weighed on social media shares.

Furries and fakes: Debunked myth litters US midterm campaign

Conspiracy-embracing candidates in the US midterm election have courted mockery by repeating a debunked myth about schools pandering to students who identify as cats, but analysts say the strategy is calculated, serious -- and effective.

Big staff cuts likely at Twitter: report

Massive layoffs appear to be on the horizon at Twitter, especially if billionaire Elon Musk completes his $44 billion purchase of the company, the Washington Post reported on Thursday.

Slowed Snapchat parent earnings send shares off a cliff

Shares in Snapchat's parent company plunged more than 26 percent on Thursday on a quarterly earnings report that showed revenue was slowing as online advertisers tighten budgets.

Kevin Spacey cleared in NY sex assault case

A New York court on Thursday dismissed a $40 million sexual misconduct lawsuit brought against Kevin Spacey by an actor who claimed the Hollywood star targeted him when he was 14.

Facebook adds way to remove misinformation from groups

Facebook on Thursday added a method for people running groups to automatically sift out claims that have been debunked since being posted.

Art Basel confirms rise of Paris in art world

Art Basel launched its inaugural fair in Paris on Thursday, seen as capping the re-emergence of the French capital as a major arts hub following the impact of Brexit on its main rival, London.

French writer accused of under-age rape gets new publisher

Disgraced French writer Gabriel Matzneff, currently under investigation for raping children, has found a new editor who said Thursday it would publish a collection of his essays.

17-hr bus ride no barrier for Ukrainian at Frankfurt book fair

Illustrator Oleg Gryshchenko took a 17-hour bus ride and a flight to get to the Frankfurt book fair. But it was worth it, he says, to promote Ukrainian culture in the face of Russian aggression.

Welcome no more: Rohingya face backlash in Bangladesh

Rohingya refugee Noor Kamal found a sympathetic welcome in Bangladesh when he fled the soldiers rampaging through his village -- but five years later, the hostility he now faces has left him pondering a dangerous return home.

Director Paul Haggis's civil trial for rape opens in New York

The New York civil trial against Oscar-winning Canadian filmmaker Paul Haggis, who is accused of raping a publicist in 2013, opened on Wednesday.

Smartphone sales sag as consumers delay purchases: report

Global smartphone sales have slumped this year amid a "gloomy economic outlook," prompting people to spend money on essentials instead of the latest gadgets, according to a market tracker.

First 'concrete picture' of Neanderthal family revealed by DNA

The original Flintstones? The largest genetic study of Neanderthals ever conducted has offered an unprecedented snapshot of a family, including a father and his teenage daughter, who lived in a Siberian cave around 54,000 years ago.

London rapper Little Simz wins prestigious Mercury Prize

London rapper Little Simz on Tuesday won Britain's prestigious Mercury Prize for album "Sometimes I Might Be Introvert", beating off competition from "One Direction" singer Harry Styles, among others.

Netflix subscriber growth beats expectations

Netflix on Tuesday reported that it gained more than 2 million subscribers in the recent quarter, calming investor fears that the streaming television giant was losing paying customers.

Bond star Daniel Craig receives same medal as 007

James Bond actor Daniel Craig on Tuesday received the same honour held by his fictional character, as he is set to retire from the role.

Russia sets back global progress on internet freedom: study

A Russian crackdown has driven a global decline in internet freedom although a number of smaller countries are making headway, Freedom House said in a study Tuesday.

Sri Lanka welcomes Booker win for novel on civil war

Colombo welcomed on Tuesday a Sri Lankan author winning Britain's Booker prize, despite his novel focussing on the island's civil war -- in which government forces stand accused of atrocities.

Zelensky set for Frankfurt book fair as Ukraine stars

Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky will address this week's Frankfurt book fair, with organisers offering emphatic support to the country's literary scene in the wake of Russia's invasion.

Kevin Spacey denies sex assault charge in US court

Disgraced movie star Kevin Spacey takes the stand at his New York trial, rejecting as "not true" accusations he sexually assaulted fellow actor Anthony Rapp when he was a minor.

Parler seen as home for far-right -- and now Kanye West

Seen as an online home for extremist rhetoric unwelcome at established social networks, Parler won fans in the ultra-far right and an aspiring buyer in celebrity Kanye West.

Netflix defends 'The Crown' after ex-PM lambasts 'malicious nonsense'

Netflix on Monday defended its latest series of "The Crown" after former British prime minister John Major lashed out at a story line showing King Charles plotting to oust the late queen.

Daft Punk join TikTok

Dance legends Daft Punk may have hung up their robotic helmets last year, but they are hoping to build a new generation of fans with their own TikTok channel launching on Monday.

BTS to fulfil military service obligations, agency says

The members of the K-pop supergroup BTS will enlist in the military, their agency said Monday, putting an end to a years-long debate on whether the stars deserved exemptions from mandatory service.

'Knives Out' sequel stars laud Angela Lansbury at Europe premiere

Daniel Craig and co-stars of "Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery" lauded Angela Lansbury on Sunday as the whodunit sequel in which the late actress makes a cameo closed the London Film Festival.

'Halloween Ends' starts strong, topping N.America box office

Universal scarefest "Halloween Ends" scored a strong start this weekend, topping the North American box office with an estimated take of $41.3 million, industry watcher Exhibitor Relations reported Sunday.

Aston Martin showroom hit as UK vows action on climate protests

Climate activists on Sunday sprayed orange paint over an Aston Martin showroom in central London, as the government vowed new powers for police to halt an intensifying wave of "direct action" protests.

Fire and clashes at Iran's notorious Evin prison amid Mahsa Amini protests

A fire and clashes erupted at Tehran's notorious Evin prison Saturday night as the protest movement sparked by Mahsa Amini's death in custody entered a fifth week.

BTS throws free concert to promote S. Korea's World Expo bid

K-pop mega-band BTS reunited on Saturday for a free concert in Busan to support South Korea's bid to host the World Expo, four months after the musicians announced they were taking a break from group activities.

BTS to hold free concert to promote S. Korea's World Expo bid

K-pop mega-band BTS will reunite on Saturday to throw a free concert in Busan to support South Korea's bid to host the World Expo, four months after the musicians announced they were taking a break from group activities.

Immigrant tale 'Riceboy Sleeps' charms in native South Korea

A Korean-Canadian filmmaker's poignant coming-of-age story has charmed audiences at Asia's top film festival, with the director telling AFP he made the movie to help people like him feel "a little bit less alone".

Harry Potter's Hagrid, Robbie Coltrane, dies aged 72

Scottish actor Robbie Coltrane, who played Hagrid in the Harry Potter films, has died aged 72, his agent said on Friday.

'She Said' explores the investigation that took down Harvey Weinstein

"She Said" recounts the beginnings of Harvey Weinstein's downfall but at its core the new film is an ode to investigative journalism and the bravery of the women who spoke out against the former entertainment mogul.

Climate activists throw soup over Van Gogh's 'Sunflowers' in London

Environmental protesters threw tomato soup over Vincent van Gogh's "Sunflowers" painting at the London's National Gallery on Friday, in the latest "direct-action" stunt targeting works of art.

London New Year fireworks to open to crowds again

Crowds can attend London's new year fireworks on December 31 for the first time since 2019, the mayor announced Friday, after Covid-19 restricted the spectacle to television for two years.

Street art animates Johannesburg's gritty streets

Next to a wall surrounding an empty lot in central Johannesburg, a cherry picker carries a man above the street.

Long, bumpy 4WD ride to Qatar's acclaimed desert art

Deep in the Qatari desert, security guards have a lonely time keeping 24-hour watch over one of the world's most isolated artworks, created by renowned US sculptor Richard Serra.

Meta working to speed up metaverse, but success far from certain

A year after rebranding itself from Facebook into Meta, the social network titan is striving to make the metaverse a routine part of daily life, offering users new features and promoting new virtual reality gear.

New glimpse into Bob Dylan book see artist riff on songwriting

Bob Dylan fans on Thursday got a glimpse into the nobel laureate and folk-rock legend's new book, "The Philosophy of Modern Song," set for publication next month.

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