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Jila Mossaed, from refugee poet to Swedish Academy
Jila Mossaed fled Iran for Sweden in 1986, a 38-year-old poet who spoke no Swedish. Three decades later, she became the first foreigner inducted into Sweden's highest language authority, the Swedish Academy, which awards the Nobel Prize in Literature.
US judge orders Google to open Android to rival app stores
A US judge on Monday ordered Google to open its Android smartphone operating system to rival app stores, in a fresh legal setback for the tech giant.
Grammy-winning Cissy Houston, mother of Whitney, dies at 91
Cissy Houston, the Grammy-winning mother of the late Whitney Houston, has died, her daughter-in-law said in a statement Monday. She was 91 years old.
Japan govt admits doctoring 'untidy' cabinet photo
Japan's government admitted Monday manipulating an official photo of the new cabinet to make its members look less unkempt, after online mockery of their sagging trousers.
New 'Joker' film, a dark musical, tops N.America box office
Warner Bros.' "Joker: Folie a Deux," a dark new musical Batman spinoff, earned an estimated $40 million over the weekend to top the North American box office, industry watchers reported Sunday.
Gaza cultural heritage brought to light in Geneva
Archaeological treasures from the Gaza Strip are going on display in Geneva, with the Swiss city protecting the heritage of a territory devastated by a year of war.
South Korean cult-horror series 'Hellbound' returns at BIFF
Netflix's Korean cult-horror thriller "Hellbound" returned for its much anticipated second season with a world premiere at Busan International Film Festival, showcasing intense performances from the new cast members, particularly Moon Geun-young.
Five Czech kids in hospital over TikTok 'piercing challenge'
A Prague hospital said Friday it was treating five children who had swallowed magnets following a "piercing challenge" they had found on TikTok.
Country star Garth Brooks denies rape accusations
Garth Brooks denied rape accusations against him as he returned to his Las Vegas concert residency late Thursday in the wake of a sexual misconduct lawsuit against the country star.
S. Korean director brings fresh film adaptation to Busan festival
South Korean filmmaker Hur Jin-ho, known for his early romances, presented a fresh, entertaining adaptation of a celebrated Dutch crime novel at the Busan International Film Festival this week, ahead of its theatrical release.
Spoon scratching: Kenya's DIY DJ
A spoon, some towel hooks, a piece of kettle and a plastic cap -- that's all you'll need to make a mixing deck if you have the technical and musical skills of DJ Boboss.
AI bubble or 'revolution'? OpenAI's big payday fuels debate
Fear of missing out has rocketed the value of artificial intelligence companies, despite few signs as to when the technology will turn a profit, raising talk of AI overenthusiasm.
Cuban music legend Omara Portuondo retires aged 93
Cuban music legend Omara Portuondo of the wildly popular Buena Vista Social Club ensemble will retire from singing at the age of 93, her son announced Thursday.
Country singer Garth Brooks accused of rape in new lawsuit
US country music star Garth Brooks stands accused of raping a makeup artist in her hotel room in a lawsuit filed in California on Thursday, in the latest claim of sexual wrongdoing to rock the entertainment world.
Garth Brooks accused of rape in new lawsuit
US country music star Garth Brooks raped a makeup artist in her hotel room, a lawsuit filed in California alleged Thursday in the latest claim of sexual wrongdoing to rock the entertainment world.
Civil society groups demand action against 'sexist' AI disinformation
More than two dozen international civil society organizations will call on major tech firms to bolster their AI policies to combat "sexist and misogynistic" disinformation plaguing social media platforms, according to the draft of an open letter seen by AFP on Thursday.
French jihadist linked to Charlie Hebdo attackers jailed for life
A French jihadist close to the brothers behind the 2015 massacre at satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo was on Thursday sentenced to life imprisonment.
Lucian Freud nude goes on sale for the first time
A nude portrait by Lucian Freud could set a new record for the late British artist at a London auction next week.
Serge Gainsbourg Paris home in receivership one year after opening
The company behind a museum devoted to Serge Gainsbourg, one of France's most loved -- and notorious -- musicians has gone into receivership barely a year after it opened, according to court rulings.
Japan's 'master of horror' Kurosawa highlights 'B-movie' appeal
Kiyoshi Kurosawa, cinema's "master of horror" and recipient of the Busan International Film Festival's Filmmaker of the Year Award, said on Thursday he'd like to see more Japanese artists explore genre cinema.
Doctor who provided Matthew Perry's drugs pleads guilty
One of two doctors charged in connection with the drug overdose death of "Friends" star Matthew Perry pleaded guilty in a US court on Wednesday.
EU queries Snapchat, TikTok, YouTube over 'harmful' content risks
The EU voiced concerns about "harmful" content posted on Snapchat, TikTok and YouTube as it told the digital platforms on Wednesday to hand over more information on how their platforms recommend content to users.
Cards to consoles: Nintendo opens first museum
Nintendo opened its first museum on Wednesday in a renovated factory in Kyoto, showcasing the long history of the Japanese video game giant from playing cards to "Super Mario".
Netflix war epic to open Asia's largest film festival
A Netflix period war drama produced by South Korean filmmaker Park Chan-wook will open Asia's largest film festival Wednesday, the first time a streaming title has kicked off the event.
Former US president Jimmy Carter turns 100
Jimmy Carter celebrated his 100th birthday on Tuesday -- the first ever US president to reach the century mark and another extraordinary milestone for the one-time peanut farmer who found his way to the White House.
Matisse retrospective traces journey through artist's career
A new Henri Matisse retrospective in Switzerland offers visitors a rare chance to follow his artistic journey via works from throughout the career of one of modern art's godfathers.
Sacred filth offers India's sex workers brief respect
Every year in India's megacity Kolkata, the world's oldest trade gets fleeting respect from an ancient custom -- when soil outside brothels is considered sacred and collected for Hindu rituals.
Bloomers and flats: Paris Fashion Week's big trends
Raid your granny's wardrobe. Bloomers are back. The surprising resurrection of Victorian underwear as outerwear is one of the big trends of Paris Fashion Week, along with the proliferation of the girl-power business suit.
Netflix loses bid to toss 'Baby Reindeer' defamation lawsuit
Netflix has lost its bid to throw out a defamation lawsuit filed by the woman who says she was the inspiration for the stalker in the Emmy-winning hit "Baby Reindeer."
Oasis announces North American concert dates
Oasis on Monday announced a North American leg of their reunion tour, after selling out their dates across Britain and Ireland.
'Billions of birds' killed for fashion says designer McCartney
British designer Stella McCartney lamented the "billions of birds" that have been killed to make people look good after her Paris show on Monday in which she appealed for the fashion world to change its ways.
California governor vetoes AI safety bill
California Governor Gavin Newsom has vetoed a bill aimed at regulating powerful artificial intelligence models following pushback from tech giants and critics who argued the law went too far.