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Opera diva Maria Callas museum opens in Athens on centenary
A quarter of a century in the making, Greece's capital Athens on Thursday opens a museum honouring legendary soprano Maria Callas, billed as the first of its kind in the world.
Car drivers torture NZ city with Celine Dion songs
Car drivers armed with a playlist of Celine Dion songs have been plaguing residents of a small New Zealand city for months on end with loud, late-night "siren battles".
US prisons ban 'staggering' number of books: campaigners
Tens of thousands of books are banned from US prisons, a new report said Wednesday, including a primer on drawing, a book about tying knots and textbooks teaching inmates foreign languages.
Meta quarterly profit jumps but it sees volatility in ad market
Meta on Wednesday reported that its quarterly profit more than doubled from last year's figure as it looks ahead at a volatile ad market and lawsuits accusing it of profiting from "children's pain."
Senegal stops French auction of first president's jewellery
Senegal has stopped a collection of its first president's precious possessions from going under the hammer in France, saying on Wednesday it had reached a "friendly agreement" with the auction house.
TikTok removed 4mn 'violative' videos in EU last month
TikTok said Wednesday it pulled four million "violative" videos in the EU in September, in its first transparency report since a new law against illegal and harmful content came into force across the bloc.
Iraq dig unearths 2,700-year-old winged sculpture largely intact
A dig in northern Iraq has unearthed a 2,700-year-old alabaster sculpture of the winged Assyrian deity Lamassu, which was found largely intact despite its large dimensions.
Palestinian sings to 'block out' roar of Israel strikes
Jawaher al-Aqraa says it will be a "miracle" if she survives the Gaza war but in the meantime she is singing to "block out" the roar of Israeli fighter jets over the Palestinian territory.
Richard Roundtree, America's 'first Black action hero,' dead at 81
American actor Richard Roundtree, heralded as "the first Black action hero" for his starring role in the iconic 1971 hit "Shaft," died Tuesday at 81, US media reported.
Alphabet and Microsoft see earnings rise on AI-infused cloud
Google parent Alphabet and computing colossus Microsoft Tuesday reported that quarterly profits climbed on demand for cloud computing enhanced with artificial intelligence.
Google parent Alphabet profits grow on ads and cloud
Google parent Alphabet on Tuesday reported a quarterly profit of $19.7 billion, powered by money taken in from ads, YouTube, and cloud services.
'The Rock' waxwork in Paris retouched after skin tone complaints
A famed Paris museum said it would on Wednesday reinstall a waxwork of Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson with a more true-to-life look after it was taken off public show for additional work when the US actor complained about its pale skin tone.
'No Man's Land' parade of music and trash charms Johannesburg
At first glance it looks like an ordinary street parade, with marching minstrels, baton-twirling majorettes, painted faces and glittering costumes careering down a battered, rundown Johannesburg street.
Filipino listeners cheered by last surviving radio dramas
Standing in front of a microphone, voice actor Phil Cruz pretends to wield an amulet to defeat the Devil for the latest instalment of one of the Philippines' few surviving radio dramas.
Toxic? Britney tells of troubles in new memoir
Britney Spears, the dewy-eyed child star who became a global pop phenomenon and then melted down in full view of the world, tells her story Tuesday with the release of her already bestselling memoir.
Netflix and Spielberg combine for nature doc 'Life on Our Planet'
"Life on Our Planet," the new natural history series from Netflix and Steven Spielberg, sets out to tell the entire, dramatic story of life on Earth in a serialized, "binge watch" format.
Museum to fix Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson waxwork after skin tone complaints
A French museum said Monday it is working urgently to fix a much-derided waxwork of Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson after the US actor complained about its pale skin tone.
Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson asks museum to fix his waxwork's skin color
US actor Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson has joined the chorus of mockery after a Paris museum unveiled a botched waxwork of him, suggesting its skin color -- among other things -- needs "updating."
Widow of slain Pakistani journalist sues Kenya police
A widow of a Pakistani journalist who was shot dead by police in Kenya after he fled arrest in his home country filed a lawsuit against Kenyan police on Monday, her lawyer said.
Swift stays on top but 'Flower Moon' impresses on N.America screens
The new Taylor Swift concert movie held on to the top spot in North American theaters this weekend, but history-based crime epic "Killers of the Flower Moon" had an impressive debut -- the best for a Martin Scorsese film since 2010.
Britney Spears set to hit bestseller list with tell-all memoir
Two years after escaping her father's guardianship, Britney Spears recounts her years as a superstar who became a victim of her success in a highly anticipated memoir being published on Tuesday.
Women sci-fi writer numbers rocketing in China
Women writers are taking the Chinese science fiction scene by storm, with their increasing prominence one of the genre's most noticeable trends, according to participants at a major convention in Chengdu this week.
Rushdie says filled with 'foreboding' at Israel-Hamas war
Author Salman Rushdie on Friday urged a "cessation" in fighting between Israel and Palestinian militant group Hamas, saying he was filled with "horror" and "foreboding".
Dissident author warns Russians in Europe to be on guard
Russian author Sergei Lebedev's novel "Untraceable", about an undetectable toxin used to target Kremlin critics, was released a few years ago but has taken on added resonance as alleged poisonings have multiplied.
Rolling Stones return with a little help from a Beatle
The Rolling Stones burst back to life on Friday with "Hackney Diamonds", their first album in 18 years, featuring megastar cameos from Elton John, Lady Gaga and even their old rival, Paul McCartney.
'We love singing': Filipinos find joy in karaoke
At a busy tricycle terminal in Manila, driver Edgar Soriano slips a coin into a karaoke machine and belts out his favourite song while waiting for passengers.
Australians fete Sydney Opera House's 50th anniversary
Australians on Friday celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Sydney Opera House, lighting up the sails of a harbourside "masterpiece" that has become an international icon.
French geeks plan world's biggest video game museum
The Odyssey Project -- named after the first ever console designed by Magnavox in 1972 -- will house one of the biggest collections of games ever assembled.
Spy writer John Le Carre's 'vulnerable' final interview
The master of the spy novel -- and a man of mystery himself -- John Le Carre offers an emotional account of his life in his final interview which airs on Apple TV from Friday.
Tech breathes new life into endangered Native American languages
Linguistics experts are turning to cutting-edge technologies to revitalize threatened Native American languages -- and rejuvenate generations of Indigenous tradition -- through new approaches such as children's books and smartphone apps.
Netflix gains subscribers with ads and password crackdown
Netflix on Wednesday said subscriber numbers grew more than 10 percent to 247 million in the recently ended third quarter as it cracked down on passwords and refined an ad-supported tier.
Premier League eyes biggest ever TV rights deal by selling 70 more matches
The Premier League is aiming to smash its own record domestic television rights deal after making 70 more matches available for broadcast from 2025.