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Raquel Welch: sex symbol who never escaped her fur bikini
When Raquel Welch donned a deerskin bikini for a 1966 caveman screen epic, she became one of the hottest sex symbols of her time, a role she never felt able to escape.
UK council returns Banksy freezer
A chest freezer forming part of a work by British street artist Banksy was returned on Wednesday a day its removal by the local council for "health and safety" reasons.
Madrid palace to host exhibition on celebrated Spanish artist Sorolla
With massive screens and virtual reality, a new immersive exhibition opens in Madrid Friday in honour of Spanish artist Joaquin Sorolla, renowned for his ability to capture the blazing sunlight of the Mediterranean.
Digital video viewing to top traditional TV in US: forecast
For the first time ever, US adults will spend more time this year watching digital video on platforms such as Netflix, TikTok and YouTube than viewing traditional television, Insider Intelligence forecast on Wednesday.
'Finding corpses is all we have': Resignation after Turkey quake
The headscarf-covered woman could not contain her rage.
Pharrell Williams takes over menswear at Louis Vuitton
Luxury brand Louis Vuitton on Tuesday announced the appointment of hip-hop artist Pharrell Williams as its new head of menswear.
Velez, Burch and Palomo: highlights from New York Fashion Week
From designs inspired by America's industrial Midwest to evocations of a childhood in Spain, AFP looks at the some of the highlights from New York Fashion Week so far.
'Rebirth' in Rio as carnival street parties return
Covered in golden glitter, Brazilian domestic worker Vera Lucia da Silva is bursting to be back parading through Rio de Janeiro in a carnival street party, after a three-year hiatus for Covid-19.
Greece approves disputed museum law seen as antiquity 'export' plan
Greece's parliament on Monday approved a new law enabling the exhibition of rare antiquities outside the country, with archaeologists warning it could lead to the long-term "export" of rare items.
Turkey's once mighty developers under fire after quake
Their mugshots are everywhere: a Turkish developer arrested while trying to flee the country and two colleagues connected to a luxurious apartment tower that crumbled in Monday's disastrous quake.
At New York Fashion Week, Proenza Schouler offers function, less fantasy
US fashion label Proenza Schouler on Saturday presented a low-key, functional collection, without its past conceptual showiness, as the brand marks its 20th anniversary at New York Fashion Week.
Nice carnival celebrates 150 years, with a nod to Rio
More than 200,000 visitors are expected in Nice this weekend for the southern French city's famous carnival -- one of the three largest in the world -- now in its 150th year, hoping to recapture pre-Covid numbers, and sending a special wink at its sister celebration in Rio.
'Our pope': DR Congo dandies honour fallen icon
Flamboyant dandies paraded near the tomb of one of their icons in DR Congo's capital Kinshasa, flaunting coveted designer labels in stark contrast to the grinding poverty surrounding them.
In the US, menopause finally gets its due
For years, the sweeping physical and emotional midlife change that women undergo has been shunted to the shadowy corners of public view, and barely even discussed among friends.
Super Bowl 2023 ad pageant: Beer is in, crypto is out
After a starring role in last year's Super Bowl broadcast, cryptocurrency firms are expected to sit out the 2023 game.
Acclaimed Spanish director Carlos Saura dead at 91
Acclaimed Spanish director Carlos Saura, who hit the global spotlight in the 1960s with his critiques of Franco's dictatorship, died Friday at the age of 91, the Spanish film academy said.
Young brands in vogue at New York Fashion Week
New York Fashion Week kicks off Friday with several big names absent from the runway but a calendar packed full of young designers and emerging labels -- increasingly the event's trademark.
Mexico City seeks to grow reputation as international art hub
Artists and collectors from around the world are descending on Mexico City this week for several fairs aimed at consolidating the capital's position as a Latin American hub of modern and contemporary art.
Veteran Spanish director Saura dies at 91
Acclaimed Spanish director Carlos Saura, who died on Friday, hit the global spotlight in the 1960s with critiques of Franco's dictatorship, later focusing on films about music and dance, notably flamenco.
Record-breaking Vermeer show opens in Amsterdam
A blockbuster exhibition of paintings by Dutch master Johannes Vermeer opened in Amsterdam on Friday, boasting the largest gathering of his works in one place.
Colombian VP, on visit to Cuba, urges US lift island embargo
Colombian Vice President Francia Marquez on Thursday began her two-day visit to Havana with a call for Washington to remove Cuba from its list of state sponsors of terrorism and to lift its decades-long embargo on the Communist-run island.
Oh bother! Viral 'Winnie-the-Pooh' horror film triggers fans
You know him as a cute, cuddly bear, but Winnie the Pooh is about to receive a terrifying makeover as the knife-wielding villain of a blood-drenched new slasher film -- no joke.
Victim's family sues Alec Baldwin over 'Rust' shooting
The parents and sister of the cinematographer who was shot dead on the set of a low-budget western are suing star Alec Baldwin and the movie's producers, lawyers said Thursday.
Boycotting no more, Rihanna ready for Super Bowl stage
Four years after saying she had refused to perform at the Super Bowl halftime show in protest over race issues, Rihanna says she will use her performance during Sunday's NFL title game to represent immigrants and black women.
Burt Bacharach's best-loved songs
American composer and pianist Burt Bacharach, who has died aged 94, wrote dozens of songs with lyricist Hal David which have gone down in pop/soul history.
Twitter back online in Turkey after block
Twitter was blocked for at least 12 hours on major Turkish mobile providers in an outage that ended early Thursday, following a flurry of online criticism of the government's response to this week's deadly earthquake.
Jack could have survived, says Cameron as 'Titanic' re-released 25 years on
James Cameron doesn't have many regrets -- after all, he has now directed three of the four highest-grossing films of all time.
Google chatbot blunders as AI battle with Microsoft heats up
Google on Wednesday announced a slew of features powered by Artificial Intelligence (AI), but a mistake in an ad caused its share price to tank.
Michael Jackson estate eyeing near-$1bn sale of music rights: report
The estate of Michael Jackson is closing in on a deal to sell half its interests in the megastar's music catalogue, in a deal worth up to $900 million, Variety reported.
Van Gogh family role hailed in museum's 50th birthday show
He's one of the most famous artists in history. But Vincent van Gogh could have faded into obscurity were it not for his family -- and the vision of one woman.
Twitter down in Turkey as quake response criticism mounts
Twitter became inaccessible on major Turkish mobile providers on Wednesday as online criticism mounted of the government's response to this week's deadly earthquake.
Florence mosaics renovation reveals devilish details
Restorers launched a ground-breaking project in Florence's historic Baptistery Wednesday, allowing visitors a unique view of magnificent mosaics, including a three-headed devil which inspired Italian poet Dante.
Ten deadliest quakes of the 21st century
With the death toll rising by the hour, the massive earthquake that struck Turkey and Syria on February 5 is already among the ten deadliest of the 21st century.
Swiss give 2,500-year-old stone sculpture back to Peru
The Swiss on Wednesday handed a large stone-carved head back to Peru, where it was sculpted around 2,500 years ago by one of the country's earliest civilisations, the culture office said.
Biden accuses social media companies of exploiting children
President Joe Biden called on US lawmakers Tuesday to restrict how social media companies lure children and collect their data, as he accused Big Tech of conducting a "for profit" experiment on the nation's youth.
Deepfake 'news anchors' in pro-China footage: research
The "news broadcasters" appear stunningly real, but they are AI-generated deepfakes in first-of-their-kind propaganda videos that a research report published Tuesday attributed to Chinese state-aligned actors.
Fakery and fraud: Energy scammers cast 'wide net' on Facebook
A Filipino consumer fumes as she rips open a portable charger to discover she has been conned -- the batteries are choked with sand, making her yet another victim of scammers on Facebook.
Codebreakers find, decipher lost letters of Mary, Queen of Scots
An international team of codebreakers said Wednesday they have found and deciphered the long lost secret letters of 16th-century monarch Mary, Queen of Scots, one of the most argued-over figures in British history.
Conductor Dudamel to lead New York Philharmonic from 2026
Acclaimed conductor Gustavo Dudamel will lead the New York Philharmonic for five years from 2026, the orchestra announced Tuesday.