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UK pop star Cliff Richard reveals prostate cancer treatment

UK pop star Cliff Richard revealed Monday that he has been treated for prostate cancer over the past year, but said the disease has been successfully treated.

Mariah Carey to headline Winter Olympics opening ceremony

US pop star Mariah Carey will sing at the opening ceremony of the Milan-Cortina winter Olympics on February 6, organisers announced on Monday.

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Irish fashion designer Paul Costelloe dies aged 80

Irish-American fashion titan Paul Costelloe, who was the late Princess Diana's personal designer for over a decade, has died aged 80, his family said in a statement Saturday.

Chinese star Fan Bingbing eyes Taiwan top film award

Chinese superstar Fan Bingbing was the talk of town as she was tipped to win the best award actress and make a surprise appearance at Taiwan's prestigious Golden Horse Awards Saturday.

Ken Follett: 'There can't be boring bits in my books'

Despite a half-century career as one of the world's top-selling authors, 38 books and a bulging bank account, Ken Follett told AFP he still worries about one of his readers struggling with a "dull" page.

Frida Kahlo painting sells for $54.7 mn in record for female artist

A self-portrait by celebrated Mexican artist Frida Kahlo sold for $54.66 million in New York on Thursday, setting a record for the price of a painting by a woman, the auction house Sotheby's said.

A big deal: Robert Therrien's huge sculptures on show in LA

Towering stacks of oversized saucers and furniture fit for giants are some of the treasures on display in Los Angeles at a new exhibition of the work of Robert Therrien.

Iranian director Jafar Panahi ramps up French Oscars campaign

After years of being banned from leaving Iran, filmmaker Jafar Panahi is enjoying his tour of the United States -- visiting Los Angeles, New York and Telluride -- as he promotes his Oscar-hopeful "It Was Just an Accident."

Livestream giant Twitch to ban under-16s in Australia

Livestream giant Twitch will be forced to remove all users under the age of 16 when Australia's strict social media laws take effect next month, Canberra's online regulator said Friday.

Colombia shows first treasures recovered from 300-year-old shipwreck

Colombian authorities on Thursday showed off the first objects to be recovered from a treasure-crammed Spanish galleon that sank off the coast 300 years ago: three gold and bronze coins, a canon and a porcelain cup.

Meta to remove under-16 Australians from Facebook, Instagram on December 4

Australians younger than 16 will be removed from Facebook and Instagram on December 4, tech giant Meta said Thursday, as Canberra prepares to enforce sweeping laws banning teens from social media.

Manga's roots and influence celebrated in Paris exhibition

Featuring ancient narrative scrolls and medieval theatre masks, a new manga exhibition in Paris traces the global phenomenon's history back to its roots in traditional Japanese art forms.

Governance and rape allegations threaten famed French comics festival

One of the world's biggest comics festivals, which draws top graphic novelists and cartoonists each year, was close to cancellation on Wednesday after publishers pulled their support and the French government piled pressure on organisers.

Christie's suspends Paris sale of world's 'first calculator'

Christie's said Wednesday it was suspending the Paris auction of one of just a handful of examples of the world's first calculating machine, developed by French mathematician and inventor Blaise Pascal in 1642.

Rediscovering Iznik's lost art of vibrant Ottoman tilemaking

For over 300 years, the closely-guarded secrets of the Ottoman Empire's luminous tilework was lost, but its rediscovery has revived a key part of Turkey’s cultural heritage.

Roblox game platform launches age checks for chat

Gaming giant Roblox Corp says it will roll out compulsory facial recognition or ID checks from next month for players wanting to access its chat features.

India's Bollywood battles paid reviews and fake sale claims

India's $60-billion Bollywood industry is facing a deepening credibility crisis, as insiders warn that manipulated film reviews and inflated box office numbers are distorting public perception, ultimately hurting ticket sales.

Auction of famed CIA cipher shaken after archive reveals code

It is one of the world's most famous unsolved codes whose answer could sell for a fortune -- but two US friends say they have already found the secret hidden by "Kryptos."

Klimt portrait becomes second most expensive artwork sold at auction

A portrait by Austrian artist Gustav Klimt fetched $236.4 million in New York on Tuesday, becoming the second most expensive artwork ever sold at auction.

'Piggy.' 'Terrible.' Trump lashes out at female reporters

Donald Trump ripped into a reporter from the US network ABC News on Tuesday, just days after calling another woman journalist "piggy" after she asked a question related to the convicted sexual offender Jeffrey Epstein.

Trump threatens ABC News in Oval Office meltdown

An infuriated Donald Trump threatened a US network's broadcast license Tuesday after its reporter asked questions about his family's business and the Jeffrey Epstein scandal at a high-profile White House event.

Boston museum returns two Benin Bronzes to Nigeria

The Museum of Fine Arts in the US city of Boston has returned two of the famed Benin Bronzes to Nigeria, authorities in the west African nation said late on Monday.

Gianfranco Rosi: the slow documentary maker in a frantic world

If the regular recipe for success in the modern entertainment industry or on social media is being loud, attention-seeking and a prolific creator of "content", Italian filmmaker Gianfranco Rosi has carved out a career doing the exact opposite.

P.Priime, Nigeria's young leading Afrobeats producer

Five years ago, at just 17, P.Priime emerged as one of Nigeria's youngest music producers, quickly grabbing headlines as he worked with Afrobeats heavyweights like Burna Boy and Rema.

Shares in 'Baby Shark' studio jump on market debut

Shares in the South Korean studio behind the ultra-catchy "Baby Shark" -- YouTube's most-viewed video -- surged as much as 60 percent on Tuesday as the company made its market debut in Seoul.

In film's second act, 'Wicked' goes beyond Broadway musical

When Universal Pictures split its musical adaptation of "Wicked" into two films, the move was derided by some critics as a cynical -- if spectacularly successful -- money grab.

Louvre shuts gallery over ceiling safety fears

The Louvre Museum said Monday that it was closing one of its galleries as a precaution after an audit revealed structural weaknesses in some of the beams in the building.

Two newly discovered Bach organ works unveiled in Germany

Two long-lost organ pieces written by a teenage Johann Sebastian Bach were unveiled in Germany on Monday in a discovery described as a "great moment for the world of music".

Tom Cruise receives honorary Oscar for illustrious career

US actor Tom Cruise received an honorary Oscar on Sunday evening, the first golden statue of his decades-long career, to a standing ovation from Hollywood's elite.

'Now You See Me' sequel steals N. American box office win

"Now You See Me: Now You Don't" -- the third installment in the crime heist franchise about a group of magicians -- debuted atop the North American box office, besting the Glen Powell-fronted remake of "The Running Man," industry estimates showed Sunday.

Iran's first woman orchestra conductor inspires

When Paniz Faryoussefi mounts the podium and reaches for her baton, she represents more than just the hope of a thrilling orchestral performance.

'Last Chance U' coach dies after shooting: US police

An American football coach featured in the hit Netflix documentary series "Last Chance U" has died after being shot in the head on campus, police said Friday.

Arrest made in shooting of 'Last Chance U' coach: US police

Police in California investigating the shooting of an American football coach from the hit Netflix documentary series "Last Chance U" said Friday they have made an arrest.

Michelle Yeoh to get honorary award at Berlin film fest

Malaysian actress Michelle Yeoh will be honoured with a lifetime achievement award at next year's Berlinale film festival, organisers said Friday.

The Japan Times - Culture (English)