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Passion for hand fans sizzles in burning Spanish heat

As passengers wilted in a packed Madrid metro, one traveller defied the summer heat by snapping open her handheld fan -- a quintessential Spanish accessory enjoying undimmed popularity.

'Sesame Street' puppet Elmo's hacked X account calls for Jews' extermination

The X account of Sesame Street's Elmo, a beloved children's TV character, shared antisemitic and anti-Donald Trump posts after being hacked on Sunday.

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Madrid ex-mayor's family regains art lost to Franco regime

The Spanish government on Thursday returned seven paintings to the descendants of an ex-Madrid mayor who lost them fleeing Francisco Franco's uprising as the country grapples with the dictator's legacy 50 years after his death.

Hijabs onscreen, critics offscreen for Iran film in Cannes

A state-approved Iranian movie featuring women constantly in headscarves premiered at the Cannes film festival on Thursday, with director Saeed Roustayi defending his decision to bend to the diktats of national censors.

Austria's Eurovision winner wants 2026 edition 'without Israel'

This year's Eurovision Song Contest winner Austrian singer JJ called for Israel to be excluded from next year's competition in an interview published Thursday.

Courting controversy, Irish rap trio Kneecap face legal action

Daring provocateurs to their fans, dangerous extremists to their detractors, Belfast rappers Kneecap court controversy and divide opinion like few contemporary bands.

Paul Mescal says new gay romance film no 'Brokeback Mountain'

Irish actor Paul Mescal on Thursday balked at critics comparing the latest film he stars in, a gay romance competing at the Cannes Festival, to "Brokeback Mountain".

LGBTQ Thai ghost story wins prize in Cannes

Film director Ratchapoom Boonbunchachoke, who won a top prize at the Cannes Festival on Wednesday, recruited a major influencer for his off-the-wall gay comedy with a political punch.

LGBTQ Thai ghost story turns political in Cannes

Film director Ratchapoom Boonbunchachoke felt Thailand's popular gay cinema needed to branch out and do more politics, so he enlisted one of the country's top influencers to help.

'Recovered' Assange promotes Cannes documentary wearing Gaza T-shirt

Wikileaks founder Julian Assange has recovered well after his release from jail last year, his wife told AFP ahead of the premiere of a documentary Wednesday that includes never-seen-before footage of the whistleblower.

Spike Lee says expensive for music artists to speak out

US director Spike Lee says music artists today are not as politically active as they were in the 1970s, because doing so is going to "hurt your pocketbook".

Century-old Tokyo geisha festival revives dying art

The geishas glide with measured steps across a wooden stage, offering a glimpse of a long-misunderstood tradition that is becoming a rare sight in Japan.

'Fusterlandia': Cuban fishing town turned mosaic wonderland

In 1994, Cuban artist Jose Fuster started plastering his home with colorful mosaic palms, animals and Picasso-esque figures. An oddity became a trend: today the entire town of Jaimanitas is a celebration of his ceramic art.

Epic Games says Fortnite back on Apple's US App Store

Epic Games on Tuesday said its hit game "Fortnite" has returned to Apple's digital App Store after being sidelined for years due to a legal battle with the iPhone maker.

Last call for 'Norm!' as Cheers star George Wendt dies

George Wendt, the American actor best known for his role as the curmudgeonly Norm Peterson in "Cheers", has died, a representative said Tuesday.

Kevin Spacey says 'glad to be working again'

Hollywood actor Kevin Spacey said Tuesday he was "glad to be working again" as he accepted a lifetime's achievement award from a charity on the sideline of the Cannes film festival.

Back at Cannes, Iran filmmaker Panahi defies repression

Back in Cannes for the first time in 15 years, dissident Iranian filmmaker Jafar Panahi spoke to AFP about how he feels "alive" thanks to filmmaking and the danger of continuing to work in the Islamic republic.

Top-selling French rapper laid to rest after death aged 31

Hundreds of fans on Tuesday paid their final respects to the French rapper and singer Werenoi as he was laid to rest in a Paris suburb following his death aged 31 announced at the weekend.

Scarlett Johansson faces tough reviews in director debut

Scarlett Johansson faced tough initial reviews for her debut film as a director after it premiered in front of a VIP-packed crowd at the Cannes film festival on Tuesday.

Adidas, Puma family feud to be turned into TV series

The bitter brotherly feud that sparked the creation of sports-shoe brands Adidas and Puma in the same small German town in the 1940s is to be turned into a television series with the help of family archives, its producers announced Sunday.

Dutch museum removes 'priceless' Benin Bronzes for return to Nigeria

Clad in protective blue surgical gloves, a Dutch museum worker gingerly unhooks a precious decorative artefact before gently laying it down on a pillow and wrapping it in dozens of layers of special paper.

Iran's Panahi pokes fun at Iran's jailers in Cannes comeback

Dissident Iranian filmmaker Jafar Panahi makes his first appearance at an international film festival in 15 years at Cannes on Tuesday with a story about political prisoners trying to get their own back on their jailers.

Red carpet clash dampens Denzel Washington's award at Cannes

Hollywood star Denzel Washington had a tense exchange with a photographer before he received a surprise honorary award at the Cannes film festival on Monday.

Scarlett Johansson makes nerve-wracking debut as director

Scarlett Johansson won praise from veteran filmmaker Wes Anderson as she nervously prepared to unveil her debut feature as a director at the Cannes film festival on Tuesday.

YouTube star educator Ms Rachel draws ire over Gaza appeals

At first glance, the Instagram profile of Ms Rachel fits the image an influencer who has won millions of devoted subscribers for her sing-songy educational content for toddlers and parenting tips.

Rihanna, A$AP Rocky watch Denzel Washington award in Cannes

Rapper A$AP Rocky and his partner Rihanna watched on as Denzel Washington received a surprise lifetime award at the Cannes film festival on Monday.

Russian ballet patriarch Yuri Grigorovich dies at 98

Legendary Russian ballet figure Yuri Grigorovich, who was for three decades the lead choreographer at Moscow's famed Bolshoi Theatre, has died aged 98.

New 'Frankenstein' will be no horror flick, Del Toro says

Triple Oscar winning director Guillermo del Toro said his new version of "Frankenstein" will not be a horror film, but will instead pack a high-voltage emotional punch.

Trump turning US into authoritarian regime, says Emmy winner

Donald Trump is turning the United States into an authoritarian regime, an Oscar-nominated director warned as his documentary about George Orwell was screened at the Cannes film festival Monday.

Gael Garcia Bernal retells Philippines history in new film

Mexican actor Gael Garcia Bernal stars in a new film which re-examines the discovery of the Philippines by European explorers and questions the existence of a national resistance hero.

Five things to know about Scarlett Johansson

One of Hollywood's top-grossing actresses, Scarlett Johansson will walk the red carpet twice at Cannes, for her directorial debut with "Eleanor the Great" and for Wes Anderson's film "The Phoenician Scheme", which premieres Monday.

'Leave our marshes alone': Iraqis fear oil drilling would destroy fabled wetlands

Plans to drill for oil in the protected Mesopotamian Marshes of southern Iraq have galvanised villagers and activists determined to save the mythical wetlands already battered by years of drought.

New 'Final Destination' film slays N.America box office

"Final Destination: Bloodlines," the latest installment in the horror franchise, made a grisly splash in North American theaters this weekend, taking in $51 million to debut in the top spot, industry estimates showed Sunday.

Wes Anderson and his A-list army dazzle at Cannes

US director Wes Anderson brought his latest A-list cast led by Benicio del Toro to the Cannes film festival on Sunday, ramping up the star power as the competition reaches the halfway mark.

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