AFP News

Spielberg to leave Paramount to form new venture

LOS ANGELES (AFP) - Legendary Hollywood director Steven Spielberg and his longtime partner Paramount Pictures formalized their divorce on Sunday, but intend to stay good friends, announced Paramount.

Placido Domingo sings as Mariachi at Mexico pyramids

CHICHEN ITZA, Mexico (AFP) - Spanish tenor Placido Domingo sang in the Maya language and in Mariachi costume at a concert in the pre-Hispanic pyramids of Chichen Itza, southeastern Mexico, late Saturday.

Deadly China earthquake in focus at SKorea film fest

BUSAN, South Korea (AFP) - Chinese film-maker Pan Jianlin struggles to find the right words to describe what he saw at the Muyu Middle School, six days after the earthquake that devastated Sichuan province.

Glastonbury sells half of all tickets with eight months to go

LONDON (AFP) - Half the tickets for Britain's Glastonbury music festival were snapped up Sunday on the first day they went on sale, organisers said -- despite the event not taking place for another eight months.

Unique US war painting gets epic restoration

GETTYSBURG, Pennsylvania (AFP) - After years of exposure to rot and mishandling, a US institution has been pulled back from the brink of collapse with the help of international experts who pooled their knowledge.

Chihuahua leaps to top of North American box-office

LOS ANGELES (AFP) - A new Walt Disney film about a rapping chihuahua that mixes Aztec warrior history and romance jumped to the top of the US and Canadian box office over the weekend, figures showed Sunday.

2 million crowd Paris streets for 'White Night' festivities

PARIS (AFP) - More than two million people thronged the streets of the French capital overnight Saturday for a "White Night" of musical and cultural events, officials said.

Family-friendly Wii out to win battle-loving gamers

SAN FRANCISCO (AFP) - Eric Nofsinger is betting that Nintendo's hot family-friendly Wii videogame consoles can win the hearts of "hardcore gamers" that lust for battle in action-packed virtual worlds.

20th Century Fox strikes Bollywood deal

NEW DELHI (AFP) - Twentieth Century Fox announced Saturday it had struck a multiple movie agreement with a top Indian producer, part of a Hollywood trend to reach out to Indian cinema.

More than 60 artists band together to fight for rights

LONDON (AFP) - More than 60 artists, including Radiohead, Robbie Williams and the Kaiser Chiefs announced Saturday they had banded together to seek more rights over their music and break free of record labels.