Pallade Veneta - Culture

Italy woos UNESCO with 'magical' espresso coffee rite

A shot of dark, velvety coffee is more than just a quick caffeine hit: Italy's espresso is a prized social and cultural ritual the country considers a national heritage worthy of UNESCO status.

Young labels make sustainable fashion headway at NY Fashion Week

Two years after losing her job in fashion due to the pandemic, Emma Gage founded her own brand, Melke, that debuted at this season's New York Fashion Week with an emphasis on sustainability.

Huppert to miss Berlinale after positive Covid test

French screen legend Isabelle Huppert has tested positive for Covid-19 and will be unable to pick up her lifetime achievement award at the Berlinale film festival, organisers said Monday.

Snoop Dogg, Kelly Clarkson to host American 'Eurovision'

Artists Snoop Dogg and Kelly Clarkson will host a "American Song Contest" modeled after the beloved Eurovision competition in a series to premiere in March.

Ancient mummies of children, likely sacrificed, unearthed in Peru

Six mummified children thought to have been sacrificed hundreds of years ago, apparently to accompany a dead nobleman to the afterlife, have been unearthed in a tomb near Lima, archaeologists reported.

'Ghostbusters' director Ivan Reitman dies aged 75

Ivan Reitman, the acclaimed producer and director of comedies such as "Ghostbusters" and "Animal House" which influenced a generation of movie-goers, has died aged 75, with Sony Pictures paying tribute Monday to "a great talent and even finer man."

Five top fashion trends at Euro 2016

With star footballers now doubling as fashion icons -- led by Portugal's Cristiano Ronaldo who has his own underwear label -- we pick out the top five trends at the Euro 2016 championships.

Fan fury in China after 'Friends' LGBTQ plotline censored

The highly anticipated return of "Friends" to Chinese streaming platforms soured quickly after fans noticed an LGBTQ plotline was cut from the American sitcom -- and their complaints were censored too.

Berlin fest cheers mum's fight for son at Guantanamo

The true story of a mother's battle to bring her son back from Guantanamo Bay premiered to cheers in Berlin Saturday, as the German filmmakers called for reparations for the family.

Proenza Schouler opens Covid-affected New York Fashion Week

A coronavirus-impacted New York Fashion Week gets under way Friday with Fall/Winter 2022 shows by Proenza Schouler and Christian Cowan.

Italy's horror king seeks 'meaning' in schlock

Call girls in jeopardy, a serial killer on the loose, fountains of blood -- horror master Dario Argento has returned to filmmaking after a 10-year hiatus, saying Friday it's been his mission to bring "meaning" to schlock.

Shunned by French studios, 'Amelie' director turns to Netflix

He made perhaps the most famous French film of the century so far in "Amelie", but Jean-Paul Jeunet was forced to turn to Netflix after failing to find a traditional backer for his new movie.

Smash hit TV drama 'Borgen' is back 10 years on

"Borgen" is back. The Danish political drama about a charismatic woman who becomes prime minister took the world by storm and morphed into one of Scandinavia's biggest television exports returns a decade on.

Shunned by French studios, 'Amelie' director clinches Netflix deal

He made perhaps the most famous French film of the century so far with "Amelie", and now Jean-Pierre Jeunet says he'll make his new movie with Netflix after failing to find a traditional backer.

Colombia eyes 200 tonnes of galleon gold

Colombia took a step Thursday toward recovering a long-lost Spanish wreck and its fabled riches, but it may be a rough ride as Spain and native Bolivians have also staked claims on the booty.

Prehistoric drum is top ancient find: British Museum

A carved stone drum unearthed in England is one of the most significant pieces of prehistoric art ever found in the country, the British Museum said Thursday.

Twitter sticks with ambitious targets despite earnings miss

Twitter on Thursday reported that revenue and its user base grew less than expected, but the platform stuck with ambitious growth targets for the coming years.

Sting sells entire songwriting catalog to Universal

Sting has sold his songwriting catalog -- including solo works as well as hits with The Police like "Roxanne" -- to Universal Music Group, the company said Thursday, the industry's latest such blockbuster transaction.

Gender flip of film classic opens Berlin fest under virus cloud

A gender-swapped update of a German cult classic on Thursday opened the Berlinale, Europe's first major international film festival of the year, which organisers are staging as a live event despite surging coronavirus infections.

Ugandan author who fled after 'torture' vows to return

An award-winning Ugandan author and fierce government critic who fled the country after being "tortured" in custody told AFP on Thursday he planned to return home despite his ordeal.

As streaming TV competition rages, Disney+ shines

The streaming television race is heating up, with Disney showing Wednesday it is closing the gap with market leader Netflix, whose stride has slowed.

US comedian Bob Saget died of 'head trauma,' family says

US comedian and actor Bob Saget, whose sudden death last month at a Florida hotel shocked Hollywood, was determined to have died of head trauma, his family revealed in a statement Wednesday.

Sotheby's sale of 200 pairs of Virgil Abloh shoe fetches $25 million

Sotheby's announced Wednesday that an auction of 200 pairs of the Louis Vuitton and Nike "Air Force 1" sneaker created by late US designer Virgil Abloh had fetched a total of $25 million.

Study places Homo sapiens in Europe earlier than thought

Homo sapiens ventured into Neanderthal territory in Europe much earlier than previously thought, according to an archaeological study published in Science magazine on Wednesday.

China's naturalised Olympians walk fine line between love and scorn

Eileen Gu and Beverly Zhu were both born and raised in the US before deciding to represent China, but their contrasting fortunes at the Beijing Olympics highlight the fine line between love and condemnation for the host nation's naturalised athletes.

Three wins for Adele at non-binary Brit Awards

British superstar Adele won three awards, including the coveted Album of the Year, at the Brit awards on Tuesday, during a ceremony that did away with gender specific categories for the first time.

Oscar nominees in main categories

Here are the nominees in key categories for the 94th Academy Awards, to be handed out in Los Angeles on March 27.

India riled after big brands back Kashmir on social media

Pro-Kashmir social media posts by KFC, Hyundai and other global brands have sparked uproar in India, with diplomats saying Tuesday that the controversy had prompted an apology from a foreign government.

Punk legend Iggy Pop and Ensemble intercontemporain win Polar Prize

US punk icon Iggy Pop and French contemporary music ensemble Ensemble intercontemporain on Tuesday won Sweden's Polar Music Prize, the organisation behind the award said.

Venice glassblowers scorched by blazing energy bills

The blown glass creations forged in the furnaces on Venice's Murano islands are prized around the world -- but soaring gas prices are threatening the centuries-old craft.

'Nightingale of India' legacy lives on at superfan's museum

Beloved Bollywood superstar Lata Mangeshkar's legacy has been kept alive at a home museum in India curated by one of the much-mourned singer's biggest admirers.

'Matrix' co-producer sues Warner over streaming release: report

A co-producer of "The Matrix Resurrections" is suing Warner Bros. alleging breach of contract over the studio's decision to release the movie on a streaming platform at the same time as it hit theatres, a report said Monday.

Conservative billionaire Peter Thiel to leave Meta's board

Billionaire venture capitalist Peter Thiel will leave Facebook parent Meta's board, the firm said Monday, after a lengthy tenure that saw the network's rise and his vocal support of Donald Trump.

French prosecutors probe death threats against TV reporter

French prosecutors said Monday they have opened an investigation after death threats were issued against a journalist after she fronted a report over the rise of radical Islam in France.

Paul Gauguin's 'Mata Mua' returns to Madrid

One of French painter Paul Gauguin's most famous paintings, "Mata Mua", will return to a Madrid museum on Monday following an agreement between the Spanish government and its owner, who took it out of the country.

Morocco, world mourn 'little Rayan' after well rescue fails

Morocco was in shock Sunday after emergency crews found a five-year-old boy dead at the bottom of a well in a tragic end to a five-day rescue operation that gripped the nation and the world.

Barenboim clears schedule for surgery: La Scala

Legendary conductor and pianist Daniel Barenboim has cleared his schedule for the coming weeks to undergo surgery, Milan's celebrated La Scala opera house said Sunday.

Morocco mourns 'little Rayan' after daring well rescue bid fails