Funny old world: The week's offbeat news
From lucky leeks to World Cup madness.... - Football follies - After a hesitant start, World Cup fever is finally gripping the globe.
Entertainment
'Squid Game' star indicted over sexual misconduct: prosecutor
"Squid Game" actor O Yeong-su has been indicted on charges of sexual misconduct, South Korea's prosecutor told AFP Friday.. Multiple figures in South Korea's film industry -- including late filmmaker Kim Ki-duk and actors Cho Jae-hyun and Oh Dal-su -- have faced sexual assault allegations. cdl/dva
Chinese-Canadian ex-pop star Kris Wu jailed for rape
Chinese-Canadian ex-pop star Kris Wu has been jailed for 13 years after being found guilty of rape, a Chinese court said Friday.. Wu was sentenced to "11 years and six months of imprisonment for rape", the court in Beijing's Chaoyang district said Friday, adding he "was also sentenced to imprisonment of one year and ten months for the crime of gathering people to commit adultery".
Michael Jackson's 'Thriller' revolution turns 40
Mixing rock, pop and RnB like never before, Michael Jackson's "Thriller", 40 years old next week, became the most successful album of all time and defined a coming era with its audiovisual ambition.. - Threatening MTV - "Thriller" was the moment when Jackson started to pull in influences from across pop culture, with Eddie Van Halen's hard rock solo on "Beat It", and pop ballad "The Girl is Mine" with Paul McCartney.
UK coin study salvages forgotten Roman emperor from 'obscurity'
A forgotten Roman emperor has been rescued from "obscurity" after UK researchers determined a coin long dismissed as fake was in fact authentic.. "Scientific analysis of these ultra-rare coins rescues the emperor Sponsian from obscurity," said lead author Professor Paul Pearson, of University College London.
Top Austria festival signs on Russian playwright Davydova
Austria's Salzburg opera, theatre and music festival said Thursday it had appointed exiled Russian playwright Marina Davydova as its drama director.. Davydova, who co-founded the New European Theatre festival in Moscow and was its artistic director for 23 years, welcomed the news.
Emperor Charles V's secret code cracked after five centuries
A team of researchers has cracked a five century-old code which reveals a rumoured French plot to kill the Holy Roman Emperor and King of Spain Charles V. Charles was one of the most powerful men of the 16th century, presiding over a vast empire that took in much of western Europe and the Americas during a reign of more than 40 years.. So much so that one nugget of information revealed was the rumour of an assassination plot against Charles V that was said to have been brewing in France, Desenclos said.
Spanish PM sets sights on international role
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez will on Sunday become president of an international socialist grouping, a potential springboard to a major post on the world stage.. A year before a general election in Spain, which polls suggest he will struggle to win, Sanchez is the only candidate to head the Socialist International (SI) -- an umbrella group of 132 centre-left parties from around the world.
Malaysia's new PM Anwar: from prison to power, a dream fulfilled
It has been a bumpy road to the pinnacle of power for Anwar Ibrahim, who on Thursday achieved his dream of the Malaysian premiership.. Mahathir became prime minister for the second time, with an agreement to hand over the premiership to Anwar later.
Afropop star Aya Nakamura faces court over domestic violence
Franco-Malian singer Aya Nakamura will appear in court on Thursday in Paris along with her former partner after they were charged with domestic violence following a row at their home in August.. The court appearance for the 27-year-old star, whose real name is Aya Danioko, came after police were called several times in the early hours of August 7 to the Paris home she shared with partner Vladimir Boudnikoff, a music video producer.
