VENICE- Venice removed a controversial white statue of a naked boy holding a frog by US sculptor Charles Ray from the entrance of the Grand Canal on Wednesday, sparking criticism from art lovers. The...

LONDON- US-born "king of stop-motion animation" and special effects pioneer Ray Harryhausen died aged 92 in London on Tuesday, his family announced. Hollywood tributes flooded in for Oscar-winner...

KYOTO, Japan, Harumi Ozawa- Bestselling author Haruki Murakami said Monday that writing a novel is like descending to a very dark second basement of your psyche, when you are not even sure where the...

NEW YORK, Sebastian Smith- Punk rockers wanted anarchy. They wound up with a $565 T-shirt. That's the story told in a big new exhibition at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York called "Punk:...

STOCKHOLM, Camille Bas-Wohlert- The world's first museum dedicated to Sweden's iconic disco group ABBA is set to open in Stockholm on Tuesday, offering visitors a chance to get up close and personal...

AVIGNON, France- British actress Keira Knightley married singer James Righton in a discreet ceremony in the southern French village of Mazan on Saturday, according to the mayor. Mayor Aime Navello...

TOKYO- Japanese author and keen runner Haruki Murakami sent a "personal message" to the victims of the Boston Marathon bombing and said he also felt wounded by the attack on his favourite race. "So,...

MUMBAI, Udita Jhunjhunwala- India's movie industry toasted its 100th birthday on Friday with the release of two films celebrating its humble origins in the silent era and the influence of glamorous...

NEW YORK- Some 200 leading writers appealed Friday to China to respect freedom of expression and free jailed authors, describing the country's strict censorship as a stain on a vibrant culture. In an...