BUCHAREST, Mihaela Rodina- Celebrated Romanian novelist Mircea Cartarescu has told AFP, in an exclusive interview, of a "war" against intellectuals in his country. The novelist and poet best known...

LONDON- Britain's prestigious Victoria and Albert Museum said Wednesday it had been forced to cancel a concert by "grind metal" band Napalm Death because of fears that the music will quite literally...

LONDON- British author James Herbert, best known for penning classic horror novel "The Rats", has died aged 69, his publisher said Wednesday. Pan Macmillan confirmed that the best-selling writer, who...

PARIS- Hollywood actresses who bemoan the lack of good film roles for women in their forties might consider taking a leaf out of the book of French actress Gisele Casadesus. At the age of 98, her...

HONG KONG- A Chinese drama that touches on sensitive topics including police corruption won the best picture at the Asian Film Awards Monday, while Japan's Takeshi Kitano scooped the best director...

MELBOURNE- Australia's second-largest city Melbourne could possibly have the tallest building in the southern hemisphere after approval Monday for a new 388-metre (1,280 foot) apartment and hotel...

AUSTIN, Texas, Robert MacPherson- Syria's Omar Souleyman arrived literally at the 11th hour at South by Southwest (SXSW) for a benefit concert in the wee hours of Saturday for victims of the conflict...

PARIS- Carla Bruni has reportedly taken a swipe at French President Francois Hollande, depicting him as a bumbling buffoon with no manners in a song that features on the former first lady's new...

VATICAN CITY- An Italian hip hop artist has released a song entitled "Letter to the Pope" urging the Catholic world's new leader to reform the Church, allow people to divorce, accept gays and put an...