Former child soldier uses rap to spread peace
Sudanese child soldier turned global hip-hop star Emmanuel Jal has both embraced rap as a way to reach a global audience and distanced himself from what he says is a tendency to glorify violence. [view the full story]
Posted: 15:02:00 AEDT

Top jewels go unsold at Sotheby's sale
Nearly 150 jewels, including a huge blue diamond, failed to sell at Sotheby's in Geneva on Wednesday night (local time). [view the full story]
Posted: 14:55:33 AEDT

Bob Hope honoured with a stamp
Bob Hope has already has been named an honorary veteran by the US Government; now the Postal Service says it will give the late comedian another honour: a commemorative stamp. [view the full story]
Posted: 13:44:57 AEDT

McCartney, Guns N Roses albums to launch on MySpace
Ex-Beatle Sir Paul McCartney and Guns N Roses released their biggest hits on vinyl records and compact discs, but on Thursday (local time), their new albums will debut online on MySpace. [view the full story]
Posted: 12:16:46 AEDT

Monty Python strike back on YouTube
Legendary British comedy group Monty Python have launched their own YouTube channel, saying their tired of members of the video sharing sight "ripping us off.". [view the full story]
Posted: 12:12:09 AEDT

Blink 182 members back in contact
After a messy split in 2005, the members of Blink 182 are back in communication, raising speculation of a possible reunion. [view the full story]
Posted: 12:08:36 AEDT

Council rejects Speldour festival move criticism
The Byron Shire Council denies claims that it has ignored its own planning rules by moving the Splendour in the Grass music festival to a new inland site at Yelgun in northern New South Wales. [view the full story]
Posted: 11:53:41 AEDT

'Pig' quits BBC dancing show
Britons voiced anger on Wednesday (local time) as a hopeless contestant described as a "dancing pig" quit a top television show, seeking to defuse a media-fuelled row which has threatened to divide the nation. [view the full story]
Posted: 11:40:36 AEDT

Beckham's childhood home attracts million-pound bids
Buyers have put in offers of one million pounds ($2.3 million) for the house where footballer David Beckham lived as a baby, the businessman handling the sale said on Wednesday (local time). [view the full story]
Posted: 11:39:23 AEDT

Marc Jacobs firm pays $US1m to settle NY scandal
Fashion designer Marc Jacobs's company has agreed to pay New York state $US1 million for improper payments made to secure a venue to hold fashion shows, the New York Attorney-General's Office said. [view the full story]
Posted: 11:37:38 AEDT

Disney, IMAX ink five-film deal
Walt Disney says it has signed a ground-breaking deal with IMAX that will see the studio release five films on the company's state-of-the-art giant screens. [view the full story]
Posted: 11:32:29 AEDT

Smith, Spielberg to remake Korea's Old Boy
I Am Legend co-scribe Mark Protosevich is in early talks to pen a Hollywood remake of the 2003 Korean film Old Boy. [view the full story]
Posted: 11:23:00 AEDT

Tintin author sketches, letters up for auction
The nephew of Tintin author Herge will auction off some of his uncle's sketches, photos and letters in Paris on Friday (local time). [view the full story]
Posted: 11:20:14 AEDT

50 Cent shoots British gangster movie
American rapper Curtis "50 Cent" Jackson plays a ruthless loan shark in the London gangland movie Dead Man Running, which began shooting yesterday. [view the full story]
Posted: 09:54:29 AEDT

Pop artist Peellaert dies
Belgian pop artist Guy Peellaert, whose work includes album covers for the Rolling Stones and David Bowie and posters for films such as Taxi Driver, has died. [view the full story]
Posted: 08:51:25 AEDT

Jackman crowned Sexiest Man Alive
Hollywood heart-throb Hugh Jackman has become the first Australian to be crowned Sexiest Man Alive by People magazine. [view the full story]
Posted: AEDT

Rush mentors rising star Mauboy
Already a rising music star, former Australian Idol Jessica Mauboy could soon be a sought-after actress thanks to a starring role alongside Oscar-winner Geoffrey Rush. [view the full story]
Posted: AEDT

Tom Jones busks for charity
Legendary Welsh singer Tom Jones shocked passers-by in central London on Wednesday (local time) by performing an impromptu set on a pavement to raise money for a cancer charity. [view the full story]
Posted: AEDT

Ryder hospitalised after flight
Winona Ryder was briefly taken to hospital in London on Wednesday after falling on ill on a flight from Los Angeles. [view the full story]
Posted: AEDT

New film funding proposal angers writers
There are fears Australia's film industry will suffer if proposed changes to film funding guidelines go ahead. [view the full story]
Posted: AEDT

Mexican mural fetches $10m at auction
A giant Mexican mural with sprawling elongated figures reminiscent of Pablo Picasso's Guernica fetched $US6.8 million ($10 million) in a sale of Latin American art that fared comparatively well in this tough economic climate. [view the full story]
Posted: AEDT

Taste festival launched
The Hobart City Council says it's been assured one of the state's most popular tourist attractions, the Taste Festival, will continue at its current site. [view the full story]
Posted: 18:28:00 AEDT

Unhappy people watch more TV: study
An extensive new research study has found that unhappy people watch more TV while those who consider themselves happy spend more time reading and socialising. [view the full story]
Posted: 15:09:07 AEDT

Appeal lodged against Splendour festival
Conservationists have lodged an appeal in the New South Wales Land and Environment Court to try to stop the Splendour in the Grass music festival being moved from Byron Bay to a new inland site on the far north coast. [view the full story]
Posted: 15:03:28 AEDT

Lawyers pursue Ledger's insurance claim
Lawyers representing Heath Ledger's three-year-old daughter, Matilda Rose, have vowed to financially punish a US life insurance company for its failure to pay a $US10 million policy the actor took out four months before his prescription drug overdose death. [view the full story]
Posted: 14:46:50 AEDT

Chadwick to direct William Tell film
British filmmaker Justin Chadwick, who directed Natalie Portman and Scarlett Johansson in the royal romance The Other Boleyn Girl, is taking the helm of Ironbow: The Legend Of William Tell for indie producer Spyglass Entertainment. [view the full story]
Posted: 14:13:17 AEDT

Nat Geo gets into games
National Geographic, the monthly magazine famed for its glossy photographs and stories from obscure corners of the world, is venturing into video games. [view the full story]
Posted: 13:00:42 AEDT

Aussie in race for UK writing award
An Australian librarian has made the longlist for a new $115,000 literary prize in Britain. [view the full story]
Posted: 12:56:38 AEDT

Australia film tipped to boost outback tourism
Outback Queensland tourism operators say they are expecting a big rise in visitor numbers as a result of the film Australia. [view the full story]
Posted: 12:48:15 AEDT

BBC chief admits serious lapse over on-air pranks
The head of the BBC has admitted the corporation made a "really serious editorial lapse" in allowing a lewd phone prank by two star presenters to be broadcast. [view the full story]
Posted: 12:46:20 AEDT

CAAMA named nation's best community radio
An Alice Springs community radio station has been named the best in Australia. [view the full story]
Posted: 11:48:57 AEDT

Studio pushes for Ledger Oscar win
The Hollywood studio behind The Dark Knight has launched an ambitious campaign to dominate the upcoming Academy Awards and score Heath Ledger a posthumous Oscar. [view the full story]
Posted: AEDT

Michael Jackson 'too sick' to go to court
A court in London has been told that pop star Michael Jackson is too sick to travel to London to take part in a court case initiated by Bahrain's royal family. [view the full story]
Posted: AEDT

Kununurra locals give Australia thumbs up
One of four premiere screenings of Baz Luhrmann's long-awaited film Australia was held in Western Australia's Kimberley last night. [view the full story]
Posted: AEDT

Bowen 'the star' of Australia
The small seaside town of Bowen in north Queensland shared in the glamour of the world premiere of Australia last night. [view the full story]
Posted: AEDT

Indigenous community 'pleased' with Baz's Australia
Actors in Baz Luhrmann's Australia say the film's release is a big event for the Indigenous community. [view the full story]
Posted: AEDT

Baz's Australia a shot in the arm, but no lifesaver
Actors and critics agree: Baz Luhrmann's Australia will be popular, but it won't save the struggling local film industry by itself. [view the full story]
Posted: AEDT

Child star upstages Australia's Hollywood heavyweights
Aboriginal child star Brandon Walters stole the scene from stars Nicole Kidman and Hugh Jackman today as he spoke about working on Baz Luhrmann's film Australia. [view the full story]
Posted: 19:59:30 AEDT

Bruce Springsteen to release new album
Bruce Springsteen will release his 24th album on January 27 in the US, a disc he and the E-Street Band hurriedly recorded during breaks on their tour last year, the veteran rocker said. [view the full story]
Posted: 15:00:26 AEDT

Perfume maker sues musician Prince
A perfume company that went into business with musician Prince to make a 3121 fragrance - named after his 2006 album - sued Prince for $US100,000 ($155,000) for failing to help promote the perfume. [view the full story]
Posted: 14:57:42 AEDT

Ryan snags German 'Bambi' prize
Hollywood sweetheart Meg Ryan has won a German lifetime achievement award for best international actress and will pick up the statuette at a gala ceremony on November 27. [view the full story]
Posted: 14:56:17 AEDT

Neil Finn to rock with Radiohead, Wilco mates
Neil Finn has drafted members of Radiohead and Wilco, as well as his son Liam, for a sequel of sorts to his 2002 live album Seven Worlds Collide. [view the full story]
Posted: 14:53:56 AEDT

Spano hopes Dickens wins Idol
Eliminated Australian Idol contestant Mark Spano says he would love to see shearer Luke Dickens win the competition so he gets the prize - which for the first time includes $200,000 cash. [view the full story]
Posted: 14:43:22 AEDT

The Vines cancel tour
The Vines have cancelled all their upcoming shows due to a deterioration in the mental condition of singer Craig Nicholls. [view the full story]
Posted: 14:07:54 AEDT

Noddy ready for literary comeback
Noddy is set to make a comeback in a new book being penned to celebrate his 60th birthday. [view the full story]
Posted: 13:24:02 AEDT

Sydney slows down for Australia premiere
Motorists are being warned to expect major traffic delays in Sydney's CBD today for the world premiere of Baz Luhrmann's new film Australia. [view the full story]
Posted: AEDT

Bowen braces for Australia premiere
The north Queensland town of Bowen is getting ready to roll out the red carpet for tonight's world premiere of Baz Luhrmann's film Australia. [view the full story]
Posted: AEDT

Success or flop? Critics muzzled after Australia preview
It has been the most hyped and most expensive Australian film ever made, but after budget blowouts, pressure from Hollywood producers and a host of last-minute changes, director Baz Luhrmann's film Australia is finally finished. [view the full story]
Posted: AEDT

Garrett refuses to reinstate music academy's funding
Federal Arts Minister Peter Garrett has refused to reinstate funding for the Australian National Academy of Music (ANAM). [view the full story]
Posted: AEDT

King of Pop in royal wrangle
A Bahraini prince has taken the King of Pop to court in a $US7 million ($10.9 million) breach of contract lawsuit, demanding the repayment of several advances which the artist has argued were gifts. [view the full story]
Posted: AEDT

Wait almost over for Australia premiere
After months of rumour and speculation, director Baz Luhrmann will finally unveil his epic film Australia a star-studded world premiere in Sydney tonight. [view the full story]
Posted: AEDT

Locklear charged with DUI
Prosecutors have charged actress Heather Locklear with driving under the influence of prescription drugs. [view the full story]
Posted: AEDT

Hollywood star power comes to Oz
Australia is ablaze with Hollywood star power thanks to three major movie premieres in the space of a few days. [view the full story]
Posted: AEDT

Luhrmann 'under pressure' ahead of Australia premiere
Director Baz Luhrmann is feeling pressure over the box office performance of his multi-million dollar epic Australia. [view the full story]
Posted: AEDT

Excitement mounts for Darwin's Australia premiere
More than 150 people are expected to attend the premiere of the film Australia in Darwin tonight. [view the full story]
Posted: AEDT

Australia may be Kidman's acting swansong
Oscar winner Nicole Kidman says Australia may be one her final films. [view the full story]
Posted: AEDT

Biggest Loser host guilty of fraud
Ajay Rochester, host of the TV reality show The Biggest Loser, has pleaded guilty to welfare fraud charges in a Sydney court. [view the full story]
Posted: AEDT

Mixed reviews for Baz's Australia
Despite critics being warned not to voice their opinions about Baz Luhrmann's Australia ahead of tonight's world premiere in Sydney, reviews have begun cropping up on the internet - and so far, they are mixed. [view the full story]
Posted: AEDT

Hundreds flock to Darwin's 'wonderful' Australia premiere
Hundreds of people, including World War II veterans, have turned out for the premiere of Baz Luhrmann's Australia in Darwin. [view the full story]
Posted: AEDT

Stars hit red carpet for Australia's world premiere
After months of hype and anticipation, the world premiere of Baz Luhrmann's epic Australia has finally been held in Sydney. [view the full story]
Posted: AEDT

Spano voted off idol
Mark Spano has been voted off Australian Idol after being beaten by Wes Carr and Luke Dickens. [view the full story]
Posted: 21:21:25 AEDT

Hilary Duff gets her own TV series
Actress Hilary Duff, who made her name as the star of the Disney Channel's "Lizzie McGuire", is returning to television in her own series, NBC said on Friday. [view the full story]
Posted: 20:12:26 AEDT

Womadelaide line-up 'more diverse than ever'
Artists from more countries than ever will perform at next year's Womadelaide music festival. [view the full story]
Posted: AEDT

Children's author Graeme Base is celebrating 25 years in the business with the release of his 12th book.
[view the full story]
Posted: AEDT