Russia cautiously celebrated a move by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) to reinstate its own laboratory for testing athletes for performance enhancing drugs, a decision that has divided the sports world by clearing a path for Russian athletes to return to international competition following a three-year suspension over allegations of …

A leading anti-doping group hinted at changing the structure of the World Anti-Doping Agency, saying the decision to reinstate Russia’s drug-fighting operation was a sign that WADA leaders were saddled with “conflicting priorities.” The Institute of National Anti-Doping Organizations (INADO) said in a statement Friday that members of the WADA …

A Kenyan court on Friday temporarily lifted a ban on the movie Rafiki. Justice Wilfrida Okwany said that during a seven-day period, the film, a lesbian love story produced in Kenya, can be screened to willing adults. The ruling means that Rafiki will be eligible for Oscar consideration as the …

It has been a question plaguing the museum dedicated to one of America’s greatest presidents: Is the hat real? The hat in question is of the stovepipe variety that adorned the head of Abraham Lincoln — recognized for his fashion sense and lauded for ending slavery. The Abraham Lincoln Presidential …

Plans by Disney to slow down the release of future “Star Wars” projects are getting a thumbs up from fans, who also hope that new movies in the multi-billion dollar sci-fi franchise will be more creative. In an unexpected admission that the slew of “Star Wars” films and spinoff projects …

Muslims are observing Ashura, one of the holiest days in Shiite Islam. Ashura is the 10th day of Muharram, the first month in the Islamic calendar. For Shiite Muslims, it is the day of mourning for the sacrifices made in the 7th century Battle of Karbala, especially the death of …

A film festival in Kenya this month highlighted a group not often seen on the big screen: refugees. The festival, organized by the nonprofit group Film Aid in collaboration with Amnesty International, screened a selection of short films about exile and identity, some produced by refugees themselves. Rael Ombuor reports. …

A nine-track album from Prince’s vast vault of unreleased material goes on sale Friday, along with a new video highlighting gun violence. “Piano & A Microphone” is compiled from a 1983 home studio cassette of the late musician playing jazz piano versions of some of his own songs and those …

Former rap mogul Marion “Suge” Knight pleaded no contest Thursday to voluntary manslaughter for running over and killing a Compton businessman nearly four years ago and agreed to serve nearly 30 years in prison. The Death Row Records co-founder entered the plea in Los Angeles Superior Court and has agreed …

Every part of Lebanon’s national drink, arak, is infused with tradition — from distilling the aniseed-tinged liquor to the ritual of mixing it at the table, when the transparent liquid suddenly turns milky white as water is added. Arak is a staple of big Sunday meals. With a sweet taste …

One of the world’s biggest archaeological rescue operations was successfully concluded 50 years ago after a massive ancient Egyptian temple complex was dismantled and hoisted to higher ground to prevent its flooding by the damming of the Nile River. The groundbreaking UNESCO-led project to relocate around 20 gigantic monuments in …

Award-winning Egyptian-French actor Gamil Ratib died Wednesday in Cairo. He was 92. Ratib is widely considered one of the greatest Egyptian movie actors of all time because of his screen presence and personal style. He acted in French and Egyptian movies, including David Lean’s 1962 epic “Lawrence of Arabia” with …

Thousands of Prince fans are asking federal authorities to open a grand jury investigation into his death. The petition to the U.S. Attorney’s Office has been signed by more than 6,000 people. One of the petition’s organizers, Nicole Welage, says more answers are needed about the rock star’s accidental fentanyl …

Renovation work is nearly complete on an Armenian cemetery in Cairo whose graves reflect a 100 years of the community’s history in the Egyptian capital. Workers have fixed and cleaned up tombstones, statues and busts that sit on top of graves. The site dates back to 1924, when the Armenian …

Fifty years after creating the Che Guevara poster that still adorns student bedrooms around the world, Irish artist Jim Fitzpatrick is delighted at its ubiquity, but concerned at its exploitation for commercial gain. Fitzpatrick created the image in 1968 from a photograph of the Argentine Marxist revolutionary taken in 1960 …

In a disused hangar in Istanbul, Turkish artist Ahmet Gunestekin uses thousands of metal human skulls and twisting, spiky animal horns to re-tell some ancient myths in a towering, fearsome installation. Gunestekin says his work “Chamber of Immortality” draws on the Epic of Gilgamesh – the Sumerian king who tried …

When people care too much, Winnie-the-Pooh argues it’s just love.   That bit of time-tested wisdom is as relevant today as it was nearly a century ago, when the beloved teddy bear and main character in A.A. Milne’s children’s books series first appeared in print.   Now Pooh and pal …

The U.S. border wall with Mexico is frequently in the news, but few people have a chance to visit it up close, or to see details of the various sections.   Kenneth Madsen, an Ohio State University geography professor and border wall expert, hopes his new photo exhibit will help …

To play any brother, by blood or not, of John C. Reilly is an intimidating prospect given just how firmly entrenched Will Ferrell is as Reilly’s on-screen sibling.  “Step Brothers,” their 2008 comedy classic that took the adolescent adult to absurdist extremes, looms large. It did even for Joaquin Phoenix …

HBO’s record-breaking fantasy epic “Game of Thrones” stormed back onto the Emmys stage on Monday, winning the coveted best drama series prize on a night full of surprises, including an on-air marriage proposal that stunned the audience. The other big story of the Hollywood gala, television’s answer to the Oscars, …

In Baltimore, a free after school music program called OrchKids is being used as an instrument of change for children in underprivileged neighborhoods. In the past 10 years, more than 1,300 children have received free group music lessons, and free instruments, from flutes to trumpets to violins. The program was …

“Game of Thrones” and “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel” won the top prizes at the Emmy awards on Monday on a night of upsets for the highest honors in television. HBO’s “Game of Thrones” was named best drama series, beating last year’s champion “The Handmaid’s Tale.” Amazon’s “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel,” …

For a festival that can be a hotbed of Oscar-predicting hysteria, the scuttling of the “best popular movie” category by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences barely registered at the Toronto International Film Festival.   Most were too in the thrall of the 254 feature films unspooling across …

He’s an unsung hero in the music world. Rarely seen and always tinkering behind the scenes, his expert ear is crucial to every performance, every concerto. His name is Rodney Butler, and he is a piano tuner with the U.S. National Symphony Orchestra. Karina Bafradzhian has his story. …

In Baltimore, a free after school music program called OrchKids is being used as an instrument of change for children in underprivileged neighborhoods. In the past 10 years, more than 13-hundred children have received free music lessons, and free instruments — from flutes, trumpets to violins. The program, sponsored by …