Iran's early recordings revive forgotten sound heritage

Tehran (AFP) – In a century-old building in Tehran, Saeed Anvarinejad turned the dial of a vintage radio to tune into some of Iran’s earliest recorded sounds, some serving as reminders of the seismic changes that shaped the country’s history.

Visitors try out an installation at the SoundScapes exhibition that brings together early sound recordings from Iranian history

Closing eagle gives McCarthy lead at rainy PGA Genesis

Los Angeles (United States) (AFP) – Denny McCarthy, chasing his first US PGA Tour triumph, closed with a seven-foot eagle putt to grab a one-stroke lead after Thursday’s rainy first round of the Genesis Invitational.

American Denny McCarthy eagled the 18th hole to grab a one-stroke lead after the first round of the PGA Genesis Invitational

Kanye West and wife Bianca Censori split: reports

Los Angeles (United States) (AFP) – Kanye West and his wife Bianca Censori have split, reports said Thursday, capping two weeks of controversy for the rapper whose once-stellar career has descended into chaos.

Tabloid reports in the United States suggest Kanye West and wife Bianca Censori are splitting up, days after a viral red carpet stunt that saw her parade naked

Argentina's Schwartzman retires from professional tennis

Buenos Aires (AFP) – Argentina’s Diego Schwartzman, a former world number eight, ended his professional tennis career on Thursday with a bruising defeat by Spain’s Pedro Martinez in the second round of the Argentina Open.

Argentina's Diego Schwartzman in his final match against Pedro Martinez at the Argentina Open on Thursday

Swinton lashes out as she receives Berlin festival award

Berlin (AFP) – British movie star Tilda Swinton lashed out at the “state-operated” crimes of “greed-addicted governments” as she received a special award on the first day of the Berlin Film Festival on Thursday.

Tilda Swinton lashed out at 'greed-addicted governments' in her acceptance speech for a special award at the Berlin Film Festival

Argentina records lowest monthly inflation in 4.5 years

Buenos Aires (AFP) – Argentina recorded a monthly inflation rate of 2.2 percent in January, the lowest in 4.5 years, the INDEC national statistics agency said Thursday, in a boost for budget-slashing President Javier Milei.

Javier Milei waves a chainsaw during a campaign rally in San Martin, Buenos Aires province, Argentina in September 2023

Trump eyes summit with Xi

Washington (AFP) – Donald Trump unveiled an extraordinary vision of a shake-up to the world order Thursday, eyeing a three-way summit with the Russian and Chinese leaders just a day after saying he had agreed with Vladimir Putin to start Ukraine peace talks.

US President Donald Trump has cast himself in his second term as a global peacemaker