Swarms of angels, flying horses and fantastic birds of paradise converged on Vienna's neo-Gothic City Hall on Saturday for this year's Life Ball.

In line with this year's motto -- "Spread the Wings of Tolerance" -- many of the guests to the 19th edition of one of the world's biggest AIDS charity events let their imaginations take flight with their spectacularly colorful fancy dress.

Cambodia's royal oxen shunned rice grain on Saturday during an ancient ceremony to predict the country's agricultural fortunes -- prompting fears of a poor rice harvest among superstitious farmers.

King Norodom Sihamoni presided over the ritual in a park outside the palace where thousands of people watched royal astrologers observing the animals' behaviour.

Hani Abou al-Nasser rolls his eyes, shrugs and lets out a worried sigh as he gestures toward his empty store in the old souk of Damascus.

"I haven't made a penny in four days," laments the 64-year-old. "There is no work. The tourists are gone."

Prince Charles called for the protection of Transylvania's cultural and natural heritage during an interview broadcast late Wednesday by Romanian national TV channel TVR.

"There is still much more to do in Transylvania and throughout Romania with its rich multi-ethnic heritage to ensure that these unique cultural and natural treasures are not lost", he said during a personal visit to the country.

A touring puppet show for the entire family, organized by Dar Onboz and Collectif Kahraba will bring public parks and squares to life through art and culture to the young and old with mobile shows, music, puppets, books, games and storytelling on three consecutive weekends.

The event, called "Nhar W Layl/ Day and Night", will present two performances free of charge to ensure accessibility to the largest number of people in three different locations: Sanayeh park will host the event on May 21-22, Sioufi park on May 28-29, and Horsh Snawbar park on June 4-5.

Philip Roth, America's most decorated living novelist, on Wednesday won the fourth Man Booker International Prize, beating off competition from 12 other authors for the 60,000 pound ($97,500) award.

The prize was first presented in 2005, and is given every two years for a body of work that was written either originally in English or is widely available in English translation.

The prestigious Vienna State Opera will this week mark -- along with the rest of the world of classical music -- the 100th anniversary of the death of composer and conductor Gustav Mahler (1860-1911).

The Austrian capital's legendary Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra, under the baton of Italian maestro Daniele Gatti, will perform Mahler's last completed symphony, the Ninth, in a special memorial concert in the opera house on Wednesday.

Beijing's Forbidden City has scotched plans for an exclusive club inside the historic imperial palace complex that raised hackles at a time when China faces public anger over a growing wealth gap.

State media reported recently that an elite club for the super-rich was being planned for a section of the sprawling complex at the heart of China's capital, which is now operated as a vast museum.

A Hong Kong performing arts school will offer a Cantonese opera degree in the latest effort to preserve the traditional art form designated as a key cultural heritage.

The Academy for Performing Arts said its program will combine theory and practice to prepare students for Cantonese opera careers as performers, educators or arts administrators.

A French writer is to make a complaint alleging Dominique Strauss-Kahn sexually assaulted her in 2002, her lawyer said Monday, after the IMF chief was arrested in New York on a similar charge.

Novelist and journalist Tristane Banon, 31, previously made the allegation against the leading politician in 2007 on television and in an interview with a news website, but she had not made a formal complaint to authorities.