For now, it may be just a hobby, but for the costumed fans at the Comic-Con pop culture expo this past weekend, dressing up can be a first step toward an entertainment career.

Costume play — or cosplay — has become a huge component of Comic-Con. Thousands of fans, and some celebrities, too, elaborately disguise themselves as their favorite characters from comic books, movies, TV, video games and anime. Taking photos of the coolest cosplayers is part of the convention experience.

Olivia Jordan of Oklahoma was crowned Miss USA on Sunday, wearing a hot pink strapless dress as she deftly fielded the interview portion of the competition by saying the country needed to improve race relations to beat out 50 other contestants.

After weeks of controversy generated by pageant co-owner Donald Trump's critical comments about Mexican immigrants, the pageant passed with no mention of the real estate mogul who was not in attendance.

Close friends and family paid respects Sunday to cinema legend Omar Sharif, who will forever be remembered as the eponymous "Doctor Zhivago", at a solemn funeral in his native Egypt.

Sharif, 83, died on Friday of a heart attack in an upmarket Cairo clinic after a struggle with Alzheimer's disease.

A new documentary has set off an uproar in Israel for its peek into the family life of the country's most reviled prisoner — the man who assassinated Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin nearly 20 years ago.

Despite an effort by Israel's culture minister to sideline the film, audiences packed a hall this week for back-to-back screenings of "Beyond the Fear." The film explores the thorny drama of a Moscow-born intellectual who married assassin Yigal Amir after he was sentenced to life in prison and, following a court battle for a conjugal visit, gave birth to their son in 2007.

An old woman dressed as a zombie. A man disguised as a drag-queen Joker. Entire families kitted out as superheroes.

At first glance, the crowds at Comic-Con International in San Diego can look like they've escaped from a strange sect.

Big record stores, streaming services and hit charts adjusted longtime practices as the music industry Friday began a coordinated global release for new albums.

For the first time most new albums will be released in all formats on Fridays everywhere in the world, ending regional divergences that industry players found increasingly anachronistic in the age of instant digital music.

French fashion designer Christian Audigier, who made his fortune with "street wear" which became a hit with celebrities, including Madonna and Kim Kardashian, has died in Los Angeles aged 57.

"He died yesterday at the Cedars-Sinai hospital, of cancer," Michele Elyzabeth, who had been his spokeswoman, told AFP.

Egyptian-born film legend Omar Sharif, who died Friday aged 83, captivated audiences worldwide for more than half a century, but will forever be remembered as the eponymous "Doctor Zhivago".

Known for his debonair style, raffish good looks and often mischievous joie de vivre, Sharif, who also gained worldwide fame as a bridge player, had Alzheimer's disease.

With 3D-printed jackets, medieval capes and boys dressed as girls, the designers of Paris's haute couture shows kept the glitterati guessing this week as they presented their fantastical vision of autumn and winter trends.

Not that most people will be wearing them.

Spanish singing legend Julio Iglesias has announced a new album of songs inspired by Mexico, scotching speculation that the 71-year-old is retiring.

Latin music's top-selling artist said he will release on Friday the single "Fallaste Corazon" ("You Failed, Dear"), the first track on his album "Mexico - Julio Iglesias" that will come out September 18.