On a sultry afternoon in Washington's Chinatown, dozens of teenage girls tried on silk and satin evening dresses, chose glittery bling and handbags to match, and walked out without paying.

And it was all perfectly legal.

A disgruntled fan Monday emerged as the prime suspect behind a mystery explosion at the Russian equivalent of "Big Brother", which claims to be the world's longest-running television reality show.

The blast early Sunday morning rocked the grounds where "Dom-2" (House-2) is filmed, wounding a security guard. Police later uncovered another more powerful device on the premises which was then made safe.

Libyan rebel fighter Jaad Jumaa Hashmi cranks up the volume on his pickup truck's stereo when he heads into battle against Moammar Gadhafi's forces.

He looks for inspiration from a growing cadre of amateur rappers whose powerful songs have helped define the revolution.

David Beckham, Elton John and Mr. Bean actor Rowan Atkinson will mingle with dozens of royal guests at Prince William and Kate Middleton's wedding, according to an official guest list released Saturday that includes one uncomfortable presence — the Bahraini crown prince accused of a brutal crackdown on protesters.

St. James's Palace also released the seating plan at Westminster Abbey, which showed that relatives of William's mother Princess Diana are sitting across the aisle from the royal family, joining the Middletons in an exception to the traditional division of a church into a bride's side and groom's side.

Kenyan artist Michael Soi followed the recent arrival of the post-poll violence suspects at the International Court in The Hague with interest -- he had painted that very scene three years ago.

"The Hague Express" in charcoal and acrylic, is one of three huge canvasses piled up in the container that serves as Soi's studio.

The royal wedding between Prince William and Kate Middleton on April 29, from A to Z:

A FOR ABBEY: William and Kate will marry in Westminster Abbey, a London church steeped in royal history.

Her voice soaring over the stage, a soprano captures the rebellious, violent passion of Winnie Madikizela-Mandela, in an opera devoted to the former wife of South African icon Nelson Mandela.

"I know I will be demonized and hated in my day, but there is no other way," she proclaims, as the orchestra thunders from the pit. "With our rubber tires and our boxes of matches, we will liberate this land."

French actress Marion Cotillard will join Joseph Gordon-Levitt in the cast of "The Dark Knight Rises," the finale to the recent Batman film series, Warner Brothers said Tuesday.

The film reunites the actors with Christopher Nolan, who recently directed them in the the popular film "Inception."

There's a distinct Hong Kong flavor to the nine-member jury that will decide the Palme d'Or at the Cannes film festival that opens May 11.

Hong Kong director Johnny To and film producer Shi Nansun, wife of director Tsui Hark, are both on the panel that is being led this year by Oscar winner Robert De Niro, said organizers in a statement late Tuesday.

A Lithuanian company said Wednesday it had frozen publication of the local version of "The Simpsons" comic after a fine for advertising Duff beer, the fictional favorite of anti-hero Homer Simpson.

"The fine led the company to take the decision to temporarily suspend publication," Indre Pavilonyte of Media Incognito told Agence France Presse.