Cuban revolutionary icon Fidel Castro turns 85 on Saturday amid celebrations in his honor that he so far failed to attend.

Cuba has been partying since Tuesday, with concerts, ballet performances and art exhibitions organized on behalf of the man who led the island nation for nearly 50 years before ill health led him to cede power to his brother Raul in 2006.

Despite a lack of recognition abroad and a drug war that has made tourists flee, Mexico's winemakers see cause to celebrate as drinking habits evolve in the land of tequila.

Production increased almost 40 percent in the past five years, causing cheer at the annual Vendimia harvest festival in Baja California, where 90 percent of Mexico's wine is produced.

U.S. President Barack Obama shrugged off his political woes and swept into New York City on Thursday for a star-studded fundraising blitz which could net his 2012 reelection bid $2.3 million.

The president, trying to bounce back from the worst week of his crisis-hit White House term so far, rubbed shoulders with Gwyneth Paltrow, Vogue editor Anna Wintour and R&B diva Alicia Keys at a top dollar fundraiser.

Bruno Ganz, considered as one of Switzerland's greatest actors, was to be honored by the Locarno festival Thursday before the screening of his latest film.

In French director Patricia Mazuy's "Of Women and Horses", Marina Hands is a young rider on a quest for a horse and Bruno Ganz is a legendary trainer.

Melanie Moore flew away with the grand prize on "So You Think You Can Dance."

Viewer votes awarded the pixie-haired 19-year-old college student the title of "America's Favorite Dancer" and the $250,000 prize.

Christina Aguilera is lending her voice to a Michael Jackson tribute concert planned for October in Wales.

Organizers of "Michael Forever — The Tribute Concert" announced Thursday that Aguilera would be joined by members of the Jackson family, Cee Lo Green, Leona Lewis and the band Alien Ant Farm, which is known for its cover of Jackson's song "Smooth Criminal."

Kate Moss felt inspired to get married by watching the British reality show "Big Fat Gypsy Weddings" which follows real-life gypsy women planning to get married.

The September issue of Vogue magazine goes inside the supermodel's July wedding to musician Jamie Hince. Moss says she was charmed by the extravagance of gypsy weddings with wedding gowns that are like "blinging butterflies times ten."

About 400 couples are competing in this year's World Tango Championships beginning next week in Argentina's capital, organizers said Wednesday.

More than 500 artists also will participate in the festival that starts Tuesday and runs through Aug. 30.

Alec Baldwin says he's thinking of running for mayor of New York, but not until he learns more about the job.

The "30 Rock" actor tells The New York Times he'll sit out the 2013 race but will consider running in a later election.

Even though she's got her own fashion line, Lourdes Leon — better known to the masses as Lola, the daughter of Madonna — admits that she had a lot to learn when she first launched the Material Girl brand.

"It was really hard at first because I didn't know what I was doing," Lola, dressed in a tank top and jean cutoffs, said in a recent interview. "I was like, 'You know, not a lot of people wear this. Let me just wear it.' It wasn't even that it looked good on me. I was just like, 'Let me do this because not a lot of people are doing it.' Now I feel like I can follow fashion a lot better than I used to, but also have some of my own take on it."