Thousands of half-naked revelers will pelt each other with squishy tomatoes on Wednesday in Spain's Tomatina, a world-renowned fiesta stained this year by a row over its privatization.

Popular with visitors from Britain, Australia, the United States and Japan, the Tomatina brings the small eastern town of Bunol to world attention once a year for an orgy of goo dubbed "the world's biggest food fight".

Spanish tenor Placido Domingo presented Tuesday the latest edition of Operalia, a competition he described as the "Olympics of the opera".

The contest showcasing young opera stars was founded in 1993, and this year 40 singers from 17 countries including the United States, Russia and China are taking part.

Leonardo DiCaprio has nominated Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper to do the ice bucket challenge.

DiCaprio was in Canada's northern Alberta last week visiting the oilsands to do research for an environmental documentary.

It has Al Pacino and zombie girlfriends, Owen Wilson and Lars von Trier.

The 71st Venice Film Festival opens this week, bringing 11 days of high art and Hollywood glamour to the canal-crossed Italian city.

Miley Cyrus said when she stole the night at last year's MTV Video Music Awards, she didn't realize her impact and influence. Now, the singer says she wants to use her powers for good.

The 21-year-old is assisting the Hollywood homeless center My Friend's Place by launching a Prizeo campaign, urging her feverish fans to donate to the cause assisting homeless youth. Cyrus brought a member of the center as her date to Sunday's VMAs at The Forum in Inglewood, California, letting him accept her award for video of the year.

Japanese pop-metal group Babymetal have toured with Lady Gaga and attracted monster crowds in America and Europe with their sugar-coated hard rock, but the schoolgirl trio have even bigger plans -- to conquer the world.

Dressed in 'Lolita-style' frilly red skirts and their hair in pigtails, the teenagers told AFP in a recent interview at Tokyo's Summer Sonic music festival that the band's whirlwind success has fueled their appetite to dominate the heavy metal scene.

"Modern Family" won a record-tying fifth best comedy series Emmy Award and a dominant "Breaking Bad" captured the top drama award and a trio of acting honors in the ceremony.

Bryan Cranston was honored Monday night ceremony as best actor in a drama for "Breaking Bad," proving that "True Detective" nominee Matthew McConaughey's movie-star appeal couldn't conquer all.

They don't call her Queen Bey for nothing.

Beyonce not only stole the show at the MTV Video Music Awards on Sunday night, she used the moment to erase the cloud around her family with an adorable appearance by daughter Blue Ivy and one by doting husband Jay Z to finish off the night.

With a staggering 19 nominations, royal feud saga "Game of Thrones" will cast a long shadow over Monday's Emmy awards, akin to the Oscars of U.S. television.

Based on George R.R. Martin's best-selling novels about power struggles between dueling clans in seven mythical kingdoms, it won most nominations overall -- including for best drama series.

Everybody knows that wine should have a good nose, but one South African vintner wants the world to believe it also needs a good ear.

In a gentle valley near Stellenbosch in the Western Cape, the vineyards at DeMorgenzon estate are serenaded by baroque and early classical music day and night, all year round.