France's culture minister on Wednesday blocked actress Julie Gayet from becoming a jury member of a prestigious French academy in Rome following revelations she was having an affair with President Francois Hollande.

Investigative weekly Le Canard Enchaine revealed that the 41-year-old had been nominated before Christmas as a member of the 2014 jury for a French academy at the sumptuous Villa Medici, which every year selects a group of French-speaking artists for a 12- to 18-month residency.

Celebrations broke out in the Philippines Wednesday after a Filipina who has spent nearly half her life as a carer overseas won Israel's first "X Factor" competition.

Rose Fostanes, one of millions of Filipinos working abroad, won the television talent show late Tuesday with a rendition of Frank Sinatra's "My Way" that delighted fans in both countries.

New movies starring Ethan Hawke, Lea Seydoux and Forest Whitaker will screen at the 64th Berlin film festival next month, along with a host of hard-hitting Asian fare, organizers said Wednesday.

Completing its program for the competition at the 64th annual event, Europe's first major new cinema showcase of the year, the "Berlinale" said 20 pictures would vie for its Golden Bear top prize awarded on February 15.

Kristen Stewart has signed on to play the lead in "Like Crazy" director Drake Doremus' futuristic love story "Equals," and it's making her a nervous wreck.

"I can't believe I agreed to do it," said the "Twilight" actress about her upcoming role in the sci-fi drama, which also stars Nicholas Hoult of the upcoming "X-Men: Days of Future Past."

Former Beatles Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr will perform at the Grammys later this month, as the legendary group is given a lifetime achievement award, organizers said Tuesday.

It was not immediately known what the duo will play at the ceremony, music's biggest honors, on January 26 at the Staples Center in Los Angeles.

Detectives searching pop singer Justin Bieber's Los Angeles mansion over an egg-throwing attack seized illegal drugs and arrested one of the singer's associates on Tuesday, officials said.

Los Angeles Sheriff's Department officer Dave Thompson said an individual was arrested after the drugs were discovered in "plain view" as deputies combed through Bieber's luxury home in the upmarket enclave of Calabasas.

The 86th Academy Awards ceremony on March 2 will pay tribute to movie heroes from past and present, producers said Tuesday of the much-anticipated Oscars, the climax of Hollywood's awards season.

After last year's musical theme, producers Craig Zadan and Neil Meron -- back for a second year -- said in a statement that they wanted to "unify the show with an entertaining and emotional theme."

The world's longest-running TV soap opera, Britain's "Coronation Street", is to feature a Muslim family for the first time in its more than 50-year history, its producers said.

The bosses of the show, which screens on Britain's commercial ITV network, admitted it was "bizarre" that it had not included a Muslim family before.

The producers of "American Idol" say the show's new season will include changes to freshen it, including expanded song choices for contestants.

After tending toward a fair amount of golden oldies, the show's song list will add more current tunes that the young contestants can relate to, executive producer Per Blankens said Monday.

This Valentine's Day, why not offer your loved one a timeless Broadway romance — without ever leaving your neighborhood?

Content provider Screenvision and the new company BroadwayHD teamed up to record the recent Orlando Bloom-led production of "Romeo and Juliet" and broadcast it to movie theaters across the country.