international news, features and analysis from Africa, the Asia-Pacific, Europe, Latin America.

  The world’s first public movie screening was a far cry from today’s red carpet premieres, with just 30 people in attendance for an event that lasted some 20 minutes at a Parisian cafe on December 28, 1895. Now, Sotheby’s is auctioning the poster for that event, held by filmmaker brothers  Auguste Lumière and Louis Jean Lumière . It is likely the first film poster ever made . The design by artist Henri Brispot is one of 164 rare film posters for sale in an online auction  held by Sotheby’s London beginning August 28. The poster, which optimistically predicted a much larger crowd than the premiere actually received, carries a pre-sale estimate of £40,000 to £60,000 ($50,830 to $76,240). The auction house calls it “the ultimate collector’s poster,” adding that “this exceptionally rare piece has only surfaced a few times.” The sale runs through September 4 and also includes rare film posters from the James Bond series,  2001: A Space Odyssey, St...

  Many historians believe that the world’s first swimming pool was The Great Bath found among the ruins of an ancient civilization in Pakistan. This pool was constructed in the 3rd century BC and made of mud bricks and tar. The Great Bath was roughly 40 feet long, 22 feet wide, and about 8 feet deep. Its original use is unclear but many believe it was used for rituals and religious ceremonies. In the centuries that followed, other civilizations like Ancient Greece and Rome created pools for bathing and ceremonies. In these societies, pools were not luxuries designed just for bathing, but for beautification and aesthetics too. These pools were frequently built in sports clubs and used for games and exercises. The development of swimming pools continued on into the 19th century when competitive swim clubs were established in England. These clubs featured indoor swimming pools with diving boards and room for races. In 1856, the first modern Olympic games were held ...

    ISLAMABAD: The United States diplomatic mission in Islamabad has distanced itself from the high-profile murder of Noor Mukaddam , main accused of which is a US citizen – Zahir Jaffer. The murder and beheading of 27-year-old girl has sparked nationwide outrage with thousands of people calling on the authorities to take the case to its logical end. According to the post-mortem report, she was beheaded after being murdered in Islamabad on July 21. Noor was the daughter of Shaukat Mukadam, a former Pakistan ambassador to South Korea and Kazakhstan. Also read: Zahir confesses to Noor's murder: sources “In a foreign country, US citizens are subject to that country’s laws. When Americans are arrested abroad, the Embassy can check on their well-being and provide a list of lawyers, but cannot provide legal advice, participate in court proceedings or effect [affect] their release,” the US Embassy said in a testament on Tuesday. Zahir, said to be the son of a business tyc...

  When I chose earlier this summer to switch to  iPhone  from using an  Android  phone, I didn't think it was going to matter very much. I have been using Android on my phone for years, making use of the many non-Apple services that are out there to text and video chat friends and family. While I was aware my new phone purchase would provide access to to  iMessage and FaceTime , I considered it to be solely a perk of having an an iOS device. After all, Apple's services like Apple Arcade and Apple Music are often touted as being the best or exclusive to Apple products, but every one of them has rivals that work on both iOS and Android. Surely, I thought, we'd moved past whether someone was a "green bubble" or a "blue bubble" in a text message. But then after I started using my new iPhone, the following messages started coming in from several friends: iMessage is nice, but it shouldn't be vital. ...

  Nearly six years on from the release of Windows 10, Microsoft has finally unveiled the Windows 11 operating system , featuring a cleaner, more Mac-like design and a bunch of new features. Windows 11 will be available as a free download for existing Windows users  during the 2021 holiday season, according to a Microsoft blog post published after the virtual announcement event. However, new clues suggest that the update may actually arrive earlier. (Here's how to download Windows 11 once it's available , and  everything you need to know about Windows 11 .)  The free upgrade will begin to roll out to eligible Windows 10 PCs around the holidays (which would suggest November or December), and will continue into 2022, the post said. No specific date was announced. But it appears that Microsoft and laptop retailers may be hinting at an earlier release time: October.  During the Windows 11 reveal event, a Microsoft Teams message popped up on the demo screen...

 An early preview of iOS 15 and iPadOS 15 is here. We'll tell you where and how to install the new software for iPhone and iPad. Have you signed up for the  iOS 15 or iPadOS 15  public beta yet? The updates are available for those who are willing and brave enough to install the unfinished software to get an early look at all of the new features coming to Apple's devices later this year. As long as you have a  compatible iPhone or iPad (there's a list at the bottom of this post), you can sign up and install the new software. Just remember, you need to be willing to live with software that may not work 100% of the time . This public beta means you're free to tinker with the iOS 15 preview to your heart's content. The update brings plenty of new features to both devices. For example, there are new  FaceTime features  (allowing  Android and PC users  to take part for the first time) and  iMessage improvements  that make it easier t...