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- Spain factory explosion kills three, injures seven
- US Fed's favored inflation gauge ticks up in October
- Defence lawyers plead to judges in French mass rape trial
- US says China releases three 'wrongfully detained' Americans
- New clashes in Mozambique as two reported killed
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- Chelsea visit next stop in Heidenheim's 'unthinkable' rise
- Former England prop Marler announces retirement from rugby
- Kumara gives Sri Lanka edge on rain-hit day against South Africa
- Namibia votes with ruling party facing toughest race yet
- Spurs goalkeeper Vicario out for 'months' with broken ankle
- Moscow expels German journalists, Berlin denies closing Russia TV bureau
- Spain govt defends flood response and offers new aid
- France says Netanyahu has 'immunity' from ICC warrants
- Nigerian state visit signals shift in France's Africa strategy
- Stock markets waver as traders weigh Trump tariffs, inflation
- Tens of thousands in Lebanon head home as Israel-Hezbollah truce takes hold
- Opposition candidates killed in Tanzania local election
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- New EU commission gets green light to launch defence, economy push
- Opposition figures killed as Tanzania holds local election
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- European stocks drop on Trump trade war worries
- Volkswagen to sell operations in China's Xinjiang
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- Serbia gripped by TV series about murder of prime minister
- Putin seeks to shore up ties on visit to 'friendly' Kazakhstan
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- Pakistan web controls quash dissent and potential
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- Ukraine sees influx of Western war tourists
- Greeks finally get Thessaloniki metro after two-decade wait
- New EU commission to get all clear with big push on defence and economy
- Thousands of Lebanese head home as Israel-Hezbollah truce takes hold
- Australia takes step to ban under 16s from social media
- Volkswagen says to sell operations in China's Xinjiang
- Japan prosecutor bows in apology to former death row inmate
- Thailand to return nearly 1,000 trafficked lemurs, tortoises to Madagascar
- Namibia votes with ruling party facing its toughest race yet
- Indian protest wrestler given four-year ban for avoiding dope test
Taiwan's Golden Horse awards sees return of Chinese stars
Actress Hu Ling on Saturday became the first Chinese film star to walk the red carpet of Taiwan's Golden Horse Awards since 2019, when China boycotted the self-ruled island's biggest awards show over political tensions.
Beijing banned its entertainers from joining Golden Horse, dubbed the Chinese-language Oscars, after a Taiwanese director voiced support for the island's independence in an acceptance speech in 2018.
China claims democratic Taiwan as its own territory and has long blacklisted its stars over any perceived backing for the island's independence.
There were no mainland films in the 2019 nomination list and several Hong Kong movies dropped out that year, while big commercial productions were conspicuously absent at both the 2020 and 2021 awards.
But on Saturday, the red carpet was graced by Hu, nominated for best actress in the education drama "Carp Leaping Over Dragon's Gate".
Dressed in a shimmering gown holding a pineapple in her hands, she was accompanied by Chinese film director Yan Xiaolin -- who was nominated for best original screenplay -- and some of the film's cast.
"Our film's (Chinese) name is 'Pineapple' and Taiwan's audiences have told me that pineapple means good luck" in Taiwanese culture, Hu said in a brief televised interview.
The 48-year-old actress is vying against Hong Kong's Jennifer Yu ("In Broad Daylight") and Chung Suet-ying ("The Lyricist Wannabe") -- who both also attended Saturday's ceremony -- as well as Taiwan's veteran Monica Lu ("Day Off") and 12-year-old Audrey Lin ("Trouble Girl"), the youngest-ever nominee in this category.
Chinese director Huang Ji also walked the red carpet with her Japanese husband Ryuji Otsuka, as the social drama "Stonewalling" they co-directed got four nods, including for best film and best director.
The attendance of the mainland Chinese actors is a departure from previous years.
In 2022, Chinese star Cya Liu -- nominated for best actress for Hong Kong crime thriller "Limbo" -- gave the ceremony a miss, with no reasons given.
Chinese director Huang Shuli collected the best documentary short film award in person last year -- a rare appearance by a mainland filmmaker since the fallout.
This year, Malaysian historical drama "Snow in Midsummer" -- a co-production with Singapore and Taiwan -- is leading the race with nine nods, including best film and best director for Malaysian Chong Keat-aun.
A.Gasser--BTB