PARIS - GIVENCHY designer Riccardo Tisci married severe straps with gauzy, feather-light crepes to create a subversive-yet-feminine silhouette on Tuesday, in what was one of Paris haute couture week's strongest shows yet.

The display's first look set the tone for the rest of the spring-summer collection: A translucent beige tulle blouse revealed a bra-like harness of black leather and silver chains.

LOS ANGELES - THE organisation that presents the Academy Awards is suing an Arizona company that it claims is selling tickets to this year's show.

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences filed a federal lawsuit in Los Angeles on Monday to block Phoenix-based McMurry Inc from selling a luxury ticket package to the Feb 22 show. The seven-night package starts at US$175,000 (S$263,000), according to the lawsuit and McMurry's website.

MADRID - US star Tom Cruise said on Tuesday he hopes Spanish actress Penelope Cruz, a former girlfriend, will win the Oscar for her role in Woody Allen's 'Vicky Cristina Barcelona'.

'It's fantastic. I am very excited by her second nomination. I hope she wins,' he told reporters in Madrid, where he is promoting his new film 'Valkyrie,' when asked about Cruz's best supporting actress nomination.