Entertainment News Archives - Page 2 of 34

German Baumkuchen ‘tree cake’ survived a disaster and world wars to become a Japanese favorite

NINOSHIMA, Japan (AP) — Baumkuchen originated in Germany but has become a wildly popular sweet in Japan, where a prisoner of war on a small western island started making the treat that has thrived in its new homeland. Today, the confectionery known as tree cake because of the resemblance to a trunk with rings is considered a symbol of longevity and prosperity in Japan. Baumkuchen festivals are regularly held. At an outdoor welcome center on Ninoshima island near Hiroshima, visitors learn how prisoner of war Karl Juchheim baked the first batch of Baumkuchen more than a century ago.… Continue Reading

Pope Leo XIV celebrates cinema with Hollywood stars and urges inclusion of marginal voices

VATICAN CITY (AP) — Pope Leo XIV has welcomed Spike Lee, Cate Blanchett, Greta Gerwig and dozens of other Hollywood luminaries to a special Vatican audience. Leo encouraged the filmmakers and celebrities gathered in a frescoed Vatican audience hall to use their art to include marginal voices. He called film “a popular art in the noblest sense, intended for and accessible to all.” The encounter was organized by the Vatican’s culture ministry and follows on similar audiences Pope Francis had in recent years with artists and comedians. But it also seemed to have particular meaning for history’s first American pope, who grew up in Chicago in the heyday of Hollywood.… Continue Reading

Bible described as the ‘Mona Lisa of illuminated manuscripts’ goes on display in Rome

ROME (AP) — One of the most spectacular examples of Renaissance illuminated manuscripts is going on rare public display as part of the Vatican’s Holy Year celebrations. The 15th century Borso D’Este Bible is known for its miniature paintings in gold and Afghan lapis lazuli. It was unveiled Thursday in the Italian Senate, where it will remain on display until Jan. 16. It is usually kept in a safe at a library in Modena and is rarely exhibited publicly; it was transported to Rome under heavy security. The Bible was created between 1455 and 1461. The Italian Culture Ministry considers it one of the highest expressions of miniature art “that unites sacred value, historic relevance, precious materials and refined aesthetics.”… Continue Reading

A look at the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame 2025 inductees and how they were honored

LOS ANGELES (AP) — The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame has inducted its 2025 class, celebrating influential musicians and figures. The ceremony took place Saturday at Los Angeles’ Peacock Theater, featuring tributes, speeches, and performances by artists like Soundgarden, Salt-N-Pepa, and Big Boi of Outkast. Artists become eligible for induction 25 years after their first release. This year’s inductees include Outkast, Bad Company, Salt-N-Pepa, Chubby Checker, Joe Cocker, Cyndi Lauper, Soundgarden, Warren Zevon, Thom Bell, The White Stripes, Carole Kaye, Nicky Hopkins, and Lenny Waronker.… Continue Reading

Farmers’ Almanac says it will cease publication after 208 years, citing financial challenges

A 208-year-old publication that farmers, gardeners and others keen to predict the weather have relied on for guidance will be publishing for the final time. Farmers’ Almanac said Thursday that its 2026 edition will be its last, citing the growing financial challenges of producing and distributing the book in today’s “chaotic media environment.” Access to the online version will cease next month. The Maine-based publication was first printed in 1818. It’s distinct from the Old Farmer’s Almanac in neighboring New Hampshire. Both publications were among hundreds of almanacs that served a nation of farmers over two centuries ago. Most were regional publications and no longer exist.… Continue Reading

Slime, Battleship and Trivial Pursuit join the Toy Hall of Fame

The gooey, sticky and often-homemade plaything slime was enshrined into the National Toy Hall of Fame on Thursday along with perennial bestselling games Battleship and Trivial Pursuit. The Hall of Fame in Rochester, New York, honors toys that inspire creative play across generations. Battleship and Trivial Pursuit have each sold over 100 million copies. Slime has been sold commercially since 1976 but is also a popular DIY project. The National Toy Hall of Fame is located inside The Strong National Museum of Play.… Continue Reading

Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade: Which stars are joining this year’s lineup?

NEW YORK (AP) — Ciara, Foreigner, Lil Jon and Kool & the Gang will feature in this year’s Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. The event will also spotlight “KPop Demon Hunters” with performances by the film’s singers and themed balloons. The parade kicks off on Nov. 27, featuring 32 balloons, 27 floats and 11 marching bands — all leading to Santa Claus. Broadway shows and the Radio City Rockettes will perform. Four new character balloons, including Buzz Lightyear and Mario, will debut. Spectators can expect performances from stars like Debbie Gibson and Shaggy, with marching bands from across the U.S. and Panama.… Continue Reading

Heidi Klum reveals her much-anticipated 2025 Halloween costume

NEW YORK (AP) — Heidi Klum has revealed her latest Halloween costume, donning green scales and squirming snakes to transform herself into Medusa. Klum says she loves the Greek myth in which a goddess turns a beautiful woman into a monster with serpents for hair, the sight of which turns living things around her to stone. Klum said she spent 10 hours getting into costume for her annual Halloween party. Klum’s husband dressed as a man turned to stone. The supermodel-turned-TV personality went viral in 2022 when she arrived at her party on the end of a fishing line, encased in a slithering worm costume.… Continue Reading

The Louvre reopens 3 days after one of the biggest museum heists of the century

PARIS (AP) — The Louvre has reopened just three days after a daring heist shocked the world. Thieves made off with eight pieces from France’s Crown Jewels, valued at over $100 million. The theft has put President Emmanuel Macron and Louvre chief Laurence des Cars under scrutiny. Authorities say the thieves spent less than four minutes inside the museum on Sunday morning. The jewels remain missing, and the thieves are still at large. The heist has raised questions about the museum’s security, especially after recent staff strikes warned of understaffing. The Louvre has declined to detail any reinforced protocols.… Continue Reading

Amazon cloud computing outage disrupts Snapchat, Ring and many other online services

LONDON (AP) — Amazon’s cloud computing service experienced a major outage on Monday, disrupting many online services like Snapchat, Roblox, and Signal. The issue began around 3 a.m. Eastern Time, affecting Amazon’s own services like Ring and Alexa. Amazon blamed the problem on its domain name system, which translates web addresses into IP addresses. By around 6 a.m., Amazon reported recovery across most services. This isn’t the first time AWS has faced such issues, with previous outages in 2023 and 2021. Experts say these disruptions highlight the internet’s reliance on a few major cloud providers.… Continue Reading