MUMBAI, INDIA — Even for the world’s most-populous nation, the scale of a Hindu religious festival being held in India’s northern city of Prayagraj since mid-January is staggering. Surpassing previous numbers, the Maha Kumbh Mela that wraps up Wednesday has drawn more than half a billion devotees in the last six weeks, according to officials. The …
Read more “Half-billion people attend Hindu festival in India”
Archaeologists in Egypt say they have unearthed the ancient tomb of King Thutmose II, the first discovery in 100 years of a tomb of an Egyptian royal. The discovery near Luxor is the first of a pharaonic royal tomb since the treasures of Tutankhamun’s tomb were found over a century ago in 1922, Egypt’s Ministry …
Read more “First Egyptian pharaoh’s tomb discovered since King Tut’s”
ISLAMABAD — Pakistan is ready to host the International Cricket Council Champions Trophy 2025 on Wednesday, with eight teams coming together for a major cricketing event in the country for the first time in three decades. Pakistan last hosted a men’s Cricket World Cup in 1996 under the International Cricket Council. The Champions Trophy will see …
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“Saturday Night Live” has been a staple of American television comedy for 50 years, launching stars and shaping culture. On Sunday night, fans and famous alumni gathered in New York City to celebrate this milestone. Aron Ranen reports from the Big Apple. …
NEW YORK — Paul Simon and Sabrina Carpenter opened the 50th anniversary special celebrating “Saturday Night Live” with a duet of his song “Homeward Bound.” The 83-year-old Simon has been a constant on “SNL” since its earliest episodes in 1975 and performed on the first show after the 9/11 attack. He was joined by the 25-year-old …
London — Papal thriller “ Conclave ” won four prizes including best picture on Sunday at the 78th British Academy Film Awards, where genre-bending musical “Emilia Pérez” proved that it’s still an awards contender despite a multipronged backlash that looked to have dented its chances. “The Brutalist” equaled the awards tally of “Conclave,” scooping four trophies, …
“Captain America: Brave New World” infused some blockbuster cash into the North American box office, bringing in $88.5 million in ticket sales over the weekend, according to studio estimates Sunday. The Walt Disney Co. release is by far the biggest opener of 2025 and the company predicts it will hit $100 million domestically and $192.4 …
Read more “‘Captain America: Brave New World’ soars toward $100 million holiday weekend”
Lima, Peru — Colombian superstar Shakira canceled her Sunday concert in Lima after being hospitalized with an abdominal condition, the singer said. Shakira shared a statement on her Instagram and X accounts Sunday afternoon, saying she is currently hospitalized and that doctors informed her she was not in condition to perform. “I am very sad that …
Read more “Colombian superstar Shakira cancels concert in Lima after being hospitalized”
TEHRAN, IRAN — In a century-old building in Tehran, Saeed Anvarinejad turned the dial of a vintage radio to tune into some of Iran’s earliest recorded sounds, some serving as reminders of the seismic changes that shaped the country’s history. Along with a team of fellow enthusiasts, he spent months tracking down the earliest recordings of …
Read more “Iran’s early recordings revive forgotten sound heritage”
MONTREAL — Three fights in the first nine seconds and a chorus of deafening boos for the US national anthem marked a stormy ice hockey clash between the United States and Canada in Montreal on Saturday. An emotionally charged showdown between the star-studded lineups of the North American rivals — which comes against a backdrop of …
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NEW YORK — By the time Cher sang “If I Could Turn Back Time,” it seemed as if time had indeed been turned back and every single “Saturday Night Live” musical guest of 50 years had magically found their way to Radio City Music Hall. Of course, it was only a smattering. But “SNL50: The Homecoming …
Read more “Stars galore celebrate ‘Saturday Night Live’ in concert”
Russian-born fashion designer Dasha Pomeranz tells stories with the clothing she creates. Her latest collection is a tribute to women who were forced to leave their native countries and start new lives in the United States. Karina Bafradzhian has the story. (Videographer: Sergii Dogotar ; Produced by: Sergii Dogotar, Anna Rice ) …
New York — Paul McCartney’s previous New York-area performance took place three years ago at MetLife Stadium, capacity 82,500. His surprise show Tuesday night at the Bowery Ballroom fit, at most, 575. It was probably less than that since McCartney’s sound board and gear — too much to fit backstage — occupied a portion of the …
Read more “Paul McCartney rocks the Bowery – Inside his surprise NYC concert “
NEW YORK — A giant schnauzer named Monty won the top prize at the Westminster Kennel Club dog show Tuesday night. Monty bested six other finalists to take best in show at Madison Square Garden. The award is considered the most prestigious prize in the U.S. dog show world. Each dog is judged according to how …
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MAYVILLE, N.Y. — Salman Rushdie described in graphic detail Tuesday the frenzied moments in 2022 when a masked man rushed at him on a stage in western New York and repeatedly slashed him with a knife, leaving him with life-threatening injuries. The 77-year-old author addressed jurors on the second day of testimony at the trial of …
The Philadelphia Eagles dominated the Kansas City Chief in this year’s Super Bowl, defeating the reigning champions by a score of 40-22. The Chiefs had been slightly favored to win the game, going into the American football showdown with hopes of winning their third consecutive National Football League title. But the Eagles held the Chiefs …
Most of the commercials airing during this year’s Super Bowl are going for laughs, with advertisers betting that America could use a little break. As the Philadelphia Eagles and the Kansas City Chiefs hit the field in New Orleans, a parade of silly ads will hit airwaves Sunday. Many companies put their ads online ahead …
Read more “Super Bowl commercials rely on comedy, nostalgia to avoid potential missteps”
Did a wide-open Oscar race just get a front runner? Sean Baker’s Brooklyn comedy “Anora” took top honors at both the Producers Guild Awards and the Directors Guild Awards on Saturday night, catapulting it to Oscar favorite status with wins from a pair of closely watched Academy Awards precursors. Hollywood’s award season has been uncharacteristically …
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New York — They’re at the top of their sport. They run, weave and go airborne. And they went all out for this weekend’s championship. Sorry — no, they’re not the Chiefs or the Eagles. They’re the agility dogs at the Westminster Kennel Club show, which began Saturday by showcasing agility and other dog sports. Dog …
Read more “Westminster show’s canine athletes get their piece of Super Bowl weekend”
New York — On a quiet winter weekend at the box office, DreamWorks Animation’s “Dog Man” chased its own tail, repeating as the top movie in theaters. The animated Universal Pictures release, adapted from Dav Pilkey’s popular graphic novel series, collected $13.7 million in ticket sales, according to studio estimates Sunday. Both new releases — the …
Read more “‘Dog Man’ bests ‘Heart Eyes,’ ‘Love Hurts’ at box office”
GRANADA, SPAIN — Narco-musical Emilia Perez won best European film at Spain’s equivalent of the Oscars on Saturday, after social media posts by the movie’s star prompted a backlash in the middle of awards season. The mostly Spanish-language musical tells the story of a Mexican drug cartel boss who transitions to life as a woman and …
Read more “Scandal-hit narco-musical ‘Emilia Perez’ wins Spanish film prize”
NEW YORK — A violin made in 1714 by the legendary luthier Antonio Stradivari sold for $11.3 million at an auction in New York on Friday, short of estimates that would have made it the most expensive instrument ever sold. Sotheby’s auction house had estimated that the “Joachim-Ma Stradivarius” violin could sell for between $12 million …
JUNEAU, ALASKA — The Alaska Legislature passed a resolution Friday urging President Donald Trump to reverse course and retain the name of North America’s tallest peak as Denali rather than change it to Mount McKinley. Trump, on his first day in office, signed an executive order calling for the name to revert to Mount McKinley, an …
Read more “Alaska lawmakers ask Trump to retain Denali’s name, not change it to Mount McKinley”
Ukrainian culture is booming amid the war with Russia. That’s despite the constant rocket attacks and damage to almost 500 heritage sites, according to UNESCO. Experts say Ukrainians have never been as interested in their own culture as they are now. As Lesia Bakalets reports from Kyiv, almost any event is sold out, especially in …