China detains prominent artist, citizen journalist in latest sign of dissent crackdown
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From jobs to food, Houston is most diverse large city in the US
When people think about the US state of Texas, they often think of cowboys in big hats and pointy-toed boots. But Texas is more than that. A study found that its biggest city, Houston, is the most diverse large city in the US. This is reflected in the immigrants and the many cuisines and cultures …
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K-pop documentary looks at how industry embraces diversity
SEOUL, South Korea — An Apple TV+ documentary series, “K-pop Idols,” premiering Friday, offers an intimate look at how the K-pop industry is embracing diversity while grappling with challenges in a field that demands perfection. The six-part series features Korean American star Jessi and up-and-coming K-pop bands like Cravity and Blackswan, documenting the highs and lows …
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Stranger who offered to pay for sewing classes saved his life
New York is one of the fashion capitals of the world, but the industry has made fewer strides in advancing and promoting minorities. In the uptown neighborhood of Harlem, a program is tapping into community talent, led by a local who almost missed out on the industry entirely. Tina Trinh reports. Videographer: Ting-Yi Hsu …
Party of one: Restaurants cater to growing number of solo diners
NEW YORK — Parisa Imanirad, a scientist and cancer researcher from San Francisco, is married and has a wide circle of friends. But once or twice a week, she goes to a restaurant by herself. Imanirad said dining alone gives her time to think or read. She tries not to touch her phone and relishes the …
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At US theme parks, Halloween celebrations start in summer
los angeles, california — Halloween has arrived earlier than ever at major U.S. theme parks, as operators such as Disney, Six Flags, and Universal Studios seek to expand their reach and build on consumers’ love of spooky costumes and scares. Theme park operators have introduced a range of attractions, live performances, merchandise and food and beverages …
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‘Deadpool’ tops box office charts again, ‘Reagan’ beats expectations
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George Clooney, Brad Pitt disappointed their new film skips cinemas
Venice, Italy — Hollywood heavyweights George Clooney and Brad Pitt admit they are disappointed their latest comedy “Wolfs” is not getting a broad cinema release and instead heading almost straight onto Apple TV. “It is a bummer,” Clooney said on Sunday, adding that television streamers, such as Apple AAPL.O, were nevertheless vital to the future of …
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Minority athletes hope their Olympic journeys will sway intolerant hearts and minds
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In Malawi, a budding musician defies old age, discrimination
Blantyre, Malawi — A 72-year-old woman has shot to music stardom in Malawi, challenging societal norms in a country where elderly people are often abused, tortured or even killed over false accusations of witchcraft. Christina Malaya, now popularly known by her stage name, Jetu, is breaking the internet with her amapiano-style tracks. Jetu started her music …
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Pickleball picks away at American tennis
New York — Does American tennis have a pickleball problem? Even as the U.S. Open opened this week with more than a million fans expected for the sport’s biggest showcase, the game’s leaders are being forced to confront a devastating fact — the nation’s fastest-growing racket sport (or sport of any kind) is not tennis but …
Catholic diocese sues US over foreign-born priests’ expiring visas
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Vanuatu ancestral relics, trafficked as art to New York, return home
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Palestinian TikTok star dies in Israeli airstrike
CAIRO — It was another day of war in Gaza, another day of what 19-year-old Palestinian TikTok star Medo Halimy called his “Tent Life.” As he often did in videos documenting life’s mundane absurdities in the enclave, Halimy on Monday walked to his local internet cafe — rather, a tent with Wi-Fi where displaced Palestinians can …
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NY nonprofit reclaims centuries-old cemetery for enslaved people
KINGSTON, New York — On a residential block in upstate New York, college students dug and sifted backyard dirt as part of an archeological exploration this summer of a centuries-old cemetery for African Americans. Now covered with green lawns in the city of Kingston, this spot in 1750 was part of a burial ground for people …
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China’s summer movie ticket sales nearly halved amid sluggish economy
WASHINGTON — Movie ticket sales in China have generated more than $1.5 billion so far this summer, a little more than half of last year’s record total of $2.89 billion, according to China’s Film Data Information Network, an institution directly under the Central Propaganda Department. Summer is usually one of three lucrative periods for China’s movie …
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In photos: Spain’s annual food fight festival ‘La Tomatina’
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Venice will surge with star power, from Lady Gaga to Pitt to Clooney
rome — Stars from Angelina Jolie to George Clooney will gather this week at the Venice Film Festival, bringing a high dose of Hollywood pizzazz back to the watery city’s sandy Lido. With 21 films vying for the top Golden Lion prize, the 81st edition of the prestigious festival kicks off Wednesday, with Lady Gaga, Daniel …
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‘Deadpool’ and ‘Alien’ top box office charts again; ‘Blink Twice’ sees quiet opening
Los Angeles — In a sleepy summer weekend at the box office, holdovers reigned supreme as newcomers landed without a splash. “Deadpool & Wolverine” reclaimed first place at the North American box office in its fifth weekend with $18.3 million. Its cumulative international earnings now sit at over $1.2 billion. The Walt Disney Co., which owns …
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US rapper Macklemore cancels Dubai gig over alleged UAE role in Sudan war
Dubai, United Arab Emirates — U.S. rapper Macklemore has announced he is cancelling an upcoming show in Dubai over the UAE’s involvement in the conflict in Sudan, charges the Gulf state has denied. The rapper best known for hits like 2012’s “Thrift Shop” made the announcement in a post on social media on Saturday. “I have …
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Fragile but unbroken, Afghan glassblowers refuse to quit
Herat, Afghanistan — Seated in front of a searing furnace, Ghulam Sakhi Saifi teases forth sinews of molten blue glass — the guardian of an Afghan glassblowing trade refusing to break with tradition. “This is our art, our inheritance. It has fed us for a long time,” he told AFP, resting from the work that has …
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US crossword fan creates puzzles celebrating Black heritage
NEW YORK — It started a couple of years ago when Juliana Pache was doing a crossword puzzle and got stuck. She was unfamiliar with the reference that the clue made. It made her think about what a crossword puzzle would look like if the clues and answers included more of some subjects that she was …
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Spanish athlete with albinism fled Mali, now chases gold at Paralympics
LUGO, Spain — When Adiaratou Iglesias crossed the finish line at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games, she did not know she had bagged a gold in the women’s 100-metre T13 race until she was told. The visually impaired Spanish athlete, who goes by Adi and also won a 400m silver in Tokyo, said she now dreamed …
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Babe Ruth’s ‘called shot’ jersey could auction for $30 million
DALLAS, Texas — Nearly a century after Babe Ruth called his shot during the 1932 World Series, the jersey worn by the New York Yankees slugger when he hit the home run to center field could sell at auction for as much as $30 million. Heritage Auctions is offering up the jersey Saturday night in Dallas. …
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