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Summer brings overtourism fears for 'Bavarian Caribbean'

A picture-perfect Alpine mountain lake in Germany draws so many visitors every summer that the first thing they see is crowded busses, traffic jams and a packed-out carpark.

Rebrand of US culture 'fixture' Cracker Barrel sparks backlash

Cracker Barrel has a special place in the hearts of many Americans, offering homestyle American cuisine in a folksy "Old Country Store" setting complete with rocking chairs and occasional country music performances.

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'Barbie' trounces 'Oppenheimer' at N.American box offices in 'historic' weekend

With legions of pink-clad moviegoers swarming theaters, Warner Bros.' "Barbie" conquered North American box offices in its debut weekend, raking in $155 million, Sunday estimates showed -- nearly double the cash of its second-place competitor.

Iran's Zoroastrians keep ancient, sacred flame burning

A Zoroastrian priest dressed in white carefully added wood to a fire that has burned for centuries inside an Iranian temple, sacred to one of the world's oldest religions.

Twitter challenger Threads struggles for traction

After a wildly successful first few days, Threads popularity has waned in the weeks since Meta launched its challenge to Twitter, which lives on despite its problems.

UK band The 1975 nix Indonesia gig after Malaysia LGBTQ uproar

British indie-rock band The 1975 cancelled a concert in Indonesia Sunday, after Malaysia axed a festival over a same-sex kiss and tirade against the country's anti-LGBTQ laws by their frontman.

'Barbenheimer' frenzy hits North American cinemas

Dolls in neon pink dreamhouses, scientists at Los Alamos, or both?

Biden secures tech safety pledges over 'enormous' AI risks

President Joe Biden evoked AI's "enormous" risk and promise Friday at a White House meeting with tech leaders who committed to guarding against everything from cyber-attacks to fraud as the sector revolutionizes society.

Indian stars bring superhero show to strike-hit Comic-Con

With strikes keeping Hollywood actors away from Comic-Con, megastars of Indian cinema stole the spotlight with the splashy launch of an ambitious new sci-fi that merges Hindu mythology with "Star Wars."

'Barbie' delayed in Pakistan province over 'objectionable content'

The "Barbie" film's release was delayed in Pakistan's Punjab province Friday over "objectionable content", officials said.

Tony Bennett, last of classic American crooners, dead at 96

Tony Bennett, the last in a generation of classic American crooners whose ceaselessly cheery spirit bridged generations to make him a hitmaker across seven decades, died Friday in New York. He was 96.

Tech titans promise watermarks to expose AI creations

The White House said Friday that OpenAI and others in the artificial intelligence race have committed to making their technology safer with features such as watermarks on fabricated images.

Dutch museum exhibit with Beyonce raises tempers in Egypt

In a Dutch museum the sound of hip-hop blares out next to sarcophagi and statues, in what curators say is an attempt to show the influence of ancient Egypt on black musicians.

War 'pain' to pastries: new path for Russia ex-diplomat in Uruguay

In Uruguay, thousands of kilometers from the war waged by her country of nationality on her country of birth, Ukrainian-born Russian diplomat Ekaterina Germanovich saw her life changed irrevocably by the conflict.

Presumed Beethoven skull fragments return to Vienna

Skull fragments, presumed to be from Ludwig van Beethoven, have returned to Vienna, where the legendary 19th century German composer was buried, experts said Thursday.

Spanish court opens new tax probe into singer Shakira

A Spanish court said Thursday it has opened a new probe into Colombian music superstar Shakira for alleged income tax fraud.

No stars? Comic-Con returns to roots as Hollywood strikes

A-listers are skipping this week's Comic-Con due to a historic Hollywood strike -- but while some ticketholders are disappointed, long-standing comic book fans are delighted to have their world-famous event back.

'Oppenheimer' a warning to world on AI, says director Nolan

The story of the invention of the atomic bomb told in the new film "Oppenheimer" is a "warning" to the world as we grapple with artificial intelligence, insists the movie's director Christopher Nolan.

Rapper's Delight as New York celebrates 50 years of hip-hop

From a display of Jay-Z lyrics on the facade of the Brooklyn Library to a concert of rap pioneers at Yankee Stadium, New York is celebrating 50 years of hip-hop, a genre born in its ghettos and now dominant around the world.

Netflix adds 6 mn subscribers after password crackdown

Netflix on Wednesday said subscriptions to the media streaming service climbed by nearly 6 million in the wake of its crackdown on password sharing.

Naples fetes Italy's great tenor Caruso with new museum

A century and a half after his birth, Italian tenor and opera legend Enrico Caruso is finally being celebrated by his hometown of Naples with a new museum.

EU digital chief urges TikTok to quickly adopt new rules

The European commissioner overseeing the digital market on Wednesday urged Chinese video-sharing platform TikTok to accelerate its adoption of new EU standards.

Filipino Barbie fans flock to see fantasy film

Hundreds of Filipino Barbie fans dressed in pink expressed joy and relief Wednesday at the opening of the film about the famous doll that many had feared would be banned.

Free divers find love and death in Netflix's 'Deepest Breath'

Early in "The Deepest Breath," an underwater drone follows free diver Alessia Zecchini as she plunges 100 meters down into the ocean's dark depths, and back up, all on a single breath.

Paris Titanic exhibition opens in shadow of explorer's sub disaster death

A major exhibition dedicated to the Titanic opened in Paris on Tuesday, with many of the objects on display brought up from the ship's wreck by a French deep-sea explorer who died in a submersible disaster last month.

'Let's go party!' Barbie readies to paint world pink

The world is about to be hit by a pink tsunami as "Barbie" -- Hollywood's ironic new take on the doll feminists once loved to hate -- opens with a vast marketing campaign.

Egypt union bans US rapper Travis Scott's pyramid concert

The Egyptian musicians' syndicate announced Tuesday it would not allow a planned concert at the Giza pyramids by US rapper Travis Scott, in a rare move citing offence to "traditions".

Unlikely hit 'Sound of Freedom' opens new front in US culture wars

With superhero movies, video-game adaptations and sequels bombing and getting panned by critics, Hollywood was braced for another disappointing year -- until an unheralded thriller about child trafficking upended industry expectations.

Taylor Swift sets women's record for most number one albums

Taylor Swift now has more number one albums than any other female artist in history following the recent release of "Speak Now (Taylor's Version)," Billboard said Monday.

London exhibition spotlights migrant business owners

From the co-founder of retail giant Marks & Spencer to the owners of a family-run Chinese takeaway, a new exhibition is showcasing migrant entrepreneurs and the role they played in moulding Britain.

'Call of Duty' to remain on Playstation

Tech giants Microsoft and Sony reached a deal to keep releasing the popular "Call of Duty" video games on the Playstation game console, Microsoft announced Sunday.

Jane Birkin, British-French celebrity and style icon, dies at 76

Jane Birkin, the British-born singer and actress who became a style icon in her adopted France, has died, a close source said on Sunday. She was 76.

'Stunning' cache of gold coins found in Kentucky cornfield

A trove of more than 700 gold coins dating back to the US Civil War found buried in a cornfield in the state of Kentucky is being put up for sale and is expected to reap millions.

Japan animator Miyazaki's first film in a decade released

Oscar-winning animator Hayao Miyazaki's highly-anticipated film -- his first feature in a decade and probably his last -- was released in Japan on Friday.

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