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UK mansion where 'listeners' spied on Nazi generals becomes museum

Upstairs, Nazi generals enjoyed wine and lounged in elegant rooms. Downstairs in the basement, a team of covert listeners followed their chatter, gleaning vital insights into Germany's war plans.

Millions of Thais banish the booze for Buddhist Lent

With her palms pressed together and her head bowed, Wassana Nak-umma vowed to give up alcohol for three months, joining millions of Thais in an abstinence campaign blending public health with spirituality.

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French content creators gear up to influence presidential election

Politicians want to meet them, the media want to hire them -- content creators, seen as a key to reaching their young followers, are readying to be players in the 2027 presidential campaign.

CBS News fires '60 Minutes' veteran Scott Pelley

CBS News fired longtime "60 Minutes" correspondent Scott Pelley on Tuesday following clashes over the show's future, the latest shakeup under the network's new leadership.

By the power of great skills: Nicholas Galitzine on He-Man transformation

In "Masters of the Universe," the insecure Adam transforms into He-Man simply by wielding the Sword of Grayskull.

David Beckham to get star on Hollywood Walk of Fame

Football superstar David Beckham is to be honored with a star on Hollywood's Walk of Fame, organizers announced Tuesday, as the United States readies to host the World Cup.

Turkey raps Kanye West for offending 'spiritual sensitivities'

Turkey on Tuesday expressed alarm over a weekend gig by Kanye West in Istanbul attended by nearly 120,000 fans, saying it included elements that offended its spiritual sensitivities.

US woman influencer cautioned after admitting London assault

A US woman influencer with ties to President Donald Trump's MAGA movement has admitted to assaulting a woman at a London Tube station last year, a court was told Tuesday.

Indie horror flicks 'Obsession' and 'Backrooms' draw Gen Z to cinema

The multi-million-dollar openings of indie horror flicks "Obsession" and "Backrooms" have Hollywood buzzing about the 20-something YouTuber directors who are driving Generation Z audiences to the theater in droves.

Ukrainian haiku poet finds small miracles in war

A temperamental lift leads to the apartment in central Ukraine of a 27-year-old poet celebrated in Japan but almost unknown in her own country.

'Messi, Maradona, Tim': NZ footballer's viral fan club hits 4 million

New Zealand footballer Tim Payne's online fan club soared past four million on Tuesday, more than the All Blacks, after an influencer picked him out as the "least known" player at the World Cup.

Happy birthday: Hollywood honors Marilyn Monroe, 100 years on

Hollywood wished a breathy "Happy Birthday" to Marilyn Monroe on Monday as Tinseltown celebrated 100 years since the birth of one of its most famous daughters.

Fans furious at Travis Scott's 20-minute Istanbul debut set

US rapper Travis Scott angered fans in Istanbul after a performance that barely lasted 20 minutes, with the audience booing as he left the stage early Monday, footage on social media showed.

'Backrooms', based on YouTube horror series, breaks box office records

A24's "Backrooms," the big screen adaptation of a viral YouTube horror series, smashed several box office records with an $81.5 million North American debut, US media reported Sunday.

Italy bans Kanye West concert over security concerns

A concert by the US rapper Kanye West, who was supposed to perform on July 18 in Reggio Emilia in northern Italy, has been banned on public safety grounds, the authorities said.

Drag queens and Minecraft players converge on Rotterdam for TwitchCon

A venue in Rotterdam turned itself over to fantasy dress-up and gamer fanaticism on the weekend, with thousands attending TwitchCon Europe.

British naked chalk giant gets spruced up

Getting hot and sweaty in a British heatwave, volunteers from home and abroad have been hard at work all week to restore a historic naked chalk giant dubbed "Rude Man" on a hillside in southwest England.

Kanye West cleared to play in Netherlands

US rapper Kanye West, whose concerts have been banned in several European venues over controversial antisemitic remarks, may perform in the Netherlands for two concerts in June, officials said Friday.

Polka-dots and hypnotic riffs fuel viral duo Angine de Poitrine

It's at the wacky end of the rock spectrum, but an unlikely recipe of polka-dot pyjamas, floppy-nosed masks and hypnotic guitar riffs has propelled Canadian duo Angine de Poitrine to viral stardom.

War trauma pushes more Ukrainians to become artists

For years, 36-year-old Ukrainian artist Olena Kharakhulakh had put her art on hold, choosing instead a steady job designing glass objects for a company.

'Robots need clothes': humanoids hit catwalk in Seoul

There were no naked robots in sight at a fashion show held in Seoul with a high-tech twist, where pairs of people and humanoids hit the catwalk in matching outfits.

Light, flight, and rights: 250 years of US history in 30 objects

How do you choose just 30 artifacts from millions to encapsulate 250 years of American history?

Bluesky accounts hijacked in pro-Russia propaganda campaign

A Russian influence campaign hijacked hundreds of Bluesky accounts -- many belonging to influential Americans -- to spread propaganda, researchers said, in a striking disinformation tactic that weaponized authentic identities rather than relying on fake accounts.

Legacy of Himalaya's 'Sherlock Holmes' lives on in digital

In a crowded Kathmandu restaurant far from Nepal's famed icy peaks, Billi Bierling questions climbers about their ascents, preserving each triumph in the Himalayan Database, mountaineering's revered 60-year-old register of success.

The Golden Trailer Awards: Hollywood's 'Oscars' for movie previews

The Golden Trailer Awards, which recognize the people behind Hollywood's best-made movie previews, returns for its 26th edition Thursday.

Austrian jihadist jailed for 15 years for Taylor Swift concert attack plan

An Austrian court on Thursday sentenced a 21-year-old who admitted plotting a foiled jihadist attack on a Taylor Swift concert to 15 years in jail.

French AI firm Mistral announces deals with BMW, Airbus

French AI firm Mistral on Thursday announced partnerships with carmaker BMW and aerospace company Airbus as it aims to boost its growth by fostering links with defence and industry giants.

Matthew Perry assistant imprisoned over fatal drug injections

The personal assistant who repeatedly injected Matthew Perry with ketamine before he died was sentenced to prison on Wednesday, becoming the fifth person to face justice over the "Friends" star's fatal overdose.

Kanye West to play Istanbul show on May 30

US rapper Kanye West, whose concerts have been banned in several European venues over controversial antisemitic remarks, will appear in Istanbul on May 30, organisers said.

Madrid pumps up the volume on Latin music

Puerto Rican superstar Bad Bunny kicks off a series of 10 concerts on Saturday in Madrid, a city with a booming Latino population now emerging as a new hub of the Latin music industry.

Hitting the high notes: Pilot Daniel Harding named as chief of LA Philharmonic

Daniel Harding, a British conductor with a storied career leading Europe's top orchestras, will take the helm of the Los Angeles Philharmonic, the institution announced Tuesday.

Sonny Rollins, last jazz 'colossus,' dead at 95

Sonny Rollins, the "Saxophone Colossus" whose hard-charging yet flowingly meditative works made him the last in a golden era of jazz greats, died Monday. He was 95.

Thai beer heir sexual abuse allegations ignite rare public reckoning

A high-profile alleged sexual abuse case within a wealthy Thai beer brewing family has prompted a wave of painful accounts from survivors of unconnected abuse in the conservative country.

'Spider-Noir' brings a mature superhero to the small screen

While stars of the Spiderman franchise have trended younger over the years -- from Tobey Maguire to Andrew Garfield to Tom Holland -- the new series "Spider-Noir" starring Nicolas Cage explores a more mature version of the web-slinging superhero.

The Japan Times - Culture (English)