3 mins read

Fat Bear Week opens for Alaska’s heavyweight crown. Can Chunk, the 1,200-pound champ, win again?

ANCHORAGE, Alaska | After a summer spent packing away sockeye salmon, Alaska’s heftiest brown bears are ready to throw their weight around. Online voting began Tuesday for Fat Bear Week, the annual contest that pits the rotund residents of Katmai National Park and Preserve against each other for the title of most oversized ursine. Last […]

2 mins read

‘La Bola Negra’ wins TIFF’s People Choice Award, putting it on Oscar path

“La Bola Negra,” the Spanish queer epic about the intertwined lives of three gay men, won the People’s Choice Award at the Toronto International Film Festival on Sunday, confirming its status as a major Oscar contender. TIFF’s top award is voted on by festivalgoers, and it’s become known as one of the most iron-clad Academy […]

6 mins read

Telehealth companies keep exposing their customers’ medical data. What should they do?

WASHINGTON | The appeal of telehealth is easy to explain: Instead of calling a doctor, booking an appointment and hoping to eventually get a prescription, you can log onto an app or website and get approved for a new medication within minutes. Since the COVID-19 pandemic, scores of online health services have launched with the […]

5 mins read

The centuries-old Japanese art of ikebana draws those seeking calm

TOKYO | Ikebana, the Japanese art of arranging flowers, is a form of expression that dates back more than 500 years. It continues to blossom, quietly, not only with traditionalists but also with newcomers who find its blend of creativity and mindfulness to be restorative. Ikebana can be a bit like solving a puzzle, except […]

7 mins read

New book by Princess Diana’s brother prompts war of words with King Charles III

LONDON | A book published Tuesday by the brother of the late Princess Diana has made headlines around the world with its damning allegations about Diana’s ex-husband, now King Charles III, and reopened decades-old wounds within Britain’s royal family. In “Swan Song: Diana, My Sister,” Charles Spencer alleges that he argued with the then-Prince Charles […]

5 mins read

Movie Review: In ‘Heart of the Beast,’ Brad Pitt and a dog try to survive in the wild

Brad Pitt loves a lone wolf character. Even in ensembles, he’s often the quiet one just to the left (but, you know, still the focus). The guy who sees everything and says little, drawing people, when there are any, into his orbit with sheer charisma. Small talk is for the strivers, not the stars, maybe? […]

5 mins read

There’s an easy way to get rid of all the reusable bags piling up in your home

NEW YORK | When professional home organizer Britnee Tanner visits her clients, she often spots extra reusable bags buried under the kitchen sink or stuffed in a corner of the pantry. “They just are sneaky,” said Tanner, who lives in Salt Lake City. “I purchased a handful of these and then somehow I’ve collected ones […]

2 mins read

Munich’s Oktoberfest roars to life as the mayor taps the first keg

MUNICH | Munich’s Oktoberfest kicked off Saturday with the city’s mayor tapping the first keg of beer and opening the 191st edition of the world’s largest folk festival. Mayor Dominik Krause put the first keg on tap with only two strokes and the traditional cry of “O’zapft is” — or “It’s been tapped.” Thousands of […]

6 mins read

What to stream: ‘A Different World,’ ‘Toy Story 5’ and Kenny Chesney

The Disney+ debut of “Toy Story 5” and a new album from Kenny Chesney are some of the new television shows, films, music and games headed to a device near you. Also among the streaming offerings worth your time this week, as selected by The Associated Press’ entertainment journalists: the “A Different World” sequel, “Backrooms” […]

5 mins read

In Chile, even beloved hot dogs feel the economic squeeze

SANTIAGO, Chile | It is lunchtime in downtown Santiago, and dozens of businesses around the Plaza de Armas are serving up one of Chile’s most democratic specialties: the “completo.” For decades, the country’s version of the hot dog has been one of the most affordable foods enjoyed across social classes. But as the cost of […]