By Lilit Marcus and Saki Toi, CNN (CNN) — Geisha and maiko (teenage apprentices training to become geisha) are women who perform Japanese traditional arts such as singing, dancing and playing instruments to entertain customers while they dine and drink. Many of them work and reside in Gion, an elegant and historic quarter of Kyoto,
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CNN By Alexandra Banner, CNN (CNN) — Today is February 29, a leap day that occurs every four years to keep our calendar in sync with the seasons. Without the extra days, the summer we generally experience in June would eventually arrive in December after several centuries. Here’s what else you need to know to Get
Continue Reading By Alli Rosenbloom, CNN (CNN) — Rebecca Ferguson may use “the Voice” while playing her powerful “Dune” character, but she also knows how powerful her own voice can be in real life. On Tuesday’s episode of podcast series “Reign with Josh Smith,” the actress recalled a time where she spoke up against a former costar
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CNN By Dan Heching, Brian Lowry and Alli Rosenbloom, CNN (CNN) — Comedian and actor Richard Lewis, whose self-deprecating humor and acerbic wit in shows like “Curb Your Enthusiasm” and “Anything but Love” entertained audiences for decades, has died, according to his publicist Jeff Abraham. He was 76. Abraham said in an email to CNN that the
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By Dan Heching, Brian Lowry and Alli Rosenbloom, CNN (CNN) — Comedian and actor Richard Lewis, whose self-deprecating humor and acerbic wit in shows like “Curb Your Enthusiasm” and “Anything but Love” entertained audiences for decades, has died, according to his publicist Jeff Abraham. He was 76. Abraham said in an email to CNN that the entertainer
Continue Reading By Alli Rosenbloom, CNN (CNN) — Haunting first-look images of Bill Skarsgård and FKA Twigs in the upcoming remake of the 1994 noir thriller “The Crow” were released on Wednesday, bringing renewed focus and honor to the classic’s original star, the late Brandon Lee. “Brandon was an original voice and I think he will always
Continue Reading By Lisa Respers France, CNN (CNN) — Ryan Gosling isn’t just Ken, he’s also now officially a celebrated singer. It was announced Wednesday that the “Barbie” star will perform the movie’s hit song “I’m Just Ken,” along with collaborator Mark Ronson at this year’s Academy Awards ceremony. Producers of the Oscars appear to be leaning
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By Lisa Respers France, CNN (CNN) — Madonna has honored a request from the estate of the late R&B singer Luther Vandross. The singer has removed an image of Vandross from her tribute performance of “Live to Tell” in her “Celebration Tour” that includes a visual montage of artists such as Freddy Mercury, Keith Haring
Continue Reading By Issy Ronald, CNN (CNN) — Families attending a Willy Wonka-inspired event in Glasgow, Scotland were promised “optical marvels” and “extraordinary props” for a £35 ($44) ticket, but when they arrived they found a sparsely decorated warehouse and offered a quarter cup of lemonade — or limeade when supplies ran out. People there became so
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CNN By Issy Ronald, CNN (CNN) — Families attending a Willy Wonka-inspired event in Glasgow, Scotland were promised “optical marvels” and “extraordinary props” for a £35 ($44) ticket, but when they arrived they found a sparsely decorated warehouse and offered a quarter cup of lemonade — or limeade when supplies ran out. People there became
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By Lisa Respers France, CNN (CNN) — Score one for Drew Barrymore’s kid. During a recent episode of her daytime talk show, Barrymore and singer Christina Aguilera talked about communication with their young children. Aguilera said that while she’s very open with her children, she tries to find age-appropriate strategies to talk with them about
Continue Reading By Katie Hunt, CNN (CNN) — Archaeologists have unearthed a 2,000-year-old clay head that once belonged to a Roman figurine of the god Mercury. The rare artifact, discovered at an archeological site at Smallhythe Place in Kent, England, provides evidence of a previously unknown Roman settlement that was in use between the first and third
Continue Reading By Scottie Andrew, CNN (CNN) — Among contemporary readers, a few genres are reliably popular: Crime thrillers, for one, or twisty mysteries that can be turned into limited TV series, or historical dramas that speak to the current moment. But when it comes to the literary flavor that’s dominating readers’ attention in 2024, it’s clear:
Continue Reading By Jack Guy, CNN (CNN) — Mac Sinise, the son of “Forrest Gump” actor Gary Sinise, has died at the age of 33 following a long illness with a rare form of cancer, his family has announced. He died on January 5 and was laid to rest on January 23, according to a tribute published
Continue Reading By Abel Alvarado and Jessie Yeung, CNN (CNN) — Mexico’s most dangerous active volcano spewed ash and smoke on Tuesday, with photos showing massive columns of gray emissions – large enough to ground nearby flights. The Popocatépetl volcano sits in central Mexico between the states of Morelos, Puebla and the State of Mexico. Ash fall was
Continue Reading By Amy Cassidy and Chris Stern, CNN (CNN) — Israeli journalist and film director Yuval Abraham said he is receiving death threats and has canceled his flight home from the Berlin International Film Festival amid backlash to an acceptance speech in which he decried the “situation of apartheid” and called for a ceasefire in Gaza.
Continue Reading By Philipp Meier, CNN Bangkok (CNN) — Nilas Corneliussen doesn’t need much sleep. In fact, the 32-year-old finds it unsettling when a city turns quiet at night. “I’m both a night and morning person,” says the Swedish-born executive head chef of Nordic-Asian fusion restaurant Villa Frantzen, one of only two Nordic restaurants in Thailand’s capital.
Continue Reading By Alli Rosenbloom, CNN (CNN) — Adele is postponing upcoming dates of her Las Vegas residency “Weekends with Adele” after falling ill. “Sadly, I have to take a beat and pause my Vegas residency,” she wrote on her Instagram page on Tuesday. “I was sick at the end of the last leg and all the
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By Alli Rosenbloom, CNN (CNN) — Taylor Swift knows the power of a sweet treat. Thanks to her well-known love of baking, the “Karma” singer won over her boyfriend Travis Kelce’s Kansas City Chiefs teammates the old-fashioned way: by baking them “homemade Pop-Tarts,” according to the team’s coach Andy Reid. Revealing that “behind the scenes,
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By Lisa Respers France, CNN (CNN) — Gabourey Sidibe and her husband Brandon Frankel are growing their family. The Oscar nominee announced Tuesday on social media that they are expecting twins, with something of a humorous caption. “I’m pregnant! We thought it was time to give our cats some responsibility so we’re giving them each
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