No joke: China’s backlash against stand-up stirs fear of comedy clampdown

By Yew Lun Tian and Casey Hall BEIJING/SHANGHAI (Reuters) -One joke by a Chinese comedian about the nation’s military has spurred online uproar, a $2 million fine, a police probe, a sweep of cancelled shows and fears for the survival of Chinese stand-up comedy, a rare refuge for somewhat free speech. The furore over Li…

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‘Killers of Flower Moon’ star says Native Americans need allies like Scorsese

CANNES (Reuters) – Lily Gladstone, who grew up on the Blackfeet Indian Reservation and stars in Martin Scorsese’s study of white society’s treachery, said the director was a powerful ally in telling the world what communities like hers had always known. In the film “Killers of the Flower Moon”, which premiered at this year’s Cannes…

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Mexico City airport resumes operations after volcanic ash forces shutdown

MEXICO CITY (Reuters) -Mexico City’s Benito Juarez International Airport resumed operations on Saturday after it suspended flights for hours due to ash spewing from nearby Popocatepetl volcano. “After removing the volcanic ash, checking the runways and verifying favorable wind conditions, we resumed takeoff and landing operations starting at 10:00 a.m.,” the airport said on Twitter….

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Trump or DeSantis? Neither, say Ukrainian-American voters angry at war stance

By Gram Slattery LEHIGHTON, Pennsylvania (Reuters) – George Stawnyczyj voted for Donald Trump twice. On domestic policy, he gives the former president top marks. But he’ll stay home on Election Day should Trump win his party’s nomination to take on Joe Biden in 2024. Stawnyczyj is an official in the Republican Party in rural Carbon…

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Sean Penn: Studios’ AI stance in Hollywood writers strike a ‘human obscenity’

CANNES (Reuters) – Actor Sean Penn said on Friday he supported striking Hollywood writers and called studios’ rejection of their demand to restrict the use of artificial intelligence in writing scripts a “human obscenity”. “There are a lot of new concepts that are being tossed about, you know, including the use of AI,” Penn said…

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Instagram prepares Twitter competitor for summer release – Bloomberg News

(Reuters) – Meta Platforms’ Instagram is planning to release a text-based app that will compete with Twitter and may debut as soon as June, Bloomberg News reported on Friday, citing people familiar with the matter. The Facebook parent is testing the product with influencers and some creators, according to the report. The company did not…

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US imposes sanctions on hundreds of targets in fresh Russia action

By Daphne Psaledakis and Simon Lewis WASHINGTON (Reuters) -The United States on Friday announced sanctions on more than 300 targets as Group of Seven leaders met in Japan, aiming to punish Russia for its invasion of Ukraine and intensifying one of the harshest sanctions efforts ever implemented. The move, which targets Russia’s sanctions evasion, future…

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Pent-up demand promises record tourist season for southern Europe

By Giselda Vagnoni ROME (Reuters) – After three years of pandemic travel restrictions and rocketing energy costs, tourism is back with a vengeance to boost the economies of southern Europe as sun-seekers make up for lost time. Early bookings suggest Italy, Spain, Greece and Portugal could receive record tourism revenues this year, helping replenish state…

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