BRUSSELS (AFP) ― Belgium rolled out the red carpet for Tintin, its most celebrated son, as Steven Spielberg offered a Hollywood-style premiere of his blockbuster-to-be to enthusiastic crowds in the comic book hero’s home city.“It is a great honor for us to bring Tintin home,” Spielberg told a news c

A spectator takes a photograph of the Occupy Wall Street protests in Zuccotti Park in New York on Tuesday. (AP-Yonhap News)NEW YORK (AP) ― Some women from Kansas were taking in as much of New York City as they could Wednesday. They hopped on a subway, watched the construction at the World Trade Cent

Do you like your vodka classical? Or are you a little bit rock-n-roll? Whatever your taste, there’s a label out there for you as liquor producers join forces with some big names.One of the newest brands to get in the musical spirit is Hard Rock Vodka, made by Boca Raton, Florida-based Ultimate Bever

IMPHAL, India ― Mexican jalapenos, Sichuan mala peppers, African kambuzi ― mere child’s play.Although many places claim to have the maddest, baddest chile this side of Hades, northeast India’s “ghost chile” is scientifically recognized as the hottest commercial chile pepper on the planet, 200 times

SALZBURG, Austria (AFP) ― “The Sound of Music,” the musical made world famous by the 1965 film starring Julie Andrews, has never been performed in the picture-postcard Austrian city of Salzburg where it is set.But on Sunday this will change as the Salzburg State Theatre premieres a sell-out German-l

LONDON (AFP) ― Booksellers in Britain were expecting to sell thousands of copies of Japanese author Haruki Murakami’s latest novel on Tuesday as excitement built after some stores held special late-night openings.Hardback versions of the book, “1Q84,” went on sale across Britain a week ahead of its

LONDON (AFP) ― British author Julian Barnes on Tuesday won the Man Booker Prize, one of the highest-profile awards in English-language literature, at the fourth attempt for his novel “The Sense of an Ending.”Barnes picked up the 50,000 pounds ($80,000) award, which recognises the best work of fictio

LOS ANGELES (AP) ― Nine women were honored at the annual Women in Hollywood event, yet two ladies in particular stole the show.Viola Davis surprised her fellow honorees and an audience of Hollywood insiders Monday night by announcing she had adopted a baby girl.And Barbra Streisand was repeatedly cr

NEW YORK (AP) ― A month before the winners are to be announced, this year’s National Book Awards have become a story of embarrassment.Within just a few days, children’s author Lauren Myracle has been a nominee, a non-nominee, a nominee again and, finally, a non-nominee, asked to withdraw over mistak

AMSTERDAM (AP) ― Two American authors believe Vincent van Gogh was fatally shot by two teenagers and did not die from self-inflicted wounds, but the new theory won a skeptical reception Monday from experts at the museum dedicated to the 19th century Dutch master.A book by Pulitzer prize-winning auth

BALTIMORE (AP) ― After more than a decade of restoration and study, the public is getting a glimpse at the oldest surviving copy of works by an ancient Greek mathematical genius at the Walters Art Museum in Baltimore.The exhibition, “Lost and Found: The Secrets of Archimedes,” which opened Sunday, t

LOS ANGELES (AFP) ― A U.S. actress has lodged a $1 million lawsuit against Amazon accusing the Internet giant of revealing her age on the film industry website IMDB by using personal details from her credit card.The actress, who asked for her identity to be masked and is referred to only as “Jane Do

KINGSTON (AP) ― Jamaica on Monday awarded the late reggae singer Dennis Brown with one of its highest civic honors, a fitting tribute for a musician who is more beloved than Bob Marley among many Jamaican reggae fans.Some 12 years after his death, the former child star who became known as the Crown

WASHINGTON (AFP) ― “Sesame Street” returned to cyberspace on Monday after its YouTube channel was targeted by unknown hackers who replaced Ernie, Abby, Big Bird and the Cookie Monster with hardcore porn.YouTube, owned by Google, pulled the channel down Sunday when its wholesome children’s fare was r

FORT WORTH, Texas (AP) ― Works by Italian artist Caravaggio are on display along with pieces by those influenced by him in an exhibit in Fort Worth, Texas.“Caravaggio and His Followers in Rome” opened Sunday at the Kimbell Art Museum. The exhibit, which runs through Jan. 8, features 10 works by Mich

LOS ANGELES (AP) ― Lady Gaga enjoyed her “first real Marilyn moment” with former President Bill Clinton.“I always wanted to have one, and I was hoping that it didn’t involve pills and a strand of pearls,” she joked.The envelope-pushing pop superstar was one of several musicians who performed Saturda