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Tag: Lifestyle

  • I had the most perfect hen do at this villa in the Andalusian mountains

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    It’s worth noting that the villa is around 70km from Malaga airport, and as you ascend into the mountains, the roads can become narrow and difficult to navigate, particularly at night. I’d definitely recommend using the transfer service operated by the villa’s incredibly helpful owner, Alan, or renting a car at Malaga airport. We did neither of these things, instead hopping in a taxi at the airport, and ended up getting lost somewhere in the Andalusian mountains at 11pm which, if anything, made a very memorable start to the hen do which we still laugh about now (well, some of us). Renting a car is also pretty essential if you want to explore the surrounding area, too (Alan recommends visiting the beautiful beaches of Nerja, around 40km away).

    But I won’t lie, we didn’t leave the villa the whole weekend, except for calling a taxi when we needed to pick up extra groceries (read: more wine). And honestly? I have zero regrets. Normally I’m very adventurous when travelling somewhere new – I’m down for any activities and don’t like staying in the hotel too long – but as all brides know, planning a wedding is stressful and time-consuming. All I needed was a few days with my best friends to do, well, not very much at all. Besides, we had everything we needed for a glorious girls’ weekend right there in the villa. It’s the kind of place you’ll never want to leave, even just for a short while.

    Prices start from £2,183 for a four-night stay or from £3,817 for a seven-night stay for 10 people, working out at approximately £55 per person, per night.

    easyJet flights from London Gatwick to Malaga start at £20.99.

    Find out more at oliverstravels.com.

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    Ali Pantony

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  • Roblox steps up age checks and groups younger users into age-based chats

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    Roblox is stepping up its age verification system for users who want to privately message other players and implementing age-based chats so kids, teens and adults will only be able to message people around their own age.

    The moves come as the popular gaming platform continues to face criticism and lawsuits over child safety and a growing number of states and countries are implementing age verification laws.

    The company had previously announced the age estimation tool, which is provided by a company called Persona, in July. It requires players to take a video selfie that will be used to estimate their age. Roblox says the videos are deleted after the age check is processed. Users are not required to submit a face scan to use the platform, only if they want to chat with other users.

    Roblox doesn’t allow kids under 13 to chat with other users outside of games unless they have explicit parental permission — and unlike different platforms, it does not encrypt private chat conversations, so it can monitor and moderate them.

    While some experts have expressed caution about the reliability of facial age estimation tools, Matt Kaufman, chief safety officer at Roblox, said that between the ages of about five to 25, the system can accurately estimate a person’s age within one or two years.

    “But of course, there’s always people who may be well outside of a traditional bell curve. And in those cases, if you disagree with the estimate that comes back, then you can provide an ID or use parental consent in order to correct that,” he said.

    After users go through the age checks, they will be assigned to age groups ranging from under nine, nine to 12, 13 to 15, 16 to 17, 18 to 20 and over 21. Users will then be able to chat with their age group or similar age groups, depending on their age and the type of chat.

    Roblox said it will start enforcing age checks in Australia, New Zealand, and the Netherlands in the first week of December and the rest of the world in early January.

    A growing number of tech companies are implementing verification systems to comply with regulations or ward off criticism that they are not protecting children. This includes Google, which recently started testing a new age-verification system for YouTube that relies on AI to differentiate between adults and minors based on their watch histories. Instagram is testing an AI system to determine if kids are lying about their ages.

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  • Online gambling is everywhere. So are the risks

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    NEW YORK (AP) — Online betting is more accessible than ever, with 14% of U.S. adults saying they bet on professional or college sports online either frequently or occasionally, according to a February poll by The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research. It’s also in the news, with a growing list of sports betting scandals making headlines.

    Public health advocates and personal finance advisers say it’s important to know the risks if you’re going to gamble online.

    “Gambling and ‘responsibly’ seem to be oxymoronic, because if you’re gambling it’s all about risk,” said Caleb Silver, editor in chief of personal finance site Investopedia. “But people still do it. Online gambling and sports betting are only becoming more popular.”

    Since the Supreme Court struck down a ban on sports betting in 2018, 38 states and Washington, D.C., have legalized gambling, according to the American Gaming Association.

    For those new to online gambling, it can be helpful to set limits in advance on how much you’re willing to lose and how much time you’re willing to spend. Many of the platforms and apps that offer gambling, such as FanDuel and DraftKings, include optional safeguards to limit time or losses. Other apps can block access to the platforms for set amounts of time.

    Here’s what to know:

    This article is part of AP’s Be Well coverage, focusing on wellness, fitness, diet and mental health. Read more Be Well.

    Online gambling can be riskier than gambling in person

    The potential losses of digital betting can occur more quickly than in a physical casino, according to Heather Eshleman, director of operations at the Maryland Center for Excellence on Problem Gambling, since people can bet so much so easily and quickly on the internet or apps, with less friction.

    The new prevalence of prediction markets, such as PredictIt and Kalshi, has also created new opportunities to place wagers online on everything from election outcomes to celebrity news to the weather.

    How to tell if you have a problem with online gambling

    According to public health advocates, the biggest warning sign of a problem is if you’re devoting time to online betting that’s taking away from other things in your life — especially your relationships with friends, family, and work. If you’re spending money on gambling that could instead go towards unmet basic needs, that’s also a warning sign.

    “We encourage people to only use money they would use for fun and entertainment, not money that should be used to pay the mortgage or the rent or to pay for food,” said Eshleman.

    Silver echoed this.

    “You have to know before you do it how much you can afford to lose,” he said. “What is your ‘tap out point?’ Those rules have to be firmly established.”

    Ways to limit online gambling

    Most sports betting platforms offer “responsible gambling tools,” according to Eshleman.

    “You can set limits on time, money, deposits, wins, and losses,” she said. “The goal is to set those limits before you start, because if you don’t set them in advance, they’re not really going to work for you. Once you’re into the excitement of it, you’re not going to stop and use those tools.”

    Eshleman recommends apps such as GambBan and BetBlocker, which limit access to gambling sites externally. She also directs those who suspect they may have a problem to use the 1-800-GAMBLER hotline or contact Gamblers Anonymous.

    Know the risks and downsides

    Silver, the head of Investopedia, said he started adding definitions of online betting and gambling terms to the personal finance site when he saw an increasingly “closer connection between sports betting, day trading, options trading, and cryptocurrency trading.” He encourages those who are interested in digital betting to make sure they know what they’re getting into.

    “Before anyone even gets an online (gambling) account, they should be required to know the fundamental terms and rules about the way sports betting works,” he said. “What’s the ‘money line’ or ‘parlay?’ How do odds work? What is the maximum I could lose on this bet?”

    The other thing to do is to “play with no expectation of a return,” he said. “The likelihood is that you will lose. So, if you’re willing to lose, how much are you willing to lose?”

    Cory Fox, senior vice president of public policy and sustainability at FanDuel, who handles the site’s responsible gambling initiatives, compares using the safeguards to wearing a seatbelt when driving in a car and said FanDuel is committed to setting standards for being a responsible operator in the online gambling space.

    Lori Kalani, chief responsible gaming officer at DraftKings, said the site is committed to the same goal and compared using the limit-setting tools to taking Ubers instead of driving on a night when you know you’ll be drinking.

    Fox added that responsible gambling tools are important to help allow FanDuel to maintain its social license. He said that it’s in the interest of the site to make sure its users can be on the site and play for a long time to come.

    Make sure it’s not a coping mechanism

    “If you’re taking care of your mental health, you’re less likely to have a problem with gambling,” Eshleman said.

    Rather than turning to the thrill of placing online bets, Eshleman encourages people to find positive ways to cope with stress — listening to music, taking walks, getting more sleep and exercise, and spending more time socializing. Social gambling is safer than hidden, private gambling, she said.

    “If you’re doing it alone, that’s a red flag that it’s not an activity that’s healthy for you,” said Eshleman. “It all ties in to our basic wellness. I think if people focus on wellness, it will prevent a lot of gambling.”

    ___

    The Associated Press receives support from the Charles Schwab Foundation for educational and explanatory reporting to improve financial literacy. The independent foundation is separate from Charles Schwab and Co. Inc. The AP is solely responsible for its journalism.

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  • How to connect with old friends and why it matters

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    NEW YORK (AP) — When Jennifer Austin met Molly in second grade, they quickly became best friends. They giggled through classes until the teacher separated them, inspiring them to come up with their own language. They shared sleepovers and went on each other’s family vacations.

    But they gradually drifted apart after Austin’s family moved to Germany before the girls started high school. Decades passed before they recently reconnected as grown women.

    “Strong friendships really do stay for the long haul,” Austin, 51, said. “Even if there are pauses in between and they fade, that doesn’t mean they completely dissolve or they go forgotten. They’re always there kind of lingering like a little light in the back.”

    Early friendships are some of the deepest: the schoolmates who shared bike rides and their favorite candy. The roommates who offered comfort after breakups. The ones who know us, sometimes better than we know ourselves.

    But as adults take on jobs and the responsibilities of homes and families, it can be challenging to stay connected with everyone we’ve loved.

    Technology plays a role, too. Loneliness has increased since the television was invented and intensified with the introduction of smartphones, according to psychologist Marisa Franco, a University of Maryland assistant clinical professor and author of “Platonic,” a book about the science of attachment.

    Once they’ve lost touch with friends, some people are reluctant to reach out, fearing rejection. But most of those on the receiving end appreciate the effort more than we expect, Franco said.

    This article is part of AP’s Be Well coverage, focusing on wellness, fitness, diet and mental health. Read more Be Well.

    “People are delighted to hear from their old friends and open to connections,” she said.

    Franco suggests reminiscing about a shared memory to span the time and distance. It can be something as simple as, “This pic came up and I just realized I wanted to check in on you,” she said. Propose a meetup. If the friend lives far away, try scheduling a phone date to catch up.

    Below, six people who tried to rekindle lost friendships reflect on distance, loss and reconnection.

    A missing piece

    Heather Robb and Laine DiPasquantonio were nearly inseparable in their 20s, when they both lived in Boston. They went to concerts and vacationed together. DiPasquantonio was there when Robb met her future husband and attended their wedding as a bridesmaid.

    But sometime after Robb married and DiPasquantonio moved to Colorado, their circle of friends scattered. They became busy raising children, juggling jobs and caring for aging parents.

    “It’s terrible because you don’t know it’s happening,” Robb, 60, said in a joint interview. “I think it was simply space and time. We were all in different cities, we were all in that busy time of toddlers.”

    Years passed with occasional holiday cards and texts but few meaningful interactions. DiPasquantonio saw photos on social media of Robb skiing and traveling with other friends. “I wasn’t sure there was so much room for me, from a distance,” she said.

    “Aww, I feel badly about that,” Robb replied. “I would argue that’s the bad side of social media.”

    The women found their way back to each other when Robb, president of Heather Robb Communications, had a business trip to Denver in April. She called to see if DiPasquantonio wanted to get dinner. “I didn’t know if she was going to be that happy to hear from me. I actually had some trepidation in reaching out,” Robb said.

    When she did, Robb learned her friend was about to undergo surgery for breast cancer. Instead of meeting for dinner, DiPasquantonio, a placement specialist at Harmony Senior Referrals, invited Robb to stay for the weekend. A mutual friend flew out to join them.

    “I was so tickled that you called and wanted to get together. It was awesome,” DiPasquantonio, 63, said during their interview. “What took us so long, right?”

    They’ve remained close since.

    “It just feels so good. It feels like there was a missing piece,” Robb said.

    Just do it

    Reyna Dominguez, 18, had the same best friend since first grade. But when Dominguez moved from Long Island to Brooklyn, her friend began college. Dominguez started working in a salon and their schedules didn’t align. About six months passed without communication.

    After graduating cosmetology school, Dominguez texted her friend to share the news.

    “I was a bit anxious that she was not going to respond. But she did, and I was so relieved and happy,” Dominguez said.

    Now they’re in touch about once a month and planning to get together.

    “It’s important to stay in touch because sometimes I do get lonely, like I have no one to really talk to,” Dominguez said. “But with her, she knows all about my life.”

    Dominguez encourages anyone considering reaching out to an old friend to go ahead. “I say just do it. You have nothing to lose,” she said. “I guess the worst they could do is not respond to you, but I feel like you’ll still be happy with the thought, ‘I tried.’”

    Staying close

    Andrew Snyder’s best friend since 5th grade lives a plane ride away, but that hasn’t stopped them from keeping in touch. They call or email each other at least once a month and see each other several times per year.

    At key points in their lives, they’ve visited each others’ homes “so when we talk about things, we actually can understand,” said Snyder, 50, who teaches philosophy and economics in New York City.

    Living in different cities means it requires work to stay connected, but it’s important to Snyder, who feels that friendships are thinning out as people spend more time looking at cellphone screens.

    “Friendship and cooking your own food, and exercising and being outside, these are the things that used to be real life, and now I think they’re all fading,” Snyder said. “I don’t think the real issue is time anymore. I think the real issue is a sense of overwhelm and a sense of depletion that we all feel.”

    No regrets

    Kim Ventresca, 22, drifted from her best friend while attending college. She reached out a few times and they reconnected when the friend was having a rough time. But they stopped talking again when Ventresca was going through mental health and relationship challenges. Eventually, the other young woman told Ventresca she no longer wanted to be friends.

    “I’ve got some new friends now, and I feel like it’s probably better because some things happen for a reason,” she said. “I’m hoping that she’s alright and that she is doing OK.”

    Ventresca, who works as a social media manager and receptionist in New Jersey, said she still recommends reaching out to missed friends, even if it’s awkward.

    “The worst thing that happens is you get ‘left on read’ or delivered or declined,” she said.

    Secret language

    After Austin’s family moved to Germany, she didn’t see her childhood best friend again for 20 years, through a chance meeting on a New York City subway platform. They reconnected briefly, but contact lapsed again.

    Molly’s 2021 visit with one of her children to a college near Austin’s home provided another chance to restore the friendship. They’ve remained close since.

    “Something at that point just shifted,” Austin, owner of KindPoint Communications, said. “Things really picked up and we just basically outright said, ’Let’s just keep this momentum going. Let’s not wait another 20 years.’”

    ___

    Send your wellness questions and story ideas to [email protected]. Follow AP’s Be Well coverage, focusing on wellness, fitness, diet and mental health at https://apnews.com/hub/be-well.

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  • The next Met Gala exhibit will spotlight fashion across art history

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    NEW YORK (AP) — If there’s been one uniting theme of all the blockbuster fashion exhibits at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, it’s the simple idea that fashion is art.

    “Costume Art,” announced Monday as the next big show at the museum’s Costume Institute — launched by the starry Met Gala in 2026 — aims to make that connection more literal than ever, pairing garments with objects from across the museum to show how fashion has long been intertwined with different art forms.

    Max Hollein, CEO and director of the Met, said in an interview ahead of Monday’s announcement that he hopes the exhibit will take visitors to the New York museum on a (very fashionable) journey through art history, where they will see connections throughout.

    “It’s a show that can really live in fascinating ways at the museum and can pull from all different areas of our collection — paintings, sculpture, drawings,” Hollein said.

    “I hope we all agree that fashion is art,” Hollein added. “But actually I think the exhibition … will make it obvious how fashion is actually happening, so to say, all across the museum and in all different mediums already.”

    The new show will examine the dressed body, and will be organized thematically by different body types, according to the Costume Institute’s curator in charge, Andrew Bolton. It will include the “Naked Body” and the “Classical Body,” for example, but also less expected themes like the “Pregnant Body” and the “Aging Body.”

    “Bustle” by Charles James, right, is displayed at the announcement. (AP Photo/Richard Drew)

    A spandex bodysuit by Belgian designer Walter Van Beirendonck from a 2009 collection, right, is displayed during the announcement, at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, in New York, Monday, Nov. 17, 2025, about the next spring fashion exhibit "Costume Art," which is set to launch at the Met Gala in 2026. (AP Photo/Richard Drew)

    A spandex bodysuit by Belgian designer Walter Van Beirendonck from a 2009 collection, right, is displayed during the announcement. (AP Photo/Richard Drew)

    The connections that will be drawn between artworks and garments will range, curators said in a statement, “from the formal to the conceptual, the aesthetic to the political, the individual to the universal, the illustrative to the symbolic, and the playful to the profound.”

    One example: in the “Naked Body” section, a 1504 print from German artist Albrecht Dürer will be paired with spandex bodysuits by Belgian designer Walter Van Beirendonck from a 2009 collection that revisits the story of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden.

    On hand for Monday’s announcement was Misty Copeland, who recently retired from American Ballet Theatre after a trailblazing career that saw her become the company’s first Black female principal dancer. In her remarks, she spoke of the interplay between fashion and dance and said the show makes a “powerful case for the body, in all its forms, as a work of art, worthy of being seen, elevated, and celebrated.”

    Designer Michel Kors, second left, former Vogue magazine's editor-in-chief Anna Wintour, third left, and Misty Copeland, right, who recently retired from American Ballet Theatre, listen during the announcement, at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, in New York, Monday, Nov. 17, 2025, about the next spring fashion exhibit "Costume Art," which is set to launch at the Met Gala in 2026. (AP Photo/Richard Drew)

    Michael Kors, Anna Wintour and Misty Copeland listen during the announcement. (AP Photo/Richard Drew)

    “Of course, both fashion and dance have long held up an ‘ideal’ body, one that has historically meant thin, white, and female. That bias shaped my own experience,” she said. “Early in my career, I was made to feel that my body didn’t fit the mold. My skin was too dark, my muscles too defined. Being a Black woman and a ballerina was presented almost as a contradiction.”

    Copeland said she fought to challenge that idea and stood “firmly in the value and beauty of my body, and of the many Black and brown dancers whose bodies have so often been overlooked.” The new exhibit — following the lauded “Superfine: Tailoring Black Style,” which focused on Black menswear — adds to that conversation, Copeland said.

    It’s also a show that will have a new home. “Costume Art,” which opens to the public May 10, will inaugurate new gallery space occupying some 12,000 square feet (1,115 square meters), right off the museum’s Great Hall.

    Misty Copeland, who recently retired from American Ballet Theatre, speaks during the announcement, at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, in New York, Monday, Nov. 17, 2025, about the next spring fashion exhibit "Costume Art," which is set to launch at the Met Gala in 2026. (AP Photo/Richard Drew)

    Misty Copeland speaks during the announcement. (AP Photo/Richard Drew)

    That means that when the A-listers come up the main steps on May 4 at the Met Gala — perhaps dressed to channel famous objects of art — they will be only feet from the exhibit, making it easier to view the art before sipping and socializing. (Gala details — such as the celebrity hosts and specific dress code — will be shared later.)

    Hollein said the museum was mainly concerned with giving fashion a more prominent home — and giving regular visitors a smoother experience. In past years, long lines for fashion exhibits would snake through other galleries and create bottlenecks in inconvenient places.

    The new Conde M. Nast galleries — created from what was formerly the museum’s retail store — will house not only all spring Costume Institute exhibits to come, but other shows from different parts of the museum.

    Bolton said in a statement that the gallery space “will mark a pivotal moment for the department, one that acknowledges the critical role fashion plays not only within art history but also within contemporary culture.”

    “Costume Art” opens to the public May 10, 2026, and runs until Jan. 10, 2027.

    ___

    This story has been updated to correct the date of the 2026 Met Gala. It’s May 4, not May 5.

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  • Renton Salvation Army needs Thanksgiving food donations, says SNAP benefits still delayed for some

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    Renton, Wash. – The Salvation Army is stepping up the battle against food insecurity in the western Washington region. 

    What they’re saying:

    The organization says local food pantries need help in restocking their supplies heading into the holiday season.   

    Leaders at the Renton Salvation Army location at 206 S. Tobin say the food has flown off the shelves in recent weeks, when families experienced a gap in SNAP benefits.  

    They say they are running low on some food items with less than two weeks to go until Thanksgiving.   

    “We filled up our freezer with turkeys,” said Captain James Parks at the Salvation Army Hope Market in Renton. “We’ll allow them to shop at our Thanksgiving wall. They can choose some of the items they want.”

    James says the food bank is a “client choice pantry” that allows people to pick up what they need for their families.  

    He says they are getting ready to distribute food for the upcoming holiday weekend. Seasonal donations, like boxes of stuffing and canned yams, are shown on the “Thanksgiving Wall”, pictured below.

    Because there is so much uncertainty surrounding SNAP benefits due to the government shutdown, James says the need is greater than ever. 

    “It is very difficult to keep the shelves full already,” said James. “The past Monday, we saw there were many new clients coming in. Not only were they new clients, but some were clients we hadn’t seen in 3–4 years.”

    Instead of around 150 people coming through the pantry daily, James says the number of clients has gone up to around 200 a day.  He says that’s a 30% increase, and he feels it hasn’t slowed down. 

    “We haven’t seen people receiving their benefits yet. There are still people who are coming who are scared because there are delays in the benefits.”

     He says businesses are feeling pressure too, with the economy putting a damper on the number of rescue donations coming from partners as well. 

      “All these are rescue items,” he said, pointing to some baked goods. “The grocery stores are already tightening their belts, you know, purchasing less, which means there is less waste.”

    James is putting out a call to the community for help.  He says people can donate online at this link, or by dropping off goods in person in Renton.  Soup, canned chicken and tuna and canned fruit are the most needed items at that pantry. 

    “Anybody who would like to drive by and drop those off would really be blessed,” he said.  

    James says the Salvation Army’s Red Kettle campaign has also kicked off for the holiday season and that will, in part, help to fund food pantries just like the Hope Market in Renton. 

    He says more than 20 Salvation Army pantries and meal programs are operating across the Pacific Northwest.  

    “We want our community to know we are here for them,” said James.  

    He says they hope to hand out 400 turkeys at the Renton pantry along with other fixings before Thanksgiving.  

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  • Why are birds perching on only 1 set of power lines in Newark?

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    DEAR JOAN: There is something that I have noticed for years, and I finally decided to ask the only expert I know.

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    Joan Morris, Correspondent

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  • The cutest personalised gift ideas

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    When it comes to finding the best personalised gifts, I like to approach it from every angle. What would my mum love? What would a makeup-obsessed friend want? What would my ex-boyfriend have wanted… besides a break from me? And of course, what do I secretly want? I combine market research with expert insight to create a list that ticks every box.

    With the rest of the Glamour shopping team, I attend product launches and press days to test the latest in fashion, beauty, and lifestyle, hunting down the gifts that are actually worth your money. If a product hasn’t been personally road-tested by me or a Glamour editor, I lean on customer reviews and stick to brands we know and trust.

    When I get my hands on a sample, here’s what I look for:

    • Design — Is it useful, durable and cute enough to actually display?
    • Price point — Would we genuinely spend this much on it?
    • Delivery — How smooth was the shipping, and were there hidden costs?
    • Giftability — Is it something your recipient will not only love, but actually use regularly?

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    Sophie Cockett, Fleurine Tideman

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  • What to Stream: ‘Wicked: For Good’ soundtrack, Ted Danson, ‘The Bad Guys 2’ and Black cowboys

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    Ted Danson’s “A Man on the Inside” returning to Netflix for its second season and Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo belting out the “Wicked: For Good” soundtrack are some of the new television, 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: Aerosmith teaming up with Yungblud on a new EP, “The Bad Guys 2” hitting Peacock and Jordan Peele looking at Black cowboys in a new documentary series.

    New movies to stream from Nov. 17-23

    — “Train Dreams,” (Friday, Nov. 21 on Netflix), Clint Bentley’s adaptation of Denis Johnson’s acclaimed novella, stars Joel Edgerton as Robert Grainier, a railroad worker and logger in the early 20th century Pacific Northwest. The film, scripted by Bentley and Greg Kwedar (the duo behind last year’s “Sing Sing” ), conjures a frontier past to tell a story about an anonymous laborer and the currents of change around him.

    — The DreamWorks Animation sequel “The Bad Guys 2” (Friday, Nov. 21 on Peacock) returns the reformed criminal gang of animals for a new heist caper. In the film, with a returning voice cast including Sam Rockwell, Awkwafina, Craig Robinson, Anthony Ramos and Marc Maron, the Bad Guys encounter a new robbery team: the Bad Girls. In his review, AP’s Mark Kennedy lamented an over-amped sequel with a plot that reaches into space: “It’s hard to watch a franchise drift so expensively and pointlessly in Earth’s orbit.”

    — In “The Roses,” Jay Roach (“Meet the Parents’), from a script by Tony McNamara (“Poor Things”), remakes Danny DeVito’s 1989 black comedy, “The War of the Roses.” In this version, Olivia Colman and Benedict Cumberbatch star as a loving couple who turn bitter enemies. In his review, Kennedy called “The Roses” “an escalating hatefest that, by the time a loaded gun comes out, all the fun has been sucked out.”

    — AP Film Writer Jake Coyle

    New music to stream on Nov. 21

    — Musical theater fans, your time has come… again. “Wicked: For Good” is upon us, and with it comes the release of its official soundtrack. On Friday, after or before you catch the film in theaters, stream its life-affirming compositions to your heart’s content. Might we suggest Ariana Grande’s “The Girl in the Bubble?” Or Cynthia Erivo’s “No Place Like Home?” And for the Jeff Goldblum and Jonathan Bailey lovers, yes, there’s gold to be unearthed, too.

    — Rock this way: Aerosmith is back with new music. Following their 2023 “Greatest Hits” collection and just a few months after the conclusion of their “Peace Out: The Farewell Tour” (the band said it would no longer hit the road due to singer Steven Tyler’s voice becoming permanently damaged by a vocal cord injury ) they’re teaming up with next gen rock ‘n’ roller Yungblud. It’s a collaborative EP called “One More Time,” out Friday. The anthemic opening track, “My Only Angel” sets the tone. What’s another one for the road?

    — AP Music Writer Maria Sherman

    New series to stream from Nov. 17-23

    — Raise your hand if you still miss “Succession” Sundays on HBO. An acclaimed Swedish drama called “Vanguard” debuts Tuesday on Viaplay that’s of the same vein. It’s a dramatization about Jan Stenbeck, one of Europe’s most influential media moguls. There’s ambition, betrayal and yes, sibling rivalry.

    — Ted Danson’s “A Man on the Inside” returns to Netflix for its second season on Thursday. Danson plays a widower named Charles who has found a new sense of purpose as an amateur private detective. In Season One, Charles moved into a retirement home to catch his culprit. In Season Two, he goes back to college to solve a case. Danson’s real-life wife, Mary Steenburgen, joins the cast as Charles’ love interest as he explores the idea of a second chance at romance.

    — Keeley Hawes and Freddie Highmore co-star in “The Assassin” for AMC+. Hawes (“Bodyguard”) plays a retired assassin living in solitude on a Greek island whose peaceful life is turned upside down when her estranged son (Highmoore) comes to visit. When the two find themselves in danger they must work together to stay alive. It premieres Thursday.

    — Jordan Peele has a new documentary series called “High Horse: The Black Cowboy” coming to Peacock on Thursday. The three-part series examines how stories of Black cowboys have been erased from both pop culture and history books.

    New video games to play from Nov. 17-23

    — If you bought Mario Kart World when Nintendo launched the Switch 2 back in June, you may be wondering: Do I really need another racing game? Kirby Air Riders comes from designer Masahiro Sakurai, the mastermind behind Super Smash Bros., so it adds that franchise’s chaotic combat to the mix. Each of the competitors has different weapons and each of the vehicles has different benefits and drawbacks. And everyone can use Kirby’s signature “inhale” technique, which lets you absorb an opponent’s skills by, well, swallowing them. So if you like your racing weird, get your motor running Thursday.

    — Lou Kesten

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  • What to Stream: ‘Wicked: For Good’ soundtrack, Ted Danson, ‘The Bad Guys 2’ and Black cowboys

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    Ted Danson’s “A Man on the Inside” returning to Netflix for its second season and Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo belting out the “Wicked: For Good” soundtrack are some of the new television, 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: Aerosmith teaming up with Yungblud on a new EP, “The Bad Guys 2” hitting Peacock and Jordan Peele looking at Black cowboys in a new documentary series.

    — “Train Dreams,” (Friday, Nov. 21 on Netflix), Clint Bentley’s adaptation of Denis Johnson’s acclaimed novella, stars Joel Edgerton as Robert Grainier, a railroad worker and logger in the early 20th century Pacific Northwest. The film, scripted by Bentley and Greg Kwedar (the duo behind last year’s “Sing Sing” ), conjures a frontier past to tell a story about an anonymous laborer and the currents of change around him.

    — The DreamWorks Animation sequel “The Bad Guys 2” (Friday, Nov. 21 on Peacock) returns the reformed criminal gang of animals for a new heist caper. In the film, with a returning voice cast including Sam Rockwell, Awkwafina, Craig Robinson, Anthony Ramos and Marc Maron, the Bad Guys encounter a new robbery team: the Bad Girls. In his review, AP’s Mark Kennedy lamented an over-amped sequel with a plot that reaches into space: “It’s hard to watch a franchise drift so expensively and pointlessly in Earth’s orbit.”

    — In “The Roses,” Jay Roach (“Meet the Parents’), from a script by Tony McNamara (“Poor Things”), remakes Danny DeVito’s 1989 black comedy, “The War of the Roses.” In this version, Olivia Colman and Benedict Cumberbatch star as a loving couple who turn bitter enemies. In his review, Kennedy called “The Roses” “an escalating hatefest that, by the time a loaded gun comes out, all the fun has been sucked out.”

    — AP Film Writer Jake Coyle

    — Musical theater fans, your time has come… again. “Wicked: For Good” is upon us, and with it comes the release of its official soundtrack. On Friday, after or before you catch the film in theaters, stream its life-affirming compositions to your heart’s content. Might we suggest Ariana Grande’s “The Girl in the Bubble?” Or Cynthia Erivo’s “No Place Like Home?” And for the Jeff Goldblum and Jonathan Bailey lovers, yes, there’s gold to be unearthed, too.

    — Rock this way: Aerosmith is back with new music. Following their 2023 “Greatest Hits” collection and just a few months after the conclusion of their “Peace Out: The Farewell Tour” (the band said it would no longer hit the road due to singer Steven Tyler’s voice becoming permanently damaged by a vocal cord injury ) they’re teaming up with next gen rock ‘n’ roller Yungblud. It’s a collaborative EP called “One More Time,” out Friday. The anthemic opening track, “My Only Angel” sets the tone. What’s another one for the road?

    — AP Music Writer Maria Sherman

    — Raise your hand if you still miss “Succession” Sundays on HBO. An acclaimed Swedish drama called “Vanguard” debuts Tuesday on Viaplay that’s of the same vein. It’s a dramatization about Jan Stenbeck, one of Europe’s most influential media moguls. There’s ambition, betrayal and yes, sibling rivalry.

    — Ted Danson’s “A Man on the Inside” returns to Netflix for its second season on Thursday. Danson plays a widower named Charles who has found a new sense of purpose as an amateur private detective. In Season One, Charles moved into a retirement home to catch his culprit. In Season Two, he goes back to college to solve a case. Danson’s real-life wife, Mary Steenburgen, joins the cast as Charles’ love interest as he explores the idea of a second chance at romance.

    — Keeley Hawes and Freddie Highmore co-star in “The Assassin” for AMC+. Hawes (“Bodyguard”) plays a retired assassin living in solitude on a Greek island whose peaceful life is turned upside down when her estranged son (Highmoore) comes to visit. When the two find themselves in danger they must work together to stay alive. It premieres Thursday.

    — Jordan Peele has a new documentary series called “High Horse: The Black Cowboy” coming to Peacock on Thursday. The three-part series examines how stories of Black cowboys have been erased from both pop culture and history books.

    — If you bought Mario Kart World when Nintendo launched the Switch 2 back in June, you may be wondering: Do I really need another racing game? Kirby Air Riders comes from designer Masahiro Sakurai, the mastermind behind Super Smash Bros., so it adds that franchise’s chaotic combat to the mix. Each of the competitors has different weapons and each of the vehicles has different benefits and drawbacks. And everyone can use Kirby’s signature “inhale” technique, which lets you absorb an opponent’s skills by, well, swallowing them. So if you like your racing weird, get your motor running Thursday.

    — Lou Kesten

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  • What We Lose With Remote Work—and How to Minimize the Damage

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    By

    Peter Cappelli

    and

    Ranya Nehmeh

    Remote and hybrid work have become defining features of the postpandemic economy.

    While most employees seem to love it, the initial optimistic assessment during the pandemic that remote work was a success has given way to a more-sobering reality for many organizations: Performance, collaboration, innovation and workplace culture are taking a measurable hit.

    Copyright ©2025 Dow Jones & Company, Inc. All Rights Reserved. 87990cbe856818d5eddac44c7b1cdeb8

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  • Can’t take hormone therapy for menopause? There are other options

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    Shilpa Gajarawala struggled with hot flashes, night sweats, sleep problems and brain fog. But given her history of breast cancer, treating these menopausal symptoms with hormone therapy wasn’t an option.

    “For two years, I tried to kind of power through,” said the 58-year-old physician assistant from Jacksonville, Florida.

    But doctors say women like Gajarawala don’t need to suffer.

    Though many women take hormone therapy medications to ease menopause symptoms, recently announced label changes may encourage even more to start. But others choose not to use these medications that circulate throughout the body. And doctors advise some to avoid them because they have medical problems such as severe liver disease or a history of heart attack, stroke, blood clots or a type of breast cancer that grows in response to hormones such as estrogen.

    For those people, there are lifestyle changes, medications without hormones and other strategies that can help.

    “The key here is that there’s something for everybody,” said Dr. Stephanie Faubion, medical director at the Menopause Society. “There’s always a solution. We have lots of other options available.”

    This article is part of AP’s Be Well coverage, focusing on wellness, fitness, diet and mental health. Read more Be Well.

    Lifestyle changes

    Boosting physical activity can make a difference. While exercise hasn’t been shown to alleviate menopausal symptoms directly, it can help to shed pounds, which is associated with reductions in hot flashes and night sweats.

    Doctors suggest a mix of aerobic exercise, such as running or walking, and strength training, which slows the loss of bone density.

    Along with exercise, doctors advise watching what you eat.

    Emerging science shows that a “plant-forward diet,” rich in produce and soy and low in oil, may help with managing hot flashes in particular, said Faubion of the Mayo Clinic Center for Women’s Health. Experts aren’t sure why this is true, but some suggest it may be because it also helps with weight loss.

    Another key, doctors said, is to avoid things in the diet that may trigger hot flashes, like caffeine or alcohol.

    Eating well and exercising also help with other midlife health issues, like rising heart and diabetes risks.

    During menopause, the body’s production of the hormones estrogen and progesterone declines greatly. The drop in estrogen levels can lead to higher blood pressure and cholesterol.

    “It’s important that we focus on maintaining cardiovascular health” such as stopping smoking, getting enough sleep and watching stress levels, Faubion said.

    Prescription drugs

    Beyond lifestyle changes, some nonhormonal prescription medicines have been shown to ease menopausal symptoms.

    Antidepressants can help with hot flashes and mood issues. Recent data suggest that a drug for an overactive bladder called oxybutynin may reduce hot flashes while also treating frequent urination that’s common during menopause.

    And doctors pointed to a new drug on the market – Veozah, a brand name for fezolinetant — which works in the area of the brain that controls body temperature and blocks a source of hot flashes and night sweats. Another nonhormonal drug called elinzanetant — marketed as Lynkuet — was recently approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. It works similarly, except it blocks two molecules in the nervous system instead of one.

    One downside of such medications? Possible side effects.

    Veozah’s label includes a federally required warning about the risk of a rare but serious liver injury. Lynkuet’s possible side effects include difficulty staying awake, fatigue and others. Some antidepressants can cause weight gain, although generally in doses higher than those used for menopause symptoms. And oxybutynin can cause dry mouth and, in some people, a condition in which they can’t completely empty the bladder.

    “There’s no medication out there that’s entirely free of risk,” said Dr. JoAnn Manson at Harvard Medical School.

    Other nonhormonal options

    Over-the-counter products can also treat some menopausal symptoms. Lubricants available at drugstores can help women struggling with vaginal dryness.

    Cognitive behavioral therapy, which focuses on changing unhealthy thought patterns and behaviors, has been shown to help women cope with hot flashes.

    “It’s not like it’s going to make you not have a hot flash,” Faubion said. “But it makes them less significant for you and less burdensome.”

    Manson said there’s “moderate evidence” that clinical hypnosis might also help, with some studies showing reductions in the frequency and severity of hot flashes.

    “That seems a promising option,” she said. “But more research is needed.”

    The bottom line is that women don’t have to simply “get through” menopause, said Dr. Juliana Kling, a women’s health expert at Mayo Clinic Alix School of Medicine in Arizona. “I would implore women to have that conversation … about what treatment might be beneficial for them.”

    Gajarawala did that. She now skips red wine, walks at least 10,000 steps a day, practices tai chi and takes an extended-release antidepressant to address her symptoms.

    “It’s been a significant improvement,” she said.

    ___

    The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Department of Science Education and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The AP is solely responsible for all content.

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  • Fully Monty comes with Poms to Perth Ashes spectacle

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    Michelle Rose- Sous Chef creates UK-inspired food specials like Fully Monty Perth Ashes spectacle

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  • Seattle Theatre Group opens Kerry Hall on Capitol Hill

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    SEATTLE – On Saturday, the Seattle Theatre Group (STG) held a grand opening for Kerry Hall, revitalizing historic space for the arts community up on the city’s famed cultural hub of Capitol Hill. The opening comes after an impressive push from students to preserve the building after Cornish College of the Arts announced it would sell the property.

    Kerry Hall will host dance and movement workshops, live music, community showcases and other family-friendly activities at its century-long location on East Roy Street.

    On Nov. 15, public officials, including Seattle City Councilmembers, kicked off the day of festivities with a ribbon cutting around 11 a.m. Then, community organizers gathered for an art market, dance performances, and more.

    Seattle’s historic Kerry Hall over the years (Seattle Theatre Group)

    Kerry Hall grand opening by the Seattle Theatre Group

    What they’re saying:

    “STG celebrates a vibrant new chapter with Kerry Hall, a space that centers creativity, connection, and community,” representatives for the group said in a letter to press on Saturday.

    Seattle’s historic Kerry Hall over the years (Seattle Theatre Group)

    Seattle’s historic Kerry Hall over the years (Seattle Theatre Group)

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    To get the best local news, weather and sports in Seattle for free, sign up for the daily FOX Seattle Newsletter.

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  • How the funny and feminist fashion in ‘Palm Royale’ further the storytelling

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    NEW YORK (AP) — When Kristen Wiig steps out of a vintage Rolls-Royce in the opening scene of Season 2 of “Palm Royale,” she’s sporting a tall, yellow, fringed hat, gold platform sandals and sunny bell bottoms, with fabric petals that sway with every determined step. It’s the first clue that the costumes on the female-driven comedy are taking center stage.

    The Apple TV show made a splash in its first season with the starry cast, high production values and ubiquitous grasshopper cocktail. Wiig’s character, Maxine, tries to break into Palm Beach high society in 1969 and bumps heads with co-stars Carol Burnett, Allison Janney, Leslie Bibb and Laura Dern. But also playing a starring role are the vintage designer frocks that reflect each character.

    Kristen Wiig in “Palm Royale.” (Erica Parise/Apple TV via AP)

    For Season 2, which premiered this week, Emmy-winning costume designer Alix Friedberg says she and her team coordinated “thousands” of looks that reflect the characters’ jet-setting style. She says 50-60% of the brightly colored and graphic print costumes are original vintage designer pieces, sourced by shoppers and costume designers.

    “The looks are so iconic. Sometimes Kristen will walk in in something, and it brings tears to my eyes,” Kaia Gerber — who plays Mitzi — told The Associated Press in a recent interview.

    The creative process entails more than shopping

    If not original vintage, Friedberg’s team builds the costumes, and if a character has to wear an outfit in multiple scenes or in big dance numbers, the team may create duplicates to preserve continuity. Friedberg says she was lucky to find so many vendors with vintage designer pieces in great condition.

    “(Bibb’s character) Dinah wears a few original Oscar de la Renta pieces that are really so perfect. Bill Blass was a big one, Oleg Cassini,” Friedberg says. “There’s a dress that (Janney’s character) Evelyn wears that’s this all emerald green jersey, it’s an original Halston and it’s so stunning on her and it really does sort of evoke what’s to come in the ‘70s.”

    This image released by Apple TV shows Allison Janney in a scene from "Palm Royale." (Erica Parise/Apple TV via AP)

    Allison Janney in “Palm Royale.” (Erica Parise/Apple TV via AP)

    Janney calls Friedberg “brilliant” and marveled at her talent at finding pieces that are like works of art. Some of her favorites were the characters’ après-ski looks in the Swiss Alps — but she finds it hard to pick an ultimate favorite.

    “All of them just make me feel divine. And the hair is just a masterpiece, and the makeup — it all goes together to just create Evelyn and I barely have to do anything,” Janney says.

    Costumes can be funny

    The costumes also help heighten the comedy. Friedberg says Evelyn’s stoic and deadpan character elicits laughs with some of her over-the-top getups.

    “She’s delivering this dialogue, these lines with, like, seven wigs on top of her,” Friedberg says. “The absurdity comes out really in how these women present themselves time and time again. … It was just so much fun to get to laugh and wink at the audience.”

    This image released by Apple TV shows Carol Burnett in a scene from "Palm Royale." (Erica Parise/Apple TV via AP)

    Carol Burnett in “Palm Royale.” (Erica Parise/Apple TV via AP)

    Burnett called costume fittings on the show “great fun” and said they helped her find her character, the scheming Norma. “I work from the outside in. I have to know what I’m going to look like,” she says.

    Norma’s signature turban started as a practical idea to help Burnett save time in hair and makeup. “The first time she put it on, we were both like, ‘Oh, that’s really so fabulous,’ and every time she came out as Norma without the turban, I really missed it,” Friedberg says. “Each time we built her a dress, we always had to sort of think about what the turban would be, and then it started to switch, and we started designing the turbans before the dress!”

    Season 2 of Apple TV’s “Palm Royale” features fabulous costumes and sets, lots of laughs and an undercurrent theme of feminism and female friendship. (Nov. 10)

    Many looks go deeper than sparkly sequins

    The costumes also help set the tone for the female empowerment theme that permeates this season. “Evelyn wore a lot more pants — which seems ridiculous to say today — but back then that was a real power move,” Friedberg says.

    This image released by Apple TV shows Leslie Bibb in a scene from "Palm Royale." (Erica Parise/Apple TV via AP)

    Leslie Bibb in “Palm Royale.” (Erica Parise/Apple TV via AP)

    Bibb had ideas to show how Dinah evolves from her trophy wife persona. “I knew this season was about her finding sort of her own wealth without a man … and what that looked like. I always have been obsessed with Sharon Stone in ‘Casino,’” Bibb says — and so they “stole” a bit of that look. “We really have Dinah going into pantsuits and just a different sense of her and she’s really becoming her most modern self.”

    Friedberg conveyed the privilege and simplicity of the rich men in the series through clothing as well. Josh Lucas plays Douglas, who suffers some disappointments this season, reflected in his costumes.

    “What if we approach Douglas where he’s always been dressed by women in his life? He’s always been dressed by someone else. He’s never shopped,” Lucas says he posed to Friedberg (who happens to be his sister-in-law in real life). “And for the first time, (his wife’s) character is not doing that, so he only has three hole-filled Hawaiian shirts.”

    He’s in fact the rare character who repeats outfits, Friedberg notes. “You can kind of see them, as the series goes along, getting a little bit more and more threadbare,” she says.

    This image released by Apple TV shows Kaia Gerber in a scene from "Palm Royale." (Erica Parise/Apple TV via AP)

    Kaia Gerber in “Palm Royale.” (Erica Parise/Apple TV via AP)

    Gerber’s character gets a major makeover this season after coming into money. The actor gushed about Friedberg’s intentional designs as Mitzi finds her “womanhood and her power.”

    “It was so fun to be able to be wearing these expensive gowns and jewelry and the hair and the makeup, and how that really sort of parallels Mitzi’s inner journey as well,” she says.

    The costumes may be eye candy, but Friedberg says each look also carries deeper meaning.

    “Maxine wears this dress that was an original Oscar de la Renta dress,” Friedberg says. “It’s very much something that Norma would wear, and it is saying to the audience without saying to the audience that she’s arrived, it’s her time, it’s time for her to rule.”

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  • From gowns to pantsuits, Michelle Obama explains her iconic fashion picks in a new book, ‘The Look’

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    WASHINGTON (AP) — On any day during her eight years as first lady of the United States, Michelle Obama said she could go from giving a speech to meeting with a counterpart from another country to digging in her vegetable garden with groups of schoolchildren.

    And her clothes had to be ready for that. There was too much else to do, including raising daughters Sasha and Malia, and she said she did not have time to obsess over what she was wearing.

    “I was concerned about, ‘Can I hug somebody in it? Will it get dirty?’” she said Wednesday night during a moderated conversation about her style choices dating to growing up on the South Side of Chicago to when she found herself in the national spotlight as the first Black woman to be first lady. “I was the kind of first lady that there was no telling what I would do.”

    Obama would become one of the most-watched women in the world, for what she said and did, but also for what she wore. She chronicled her fashion, hair and makeup journey in her newest book, “The Look,” written with her longtime stylist Meredith Koop and published earlier this month.

    The sold-out conversation was taped as part of “IMO: THE LOOK,” a special, six-part companion series to the IMO podcast she hosts with her brother, Craig Robinson.

    She wanted her clothes to be welcoming as well as versatile.

    “The thing about clothes that I find is that they can welcome people in or they can keep people away, and if you’re so put together and so precious and things are so crisp and the pin is so big, you know, it can just tell people, ‘Don’t touch me,’” she said.

    She said she would not wear white to events with rope lines in case someone wanted a hug.

    “I’m not going to push somebody away when they need something from me, and I’m not going to let the clothes get in the way of that,” Obama said.

    Here’s what she said about a few of her notable fashion choices:

    The gown for Obama’s first inauguration

    President Barack Obama and first lady Michelle Obama dance at the Obama Home States Inaugural Ball in Washington, Jan. 20, 2009. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall, File)

    The white, one-shoulder chiffon gown was designed by Jason Wu, then an unknown 26-year-old who was born in Taiwan. But when she stepped out at the inaugural ball wearing the gown, the moment changed Wu’s life. That was by design, she said.

    “We were beginning to realize everything we did sent a message,” Obama said, speaking of herself and her husband, former President Barack Obama. “So that’s what we were trying to do with the choices we made, to change lives.”

    She would continue to help launch the careers of other up-and-coming designers by wearing their creations.

    Chain mail state dinner gown

    President Barack Obama and first lady Michelle Obama wait at North Portico of the White House to greet Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi and his wife Agnese Landini, for a State Dinner, Oct. 18, 2016. (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta, File)

    President Barack Obama and first lady Michelle Obama wait at North Portico of the White House to greet Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi and his wife Agnese Landini, for a State Dinner, Oct. 18, 2016. (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta, File)

    Obama wore the rose gold gown by Versace for the Obama administration’s final state dinner, for Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi in October 2016.

    “So that was a kind of a, ‘I don’t care’ dress,” she said of the shimmery, one-armed gown.

    “I put that on. I was like, ‘This is sexy.’ It’s the last one,” she said, meaning their final state dinner. “All of my choices, ultimately, are what is beautiful — and what looks beautiful on.”

    Pantsuit worn to Joe Biden’s inauguration

    Former President Barack Obama and former first lady Michelle Obama arrive to attend the 59th Presidential Inauguration at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, Jan. 20, 2021, as Joe Biden was sworn in as the 46th president of the U.S. and Kamala Harris became the first woman vice president. (Jonathan Ernst/Pool Photo via AP, File)

    Former President Barack Obama and former first lady Michelle Obama arrive to attend the 59th Presidential Inauguration at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, Jan. 20, 2021, as Joe Biden was sworn in as the 46th president of the U.S. and Kamala Harris became the first woman vice president. (Jonathan Ernst/Pool Photo via AP, File)

    “I was really in practical mode,” Obama said, explaining why she chose the maroon ensemble by Sergio Hudson with a flowing, floor-length coat that she wore unbuttoned, exposing the belt around her waist with a big, round gold-toned buckle. Her boots had a low heel.

    “The sitting president was trying to convince us that Jan. 6 was just a peaceful protest,” she said.

    The inauguration ceremony at the Capitol was held two weeks after the Jan. 6, 2021, riot there by supporters of President Donald Trump who had sought to overturn Biden’s victory.

    She said she had been thinking about the possibility of having to run if something else had happened that day.

    “I wanted to be able to move. I wanted to be ready,” she said. But she and her team “had no idea” the outfit “was going to break the internet,” she said.

    White House East Wing

    Obama also spoke about the East Wing, the traditional base of operations for first ladies that Trump last month tore down to make room for a ballroom he had long desired.

    Former first lady Michelle Obama speaks about her new book "The Look" during an event at Sixth and I, Wednesday, Nov. 12, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Allison Robbert)

    Former first lady Michelle Obama speaks about her new book “The Look” during an event at Sixth and I, Wednesday, Nov. 12, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Allison Robbert)

    Obama described the East Wing as a joyful place that she remembers as full of apples, children, puppies and laughter, in contrast to the West Wing, which dealt with “horrible things.” It was where she worked on various initiatives that ranged from combating childhood obesity to rallying the country around military families to encouraging developing countries to let girls go to school.

    She said she and her husband never thought of the White House as “our house.” They saw themselves more as caretakers, and there was work to do in the mansion.

    “But every president has the right to do what they want in that house, so that’s why we’ve got to be clear on who we let in,” Obama said.

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  • German Baumkuchen ‘tree cake’ survived a disaster and world wars to become a Japanese favorite

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    NINOSHIMA, Japan (AP) — Baumkuchen originated in Germany but has become a wildly popular sweet in Japan, where a prisoner of war on a small western island started making the treat that has thrived in its new homeland.

    Today, the confectionery known as “tree cake” because of the resemblance to a trunk with rings is considered a symbol of longevity and prosperity in Japan, where Baumkuchen festivals are regularly held.

    Japanese adaptations, including those using maccha and sweet potatoes, are popular gifts at weddings and birthdays. Baumkuchen is sold in gift boxes at luxury department stores and individually wrapped, smaller versions can be found at convenience stores.

    The sweet’s early years, however, are associated with a catastrophic earthquake and two world wars.

    Making Baumkuchen is one of most popular activities on Ninoshima, just a 20-minute ferry ride from Hiroshima. But visitors also must learn the sleepy island’s role in Japan’s wartime history, according to Kazuaki Otani, head of the Juccheim Ninoshima Welcome Center.

    At the outdoor center built over the site of a prisoner of war camp, amateur bakers pour batter on a bamboo pole and roast the mixture over a charcoal fire. As the surface turns light brown, a new layer is poured, creating brown rings as the cake grows thicker and the sweet smell wafts through the picnic area.

    This is how a German confectioner named Karl Juchheim baked Baumkuchen while he was imprisoned on the island more than 100 years ago.

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    During Japan’s militarist expansion period beginning in the late 1890s, Ninoshima served as a military quarantine station as nearby Hiroshima developed into a major military hub. About 4,700 mostly German civilians and servicemembers were kept at 16 camps across Japan during World War I. The German prisoners at Ninoshima were given “a certain degree of freedom” and allowed to cook, Otani said.

    Juchheim was running a bakery in Qingdao, China, then a German territory, when he was captured by the Japanese in 1915. He arrived on Ninoshima in 1917 with some 500 German POWs and is believed to have tested his Baumkuchen recipe there, Otani said.

    When the war ended in 1918, Juchheim and about 200 fellow POWs stayed in Japan. In March 1919, Juchheim’s Baumkuchen commercially debuted in Japan at the Hiroshima Prefectural Products Exhibition. His handmade cake was hugely popular and attracted a big crowd of Japanese visitors, historical documents show.

    The confectioner opened a pastry shop in Yokohama, near Tokyo, in 1922. The 1923 Great Kanto quake destroyed the business and forced Juchheim to move his family to the western port city of Kobe, where he opened a coffee shop serving Baumkuchen. That store was leveled by U.S. firebombings on Kobe two months before the end of World War II.

    Yet he remained and grew the business in Kobe, where Juchheim Co., Ltd., still operates as one of Japan’s top confectioners with the help of his wife Elise and devoted Japanese staff.

    The atomic bomb dropped by the U.S. on Hiroshima on Aug. 6, 1945, and another on Nagasaki three days later killed more than 210,000 by the end of that year. In the aftermath, about 10,000 severely injured victims were shipped from Hiroshima to Ninoshima for treatment and temporary shelter. Most died there and many of their remains have yet to be found, experts say.

    Juchheim died of illness at a Kobe hotel on Aug. 14, 1945, the day before Japan announced its surrender.

    “His baking was an expression of his wish for peace,” Otani said. “By sharing with visitors what things were like back then, I hope it gives people an opportunity to reflect on peace.”

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  • Heady odors and sensory overload as 5,200 cheeses compete for the World Cheese Awards

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    BERN, Switzerland (AP) — The first thing that hits you at the World Cheese Awards is the smell.

    As the 37th edition — part competition, part a celebration of cheese — kicked off in Switzerland on Thursday, some visitors might wish the offerings had more holes. With descriptions of odors including “stinky socks” and “sick dog,” it’s clearly a festival — and a challenge — for the nose as much as mouths, fingers and eyes.

    Welcome to sensory overload.

    Connoisseurs, culinary experts and curious consumers flocked to the three-day event in a country where cheese is both food and folklore. The first day got going with the competition, which featured over 5,200 cheeses, nearly one-fifth from Switzerland. Some 46 countries took part, a record count of competitors from Australia to Austria, Bulgaria to Brazil.

    All those offerings in the same Bern exhibition hall made for an original mélange of odors. But once past that medley of smells, the sights, flavors and individual scents of the cheeses were tantalizing.

    From ‘Stinking Bishop’ to camel cheese

    John Farrand, managing director of the Guild of Fine Food in Britain, the event organizer, says some people who tell him they “don’t like cheese, it’s that awful smelly thing” just need to take time and consider the myriad choices.

    “I would grab them and sit down with them and take them on that journey through cheese,” he said. “I get so many people say to me just impulsively ‘I don’t like blue cheese’ and that’s impossible really. There’s so much of a range of blue cheese from over here to over here,” — Farrand gestured around the hall — “there’s always a blue cheese for somebody.”

    He rhapsodized about a 120-kg (265-pound) wheel of cheese that teams rolled in and “broke” — or cut open — unleashing a powerful cloud of odor.

    “The aroma of this Emmentaler just hit me,” Farrand said. “That’s the first time that that cheese has released its greatness and the aroma … just makes you hungry.”

    Some may turn up their noses at bacteria-blued “bleu” cheeses or reject the strong odors of varieties like Limberger, Taleggio, “Stinking Bishop” and Époisses de Bourgogne — a Burgundy specialty reputed to be Napoleon’s favorite, and one so stinky that urban legend claims it’s banned from public transport in France.

    Others might not get over the hump of hesitation to taste a camel (or buffalo or donkey) cheese, or cringe at unpasteurized or squishy cheeses. More adventurous tasters will try the most gooey or moldy cheeses, looking for the most rich, creamy or meaty varieties on hand.

    For the judges, no such compunction: It’s more about scrutiny, savoring, criticism and curiosity.

    Strict rules for judges and journalists

    Scores of judges in yellow aprons circled the rows of long, numbered rectangular tables before digging in. They sliced wedges out of hard cheeses and pressed them to their noses, or used spreaders to scoop up soft cheeses, inspecting the consistency and licking or dribbling them onto their tongues.

    The judging zone was set off by a waist-high fence and ropes, and security guards kept watch. Journalists were allowed into the area only under escort, and were only allowed to view and smell the cheeses — not taste or even touch them.

    It was a blind taste test for the 265-odd judges on hand: All identifying packaging or marking was removed from the cheeses. Their job was to poke, peruse, sniff, touch and taste the offerings — a tall order with so many to choose from — before making their selections for gold, silver and bronze awards based on attributes like aroma, body, texture, flavor and “mouthfeel.”

    Only those honored as “Super Gold” made the cut for the glitzy “Super Jury” selection of 14 finalist cheeses. The judges — and the public — only found out where the cheeses were from after the voting on each was completed.

    Paul Thomas, a cheesemaker from Urstrom Kaese, south of Berlin, sliced into a blue cheese covered with cherries and billed as having hints of a Manhattan cocktail. After tasting it, he said he was “pleasantly surprised throughout most of that flavor journey.”

    “But right at the end it leaves me with something just … it’s a slightly off flavor toward the back of the tongue,” he added.

    ‘Gouda’ news for Switzerland

    Experts admit that choosing a winner is tricky. While the final products from the “caseiculture” — the curdling, coagulating, cheddaring and other processes involved in making cheeses — can be judged on aspects like craftsmanship and quality, taste is an individual thing.

    This year’s winner was Swiss: A “spezial” Gruyere from the Vorderfultigen Mountain Dairy about 20 kilometers (12 miles) south of Bern, which scored 85 points from the jury. The raw cow’s milk cheese was drained overnight and dry salted before being matured for more than 18 months.

    A creamy, flower-sprinkled “Crémeux des Aldudes aux fleurs” from the village of Etxaldia in French Basque country was runner-up, trailed by a 9-month-aged Swiss Appenzeller Edel-Würzig. Other finalists were from Britain, Japan, the Netherlands, Slovakia and the United States.

    Many cheeses come away with other accolades: More than 20 were selected as national or regional “bests” — such as best American, Basque-country, Japanese or Ukrainian cheese. Other trophies were given out by category such as the best cheddar, raw-milk, goat or ewe, or smoked cheeses.

    While the U.S. state of Wisconsin hosts the World Championship Cheese Contest and a competition in France selects the world’s best cheesemonger, organizers of the World Cheese Awards say it’s the largest cheese-only event anywhere. The competition started in Britain, but Italy, Spain and Norway have also hosted.

    Charlie Turnbull, director of the Academy of Cheese, poked his nose toward a round, soft brownish-orange cheese with a pungent smell caused by the Brevibacterium linens — “a close relative to the kind of bacteria you get in boys’ trainers when they’re about 15 years old.”

    “It’s challenging,” Turnbull said with a slight wince. But he added that once one got past the smell, the cheese tasted wonderful, noting “hints of fruit, lots of meaty notes, some ham stock.”

    “At the end of the day, taste trumps everything,” he said.

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  • One Tech Tip: iPhone users can now add US passport info to their digital wallets

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    Just in time for the busy holiday travel season, iPhone users can now add their passport details to their Apple digital wallets.

    The company on Wednesday unveiled its new “Digital ID” system for users to add their U.S. passport information to Apple Wallet, which can be scanned at airport readers if travelers don’t have a Real ID.

    Digital ID acceptance “will roll out first in beta” at Transportation Security Administration checkpoints at more than 250 U.S. airports for “in-person identity verification during domestic travel.”

    The company warned that Digital ID doesn’t replace a physical passport and can’t be used for international travel and crossing borders.

    Apple already allowed people in 12 states and Puerto Rico to add their driver’s license or state ID to Apple Wallet, while TSA already accepts some form of a digital ID in at least 16 states and Puerto Rico.

    “You can breeze through more than 250 TSA checkpoints faster and more securely than ever before,” the agency’s website says.

    Here’s a guide on how to add your passport:

    Setup

    Open your iPhone’s Wallet app, tap the plus sign at the top and then tap the Digital ID option on the menu. If that doesn’t work for you, type in “Digital ID” into the app’s search bar.

    Grab your passport and follow the instructions. You’ll have to use the camera to scan your passport’s photo page. Next, place your iPhone on the chip embedded on the passport’s back page to authenticate the data.

    Finally, you will need to verify your identity, first by taking a selfie and then by carrying out a series of facial and head movements, such as turning your head or closing your eyes.

    Once the verification procedures are done, the Digital ID will be added to the Wallet.

    How to use

    Using your iPhone to present your Digital ID is similar to using it to make a purchase.

    Double-click the phone’s side button, which calls up the Wallet app. On the stack of cards, tap on the Digital ID. When it’s your turn at the TSA kiosk, hold your phone or Apple watch up to the reader.

    The machine will take your picture, and then your phone will let you review the information that’s being requested, such as name and date of birth. In order to authenticate those details, you’ll have to use the phone’s face or fingerprint scanner.

    What about security?

    Apple says your passport data is encrypted and stored on the device, and it can’t see when or where users present their Digital ID or the data that was shown.

    The use of a face or fingerprint scan makes sure that only the person who the ID belongs to can release the info.

    The company says that iPhone users don’t need to unlock, show, or hand over their device to present their Digital ID.

    Where can I use mobile IDs?

    More than a dozen states already accept some form of a mobile ID at airport checkpoints, according to TSA.

    The list includes: Arkansas, Arizona, California, Colorado, Georgia, Hawaii, Iowa, Louisiana, Maryland, Montana, New Mexico, New York, Ohio, Utah, Virginia and West Virginia, as well as Puerto Rico.

    Travelers can go to the TSA website for more details.

    ____

    Is there a tech topic that you think needs explaining? Write to us at [email protected] with your suggestions for future editions of One Tech Tip.

    ___

    AP Airlines and Travel Writer Rio Yamat contributed.

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  • Workers turn to ‘polyworking’ to combat frozen salaries and inflation

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    NEW YORK (AP) — As workers face frozen salaries, inflation and fear of layoffs, some have decided to branch out from their traditional careers. They’re taking on side jobs to bring in additional income and provide a backup plan should they find themselves out of work, or adding second, third and sometimes fourth jobs — what some call “polyworking” — to the mix.

    Take Katelyn Cusick, 29. She beautifies displays as a visual merchandiser for Patagonia at her full-time job. Then she works a side gig managing social media influencers for a German shoe brand for 10 to 15 hours per week. She also has an Etsy shop where she sells paintings. If that wasn’t enough, she ushers at concerts in the San Francisco Bay Area — a way to see live shows for free.

    “Every day is different and every day feels like a new day,” Cusick said. “That is ultimately why I started doing all these side hustles, just because I wanted to switch it up. I don’t want to just do the same thing every day.”

    The extra income also helps her pay her student loans and manage the high cost of living, a welcome assist since wages at her full-time job have stayed flat for several years, she said.

    Some are drawn to side jobs because of instability in their workplace, or the perception that they may lose their income. Still others, reluctant to trust one employer to provide a steady job that lasts, are supplementing their main roles with gig work on apps such as Uber and Grubhub.

    This article is part of AP’s Be Well coverage, focusing on wellness, fitness, diet and mental health. Read more Be Well.

    “We have seen stagnant salaries, we’ve seen inflation, we’ve seen the cost of living overall increasing, even beyond our inflation measures,” said Alexandrea Ravenelle, sociologist and gig economy researcher at University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. “So people are looking for ways to supplement and to build themselves a little bit of a safety net.”

    Some are creating “portfolio careers” where they work a variety of jobs, each building different valuable skills. In Cusick’s case, side work keeps her social media marketing skills current.

    “Rather than having one job that you can have for many, many years and thinking about your career progression as a linear pathway, some people are putting together multiple side hustles based on their skills and interests and making the money work by having multiple revenue streams,” said Elaine Chen, director of the Derby Entrepreneurship Center at Tufts University.

    Career experts and those with side jobs share tips on how to get started and what to avoid if you’re considering branching out from your 9-to-5.

    Follow a passion

    If you’re embarking on a side business on top of a full-time job, consider picking something you’re naturally interested in, since you’ll spend a lot of free time on the venture.

    “You have to love it,” Chen said. “Usually it is something that the person is really passionate about.”

    For Josie White, 31, that passion was mental health. After struggling with schizoaffective disorder and finding effective treatment, she wanted to help others who have mental health challenges feel less alone.

    While working full-time as a fundraiser for Shelter the Homeless, a nonprofit organization in Salt Lake City, White decided to pursue public speaking on the side and began looking for opportunities to address groups and conferences where she could share her own experiences with mental illness “to reassure people that there is hope and a light at the end of the tunnel.”

    Be realistic about money

    Launching a side hustle may require initial investment, and it can take a considerable amount of time before it generates income.

    When White started her side business, she began by offering her speaking services as an unpaid volunteer. She landed some gigs training nonprofit staff and speaking about fundraising, which wasn’t her original goal, but those opportunities helped her gain experience.

    Over the past year she’s booked 10 speaking engagements, and four of those will be paid, she said. She’s taken the money she earned so far and re-invested it into developing her public speaking skills.

    “The goal is ultimately to get paid, but right now I’m putting in the legwork to reach that,” White said. “It’s starting to snowball.”

    Know the risks of gig work

    Some side jobs, such as gig work delivering groceries or driving passengers, may generate income right away.

    Tom Ritter of Syracuse, New York, was supplementing his income as a workforce management specialist at a nonprofit by making deliveries for Instacart and Spark, Walmart’s delivery platform, on top of his full-time job. The side work helped him pay his bills, especially when he recently lost his day job.

    “For me, even that extra couple hundred dollars a month went a long way, and it still does,” Ritter, 39, said.

    Ravenelle cautioned against relying too heavily on gig work for income. It can be hard to transition back to full-time, permanent jobs, where workers typically wait two weeks or more for a first paycheck, and gig work carries a stigma among some employers, she said.

    Plus, if gig workers are earning good wages, the platforms will typically change the algorithms so they earn less money, Ravenelle said. “The house always wins when it comes to the gig platforms,” she said.

    Be skeptical

    Once people are looking for side jobs, they should be cautious if an opportunity found online seems too good to be true. Some online influencers promote business ideas that are more akin to scams.

    In Ravanelle’s research she’s spoken with people who saw online videos about making money selling microgreens.

    “They thought they could make thousands of dollars a month, working from home, growing microgreens in their kitchen, and then selling them to high-end restaurants,” Ravenelle said. “No. The person who sells you the grow lights and gives you the classes is the person who’s making the money.”

    Finding the time

    Starting a second job or career can dig into personal time, reducing opportunities to exercise or be with family and friends.

    White works Monday through Thursday at Shelter the Homeless, clocking 40 to 45 hours per week. With Fridays off, she spends that day practicing speaking skills or generating new business.

    “I wouldn’t describe my life as balanced,” she said. “But am I enjoying it? Yes. And I think that matters.”

    ___

    Share your stories and questions about workplace wellness at [email protected]. Follow AP’s Be Well coverage, focusing on wellness, fitness, diet and mental health at https://apnews.com/hub/be-well

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