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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…

Travel advisors have the opportunity to win a four-night, five-day stay for two at the spectacular Fiesta Americana Funeeq Punta Cana with this month’s Quiz2Win promotion. This exclusive chance allows one lucky winner to experience firsthand what makes the resort a standout destination for their clients.  Fiesta Americana Funeeq represents an ideal blend of fun and uniqueness, creating more than just a hotel but a vibrant, immersive destination for unforgettable family vacations and group gatherings. Set within a beachfront tropical paradise, the resort delivers the stellar accommodations and personalized services that define the Fiesta Americana brand. Fiesta Americana Funeeq Punta Cana (Photo Credit:…

Legal AI might not sound like the sexiest category in Silicon Valley, but Harvey‘s CEO Winston Weinberg has captured the attention of virtually every top-tier investor in the Valley. The company’s cap table reads like a who’s who of venture capital: the OpenAI Startup Fund (its first institutional investor), Sequoia Capital, Kleiner Perkins, Elad Gil, Google Ventures, Coatue, and most recently, Andreessen Horowitz. The San Francisco-based company’s valuation skyrocketed from $3 billion in February 2025 to $5 billion in June to $8 billion in late October — a rise that reflects both the bonkers price tags awarded to AI companies…

TikTok is rolling out a new feature that will allow users to share content from Amazon Music to the social network, the company told TechCrunch exclusively. With a new “Share to TikTok” button, Amazon Music users can share songs, albums, playlists, and personal listening highlights from their Insights on Amazon Music directly to TikTok.  For context, Amazon Music Insights is a new personalized feature that gives listeners a detailed look at their music habits and stats. It includes “Monthly Recaps” that spotlight your top artists, songs, podcasts, and total listening time. Amazon Music users can now share these stats directly…

The Pixel 10 Pro Fold won’t look very different if you place it next to last year’s Pixel 9 Pro Fold. Besides Google’s AI chops, there is not much of an overhaul at first glance. However, this is the first foldable to receive an IP68 rating, and that counts for something. Ever since companies started launching foldables, durability has been the prime concern for users. The longevity of hinges, protection of the inner screen, and resistance of these devices against liquid and sand are always big considerations when buying a foldable as compared to a slab phone. Google’s Pixel 10…

Payment technology company Pine Labs, backed by PayPal and Mastercard, won over public investors on Friday, finishing its first day of trading 14% higher even after lowering its valuation for its $440 million IPO. This makes it the second-largest Indian fintech listing this year after online brokerage Groww’s nearly $750 million debut earlier this week. The stock opened at ₹242 and rose as high as ₹284 before settling at ₹252, up from the issue price of ₹221, resulting in a market capitalization of ₹289 billion (approximately $3.3 billion) for the Gurugram-based company. It’s a step down from Pine Labs’ 2022…

U.S. President Donald Trump gestures during an announcement from the State Dining Room at the White House in Washington, D.C., U.S., Oct. 23, 2025.Jonathan Ernst | ReutersPresident Donald Trump on Friday exempted key agricultural imports like coffee, cocoa, bananas and certain beef products from his higher tariff rates.The move comes as Trump faces political blowback for high prices at U.S. grocery stores. Some distributors of beef, coffee, chocolate and other common food items have raised prices as Trump’s tariffs took hold this year, adding to pressure on household budgets created by decades-high inflation in recent years.Trump’s action Friday also exempts a range of fruits including tomatoes,…

TSA workers are getting an extra financial boost on the heels of the longest-ever government shutdown in American history.The Department of Homeland Security began distributing $10,000 bonus checks to TSA officers who went “above and beyond” during the 43-day shutdown, according to Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem. During the government’s closure, TSA workers were among the thousands of critical federal employees required to show up to work with no pay. “Every single one of these individuals served with exemplary service,” Noem said at a press conference on Thursday. “They went above and beyond. They helped individuals, they served extra…

Meta is getting ready to launch third-party chat integration on WhatsApp in Europe, the company announced on Friday. The tech giant notes that the EU’s Digital Markets Act (DMA) requires it to give users in Europe the option to chat with people using third-party messaging services that have chosen to make their apps interoperable. “Following successful small-scale tests over the past months, the option for WhatsApp users to chat with users of messaging apps BirdyChat and Haiket directly via third-party chats will soon be rolling out across Europe,” Meta wrote in a blog post. “This marks a significant milestone in…

Princess Cruises is debuting its most extensive and varied collection of Caribbean and Panama Canal itineraries for the 2027-28 season, and, on November 1, 2026, the line will unveil calls at Celebration Key as part of its expanded Caribbean deployment.“Purpose-built on Grand Bahama Island, the exclusive destination is the largest of its kind ever undertaken by Carnival Corporation,” Princess Cruises said, noting that the line’s newest ship, Star Princess, is making the first call at the destination. The roster of Caribbean itineraries will comprise 187 departures, 31 ports,43 itineraries ranging from four to 15 days, nine ships, including the new Star Princess…