Loud and expressive mourners are common at funerals around the world — but in parts of Kenya, some of them may be paid workers. Professional mourners in western Kenya play an important and common role in funerals, adding a level of intensity to collective grief in support of traditional local beliefs. The role is an unlikely but relatively well-paid job in one of the country’s poorer regions. The increasing trend of paid mourners, which experts say is a function of urbanization, is also a unique example of how Christianity is blended with traditional rites in the region.
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The collapse of Spirit Airlines isn't the only curveball confronting people planning summer trips. Rising jet fuel costs tied to the Iran war have pushed up airfares and associated fees across the industry. Two of the remaining U.S. budget carriers just finalized a merger. The developments illustrate how difficult it's gotten for low-cost airlines to operate while squeezed by jet fuel prices, changing consumer preferences and competition. For decades, budget carriers thrived by targeting price-conscious passengers. But big airlines like American, Delta and United have gotten better at tailoring prices to different travelers and matching low fares. Major carriers also can more easily generate revenue to offset higher fuel costs.
KOOVAGAM, India (AP) — Under stage lights, hundreds of transgender women adjusted their sarees, tucked flowers into their hair, and waited to …
Hundreds of cheering fans waving Bulgarian flags have welcomed Eurovision Song Contest winner Dara upon her return home. The 27-year-old singer was visibly tired but smiling when she arrived on Sunday at Sofia’s Vasil Levski Airport holding up the Eurovision trophy. Bulgaria’s major television stations made changes to their regular programs to air live coverage from the airport. Dara said that “this award marks the beginning of my future international career.” She won the 70th Eurovision Song Contest on Saturday in Vienna with her infectious party anthem “Bangaranga.” It gave the southeast European country its first-ever victory in the competition.
Recent outbreaks of hantavirus and norovirus on cruise ships are making headlines, but they’re unlikely to dim vacationers’ growing love of cruises. CruiseCompete.com, an online cruise marketplace, said it booked 31.7% more cabins in the first two weeks of May than it did during the same period last year. And Viking said earlier this week that demand softened slightly in the first quarter after the Iran war began before picking up steam again. Rob Kwortnik, an associate professor at Cornell University’s Nolan School of Hotel Administration, said current news cycles rarely impact cruise demand because cruises are generally booked at least 6 months — and often as much as a year – in advance.
Deciding when to get a routine mammogram is confusing. Guidelines disagree on whether to begin at age 40, 45 or 50, and whether a yearly or every-other-year scan is best. New research aims to one day help tailor advice by using genetics and other factors to determine whether a woman's risk of breast cancer is low, high or somewhere in between. For now, experts say talk with your doctor about factors such as cancer in the family and your own health history to decide when to start screening — and then stick with it.
Walmart and Amazon are racing to speed up order deliveries in rural areas of the U.S. Small cities and towns are a rich source of untapped sales for whichever retailer builds a loyal base of online shoppers. Analysts at investment bank Morgan Stanley estimate the underserved market could be worth up to $1 trillion in annual sales. The turf battle between the nation's two biggest retailers has intensified as remote workers swell the populations of communities on the far fringes of metropolitan areas. It's also taking place as FedEx, UPS and the U.S. Postal Service are scaling back or slowing deliveries to some rural areas.
DAKAR, Senegal (AP) — In Senegal, wrestling, known as laamb in the native Wolof, is a national sport deeply rooted in village life. The countr…
Military identification tags — popularly known as dog tags — became standard issue for U.S. troops at the request of an Army chaplain concerned about identifying fallen soldiers at the beginning of the 20th century. From the World Wars to Vietnam and more recent conflicts in the Middle East, they’ve been a symbol of Americans’ sacrifice in warzones across the world. Today, they remain one of the most powerful ways for grieving military families and companions-in-arms to tangibly connect with their lost ones.
WARM SPRINGS, Georgia (AP) — Wearing gauzy wings and floaty dresses in a rainbow of colors, with glitter and rhinestones shimmering on their f…