China embassy complains to Australia about Uighur activist’s visit to Melbourne film festival

CANBERRA, Australia — China has repeatedly complained to the Australian government about the planned visit to a Melbourne film festival of the Uighur activist Beijing accuses of inciting ethnic riots in its far west, an official said Wednesday.

Cheesemakers Festival to take place in Vermont

SHELBURNE, Vt. — If you’re a fiend for cheese, head to Vermont for the state’s first Cheesemakers Festival, scheduled for Aug. 23.

Geneva on a budget: Dips in the lake, concerts and free local transportation for visitors

GENEVA — This city on Lake Geneva with a view of snowcapped Mont Blanc is one of the world’s most expensive cities, with famous shops selling exquisite jewelry and luxury watches. But window-shopping is not the only option for those on a budget. Explore the medieval center of “the city of peace,” its parks and the lake. Take advantage of free transit passes offered to visitors. And enjoy the city’s international ambiance, with residents from 180 countries drawn by the U.N. and other organizations.

China expresses ’strong dissatisfaction’ with Japan over Uighur activist’s visit

BEIJING — China’s Foreign Ministry criticized Japan on Monday for allowing a visit this week by an exiled Uighur activist whom Beijing blames for deadly ethnic riots in western China.

Wearing a sweater in the Florida heat, contractor from Texas wins Hemingway look-alike contest

KEY WEST, Fla. — Wearing a wool fisherman’s sweater in 90-degree heat, a Texas man won an Ernest Hemingway look-alike contest at a Key West festival honoring the late Nobel prize-winning author.

White beard, sweater and all, contractor from Texas wins Hemingway look-alike contest

KEY WEST, Fla. — A 55-year-old Texan wearing the requisite white beard and sporting a sweater won an Ernest Hemingway look-alike contest — one of the highlights of a six-day annual festival honoring the late Nobel prize-winning author.

Hackers post China flag on Australian festival Web site amid protests of Uighur film screening

CANBERRA, Australia — Hackers posted a Chinese flag on the Web site of an Australian film festival in an escalation of protests against the planned appearance by an exiled Uighur activist whom Beijing blames for deadly ethnic riots in China’s west, an official said Sunday.

Strike averted 1 day before opening of Germany’s Bayreuth Festival celebrating Wagner

BAYREUTH, Germany — Union leaders say they have signed an agreement with organizers of the Bayreuth Festival, avoiding a strike one day before the world-famous Wagner celebration was to begin.

LA County leaders vote in support of Wagner opera festival

LOS ANGELES — County supervisors have voted to support the Los Angeles Opera’s planned festival next year celebrating Wagner’s epic “Ring” cycle despite one supervisor’s protest over the composer’s anti-Semitic views.

Food fests in the Caribbean, from Puerto Rico to Trinidad

WINTER PARK, Fla. — Food, wine, sunny skies, golden sand and the turquoise sea: Now there’s an inviting combination for a food festival.

An Ozark Woodstock: Fans, foes recall ‘74 festival that rocked Missouri town

SEDALIA, Mo. — Baby boomers in America’s heartland are reminiscing about one of the biggest, yet least-known music festivals of its time that rocked the Missouri State Fairgrounds.

PETA favors honoring Michael Jackson with sculpture made of non-dairy spread instead of butter

DES MOINES, Iowa — People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals have come up with an idea for sculptor Sarah Pratt and the Iowa State Fair — instead of using butter for a Michael Jackson sculpture, how about a nondairy spread?

Pentagon criticized by Idaho lieutenant governor over denial of flyover at God, country event

NAMPA, Idaho — Idaho Lt. Gov. Brad Little said Friday military officials made a mistake by denying a flyover at the annual God and Country Family Festival earlier this month.

Man gored to death at Pamplona running of the bulls; first since 1995

PAMPLONA, Spain — For a bull, this one was on the smallish side, at just over a ton. And its name, Capuchino, sounded harmless enough, like coffee with frothy milk.

8,000 African artists celebrate continent’s culture and reflect on 40 rocky years of freedom

ALGIERS, Algeria — From superstars to tribal dancers, thousands of African artists are celebrating their troubled continent’s culture and potential in an epic festival — and looking back at what they’ve accomplished and squandered in four decades of freedom from colonial rule.

Running of the bulls leaves 5 injured, but no one gored, at San Fermin festival in Pamplona

PAMPLONA, Spain — A lightning-fast running of the bulls in Pamplona has left five people slightly injured but no one gored.

Dole sues “Bananas!” documentary filmmaker for defamation, seeks to stop film showing

LOS ANGELES — Dole Foods sued a Swedish filmmaker and his film company for defamation on Wednesday, alleging he insisted on showing his documentary, “Bananas!” at the Los Angeles Film Festival after learning it was based on a fraud.

Hold that knife! Iowa State Fair polling public about planned Michael Jackson butter sculpture

DES MOINES, Iowa — Plans for a Michael Jackson statue made of butter are churning up so many comments that Iowa State Fair organizers are putting the proposal to a vote.

Economic woes mean leaner running of the bulls this year in Pamplona

PAMPLONA, Spain — Daredevils sprinting with one-ton fighting bulls swallow an exhilarating cocktail of adrenalin and fear. Now, a new brand of jitters has set in at one of the world’s great fiestas as businesses ponder the partypooping impact of economic woe.

Stevie Wonder pays tribute to Michael Jackson at Montreal jazz festival

MONTREAL — Stevie Wonder tinkered with the words of one of his biggest hits on Tuesday to honor Michael Jackson at Montreal’s international jazz festival.

Iowa State Fair to have tribute to Michael Jackson with a butter statue of the King of Pop

DES MOINES, Iowa — It’s the King of Pop — in butter.

Iowa State Fair to honor Michael Jackson with butter statue of the pop icon

DES MOINES, Iowa — Michael Jackson is getting a new tribute. And it’s in butter.

Fizzling budgets, lack of sponsors dim July Fourth fireworks displays in some US communities

Lack of bucks means less bang this July Fourth for many cash-strapped cities.

Fizzling budgets, lack of sponsors force some US communities to ax July Fourth fireworks

Lack of bucks means less bang this July Fourth for many cash-strapped cities.

Oprah Winfrey charmed by the artistic talents of girls at her South African school

HENLEY-ON-KLIP, South Africa — Oprah Winfrey sat rapt Friday in the front row of the state-of-the-art theater during a show put on by the poor girls she has built an exclusive school for.

Documentary on banana workers draws ire of Dole after plot thickens

LOS ANGELES — A documentary on Nicaraguan banana workers who claimed they became sterile from pesticides is set for its American premiere on Saturday — unless a threatened lawsuit stops the show.

Film festival, art exhibit mark quiet steps forward for China’s gay community

BEIJING — The first time director and movie buff Cui Zi’en tried to hold a gay and lesbian film festival in 2001, it was shut down by police before it even opened. When he tried to organize a gay cultural festival in 2005, five dozen police officers swarmed the venue, closing it.

National Folk Festival in Butte, Mont., July 10-12 celebrating the West

HELENA, Mont. — The lineup for the second National Folk Festival taking place in “Butte, America” July 10-12 stars about 250 singers, dancers and other artists, along with hoofed performers from all over Montana.

Man accused of urinating on several people during Detroit-area gay pride event

FERNDALE, Mich. — A 31-year-old Detroit man faces a misdemeanor assault and battery charge after allegedly urinating on several people during an annual gay pride event. The Daily Tribune of Royal Oak reported the man had been drinking and was upset that he was splashed with water aimed at street dancers Sunday during the Motor City Pride Festival.

DC honors gay rights pioneer who helped remove homosexuality from list of mental illnesses

WASHINGTON — Fresh off his doctorate from Harvard, Franklin Kameny had been a government astronomer for just five months when he was asked to meet with federal investigators. They said they had information that he was a homosexual. He was promptly fired.