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CNN
17-05-2025
- Entertainment
- CNN
‘Bare beating': The annoying public transport trend driving commuters crazy
In our roundup of travel stories this week: the spectacular legacy of Alexander the Great, where trainspotters go to see bullet trains 'kiss,' plus British attempts to crack down on antisocial noise. First there was 'rawdogging.' Then there was 'barebacking.' Now there's another travel trend with an unnecessarily smutty name: 'bare beating.' You probably know the activity as 'playing music or video out loud without using headphones' and chances are high that you've already encountered it. As one bare beater's transgression encourages the next, it's a growing scourge that has train, plane and bus passengers around the world irate. In the UK, where sullen eyes-down silence has long been a sacred part of public transport etiquette — in London, at least — an opposition political party is calling for the government to issue fines of up to £1,000 ($1,329) for such noise offenders. A poll commissioned by the Liberal Democrats found that roughly two in five Brits had encountered people playing music out loud often or sometimes, but more than half say they would not be comfortable asking another passenger to turn the sound down. Politicians who aren't actually in power have a habit of calling for popular laws that could prove hard to enforce, but some concrete action has been taken in London's Leicester Square about another controversial form of noisy public entertainment. Street performers are part of the tapestry of London's answer to Times Square. However, a judge recently ruled that the repetitive din of buskers serenading tourists with their take on Ed Sheeran amounted to 'psychological torture' for local office workers, the BBC reported. The city's Westminster Council says it's been left 'with no choice' but to ban busking following the noise complaints. An independent bookstore is one of the finest respites from the chatter and chaos of urban living, and New York's Strand bookstore is perhaps the most famous in the world. CNN's Erin Burnett took her kids to visit the store that's been delighting Manhattan customers for nearly 100 years and caught up with the Strand's third-generation owner Nancy Wyden. Once you've got your bookstore purchase, there are few better places to head than a coffee shop, those delightful oases of caffeinated calm. They aren't just muffin-mongers, they're a mental health resource that can make our daily grinds that much easier. Our partners at CNN Underscored, a product reviews and recommendations guide owned by CNN, have some tips on how you can create an affordable cocoon of serenity in your own home. Check out their roundup of products for a spa-like experience without leaving the house, from waffle bathrobes to facial steamers. Prev Next There's no faster way to feel like a feckless slugabed than to compare your achievements to Alexander the Great. The Macedonian multitasker conquered land across three continents and never lost a battle before dying at just 32 years old. Here's how he redrew the map of the world. The ancient Lycians ruled modern-day Turkey's southwestern corner more than 2,000 years ago, but their legacy endures in the spectacular cities of the dead still carved into the region's cliffs. The elaborate tombs can be found overlooking towns, valleys and shorelines and often the scramble to reach them is part of the adventure. Over in eastern Turkey, some 180 miles from the Syrian border, the town of Tarsus has a 7,000-year history where three religions intertwine. And as if that's not enough of a sell, it also has amazing hummus. Cynthia Wilson and Craig Bjork met in their 50s and moved from Kansas to Portugal for their retirement years. They were keen to integrate themselves into the local community, defining themselves as immigrants looking to adapt, rather than insularly minded 'expats.' 'People never pegged us as Americans. I think they can't peg us at all,' says Wilson. 'We're fine with that.' A little-known Japanese rail spectacle attracts trainspotters from around the world. The joyful union known as the 'Shinkansen kiss' happens 17 times a day. Travelers claim this TikTok seatbelt hack makes it easier to sleep on the plane. Experts say it's 'extremely dangerous.' Global Airlines promised luxurious flights on a fleet of A380 superjumbos. The launch is somewhat different. People told her to stay home and focus on motherhood. Instead, she became the first woman to summit Everest.
CNN
17-05-2025
- Entertainment
- CNN
‘Bare beating': The annoying public transport trend driving commuters crazy
In our roundup of travel stories this week: the spectacular legacy of Alexander the Great, where trainspotters go to see bullet trains 'kiss,' plus British attempts to crack down on antisocial noise. First there was 'rawdogging.' Then there was 'barebacking.' Now there's another travel trend with an unnecessarily smutty name: 'bare beating.' You probably know the activity as 'playing music or video out loud without using headphones' and chances are high that you've already encountered it. As one bare beater's transgression encourages the next, it's a growing scourge that has train, plane and bus passengers around the world irate. In the UK, where sullen eyes-down silence has long been a sacred part of public transport etiquette — in London, at least — an opposition political party is calling for the government to issue fines of up to £1,000 ($1,329) for such noise offenders. A poll commissioned by the Liberal Democrats found that roughly two in five Brits had encountered people playing music out loud often or sometimes, but more than half say they would not be comfortable asking another passenger to turn the sound down. Politicians who aren't actually in power have a habit of calling for popular laws that could prove hard to enforce, but some concrete action has been taken in London's Leicester Square about another controversial form of noisy public entertainment. Street performers are part of the tapestry of London's answer to Times Square. However, a judge recently ruled that the repetitive din of buskers serenading tourists with their take on Ed Sheeran amounted to 'psychological torture' for local office workers, the BBC reported. The city's Westminster Council says it's been left 'with no choice' but to ban busking following the noise complaints. An independent bookstore is one of the finest respites from the chatter and chaos of urban living, and New York's Strand bookstore is perhaps the most famous in the world. CNN's Erin Burnett took her kids to visit the store that's been delighting Manhattan customers for nearly 100 years and caught up with the Strand's third-generation owner Nancy Wyden. Once you've got your bookstore purchase, there are few better places to head than a coffee shop, those delightful oases of caffeinated calm. They aren't just muffin-mongers, they're a mental health resource that can make our daily grinds that much easier. Our partners at CNN Underscored, a product reviews and recommendations guide owned by CNN, have some tips on how you can create an affordable cocoon of serenity in your own home. Check out their roundup of products for a spa-like experience without leaving the house, from waffle bathrobes to facial steamers. Prev Next There's no faster way to feel like a feckless slugabed than to compare your achievements to Alexander the Great. The Macedonian multitasker conquered land across three continents and never lost a battle before dying at just 32 years old. Here's how he redrew the map of the world. The ancient Lycians ruled modern-day Turkey's southwestern corner more than 2,000 years ago, but their legacy endures in the spectacular cities of the dead still carved into the region's cliffs. The elaborate tombs can be found overlooking towns, valleys and shorelines and often the scramble to reach them is part of the adventure. Over in eastern Turkey, some 180 miles from the Syrian border, the town of Tarsus has a 7,000-year history where three religions intertwine. And as if that's not enough of a sell, it also has amazing hummus. Cynthia Wilson and Craig Bjork met in their 50s and moved from Kansas to Portugal for their retirement years. They were keen to integrate themselves into the local community, defining themselves as immigrants looking to adapt, rather than insularly minded 'expats.' 'People never pegged us as Americans. I think they can't peg us at all,' says Wilson. 'We're fine with that.' A little-known Japanese rail spectacle attracts trainspotters from around the world. The joyful union known as the 'Shinkansen kiss' happens 17 times a day. Travelers claim this TikTok seatbelt hack makes it easier to sleep on the plane. Experts say it's 'extremely dangerous.' Global Airlines promised luxurious flights on a fleet of A380 superjumbos. The launch is somewhat different. People told her to stay home and focus on motherhood. Instead, she became the first woman to summit Everest.
CNN
17-05-2025
- Entertainment
- CNN
‘Bare beating': The annoying public transport trend driving commuters crazy
In our roundup of travel stories this week: the spectacular legacy of Alexander the Great, where trainspotters go to see bullet trains 'kiss,' plus British attempts to crack down on antisocial noise. First there was 'rawdogging.' Then there was 'barebacking.' Now there's another travel trend with an unnecessarily smutty name: 'bare beating.' You probably know the activity as 'playing music or video out loud without using headphones' and chances are high that you've already encountered it. As one bare beater's transgression encourages the next, it's a growing scourge that has train, plane and bus passengers around the world irate. In the UK, where sullen eyes-down silence has long been a sacred part of public transport etiquette — in London, at least — an opposition political party is calling for the government to issue fines of up to £1,000 ($1,329) for such noise offenders. A poll commissioned by the Liberal Democrats found that roughly two in five Brits had encountered people playing music out loud often or sometimes, but more than half say they would not be comfortable asking another passenger to turn the sound down. Politicians who aren't actually in power have a habit of calling for popular laws that could prove hard to enforce, but some concrete action has been taken in London's Leicester Square about another controversial form of noisy public entertainment. Street performers are part of the tapestry of London's answer to Times Square. However, a judge recently ruled that the repetitive din of buskers serenading tourists with their take on Ed Sheeran amounted to 'psychological torture' for local office workers, the BBC reported. The city's Westminster Council says it's been left 'with no choice' but to ban busking following the noise complaints. An independent bookstore is one of the finest respites from the chatter and chaos of urban living, and New York's Strand bookstore is perhaps the most famous in the world. CNN's Erin Burnett took her kids to visit the store that's been delighting Manhattan customers for nearly 100 years and caught up with the Strand's third-generation owner Nancy Wyden. Once you've got your bookstore purchase, there are few better places to head than a coffee shop, those delightful oases of caffeinated calm. They aren't just muffin-mongers, they're a mental health resource that can make our daily grinds that much easier. Our partners at CNN Underscored, a product reviews and recommendations guide owned by CNN, have some tips on how you can create an affordable cocoon of serenity in your own home. Check out their roundup of products for a spa-like experience without leaving the house, from waffle bathrobes to facial steamers. Prev Next There's no faster way to feel like a feckless slugabed than to compare your achievements to Alexander the Great. The Macedonian multitasker conquered land across three continents and never lost a battle before dying at just 32 years old. Here's how he redrew the map of the world. The ancient Lycians ruled modern-day Turkey's southwestern corner more than 2,000 years ago, but their legacy endures in the spectacular cities of the dead still carved into the region's cliffs. The elaborate tombs can be found overlooking towns, valleys and shorelines and often the scramble to reach them is part of the adventure. Over in eastern Turkey, some 180 miles from the Syrian border, the town of Tarsus has a 7,000-year history where three religions intertwine. And as if that's not enough of a sell, it also has amazing hummus. Cynthia Wilson and Craig Bjork met in their 50s and moved from Kansas to Portugal for their retirement years. They were keen to integrate themselves into the local community, defining themselves as immigrants looking to adapt, rather than insularly minded 'expats.' 'People never pegged us as Americans. I think they can't peg us at all,' says Wilson. 'We're fine with that.' A little-known Japanese rail spectacle attracts trainspotters from around the world. The joyful union known as the 'Shinkansen kiss' happens 17 times a day. Travelers claim this TikTok seatbelt hack makes it easier to sleep on the plane. Experts say it's 'extremely dangerous.' Global Airlines promised luxurious flights on a fleet of A380 superjumbos. The launch is somewhat different. People told her to stay home and focus on motherhood. Instead, she became the first woman to summit Everest.
Times
07-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Times
News in pictures: Thursday May 8, 2025
'Silvermen' street performers Ari Munandar, left, his brother Keris, right, and their neighbour Riyan Ahmad Fazriyansah hitch a ride on a lorry to the road junction in Jakarta where they will ask drivers for small change YASUYOSHI CHIBA/AFP/GETTY IMAGES Carlos Acosta's Ballet Celebration perform Les Sylphides, part of a gala production at Birmingham Hippodrome that draws from the repertory of Sergei Diaghilev's troupe of dancers, musicians and designers who fled Russia to set new standards in the world of dance GARRY JONES/GETTY IMAGES This picture of a Humboldt penguin surfacing at the Blair Drummond Safari Park near Stirling, Scotland, won the bird category in the British and Irish Association of Zoos and Aquariums' annual photography competition BERNIE CATTERALL A man inspects the damage to a building in Kolti, Pakistan-administered Kashmir, which was hit in a series of missile strikes launched by India in retaliation for a militant attack on tourists a fortnight ago SOHAIL SHAHZAD/EPA The Dalai Lama, Tibet's spiritual leader, leads exiles in prayers for his longevity in Tsuglakhang temple, Dharamshala, India — the largest Tibetan temple outside the country ASHWINI BHATIA/AP The Sainsbury wing of the National Gallery, in London, is reopening after a three-year renovation during which it was rehung with more than 1,000 paintings tracing the western European tradition from the 13th to the 20th century NEIL HALL/EPA Rodolfo Liprandi, an Italian artist, made this sculpture from branches and twigs for an exhibition at Lazienki Park, Warsaw, to mark the 25th anniversary of the World Wildlife Fund's Poland office XINHUA/REX/SHUTTERSTOCK Ruxy Cantir, a Glasgow-based performer from Moldova, kicks off the inaugural Summerhall Arts Festival Fringe with her show Pickled Republic at the Anatomy Lecture Theatre, a former veterinary school RICH DYSON/ALAMY Joyce Loote Lokonyi, 29, of Kapokor, Kenya, lost a foot to mycetoma, a fungal or bacterial infection that enters the body through an open wound, often as tiny as a thorn prick, and slowly erodes muscle and bone. The fungal variety is endemic across Somalia, Sudan, Yemen and northern Kenya, but attracts little funding or research LUIS TATO/AFP/GETTY IMAGES The Patchwork Collective is an installation of more than 1,500 hand-embroidered squares, on display at Liberty London to mark the department store's 150th anniversary. JACK TAYLOR FOR THE TIMES Salford's Lowry arts centre is celebrating its 25th anniversary with LOWRY 360, an immersive experience that brings to life the painter's Going to the Match as football fans head to Burnden Park, which was home to Bolton Wanderers until 1997. Lowry's 1953 painting can be viewed afterwards JAMES SPEAKMAN FOR THE TIMES Usher brings his tour Past Present Future, which celebrates his 30-year career, to the O2 Arena in London JIM DYSON/GETTY IMAGES Security staff remove a pro-Palestinian demonstrator from the Barclays Group' AGM at the QEII conference centre in Westminster. The Palestine Solidarity Campaign wants Barclays to stop providing financial services to defence companies that supplying the Israeli government TOLGA AKMEN/EPA Rowers on the River Main in Frankfurt, Germany, might wish they could take to water with the ease that these Egyptian goslings have taken to land MICHAEL PROBST/AP Shakira, accompanied by Wyclef Jean, performs her hit Hips Don't Lie on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon TODD OWYOUNG/NBC/GETTY IMAGES A total of 94 carriage drivers are competing in this year's exhibition at the Maestranza bull ring in Seville, Spain, showing off their handling skills and the vehicles themselves, many of which are restored antiques JOSE MANUEL VIDAL/EPA The reclining Buddha at the Maha Vihara Mojopahit temple in Indonesia gets a wash before the Vesak festival, which commemorates his birth, enlightenment and death JUNI KRISWANTO/AFP/GETTY IMAGES Visitors to the Orsay Museum in Paris can watch conservators at work on Gustave Courbet's A Burial at Ornans, painted between 1849 and 1850. Having received no restoration work for at least 50 years, the painting was no longer deemed to be in a satisfactory condition THIBAUD MORITZ/AFP/GETTY IMAGES Art For Your Oceans is an exhibition at Sotheby's of specially-commissioned works by 16 artists using ink made in Scotland from seaweed. It will raise funds for the WWF's ocean conservation projects BETTY LAURA ZAPATA FOR THE TIMES Gems with ties to early Buddhism are being exhibited at Sotheby's in Hong Kong after an auction was opposed by India, which said the jewels were part of its religious and cultural heritage TOMMY WANG/AFP/GETTY IMAGES Legoland used 85 million bricks to build the models at its largest resort, which opens in Shanghai, China, in July VCG/GETTY IMAGES For more pictures from The Times, follow us on Instagram
