Major hotel brands are bending over backward to cater to the needs of the world's most sought-after traveler: the Chinese tourist.

Now arriving on American shores in unprecedented numbers thanks to a streamlined visa process and a rising Chinese middle class, Chinese tourists are being treated to the comforts of home when they check in at the front desk. That means hot tea in their rooms, congee for breakfast and Mandarin-speaking hotel employees at their disposal.

Since Oprah Winfrey packed up the couch that Tom Cruise jumped on and ended her daytime talk show last year, no one has truly filled her role as the top go-to person in television for major celebrity and news interviews.

Now someone is trying to claim that spot — and would you believe it's Oprah again?

The man who once was among the world's most eligible bachelors has turned 30 — but things are not so bad for Prince William as he celebrates his birthday with family and friends.

Palace officials say William will mark the milestone in private with his wife, the former Kate Middleton, and perhaps some close friends. They say a low key celebration is planned.

Heavily armed Taliban insurgents killed 18 people — most of them civilians — in an attack Friday on a lakeside hotel just north of Kabul, Afghan officials said

Insurgents first killed the security guards at the hotel, then stormed inside it and began firing at guests who were dining. Some of the guests escaped while others were held hostage as the attackers battled Afghan security forces who rushed to the scene for the next 12 hours. Kabul police said all five attackers had been shot and killed by midday Friday, ending the standoff.

The Toledo Museum of Art says it will return an ancient water jug to Italy that investigators believe was probably illegally dug up from that country years ago.

The 2,500-year-old water vessel, or kalpis, has been on display at the Ohio museum since 1982, when it was purchased from an antiquities dealer out of Switzerland. It will be displayed in the museum's Libbey Court until it leaves for Rome, probably in late summer.

Leave it to Italians to come up with just the thing to survive the dog days of summer: canine gelato.

This Italian ice cream for dogs contains no milk, eggs or sugar, which are harmful to canines. With temperatures in Rome topping 36 degrees Celsius (97 degrees Fahrenheit) this week, dogs are lapping up the icy treat at a pet supply store on the outskirts of the capital.

In the midst of the first prolonged challenge to its morning supremacy in 16 years, NBC News is discussing a plan to remove Ann Curry as co-host of the "Today" show with Matt Lauer.

Curry, who has been with "Today" since 1997, replaced Meredith Vieira last June as Lauer's partner. Lauer agreed to a long-term contract this spring to stay with the show.

Two Hollywood unions are scrutinizing worker safety and welfare on Lindsay Lohan's TV movie "Liz & Dick" after the actress tweeted that she was exhausted because of long production days.

Larry A. Thompson, producer of the Lifetime movie starring Lohan as Elizabeth Taylor, said Wednesday that no violations were found in one union's review.

Tenor sax legend Sonny Rollins was a triple winner Wednesday at the annual Jazz Awards, garnering musician of the year honors for the second straight year.

Rollins also repeated as the top tenor saxophonist. His latest CD, "Road Shows, Vol. 2," consisting of live recordings from concerts in Japan and his September 2010 80th birthday concert in New York highlighted by a first-ever public performance with free jazz visionary and alto saxophonist Ornette Coleman, was chosen the year's best jazz recording.

Chinese state media said 17 people were killed and three seriously injured when a long-distance bus overturned and plunged down a deep ravine.

The official Xinhua News Agency said the accident occurred early Wednesday and the cause was not immediately clear.