From decay to dazzling: Ford restores grandeur to Detroit train station that once symbolized decline
DETROIT (AP) — The once-blighted monolithic Michigan Central train station — for decades a symbol of Detroit’s decline — has new life following a massive six-year, multimillion-dollar renovation to create a hub for mobility projects in the rebirth of the Motor City. No longer the windowless, hulking, scavenger-ravaged structure ominously shadowing the city’s Corktown neighborhood, the former train station now is a home to Ford Motor Co. and the centerpiece of a sprawling 30-acre mobility innovation district. Ford announced in 2018 that it was buying the 18-story building and adjacent structures as part of its plans for a campus focusing on autonomous vehicles. Grand opening ceremonies include an outdoor concert on Thursday, with tours for the general public starting Friday.
Simone Biles cruises to 9th national title and gives Olympic champ Sunisa Lee a boost along the way
FORT WORTH, Texas (AP) — Gymnastics star Simone Biles cruised to a record ninth U.S. Championship, giving good friend Sunisa Lee a boost along the way. Lee, the 2020 Olympic champion, fell on vault early in the competition and appeared shaken. Biles, who fell on vault at the 2020 Olympics and pulled out of several events, went to Lee to lend an ear and provide a confidence boost. Lee returned and eventually finished fourth behind Biles’ winning total of 172.500. Skye Blakely was second and Kayla DiCello was third. The Olympic trials are up next in Minneapolis in late June.
The matchup is set: Panthers, Oilers will meet in the Stanley Cup Final
SUNRISE, Fla. (AP) — Matthew Tkachuk is about to renew some acquaintances. Connor McDavid is going back to where his NHL career started. The Stanley Cup Final matchup is set: The Florida Panthers, back in the title round for the second consecutive year and seeking their first championship, will take on the Edmonton Oilers — a team looking to return to hockey’s mountaintop for the first time since 1990.
Gay pride revelers in Sao Paulo reclaim Brazil’s national symbols
SAO PAULO, Brazil (AP) — The iconic yellow and green of Brazil’s flag mixed with a sea of rainbow-colored tutus, hand fans and drag queen hairdos at Sunday’s LGBTQ+ pride parade in Sao Paulo. The event along the city’s main thoroughfare is among the biggest gay pride celebrations in the world. Every year it attracts thousands of people to celebrate the sexual diversity in a country synonymous with street partying but where violence and discrimination against members of the LGBTQ+ community has surged in recent years. This year organizers made a special appeal for participants to wear green and yellow in a pointed rebuke to far right followers of former President Jair Bolsonaro who in recent time appropriated Brazil’s national symbols for themselves.
Michael Douglas pays solidarity visit to southern Israel
JERUSALEM (AP) — Michael Douglas has paid a solidarity visit to an Israeli kibbutz that was hit hard in the Oct. 7 Hamas attack that sparked Israel’s war against the Islamic militant group. Douglas met with members of Kibbutz Be’eri and visited burnt-out homes destroyed in the Oct. 7 attack. Douglas said he met families of hostages and visited the scene of a music party where over 300 people were killed. He also met with Israel’s president, Isaac Herzog, who presented the actor with an Israeli dog tag necklace and small pin of a yellow ribbon. “It’s a very difficult time. You sense the deep shock of this whole experience,” Douglas said, expressing hope that the hostages would be released soon.
Yuka Saso wins another US Women’s Open. This one was for Japan
LANCASTER, Pa. (AP) — Yuka Saso is the U.S. Women’s Open champion while playing under a different flag. She won in 2021 as a Filipina. Saso switched citizenship and delivered Japan its first Women’s Open title. She started three shots behind and shot 68 as everyone collapsed around her at Lancaster Country Club. Saso wound up winning by three shots. The turning point came on the back nine when Saso made four birdies in a five-hole stretch to pull away. Saso has a Filipina mother and a Japanese father. She had to make her decision before turning 21.
Rugby star and ALS campaigner Rob Burrow dies at age 41
LEEDS, England (AP) — Rob Burrow, a former rugby star who was widely praised for his fundraising and awareness campaigns after being diagnosed with Lou Gehrig’s disease in 2019, has died. He was 41. Leeds Rhinos announced the death. Burrow spent his entire career at the English rugby league club and helped them win eight Super League titles. He retired in 2017 and two years later it was revealed Burrow had been diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, also known as motor neurone disease (MND). He went on to raise millions to help build a new care center for ALS patients alongside former teammate Kevin Sinfield. Leeds said Burrow “never allowed others to define what he could achieve.”
‘Garfield,’ ‘Furiosa’ repeat atop box office charts as slow summer grinds on
It was a quiet weekend at North American movie theaters, dominated once again by Sony’s “The Garfield Movie” and Warner Bros. “Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga.” “The Garfield Movie” earned a chart-topping $14 million in ticket sales while “Furiosa” settled into third place in a close race with “IF,” both earning around $10.8 million, according to studio estimates on Sunday. Disney/20th Century Studios’ “Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes” landed in fourth place with $8.8 million. Universal’s “The Fall Guy” rounded out the top five with $4.2 million. The 2024 box office is down nearly 24% from last year.
Rupert Murdoch ties the knot for the 5th time in ceremony at his California vineyard
NEW YORK (AP) — Media magnate Rupert Murdoch, who is 93, has married for the fifth time. Murdoch’s News Corp confirmed that he and Elena Zhukova, a 67-year-old Russian-born retired molecular biologist, wed Saturday in a ceremony at his California vineyard. The couple announced their engagement in March. Murdoch was most recently married to model and actor Jerry Hall. They were wed in 2016 and divorced in 2022. Zhukova is the ex-wife of Alexander Zhukov, a billionaire energy investor and Russian politician. Their daughter, Dasha, was previously married to Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich, who used to own the Premier League soccer club Chelsea. Last fall, Murdoch stepped down as leader of both Fox News’ parent company and his News Corp. media holdings.
A monster truck clips a power line at a Maine show, toppling utility poles in spectator area
TOPSHAM, Maine (AP) — Police say a monster truck performing for spectators in Maine clipped an aerial power line, toppling several utility poles and sending two people to the hospital. The Topsham Fairgrounds was hosting a monster truck event on Saturday when a vehicle dubbed the Crushstation jumped into the air and hit the power line. Video showed people scrambling when a utility pole with a transformer fell alongside the track. Topsham police say two people were transported to hospitals and others suffered minor injuries. The driver of the truck was not injured.
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