Kevin Costner’s second ‘Horizon’ film pulled from theatrical release
NEW YORK (AP) — The August theatrical release for the second chapter of Kevin Costner’s ambitious Western epic “Horizon: An American Saga” has been canceled after the first film fizzled in theaters. New Line Cinema announced Wednesday that “Horizon: Chapter 2” will not hit theaters on Aug. 16 as scheduled. The studio had planned an unusually fast back-to-back release for the two films. But after the first film collected a modest $23 million in its first two weeks in theaters, the distributor pivoted. For now, the release of “Chapter 2” will be marked TBD. The move is a humbling acknowledgement that Costner’s big theatrical gamble for his decadeslong passion project has failed to catch on with audiences.
MS-13 leader pleads guilty in case involving 8 murders, including deaths of 2 girls on Long Island
CENTRAL ISLIP, N.Y. (AP) — A leader of an MS-13 gang clique in New York has pleaded guilty to racketeering and firearms charges in a case involving eight murders, including the 2016 killings of two high school girls who were hacked and beaten to death in their suburban neighborhood on Long Island. Alexi Saenz entered the plea Wednesday in federal court in Central Islip and faces 40 to 70 years in prison. Prosecutors previously withdrew their intent to seek the death penalty in his case. The deaths of the students focused the nation’s attention on MS-13 gang violence during the administration of President Donald Trump. Saenz’s lawyers declined to comment after the hearing.
5 boaters found clinging to a cooler in Lake Erie are rescued by a Coast Guard helicopter crew
ASHTABULA, Ohio (AP) — The Coast Guard came to the rescue of five people who were clinging to a cooler in Lake Erie after their boat was swamped by a wave off the Ohio coast. Authorities say their 22-foot boat capsized about 10 miles off the coast of Ashtabula on Saturday. Someone called 911 for help and stayed in contact with the rescuers until they arrived. A Coast Guard helicopter crew from the Air Station in Detroit was diverted from another rescue on Lake Erie to reach them. The crew hoisted all five to safety, and none were injured.
US national highway agency issues advisory over faulty air bag replacements in used cars
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is warning drivers about “cheap, substandard replacement air bag inflators” that can fail to prevent serious injuries or death in a vehicle wreck. The agency said Wednesday that three people have been killed and two suffered severe injuries in the past nine months due to substandard, aftermarket air bag inflators. In each of the five cases in which someone was killed or injured, the vehicle had previously been involved in a crash and the original airbags were replaced. The NHTSA is urging anyone buying a used car to  secure a vehicle history report.
Samsung brings tech’s latest fashion to wearable technology with AI twists in new watch and ring
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Samsung is dressing up its wearable devices in technology’s latest fashion — artificial intelligence. The South Korean electronics giant on Wednesday revealed that both its first-ever premium smartwatch and a smart ring heralding its entry into a niche market will include AI features that are supposed to help people monitor and manage their health. Both the Galaxy Watch Ultra, priced at $650, and the Galaxy Ring, priced at $400, are extensions of a push that Samsung launched six months ago when it introduced its first smartphones to feature AI technology as a main attraction. It’s all part of an accelerating trend that is implanting AI on ubiquitous devices.
BMW recalling more than 390,000 vehicles due to airbag inflator issue
WASHINGTON (AP) — BMW of North America is recalling more than 390,000 vehicles in the U.S. because an airbag inflator could possibly explode. The agency said Tuesday that the original steering wheel may have been replaced with a sport or M-sport steering wheel equipped with a Takata inflator. If the inflator explodes, it may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants of a vehicle, resulting in serious injury or death. BMW has not received any reports of any accidents or injuries in the U.S. that may be related to this issue, according to the latest report.
Rays shortstop Wander Franco is formally charged with sexually abusing a 14-year-old girl
SANTO DOMINGO, Dominican Republic (AP) — Tampa Bay Rays shortstop Wander Franco has been formally charged by prosecutors in the Dominican Republic with sexually abusing a 14-year-old girl. The prosecutors decided to press charges six months after a judge ordered that Franco be investigated in connection with sexual and psychological abuse of the minor. The attorney general’s office spokesperson Nairobi Viloria confirmed to The Associated Press on Tuesday that prosecutors presented before a judge the final and formal accusation, but she declined to provide further details.
Pennsylvania is getting a new license plate that features the Liberty Bell
PHILADELPHIA (AP) — A new state license plate design refers to Pennsylvania’s critical role in establishing the United States’ independence from England. The plates announced this week feature the phrase “Let Freedom Ring” from the early 19th century song “My Country, ’Tis of Thee.” The red, white and blue plate design also includes an image of Philadelphia’s Liberty Bell.  The design is already on eight signs that welcome motorists where Pennsylvania highways cross various state lines. There are 29 more welcome signs planned for the coming months. People interested in the new Pennsylvania plates can sign up to be notified when they will available early next year.
Gypsy Rose Blanchard pregnant soon after release from prison for conspiring to kill abusive mother
Gypsy Rose Blanchard is pregnant. Blanchard is the woman who recruited her former boyfriend to kill her mother after years of being forced to pretend she was gravely ill. She said in a YouTube video on Tuesday that she wants to give her child everything she lacked growing up. She says the baby is due in January, which will be just a little over a year after she was freed from a women’s prison northeast of Kansas City, Missouri. Blanchard’s case sparked national tabloid interest after reports emerged that her mother, Clauddine “Dee Dee” Blanchard, had essentially kept her daughter prisoner, forcing her to use a wheelchair and feeding tube. Clauddine Blanchard was slain in 2015.
Joe Bonsall, celebrated tenor in the country and gospel group the Oak Ridge Boys, dies at 76
Grammy award winner and celebrated Oak Ridge Boys tenor Joe Bonsall has died. A representative for his family says Bonsall died Tuesday from complications of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis. He was 76. A Philadelphia native and resident of Hendersonville, Tennessee, Bonsall joined the Oak Ridge Boys in 1973, which originally formed in the 1940s. He saw the band through its golden period in the ’80s and beyond, which included their signature 1981 song “Elvira.” The hit marked a massive crossover moment for the group, reaching No. 1 on the country chart and No. 5 on Billboard’s all-genre Hot 100. The group is also known for such hits as 1982’s “Bobbie Sue.”
Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
