Jennifer Lopez files for divorce from Ben Affleck after 2 years of marriage
LOS ANGELES (AP) — After a relationship that spanned two decades, two engagements, two weddings and headlines too numerous to count, Jennifer Lopez has filed for divorce from Ben Affleck. The filing Tuesday in Los Angeles Superior Court brought to an apparent end a celebrity coupling — or at least the second installment of it — that dazzled from the very heights of the pop culture firmament and emblazoned countless tabloid covers. They became known, even before such power-couple portmanteaus were ubiquitous, as “Bennifer.” After meeting, falling in love and getting engaged in the early 2000s — and starring together in 2003’s infamous “Gigli” and 2004’s “Jersey Girl” — the couple parted ways, blaming in part the pressure of the public eye.
Your audience is filled with Republicans. The Democratic convention is underway. How to cover it?
The Democratic convention presents Fox News Channel with a delicate challenge — how to cover a party suddenly enthused about its election chances when much of its audience has a different political view. Fox showed President Joe Biden’s valedictory speech but skipped many others. Its personalities called the proceedings “boring” and the start of a “week of lies. Kamala Harris was depicted as an inexperienced ”princess.” Fox says it is presenting far more Democratic points of view than in the past. But its coverage illustrates the difficulty of cable news networks covering breaking news events with a mixture of news and opinion personalities.
2 injured Russian climbers rescued after 6 days stranded on Pakistan peak
ISLAMABAD (AP) — A mountaineering official says after six days of being stranded on a remote peak in Pakistan’s northeast, two injured Russian climbers have been finally rescued, while another remains missing and is presumed dead. The five-member climbing team, which began their expedition on one of Gasherbrum’s peaks to retrieve the body of a fellow climber, was hit by a pile of ice on Friday, officials said. Rescuers airlifted two of the mountaineers Monday while more planning was needed to evacuate them to Skardu city by helicopter. Karrar Haidri, the secretary of the Alpine Club of Pakistan, said Wednesday the two climbers were in stable condition.
She didn’t see her Black heritage in crossword puzzles. So she started publishing her own
NEW YORK (AP) — It all started a couple of years ago when Juliana Pache got stuck while doing a crossword puzzle, the clue making a reference she wasn’t familiar with. It made her think about what a crossword puzzle would look like if it included more of some subjects that she WAS familiar with – Black history, Black popular culture. Then Pache decided to make it. That led to her creating blackcrossword.com in January 2023, a site that offers a free mini-crossword puzzle every day. This month marks the release of her first book, “Black Crossword: 100 Mini Puzzles Celebrating the African Diaspora.”
Trump’s post of fake Taylor Swift endorsement is his latest embrace of AI-generated images
WASHINGTON (AP) — Former President Donald Trump has been active on his social accounts as Democrats gather for their convention in Chicago, but many of his posts don’t have much to do with reality. Ahead of the Democratic National Convention, he posted a fake image of someone who looks like Vice President Kamala Harris addressing what appears to be a communist rally in Chicago. He also reposted an image of Taylor Swift in an Uncle Sam outfit and accepted her endorsement for his campaign, which she never gave. They’re the latest instances of Trump turning to AI to score political points.
He once poached the wild animals of Zimbabwe. Now he preaches against it
CHIREDZI, Zimbabwe (AP) — In Zimbabwe’s wildlife-rich but poverty stricken Chiredzi district, an ex-poacher recently released from prison now preaches the gospel of conservation. But increasing conflict between humans and animals, in large part due to climate change, is making that task difficult. Humans are invading forested areas for farmland, illegal hunting and tree logging, which means diminished animal habitats. Meanwhile, droughts and that squeezed habitat have made some animals more likely to raid settlements to survive. The former poacher, Tembanechako Mastick, now calls poaching “a selfish act” and says communities can benefit when wildlife draws tourism.
Shiloh Jolie, daughter of Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt, officially drops Pitt surname
One of Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt’s six children has officially dropped “Pitt” from her name. A Los Angeles court granted a petition from the third-eldest child of the former couple to legally change her name from Shiloh Nouvel Jolie-Pitt to Shiloh Nouvel Jolie. She initially filed the petition to make the name change official on May 27, the day she turned 18. Jolie filed for divorce in 2016, and a judge declared them single in 2019, but the divorce case has not been finalized with custody and financial issues still in dispute.
Two killed in West Texas plane crash that set off a fire and injured a woman
ODESSA, Texas (AP) — Authorities say a small plane crashed in a West Texas neighborhood, killing the pilot and a passenger and setting off a large fire on the ground that injured a woman. Authorities say that witnesses told them that the plane struggled to gain altitude after taking off from an Odessa airport and then struck a power line before crashing in an alley early Tuesday morning. Authorities say that in addition to a couple of mobile homes, some outbuildings in backyards also caught fire. Officials say the woman who was injured had to be rescued from a burning mobile home. Both people aboard the plane died.
Rapper NBA Youngboy to plead guilty to Louisiana gun charge
BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) — Rapper NBA YoungBoy has agreed to plead guilty to a federal weapons charge once the case is transferred from Louisiana to Utah, where he faces unrelated charges accusing him of running a prescription drug fraud ring. News outlets report court documents filed last week show the rapper waived his right to a trial in Baton Rouge. U.S. District Judge Shelly Dick then moved jurisdiction to the federal court in Salt Lake City. The rapper’s real name is Kentrell Gaulden. He also signed notice of his intent to enter his guilty plea once the case is transferred to Utah. Gaulden faces up to 10 years in prison in the weapons case.
Disney drops bid to have allergy-death lawsuit tossed because plaintiff signed up for Disney+
NEW YORK (AP) — Disney is no longer asking a Florida court to dismiss a wrongful death lawsuit on the grounds that the victim’s family had signed up for its streaming service Disney+. The company on Tuesday officially filed notice in Orange County court that it is dropping the claim, which was widely ridiculed. The chair of Disney’s theme park division said Monday the company would be waiving its arbitration rights. Disney had argued that Jeffrey Piccolo had agreed to settle any lawsuits out of court when he signed up for Disney+. Piccolo’s wife suffered a fatal allergic reaction after eating at a restaurant in Disney Springs last October.
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