Artist Betye Saar, whose work reflects Black identity, has died at 99
Artist Betye Saar has died in Los Angeles at 99. Saar’s death on Sunday was confirmed by relatives Monday. She would have turned 100 this week. Saar's work explored Black identity, culture and spirituality, and she was a central figure in the 1960s Black Art Movement. She began her art career at age 35 and continued creating works through her 90s. Roberts Projects gallery says Saar's “appropriation of Black collectibles, heirlooms, and utilitarian objects are transformed through subversion” and that “among the older generation of Black American artists, Saar is without reproach.” Saar’s artwork incorporated painting, printmaking, sculpture and found objects including dolls, washboards and other antiques.
Savannah Guthrie makes an emotional plea to her mother's kidnappers
Savannah Guthrie says her family is living a nightmare nearly six months after her mother's disappearance. In a video released Monday, she pleads with her mother's kidnappers to reveal her location. Eighty-four-year-old Nancy Guthrie vanished from her home near Tucson, Arizona, on February 1. Authorities believe she was taken against her will. Blood was found near her doorstep, and surveillance footage showed a masked man on her porch. The FBI is evaluating ransom notes, some of which have been dismissed as extortion attempts. Savannah Guthrie has offered a $1 million reward for information leading to her mother's recovery.
Judge rules singer D4vd must stand trial in killing of 14-year-old Celeste Rivas Hernandez
LOS ANGELES (AP) — A judge has ruled there’s enough evidence to send singer D4vd to trial for the killing of 14-year-old Celeste Rivas Hernandez. The Los Angeles judge on Monday decided the evidence presented during a preliminary hearing provided probable cause for charges of murder, continuous sexual abuse of a child, and unlawful mutilation of human remains. D4vd, whose legal name is David Burke, has pleaded not guilty. Prosecutors allege Burke met Rivas Hernandez when she was 11 and began abusing her at 13. They claim he killed her when she threatened to report him. Burke’s music career was rising before these allegations emerged.
Carly Simon has been diagnosed with Parkinson's disease, treated for skin cancer
NEW YORK (AP) — Carly Simon, the singer known for “Nobody Does It Better” and other hits, has been diagnosed with Parkinson's disease. In a statement to The Associated Press on Monday, the eighty-three-year-old Simon shared her journey of learning to live with the condition. She had experienced arthritis and underwent joint replacement surgeries, but her mobility continued to decline. After an evaluation at the Mayo Clinic, she received the Parkinson's diagnosis. Simon also revealed she was treated for basal cell carcinoma on her face. Despite health challenges, music has been a solace. She will release “Comes in Waves,” her first album of original songs since 2008, in August.
Prague’s rare 70 mm IMAX draws thousands of Europeans for Nolan’s 'The Odyssey'
PRAGUE (AP) — Christopher Nolan’s “The Odyssey” is drawing moviegoers to Prague for its rare 70 mm IMAX experience. This film is the first feature made entirely with IMAX cameras. Prague is one of only three cities on the European continent with such a screen. The Czech branch of Cinema City offers multiple daily screenings to meet demand, with most sold out. By Monday, 22,000 film fans from 15 European countries had visited. The IMAX 70 mm format is Nolan’s favorite format, offering what he calls the “best possible experience.” Despite challenges, this format remains a unique draw for cinema fans.
‘The Odyssey’ earns $87M in its second weekend, Christopher Nolan’s best second weekend yet
“The Odyssey” continues to captivate audiences in its second weekend, raking in $87 million in North American theaters. This marks a modest 30% drop from its opening weekend, making it filmmaker Christopher Nolan’s best second weekend ever. Globally, the film has earned an estimated $639.6 million. IMAX screens alone contributed $48 million to the global earnings this weekend. The film faces no significant competition yet, but “Spider-Man: Brand New Day” is set to release soon. Meanwhile, Disney's “Moana” and “Toy Story 5" secured second and third place, with “Toy Story 5" surpassing $1 billion globally.
Bill Oddie, wildlife presenter and star of British comedy series 'The Goodies,' dies at 85
LONDON (AP) — Bill Oddie, a British comic actor who had a second career as as a bird expert and wildlife presenter, died on Saturday, his agent said, He was 85. Oddie first found fame as a member of The Goodies, a British comedy trio that also featured Tim Brooke-Taylor and Graeme Garden. The team starred in an off-beat comedy series of the same name that aired from 1970 to 1982 on the BBC. He went on to host BBC wildlife programs, including “Birding With Bill Oddie,” “Bill Oddie Goes Wild" and “Springwatch." His agent, David Foster, said in a statement that Oddie never valued fame. He said Oddie instead "encouraged us to respect and protect the environment.”
Rape and assault case against British YouTuber Yung Filly heading to jury in Australia
PERTH, Australia (AP) — Lawyers are making closing addresses in the Australian trial of a British YouTuber and rapper known as Yung Filly on charges that he raped and choked a fan following a music performance two years ago. The entertainer, whose real name is Andres Felipe Valencia Barrientos, has pleaded not guilty to charges of rape, assault and choking in a Perth hotel room in 2024. Barrientos testified Monday that he bit the woman multiple times but denied that she told him to stop. Prosecutors said the woman initially agreed to have to sex with Barrientos, but withdrew her consent when she feared for her safety. The jury is expected to begin considering their verdicts Wednesday.
For some, so-called 'Skynet Day' came too close to sci-fi after a rogue agent hacked into a startup
In 1984, the Skynet of "The Terminator" films were science fiction. But it looks more and more realistic in 2026 after OpenAI agent broke out of a test corral, traveled the internet and hacked into Hugging Face, another company, to solve a problem. The company said the breach was "unprecedented," heightening fears of AI acting outside human control. Experts see it as a cautionary tale on the need for more AI defense engineering. But popular culture influences how people think. And people have been debating the ethics of AI for generations.
AI might be watching you, but here are some ways you can watch AI — in movies and on TV
As AI takes over the world in the metaphorical sense — for now, at least — it’s the perfect time to turn to the movies and TV shows that have shown AI actually taking over the world, and more. From “Avengers: Age of Ultron” to “Westworld” to various iterations of “Star Trek,” AI has shown a robust presence in popular culture over the past two generations. From “The Terminator” and “Blade Runner” to “WALL-E” and “Her,” the iterations of AI on the scren are many and varied.
