Glen Hansard, Irish musician who won Oscar for 'Once,' dies in motorcycle crash
LONDON (AP) — Academy Award-winning Irish singer-songwriter Glen Hansard has died in a motorcycle crash. His management says the accident happened in Dublin on Wednesday. He was 56. Hansard was known for his dual career in acting and music. He played a member of a Dublin soul band in “The Commitments” and won an Oscar in 2008 for the song “Falling Slowly” from the film “Once,” in which he also starred. He was the front man for The Frames and part of the duo The Swell Season. He also released solo albums including “Didn’t He Ramble,” which was nominated for a Grammy.
Jared Leto denies sexual assault allegations described in BBC documentary
Four women have accused Jared Leto of sexual misconduct when they were teenagers, to which the actor and musician responded that he has “never sexually assaulted anyone.” He said in a statement Wednesday that the “claims are absolutely and categorically false.” The documentary "Jared Leto: Hollywood's Dark Secret" includes claims from four women who accuse him of misconduct between 2002 and 2016. The BBC says it corroborated the women's accounts, but they could not be independently verified by The Associated Press. The documentary does not identify the women by their full names. Leto is a 54-year-old Oscar winner and the frontman of the band Thirty Seconds to Mars.
Kavinsky, French DJ and composer of 'Nightcall', dies at 50
PARIS (AP) — Kavinsky, the French electro-pop composer known for the track "Nightcall" from the movie "Drive," has died at 50. Culture Minister Catherine Pégard described him as one of France's "most singular voices." She said his music, both danceable and nostalgic, will continue to resonate across generations. French President Emmanuel Macron called him a source of French pride. Kavinsky, whose real name was Vincent Belorgey, was found dead at his home on Tuesday evening. The Paris prosecutor's office said an investigation has been opened into the cause of death, but it is not considered suspicious.
Dominican Republic's zoo offers home for confiscated animals as seizures of exotic species soar
SANTO DOMINGO, Dominican Republic (AP) — Confiscated illegal and smuggled animals are finding a new life in the Dominican Republic. Tucked into a green oasis in the middle of the capital, Santo Domingo, are crocodiles, flamingos, and even tigers, that officials have confiscated from people accused of illegally keeping them. The numbers of wild and protected animals are growing and threaten to overload the country’s only zoo. Last year, Dominican authorities seized 188 animals, compared with 30 in 2023, as part of a government crackdown on illegal ownership of certain species.
A ring before a playoff win for Justin Herbert, who gets engaged to singer Madison Beer
EL SEGUNDO, Calif. (AP) — Justin Herbert has his first ring, and it's not on the football field. The Los Angeles Chargers quarterback and singer-songwriter Madison Beer have announced their engagement in an Instagram post. It included a photo of Herbert proposing to Beer. The couple was first seen together last August. Beer attended some Chargers games last season, and they were spotted at Dodgers and Lakers games. Herbert appeared in Beer's “lovergirl” video this spring. Chargers coach Jim Harbaugh has been supportive of their relationship. Herbert begins training camp Wednesday for his seventh season with the Chargers.
Trump says he wants to honor California lifeguard who rescued boy from pounding surf
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — A Northern California lifeguard is being hailed as a hero after saving a boy from pounding surf. The dramatic rescue at Seabright Beach in Santa Cruz caught the attention of President Donald Trump. The president said Tuesday that he would invite the lifeguard and possibly the boy to the White House. A witness captured video of the rescue, showing the lifeguard rushing into the water and diving into a wave while holding the boy. Several adults tried to help but retreated due to the powerful surf. Eventually the lifeguard and a colleague brought the boy safely ashore.
KFC founder Colonel Sanders' signature bow tie and personal planner sell at auction
SHELBYVILLE, Ky. (AP) — KFC founder Harland Sanders’ signature black bow tie and dozens of his personal items were up for public auction. The family who bought his dinner house and residence in Kentucky also is auctioning off those properties this week. The Claudia Sanders Dinner House was established after the colonel sold his iconic restaurant chain. Sanders’ personal 1964 planner with a handwritten herbs and spices recipe that was the subject of an early 2000s privacy lawsuit sold for $30,000. KFC later dropped the legal action, saying after reviewing the planner the ingredients didn’t match Sanders’ secret blend of 11 herbs and spices.
Teleprompter operator accused of betting on Trump speeches is out of a job
WASHINGTON (AP) — A White House teleprompter operator accused of using inside knowledge to make bets about President Donald Trump’s speeches on the online prediction market Kalshi is no longer in his post. That's according to a White House official who was not authorized to comment publicly about the personnel matter and spoke on condition of anonymity. The official on Tuesday confirmed that teleprompter operator Gabriel Perez “no longer works in the federal government" but would not say whether he resigned or was fired. The White House said earlier this month that Perez was on unpaid leave after ABC News reported he used inside knowledge to win more than $100,000 betting on what Trump would say in speeches.
Artist Betye Saar, whose work reflects Black identity, dies 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.
103-year-old Omaha man discovers passion for golf late in life, still chases birdies and beats pals
OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Bob Walls is still impressing on the golf course at 103 years old. Walls looks decades younger and credits his longevity to good genes and staying active. Born in Kansas in 1923, he moved to Omaha, Nebraska, in 1947 after serving in World War II. He took up golf at 74 and now volunteers at the Steve Hogan Golf Course. He fills divots, picks up trash and sometimes plays a hole or two. Walls regularly shoots in the low 30s and continues to work on his game every day.
