Tag: general news

Eleanor Coppola, matriarch of a filmmaking family, dies at 87
Entertainment

Eleanor Coppola, matriarch of a filmmaking family, dies at 87

Eleanor Coppola, who documented the making of some of her husband Francis Ford Coppola’s iconic films, including the infamously tortured production of “Apocalypse Now,” and who raised a family of filmmakers, has died. She was 87. Coppola died Friday surrounded by family at home in Rutherford, California, her family announced in a statement. No cause of death was given. Eleanor, who grew up in Orange County, California, met Francis while working as an assistant art director on his directorial debut, the Roger Corman-produced 1963 horror film “Dementia 13.” (She had studied design at UCLA.) Within months of dating, Eleanor became pregnant and the couple were wed in Las Vegas in February 1963. Their first-born, Gian-Carlo, quickly became a regular presence in his father’s films, as did their...
Robert MacNeil, creator and first anchor of PBS ‘NewsHour’ nightly newscast, dies at 93
Entertainment

Robert MacNeil, creator and first anchor of PBS ‘NewsHour’ nightly newscast, dies at 93

NEW YORK -- NEW YORK (AP) — Robert MacNeil, who created the even-handed, no-frills PBS newscast “The MacNeil-Lehrer NewsHour” in the 1970s and co-anchored the show with his late partner, Jim Lehrer, for two decades, died on Friday. He was 93.MacNeil died of natural causes at New York-Presbyterian Hospital, according to his daughter, Alison MacNeil.MacNeil first gained prominence for his coverage of the Senate Watergate hearings for the public broadcasting service and began his half-hour “Robert MacNeil Report” on PBS in 1975 with his friend Lehrer as Washington correspondent.The broadcast became the “MacNeil-Lehrer Report” and then, in 1983, was expanded to an hour and renamed the “MacNeil-Lehrer NewsHour.” The nation's first one-hour evening news broadcast, and recipient of several Emmy ...
Nigerian transgender celebrity jailed for throwing money into the air, a rare conviction
Money

Nigerian transgender celebrity jailed for throwing money into the air, a rare conviction

A local court in Nigeria has handed a six-month imprisonment to a popular transgender woman after convicting her of throwing money into the airBy CHINEDU ASADU Associated PressApril 12, 2024, 12:03 PM ET• 2 min readABUJA, Nigeria -- A popular Nigerian transgender woman was on Friday jailed for six months after a local court convicted her of throwing the local currency into the air, a practice known as spraying, a rare conviction that was criticized by many in the West African nation where it is common, though illegal, for people to spray money.Okuneye Idris Olanrewaju better known as Bobrisky, was accused of “tampering” with the naira notes by spraying them at an event. She had pleaded guilty when first arraigned by Nigeria’s anti-graft agency in the economic hub of Lagos.Bobrisky's impri...
In death, 3 decades after his trial verdict, OJ Simpson still reflects America’s racial divides
Entertainment

In death, 3 decades after his trial verdict, OJ Simpson still reflects America’s racial divides

For many people old enough to remember O.J. Simpson’s murder trial, his 1995 exoneration was a defining moment in their understanding of race, policing and justice. Nearly three decades later, it still reflects the different realities of white and Black Americans.Some people recall watching their Black co-workers and classmates erupting in jubilation at perceived retribution over institutional racism. Others remember their white counterparts shocked over what many felt was overwhelming evidence of guilt. Both reactions reflected different experiences with a criminal justice system that continues to disproportionately punish Black Americans.Simpson, who died Wednesday, remains a symbol of racial divisions in American society because he is a reminder of how deeply the inequities are felt, e...
If O.J. Simpson’s assets go to court, Goldman, Brown families could be first in line
Entertainment

If O.J. Simpson’s assets go to court, Goldman, Brown families could be first in line

LOS ANGELES -- LOS ANGELES (AP) — O.J. Simpson died Thursday without having paid the lion’s share of the $33.5 million judgment a California civil jury awarded to the families of his ex-wife Nicole Brown Simpson and her friend Ron Goldman. Acquitted at a criminal trial, Simpson was found liable by jurors in a 1997 wrongful death lawsuit.The public is now likely to get a closer look Simpson's finances, and the families are likely to have a better shot at collecting — if there is anything to collect.Here's how the next few months may play out.Whether or not he left behind a will, and whatever that document says, Simpson's assets will now almost certainly have to go through what's known as the probate process in court before his four children or other intended heirs can collect on any of the...
O.J. Simpson, legendary football player and actor brought down by his murder trial, dies at 76
Entertainment

O.J. Simpson, legendary football player and actor brought down by his murder trial, dies at 76

LAS VEGAS -- LAS VEGAS (AP) — O.J. Simpson, the star and Hollywood actor acquitted of charges he killed his former wife and her friend in a trial that mesmerized the public and exposed divisions on race and policing in America, has died. He was 76. The family announced on Simpson's official X account that he died Wednesday of prostate cancer. He died in Las Vegas, officials there said Thursday.Simpson earned fame, fortune and adulation through and show business, but his legacy was forever changed by the June 1994 knife slayings of his ex-wife, Nicole Brown Simpson, and her friend Ronald Goldman in Los Angeles. He was later found liable for the deaths in a separate civil case, and then served nine years in prison on unrelated charges.Goldman’s father, Fred, and his sister, Kim, released ...
Posthumous memoir by Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny to be published Oct. 22
Entertainment

Posthumous memoir by Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny to be published Oct. 22

NEW YORK -- A memoir Alexei Navalny began working on in 2020 will be published this fall. “Patriot,” which publisher Alfred A. Knopf is calling the late Russian opposition leader's “final letter to the world,” will come out Oct. 22.Navalny’s widow, Yulia Navalnaya, said in a statement released Thursday by the publisher, “This book is a testament not only to Alexei’s life, but to his unwavering commitment to the fight against dictatorship—a fight he gave everything for, including his life. Through its pages, readers will come to know the man I loved deeply—a man of profound integrity and unyielding courage. Sharing his story will not only honor his memory but also inspire others to stand up for what is right and to never lose sight of the values that truly matter.”Navalny, 47, died in Febr...
As many cities sour on hosting the Olympics, Salt Lake City’s enthusiasm endures
Entertainment

As many cities sour on hosting the Olympics, Salt Lake City’s enthusiasm endures

SALT LAKE CITY -- The International Olympic Committee was effusive in its support Wednesday for a decadeslong effort to bring back the Winter Games to Utah's capital city in 2034.Unlike so many other past hosts that have decided bringing back the Games isn’t worth the time, money or hassle, Salt Lake City remains one of the few places where Olympic fever still burns strong. Olympic officials praised the city for preserving facilities and public enthusiasm as they kicked off their final visit ahead of a formal announcement expected this July.Reminders of the 2002 Winter Games are nestled throughout the city, from a towering cauldron overlooking the valley to an Olympic emblem stamped on manhole covers downtown. Leaving the airport, a can't-miss arch amid snow-capped mountains shows visitor...
Steak, cherry blossoms and Paul Simon will be featured at the White House state dinner for Japan
Entertainment

Steak, cherry blossoms and Paul Simon will be featured at the White House state dinner for Japan

WASHINGTON -- Dry-aged rib eye steak, cherry blossoms and the music of Paul Simon are on tap for more than 200 guests who are expected to attend a swanky White House state dinner on Wednesday to celebrate the relationship between the United States and Japan.A lavish state dinner is a tool of U.S. diplomacy, a high honor that is doled out sparingly and only to America's closest allies. In the case of Japan, President Joe Biden has chosen to celebrate an ally that he sees as a cornerstone of his policy toward the Indo-Pacific region. Biden and his wife, Jill, are hosting Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and his wife, Yuko, during the couple's official visit to the United States this week. The first lady on Tuesday described a “flourishing” relationship between the U.S. and its Pacific partner a...
Disney allowed to pause its federal lawsuit against Florida governor as part of settlement deal
Entertainment

Disney allowed to pause its federal lawsuit against Florida governor as part of settlement deal

ORLANDO, Fla. -- An appellate court on Monday granted Disney’s request for a two-month pause in a federal lawsuit against Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and his appointees to Walt Disney World’s governing district after the two sides reached a settlement on separate litigation in state court.Disney’s request last Friday to the federal appellate court was motivated by last month’s settlement deal involving two Florida lawsuits between Disney and the DeSantis-appointed Central Florida Tourism Oversight District. After DeSantis took over the theme park’s governing board, the company and the district began fighting in state court over how Disney World will be developed in the future.As part of the settlement, Disney agreed to pause the separate federal lawsuit, which is being appealed, pending neg...