Tim Curry, iconic character actor and 'Rocky Horror Picture Show' star, dies at 80
Tim Curry has died at 80. The beloved character actor created a gallery of delicious, loony villains for stage and screen. Curry gained fame as Dr. Frank-N-Furter in “The Rocky Horror Picture Show,” an iconic role that became a cultural touchstone. He also played the smug concierge in “Home Alone 2: Lost in New York.” His longtime friend and manager Marcia Hurwitz says he died Tuesday night at his home in Los Angeles. No cause was disclosed. He had suffered a stroke in 2012 that put him in a wheelchair. Curry earned three Tony nominations — for “Spamalot,” “My Favorite Year” and “Amadeus” — and an Emmy nod in 1994.
Tropical Storm Dolly forms in the Atlantic and could bring heavy rain to portions of the Caribbean
MIAMI (AP) — Tropical Storm Dolly has formed in the Atlantic Ocean far from land. The U.S. National Hurricane Center in Miami says Thursday the storm could bring heavy rain to portions of the Caribbean in the coming days. The storm’s name had no connection to Dolly Parton’s death. Storm systems are named by procedures set by the World Meteorological Organization, and the lists of names are reused every six years. There were no coastal watches or warnings in effect, but the Leeward Islands could get heavy rain Saturday and Sunday. The Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico and Hispaniola could see heavy rain Sunday and Monday.
A robot sprinter shatters a 100-meter record again as sparks fly at China’s robot competition
BEIJING (AP) — A robot sprinter has broken another 100-meter record at China's World Humanoid Robot Games. The event ended its five-day run with more than 2,000 robots competing in various Olympics-style events. The winning robot finished the 100 meters in 8.64 seconds on Wednesday. That broke a record for the second consecutive day. Several robots crashed into a padded barrier after crossing the finish line. And sparks flew from some as staff rushed in with fire extinguishers. All three records were set by the same humanoid robot model, Tiangong Ultra, which is developed by X-Humanoid in Beijing.
'Dear You,' a migration tale shot in a southern Chinese dialect, gets buzz abroad
BANGKOK (AP) — "Dear You," a film shot in a southern Chinese dialect, has become a hit in China. Now it is heading overseas. The move highlights the Teochew immigrant community in Bangkok, opening a window into the history of Chinese migration to Southeast Asia. Made on a low budget with mostly unknown actors, the film has been the second-biggest grossing film at the Chinese box office this year. It has been released in several countries and will be shown in the U.S. next month. The film's success aligns with China's goal of promoting its culture globally.
Washington Post ordered to reinstate Black opinion writer fired after Charlie Kirk posts
An arbitrator has ordered The Washington Post to reinstate a Black opinion writer fired over social media posts about violent white men following last year’s killing of conservative activist Charlie Kirk. In a ruling, Sarah Miller Espinosa wrote that the newspaper did not have sufficient cause to terminate Karen Attiah. Espinosa’s ruling calls for The Post to award Attiah full back pay and lost benefits. Kirk was shot and killed Sept. 10 during a public appearance at a Utah college. The Post accused Attiah of “gross misconduct.” Still, Espinosa ruled the newspaper failed to establish that and “did not have good and sufficient cause to terminate” Attiah's employment.
Roger Federer is coming back to play at the US Open, but not interested in coming back to pro tennis
NEW YORK (AP) — Roger Federer is actually nervous about his tennis. The man who won five straight U.S. Open championships during the height of his dominance of the sport is set to play again in Arthur Ashe Stadium on Tuesday night for the first time since 2019. And he’s not quite sure how the game that perhaps nobody ever made look more elegant will appear now. It’s only one set of singles in an exhibition against Andy Roddick and one set of doubles with John McEnroe against Roddick and Andre Agassi. The winner of 20 Grand Slam singles titles should be fine for those, but he isn't interested in a true tennis comeback.
‘Spider-Man’ tops box office in fourth weekend; ‘The Odyssey’ becomes Nolan’s highest-grossing film
"Spider-Man: Brand New Day" continues to dominate the box office, holding the top spot for the fourth weekend. It added $39 million from 4,006 theaters in the U.S. and Canada, bringing its North American total to over $854.9 million. This puts it on track to surpass "Avengers: Endgame" as the second highest-grossing domestic release ever. "The Odyssey" became Christopher Nolan's highest-grossing film, adding $19.5 million domestically and $68 million internationally. Meanwhile, "Insidious: Out of the Further" earned $25.3 million, and "Mutiny," starring Jason Statham, opened with $7.5 million. The summer box office has reached $4.4 billion in North America.
How bitcoin and gold went from a slump to an MVP week in just a few days
Bitcoin and gold shot higher this week, with both getting a boost from some frantic action surrounding the bond market, and the cryptocurrency also benefiting from activity in Washington. Both bitcoin and gold had fallen sharply from their highs set in January. They each got a jolt Wednesday when the Treasury Department announced plans to significantly increase bond purchases to push down interest rates. Bitcoin got more help from President Donald Trump, who urged Congress to move quickly on crypto legislation. A dollar sell-off also help gold and bitcoin as investors moved toward alternative assets.
Ex-Abercrombie & Fitch CEO is mentally fit for sex trafficking trial, judge says
NEW YORK (AP) — The former CEO of Abercrombie & Fitch has been ruled mentally competent to stand trial for alleged sex trafficking after being hospitalized for months for dementia and Alzheimer’s symptoms. U.S. District Court Judge Nusrat Choudhury ruled Thursday that Michael Jeffries “clearly possesses a rational and factual understanding of the proceedings” and is a “reasonably intelligent person and skilled communicator.” The Long Island judge said she reviewed testimony and written reports from medical experts and listened to hours of phone calls Jeffries made while detained at a federal prison hospital in North Carolina. Jeffries' lawyers didn't immediately comment.
Philanthropist Nancy Kissinger, wife of former Secretary of State Henry Kissinger, dies at 92
NEW YORK (AP) — Philanthropist Nancy Kissinger, the wife of former Secretary of State Henry Kissinger, has died. She was 92. The daughter of a New York City lawyer, Nancy Maginnes met Henry Kissinger while working for New York Gov. Nelson Rockefeller. The couple wed in 1974. Nancy Kissinger was a strong presence on the New York philanthropy scene and was often seen at high fashion openings. She made headlines in 1982 when she tried to throttle a woman who harassed her and her husband with insulting questions at Newark Airport. She was acquitted of assault.
