Britain's Andy Green sets another speed record, this time in a hydrogen-powered car
WENDOVER, Utah (AP) — The only person to break the sound barrier in a car has earned another world record, this time in a show of force for hydrogen power. British driver Andy Green reached 406.320 mph in a car powered by two hydrogen internal combustion engines, setting the record for that vehicle category, according to the international governing body of motor sports. The 64-year-old retired Royal Air Force pilot rocketed across the crystalline crust at Utah’s famous Bonneville Salt Flats in a car engineered by British construction equipment manufacturer JCB. Tuesday’s feat didn’t come close to approaching his overall land-speed record of 763 mph, which he set in 1997 in a car powered by jet engines and which caused sonic booms.
Tiffany Haddish avoids more jail time by pleading guilty to a drunken driving charge in Georgia
FAYETTEVILLE, Ga. (AP) — Actor and comedian Tiffany Haddish has pleaded guilty to a charge stemming from a 2022 traffic arrest in Georgia. Haddish entered the plea Tuesday for a misdemeanor alcohol-related driving charge. Other charges were dropped. A judge placed Haddish on 12 months’ probation and told her to avoid drugs and alcohol and complete a substance abuse evaluation. She was credited for the brief time she spent in jail. She was arrested after someone called 911 to report seeing a driver asleep at the wheel of an SUV at a traffic light. Haddish is an Emmy and Grammy winner.
Looking to see the solar eclipse from North America? Here's where and when to catch a sliver
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) — Sorry, North America. After winning the cosmic lottery with a pair of coast-to-coast total solar eclipses, now it's Europe's turn. But look skyward anyway Wednesday and, if you're far enough north in the U.S. and Canada, you can savor a partial eclipse as the moon nibbles away at the sun. Totality will begin near the North Pole, then streak southward across Greenland, Iceland, Spain and a patch of Portugal. If skies are clear, a partial eclipse should be visible in Anchorage, Alaska; Detroit; New York City; Philadelphia; Washington, D.C.; and Bangor, Maine, among other places.
Taylor Swift, Lyle Lovett and more are headed for Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame
Taylor Swift and Lyle Lovett are set to be inducted into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame. The organization announced the new class on Tuesday, which also includes Shawn Camp, Lee Thomas Miller and Bruce Channel. They will be formally inducted during the 56th Anniversary Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame Gala later this year. Swift, a 14-time Grammy winner, is known for writing many of her own hits since launching her career in Nashville as a preteen. Lovett is celebrated for his clever lyricism in songs like “She’s No Lady.”
Ocasio-Cortez says she's freezing her eggs as she decides her next political moves
Democratic New York congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez is freezing her eggs as she decides her next political moves. The 36-year-old Ocasio-Cortez announced her decision on social media before explaining in an ABC “This Week” interview Sunday she has not ruled out running for president or for the U.S. Senate seat held by Democrats' floor leader, New York's Chuck Schumer. Ocasio-Cortez says in her social media posts she's taking a political risk in sharing such a personal decision about her potential plans to have children. The congresswoman says she wants to feel more control over her life and normalize conversations about what women face in their professional and personal lives.
Jackie, the California bald eagle who became an internet sensation, dies after illness
BIG BEAR LAKE, Calif. (AP) — Jackie, the bald eagle who became an internet sensation and a symbol of the species’ recovery in California, has died after being treated for an illness at a veterinary facility. Her caretakers announced the death Monday. For more than a decade, nature lovers watched via an online video feed as Jackie and her partner Shadow tended to their nest each year in the San Bernardino Mountains. Biologists saw the breeding of the eagles as emblematic of the comeback the species has made in recent decades. The bird was rescued in mid-July following reports she had been injured in a fight with other eagles.
Zuckerberg spokesperson says his yacht did not hear call for maritime assist
A yacht owned by Mark Zuckerberg didn’t respond immediately to a call for help from a skiff that ran out of fuel off the coast of Alaska, but a maritime law expert said Monday they may not have been obligated to because the Coast Guard determined the boat wasn’t in distress. Ian Ralby said the call for help that went out doesn't sound like an urgent “Mayday” emergency call. And a spokesperson for the Meta CEO said the crew didn’t immediately hear the radio call for help and by the time it did, another nearby ship had already rendered assistance. But the incident is getting attention because of a social media post where a passenger on the cruise ship suggested Zuckerberg’s yacht refused to help.
Don Nelson, second-winningest NBA coach who won 5 titles as a Celtics player, dies at 86
Don Nelson, the second-winningest coach in NBA history, has died at the age of 86. Nelson’s family says he died Sunday but did not say where or provide a cause of death. Nelson won five titles as a player with the Boston Celtics, though he never won one as a coach. He is one of two coaches in NBA history to have at least 250 wins with three franchises, Milwaukee, Dallas and Golden State. Nelson introduced what is now known as the point forward, and his up-tempo style known as “Nellie Ball” created a buzz. He said the idea of shifting from dominant big men to an offense focused on speed and the fast break came from late Celtics Hall of Fame coach Red Auerbach.
High school football player in Arkansas practices with a venomous snake in his helmet
MAUMELLE, Ark. (AP) — A high school football player in Arkansas had every right to be rattled after finding a venomous snake inside his helmet during practice. The Maumelle High student felt unusual movement inside his headgear following warmups last week and brought his helmet to an assistant coach for inspection. A slithering 2-foot cottonmouth was discovered behind some padding. The pit viper was so reluctant to exit the helmet that police officers had to pour water into it to force the snake out and into a bag. Animal services technicians arrived a few minutes later and took it to a wooded area far from the school.
Two drivers of Mercedes AMG cars file class action lawsuit over an alleged burn hazard in its logo
NEW YORK (AP) — Two drivers of Mercedes AMG cars have filed a class action lawsuit against the luxury car company, saying that the AMG logo on their driver’s seat gets so hot that it literally brands them and causes burns. A court document filed earlier this week in California say plaintiffs Gabriel Lahijani and Karendeep “Karina” Bath allege the front seats of certain Mercedes AMG vehicles have a design defect where the raised metallic AMG logo can be expected to touch a person's upper back, neck, or shoulder. The plaintiffs want Mercedes to compensate them for medical and other costs. Mercedes-Benz couldn’t be reached immediately for comment.
