George Wendt, who played beloved barfly Norm on 'Cheers' and found another home onstage, dies at 76
NEW YORK (AP) — George Wendt, an actor with an Everyman charm who played the affable, beer-loving barfly Norm on the hit 1980s TV comedy “Cheers,” has died. He was 76. Wendt in later life crafted a stage career that took him to Broadway in “Art,” “Hairspray” and “Elf.” Despite a long career of roles onstage and on TV, it was as gentle and henpecked Norm Peterson on “Cheers” that he was most associated, earning six straight Emmy Award nominations for best supporting actor in a comedy series from 1984-89. The series was centered on lovable losers in a Boston bar and starred Ted Danson, Shelley Long, Rhea Perlman, Kelsey Grammer, John Ratzenberger, Kirstie Alley and Woody Harrelson.
Southwest Airlines will require chargers be kept out while in use because of battery fire concerns
Passengers on Southwest Airlines flights will soon be required to keep their portable chargers in plain sight while using them because of concerns about the growing number of lithium battery fires. Southwest announced the new policy that will go into effect on May 28. The airline says passengers may have already seen notifications about the industry-leading rule when using the airline’s app. There is growing concern about lithium-ion battery fires on planes because the number continues to grow annually and devices powered by those batteries are ubiquitous. There have already been 19 incidents this year following last year’s record high of 89. Other airlines may copy Southwest's new policy.
On 'World Bee Day,' the bees did not seem bothered. They should be
COLOGNE, Germany (AP) — Tuesday was the eighth annual “World Bee Day.” Bees and other pollinators have been on the decline for years. Experts blame a combination of factors. They include insecticides, parasites, disease, climate change and lack of a diverse food supply. A significant part of the human diet comes from plants pollinated by bees. And not just honeybees but hundreds of species of lesser-known wild bees. Many of them are endangered. The U.N. General Assembly sponsored the first “World Bee Day” in 2018 to bring attention to the bees’ plight. Steps as small as planting a pollinator garden or buying raw honey from local farmers were encouraged.
Levi Strauss agrees to sell Casual Friday staple Dockers for up to $391 million
NEW YORK (AP) — Levi Strauss is set to finally part ways with Dockers — inking a deal to sell its brand once credited with propelling the popularity of “Casual Fridays” to Authentic Brands Group. In an announcement Tuesday, the denim giant said it had agreed to sell Dockers to Authentic for up to $391 million. The transaction will start at an initial value of $311 million, with the potential of adding another $80 million to the price tag based on business performance under the new ownership. The sale arrives as San Francisco-based Levi Strauss boosts its focus on the chain’s core Levi’s brand — as well as Beyond Yoga, which the company acquired in 2021, as more and more consumers continue to cozy up to athleisure wear.
Home Depot says it doesn't expect to boost prices because of tariffs
Home Depot doesn’t expect to raise prices because of tariffs, saying it has spent years diversifying the sources for the goods on its shelves. Other companies, domestic and foreign, have warned customers that price hikes are on the way. Walmart said last week that it has already raised prices and will have to do so again in the near future. Late Monday, Subaru of America said it would raise prices on some of its most popular models by as much as $2,000. Home Depot says it doesn't expect any single country outside of the U.S. will represent more than 10% of its purchases 12 months from now.
Passenger jet had to abort takeoff to avoid runway collision at New York's LaGuardia Airport
Federal officials are investigating why two planes got dangerously close on a runway at New York's LaGuardia Airport earlier this month despite the airport being equipped with an advanced surface radar system that's designed to help prevent such close calls. Both the Federal Aviation Administration and the National Transportation Safety Board said Monday they are investigating the May 6 incident. A Republic Airways jet had to abort takeoff because a United Airlines plane was still taxiing across the runway. Renee Hoffer said she and the other passengers were thrown forward so hard when the plane abruptly stopped that she wound up in the emergency room the next day with a pinched nerve.
Trump administration agrees to pay nearly $5M to settle suit over Ashli Babbitt shooting in Capitol
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Trump administration has agreed to pay just under $5 million to settle a wrongful death lawsuit that Ashli Babbitt’s family filed over her shooting by an officer during the U.S. Capitol riot. That's according to a person with knowledge of the settlement who insisted on anonymity to discuss terms of a deal that have not been made public. The settlement will resolve the $30 million federal lawsuit that Babbitt’s estate filed last year in Washington. On Jan. 6, 2021, a Capitol police officer shot Babbitt as she tried to climb through the broken window of a barricaded door.
Austria welcomes JJ back home with cheers, hugs and roses after he wins the Eurovision Song Contest
VIENNA (AP) — Austrian fans have enthusiastically welcomed classically trained singer JJ back home at Vienna airport after he won the Eurovision Song Contest with “Wasted Love.” As JJ walked through the gate, hundreds of fans on Sunday cheered, some played JJ’s song, and others surrounded the new star, hugging him and asking for autographs. The 24-year-old countertenor's winning song combines operatic, multi-octave vocals with a techno twist. He also sings at the Vienna State Opera. Austria’s leaders were among the first to congratulate JJ on Sunday morning, including President Alexander van der Bellen in a video posted on X.
President Trump signs Take It Down Act, addressing nonconsensual deepfakes. What is it?
President Donald Trump has signed the Take It Down Act, which seeks to enact stricter penalties for the distribution of non-consensual intimate imagery, sometimes called ‘revenge porn’ online. The bill, supported by First Lady Melania Trump, was introduced by Sen. Ted Cruz, a Republican from Texas and Sen. Amy Klobuchar, a Democrat from Minnesota, in 2018. It passed in the Senate in February and the House in April. Critics say the bill is too broad and could lead to censorship and First Amendment issues.
‘Final Destination: Bloodlines’ tops box office while The Weeknd’s movie falters
“Final Destination: Bloodlines” has topped the domestic box office charts this weekend. According to studio estimates Sunday the film earned $51 million in ticket sales from theaters in the U.S. and Canada. It's the latest hit from Warner Bros., which also had the third and fourth biggest movies of the weekend in “Sinners” and “A Minecraft Movie.” Disney's “Thunderbolts” placed second. Opening outside of the top five was The Weeknd's experimental thriller “Hurry Up Tomorrow,” which failed to connect with audiences. Next weekend sees two big films hitting theaters in “Mission: Impossible 8” and “Lilo & Stitch.”
