Prosecutors have charged three men with murder in the death of 22-year-old Maria De La Rosa, who was fatally shot over the weekend in Los Angeles. De La Rosa, a Latin artist who performs under the name DELAROSA, was sitting in a parked car early Saturday when three men came up to it and demanded money. Prosecutors say they fired multiple rounds, hitting all three occupants. De La Rosa later died at a hospital. Two men have been arrested, and an arrest warrant has been issued for the third man. DELAROSA has more than 40,000 followers on Instagram.
WASHINGTON (AP) — An investigation by The Associated Press and Cox Media Group Television Stations found school crossing guards face dangerous conditions, with many injured or killed on the job. In this episode of The Story Behind the AP Story, host Haya Panjwani discusses the investigation …
NEW YORK (AP) — Writers in U.S. prisons will have a new path to getting their work seen through a website managed by PEN America that includes information on publishers, agents, journalists and other potential contacts.
The original “Zootopia” was a minor miracle. Here was a Disney animated film that took themes of race and prejudice and managed to make a sensitive-to-all-sides tale, anthropomorphize it and, as a bonus, sneak in a Department of Motor Vehicles sloth gag that the DMV is still wincing from.
You can almost smell the sweat in “The Secret Agent,” a stylish, slow burn thriller about radicals and mercenaries in 1977 Brazil. Filmmaker Kleber Mendonça Filho begins his film with the note that it was “a time of mischief.”
It's been a difficult year for the people who create video games, with layoffs persisting while the tech industry tries to force us to use artificial intelligence for everything. But great games emerged nonetheless — and I can't imagine AI ever being able to deliver the kind of thrilling, re…
An enchanted forest, 28 miles’ worth of lights and a historic mansion with more than 100 Christmas trees fulfill the quintessential elements of the holiday season — and not many places can boast all of that on one property.
The Associated Press and the Trump administration renewed their argument over a president’s ability to limit media access to journalists he disagrees with. They resumed a courtroom dispute with potential First Amendment implications that began last winter when the president announced that he had renamed the Gulf of Mexico. Trump restricted the AP’s access to events in smaller spaces like the Oval Office and Air Force One, leading the news outlet to sue. A lower federal court ruled that President Donald Trump improperly retaliated against the outlet because it did not follow and refer to the body of water as the Gulf of America. Now it's on appeal. No immediate ruling was issued.
A copy of the first Superman issue, unearthed by a trio of brothers cleaning out their late mother’s attic, netted $9.12 million at a Texas auction house which says it is the most expensive comic book ever sold. This month's sale surpassed the previous record of $6 million from another Superman-related comic sold last year. The 1939 Superman No. 1 was one of 500,000 first edition copies printed by Detective Comics Inc and is one of a small number of copies known to be in existence. Three brothers, who like the buyer remain unidentified, discovered the copy beneath old newspapers and cobwebs while cleaning out the attic in their deceased mother's house in San Francisco last year.
NEW DELHI (AP) — Dharmendra, one of Indian cinema’s most popular stars whose versatile performances made him a defining screen presence of 1970s and 1980s Bollywood films, died Monday. He was 89.
The Los Angeles County medical examiner’s office says a court order forbids the coroner from releasing details of the investigation into the death of a teen girl whose body was found in the trunk of a car registered to the singer d4vd. Multiple news outlets have said police consider the Houston-born alt-pop singer a suspect in the death of Celeste Reivas Hernandez. The LA Police Department has not confirmed that and d4vd’s lawyer did not respond to request for comment. The LAPD says the court order was sought to protect the ongoing investigation.
A German actor known for his icy gaze and unique screen presence, Udo Kier has died at 81. His partner, Delbert McBride, told Variety that Kier died Sunday in Palm Springs, California. Kier was a favorite of filmmakers like Andy Warhol and Lars von Trier. He appeared in over 200 films, including “Ace Ventura: Pet Detective” and the recent Brazilian thriller “The Secret Agent.” Kier's breakout roles were in Warhol's “Flesh for Frankenstein” and “Blood for Dracula.” He was introduced widely to American audiences in Gus Van Sant's “My Own Private Idaho.” Kier had lived in Palm Springs since the early 1990s.
Vice President JD Vance’s memoir, “Hillbilly Elegy,” has a storied history as a New York Times bestseller, as his introduction to the nation as a “Trump whisperer,” and as a Ron Howard-directed movie. Its latest role is secretly transporting drugs into an Ohio prison. Court documents say the book was one of three items whose pages 30-year-old Austin Siebert soaked in narcotics and shipped to Grafton Correctional Institution disguised as Amazon orders. Siebert, of Maumee southwest of Toledo, was sentenced last week to more than a decade in prison for his role in the scheme.
Jimmy Cliff, the charismatic reggae pioneer and actor who preached defiance, joy and endurance in such classics as "Many Rivers to Cross," "You Can Get it If You Really Want" and "Vietnam" and starred in the landmark movie "The Harder They Come," has died at 81. Cliff was a native Jamaican with a spirited tenor and a gift for topical lyrics who joined Kingston's emerging music scene in his teens and helped lead a movement in the 1960s that included such future stars as Bob Marley, Toots Hibbert and Peter Tosh.
Jimmy Cliff, the reggae pioneer and actor who preached joy, defiance and resilience in such classics as “Many Rivers to Cross,” “You Can Get it If You Really Want” and starred in the landmark movie “The Harder They Come,” has died.
Jimmy Cliff, the charismatic reggae pioneer and actor who preached defiance, joy and endurance in such classics as “Many Rivers to Cross,” “You Can Get it If You Really Want” and “Vietnam” and starred in the landmark movie “The Harder They Come,” has died at 81. Cliff was a native Jamaican with a spirited tenor and a gift for topical lyrics who joined Kingston’s emerging music scene in his teens and helped lead a movement in the 1960s that included such future stars as Bob Marley, Toots Hibbert and Peter Tosh.
NEW YORK (AP) — ‘Tis the season to put on some brand-new holiday music. The best way to get festive is to sing along to Christmas classics new and old. But don’t know what to press play on? We've got you covered.
Joan Cutler has an impossible decision to make in “Eternity.” The newly deceased character, played by Elizabeth Olsen, has one week to decide who she wants to spend her afterlife with and two husbands lurking and hoping that she’ll choose them. Luke ( Callum Turner ) is the dashing one who d…
With “Bel-Air” entering its fourth and final season on Monday, the cast reflects on how the ambitious Peacock drama expanded the possibilities for Black-led prestige television. The series, inspired by a viral reimagining of the ’90s sitcom, built its own identity through deeper emotional storytelling and high-end production values rarely afforded to a young Black ensemble. While reports cited its high production costs as a factor in its ending, the actors say the show is concluding exactly how the creative team intended. The new season pushes the Banks family into pivotal crossroads as the series reaches its planned finale.
NEW YORK (AP) — Two things that made massive cultural splashes this year — Labubu and “KPop Demon Hunters” — will fill the sky and streets of New York when the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade kicks off this year. Conan Gray and Lainey Wilson will bring the tunes.
NEW YORK (AP) — Ryan Seacrest will have some starry help ushering in 2026 on “Dick Clark's New Year’s Rockin’ Eve” — Chance the Rapper, Rob Gronkowski, Julianne Hough and Rita Ora have all signed up.
Bong Joon Ho’s “Mickey 17,” a new batch of “Stranger Things'” final season and Kevin Hart debuting a new comedy special on Netflix are some of the new television, films, music and games headed to a device near you.
Pressure is increasing for the former Prince Andrew to give evidence to a U.S. congressional committee investigating the convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein after Britain’s prime minister suggested he should testify. Keir Starmer did not comment directly about King Charles III’s disgraced younger brother, but told reporters traveling with him for the Group of 20 summit in Johannesburg that as a “general principle” people should provide evidence to investigators. The former prince, now known as Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, has so far ignored a request from members of the House Oversight Committee for a “transcribed interview.”
Donald Glover has revealed he suffered a stroke last year, which forced him to cancel his tour. Speaking at Tyler, the Creator’s Camp Flog Gnaw festival in Los Angeles on Saturday, Glover shared that a doctor diagnosed him after he experienced severe head pain during a show in Louisiana. Despite the pain, he performed but later sought medical attention in Houston. Glover also disclosed he had two surgeries for a heart condition. He expressed gratitude for his life and career, saying, "You got one life, guys, and I gotta be honest, the life I’ve lived with you guys has been such a blessing."
Universal Pictures' "Wicked: For Good" has taken the box office by storm, earning an estimated $150 million in North America and $226 million globally in its opening weekend. It's the biggest opening ever for a Broadway musical adaptation, surpassing the first film's $112 million launch, and the second biggest of the year. Released earlier this week, the film played in 4,115 North American locations by Friday, with IMAX showings contributing $15.5 million. Women made up 71% of ticket buyers. Directed by Jon M. Chu and starring Cynthia Ervio and Ariana Grande, the film's success is crucial for the exhibition industry as the year ends.
Christmas went on the auction block this week in Pennsylvania farm country in the form of a giant Christmas tree sale. About 50,000 trees and a huge array of other seasonal items were bought and sold at the Buffalo Valley Produce Auction in Mifflinburg this week. Buyers from across the Northeast and mid-Atlantic were there to supply garden stores and other retail outlets. The Real Christmas Tree Board says the scent of real trees is a major draw for farm-grown trees. A trade group says more than 21 million farm-grown Christmas trees were sold in 2023, with median price of $75.
Mexican artistic director Jorge Díaz has created a unique stage adaptation of the Maya myth Popol Vuh. Inspired by bedtime stories he shared with his son, Díaz blends circus arts with theater in "Mortal Leap into Xib’alb’a." The show reimagines the journey of hero twins Ixbalanqué and Hunahpú through the Maya underworld. Díaz and Jessica González founded the troupe Tránsito Cinco, initially a theater company, which evolved into circus arts. The performance, aimed at children and families, explores themes of rebirth and transformation, reflecting the Maya view of death as a chance for renewal.
In the mid-20th century, comic books groups grew in popularity. But some people worried that they were contributing to illiteracy and inciting crime among young people. One California city passed a ban in 1949 banning anyone from distributing comic books prominently featuring crime to children. The Sacramento law is rarely if ever enforced, but the city is taking steps to remove it from the books. Proponents of repealing the law say it is necessary to protect against alarming efforts in recent years to ban books in various states. One comic shop owner in the city says the ban is “silly.”
Professor of physics and astronomy Darryl Stanford uses the planetarium at the College of San Mateo to show what can be seen in the skies and to teach about the beauty of the heavens.
Art can heal. That’s the idea behind Art Bias’ poignant and heartwarming installation, Uplift, a glimpse of a hidden world, the pain and the hope behind closed doors of domestic abuse.
They’re cute, even cuddly, and promise learning and companionship — but artificial intelligence toys are not safe for kids, according to children’s and consumer advocacy groups urging parents not to buy them during the holiday season.
“High Horse: The Black Cowboy,” a new docuseries executive produced by Jordan Peele and his Monkeypaw Productions that is now streaming on Peacock, highlights who it says are the first American cowboys – Black men. Directed by Jason Perez, the three-part docuseries is an extension of Peele’s 2022 blockbuster film “Nope,” which follows siblings who operate the only Black-owned horse ranch in California. The docuseries focuses on the history and erasure of the Black cowboy, systemic racism and the current battles Black citizens face with land ownership dating back to the post-slavery Reconstruction era, as well as the entertainment impact African Americans have made throughout country western history.
Fátima Bosch Fernández’s Miss Universe victory is resounding across Mexico. It's being framed as the vindication of a disrespected contestant from a country where women have pushed their way into positions of power and are increasingly calling out traditional chauvinism. Bosch won Thursday night in Thailand after being scolded by the Thai national director earlier in the competition. Bosch walked out in response, with other contestants following in solidarity. Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum praised Bosch for speaking up against injustice. She says women are prettier when they speak and participate. Cheers erupted when Bosch was announced as the winner, with Mexican flags waved by supporters. Her home state of Tabasco partied into the night.
Are you ready for more “Wicked"? “Wicked: For Good — The Soundtrack" offers a bulked-up take on the music of the original “Wicked” musical's second act, grounded in yet-again stellar vocals from Cynthia Erivo as a misunderstood but defiant Elphaba and Ariana Grande as a conflicted but changi…
Pope Leo XIV has revealed a closely held secret: He uses a different Wordle start word each day. Leo divulged his strategy playing the popular New York Times online game during an online encounter with American young people. During the meeting, he fielded questions via videoconference about artificial intelligence, social media and the future of the Catholic Church.
“KPop Demon Hunters” is one step closer to another golden moment: The Oscars. The Netflix hit is among 35 films eligible for the Animated Feature Film category at the 98th Academy Awards. The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences released the list on Friday. Although it gained fame on Netflix, the film had a qualifying theatrical run in New York, Los Angeles, and San Francisco in June. Other contenders include Disney’s “Elio” and “Zootopia 2,” and Crunchyroll/Sony’s “Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle.” Fans will find out if it makes the cut for a nomination on January 22.
WASHINGTON (AP) — Grammy-winning rapper Prakazrel “Pras” Michel of the Fugees was sentenced on Thursday to 14 years in prison for a case in which he was convicted of illegally funneling millions of dollars in foreign contributions to former President Barack Obama’s 2012 reelection campaign.
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