John Ashton, ‘Beverly Hills Cop’ actor, dies at 76

John Ashton, ‘Beverly Hills Cop’ actor, dies at 76

NEW YORK — John Ashton, the veteran character actor who memorably played the gruff but lovable police detective John Taggart in the “Beverly Hills Cop” films, has died. He was 76. Ashton died Thursday in Fort Collins, Colorado, his family announced in a statement released by Ashton’s manager, Alan Somers, on Sunday. No cause of … Read more

Valentino’s new designer puts on maximalist Paris ready-to-wear debut

Valentino’s new designer puts on maximalist Paris ready-to-wear debut

PARIS — Alessandro Michele’s eagerly awaited ready-to-wear Paris Fashion Week debut at Valentino was unveiled in a setting that hinted at a transformation— a living room in flux. Stools, ladders, and lamps shrouded beneath white blankets evoked a house renovation, signaling not just change, but a conscious revival of past glories. The scene, poetic and … Read more

D’Arnaud hits a walk-off homer as Braves keep up their playoff push with a 2-1 win over Royals

D’Arnaud hits a walk-off homer as Braves keep up their playoff push with a 2-1 win over Royals

ATLANTA — Travis d’Arnaud hit a home run in the ninth inning and the Atlanta Braves kept up their postseason push with a 2-1 win over the playoff-bound Kansas City Royals on Saturday night. Reynaldo López came off the injured list to throw six strong innings for the Braves, who moved one game ahead of … Read more

‘Megalopolis’ flops, ‘Wild Robot’ soars at box office

‘Megalopolis’ flops, ‘Wild Robot’ soars at box office

NEW YORK — Francis Ford Coppola’s decades-in-the-making, self-financed epic “Megalopolis” flopped with moviegoers, while the acclaimed DreamWorks Animation family film “Wild Robot” soared to No. 1 at the weekend box office. “Wild Robot,” Chris Sanders’ adaptation of Peter Brown’s bestseller, outperformed expectations to launch with $35 million in ticket sales in U.S. and Canada theaters, … Read more

Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs faces new sex assault allegations in woman’s lawsuit

Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs faces new sex assault allegations in woman’s lawsuit

Sean “Diddy” Combs was hit with new sexual assault allegations Friday as a woman filed a lawsuit in New York saying she was repeatedly raped and drugged at the music mogul’s homes and became pregnant after one of the encounters. It’s the latest of several similar lawsuits by women against Combs, who also was arrested … Read more

Could a doping probe strip Salt Lake City of the 2034 Olympics? The IOC president says it’s unlikely

Could a doping probe strip Salt Lake City of the 2034 Olympics? The IOC president says it’s unlikely

PARK CITY, Utah — In his first visit back to Utah since awarding Salt Lake City the 2034 Winter Games, the International Olympic Committee president sought to ease worries that the city could lose its second Olympics if organizers don’t fulfill an agreement to play peacemaker between anti-doping authorities. Thomas Bach on Saturday downplayed the … Read more

She defended ‘El Chapo.’ Now this lawyer is using her narco-fame to launch a music career

She defended ‘El Chapo.’ Now this lawyer is using her narco-fame to launch a music career

MEXICO CITY — Riding in a black SUV with tinted windows, lawyer Mariel Colón rolls up to the gates of a remote mansion, strolling past a security guard side-by-side with Emma Coronel, the wife of notorious drug lord Joaquín “El Chapo” Guzmán. Sporting suits and sunglasses, the pair stride into a dimly lit room full … Read more

AP Top 25 Takeaways: Georgia-Alabama play a thrilling classic, undiminshed by expanded CFP

AP Top 25 Takeaways: Georgia-Alabama play a thrilling classic, undiminshed by expanded CFP

No. 2 Georgia and No. 4 Alabama played a classic Saturday night, a wild affair that included a 28-0 run by the Crimson Tide to start the game, a resilient comeback by the Bulldogs, and 142 yards worth of touchdown passes in a 13-second span of the fourth quarter. When it was done, Carson Beck … Read more

Hospital clowns bring joy to young Ukrainian cancer patients who survived Russian missile attack

Hospital clowns bring joy to young Ukrainian cancer patients who survived Russian missile attack

KYIV, Ukraine — Their costumes are put on with surgical precision: Floppy hats, foam noses, bright clothes, and a ukulele with multicolored nylon strings. Moments later, in a beige hospital ward normally filled with the beeping sounds of medical machinery, there are bursts of giggles and silly singing. As Ukraine’s medical facilities come under pressure … Read more

As theaters struggle, many independent cinemas in Los Angeles are finding their audience

As theaters struggle, many independent cinemas in Los Angeles are finding their audience

LOS ANGELES — On a hot summer evening, Miles Villalon lined up outside the New Beverly Cinema, hours before showtime. The 36-year-old already had tickets to the Watergate-themed double feature of 1976’s “All the President’s Men” and 1999’s “Dick.” But Villalon braved Los Angeles’ infamous rush-hour traffic to snag front-row seats at Quentin Tarantino’s historic … Read more