Pakistan's death toll from six weeks of monsoon rains rises to 154
ISLAMABAD (AP) — The death toll from monsoon rains that have been continuing for nearly six weeks across Pakistan has risen to 154, according to officials. The National Disaster Management Authority said flash floods and heavy rains have damaged more than 1,500 homes since the monsoon rains began on July 1. Orchards were also damaged in remote areas of the southwestern Balochistan province, the authority said in a report Thursday. Most of the 154 deaths occurred in the eastern Punjab province and the northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province. Pakistan is currently in the middle of its monsoon season, which runs from July to September. In 2022, heavy rains caused by the weather swelled rivers and at one point flooded a third of the country, killing more than 1,700 people and causing $30 billion in damage.
Rapper Nelly arrested and charged with illegal drug possession; lawyer says case closed
Rapper Nelly was arrested at a St. Louis-area casino. The Missouri Highway Patrol announced Wednesday that officers found four illegal ecstasy pills in his possession. The rapper's lawyer said overzealous officers targeted him and conducted an improper search. The arrest took place at about 4:45 a.m., according to the patrol. Nelly, 49, was detained by police in Maryland Heights, Missouri, and later released. Nelly's lawyer Scott Rosenblum said officers ran warrants and found a 2018 traffic warrant when Nelly tried to hit multiple jackpots, and then searched Nelly. He predicted the case would stall.
Simone Biles was recognized for everything she accomplished at the Paris Olympics. She thrived in the spotlight.
PARIS (AP) — Everything Simone Biles did at the Paris Olympics was noticed. She won four medals, feuded online with a former teammate and made social media posts critical of presidential candidate Donald Trump. Her TikToks regularly garner millions of views and she made headlines when she admitted to getting Botox injections. Biles is the most decorated gymnast of all time and America's golden girl. Her unique ability to last beyond Olympic cycles is due in large part to her incredible career accomplishments. But it's also her authenticity that makes her relatable, inspiring and beloved by millions around the world.
Steve Martin turns down Tim Waltz impersonator role on 'SNL', dashing internet casting hopes
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Steve Martin's next role won't be the Midwestern politician the internet had hoped. Maya Rudolph's wildly popular impersonation of Kamala Harris on “Saturday Night Live” got fans buzzing about who the late-night comedy show would choose to play Harris' running mate, Tim Waltz. Fans were quick to compare Waltz to comedian and actor Steve Martin, who told the Los Angeles Times he turned down the role. “SNL” producer Lorne Michaels offered Martin the role for the upcoming 50th season, which premieres Sept. 28, but Martin said he's not an “impersonator.” Rudolph will reprise the role of Harris.
Man accused of sending his 17-year-old son to rob and kill rapper PnB Rock found guilty of murder
COMPTON, Calif. (AP) — A Los Angeles County jury has convicted a man of sending his 17-year-old son to kill rapper PnB Rock. The jury found 42-year-old Freddie Trone guilty Wednesday of one count of murder and two counts of robbery. Both sides in the two-week trial agreed that the teenager, who has not yet been tried, walked into a Roscoe's Chicken & Waffles in South Los Angeles in 2022, gunned down the Philadelphia hip-hop star and stole his jewelry. Prosecutors said Trone was acting on his father's orders, while the defense argued he was merely an accessory after the fact.
Titan submarine crew knew they would die before implosion, according to $50 million lawsuit
The family of a French explorer who died in a submersible explosion has filed a lawsuit for more than $50 million. The family says the crew experienced “fear and mental distress” before the accident and accuses the submersible's operators of gross negligence. Paul-Henri Narjolet was one of five people killed when the Titan submersible blew up in June 2023 while sailing to the famous Titanic sinking site in the North Atlantic. There were no survivors aboard the experimental submersible owned by Ocean Gate of Washington state. The company has since suspended operations. The lawsuit was filed on Tuesday. An Ocean Gate spokesman declined to comment.
Mysterious Paris street artist “Invader” creates new artwork to celebrate Olympics and delight fans
PARIS (AP) — A mysterious French street artist known only as “Invader” has struck Paris again, this time to celebrate the Olympics. Invader has been pasting his quirky mosaics on Paris walls since the 1990s, usually at night and without permission. He has become France's most international, aggressive and interesting contemporary street artist. His works can be found all over the City of Lights, and fans have a lot of fun searching for them. And now they'll find a new Olympic-themed piece. Invader pasted it on a wall on the Seine River embankment between Tuesday and Wednesday. Using tiles, he created a mosaic that shows one of his signature Space Invader figures running.
NCAA orders former Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh to serve four years in prison for recruiting violations
ANN ARBOR, Mich. (AP) — The NCAA said former University of Michigan head coach Jim Harbaugh had improper contact with recruits and players during limited access due to the COVID-19 pandemic. It has ordered him to show cause for four years before returning to college coaching. The NCAA said Harbaugh engaged in unethical conduct, failed to foster an atmosphere of compliance and violated his head coaching responsibilities. Harbaugh left the national champion Wolverines to coach the Los Angeles Chargers. The NCAA has already sentenced Michigan to three years of probation, fined him and restricted recruits for the same offense.
Dog bites into lithium-ion battery, sparks house fire in Oklahoma
TULSA (AP) — After a dog chewed on a lithium-ion battery and started a house fire in Oklahoma, fire officials are using video of the moment to highlight the dangers of the batteries. Footage posted online by the Tulsa Fire Department last week shows the dog gnawing at the battery on the living room floor as another dog and a cat stand nearby, sparks flying and the floor cushions suddenly burst into flames. The Tulsa-area home was heavily damaged in the May blaze, but the two dogs and cat escaped through a pet door and were unharmed, according to the fire department.
Bet365 was ordered to refund $519,000 to customers who paid less than they should have on sports bets.
ATLANTIC CITY, N.J. (AP) — Online gambling company bet365 must refund more than $500,000 to customers who won bets but received less than they should have because the company unilaterally changed the odds when they paid out their winnings. The New Jersey Division of Gambling Enforcement ordered the British company to refund more than $519,000 to 199 customers who received underpayments after winning bets. The company said it changed the odds because of a “clear error.” But the state says companies that want to void or change winnings must get regulator approval before doing so.
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