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Weinstein raped me in 1994 at age 17, woman says in lawsuit

NEW YORK A woman who says Harvey Weinstein raped her when she was 17 is among four plaintiffs in a new lawsuit against the imprisoned movie mogul, the latest court action accusing him of decades of vile sexual behavior. The woman, now living in Tennessee, alleges that Weinstein was nearly naked when she walked into the room and that he threatened her after the rape. In Thursdays lawsuit, another woman alleges Weinstein jammed his tongue into her mouth and fondled her breasts and vagina as he pinned her against a hotel door at the Cannes Film Festival in France in 1984. The woman, now 70 and living in Ecuador, alleges a friend who worked with Weinstein told her she should keep quiet or be blackballed from the industry. The Associated Press does not typically identify people who say they are victims of sexual assault unless they grant permission.

Ai Weiwei says new security law is the end of Hong Kong

In this image made from a Skype video interview with Chinese artist dissident Ai Weiwei comments on the recent security law planned for Hong kong from a location in Cambridge, England, Wednesday, May 27, 2020. Ai Weiwei believes the newly passed national security law for Hong Kong augurs the end for the semi-autonomous city. (AP Photo/Park Juwon)SEOUL Dissident Chinese artist Ai Weiwei believes the newly passed national security law for Hong Kong augurs the end for the semi-autonomous city. Critics of the new law say it may allow mainland security organs to interfere in local law enforcement, among other things. Young people in Hong Kong, they are smart, they are rational, and they are very brave, Ai said.

Lincoln Center artistic director leaving during shutdown

NEW YORK Lincoln Center artistic director Jane Moss is departing on Aug. 1 after 27 years, leaving the performing arts center without a key leader while it remains shut due to the coronavirus pandemic. Lincoln Centers constituent parts have been shut down since mid-March, including the Metropolitan Opera, New York Philharmonic, New York City Ballet, Lincoln Center Theater and Jazz at Lincoln Center. The 67-year-old Moss oversees Lincoln Centers Great Performers series, Mostly Mozart Festival, White Light Festival, American Songbook, Midsummer Night Swing and Lincoln Center Out of Doors. I had begun to consider moving into a new chapter of my life prior to the pandemic. But the multi-year/multi-track cycle of programming never allowed time for a responsible departure and smooth transition, Moss said in a statement Friday.

Apple Music to launch its 1st radio show in Africa

NEW YORK Apple Music is launching its first radio show in Africa. Cuppy, the Nigerian-born DJ and music producer, will host the weekly one-hour show, which will be available at 9 a.m. EDT. The show represents a journey from West to East and North to South, but importantly a narrative of Africa then to Africa now, Cuppy in a statement. Apple Musics announcement comes the same week Universal Music Group said it was launching Def Jam Africa, a new division of the label focused on representing hip-hop, Afrobeat and trap talent in Africa. The label said it will be based in Johannesburg and Lagos but plans to sign talent from all over the continent.

Top spellers prepare to crown national champion, from home

Like dozens of other veteran spellers in their final year of eligibility, Anson Cook had big plans for this year's Scripps National Spelling Bee, which was canceled because of the coronavirus pandemic. The SpellPundit bee, with spellers competing from their homes over Zoom, concludes Thursday night, the same time the Scripps winner would have been decided. The champion receives $2,500, a pittance compared to the National Spelling Bees first prize of $50,000, but worth a middle-schoolers time and effort all the same. Most of the spellers who would have been favorites at the national bee quickly signed up, including the top three still-eligible finishers from last year. Yes, eight: Last year's Scripps bee ended in an eight-way tie when organizers ran out of words difficult enough to challenge the best spellers.

Winfrey, Pitt part of Grammys special for essential workers

FILE - This May 28, 2019 file photo shows Singer Harry Connick Jr. with his daughter Georgia at a special screening of "Pavarotti" in New York. The Grammys is putting together an event featuring Brad Pitt, Oprah Winfrey, Herbie Hancock and Harry Connick, Jr. to honor essential workers across America. It will follow host Connick Jr. and his filmmaker-daughter Georgia on road trip celebrating and thanking essential workers during the coronavirus pandemic. (Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP, File)NEW YORK The Grammys is putting together an event featuring Brad Pitt, Oprah Winfrey, Herbie Hancock and Harry Connick, Jr. to honor essential workers across America. Winfrey, Pitt, Sandra Bullock, Queen Latifah, Rene Zellweger and Drew Brees will also deliver special messages to workers.

Czech National Museum exhibits masks made during pandemic

Visitors view en exhibition of face masks at the National Museum in Prague, Czech Republic, Thursday, May 28, 2020. With the coronavirus pandemic still not over yet, the Czech National Museum in Prague has put on display the most visible symbol of the country's response to it, face masks. (AP Photo/Petr David Josek)PRAGUE The National Museum in Prague has put on display the most visible symbol of the Czech Republic's response to the coronavirus - face masks. If we want to leave a legacy for future generations, this collection of face masks says only positive things about us, National Museum spokeswoman Lenka Bouckova said Thursday. The Nation Museum exhibition is set to expand with future donations when people no longer need to use masks.

Sitcom casts to do virtual reading for Asian Heritage Month

The casts of Fresh Off the Boat and Kim's Convenience are partnering for one night for charity. In honor of Asian Pacific American Heritage Month, the ensembles of both TV comedies will do live online table reads of their respective pilot episodes on Saturday, according to Deadline. The ABC series about a Taiwanese American family ended in February after six seasons. Canadian sitcom Kim's Convenience," which is available in the U.S. on Netflix, was recently renewed for a fifth and sixth season. The table reads will be free to watch.

New 'Hunger Games' book sells more than 500,000 copies

NEW YORK A decade after the Hunger Games series had apparently ended, readers were clearly ready for more. Suzanne Collins' The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes sold more 500,000 copies last week, even as many of the country's bookstores were closed or offering limited service because of the coronavirus pandemic. NPD BookScan, which tracks around 85 percent of the print market, reported Wednesday that Songbirds and Snakes" topped last week's list with 270,000 copies sold. Collins' book, a prequel to her previous Hunger Games novels, came 10 years after the author seemingly wrapped up the Dystopian series with Mockingjay." Collins' novels, which also include The Hunger Games and Catching Fire," have sold more than 100 million copies worldwide and are the basis for a billion dollar movie franchise.

Japan police arrest man in Kyoto anime arson that killed 36

Shinji Aoba on a stretcher is carried to Fushimi police station after being arrested in Kyoto, western Japan, Wednesday, May 27, 2020. Japanese police arrested the suspect in a deadly arson at Kyoto Animation's No. Kyoto police said they arrested Shinji Aoba, 42, on murder and arson allegations, 10 months after obtaining the warrant because they had to wait for Aoba to recover. About 70 people were working inside the studio in southern Kyoto, Japans ancient capital, at the time of the attack. Aoba sustained severe burns on his face, torso and limbs, and was unconscious for weeks.

Too much TV? Enter HBO Max, the latest streaming wannabe

(Richard Termine/Sesame Workshop via AP)Is a pandemic the perfect time to launch a new and relatively expensive streaming service? The phone company is investing billions in HBO Max, its first big entertainment venture since it spent $85 billion for Time Warner in 2018. HBO Max costs $15, same as the HBO Now streaming service it's supposed to replace, with discounts after the launch limited to some AT&T customers. Disney launched Disney Plus and the sports-focused ESPN Plus and took control of Hulu from an industry joint venture. It's easy to prompt HBO Now users to switch to Max if they signed up directly through HBO, and many big cable companies have agreed to promote HBO Max to their existing HBO customers.

NASA chief "all in" for Tom Cruise to film on space station

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. NASA is rolling out the International Space Stations red carpet for Tom Cruise to make a movie in orbit. Bridenstine said hell leaving it to Cruise and SpaceX to provide the mission details. I will tell you this: NASA has been in talks with Tom Cruise and, of course, his team, and we will do everything we can to make it a successful mission, including opening up the International Space Station," he told The Associated Press. Asked about Cruise filming on the space station, Musk told CBS This Morning, Actually, I think that remains to be seen. The question is, Can Tom Cruise make a new movie that inspires the next generation Elon Musk. And if he can do that, then were all for it.

Disney, SeaWorld announce plans for Florida parks to reopen

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. SeaWorld and Walt Disney World will reopen in Orlando, Florida, in June and July after months of inactivity because of the coronavirus pandemic, according to plans a city task force approved Wednesday. Disney plans a tiered reopening, with Magic Kingdom and Animal Kingdom opening on July 11, followed by Epcot and Hollywood Studios on July 15. Disney World also plans smaller, soft openings prior to July 11, but no specifics were provided. When Disney Springs, a complex of restaurants and shops near Disney World, reopened, the company formed social distancing squads," which McPhee said have been popular with guests. Disney employees will be required to do temperature checks before heading to work, McPhee said.

Larry Kramer, playwright and AIDS activist, dies at 84

FILE - In this Dec. 10, 2014 file photo, playwright Larry Kramer attends Acria's 19th Annual Holiday Dinner Benefit in New York. (Photo by Donald Traill/Invision/AP, File)NEW YORK Larry Kramer, the playwright whose angry voice and pen raised theatergoers consciousness about AIDS and roused thousands to militant protests in the early years of the epidemic, has died at 84. Bill Goldstein, a writer who was working on a biography of Kramer, confirmed the news to The Associated Press. Kramer's husband, David Webster, told The New York Times that Kramer died of pneumonia on Wednesday. But for many years he was best known for his public fight to secure medical treatment, acceptance and civil rights for people with AIDS.

Summertime, and the living is uneasy for Jason Isbell

FILE - This July 15, 2018 file photo shows Jason Isbell, of Jason Isbell & The 400 Unit, performing at Forecastle Music Festival in Louisville, Ky. Isbell is king of the Americana genre, but he's ambitious for more. The 2013 breakthrough album Southeastern established Isbell as an important new voice and two vibrant follow-ups proved that wasn't a fluke. With Lucinda Williams and t he late John Prine, Isbell formed a holy trinity for fans of Americana music. But Isbell wanted production touches that could help the disc Reunions appeal to people who might not listen to Americana music. Isbell, a progressive with no interest in seeing Trump re-elected, will likely face those issues himself in an election year.

Larry Kramer used voice, pen to raise consciousness on AIDS

FILE - This May 12, 2014 file photo shows playwright Larry Kramer at the premiere of HBO Films' "The Normal Heart" in New York. Kramer, the playwright whose angry voice and pen raised theatergoers consciousness about AIDS and roused thousands to militant protests in the early years of the epidemic, died Wednesday, May 27, 2020 in Manhattan of pneumonia. Please know that AIDS is a worldwide plague. Kramer, whose angry voice and pen raised consciousness about AIDS and roused thousands to action, died Wednesday at 84. As support for AIDS research increased, he found some common ground with health officials whom ACT UP had criticized.

NBC, producers say 'America's Got Talent' cleared by probe

LOS ANGELES An investigation of Gabrielle Unions complaints of racism on the set of Americas Got Talent concluded that her allegations were unfounded, according to NBC and the shows producers. The trade publication Variety reported that Union, who is black, believed she was fired because she had asked NBC and the shows producers to respond to an environment that tolerated racist jokes and remarks. That included what Union said were multiple notes from producers saying she was wearing her hair too black for the Americas Got Talent audience. NBC sought the investigation into Union's accusations. A representative for Union didnt immediately respond to a request for comment.

Reaction to the death of AIDS activist, writer Larry Kramer

(AP Photo/Jeff Christensen, File)NEW YORK Reaction to the death of Larry Kramer, the AIDS activist and playwright who turned his fury into mass protests and helped raise the profile of the disease:"If you remember the early days of the AIDS crisis then you remember Larry Kramer. Author and fellow founder of the Gay Men's Health Crisis Edmund White, in a statement. His anger was needed at a time when gay mens deaths to AIDS were being ignored by the American government. Elton John, in a statement. Thank you, Larry Kramer. Lin-Manuel Miranda, via Twitter. ___Rest in power to our fighter Larry Kramer.

Jimmy Fallon apologizes for Chris Rock impersonation in blackface on SNL

(CNN) Jimmy Fallon is addressing his impersonation of Chris Rock in a "Saturday Night Live" sketch from 20 years ago in which he appeared in blackface. Fallon issued an apology on Tuesday after video and criticism of the sketch, which originally aired on "SNL" in 2000, resurfaced on social media. "While on SNL, I made a terrible decision to do an impersonation of Chris Rock while in blackface. "I am very sorry for making this unquestionably offensive decision and thank all of you for holding me accountable." Fallon was a cast member on "Saturday Night Live" from 1998 to 2004.

Wilson, Rapinoe, Bird to host remote ESPYS feting heroism

Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson, soccer star Megan Rapinoe and three-time WNBA champion Sue Bird will preside over The ESPYS two-hour broadcast airing June 21 on ESPN. Rapinoe and Bird are partners who share a household, which conveniently eases some logistics. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig, File)LOS ANGELES Its a way different kind of year, and so The ESPYs will be, too. Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson, soccer star Megan Rapinoe and three-time WNBA champion Sue Bird will preside over the two-hour broadcast airing June 21 on ESPN. Comedy and music are always part of the show, and Wilson, Rapinoe and Bird will get a chance to show off a sense of humor.

JK Rowling publishes first chapters of new story online to help entertain children and families stuck at home

LONDON J.K. Rowling is publishing a new story called The Ickabog, which will be free to read online to help entertain children and families stuck at home during the coronavirus pandemic. The Harry Potter author said Tuesday she wrote the fairy tale for her children as a bedtime story over a decade ago. Rowling said the draft of the story had stayed in her attic while she focused on writing books for adults. She said her children, now teenagers, were touchingly enthusiastic when she recently suggested retrieving the story and publishing it for free. As I worked to finish the book, I started reading chapters nightly to the family again, she said.

Walt Disney World presenting plans for reopening parks

ORLANDO, Fla. Walt Disney World is presenting its plans for reopening after being shuttered along with Florida's other theme parks since mid-March because of the new coronavirus. Disney World and SeaWorld Orlando will present their proposals for phased reopenings before an Orange County task force on Wednesday, said Orange County Mayor Jerry Demings. With 77,000 workers, Disney World is central Floridas biggest employer. Last week, Disney World allowed third-party businesses at its Disney Springs dining and shopping complex to open with new restrictions. Crosstown rival, Universal Orlando, presented its reopening proposal last week to county officials, saying it was aiming to reopen June 5.

#MeToo, phase 2: Doc explores heavy burden on women of color

Most importantly, it puts a spotlight on women of color, and the unique and painful burden they often face in coming forward. "But I also felt this pressure, this responsibility to be brave, to highlight the experience of black women as survivors. "A lot of black women felt disconnected from #MeToo initially, Burke says. Now you can come forward but what about women of color? Her message to any other survivors out there and she hopes they will come forward: Facing it frees parts of yourself that you don't even know youve missed."

The Doobie Brothers reschedule 50th anniversary tour

NEW YORK The Doobie Brothers are rescheduling their 50th anniversary tour because of the coronavirus pandemic. The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame nominees announced Tuesday that the tour, which was to begin in June, will now kick off in July 2021. This decision has been made with the health and safety of The Doobie Brothers fans, crew and local employees in mind," the band said in a statement. For the tour, The Doobie Brothers are joining with singer and songwriter Michael McDonald, who sang with the band starting in 1975 before starting his own solo career. Their hits include Listen to the Music, Long Train Runnin and China Grove.

Jimmy Cobb, 'Kind of Blue' drummer for Miles Davis, dies

In this 2019 photo provided by Smoke Sessions Records, musician Jimmy Cobb poses for the release of his album "This I Dig of You" in New York City. (Courtesy of Smoke Sessions Records via AP)Jimmy Cobb, a percussionist and the last surviving member of Miles Davis 1959 Kind of Blue groundbreaking jazz album which transformed the genre and sparked several careers, died Sunday. But Cobbs role as a drummer on the Kind of Blue jam session headed by Davis would forever change his career. It has sold more than 4 million copies and remains the best selling jazz album of all time. Cobb released his last album, This I Dig of You, with Smoke Sessions Records in August 2019.

William Small, 'hero to journalism' at CBS, NBC, dies at 93

Small, who led CBS News' Washington coverage during the civil rights movement, Vietnam War and Watergate and was later president of NBC News and United Press International, died Sunday, CBS News said. Impressed by Small's work in Louisville, CBS executives hired him in 1962 to be assistant news director of the network's Washington bureau. Small didn't leave the bureau for four days, from the shooting to the burial, he told The Associated Press in 2013. Small defected to NBC in 1979, becoming president of the network's news division and hiring away several CBS reporters, including Mudd and Marvin Kalb. In 2014, the organization honored Small with its lifetime achievement award.

Brian May reveals recent heart attack, says he's good now

LONDON Queen guitarist Brian May says he recently had three stents put in after experiencing a small heart attack.May said Monday in an Instagram video that the stents were put in after his doctor drove him to a hospital after he starting feeling the symptoms of a heart attack. I walked out with a heart thats very strong now, May said. Im incredibly grateful that I now have a life to lead again, he said. His video post details a lengthy health saga this month that included dealing with a compressed nerve that was causing him extreme pain. Proceeds from the song benefit the World Health Organizations COVID-19 Solidarity Response Fund.

Pac-Man at 40: The eating icon that changed gaming history

But the creator of "Pac-Man," a young game designer named Toru Iwatani, wanted to try something completely different. He was just 25, and preferred working on pinball machines, not video games. There was little indication that his next project would change video game history forever. "Here comes this game that's brightly colored and centered around a character that really doesn't have a gender," he said. "When 'Pac-Man' was first released, video games were still something new and unusual for everyone but game fanatics.

Reruns of religious dramas comfort Indians in dire times

An Indian family watches epic television series Ramayan at their home in Jammu, India May 18, 2020. The countrys public broadcaster last month revived the wildly popular series from the 80s and brought back to life for a captive audience under lockdown. Staying home under a lockdown as they wait for the worst of the coronavirus pandemic to pass, millions of Indians are turning to their Gods. (AP Photo/Channi Anand)GURUGRAM Staying home under lockdown as they wait for the worst of the coronavirus pandemic to pass, millions of Indians are turning to their gods. Seeking comfort in the certainty of the past, Indians are devouring reruns of popular Hindu religious dramas.

Author Murakami DJs 'Stay Home' radio show to lift spirits

Murakami said comparing the fight against the coronavirus to a war, as politicians often do, is inappropriate. Its not a war to kill each other but a fight of wisdom to let us all live, he said. Murakami has hosted his Murakami Radio every two months since August 2018 on Tokyo FM. Murakami began writing while running a jazz bar in Tokyo after graduating from university. Murakami said he worries the post-corona world may be a more closed and selfish place even if it has better protection.

Omar describes life as a fearless fighter in new memoir

Now, Omar is out with a new memoir that offers her own spin on her path to prominence, starting with her childhood in Mogadishu. Instead, it sketches rugged years that Omar says made her a fearless fighter, unafraid to skirmish with President Donald Trump and her frequent conservative critics. A YOUNG FIGHTERIn her memoir, written with Rebecca Paley, Omar recounts taking on a much taller boy when she was just 7, rubbing his face in the sand after he picked on someone weaker. Since the couple had married religiously not civilly -- to get divorced, Hirsi had to simply declare the marriage ended, Omar wrote. The lawmaker told Omar she was different, and eventually said it was because she walks into a room like a man.A white man, Omar said she responded.

In virus chaos, some find solace, purpose in helping others

This image released by Damien Escobar shows Escobar with medical staff at Queens Hospital in the Queens borough of New York. Many people are reaching out to help others during the pandemic, and some say it's helping them regain a sense of control in their lives. He has pivoted to a new campaign, Masks for the Masses, to get masks to the homeless and low-income families. At a time of helplessness, she says, helping others makes a mark on a world that seems to be overwhelming all of us. The intuition that helping others is the key to our well-being right now fits with science, Santos says.

Recording Academy records John Prine song for charity

NASHVILLE, Tenn. The Recording Academy has released a new recording of John Prine's Angel From Montgomery" with proceeds going to support the MusiCares COVID-19 Relief Fund. Prine died in April at age 73 from complications associated with the coronavirus. A two-time Grammy winner, the Recording Academy announced in December that Prine would be honored with a 2020 Recording Academy Lifetime Achievement Award. The new recording features artists, musicians and engineers who also are elected leaders in the Recording Academy, including singer-songwriter Christine Albert, Brandon Bush of Sugarland, John Driskell Hopkins of Zac Brown Band and Jeff Powell, an acclaimed Memphis engineer/producer. Tammy Hurt, vice chair of the Recording Academy and one of the contributors on the recording, said in a statement that Prine was known for his giving spirit and the new Angel From Montgomery recording is a tribute to honor that spirit.

Loughlin, Giannulli plead in college scam but await fate

Under their proposed deals, Loughlin, 55, hopes to spend two months in prison and Giannulli, 56, is seeking to serve five months. Loughlin and Giannulli were among dozens of wealthy parents, athletic coaches and others charged last year in the bribery scheme. Prosecutors say they funneled money through a sham charity operated by college admissions consultant Rick Singer, who has pleaded guilty to orchestrating the scheme. Loughlin pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire and mail fraud. Giannulli pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire and mail fraud and honest services wire and mail fraud.

Merriam-Webster revises 'Chinese restaurant syndrome' entry

FILE - In this Jan. 10, 2020, file photo, customers are seen through the window of a Chinese restaurant decorated with menu items in New York City. Merriam-Webster has updated its entry on Chinese restaurant syndrome, a term many Asian Americans saw as antiquated and even racist. The phrase was previously defined as a legitimate illness brought on by food seasoned with monosodium glutamate but especially Chinese food. (AP Photo/Wong Maye-E, File)Merriam-Webster has updated its entry on Chinese restaurant syndrome, a term many Asian Americans saw as antiquated and even racist. It also contains a link to another entry the more clinical term, MSG symptom complex.Peter Sokolowski, editor at large at Merriam-Webster, confirmed the changes.

Perry's studio moves toward reopening while industry waits

FILE - In this Nov. 16, 2017, file photo, actor-filmmaker and author Tyler Perry poses for a portrait in New York. (Photo by Amy Sussman/Invision/AP, File)LOS ANGELES Tyler Perry is planning to make his Atlanta-based mega studio one of the first domestic filming grounds to reopen during the coronavirus pandemic. But while Perry is looking to restart production in July, other studios in Georgia and beyond are anxiously waiting for Hollywoods green light. The studio has been home to big-budget films such as The Avengers: Endgame and Ant-Man along with the television show The Walking Dead." Theres not one place in the industry thats making the decisions about when we get back to work, he continued.

Reporters Alcindor, Collins, Jiang get under Trump's skin

Reporters Alcindor, Weijia Jiang and Kaitlan Collins have faced hostility from Trump at news conferences with stoicism. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky, FIle)NEW YORK To anyone who's watched, there's more that binds Yamiche Alcindor, Kaitlan Collins and Weijia Jiang than an impromptu display of teamwork at a recent White House news conference. Each reporter has a knack for getting under President Donald Trump's skin and an equal ability not to let it knock them off stride. Trump has reacted to questions by Alcindor, Collins and Jiang by calling them nasty or racist, and effectively telling the journalists to pipe down. This president doesn't live by those rules.Jiang, Collins and Alcindor aren't the only reporters to tangle with Trump.

ABC renews 19 shows, adds David E. Kelley drama 'Big Sky'

LOS ANGELES ABC is bringing back the lions share of its series for next season, including black-ish, A Million Little Things and The Rookie.They are among the 19 shows that will return in the 2020-21 season, the network said Thursday, adding to a list of previously announced renewals. New series debuting next season include Big Sky, a thriller from writer-producer David E. Kelley (Big Little Lies, Boston Legal), the comedy Call Your Mother and game show revival Supermarket Sweep with host Leslie Jones ("Saturday Night Live"). As with other networks facing the uncertainty of an industrywide, coronavirus-caused production halt, ABC is releasing its plans later than usual and piecemeal. Among the ABC series that wont be back: sitcoms Bless This Mess, Schooled and Single Parents, the drama Emergence, and Kids Say the Darndest Things, a reality show hosted by Tiffany Haddish. Decisions on The Beauty and the Baker and For Life have yet to be announced.

Little Richard laid to rest at Alabama alma mater

FILE - In this Aug. 19, 2004 file photo, Little Richard performs at Westbury Music Fair in Westbury, NY. (AP Photo/Ed Betz, File)HUNTSVILLE, Ala. Little Richard was remembered not just as a rock n roll pioneer but a man of generosity and faith at a memorial service at his alma mater where he was laid to rest Wednesday. Mourners gathered at Oakwood University to pay their respects, many wearing face masks and standing a few feet apart at the outdoor service at the school's cemetery. What I really remember about Richard was not his stage performances, which were certainly formidable, but what I remember most about Brother Richard, not Little Richard, but Brother Richard, was his incredible kindness and his generosity to people, said university President Leslie Pollard, who knew Little Richard personally. For his final resting place, Richard chose Oakwood University, a historically black Seventh-day Adventist college in the northern Alabama city of Huntsville.

Universal Orlando seeks to reopen theme parks in early June

ORLANDO, Fla. Universal Orlando is aiming to reopen its theme parks in early June, a resort official said Thursday, more than two months after the company joined crosstown rivals Disney World and SeaWorld in closing their gates to stop the spread of the new coronavirus. Universal Orlando executive John Sprouls asked Orange County Mayor Jerry Demings for approval to open the companys theme parks as early as June 5, the Orlando Sentinel reported. Universal, Disney World and SeaWorld have been closed since mid-March in an effort to stop the virus's spread. Officials with Disney World havent said when they plan to reopen. Many of those same protocols will be implemented at the theme parks.

Loughlin, Giannulli to serve prison time for college scam

Loughlin, 55, and Giannulli, 56, are scheduled to plead guilty Friday via video conference before a federal judge in Boston, who must approve the deal. They agreed to plead guilty to conspiracy to commit wire and mail fraud in a plea agreement filed in Bostons federal court. Giannulli will also plead guilty to a charge of honest services wire and mail fraud, prosecutors said. Simon said the couple's lawyers may think that Loughlin and Giannulli have a chance of avoiding prison altogether and serving their punishments at home because of the coronavirus pandemic. Loughlin and Giannulli were among 50 people arrested last year in the case dubbed Operation Varsity Blues that rocked the word of higher education.

Film: 'Roe' plaintiff says her anti-abortion switch was act

Better known as Jane Roe, McCorvey's story was at the center of the 1973 Supreme Court case Roe v. Wade that legalized abortion nationwide. Better known as Jane Roe, her story was at the center of the 1973 Supreme Court case Roe v. Wade that legalized abortion nationwide. At first she was an abortion rights advocate, but, in a twist, she became a born-again Christian in 1995 and switched sides. As for her feelings on abortion, McCorvey says: If a young woman wants to have an abortion, fine. That led her to become the anonymous plaintiff in Roe v. Wade.

Brady's Super Bowl journeys to be part of 2021 ESPN series

Bradys journey to each of his nine Super Bowls with the New England Patriots will be the subject of an ESPN series released in 2021. Entitled The Man in the Arena: Tom Brady, the nine-episode series will include a look from Bradys perspective at the six NFL titles and three Super Bowl defeats he was a part of. (AP Photo/Darron Cummings, File)Tom Brady's journey to each of his nine Super Bowls with the New England Patriots will be the subject of an ESPN series released next year. The series will be produced by ESPN, 199 Productions (Bradys production company) and Gotham Chopra of Religion of Sports. To have personal firsthand accounts and an athlete at Toms level who doesnt often give firsthand accounts can add up to a remarkable series, Schell said.

"Incredible:" Italian woman wins 1-million-euro Picasso

After an eight-week delay caused by France's COVID-19 lockdown, the Christie's auction house in Paris is hosting a raffle draw Wednesday for "Nature Morte," an oil on canvas that Picasso painted in 1921. Raffle organizers say they have already raised 5 million euros ($5.4 million) by selling 50,000 tickets online for 100 euros ($109) each. (AP Photo/Francois Mori)PARIS An Italian accountant whose son bought her the raffle ticket as a Christmas present won a Pablo Picasso oil painting valued at 1 million euros ($1.1 million) in a charity draw Wednesday. Organizers valued the painting, Nature Morte, or Still Life, as being worth 1 million euros. The small still life, which is signed Picasso, shows a newspaper and a glass of absinthe on a wood table.

Daytime Emmys back on TV, but with socially distanced show

LOS ANGELES The Daytime Emmy Awards are skipping a theater ceremony because of the coronavirus but the honors will be presented on a TV broadcast. Nominations for the 47th annual Daytime Emmys are to be announced Thursday on CBS' The Talk, with categories including best drama series, talk show and game show. The New York-based National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences, which organizes the daytime awards, had previously announced it wouldn't hold the traditional theater ceremony out of pandemic safety concerns. CBS is thrilled to welcome back the Daytime Emmy Awards, said Jack Sussman, the network's executive vice president in charge of specials and live events. The network is the home of daytime shows including soap operas The Young and the Restless and The Bold and the Beautiful.

Body of WWE's Shad Gaspard found after suspected drowning

FILE - In this June 28, 2015 file photo, WWE wrestler Shad Gaspard arrives at the Los Angeles premiere of "Terminator Genisys" at the Dolby Theatre on in Los Angeles. The Los Angeles Police Department says a body found on Venice Beach early Wednesday, May 20, 2020 is that of former World Wrestling Entertainment pro Shad Gaspard. (Photo by Rich Fury/Invision/AP, File)LOS ANGELES The body of former World Wrestling Entertainment pro Shad Gaspard was found early Wednesday on Los Angeles' Venice Beach, after he was caught in a rip current last weekend, police said. Gaspard went missing last Sunday after he went swimming with his 10-year-old son, Aryeh. Gaspard, 39, gained prominence in the WWE as one half of the tag-team group Cryme Tyme, along with his partner, JTG.

Oprah Winfrey gives grants to home cities during pandemic

FILE - In this March 13, 2018, file photo, actress Oprah Winfrey poses for photographers upon arrival at the premiere of the film "A Wrinkle In Time" in London. Winfrey announced Wednesday, May 20, 2020 that her Oprah Winfrey Charitable Foundation will donate money to organizations dedicated to helping undeserved communities in Chicago; Nashville, Tennessee; Milwaukee, Wisconsin; and Kosciusko, Mississippi, where she was born. (Photo by Joel C Ryan/Invision/AP, File)NEW YORK Oprah Winfrey is giving grants to the cities shes called home through her $12 million coronavirus relief fund. She announced Wednesday that her Oprah Winfrey Charitable Foundation will donate money to organizations dedicated to helping underserved communities in Chicago; Baltimore; Nashville, Tennessee; Milwaukee; and Kosciusko, Mississippi, where she was born. Ive ultimately always believed that you teach people to fish ... but sometimes people just need fish and a piece of bread, she said.

Pandemic knocks out large sections of Hawaii's economy

The coronavirus pandemic has taken out large sections of Hawaii's tourism-based economy, including the Chang family's turtle and dolphin snorkel tour business and their regular music gig in Waikiki. Roland Changs sister NJ compared the wreckage to the way the fire goddess lays waste when a volcano erupts and lava flows across the land. Their tour business may even have to close. I think there are a lot more questions than answers, Roland Chang said. Roland Chang said he supports these moves, given they are so important to protect the elderly who are more vulnerable to the disease.