A faint meow in the rubble of a Mississippi tornado leads to a stunning rescue
Storm chaser Ashton Lemley was helping search through a Mississippi trailer park destroyed by tornadoes when he heard a kitten meowing from the rubble. The storms hit the rural community of Bogue Chitto early Thursday and injured at least a dozen people. Lemley searched in the dark for several minutes before finding the kitten trapped inside the remains of a wall. Video shows him pulling the frightened animal to safety and comforting it in his arms. The kitten did not appear to be seriously hurt. Lemley says several people already want to adopt the cat, with some suggesting the name “Tornado.”
USPS considers allowing people to ship handguns through the mail
LAS VEGAS (AP) — The United States Postal Service is considering a rule change that would allow anyone to send handguns through the mail for the first time in nearly 100 years. A 1927 law prohibits the shipment of handguns through USPS unless they are from licensed retailers. Democratic attorneys general sent a letter in opposition to the change, arguing that it would override state gun laws and make it easier for felons and domestic abusers to access firearms. The Department of Justice, which issued an opinion in January calling the 1927 law unconstitutional, says allowing for the shipment of handguns will make it easier for lawful gun owners to transport their firearms.
McDonald's focus on value lifts first-quarter sales, but company says gas prices could dent demand
McDonald’s posted better-than-expected sales in the first quarter but said high gas prices and consumer anxiety could dent sales this spring. McDonald’s Chairman and CEO Chris Kempczinski said the company has been making progress bringing lower-income customers back into its stores with combo meal deals and value pricing. But he said gas prices will disproportionately impact lower-income consumers. McDonald’s global same-store sales rose 3.8% in the January-March period, which was better than Wall Street was expecting. But same-store sales slid in April. McDonald's said its revenue rose 9% to $6.52 billion in the first quarter, which also beat Wall Street's expectations
Former FedEx driver sentenced to death for killing 7-year-old girl after delivery at her Texas home
DALLAS (AP) — A former FedEx driver has been sentenced to death after he pleaded guilty to killing a 7-year-old girl he took from her Texas home while delivering a Christmas gift. Jurors decided Tuesday on the sentence for 34-year-old Tanner Horner. He had pleaded guilty to capital murder just as his trial began in Fort Worth in the 2022 killing of Athena Strand. Her body was found two days after she was reported missing in the rural town of Paradise, near Fort Worth. Horner's attorney had asked jurors to sentence Horner to life in prison and said Horner suffered from "various mental illnesses."
Matthew Perry's 'Friends' keepsakes and artwork go up for auction for foundation named for him
LOS ANGELES (AP) — “Friends” memorabilia and other valuables from the estate of Matthew Perry are being put up for sale at an auction to benefit the charitable foundation established in the actor’s name soon after his death. The auction includes cast-signed scripts from the first and last episodes of “Friends” and artwork owned by Perry will be put up for sale by Heritage Auctions on June 5. It will benefit the Matthew Perry Foundation, which works to destigmatize addiction and aid in recovery from substance abuse. Perry died at age 54 in 2023 from what authorities say was an overdose of ketamine.
USPS unveils Route 66 centennial stamps, born from a photographer’s 42 trips
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (AP) — The U.S. Postal Service is releasing a new series of stamps to honor Route 66’s centennial. The offering includes eight stamps — one each for the states traversed by the Mother Road. The special collection was curated from images captured by photographer David J. Schwartz. It was alternative rock band Depeche Mode’s cover of “(Get Your Kicks on) Route 66” that fueled Schwartz's lifelong journey of discovery along the legendary highway. He has traveled the Chicago-to-Los Angeles route dozens of times over two decades. He hopes his work can help keep Route 66 alive by inspiring others to explore the highway and support local businesses along the journey.
A real WKRP radio comes to Cincinnati, decades after the sitcom about a fictional station
CINCINNATI (AP) — The radio station WKRP isn't dead, and it's now live on air in Cincinnati. The call letters from the fictional station featured decades ago in a CBS sitcom were adopted by stations in the Cincinnati market in time for the Monday morning drive. The station's co-owner says delighted listeners have been mobbing the phone lines. The owners obtained the call letters by making a donation to a North Carolina nonprofit whose low-power radio station has had them since 2014. The show “WKRP in Cincinnati” ran from 1978 to 1982 and starred Loni Anderson, Howard Hesseman, Tim Reid and Richard Sanders as bumbling newsman Les Nessman.
United flight landing in Newark strikes pole on New Jersey Turnpike, damages delivery truck
NEWARK, N.J. (AP) — A United Airlines passenger jet carrying 221 passengers from Venice, Italy, struck a light pole on the New Jersey Turnpike on Sunday afternoon as it was coming in for a landing at Newark Liberty International Airport. The airline said none of the passengers or 10 crew members aboard United Airlines Flight 169 were injured. Though the New Jersey State Police said the driver of a truck that was also hit by a landing wheel and the underside of the plane suffered injuries that were not life threatening. The National Transportation Safety Board has directed United to provide the cockpit voice recorder and the flight data recorder for the investigation.
‘The Devil Wears Prada’ struts to first place with $77 million debut
Studio estimates on Sunday say "The Devil Wears Prada 2" has topped the box office with $77 million in the U.S. and Canada and $156.6 million internationally. Women drove the success, making up 76% of ticket buyers. The sequel, featuring Anne Hathaway and Meryl Streep, sees Andy Sachs working again for Miranda Priestly. Critics had mixed reviews, but 74% of viewers would recommend it. The film cost $100 million to produce, a significant increase from the original. Meanwhile, the Michael Jackson biopic "Michael" took second place with $54 million. This weekend kicks off Hollywood's critical summer movie season.
Milly Alcock’s ‘punk rock’ Supergirl takes flight as DC bets big on the Woman of Tomorrow
Australian actor Milly Alcock stars as Supergirl in this summer's new DC Studios movie bearing her name. Heading to theaters on June 26, the film finds her character on an intergalactic odyssey of revenge. DC Studios heads James Gunn and Peter Safran first noticed Alcock on the “Game of Thrones” prequel series “House of the Dragon.” Since she filmed her cameo for “Superman,” it's been a non-stop ride. Alcock says her character reminded her a lot of herself. She's finding the experience of sudden fame somewhat disorienting and laughs about anyone wanting a toy with her face.
