Auction house to sell Gene Hackman's Golden Globes, watch and paintings he collected and created
SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — An auction house plans to sell off a variety of actor Gene Hackman's possessions. They include Golden Globe, a wristwatch and paintings he collected and created himself. Live and online auctions next month follow Hackman's death in Santa Fe, New Mexico, this year at age 95. The two-time Oscar winner enjoyed painting and wrote novels in his later years. Auction items include a still life painting of a Japanese vase by Hackman and awards from roles in “Unforgiven” and “The Royal Tenenbaums.” Hackman's art collection highlights postwar and contemporary masters.
What to know about the $250 million ballroom Trump is adding to the White House
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump is adding a $250 million ballroom to the east side of the White House. Construction started this week with crews tearing down the facade of the East Wing. Trump and White House officials had said nothing would be demolished during construction. The 90,000-square-foot ballroom will dwarf the main White House itself. Trump says it will accommodate 999 people, up from 650 guests. That's almost five times the number that can fit into the East Room, the largest space in the mansion. Trump says the ballroom won't cost taxpayers a dime. The White House hasn't released information on who is donating money to help build it.
Loggins demands removal of Trump's AI-generated video using ‘Danger Zone’
NEW YORK (AP) — Kenny Loggins is objecting to the use of his music in a social media post featuring an artificial intelligence-generated video of President Donald Trump. The video was posted on Trump's Truth Social platform and shows the Republican president dumping excrement from a fighter jet on the “No Kings” protests. The video uses Loggins' song “Danger Zone” from the 1986 Tom Cruise movie “Top Gun.” Loggins says he was not asked for permission and wants the video removed. As of Tuesday morning, the video remained on Truth Social. The White House has responded to a request for comment with a still from “Top Gun” with the caption “I FEEL THE NEED FOR SPEED," paraphrasing a line from the movie.
The Louvre's crown jewel heist is now a race against time for authorities — and the brazen thieves
PARIS (AP) — Experts say France's royal jewels may be gone forever after a daring heist at the Louvre. On Sunday, thieves stole eight pieces, including crowns and necklaces, in just four minutes. These jewels, dating back to the 16th century, were significant symbols of France's wealth and power. Experts believe the gems are likely being dismantled and sold off. The theft has left the French government scrambling to address security concerns at the museum. The heist is being called "the heist of the decade" and has sparked a race against time for authorities to recover the treasures.
Memoir by Prince Andrew's accuser reignites a scandal that has long dogged UK royals
LONDON (AP) — The British royal family is under intense scrutiny as Virginia Giuffre's memoir hits bookstores. Giuffre, an accuser of Prince Andrew and Jeffrey Epstein, died by suicide in April. Her book, "Nobody’s Girl," doesn't reveal new details but reignites accusations against Andrew. He recently announced he will stop using his titles, including Duke of York, but denies Giuffre’s claims. Giuffre alleges she was forced to have sex with Andrew on three occasions when she was underage. Andrew settled a lawsuit with her in 2022 without admitting wrongdoing. Buckingham Palace faces pressure to strip Andrew of his titles.
OpenAI launches Atlas browser to compete with Google Chrome
OpenAI has introduced its own web browser, ChatGPT Atlas, putting it in direct competition with Google. The new browser, launched Tuesday on Apple laptops, aims to make ChatGPT a gateway to online searches. This move could increase OpenAI's internet traffic and advertising revenue. CEO Sam Altman describes it as a chance to rethink browser use. Atlas will eventually be available on Windows, iOS, and Android. The browser faces a tough challenge against Google's Chrome, which has about 3 billion users.
New York police seek woman for questioning after baby is abandoned at Penn Station subway stop
NEW YORK (AP) — New York City police released images of a woman wanted for questioning after an infant girl with her umbilical cord still attached was abandoned at a busy midtown Manhattan subway station. Authorities on Tuesday asked for the public's help in identifying the woman, who is seen on a 2-second video clip carrying something that is bundled. The baby was found unattended and wrapped in a blanket at the 34th Street-Penn Station subway station in midtown Manhattan on Monday morning. She was taken to a hospital and listed in stable condition. Police are calling it a case of endangering the welfare of a child.
Kevin Federline says his sons with Britney Spears are the reason for his new memoir
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Britney Spears' ex-husband Kevin Federline is telling his side of their time together in a new memoir being released Tuesday. Federline says in an interview with The Associated Press that he remained silent because of their two sons, but now that they're adults he feels an obligation to tell the whole story. In the book he describes the media frenzy that came with their two-year marriage. He writes that Spears called her ex Justin Timberlake the night before their wedding. He writes that she frightened their sons with erratic behavior that sometimes tipped into abuse. Spears says Federline's book is full of “white lies” aimed at making money.
The White House starts demolishing part of the East Wing to build Trump's ballroom
WASHINGTON (AP) — The White House has started tearing down part of the East Wing to build the ballroom President Donald Trump wants added to the building. Demolition started Monday. Dramatic photos showed construction equipment tearing into the East Wing façade and windows and other building parts in tatters on the ground. Some reporters watched from a nearby park. The Republican president has said he's adding a 90,000-square-foot ballroom because the East Room, the largest room in the White House with an approximately 200-person capacity, is too small. Trump said last week that the ballroom will fit 999 people.
One Tech Tip: How to prepare for outages that impact our online lives, from banking to chatting apps
NEW YORK (AP) — An Amazon Web Services outage on Monday disrupted many online platforms, affecting banking services, chat apps, and more. These outages can be short-lived but stressful, especially for those moving money or working online. AWS is a major cloud provider, and experts stress the importance of diversifying online services and having backup plans. Keeping money in multiple accounts and having cash on hand can help during financial service disruptions. For communication, maintaining updated SMS contacts is wise. Storing work across multiple platforms can reduce headaches. Monitoring service updates and checking outage trackers can also be useful.
