Regression – Syndication AP

The Grammy-nominated rapper Afroman has won a defamation lawsuit filed by seven Ohio sheriff’s deputies who sued him over music videos that used home security footage to mock them over a 2022 raid of his home. The verdict Wednesday evening follows several hours of deliberations. The Adams County deputies say they were publicly harassed over the videos. They show rifle-wielding deputies busting down his door, searching his shoes and eyeing a cake on the kitchen table, inspiring the song, “Lemon Pound Cake.” The 51-year-old Afroman, born Joseph Foreman, says the verdict is a win for free speech rights. No charges were filed in the drug and kidnapping investigation.

Pophouse Entertainment Group has acquired Tina Turner's name, image and likeness rights as well as the majority of her music catalog rights from music company BMG. The Swedish company announced the acquisition Thursday. Pophouse would not disclose any details of the deal, but said to expect plans within six months. The “What’s Love Got to Do With It” singer died in 2023. The news of Pophouse's acquisition follows their purchase of rock band Kiss' catalog, brand name and IP in 2024. In the same year Cyndi Lauper entered a partnership with the company, including the sale of the majority share of her music.

The stars of “Lilo & Stitch” have experienced some big changes since the movie became a hit in 2025. Eight-year-old Maia Kealoha says she’s been recognized “like five thousand times” at stores and has given up Doritos to keep her teeth clean. Kealoha, Sydney Agudong, and Tia Carrere have been promoting the film at Comic-Con 2025 and its release for digital purchase. Agudong calls the movie “an ode to Hawaii” and enjoys celebrating its success with family and friends. The film has earned over $1 billion. The trio hints at a sequel but remains tight-lipped about details.

“The Fantastic Four: First Steps” is topping the domestic box office charts in its first weekend in theaters. The Walt Disney Co. said Sunday that it earned an estimated $118 million from North American theaters. Globally, it made $218 million. “Fantastic Four” is Marvel's biggest opening since “Deadpool & Wolverine” last summer. Second place this week went to another superhero movie, “Superman,” which earned $24.9 million in its third weekend. “Jurassic World Rebirth” landed in third place with $13 million, followed by “F1” in fourth with $6.2 million. “Smurfs” rounded out the top five with $5.4 million.

Alec Baldwin says the year since his trial ended has been a lot better than the years before it. The actor spoke to The Associated Press at San Diego’s Comic-Con International, where he was part of a panel on 75 years of Charlie Brown and “Peanuts.” Baldwin says he still can't believe what happened on the day when his trial for involuntary manslaughter in the shooting of a cinematographer fell apart and his case was dismissed. He says he's become especially philosophical about the things he wants, and that many of them are embodied by Charlie Brown and “Peanuts.” The characters remain a big part of the actor's life since he still has young children.

Bad Bunny’s latest album, “DeBÍ TiRAR MáS FOToS,” is sparking global conversations about Puerto Rico’s culture and struggles. The artist’s series of 30 concerts in Puerto Rico, which began Friday, amplify these issues, highlighting housing crises and economic challenges. His music also revives traditional Puerto Rican genres like bomba and plena, inspiring cultural pride. The album’s impact extends beyond music, boosting tourism, creating jobs, and even raising awareness about the endangered Puerto Rican crested toad. Fans and experts see this as a powerful moment for Puerto Rico’s visibility.

Kenyan literary giant Ngũgĩ wa Thiong'o is 87 and has struggled with his health in recent years, but he still hopes to complete a new book. He spoke with passion and energy about his current book, “Decolonizing Language.” It includes essays and poems written between 2000 and 2019, with subjects ranging from language and education to such friends and heroes as Nelson Mandela, Nadine Gordimer and Chinua Achebe. During a recent interview, Ngũgĩ discussed his concerns about Kenya, the “empowerment” of knowing your native language, his literary influences and his mixed feelings about the United States.

Sculptures of two giant eagles from the “Lord of the Rings” films will be removed from New Zealand's Wellington Airport this month after looming over travelers for 12 years. The sculptures, one bearing a bellowing wizard Gandalf, have delighted tourists and scared children since 2013. Their tenure was eventful. One became unmoored from its fixings during a severe earthquake in 2016, and plummeted onto the terminal floor below. No one was hurt. Wellington Airport chief executive Matt Clarke says they're looking to replace a “Lord of the Rings” storytelling theme.

Val Kilmer once proclaimed that he’s almost been fired from all his movies. Thankfully for us, he wasn’t. Though he might have frustrated more than a few directors, they too knew the headaches were ultimately worth it. An actor’s actor, he was trained at Juilliard and forever fighting against the simplest way of being in movies whether in self-proclaimed “fluff” like “Top Secret!” or more dramatic, meaningful fare like “Tombstone.” Kilmer, who died Tuesday at age 65, was a true original. The Associated Press has singled out some of his best and most memorable roles, from “Batman Forever” to “Heat.”

The makers of Netflix's teenage drama “Adolescence” have sparked a conversation on how to protect children from violent misogyny and other harmful content on social media. Now they have the ear of British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, who welcomed the filmmakers to Downing Street on Monday for talks on child protection. Starmer’s office says he backs an initiative by Netflix to stream the drama series for free to secondary schools across the country. The show explores the difficult questions that arise when a 13-year-old boy is accused of the fatal stabbing of a girl in his school.

Lise Davidsen, one of opera’s biggest names, is preparing to leave the stage for a few months to give birth and spend time with twins. But she’s leaving fans with a gift: a recording of “The Flying Dutchman,” an opera she’s never performed and says she may never sing again. Davidsen says last year’s successful shows in Paris in “Salome” helped convince her to take on the role, as did the opportunity to record it in her native Norway and sing alongside baritone Gerald Finley, whom she long admired. The recording will be released April 18.  Davidsen’s last performance before she goes on maternity leave will be Saturday in Beethoven’s “Fidelio” at the Metropolitan Opera.

Not every outlet popular with conservative readers is cheerleading for President Donald Trump. The Rupert Murdoch-owned Wall Street Journal  has notably applied some brakes on its editorial pages during the new president's first week in office. That contrasts the newspaper's opinion journalists from advocates, one expert says At one outlet popular with conservatives, one writer says Trump has already exceeded Ronald Reagan and Abraham Lincoln as the best Republican president. In some cricles, there is talk of putting Trump on Mount Rushmore. But the Journal has been critical of some early Trump decisions, including  pardoning Jan. 6 rioters and stripping government security from some former aides.

Bobby Flay’s latest cookbook is really a sort of recipe for how Bobby Flay was made. The chef, restaurateur and TV personality has compiled 100 of his most important recipes into a lush, beautifully photographed coffee table book he hopes will inspire home cooks. “Bobby Flay: Chapter One: Iconic Recipes and Inspirations from a Groundbreaking American Chef,” has dishes from his restaurants like Mesa Grill, Bolo, Bar Americain and Gato, and his epic runs on “Iron Chef.” The book is broken up into just three sections — seafood, meat and vegetables.

The upcoming film “Rumours,” starring Cate Blanchett, starts off criticizing world leaders in a way most political satires would — and then it turns down the wit and turns up the absurdity. With zombie-like creatures chasing after them, the leaders at the G7 summit are no longer the subject of criticism but the butt of the joke. Blanchett is the star and executive producer. She tells The Associated Press she hopes audiences will feel catharsis by laughing at what she calls “the absurdity of the situation we found ourselves in.” Blanchett stars alongside Roy Dupuis, Denis Ménochet, Nikki Amuka-Bird and Alicia Vikander.

Turns out, Taylor and Travis like to watch a little baseball, too. Pop superstar Taylor Swift and her boyfriend, Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce, were at Yankee Stadium for Game 1 of the American League Championship Series between the Cleveland Guardians and New York Yankees. The famous couple sat together in a suite down the right-field line. Kelce went to high school in Cleveland Heights, Ohio. It was the second major sporting event they’ve attended in New York City over the past five-plus weeks. The couple also sat in a box to watch the men’s final at the U.S. Open tennis tournament on Sept. 8 in Queens.