The high cost of fixing Lake Tahoe: Famed alpine lake still murky after decades of efforts
Justice Amy Coney Barrett's 'Listening to the Law' will give readers an inside account of the court
NEW YORK (AP) -- Supreme Court Justice Amy Coney Barrett has a book coming out in September that her publisher is billing as an invitation for "readers to see the Supreme Court through the lens of her experience." "Listening to the Law: Reflections on the Court and Constitution" will be released Sept. 9. Barrett, 53, is the youngest member of the court, which she joined in 2020 just weeks after the death of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg. The third justice appointed by President Donald Trump, Barrett gave conservatives a 6-3 majority.
US book critics honor posthumous memoir by Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny
NEW YORK (AP) -- A posthumous memoir by Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny, Hisham Matar's novel "My Friends" and a poetry collection by Anne Carson are among the winners of the National Book Critics Circle awards. Navalny's "Patriot" came out eight months after he died in prison. The blunt and improbably resilient account of his years of suffering and oppression won in the autobiography category Thursday. Adam Higginbotham's "Challenger: A True Story of Heroism and Disaster on the Edge of Space" was cited for nonfiction. Carson's collection "Wrong Norma" won poetry. Tessa Hulls' "Feeding Ghosts: A Graphic Memoir" won the John Leonard Prize for best debut book.
Mariah Carey didn't steal 'All I Want For Christmas Is You' from other writers, a judge says
A federal judge in Los Angeles has ruled that Mariah Carey did not steal her perennial holiday hit "All I Want for Christmas Is You" from other songwriters. Judge Mónica Ramírez Almadani granted Carey's request for summary judgment on Wednesday, giving her and co-writer and co-defendant Walter Afanasieff a victory without going to trial. In 2023, songwriters Andy Stone of Louisiana and Troy Powers of Tennessee filed the $20 million lawsuit alleging that Carey's 1994 song infringed the copyright of their country 1989 song with the same title. Their lawyer says he's disappointed and will likely appeal the decision.
Quinta Brunson files for divorce from Kevin Anik, her husband of 3 years
LOS ANGELES (AP) -- The largely private relationship between Quinta Brunson and her husband of three years is over. Brunson, the star and creator of the hit ABC series "Abbott Elementary," filed to divorce Kevin Anik on Wednesday. Her filing in Los Angeles Superior Court states the pair have an agreement they signed after marriage on how their assets should be divided in a divorce. They have no children together, so the divorce should be relatively straightforward and keep details about the breakup private. The divorce filing does not list a date the couple separated.
Q&A: Japanese Breakfast's Michelle Zauner on melancholy and her new album
Michelle Zauner of Japanese Breakfast released the Grammy-nominated album "Jubilee" and bestselling memoir "Crying in H Mart" in 2021. Then came a film adaptation of her memoir, for which she wrote the screenplay. After it came to a grinding halt, she moved to Seoul to immerse herself in Korean language and culture. "For Melancholy Brunettes (and Sad Women)," out Friday, is that rare thing. It's a cerebral yet deeply felt album. Zauner told The Associated Press the tracks are about melancholy that isn't "a violent sadness or longing or heartbreak, but kind of this pensive, anticipatory grief about the passage of time."
Remember Me? 'Coco 2' in the works at Disney and Pixar
"Coco" is getting a sequel. Walt Disney Company CEO Bob Iger said Thursday that "Coco 2" is currently in development at Pixar Animation Studios. The sequel will reunite the creative team behind the first, including directors Lee Unkrich and Adrian Molina. The original grossed over $814 million at the worldwide box office and won two Oscars, for best animated feature and best song for the catchy hit "Remember Me." "Coco 2" is reportedly eyeing a 2029 theatrical release. Iger promised that the movie will be full of heart, humor and adventure.
Blake Lively accuses 'It Ends With Us' costar of abusing the courts with countersuit
NEW YORK (AP) -- Actor Blake Lively has asked a judge to dismiss a countersuit filed against her by her "It Ends With Us" costar Justin Baldoni. Lively's lawyers wrote in papers filed Thursday in Manhattan federal court that Baldoni and his production company filed "vengeful" claims of defamation in retaliation for her claims of sexual harassment and retaliation that she filed first. Her lawyers labeled Baldoni's claims an abuse of the legal process. Lively filed her lawsuit in late December. Baldoni countersued two weeks later. In recent court papers, Baldoni's attorneys wrote that defamation had ruined their clients, leaving reputations destroyed and businesses in tatters.
Movie Review: 'Snow White' is no poisoned apple but it doesn't whistle
Good intentions, like swirling bluebirds, flutter through the new live-action "Snow White." But all those well-meaning efforts add up to a mishmash of a fable, caught in between now and once upon a time, writes Associated Press Film Writer Jake Coyle in his review. Despite some gloriously lush production design, "Snow White" can't quite find its own rhythm. Even the new songs that are good struggle to fit in alongside old standbys. Rachel Zegler does a spirited job remaking a classic Disney princess into a more modern woman. When she sings, the movie gets a lift. But the strain of renovation shows, particularly in its awkward CGI handling of Dopey, Sneezy and company.
Movie Review: Jonathan Majors plays a man on the edge in the dark drama 'Magazine Dreams'
Jonathan Majors plays an amateur bodybuilder in the dark drama "Magazine Dreams." The film is the first major release since Majors was convicted of assaulting his former girlfriend. Written and directed by Elijah Bynum, "Magazine Dreams" was filmed before Majors' conviction and is an unsettling portrait of ambition, violence and unresolved trauma, writes Lindsey Bahr in her review for The Associated Press. Bahr adds that, "it's impossible to deny the monumental ferocity of Majors' performance, from his full transformation to his unsettling ability to show the pain behind (most of) the psychotic actions." "Magazine Dreams" opens in theaters Friday. It's rated R.
Maná talks historic new tour, unseating Bruce Springsteen and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
NEW YORK (AP) -- Mexican pop-rock giants Maná will embark on a huge North American tour this fall. It includes a four-night residency at Los Angeles' Kia Forum. They will break Bruce Springsteen's record for most arena shows in LA, with 44 to his 42. The band describes their concerts as "a celebration of the Latin community." They've got a lot to celebrate. Last month Maná was among the 14 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame nominees for 2025. They became the first fully Spanish-language act to receive a nod. They dedicated the honor to immigrants.