TOKYO (AP) — Maki Kaji, the creator of the popular numbers puzzle Sudoku whose life’s work was spreading the joy of puzzles, has died, his Japanese company said Tuesday. He was 69 and had bile duct cancer. Known as the “Godfather of Sudoku,” Kaji created the puzzle to be easy for children and others who …
NEW YORK (AP) — R&B star R. Kelly will be back in a criminal court on Wednesday, this time for opening statements in his long-anticipated federal trial arising from years of allegations that he sexually abused women and girls while pursuing fame and fortune. More than a decade has passed since Kelly was acquitted in a 2008 child pornography …
NEW YORK (AP) — “Free Guy,” an action comedy starring Ryan Reynolds as a background character in a videogame, opened better than expected over the weekend, collecting an estimated $28.4 million in ticket sales despite a marketplace challenged by COVID-19. After a few weeks of declining audiences and underwhelming debuts amid the delta variant surge, “Free Guy” …
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Britney Spears’ father said in a court filing Thursday that he is planning to step down from the conservatorship that has controlled her life and money for 13 years, but his departure is not imminent. James Spears filed legal documents saying that while there are no grounds for his removal, he …
NEW YORK (AP) — Justin Bieber leads this year’s list of nominees at the 2021 MTV Video Music Awards, followed closely by Megan Thee Stallion, Billie Eilish, BTS, Doja Cat, Drake, Giveon, Lil Nas X and first-time nominee Olivia Rodrigo. Bieber has seven nods, including video of the year and best direction for “POPSTAR,” artist …
NEW YORK (AP) — CBS News is bringing a little of the NFL to its morning show, hiring former football player Nate Burleson as one of the three co-hosts of “CBS This Morning.” Burleson has been host of “Good Morning Football” on the NFL Network and, since 2017, an analyst on “The NFL Today,” CBS’ …
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Eight months after the death of beloved “Jeopardy!” host Alex Trebek, the daily syndicated quiz show chose its executive producer, Mike Richards, as Trebek’s successor over a field of celebrity candidates. But after fan backlash to a selection process that turned messy in recent weeks, producer Sony split the pie by …
Emmy Award-winner Christina Applegate has announced that she has multiple sclerosis, describing her diagnosis as a “tough road.” The 49-year-old actor known for her roles in “Married… with Children” and “Dead to Me,” said in a tweet late Monday that she was diagnosed “a few months ago.” “It’s been a strange journey. But I have been …
NEW YORK (AP) — Moviegoing, once expected to be closer to semi-normal levels by now, continues to be battered by the pandemic, the delta variant of the coronavirus and in-home streaming. The latest casualty: James Gunn’s “The Suicide Squad,” a critically acclaimed, carnage-ridden would-be smash that disappointed with $26.5 million in estimated ticket sales. The Warner …
NEW YORK (AP) — Markie Post, who played the public defender in the 1980s sitcom “Night Court” and was a regular presence on television for four decades, has died. She was 70. Post’s manager, Ellen Lubin Sanitsky, said Post died Saturday in Los Angeles after a years-long battle with cancer. Post was a longtime …