Nepal’s Sherpa guide regains title for most climbs of Mount Everest after 27th trip
KATHMANDU, Nepal (AP) — One of the greatest mountain guides has regained his title for the most climbs of Mount Everest after scaling the peak for the 27th time. Kami Rita of Nepal reached the summit on Wednesday just three days after a fellow Sherpa climber had equalled his previous record. He was among the season’s first wave of climbers to reach the top. He first scaled Everest in 1994, and has been making the trip nearly every year since then. His father was among the first Sherpa guides. In addition to his Everest climbs, Rita has scaled several other peaks that are among the world’s highest. A rush for the summit is expected in the next couple of weeks. Nepalese authorities have issued nearly 470 permits for Everest this spring.
Danish Supreme Court says newspaper did not violate copyright of Little Mermaid statue
COPENHAGEN, Denmark (AP) — Denmark’s Supreme Court has overruled two lower courts, saying a cartoon depicting Copenhagen’s The Little Mermaid statue as a zombie and a photo of it with a face mask did not violate the copyright of the famous bronze. Courts earlier found that both were copyright infringements, and ordered the Berlingske newspaper — one of Denmark’s largest — to pay the sculptor’s heirs thousands of kroner in compensation. On Wednesday, the Supreme Court said that neither “infringed the copyright.” The plaintiffs were the heirs of the sculptor who created the girl-size mermaid that has been sitting on a rock at the entrance of the Copenhagen harbor since 1913.
Exceptional rains in drought-struck northern Italy kill 8, cancel Formula One Grand Prix
ROME (AP) — Officials say eight people are now confirmed dead in northern Italy following floods from rain-swollen rivers. The flooding forced Formula One to cancel this weekend’s Grand Prix in Emilia-Romagna. Officials are warning the rivers could again burst their banks as rain continues. The rainfall has also stretched across the Balkans. Flooding, landslides and evacuations were reported in Croatia, Bosnia and Slovenia. The mayor of Cesena warned residents Wednesday that continued heavy rains in the Emilia-Romagna region could again flood the Savio river and smaller tributaries. The Civil Protection agency says rescue operations were particularly difficult given the affected flood zone covered a broad swath of four provinces that until the heavy rains had been parched by a prolonged drought.
At Cannes Film Festival, Johnny Depp says ‘I have no further need for Hollywood’
CANNES, France (AP) — Appearing at the Cannes Film Festival the day after premiering his first film in three years, Johnny Depp said Wednesday that he has “no further need” for Hollywood. Depp made a rare public appearance to face questions from the press following the opening-night premiere of “Jeanne du Barry,” in which Depp plays King Louis XV. The film, directed by and starring Maiwann is Depp’s first film since a jury last year largely sided with him in his legal battle with his ex-wife, Amber Heard. Depp called the majority of what’s been written about him in recent years “fantastically, horrifically written fiction.”
Man and 12-year-old boy arrested after fatal shooting at Sonic restaurant in Texas
KEENE, Texas (AP) — Police say a 12-year-old boy and a 20-year-old man have been arrested on a murder warrant in the fatal shooting of a Sonic Drive-In employee in Texas. Police in Keene, about 40 miles southwest of Dallas, say 32-year-old Matthew Davis was shot and killed Saturday night as he fought with 20-year-old Angel Gomez in the parking lot of the restaurant. A police news release says the boy was at the restaurant with Gomez and shot Davis several times after taking a gun from Gomez’s vehicle. Police say both Gomez and the boy were later arrested on murder warrants. Court records do not show that formal charges have been filed.
The Wembanyama sweepstakes and draft lottery has a winner: It’s the Spurs
CHICAGO (AP) — Victor Wembanyama is now set to begin his NBA career with the San Antonio Spurs, after they won the NBA draft lottery and the No. 1 overall pick on Tuesday night. The Spurs were one of three teams with the best odds — 14% — to land the No. 1 pick, which they’ll almost certainly use on Wembanyama. The 7-foot-3 French 19-year-old is one of the most highly touted prospects in NBA history and will be expected to make an immediate impact on the league.
Musk says he’s not stepping down as Tesla CEO, tells shareholders the company will advertise
Elon Musk has dismissed speculation that he might step down as Tesla’s CEO. “Say it ain’t so,” a shareholder asked Musk during Tesla’s annual meeting Tuesday about stepping down as the electric car and solar panel company’s leader. “It ain’t so,” he replied. When another shareholder suggested that Tesla try advertising, Musk said the idea has merit, and the company would try a little advertising and see how it goes. Before Musk’s talk, shareholders voted to place Tesla co-founder and former chief technology officer JB Straubel on the company’s board for the next three years. Straubel left Tesla in 2019 to start a battery materials recycling company. Shareholders also re-elected Musk and Chairwoman Robyn Denholm to the board.
Elizabeth Holmes loses latest bid to avoid prison and gets hit with $452 million restitution bill
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Disgraced Theranos CEO Elizabeth Holmes appears to be soon bound for prison. An appeals court has rejected her bid to remain free while she tries to overturn her conviction in a blood-testing hoax that brought her fleeting fame and fortune. The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals ruling Tuesday comes nearly three weeks after Holmes deployed a last-minute legal maneuver to delay the start of her 11-year prison sentence. The federal judge who imposed that sentence on Tuesday ordered to pay $452 million in restitution to the victims of her crimes The same judge will now a new prison reporting date for Holmes. The judge previously recommended she be imprisoned in Bryan, Texas.
ESPN announces ‘Pat McAfee Show’ will join afternoon lineup
Pat McAfee’s show is moving to ESPN as part of a new multiyear deal. McAfee first joined ESPN as a college football analyst for its Thursday night games in 2019. He returned to the network last year and became part of the “College GameDay” crew as well as hosting some alternate presentations of ESPN games, including the CFP National Championship. That will continue, but it is McAfee’s show that has created the most buzz. ESPN also announced a documentary series on Serena Williams and four major matchups for the upcoming college football season.
‘Taco Tuesday’ trademark tiff flares anew between fast food competitors
CHEYENNE, Wyo. (AP) — A tiff over Taco Tuesday is heating up, with Taco Bell asking U.S. regulators to force a Wyoming-based fast-food chain to abandon its longstanding claim to “Taco Tuesday” as a trademark. Taco Bell says in a filing with the U.S. Patent and Trade Office dated Tuesday that too many businesses use “Taco Tuesday” for Cheyenne-based Taco John’s to claim exclusive rights to the phrase. Taco John’s has tried vigorously to enforce its claim to “Taco Tuesday” over the years, sending warning letters far and wide to restaurants with Taco Tuesday promotions. Taco John’s first response to Taco Bell? A new Taco Tuesday promotion.
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