What to Stream: Charli xcx, 'The Dink,' 'Stuart Fails to Save the Universe' and '72 Hours'

Pop culture’s 'reverent irreverence': How artists blur irony, sincerity and religion

Indie artist Alex Cameron has sparked curiosity with a song about Jesus, blending humor and sincerity. During a concert in Los Angeles, he sang lyrics that mixed absurdity with earnestness, reflecting a trend sometimes dubbed “reverent irreverence.” This approach is becoming more common as peopl

License revoked for boarding school in Utah where Paris Hilton says she was abused as a teen

SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — Utah revoked another campus license on Friday for the boarding school where Paris Hilton said she was abused as a teenager, marking a major victory in the hotel heiress’ yearslong effort to get the school shut down.

Brenda Fricker, the first Irish actress to win an Oscar, for 'My Left Foot,' dies at 81

Brenda Fricker, who became the first Irish woman to win an Academy Award for her role as Bridget Fagan Brown in the 1989 film “My Left Foot,’’ has died. She was 81. Her agent, Phil Belfield, says the Irish character actor died Thursday night in Dublin after a period of ill health. Fricker beca

Hopscotch Music Festival announces lineup, free community space for 2026

Hopscotch Music Festival returns to downtown Raleigh this September. See who's playing.

Man charged with hate crimes after confrontation with 'Today' show's Melvin at NBC studio

NEW YORK (AP) — A 40-year-old New York man faces hate crime charges following a confrontation with “Today" show host Craig Melvin at NBC's studio in Manhattan.

How a young Alabama man has become a leading — and booming — opera voice

MUNICH, Germany (AP) — Nicholas Brownlee had just fallen in love with opera and was eager to see if his emerging bass-baritone voice could handle Richard Wagner’s music. It did not go well.

Brenda Fricker, the first Irish actress to win an Oscar for 'My Left Foot,' dies at 81

Brenda Fricker, who won an academy award for her role as Bridget Fagan Brown in the 1989 film “My Left Foot,’’ has died. She was 81. Her agent, Phil Belfield, says the Irish character actor died Thursday night in Dublin after a period of ill health. Fricker became the first Irish woman to win

Trump doubles down on US election attacks in his primetime speech

President Donald Trump has used a primetime address to question the legitimacy of U.S. elections and push for more restrictive voting laws. The Republican president on Thursday revisited debunked theories about his 2020 loss to Democrat Joe Biden, despite ongoing voter concerns about other pressi...

10 songs to get hyped for the World Cup final

NEW YORK (AP) — Regardless of World Cup allegiances, there is one thing everyone can agree on: There's nothing better than a themed playlist to get pumped for Sunday's big match. The Associated Press has you covered there.

Foodie News: Standard Food expands, Durham food truck rodeo ahead

Triangle Food Guy Sean Lennard has the latest: Standard Food+Beer expands, Clouds Brewing opens a new location, and a new Mexican fusion restaurant comes to Durham.

China warns of reciprocal countermeasures after US shortens foreign journalist visas

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Trump administration announced Thursday it will drastically shorten visas for foreign journalists in the U.S. to 240 days, down from years, and cut those for Chinese journalists to only 90 days, raising concerns over press freedom in the United States and prompting China to .

To air or not to air? Nation's TV networks struggle to find the right balance for Trump speech

As President Donald Trump threatened sanctions for those who didn’t cover his address live Thursday night, the nation’s broadcast and cable news operations wrestled with the thorniest of questions: To air or not to air?

Filled with typical Will Ferrell hijinks, 'The Hawk' has some heart but feels a bit dated

After Will Ferrell made a stop at WRAL in character to promote his new Netflix show, anchor Chris Lovingood watched the show to review Ferrell's newest persona, Lonnie 'The Hawk' Hawkins.

Netflix posts higher Q2 results but shares drop due to lukewarm forecast

Netflix said Thursday its second-quarter profit grew thanks to new membership signups and price increases, which “had gone well and as expected.”

Raleigh, Cary host watch parties for 2026 FIFA World Cup final

The 2026 FIFA World Cup final pits defending champion Argentina against Spain Sunday, July 19, at 3 p.m.

Trump is expected to make election conspiracies a focus of his national address

President Donald Trump is set to address the nation on topics he says will include elections and voting machines. Trump's comments suggest he's likely in Thursday's speech to revisit some of the unproven claims he's previously made about Republican losses, particularly his own in 2020 to Democrat...

Patricia Lockwood wins $10,000 Gabe Hudson Prize for a dark, comic COVID-19 novel

NEW YORK (AP) — Acclaimed author Patricia Lockwood is this year's winner of the Gabe Hudson Prize, a $10,000 honor named for the late author, educator and editor and given for fiction that demonstrates “humor, pathos, and a deep understanding of contemporary America.”

Danny Boyle’s Rupert Murdoch movie ‘Ink’ to open Venice Film Festival

A new film about the rise of media tycoon Rupert Murdoch and “The Sun” editor Larry Lamb has been selected to open the Venice International Film Festival, organizers said Thursday. Directed by “Trainspotting” filmmaker Danny Boyle, “Ink” is an adaptation of James Graham’s acclaimed pla

Ava DuVernay announces '14th' documentary on birthright amendment contested by Trump

NEW YORK (AP) — Ava DuVernay announced Thursday that she has made a documentary for Netflix on the 14th Amendment, which gave liberty and rights to formerly enslaved people following the Civil War, and which has come under legal attack from President Donald Trump.

'Jurassic Park' actor Sam Neill died from pneumonia, agent says

WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) — Actor Sam Neill died from pneumonia and will be honored at a private family memorial at his New Zealand farm later, his agent told The Associated Press on Thursday.

George Santos' next gig? Reality TV show contestant

NEW YORK (AP) — George Santos has worn many hats: Swindler, congressman, prison inmate, podcast host. The obvious next gig? Reality TV show contestant.

Tom Cruise, IShowSpeed and Post Malone join the World Cup closing ceremony's cast

NEW YORK (AP) — A wide array of performers, from actor Tom Cruise to streamer IShowSpeed, will help close out the World Cup, FIFA announced Tuesday.

Movie Review: In Christopher Nolan's 'The Odyssey,' an ancient epic is reborn

Getting home, and turning back the clock, has long been at the root of Christopher Nolan’s films. The astronauts of “Interstellar” painstakingly lose 23 years in space travel, almost the same length of time Odysseus is away from home in “The Odyssey”: a decade fighting the Trojan War, a de

A horde of golden mini-Mozarts marks 270 years since the composer's birth in Salzburg

SALZBURG, Austria (AP) — Visitors to Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart's hometown can see the composer — and his dog — in miniature as Salzburg celebrates the 270th anniversary of his birth. But they shouldn't wait too long.

Latin and country surge in the US as more music is being streamed than ever before

NEW YORK (AP) — Halfway through 2026, a few music, film and TV streaming trends have become clear, according to Luminate’s 2026 Midyear Report, which was released Wednesday.

US negotiator Brett McGurk will release a book on the Hamas hostage crisis

NEW YORK (AP) — A lead U.S. negotiator for the release of hundreds of people captured by Hamas during the Oct. 7, 2023, attacks in Israel will have a book out this fall.

Writers Guild of America seeks to block Paramount's buyout of Warner in latest merger challenge

The Writers Guild of America has become the latest group to challenge Paramount’s $81 billion acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery. It filed a lawsuit Tuesday that seeks to block the merger on the grounds it would cause “specific harm” to movie and TV writers in the U.S. The WGA’s complaint

Duchess of Sussex earns a Daytime Emmy nomination for Netflix's 'With Love, Meghan'

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex, has earned a Daytime Emmy nomination for her Netflix show.

Tom Cruise’s love for ‘Amores Perros’ led him to ‘Digger’

BURBANK, Calif. (AP) — Tom Cruise still remembers being in awe of Alejandro G. Iñárritu’s feature directorial debut “Amores Perros," which took home the Academy Award for best international feature film in 2001.

A look inside Christopher Nolan’s ‘The Odyssey’ by the numbers

Christopher Nolan's “The Odyssey” was an epic undertaking for all involved. The cast and crew embarked on a globe-trotting mission to bring the story of Odysseus' homecoming to life in the most realistic way possible.

Tom Cruise and IShowSpeed join the World Cup closing ceremony's cast

NEW YORK (AP) — A wide array of performers, from actor Tom Cruise to streamer IShowSpeed, will help close out the World Cup, FIFA announced Tuesday.

What to know: 70mm? IMAX? Dolby? Christopher Nolan breaks down his favorite big screen formats

Christopher Nolan has been dreaming of IMAX since he was a kid. The Oscar-winning filmmaker behind “Oppenheimer,” “Inception,” and the “Dark Knight” Batman films had a formative experience seeing nature documentaries at the Museum of Science and Industry in Chicago and always wondered wh

Watch parties or at home, catch the games of the 2026 FIFA World Cup

The 2026 FIFA World Cup comes down to four. France will play Spain in Arlington, Texas on Tuesday and England will face Argentina in Atlanta on Wednesday.

Steven Spielberg, Nicole Kidman and Cillian Murphy and more mourn the death of Sam Neill

Fellow actors and fans of Sam Neill mourned his passing after the New Zealand actor died Monday following a diagnosis of a rare type of non-Hodgkin lymphoma.

12 states challenge Paramount's takeover of Warner, say merger would 'extinguish competition'

Twelve states are suing to block Paramount’s takeover of Warner Bros. Discovery. They argued in a lawsuit Monday that the $81 billion merger would “extinguish competition” in Hollywood and lead to fewer choices for consumers across the U.S. The office of California’s attorney general is lead

Sam Neill, New Zealand actor who starred in 'Jurassic Park' and 'The Piano,' dies at 78

Sam Neill, the elegant and versatile actor who moved from art films to blockbusters like “Jurassic Park” and “The Hunt for Red October,” has died at 78. He said he had a rare type of lymphoma in 2023. His family said he was cancer-free when he died Monday but the statement didn't give a caus

Jay-Z show at Yankee Stadium delayed for hours after fans without tickets rush entrances

NEW YORK (AP) — A Jay-Z concert at Yankee Stadium was delayed for hours Sunday night after hundreds of fans without tickets tried to push their way into the show, forcing the iconic New York City stadium to temporarily close entrances before the rapper could take the stage after midnight.

Anya Taylor-Joy is bloodied and battling in Apple TV’s crime thriller ‘Lucky’

NEW YORK (AP) — Anya Taylor-Joy finds herself in a familiar setting this summer: In the desert, fighting to stay alive.

Celebrity birthdays for the week of July 19-25 includes Benedict Cumberbatch and John Leguizamo

Celebrity birthdays for the week of July 19-25: July 19: Singer Vikki Carr is 86. Act...

Greece awaits Nolan's 'The Odyssey' with anticipation despite casting controversy

ATHENS, Greece (AP) — Christopher Nolan’s “The Odyssey” opens Friday, to global anticipation and some controversy over his casting choices — but what do Greeks think?

Music Review: Gracie Abrams confronts crises on 'Daughter From Hell'

Crises loom across singer-songwriter Gracie Abrams' third album, “Daughter from Hell,” out Friday.

Weekend best bets: Movie nights, Phish, summer markets

The month of July features festivals, movies in the park, concerts and so much more.

Disney's live-action 'Moana' crashes to shore with an underwhelming splash at the box office

The Walt Disney Company’s live action “Moana” may be the No. 1 movie at the domestic box office, but it did not make a big splash in its first weekend in theaters.

'Ted Lasso' stars bring World Cup fever to Kansas City as Argentina faces Switzerland

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Lionel Messi and reigning World Cup champion Argentina playing for a semifinal spot in Ted Lasso's hometown?

Erling Haaland is Norway's World Cup machine — and the internet's babygirl

Erling Haaland has become a social media sensation during the World Cup. Known for his towering presence and impressive skills, the Norwegian player has scored seven goals in four matches. Fans have embraced his quirky online persona, dubbing him “babygirl” and “princess” due to his endearin

Chasing waterfalls: Explore these 8 waterfalls hidden in the Triangle

You don't have to drive all the way to the North Carolina mountains to see beautiful waterfalls this season - there are several beautiful and historic waterfalls right here in the Triangle. One is even hidden in the middle of a Raleigh neighborhood.

A lost AirPod, AI fakes and the secret garden: How fans experienced Taylor Swift’s private wedding

With a trash-grabbing claw and plastic bag in hand, Justin Gignac dressed up in his wedding tuxedo and waded through the Swifties, some of whom had spent hours standing outside Madison Square Garden.

Raleigh's Brass Tap thrives during World Cup action

With the U.S. out of the World Cup, soccer fans are turning their attention to the quarterfinals, particularly at The Brass Tap in downtown Raleigh, the official Liverpool bar.

Suki Waterhouse finds a new version of herself on her latest album, 'Loveland'

New York (AP) — Suki Waterhouse started working on “Loveland,” her third record, immediately after she finished her 2024 sophomore album, “Memoir of A Sparklemuffin.”

Charles hosted Prince Harry and family for first time in years as they try to repair a family rift

King Charles III has hosted Prince Harry and met with his family for the first time in years. The two are trying to repair a rift that has persisted since Charles' youngest son and wife quit royal life and moved to America six years ago. Harry, Meghan and their two children, Prince Archie and Pri...