Entertainment

‘Wear a polka-dot scarf:’ Canadian fashion designer Marilyn Brooks, 93, has died

Fakiha Baig, The Canadian Press 4 minute read Updated: 8:19 PM CDT

A fashion designer who was among the first to popularize a clothing style in Canada that was famously worn by rebellious British youths and The Beatles in the 1960s has died.

Norma Meneguzzi Spall, a friend and spokesperson for Marilyn Brooks' family, said Brooks died Saturday of natural causes at the age of 93 in Toronto.

Jeanne Beker, an Ontario-based fashion journalist, said she remembers Brooks' boutique, The Unicorn, was the most hip place to shop when she was a teen in the 1960s.

Beker said the boutique was the first in Toronto to sell slick, colourful and polished mod-style clothing popularized by rock bands and youths partaking in the counterculture of the 1960s.

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White House report brands Smithsonian leadership as radical activists who can’t be trusted

Steve Peoples, The Associated Press 5 minute read Preview

White House report brands Smithsonian leadership as radical activists who can’t be trusted

Steve Peoples, The Associated Press 5 minute read 12:50 PM CDT

NEW YORK (AP) — A White House report brands the leadership of the Smithsonian Institution, especially at the National Museum of American History, as radical activists who cannot be trusted, indicating that President Donald Trump may be preparing to install his own team.

The report released late on Independence Day by the White House Domestic Policy Council comes in the midst of Trump’s aggressive campaign to overhaul some of Washington's most sacred cultural and historic institutions. Trump in March revealed his intention to force changes at the Smithsonian Institution with an executive order that targeted funding for programs that advanced “divisive narratives” and “improper ideology,” as he continued a broadside against culture he deems too liberal.

"The Smithsonian Institution, and the National Museum of American History in particular, under its current leadership and current interpretive ideology, cannot be trusted to tell America’s story honestly and in a way that is inspiring, unifying, and worthy of our great republic,” according to the report by the council, which is led by a former top Trump speechwriter.

The authors added: “As this report shows, confirmed in the words of Museum leadership, this ideological capture has moved the Museum’s mission away from straightforward historical education and scholarship toward an extreme political activism that seeks to transform our country.”

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12:50 PM CDT

Business

This image released by Universal Pictures shows a scene from Illumination's

‘Minions & Monsters’ tops Fourth of July holiday box office, barely beating ‘Toy Story 5’

The Associated Press 2 minute read Preview

‘Minions & Monsters’ tops Fourth of July holiday box office, barely beating ‘Toy Story 5’

The Associated Press 2 minute read 12:17 PM CDT

LOS ANGELES (AP) — The Minions have taken down “Toy Story 5" at the July Fourth weekend box office, but not by much.

“Minions & Monsters,” the seventh film in the “Despicable Me” franchise, earned $36.4 million at the holiday weekend box office, according to studio estimates for North America. “Toy Story 5,” a juggernaut that last week beat “Supergirl,” earned an estimated $31 million.

The Minions movie, which has the devious henchlings seeking movie glory in Hollywood's Golden Age, opened on Wednesday and earned an estimated $61.4 million in its first five days, according to studio estimates. The Minions are a popular franchise globally and “Minions & Monsters” has earned $160 million worldwide in its debut week.

Audiences looking for patriotic fare amid the United States' 250th birthday celebration had “Young Washington” to consider; it opened in third place with nearly $21 million. The movie focuses on George Washington's service during the French and Indian War.

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12:17 PM CDT

The Executive Director of the Royal Alberta Museum, Meaghan Patterson, shows off the exhibit Death: Life's Greatest Mystery in Edmonton on Monday June 29, 2026. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Amanda May Erickson

‘Death is everywhere:’ Alberta art exhibit on mortality is actually full of life

Fakiha Baig, The Canadian Press 4 minute read Preview

‘Death is everywhere:’ Alberta art exhibit on mortality is actually full of life

Fakiha Baig, The Canadian Press 4 minute read Yesterday at 7:00 AM CDT

EDMONTON - In a corner of the Royal Alberta Museum, two chalkboards hang on the wall to capture random thoughts on death.

One scribbler wants to come back as a grilled cheese sandwich.

Several, before they breathe their last, want the hometown Edmonton Oilers to again win hockey’s Stanley Cup.

Some want to reunite with beloved dead dogs and cats.

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Yesterday at 7:00 AM CDT

Entertainment

Miki Sudo, left, and Joey Chestnut participate in the Nathan's Famous Fourth of July International Hot Dog Eating Contest weigh-in ceremony at Hudson Yards on Friday, July 3, 2026, in New York. (Photo by Andy Kropa/Invision/AP)

Joey Chestnut eats 66 hot dogs to again claim Mustard Belt at Nathan’s Famous contest

Safiyah Riddle, The Associated Press 3 minute read Preview

Joey Chestnut eats 66 hot dogs to again claim Mustard Belt at Nathan’s Famous contest

Safiyah Riddle, The Associated Press 3 minute read Updated: Yesterday at 1:11 PM CDT

Crowds gathered in the sweltering heat Saturday to celebrate the United States' 250th birthday by watching famed competitive eater Joey “Jaws” Chestnut defend his world hot dog eating championship in Coney Island, where he downed 66 hot dogs in just 10 minutes. Miki Sudo defended her title as well in the women's division.

Saturday marked the 18th time Chestnut, 42, won the so-called Mustard Belt in just 21 appearances at the internationally televised Nathan’s Famous Fourth of July hot dog eating contest. He beat out 13 competitors who came from around the country and world, trekking from the Czech Republic, Australia and South Korea.

“It's a dream, it's electric, there's no place better on Earth,” Chestnut said breathlessly in an interview immediately after the showdown, donning a bulky, bejeweled necklace bearing the name of the sports betting company “Polymarket” around his neck. In a video posted on Instagram before the competition, Chestnut called competitive hot dog eating “the most patriotic sport we've got.”

Chestnut handily defeated the second-place winner, Patrick Bertoletti, 41, who ate 50 hot dogs, but fell short of his own 2021 record of 76 wieners and buns — or approximately 7.6 hot dogs per minute.

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Updated: Yesterday at 1:11 PM CDT

Entertainment

Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce are married. What to know about the wedding

Kimberlee Kruesi, The Associated Press 4 minute read Preview

Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce are married. What to know about the wedding

Kimberlee Kruesi, The Associated Press 4 minute read Updated: Yesterday at 4:36 PM CDT

NEW YORK (AP) — Your English teacher and your gym teacher are married. And we finally know a few more details surrounding Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce's wedding at Madison Square Garden.

Adam Sandler officiated, which both delighted and confused those who had been guessing who would have the high honor. Swift's brother Austin Swift served as her man of honor, and Kelce’s brother and podcast co-host Jason Kelce served as the groom's best man.

The event was attended by hundreds of celebrities, athletes and close friends and family, but even after the marriage announcement was made Friday evening, many of the wedding details remained hidden as photos remained elusive — including any hint of what Swift or Kelce wore.

Here is what we know (and still don't know):

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Updated: Yesterday at 4:36 PM CDT

Entertainment

FILE - Russia's Vladimir Kramnik meets the media during a news conference after the 10th game of the Chess World Championship in the Art and Exhibition Hall of the Federal Republic of Germany in Bonn, western Germany, Oct. 27, 2008. (AP Photo/Hermann J. Knippertz, File)

Chess federation suspends former world champion who accused Naroditsky of cheating

Matthew Brown, The Associated Press 2 minute read Preview

Chess federation suspends former world champion who accused Naroditsky of cheating

Matthew Brown, The Associated Press 2 minute read Friday, Jul. 3, 2026

BILLINGS, Mont. (AP) — The international governing body for chess on Friday suspended former world champion Vladimir Kramnik for at least a year after he leveled unproven allegations of cheating against fellow players, including Daniel Naroditsky, who died last year at age 29.

Kramnik accused Naroditsky of cheating last year and continued to share suspicions on social media. Naroditsky, a prodigious chess player and American grandmaster who helped usher in the game’s online boom with educational YouTube videos and livestreams, denied the allegations.

Kramnik said in an email to The Associated Press that he plans to appeal the suspension.

“I am absolutely confident that this unlawful verdict will ultimately be overturned, and I intend to pursue all necessary instances to the very end in order to restore justice and, in particular, my reputation,” Kramnik said in a social media post.

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Friday, Jul. 3, 2026

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Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce marry in front of famous friends at Madison Square Garden

Kimberlee Kruesi And Andrew Dalton, The Associated Press 5 minute read Preview

Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce marry in front of famous friends at Madison Square Garden

Kimberlee Kruesi And Andrew Dalton, The Associated Press 5 minute read Friday, Jul. 3, 2026

NEW YORK (AP) — Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce married Friday night at Madison Square Garden, where actor Adam Sandler was the surprising officiant at a ceremony packed with stars of sports and entertainment. The deep secrecy that surrounded the buildup to the nuptials lifted when a marquee outside the Midtown Manhattan arena proclaimed “JUST&T MARRIED” once the deed was done.

The couple did not have bridesmaids or groomsmen, instead having Swift’s younger brother Austin Swift serve as her man of honor with Kelce’s big brother and podcast co-host Jason Kelce his best man, Swift's publicist Tree Paine said in an email.

The bride and groom’s outfits came from Christian Dior Haute Couture and its designer Jonathan Anderson with shoes custom-made by Christian Louboutin. She wore Cartier jewelry.

An almost-royal wedding

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Friday, Jul. 3, 2026

Business

Alberta country music artist and rancher Corb Lund formally submits his

Anti-coal mining petition led by musician Corb Lund fails in Alberta

Lisa Johnson, The Canadian Press 4 minute read Preview

Anti-coal mining petition led by musician Corb Lund fails in Alberta

Lisa Johnson, The Canadian Press 4 minute read Friday, Jul. 3, 2026

EDMONTON - A petition led by country musician Corb Lund to ban new coal mining on the eastern slopes of the Rockies has failed.

Alberta's election agency announced Friday that Lund's petition didn't gain enough verified signatures to move it forward.

Lund, in a statement, said it appears roughly 35,000 signatures were rejected by Elections Alberta, and he has "grave concerns" about the fairness of the process.

"We are simultaneously shocked by this outcome, yet, unfortunately, not surprised, given the continual government rule changes and roadblocks we have faced throughout this campaign," he said.

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Friday, Jul. 3, 2026

Entertainment

FILE - President-elect Donald Trump, from right, talks with Usha Vance and Vice President-elect JD Vance, not pictured, before a service at St. John's Church, Jan. 20, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci, File)

Trump reads a children’s book on Usha Vance’s podcast, then riffs on past presidents and himself

Michelle L. Price, The Associated Press 4 minute read Preview

Trump reads a children’s book on Usha Vance’s podcast, then riffs on past presidents and himself

Michelle L. Price, The Associated Press 4 minute read Friday, Jul. 3, 2026

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump joined second lady Usha Vance on her podcast where guests read picture books to children, but Trump, who is notorious for veering off script, offered a running commentary on his predecessors, his physique, and how he's spending his time in the White House.

In Trump's appearance on Vance's “Storytime with the Second Lady,” podcast, which was posted online Friday, the president read “Presidents Play!” a children's book from the White House Historical Association that features illustrations of the presidents enjoying sports and using the White House and its grounds for recreation.

Trump pretaped the appearance in mid-June in the White House's Oval Office, where the abundant gold accents he added were supplemented for the occasion with a bald eagle stuffed animal, tables made up of stacks of oversized books and a globe made out of Legos.

When Vance asked Trump if he has much time to read for fun while serving as president, he replied that he ends up mostly reading newspapers.

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Friday, Jul. 3, 2026

Entertainment

Seth Rogen, left, and Olivia Wilde pose for a portrait in Los Angeles to promote their film

From ‘The Invite’ to ‘The Studio,’ Seth Rogen loves screaming at Olivia Wilde

Lindsey Bahr, The Associated Press 7 minute read Preview

From ‘The Invite’ to ‘The Studio,’ Seth Rogen loves screaming at Olivia Wilde

Lindsey Bahr, The Associated Press 7 minute read Friday, Jul. 3, 2026

Seth Rogen gave Olivia Wilde a note at the end of the shoot for “The Invite.” In it, he wrote, “I love screaming at you.”

It wasn’t some toxic jab from a volatile actor to his director and co-star after a difficult shoot; They really have found a kind of magic in screaming at each other on screen, first in the Chinatown-ish “Missing Reel” episode of “The Studio,” in which Wilde plays a satirical version of herself as the crazed director, and then as a couple on the rocks in the acerbic chamber dramedy “The Invite,” which expands nationwide on July 10.

“There’s nothing precious about either of us really,” Wilde said. “There was, like, a permission speak — permission to scream — freely.”

Rogen, 44, and Wilde, 42, came up in the same class of sorts, with memorable roles on television, in the late 90s and early-aughts, that blossomed into movie stardom and, eventually, directing. But until recently, they’d only ever really crossed paths meaningfully once: At a table read for Judd Apatow’s slacker pregnancy comedy “Knocked Up” over 20 years ago. Wilde did not get the role, and they went their separate ways.

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Friday, Jul. 3, 2026

Entertainment

FILE - Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan listens as Somalia's President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud speaks during a joint news conference in Istanbul, Turkey, on Dec. 30, 2025. (AP Photo/Khalil Hamra, File)

Turkish comedian sent to jail to await trial on charges of insulting Erdogan

The Associated Press 3 minute read Preview

Turkish comedian sent to jail to await trial on charges of insulting Erdogan

The Associated Press 3 minute read Friday, Jul. 3, 2026

ANKARA, Turkey (AP) — A Turkish court on Friday ordered a comedian jailed pending trial on charges of insulting religious values and President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, after his stand‑up routine included references to him as a “dictator.”

Deniz Goktas was detained Thursday for questioning at Istanbul’s main airport on his return from a trip abroad, days after prosecutors launched an investigation into his comedy show, which had been widely viewed online. He was formally arrested following questioning by prosecutors on Friday, the state-run Anadolu Agency reported.

The routine, recorded in Istanbul last month, drew some 9.5 million views after being uploaded to YouTube on June 24. The pro‑government newspaper Sabah said dozens of viewers were offended by jokes on religion and filed complaints, prompting the investigation.

During questioning, Goktas, 32, said he had no intention of degrading religious values or insulting the president, stressing that his approach was satirical.

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Friday, Jul. 3, 2026

Entertainment

FILE -Dustin Hoffman reacts during the first half of Game 2 in the Eastern Conference finals NBA basketball playoffs series, May 21, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II, File)

Czech film fest in Karlovy Vary honors Dustin Hoffman and Juliette Binoche

The Associated Press 2 minute read Preview

Czech film fest in Karlovy Vary honors Dustin Hoffman and Juliette Binoche

The Associated Press 2 minute read Friday, Jul. 3, 2026

PRAGUE (AP) — The Karlovy Vary International Film Festival in the Czech Republic kicked off its 60th edition with honors planned for actors Dustin Hoffman and Juliette Binoche.

Hoffman, who won the Academy Award for best actor for his role in “Kramer vs. Kramer” (1979) and “Rain Man” (1988), will be honored for his outstanding artistic contribution to world cinema on the opening night Friday.

On Saturday, Hoffman will present “The Graduate,” his big movie from 1967 that earned him his first Academy Award nomination.

Binoche, who won an Oscar for best supporting actress in “The English Patient” (1996) and a number of other prizes, will receive the same award as Hoffman at the closing ceremony on July 11.

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Friday, Jul. 3, 2026

Business

Hudson’s Bay closes auctions with sale of Norval Morrisseau paintings

Tara Deschamps, The Canadian Press 2 minute read Preview

Hudson’s Bay closes auctions with sale of Norval Morrisseau paintings

Tara Deschamps, The Canadian Press 2 minute read Friday, Jul. 3, 2026

Hudson's Bay has completed the final auction in a series that found new owners for its trove of art — this one featuring six paintings with ties to Norval Morrisseau.

The sale was hosted online by Heffel Fine Art Auction House.

Three of the pieces sold in the auction were created by the late Indigenous artist Norval Morrisseau and three came from his studio. Studio paintings are typically completed by assistants in an artist’s workshop.

The top Morrisseau painting was a vibrant acrylic on canvas attributed to his studio. It sold for $27,500.

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Friday, Jul. 3, 2026

Entertainment

FILE - Gucci Mane performs during the Festival d'ete de Quebec in Quebec City, Canada on July 12, 2019. (Photo by Amy Harris/Invision/AP, File)

Video in case against Pooh Shiesty shows him pressing for record label release, prosecutors say

Jamie Stengle, The Associated Press 3 minute read Preview

Video in case against Pooh Shiesty shows him pressing for record label release, prosecutors say

Jamie Stengle, The Associated Press 3 minute read Thursday, Jul. 2, 2026

DALLAS (AP) — Prosecutors say a video shows rapper Pooh Shiesty pressing for his release from fellow rapper Gucci Mane's record label while an armed man blocks a door during an alleged robbery at a Texas music studio in January.

A court record shows the video was submitted as evidence in federal court in Dallas, where Pooh Shiesty and eight others have been indicted on kidnapping and extortion charges. Prosecutors say the victims were robbed at gunpoint after traveling to the city to discuss Pooh Shiesty's recording contract with Mane's 1017 Records.

The victims have only been referred to by their initials in court documents. One, R.D., is described as the owner of 1017 Records. Mane's legal name is Radric Delantic Davis. The song “Crash Dummy,” which Gucci Mane released this spring, includes the lyrics: “I thought it was a business meeting, but it was a set up.”

The court document was filed by prosecutors in response to a motion Pooh Shiesty filed last month proposing home confinement, arguing that the evidence against him did not warrant keeping him in custody pending trial, as was ordered by a judge in April.

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Thursday, Jul. 2, 2026

Entertainment

Trees that had been burnt in a recent wildfire near Webequie, Ont., on Friday, Oct. 24, 2025. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Christopher Katsarov

Fact File: Does banning glyphosate prevent wildfires? Here’s what we know

Marissa Birnie, The Canadian Press 4 minute read Preview

Fact File: Does banning glyphosate prevent wildfires? Here’s what we know

Marissa Birnie, The Canadian Press 4 minute read Friday, Jul. 3, 2026

A social media post shared a screenshot of a satellite map that shows Quebec experiencing fewer wildfires than the rest of Canada, and suggested it was because the province banned the use of glyphosate-based weed killers in 2001. Experts who study wildfires say Quebec has seen varied wildfire seasons since then — including an extreme burn in 2023 — despite a lack of glyphosate use. They say there is no evidence linking glyphosate to increased wildfire activity.

THE CLAIM

"Ahead of this wildfire season it is always important to remember that Quebec is the only jurisdiction in North America that doesn't spray its forests with glyphosate for 'forest management,'" reads an X post from last month with around 11,000 likes.

The post includes a screenshot of a "2025 wildfire map" that appears to mark wildfires across Canada and the United States with a flame icon. It bears the watermark of the Fire Information for Resource Management System US/Canada, a satellite fire map maintained by NASA, and the date Aug. 20, 2025.

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Friday, Jul. 3, 2026

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