Drumroll, please. Seven people who became stars in 2024 have been named The Associated Press’ Breakthrough Entertainers of the Year. Aaron Pierre announced himself in the taut, suspenseful thriller “Rebel Ridge,” Nicholas Alexander Chavez frightened in the one-two punch of “Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story” and “Grotesquerie,” and GloRilla emerged as one of
Continue ReadingAssociated Press NEW YORK (AP) — Myha’la is best known for playing a steely, manipulative investment banker on HBO’s “Industry,” so the thought of her breaking into song seems antithetical. Yet the graduate of Carnegie Mellon’s prestigious drama school says when she told friends and former acting teachers she landed a starring role in the
Continue ReadingAP Entertainment Writer LOS ANGELES (AP) — Aaron Pierre is closing out his big year on a literal high note. After donning Malcolm X’s distinctive browline glasses in the “Genius: MLK/X” series and getting his modern-day Rambo on in the Netflix action hit “Rebel Ridge,” the 30-year-old English actor showcases his vocal talents in “Mufasa:
Continue ReadingAssociated Press NEW YORK (AP) — As a child, Fred Hechinger dreamed of running away to join the circus. Now as his acting career takes off, he jokes that it feels like he’s finally living that childhood fantasy. Levity suits the 24-year-old, despite his role as the tyrannical Emperor Caracalla in “Gladiator II.” While his
Continue ReadingAssociated Press Nicholas Alexander Chavez starred in two Ryan Murphy shows this fall. He played Lyle Menendez in “Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story” for Netflix and a priest in FX’s “Grotesquerie.” Chavez’s work in the Murphyverse has made him one of The Associated Press’ Breakthrough Entertainers of 2024. The 25-year-old says he feels
Continue ReadingAP Business Writer Kroger and Albertsons’ plan for the largest U.S. supermarket merger in history crumbled Wednesday, with Albertsons pulling out of the $24.6 billion deal and the two companies accusing each other of not doing enough to push their proposed alliance through. Albertsons said it had filed a lawsuit against Kroger, seeking a $600
Continue ReadingAssociated Press LOS ANGELES (AP) — Adria Arjona has transformed from the reserved girl growing up across Latin America to the captivating actor booking multiple scene-stealing roles. She once thought she would be too shy to pursue her dream. Now, she’s starring opposite A-list stars like Diego Luna, Glen Powell and Zoe Saldaña. She is
Continue ReadingAP Entertainment Writer LOS ANGELES (AP) — GloRilla went from being a choir girl to a husky-voiced rap queen, climbing the hip-hop ranks so high that she’s earned a trip to the White House. The Memphis-born performer has become one of industry’s most promising voices with her genuine character, rap flow and unmistakable Southern drawl.
Continue ReadingAP Business Writer Regional supermarket chain Stop & Shop is installing kiosks in all of its stores in the Northeast U.S. to make digital-only coupons more accessible. Stop & Shop said on Wednesday that the kiosks will give customers access to digital coupons by scanning a loyalty card or entering a phone number. Digital-only deals
Continue ReadingBERLIN (AP) — Chancellor Olaf Scholz has formally set Germany on course for an early election by requesting a confidence vote in parliament next week. Five weeks after his three-party governing coalition collapsed in a dispute over how to revitalize Germany’s stagnant economy, Scholz said he had requested the confidence vote in parliament’s lower house,
Continue ReadingAssociated Press LONDON (AP) — Britain’s spy agency is celebrating the festive season with a riddle wrapped in an enigma inside a mystery. The cyber-intelligence agency GCHQ on Wednesday published its annual Christmas Challenge, a seasonal greeting card that doubles as a set of fiendishly difficult puzzles. The goal is to excite young minds about
Continue ReadingAssociated Press LONDON (AP) — The father and stepmother of a 10-year-old girl found dead in her home in England were found guilty Wednesday of her murder after what prosecutors called a “campaign of abuse.” They along with an uncle will be sentenced Tuesday in the killing last year of Sara Sharif. Police found her
Continue ReadingAP Diplomatic Writer WASHINGTON (AP) — Secretary of State Antony Blinken is returning to the Middle East this week on his 12th visit since the Israel-Hamas war erupted last year. It’ll be his first trip since the ouster of Syrian President Bashar Assad, which has sparked new fears of instability in a region now wracked
Continue ReadingAssociated Press DHAKA, Bangladesh (AP) — Thousands of members of youth and student bodies belonging to the Bangladesh Nationalist Party have marched from the capital toward the country’s eastern border with India to protest an attack on a diplomatic mission and alleged desecration of Bangladeshi flags in India. On Wednesday, they drove in cars to
Continue ReadingEdmunds Midsize three-row SUVs are among today’s primary modes of family movement, but some are roomier than others. We don’t think you can ever have enough room in a family SUV, and the best ones offer ample room to stretch out, especially for adults in the third row. They should also be fuel-efficient and have
Continue ReadingAssociated Press PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti (AP) — Haiti’s main international airport has reopened to commercial flights, one month after gangs opened fire on planes. It was the second closing this year because of gang violence. Soldiers and police along with a U.N.-backed mission have boosted security in the area, and Haiti’s government said a test flight
Continue ReadingAP Business Writer TikTok has challenged a Canadian government order to shut down the Chinese video-sharing app’s business operations in the country that was imposed over national security concerns. The company said Tuesday that it filed an application for a judicial review with the Federal Court in Vancouver on December 5. The application seeks to
Continue ReadingAssociated Press THE HAGUE, Netherlands (AP) — A Dutch court has convicted a woman of crimes against humanity for keeping a Yazidi woman as a slave in Syria and sentenced her to 10 years in prison. The Hague District Court found Hasna A. was guilty of multiple offenses for traveling to Syria in 2015 to
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Associated Press The Onion’s rejected purchase of Infowars in an auction bid supported by families of the Sandy Hook Elementary shooting dealt them a new setback Wednesday and clouded the future of Alex Jones’ conspiracy theory platform, which will remain in his control for at least the near future. What’s next for Infowars and the
Continue ReadingAssociated Press NICOSIA, Cyprus (AP) — Cyprus will depend more on desalination plants to meet its water needs as a string of dry winters has reduced amounts in 108 dams to just a quarter of their capacity. Minister Maria Panayiotou said Wednesday that as part of her ministry’s immediate plans to alleviate water shortages, four
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