Turbulence forces Delta flight to land and sends 25 passengers to hospitals, airline says

Delta Air Lines says a flight from Salt Lake City to Amsterdam was hit by serious turbulence, injuring passengers and forcing the flight to divert to Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport. The airline says that the airport fire department and paramedics met the flight Wednesday evening and 25 passengers were taken to hospitals for evaluation and treatment. Serious injuries from in-flight turbulence are rare, but scientists say they may be becoming more common as climate change alters the jet stream. A man was killed when a Singapore Airlines flight hit severe turbulence in May 2024, the first person to die from turbulence on a major airline in several decades.

ESPN cuts ties with Shannon Sharpe following settlement of sexual assault lawsuit, AP source says

Shannon Sharpe will not return to ESPN, according to a person familiar with the decision. The decision follows his recent settlement of a lawsuit accusing him of sexually assaulting a woman during their relationship. Sharpe's last appearance on ESPN was in late April when the lawsuit was filed. No details of the settlement have been released. The lawsuit sought $50 million. Sharpe called the accusations false and hoped to return for the NFL season. Instead, ESPN decided to part ways with the Hall of Fame tight end. Sharpe joined ESPN in 2023 after leaving FS1's "Undisputed" and was a panelist on "First Take."

Recall issued over energy drinks mistakenly containing vodka

MODESTO, Calif. (AP) — Energy drinks that mistakenly contain vodka are being recalled in more than a half dozen states. High Noon is recalling two production lots of High Noon Beach Variety packs because some contain cans with vodka inside that were mislabeled as Celsius Astro Vibe Energy Drink. The company says the cans contain vodka seltzer and were mislabeled as “sparkling blue razz”-flavored Celsius Astro Vibe energy drinks. The packs were distributed to retailers in Florida, New York, Ohio, South Carolina, Virginia and Wisconsin. The company says a shared packaging supplier mistakenly shipped empty Celsius energy drink cans to High Noon. People who purchased the drinks with the specified production lot codes are encouraged to dispose of them.

American Eagle's 'good jeans' ads with Sydney Sweeney spark a debate on race and beauty standards

NEW YORK (AP) — U.S. fashion retailer American Eagle Outfitters wanted to make a splash with its new advertising campaign starring 27-year-old actor Sydney Sweeney. It has. The question is whether some of the public reactions the fall denim campaign produced is what American Eagle intended. Titled “Sydney Sweeney has great jeans,” the campaign has sparked a debate about race, Western beauty standards, and the backlash to “woke” American culture. Most of the negative reception focused on videos that used the word “genes” instead of “jeans” when discussing the blonde-haired, blue-eyed actor. Some critics saw the wordplay as a nod to eugenics, a discredited theory that held humanity could be improved through selective breeding for certain traits.

Judge dismisses lawsuit filed by Alec Baldwin for malicious prosecution in fatal 'Rust' set shooting

SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — A New Mexico judge has dismissed a lawsuit filed by actor Alec Baldwin for malicious prosecution in the fatal shooting of a cinematographer on the set of the Western movie “Rust.” The judge in a ruling made public Wednesday dismissed the case without prejudice for lack of any significant action with the claim. Baldwin's attorneys say settlement discussions have been ongoing and that they have been waiting to prosecute the case pending the outcome of those talks. Baldwin had alleged defamation, saying that prosecutors and investigators intentionally mishandled evidence. A judge last summer dismissed a charge of involuntary manslaughter against Baldwin in the 2021 death of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins.

Massive sea turtle returns to the ocean off Florida after treatment for a boat strike

JUNO BEACH, Fla. (AP) — A massive sea turtle injured by a boat strike on the Florida coast last May has been returned to the ocean. The adult female named Pennywise was deemed strong and fit enough to return to the wild on Wednesday after months of rehab at South Florida's Loggerhead Marinelife Center. All sea turtles are considered endangered or threatened species and boat strikes on them are usually fatal. On Wednesday, six volunteers gently hauled the turtle to the beach as onlookers took videos and photos. The turtle with a large gash still visible then slowly crawled into the sea as people clapped and cheered.

Radioactive wasp nest found at site where US once made nuclear bombs

COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — Workers at a South Carolina site that once made nuclear bomb parts have found a radioactive wasp nest. Officials say there's no danger to anyone. Employees checking radiation levels at the Savannah River Site near Aiken found the nest on July 3. It was near tanks storing liquid nuclear waste. The nest had radiation levels 10 times above federal limits. Workers sprayed it with insect killer and disposed of it as radioactive waste. No wasps were found. Officials say the nest was likely contaminated from residual radioactivity. Watchdog group Savannah River Site Watch criticized the report for lacking details on the contamination source.

Former WWE boss Vince McMahon is cited for reckless driving in Connecticut crash

Former WWE CEO Vince McMahon is accused of causing a crash on a Connecticut highway that wrecked his Bentley and damaged two other cars. No one was injured in last Thursday's crash. A state police report says McMahon was cited for reckless driving and following too closely after he rear-ended another car on the Merritt Parkway in Westport. A third car on the other side of the highway was damaged by debris from the crash. Representatives for McMahon did not immediately return messages Wednesday. The crash came a few hours before Hulk Hogan’s death hit the news and McMahon was quoted praising the wrestling icon.

Braves place 5-time All-Star Ronald Acuña Jr. on the injured list with Achilles tendon inflammation

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The Atlanta Braves have placed Ronald Acuña Jr. on the 10-day injured list because of right Achilles tendon inflammation. The severity of the injury is still unclear. Acuña first felt discomfort on Monday night after scoring from first base during a game against Kansas City. Despite wanting to play on Tuesday, the five-time All-Star came up limping while chasing a ball and was removed from the game. The Braves recalled Jarred Kelenic from Triple-A Gwinnett to fill his roster spot. Acuña has faced multiple injuries in his career but returned this season with a strong performance. Eli White is expected to be his primary replacement.

German biathlete Laura Dahlmeier has died in a climbing accident in Pakistan

PESHAWAR, Pakistan (AP) — A government spokesman in Pakistan says that German biathlon champion Laura Dahlmeier has died on a mountain in northern Pakistan. That follows a climbing accident at remote site that rescuers have struggled to reach because of bad weather. The Olympic gold medalist was ascending Laila Peak in the Karakoram mountain range on Monday when she was struck by falling rocks while climbing with a partner who survived. Faizullah Faraq, a spokesman for the regional Gilgit-Baltistan government, says rescuers were able to confirm Dahlmeier’s death on Wednesday but not retrieve the body because of unfavorable weather. He says any final decision on retrieving the body would follow the wishes of Dahlmeier’s family.