Justin Timberlake says he's been diagnosed with Lyme disease

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Justin Timberlake has announced on Instagram Thursday that he was diagnosed with Lyme disease. The former NSYNC singer shared the news in a post commemorating his two-year Forget Tomorrow tour, which wrapped in Turkey on Wednesday. His post says the disease “can be relentlessly debilitating, both mentally and physically.” Representatives for Timberlake did not immediately respond to The Associated Press’ request for comment. Lyme disease is transmitted by Ixodes ticks, also known as deer ticks. Lyme can cause flu-like conditions, neurological problems, joint paint and other symptoms. In the vast majority of cases, Lyme disease is successfully treated with antibiotics.

White House announces new $200M ballroom as part of Trump's latest makeover of 'The People's House'

WASHINGTON (AP) — The White House has announced that construction on a new $200 million ballroom will begin in September. President Donald Trump has said the White House doesn't have enough space for large events, and he doesn't like hosting guests in tents on the lawn. The 90,000-square-foot ballroom will be located where the East Wing currently sits and hold 650 people seated. The East Wing is home to several offices, including the first lady's. Those offices will be temporarily relocated during construction. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said the president and other donors have committed to raising the money needed for construction.

Conor McGregor loses appeal against civil jury's finding he sexually assaulted a woman

LONDON (AP) — Mixed martial arts fighter Conor McGregor has lost his legal appeal against a civil court's finding that he sexually assaulted a woman at a Dublin hotel. In November, a jury found McGregor liable for assaulting Nikita Hand in 2018. He was ordered to pay nearly 250,000 euros in damages and about 1.3 million euros in legal costs. Hand successfully sued McGregor after prosecutors declined to bring charges. McGregor alleged the encounter was consensual and appealed, but judges dismissed the appeal on Thursday. McGregor also faces a lawsuit in Florida for allegedly assaulting a woman during a 2023 NBA finals game.

Teacher who authorities say admitted to killing couple on a hike with their kids to appear in court

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (AP) — A teacher who authorities say admitted to fatally stabbing a couple he didn’t know who were hiking with two of their children in an Arkansas state park is expected to have his first court appearance. Andrew James McGann has been charged with two counts of capital murder in the killing Saturday of 43-year-old Clinton David Brink and 41-year-old Cristen Amanda Brink. He is being held without bond and is expected to appear Friday morning at the Washington County Detention Center. The Associated Press has left messages at numbers listed for McGann. It is unclear if he has a lawyer.

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.

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."

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.