Eddie Palmieri, pioneering Latin jazz musician and Grammy winner, dies at 88

Eddie Palmieri, the pioneering rumba and Latin jazz musician, has died at 88. His daughter Gabriela said he died Wednesday in New Jersey after a long illness. Palmieri was the first Latino to win a Grammy and earned seven more over his career. He released nearly 40 albums and continued performing into his 80s. Known for his innovative style, he formed the band La Perfecta in 1961, introducing a unique trombone section. His work fused salsa, funk, soul and jazz, leaving a lasting impact on Latin music worldwide. Palmieri released the album “Masterpiece” in 2000, which teamed him with the legendary Tito Puente. It was a hit with critics and won two Grammy Awards.

A speeding motorist driving at 199 mph on Germany's Autobahn is fined more than $1,000

BERLIN (AP) — German police say a motorist has been clocked driving at more than 199 mph on the Autobahn west of Berlin. He was traveling at more than 124 mph above the speed limit. The speedster wasn’t identified publicly. He was caught while racing along the A2 highway near Burg on July 28. The Magdeburg police office says he was handed a fine of 900 euros, stripped of two points from his driver’s license and banned from driving for three months. The section of the Autobahn where the record-breaking driver was caught has a limit of 74 mph.

US is auctioning a seized $325M Russian yacht with 8 state rooms, a helipad, a gym and a spa

WASHINGTON (AP) — The United States is auctioning off the $325 million yacht Amadea in the first American sale of a seized Russian luxury ship since the start of Moscow's invasion of Ukraine. The auction comes as President Donald Trump pressures Russian President Vladimir Putin to end the war. The Amadea was seized three years ago and is docked in San Diego. The 348-foot-long yacht features eight state rooms, a helipad and a beauty salon. The U.S. says the yacht belongs to a sanctioned Russian former politician. But a former Russian energy company official claims he owns it and says he'll pursue the auction proceeds once he prevails in court. The auction closes Sept. 10.

Italy OKs $15.5 billion project to build world's longest suspension bridge from mainland to Sicily

MILAN (AP) — Italy has cleared the way to build the world’s largest suspension bridge linking the Italian mainland with Sicily. An interministerial committee on Wednesday approved the massive 13.5 billion euro infrastructure project that has been long delayed by debates over its scale, earthquake threats, environmental impact and the specter of mafia interference. Transport Minister Matteo Salvini told a news conference that the Strait of Messina Bridge will be “the biggest infrastructure project in the West.” Preliminary work is expected to begin in the coming months.

ESPN announces partnership with WWE that includes streaming WrestleMania

ESPN has announced a partnership with WWE, securing streaming rights to WrestleMania. The deal makes ESPN the U.S. domestic home for WWE Premium Live Events. This announcement comes a day after ESPN entered a nonbinding agreement with the NFL. Under the NFL deal, ESPN will acquire NFL Network and other assets, while the league gains a 10% equity stake in ESPN. WWE's president, Nick Khan, calls the partnership a pivotal moment for fans. ESPN's chairman, Jimmy Pitaro, says it bolsters their content portfolio. ESPN hopes to launch a direct-to-consumer service by the end of September.

Emmylou Harris and Brad Paisley are headed for Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame

Country superstar Brad Paisley and Americana powerhouse Emmylou Harris will be inducted into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame this year. The organization announced its newest inductees on Wednesday. They also include Steve Bogard and Tony Martin in the contemporary songwriter category. Jim Lauderdale will be inducted in the contemporary songwriter/artist category and Don Cook in the veteran songwriter category. All six will be formally inducted on Oct. 6 during the 55th Anniversary Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame Gala held at the Music City Center. Harris was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 2008.

Many Delaware beachgoers feel the sting of a blooming jellyfish population

LEWES, Del. (AP) — More beachgoers have been getting an unexpected shock this summer as jellyfish numbers bloom along the Delaware coast. Many beach patrol captains say they’re seeing the most jellyfish activity and stings in recent memory. Dramatic increases were reported at Delaware’s two most popular beaches in July. Lewes Beach is one of them. It had over four times as many stings in July compared to the same month last year. Lion’s manes, sea nettles and moon jellyfish are some varieties that frequent Delaware’s summertime waters, but the sudden boom has shocked beachgoers. A beach patrol captain says he has never seen this many jellyfish or reports of stings.

McDonald's says its focus on value -- and a must-have Minecraft meal -- boosted second-quarter sales

A focus on value, along with hot products like a “Minecraft”-themed meal, helped McDonald’s turn around its sagging sales in the second quarter. The Chicago burger giant said Wednesday its revenue rose 5% to $6.8 billion in the April-June period. That was higher than Wall Street forecast. McDonald's said value menus are increasing customer traffic in the U.S. and overseas. But the company remains concerned about falling visits from lower-income consumers. McDonald's Chairman and CEO Chris Kempczinski said the company is talking to U.S. franchisees about ways to bring those customers back.

A former Rolling Stone says the Met has his stolen guitar. The museum disputes it

LONDON (AP) — A guitar once played by two Rolling Stones members is at the center of a dispute between former guitarist Mick Taylor and the Metropolitan Museum of Art. The 1959 Gibson Les Paul was donated to the Met as part of a significant collection. Taylor claims it was stolen from a French villa during the recording of “Exile on Main St.” in 1971. The museum denies the claim, citing provenance records that do not record Taylor as ever owning the instrument. Taylor's team wants an independent expert to verify the guitar's history. The guitar, known as the “Keithburst,” was also played by Eric Clapton and Jimmy Page. The Met says it hasn't been contacted by Taylor.

Ozzy Osbourne died of a heart attack, report says, citing death certificate

LONDON (AP) — A death certificate filed at a register office in London revealed that Ozzy Osbourne's cause of death was a heart attack. The New York Times obtained the document on Tuesday. The lead singer of heavy metal's pioneering band Black Sabbath and somewhat unexpected reality TV star died on July 22. He was 76. The certificate was submitted by one of Osbourne's daughters and states the singer had suffered from coronary artery disease and Parkinson's disease. The Associated Press could not immediately independently confirm the death certificate.