D-Day veteran and TikTok star 'Papa Jake' Larson dies at 102

PARIS (AP) — D-Day veteran and social media star "Papa Jake" Larson, who survived Omaha Beach in 1944, has died at 102. Known for sharing World War II stories on TikTok, he gained 1.2 million followers late in life. Tributes have poured in from across the United States and Normandy, where he was celebrated for his role in defeating Nazi forces. Larson enlisted in the National Guard at 15 and later helped plan the Normandy invasion. He survived intense gunfire on D-Day and fought through the Battle of the Bulge. In recent years, he returned to Normandy for commemorations, honoring fallen comrades as "the lucky ones."

17-year-old Eli Willits, No. 1 pick in MLB draft, signs with Nationals for $8.2 million bonus

WASHINGTON (AP) — Eli Willits has agreed with the Washington Nationals for an $8.2 million signing bonus, only six days after the club selected him No. 1 overall in Major League Baseball’s amateur draft. The amount was the most for a selected high school player, just above Jackson Holliday’s $8.19 million with Baltimore three years ago. Willits, the youngest player picked No. 1 overall since Seattle chose Ken Griffey Jr. in 1987, will fly to Washington’s spring training complex in West Palm Beach, Florida, on Sunday and begin to get workouts with the team’s player development staff.

Ineos-Grenadiers team car hits spectator during Tour de France

LUCHON-SUPERBAGNERES, France (AP) — An Ineos-Grenadiers team car has hit a spectator during the Tour de France in the Pyrenees. TV footage showed the car knocking down the fan, who appeared to be holding a mobile phone, about 200 meters from the top of the Col de Peyresourde. The car was following riders on the steep ascent. The spectator's condition remains unknown. The race jury fined Ineos-Grenadiers sports director Oliver Cookson 5,000 Swiss francs for endangering spectators and issued a yellow card. The team apologized, calling the incident accidental and regrettable.

Parry makes the first hole-in-one at this year's British Open

PORTRUSH, Northern Ireland (AP) — The British Open at Royal Portrush has had its first hole-in-one. English golfer John Parry hit an 8-iron at the 192-yard No. 13 that landed at the front of the green, took a couple of bounces and hopped straight into the cup. There were big celebrations on the tee with Parry congratulated by playing partner Justin Leonard, the 1997 Open champion. Parry says “the atmosphere was absolutely amazing.” Parry guessed it was “about” the 10th hole-in-one of his career and was “definitely the best one, 100%." Parry shot a 4-under 67 and was 3 under for the tournament.

Coldplay's jumbotron captures — what exactly? The internet has its theories

LONDON (AP) — Coldplay's concert at Gillette Stadium on Wednesday took an unexpected turn when a couple caught on the jumbotron sparked debate online. During a playful segment, a couple was shown on the big screen. They were cuddling and smiling, his arms were wrapped around her, as she leaned back into him. When they saw themselves, they both quickly ducked out of the frame. The video went viral, and the internet got to work. The video rocketed around social media, as people speculated about why the couple dodged the camera. Empathy for the pair and their families was mixed with plenty of snarky commentary.

Man dies after heavy weight-training chain around neck pulls him into MRI machine

WESTBURY, N.Y. (AP) — A man whose large metallic weight-training chain around his neck pulled him into an MRI machine in New York after he wandered into the room has died. Nassau County police on Long Island say the 61-year-old man died Thursday afternoon, a day after he entered a room while a Magnetic Resonance Imaging scan was underway at Nassau Open MRI. The police department said in a statement that the strong magnetic force drew him in by his metallic chain. Authorities did not release his name. A person who answered the phone at Nassau Open MRI had declined to comment.

Witnesses to Felix Baumgartner's fatal paragliding crash heard large boom as it spun to the ground

PORTO SANT'ELIPIDO, Italy (AP) — Beachgoers knew something was wrong when they heard a loud boom ring out as a paraglider spun out of control, killing its only occupant, extreme athlete Felix Baumgartner. Italian police are investigating Thursday's crash in an Adriatic Sea beach town involving  the skydiver renowned as the first to fall faster than the speed of sound.  A 30-year-old mother watched the deadly descent unfold Thursday afternoon from a neighboring beach structure with her two young children.  Mirella Ivanov said everything was normal, then the paraglider started spinning like a top, followed by a loud boom.  The mayor of Porto Sant’Elipido confirmed 56-year-old Baumgartner’s death.

Chevron gets go ahead for $53B Hess deal, and access to one of the biggest oil finds this decade

HOUSTON (AP) — Chevron has scored a critical ruling in Paris that has given it the go-ahead for a $53 billion acquisition of Hess and access to one of the biggest oil finds of the decade. Chevron said Friday that it completed its acquisition of Hess shortly after the ruling from the International Chamber of Commerce in Paris. Exxon had challenged Chevron’s bid for Hess, one of three companies with access to the massive Stabroek Block oil field off the coast of Guyana. Guyana is a country of 791,000 people that is poised to become the world’s fourth-largest offshore oil producer, placing it ahead of Qatar, the United States, Mexico and Norway. It has become a major producer in recent years.

K-pop band 1VERSE debuts with 2 North Korean defector members

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — The five-member K-pop group 1VERSE is debuting Friday, with two North Korean defectors alongside members from the United States and Japan. Rapper Hyuk, who was born in North Korea and lived there until age 12, was discovered while working at a factory. Singer Seok defected in 2019 and was connected to the agency through an acquaintance from weekend soccer. The group released their debut single album “The 1st Verse” with the title track “Shattered.”

In American life, a growing and forbidding visual rises: The law-enforcement officer in a mask

NEW YORK (AP) — Immigration enforcement agents are detaining people and taking them into custody, at times under public anger and outcry. What’s often not visible are the agents’ faces, covered by caps, sunglasses, pulled-up neck gaiters or balaclavas, effectively rendering them unidentifiable. The increase in high-profile immigration enforcement was already contentious between those opposed to the actions of President Donald Trump’s administration and those in support. The sight of masked agents carrying it out is creating a whole new level of conflict in a way that has no real corollary in the U.S. history of policing.