NTSB Chair says systemic failures led to door plug flying off Boeing 737 Max plane midflight

National Transportation Safety Board Chair Jennifer Homendy said the heroic actions of the crew aboard Alaska Airlines flight 1282 ensured everyone survived the terrifying incident last year when the door plug panel blew out shortly after takeoff in January of 2024. But Homendy said the incident never should have happened if Boeing and the Federal Aviation Administration had done enough to ensure the safety of the Boeing 737 Max plane. The investigation has already revealed that bolts were never replaced after the door plug was removed during a repair. Homendy said Boeing's new CEO has made many improvements in safety since last summer but more needs to be done.

The Thunder are NBA champions, and they might be just getting started

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — The promise came three years ago from Oklahoma City general manager Sam Presti. It might have been overlooked for a couple of reasons. One, the Thunder were awful at the time. Two, he was speaking Latin. “Labor omnia vincit,” Presti said after the 2021-22 season, quoting a motto of Oklahoma. Depending on how Presti was translating it, it could have been “hard work conquers all” or “slow work conquers all.” Either way, it applies to the Thunder. They did hard work. They did slow work. They conquered all.

No 'Cers: Indiana fans left gasping as Haliburton's injury dooms title hopes in Game 7 loss

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Indiana Pacers fans arrived at Gainbridge Fieldhouse ready to celebrate their first NBA title. Seven minutes into the game came the hush. As star point guard Tyrese Haliburton fell to the floor in Oklahoma City on Sunday night with what his father, John, later called an Achilles tendon injury, fans gasped as the replay was shown and they saw the anguished look on John Haliburton’s face. The moment may go down as another cruel chapter in the franchise’s long, painful history. Pacers play-by-play announcer Chris Denari told the crowd that Haliburton would want the team to continue to fight.

Golden State Warriors help transform lives of incarcerated men through coaching program

VACAVILLE, Calif. (AP) — The Golden State Warriors are partnering with the UK-based Twinning Project to teach incarcerated men at Solano State Prison in Vacaville, California, how to coach. The program includes a focus on mental health and anger management, too. Coaching has provided a purpose and much-needed self-confidence for these men, many of whom are serving sentences of life without the possibility of parole.

OpenAI scrubs mention of Jony Ive partnership after judge's ruling over trademark dispute

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — A budding partnership between OpenAI CEO Sam Altman and legendary iPhone designer Jony Ive to develop a new artificial intelligence hardware product has hit a legal snag after a federal judge ruled they must temporarily stop marketing the new venture. OpenAI last month announced it was buying io Products, a product and engineering company co-founded by Ive, in a deal valued at nearly $6.5 billion. But it quickly faced a trademark complaint from a startup with a similarly sounding name, IYO, which is also developing AI hardware that it had pitched to Altman’s personal investment firm and Ive’s design firm in 2022.

‘How to Train Your Dragon’ tops the US box office as ‘Elio’ marks a new low for Pixar

NEW YORK (AP) — “How to Train Your Dragon" is maintaining its top ranking in movie theaters. The Universal Pictures live-action remake maintained its No. 1 spot at the North American box office despite two sizeable new releases this weekend. Studio estimates show neither Pixar's “Elio” nor the zombies of “28 Years Later” could topple “How to Train Your Dragon's" $37 million in ticket sales in its second weekend. The film has rapidly amassed $358.2 million worldwide. “Elio” took in just $21 million, the lowest opening ever for Pixar. The zombie sequel “28 Years Later” debuted with $30 million.

Cubs legend Sammy Sosa returns to Wrigley Field after 20-plus-year hiatus

CHICAGO (AP) — Legendary Cubs slugger Sammy Sosa returned to Wrigley Field for the first time in more than 20 years before Chicago’s game with the Seattle Mariners. Sosa is set to be inducted into the Cubs' team Hall of Fame this year. He arrived Friday at the iconic North Side ballpark in a black SUV. He was greeted with a hug from owner Tom Ricketts as he exited the vehicle. Sosa was a headliner in a generation of baseball’s biggest names linked to performance-enhancing drugs. He appeared to acknowledge using PEDs in December when he released a statement saying he was sorry for mistakes, without specifying them.

Ducks return to a Long Island farm that lost its entire flock to the bird flu

AQUEBOGUE, N.Y. (AP) — Long Island’s last commercial duck farm is rebuilding after a bird flu outbreak forced the destruction of its entire 100,000-bird flock in January. The first wave of more than 900 young ducks arrived at Crescent Duck Farm in Aquebogue at the end of May. More arrived this month and others will arrive later. They were raised at a nearby farm while the original site was thoroughly sanitized. Crescent Duck Farm owner Doug Corwin said the ducklings hatched from eggs that health officials allowed it to preserve from the outbreak. Long Island was once a center of U.S. duck production with more than 100 farms.

Anne Burrell, TV chef who coached the 'Worst Cooks in America,' dies at 55

NEW YORK (AP) — TV chef Anne Burrell, who coached culinary fumblers through hundreds of episodes of “Worst Cooks in America,” has died. The Food Network confirms that the 55-year-old Burrell died Tuesday at her New York home. Medical examiners are set to determine what caused her death. Burrell worked in upscale New York City restaurants before beginning her two-decade television career on “Iron Chef America.” She started hosting “Secrets of a Restaurant Chef" in 2008. She was known for bold and flavorful but not overly fancy dishes and for her 27 seasons on “Worst Cooks in America.”

Tyler Perry sued by actor on 'The Oval' for sexual assault and harassment

LOS ANGELES (AP) — An actor who worked on the Tyler Perry-created TV drama “The Oval” has filed a lawsuit alleging Perry leveraged his power in the entertainment industry to sexually assault and harass him. The lawsuit filed in Los Angeles Superior Court by actor Derek Dixon seeks at least $260 million in damages. The lawsuit says Perry used the fear of Dixon's character getting killed off to keep him quiet amid constant sexual harassment and several sexual assaults. Perry's lawyer said Dixon's claims are fabricated and are an attempt to shake down Perry.