After two big weekends, the North American box office takes a hit

The North American box office has slowed down after a strong September. "Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba Infinity Castle" remains at the top, adding $17.3 million over the weekend. This makes it the highest-grossing anime film ever in North America. "Him," a football horror produced by Jordan Peele, opened in second place with $13.5 million. Despite its promising premise, the film received poor reviews. "The Conjuring: Last Rights" followed closely with $13 million in its third weekend. Meanwhile, the romantic drama "A Big Bold Beautiful Journey," starring Margot Robbie and Colin Farrell, disappointed with only $3.5 million.

Aces' A'ja Wilson earns historic fourth WNBA MVP award, winning as the unanimous choice

Las Vegas Aces star A’ja Wilson has won the WNBA MVP for an unprecedented fourth time. Wilson won the award last season as the unanimous choice and also in 2020 and 2022. Sheryl Swoopes, Lisa Leslie and Lauren Jackson all won the award three times. Wilson led the league in scoring (23.4 points per game) as well as blocked shots (2.3) and helped the Aces win their last 16 regular-season games, earning the No. 2 seed in the playoffs. For the second consecutive season, Wilson averaged at least 20 points, 10 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 blocks and a steal per game.

Max Verstappen wins F1's Azerbaijan GP after Oscar Piastri crashes on lap 1

BAKU, Azerbaijan (AP) — Max Verstappen has cruised to victory in the Azerbaijan Grand Prix as championship leader Oscar Piastri’s first-lap crash allowed Lando Norris to cut his points advantage. Verstappen was in control from start to finish after taking pole position in a chaotic qualifying session Saturday. George Russell was second for Mercedes and Carlos Sainz, Jr. was third for Williams’ first podium finish in four years. Norris was seventh as he missed the chance to fully exploit Piastri’s error and slash the Australian’s lead in the Formula 1 title fight.

NBC's 'Sunday Night Football' celebrates 20 years of prime-time dominance

Dick Ebersol has had a major impact on television, creating "Saturday Night Live" in 1975 and “Sunday Night Football” on NBC in 2006. Both shows are celebrating milestones, with "SNL" marking its 50th season earlier this year and "SNF" now in its 20th. "Sunday Night Football" has been the top-rated prime-time show for 14 consecutive seasons. The show introduced innovations such as flex scheduling and a musical opening. Ebersol's vision and collaboration with the NFL helped make "SNF" a cultural phenomenon. Despite leaving NBC Sports in 2011, Ebersol's influence on storytelling and presentation remains strong.

Pennsylvania detectives killed in an ambush are remembered for saving lives and helping others

HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — The three detectives killed this week in one of Pennsylvania’s deadliest days for police officers this century are men who are missed for their humility, hard work and willingness to help others. The detectives — Mark Baker, Cody Becker and Isaiah Emenheiser — are being lauded as pillars of the Northern York County Regional Police Department where they had served nearly six decades combined. They had saved lives before walking into an ambush set by a man wanted in a stalking case. A friend says Emenheiser was a perfectionist who had dreams of opening his own gym complex and Baker joked last year that he was counting down the days to retirement.

Cyberattack disrupts check-in systems at major European airports

LONDON (AP) — A cyberattack targeting check-in and boarding systems has disrupted air traffic at several major European airports. On Friday night, the attack hit a service provider affecting airports like Brussels and Berlin's Brandenburg. Brussels Airport says the incident has forced manual check-ins, causing significant delays. Berlin's airport operators cut off connections to the affected systems. London Heathrow, Europe's busiest airport, reports a technical issue with a service provider. Collins Aerospace, the provider, is experiencing problems that may delay departures. Airports are advising travelers to check their flight status and apologize for the inconvenience.

Pakistani dating show sparks anger ahead of its debut on YouTube

ISLAMABAD (AP) — A new dating show based on “Love Island” featuring Pakistani contestants has sparked controversy in the Muslim-majority country. The series, called Lazawal Ishq, is hosted by actress Ayesha Omar and filmed in Istanbul. It will only be available on YouTube, which means Pakistan's broadcasting regulator can't act on public complaints. The show brings together four Pakistani men and women in a luxury villa, and critics have labeled it “un-Islamic” and accused it of copying Western culture. The Pakistani media regulator says it has no control over YouTube content. The show is to debut on September 29.

Grammy-winning songwriter Brett James who co-wrote 'Jesus, Take the Wheel' dies in plane crash

Grammy-winning songwriter Brett James has died in a plane crash in North Carolina. Authorities reported that the crash Thursday afternoon involved a small plane with three people aboard. There were no survivors. James, known for hits like “Jesus, Take the Wheel” and “When the Sun Goes Down,” was 57. The plane, a Cirrus SR22T, was registered to him, but it's unclear if he was the pilot. The Federal Aviation Administration and National Transportation Safety Board will investigate. James, who left medical school for music, was inducted into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2020.

Sudden heavy rain in Southern California unleashes mudslides, 2-year-old drowns in floodwaters

YUCAIPA, Calif. (AP) — Sudden heavy rain east of Los Angeles unleashed mudslides that plowed into homes and trapped drivers for hours on roadways while authorities say floodwaters swept away a vehicle carrying a father who was later rescued and his 2-year-old son who drowned. Authorities say the mudslides affected Forest Falls, Oak Glen and Potato Canyon in San Bernardino County on Thursday. A group of about 10 people traveling in at least six vehicles was stranded on state Route 38 near the San Bernardino National Forest. The group was stuck for about 10 hours. No one was hurt or needed medical attention. The route was still closed as of Friday. The mudslides happened after heavy rain.

Gary Busey gets probation for sexual offense at 2022 horror convention

CHERRY HILL, N.J. (AP) — Actor Gary Busey has been sentenced to two years probation for a sexual offense stemming from an appearance at a 2022 horror convention in New Jersey, according to court records. The sentence was handed down Thursday during a virtual hearing in state court in Camden. Busey didn't speak during the hearing. The 81-year-old “Buddy Holly” star had pleaded guilty in July to a single count of criminal sexual contact for touching a woman’s buttocks “over clothing during an 8-10 second photo op.” The actor had been accused of inappropriately touching at least three women at the Monster-Mania Convention at the Doubletree Hotel in Cherry Hill, a South Jersey town and suburb of Philadelphia.