BMW recalls over 390,000 vehicles over airbag inflator issue
WASHINGTON (AP) — BMW North America is recalling more than 390,000 vehicles in the United States because of the risk of airbag inflators exploding. Authorities said Tuesday that the original steering wheels may have been replaced with sport or M sport steering wheels equipped with Takata inflators. If the inflators explode, sharp metal pieces could strike the driver or other passengers, causing serious injury or death. BMW has not received any reports of accidents or injuries in the United States that could be related to the issue, according to its latest reports.
Gypsy Rose Blanchard became pregnant shortly after being released from prison for conspiring to murder her abusive mother.
Gypsy Rose Blanchard is pregnant. Blanchard is the woman who asked her ex-boyfriend to murder her mother after being forced to pretend to be seriously ill for years. She said in a YouTube video on Tuesday that she wants her child to have everything she lacked growing up. She said the baby is due in January, just a little over a year after she was released from a women’s prison northeast of Kansas City, Missouri. Blanchard’s case drew national tabloid attention when reports emerged that her mother, Claudine “Dee Dee” Blanchard, had essentially imprisoned her daughter and forced her to use a wheelchair and feeding tube. Claudine Blanchard was murdered in 2015.
Joe Bonsall, famed tenor of country and gospel group The Oak Ridge Boys, dies at age 76
Joe Bonsall, Grammy Award-winning tenor and renowned member of the Oak Ridge Boys, has died. According to a family representative, Bonsall died Tuesday from complications of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. He was 76 years old. Born in Philadelphia and living in Hendersonville, Tennessee, Bonsall joined the Oak Ridge Boys in 1973 after the band formed in the 1940s. He oversaw the band’s golden age in the 1980s and beyond, including their 1981 signature hit “Elvira.” The hit was a major crossover moment for the group, reaching No. 1 on the country charts and No. 5 on the Billboard Hot 100 across all genres. The group is also known for hits such as 1982’s “Bobby Sue.”
A pair of giant pandas from China are settling into their new home at the San Diego Zoo
SAN DIEGO (AP) — Two giant pandas transferred to the San Diego Zoo from China last month are adjusting to their new home. Pandas Yunchuan and Xinbao are not yet available for public viewing, but the San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance on Tuesday released the first photos of the two getting accustomed to their habitat. Yunchuan is a nearly 5-year-old male, and Xinbao is a nearly 4-year-old female. Zoo staff are working closely with Chinese experts to accommodate the pandas’ dietary needs and preferences, including creating a local version of a traditional Chinese bread known as panda bread, the alliance said.
Target will stop accepting personal checks starting next week. Could this payment method be nearing the end of its days?
NEW YORK (AP) — Target announced it will stop accepting personal checks from shoppers starting July 15. The Minneapolis-based discount store confirmed the move in a statement to The Associated Press on Tuesday, citing “extremely low” customer numbers writing checks. It’s another sign that a once-ubiquitous form of payment is going the same way as outdated methods like floppy disks and Rolodexes. Target said it remains focused on providing an easy and convenient checkout experience, including credit and debit cards, its “buy now, pay later” service and its Target Circle membership program. Target’s decision leaves Walmart, Macy’s and Kohl’s among the retailers that accept personal checks in their stores.
Messi’s 109th goal led Argentina to a 2-0 victory over Canada and a place in the Copa America final.
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP) — Lionel Messi scored his 109th international goal and his first of the tournament to lead defending champion Argentina to a 2-0 win over Canada and a spot in the Copa America final. Julián Alvarez gave Argentina the lead in the 22nd minute, and Messi tipped Enzo Fernández’s shot into the face of goalkeeper Maxime Crepeau in the 51st minute. Messi has scored 28 goals in Argentina’s past 25 games, including 14 in the Copa America. Only Portugal’s Cristiano Ronaldo has more international goals, with 130. Argentina will face Uruguay and Colombia for the championship on Sunday in Miami Gardens, Florida.
US grocery stores with ammunition vending machines also sell milk, eggs, and bullets.
MONTGOMERY, Ala. (AP) — A company is installing ammunition vending machines in grocery stores in Alabama, Oklahoma and Texas, raising concerns among gun control advocates. The machines use ID scanners and facial recognition software to verify age, according to American Rounds officials. The company’s CEO says the technology makes the transaction at least as secure as an online purchase. But activists say those safety measures should be in gun stores, not where families buy groceries. They worry the move will lead to an increase in gun violence in a country that has seen 15 mass gun killings so far in 2024. At least 33 people died from gun violence across the country on the Fourth of July alone.
Movie Review: Luke Gilford Takes You on a Queer Rodeo Journey in ‘National Anthem’
If “Barbie” (and Cormac McCarthy) have taught us anything, it’s that few symbols assert hyper-masculinity quite like the horse. Maybe that’s why queer cowboy stories have endured in Hollywood. After all, one way to make a love story interesting is to make it subversive or forbidden. Luke Gilford’s “National Anthem,” which hits theaters Friday, places itself in that cinematic tradition. But Associated Press critic Christa Fauria says it’s not. “National Anthem” is certainly the story of lovers torn apart, but more importantly, it’s also a coming-of-age story that explores what it means to find a community, a place to belong.
Under pressure from cities, DoorDash is stepping up efforts to stop drivers from breaking traffic laws.
DoorDash said it was stepping up efforts to identify and remove unsafe delivery drivers from its platform after receiving a flood of complaints from cities. In a letter sent to DoorDash and other food delivery companies last month, Boston officials said they had seen an increase in illegal and dangerous driving of bikes, mopeds and electric scooters by delivery drivers. San Francisco-based DoorDash said on Tuesday it had set up a dedicated liaison office for Boston police to process driver record requests more quickly and easily. If successful, the effort could be expanded to other cities.
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