American actor and filmmaker, cultural icon
A wave of author-owned bookstores across the U.S. is reshaping independent bookselling. Notable spaces founded by Judy Blume, Louise Erdrich, Lauren Groff, Jeff Kinney and George R.R. Martin are expanding in Brooklyn, Minnesota, Florida, Massachusetts and New Mexico, offering community hubs beyond Amazon-dominated retail.
AP and FRONTLINE investigations have shown that U.S. AI models, cloud and internet providers and satellite services have been used to run industrial-scale romance and investment scams based in Southeast Asian compounds. The tools have enabled multilingual fake personas, automated replies and performance tracking; device and routing data tie much traffic to U.S.-registered firms and to Starlink connections in Myanmar.
The Obama Presidential Center has opened on Chicago’s South Side with a star-studded dedication ceremony and performances. Four living former presidents attended the invite-only event; President Donald Trump did not. The $850 million, 19-acre campus will open to the public on Juneteenth and will house a museum, public library branch, athletic facilities and public spaces.
Toy Story 5 has opened to record franchise returns, grossing roughly $312m worldwide and dominating ticket sales. Low‑budget horror films made by online creators — notably Obsession, Backrooms and Iron Lung — have posted surprise gains. By contrast, DCilms' Supergirl has underperformed, opening far below studio expectations and drawing poor reviews.
A retrospective look at how Independence Day became a watershed blockbuster, shaping careers and the Hollywood landscape, with focus on Roland Emmerich, Dean Devlin, and the film’s lasting impact on sci-fi franchises.
Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce have married in a private ceremony at Madison Square Garden, their publicist has confirmed. The couple did not use bridesmaids or groomsmen; Austin Swift served as Man of Honor and Jason Kelce as Best Man. Adam Sandler officiated and both wore Christian Dior Haute Couture; Swift wore Cartier and Christian Louboutin shoes.
Sara Cox has begun hosting BBC Radio 2’s Breakfast Show, moving from teatime to mornings. The launch follows Scott Mills’ departure and features familiar segments with updates for the morning slot, including Tom Hanks as a guest and a football-celebration-driven start after England’s World Cup win. The show runs 6.30am–9.30am.
A roundup compiles notable birthdays from this week across Independent, AP News and other outlets, highlighting a cast of performers aged from 36 to 82 as of mid-July 2026.