Thieves used a stolen card to buy a $523,000 lottery ticket. The victim wants to share the winnings
PARIS (AP) -- Thieves used a stolen card to buy a winning French lottery ticket worth 500,000 euros or $523,000. But they vanished before cashing in. And now they're among France's most famous fugitives. The man whose card was stolen is offering to split the cash with the lucky winners. Prosecutors could try to seize the winnings by considering them illegally obtained gains. The thieves meanwhile face the risk of arrest if they turn in the ticket. The victim's lawyer has launched a national appeal asking them to come forward so that they can share the money. France's state lottery operator said that no one had submitted the ticket to cash out as of Saturday.
Eddie Fisher, an All-Star reliever with the Chicago White Sox in 1965, dies at age 88
ALTUS, Okla. (AP) -- Former major league right-hander Eddie Fisher has died at age 88. His 15-year career included an All-Star selection for the Chicago White Sox and a World Series title with Baltimore. The Lowell-Tims Funeral Home & Crematory says Fisher died Monday after a brief illness. Fisher made his big league debut in 1959 for the San Francisco Giants. He later played for the White Sox and Orioles, as well as Cleveland, California and St. Louis. Fisher was primarily a reliever over the course of his career. He was an All-Star in 1965, when he made what was then an American League record of 82 appearances. He was with the Orioles the following year when they won the World Series.
'A Real Pain,' 'Shōgun' and 'No Other Land' win Independent Spirit Awards
Oscar nominees like Mikey Madison, Demi Moore and Sebastian Stan are making a stop by the beach for the Film Independent Spirit Awards where all are up for acting awards. Saturday's awards ceremony underway is the shaggier, more irreverent sister to the Academy Awards, celebrating the best in independent film and television. The show is being streamed live on IMDb and Film Independent's YouTube channels. "SNL" veteran Aidy Bryant returned to host for the second year. Oscar front-runner "Anora" and the psychological thriller "I Saw the TV Glow" lead with six nominations each.
Kris Jenkins hit 'The Shot' to win Villanova a national title. So what happened to his ring?
GLEN MILLS, Pa. (AP) -- Kris Jenkins owes a Villanova fan a drink. Or maybe a shot as memorable as his in the 2016 national championship game. At the very least, the next time he's in New Orleans' French Quarter, the former Villanova star who sunk a March Madness buzzer-beating 3-pointer to win a national title needs to keep his championship ring more secure on his finger. Jenkins needed about a second to lift the Wildcats past North Carolina to win the 2016 national championship. He needed more than two years to get his prized ring back.
Woman accused of drugging and robbing older men in a deadly romance scheme
LAS VEGAS (AP) -- The FBI in Las Vegas says a woman lured at least four older men on online dating apps to meet in person, drugged them with sedatives and stole hundreds of thousands of dollars in a "sinister" romance scheme. Authorities say three of the men died, and she has been charged in one of their deaths. Aurora Phelps is in custody in Mexico. She faces 21 counts including wire fraud, identity theft and one count of kidnapping resulting in death. The FBI says it is aware of other alleged victims in the U.S. and Mexico. Authorities are seeking her extradition.
Voletta Wallace, Notorious B.I.G.'s mother and keeper of his legacy, dies at 78
NEW YORK (AP) -- Voletta Wallace, the dedicated mother of the late great rapper The Notorious B.I.G., has died at age 78. The Monroe County Coroner Thomas Yanac confirms her death to The Associated Press and says Wallace died at her home in Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania, on Friday after a stint on hospice care. She died of natural causes. Wallace was a dedicated keeper of the legacy of her son, born Christopher Wallace. The Notorious B.I.G., one of the rap music greatest performers, was shot to death at age 24 in Los Angeles in 1997. The case remains unsolved. His 1994 debut album, "Ready to Die," has sold over 6 million units as of 2018 and included the hits "Big Poppa" and "Juicy."
4 Nations Face-Off final between US and Canada drew record betting action
LAS VEGAS (AP) -- Canada's 3-2 overtime victory over the United States in the championship game of the 4 Nations Face-Off set single-game hockey betting records. BetMGM Sportsbook said the game Thursday night was the most bet-on hockey game in its history. Caesars Sportsbook also said the championship attracted heavy action. The game was second in bets placed at Caesars only to last season's Game 7 victory by the Florida Panthers over the Edmonton Oilers in the Stanley Cup Final.
Ford recalls 240,000 Explorers, Aviators due to faulty seat belt assembly
Ford is recalling about 240,000 Explorer and Lincoln Aviator SUVs due to a problem with seat belt anchors that were improperly secured. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, a loose seat belt or seat belt buckle may not properly restrain an occupant during a crash, increasing the risk of injury. Ford said it is not aware of any reports of accident or injury related to the defective seat belt assemblies. The Explorers and Aviators in question are model years 2020 and 2021. The recall includes about 216,000 Explorers and 24,000 Aviators.
Chess grandmaster Magnus Carlsen broke a dress code with jeans. Now he's selling them for charity
NEW YORK (AP) -- Top-ranked chess player Magnus Carlsen is turning his controversial denim into some greens -- for charity. The Norwegian chess grandmaster announced that he is auctioning off the Italian luxury brand jeans that started a dress code dispute at December's World Rapid and Blitz Chess Championships. Carlsen ultimately quit the New York competition after accepting a $200 fine while refusing to change his pants. Chess fanatics and #JeansGate followers now have the chance to own the Size 32 regular fit Corneliani jeans. The auction for Big Brothers Big Sisters of America is scheduled to end March 1. The pants' highest offer was $8,200 as of the morning of Feb. 21.
Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck are officially divorced and single
LOS ANGELES (AP) -- Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck are officially divorced and single. A Los Angeles judge approved their divorce settlement last month, and declared that it would take effect on Friday, six months after she filed to end their marriage. Lopez has now dropped Affleck from her legal name. The former couple reached the settlement through mediation in September. The superstar couple first dated in the early 2000s before breaking up. They eventually reunited and married in 2022. The couple said in court filings that they separated in 2023. Most of the financial details of their split were kept private.