NEW YORK (AP) — Buzz Aldrin's jacket worn on his historic&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/science-moon-apollo-11-moon-landing-neil-armstrong-buzz-aldrin-c1919542260b49af8a1ff8228f11d5a2">first mission</a>&nbsp;to the moon's surface in 1969 has been auctioned off to a bidder for nearly $2.8 million.

The $2,772,500 paid for the Apollo 11 Inflight Coverall Jacket is the highest for any American space-flown artifact sold at auction, according to Sotheby's, which handled the sale. The unidentified winning bidder, who participated by phone, outlasted several others in a bidding that spanned almost 10 minutes.

The jacket displays Aldrin’s name tag on the left breast above the Apollo 11 mission emblem, and the American flag on the left shoulder. It is made of a fire-resistant material known as Beta cloth that was incorporated in spacesuits in response to the fire that killed three astronauts aboard Apollo 1 in 1967, according to Sotheby's.

Aldrin and Neil Armstrong became the first astronauts to walk on the moon on July 20, 1969.

Associated PressNEW YORK (AP) — Buzz Aldrin's jacket worn on his historic&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/science-moon-apollo-11-moon-landing-neil-armstrong-buzz-aldrin-c1919542260b49af8a1ff8228f11d5a2">first mission</a>&nbsp;to the moon's surface in 1969 has been auctioned off to a bidder for nearly $2.8 million.The $2,772,500 paid for the Apollo 11 Inflight Coverall Jacket is the highest for any American space-flown artifact sold at auction, according to Sotheby's, which handled the sale. The unidentified winning bidder, who participated by phone, outlasted several others in a bidding that spanned almost 10 minutes.The jacket displays Aldrin’s name tag on the left breast above the Apollo 11 mission emblem, and the American flag on the left shoulder. It is made of a fire-resistant material known as Beta cloth that was incorporated in spacesuits in response to the fire that killed three astronauts aboard Apollo 1 in 1967, according to Sotheby's.Aldrin and Neil Armstrong became the first astronauts to walk on the moon on July 20, 1969.

Buzz Aldrin flight-to-moon jacket sells at auction for $2.8M

LOS ANGELES (AP) — TBS is canceling “Full Frontal With Samantha Bee” after seven seasons, removing a rare female voice from late-night TV, the channel said Monday.

In a statement announcing the cancellation, TBS said it has made “some difficult, business-based decisions” as part of its new programming strategy

TBS was part of WarnerMedia, which merged with Discovery Inc. last April to become the new Warner Bros. Discovery company. Previously, TBS said it would not carry the second season of Nasim Pedrad's sitcom “Chad” and was seeking a new home for it.

TBS praised Bee and other makers of “Full Frontal” for “groundbreaking work” and said it will explore ways in the future to collaborate with the cast and crew.

Representatives for Bee, who was a producer as well as the host of “Full Frontal,” did not immediately respond to an emailed message seeking comment.

Bee and relative newcomers NBC's Amber Ruffin and Showtime's Ziwe have been among the few women to gain a weekly foothold in the realm long dominated by male hosts.

Associated PressLOS ANGELES (AP) — TBS is canceling “Full Frontal With Samantha Bee” after seven seasons, removing a rare female voice from late-night TV, the channel said Monday.In a statement announcing the cancellation, TBS said it has made “some difficult, business-based decisions” as part of its new programming strategyTBS was part of WarnerMedia, which merged with Discovery Inc. last April to become the new Warner Bros. Discovery company. Previously, TBS said it would not carry the second season of Nasim Pedrad's sitcom “Chad” and was seeking a new home for it.TBS praised Bee and other makers of “Full Frontal” for “groundbreaking work” and said it will explore ways in the future to collaborate with the cast and crew.Representatives for Bee, who was a producer as well as the host of “Full Frontal,” did not immediately respond to an emailed message seeking comment.Bee and relative newcomers NBC's Amber Ruffin and Showtime's Ziwe have been among the few women to gain a weekly foothold in the realm long dominated by male hosts.

TBS cancels Samantha Bee's 'Full Frontal' after 7 seasons

NEWPORT, RI (AP) — Surprise! Joni Mitchell is back onstage.

The folk legend performed her first full-length concert on Sunday at the Newport Folk Festival in Rhode Island,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.bostonglobe.com/2022/07/25/arts/surprise-joni-mitchell-serenade-closes-newport-folk-festival/">The Boston Globe reported</a>. Mitchell has contended with health complications since suffering an aneurysm in 2015, and her last full show was in late 2002, according to reports.

Seated in a wingback chair and wearing a blue beret and sunglasses, Mitchell joined festival headliner Brandi Carlile and a bevy of other artists, including Wynonna Judd, Allison Russell and Marcus Mumford. It was Mitchell’s first Newport festival performance since 1969.

This was, Carlile explained, a recreation of the “Joni Jam” musical gatherings that have brought famous friends like Elton John to Mitchell's Los Angeles home in recent years.

And Mitchell wasn't there to just to sing. Halfway through the 13-song set, she played an electric guitar solo, which was her first time playing guitar in public since her aneurysm, Carlile said.

The ensemble played Mitchell’s most familiar songs (“Circle Game,” “Big Yellow Taxi”) and a few of her favorites (“Love Potion No. 9,” “Why Do Fools Fall in Love”).

After their rendition of “Both Sides Now,” Carlile was fighting back tears. Addressing the audience, she asked: “Did the world just stop?”

Associated PressNEWPORT, RI (AP) — Surprise! Joni Mitchell is back onstage.The folk legend performed her first full-length concert on Sunday at the Newport Folk Festival in Rhode Island,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.bostonglobe.com/2022/07/25/arts/surprise-joni-mitchell-serenade-closes-newport-folk-festival/">The Boston Globe reported</a>. Mitchell has contended with health complications since suffering an aneurysm in 2015, and her last full show was in late 2002, according to reports.Seated in a wingback chair and wearing a blue beret and sunglasses, Mitchell joined festival headliner Brandi Carlile and a bevy of other artists, including Wynonna Judd, Allison Russell and Marcus Mumford. It was Mitchell’s first Newport festival performance since 1969.This was, Carlile explained, a recreation of the “Joni Jam” musical gatherings that have brought famous friends like Elton John to Mitchell's Los Angeles home in recent years.And Mitchell wasn't there to just to sing. Halfway through the 13-song set, she played an electric guitar solo, which was her first time playing guitar in public since her aneurysm, Carlile said.The ensemble played Mitchell’s most familiar songs (“Circle Game,” “Big Yellow Taxi”) and a few of her favorites (“Love Potion No. 9,” “Why Do Fools Fall in Love”).After their rendition of “Both Sides Now,” Carlile was fighting back tears. Addressing the audience, she asked: “Did the world just stop?”

Joni Mitchell, 78, graces stage after nearly 2 decades away

<a href="https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search/?query=byline:%22JIM%20VERTUNO%22&amp;mediaType=text&amp;st=keyword&amp;sortOrder=newest">By JIM VERTUNO Associated Press</a>

AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — A Texas jury was selected Monday in a civil trial that will determine for the first time how much Infowars host Alex Jones must pay Sandy Hook Elementary School parents for falsely telling his audience that the deadliest classroom shooting in U.S. history was a hoax.

The trial in Austin — where the conspiracy theorist lives and broadcasts his show — follows months of delays. Jones has racked up fines for ignoring court orders and he&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/business-austin-texas-conspiracy-alex-jones-a8cdb98b631f5315e07f50e0a575aa46">put Infowars into bankruptcy protection</a>&nbsp;just before the trial was originally set to start in April.

At stake for Jones is another potentially major financial blow that could put his constellation of conspiracy peddling businesses into deeper jeopardy. He has already been banned from YouTube, Facebook and Spotify&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/alex-jones-ap-top-news-international-news-apple-inc-politics-518bcbaf93e44adeba0a4eca19a8caf6">over violating hate-speech policies</a>.

The trial involving the parents of two Sandy Hook families is only the start for Jones; damages have yet to be awarded in separate defamation cases for other families&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/violence-ee24f46a30d2426089b83bb2897dce4e">of the 2012 massacre in Newtown, Connecticut</a>.

The lawsuits do not ask jurors to award a specific dollar amount against Jones, but attorneys for the families suggested they could seek $100 million or more in compensatory and punitive damages.

Family members of the shooting victims and Jones were not in the courtroom Monday.

“We’re very glad the day is here,” said Mark Bankston, attorney for the families suing Jones. “We’re looking forward to telling our clients’ story.”

During Monday's jury selection, several in the initial pool of more than 100 jury candidates said they held strong beliefs on free speech and questioned whether any punitive damages would be fair. A few others said they would struggle to assign damages that could reach $100 million or higher. Yet others said that although they also believe in the principles of free speech, they would not have a problem assigning damages — even a large amount of money — for blatant falsehoods that might have caused harm.

It is unclear whether Jones will attend any of the scheduled two-week trial. His attorney, Andino Reynal, said Jones has a “medical issue” that his legal legal team advised him not to be there for jury selection. Reynal didn't elaborate and said it's “up in the air” whether Jones will be in court.

In questioning the jury pool, Reynal acknowledged Jones is a “very polarizing" and “controversial” figure, but also noted he'd ask the jury to cap damages at $1.

Most of jury pool raised their hand when asked if they had heard of Jones, and nearly two dozen agreed when Reynal asked who among them had a “firm negative impression” of him.

A total of 16 people were selected for the Texas jury, which includes four alternates. That total panel includes seven women and nine men.

“We're very happy with the jury we've seated,” Reynal said. “It's a very important First Amendment case. On trial right now is not just people's freedom of speech, but it's also people's freedom to listen. To choose what they watch on television, to make those choices for themselves, instead of having a personal injury lawyer make those choices for them."

Courts in Texas and Connecticut&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/business-alex-jones-school-shootings-lawsuits-sandy-hook-elementary-school-shooting-154bd79946433d0b8db18dfb34906cf1">have already found Jones liable for defamation</a>&nbsp;for his portrayal of the Sandy Hook massacre as a hoax involving actors aimed at increasing gun control. In both states, judges have issued default judgements against Jones without trials because he failed to respond to court orders and turn over documents.

The Texas trial begins about two months after a gunman killed 19 children and two teachers at&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/uvalde-school-shooting">Robb Elementary School</a>&nbsp;in Uvalde, which is about 145 miles (235 kilometers) southwest of Austin. It was the deadliest school shooting in the nearly 10 years since Sandy Hook.

The 2012 Connecticut shooting killed 20 first graders and six educators. Families of eight of the victims and an FBI agent who responded to the school are suing Jones and his company, Free Speech Systems.

Jones has since acknowledged that the shooting took place.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/shootings-lawsuits-school-connecticut-53206d2fc79e91b85cf1188098944a0e">During a deposition in April</a>, Jones insisted he wasn’t responsible for the suffering that Sandy Hook parents say they have endured because of the hoax conspiracy, including death threats and harassment by Jones’ followers.

“No, I don’t (accept) responsibility because I wasn’t trying to cause pain and suffering,” Jones said, according to the transcripts made public this month. He continued: “They are being used and their children who can’t be brought back (are) being used to destroy the First Amendment.”

Jones claimed in court records last year that he had a negative net worth of $20 million, but attorneys for Sandy Hook families have painted a different financial picture.

Court records show that Jones’ Infowars store, which sells nutritional supplements and survival gear, made more than $165 million between 2015 and 2018. Jones has also urged listeners on his Infowars program to donate money.

Initial testimony Tuesday is expected to include Daniel Jewiss, who was the Connecticut State Police lead investigator of Sandy Hook, and Daria Karpova, a producer at Infowars.

<a href="https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search/?query=byline:%22JIM%20VERTUNO%22&amp;mediaType=text&amp;st=keyword&amp;sortOrder=newest">By JIM VERTUNO Associated Press</a>AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — A Texas jury was selected Monday in a civil trial that will determine for the first time how much Infowars host Alex Jones must pay Sandy Hook Elementary School parents for falsely telling his audience that the deadliest classroom shooting in U.S. history was a hoax.Opening statements are set for Tuesday.The trial in Austin — where the conspiracy theorist lives and broadcasts his show — follows months of delays. Jones has racked up fines for ignoring court orders and he&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/business-austin-texas-conspiracy-alex-jones-a8cdb98b631f5315e07f50e0a575aa46">put Infowars into bankruptcy protection</a>&nbsp;just before the trial was originally set to start in April.At stake for Jones is another potentially major financial blow that could put his constellation of conspiracy peddling businesses into deeper jeopardy. He has already been banned from YouTube, Facebook and Spotify&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/alex-jones-ap-top-news-international-news-apple-inc-politics-518bcbaf93e44adeba0a4eca19a8caf6">over violating hate-speech policies</a>.The trial involving the parents of two Sandy Hook families is only the start for Jones; damages have yet to be awarded in separate defamation cases for other families&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/violence-ee24f46a30d2426089b83bb2897dce4e">of the 2012 massacre in Newtown, Connecticut</a>.The lawsuits do not ask jurors to award a specific dollar amount against Jones, but attorneys for the families suggested they could seek $100 million or more in compensatory and punitive damages.Family members of the shooting victims and Jones were not in the courtroom Monday.“We’re very glad the day is here,” said Mark Bankston, attorney for the families suing Jones. “We’re looking forward to telling our clients’ story.”During Monday's jury selection, several in the initial pool of more than 100 jury candidates said they held strong beliefs on free speech and questioned whether any punitive damages would be fair. A few others said they would struggle to assign damages that could reach $100 million or higher. Yet others said that although they also believe in the principles of free speech, they would not have a problem assigning damages — even a large amount of money — for blatant falsehoods that might have caused harm.It is unclear whether Jones will attend any of the scheduled two-week trial. His attorney, Andino Reynal, said Jones has a “medical issue” that his legal legal team advised him not to be there for jury selection. Reynal didn't elaborate and said it's “up in the air” whether Jones will be in court.In questioning the jury pool, Reynal acknowledged Jones is a “very polarizing" and “controversial” figure, but also noted he'd ask the jury to cap damages at $1.Most of jury pool raised their hand when asked if they had heard of Jones, and nearly two dozen agreed when Reynal asked who among them had a “firm negative impression” of him.A total of 16 people were selected for the Texas jury, which includes four alternates. That total panel includes seven women and nine men.“We're very happy with the jury we've seated,” Reynal said. “It's a very important First Amendment case. On trial right now is not just people's freedom of speech, but it's also people's freedom to listen. To choose what they watch on television, to make those choices for themselves, instead of having a personal injury lawyer make those choices for them."Courts in Texas and Connecticut&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/business-alex-jones-school-shootings-lawsuits-sandy-hook-elementary-school-shooting-154bd79946433d0b8db18dfb34906cf1">have already found Jones liable for defamation</a>&nbsp;for his portrayal of the Sandy Hook massacre as a hoax involving actors aimed at increasing gun control. In both states, judges have issued default judgements against Jones without trials because he failed to respond to court orders and turn over documents.The Texas trial begins about two months after a gunman killed 19 children and two teachers at&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/uvalde-school-shooting">Robb Elementary School</a>&nbsp;in Uvalde, which is about 145 miles (235 kilometers) southwest of Austin. It was the deadliest school shooting in the nearly 10 years since Sandy Hook.The 2012 Connecticut shooting killed 20 first graders and six educators. Families of eight of the victims and an FBI agent who responded to the school are suing Jones and his company, Free Speech Systems.Jones has since acknowledged that the shooting took place.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/shootings-lawsuits-school-connecticut-53206d2fc79e91b85cf1188098944a0e">During a deposition in April</a>, Jones insisted he wasn’t responsible for the suffering that Sandy Hook parents say they have endured because of the hoax conspiracy, including death threats and harassment by Jones’ followers.“No, I don’t (accept) responsibility because I wasn’t trying to cause pain and suffering,” Jones said, according to the transcripts made public this month. He continued: “They are being used and their children who can’t be brought back (are) being used to destroy the First Amendment.”Jones claimed in court records last year that he had a negative net worth of $20 million, but attorneys for Sandy Hook families have painted a different financial picture.Court records show that Jones’ Infowars store, which sells nutritional supplements and survival gear, made more than $165 million between 2015 and 2018. Jones has also urged listeners on his Infowars program to donate money.Initial testimony Tuesday is expected to include Daniel Jewiss, who was the Connecticut State Police lead investigator of Sandy Hook, and Daria Karpova, a producer at Infowars.

Jury selected for Alex Jones' Sandy Hook defamation trial

This weekend, residents will have the opportunity to travel to the magical land of Oz as the Hays Community Theatre presents, The Wizard of Oz, the classic story of a Kansas girl’s adventures in a faraway land.

The production will feature more than 40 local actors, singers, and dancers of all ages taking the stage at 7 p.m. Thursday through Saturday in the Beach/Schmidt Performing Arts Center in Sheridan Hall on the Fort Hays State University campus.

Wendy Richmeier, director said the musical follows much of the classic movie but includes scenes cut from the 40s film.&nbsp;

"It's very similar," Richmeier said. "We start out in the black and white mindset. And then we go to the vivid color when Dorothy lands in Munchkin land and through her adventure in Munchkin land to see the Wizard to get back home. And then it goes back to our black and white as we did in the movie."

She said during the show the audience will see some similarities and some differences to the film, but being a live production creates an exciting new experience, even for those that know the story.

"This is an aesthetic show," Richmeier said. "We want to keep it as close to the Wizard of Oz that everybody knows and loves as much as possible. Of course, it is theater. We have some limitations, but when we can put an amazing show out there that everybody knows and loves, we're super excited."

And this year, she said, there was increased interest in the community theatre.

"This has been the summer to participate again," she said. 

That participation includes a variety of people from the community, creating an event for the community.

"We are a community theater, and that's what we do is we produce our shows for our community to come enjoy," Richmeier said. "The thing that I love about community theater is we are here for the community. Not everybody can be in a business organization or in a shotgun club. But we have a place for anyone and everyone that wants to do something or be part of our production."

"Parts of theater are not just the performing," she continued. "It takes all hands on deck to build set to paint set to create the set to create costuming, to put costuming together to create props, to just move things around on stage."

And for those interested in becoming involved, she said they welcome anyone and everyone.

 "The best thing to do if you want to give it a try is check out our website," Richmeier said. "And then also go to our Facebook page, Twitter, we're out everywhere. We have an email, give us a shout, and someone will get back to you. Or just show up at one of our productions. Talk to one of our stage crew, one of our directors or one of our board members."

And as the cast presents the show from the FHSU campus, the location is not the only tie to the university as FHSU's "First Dog" Gracie Mason will play the part of Toto.

"That was a bit of a challenge," Richmeier said. "We wanted to use a live dog and I've never used a live animal before. But I'll tell you what, it is so fun having her on stage and the support that Fort Hays has given. It's gonna be a great show."

For all those making the show possible, she said she is grateful.

"I just want to give a shout-out to everybody that has taken part in this production in any aspect," Richmeier said. "It takes a lot to put a show together. It's not just one person sitting in a chair shouting out, do this do that, they have to have their hearts in it. And this has been a great production. I hope everybody comes out to see everybody's heart that's been in the show."

Tickets are now on sale at the Hays Community Theatre website, <a href="http://hctks.com/">hctks.com</a>, or at the door for $15.

All seats purchased in advance are reserved.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/7/1658800899137.jpeg" alt="Photo by James Bell/Hays Post" />
 <figcaption>Photo by James Bell/Hays Post</figcaption>
 </figure>By JAMES BELL Hays PostThis weekend, residents will have the opportunity to travel to the magical land of Oz as the Hays Community Theatre presents, The Wizard of Oz, the classic story of a Kansas girl’s adventures in a faraway land.The production will feature more than 40 local actors, singers, and dancers of all ages taking the stage at 7 p.m. Thursday through Saturday in the Beach/Schmidt Performing Arts Center in Sheridan Hall on the Fort Hays State University campus.Wendy Richmeier, director said the musical follows much of the classic movie but includes scenes cut from the 40s film.&nbsp;"It's very similar," Richmeier said. "We start out in the black and white mindset. And then we go to the vivid color when Dorothy lands in Munchkin land and through her adventure in Munchkin land to see the Wizard to get back home. And then it goes back to our black and white as we did in the movie."<div><iframe title="Hays Community Theatre Presents ‘Wizard of Oz’ this weekend" allowtransparency="true" height="300" width="100%" style="border: none; min-width: min(100%, 430px);" scrolling="no" data-name="pb-iframe-player" src="https://www.podbean.com/player-v2/?i=dvqdz-1281f80-pb&from=pb6admin&square=1&share=1&download=1&rtl=0&fonts=Arial&skin=3267a3&font-color=auto&logo_link=podcast_page&btn-skin=3267a3&size=300" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></div>She said during the show the audience will see some similarities and some differences to the film, but being a live production creates an exciting new experience, even for those that know the story."This is an aesthetic show," Richmeier said. "We want to keep it as close to the Wizard of Oz that everybody knows and loves as much as possible. Of course, it is theater. We have some limitations, but when we can put an amazing show out there that everybody knows and loves, we're super excited."And this year, she said, there was increased interest in the community theatre."This has been the summer to participate again," she said. That participation includes a variety of people from the community, creating an event for the community."We are a community theater, and that's what we do is we produce our shows for our community to come enjoy," Richmeier said. "The thing that I love about community theater is we are here for the community. Not everybody can be in a business organization or in a shotgun club. But we have a place for anyone and everyone that wants to do something or be part of our production."<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/7/1658800921934.jpeg" alt="Photo by James Bell/Hays Post" />
 <figcaption>Photo by James Bell/Hays Post</figcaption>
 </figure>"Parts of theater are not just the performing," she continued. "It takes all hands on deck to build set to paint set to create the set to create costuming, to put costuming together to create props, to just move things around on stage."And for those interested in becoming involved, she said they welcome anyone and everyone. "The best thing to do if you want to give it a try is check out our website," Richmeier said. "And then also go to our Facebook page, Twitter, we're out everywhere. We have an email, give us a shout, and someone will get back to you. Or just show up at one of our productions. Talk to one of our stage crew, one of our directors or one of our board members."And as the cast presents the show from the FHSU campus, the location is not the only tie to the university as FHSU's "First Dog" Gracie Mason will play the part of Toto.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/7/1658800948611.jpeg" alt="Photo by James Bell/Hays Post" />
 <figcaption>Photo by James Bell/Hays Post</figcaption>
 </figure>"That was a bit of a challenge," Richmeier said. "We wanted to use a live dog and I've never used a live animal before. But I'll tell you what, it is so fun having her on stage and the support that Fort Hays has given. It's gonna be a great show."For all those making the show possible, she said she is grateful."I just want to give a shout-out to everybody that has taken part in this production in any aspect," Richmeier said. "It takes a lot to put a show together. It's not just one person sitting in a chair shouting out, do this do that, they have to have their hearts in it. And this has been a great production. I hope everybody comes out to see everybody's heart that's been in the show."Tickets are now on sale at the Hays Community Theatre website, <a href="http://hctks.com/">hctks.com</a>, or at the door for $15.All seats purchased in advance are reserved.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/7/1658800857626.jpeg" alt="Photo by James Bell/Hays Post" />
 <figcaption>Photo by James Bell/Hays Post</figcaption>
 </figure>

🎙 Hays Community Theatre Presents ‘Wizard of Oz’ this weekend

AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — Jury selection is set for Monday in a trial that will determine for the first time how much Infowars host Alex Jones must pay Sandy Hook Elementary School parents for falsely telling his audience that the deadliest classroom shooting in U.S. history was a hoax.

The trial in Austin, Texas — where the conspiracy theorist lives and broadcasts his show — follows months of delays. Jones has racked up fines for ignoring court orders and he&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/business-austin-texas-conspiracy-alex-jones-a8cdb98b631f5315e07f50e0a575aa46">put Infowars into bankruptcy protection</a>&nbsp;just before the trial was originally set to start in April.

The lawsuits do not ask jurors to award a specific dollar amount against Jones.

The 2012 shooting killed 20 first graders and six educators. Families of eight of the victims and an FBI agent who responded to the school are suing Jones and his company, Free Speech Systems.

<a href="https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search/?query=byline:%22JIM%20VERTUNO%22&amp;mediaType=text&amp;st=keyword&amp;sortOrder=newest">By JIM VERTUNO Associated Press</a>AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — Jury selection is set for Monday in a trial that will determine for the first time how much Infowars host Alex Jones must pay Sandy Hook Elementary School parents for falsely telling his audience that the deadliest classroom shooting in U.S. history was a hoax.The trial in Austin, Texas — where the conspiracy theorist lives and broadcasts his show — follows months of delays. Jones has racked up fines for ignoring court orders and he&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/business-austin-texas-conspiracy-alex-jones-a8cdb98b631f5315e07f50e0a575aa46">put Infowars into bankruptcy protection</a>&nbsp;just before the trial was originally set to start in April.At stake for Jones is another potentially major financial blow that could put his constellation of conspiracy peddling businesses into deeper jeopardy. He has already been banned from YouTube, Facebook and Spotify&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/alex-jones-ap-top-news-international-news-apple-inc-politics-518bcbaf93e44adeba0a4eca19a8caf6">over violating hate-speech policies</a>.The trial involving the parents of two Sandy Hook families is only the start for Jones; damages have yet to be awarded in separate defamation cases for other families&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/violence-ee24f46a30d2426089b83bb2897dce4e">of the 2012 massacre in Newtown, Connecticut</a>.The lawsuits do not ask jurors to award a specific dollar amount against Jones.Courts in Texas and Connecticut&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/business-alex-jones-school-shootings-lawsuits-sandy-hook-elementary-school-shooting-154bd79946433d0b8db18dfb34906cf1">have already found Jones liable for defamation</a>&nbsp;for his portrayal of the Sandy Hook massacre as a hoax involving actors aimed at increasing gun control. In both states, judges have issued default judgements against Jones without trials because he failed to respond to court orders and turn over documents.The 2012 shooting killed 20 first graders and six educators. Families of eight of the victims and an FBI agent who responded to the school are suing Jones and his company, Free Speech Systems.Jones has since acknowledged that the shooting took place.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/shootings-lawsuits-school-connecticut-53206d2fc79e91b85cf1188098944a0e">During a deposition in April</a>, Jones insisted he wasn’t responsible for the suffering that Sandy Hook parents say they have endured because of the hoax conspiracy, including death threats and harassment by Jones’ followers.“No, I don’t (accept) responsibility because I wasn’t trying to cause pain and suffering,” Jones said, according to the transcripts made public this month. He continued: “They are being used and their children who can’t be brought back (are) being used to destroy the First Amendment.”Jones claimed in court records last year that he had a negative net worth of $20 million, but attorneys for Sandy Hook families have painted a different financial picture.Court records show that Jones’ Infowars store, which sells nutritional supplements and survival gear, made more than $165 million between 2015 and 2018. Jones has also urged listeners on his Infowars program to donate money.

Alex Jones' defamation trial finally set to begin in Texas

KEY WEST, Fla. (AP) — Some came in wool fisherman's sweaters, and other contestants had sportsmen's attire. But it was the cream-colored sweater of attorney Jon Auvil that caught the eye of judges who awarded him the title for most resembling author and former Key West resident Ernest Hemingway.

Auvil triumphed Saturday night over 124 other contestants for the title in the annual Hemingway Look-Alike Contest at Sloppy Joe’s Bar, the Key West establishment where the author was a regular patron during his decade-long residence on the island in the 1930s.

The look-a-like contest is a highlight of Key West's annual Hemingway Days celebration, which ended Sunday.

Auvil said he shares Hemingway’s passion for fishing, has written some fiction and would like to do more writing.

“Every man wants to write like Hemingway,” said Auvil, who lives in Dade City, Florida, northeast of Tampa.

While living in Key West, Hemingway wrote classics, including “For Whom the Bell Tolls” and “To Have and Have Not.”

KEY WEST, Fla. (AP) — Some came in wool fisherman's sweaters, and other contestants had sportsmen's attire. But it was the cream-colored sweater of attorney Jon Auvil that caught the eye of judges who awarded him the title for most resembling author and former Key West resident Ernest Hemingway.Auvil triumphed Saturday night over 124 other contestants for the title in the annual Hemingway Look-Alike Contest at Sloppy Joe’s Bar, the Key West establishment where the author was a regular patron during his decade-long residence on the island in the 1930s.The look-a-like contest is a highlight of Key West's annual Hemingway Days celebration, which ended Sunday.Auvil said he shares Hemingway’s passion for fishing, has written some fiction and would like to do more writing.“Every man wants to write like Hemingway,” said Auvil, who lives in Dade City, Florida, northeast of Tampa.While living in Key West, Hemingway wrote classics, including “For Whom the Bell Tolls” and “To Have and Have Not.”

Attorney wins Ernest Hemingway contest in Key West tradition

<a href="https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search/?query=byline:%22LINDSEY%20BAHR%22&amp;mediaType=text&amp;st=keyword&amp;sortOrder=newest">By LINDSEY BAHR AP Film Writer</a>

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/entertainment-movies-jordan-peele-0c1ce980e110dbf338fddb74ad1a6842">Jordan Peele</a>&nbsp;’s UFO thriller “Nope” topped the North American charts in its first weekend in theaters with an estimated $44 million in ticket sales, Universal Pictures said Sunday. Though it doesn’t come close to the $71 million debut of “Us,” it is still significantly impressive for an original, R-rated film — and the biggest of the pandemic for an original screenplay.

“Nope,” which opened on 3,785 theaters in the U.S. and Canada, is the most expensive film Peele has made to date with a reported $68 million production budget, not accounting for marketing and promotion costs. “Us” cost around $20 million to produce, while “Get Out” was made for only $4.5 million. Both films ultimately made over $255 million worldwide.

Critics were largely positive about “&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/film-reviews-entertainment-movies-hollywood-daniel-kaluuya-aba9016bf9b7e94614087152de3225f4">Nope</a>,” which stars Daniel Kaluuya, Keke Palmer and Steven Yeun and pays homage to UFO films like “Close Encounters of the Third Kind” and “Signs,” and is currently resting at 83% on Rotten Tomatoes.

“It’s a great number,” said Jim Orr, Universal’s president of domestic distribution. “It’s amazing how broadly it’s playing too.”

“Jordan Peele crafted an incredible film,” Orr added. “And it is absolutely something that should be seen on the big screen.”

The film got off to a strong start with $6.4 million from Thursday previews. By the end of Friday, it had grossed $19.3 million. About 68% of the opening weekend audience was between the ages of 18 and 34, which is the “sweet spot” for a horror film. Audiences were also quite diverse according to exit polls, reporting 35% Caucasian, 33% Black, 20% Hispanic and 8% Asian.

And many chose to experience “Nope” in IMAX, which accounted for about $5.2 million of its first weekend earnings.

“It’s incredibly gratifying to see a visionary like Jordan Peele, who represents a new generation of filmmakers, use our technology in pioneering ways and create an experience meant to be seen in IMAX,” said IMAX CEO Rich Gelfond.

Word of mouth is going to be critical in the coming weeks for “Nope,” which begins its international rollout on Aug. 12.

“An opening weekend for a Jordan Peele film is not the right metric. We have to see where it is a month from now,” said Paul Dergarabedian, the senior media analyst for Comscore. “'Nope' could have solid, long-term playability as the word gets out. One need only look at ‘Elvis’ to see that a film doesn’t have to open huge to be a big success.”

“Nope” knocked “Thor: Love and Thunder” to second place in its third weekend. The Disney and Marvel blockbuster starring Chris Hemsworth and Natalie Portman added $22.1 million, bringing its global total to $598.2 million.

Universal’s “Minions: The Rise of Gru” landed in third place with $17.7 million in its fourth weekend. The animated pic has made $640.3 million globally.

The Sony-released adaptation of the bestseller “Where the Crawdads Sing,” meanwhile, is enjoying a modest second weekend drop. The film starring Daisy Edgar-Jones added an estimated $10.3 million from 3,650 locations. It’s now grossed $38.3 million domestically.

Paramount’s “Top Gun: Maverick” rounded out the top five in its ninth weekend with an additional $10 million. Earlier this week it surpassed “The Avengers” to become ninth biggest domestic release of all time with its total now sitting at $635.6 million.

In limited release, “Marcel the Shell with Shoes On” continued its expansion and made $846,950 from 590 theaters.

Estimated ticket sales for Friday through Sunday at U.S. and Canadian theaters, according to Comscore. Final domestic figures will be released Monday.

2. “Thor: Love and Thunder,” 22.1 million.

3. “Minions: The Rise of Gru,” $17.7 million.

4. “Where the Crawdads Sing,” $10.3 million.

7. “Paws of Fury: The Legend of Hank,” $3.9 million.

9. “Jurassic World Dominion,” $3 million.

10. “Mrs. Harris Goes to Paris,” $1.4 million.

<a href="https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search/?query=byline:%22LINDSEY%20BAHR%22&amp;mediaType=text&amp;st=keyword&amp;sortOrder=newest">By LINDSEY BAHR AP Film Writer</a><a href="https://apnews.com/article/entertainment-movies-jordan-peele-0c1ce980e110dbf338fddb74ad1a6842">Jordan Peele</a>&nbsp;’s UFO thriller “Nope” topped the North American charts in its first weekend in theaters with an estimated $44 million in ticket sales, Universal Pictures said Sunday. Though it doesn’t come close to the $71 million debut of “Us,” it is still significantly impressive for an original, R-rated film — and the biggest of the pandemic for an original screenplay.“Nope,” which opened on 3,785 theaters in the U.S. and Canada, is the most expensive film Peele has made to date with a reported $68 million production budget, not accounting for marketing and promotion costs. “Us” cost around $20 million to produce, while “Get Out” was made for only $4.5 million. Both films ultimately made over $255 million worldwide.Critics were largely positive about “&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/film-reviews-entertainment-movies-hollywood-daniel-kaluuya-aba9016bf9b7e94614087152de3225f4">Nope</a>,” which stars Daniel Kaluuya, Keke Palmer and Steven Yeun and pays homage to UFO films like “Close Encounters of the Third Kind” and “Signs,” and is currently resting at 83% on Rotten Tomatoes.“It’s a great number,” said Jim Orr, Universal’s president of domestic distribution. “It’s amazing how broadly it’s playing too.”“Jordan Peele crafted an incredible film,” Orr added. “And it is absolutely something that should be seen on the big screen.”The film got off to a strong start with $6.4 million from Thursday previews. By the end of Friday, it had grossed $19.3 million. About 68% of the opening weekend audience was between the ages of 18 and 34, which is the “sweet spot” for a horror film. Audiences were also quite diverse according to exit polls, reporting 35% Caucasian, 33% Black, 20% Hispanic and 8% Asian.And many chose to experience “Nope” in IMAX, which accounted for about $5.2 million of its first weekend earnings.“It’s incredibly gratifying to see a visionary like Jordan Peele, who represents a new generation of filmmakers, use our technology in pioneering ways and create an experience meant to be seen in IMAX,” said IMAX CEO Rich Gelfond.Word of mouth is going to be critical in the coming weeks for “Nope,” which begins its international rollout on Aug. 12.“An opening weekend for a Jordan Peele film is not the right metric. We have to see where it is a month from now,” said Paul Dergarabedian, the senior media analyst for Comscore. “'Nope' could have solid, long-term playability as the word gets out. One need only look at ‘Elvis’ to see that a film doesn’t have to open huge to be a big success.”“Nope” knocked “Thor: Love and Thunder” to second place in its third weekend. The Disney and Marvel blockbuster starring Chris Hemsworth and Natalie Portman added $22.1 million, bringing its global total to $598.2 million.Universal’s “Minions: The Rise of Gru” landed in third place with $17.7 million in its fourth weekend. The animated pic has made $640.3 million globally.The Sony-released adaptation of the bestseller “Where the Crawdads Sing,” meanwhile, is enjoying a modest second weekend drop. The film starring Daisy Edgar-Jones added an estimated $10.3 million from 3,650 locations. It’s now grossed $38.3 million domestically.Paramount’s “Top Gun: Maverick” rounded out the top five in its ninth weekend with an additional $10 million. Earlier this week it surpassed “The Avengers” to become ninth biggest domestic release of all time with its total now sitting at $635.6 million.In limited release, “Marcel the Shell with Shoes On” continued its expansion and made $846,950 from 590 theaters.Estimated ticket sales for Friday through Sunday at U.S. and Canadian theaters, according to Comscore. Final domestic figures will be released Monday.1. “Nope,” $44 million.2. “Thor: Love and Thunder,” 22.1 million.3. “Minions: The Rise of Gru,” $17.7 million.4. “Where the Crawdads Sing,” $10.3 million.5. “Top Gun: Maverick,” $10 million.6. “Elvis,” $6.3 million.7. “Paws of Fury: The Legend of Hank,” $3.9 million.8. “The Black Phone,” $3.5 million.9. “Jurassic World Dominion,” $3 million.10. “Mrs. Harris Goes to Paris,” $1.4 million.

Jordan Peele's ‘Nope’ debuts at No. 1 with $44 million

Marvel Studios unveiled the first trailer for “&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/i/status/1551015080967356416">Black Panther: Wakanda Forever</a>&nbsp;” — set to “No Woman No Cry” — to fans at Comic-Con on Saturday in San Diego.

It was just one part of the massive Hall H presentation, which also included first-looks at “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3,” “Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania” and new information about Phase 6 of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, which will conclude with two Avengers movies in 2025: “Avengers: The Kang Dynasty” and “Avengers: Secret Wars.”

“&nbsp;<a href="https://youtu.be/RlOB3UALvrQ">Black Panther: Wakanda Foreve</a>&nbsp;r” director Ryan Coogler was on site in San Diego to preview the highly anticipated film, which is due to arrive in theaters on Nov. 11 and serve as the conclusion to Phase 4. Coogler paid tribute to Chadwick Boseman, who died in August 2020.

“The impact that he made on this industry will be felt forever,” Coogler said.

After the massive success of “Black Panther” in 2018, plans for a sequel were quickly set into motion. But those were altered after Boseman’s unexpected death from colon cancer. The studio said it would not recast Boseman’s role of T’Challa. but very little has come out about the film in the years since. Production wrapped in March after several delays, one of which was due to an injury sustained by Letitia Wright, who plays T’Challa’s brainy sister Shuri. Also returning are Lupita Nyong’o, Danai Gurira, Winston Duke and Angela Bassett, but not Daniel Kaluuya, whose “Nope” schedule conflicted.

Phase 5, Marvel Studios head Kevin Feige said, will kick off in February with “Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania” and conclude with “Thunderbolts” in July 2024. The new “Blade,” starring Oscar-winner Mahershala Ali, also got a release date of Nov. 3, 2023, and “Captain America and the New World Order,” featuring Anthony Mackie’s Sam Wilson, will hit theaters on May 3, 2024.

The “Guardians of the Galaxy” will also come to an end in the midst of Phase 5 in May. Director James Gunn showed up in San Diego to confirm that “Vol. 3” would be the last for the space rogues. Chris Pratt, Zoe Saldana, Karen Gillian and Dave Bautista are all returning for the film. New cast members include Will Poulter, as Guardians adversary Adam Warlock, and Maria Bakalova.

Paul Rudd, Evangeline Lilly, Jonathan Majors and director Peyton Reed made the trip to San Diego to show some footage from “Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania.”

Phase 6 will launch with a new “Fantastic Four” movie on Nov. 8, 2024, and finish with “Avengers: The Kang Dynasty,” set for May 2, 2025, followed by “Avengers: Secret Wars,” on Nov. 7, 2025.

Marvel also showed trailers for Disney+ series such as “Secret Invasion,” with Samuel L. Jackson as Nick Fury and Cobie Smulders as Agent Maria Hill, due in the spring, and the half-hour comedy “&nbsp;<a href="https://youtu.be/u7JsKhI2An0">She-Hulk: Attorney at Law</a>,” starring Tatiana Maslany, debuting in August. The second season of “Loki” is also expected next summer.

<a href="https://newsroom.ap.org/San%20Diego%20Convention%20Center">Comic-Con</a>&nbsp;runs through Sunday.

<a href="https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search/?query=byline:%22LINDSEY%20BAHR%22&amp;mediaType=text&amp;st=keyword&amp;sortOrder=newest">By LINDSEY BAHR AP Film Writer</a>Marvel Studios unveiled the first trailer for “&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/i/status/1551015080967356416">Black Panther: Wakanda Forever</a>&nbsp;” — set to “No Woman No Cry” — to fans at Comic-Con on Saturday in San Diego.It was just one part of the massive Hall H presentation, which also included first-looks at “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3,” “Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania” and new information about Phase 6 of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, which will conclude with two Avengers movies in 2025: “Avengers: The Kang Dynasty” and “Avengers: Secret Wars.”“&nbsp;<a href="https://youtu.be/RlOB3UALvrQ">Black Panther: Wakanda Foreve</a>&nbsp;r” director Ryan Coogler was on site in San Diego to preview the highly anticipated film, which is due to arrive in theaters on Nov. 11 and serve as the conclusion to Phase 4. Coogler paid tribute to Chadwick Boseman, who died in August 2020.“The impact that he made on this industry will be felt forever,” Coogler said.After the massive success of “Black Panther” in 2018, plans for a sequel were quickly set into motion. But those were altered after Boseman’s unexpected death from colon cancer. The studio said it would not recast Boseman’s role of T’Challa. but very little has come out about the film in the years since. Production wrapped in March after several delays, one of which was due to an injury sustained by Letitia Wright, who plays T’Challa’s brainy sister Shuri. Also returning are Lupita Nyong’o, Danai Gurira, Winston Duke and Angela Bassett, but not Daniel Kaluuya, whose “Nope” schedule conflicted.Phase 5, Marvel Studios head Kevin Feige said, will kick off in February with “Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania” and conclude with “Thunderbolts” in July 2024. The new “Blade,” starring Oscar-winner Mahershala Ali, also got a release date of Nov. 3, 2023, and “Captain America and the New World Order,” featuring Anthony Mackie’s Sam Wilson, will hit theaters on May 3, 2024.The “Guardians of the Galaxy” will also come to an end in the midst of Phase 5 in May. Director James Gunn showed up in San Diego to confirm that “Vol. 3” would be the last for the space rogues. Chris Pratt, Zoe Saldana, Karen Gillian and Dave Bautista are all returning for the film. New cast members include Will Poulter, as Guardians adversary Adam Warlock, and Maria Bakalova.Paul Rudd, Evangeline Lilly, Jonathan Majors and director Peyton Reed made the trip to San Diego to show some footage from “Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania.”Phase 6 will launch with a new “Fantastic Four” movie on Nov. 8, 2024, and finish with “Avengers: The Kang Dynasty,” set for May 2, 2025, followed by “Avengers: Secret Wars,” on Nov. 7, 2025.Marvel also showed trailers for Disney+ series such as “Secret Invasion,” with Samuel L. Jackson as Nick Fury and Cobie Smulders as Agent Maria Hill, due in the spring, and the half-hour comedy “&nbsp;<a href="https://youtu.be/u7JsKhI2An0">She-Hulk: Attorney at Law</a>,” starring Tatiana Maslany, debuting in August. The second season of “Loki” is also expected next summer.<a href="https://newsroom.ap.org/San%20Diego%20Convention%20Center">Comic-Con</a>&nbsp;runs through Sunday.

Marvel teases new Avengers movies, ‘Black Panther' sequel

<a href="https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search/?query=byline:%22LINDSEY%20BAHR%22&amp;mediaType=text&amp;st=keyword&amp;sortOrder=newest">By LINDSEY BAHR AP Film Writer</a>

Dwayne Johnson went a few steps beyond merely teasing his long-awaited “Black Adam” movie at Comic-Con in San Diego on Saturday.

Ever the showman, Johnson brought a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DvCFc5JtkkA">new traile</a>&nbsp;r for the DC Comics superhero film and some flashy technology, lighting up the biggest room at the annual fan convention all while in costume. But he had another big reveal too: Johnson told the 6,000-some people in the audience that they could see “Black Adam” in IMAX for free with the help of the ticketing service Fandango.

The character Black Adam has the powers of the ancient gods and has been entombed for some 5,000 years before being released into the modern world. In the trailer he says his powers are “a curse, not a gift.”

Set for an Oct. 21 theatrical release, “Black Adam” reunites Johnson with his “Jungle Cruise” director Jaume Collet-Serra. It also stars Aldis Hodge as Hawkman, Noah Centineo as Atom Smasher and Quintessa Swindell as Cyclone, all of whom joined Johnson and Collet-Serra for the panel.

“Black Adam” was just one part of Warner Bros. return to Comic-Con, where audiences also got a glimpse at a new trailer for “&nbsp;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zi88i4CpHe4">Shazam! Fury of the Gods</a>.” Stars Zachary Levi and Lucy Liu were on hand to promote the sequel, which is due to arrive in theaters on Dec. 21 and continues the story of a teenager-turned-superhero who is feeling a bit like a fraud. The film sees the return of Asher Angel, Jack Dylan Grazer and Adam Brody and adds Helen Mirren and Rachel Zegler of “West Side Story” to the mix.

The studio stuck to its 2022 superhero releases, forgoing sneak peeks at films due next year. One of those is “The Flash,” whose&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/entertainment-arts-and-arrests-hawaii-lady-gaga-3e43fbf6c26ba90cf7c05eaf80b471c6">star Ezra Miller was arrested in Hawaii twice this year</a>&nbsp;— in a disorderly conduct case and on suspicion of assault.

Miller plays Barry Allen in the Andy Muschietti-directed film, which has wrapped production and is supposed to open in June 2023. They have been credited as the first out LGBT person to play a lead role in a major superhero film.

<a href="https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search/?query=byline:%22LINDSEY%20BAHR%22&amp;mediaType=text&amp;st=keyword&amp;sortOrder=newest">By LINDSEY BAHR AP Film Writer</a>Dwayne Johnson went a few steps beyond merely teasing his long-awaited “Black Adam” movie at Comic-Con in San Diego on Saturday.Ever the showman, Johnson brought a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DvCFc5JtkkA">new traile</a>&nbsp;r for the DC Comics superhero film and some flashy technology, lighting up the biggest room at the annual fan convention all while in costume. But he had another big reveal too: Johnson told the 6,000-some people in the audience that they could see “Black Adam” in IMAX for free with the help of the ticketing service Fandango.The character Black Adam has the powers of the ancient gods and has been entombed for some 5,000 years before being released into the modern world. In the trailer he says his powers are “a curse, not a gift.”Set for an Oct. 21 theatrical release, “Black Adam” reunites Johnson with his “Jungle Cruise” director Jaume Collet-Serra. It also stars Aldis Hodge as Hawkman, Noah Centineo as Atom Smasher and Quintessa Swindell as Cyclone, all of whom joined Johnson and Collet-Serra for the panel.“Black Adam” was just one part of Warner Bros. return to Comic-Con, where audiences also got a glimpse at a new trailer for “&nbsp;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zi88i4CpHe4">Shazam! Fury of the Gods</a>.” Stars Zachary Levi and Lucy Liu were on hand to promote the sequel, which is due to arrive in theaters on Dec. 21 and continues the story of a teenager-turned-superhero who is feeling a bit like a fraud. The film sees the return of Asher Angel, Jack Dylan Grazer and Adam Brody and adds Helen Mirren and Rachel Zegler of “West Side Story” to the mix.The studio stuck to its 2022 superhero releases, forgoing sneak peeks at films due next year. One of those is “The Flash,” whose&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/entertainment-arts-and-arrests-hawaii-lady-gaga-3e43fbf6c26ba90cf7c05eaf80b471c6">star Ezra Miller was arrested in Hawaii twice this year</a>&nbsp;— in a disorderly conduct case and on suspicion of assault.Miller plays Barry Allen in the Andy Muschietti-directed film, which has wrapped production and is supposed to open in June 2023. They have been credited as the first out LGBT person to play a lead role in a major superhero film.

Warner Bros. brings ‘Black Adam,’ ‘Shazam! 2’ to Comic-Con

<a href="https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search/?query=byline:%22DAVID%20BAUDER%22&amp;mediaType=text&amp;st=keyword&amp;sortOrder=newest">By DAVID BAUDER AP Media Writer</a>

NEW YORK (AP) — An estimated 17.7 million viewers watched&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/capitol-siege-panel-hearing-3e3dc618ed8cee37147cf6a792c0c0fa">Thursday night's hearing</a>&nbsp;of the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.apnews.com/capitol-siege">House committee investigating the Jan. 6, 2021, attack</a>&nbsp;on the U.S. Capitol.

The Nielsen Company said that is second to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/capitol-siege-donald-trump-impeachments-government-and-politics-ca37532811b317cf67ec076c5f80f9e6">the 20 million</a>&nbsp;who saw the first committee hearing on June 9, the only other one of the eight sessions held in prime time.

Ten networks aired this past week's hearing live, down from the 11 that showed the June 9 session. The conservative network Newsmax dropped out this time.

The six daytime hearings average 11.2 million viewers, with a peak audience of 13.2 million on June 28, when ex-White House aide&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/capitol-siege-cassidy-hutchinson-205e494cea6fc8c91b548d83ebd82593">Cassidy Hutchinson</a>&nbsp;testified about former President Donald Trump's behavior.

An estimated 13.6 million of Thursday's viewers, or 77 percent, were age 55 and older, Nielsen said. Only 705,000 viewers were 18 to 34.

MSNBC said the 4.7 million people who watched its coverage represented the network's biggest prime-time audience since the night of the event that the committee is investigating.

Public hearings are expected to resume in September.

<a href="https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search/?query=byline:%22DAVID%20BAUDER%22&amp;mediaType=text&amp;st=keyword&amp;sortOrder=newest">By DAVID BAUDER AP Media Writer</a>NEW YORK (AP) — An estimated 17.7 million viewers watched&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/capitol-siege-panel-hearing-3e3dc618ed8cee37147cf6a792c0c0fa">Thursday night's hearing</a>&nbsp;of the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.apnews.com/capitol-siege">House committee investigating the Jan. 6, 2021, attack</a>&nbsp;on the U.S. Capitol.The Nielsen Company said that is second to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/capitol-siege-donald-trump-impeachments-government-and-politics-ca37532811b317cf67ec076c5f80f9e6">the 20 million</a>&nbsp;who saw the first committee hearing on June 9, the only other one of the eight sessions held in prime time.Ten networks aired this past week's hearing live, down from the 11 that showed the June 9 session. The conservative network Newsmax dropped out this time.The six daytime hearings average 11.2 million viewers, with a peak audience of 13.2 million on June 28, when ex-White House aide&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/capitol-siege-cassidy-hutchinson-205e494cea6fc8c91b548d83ebd82593">Cassidy Hutchinson</a>&nbsp;testified about former President Donald Trump's behavior.An estimated 13.6 million of Thursday's viewers, or 77 percent, were age 55 and older, Nielsen said. Only 705,000 viewers were 18 to 34.MSNBC said the 4.7 million people who watched its coverage represented the network's biggest prime-time audience since the night of the event that the committee is investigating.Public hearings are expected to resume in September.

Nielsen says 17.7 million watched Thursday's Jan. 6 hearing

By HILLEL ITALIE Associated Press

NEW
 YORK — Decades after the release of Michael Mann’s “Heat,” the 
classic crime thriller has endured in the minds of fans, critics, peers 
and the director himself.

“There's
 always the sense of being shortchanged,” Mann said during a Zoom 
interview from his apartment in Modena, Italy, where he is currently 
working on “Ferrari," starring Adam Driver as the race car driver-auto 
magnate. “I love doing the research and building these characters out 
very, very completely, and rooting the actor into a whole life. ... The 
movie is a splinter, it's just a very narrow slice of a complete life."

Mann
 has finally rounded out the story from his 1995 movie. He has brought 
back the lethal, calculating criminal Neil McCauley, played by Robert De
 Niro; the swaggering detective Vincent Hanna, played by Al Pacino; and 
such supporting characters as Chris Shiherlis (Val Kilmer), Michael 
Cheritto (Tom Sizemore) and Nate (Jon Voight).

He does hope to 
make another “Heat” movie, but he has chosen to introduce his new 
narrative through words only, the novel “Heat 2."

Written with the
 award-winning crime novelist Meg Gardiner and scheduled to come out 
Aug. 9, the 480-page “Heat 2” is a sequel and prequel, looking back to 
the late 1980s and ahead to the 21st century, expanding the world of 
McCauley and Hanna and Shiherlis among others, adding new characters and
 moving the action everywhere from Los Angeles to Paraguay and Asia.

Mann
 had never attempted a novel before and finally tried in part for a 
similar reason he takes on a given film: To see if he can. In some ways,
 he approached the book as if planning a movie production. He began with
 a basic story — he likes to know in advance how the plot turns out — 
and built the narrative outward, over time and space. For his novel, he 
speaks of creating “momentum that is almost cinematic,” a symphony 
driving to a closing clash.

“Heat 2” permitted him to explore and 
digress in ways he wouldn't attempt on screen. He makes a point of 
knowing everyone's inner and outer lives. McCauley, for instance, he 
sees as a longtime outsider, institutionalized in his early teens. He 
sees him as “very intelligent,” with a “really strong ego and very 
little self esteem.” An ideal criminal.

“He goes to violence, immediately, zero to 60,” Mann explains.

“Heat,”
 among the most celebrated movies never to receive an Oscar nomination, 
has a base of obsessive admirers. After a special screening in June at 
the Tribeca Film Festival, audience members shouted lines from the movie
 during a panel discussion with Pacino and De Niro. Mann say fans often 
come up to him and quote from the famous coffee shop conversation 
between McCauley and Hanna, the first time Pacino and De Niro had ever 
shared screen time (They had previously appeared in separate time 
periods in “The Godfather, Part II”).

“Heat 2” is a departure for 
Mann, and from novels in recent years by other filmmakers, among them 
Werner Herzog, Brian De Palma and David Cronenberg. While Herzog’s “The 
Twilight World” and De Palma’s “Are Snakes Necessary?” are original 
stories, Mann is doing a kind of reversal, taking characters created for
 the screen and adapting them to the page. Instead of finding it a 
distraction to think of Pacino when he’s describing Hanna, he welcomes 
the merger of actor and character.

“They're fused. It's a fusion. 
They're one and the same,” he says. “Vincent Hanna is Al Pacino and Al 
Pacino is Vincent Hanna. Neil McCauley in 1988 is Bobby (De Niro) seven 
years younger. ... Since I made the movie and sought Al Pacino and De 
Niro and Val Kilmer, you bet that's who these people are.”

Gardiner
 joined Mann at the suggestion of their mutual literary agent, Shane 
Salerno. Known for her Evan Delaney novels, she is a “Heat” fan and a 
partisan for Mann’s film in the many discussions she has had with fellow
 writers over whether “Goodfellas,” “The Godfather” or “Heat” is their 
favorite crime movie. For “Heat 2,” she helped Mann with the book’s 
structure and otherwise proved a sounding board and close collaborator, 
the two eventually writing alternating chapters. Their time together — 
she lives in Austin, Texas, he is based in Los Angeles — in some ways 
mirrored the belated face-off between Pacino and De Niro, who despite 
being co-stars only meet midway in the 170 minute picture.

“We 
began working together in the depths of Covid,” she says. “We didn't get
 a chance to meet for a year. It was all long phone calls, and long 
emails back and forth.”

Mann, 79, has been working in film and 
television since the 1970s, whether writing episodes for “Starsky and 
Hutch,” serving as executive producer of the show “Miami Vice” or 
directing “The Insider," “Manhunter” and “Public Enemies.” He is a 
Chicago native who says his take on the world — “a certain kind of 
cynical worldview, I guess” — was shaped by his experiences as the son 
of grocers in the inner city. Citing “The French Connection” and its 
director, William Friedkin, as favorites, he jokes that filmmakers like 
himself and Friedkin who grew up in Chicago itself end up making crime 
stories, while those from the suburbs (such as the late John Hughes) 
prefer comedies.

“Heat 2” is the first of three planned novels 
(one of which may be related to “Heat”), and an ambitious literary 
beginning for a man who had never attempted a work of fiction before. He
 majored in English at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, with 
thoughts of becoming a teacher, but decided that would be “really 
immensely boring.” Asked to cite literary influences, he mentions John 
le Carre, but otherwise says he doesn't read crime fiction. Instead, he 
looks to “primary sources,” the various killers, crooks, law enforcers 
and government agents he has met and befriended and whose stories he 
adapted for “Heat,” “Thief” and other films.

Critics and fellow 
directors have praised him for his complex narratives and gifts for 
pacing and atmosphere: Christopher Nolan has cited “Heat” as inspiration
 for his acclaimed Batman movie “The Dark Knight.” But some of Mann's 
favorite feedback has come from those “primary sources.” He smiles when 
asked what some of the real-life models for his characters have said 
upon seeing his films.

“I’ve been offered alternative careers,” he says.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/7/1658516463937.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>By HILLEL ITALIE Associated PressNEW
 YORK — Decades after the release of Michael Mann’s “Heat,” the 
classic crime thriller has endured in the minds of fans, critics, peers 
and the director himself.He had so much left to say.“There's
 always the sense of being shortchanged,” Mann said during a Zoom 
interview from his apartment in Modena, Italy, where he is currently 
working on “Ferrari," starring Adam Driver as the race car driver-auto 
magnate. “I love doing the research and building these characters out 
very, very completely, and rooting the actor into a whole life. ... The 
movie is a splinter, it's just a very narrow slice of a complete life."Mann
 has finally rounded out the story from his 1995 movie. He has brought 
back the lethal, calculating criminal Neil McCauley, played by Robert De
 Niro; the swaggering detective Vincent Hanna, played by Al Pacino; and 
such supporting characters as Chris Shiherlis (Val Kilmer), Michael 
Cheritto (Tom Sizemore) and Nate (Jon Voight).He does hope to 
make another “Heat” movie, but he has chosen to introduce his new 
narrative through words only, the novel “Heat 2."Written with the
 award-winning crime novelist Meg Gardiner and scheduled to come out 
Aug. 9, the 480-page “Heat 2” is a sequel and prequel, looking back to 
the late 1980s and ahead to the 21st century, expanding the world of 
McCauley and Hanna and Shiherlis among others, adding new characters and
 moving the action everywhere from Los Angeles to Paraguay and Asia.Mann
 had never attempted a novel before and finally tried in part for a 
similar reason he takes on a given film: To see if he can. In some ways,
 he approached the book as if planning a movie production. He began with
 a basic story — he likes to know in advance how the plot turns out — 
and built the narrative outward, over time and space. For his novel, he 
speaks of creating “momentum that is almost cinematic,” a symphony 
driving to a closing clash.“Heat 2” permitted him to explore and 
digress in ways he wouldn't attempt on screen. He makes a point of 
knowing everyone's inner and outer lives. McCauley, for instance, he 
sees as a longtime outsider, institutionalized in his early teens. He 
sees him as “very intelligent,” with a “really strong ego and very 
little self esteem.” An ideal criminal.“He goes to violence, immediately, zero to 60,” Mann explains.“Heat,”
 among the most celebrated movies never to receive an Oscar nomination, 
has a base of obsessive admirers. After a special screening in June at 
the Tribeca Film Festival, audience members shouted lines from the movie
 during a panel discussion with Pacino and De Niro. Mann say fans often 
come up to him and quote from the famous coffee shop conversation 
between McCauley and Hanna, the first time Pacino and De Niro had ever 
shared screen time (They had previously appeared in separate time 
periods in “The Godfather, Part II”).“Heat 2” is a departure for 
Mann, and from novels in recent years by other filmmakers, among them 
Werner Herzog, Brian De Palma and David Cronenberg. While Herzog’s “The 
Twilight World” and De Palma’s “Are Snakes Necessary?” are original 
stories, Mann is doing a kind of reversal, taking characters created for
 the screen and adapting them to the page. Instead of finding it a 
distraction to think of Pacino when he’s describing Hanna, he welcomes 
the merger of actor and character.“They're fused. It's a fusion. 
They're one and the same,” he says. “Vincent Hanna is Al Pacino and Al 
Pacino is Vincent Hanna. Neil McCauley in 1988 is Bobby (De Niro) seven 
years younger. ... Since I made the movie and sought Al Pacino and De 
Niro and Val Kilmer, you bet that's who these people are.”Gardiner
 joined Mann at the suggestion of their mutual literary agent, Shane 
Salerno. Known for her Evan Delaney novels, she is a “Heat” fan and a 
partisan for Mann’s film in the many discussions she has had with fellow
 writers over whether “Goodfellas,” “The Godfather” or “Heat” is their 
favorite crime movie. For “Heat 2,” she helped Mann with the book’s 
structure and otherwise proved a sounding board and close collaborator, 
the two eventually writing alternating chapters. Their time together — 
she lives in Austin, Texas, he is based in Los Angeles — in some ways 
mirrored the belated face-off between Pacino and De Niro, who despite 
being co-stars only meet midway in the 170 minute picture.“We 
began working together in the depths of Covid,” she says. “We didn't get
 a chance to meet for a year. It was all long phone calls, and long 
emails back and forth.”Mann, 79, has been working in film and 
television since the 1970s, whether writing episodes for “Starsky and 
Hutch,” serving as executive producer of the show “Miami Vice” or 
directing “The Insider," “Manhunter” and “Public Enemies.” He is a 
Chicago native who says his take on the world — “a certain kind of 
cynical worldview, I guess” — was shaped by his experiences as the son 
of grocers in the inner city. Citing “The French Connection” and its 
director, William Friedkin, as favorites, he jokes that filmmakers like 
himself and Friedkin who grew up in Chicago itself end up making crime 
stories, while those from the suburbs (such as the late John Hughes) 
prefer comedies.“Heat 2” is the first of three planned novels 
(one of which may be related to “Heat”), and an ambitious literary 
beginning for a man who had never attempted a work of fiction before. He
 majored in English at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, with 
thoughts of becoming a teacher, but decided that would be “really 
immensely boring.” Asked to cite literary influences, he mentions John 
le Carre, but otherwise says he doesn't read crime fiction. Instead, he 
looks to “primary sources,” the various killers, crooks, law enforcers 
and government agents he has met and befriended and whose stories he 
adapted for “Heat,” “Thief” and other films.Critics and fellow 
directors have praised him for his complex narratives and gifts for 
pacing and atmosphere: Christopher Nolan has cited “Heat” as inspiration
 for his acclaimed Batman movie “The Dark Knight.” But some of Mann's 
favorite feedback has come from those “primary sources.” He smiles when 
asked what some of the real-life models for his characters have said 
upon seeing his films.“I’ve been offered alternative careers,” he says.

'Heat'-ing up: Michael Mann writes sequel-prequel 'Heat 2'

NEWPORT, R.I. (AP) — Pete Seeger, the banjo-playing folk singer whose music was indelibly intertwined with his social activism, was honored Thursday as the latest American musician to appear on a U.S. postage stamp.

The forever stamp, which features a color-tinted, black-and-white photograph taken in the early 1960s showing Seeger in profile singing and playing his five-string banjo, went on sale at post offices nationwide, according to a U.S. Postal Service spokesperson.

A special ceremony was planned for the evening in Newport, Rhode Island, the site of the Newport Folk Festival, where Seeger was a performer and for a time a member of the board. This year's three-day festival starts Friday.

“It is an honor to see a photo of my father I’d taken some 60 years ago become this wonderful forever stamp,” his son, Dan Seeger, said in a statement. “My dad did most of his correspondence by hand — written letters — and I can imagine him smiling and of course appreciating this great honor because he relied on the U.S. Mail with its simplicity and honesty, knowing that thoughts and ideas can go from the sender over a tremendous expanse to a single receiver and get delivered.”

Seeger, a Harvard dropout&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/f807e8eeb524413aa8c3146a5b79e684">who died in 2014 at age 94</a>, wrote or co-wrote “If I Had a Hammer,” “Turn, Turn, Turn,” and “Where Have All the Flowers Gone.” He is also credited with popularizing “We Shall Overcome,” an anthem of the civil rights movement.

“He was not only a champion of traditional American music, he was also celebrated as a unifying power by promoting a variety of causes, such as civil rights, workers’ rights, social justice, the peace movement and protecting the environment,” said Tom Foti, the postal service’s product solutions vice president.

While Seeger, a lifelong activist, was exiled from commercial air play in the 1950s and 1960s after an appearance before the House Un-American Activities Committee for his Communist affiliations, his career never slowed and he continued to record and tour.

He won multiple Grammy Awards, was inducted into both the Songwriters and Rock and Roll halls of fame, and earned the National Medal of the Arts and the Kennedy Center Honors.

He remained an activist late into his life — walking through the streets of Manhattan leading an Occupy Movement protest in 2011.

Seeger joins a long list of musical performers to appear on a U.S. postage stamp, including Elvis Presley, Thelonious Monk, Ray Charles and Frank Sinatra.

The Seeger stamps are sold in panes of 16 resembling a vintage 45 rpm record sleeve, according to the postal service. The stamp and pane were designed by Antonio Alcalá and the photograph was color-tinted by Kristen Monthei.

Associated PressNEWPORT, R.I. (AP) — Pete Seeger, the banjo-playing folk singer whose music was indelibly intertwined with his social activism, was honored Thursday as the latest American musician to appear on a U.S. postage stamp.The forever stamp, which features a color-tinted, black-and-white photograph taken in the early 1960s showing Seeger in profile singing and playing his five-string banjo, went on sale at post offices nationwide, according to a U.S. Postal Service spokesperson.A special ceremony was planned for the evening in Newport, Rhode Island, the site of the Newport Folk Festival, where Seeger was a performer and for a time a member of the board. This year's three-day festival starts Friday.“It is an honor to see a photo of my father I’d taken some 60 years ago become this wonderful forever stamp,” his son, Dan Seeger, said in a statement. “My dad did most of his correspondence by hand — written letters — and I can imagine him smiling and of course appreciating this great honor because he relied on the U.S. Mail with its simplicity and honesty, knowing that thoughts and ideas can go from the sender over a tremendous expanse to a single receiver and get delivered.”Seeger, a Harvard dropout&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/f807e8eeb524413aa8c3146a5b79e684">who died in 2014 at age 94</a>, wrote or co-wrote “If I Had a Hammer,” “Turn, Turn, Turn,” and “Where Have All the Flowers Gone.” He is also credited with popularizing “We Shall Overcome,” an anthem of the civil rights movement.“He was not only a champion of traditional American music, he was also celebrated as a unifying power by promoting a variety of causes, such as civil rights, workers’ rights, social justice, the peace movement and protecting the environment,” said Tom Foti, the postal service’s product solutions vice president.While Seeger, a lifelong activist, was exiled from commercial air play in the 1950s and 1960s after an appearance before the House Un-American Activities Committee for his Communist affiliations, his career never slowed and he continued to record and tour.He won multiple Grammy Awards, was inducted into both the Songwriters and Rock and Roll halls of fame, and earned the National Medal of the Arts and the Kennedy Center Honors.He remained an activist late into his life — walking through the streets of Manhattan leading an Occupy Movement protest in 2011.Seeger joins a long list of musical performers to appear on a U.S. postage stamp, including Elvis Presley, Thelonious Monk, Ray Charles and Frank Sinatra.The Seeger stamps are sold in panes of 16 resembling a vintage 45 rpm record sleeve, according to the postal service. The stamp and pane were designed by Antonio Alcalá and the photograph was color-tinted by Kristen Monthei.

Pete Seeger gets own stamp; ceremony planned at Newport Folk

<a href="https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search/?query=byline:%22LOLITA%20C.%20BALDOR%22&amp;mediaType=text&amp;st=keyword&amp;sortOrder=newest">By LOLITA C. BALDOR Associated Press</a>

WASHINGTON (AP) — When&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/entertainment-tom-cruise-jerry-bruckheimer-california-74bbbb5552c75cb268ae8298e4fe1379">“Top Gun: Maverick”</a>&nbsp;roared into theaters in late May, the Air Force was ready.

The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/entertainment-movies-north-america-steven-spielberg-bb005f1efd6a5de2ef40acd4c588214e">smash hit movie</a>&nbsp;may feature Tom Cruise as Pete “Maverick” Mitchell,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/top-gun-maverick-film-review-dfe987ecf3250c3f0103da09b3dc76dc">a hotshot Navy aviator</a>, but to much of the movie-going public, the distinction between Air Force and Navy fighter jets is lost. So Air Force recruiters struggling to meet their enlistment goals took boxes of free mugs and lanyards, and fanned out to movie theaters for the premiere, determined to capitalize on the jet-fueled excitement surrounding the film.

These are tough times for military recruiters. With COVID-19 complicating their work and low unemployment reducing the number of potential recruits, all services are having problems finding young people who want to join and can meet the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.goarmy.com/how-to-join/requirements.html#:~:text=Enlisted%20Soldiers,-Enlisted%20Soldiers%20are&amp;text=Age%3A%20Between%2017%2D35%20years,high%20school%20graduate%20or%20equivalent">physical, mental and moral requirements.</a>

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/covid-politics-health-army-dc5db721e3270e0e92a0210daa890860">The Army especially is struggling</a>. On Tuesday, it said it will cut the total number of soldiers it expects to have in the force over the next two years. If those trends continue, that could present challenges as it tries to meet future national security and warfighting missions.

The situation is somewhat less dire for the Air Force, Navy and Marine Corps. Leaders of those branches say they hope to meet or just slightly miss their recruiting goals for this year. But they say they will have to dip into their pool of delayed entry applicants, which will put them behind as they begin the next recruiting year.

So recruiters are offering bigger bonuses and other incentives to those who sign up. And they are seizing on the boost that Hollywood may offer – such as the buzz over the sequel to the 1986 hit “Top Gun.”

“When the original ‘Top Gun’ was released, the Navy and Air Force received a pretty good recruiting bump,” said Maj. Gen. Edward Thomas, head of&nbsp;<a href="https://www.recruiting.af.mil/">Air Force Recruiting Service.</a>&nbsp;"Frankly, we hope people get excited all over again about what we do. Whether they want to aim high or fly Navy, we just want them to come join us. We want them to be excited about military service.”

The Air Force said it usually goes into each year with about 25% of its recruiting goal already locked in, but this year will have about half of that. The Navy and Marine Corps often have as much as 50% of their goals at the start of the year, but also will see their percentage slashed.

Gen. Eric Smith, assistant commandant of the Marine Corps., said the Marines are focusing more on retention than recruiting. He said the Marine Corps “will make or come very close to making” its recruiting goals this year, but at the expense of the 2023 pool. And when recruits have less time to prepare before reporting to boot camp, more fail to complete their training, he said.

The situation is more dire for the Army, which a top general says faces “unprecedented challenges” in recruitments.

Gen. Joseph Martin, vice chief of staff for the Army, said the service will have a total force of 466,400 this year, down from the expected 476,000. It could end 2023 with between 445,000 and 452,000 soldiers, depending on how well recruiting and retention go.

With just 2 1/2 months to go in the budget year ending Sept. 30, the Army has met just 50% of its recruiting goal of 60,000 soldiers, and based on those trends will likely miss that goal by nearly 25% as of Oct. 1.

An array of factors has made recruiting more difficult across the services.

Two years of the COVID-19 pandemic shuttered schools and other large public events that the military relies on to meet young people face to face.

The low unemployment rate means fewer people are looking for jobs. Private companies often pay more and are more nimble in responding to a tight labor market by raising salaries. Military salaries vary widely and are determined by Congress.

Across the country, fewer people are familiar with the military. Many do not know anyone who served and do not have bases in their regions. As political and cultural divisions over race, abortion, vaccines and other issues tear through the nation,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/covid-technology-health-government-and-politics-new-york-cfb56a95aec23dddbabcf3ebbe839f05">trust in the government</a>&nbsp;— including the military — has declined.

At the same time, only about 23% of young adults are physically, mentally and morally qualified to serve without receiving some type of waiver. Moral behavior issues include drug use, gang ties or a criminal record.

“We look at it as the toughest recruiting environment that we’ve had in decades,” said Rear Adm. Lex Walker, who heads Navy Recruiting Command. “Companies are also offering great pay, they’re offering sign-on bonuses, help with college. They’re offering many of the same benefits the Navy has historically used to recruit."

One short-term solution is money. The Air Force and Navy commanders both said they had to request more money for bonuses this year as they began to see the recruiting struggle worsen.

For the first time in a decade, the Air Force approved two rounds of additional bonuses this budget year. Last October the service budgeted $17.5 million for enlistment bonuses, but in April service leaders added another $14 million, and in July they put in $7 million more.

The Navy, said Walker, has also increased bonuses by about $100 million. It also has also relaxed some restrictions to make it possible to enlist some who may not have qualified before. He said the Navy expanded its waiver policy for some prior marijuana use and for tattoos — allowing recruits to have visible ones in more places, such as the neck. A new pilot program allows single parents with up to two children over a year old to seek a waiver to enlist as long as the recruits have someone who can care for the children in case of a deployment.

The recruiting officials also said it's crucial to increase the public's awareness of the military and the benefits available for serving. They said recruiters and all members of the military need to get out into their communities, connect with people and tell their stories.

Air Force Sgt. Eric Way did just that at the Regal Cinema in Waterford, Connecticut, during the premiere of “Top Gun: Maverick." Standing in the lobby, surrounded by Air Force swag and banners, he captured the attention of a 22-year-old from Old Lyme, who later told him the movie convinced him that he should enlist.

Air Force Senior Master Sgt. Gervacio Maldonado, who helped organize the New England recruiting campaign centered on the movie’s premiere, said recruiters spoke to the young man before the film and gave him social media information to contact them later.

It worked. The man has already done his first interview.

Maldonado said the man later told a recruiter that he had been debating the enlistment idea for some time and said that "after watching the movie, that was my tipping point and I want to start the process.”

<a href="https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search/?query=byline:%22LOLITA%20C.%20BALDOR%22&amp;mediaType=text&amp;st=keyword&amp;sortOrder=newest">By LOLITA C. BALDOR Associated Press</a>WASHINGTON (AP) — When&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/entertainment-tom-cruise-jerry-bruckheimer-california-74bbbb5552c75cb268ae8298e4fe1379">“Top Gun: Maverick”</a>&nbsp;roared into theaters in late May, the Air Force was ready.The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/entertainment-movies-north-america-steven-spielberg-bb005f1efd6a5de2ef40acd4c588214e">smash hit movie</a>&nbsp;may feature Tom Cruise as Pete “Maverick” Mitchell,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/top-gun-maverick-film-review-dfe987ecf3250c3f0103da09b3dc76dc">a hotshot Navy aviator</a>, but to much of the movie-going public, the distinction between Air Force and Navy fighter jets is lost. So Air Force recruiters struggling to meet their enlistment goals took boxes of free mugs and lanyards, and fanned out to movie theaters for the premiere, determined to capitalize on the jet-fueled excitement surrounding the film.These are tough times for military recruiters. With COVID-19 complicating their work and low unemployment reducing the number of potential recruits, all services are having problems finding young people who want to join and can meet the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.goarmy.com/how-to-join/requirements.html#:~:text=Enlisted%20Soldiers,-Enlisted%20Soldiers%20are&amp;text=Age%3A%20Between%2017%2D35%20years,high%20school%20graduate%20or%20equivalent">physical, mental and moral requirements.</a><a href="https://apnews.com/article/covid-politics-health-army-dc5db721e3270e0e92a0210daa890860">The Army especially is struggling</a>. On Tuesday, it said it will cut the total number of soldiers it expects to have in the force over the next two years. If those trends continue, that could present challenges as it tries to meet future national security and warfighting missions.The situation is somewhat less dire for the Air Force, Navy and Marine Corps. Leaders of those branches say they hope to meet or just slightly miss their recruiting goals for this year. But they say they will have to dip into their pool of delayed entry applicants, which will put them behind as they begin the next recruiting year.So recruiters are offering bigger bonuses and other incentives to those who sign up. And they are seizing on the boost that Hollywood may offer – such as the buzz over the sequel to the 1986 hit “Top Gun.”“When the original ‘Top Gun’ was released, the Navy and Air Force received a pretty good recruiting bump,” said Maj. Gen. Edward Thomas, head of&nbsp;<a href="https://www.recruiting.af.mil/">Air Force Recruiting Service.</a>&nbsp;"Frankly, we hope people get excited all over again about what we do. Whether they want to aim high or fly Navy, we just want them to come join us. We want them to be excited about military service.”The Air Force said it usually goes into each year with about 25% of its recruiting goal already locked in, but this year will have about half of that. The Navy and Marine Corps often have as much as 50% of their goals at the start of the year, but also will see their percentage slashed.Gen. Eric Smith, assistant commandant of the Marine Corps., said the Marines are focusing more on retention than recruiting. He said the Marine Corps “will make or come very close to making” its recruiting goals this year, but at the expense of the 2023 pool. And when recruits have less time to prepare before reporting to boot camp, more fail to complete their training, he said.The situation is more dire for the Army, which a top general says faces “unprecedented challenges” in recruitments.Gen. Joseph Martin, vice chief of staff for the Army, said the service will have a total force of 466,400 this year, down from the expected 476,000. It could end 2023 with between 445,000 and 452,000 soldiers, depending on how well recruiting and retention go.With just 2 1/2 months to go in the budget year ending Sept. 30, the Army has met just 50% of its recruiting goal of 60,000 soldiers, and based on those trends will likely miss that goal by nearly 25% as of Oct. 1.An array of factors has made recruiting more difficult across the services.Two years of the COVID-19 pandemic shuttered schools and other large public events that the military relies on to meet young people face to face.The low unemployment rate means fewer people are looking for jobs. Private companies often pay more and are more nimble in responding to a tight labor market by raising salaries. Military salaries vary widely and are determined by Congress.Across the country, fewer people are familiar with the military. Many do not know anyone who served and do not have bases in their regions. As political and cultural divisions over race, abortion, vaccines and other issues tear through the nation,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/covid-technology-health-government-and-politics-new-york-cfb56a95aec23dddbabcf3ebbe839f05">trust in the government</a>&nbsp;— including the military — has declined.At the same time, only about 23% of young adults are physically, mentally and morally qualified to serve without receiving some type of waiver. Moral behavior issues include drug use, gang ties or a criminal record.“We look at it as the toughest recruiting environment that we’ve had in decades,” said Rear Adm. Lex Walker, who heads Navy Recruiting Command. “Companies are also offering great pay, they’re offering sign-on bonuses, help with college. They’re offering many of the same benefits the Navy has historically used to recruit."One short-term solution is money. The Air Force and Navy commanders both said they had to request more money for bonuses this year as they began to see the recruiting struggle worsen.For the first time in a decade, the Air Force approved two rounds of additional bonuses this budget year. Last October the service budgeted $17.5 million for enlistment bonuses, but in April service leaders added another $14 million, and in July they put in $7 million more.The Navy, said Walker, has also increased bonuses by about $100 million. It also has also relaxed some restrictions to make it possible to enlist some who may not have qualified before. He said the Navy expanded its waiver policy for some prior marijuana use and for tattoos — allowing recruits to have visible ones in more places, such as the neck. A new pilot program allows single parents with up to two children over a year old to seek a waiver to enlist as long as the recruits have someone who can care for the children in case of a deployment.The recruiting officials also said it's crucial to increase the public's awareness of the military and the benefits available for serving. They said recruiters and all members of the military need to get out into their communities, connect with people and tell their stories.Air Force Sgt. Eric Way did just that at the Regal Cinema in Waterford, Connecticut, during the premiere of “Top Gun: Maverick." Standing in the lobby, surrounded by Air Force swag and banners, he captured the attention of a 22-year-old from Old Lyme, who later told him the movie convinced him that he should enlist.Air Force Senior Master Sgt. Gervacio Maldonado, who helped organize the New England recruiting campaign centered on the movie’s premiere, said recruiters spoke to the young man before the film and gave him social media information to contact them later.It worked. The man has already done his first interview.Maldonado said the man later told a recruiter that he had been debating the enlistment idea for some time and said that "after watching the movie, that was my tipping point and I want to start the process.”

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