NEW YORK (AP) ― George Lucas is done with “Star Wars,” but not with filmmaking. The “Star Wars” creator says he still plans to make his “own little personal films.” Lucas spoke Friday night while attending Ebony magazine’s Power 100 Gala, days after announcing the sale of his storied Lucasfilm to Disney for $4.05 billion. The deal would allow for more “Star Wars” films. While Lucas will be a creative consultant, longtime collaborator Kathleen Kennedy will be in control. When asked if he’d have a

GENEVA (AFP) ― Renowned Chinese-born writer Han Suyin, whose autobiographical novel was turned into the popular American film “Love Is a Many-Splendored Thing,” has died in Lausanne, Switzerland, Chinese and Swiss media said Sunday. She was 95.Han, the author of about 40 books on modern China, died Friday, the Chinese state news agency Xinhua reported, citing her family.The frail-looking and charismatic Han was branded both as a “Chinese revolutionary” in the West and “bourgeois” in communist Ch

A Thai cadet has been named a student squadron commander in South Korea’s Air Force Academy, becoming the first foreign cadet to assume such a high leadership role in the country’s military academies, officials said Sunday.Thawatchai Thongsangkaew, 28, will command about 320 cadets until January as head of the academy’s second squadron. Squadron commandership is the second highest position cadets can take in the academy, after that of wing commander.Thawatchai, who has completed seven semesters

Details on a burial ground in England believe to be linked to a medieval exorcism ritual have been revealed in a recent study by a British archaeologist, according to local media outlets.The burial site, which was uncovered in the ancient minster town of Southwell, had been a burial site to keep “dangerous dead” from rising from their graves, Matthew Beresford of Southwell Archaeology said in his report. The body inside the grave had metal spikes piercing its shoulders, heart and ankles, leading

From around six months infants sleep better if one of the parents sits next to the side of its cot, according to the association of German pediatricians.This "camping out" by one of the parents helps to calm the infant and should continue until the baby falls asleep. Then the parent may quietly leave the room.Another method is referred to as "controlled comforting," according to Monika Niehaus, a German pediatrician. In this case, parents react to a crying baby, but at increasing time intervals.

NEW YORK (AP) ― From “Livin’ on a Prayer” to “The Living Proof,” every song Friday at NBC’s benefit concert for superstorm Sandy victims became a message song.New Jersey’s Jon Bon Jovi gave extra meaning to “Who Says You Can’t Go Home.” Billy Joel worked in a reference to Staten Island, the decimated New York City borough. The hourlong event, hosted by Matt Lauer, was heavy on stars and lyrics identified with New Jersey and the New York metropolitan area, which took the brunt of this week’s dead

British freestyler ‘absorbs’ the culture, life of Korea

HUNTINGTON BEACH, California (AP) ― Suicide Silence death-metal band lead singer Mitchell Lucker has died in a California motorcycle crash at age 28. Huntington Beach police say Lucker lost control of his Harley-Davidson on Halloween night. He died Thursday. Fans gathered Thursday night for a candlelight vigil at the crash site. The band posted a message on its Facebook page saying Lucker’s death is devastating and the singer will be forever in their hearts. Suicide Silence has released three Ce

LOS ANGELES (AP) ― Jurors who heard libel and breach of contract claims by Britney Spears’ ex-confidante said they were unimpressed by his case and agreed with a judge’s ruling to dismiss his case mid-trial. Thursday’s ruling by Superior Court Judge Suzanne Bruguera was also praised by attorneys for Spears’ family and her conservators, who said it was the right result after years of legal fights with Sam Lutfi, who claimed he was the singer’s manager and entitled to a share of her fortune. “It w