'Lion King' roars into theaters, British Open Round 2, Suzanne Eaton case: 5 things to know Friday
Hakuna matata! Disney's live-action 'Lion King' roars into theaters
Exiled lion cub Simba tries to win back the royal throne from the evil Scar all over again in Disney's new live-action remake of the animated "The Lion King," which opens nationwide Friday. While the new film's plot sticks very closely to the original, director Jon Favreau made a few, mostly beneficial updates. Says USA TODAY's Brian Truitt: This "Lion King" does an OK job roaring to life for a new generation and looking spectacular along the way." Here's where we think "The Lion King" ranks on the list of all Disney's live-action remakes.
Pompeo heads out to Argentina for anti-terrorism conference
Secretary of State Mike Pompeo heads to Argentina on Friday for a regional counter-terrorism conference. The conference is commemorating the 25th anniversary of Argentina’s deadliest terrorist attack, when 85 were killed in a bombing of a Jewish center in Buenos Aires. On Friday, Pompeo is also scheduled to meet with Argentinian President Mauricio Macri, before heading out to other Latin American countries over the weekend.
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British Open: Golf's best try to rebound after brutal opening round
If the first round was any indication, it's going to be a rough weekend at Royal Portrush for the British Open. Golfers will attempt to rebound from Thursday's scattershot opening round during Friday's Round 2 (starting at 1:30 a.m. ET on Golf Channel). One of the tournament favorites, Rory McIlroy, got off to a rough start with a shot out of bounds and didn't quite recover, ending his first 18 at 8 over. Tiger Woods — who tees off Friday at 5:09 a.m. ET — fared little better, finishing one stroke better. J.B. Holmes is the leader after Round 1 at 5 under par.
Suspect in murder of US scientist in Greece to appear in court
A Greek man who has been charged with the murder and rape of an American scientist on the island of Crete is scheduled to appear in court for a hearing Friday. Suzanne Eaton, 59, disappeared July 2 while jogging, setting off a massive search that ended five days later when her battered body was found in a cave that had also served as a WWII bunker. Crete police identified the suspect as a local man, Ioannis Paraskakis, 27, according to multiple reports. On Tuesday, police said Paraskakis confessed to hitting Eaton with his car, then putting her into the trunk before taking her to the cave.
Ford secretly extends faulty Focus, Fiesta warranties until Friday
Ford Motor Co. quietly notified dealers to expand warranty coverage of its 2011-17 Fiesta and Focus vehicles following the publication of a Detroit Free Press investigation into defective transmissions. One dealer referred to the directive as a "carte blanche" repair order set to expire July 19. Dealers said they have seen a spike in customer calls and visits since publication of the investigation that found that Ford "knowingly launched two low-priced, fuel-efficient cars with defective transmissions and continued selling the troubled Focus and Fiesta despite thousands of complaints and an avalanche of repairs." Customers have gone to dealerships carrying the Free Press story to show that the transmission problems aren't their imagination, some car owners told the newspaper.