AP Trending SummaryBrief at 6:19 p.m. EST

Pizza Hut closing 250 US stores as parent company considers selling the brand

Pizza Hut plans to close 250 U.S. restaurants in the first half of this year as its parent company considers a sale of the chain. Yum Brands said Wednesday it’s targeting underperforming Pizza Hut restaurants in its system. Pizza Hut has more than 6,000 U.S. locations. Louisville, Kentucky-based Yum Brands said in November it was conducting a formal review of options for Pizza Hut, which has struggled with outdated stores and growing competition. The chain’s U.S. same-store sales fell 5% last year. Growth has been stronger internationally, where Pizza Hut's same-store sales rose 1%. China is Pizza Hut's second-largest market after the U.S.

Boar's Head reopens Virginia deli meat plant tied to deadly listeria outbreak

Company and federal officials said the Boar's Head deli meat plant tied to a deadly 2024 listeria food poisoning outbreak is back in business. The company's plant in Jarratt, Virginia, resumed limited operations on Feb. 2. The site was shut down more than a year ago after the outbreak tied to contaminated liverwurst killed 10 people and sickened dozens. The reopening comes even as inspections of another Boar's Head plant documented sanitation problems similar to those that may have contributed to the outbreak. Dozens of violations between July and December 2025 were documented at the Petersburg, Virginia, Boar's Head plant.

Arizona Department of Public Safety helicopter crash kills 2 while responding to shootout

FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. (AP) — An Arizona Department of Public Safety helicopter responding to a shootout between police and a suspect has crashed in an accident that killed the pilot and a trooper on board. The helicopter was assisting law enforcement officers Wednesday night as they exchanged gunfire with a suspect in a domestic violence incident. The gunfire lasted almost two hours before the suspect was wounded and taken into custody around the same time of the helicopter crash. The cause of the crash was under investigation. No one else was injured.

Top NHL prospect and Penn State freshman Gavin McKenna charged with felony assault

STATE COLLEGE, Pa. (AP) — Penn State hockey star Gavin McKenna has been charged with felony assault for allegedly breaking a man’s jaw and knocking out a tooth in an altercation last weekend. Police say McKenna twice punched the 21-year-old man in the face, requiring him to undergo surgery. The 18-year-old McKenna is the presumptive top pick in this summer's NHL draft. He was arraigned and released on $20,000 unsecured bail. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for Feb. 11. The incident happened in the hours after Penn State lost to No. 2 Michigan State in an outdoor game at Beaver Stadium.

After 80 years, Minute Maid's frozen canned juices are getting put on ice

Minute Maid helped make orange juice a year-round morning staple in 1946, when it started shipping cans of frozen juice around the U.S. But 80 years later, the brand’s parent company is halting sales of frozen juice concentrates in the U.S. and Canada, saying it wants to focus on the fresh juices that customers now prefer. The Coca-Cola Company says Minute Maid’s frozen juices, including its lemonade and limeade, will be discontinued by April.  For generations, Americans who wanted orange juice without the work of squeezing fresh fruit cracked open a can and slid a cylinder of frozen juice into a pitcher. The concentrated juice was mixed with water to make it ready for drinking.

Mickey Lolich, hero of the 1968 World Series for the Detroit Tigers, dies at 85

DETROIT (AP) — Mickey Lolich, who earned three complete-game wins for the Detroit Tigers in the 1968 World Series, has died. Lolich was the last Major League Baseball pitcher to achieve that feat in a single World Series. Denny McLain was the star of Detroit’s pitching staff in '68, but Lolich was the Most Valuable Player of the Series, with a 1.67 ERA and a Game 7 victory on the road over Bob Gibson and the St. Louis Cardinals. Lolich jumping into catcher Bill Freehan’s arms after Freehan caught a foul popup by Tim McCarver for the final out became an iconic image of Detroit’s championship season. The Tigers say Lolich’s wife told them he died Wednesday in hospice care. Mickey Lolich was 85.

How Super Bowl halftime moments became flashpoints from the 'wardrobe malfunction' to caged kids

LOS ANGELES (AP) — The Super Bowl halftime show, lasting about 13 minutes, has sparked decades of conversation. Iconic moments include Janet Jackson and Justin Timberlake's “wardrobe malfunction” and Beyoncé's “Formation” performance, which highlighted Black history and identity. These moments aren't just flashpoints; they amplify visibility and invite interpretation. As Bad Bunny prepares to perform, the focus is on Latin identity and potential social commentary. Past shows have tested NFL boundaries, like Jennifer Lopez's immigration critique and Eminem's tribute to Colin Kaepernick.

Penny the Doberman pinscher wins the 150th Westminster dog show

NEW YORK (AP) — A Doberman pinscher named Penny won best in show at the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show. Penny bested six other finalists Tuesday night at Madison Square Garden. The award is considered the most prestigious prize in the U.S. dog show world. Each dog is judged according to how closely it matches the ideal for its breed. The winner gets a trophy, ribbons, bragging rights and, this year, the distinction of winning the milestone 150th annual Westminster show.

With caviar McNuggets and heart-shaped pizza, fast food chains hope to win Valentine's diners

It’s a tale as old as time, or at least as old as TikTok: chicken nuggets lovingly topped with a dab of caviar. McDonald’s is embracing the trend this Valentine’s Day with a limited-time McNugget Caviar kit. The free kit, which will be available on McNuggetCaviar.com on Feb. 10, pairs a one-ounce tin of Paramount’s Siberian sturgeon caviar with a $25 McDonald’s gift card to buy McNuggets. McDonald’s is one of several fast-food chains hoping to win a share of traffic this Valentine's Day. For the 35th year in a row, White Castle is transforming its restaurants into Love Castles, with hostess seating, tableside service and Valentine’s Day décor.

A 13-year-old Australian boy swims for hours to save his mother and siblings who were swept away

MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) — A 13-year-old boy swam for four hours in cold and choppy waters to save his mother and two younger siblings who had been swept out to sea off the coast of Western Australia. The family rented paddleboards and a kayak that got pulled further and further out to sea as the wind picked up Friday. Austin Appelbee said Tuesday that he told himself to just keep going during his 4-kilometer ocean swim back to Quindalup. His mother, brother and sister were in the water for about 10 hours before they were rescued. Police Inspector James Bradley praised Austin, saying the teenager's "determination and courage" saved their lives.