Reuters People News Summary
Following is a summary of current people news briefs.
Ex-NBA star Rodman gets three years probation on driving charges
Former pro basketball star Dennis Rodman pleaded guilty and was sentenced to three years' informal probation on Monday on charges that he drove the wrong way on a California highway, forcing another car to swerve into a concrete dividing wall. Rodman was also sentenced to 30 hours of community service and ordered to donate $500 to a victim witness emergency fund, the Orange County District Attorney's Office said.
Kindness matters, Britain's Duchess of Cambridge tells schoolchildren
Britain's Duchess of Cambridge told a group of children to look for opportunities to be kind as she and her husband Prince William visited a primary school on Monday as part of a campaign to raise awareness of children's mental health issues. William and Catherine attended a "Big Assembly" event at a London school as part of the "Heads Together" campaign that the couple and the prince's younger brother Prince Harry are spearheading to tackle the stigma of mental health in Britain.
Ricky Gervais' shtick gets tricky in Trump and Brexit era
Playing a brash, bigoted bore in the Trump and Brexit era is double trouble for comedian-actor Ricky Gervais. "I use irony, saying the wrong things so that hopefully people will understand the right things," Gervais told Reuters. "But now it's too dangerous. I get the wrong round of applause! I have to be so careful about what I say."
Professor Irwin Corey, comedian dubbed 'world's foremost authority,' dies at 102
Madcap comedian Professor Irwin Corey, who billed himself as "the world's foremost authority" and entertained audiences in comedy clubs and on TV and stage with rambling and nonsensical commentary, has died at age 102, his family said on Tuesday. Corey died at his Manhattan townhouse on Monday, the comedian's daughter-in-law Lien Corey said by phone. His son, Richard, was by his side.
Gun salute marks Queen Elizabeth's 65 years on British throne
Queen Elizabeth, the world's longest-reigning living monarch, celebrated her Sapphire Jubilee on Monday as Britain commemorated 65 years since she ascended the British throne. The 90-year-old monarch, who became Britain's longest-reigning sovereign in 2015, did not publicly mark the occasion herself, but a 41-gun royal salute was fired in a central London park to honor the landmark.
Obama kiteboards in Caribbean with billionaire Richard Branson
Former U.S. president Barack Obama is trying some new and dangerous water sports that the Hawaii native had to miss out on for safety reasons while serving in the White House. Obama, whose eight years as president ended last month when he was succeeded by Donald Trump, learned to kiteboard while vacationing last week on a Caribbean island owned by British billionaire and adventurer Sir Richard Branson, who published an account of their trip on Tuesday.
Madonna granted permission to adopt twins from Malawi
Malawi's High Court on Tuesday granted Madonna permission to adopt twins from the Southern African country, a judiciary spokesman said. The U.S. singer has previously adopted two children from Malawi, stirring anger among some Malawians who accused the government of allowing her to skirt laws that ban non-residents from adopting.
