Melania Trump statue unveiled in Slovenia

Melania Trump statue unveiled in Slovenia

LJUBLJANA, Slovenia

The likeness of Melania Trump has been carved in wood in her native Slovenia.

A life-size sculpture of the U.S. first lady has been unveiled in her hometown of Sevnica, drawing mixed reactions from the locals.

The rustic figure was cut from the trunk of a linden tree, showing her in a pale blue dress like the one she wore at Donald Trump’s presidential inauguration. Her face is depicted in a naive local style.

It is the work of American artist Brad Downey, who is also showing photos of the statue in an exhibition in the Slovenian capital, Ljubljana.

The first lady, born Melanija Knaus, changed her name to Melania Knauss when she started modeling. She settled in New York in 1996 and met Trump two years later.

Family seeks ship

NEW YORK

The parents of Otto Warmbier have filed a claim for a seized North Korean cargo ship, seeking to collect on a multimillion-dollar judgment awarded in the Ohio college student’s death.

The Warmbiers filed court papers in New York federal court saying they have a right to the assets after North Korea failed to respond to a wrongful death claim that accused it of abducting Warmbier, who had traveled there for a guided tour.

Spacey questioned

LONDON

British police have travelled to the U.S. to interview Kevin Spacey about sexual assault allegations.

The Metropolitan Police investigating six claims of sexual assault and assault against the former “House of Cards” star, who ran London’s Old Vic Theatre between 2004 and 2015.

Variety reported Saturday that British detectives interviewed Spacey in May. British police don’t identify suspects until they have been charged. Without naming Spacey, the London force said that in May “a man was voluntarily interviewed under caution in America by officers from the Met’s Complex Case Team. He was not arrested. Inquiries are ongoing.”

Father of Bossa Nova dies in Brazil at 88

RIO DE JANEIRO

Joao Gilberto, a Brazilian singer, guitarist and songwriter considered one of the fathers of the bossa nova genre that gained global popularity in the 1960s and became an iconic sound of the South American nation, died Saturday, his son said. He was 88.

Joao Marcelo said his father had been battling health issues though no official cause of his death in Rio de Janeiro was given. “His struggle was noble,” Marcelo posted on Facebook.

Associated Press

ahead of a study abroad program in Hong Kong.

The Warmbiers say their son was tortured after being convicted of trying to steal a propaganda poster and imprisoned for months.