Associated Press stories, Page 1025
Schools reopen as Syrians live with quake’s devastation
IDLIB, Syria — Schools resumed classes in Syria’s rebel-held northwest Saturday after closing for nearly three weeks following an earthquake that devastated the region, local officials said, even as many schoolchildren suffer from shock. Many schools were turned into temporary shelters following the 7.8 magnitude earthquake that struck Turkey and...
Justice Thomas wrote of ‘crushing weight’ of student loans
WASHINGTON — The Supreme Court won’t have far to look if it wants a personal take on the “crushing weight” of student debt that underlies the Biden administration’s college loan forgiveness plan. Justice Clarence Thomas was in his mid-40s and in his third year on the nation’s highest court when...
Key U.S. inflation measure surges at fastest rate since June
WASHINGTON — The Federal Reserve’s preferred inflation gauge rose last month at its fastest pace since June, an alarming sign that price pressures remain entrenched in the U.S. economy and could lead the Fed to keep raising interest rates well into this year. Friday’s report from the Commerce Department showed...
California faces more blizzards, floods in multistate storm
LOS ANGELES — A powerful winter storm lashing California threatened floods, blizzards and avalanches Saturday while adding frigid temperatures to the misery mix. Overnight lows could drop below freezing in some areas while downtown San Francisco could see record-breaking cold temperatures Saturday morning, according to the National Weather Service. Projected...
Feds seek to limit telehealth prescriptions for some drugs
WASHINGTON — The Biden administration moved Friday to require patients see a doctor in person before getting attention deficit disorder medication or addictive painkillers, toughening access to the drugs against the backdrop of a deepening opioid crisis. The proposal could overhaul the way millions of Americans get some prescriptions after...
West Virginians clash over religious freedom bill at hearing
CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Some people said West Virginia needs a law to codify the right of residents to challenge government regulations that interfere with their religious beliefs because of growing threats to their constitutional freedoms. Others who spoke during a public hearing at the state Capitol Friday said they are...
Suh leads; Kirk fires a 62 in 2nd round of Honda ClassicVideo
PALM BEACH GARDENS, Fla. — There have been about 7,200 rounds played at the Honda Classic since it moved to PGA National 17 years ago. Only two of those were better than the one turned in Friday by Chris Kirk. Kirk shot an 8-under-par 62 in the second round, moving...
After Ohio train wreck, Biden orders door-to-door checks
WASHINGTON — President Joe Biden on Friday directed federal agencies to go door-to-door in East Palestine, Ohio, to check on families affected by the toxic train derailment that has morphed into a heated political controversy. Under Biden’s order, teams from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Environmental Protection Agency...
Panel: Military needs gun safety measures to limit suicides
WASHINGTON — The Defense Department should implement a series of gun safety measures to reduce suicides in the force, an independent committee recommended Friday, calling for waiting periods for the purchase of firearms and ammunition by service members on military property. The panel said the department should also raise the...
Nikki Haley keeping early 2024 fundraising numbers quiet
CHARLESTON, S.C. — Former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley had a busy first week as an official 2024 presidential candidate, announcing in her native state, then hustling to early voting New Hampshire and Iowa and going on a media blitz. But as fundraising starts to build for the potential GOP...
Biden unveils new Ukraine weapons package, Russia sanctions
WASHINGTON— The Biden administration declared its solidarity with Ukraine with fresh action as well as strong words on Friday, piling sweeping new sanctions on Moscow and approving a new $2 billion weapons package to re-arm Kyiv a year after Russia’s invasion. Despite the U.S. and allies’ continued ambitious efforts to...
Did dioxins spread after the Ohio train derailment?
After a catastrophic 38-train car derailment in East Palestine, Ohio, some officials are raising concerns about a type of toxic substance that tends to stay in the environment. Last week, Sherrod Brown and J.D. Vance, the U.S. senators from Ohio, sent a letter to the state’s environmental protection agency expressing...
Russia, Ukraine face off at UN with rival tributes to dead
UNITED NATIONS — Russia and Ukraine faced off at the U.N. Security Council on Friday on the first anniversary of their war, with their confrontation even extending to dueling moments of silence for the dead. The showdown began before the session formally started, with Russia’s ambassador demanding to know why...
Biden ready to run, U.S. first lady says
NAIROBI, Kenya— U.S. first lady Jill Biden gave one of the clearest indications yet that President Joe Biden will run for a second term, telling The Associated Press in an exclusive interview on Friday that there’s “pretty much” nothing left to do but figure out the time and place for...
Child sex abuse lawsuit window again gets Pa. lawmakers’ OK
HARRISBURG — Victims would be able to sue over otherwise outdated claims of child sexual abuse under two pieces of legislation passed Friday by the Pennsylvania House, but it’s unclear whether the state Senate will take them up. The legislation to temporarily waive the statute of limitations for sex abuse...
Court strikes down charter boat tracking rule
NEW ORLEANS — An appeals court has struck down a federal fisheries management rule requiring operators of privately owned charter boats to equip their vessels with tracking devices, a victory for a group of Louisiana and Florida charter operators who challenged the rule in a 2020 lawsuit. Thursday’s ruling by...
Penguin to publish ‘classic’ Roald Dahl books after backlash
LONDON — Publisher Penguin Random House announced Friday it will publish “classic” unexpurgated versions of Roald Dahl’s children’s novels after it received criticism for cuts and rewrites that were intended to make the books suitable for modern readers. Along with the new editions, the company said 17 of Dahl’s books...
MLB catchers wary of looming robo umps amid rules changes
Seattle Mariners manager Scott Servais spent parts of 11 seasons and nearly 800 games behind home plate as a catcher with four franchises, mostly in the 1990s. During that era — one dominated by Hall of Famers Mike Piazza and Ivan Rodriguez — the skills needed at backstop were clearly...
Key U.S. inflation measure surges at fastest rate since June
WASHINGTON — The Federal Reserve’s preferred inflation gauge rose last month at its fastest pace since June, an alarming sign that price pressures remain entrenched in the U.S. economy and could lead the Fed to keep raising interest rates well into this year. Friday’s report from the Commerce Department showed...
Robert Morris men’s basketball loses on road to IUPUI
INDIANAPOLIS — DJ Jackson scored 24 points to help IUPUI defeat Robert Morris, 81-75, on Thursday night. Jackson also contributed 11 rebounds for the Jaguars (5-25, 2-17 Horizon League). Jlynn Counter scored 17 points, shooting 5 for 16 (1 for 5 from 3-point range) and 6 of 7 from the...
7 shot, including 2-year-old, outside Philadelphia school
PHILADELPHIA — Seven people, including five teens and a 2-year-old girl, were wounded Thursday evening in a shooting near a school in Philadelphia, police said. The Philadelphia Inquirer reports shots were fired shortly before 6 p.m. in the city’s Strawberry Mansion neighborhood. The 2-year-old was listed in stable condition at...
China calls for Russia-Ukraine cease-fire, peace talks
BEIJING — China, a firm Russian ally, has called for a cease-fire between Ukraine and Moscow and the opening of peace talks as part of a 12-point proposal to end the conflict. The plan issued Friday morning by the Foreign Ministry also urges the end of Western sanctions imposed on...
Jalen Pickett’s big 2nd half leads Penn State past Ohio State
COLUMBUS, Ohio — Jalen Pickett scored 21 of his 23 points in the second half, Seth Lundy added 19 points and Penn State beat Ohio State, 75-71, on Thursday night. Pickett scored Penn State’s final 14 points, including a three-point play with 59.1 seconds left for a four-point lead. Ohio...
Republicans set opening presidential debate for August
NEW YORK — The opening Republican presidential debate of the 2024 election season will take place in Milwaukee this August, the Republican National Committee decided Thursday. The rough time and location were the only details finalized as a small group of RNC members met behind closed doors in Washington this...
Horschel, Bramlett lead Honda Classic with 1st-round 65sVideo
PALM BEACH GARDENS, Fla. — Billy Horschel hasn’t won a PGA Tour event in his home state of Florida. His quest to change that is off to a fine start. Horschel shot a 5-under-par 65 on Thursday, tying him with Joseph Bramlett for the first-round lead in the Honda Classic...
