Associated Press stories, Page 1034
Amid U.S. TikTok bans, a few balk at writing its name in law
TOPEKA, Kan. — Banning TikTok from government devices enjoys bipartsan support across the U.S., but a few Democratic legislators in Kansas object to expanding one imposed by their party’s governor because they don’t want a state law to target a company by name. The Republican-controlled Kansas House voted 109-12 on...
Justice Department taking over Texas attorney general corruption probe
DALLAS — Justice Department officials in Washington have taken over the corruption investigation into Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, removing the case from the hands of the federal prosecutors in Texas who’d long been leading the probe. The move was disclosed in a statement by state prosecutors handling their own...
Another disappointing inflation report thumps Wall Street
NEW YORK — Wall Street tumbled Thursday, and stocks fell by the most in four weeks as a result of more evidence that high inflation is staying stickier than expected. The S&P 500 dropped 1.4% after a report said inflation at the wholesale level slowed by less last month than...
Jameson Taillon working on new slider in Cubs spring training
MESA, Ariz. — Jameson Taillon had been thinking about a new slider for a couple of years. When his new team also brought up the idea, he was more than ready to give it a shot. So Taillon is working on a new sweeper slider in his first spring training...
Crews responding to freight train derailment near DetroitVideo
VAN BUREN TOWNSHIP, Mich. — Emergency crews were on the scene of a freight train derailment Thursday near Detroit that sent several train cars off the tracks, officials said. Video from the scene of the derailment in Van Buren Township showed that numerous train cars from the Norfolk Southern train...
Vermont further extends warning after 3 ice fishermen deaths
MONTPELIER, Vt. — As the warmer weather continues, Vermont authorities on Thursday extended their warning for people to stay off the ice on Lake Champlain and to be cautious on other lakes following the recent deaths of three ice fishermen who fell through the Lake Champlain ice in two separate...
YouTube CEO steps down, severing longtime ties to Google
Susan Wojcicki, a longtime Google executive who played a key role in the company’s creation, is stepped down as YouTube’s CEO after spending the past nine years running the video site that has reshaped entertainment, culture and politics. In an email to YouTube employees that was shared publicly Thursday, the...
Bruce Willis has frontotemporal dementia, condition worsens
NEW YORK — Nearly a year after Bruce Willis’ family announced that he would step away from acting after being diagnosed with aphasia, his family says his “condition has progressed.” In a statement posted Thursday, the 67-year-old actor’s family said Willis has a more specific diagnosis of frontotemporal dementia. “While...
Biden wants ‘sharper rules’ on unknown aerial objects
WASHINGTON — President Joe Biden said Thursday that the U.S. is developing “sharper rules” to track, monitor and potentially shoot down unknown aerial objects, following three weeks of high-stakes drama sparked by the discovery of a suspected Chinese spy balloon transiting much of the country. The president has directed national...
Tim McCarver, big league catcher and broadcaster, dies at 81
NEW YORK — Tim McCarver, the All-Star catcher and Hall of Fame broadcaster who during 60 years in baseball won two World Series titles with the St. Louis Cardinals and had a long run as the one of the country’s most recognized, incisive and talkative television commentators, died Thursday. He...
All-Star weekend arrives, as NBA heads to Salt Lake City
SALT LAKE CITY — If so inclined, and if fellow captain LeBron James was to cooperate with his own selections, Giannis Antetokounmpo could pick Luka Doncic, Nikola Jokic, Joel Embiid and Lauri Markkanen to play on his team Sunday night. Imagine that: an All-International All-Star starting lineup. It’s one of...
West Virginia drinking water still clear of derailment toxin
CHARLESTON, W.Va. — West Virginia officials have reiterated that the state’s drinking water remains safe following an Ohio train derailment that led to a toxic plume of chemicals being released. Chemicals that leaked from the derailment are being monitored as they move down the Ohio River, but they are not...
Tesla recalls ‘Full Self-Driving’ to fix flaws in behavior
DETROIT — Tesla is recalling nearly 363,000 vehicles with its “Full Self-Driving” system to fix problems with the way it behaves around intersections and following posted speed limits. The recall, part of a larger investigation by U.S. safety regulators into Tesla’s automated driving systems, came after regulators expressed concerns about...
Father of July 4 parade shooting suspect pleads not guilty
CHICAGO — The father of a man charged with fatally shooting seven people at a Fourth of July parade in suburban Chicago entered a not guilty plea on Thursday to charges that he helped his son obtain a gun license three years before the attack. Robert Crimo Jr.’s not guilty...
Germany: Afghan brothers jailed for life for killing sister
BERLIN — A court in Germany convicted two Afghan men Thursday of killing their 34-year-old elder sister because they didn’t agree with her lifestyle. The Berlin regional court found the men, aged 28 and 24, guilty of murder for killing the mother of two in July 2021. Her body was...
Average long-term U.S. mortgage rate jumps to 6.32% this week
The average long-term U.S. mortgage rate jumped this week to its highest level in five weeks, bad news for home shoppers heading into the spring buying season. Mortgage buyer Freddie Mac reported Thursday that the average on the benchmark 30-year rate rose to 6.32% from 6.12% last week. The average...
Haley’s candidacy shows balancing act for women in politics
In announcing her campaign for the Republican presidential nomination this week, Nikki Haley made a subtle reference to the historic nature of her candidacy. “I don’t put up with bullies,” Haley said in a video that launched her bid to become the first female president of the U.S. “And when...
Trump election probe grand jury believes some witnesses lied
ATLANTA — A special grand jury investigating efforts by then-President Donald Trump and his allies to overturn his 2020 election loss in Georgia says it believes “one or more witnesses” committed perjury and urged local prosecutors to bring charges. Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis should “seek appropriate indictments for...
Biden gets routine medical exam as he prepares for 2024 run
WASHINGTON — President Joe Biden was undergoing a routine medical checkup Thursday at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, an event that is being keenly watched as the oldest president in history makes plans for an expected reelection campaign. The president arrived at Walter Reed by helicopter and entered the...
U.S. launches artificial intelligence military use initiative
THE HAGUE, Netherlands — The United States launched an initiative Thursday promoting international cooperation on the responsible use of artificial intelligence and autonomous weapons by militaries, seeking to impose order on an emerging technology that has the potential to change the way war is waged. “As a rapidly changing technology,...
Michigan State University shooter had note with possible motive
EAST LANSING, Mich. — The man who shot eight students at Michigan State University, killing three, was found with two handguns and a note containing a possible motive for the attack, police said Thursday. The 9 mm guns, dozens of rounds of ammunition and the two-page note were found with...
Russia fires another missile barrage at Ukraine, kills 1
KYIV, Ukraine — Russia again pummeled Ukraine with a barrage of cruise and other missiles on Thursday, hitting targets from east to west as the war ‘s one-year anniversary nears. One of the strikes killed a 79-year-old woman and injured at least seven other people, Ukrainian authorities said. Russian forces...
UN official warns of rising earthquake death toll in Syria
AMMAN — The United Nations regional humanitarian coordinator for the Syrian crisis said Thursday that the country’s death toll from last week’s deadly earthquake is likely to rise further as teams scramble to remove rubble in hard-hit areas. In an interview with The Associated Press, Muhannad Hadi defended the U.N.’s...
Michael Kors channels ’70s New York chic for latest line
NEW YORK— Michael Kors channeled classic ’70s style for his latest collection, drawing inspiration from powerful women of the era like Tina Turner, Jane Fonda, Gloria Steinem and even his mother. Steinem sat front row Wednesday during Kors’ New York Fashion Week show, which featured models sporting a variety of...
Weekly jobless applications fall again despite Fed rate push
Fewer Americans filed for jobless benefits last week despite efforts by the Federal Reserve to loosen the labor market with higher interest rates as it tries to cool the economy. Applications for jobless aid in the U.S. for the week ending Feb. 11 fell by 1,000 last week to 194,000,...
