Associated Press stories, Page 1096
Holiday parties are back, but how to dress?
NEW YORK — The season’s triple-virus threat notwithstanding, parties are back, and they’ve brought with them the potential for some dress code chaos. White tie, black tie, black tie creative/festive, semiformal: It might take some extra re-entry energy to figure out these pre-pandemic guidelines in an exhausted world more used...
China races to vaccinate elderly, but many are reluctant
BEIJING — Chinese authorities are going door to door and paying people older than 60 to get vaccinated against covid-19. But even as cases surge, 64-year-old Li Liansheng said his friends are alarmed by stories of fevers, blood clots and other side effects. “When people hear about such incidents, they...
South Korea launches jets, fires shots after North flies drones
SEOUL, South Korea — South Korea’s military fired warning shots, scrambled fighter jets and flew surveillance assets across the heavily fortified border with North Korea on Monday, after North Korean drones violated its airspace for the first time in five years in a fresh escalation of tensions. South Korea’s military...
GOP stumbles with independents contributed to midterm woes
EAGAN, Minn. — As Republican Tyler Kistner’s closing ad aired last month in one of the most competitive congressional districts in the U.S., Vickie Klang felt that something was missing. The 58-year-old veterinary technician and self-described independent voter watched as the 30-second spot showed grainy black-and-white images of President Joe...
Sports unraveled, collided with politics, racism in 2022
The unspoken deal between sports fans and their favorite teams and players has been, in theory: Sure, there are billions of dollars being thrown around, but at the core, sports are supposed to be fun and games, a never-ending menu of two- or three-hour escapes into a land of winners...
Analysis: NFL playoff picture tightens up after Week 16
Minshew Mania is on hold. The Philadelphia Eagles couldn’t wrap up the NFC East and the No. 1 seed with their backup quarterback, tightening the playoff picture in a wide-open conference. The Eagles (13-2) need only one more win to clinch home-field advantage throughout the playoffs but a 40-34 loss...
Buckeyes defense motivated to limit big plays against Georgia
COLUMBUS, Ohio — J.T. Tuimoloau stood in front of the Buckeyes before practice the week after Ohio State’s second straight loss to Michigan. As the sting of defeat began to set in and the prospect of missing the playoff remained a possibility, the second-year defensive end offered a reminder to...
Rams, Bucs, Packers earn wins on same day in upside down NFC
Tom Brady and Aaron Rodgers led comeback wins, and the Los Angeles Rams dominated Russell Wilson and the Broncos. It was a triumphant Christmas for the Buccaneers, Packers and Rams as many figured it would be when the schedule was released in May. The NFC’s top three preseason Super Bowl...
Deaths of 3 endangered Cambodian dolphins raise alarm
PHNOM PENH, Cambodia — Three endangered freshwater dolphins have died within 10 days of each other, alarming conservationists in Cambodia. The death of a third healthy dolphin in such a brief period indicates “an increasingly alarming situation and the need for an intensive law enforcement be urgently conducted in the...
Russia says it shot down Ukrainian drone near airbase
KYIV, Ukraine — The Russian military reported on Monday that it shot down a Ukrainian drone approaching an airbase deep inside Russia, the second time the airbase has been targeted this month, raising questions about the effectiveness of Russia’s air defenses if drones can fly that far into the country....
South Korea ends ban on imported sex dolls
SEOUL, South Korea — South Korea has formally ended a ban on the import of full-body sex dolls, ending years of debate over how much the government can interfere in private life. Although there are no laws or regulations banning the import of sex dolls, hundreds and perhaps thousands have...
South Korea launches jets, fires shots after North flies drones
SEOUL, South Korea — South Korea’s military fired warning shots, scrambled fighter jets and flew surveillance assets across the heavily fortified border with North Korea on Monday, after North Korean drones violated its airspace for the first time in five years, officials said. South Korea’s military detected five drones from...
Josh Shapiro’s win is high note amid antisemitism surge
PITTSBURGH — Josh Shapiro will be taking office as Pennsylvania’s next governor in January after running a campaign in which he spoke early and often about his Jewish religious heritage. At a time of rising concern about overt expressions of antisemitism, some observers are seeing a bright spot in his...
Migrants dropped near VP Harris home on frigid Christmas Eve
WASHINGTON — Three buses of recent migrant families arrived from Texas near the home of Vice President Kamala Harris in record-setting cold on Christmas Eve. Texas authorities have not confirmed their involvement, but the bus drop-offs are in line with previous actions by border-state governors calling attention to the Biden...
Frigid monster storm across U.S. claims at least 34 lives
BUFFALO, N.Y. — The deep freeze from a deadly winter storm that walloped much of the United States will continue into the week as people in western New York deal with massive snow drifts that snarled emergency vehicles and travelers across the country see canceled flights and dangerous roads. The...
Pope’s lament: Icy winds of war buffet humanity at Christmas
VATICAN CITY — Pope Francis used his Christmas message Sunday to lament the “icy winds of war” buffeting humanity and to make an impassioned plea for an immediate end to the fighting in Ukraine, a 10-month-old conflict he decried as “senseless.” At noon in Rome, Francis delivered the traditional “Urbi...
Some Ukrainians move up Christmas to part ways with Russia
BOBRYTSIA, Ukraine — Ukrainians usually celebrate Christmas on Jan. 7, as do the Russians. But not this year, or at least not all of them. Some Orthodox Ukrainians have decided to observe Christmas on Dec. 25, like many Christians around the world. Yes, this has to do with the war,...
King Charles salutes late queen, public workers in speech
LONDON — King Charles III evoked memories Sunday of his late mother, Queen Elizabeth II, as he broadcast his first Christmas message as monarch in a speech that also paid tribute to the “selfless dedication” of Britain’s public service workers, many of whom are in a fight with the government...
Passenger laptop fire forces plane evacuation at JFK Airport
NEW YORK — Emergency responders evacuated a JetBlue flight at JFK International Airport in New York City as a result of a small fire in a passenger’s laptop on Saturday evening, officials said. Officials from the FAA, JetBlue and the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey said the...
Middle Tennessee beats San Diego State in Hawaii Bowl
HONOLULU — Zeke Rankin kicked four field goals, including a 37-yarder for the go-ahead score with 2:05 left, and Middle Tennessee State beat San Diego State, 25-23, in the Hawaii Bowl on Saturday night. The Blue Raiders (8-5) overcome a 14-0 first-quarter deficit to turn back the Aztecs (7-6) in...
Browns eliminated from playoff contention after Saints rally for victory
CLEVELAND — Without a roof over their heads, the Saints went outside and handled the frightful weather — and the Browns. They’re still in the playoff mix. Alvin Kamara and Taysom Hill each had touchdown runs and New Orleans left its comfortable dome and withstood Cleveland’s arctic-like conditions in a...
Tyler Huntley, Ravens beat Falcons, secure playoff spot
BALTIMORE — Tyler Huntley threw a first-half touchdown pass, and the Baltimore defense kept the Atlanta Falcons out of the end zone in a 17-9 victory Saturday that ended up assuring a playoff spot for the Ravens. About a half-hour after Baltimore (10-5) took care of the Falcons, New England...
Bengals force late red zone turnover, hold off Patriots
FOXBOROUGH, Mass. — Joe Burrow threw three touchdown passes and the Cincinnati Bengals forced a late turnover in the red zone to preserve a 22-18 win over the New England Patriots on Saturday. The Bengals (11-4) won their seventh straight game and remained in the driver’s seat for a second...
Texas coach Chris Beard’s fiancee says he didn’t strangle her
AUSTIN, Texas — The woman who called police to report a family violence assault by Texas basketball coach Chris Beard said Friday that Beard did not strangle her, and she never wanted him arrested or prosecuted. Beard was suspended indefinitely without pay after his Dec. 12 arrest on a felony...
Jets WRs coach Miles Austin suspended by NFL for gambling
New York Jets wide receivers coach Miles Austin was suspended by the NFL for a minimum of one year for violating the league’s gambling policy. NFL spokesman Brian McCarthy on Friday confirmed the suspension, which Austin is appealing. McCarthy added the league would have no further comment until the appeal...
