Associated Press stories, Page 1105
Jesuit case underscores secrecy, leniency for abuse of women
ROME — Revelations that the Vatican let a famous priest off the hook twice for abusing his authority over adult women has exposed two main weaknesses in the Holy See’s abuse policies: sexual and spiritual misconduct against adult women is rarely if ever punished, and secrecy still reigns supreme, especially...
Russia warns of ‘consequences’ if U.S. missiles go to Ukraine
KYIV, Ukraine — Russia’s Foreign Ministry warned Thursday that if the United States confirms reports that it plans to deliver sophisticated air defense missiles to Ukraine, it would be “another provocative move by the U.S.” that could prompt a response from Moscow. Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova said in a weekly...
Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker to be next NCAA president
Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker will be the next president of the NCAA, stepping in to lead an organization with diminished power amid sweeping changes across college sports. The NCAA announced Thursday that Baker will replace Mark Emmert as the head of the largest college sports governing body in the country,...
How Fed’s series of rate hikes could affect your finances
NEW YORK — The Federal Reserve’s move Wednesday to raise its key rate by a half-point brought it to a range of 4.25% to 4.5%, the highest level in 14 years. The Fed’s latest increase — its seventh rate hike this year — will make it even costlier for consumers...
White House reveals winter covid-19 plans, more free tests
WASHINGTON — The Biden administration is again making some free covid-19 tests available to all U.S. households as it unveils its contingency plans for potential coronavirus surges this winter. After a three-month hiatus, the administration is making four rapid virus tests available through covidtests.gov starting Thursday, a senior administration official...
Bills LBs Tremaine Edmunds, Matt Milano add size, speed
ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. — Buffalo Bills defensive coordinator Leslie Frazier did a double take to emphasize how impressed he was re-watching tape of a play highlighting the intuitive bond linebackers Tremaine Edmunds and Matt Milano have developed over five seasons. The call originally was designed for Milano to pressure the...
House passes bill to extend government funding for 1 weekVideo
WASHINGTON — The Democratic-led House passed a short-term spending bill Wednesday to keep government agencies funded at current levels through Dec. 23, giving lawmakers more time to craft a roughly $1.7 trillion appropriations package that would cover the full fiscal year. Congress faces a deadline of midnight Friday to pass...
Browns QB Deshaun Watson on his comeback: ‘I have a long way to go’Video
BEREA, Ohio — Feeling far less pressure or hostility, Deshaun Watson looked relaxed, confident and more like a franchise quarterback in his second game for the Cleveland Browns. After his dreadful debut, the bar was low. But last week in Cincinnati, Watson rebounded and showed improvement across the board. However,...
Report: TikTok boosts posts about eating disorders, suicide
TikTok’s algorithms are promoting videos about self-harm and eating disorders to vulnerable teens, according to a report published Wednesday that highlights concerns about social media and its impact on youth mental health. Researchers at the nonprofit Center for Countering Digital Hate created TikTok accounts for fictional teen personas in the...
Report: Texas AG sought driver license data on gender change
AUSTIN — The office of Republican Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton this summer sought data on how many people had changed the gender information on their driver’s license, according to a newspaper report published Wednesday that civil rights attorneys described as worrying. The Washington Post reported that public records obtained...
Alabama women convicted for feeding, trapping stray cats
WETUMPKA, Ala. — Two Alabama women have been convicted of misdemeanor crimes because of their efforts to feed and trap stray cats. Local news outlets report that Wetumpka Municipal Judge Jeff Courtney on Tuesday found Beverly Roberts, 85, guilty of criminal trespassing and disorderly conduct. Mary Alston, 61, was found...
Former Arizona coach Sean Miller not sanctioned in NCAA caseVideo
Former Arizona basketball coach Sean Miller escaped sanctions Wednesday when a report from the Independent Accountability Resolution Process largely accepted the program’s self-imposed penalties stemming from a NCAA rules violations case that dates to 2017. Arizona’s athletics program was put on three years of probation through 2025. The school announced...
Tyler Huntley at practice for Ravens; Lamar Jackson remains absentVideo
OWINGS MILLS, Md. — Tyler Huntley was at practice for the Baltimore Ravens on Wednesday. Lamar Jackson remained absent as he recovers from his knee injury two weekends ago, but Huntley was on the field during the portion open to reporters. He threw a bit without a helmet on, then...
Mississippi State hiring defensive coordinator Zach Arnett
Mississippi State is promoting defensive coordinator Zach Arnett to head coach to replace Mike Leach, who died suddenly of a heart condition earlier this week. Mississippi State was working to finalize a four-year contract with the 36-year-old Arnett, a person with knowledge of the decision told The Associated Press on...
NFL discussing ejections on roughing-the-passer penalties
IRVING, Texas — The NFL is considering ejections for roughing-the-passer penalties and hits on defenseless players, although league executive Troy Vincent expressed caution on how such rulings would be enforced. Vincent, a former player, said at the NFL owners meetings Wednesday the ejections were part of a discussion including roughing-the-passer...
Stocks stumble after Fed hikes rates, signals more to comeVideo
A bumpy day of trading on Wall Street ended with stocks broadly lower Wednesday after Federal Reserve raised its benchmark interest rate in its fight against inflation and signaled that more hikes lay ahead. As expected, the central bank raised its key short-term rate by 0.50 percentage points, marking its...
Recount requests delay Pennsylvania election certification
HARRISBURG — Five weeks after Election Day, winning candidates in Pennsylvania from governor to Congress are waiting for their victories to become official. An effort that appears to be at least partially coordinated among conservatives has inundated counties with ballot recount requests even though no races are close enough to...
Kylian Mbappe, France advance to World Cup final, beat Morocco
AL KHOR, Qatar — Kylian Mbappe vs. Lionel Messi. It’s the World Cup final for which just about everyone was waiting — and hoping. France and Mbappe are headed back to the biggest game in soccer, and to a much-anticipated matchup with Argentina, after ending Morocco’s historic run at the...
EU lawmaker at heart of corruption case to remain in custody
BRUSSELS — A Greek European lawmaker charged with corruption in an alleged plot by a Gulf country that’s tarnishing EU institutions will stay in detention until at least next week after her hearing by a judge was postponed, judicial officials said on Wednesday. Parliament Vice President Eva Kaili, whose term...
Senate crypto hearing yields big claims, possible regulation
Whether increased regulation would have prevented the spectacular collapse of cryptocurrency exchange FTX was fiercely debated at a hearing of the Senate’s banking committee Wednesday. However, new legislation is potentially on the way. Sen. Elizabeth Warren announced at the hearing bipartisan legislation aimed at cracking down on cryptocurrencies being used...
Fed raises key rate by half-point and signals more to come
WASHINGTON — The Federal Reserve reinforced its inflation fight Wednesday by raising its key interest rate for the seventh time this year and signaling more hikes to come. But the Fed announced a smaller hike than it had in its past four meetings at a time when inflation is showing...
Twitter changes rules over account tracking Elon Musk’s jet
Twitter on Wednesday suspended an account that used publicly available flight data to track Elon Musk’s private jet, despite a pledge by the social media platform’s new owner to keep it up because of his free speech principles. Then, hours later, Musk brought back the jet-tracking account after imposing new...
Police: 2 officers slain in Mississippi; shooter also dead
BAY ST. LOUIS, Miss. — Two police officers in coastal Mississippi were shot and killed by a woman early Wednesday as they checked on a call at a motel, authorities said. The woman killed herself after shooting the Bay St. Louis police officers at a Motel 6 in the city...
U.S. storm brings tornadoes, blizzard-like conditions; 2 deadVideo
DALLAS — A volatile storm ripping across the United States spawned tornadoes that killed a young boy and his mother in Louisiana, smashed mobile homes and chicken houses in Mississippi and threatened neighboring Southern states with more punishing weather Wednesday. To the north, the huge storm system delivered blizzard-like conditions...
Company holiday parties are back — but with some restraint
NEW YORK — Say goodbye to virtual wine tastings, and bust out the karaoke. Love them or hate them, company holiday parties back — in a toned-down kind of way. After more than two years of working in pajama bottoms and clinking glasses over Zoom, many office workers seem to...
