Associated Press stories, Page 1268
UN: 2.3 billion people severely or moderately hungry in 2021Video
UNITED NATIONS — World hunger rose in 2021, with about 2.3 billion people facing moderate or severe difficulty obtaining enough to eat — and that was before the Ukraine war, which has sparked increases in the cost of grain, fertilizer and energy, according to a U.N. report released Wednesday. “The...
Homes of 85,000 people at risk, but rain eases around SydneyVideo
SYDNEY — Floodwaters inundated or were threatening the homes of 85,000 people around Sydney on Wednesday as rivers started to recede and the heavy rains tracked north of Australia’s largest city. While rain was easing across Sydney, several waterways including the Hawkesbury-Nepean rivers system on Sydney’s northern and western fringes...
Rural Florida county shocked by fentanyl deaths over holiday
TALLAHASSEE — A small, largely rural county west of Florida’s capital saw an unheard-of spike in deadly drug overdoses believed to be caused by fentanyl mixed with other illegal drugs, a sign that the national problem is becoming even more far-reaching. In all of 2021, Gadsden County had just 10...
Who’s No. 1? Uncertainty surrounding top pick at NHL DraftVideo
Rather than tip his hand on who the Montreal Canadiens plan to select with the first pick in the NHL Draft, general manager Kent Hughes joked they’ll end up with all three of Shane Wright, Juraj Slafkovsky and West Mifflin native Logan Cooley. If the Canadiens want to make a...
FDA allows pharmacists to prescribe Pfizer’s covid-19 pillVideo
WASHINGTON — Pharmacists can prescribe the leading covid-19 pill directly to patients under a new U.S. policy announced Wednesday that’s intended to expand use of Pfizer’s drug Paxlovid. The Food and Drug Administration said pharmacists can begin screening patients to see if they are eligible for Paxlovid and then prescribe...
Ciao! American Kennel Club adds a breed, the bracco Italiano
NEW YORK — U.S. dog lovers, say “benvenuto” to the bracco Italiano. The ancient Italian bird-hunting dog is the 200th member of the American Kennel Club’s roster of recognized breeds, the organization announced Wednesday. That means the handsome, powerful but amiable pointers can now go for best in show at...
Police: July 4 mass shooting thwarted in Virginia’s capital
RICHMOND, Va. — Police in Richmond said Wednesday that they thwarted a planned July 4 mass shooting after receiving a tip that led to the arrest of two men and the seizure of multiple guns — an announcement that came just two days after a deadly mass shooting on the...
Proposed Ohio amendment would limit vaccine mandates
COLUMBUS, Ohio — A proposed amendment to the Ohio Constitution that would limit vaccine mandates imposed by businesses, health care providers and governments is a step closer to the statewide ballot. The proposal would prohibit those entities from discriminating against people based on vaccination status or mandating any vaccine, medical...
Job openings slip, but employment landscape remains solid
WASHINGTON — U.S. employers advertised fewer jobs in May amid signs that the economy is weakening, though the overall demand for workers remained strong. Employers posted 11.3 million job openings at the end of May, the Labor Department said Wednesday, down from nearly 11.7 million in April. Job openings reached...
NASCAR penalizes driver Noah Gragson for intentional Road America crashVideo
NASCAR on Wednesday penalized Noah Gragson for a deliberate and dangerous crash he caused in the Xfinity Series race at Road America. Gragson, who turns 24 later this month, was docked 30 points and fined $35,000 by NASCAR for intentionally crashing into Sage Karam on Saturday at the road course...
Sen. Lindsey Graham to fight Georgia election subpoena, lawyers sayVideo
NEW YORK — Attorneys representing Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina said Wednesday he intends to challenge a subpoena compelling him to testify before a special grand jury in Georgia investigating former President Donald Trump and his allies’ actions after the 2020 election. Graham was one of a handful of...
Judge blocks West Virginia school voucher law
CHARLESTON, W.Va. — A judge in West Virginia’s capital struck down a law on Wednesday that would have funneled state money into a program that incentivized families to pull their children out of K-12 public schools. Immediately following the ruling, West Virginia Attorney General Patrick Morrisey said his office plans...
Former NHL defenseman Bryan Marchment dies at 53
MONTREAL — Former NHL defenseman Bryan Marchment died unexpectedly Wednesday in Montreal, his agent said. He was 53. Longtime agent Rick Curran confirmed Marchment’s death to The Associated Press. Marchment was attending the NHL draft in Montreal as a scout for San Jose Sharks. A cause of death was not...
How a hotel satisfaction promise has led to more discontent
In the 1990s and early 2000s, the “100% Satisfaction Guarantee” was all the rage among many hotels. The gist was simple: Encounter a problem and receive your money back. In theory, this approach addressed fairly serious issues such as early-morning pool renovations that made the jackhammer an unwelcome alarm clock....
Trump property appraiser held in contempt in NY civil probe
NEW YORK — A company that has performed hundreds of property appraisals for Donald Trump has been held in contempt of court for missing a deadline to turn over documents in the New York attorney general’s civil investigation into the former president’s business practices. Manhattan Judge Arthur Engoron said late...
Apple to add ‘lockdown’ safeguard on iPhones, iPads, Macs
CUPERTINO, Calif. — Apple said it will roll out a “lockdown” option for iPhones, iPads and Mac computers intended to protect against spyware unleashed by state-sponsored hackers — although enabling that protection will also make these devices less useful. The safeguard announced Wednesday is a tacit acknowledgement that not even...
Jury finds man guilty of 2019 murder of rapper Nipsey Hussle
LOS ANGELES — Jurors found a 32-year-old man guilty of first-degree murder Wednesday for the 2019 fatal shooting of rapper Nipsey Hussle. The Los Angeles County jury also found Eric R. Holder Jr. guilty of two counts of attempted voluntary manslaughter for gunfire that hit other men at the scene....
Browns trade QB Baker Mayfield to Panthers
CLEVELAND — From being drafted first to dumped four years later, Baker Mayfield’s wild four-year ride in Cleveland is over. The No. 1 overall pick in 2018, Mayfield was traded Wednesday by the Browns, who moved on from the divisive quarterback months ago and finally sent him to the Carolina...
Simon Clarke wins crash-marred Stage 5, Wout van Aert keeps Tour lead
ARENBERG PORTE DU HAINAUT, France — Australian rider Simon Clarke won a crash-marred fifth stage of the Tour de France on Wednesday, and Wout van Aert clung to the leader’s yellow jersey despite coming off his bike. The big winner though was Slovenian rider Tadej Pogačar, who kick-started his bid...
Hampered Rafael Nadal gets past Taylor Fritz at Wimbledon; Nick Kyrgios next
WIMBLEDON, England — Wincing from abdominal pain, unable to ply his customary relentless style of tennis, Rafael Nadal worried that he might need to stop playing in the Wimbledon quarterfinals against Taylor Fritz. Up in the Centre Court stands, Nadal’s father was waving his arms, motioning to the 22-time Grand...
Ben & Jerry’s ice cream fight in Israel heats up
One week after its parent company found a way to get Ben & Jerry’s ice cream sold in east Jerusalem and the occupied West Bank, the company known for its stance on social issues almost as much as for its Chunky Monkey ice cream is suing to block that from...
More flexibility proposed for student debt forgiveness
New rules proposed by the Biden administration on Wednesday would make it easier for borrowers to get their federal student debt forgiven through several existing programs. The action is intended to overhaul relief programs that have been criticized for their burdensome paperwork requirements and long processing times. It builds on...
Parade shooting suspect contemplated 2nd shooting
HIGHLAND PARK, Ill. — The man charged with killing seven people at an Independence Day parade confessed to police that he unleashed a hail of bullets from a rooftop in suburban Chicago and then fled to the Madison, Wisconsin, area, where he contemplated shooting up an event there, authorities said...
Trump White House counsel Cipollone to testify to Jan. 6 panelVideo
WASHINGTON — Pat Cipollone, Donald Trump’s former White House counsel, is scheduled to testify Friday before the House committee investigating the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol, according to a person briefed on the matter. Cipollone, whose reported resistance to Trump’s schemes to overturn his 2020 election defeat has...
Former champion Simona Halep back in Wimbledon semifinals
WIMBLEDON, England — In a roundabout way, Simona Halep is finally getting a chance to defend her Wimbledon title. And she’s picking up right where she left off. Halep won the title at the grass-court Grand Slam in 2019, but she missed a chance to play as reigning champion in...
