Associated Press stories, Page 1293
Fewer Americans file for jobless benefits last week
WASHINGTON — Slightly fewer Americans filed for unemployment benefits last week as the labor market continues to stand out as one of the strongest segments of the U.S. economy. Applications for jobless aid for the week ending August 13 fell by 2,000 to 250,000, the Labor Department reported Thursday. Last...
Russia deploys hypersonic missiles to its Baltic exclave
MOSCOW — The Russian military said Thursday that it has deployed warplanes armed with state-of-the-art hypersonic missiles to the country’s Kaliningrad region, a move that comes amid soaring tensions with the West over Moscow’s action in Ukraine. Russia’s Defense Ministry said three MiG-31 fighters with Kinzhal hypersonic missiles arrived at...
A look at the world’s skinniest skyscraper: Steinway TowerVideo
NEW YORK — One skyscraper stands out from the rest in the Manhattan skyline. It’s not the tallest, but it is the skinniest — the world’s skinniest, in fact. The 84-story residential Steinway Tower, designed by New York architecture firm SHoP Architects, has the title of “most slender skyscraper in...
Lawyer’s group text causes 2nd Florida murder case mistrial
FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. — A prosecutor in a murder case complained about a judge’s ruling in a group text message that included the judge, resulting in a second mistrial for a man charged with killing his girlfriend’s young son. Now the defense wants the case dismissed altogether. Broward County Judge...
U.S. to hold trade talks with Taiwan
HUALIEN, Taiwan — The U.S. government will hold trade talks with Taiwan in a sign of support for the island democracy that China claims as its own territory, prompting Beijing to warn Thursday it will take action if necessary to “safeguard its sovereignty.” The announcement of trade talks comes after...
Airbnb is rolling out new screening tools to stop parties
SAN FRANCISCO — Airbnb says it will use new methods to spot and block people who try to use the short-term rental service to throw a party. The company said this week it has introduced technology that examines the would-be renter’s history on Airbnb, how far they live from the...
Report: LIV draft contract has restrictions and major bonusVideo
WILMINGTON, Del. — A draft contract to play for Saudi-funded LIV Golf includes clauses that require players be available to recruit other players to the league and to get permission before granting exclusive interviews, The Wall Street Journal reported Wednesday. The Journal said it reviewed a draft contract that LIV...
Trump supporters’ threats to judge spur democracy concerns
WASHINGTON — Hundreds of federal judges face the same task every day: review an affidavit submitted by federal agents and approve requests for a search warrant. But for U.S. Magistrate Judge Bruce Reinhart, the fallout from his decision to approve a search warrant has been far from routine. He has...
Trump Org. CFO Allen Weisselberg to plead guilty, testify against company
NEW YORK — Donald Trump’s chief financial officer is expected to plead guilty to tax violations Thursday in a deal that would require him to testify about illicit business practices at the former president’s company, two people familiar with the matter told The Associated Press. Allen Weisselberg is charged with...
LeBron James inks 2-year, $97M extension with Lakers
LOS ANGELES — LeBron James has agreed to a two-year, $97.1 million contract extension through the 2024-25 season with the Los Angeles Lakers, a person with knowledge of the deal told The Associated Press on Wednesday. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because James and the Lakers haven’t yet...
Giuliani faces grand jury in Georgia 2020 election probeVideo
ATLANTA — Rudy Giuliani faced hours of questioning Wednesday before a special grand jury in Atlanta as a target of an investigation into attempts by former President Donald Trump and others to overturn Trump’s 2020 election defeat in Georgia. The former New York mayor and Trump attorney left Fulton County...
Children’s hospitals harassed over transgender care programs
BOSTON — Doctors and other staffers at Boston Children’s Hospital are being threatened with violence over its surgical program for transgender youths, administrators said, and other U.S. children’s hospitals are also being harassed online. Boston Children’s is home to the first pediatric and adolescent transgender health program in the United...
Players-only private meeting was all about a better PGA TourVideo
WILMINGTON, Del. — Tiger Woods showed up for a private meeting of top PGA Tour players dressed in jeans and a long-sleeved plaid shirt. By the sound of his impact, he might as well have been wearing a Sunday red shirt. “I think it’s pretty apparent that whenever we all...
Giant sharks once roamed the seas, feasting on huge meals
NEW YORK — Today’s sharks have nothing on their ancient cousins. A giant shark that roamed the oceans millions of years ago could have devoured a creature the size of a killer whale in just five bites, new research suggests. For their study published Wednesday, researchers used fossil evidence to...
Judge: Pharmacies owe 2 Ohio counties $650M in opioids suit
CLEVELAND — A federal judge in Cleveland awarded $650 million in damages Wednesday to two Ohio counties that won a landmark lawsuit against national pharmacy chains CVS, Walgreens and Walmart, claiming the way they distributed opioids to customers caused severe harm to communities and created a public nuisance. U.S. District...
Bengals’ Joe Burrow working on regaining strength after appendix surgeryVideo
CINCINNATI — Joe Burrow is trying to pack on the pounds, gaining back the weight he lost after having surgery to remove his ruptured appendix three weeks ago. The Cincinnati Bengals quarterback won’t say how much he lost, but the pounds are coming back, along with the strength and mobility...
Kids-for-cash judges ordered to pay more than $200M
Two former Pennsylvania judges who orchestrated a scheme to send children to for-profit jails in exchange for kickbacks were ordered to pay more than $200 million to hundreds of people they victimized in one of the worst judicial scandals in U.S. history. U.S. District Judge Christopher Conner awarded $106 million...
Rudy Giuliani says he ‘satisfied’ obligation with Georgia grand juryVideo
ATLANTA — Rudy Giuliani said Wednesday that he had “satisfied his obligation” after facing hours of questioning Wednesday before a special grand jury in Atlanta as a target of an investigation into attempts by former President Donald Trump and others to overturn his 2020 election defeat in Georgia. In an...
Chargers sign Derwin James to 4-year, $76.5M extension
COSTA MESA, Calif. — Derwin James signed a four-year, $76.5 million contract extension with the Los Angeles Chargers Wednesday morning, making him the NFL’s highest-paid safety. The deal includes $42 million in guaranteed salary. James is going into his fifth season and was expected on the field when the Chargers...
Blackhawks agree to 1-year deal with former Penguins D Jack JohnsonVideo
CHICAGO — The Chicago Blackhawks agreed to a one-year contract with former Pittsburgh Penguins defenseman Jack Johnson after the veteran helped Colorado win the Stanley Cup last season. The rebuilding Blackhawks announced the deal Wednesday. Johnson’s contract carries a $950,000 hit for the salary cap. “Jack provides the team with...
AP sources: Talks on possible Deshaun Watson settlement progress
Talks between the NFL and NFL Players Association on a discipline settlement for Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson have progressed. However, it’s uncertain whether the two sides will reach a deal, two people familiar with the negotiations told The Associated Press on Wednesday. The people spoke to AP on condition...
Chuck Howley, Joe Klecko, Ken Riley finalists for Pro Football HOF
Super Bowl MVP Chuck Howley and All-Pro defenders Joe Klecko and Ken Riley are finalists for the Pro Football Hall of Fame’s class of 2023. The defenders who starred in the 1960s, 70s and 80s were announced as the three senior candidates for next year’s Hall of Fame class from...
U.S. traffic deaths, once in decline, continue to rise in 2022
DETROIT — U.S. traffic fatalities began to climb two years ago and that deadly trend is continuing in 2022. Roadway deaths rose 7% during the first three months of the year to 9,560 people, the highest number for a first quarter in two decades, according to estimates by the National...
Wisconsin school board votes in favor of pride flag ban
WALES, Wis. — A Wisconsin school board voted in favor of a policy that prohibits teachers and staff from displaying gay pride flags and other items that district officials consider political in nature. The Kettle Moraine School Board voted unanimously Tuesday to keep a code of conduct in place that...
Scientists seek to develop hybrid coral reef off of Miami
MIAMI — Scientists and students from the University of Miami dove into the dark waters a few miles off the shores of Miami this week as part of an effort to develop hybrid reefs. The team from the Rosenstiel School of Marine, Atmospheric, and Earth Science was on a mission...
