Associated Press stories, Page 1468
Russian lawmakers approve prison for ‘fake’ war reports
DUSSELDORF, Germany — Russians could face prison sentences of up to 15 years for spreading information that goes against the Russian government’s position on the war in Ukraine, a move that comes as authorities block access to foreign media outlets. The Russian parliament voted unanimously Friday to approve a draft...
Arrest of longtime Canadian fugitive stuns Puerto Rico
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico — Last week, phones across Puerto Rico began to ding as members of a private WhatsApp group dedicated to helping others in the U.S. territory stared at their screens in disbelief. The businessman they knew as administrator of that chat — someone who organized philanthropic efforts...
Russia insists it won’t occupy Ukraine; Convoy outside Kyiv still stalled
KYIV, Ukraine — A top Russian diplomat insisted Friday that his country will not occupy Ukraine. “The goal is very clear: Denazification and demilitarization,” Gennady Gatilov, Russia’s ambassador in Geneva, said of the invasion — which he called a “special military operation.” “We are not going to stay in Ukraine...
Gunman who killed 3 daughters in church was in U.S. illegally
The gunman who killed his three daughters, a chaperone who was supervising his visit with the children and himself in a Northern California church this week was in the United States illegally, immigration officials said Friday. David Mora, 39, overstayed his visa after entering California from his native Mexico on...
Penn State’s upset bid falls short against No. 20 IllinoisVideo
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — Da’Monte Williams made four 3-pointers on his way to a season-high 14 points, helping No. 20 Illinois hold off Penn State, 60-55, on Thursday night. The victory keeps the Illini (21-8, 14-5 Big Ten) in contention for a share of the conference title if they beat Iowa...
Ex-officers charged in Philadelphia girl’s fatal shooting held for trial
PHILADELPHIA — Three former police officers charged in the fatal shooting of an 8-year-old girl when they fired their weapons in the direction of a crowd outside a high school football game near Philadelphia were held for trial during a hearing Thursday. The Philadelphia Inquirer reported that during the crowded...
Capitals to visit Hurricanes in 2023 outdoor game in RaleighVideo
WASHINGTON — The Washington Capitals will be the Carolina Hurricanes’ opponent in the NHL’s outdoor Stadium Series game next season. The game is scheduled to take place Feb. 18, 2023, at N.C. State’s Carter-Finley Stadium across the parking lot from the Hurricanes’ home arena in Raleigh, N.C. The league announced...
Minor league baseball, hockey teams seeking covid-19 reliefVideo
WASHINGTON — Laying off 17 people in the Charlotte Checkers front office of 25 felt like gutting a team for chief operating officer Tera Black. “The front office is a team just as much as the team on the ice,” she said. “We never want to go through that again.”...
Easing of vaccine rules could allow Novak Djokovic to play French OpenVideo
France is easing its vaccination rules later this month, which could pave the way for Novak Djokovic to compete at this year’s French Open. French Prime Minister Jean Castex announced Thursday that people will no longer have to show proof of vaccination against covid-19 to access venues such as sports...
MLB, union meet again, discuss next step in labor negotiationsVideo
NEW YORK — Deputy commissioner Dan Halem and chief union negotiator Bruce Meyer met for 1 1/2 hours Thursday and discussed the major issues in the stalled talks to reach a deal that would end Major League Baseball’s lockout. Union general counsel Ian Penny and MLB executive vice president Morgan...
Rory McIlroy shoots 65, off to another great start at Bay HillVideo
ORLANDO, Fla. — Rory McIlroy opened with a 7-under-par 65 on Thursday and had reason to expect a score like this at Bay Hill, not so much because of the course but rather the day of the week. Good starts have not been a problem for McIlroy at the Arnold...
Kimberly Guilfoyle subpoenaed by House Jan. 6 committeeVideo
WASHINGTON — The House committee investigating the U.S. Capitol insurrection subpoenaed Kimberly Guilfoyle, the fiancée of former President Donald Trump’s eldest son, on Thursday after she abruptly ended a voluntary interview with lawmakers last week. The panel is seeking testimony and additional records from Guilfoyle, who they say was in...
House backs bill to help veterans exposed to toxic burn pitsVideo
WASHINGTON — A bill that would dramatically boost health care services and disability benefits for veterans exposed to toxic burn pits in Iraq and Afghanistan won approval Thursday in the House. The measure has the backing of the nation’s major veterans groups and underscores the continued cost of war years...
Soprano Anna Netrebko withdraws from Met Opera over her support of Putin
NEW YORK — Soprano Anna Netrebko withdrew from her future engagements at the Metropolitan Opera rather than repudiate her support for Russian President Vladimir Putin, costing the company one of its top singers and best box-office draws. “It is a great artistic loss for the Met and for opera,” Met...
3 dead in crashes amid fog and smoke on I-95 in Florida
EDGEWATER, Fla. — Three people were killed in a series of crashes involving 17 vehicles early Thursday along a stretch of Interstate 95 in Florida where visibility was very low due to fog combined with smoke from prescribed burns of vegetation, officials said. The crashes began around 1:30 a.m. south...
Bloomsburg, Lock Haven, Mansfield universities to merge into Commonwealth University
HARRISBURG — Three state-owned universities in Pennsylvania will soon be known as the consolidated Commonwealth University of Pennsylvania after a vote by the State System Board of Governors on Wednesday. The board voted unanimously to make the change involving Bloomsburg, Lock Haven and Mansfield universities, although those previous names will...
New York City man charged with hate crimes in attacks on 7 Asian women
NEW YORK — A 28-year-old homeless man has been charged with hate crimes after a string of unprovoked attacks on women of Asian descent in New York City, police said. Steven Zajonc was arrested Wednesday in connection with assaults on seven women in different Manhattan neighborhoods over a two-hour period...
Kentucky jury clears ex-officer in shooting during Breonna Taylor raid
LOUISVILLE, Ky. — A Kentucky jury on Thursday cleared a former police officer of charges that he endangered neighbors when he fired shots into an apartment during the 2020 drug raid that ended with Breonna Taylor’s death. The panel of eight men and four women delivered its verdict about three...
Fayette priest gets prison term for sexually abusing altar boy
UNIONTOWN — A western Pennsylvania Roman Catholic priest who sexually assaulted an altar boy for several years has been sentenced to 2 1/2 to five years in state prison. The Rev. Andrew Mark Kawecki of Greensburg will also have to register as a sex offender for 10 years once he’s...
Purdue Pharma, U.S. states agree to new opioid settlement
OxyContin maker Purdue Pharma reached a nationwide settlement Thursday over its role in the opioid crisis, with the Sackler family members who own the company boosting their cash contribution to as much as $6 billion. The deal follows an earlier settlement that had been appealed by eight states and the...
NFL suspends all covid protocols, cites ‘encouraging trends’
The NFL suspended all aspects of its covid-19 protocols, citing recent trends showing that the spread of the coronavirus is declining. In an agreement with the players’ association, the league sent a memo to the 32 teams Thursday in which it mentioned “encouraging trends regarding the prevalence and severity of...
UN report paints dire picture of the Gulf of Mexico’s future
NEW ORLEANS — Hurricane Harvey dumped more than 50 inches of rain on parts of the Texas coast in 2017. Then in 2020, ferocious winds from Hurricane Laura destroyed homes across coastal Louisiana. Hurricane Ida hit in 2021, leaving the entire city of New Orleans without power for days. Such...
Neutral Finland, Sweden warm to idea of NATO membership
HELSINKI — Through the Cold War and the decades since, nothing could persuade Finns and Swedes that they would be better off joining NATO — until now. Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has profoundly changed Europe’s security outlook, including for Nordic neutrals Finland and Sweden, where support for joining NATO has...
How to help Ukrainians affected by Russian invasion
More than 1 million people have fled Ukraine, and at least 160,000 have been displaced inside the country as fighting continues between Russian and Ukrainian forces in Europe’s largest ground war since World War II. The United Nations issued an appeal this week for $1.7 billion to help with aid...
As covid vaccine demand falls, states are left with huge stockpile
As demand for covid-19 vaccines collapses in many areas of the U.S., states are scrambling to use stockpiles of doses before they expire and have to be added to the millions that have already gone to waste. From some of the least vaccinated states, like Indiana and North Dakota, to...
