Associated Press stories, Page 1470
Illinois’ ex-House speaker charged with racketeering
CHICAGO — Michael Madigan, the former speaker of the Illinois House and for decades one of the nation’s most powerful legislators, was charged with racketeering and bribery on Wednesday, becoming the most prominent politician swept up in the latest federal investigation of entrenched government corruption in the state. Madigan, 79,...
Massive cargo ship carrying luxury cars sinks in mid-Atlantic
LISBON, Portugal — A large cargo vessel carrying cars from Germany to the United States sank Tuesday in the mid-Atlantic, 13 days after a fire broke out on board, the ship’s manager and the Portuguese navy said. The Felicity Ace sank about 250 miles off Portugal’s Azores Islands as it...
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis admonishes high school students for wearing face masksVideo
TAMPA, Fla. — A visibly annoyed Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis admonished a group of students for wearing face masks at an indoor news conference Wednesday, saying it was time to stop what he called “this covid theater.” DeSantis, a fierce opponent of virus mask and vaccine mandates, approached the students...
Rep. Lauren Boebert outburst on Afghanistan jolts State of the UnionVideo
WASHINGTON — As President Joe Biden was coming to the end of his State of the Union address Tuesday night, a somber moment about his son’s death turned into a stunning outburst by one of the Republicans’ most outspoken members. Delivering the loudest heckling of Biden during the speech, Rep....
Wall Street roars back to rally mode, even as oil rises anew
NEW YORK — Wall Street took another sharp swing Wednesday, this time back to rally mode, as stocks and Treasury yields rose even as U.S. crude oil prices climbed to the highest level in more than a decade. The S&P 500 rose 1.9%, recouping its losses from earlier in the...
Giants add former Pittsburgh Passion player to coaching staff
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — The New York Giants have added a second woman to their coaching staff, and started clearing cap space for free agency by releasing veteran tight end Kyle Rudolph. Rudolph confirmed his release in a tweet. New coach Brian Daboll on Wednesday announced Angela Baker, a Carlynton...
Biden admin: Covid should no longer ‘dictate how we live’
WASHINGTON — It’s time for America to stop letting the coronavirus “dictate how we live,” President Joe Biden’s White House declared Wednesday, outlining a strategy to allow people to return to many normal activities safely after two years of pandemic disruptions. One highlight is a new “test to treat” plan...
Space junk on 5,800-mph collision course with moon
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. — The moon is about to get walloped by 3 tons of space junk, a punch that will carve out a crater that could fit several semitractor-trailers. The leftover rocket will smash into the far side of the moon at 5,800 mph (9,300 kph) on Friday, away...
6 ways technology is evolving travel in 2022
For the athletes at the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing, travel entailed … robots. Everywhere. These machines prepared and served noodles, rice and burgers, and roamed hallways to take the temperatures of passersby. They even passed the Olympic flame underwater. Yet even if you’re not an Olympian, your travels these...
Pearl Jam’s Eddie Vedder makes solo outing a group project
INGLEWOOD, Calif. — Technically, Eddie Vedder’s new album and tour are a solo project. But the longtime Pearl Jam frontman was anything but alone on the almost-accidental venture. “The Earthling” was all about collaboration and camaraderie. “It’s my picture on the cover of the record but really there should be...
Some Russian oligarchs speak out, cautiously, against war
There have been social media messages calling for peace, an image of a murdered Russian opposition figure, a newspaper editorial demanding President Vladimir Putin “stop this war.” As Russian forces pound Ukraine’s cities, the sentiments might not be surprising. Their source is — they come from rich Russians, including billionaires...
South African court rules new Zulu king can be crowned
CAPE TOWN, South Africa — A new Zulu king can be crowned in South Africa after a court settled a dispute Wednesday over whether the prince named as heir to the throne last year had a rightful claim to it. A KwaZulu-Natal high court judge in the city of Pietermaritzburg...
Ukrainian athletes join military after Russian invasion
Less than two weeks ago, Dmytro Pidruchnyi was competing at the Winter Olympics in Ukraine’s national colors. Now he’s wearing a military uniform and ballistic helmet. Pidruchnyi is a world champion in biathlon, which combines skiing and shooting, and a three-time Olympian. He returned home from Beijing last week just...
New Dr. Seuss-inspired books to feature diverse creators
Sketches of fantastic creatures by Dr. Seuss that have never before been published will see the light of day in new books being written and illustrated by an inclusive group of up-and-coming authors and artists, the company that owns the intellectual property rights to Dr. Seuss’ works announced Wednesday. The...
Powell tells Congress that Fed will raise rates this month
WASHINGTON — Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell made clear Wednesday that the Fed will begin raising interest rates this month in a high-stakes effort to restrain surging inflation. In prepared testimony he will deliver to a congressional committee, Powell cautions that the financial consequences of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine are...
Ford splits EV, internal combustion into separate units
NEW YORK — Ford said that it will run its electric vehicle and internal combustion divisions as two separate businesses, attempting to accelerate its adaptation of new technology. The automaker said Wednesday that its plan includes two distinct, but strategically interdependent, auto businesses — Ford Blue focusing on traditional combustion...
Economic dangers from Russia’s invasion ripple across globe
WASHINGTON — Moscow’s war on Ukraine and the ferocious financial backlash it has unleashed are not only inflicting an economic catastrophe on President Vladimir Putin’s Russia. The repercussions are also menacing the global economy, shaking financial markets and making life more perilous for everyone from Uzbek migrant workers to European...
Refugee count tops 1 million; Russians besiege Ukraine ports
KYIV, Ukraine — The number of people sent fleeing Ukraine by Russia’s invasion topped 1 million on Wednesday, the swiftest refugee exodus this century, the United Nations said, as Russian forces kept up their bombardment of the country’s second-biggest city, Kharkiv, and laid siege to two strategic seaports. The tally...
60 years ago today, Wilt Chamberlain set NBA scoring record with 100 points
HERSHEY — Wilt Chamberlain set an NBA record that still stands by scoring 100 points as he helped the Philadelphia Warriors beat the New York Knicks 169-147 in Hershey. Chamberlain had 23 points at the end of the first quarter, 41 at halftime and 69 at the end of the...
West Virginia’s skid hits 7 after loss to OklahomaVideo
NORMAN, Okla. — Tanner Groves had his second consecutive double-double, Jordan Goldwire scored 16 points on 6-of-10 shooting and Oklahoma beat West Virginia, 72-59, on Tuesday night to keep the Sooners’ NCAA Tournament hopes alive. Oklahoma (16-14, 6-11 Big 12), which beat in-state rival Oklahoma State, 66-62, last Saturday, has...
California bar investigating Trump lawyer John Eastman for ethic breaches
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — The State Bar of California says it is investigating well-known conservative attorney John Eastman for possible ethics violations after the one-time candidate for state attorney general argued former U.S. President Donald Trump could stay in office despite losing the 2020 election. Eastman, the former dean of Chapman...
GOP pushes to strip safety measures from West Virginia mining law
CHARLESTON, W.Va. — West Virginia Republicans forged ahead Tuesday with an overhaul of mine safety regulation that would strip the state of its ability to cite coal companies for unsafe working conditions. They blocked an effort by Democrats to derail the measure. That came a day after dozens of miners...
NFL’s competition committee considers changing OT rulesVideo
INDIANAPOLIS — All the Buffalo Bills wanted in January was one more chance to beat Kansas City. Now they’re trying to make sure no NFL team begins the offseason as it did. On Tuesday, more than a month after enduring a crushing AFC divisional round loss without ever touching the...
Russia excluded from more sports as sanctions mountVideo
GENEVA — More and more sports are following the appeal of the International Olympic Committee and banning Russian athletes from competing in the wake of the country’s invasion of Ukraine. Russia was barred from competing in international ice skating, skiing, basketball, track and some tennis events Tuesday, a day after...
Lawsuit: Texas investigating parents of transgender youth
The parents of a transgender teenager in Texas said in a lawsuit filed Tuesday that the state is investigating them after Republican Gov. Greg Abbott ordered officials to look into reports of gender-confirming care for kids as abuse. The parents of the 16-year-old girl are asking a judge to block...
