Associated Press stories, Page 1793
Solid company earnings and hopes for aid send stocks higher
Stocks moved higher in early trading on Thursday, helped by strong company earnings as well as optimism that Washington can reach a deal for another round of fiscal stimulus for the millions of Americans who need it. The S&P 500 index was up 0.4% as of 9:55 a.m. Eastern. The...
Biden, at prayer breakfast, calls out ‘political extremism’
WASHINGTON — President Joe Biden on Thursday called for a confrontation of the “political extremism” that inspired the U.S. Capitol riot and appealed for collective strength during such turbulent times in remarks at the National Prayer Breakfast, a Washington tradition that asks political combatants to set aside their differences for...
Hunter Biden’s memoir ‘Beautiful Things’ out in April
NEW YORK — Hunter Biden, son of President Joe Biden and an ongoing target for conservatives, has a memoir coming out April 6. The book is called “Beautiful Things” and will center on the younger Biden’s well publicized struggles with substance abuse, according to Gallery Books, an imprint of Simon...
Not child’s play: Chucky doll featured in errant Amber Alert
SAN ANTONIO — Rest assured, “Chucky” is not on the loose. The Texas Department of Public Safety has apologized after mistakenly issuing an Amber Alert that said the killer doll featured in the 1988 horror film “Child’s Play” was a suspect in the kidnapping of his 5-year-old son, Glen Ray,...
U.S. unemployment claims fall to 779,000 but job cuts grind on
WASHINGTON — The number of Americans seeking unemployment benefits declined to 779,000 last week, a still-historically high total that shows that a sizable number of people keep losing jobs to the viral pandemic. Last week’s total dropped from 812,000 the previous week, the Labor Department said Thursday, and is the...
Sitting over $10 billion, Roman Catholic dioceses amassed taxpayer aid during pandemic
When the coronavirus forced churches to close their doors and give up Sunday collections, the Roman Catholic Diocese of Charlotte turned to the federal government’s signature small business relief program for more than $8 million. The diocese’s headquarters, churches and schools landed the help even though they had roughly $100...
This date in sports history: Feb. 4Video
1861 — The Philadelphia Athletics beat Charter Oak, 36-27, in a baseball game played on frozen Litchfield Pond in Brooklyn, N.Y., with the players wearing ice skates. 1924 — The first Winter Olympics close in Chamonix, France. Sixteen countries competed in 17 events from seven sports. 1932 — The Winter...
Oklahoma man charged in shooting deaths of 5 kids, brotherVideo
MUSKOGEE, Okla. — A 25-year-old Oklahoma man was charged with murder Wednesday in the killings of his brother and five young children, police said. Jarron Deajon Pridgeon of Muskogee was charged with six counts of first-degree murder, shooting with intent to kill and possession of firearms during probation, court records...
Steve Sarkisian puts finishing touches on Texas class near top of Big 12Video
Tom Herman started the 2021 Texas recruiting class. Steve Sarkisian is finishing it up, and the new Longhorns coach still can sign a few more players. Sarkisian inherited a group of 19 signees recruited by Herman before the coaching change in January, then Wednesday added a group of four more...
House GOP keeps Liz Cheney as No. 3 leader, stands by Marjorie Taylor GreeneVideo
WASHINGTON — House Republicans decided Wednesday to stand by two GOP lawmakers who have polarized the party, voting to retain Rep. Liz Cheney as their No. 3 leader and saying they’d fight a Democratic push to kick Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene off her committees. In a 145-61 vote by secret...
Ohio police officer charged with murder in Andre Hill death
COLUMBUS — A white Ohio police officer was indicted Wednesday on a murder charge in the latest fallout following the December shooting death of 47-year-old Andre Hill, a Black man, the state’s attorney general said. Columbus Police Officer Adam Coy was indicted by a Franklin County grand jury following an...
National champion Alabama secures ‘championship-winning’ classVideo
Alabama continues recruiting at a level that should strengthen the reigning national champion’s status as college football’s premier program. If anything, coach Nick Saban’s ability to land the nation’s top prospects grows stronger with each passing year. The recruiting class Alabama finalized Wednesday has the highest rating in the history...
Powerhouse Clemson leads way again in ACC recruiting rankingsVideo
Clemson’s most recent berth in the College Football Playoff arguably was its least successful, but a 49-28 semifinal loss to Ohio State didn’t appear to damage the Tigers’ appeal to recruits. Six consecutive appearances in the game’s final four, with national championships in 2016 and ‘18, are difficult to overlook....
Guilty plea after $38 million in government contracts for masks go unfilled
ALEXANDRIA, Va. — A northern Virginia businessman who was awarded $38 million in federal contracts to provide high-quality masks during the coronavirus pandemic that he never possessed pleaded guilty Wednesday to fraud and making false statements. Robert Stewart, 35, of Arlington, was owner of a company called Federal Government Experts...
Ex-Steelers coach Bill Cowher: Credit goes to Andy Reid, Bruce AriansVideo
Bill Cowher would love nothing more than to see the Pittsburgh Steelers return to the Super Bowl. Still, Sunday’s matchup between the Kansas City Chiefs and Tampa Bay Buccaneers is a close second. Cowher spent three seasons in Kansas City as defensive coordinator before becoming a Hall of Fame coach...
Bucs’ Tom Brady has denied 27 QBs in unparalleled playoff successVideo
When a baby-faced Tom Brady made his first trip to the Super Bowl 19 years ago, Kurt Warner served up the main headline at media day by revealing he wanted to be remembered as the first quarterback to win five Super Bowls. That was one more than Terry Bradshaw and...
Defense Secretary orders military leaders to address extremism in ranks
WASHINGTON — Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin is ordering military leaders to spend time talking to their troops about extremism in the ranks, after a number of former and current military members took part in the riot at the U.S. Capitol last month. Chief Pentagon spokesman John Kirby said Austin met...
Chiefs’ Patrick Mahomes the rare quarterback with no weaknessVideo
When it comes to judging the best quarterbacks, they all seem to have at least one deficiency. Whether it’s pocket passers such as Tom Brady and Peyton Manning who might not be adept at scrambling, or deadeye accurate ones such as Drew Brees and Joe Montana who might lack elite...
Feds: ‘Sergeant of Arms’ of Proud Boys arrested in Washington state
SEATTLE — Federal authorities on Wednesday arrested a man who describes himself as the “Sergeant of Arms” of the Seattle chapter of the far-right group Proud Boys, after he was charged in connection with the riot at the U.S. Capitol last month. Ethan Nordean, who is also known as Rufio...
Giants’ Saquon Barkley says knee doing well, won’t set return dateVideo
Saquon Barkley says his surgically repaired knee is doing well, though the New York Giants star running back won’t set a target date for his return. Barkley, the Penn State product who was named 2018 NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year, tore his right ACL in Week 2 and missed...
Maryland hopes top-20 recruiting class brings improvement in Big TenVideo
The Maryland athletic department slogan is “Fear The Turtle.” In seven seasons in the Big Ten, its football team has scared no one. That might be about to change judging by the recruiting work done by coach Mike Locksley and his staff. Locksley signed four four-star prospects in December and...
Wisconsin prosecutors seek Kyle Rittenhouse’s arrest, higher bond
MADISON, Wis. — Prosecutors asked a judge Wednesday for a new arrest warrant for an Illinois teen charged with shooting three people, killing two of them, during a protest over police brutality in Wisconsin after he apparently violated his bail conditions. Kyle Rittenhouse failed to inform the court of his...
‘New chance at life’: New Jersey man gets face, hands in rare transplant surgeryVideo
NEW YORK — Almost six months after a rare face and hands transplant, Joe DiMeo is relearning how to smile, blink, pinch and squeeze. The 22-year-old New Jersey resident had the operation last August, two years after being badly burned in a car crash. “I knew it would be baby...
Bradford County DA accused of sex assaults on clients while he was defense lawyer
A Pennsylvania county prosecutor was charged Wednesday with sexually assaulting women who were his clients in criminal and child custody cases when he worked as a defense attorney. Bradford County District Attorney Chad Michael Salsman was charged with three counts of sexual assault, five counts of indecent assault, witness intimidation,...
Family: Keyontae Johnson’s collapse unrelated to covid-19Video
GAINESVILLE, Fla. — Florida forward Keyontae Johnson’s collapse during a game nearly two months ago was not related to a positive covid-19 test, his family said Wednesday. University of Florida Health physicians consulted with other local and national experts who reviewed the relevant imaging and testing related to this case,...
