Associated Press stories, Page 1987
South Dakota’s Noem to appear at RNC as virus cases rise
SIOUX FALLS, S.D. — From the earliest days of the coronavirus pandemic, President Donald Trump called on governors to “liberate” residents, reopen schools and get businesses back to normal. No governor followed that advice more closely — and with more attention-seeking fervor — than South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem. The...
Hong Kong police arrest 16, including 2 opposition lawmakers
HONG KONG — Hong Kong police arrested 16 people, including two opposition lawmakers, on Wednesday on charges related to anti-government protests last year. The arrests of pro-democracy legislators Ted Hui and Lam Cheuk-ting were announced via social media posts. A post on Hui’s Facebook page said he was arrested on...
Roman Polanski’s request to restore film academy membership denied
A judge on Tuesday denied Roman Polanski’s request to restore his membership in the organization that bestows the Academy Awards two years after he was expelled from it for raping a minor. The fugitive film director sued in April 2019, asking the court to compel the Academy of Motion Picture...
U.N. watchdog: Iran to allow access to 2 suspected nuke sites
BERLIN — The U.N. nuclear watchdog agency says Tehran has agreed to allow inspectors in to two sites where Iran is suspected of having stored or used undeclared nuclear material. The International Atomic Energy Agency said Wednesday that Iran was “voluntarily providing the IAEA with access to the two locations...
Orders for big-ticket US manufactured goods jumped 11.2%
WASHINGTON — Orders to U.S. factories for big-ticket manufactured goods jumped 11.2% in July, the third consecutive monthly gain. The Commerce Department reported Wednesday that the July advance followed a 7.7% increase in June. The July increase was led by a strong advance in the volatile transportation sector, which was...
Laura now forecast to be a catastrophic Category 4 hurricane
GALVESTON, Texas — Hurricane Laura rapidly gained strength Wednesday, raising fears that it could come ashore as a catastrophic Category 4 storm with an “unsurvivable” 20-foot storm surge that could sink entire communities in Texas and Louisiana. Authorities implored coastal residents to flee before it’s too late. Laura grew nearly...
17-year-old arrested in killing of 2 in Kenosha
KENOSHA, Wis. — A white, 17-year-old police admirer was arrested Wednesday in the killing of two people gunned down during a third night of protests in Kenosha over the police shooting of a Black man, Jacob Blake. Kyle Rittenhouse, of Antioch, Illinois, was taken into custody in Illinois on suspicion...
Canucks cruise to win over Vegas, even series 1-1
EDMONTON, Alberta — Bo Horvat scored twice, and Tyler Toffoli and Elias Pettersson each had a goal and two assists to lead the Vancouver Canucks to a 5-2 win over the Vegas Golden Knights on Tuesday night, evening their Western Conference semifinal series at one game apiece. Tanner Pearson also...
Takeaways from GOP convention: Promoting power, positivity
WASHINGTON — The second day of the Republican National Convention started with a decidedly different, more positive tone, with an emphasis on Americans who say have they benefited from President Donald Trump’s policies. Here are some takeaways from the second night. Leveraging the White House Three ruffles and flourishes. The...
Only Native American on federal death row set to be executed
CHICAGO — The only Native American on federal death row is set to die Wednesday for the slayings of a 9-year-old and her grandmother nearly two decades ago, though many Navajos are hoping for last-minute intervention by President Donald Trump to halt the execution. If Lezmond Mitchell is put to...
Lightning even series with overtime win against BruinsVideo
TORONTO — Ondrej Palat scored at 4 minutes, 40 seconds of overtime to give the Tampa Bay Lightning a 4-3 win over the Boston Bruins on Tuesday night, evening their Eastern Conference semifinal series at one game apiece. Reigning Vezina Trophy winner Andrei Vasilevskiy had 22 saves and became Tampa...
Wisconsin shooting leaves NBA players frustrated, wondering about playoffsVideo
LAKE BUENA VISTA — As the NBA sought to resume the season, players had to weigh whether playing basketball aided or distracted from their calls for social justice reform. Those discussions are starting again. With the second round of the postseason set to begin Thursday when Toronto plays Boston, players...
Video prompts Western Carolina football players to propose boycottVideo
WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. — A Western Carolina University football player called on teammates to boycott team activities after several racist videos involving students at the school circulated on social media. Sophomore safety Jaylon McMillon said he and other members of the Catamounts football team agreed during a Zoom video Sunday not...
NFL teams adjusting from 80,000 die-hards to 80 decibels
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — The jokes write themselves: The Jacksonville Jaguars are going to play home games in front of a significantly reduced number of fans this season. “How’s that different than any other year?” Don’t laugh. The Jaguars — along with Atlanta, Cincinnati, Miami, Tampa Bay and others — might...
California faces huge fires before usual peak of season
VACAVILLE, Calif. — California’s firefighting agency is in talks with the National Guard and California Conservation Corps about providing reinforcements as an already devastating wildfire season threatens to get even worse. Lightning-sparked fires that have grown to some of the largest in state history have pushed firefighters to the breaking...
DeVos softens position on schools reopening in Georgia visit
CUMMING, Ga. — U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos has softened earlier comments that called for schools to reopen for in-person instruction for all, saying during a visit to a Georgia high school Tuesday that what she really wants to see is “100% learning.” “I think perhaps there’s been a...
A look at key moments in Falwell’s relationship with Liberty
During 13 years under the stewardship of Jerry Falwell Jr., Liberty University in Lynchburg, Virginia, has grown into a powerhouse with an endowment of over $1.7 billion, more than 15,000 on-campus and over 94,000 virtual students and a Division I athletics program. However, Falwell’s tenure at Liberty has become increasingly...
Antetokounmpo voted NBA’s Defensive Player of the Year
LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. — Giannis Antetokounmpo was voted NBA Defensive Player of the Year on Tuesday, becoming the fifth player to win that award and MVP in a career. The Milwaukee Bucks All-Star, who was MVP last year and is the favorite to repeat this season, ended the two-year...
NHL fines John Tortorella $25,000 for conduct in media session
COLUMBUS, Ohio — Columbus Blue Jackets coach John Tortorella was fined $25,000 for his conduct during a media session after his team was eliminated from the playoffs, the NHL said Tuesday. Following the Tampa Bay Lightning’s Game 5 victory over the Blue Jackets, Tortorella ended his video news conference after...
Police: Justin Townes Earle’s death was probable overdose
NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Nashville police said a preliminary investigation into the death of singer-songwriter Justin Townes Earle shows his death was a probable drug overdose. Police spokesman Don Aaron said officers did a welfare check at Earle’s home on Sunday where he was found dead. A friend called police after...
Browns rookie safety Grant Delpit out for seasonVideo
BEREA, Ohio — Grant Delpit’s 2020 season ended with the Browns before it began. And Cleveland’s first training camp under new coach Kevin Stefanski is turning more black and blue by the day. Delpit, a rookie safety from LSU, ruptured his right Achilles tendon while going through individual drills Monday,...
Lawyers for pair of ex-Steelers say NFL concussion awards discriminate against BlacksVideo
PHILADELPHIA — Dementia tests in the NFL concussion litigation allow doctors to use different baseline standards for Black and white retired players, making it more difficult for Blacks to show injury and qualify for awards, lawyers for two ex-players argued in court filings Tuesday. The settlement fund so far has...
Lions skip practice after discussing shooting of Jacob Blake
ALLEN PARK, Mich. — The Detroit Lions decided not to practice Tuesday, protesting after a Black man was shot by police in Wisconsin. “We came up with this one as a unit,” Detroit defensive end Trey Flowers said. Lions coach Matt Patricia opened the team’s morning meeting by allowing players...
Coroner attributes California death to Las Vegas mass shooting
LAS VEGAS — The death of a California woman last November stemmed from wounds she received in the Las Vegas mass shooting in 2017, a coroner has determined. The decision by authorities in San Bernardino County, Calif., could add Kimberly May Gervais to the list of 58 people killed in...
Hundreds of thousands flee U.S. coast ahead of Hurricane Laura
NEW ORLEANS — In the largest U.S. evacuation of the pandemic, more than half a million people were ordered to flee the Gulf Coast on Tuesday as Laura strengthened into a hurricane that forecasters said could slam Texas and Louisiana with ferocious winds, heavy flooding and the power to push...
