Associated Press stories, Page 2035
Pa. lawmaker’s positive covid-19 test cancels voting session
HARRISBURG — A Republican lawmaker’s positive test for COVID-19 on Thursday prompted legislative leaders to immediately cancel the day’s Pennsylvania House voting session, and human resources workers were deployed to trace his personal contacts to see if others should be quarantined. Rep. Paul Schemel, R-Franklin, issued a statement saying he...
New rules for Liverpool as virus cases in England quadruple
Britain imposed tighter restrictions on social gatherings in the port city of Liverpool and three towns as scientists reported Thursday that the number of covid-19 cases in England has quadrupled or more in the last month. Health Secretary Matt Hancock told the House of Commons on Thursday that the infection...
Pompeo, Vatican talk China after tensions spill out publicly
ROME — U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Vatican officials discussed religious freedom and their differences over China on Thursday, a day after tensions over the Holy See’s outreach to Beijing spilled out in public. Pompeo spent 45 minutes in the Apostolic Palace with his Vatican counterpart, Cardinal Pietro...
Consumer spending gains slow to 1% in August
WASHINGTON — U.S. consumer spending slowed in August and personal income fell as a $600 weekly benefit for Americans who are unemployed during the pandemic expired. The Commerce Department reported Thursday that spending grew by just 1%, the weakest growth since spending fell 12.7% in April when rapidly spreading COVID-19...
Facebook tightens political ad bans as U.S. election nears
With just over a month to go before Americans head en masse to the polls in an extraordinarily contentious election, Facebook is expanding restrictions on political advertising, including new bans on messages claiming widespread voter fraud. New prohibitions laid out in a blog post come days after President Donald Trump...
Subway bread isn’t bread, Irish court says
Ireland’s Supreme Court has ruled that bread sold by the fast food chain Subway contains so much sugar that it cannot be legally defined as bread. The ruling came in a tax dispute brought by Bookfinders Ltd., an Irish Subway franchisee, which argued that some of its takeaway products -...
French ‘Spiderman’ climbs Frankfurt skyscraper, faces fine
German police say French urban climber Alain Robert faces a criminal investigation and fine after scaling one of Frankfurt’s tallest buildings Thursday. Robert, known as “Spiderman” for his daring stunts, clambered to the top of rail company Deutsche Bahn’s 545-foot-high office building in Germany’s financial capital, untethered and wearing a...
Google to pay $1 billion over 3 years for news content
Google will pay publishers $1 billion over the next three years for their news content. The internet search giant said said Thursday that it has signed agreements for its news partnership program with nearly 200 publications in Germany, Brazil, Argentina, Canada, the U.K. and Australia. “This financial commitment - our...
Jimmy Carter, America’s oldest living president ever, turns 96
Former President Jimmy Carter marks his 96th birthday Thursday, the latest milestone for the longest-lived of the 44 men to hold the highest American office. Carter planned to celebrate at his home in Plains, Georgia, with his wife of 74 years, Rosalynn Carter, according to a spokeswoman for the Carter...
Report finds flaws in Catholic Church abuse-prevention plans
NEW YORK — Child-protection policies adopted by Roman Catholic leaders to curb clergy sex abuse in the United States are inconsistent and often worryingly incomplete, according to a think tank’s two-year investigation encompassing all 32 of the country’s archdioceses. The analysis by Philadelphia-based CHILD USA said the inconsistencies and gaps...
U.S. layoffs remain elevated as 837,000 seek jobless aid
The number of Americans seeking unemployment benefits declined last week to a still-high 837,000, evidence that the economy is struggling to sustain a tentative recovery that began this summer. The Labor Department’s report, released Thursday, suggests that companies are still cutting a historically high number of jobs, though the weekly...
Yanks sweep Indians 10-9 in draining game, meet Rays in ALDS
CLEVELAND — It took the New York Yankees nearly five hours on the field, carried them from Wednesday to Thursday and September into October to complete the sweep. They stumbled into the 2020 postseason. They’re standing tall now. DJ LeMahieu’s tiebreaking single in the ninth inning off closer Brad Hand...
Lakers, LeBron roll in Game 1 of finals, top Heat
LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. — LeBron James finally got an easy Game 1 in the NBA Finals. A very easy one, at that. Anthony Davis scored 34 points, James had 25 points, 13 rebounds and nine assists and the Los Angeles Lakers rolled past the Miami Heat, 116-98, on Wednesday...
This Date in Sports History: Oct. 1, 2020
1903 — The Pittsburgh Pirates beat the Boston Pilgrims, 7-3, in the first World Series game. Jimmy Sebring hits the first Series homer, Deacon Phillippe is the winning pitcher and Cy Young the loser. 1961 — Roger Maris hits his 61st home run of the season, against Tracy Stallard of...
Parscale steps back from Trump team after hospitalization
WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump’s former campaign manager is stepping away from the reelection campaign days after he was hospitalized after Florida law enforcement officials said threatened to harm himself. Brad Parscale, one of Trump’s closest political aides, served as the campaign manager for the reelection effort until July, when...
Cardinals spoil Padres return to playoffsVideo
SAN DIEGO — Paul Goldschmidt hit a two-run homer during a four-run first inning, St. Louis’ bullpen held strong after starter Kwang Hyun Kim stumbled in his playoff debut and the Cardinals ruined the San Diego Padres’ long-awaited return to the playoffs with a 7-4 victory Wednesday in the opener...
A’s hold off White Sox, force series to Game 3Video
OAKLAND, Calif. — Marcus Semien and Khris Davis homered early, and the Oakland Athletics held off Jose Abreu and the Chicago White Sox in the late innings for a 5-3 win Wednesday that sent their AL playoff series to a deciding Game 3. A’s reliever Jake Diekman walked home a...
Player banned 4 years for courtsiding at Pittsburgh tennis event
LONDON — Spanish tennis player Gerard Joseph Platero Rodriguez was suspended for four years and fined $15,000 after being convicted of courtsiding, the first player to be charged with the offense. The Tennis Integrity Unit said Wednesday that six months of the ban were suspended on condition that no further...
12 Democratic governors vow that all votes will be counted
LANSING, Mich. — Twelve Democratic governors issued a joint statement on Wednesday defending American democracy, vowing that every valid ballot will be counted in the election after President Donald Trump sowed distrust during the first presidential debate. Trump claimed without evidence Tuesday night that mail voting — surging in popularity...
NASCAR turns right, adds variety to 2021 scheduleVideo
CHARLOTTE, N.C. — After two decades of the same left turns at the same tracks over and over again, NASCAR finally upended its stagnant calendar with a 2021 schedule that is as radical as the sport has ever seen. Three new venues. A dirt race for the first time in...
California to study reparations for Black Americans
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — California will develop a detailed plan for reparations under a new law signed on Wednesday by Gov. Gavin Newsom, making it the first state to mandate a study of how it can make amends for its role in the oppression of Black people. The law creates a...
Video: Hobbled Black woman begged for help in police cruiser
DENVER — A suburban police agency near Denver is facing more scrutiny for its officers’ treatment of Black people after a video emerged showing a woman begging to be lifted up after she fell to the floor in the back of a police cruiser with her hands and feet cuffed...
Hunter Renfroe slam helps Rays sweep young Blue Jays in 1st round
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Hunter Renfroe hit a grand slam, and the top-seeded Tampa Bay Rays won a postseason series for the first time in 12 years, overpowering the young Toronto Blue Jays, 8-2, on Wednesday to finish a two-game sweep of their AL wild-card matchup. Renfroe launched the first...
Former Pirate Corey Dickerson homers as Marlins beat Cubs in playoff openerVideo
CHICAGO — Corey Dickerson hit a three-run homer off a fading Kyle Hendricks in the seventh inning, and the Miami Marlins beat the Chicago Cubs, 5-1, on Wednesday in Game 1 of their NL wild-card series. Jesus Aguilar also homered, and Sandy Alcantara pitched three-hit ball into the seventh as...
Finally! Braves snap record drought to beat Reds in 13 innings
ATLANTA — Freddie Freeman singled home the winning run in the 13th inning, finally ending the longest scoreless duel in postseason history as the Atlanta Braves defeated the Cincinnati Reds, 1-0, in the opener of their NL wild-card series Wednesday. The East champion Braves won the first game of a...
