Associated Press stories, Page 2227
Former congressman Walsh ends 2020 GOP bid against Trump
WASHINGTON — Former Illinois congressman Joe Walsh ended his Republican primary challenge to President Donald Trump on Friday, abandoning an effort that faced long odds and financial struggles from the start. “I’m suspending my campaign, but our fight against the Cult of Trump is just getting started. I’m committed to...
Ohio police say woman lost $2,400 in ‘grandparent scam’
MANSFIELD, Ohio — A woman lost $2,400 in a so-called “grandparent scam” after receiving a call that her grandson was in jail, police in Ohio said. The 76-year-old woman in Mansfield in north-central Ohio received the call Wednesday from a man claiming to be her grandson’s lawyer, according to Mansfield...
U.S. employers add a strong 225K jobs; unemployment up to 3.6%
WASHINGTON — Hiring jumped at the beginning of the year as U.S. employers added 225,000 jobs, bolstering an economy that faces threats from China’s viral outbreak, an ongoing trade war and struggles at Boeing. The Labor Department also said Friday that a half-million people streamed into the job market in...
Palestinians deny U.S. charges of incitement, blame Trump planVideo
JERUSALEM — The Palestinians on Friday rejected U.S. allegations of incitement after a day of clashes and attacks left three Palestinians dead, including a member of the security forces, and wounded more than a dozen Israeli soldiers. They instead linked the violence to President Donald Trump’s Mideast initiative, which heavily...
Weinstein trial: Here are the prosecution’s 6 women’s accounts
NEW YORK — Some were aspiring actresses. One was a star on the rise. Another was looking to get more involved in behind-the-scenes aspects of the film and TV business. Six women out of the many who have accused Harvey Weinstein of vile sexual behavior have testified over the last...
Woman who left U.K. to join Islamic State group loses challenge to restore citizenship
LONDON — A U.K. woman who as a teenager ran away to join the Islamic State group lost a legal challenge Friday aimed at restoring her citizenship, which was revoked on national security grounds. Shamima Begum, one of three east London schoolgirls who traveled to Syria in 2015, resurfaced at...
Egypt frees pro-democracy activist imprisoned for four years
CAIRO — Egypt on Friday freed a pro-democracy activist who spent over four years in prison and rose to local prominence as one of the faces of the country’s 2011 uprising, his lawyer said. Ramy Sayed, 31, had coordinated protests for the April 6 youth movement, a group that helped...
Putin hosts Belarus leader for tough economic talks
MOSCOW — Russian President Vladimir Putin hosted the leader of Belarus Friday for another round of difficult talks on closer integration amid mounting Russian economic pressure on its ex-Soviet ally. Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko has accused the Kremlin of flouting its obligations on energy supplies while trying to strong-arm him...
India to continue rebel peace accord push in troubled areasVideo
GAUHATI, India — India’s prime minister said on Friday that his government will continue its peace push in the insurgency-wracked northeastern region bordering China and Myanmar where accords with key rebel groups have led to the surrender of thousands of fighters in recent weeks. Prime Minister Narendra Modi said decades...
Russia repatriates 26 children from Syrian refugee camp
MOSCOW — Russia has repatriated 26 Russian children from Syria and plans to take dozens more home in the future, a Kremlin official said Friday. Presidential children’s rights ombudswoman Anna Kuznetsova visited Syria to organize the effort and met with Syrian President Bashar Assad’s wife, Asma, in Damascus. Kuznetsova said...
Bad weather moves into Eastern states; 5 dead in SouthVideo
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — Extreme wind gusts, blowing snow and widespread flooding made traveling treacherous on Friday as a storm system moved into the northeastern United States, leaving rising water and at least five deaths in its wake across the South. More than 400,000 homes and businesses were without power Friday...
Doctor’s death unleashes mourning, fury at Chinese officialsVideo
BEIJING — The death of a doctor who was reprimanded for warning about China’s new virus triggered an outpouring Friday of praise for him and fury that communist authorities put politics above public safety. In death, Dr. Li Wenliang became the face of simmering anger at the ruling Communist Party’s...
Flooding inundates Pacific Northwest, major highway closed
PORTLAND, Ore. — Severe flooding in eastern Oregon closed a major freeway on Friday, forced evacuations and stranded at least one family on their roof as other parts of the Pacific Northwest also braced for more flooding and landslides from relentless rain and rapid snowmelt. Images showed massive big rigs...
Rules on what can be brought into Kentucky statehouse under reviewVideo
FRANKFORT, Ky. — Kentucky’s Capitol are being evaluated, Gov. Andy Beshear said Thursday. But the Democratic governor said any changes by his administration won’t restrict the ability to bring guns into the statehouse, the Lexington Herald-Leader reported. “We believe that the rules right now, if followed, are appropriate, at least...
Mitt Romney returns to Utah to explain his impeachment decisionVideo
SALT LAKE CITY — U.S. Sen. Mitt Romney was back in Utah on Thursday explaining his vote to convict President Donald Trump amid pushes by some angry GOP state legislators to censure Romney or create a way to recall the senator. Romney did not speak publicly in the state and...
Williams’ 13 points leads Robert Morris to 4th straight win
NEW YORK — Josh Williams posted 13 points as Robert Morris edged Wagner, 67-62, on Thursday night. AJ Bramah had 11 points for Robert Morris (13-11, 9-2 Northeast Conference), which earned its fourth straight win. Jon Williams added 11 points. Alex Morales had 15 points for the Seahawks (5-16, 2-8),...
Disney apologizes to school charged for showing ‘Lion King’
BERKELEY, Calif. — The Walt Disney Co. has apologized to a California school that was charged a $250 licensing fee after showing the company’s 2019 remake of “The Lion King” during a fundraiser. Emerson Elementary School in Berkeley was billed by Movie Licensing USA on behalf of Disney for “illegally...
No. 1 Baylor, No. 3 Kansas head of strong Big 12 classVideo
Baylor coach Scott Drew and his team don’t spend time pondering those final five minutes in Alaska the first week of the season that led to the only blemish on their record. The No. 1 Bears (20-1, 9-0 Big 12) since have won 19 games in a row and are...
MLB mulls limits to live video, other issuesVideo
ORLANDO, Fla. — Major League Baseball intends to impose new limits on what live video is available to teams, and commissioner Rob Manfred hopes to complete his investigation into alleged electronic sign stealing by the Boston Red Sox before spring training camps open next week. “I think you should assume...
Red Sox head into spring minus Mookie Betts, David Price, managerVideo
BOSTON — Well, that escalated quickly. In the 15 months since winning the World Series, the Boston Red Sox have traded away MVP winner Mookie Betts and onetime ace David Price, lost manager Alex Cora in a cheating scandal and fired the baseball boss who put together the greatest team...
Hailie Deegan begins march to NASCAR’s big leagues at DaytonaVideo
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — There was nothing special about Hailie Deegan’s sports car debut as she raced around the road course last month at Daytona International Speedway in a feeder series. She was just an 18-year-old Ford factory driver trying to get seat time. That she’s a woman was also...
Milwaukee teacher placed on leave for tweet about Rush Limbaugh’s cancer
MILWAUKEE — A Milwaukee Public Schools teacher has been placed on leave after tweeting that it was “awesome” that conservative talk show host Rush Limbaugh has cancer. The district said English teacher Travis Sarandos was placed on leave Wednesday pending an investigation. The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reports Sarandos tweeted “limbaugh...
Safety Eric Weddle retiring after 13-year NFL careerVideo
LOS ANGELES — Six-time Pro Bowl safety Eric Weddle says he is done with his 13-year NFL career. Weddle apparently made his long-expected retirement announcement on Twitter on Thursday, although the hard-hitting safety with the famously big beard didn’t use the specific word. “I love y’all. We had a great...
Online mattress pioneer Casper soars in debut tradingVideo
NEW YORK — Shares of online mattress pioneer Casper Sleep Inc. popped in their debut trading Thursday on the New York Stock Exchange. But the New York-based company still faces challenges ahead to prove to investors it can profitably sell mattresses as it becomes a bigger name in the so-called...
FDA crackdown on vaping flavors has blind spot: disposables
WASHINGTON — The federal government Thursday began enforcing restrictions on flavored electronic cigarettes aimed at curbing underage vaping. But some teenagers may be one step ahead of the rules. Parents, researchers and students warn that some young people have already moved on to a newer kind of vape that isn’t...
