Associated Press stories, Page 2258
6.4 quake strikes Puerto Rico amid heavy seismic activity
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico — A 6.4-magnitude earthquake struck Puerto Rico before dawn on Tuesday, and was followed three hours later by an aftershock measuring 6.0. They are the largest in a series of quakes that have struck the U.S. territory in recent days and caused heavy damage in some...
Stampede kills 56 at funeral for Iran Gen. Qassem Soleimani killed by U.S.
TEHRAN, Iran — A stampede broke out Tuesday at the funeral for a top Iranian general slain in a U.S. airstrike, and at least 56 people were killed and more than 200 were injured as thousands thronged the procession, Iranian news reports said. The stampede took place in Kerman, the...
Pier 1 Imports closing nearly half of stores as sales falter
FORT WORTH, Texas — Pier 1 Imports is closing nearly half its 942 stores as it struggles to draw consumers and compete online. The home decor company said Monday it is closing up to 450 stores and will also shutter distribution centers. It didn’t say where the store closures would...
Former Passionist priest, who once served in Pittsburgh, gets probation for ‘unnatural acts’ on a minor
BOSTON — A Catholic priest has pleaded guilty to two counts of “unnatural acts” with a minor for accusations of sexual abuse dating back to the 1970s. James Randall Gillette was sentenced to five years of probation in Suffolk Superior Court in Boston on Jan. 2, according to court records....
Kirk Cousins, Mike Zimmer quiet skeptics in playoff win for VikingsVideo
EAGAN, Minn. — In their boisterous locker room in New Orleans after the overtime victory, the Minnesota Vikings roared in celebration when coach Mike Zimmer gave the game ball to quarterback Kirk Cousins. “How does it feel to win a playoff game?” Zimmer asked Cousins with a question that needed...
In midst of slump, Nashville Predators fire coach Peter LavioletteVideo
NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Nashville fired Peter Laviolette on Monday after he coached the Predators into the playoffs in each of the previous five seasons. Assistant coach Kevin McCarthy also was dismissed. The Predators (19-15-7) have dropped four of five heading into Tuesday night’s game against the Boston Bruins. They are...
IKEA to pay $46M in boy’s dresser tipover death, lawyers say
PHILADELPHIA — IKEA has agreed to pay $46 million to the parents of a 2-year-old boy who died of injuries suffered when a 70-pound recalled dresser tipped over onto him, the family’s lawyers said Monday. Jozef Dudek, of Buena Park, Calif., died in 2017 of his injuries, and his parents...
Poll shows Americans favor endorsement money for NCAA athletesVideo
As the NCAA grapples with how to provide athletes opportunities to be compensated for their fame, about two-thirds of Americans support college players being permitted to earn money for endorsements. That is according to a poll from the Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research. Support for the NCAA allowing...
Running backs for Clemson, LSU coming up big despite sizeVideo
CLEMSON, S.C. — LSU’s Clyde Edwards-Helaire and Clemson’s Travis Etienne have more in common than their Louisiana backgrounds heading into the national title game. Both are smallish running backs who were overlooked at times in high school but have emerged as critical factors for next week’s College Football Playoff championship...
Alabama quarterback Tua Tagovailoa will enter 2020 NFL DraftVideo
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — Alabama quarterback Tua Tagovailoa put an end to the initial question about his future, announcing Monday that he is entering the NFL Draft and closing the book on a college career that began with a splash and ended with a devastating injury. Now the questions will be...
Ohio coroner: Columbus-area drug overdose deaths still rising
COLUMBUS, Ohio — The number of fatal overdoses in the county that includes Ohio’s capital city jumped during the first nine months of 2019 compared to the same period in 2018, the county coroner reported Monday. Franklin County recorded 421 drug deaths through September 2019, a 15% increase from the...
Ravens stay focused on present, not 2018 meeting against TitansVideo
OWINGS MILLS, Md. — There’s really nothing about the past that interests the Baltimore Ravens in relation to their playoff game against the Tennessee Titans on Saturday night. The 21-0 win over the Titans in 2018 is irrelevant, given how much has changed since then. Baltimore’s NFL-best 14-2 record this...
‘Honest mistake’ sets off alarm about U.S. troops in Iraq
WASHINGTON — For a few tense hours Monday, the United States appeared to have announced that American troops were pulling out of Baghdad after nearly 17 years. Turns out, it was just an “honest mistake.” “Here’s the bottom line, this was a mistake,” Gen. Mark Milley, chairman of the Joint...
Sheriff: Distracted trucker charged in crash that killed 3 in Indiana
LEBANON, Ind. — A Michigan trucker distracted by his coffee mug was charged in connection with an nine-vehicle crash in central Indiana that killed three people, including a toddler, and injured more than dozen others, authorities said Monday. Boone County sheriff’s officials said Matthew Small, 34, of Grandville, Mich., was...
Push to oust U.S. troops from Iraq a risky undertaking
BAGHDAD — A push led by pro-Iran factions to oust U.S. troops from Iraq following the U.S. airstrike that killed a top Iranian general is gaining momentum, bolstered by a Parliament vote calling on the government to remove them. But the path forward is unclear, and in Iraq’s deeply divided...
LA Rams fire veteran defensive coordinator Wade Phillips
THOUSAND OAKS, Calif. — Veteran defensive coordinator Wade Phillips has been fired by the Los Angeles Rams after three winning seasons. Phillips announced Monday on Twitter that the Rams are not renewing his contract. The 72-year-old says he wants to stay in coaching. Phillips teamed up on the Rams in...
Harvey Weinstein charged with sex crimes in Los Angeles on eve of N.Y. trial
LOS ANGELES — Los Angeles prosecutors charged Harvey Weinstein on Monday with sexually assaulting two women on successive nights during Oscars week in 2013, bringing the new case against the disgraced Hollywood mogul on the eve of jury selection for his New York trial. The case, brought by a task...
Former Pa. congressman Mike Fitzpatrick dies at age 56
HARRISBURG — Michael Fitzpatrick, a former congressman from suburban Philadelphia who served four terms in the House before handing off the seat to his brother, died Monday morning after a long battle with melanoma, his family said. He was 56. “Michael Fitzpatrick passed away peacefully this morning, surrounded by family,...
Borden files for bankruptcy amid drop in U.S. milk drinkers
The U.S. dairy industry, the largest in the world, is under severe pressure as the consumption habits of Americans shift. Borden Dairy Co. filed for bankruptcy protection, the second major U.S. dairy to do so in as many months. Borden produces nearly 500 million gallons of milk each year for...
For Israel, Iran strike could be back on the tableVideo
JERUSALEM — Iran’s dramatic announcement that it no longer intends to honor its commitments under the 2015 nuclear deal with world powers could soon revive discussions in Israel over a possible military strike on Iranian targets. While Israel has kept a low profile since the United States killed top Iranian...
Julián Castro endorses Elizabeth Warren in presidential race
WASHINGTON — Former Obama administration housing chief Julián Castro is endorsing Elizabeth Warren’s presidential bid, saying the Massachusetts senator is “the most qualified, best-equipped candidate to win the nomination” and defeat President Donald Trump. In an online video posted Monday featuring the two former 2020 White House rivals, Castro tells...
AP source: Cowboys pick Greenfield’s Mike McCarthy as coach
FRISCO, Texas — Mike McCarthy won a Super Bowl and went to the playoffs eight straight years while coaching two-time MVP quarterback Aaron Rodgers. The Dallas Cowboys are hoping for similar results from McCarthy with Dak Prescott. McCarthy, the Greenfield native who won the title as Green Bay’s coach at...
‘Fleabag,’ ‘Succession,’ ‘Chernobyl’ win top Golden Globes
BEVERLY HILLS, Calif. — Real-life stories ruled the Golden Globe TV honors, as Olivia Colman’s portrayal of Queen Elizabeth II, Michelle Williams’ turn as Broadway star Gwen Verdon and the nuclear disaster drama “Chernobyl” won top honors. Real-world issues also found their way into Sunday’s ceremony. In accepting the best...
Lincoln Chafee files to run for president as Libertarian
Former Democratic presidential candidate Lincoln Chafee has filed to run for president as a Libertarian. The former governor of Rhode Island on Sunday registered the “Lincoln Chafee For President” campaign committee with the Federal Election Commission, online records showed. A fundraising website linked to the FEC filing states, “Lincoln Leads...
5.8-magnitude quake strikes Puerto Rico, damage reported
GUÁNICA, Puerto Rico — A 5.8-magnitude quake hit Puerto Rico before dawn Monday, unleashing small landslides, causing power outages and severely cracking some homes. It was one of the strongest quakes yet to hit the U.S. territory that has been shaking for the past week. There were no immediate reports...
