Associated Press stories, Page 2273
Putin backs amendment allowing him to remain in power
MOSCOW — Russian President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday backed a proposed constitutional amendment that would allow him to seek re-election after his current term ends in 2024, ending uncertainty about his future. Putin gave his support to the amendment put forward by lawmaker Valentina Tereshkova, who as a Soviet cosmonaut...
SEC bans employees from Washington office after virus scare
WASHINGTON — Securities and Exchange Commission employees have been told to work remotely for the foreseeable future after a coronavirus scare at the agency’s Washington headquarters. The agency, which oversees the financial markets, said it was informed Monday afternoon that a headquarters employee had received medical treatment for respiratory symptoms...
Man convicted of murder flees Alabama prison for 2nd time
SPRINGVILLE, Ala. — A man serving a life sentence after being convicted of murder escaped an Alabama prison early Tuesday for the second time in less than 20 years. Steve Ray Murphy, 64, escaped from the St. Clair Correctional Facility shortly after midnight, according to a Tuesday statement from the...
Israeli court rejects Netanyahu request to delay trial
JERUSALEM — A Jerusalem district court on Tuesday rejected Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s request to delay the start of his corruption trial, ruling it would begin as planned next week. Netanyahu’s lawyers had appealed for a delay, saying they needed more time to review evidence. State prosecutors responded that they...
Cops: Ohio father fatally shoots infant’s mom during child visit
WASHINGTON COURT HOUSE, Ohio — A man fatally shot the mother of his infant child when she brought the baby to an apartment complex so he could visit with the child, authorities said. The shooting occurred around 6 p.m. Monday at the Pine Tree Apartments in Washington Court House, according...
Kremlin says Trump not coming to Moscow for Victory Day
MOSCOW — President Donald Trump will not be coming to Moscow for Victory Day celebrations on May 9, the Kremlin said Tuesday. Russia has repeatedly invited Trump to visit Moscow on the 75th anniversary of victory in World War II — the nation’s most important holiday. Trump said last year...
Iran says new virus kills 54, death toll climbs to 291
TEHRAN, Iran — Iran said Tuesday that the new coronavirus killed 54 more people, raising the death toll to 291 amid 8,042 cases in the Islamic Republic. Health Ministry spokesman Kianoush Jahanpour made the announcement in a televised news conference. It represented an 18% increase in deaths from the day...
Saudi Arabia increase oil output to record highVideo
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — Saudi Arabia’s state-run oil giant Saudi Aramco said Tuesday it would increase its crude oil production to 12.3 million barrels a day in April, a record amount. The move seems to make good on the country’s promise over the weekend to increase output after Russia...
Mom, son safe after 52 hours trapped in China hotel rubbleVideo
BEIJING — A 10-year-old boy and his mother have been rescued 52 hours after being trapped in the collapse of a virus quarantine site in southeastern China where 20 people have died. Video released by rescuers showed the two being pulled from the debris of the hotel that collapsed on...
East Tennessee State defeats Wofford for Southern Conference titleVideo
ASHEVILLE, N.C. — Isaiah Tisdale said he had a dream East Tennessee State was going to win the Southern Conference Tournament. That dream was realized Monday night. Tisdale scored 24 points and was named the tournament’s Most Outstanding Player as top-seeded ETSU defeated upset-minded Wofford, 72-58, to win the SoCon...
Led Zeppelin wins latest battle of the bands in ‘Stairway’ fight
LOS ANGELES — A federal appeals court on Monday restored a jury verdict that found Led Zeppelin did not steal “Stairway to Heaven.” The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco handed the major win to guitarist Jimmy Page and singer Robert Plant and dealt a blow to...
Twitter in deal with Silver Lake, Elliott; Jack Dorsey still CEO
Twitter says it’s reached an investment deal with Silver Lake and Elliott Management that will keep Jack Dorsey as the social media company’s CEO. Twitter Inc. said Monday that Silver Lake will make a $1 billion investment in the company. That money, along with cash on hand, is expected to...
Duke’s Tre Jones earns ACC Player of Year honorsVideo
GREENSBORO, N.C. — The ACC on Monday named Duke guard Tre Jones as the league’s player of the year and its defensive player of the year and Leonard Hamilton of regular-season champion Florida State as coach of the year. Jones, a sophomore, is averaging 16.2 points and 6.4 assists for...
The preventable death of an asylum seeker in a solitary cell
Roylan Hernandez Diaz’s long journey ended inside a white-walled cell in the solitary confinement wing of a Louisiana prison. Nearby were the last of his belongings: a tube of toothpaste, a few foam cups, and a sheet of paper explaining how he could request his release from immigration detention. He...
Iowa’s Luke Garza earns Big Ten honor; Penn State’s Lamar Stevens makes 1st teamVideo
ROSEMONT, Ill. — Iowa center Luka Garza is the Big Ten Player of the Year after emerging as one of the nation’s best players this season, and Wisconsin’s Greg Gard took coach of the year honors in voting announced Monday. Garza leads the Big Ten in scoring and ranks fifth...
Astros’ Justin Verlander has lat strain, unlikely to be ready for openerVideo
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — Houston Astros ace Justin Verlander has a mild strain of a back muscle and said it would “probably take a miracle” for him to pitch on Opening Day against the Los Angeles Angels on March 26. In an effort to remain positive, Verlander quickly added,...
Florida State wants to live up to No. 1 seed in ACC TournamentVideo
Florida State has accomplished several milestones in Leonard Hamilton’s nearly two decades with the Seminoles, from winning an ACC Tournament to getting within a game of the Final Four two seasons ago. Yet, his fourth-ranked Seminoles have never been in the position they are this week: entering the league tournament...
NHL, MLB, NBA, MLS close locker room access amid coronavirus outbreakVideo
MIAMI — The NBA, NHL, Major League Baseball and Major League Soccer are closing access to locker rooms and clubhouses to all non-essential personnel in response to the coronavirus crisis, the leagues announced in a joint statement Monday night. The leagues said they made the decision “after consultation with infectious...
Trump wants payroll tax relief to calm virus-spooked marketsVideo
WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump said Monday his administration will ask Congress to pass payroll tax relief and other quick measures as a public health and economic maelstrom brought on by the coronavirus drew closer to him personally. Intending to calm the fears of financial markets over the impact of...
Stakes rise for Sanders heading into Michigan primary
ANN ARBOR, Mich. — Bernie Sanders proved his 2016 presidential bid was serious with an upset victory in Michigan powered by his opposition to free trade and appeal among working-class voters. Four years later, the same state could either revive the Vermont senator’s campaign or relegate him to the role...
Cruise ship hit by coronavirus pulls into California portVideo
OAKLAND, Calif. — The cruise ship forced to idle for days off the coast of California because of a cluster of novel coronavirus cases aboard arrived in port Monday as state and U.S. officials prepared to transfer its thousands of passengers to military bases for quarantine or return them to...
U.S. begins troop withdrawal from Afghanistan, official says
WASHINGTON — American troops have begun leaving Afghanistan for the initial troop withdrawal required in the U.S.-Taliban peace agreement, the U.S. military confirmed Monday, amid political chaos in Kabul that threatens the deal. Army Col. Sonny Leggett, spokesman for U.S. forces in Afghanistan, said in a statement that the United...
Italy imposes nationwide restrictions to contain new virusVideo
MILAN — Italian Premier Giuseppe Conte says travel restrictions and other strict public health measures will be imposed nationwide starting Tuesday to try to stop the spread of the new coronavirus. Conte said Monday night that a new government decree will require people throughout the country of 60 million people...
First recreational pot shop in a major East Coast city opensVideo
BOSTON — Boston’s first pot shop opened Monday, marking the first recreational marijuana store to open in a major East Coast city. Pure Oasis is also among the few retail stores in the country owned and operated by people of color, who experts say have struggled to break into the...
Florida school officials criticized after 7-year-old handcuffed
CLEARWATER, Fla. — A school security officer handcuffed a 7-year-old Florida boy with special needs who acted out in class and had him taken to a mental health facility, a decision the boy’s mother is criticizing and school officials are defending. It’s the second time in weeks that Florida school...
