Associated Press stories, Page 2279
Ex-Fed Chair Volcker dies, tamed inflation with recession
Paul Volcker, who as Federal Reserve chairman in the early 1980s elevated interest rates to historic highs and triggered a recession as the price of quashing double-digit inflation, has died, according to his office. He was 92. Volcker took charge of the Fed in August 1979, when the U.S. economy...
Reports: Stephen Strasburg, Nationals reach record $245M, 7-year dealVideo
SAN DIEGO — World Series MVP Stephen Strasburg is staying with the Washington Nationals. The right-hander agreed to a record $245 million, seven-year contract, a person familiar with the negotiations told the Associated Press on Monday. Strasburg’s deal is the highest for a pitcher in total dollars and average annual...
Pension strikes cripple Paris, more travel woes ahead
PARIS — Paris commuters inched to work Monday through massive traffic jams as strikes against retirement plan changes halted trains and subways for a fifth straight day — with the prospect of a tougher day ahead. French President Emmanuel Macron girded for one of the toughest weeks of his presidency...
Fed is likely to reinforce a message of continued low rates
WASHINGTON — The Federal Reserve is expected to send a clear message when its latest policy meeting ends Wednesday: Interest rates will likely stay ultra-low for the foreseeable future. Behind that message is a view that has gained support at the Fed as the U.S. economic expansion has entered a...
Amazon says Trump’s ‘improper pressure’ doomed Pentagon bid
Amazon says President Donald Trump’s “improper pressure” and behind-the-scenes attacks harmed its chances of winning a $10 billion Pentagon contract. The Pentagon awarded the cloud computing contract to Microsoft in October. Amazon argues in a lawsuit unsealed Monday in the U.S. Court of Federal Claims that the decision should be...
FBI was justified in probing Trump-Russia, fed watchdog saysVideo
WASHINGTON — The FBI was justified in opening its investigation into ties between the Trump presidential campaign and Russia and did not act with political bias, the Justice Department’s internal watchdog declared Monday, undercutting President Donald Trump’s repeated claims that he has been the target of a “witch hunt.” The...
Police: California man rehearsed mass shooting plot on video
SAN DIEGO — A man was arrested after authorities received a tip that he had posted videos online that appear to show him pointing weapons and practicing to carry out a mass shooting from a downtown San Diego hotel room. Steve Homoki was scheduled to be arraigned Monday, the San...
Trump, Dems in tentative deal on North American trade pact
WASHINGTON — House Democrats have reached a tentative agreement with labor leaders and the White House over a rewrite of the U.S.-Mexico-Canada trade deal that has been a top priority for President Donald Trump. That’s according to a Democratic aide not authorized to discuss the talks and granted anonymity. Details...
Iran ready for more prisoner swaps with U.S., not negotiations
TEHRAN, Iran — Iran is ready for more prisoner swaps with the United States, the Cabinet spokesman said Monday even as he reiterated the Iranian leadership’s stance that there will be no other negotiations between Tehran and Washington. The remarks by the spokesman, Ali Rabiei, were the first after a...
Prosecutor warns public after cluster of drug overdoses around Reading
READING — A district attorney in southeastern Pennsylvania issued a public health warning Monday in the wake of a series of drug overdoses, some of them deadly, believed to involve the same substance. Berks County District Attorney John T. Adams said that a dozen people overdosed over the weekend in...
Cyberattack downs city computers in site of navy attackVideo
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — Federal authorities are investigating a cyberattack on the city of Pensacola, Fla., home to the naval air station where a Saudi flight student killed three sailors and wounded eight others on Friday. A spokeswoman for the city said federal authorities were alerted to the cyberattack as a...
Tom Hanks lands Golden Globe nomination for Mister Rogers roleVideo
NEW YORK — Tom Hanks’ role as Mister Rogers in the Pittsburgh-filmed “A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood” has landed him a Golden Globe nomination for best supporting actor. It could be a winning night at the 77th annual Golden Globe Awards for Hanks, who also will be recognized for...
5 dead, many more missing in eruption of New Zealand volcanoVideo
WHAKATANE, New Zealand — A volcano on a New Zealand island erupted Monday with a towering blast of ash and scalding steam as tourists were exploring the moon-like surface, killing five people and leaving perhaps two dozen others missing. Police said the site was still too dangerous hours later for...
Russia gets 4-year ban in doping scandal, including 2020 Tokyo Olympics
LAUSANNE, Switzerland — The Russian flag and national anthem were banned from next year’s Tokyo Olympics and other major sports events for four years on Monday. Russia’s hosting of world championships in Olympic sports also face being stripped after the World Anti-Doping Agency executive committee approved a full slate of...
Rams stay in playoff hunt, end Seahawks’ 5-game streak 28-12Video
LOS ANGELES — Jared Goff passed for 293 yards and two touchdowns, Todd Gurley ran for 79 yards and a fourth-quarter TD and the Los Angeles Rams prevented the Seattle Seahawks from clinching a playoff berth with a 28-12 victory Sunday night. Robert Woods and Cooper Kupp caught TD passes...
Gift-wrapping this season trends jazzy but sustainable
The trend in gift wrapping this holiday season is toward jazzy yet sustainable options. Consider beautifully folded fabrics or understated, brown or green masking paper topped with colorful washi tape or sprigs of green instead of easily crushed store-bought bows. “There’s a lot of fun stuff going on in gift...
‘Benson,’ ‘Star Trek’ actor René Auberjonois dies at 79Video
LOS ANGELES — René Auberjonois, a prolific actor best known for his roles on the television shows “Benson” and “Star Trek: Deep Space Nine” and his part in the 1970 film “M.A.S.H.” playing Father Mulcahy, has died. He was 79. The actor died Sunday at his home in Los Angeles...
Tom Brady, Patriots offense show cracks in rematch with ChiefsVideo
FOXBOROUGH, Mass. — The defending Super Bowl champions were booed off the field at halftime after yet another lackluster offensive performance. Quarterback Tom Brady showed up at his postgame news conference with his right elbow wrapped in an elastic bandage. In between, there was a second-half rally that fell short,...
Watchdog expected to find Russia probe valid, despite flawsVideo
WASHINGTON — The Justice Department’s internal watchdog will release a highly anticipated report Monday that is expected to reject President Donald Trump’s claims that the Russia investigation was illegitimate and tainted by political bias from FBI leaders. But it is also expected to document errors during the investigation that may...
Police: 3 dead, 1 injured when vehicle strikes building in Ohio
COLUMBUS, Ohio — A vehicle crashed into a building early Sunday, leaving three people dead and a fourth person critically injured, police in Ohio said. Columbus police said officers responded to an alarm at an NTB Tire & Service Center around 3 a.m. Sunday and found that a vehicle had...
Marvin Miller, Ted Simmons elected to Baseball Hall of FameVideo
SAN DIEGO — Marvin Miller, the union leader who revolutionized baseball by empowering players to negotiate multimillion-dollar contracts and to play for teams of their own choosing, was elected to baseball’s Hall of Fame on Sunday along with former St. Louis Cardinals catcher Ted Simmons. After falling short in his...
Police: Hunter killed in Wayne County propane explosion
HONESDALE — State police say a Florida man was killed while hunting in northeastern Pennsylvania when his portable propane heater exploded. Police in Wayne County say 81-year-old Gregory Scheer of Chiefland, Fla., was hunting from a stand on the ground and using a portable propane heater in Texas Township. Police...
Female minister, 34-year-old Sanna Marin, tapped to become Finland’s youngest PM
TALLINN, Estonia — A 34-year-old transport minister and lawmaker has been tapped to become Finland’s youngest prime minister ever and its third female government leader. Finland’s ruling Social Democratic Party council voted 32-29 late Sunday to name Sanna Marin over rival Antti Lindtman to take over the government’s top post...
Browns win to stay in playoff hunt, can’t avoid OBJ dramaVideo
CLEVELAND — The Browns can’t even win without some kind of theatrics,. And, once again, Odell Beckham is in the middle of the latest drama. Nick Chubb ran for 106 yards — 99 after halftime — and Baker Mayfield and Kareem Hunt had rushing touchdowns as Cleveland kept its faint...
No. 15 Memphis tabs Silverfield as Tigers’ interim coach
MEMPHIS — Memphis has named Ryan Silverfield as the Tigers’ interim coach, and athletic director Laird Veatch will oversee the search to replace Mike Norvell after he was introduced as Florida State’s new coach. Silverfield was Norvell’s deputy head coach and co-offensive coordinator in Memphis’ best season yet will be...
