Associated Press stories, Page 2323
Phillies sign ex-Pirates Neil Walker, Francisco Liriano to minors dealsVideo
PHILADELPHIA — The Philadelphia Phillies on Wednesday signed former Pittsburgh Pirates Neil Walker and Francisco Liriano to minor league contracts with invitations to attend major league spring training Walker, a Pine-Richland graduate who was selected 11th overall in 2004, batted .261 with a .344 on-base percentage, eight homers and 38...
Trump administration to impose visas restrictions for pregnant women
WASHINGTON — The Trump administration is coming out Thursday with new visa restrictions aimed at restricting “birth tourism,” in which women travel to the United States to give birth so their children can have a coveted U.S. passport. Visa applicants deemed by consular officers to be coming to the United...
Tulsi Gabbard sues Hillary Clinton over Russia ‘favorite’ comments
NEW YORK — Democratic presidential candidate Tulsi Gabbard filed a defamation lawsuit against Hillary Clinton on Wednesday over an interview in which Clinton appeared to call Gabbard “the favorite of the Russians.” Gabbard, a Hawaii congresswoman, said in her lawsuit filed in federal court in Manhattan that Clinton’s comments in...
Tim Dahlberg: No Patriots means people can enjoy Super Bowl againVideo
Finally, the Super Bowl might be fun again. No more scowling Bill Belichick, angry as always under his hoodie. No more sly smiles and phony platitudes from Tom Brady. No talk about Spygate. No worries about deflated footballs. And no more speculation about just what New England owner Robert Kraft...
Lawsuit claims inaugural committee spending enriched Trump family
WASHINGTON — President Trump’s inaugural committee spent more than $1 million to book a ballroom at the Trump International Hotel in the nation’s capital as part of a scheme to “grossly overpay” for party space and enrich the president’s own family in the process, according to a lawsuit filed Wednesday....
Speculation grows about Pennsylvania House speaker Mike Turzai’s future
HARRISBURG — Pennsylvania House Speaker Mike Turzai, the most prominent fiscal and social conservative in state government, will hold a news conference Thursday amid speculation in the Capitol this week that he will leave the powerful office after five years. Turzai had repeatedly declined to comment this week on questions...
Trump minimizes severity of head injuries to U.S. troops from Iran attacksVideo
WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump on Wednesday minimized the severity of head injuries sustained by U.S. troops during an Iranian missile strike on an Iraqi air base as he was pressed on why he’d claimed no troops had been injured in the attack. “I heard they had headaches and a...
Supreme Court seems favorable to religious education funding
WASHINGTON — The Supreme Court’s conservative majority appeared ready Wednesday to reinvigorate a Montana scholarship program and make it easier to use public money to pay for religious schooling in many states. The court was sharply divided along ideological lines in arguments over a provision in Montana’s constitution that bars...
Kansas suspends Silvio De Sousa indefinitely for K-State brawlVideo
LAWRENCE, Kan. — Kansas suspended forward Silvio De Sousa indefinitely Wednesday in the first punishment handed out by coach Bill Self following a melee near the end of the third-ranked Jayhawks’ game against rival Kansas State. De Sousa was the main instigator on their side Tuesday night, getting stripped of...
Chinese city stops outbound flights, trains to fight virus
BEIJING — The Chinese city of Wuhan shut down outbound flights and trains as the world’s most populous country battled the spread of a new virus that has sickened hundreds of people and killed 17, Chinese state media said early Thursday. The state-owned People’s Daily newspaper said no one would...
Russia-Poland feud over history clouds Auschwitz anniversaryVideo
WARSAW, Poland — Over the next several days, world leaders will gather twice to mark the 75th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau, the most notorious of Nazi Germany’s death camps. That there will be two competing ceremonies — one in Jerusalem on Thursday and the other at the Auschwitz...
Aerosmith’s Joey Kramer sues to rejoin band for Grammy honors
BOSTON — Aerosmith’s drummer, Joey Kramer, is suing his bandmates because they won’t let him play as the band is set to perform and be honored at Grammy events this week. Kramer, a founding member of the band launched in Boston, said in a lawsuit filed this month in Massachusetts...
U.N. experts: Jeff Bezos phone hack shows link to Saudi prince
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — The phone of Amazon founder and Washington Post owner Jeff Bezos was hacked after receiving a file sent from an account used by Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, United Nations experts said Wednesday. The two experts called for an “immediate investigation” by the United...
Mets tab Luis Rojas to replace Carlos Beltrán as manager
NEW YORK — The New York Mets are finalizing a multiyear agreement with quality control coach Luis Rojas to make him the team’s new manager, general manager Brodie Van Wagenen said Wednesday. Rojas would replace Carlos Beltrán, who left the team last week before managing a single game as part...
Air bag woes force Honda, Toyota to recall 6 million vehicles
Two different air bag glitches have forced Toyota and Honda to recall over 6 million vehicles worldwide, and both problems present different dangers to motorists. The Toyota recall affects about 3.4 million vehicles globally and is being done because the air bags may not inflate in a crash. The cars...
U.S. seeks to tighten rules covering service animals on planes
Airlines might soon be able to turn away cats, rabbits and all animals other than dogs that passengers try to bring with them in the cabin. The U.S. Transportation Department on Wednesday announced plans to tighten rules around service animals. The biggest change would be that only dogs could qualify....
Larry Fitzgerald purchases minority stake in Phoenix Suns
PHOENIX — Arizona Cardinals wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald has purchased a minority stake in the NBA’s Phoenix Suns. Fitzgerald just finished his 16th season with the Cardinals and is among the most productive receivers in NFL history. He recently signed a one-year deal to return for 2020. The 36-year-old former...
Unprovoked shark attacks drop worldwide, but not in the U.S.
GAINESVILLE, Fla. — Unprovoked shark attacks around the world decreased last year, although they rose in the United States, according to researchers. There were 64 confirmed unprovoked shark attacks worldwide last year, compared to the most recent five-year-average of 82 unprovoked attacks, according to researchers with the International Shark Attack...
Authorities say worker fell into chemical vat and died
DAYTON, Ohio — A worker fell into a chemical vat at a business in Ohio on Tuesday and died, authorities said. Montgomery County Coroner Dr. Kent Harshbarger said a 60-year-old man from Union fell into the vat at Techmetals Inc. Further details about the circumstances of his death weren’t immediately...
Everyone invited: ‘Great Gatsby’ copyright to end in 2021
NEW YORK — For decades, Jay Gatsby, Daisy Buchanan and other characters from “The Great Gatsby” have been as real to millions of readers as people in their own lives, exemplars and victims of the American pursuit of wealth and status. Starting next January, F. Scott Fitzgerald’s classic Jazz Age...
Cold-stunned iguanas expected to fall from Florida trees
MIAMI — The National Weather Service routinely warns people about falling rain, snow and hail, but temperatures are dropping so low in South Florida the forecasters warned residents Tuesday about falling iguanas. “This isn’t something we usually forecast, but don’t be surprised if you see Iguanas falling from the trees...
Monty Python star Terry Jones dies at 77
LONDON — Terry Jones, a founding member of the anarchic Monty Python troupe who was hailed by colleagues as “the complete Renaissance comedian” and “a man of endless enthusiasms,” has died at age 77 after suffering from dementia. Jones’s family said he died Tuesday evening at his home in London...
Trump lauds U.S. economy at Davos forum, slams impeachment
DAVOS, Switzerland (AP) — President Donald Trump is leaving the World Economic Forum in Switzerland with bullish talk on the American economy and lashing out at his Senate impeachment trial back in Washington. Trump called a surprise news conference Wednesday to mark a “tremendous two days” at the glitzy summit...
Coco Gauff sets up Noami Osaka showdown in Australia; Serena wins
MELBOURNE, Australia — Plenty was going badly for Coco Gauff in the second round of the Australian Open. The double-faults kept coming Wednesday, nine in all. The deficits, too: First, she dropped the opening set against 74th-ranked Sorana Cirstea. Then, after forcing a third, Gauff fell behind by a break,...
Awake? Senators struggle to stay focused on impeachment
WASHINGTON — Adam Schiff was still speaking — about witnesses, documents, future presidents and the impeachment of President Donald Trump. He’d said it all before, but five hours into the Senate trial, Schiff, the lead prosecutor, was saying it again. Suddenly, from the Republican side, Sen. James Risch of Idaho...
