Associated Press stories, Page 2344
Whistleblower: White House tried to ‘lock down’ details of Ukraine call
WASHINGTON — A secret whistleblower complaint at the center of an impeachment inquiry alleges that President Donald Trump abused the power of his office to “solicit interference from a foreign country” in next year’s U.S. election. The White House then tried to “lock down” the information to cover it up,...
Court to hear Alex Jones’ appeal in Sandy Hook case
HARTFORD, Conn. — Connecticut’s highest court is set to hear arguments on whether conspiracy theorist Alex Jones was wrongly penalized for an outburst on his internet show against a lawyer for relatives of Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting victims. The state Supreme Court hearing is scheduled for Thursday. Relatives of...
Washington plunges into Trump impeachment investigation
WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump pressed the leader of Ukraine to “look into” Joe Biden, Trump’s potential 2020 reelection rival, as well as the president’s lingering grievances from the 2016 election, according to a rough transcript of a summer phone call that is now at the center of Democrats’ impeachment...
How Trump’s Ukraine call could violate campaign finance laws
WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump’s repeated prodding of the Ukrainian president to investigate Joe Biden and his son could amount to an illegal request for a campaign contribution from a foreign citizen. Federal law states it is illegal to “knowingly solicit, accept, or receive from a foreign national any contribution...
Texas inmate executed for stabbing deaths of 2 stepsons
HUNTSVILLE, Texas — A Texas inmate who claimed he was intellectually disabled was executed Wednesday for fatally stabbing his two stepsons during a 2007 attack in which his wife also died. Robert Sparks received a lethal injection at the state penitentiary in Huntsville for the slayings of 9-year-old Harold Sublet...
Guilty plea in case of man forced by police to lick urinal
HONOLULU — A Honolulu homeless man fearing he would be arrested reluctantly obeyed a police officer’s orders to lick a public urinal, according to court document made public Wednesday after a former officer pleaded guilty to failing to report the incident. And it wasn’t the first time. Officer John Rabago...
Facebook says it isn’t fact checking politicians on the site
SAN FRANCISCO — Facebook says it does not fact check politicians’ statements on its site, even if they might be false. The social network operator says that’s because such statements could be newsworthy — and it doesn’t want to act as a “referee” for political debates. Facebook works with third-party...
Report critical of sheriff’s post-Parkland suspension
FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. — The sheriff suspended by Gov. Ron DeSantis over the Parkland high school shooting should be reinstated, a Florida Senate official said Wednesday, arguing the governor failed to show the sheriff’s policies or alleged negligence were to blame for the massacre of 17 people. Florida Senate special...
U.S. stocks rebound on housing data, Trump trade deal remark
U.S. stocks finished broadly higher Wednesday after President Donald Trump indicated that a deal to resolve the long-running, costly trade dispute with China could happen soon. Trump’s remarks, in addition to a sharp increase in sales of new U.S. homes, helped reverse an early slide for stocks. Technology companies led...
An unrepentant Boris Johnson faces raucous Parliament
LONDON — An unrepentant Prime Minister Boris Johnson brushed off cries of “Resign!” and dared his foes to try to topple him Wednesday at a raucous session of Parliament, a day after Britain’s highest court ruled he acted illegally in suspending the body ahead of the Brexit deadline. Amid shouts,...
California farm region faces furry new threat: swamp rodents
LOS BANOS, Calif. — One of the most recent threats to California’s environment has webbed feet, white whiskers, shaggy fur and orange buck teeth that could be mistaken for carrots. “Boy, they’re an ugly-looking thing,” said David Passadori, an almond and walnut grower in central California. “And the way they...
More than 136K eggs fall off semitrailer onto Pa. roadway
Police say a tractor-trailer driving through Hegins Township lost over 136,000 eggs when its load shifted. The Republican Herald reports 11,340 dozen eggs and 2,260 gallons of egg product were lost as 66-year-old driver lost control of the rig Tuesday morning. Hegins Township police say Miles had just picked the...
Pa. Gov. Tom Wolf now supports legalizing marijuana
Gov. Tom Wolf says he is now in favor of legalizing marijuana for recreational use in Pennsylvania, and is asking lawmakers to consider it. Wolf’s announcement Wednesday advances his position from last December, when he signaled that he was open to taking a look at it as it gathered popularity...
Chicago-area girl dies on 12th birthday after being shot
HARVEY, Ill. — Medical examiners say a girl shot in the head while she sat at a home computer in suburban Chicago has died on her 12th birthday. The Cook County Medical Examiner’s office confirmed Wednesday that Kentavia Blackful of Harvey died Tuesday night at a hospital. Harvey Police Chief...
Trump rebuked on military base project cuts, but veto looms
WASHINGTON — The Senate has passed a measure that blocks President Donald Trump from using emergency powers to raid the budget for construction projects on military bases as a way to pay for building his fence along the U.S.-Mexico border. Eleven Republicans voted to rebuke the president on a 54-41...
‘We’re all in big trouble’: Climate panel sees a dire future
Earth is in more hot water than ever before, and so are we, an expert United Nations climate panel warned in a grim new report Wednesday. Sea levels are rising at an ever-faster rate as ice and snow shrink, and oceans are getting more acidic and losing oxygen, the Intergovernmental...
Law firm says it settled some cases involving Boeing crashes
CHICAGO — A Chicago law firm says it has settled lawsuits against Boeing on behalf of the families of 11 passengers killed in the crash of a Lion Air jet off the coast of Indonesia. It’s believed to be the first settlement in the nearly 100 lawsuits filed against Boeing...
Top French chef upset by loss of 3rd star takes Michelin Guide to court
PARIS — Chef Marc Veyrat, known for his black chapeau and his mountain cuisine, is taking the Michelin Guide to court to find out why he lost his third star this year — and how the publication that makes, and sometimes breaks, reputations in the world’s prestigious kitchens could allegedly...
Coast Guard cutter intercepts cocaine-carrying sub
MIAMI — The U.S. Coast Guard says a cutter seized a “narco” submarine carrying cocaine worth a street value of more than $165 million while patrolling in the eastern Pacific Ocean. In a Tuesday news release, the agency says the crew captured the self-propelled semi-submersible in international waters earlier this...
Arby’s parent Inspire Brands buys Jimmy John’s Sandwiches
ATLANTA — The parent company of Arby’s is buying Jimmy John’s Sandwiches, hoping to reverse sluggish sales at the chain. Atlanta-based Inspire Brands said Wednesday the acquisition will make it the fourth-largest restaurant company in the United States, with annual sales of $14 billion and 11,200 restaurants. Inspire also owns...
18 charged in alleged Ohio heroin ring
COLUMBUS, Ohio — Eighteen people accused of being involved in conspiracies to receive imported heroin from Mexico and sell it in central Ohio have been indicted on federal charges. Authorities say 13 of the defendants were arrested Tuesday in central Ohio. Five others are being sought in California. Federal prosecutors...
Memo: Trump prodded Ukraine leader to investigate Biden
WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump repeatedly prodded Ukraine’s new leader to work with Rudy Giuliani and the U.S. attorney general to investigate Democratic political rival Joe Biden, according to a rough transcript summarizing the call released Wednesday. In the call, Trump raised unsubstantiated allegations that the former vice president sought...
Juul to end advertising, lobbying efforts of e-cigarette; CEO stepping down
Juul Labs will no longer promote its e-cigarettes in print, digital and TV advertisements and is replacing its CEO amid an escalating backlash against vaping nationwide. The nation’s largest e-cigarette maker also pledged Wednesday not to lobby against a sweeping ban on vaping flavors proposed by the Trump administration earlier...
Homeless man pleads guilty to Minnesota synagogue fire
DULUTH, Minn. — A homeless man has pleaded guilty to starting a fire that destroyed a 117-year-old synagogue in Duluth, Minnesota. Thirty-six-year-old Matthew Amiot entered his guilty pleas on negligent fire charges Tuesday in St. Louis County District Court. The fire destroyed the Adas Israel Synagogue on September 9. Authorities...
Al Franken to make return on weekly SiriusXM radio show
Al Franken, who resigned his U.S. Senate seat in 2017 amid sexual misconduct charges, will re-emerge into the public sphere on Saturday when he starts a new weekly radio show on the SiriusXM satellite service. The Minnesota Democrat is perhaps the most prominent public figure felled by the #MeToo movement...
