Associated Press stories, Page 2594
Ban on banana-eating artwork draws ridicule in Poland
WARSAW, Poland — Poland’s artists and opposition politicians are posting photos of themselves eating bananas in protest after the country’s authorities called an artwork featuring the fruit obscene and removed it from a top national gallery. The 1973 video “Consumer Art,” by prominent artist Natalia LL, showing a young woman...
Beluga whale with Russian harness raises alarm in Norway
COPENHAGEN, Denmark — A beluga whale found with a tight harness that appeared to be Russian made has raised the alarm of Norwegian officials and prompted speculation that the animal may have escaped from a Russian military facility. Joergen Ree Wiig of the Norwegian Directorate of Fisheries says “Equipment St....
Commander of Guantanamo Bay prison is fired
WASHINGTON — Military officials say the commander of the task force that runs the prison at the U.S. Naval Station at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, has been fired for a “loss of confidence in his ability to command.” A statement from U.S. Southern Command says Navy Rear Adm. John Ring was...
Authorities look at synagogue suspect’s social media posts
POWAY, Calif. — Eight-year-old Noya Dahan had finished praying and gone to play with other children at her Southern California synagogue when gunshots rang out. Her uncle grabbed her and the other children, leading them outside to safety as her leg bled from a shrapnel wound. “I was scared, really,...
Lawmakers debate future of loan relief for public workers
In 2007, the U.S. government made a promise to public service workers: Make 10 years of payments on their federal student loans and any remaining debt would be erased. But officials have largely failed to deliver. And that’s left lawmakers questioning whether to end the program or try to fix...
Braves acquire pitcher Jerry Blevins from A’s for $1
ATLANTA — The Atlanta Braves acquired left-hander Jerry Blevins from the Oakland Athletics on Sunday for $1. The 35-year-old Blevins made his Braves debut in Sunday’s 8-7 win over the Colorado Rockies, recording one out and walking one in the seventh inning. The Braves needed a left-hander for their bullpen...
Police: 8 shot, 1 fatally, in latest Baltimore shootingVideo
BALTIMORE — A gunman fired indiscriminately into a crowd that had gathered for Sunday afternoon cookout along a west Baltimore street, killing a man and wounding seven other people, authorities and reports said. Police Commissioner Michael Harrison said the gunfire erupted after 5 p.m. on a block in the city’s...
With stars in place, Cleveland Browns have rare stress-free draft
BEREA, Ohio — Freddie Kitchens emerged from the Browns’ draft room looking like a wide-eyed rookie. Things had been moving quickly for Cleveland’s first-year coach, who seemed a little dazed after spending three whirlwind days observing general manager John Dorsey and his staff relentlessly work the phones with other NFL...
Shooting kills college football player, injures Giants draft pick
TOPEKA, Kan. — Washburn University’s joy over one of its own going to the pros quickly shifted to grief this weekend after a shooting killed a current Washburn football player and wounded the former member of the team who was drafted by the New York Giants hours earlier. Police in...
Pirates squander big lead as losing skid stretches to 8
LOS ANGELES — Max Muncy singled home the tying run in the fifth inning and the go-ahead run in the seventh, boosting the Los Angeles Dodgers over the Pittsburgh Pirates, 7-6, on Sunday for a three-game sweep. The Pirates’ Melky Cabrera had four hits, including first multihomer game since July...
1 of 3 stabbed inside Erie club dies
ERIE — Authorities say one of three men stabbed in a northwestern Pennsylvania club over the weekend has died. The Erie Times-News reports that the county coroner’s office says the 34-year-old man was pronounced dead shortly after 3:30 a.m. Saturday at UPMC Hamot. Deputy Coroner John Maloney says an autopsy...
Socialists win Spain’s election but far-right gains strongly
MADRID — Spain’s governing Socialists won the country’s national election Sunday but will need the backing of smaller parties to stay in power, while a far-right party rode a groundswell of support to enter the lower house of parliament for the first time in four decades, provisional results showed. Voters...
States aim to curb festive balloon launches, citing environmental damage
PORTLAND, Maine — The tradition of releasing balloons at weddings, birthdays and memorials may soon get deflated by lawmakers in more than half a dozen states. Critics say the helium-filled balloons pollute the environment, and threaten birds and other wildlife when they fall to earth. “People don’t really realize that...
Chase Elliott’s win at Talladega ends Chevy’s NASCAR drought
TALLADEGA, Ala. — Chase Elliott won the Cup Series race Sunday at Talladega Superspeedway, giving Chevrolet its first victory of the season. Elliott took the lead shortly after a restart with four laps to go and worked with three other Chevy drivers to hold off the rest of the field....
Seattle college says student was among those killed by craneVideo
SEATTLE — A college freshman was among the four people killed when a construction crane fell from a building and crashed onto one of Seattle’s busiest streets, the university said Sunday. Sarah Wong, who intended to major in nursing, was in a car when the crane fell from a building...
Tennessee police investigating whether suspect Michael Cummins knew 7 victimsVideo
WESTMORELAND, Tenn. — Police on Sunday raised the death toll at two homes in rural Tennessee to seven and said they are investigating whether a suspect captured after an hourslong manhunt knew the victims. Michael Cummins, 25, was taken into custody Saturday night after being shot about a mile away...
Bolton: Trump wants solo, not multi-party talks with North Korea
WASHINGTON — The U.S. has little interest in joining other countries in a multi-nation effort to get North Korea to give up its nuclear weapons, President Donald Trump’s national security adviser said Sunday. The United States is not trying to exclude other nations from nuclear talks with Pyongyang, John Bolton...
Former U.S. Sen. Richard Lugar, foreign policy expert, dies
INDIANAPOLIS — Former Indiana Sen. Richard Lugar, a Republican foreign policy sage known for leading efforts to help the former Soviet states dismantle and secure much of their nuclear arsenal, but whose reputation for working with Democrats cost him his final campaign, died Sunday. He was 87. Lugar died at...
‘Avengers: Endgame’ obliterates records with $1.2B opening
NEW YORK — The universe belongs to Marvel. “Avengers: Endgame” shattered the record for biggest opening weekend with an estimated $350 million in ticket sales domestically and $1.2 billion globally, reaching a new pinnacle in the blockbuster era that the comic-book studio has come to dominate. The “Avengers” finale far...
Vacant land becoming asset as development returns to Detroit
DETROIT — When Fiat Chrysler began considering where to build its next assembly plant, the automaker didn’t have to look far to find land. A short walk from its Jefferson North plant on Detroit’s east side is 200 acres (80 hectares) of land the company is eyeing as part of...
Donations, pigs part of Las Vegas’ efforts to cut food waste
LAS VEGAS — At a farm outside Las Vegas, a herd of pigs feasts on lobster, sausage links and beef. In town, people at a community center sit for a dinner that may include sliders and truffle mac and cheese. The two meals have something in common: Both came from...
Pittsburgh synagogue: Violence ‘must end. Enough is enough!’Video
PITTSBURGH — The Pittsburgh synagogue that six months ago was the site of the deadliest attack on Jews in U.S. history held a vigil and offered its sympathy after another deadly shooting Saturday at a synagogue near San Diego, saying such violence “must end.” “It was only six months ago...
Leaders struggle to make sense of fatal attack on Calif. synagogue
POWAY, Calif. — The rabbi who led a service on the last day of Passover suffered a gunshot wound to his hands and two others endured shrapnel wounds as political, civic and religious leaders across the country struggled to make sense of another fatal attack on a house of worship...
Pirates’ skid hits 7 with loss to Clayton Kershaw, Dodgers
LOS ANGELES — Three starts into his delayed season and Clayton Kershaw already appears back in his usual form. Kershaw earned his first win, allowing one run over seven innings to outpitch Joe Musgrove and help the Los Angeles Dodgers beat the Pittsburgh Pirates 3-1 on Saturday night. Chris Taylor...
South Africa marks Freedom Day, recalls apartheid’s end
KWA-THEMA, South Africa — Calls for more jobs for South Africa’s black majority and respect for the rights of the LGBTI community marked Freedom Day celebrations Saturday commemorating the 25th anniversary of the end of apartheid. Singing and dancing punctuated one gathering of about 3,500 on the outskirts of Johannesburg....
