Associated Press stories, Page 2601
Be it age or injury, Woods now begins year at a slower pace
SAN DIEGO — Tiger Woods wrapped up his week at Torrey Pines with a 67 to tie for 20th and said it was good to shake off some rust and see what needs work. It was his first competition in seven weeks, and only his second event since the Ryder...
Baltimore will longer prosecute marijuana possession cases
BALTIMORE — The state’s attorney in Baltimore says her office will no longer prosecute any marijuana possession cases, regardless of the quantity of the drug or an individual’s prior criminal record. Marilyn Mosby says pot possession cases have no public safety value, waste money, and disproportionately impact communities of color....
Trump friend Roger Stone pleads not guilty in Russia probe case
WASHINGTON — Roger Stone, a longtime adviser and confidant of President Donald Trump, pleaded not guilty Tuesday to charges in the Russia investigation after a publicity-filled few days spent torching the probe as politically motivated. The political operative and self-proclaimed dirty trickster appeared for his arraignment at the federal courthouse...
Friend keeps word to Hemingway, play to premier at Point Park
WESTPORT, Conn. — When the 1958 film adaptation of “The Old Man and the Sea” hit theaters, Ernest Hemingway happened to be in New York City to watch the World Series and invited his close friend A.E. Hotchner to go see the movie with him. “About 12 or 13 minutes...
U.S. consumers rattled by shutdown, roiling markets
WASHINGTON — U.S. consumer confidence tumbled this month to its lowest reading in a year and a half, tested by the partial government shutdown and roiling financial markets. Still, consumer spirits remain robust by historic standards. The Conference Board, a business research group, said Tuesday that its consumer confidence index...
AP-NORC poll: President Trump’s marks on the economy slip
WASHINGTON — The public continues to give President Donald Trump his best ratings on the economy, but a new poll finds the share who approve of how he’s handling that issue has slipped since last fall. And as his promise of a U.S.-Mexico border wall brought a stalemate over funding...
Spy agencies doubt North Korea will give up nuclear weapons
WASHINGTON — In an assessment casting doubt on President Donald Trump’s goal of a nuclear-disarmed North Korea, U.S. intelligence agencies told Congress on Tuesday that the North is unlikely to entirely dismantle its nuclear arsenal. Director of National Intelligence Dan Coats, in testimony before the Senate Intelligence Committee, noted that...
Poll: Most Americans see nation on the wrong track
PAWTUCKET, R.I. — The state of the union is dark. A large majority of Americans say they are pessimistic about the state of the country and few expect things will get better in the year ahead, according to a poll released Tuesday by The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs...
Report outlines ways to make Pennsylvania voting more secure
HARRISBURG, Pa. — A report issued Tuesday says Pennsylvania should adopt changes to make its elections more secure — encouraging the replacement of older voting machines, enhanced security of voter rolls and better contingency planning for cyberattacks and other technological challenges. The Blue Ribbon Commission on Pennsylvania’s Election Security report...
Trump dismisses tell-all book ‘Team of Vipers’ as ‘made up stories’
WASHINGTON — President Trump is dismissing — and potentially bolstering sales — of a new tell-all book by a former White House aide, calling it “made up stories and fiction.” The book by Cliff Sims, called “Team of Vipers,” is the latest in a series of insider accounts by journalists...
Workspaces centered on women on the rise in #MeToo movement
MINNEAPOLIS — Entering the year-old workspace ModernWell feels like coming into a comfortable spa. Clean lines give way to cozy touches like footstools covered with faux fur and a roaring fire surrounded by comfortable armchairs. Women type away on laptops at tables scattered throughout. There is not a man in...
Cops: Pa. man handcuffed wife in car due to infidelity concerns
BETHLEHEM — Authorities say a Pennsylvania man shackled his wife inside his vehicle numerous times while he went to work because he was concerned she was cheating on him. John VanHorn is charged with false imprisonment. Bethlehem police found the woman Wednesday when they responded to reports of a woman...
911 dispatcher helps boy with his fractions homework
LAFAYETTE, Ind. — Police dispatchers are trained to deal with a number of situations, and a dispatcher in Indiana had to know her numbers when a boy called 911 seeking help with his homework. Lafayette Police dispatcher Antonia Bundy answered the call from the boy, who said he had “a...
China tells U.S. to stop ‘unreasonable crackdown’ on Huawei
BEIJING — China called on Washington on Tuesday to “stop the unreasonable crackdown” on Huawei after the United States stepped up pressure on the tech giant by indicting it on charges of stealing technology and violating sanctions on Iran. Beijing will “firmly defend” its companies, a foreign ministry statement said....
Apple to fix FaceTime bug that allows eavesdropping
Apple has disabled a group-chat function in FaceTime after users said a software bug could let callers activate another person’s microphone remotely. With the bug, a FaceTime user calling another iPhone, iPad or Mac computer could hear audio — even if the receiver did not accept the call. The bug...
‘Bromance’ of Tom Brady and Julian Edelman key to Patriots success
ATLANTA — Teammates have called their relationship a “bromance.” Patriots quarterback Tom Brady himself openly uses the word love to describe his bond with Julian Edelman, a receiver he has come to depend on during his career. As the duo prepares to play in a fourth Super Bowl together, each...
Super Bowl media night more like mosh pit and Mardi Gras
ATLANTA — Super Bowl Media Night is the NFL’s version of a rock concert, with player interviews rather than music. It’s a Mardi Gras party, complete with the costumes. It’s a slow-motion stampede conducted mostly by quasi-media members or outright impostors. Some Los Angeles Rams players and coach Sean McVay...
Houston police: 5 officers hurt in shooting, 2 suspects dead
HOUSTON — Two suspects are dead after a shooting on Monday that injured five Houston police officers, including four who were hit by gunfire as they attempted to serve a search warrant at a home where drug selling was suspected, the police chief said. A group of about a dozen...
Nancy Pelosi invites Trump to give State of the Union on Feb. 5
WASHINGTON — President Trump on Monday accepted House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s invitation to deliver his State of the Union speech on Feb. 5, a week later than originally scheduled because of the partial government shutdown. “It is my great honor to accept,” Trump said in a letter to Pelosi. “We...
Driver, man clinging to hood in road rage case, arraigned
WALTHAM, Mass. — Two Massachusetts men involved in an apparent case of road rage in which one drove at speeds of up to 70 mph with the other clinging to the hood of his vehicle, some of which was caught on video , were released after their arraignments Monday. Mark...
Insurance claims from deadly California wildfires top $11.4B
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Insurance claims from California’s deadly November 2018 wildfires have topped $11.4 billion, making the series of fires one of the most expensive in state history, officials said Monday. More than $8 billion of those losses are from the fire that leveled the town of Paradise, killing 86...
Washington baker apologizes for ‘Build that Wall’ cookie
SEATTLE — A Washington state baker is apologizing for a politically charged Valentine’s Day cookie that generated an uproar on social media. KING-TV reports that Ken Bellingham, who owns Edmonds Bakery, has gotten phone calls from frustrated customers about the heart-shaped cookie with “Build that Wall” in frosting letters. The...
Heavy snow hitting parts of Midwest; dangerous cold coming
MILWAUKEE — Heavy snow and powerful wind created blizzard-like conditions Monday across parts of the Midwest, prompting officials to cancel about 1,000 flights at Chicago’s airports and close hundreds of schools. But forecasters warned the most dangerous weather is yet to come: frigidly low temperatures that the region hasn’t seen...
Vinatieri, 46, signs contract to play another season in Indy
INDIANAPOLIS — Kicker Adam Vinatieri has signed a one-year contract with the Indianapolis Colts. General manager Chris Ballard announced Friday the two sides had agreed to terms on a new deal. Vinatieri made it official with his signature Monday, then told reporters he was glad the process went smoothly and...
30-year-old orca dies at SeaWorld’s Orlando park
ORLANDO, Fla. — A 30-year-old orca has died at SeaWorld’s Orlando park. SeaWorld officials say Kayla died Monday after a brief illness. SeaWorld officials say a cause of death won’t be known until a post-mortem examination is conducted. Kayla began showing signs of discomfort on Saturday, and veterinarians began treating...
