Associated Press stories, Page 29
$54.7M sale of Frida Kahlo self-portrait shatters auction record for female artists
A 1940 self-portrait by famed Mexican artist Frida Kahlo sold Thursday for $54.7 million at a New York art auction and became the top sale price for a work by any female artist. The painting of Kahlo asleep in a bed — titled “El sueño (La cama)” or in English,...
Convicted fraudster who had sentence commuted by Trump gets 37 years for new fraud conviction
TRENTON, N.J. — A New Jersey man whose lengthy prison sentence for fraud convictions was commuted by President Donald Trump in 2021 is now headed back to federal prison for another fraud conviction. U.S. District Judge Michael Shipp, sitting in Trenton, handed down a 37-year sentence last week to Eliyahu...
FAA bonuses to air traffic controllers with perfect attendance during shutdown leave thousands out
Only 776 of the more than 10,000 air traffic controllers who had to work without pay during the shutdown will receive the $10,000 bonuses that President Donald Trump suggested because the Federal Aviation Administration said Thursday that only controllers with perfect attendance will get the checks. A number of controllers...
Coast Guard set to change policy to call swastikas, nooses ‘potentially divisive’
WASHINGTON — The Coast Guard is poised to change some of its language and policies surrounding the display of hate symbols like swastikas and nooses as well as how personnel report hate incidents. The service stressed, however, that the symbols will remain prohibited. The updated policy is seen by the...
Trump steps up attacks on ABC and Jimmy Kimmel, says network should ‘get the bum off the air’
NEW YORK — President Donald Trump stepped up his attacks against ABC and late-night host Jimmy Kimmel on Thursday, urging the network to “get the bum off the air” in a social media post sent shortly after the comic’s latest episode ended. The president this week had also expressed anger...
Aaron Donald content to leave playing days behind as the Rams prepare to honor him
LOS ANGELES — Aaron Donald’s commitment to pursuing greatness made him a Super Bowl champion, a Los Angeles Rams legend and one of the best defenders in NFL history. Donald has shown the same resolve in retirement, shifting his full focus to family and off-field ventures after stepping away from...
CDC website changed to contradict scientific conclusion that vaccines don’t cause autism
NEW YORK — A Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website has been changed to contradict the longtime scientific conclusion that vaccines do not cause autism, spurring outrage among a number of public health and autism experts. The CDC “vaccine safety” webpage was updated Wednesday, saying “the statement ‘Vaccines do...
Trump administration announces plan for new oil drilling off the coasts of California, Florida
WASHINGTON — The Trump administration announced on Thursday new oil drilling off the California and Florida coasts for the first time in decades, advancing a project that critics say could harm coastal communities and ecosystems, as President Donald Trump seeks to expand U.S. oil production. The oil industry has been...
Federal prosecutors dismiss charges against woman shot several times by Border Patrol agent in Chicago
CHICAGO — Federal prosecutors moved Thursday to dismiss charges against a woman who was shot several times by a Border Patrol agent last month during the federal immigration crackdown in the Chicago area. Prosecutors had accused Marimar Martinez, 30, and Anthony Ruiz, 21, of using their vehicles to strike and...
Stepbrother of Florida teen who died on Carnival cruise now a suspectVideo
TITUSVILLE, Fla. — The 16-year-old stepbrother of the Florida high school senior who died this month on a Carnival cruise ship has been identified as a suspect in her death, according to court documents by his parents. The disclosures — contained in motions filed in an ongoing custody dispute —...
Verizon cutting more than 13,000 jobs as it works to ‘reorient’ entire company
NEW YORK — Verizon is laying off more than 13,000 employees in mass job reductions that arrive as the telecommunications giant says it must “reorient” its entire company. The job cuts began on Thursday, per to a staff memo from Verizon CEO Dan Schulman. In the letter, which was seen...
Justice Department is examining handling of mortgage fraud investigation into Sen. Adam Schiff
WASHINGTON — The Justice Department is examining the handling of the mortgage fraud investigation into Sen. Adam Schiff, including the potential involvement of people who claimed to be acting at the behest or direction of two Trump administration officials who have been pushing the probe of the California Democrat, according...
Federal judge orders Trump administration to end National Guard deployment in D.C.
WASHINGTON — A federal judge on Thursday ordered the Trump administration to end its monthslong deployment of National Guard troops to help police the nation’s capital. U.S. District Judge Jia Cobb concluded that President Donald Trump’s military takeover in Washington, D.C., illegally intrudes on local officials’ authority to direct law...
Woman who worked for congressman accused of staging politically motivated attack
EGG HARBOR TOWNSHIP, N.J. — A former staffer for a congressman told authorities she was attacked by three armed men who tied her up, slashed her and scrawled an anti-Trump statement on her stomach while she was walking in a New Jersey nature preserve this summer, according to authorities. But...
Mariners will retire Randy Johnson’s No. 51 during the 2026 season
SEATTLE — Hall of Fame left-hander Randy Johnson will have his No. 51 retired by the Seattle Mariners during a pregame ceremony on May 2, 2026, the club announced Thursday. In June, the Mariners said Johnson’s No. 51 would become the fifth number retired by the franchise, joining Ken Griffey...
Two more 40-and-over U.S. women are aiming for Olympic medals in Cortina
CORTINA D’AMPEZZO, Italy — Lindsey Vonn won’t be the only 40-and-over American woman aiming for a medal in Cortina during the upcoming Olympics. The U.S. bobsled team boasts 40-year-old Kaillie Humphries Armbruster, who has won three Olympic golds, and Elana Meyers Taylor, a 41-year-old who has collected five Olympic medals....
Lionel Messi and Inter Miami to play 1st MLS regular-season match in new stadium April 4
MIAMI — Lionel Messi and Inter Miami will play a Major League Soccer match in their new stadium for the first time on April 4, one of the highlights of the league’s schedule that was revealed Thursday. The 2026 MLS regular season starts Feb. 21 and runs through Nov. 7....
Fire prompts evacuations at UN climate talks in Brazil, but officials say no one hurt
BELEM, Brazil — A fire spread through pavilions being used for U.N. climate talks in Brazil and prompted evacuations Thursday on the next-to-last day of the conference but nobody was hurt, officials said. Organizers said the fire was under control and caused no injuries, but fire officials ordered the evacuation...
Americans like democracy, but don’t believe it or U.S. institutions are working well, poll finds
About half of American adults believe democracy is functioning “very” or “moderately” poorly in the United States, while only about one-quarter think it’s doing “very” or “moderately” well, according to a poll, marking a sharp decline from several decades ago when majorities thought democracy was generally working the way it...
The Weeknd’s ‘After Hours ‘Til Dawn’ Tour grosses over $1 billion, Live Nation says
NEW YORK — The Weeknd’s After Hours ‘Til Dawn Tour has officially crossed the $1 billion mark, according to Live Nation. The lengthy tour, which launched in Philadelphia in July 2022 and runs through September 2026, has officially grossed $1.004 billion with approximately 7.55 million tickets sold across 153 tour...
Respect and remembrance for Cheney from Bush, Biden and past vice presidents as Trump is excludedVideo
WASHINGTON — They gathered at the Washington National Cathedral on Thursday — former presidents, vice presidents, sworn political foes and newfound friends — in a show of respect and remembrance for Dick Cheney, the consequential and polarizing vice president who became an acidic scold of President Donald Trump. Trump, who...
U.S. homes sales rose in October as homebuyers seized on declining mortgage rates
Sales of previously occupied U.S. homes increased last month to the fastest pace since February as lower mortgage rates helped pull more homebuyers into the market. Existing home sales rose 1.2% in October from the previous month to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 4.10 million units, the National Association...
Cortina’s controversial Olympic sliding track to host test races without fans
CORTINA D’AMPEZZO, Italy — There won’t be any spectators for the opening test races at the controversial sliding venue for the Milan Cortina Winter Olympics. That’s because while the track itself is mostly complete, the surrounding area remains a massive construction site. Still, the upcoming World Cup bobsled and skeleton...
The Ten Commandments are up in Texas schools. They’re also being taken down
DALLAS — When it became clear to high school theater teacher Gigi Cervantes that she couldn’t ignore a new state law requiring the Ten Commandments to be posted in her Texas classroom, she felt she had no choice. She resigned from the job she loved. “I just was not going...
Late-arriving September jobs report likely shows that hiring was sluggish but layoffs few
WASHINGTON — During the 43-day U.S. government shutdown, investors, businesses, policymakers and the Federal Reserve were groping in the dark for clues about the health of the American job market. The federal workers who collect data on hiring and unemployment had been furloughed and couldn’t do their jobs. Now that...
