Associated Press stories, Page 378
NYC taxi driver was having a medical episode when he jumped the curb and hit people, police say
NEW YORK — A taxi driver whose car hit six pedestrians when he jumped a curb in a Manhattan shopping district on Christmas Day was having a medical episode at the time, New York City police said Thursday. An NYPD spokesperson would not elaborate on the type of type of...
Lions sign Teddy Bridgewater as a veteran backup QBVideo
ALLEN PARK, Mich. — The Detroit Lions are bringing back Teddy Bridgewater to give the team a veteran backup quarterback for their playoff run. Coach Dan Campbell said Thursday that the team signed Bridgewater as another backup with second-year player Hendon Hooker behind starter Jared Goff. The Lions have clinched...
What is known about a plane crash in Kazakhstan as experts suspect Russian air defense fireVideo
A day after an Azerbaijani airliner’s crashed in Kazakhstan, aviation experts say the plane most likely went down after being hit by Russian air defense systems. Here are some things to know about the crash that killed 38 out of the 67 people on board: How did the plane crash?...
Ravens now in the AFC North driver’s seat after 3 convincing wins in 11-day stretch
Now Lamar Jackson and the Baltimore Ravens can rest a bit. They’ve certainly earned it. Baltimore’s 31-2 rout of Houston on Wednesday capped a sweep of a grueling stretch of three games in 11 days. Baltimore looked like a Super Bowl contender while handling the Giants, Steelers and Texans. A...
Detroit Red Wings fire coach Derek Lalonde, name Todd McLellan as his replacement
The Detroit Red Wings fired coach Derek Lalonde on Thursday and named Todd McLellan as his replacement, a major change by general manager Steve Yzerman more than a third of the way through another disappointing season in the place known as “Hockeytown.” The move the day after Christmas comes with...
Finland stops Russia-linked vessel over damaged undersea power cable in Baltic Sea
FRANKFURT, Germany — Finnish authorities detained a ship linked to neighboring Russia as they investigate whether it damaged a Baltic Sea power cable and several data cables, police said, in the latest incident involving disruption of key infrastructure. Finnish police and border guards boarded the vessel, the Eagle S, early...
Holiday shoppers increased spending by 3.8% despite higher prices
Sales rose this year during the holiday shopping season even as Americans wrestled with elevated prices for many groceries and other necessities, according to new data. Holiday sales from the beginning of November through Christmas Eve climbed 3.8%, outpacing the 3.1% increase from a year earlier, according to Mastercard SpendingPulse,...
Ukraine’s military intelligence says North Korean troops suffer heavy battlefield losses
KYIV, Ukraine — North Korean troops are suffering heavy losses in the fighting in Russia’s Kursk region and are facing logistical difficulties as a result of Ukrainian attacks, Ukraine’s military intelligence said Thursday. The intelligence agency, known under its acronym GUR, said that Ukrainian strikes near Novoivanovka inflicted heavy casualties...
Jim Larrañaga steps down at Miami, Bill Courtney takes over to finish season
CORAL GABLES, Fla. — Jim Larrañaga insists he still loves the University of Miami, still loves the game of basketball, still loves mentoring players, still loves coaching. He doesn’t love what college basketball has become. And with that, he’s leaving. The 75-year-old Larrañaga stepped down Thursday, effective immediately, and will...
Israel strikes against Houthi rebels in Yemen’s capital, and WHO chief says he was ‘meters’ away
DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza Strip — Israeli airstrikes in Yemen on Thursday targeted the Houthi rebel-held capital of Sanaa and the port city of Hodeida, and the World Health Organization’s director-general said the bombardment occurred as he was about to board a flight in Sanaa, injuring a crew member. “The air...
U.S. sex-abuse watchdog fires investigator after learning of his arrest for stealing drug money
DENVER — The U.S. Center for SafeSport abruptly fired one of its investigators last month after learning he’d been arrested for stealing money confiscated after a drug bust he was part of during his previous job as a police officer. Jason Krasley left his job with the Allentown Police Department...
How the stock market defied expectations again this year, by the numbers
NEW YORK — What a wonderful year 2024 has been for investors. U.S. stocks ripped higher and carried the S&P 500 to records as the economy kept growing and the Federal Reserve began cutting interest rates. The year featured many familiar winners, such as Big Tech, which got even bigger...
U.S. applications for unemployment benefits hold steady, but continuing claims rise to 3-year high
WASHINGTON — The number of Americans applying for unemployment benefits held steady last week, though continuing claims rose to the highest level in three years. Jobless claim applications ticked down by 1,000 to 219,000 for the week of Dec. 21, the Labor Department reported Thursday. That’s fewer than the 223,000...
Arizona State rides quarterback Sam Leavitt’s steady hand into the College Football Playoff
TEMPE, Ariz. — Sam Leavitt grew up with three older siblings, one of whom went on to play in the NFL. None of them let the baby of the family win at anything, and it drove him nuts. “It’s not like he ever was a good loser,” said Tania Leavitt,...
Christmas shooting at Phoenix airport leaves 3 people wounded, 1 stabbed
PHOENIX — Authorities are investigating a Christmas shooting at Sky Harbor Airport in Phoenix that left three people injured by gunfire and another person stabbed. Police said the incident was related to a family dispute. Phoenix police said the evening shooting happened at around 9:45 p.m. at an airport restaurant...
Americans are exhausted by political news and tuning out, a new poll and ratings show
NEW YORK — As a Democrat who immersed himself in political news during the presidential campaign, Ziad Aunallah has much in common with many Americans since the election. He’s tuned out. “People are mentally exhausted,” said Aunallah, 45, of San Diego. “Everyone knows what is coming and we are just...
Prayers and tears mark 20 years since the Indian Ocean tsunami that killed some 230,000 people
BANDA ACEH, Indonesia — People gathered in prayer and visited mass graves in Indonesia’s Aceh province on Thursday to mark 20 years since the massive Indian Ocean tsunami hit the region in one of modern history’s worst natural disasters. Many wept as they placed flowers at a mass grave in...
Israel’s plan to double number of settlers in Golan Heights met with conflicting emotions
EIN ZIVAN, Golan Heights — A dry mountain wind whipped through a cluster of Israeli flags at the entrance of a kibbutz in the Israeli-annexed Golan Heights, where the tranquility belies the tumultuous events unfolding nearby. Earlier this month, Syrian President Bashar Assad was ousted after nearly 25 years in...
Experts suggest Azerbaijan plane may have been hit by Russian air defense system
Azerbaijan on Thursday observed a nationwide day of mourning for the victims of the plane crash that killed 38 people and left all 29 survivors injured as speculation mounted about a possible cause of the disaster, with some experts saying that the airliner was damaged by Russian air defense fire....
AI is a game changer for students with disabilities. Schools are still learning to harness it
For Makenzie Gilkison, spelling is such a struggle that a word like rhinoceros might come out as “rineanswsaurs” or sarcastic as “srkastik.” The 14-year-old from suburban Indianapolis can sound out words, but her dyslexia makes the process so draining that she often struggles with comprehension. “I just assumed I was...
Russia targets Ukrainian energy infrastructure on Christmas Day
KYIV, Ukraine — Russia launched a massive missile and drone barrage targeting Ukraine’s energy infrastructure on Wednesday, striking a thermal power plant and prompting Ukrainians to take shelter in metro stations on Christmas morning. The strikes on Ukrainian fuel and energy sources included 78 air, ground, and sea-launched missiles as...
Trump has pressed for voting changes. GOP majorities in Congress will try to make that happen
ATLANTA — Republicans plan to move quickly in their effort to overhaul the nation’s voting procedures, seeing an opportunity with control of the White House and both chambers of Congress to push through long-sought changes that include voter ID and proof-of-citizenship requirements. They say the measures are needed to restore...
New York taxi driver hits 6 pedestrians, 3 taken to hospital, police sayVideo
NEW YORK — A taxicab hit six pedestrians Wednesday in midtown Manhattan, police said, with three people — including a 9-year-old boy — transported to hospitals for their injuries. A New York Police Department spokesperson said the taxi driver may have suffered a medical episode, but that the investigation had...
Lamar Jackson breaks NFL QB rushing record, accounts for 3 TDs as Ravens rout TexansVideo
HOUSTON — Lamar Jackson broke the NFL career rushing record for quarterbacks in the Baltimore Ravens’ victory over the Houston Texans on Wednesday. A highlight came when Jackson dashed 48 yards for a touchdown on a run where he reached a career-best top speed of 21.25 mph. “I was jogging,”...
Blake Lively’s claims that movie co-star launched smear campaign gets support in publicist’s suit
NEW YORK — Blake Lively’s claims that “It Ends With Us” director and co-star Justin Baldoni unleashed a smear campaign against her have gained support from a new lawsuit that Baldoni’s former publicist filed against him. The lawsuit was lodged Tuesday in New York state court in Manhattan by Stephanie...
