Associated Press stories, Page 417
Jussie Smollett’s conviction in 2019 attack on himself is overturned
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. — The Illinois Supreme Court on Thursday overturned actor Jussie Smollett’s conviction on charges that he staged a racist and homophobic attack against himself in downtown Chicago in 2019 and lied to police. Smollett’s appeal argued that a special prosecutor should not have been allowed to intervene after...
One Tech Tip: How to get started with Bluesky
LONDON — Looking for a new social media platform because X, Threads and Mastodon just aren’t cutting it? You could try Bluesky. People seeking to avoid chaos, noise and political bluster in the aftermath of the U.S. elections are noticing a different mood on the Bluesky social platform, where the...
Has a waltz written by composer Frederic Chopin been discovered in an NYC museum?Video
NEW YORK — The brooding waltz was carefully composed on a sheet of music roughly the size of an index card. The brief, moody number also bore an intriguing name, written at the top in cursive: “Chopin.” A previously unknown work of music penned by the European master Frederic Chopin...
Mali’s ruling military appoints new prime minister, a day after his predecessor was fired
BAMAKO, Mali — Mali’s ruling junta on Thursday appointed a new prime minister from the ranks of the military generals, a day after firing his predecessor for criticizing the military regime. The move effectively consolidates all power in the African country in the hands of military generals. Mali has been...
Bitcoin is at the doorstep of $100,000 as post-election rally rolls on
NEW YORK — Bitcoin topped $98,000 for the first time Thursday, extending a streak of almost daily all-time highs since the U.S. presidential election. The cryptocurrency has rocketed more than 40% in just two weeks. Now, bitcoin is at the doorstep of $100,000 and investors do not appear to be...
U.S. home sales rose in October, notching their 1st annual gain in over 3 years
LOS ANGELES — Sales of previously occupied U.S. homes rose in October, the first annual gain in more than three years, with home shoppers encouraged by easing rates and a pickup in properties on the market. Existing home sales rose 3.4% last month, from September, to a seasonally adjusted annual...
International Criminal Court issues arrest warrants for Netanyahu and Hamas officials
THE HAGUE — The International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants on Thursday for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, his former defense minister and Hamas officials, accusing them of war crimes and crimes against humanity over their 13-month war in Gaza and the October 2023 attack on Israel respectively. Netanyahu condemned...
Ukraine says Russia launched an intercontinental missile in an attack for the 1st time in the war
KYIV, Ukraine — Ukraine claimed Thursday that Russia launched an intercontinental ballistic missile overnight at a city. If confirmed, it would be the first time Moscow has used such a weapon in the war. Ukraine did not provide any evidence that an ICBM was used in the attack on the...
Trump’s against climate action, but some right-wing governments are all for it
BAKU, Azerbaijan — They’re political soulmates except when it comes to climate. President-Elect Donald Trump praised Hungary’s right-wing populist leader Viktor Orbán as respected, smart and a “strong man” in his winning 2024 campaign. During Hungary’s rotation at the top of a council of European Union leaders, Orbán promised to...
Chris Stapleton wins 4 CMA Awards, but Morgan Wallen gets entertainer of the year
Chris Stapleton took home four Country Music Association Awards and hardly left the stage on Wednesday night, while an absent Morgan Wallen was shut out all evening until taking the night’s biggest prize, entertainer of the year. Stapleton’s wins included song of the year and single of the year for...
U.S. regulators seek to break up Google, forcing Chrome sale as part of monopoly punishment
U.S. regulators want a federal judge to break up Google to prevent the company from continuing to squash competition through its dominant search engine after a court found it had maintained an abusive monopoly over the past decade. The proposed breakup floated in a 23-page document filed late Wednesday by...
49ers expect George Kittle back, unsure about Nick Bosa
SANTA CLARA, Calif. — The San Francisco 49ers are expecting to get star tight end George Kittle back this week for a key game against the Green Bay Packers but are uncertain whether top pass rusher Nick Bosa will be able to play. The 49ers (5-5) finished last week’s 20-17...
Nearly $100 million awarded to the family of Texas man fatally shot in his apartment by an officer
DALLAS — The family of a man shot and killed by a Dallas police officer who said she mistook his apartment for her own was awarded nearly $100 million Wednesday in a federal civil trial. The jury found after a three-day trial that ex-officer Amber Guyger used excessive force in...
Nearly 12 years after Super Bowl loss, Jim Harbaugh gets another chance to face older brother John
EL SEGUNDO, Calif. — Jim Harbaugh thought there would be many more chances to face his older brother after John Harbaugh’s Baltimore Ravens beat the San Francisco 49ers in Super Bowl 47. It ended up taking nearly 12 years for it to happen. “Walking off the field at that Super...
Penn State off to best start in 5 seasons after beating Purdue Fort Wayne 102-89Video
UNIVERSITY PARK — Ace Baldwin Jr. scored 25 points and distributed 11 assists and Yanic Konan Niederhauser recorded a double-double and Penn State beat Purdue Fort Wayne, 102-89, on Wednesday night. Konan Niederhauser scored 16 points and grabbed 10 rebounds, Zach Hicks scored 17 points, reserve Nick Kern Jr. 13...
Javon Small scores 23 points and West Virginia routs Iona 86-43Video
MORGANTOWN, W. Va. — Javon Small scored 23 points, including five 3-pointers, Tucker DeVries added 13 points and West Virginia routed Iona, 86-43, on Wednesday night. Johnathan Powell scored 11 points, and Amani Hansberry had 10 points and nine rebounds for the Mountaineers (3-1). Small had five rebounds, five assists...
UConn coach Geno Auriemma breaks all-time wins record, getting 1,217th career victoryVideo
STORRS, Conn. — Geno Auriemma soaked in the moment. The UConn Hall of Fame coach now stands alone atop the NCAA college basketball all-time wins list. Auriemma broke a tie with former Stanford coach Tara VanDerveer, earning his 1,217 career victory with an 85-41 win over Fairleigh Dickinson on Wednesday...
FBI arrests man who’s been charged with planning attack on New York Stock Exchange
A Florida man was arrested Wednesday and charged with a plot to “reboot” the U.S. government by planting a bomb at the New York Stock Exchange this week and detonating it with a remote-controlled device, according to the FBI. Harun Abdul-Malik Yener, 30, of Coral Springs, Florida, was charged with...
Ohio Democrat Marcy Kaptur extends tenure as longest-serving woman in U.S. House with election win
COLUMBUS — Democratic U.S. Rep. Marcy Kaptur won another term Wednesday in the U.S. House, after defeating a Republican state lawmaker endorsed by President-elect Donald Trump. Her victory in northwest Ohio over fourth-term state Rep. Derek Merrin allows Kaptur to continue her streak as the longest-serving woman in House history....
Philadelphia loses lawsuit that sought greater power for the city to regulate firearms
HARRISBURG — Philadelphia may not impose stricter firearms regulations than are authorized under state law, the Democratic majority Pennsylvania Supreme Court ruled Wednesday, a blow to city leaders and others trying to address gun violence. The justices ruled 6-0 to uphold dismissal of a lawsuit filed by the city, family...
Republicans on the House Ethics Committee reject releasing report on Matt Gaetz
WASHINGTON — Republicans on the House Ethics Committee voted Wednesday against releasing a report on the panel’s long-running investigation into President-elect Donald Trump’s nominee for attorney general, former Rep. Matt Gaetz, the top Democrat on the panel said. Rep. Susan Wild of Pennsylvania said the ethics panel, which is evenly...
Texas offers Trump land on U.S.-Mexico border for potential mass deportations
McALLEN, Texas — Texas is offering a parcel of rural ranchland along the U.S.-Mexico border to use as a staging area for potential mass deportations under President-elect Donald Trump. The property, which Texas originally purchased last month, is located in rural Starr County in the Rio Grande Valley. Republican Dawn...
Philadelphia’s mass transit system averts a strike by reaching a deal with its largest workers union
Philadelphia’s mass transit system has reached a tentative contract deal with its largest workers union, averting a potential strike that could have seen thousands of employees walk off the job. The Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority and Transport Workers Union Local 234 announced the one-year agreement Wednesday. It calls for union...
Susan Smith is denied parole 30 years after drowning 2 sons by rolling car into South Carolina lake
COLUMBIA, S.C. — A parole board decided unanimously Wednesday that Susan Smith should remain in prison 30 years after she killed her sons by rolling her car into a South Carolina lake while they were strapped in their car seats. It was the first parole hearing for Smith, 53, who...
Man convicted of killing Laken Riley sentenced to life in prison without parole
ATHENS, Ga. — The Venezuelan man convicted of killing Georgia nursing student Laken Riley has been sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole in a case that became a flashpoint in the national debate over immigration. Jose Ibarra was charged with murder and other crimes in Riley’s...
