Associated Press stories, Page 444
Charles Dickens’ characters come alive in a Dutch town enamored with the English author
DEVENTER, Netherlands — The Dutch city of Deventer transformed Saturday into a pocket of 19th-century England, with 950 people in costumes bringing characters from Charles Dickens’ books to life. Oliver Twist, Ebenezer Scrooge and Miss Havisham were among the characters at hand, mingling with chimney sweeps, livestock and Christmas carolers...
Colorado 2-way star Travis Hunter wins Heisman Trophy
NEW YORK — Two-way star Travis Hunter of Colorado won the Heisman Trophy on Saturday night, punctuating a tireless performance by a dynamic player with a unique combination of skills. The wide receiver and lockdown cornerback dominated on both sides of the ball for coach Deion Sanders and the Buffaloes,...
Blake Horvath shines as Navy dominates in a 31-13 victory over Bryson Daily and No. 19 ArmyVideo
LANDOVER, Md. — This was an Army-Navy game unlike any before it. The teams had combined for 19 victories this season before their annual clash, a record for the rivalry. Of course, only one of them would be responsible for No. 20, the biggest win of them all. “I think...
Baldwin sets school record 16 assists to lead Penn St. to 48-point win over Coppin St.Video
UNIVERSITY PARK — Yanic Konan Niederhauser scored 14 points, Ace Baldwin Jr. set a single-game program assists record and Penn State overwhelmed Coppin State, 99-51, on Saturday. Baldwin, a fifth-year senior, recorded his fourth double-double of the season, scoring 11 points and distributing a career-high 16 assists. Tom Doaty held...
Javon Small scores 27 to propel West Virginia to 84-61 victory over Bethune-CookmanVideo
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — Javon Small scored 27 to lead West Virginia to an 84-61 victory over Bethune-Cookman on Saturday night. Small made 7 of 15 shots from the floor, with two 3-pointers, and all 11 of his free throws for the Mountaineers (8-2), who have won four in a row...
Movie Review: ‘Kraven the Hunter’ is another misfire in the Spider-Man universeVideo
Kraven the Hunter can climb sheer walls like a gorilla, snatch fish out of streams like a bear and outrun deer. But there’s something this slab of human beef can’t do: Anchor a decent movie. Aaron Taylor-Johnson plays the titular hero in “Kraven the Hunter,” the sixth attempt in Sony’s...
Storms across U.S. bring heavy snow, dangerous ice and a tornado in California
OMAHA, Neb. — A tornado near a mall in central California swept up cars, uprooted trees and sent several people to the hospital. In San Francisco, authorities issued the first-ever tornado warning. Elsewhere, inclement weather plagued areas of the U.S., with dangerous conditions including heavy snow in upstate New York,...
Ducks trade D Cam Fowler to St. Louis, ending his 15-season tenure in Anaheim
ANAHEIM, Calif. — The Ducks traded Cam Fowler to the St. Louis Blues on Saturday, abruptly ending the veteran defenseman’s 15-season tenure in Anaheim. The Blues sent a second-round pick in 2027 and minor-league defenseman Jeremie Biakabutuka to Anaheim for a fourth-round pick in 2027 and Fowler, the top-scoring defenseman...
Drones, planes or UFOs? Americans abuzz over mysterious New Jersey sightings
CHATHAM, N.J. — That buzzing coming out of New Jersey? It’s unclear if it’s drones or something else, but for sure the nighttime sightings are producing tons of talk, a raft of conspiracy theories and craned necks looking skyward. Cropping up on local news and social media sites around Thanksgiving,...
Former Manhattan prosecutor to represent suspect in killing of UnitedHealthcare’s CEO
NEW YORK — The suspect in the killing of UnitedHealthcare’s CEO has added a prominent defense lawyer to his legal team as Manhattan prosecutors work to return him from Pennsylvania to face a murder charge. Luigi Mangione will be represented by Karen Friedman Agnifilo, who was a high-ranking deputy in...
Ukrainian drones strike Russia as Kyiv reels from consecutive massive air attacks
KYIV, Ukraine — Ukrainian drone strikes on southern Russia killed a 9-year-old boy and set fire to a major oil terminal, officials said Saturday, the day after Moscow launched a massive aerial attack on its neighbor that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said was one of the heaviest bombardments of the...
U.S. officials have been in direct contact with the Syrian rebel group that ousted Assad, Blinken says
AQABA, Jordan — U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Saturday that American officials have been in direct contact with the Syrian rebel group that spearheaded the overthrow of President Bashar Assad’s government but is designated a foreign terrorist organization by the United States and others. Blinken is the first...
South Korea’s parliament votes to impeach President Yoon Suk Yeol over his martial law order
SEOUL, South Korea — South Korea’s parliament on Saturday impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol over his stunning and short-lived martial law decree, a move that ended days of political paralysis but set up an intense debate over Yoon’s fate, as jubilant crowds roared to celebrate another defiant moment in the...
Trump wants to end daylight saving time
NEW YORK — President-elect Donald Trump wants to turn the lights out on daylight saving time. In a post on his social media site Friday, Trump said his party would try to end the practice when he returns to office. “The Republican Party will use its best efforts to eliminate...
‘Crown of Thorns’ returns to Notre Dame Cathedral for public veneration
PARIS — An ancient relic that many Christians revere as Jesus Christ’s “Crown of Thorns” returned Friday to Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris, five years after it was saved from the flames of the medieval monument’s devastating 2019 fire. The crown — a circular band of branches encased in a...
Syrians cheer end of 50 years of Assad rule at first Friday prayers since government fell
DAMASCUS — Exuberant Syrians observed the first Friday prayers since the ouster of President Bashar Assad, gathering in the capital’s historic main mosque, its largest square and around the country to celebrate the end of half a century of authoritarian rule. The newly installed interim prime minister delivered the sermon...
Miami Dolphins release veteran receiver Odell Beckham Jr.Video
MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. — The Miami Dolphins released wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. on Friday, ending the former Pro Bowler’s short tenure with the team. Beckham had missed the past two days of practice for what the team called personal reasons. Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel indicated Friday that the decision...
Analysis: Win or lose at UNC, Bill Belichick’s NFL legacy is cemented
Bill Belichick didn’t wait around for a call that he might not get from an NFL team. With no guarantees that another opportunity might come his way — only the Atlanta Falcons interviewed Belichick last offseason — and unsure whether he could find the right fit in the NFL, the...
Yankees get closer Devin Williams from Brewers for Nestor Cortes, Caleb DurbinVideo
NEW YORK — After acquiring Juan Soto for a one-year rental and failing to keep him as a free agent, the New York Yankees are taking the same chance with Devin Williams. New York acquired the All-Star closer from the Milwaukee Brewers for left-hander Nestor Cortes and infield prospect Caleb...
New West Virginia coach Rich Rodriguez says leaving for Michigan 17 years ago was a ‘mistake’Video
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — New West Virginia coach Rich Rodriguez admitted Friday he made a mistake by leaving West Virginia for Michigan 17 years ago. Based on the welcome he got from the thousands of fans who attended his introductory news conference Friday, much seemed to be forgiven, except for one...
Feds propose protection for giant salamanders devastated by Hurricane Helene
You never forget your first time seeing a giant salamander, according to Andy Hill. He was a teenager, standing thigh-high in the Watauga River outside Boone, North Carolina, casting a line on an early fall day when he saw his first eastern hellbender. The salamander stretched 2 feet long and...
Cubs acquiring All-Star outfielder Kyle Tucker in trade with the Astros, AP source saysVideo
CHICAGO — The Chicago Cubs are acquiring All-Star outfielder Kyle Tucker in a trade with the Houston Astros, paying a big price for one of baseball’s best hitters, a person familiar with the situation said. The person spoke to the Associated Press on Friday on condition of anonymity because the...
Texas sues New York doctor for prescribing abortion pills by telemedicine
Texas has sued a New York doctor for prescribing abortion pills to a Texas woman via telemedicine. The lawsuit was filed in Collin County, Texas, by the state’s Attorney General Ken Paxton on Thursday and announced Friday. It appears to be the first challenge anywhere in the U.S. to a...
Musk says U.S. is demanding he pay penalty over disclosures of his Twitter stock purchases
DETROIT — Elon Musk says the Securities and Exchange Commission wants him to pay a penalty or face charges involving what he disclosed — or failed to disclose — about his purchases of Twitter stock before he bought the social media platform in 2022. In a letter posted by Musk...
Nancy Pelosi hospitalized after she ‘sustained an injury’ on official trip to Luxembourg
WASHINGTON — Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has been hospitalized after she “sustained an injury” during an official engagement in Luxembourg, according to a spokesman. Pelosi, 84, was in Europe to mark the 80th anniversary of the Battle of the Bulge in World War II. Her spokesman, Ian Krager, said...
