Associated Press stories, Page 550
Elon Musk drops lawsuit against ChatGPT-maker OpenAI without explanation
SAN FRANCISCO — Elon Musk has dropped his lawsuit against OpenAI just ahead of a scheduled Wednesday hearing on the case. Musk in February sued the San Francisco artificial intelligence company and its CEO Sam Altman over what he said was a betrayal of the ChatGPT maker’s founding aims of...
Southern Baptists narrowly reject formal ban on churches with any women pastors
INDIANAPOLIS — Southern Baptists narrowly rejected a proposal Wednesday to enshrine a ban on churches with women pastors in the denomination’s constitution after opponents argued it was unnecessary because the denomination already has a way of ousting such churches. The vote received support from 61% of the delegates, but it...
Florida and star Jac Caglianone are back in Omaha thanks to a contributing supporting cast
GAINESVILLE, Fla. — Jac Caglianone grabbed a Florida teammate to help carry the bucket of ice water and tried to sneak up on coach Kevin O’Sullivan moments after the Gators advanced to the College World Series for the second consecutive year. “I saw him coming the whole way,” O’Sullivan said...
Jerry West, a 3-time Hall of Fame selection and the NBA logo, dies at 86
Jerry West, who was selected to the Basketball Hall of Fame three times in a storied career as a player and executive and whose silhouette is considered to be the basis of the NBA logo, died Wednesday morning, the Los Angeles Clippers announced. He was 86. West, nicknamed “Mr. Clutch”...
Jerry West, a 3-time Hall of Fame selection and the NBA logo, dies at 86Video
Jerry West, who was selected to the Basketball Hall of Fame three times in a storied career as a player and executive, and whose silhouette is considered to be the basis of the NBA logo, died Wednesday morning, the Los Angeles Clippers announced. He was 86. West, nicknamed “Mr. Clutch”...
Thefts of charging cables pose yet another obstacle to appeal of electric vehicles
DETROIT — Just before 2 a.m. on a chilly April night in Seattle, a Chevrolet Silverado pickup stopped at an electric vehicle charging station on the edge of a shopping center parking lot. Two men, one with a light strapped to his head, got out. A security camera recorded them...
Faking an honest woman: Why Russia, China and Big Tech all use faux females to get clicks
WASHINGTON — When disinformation researcher Wen-Ping Liu looked into China’s efforts to influence Taiwan’s recent election using fake social media accounts, something unusual stood out about the most successful profiles. They were female, or at least that’s what they appeared to be. Fake profiles that claimed to be women got...
What’s next for Hunter Biden after his conviction on federal gun charges
WILMINGTON, Del. — Hunter Biden’s legal woes are not over after his conviction on three felony firearms charges in a trial that put a spotlight on his drug-fueled past. Now, President Joe Biden’s son faces sentencing, and another criminal trial on tax charges in the middle of his father’s reelection...
Hezbollah fires scores of rockets at northern Israel as Gaza cease-fire talks hang in the balance
BEIRUT — Lebanon’s Hezbollah fired a massive barrage of rockets into northern Israel on Wednesday to avenge the killing of a top commander, further escalating regional tensions as the fate of an internationally-backed plan for a cease-fire in Gaza hung in the balance. The retaliatory attack came as U.S. Secretary...
Michael Rulli’s win in Ohio will grow GOP’s razor-thin majority in the U.S. House
COLUMBUS — Republican state Sen. Michael Rulli won a special election Tuesday in eastern Ohio for a U.S. House seat that has sat vacant for months, expanding the GOP’s narrow majority in the congressional chamber. Rulli, 55, defeated Democrat Michael Kripchak to fill the remainder of Republican Bill Johnson’s unexpired...
DK Metcalf excited for Seahawks future with Mike Macdonald
RENTON, Wash. — DK Metcalf has one issue with his new coach in Seattle, Mike Macdonald. “He’s a defensive coach. That’s one thing I don’t like about him,” Metcalf joked. “But it’s good for our team.” Seattle’s star wide receiver was present for the start of mandatory minicamp Tuesday after...
North Carolina lawmakers approve mask bill that allows health exemption after pushback
RALEIGH — A new, reworked version of a bill that originally caught flak for removing a pandemic-era health exemption for wearing a mask in public was approved by North Carolina lawmakers on Tuesday. The amended bill still increases punishments for people wearing masks while committing a crime. It was brought...
Southern Baptists expel Virginia church for believing women can serve as pastors
INDIANAPOLIS — Even as they prepare to vote on a formal ban on churches with women pastors, delegates to the Southern Baptist Convention annual meeting voted overwhelmingly Tuesday to boot one such church from its ranks. Messengers, as voting representatives are known, voted 6,759 to 563 to oust First Baptist...
Leon Draisaitl avoids suspension, Aleksander Barkov could play in Stanley Cup Final Game 3
FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. — Leon Draisaitl is eligible to play for Edmonton in Game 3 of the Stanley Cup Final on Thursday night after avoiding a possible suspension. Time will tell on two other key players in the series. Florida captain Aleksander Barkov’s status is the biggest question after leaving...
Bengals QB Joe Burrow not rushing rehab of his surgically repaired wrist
CINCINNATI — Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow has dealt with multiple injuries in his first four years in the NFL, so he’s learned plenty about what it takes to come back from them. Rushing through rehab to get back on the field sooner is not necessarily the best way to...
Jon Rahm withdraws from the US Open with a left foot infectionVideo
PINEHURST, N.C. — Jon Rahm withdrew from the U.S. Open on Tuesday afternoon because of an infection in his left foot that led to concerns it could hurt the rest of his game. Rahm, a past Masters champion and former No. 1 player in the world, announced his decision in...
Rory McIlroy arrives at the U.S. Open content with his career, yet burning to end his major droughtVideo
PINEHURST, N.C. — The final question Rory McIlroy was asked before he headed onto Pinehurst No. 2 on Tuesday for his first practice round at this week’s U.S. Open was perhaps more befitting of a player in the twilight of his career than one ranked No. 3 in the world....
Jayson Tatum knows his shooting numbers aren’t great. The Celtics control the NBA Finals anywayVideo
DALLAS — There have been two versions of Jayson Tatum in the NBA Finals. Version One is shooting a dismal 12 for 38 from the field, just 31.6%, the worst percentage by far of any starter in the series between his Celtics and the Dallas Mavericks. Version Two is second...
Dog fight! Joey Chestnut out of July 4 hot dog eating contest because of deal with rival brand
NEW YORK — Joey “Jaws” Chestnut, the reigning champion of the Nathan’s Famous Fourth of July hot dog eating contest, will not participate in this year’s event after signing a deal with a rival brand, organizers said Tuesday. Chestnut, 40, has long been the face — not to mention the...
Gas prices are falling. Experts point to mild demand at the pump ahead of summer travel
NEW YORK — Gas prices are once again on the decline across the country, bringing some relief to drivers now paying a little less to fill up their tanks. The national average for gas prices on Monday stood around $3.44, according to AAA. That’s down about 9 cents from a...
Gunman wounds 3 in Atlanta food court before being shot by officer, police say
ATLANTA — A gunman shot three people at a food court in downtown Atlanta before he was shot by a police officer Tuesday afternoon, authorities said. All four people who were shot at the Peachtree Center food court are expected to survive, including the suspect, according to Atlanta Police Chief...
Federal judge throws out Florida law blocking treatment for transgender children
FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. — A federal judge on Tuesday struck down a 2023 Florida law that blocked gender-affirming care for transgender minors and severely restricted such treatment for adults, calling the statute unconstitutional. Senior Judge Robert Hinkle said the state went too far when it barred transgender minors from being...
Rising costs for youth sports represents a challenge for families in keeping children active
The costs keep adding up — league fees, gear, travel — when it comes to youth sports in North America. It’s a longtime issue exacerbated by inflation and hardly confined to the United States. The expense of playing youth hockey is one of the primary reasons cited by parents and...
49ers running back Christian McCaffrey to appear on Madden cover
Christian McCaffrey grew up playing the Madden NFL video game with his brother, dreaming of being a player in the league one day. Getting on the cover of the famed video game was never even a consideration. Electronic Arts Inc. announced Tuesday that the San Francisco 49ers star running back...
Aaron Rodgers missing Jets mandatory minicamp
FLORHAM PARK, N.J. — New York Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers and edge rusher Haason Reddick are not participating in the team’s mandatory minicamp this week, unexcused absences that subject both to fines. Coach Robert Saleh said Tuesday he has spoken to both players. Rodgers’ absence is related to a previous...
