Associated Press stories, Page 579
Preakness is up next for Brian Hernandez after winning the Derby with a perfect trip on Mystik DanVideo
BALTIMORE — Brian Hernandez Jr. spent the leadup to the Kentucky Derby watching replays of winning rides by fellow jockeys to see what it would take to get the job done with Mystik Dan, particularly those of Hall of Famer Calvin Borel. The 2010 Derby Borel won with Super Saver...
Marcus Ericsson crashes in practice, no regrets headed into Indy 500Video
INDIANAPOLIS — Marcus Ericsson returned to the Indianapolis 500 with zero regrets but ended Thursday with a violent collision late in the first full day of practice. Ericsson hit a curb with about two hours remaining in the session, causing his car to spin and hit the wall three times....
A pair of late 3-putts sent Tiger Woods to a sluggish 1-over start at the PGA ChampionshipVideo
LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Tiger Woods figures it took him three holes to get back into the “competitive flow” of tournament golf on Thursday at Valhalla. It might take more than familiar vibes for Woods to stick around for the weekend at the PGA Championship. Like birdies. Maybe a bunch of...
Justice Department formally moves to reclassify marijuana as a less dangerous drug in historic shift
WASHINGTON — The Justice Department on Thursday formally moved to reclassify marijuana as a less dangerous drug, a historic shift in generations of U.S. drug policy. A proposed rule sent to the federal register recognizes the medical uses of cannabis and acknowledges it has less potential for abuse than some...
Teen who ate spicy tortilla chip died of high chile consumption and had a heart defect, autopsy says
BOSTON — A Massachusetts teen who participated in a spicy tortilla chip challenge on social media died from eating a large quantity of chile pepper extract and also had a congenital heart defect, according to autopsy results obtained by The Associated Press. Harris Wolobah, a 10th grader from the city...
Texas governor pardons ex-Army sergeant convicted of killing Black Lives Matter protester
AUSTIN, Texas — Texas Gov. Greg Abbott issued a full pardon Thursday for a former U.S. Army sergeant convicted of murder for fatally shooting an armed demonstrator in 2020 during nationwide protests against police violence and racial injustice. Abbott announced the pardon shortly after the Texas Board of Pardons and...
The late Rev. Billy Graham is immortalized in a statue unveiled at the U.S. CapitolVideo
A bronze sculpture of the late Rev. Billy Graham was unveiled Thursday at the U.S. Capitol, with Christianity’s most prolific evangelist once known as “America’s Pastor” immortalized in the halls of Congress on behalf of his native North Carolina. Graham’s likeness, depicting the Charlotte-born minister with his archetypal gesture toward...
Harris accepts debate invite to face off with Trump’s VP pick, which may come at convention
WASHINGTON — Vice President Kamala Harris has accepted an invitation from CBS News to debate former President Donald Trump’s vice presidential pick this summer, the Biden campaign said Thursday, as the Republican said he might wait until his party’s convention in July to announce his selection. Harris’ team told the...
Michael Cohen pressed on his crimes and lies as defense attacks key Trump hush money trial witness
NEW YORK — Donald Trump’s lawyers accused the star prosecution witness in his hush money trial of lying to jurors, portraying Trump fixer-turned-foe Michael Cohen on Thursday as a serial fabulist who is bent on seeing the presumptive Republican presidential nominee behind bars. As Trump looked on, defense attorney Todd...
Bones found in 1989 in a Wisconsin chimney ID’d as man who last contacted relatives in 1970
MADISON, Wis. — Human bones found inside the chimney of a Wisconsin music store in 1989 have been identified as those of a man whose last known contact with relatives was in 1970, authorities said. The DNA Doe Project, a nonprofit that uses genealogy to identify unknown persons, announced this...
Who is Robert Fico, the populist Slovak prime minister wounded in a shooting?
BUDAPEST, Hungary — Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico was shot multiple times after a political event Wednesday afternoon, an episode of violence that punctuated his decades-long career in politics. A hospital official where Fico was being treated said on Thursday that he was in serious but stable condition, and that...
Japanese automaker Honda revs up on EVs, aiming for lucrative U.S., China markets
TOKYO — Japanese automaker Honda reaffirmed its commitment to electric vehicles Thursday, saying it will invest 10 trillion yen ($65 billion) through fiscal 2031 to deliver EV models around the world, including the U.S. and China. “Honda has not changed its belief that EVs are the most effective solution in...
Dow tops 40,000 for 1st time as Wall Street drifts higher
NEW YORK — The Dow Jones Industrial Average topped the 40,000 level for the first time Thursday, as U.S. stocks drifted higher to add to their records set a day before. The Dow was up 115 points, or 0.3%, at 40,023, in midday trading. It made its last leap of...
NFL’s late Sunday afternoon doubleheader window continues to get the most scrutiny and viewers
When the NFL schedule gets released, fans and commentators obsess over how many prime-time appearances teams will make. However, the biggest competition and most attention when it comes to formulating the schedule each year is the late afternoon window for Fox and CBS. The 4:25 p.m. Sunday spot is the...
Supreme Court sides with the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, spurning a conservative attack
WASHINGTON — The Supreme Court on Thursday rejected a conservative-led attack that could have undermined the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. The justices ruled 7-2 that the way the CFPB is funded does not violate the Constitution, reversing a lower court. Justice Clarence Thomas wrote the majority opinion, splitting with his...
White House blocks release of Biden’s special counsel interview audio, says GOP is being political
WASHINGTON — President Joe Biden has asserted executive privilege over audio of his interview with special counsel Robert Hur that’s at the center a Republican effort to hold Attorney General Merrick Garland in contempt of Congress, the Justice Department told lawmakers on Thursday. It comes as the the House Oversight...
U.S. Navy flagship carrier USS Ronald Reagan leaves its Japan home port after nearly 9 years
YOKOSUKA, Japan — A U.S. Navy strike group’s flagship aircraft carrier left its Japanese home port on Thursday, wrapping up nearly nine years of deployment in the Indo-Pacific, where it served a key role in the U.S. effort to bolster defense ties with Japan and other partners in the region....
The Academy of Country Music Awards are here; Luke Combs leads the nominations
Reba McEntire is hosting Thursday’s Academy of Country Music Awards, promising a night of memorable performances, including a tribute to Toby Keith. When McEntire takes the stage at the Ford Center at The Star in Frisco, Texas, just north of Dallas, it will be a record 17th time she’s emceed...
U.S. military says Gaza Strip pier project is completed, aid to soon flow as Israel-Hamas war rages on
WASHINGTON — The U.S. military finished installing a floating pier for the Gaza Strip on Thursday, with officials poised to begin ferrying badly needed humanitarian aid into the enclave besieged over seven months of intense fighting in the Israel-Hamas war. The final, overnight construction sets up a complicated delivery process...
China and Russia reaffirm ties as Moscow presses offensive in Ukraine
BEIJING — Russian President Vladimir Putin thanked Chinese leader Xi Jinping for his effort to resolve the Ukraine conflict at a Beijing summit Thursday, where the two leaders reaffirmed a “no-limits” partnership that has grown deeper as both countries face deepening tensions with the west. Putin’s two-day state visit to...
Slovak politicians call for cooling political divisions after shooting of prime minister
BANSKA BYSTRICA, Slovakia — Slovak politicians have called for calm in the Central European country after Prime Minister Robert Fico was shot multiple times by a would-be assassin on Wednesday, a rare instance of political violence that prompted soul-searching among leaders in the deeply divided society. Fico was in serious...
Caitlin Clark’s WNBA debut helps ESPN set viewership record for league game on network
NEW YORK — ESPN’s broadcast of the Connecticut Sun’s game against Caitlin Clark and the Indiana Fever had the highest viewership for a WNBA game on the network. The Sun’s 92-71 win over the Fever in Clark’s WNBA debut on the league’s opening night on Tuesday drew an average of...
The Mirage casino, which ushered in an era of Las Vegas Strip megaresorts in the ’90s, is closingVideo
LAS VEGAS — The iconic Mirage hotel-casino on the Las Vegas Strip will shut its doors this summer, the end of an era for a property credited with helping transform Sin City into an ultra-luxury resort destination. The July 17 closure will clear the way for major renovations and construction...
Hearing delayed for Utah author of children’s book on grief who is charged in husband’s death
PARK CITY, Utah — A Utah judge on Wednesday postponed a hearing to determine if prosecutors have enough evidence to proceed to trial in the case of a woman charged with fatally poisoning her husband before she published a children’s book about coping with grief. Judge Richard Mrazik delayed the...
Rory McIlroy dealing with another distraction on eve of PGA ChampionshipVideo
Rory McIlroy has all the momentum he could want heading into the PGA Championship as he tries to end a drought in the majors that has lasted a decade. He also has a major distraction. McIlroy is coming off two straight victories, one of them with Irish pal Shane Lowry...
