Associated Press stories, Page 609
Sheetz hit with discrimination lawsuit
The Sheetz convenience store chain has been hit with a lawsuit by federal officials who allege the company discriminated against minority job applicants. Sheetz Inc., which operates more than 700 stores in six states, discriminated against Black, Native American and multiracial job seekers by automatically weeding out applicants whom the...
Butler, Williamson injuries are part of story for Heat-Bulls and Kings-Pelicans play-in finales
MIAMI — When injuries affect the Miami Heat, coach Erik Spoelstra almost always delivers the same three-word outlook. “We have enough,” he says. That theory is about to be tested — and will be a theme in the NBA’s win-or-go-home finales of the play-in tournament on Friday night. All four...
Sluggish start for spring homebuying season as home sales fall in March with mortgage rates rising
LOS ANGELES — The spring homebuying season is off to a sluggish start as home shoppers contend with elevated mortgage rates and rising prices. Sales of previously occupied U.S. homes fell 4.3% in March from the previous month to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 4.19 million, the National Association...
Kennedy family makes ‘crystal clear’ its Biden endorsement in attempt to deflate RFK Jr.’s candidacy
PHILADELPHIA — President Joe Biden scooped up endorsements from at least 15 members of the Kennedy political family during a campaign stop Thursday as he aims to undermine Donald Trump and marginalize the candidacy of independent Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Kerry Kennedy, a daughter of former Attorney General Robert F....
Allman Brothers Band co-founder and legendary guitarist Dickey Betts dies at 80Video
Guitar legend Dickey Betts, who co-founded the Allman Brothers Band and wrote their biggest hit, “Ramblin’ Man,” has died. He was 80. The Rock & Roll Hall of Famer died at his home in Osprey, Florida, David Spero, Betts’ manager of 20 years, confirmed. Betts had been battling cancer for...
12 jurors picked for Donald Trump’s hush money trial. Selection of alternates ongoing
NEW YORK — A jury of 12 people was seated Thursday in former President Donald Trump’s hush money trial in New York, and the court quickly turned to selecting alternate jurors. The rapid progress Thursday afternoon propelled the case closer to opening statements and weeks of testimony in a case...
Long-lost first USS Enterprise model returned to ‘Star Trek’ creator Gene Roddenberry’s son
DALLAS — The first model of the USS Enterprise — used in the opening credits of the original “Star Trek” television series — has boldly gone back home, returning to creator Gene Roddenberry’s son decades after it went missing. The model’s disappearance sometime in the 1970s had become the subject...
Starbucks introducing cold drink cup made with less plastic
Booming sales of cold drinks at Starbucks have created a problem: growing amounts of plastic waste from the single-use cups that Frappuccinos, Refreshers, cold brews and other iced drinks are served in. The coffee giant said Thursday it plans to alleviate some of that waste with new disposable cups that...
Israelis grapple with how to celebrate Passover, a holiday about freedom, while many remain captive
JERUSALEM — Every year, Alon Gat’s mother led the family’s Passover celebration of the liberation of the ancient Israelites from Egypt thousands of years ago. But this year, Gat is struggling with how to reconcile a holiday commemorating freedom after his mother was slain and other family members abducted when...
United Arab Emirates struggles to recover after heaviest recorded rainfall ever hits desert nation
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — The United Arab Emirates struggled Thursday to recover from the heaviest recorded rainfall ever to hit the desert nation, as its main airport worked to restore normal operations even as floodwater still covered portions of major highways and roads. Dubai International Airport, the world’s busiest...
NFL draft has potential to set a record for most players on offense selected in the 1st round
The NFL Draft will be offensive. We’re not talking about hurt feelings. This draft has the potential to set a record for most offensive players selected in the first round. No draft has had more than 19 players on offense chosen in the first round. That happened three times, most...
Choctaw artist Jeffrey Gibson is first Native American to represent U.S. solo at Venice Biennale
VENICE, Italy — Jeffrey Gibson’s takeover of the U.S. pavilion for this year’s Venice Biennale contemporary art show is a celebration of color, pattern and craft, which is immediately evident on approaching the bright red facade decorated by a colorful clash of geometry and a foreground dominated by a riot...
Number of Americans applying for jobless benefits holds steady as labor market remains strong
The number of Americans filing for jobless benefits didn’t change last week as the labor market continues to defy efforts by the Federal Reserve to cool hiring. The Labor Department reported Thursday that unemployment claims for the week ending April 13 were unchanged from the previous week’s 212,000. The four-week...
Justice Department ramps up efforts to reduce violent crime with gun intel center, carjacking forces
WASHINGTON — The Justice Department is ramping up its efforts to reduce violent crime in the U.S., launching a specialized gun intelligence center in Chicago and expanding task forces to curb carjackings. In an interview with The Associated Press, Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco said there is “absolutely much more...
Biden is off on details of his uncle’s WWII death as he calls Trump unfit to lead the military
WASHINGTON — President Joe Biden on Wednesday misstated key details about his uncle’s death in World War II as he honored the man’s wartime service and said Donald Trump was unworthy of serving as commander in chief. While in Pittsburgh, Biden spoke about his uncle, 2nd Lt. Ambrose J. Finnegan...
Coyotes end tenure in desert with raucous atmosphere before move
TEMPE, Ariz. — Mullett Arena buzzed like few times in the three years since the Arizona Coyotes moved in, the fans amped for one last desert hurrah. For 60 minutes, they got one last chance to watch the team they came to love before the franchise as they know it...
O.J. Simpson has been cremated, estate attorney in Las Vegas says. No public memorial is planned
LAS VEGAS — Former football star and celebrity criminal defendant O.J. Simpson was cremated Wednesday, the lawyer handling his estate said following his death last week at home in Las Vegas at age 76. Attorney Malcolm LaVergne told The Associated Press he was present, along with unspecified other people, for...
Rangers’ Artemi Panarin has career year with MVP-caliber numbers
Artemi Panarin was an established offensive player before he signed with the New York Rangers in 2019. He has only boosted his numbers since then and is coming off a career year going into the playoffs. The Russian forward averaged 29 goals and 51 assists in his first four seasons...
Lawyers for Nassar assault survivors have reached $100M deal with Justice Department, AP source says
The U.S. Justice Department has agreed to pay approximately $100 million to settle claims with about 100 people who say they were sexually assaulted by sports doctor Larry Nassar, a source with direct knowledge of the negotiations told The Associated Press on Wednesday. The deal has not been finalized and...
Montreal Canadiens exercise option on Martin St. Louis’ contract
BROSSARD, Quebec — The Montreal Canadiens exercised the two-year option of the contract of coach Martin St. Louis, committing him to the team for the next three seasons. Montreal hired St. Louis on an interim basis following Dominique Ducharme’s dismissal in February 2022. The 48-year-old Canadian was named coach at...
Man charged in transport of Masters memorabilia taken from Augusta National
A man has been charged in federal court in Illinois in the transport of millions of dollars worth of Masters golf tournament merchandise and memorabilia stolen from Augusta National Golf Club in Georgia. A document filed Tuesday in U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois accuses Richard Globensky...
Democrats clear path to bring proposed repeal of Arizona’s near-total abortion ban to a vote
PHOENIX — Democrats in the Arizona Senate cleared a path to bring a proposed repeal of the state’s near-total ban on abortions to a vote after the state’s highest court concluded the law can be enforced and the state House blocked efforts to undo the long-dormant statute. Although no vote...
Korda chases 5th straight victory to tie LPGA record in Chevron ChampionshipVideo
THE WOODLANDS, Texas — Nelly Korda hasn’t really considered her place in history as she prepares to chase her fifth consecutive victory, which would tie the LPGA record, this weekend at the Chevron Championship. “I’m so in the present that I don’t let myself think about that too much,” she...
Scottie Scheffler had a quick Masters celebration. Now, it’s time to get back to workVideo
HILTON HEAD ISLAND, S.C. — Masters champion Scottie Scheffler would be the first to lament he doesn’t spend enough time celebrating his achievements, which are piling up at an alarming pace. He made an exception after winning his second green jacket in three years. He flew home to Dallas with...
NCAA allows transfers to be immediately eligible, no matter how many times they’ve switched schools
NCAA athletes will be immediately eligible to play no matter how many times they transfer — as long as they meet academic requirements — after the association fast-tracked legislation Wednesday to fall in line with a recent court order. The NCAA posted on social media that the Division I Council’s...
