Associated Press stories, Page 652
Contenders Florida, Colorado, Edmonton make moves ahead of NHL trade deadline
Stanley Cup contenders aren’t waiting until the NHL trade deadline day to shore up depth for what they hope is a long playoff run. The league-leading Florida Panthers got deeper on the wing Wednesday by acquiring Vladimir Tarasenko from Ottawa, Connor McDavid’s Edmonton Oilers added a pair of centers in...
County exec sues New York over an order to rescind his ban on transgender female athletes
MINEOLA, N.Y. — A Republican official in New York City’s suburbs who prohibited transgender athletes from participating in girls and women’s sports competitions has asked a federal court to affirm that he has the power to implement the ban. Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman said in a lawsuit filed Tuesday...
Texas man arrested in alleged scam attempt against disgraced former congressman George Santos
NEW YORK — A Texas man was arrested Wednesday on accusations that he schemed to dupe George Santos into wiring him money with the false promise that he could get the criminal corruption charges against the disgraced congressman dropped. Federal prosecutors said Hector Medina of El Paso concocted a fake...
Alabama legislation to protect IVF providers moves toward final approval
MONTGOMERY, Ala. — Alabama lawmakers racing to restart in vitro fertilization services in the state are set to weigh final approval for legislation shielding providers from the fallout of a court ruling that equated frozen embryos to children. The state Senate and House will consider identical bills Wednesday that would...
Minnesota Rep. Dean Phillips ends Democratic primary challenge and endorses President Joe Biden
MINNEAPOLIS — U.S. Rep. Dean Phillips of Minnesota ended his long-shot 2024 Democratic presidential bid on Wednesday after failing to win a primary contest against President Joe Biden. Phillips told WCCO Radio in Minneapolis that he was endorsing Biden. Phillips, a 55-year-old multimillionaire who is among the richest members of...
Prosecutors drop charges midtrial against 3 accused of possessing stolen ‘Hotel California’ lyrics
NEW YORK — New York prosecutors abruptly dropped their criminal case midtrial Wednesday against three men who had been accused of conspiring to possess a cache of hand-drafted lyrics to “Hotel California” and other Eagles hits. Assistant Manhattan District Attorney Aaron Ginandes informed the judge at 10 a.m. that prosecutors...
8 teens injured in Philadelphia bus shooting, 4th gunfire incident in as many daysVideo
PHILADELPHIA — Police say eight Philadelphia high school students waiting to board a city bus after classes Wednesday were wounded by gunshots from suspects who jumped from a car and opened fire, the fourth shooting on the transit system in as many days. The previous three shootings each involved a...
McConnell endorses Trump for president. He once blamed Trump for ‘disgraceful’ Jan. 6, 2021, attackVideo
WASHINGTON — Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell endorsed Donald Trump for president on Wednesday, a remarkable turnaround from the onetime critic who blamed the then-president for “disgraceful” acts in the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol attack but now supports his bid to return to the White House. McConnell, who was the...
U.S. destroyer shoots down missile and drones launched by Yemen’s Houthi rebels
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — A U.S. destroyer shot down drones and a missile launched by Yemen’s Houthi rebels toward it in the Red Sea, officials said Wednesday, as the Indian navy released images of it fighting a fire aboard a container ship earlier targeted by the Houthis. The assault...
How Putin’s crackdown on dissent became the hallmark of the Russian leader’s 24 years in power
TALLINN, Estonia — When charismatic opposition leader Boris Nemtsov was gunned down on a bridge near the Kremlin in February 2015, more than 50,000 Muscovites expressed their shock and outrage the next day at the brazen assassination. Police stood aside as they rallied and chanted anti-government slogans. Nine years later,...
China says economy got a strong start in 2024, sets sights on latest technology, upgrading factories
BEIJING — China has plenty of room to maneuver to attain its annual target for robust economic growth of about 5% after a strong start for the year, top economic officials said Wednesday, though they acknowledged it’s a challenge. China’s exports rose about 10% in the first two months of...
Hostage crisis poses dilemma for Israel and offers a path to victory for Hamas
Over the last five months, Israel has killed thousands of Hamas fighters, destroyed dozens of their tunnels and wreaked unprecedented destruction on the Gaza Strip. But it still faces a dilemma that was clear from the start of the war and will ultimately determine its outcome: It can either try...
Nikki Haley suspends her campaign and leaves Donald Trump as the last major Republican candidate
NEW YORK — Nikki Haley suspended her presidential campaign on Wednesday after being soundly defeated across the country on Super Tuesday, leaving Donald Trump as the last remaining major candidate for the 2024 Republican nomination. Haley didn’t endorse the former president in a speech in Charleston, South Carolina. Instead, she...
Dae Dae Grant’s 26 points lead Duquesne over VCU
RICHMOND, Va. — Dae Dae Grant had 26 points in Duquesne’s 69-59 victory against VCU on Tuesday night. Grant shot 8 of 17 from the field, including 5 for 11 from 3-point range, and went 5 for 5 from the line for the Dukes (19-11, 9-8 Atlantic 10 Conference). Jake...
Robert Morris’ season ends in Horizon League Tournament 1st roundVideo
FORT WAYNE, Ind. — Quinton Morton-Robertson had 17 points in Purdue Fort Wayne’s 78-63 win over Robert Morris on Tuesday night in the first round of the Horizon League Tournament. Morton-Robertson added five rebounds, five assists and three steals for the Mastodons (21-11). Jalen Jackson scored 16 points while shooting...
QB Joe Flacco, Islanders forward Anders Lee among new investors in Irish soccer team
DUBLIN — Veteran NFL quarterback Joe Flacco’s new team is St Patrick’s Athletic — as an investor in the Irish soccer club. The Dublin team announced Tuesday that Flacco, New York Islanders forward Anders Lee and former NFL players Matt Birk and Chad Greenway are part of a group that...
Last year’s free-agent frenzy offers hope, caution for NFL teams
NFL teams are set to dole out billions in free-agent contracts in the coming weeks as teams around the league hope bold moves in March will pay off with wins on the field once the season starts. But in a league with a sharp aging curve and specific systems that...
Biden and Trump dominate Super Tuesday races and move closer to a November rematch
WASHINGTON — President Joe Biden and his predecessor, Donald Trump, romped through more than a dozen states on Super Tuesday, all but cementing a November rematch and pushing the former president’s last major rival, Nikki Haley, out of the Republican race. Their victories from coast to coast, including the delegate-rich...
Booth where Tony Soprano may – or may not – have been whacked sells for a cool $82K to mystery buyer
BLOOMFIELD, N.J. — The ice cream parlor booth where Tony Soprano may or may not have been whacked has sold for more than $82,000. As Tony would say, Madone! An anonymous buyer bid $82,600 Monday night in an online auction for the piece of memorabilia that occupies an outsize role...
Giants giving star running back Saquon Barkley chance to test free agencyVideo
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — Star running back Saquon Barkley moved another step closer to free agency Tuesday when the New York Giants elected not to put a franchise tag on the second overall pick in the 2018 NFL draft. The Giants used the tag last season and eventually worked out...
Seahawks’ makeover begins with releases of safeties Jamal Adams, Quandre Diggs
RENTON, Wash. — The Seattle Seahawks’ remodel under new coach Mike Macdonald started Tuesday as the team released safeties Jamal Adams and Quandre Diggs as well as tight end Will Dissly in moves that will give the team a boost of salary cap space ahead of the start of the...
Colts place non-exclusive franchise tag on WR Michael Pittman Jr.
INDIANAPOLIS — The Indianapolis Colts placed the non-exclusive franchise tag on starting receiver Michael Pittman Jr. on Tuesday. The move was announced less than an hour before the league’s deadline and less than a week after general manager Chris Ballard promised Pittman would be a Colt next fall. The two...
Bears place franchise tag on Pro Bowl CB Jaylon Johnson
CHICAGO — The Chicago Bears placed the franchise tag on cornerback Jaylon Johnson on Tuesday after he made his first Pro Bowl in the final season of his rookie contract. Johnson would earn $19.8 million in 2024 if he doesn’t agree to a multiyear deal before the July 15 deadline....
Jaguars place franchise tag on standout pass rusher Josh Allen
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — The Jaguars used their franchise tag on standout pass rusher Josh Allen on Tuesday, essentially guaranteeing he will play at least another year in Jacksonville. Allen, the seventh overall pick in the 2019 draft, set a single-season franchise record with 17½ sacks in the final year of...
A’s release renderings of new Las Vegas domed stadium that resembles famous opera house
LAS VEGAS — The Oakland Athletics and their design teams released renderings Tuesday of the club’s planned $1.5 billion stadium in Las Vegas that show five overlapping layers with a similar look to the famous Sydney Opera House. The A’s hope to move into that 33,000-seat domed stadium in 2028,...
