Associated Press stories, Page 67
Israeli strikes kill at least 17 Palestinians in Gaza as leaders ramp up pressure for a ceasefire
DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza Strip — Israel struck houses and tents in central and southern Gaza on Thursday, crushing families inside and killing at least 17 Palestinians, including 10 children and three women, local health officials said, as international pressure for a ceasefire continued to grow. On the sidelines of the...
Palestinian president: Hamas will have no role in governing postwar Gaza
UNITED NATIONS — The Palestinian president, speaking over video after the United States revoked his visa, told world leaders Thursday that his people “reject” the 2023 Hamas attack on Israel and pledged that the militant group would have no role in governing Gaza after war ends and must hand over...
Ireland is home turf for Rooney family as Steelers lead NFL into Dublin game
DUBLIN — No trip to Newry was complete for late Pittsburgh Steelers chairman Dan Rooney until he stopped by the Whitegates community center that he helped get off the ground in the 1990s. “Always visited for half an hour for a cup of tea with the people,” recalled local businessman...
Starbucks to close hundreds of stores, lay off 900 workers as part of turnaround plan
Starbucks said Thursday it’s closing hundreds of U.S. and Canadian stores and laying off 900 nonretail employees as it focuses more of its resources on a turnaround. The Seattle coffee giant said store closures would start immediately. The company wouldn’t give a number of stores that are closing, but it...
U.S. economy expanded at a surprising 3.8% pace in significant upgrade of 2nd quarter growth
WASHINGTON — An uptick in consumer spending helped the U.S. economy expand at a surprising 3.8% from April through June, the government reported in a dramatic upgrade of its previous estimate of second-quarter growth. U.S. gross domestic product — the nation’s output of goods and services — rebounded in the...
U.S. home sales remained sluggish in August despite late-summer mortgage rate slide
Sales of previously occupied U.S. homes remained sluggish in August, even as a late-summer slide in mortgage rates brought home loan borrowing costs to a 10-month low. Existing home sales slipped 0.2% last month from July to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 4 million units, the National Association of...
How to navigate social media trends without derailing your budget
NEW YORK — Did you buy a new pink dress to watch the Barbie movie, only to never wear it again? An Oura ring because your favorite TikTok influencer had it? A new pair of baggy jeans because ’90s fashion is making a comeback? Niche trends fueled by social media...
Gaza-bound flotilla says it was attacked by drones; Italy and Spain send help
ATHENS, Greece — Activists in a flotilla seeking to break Israel’s blockade of Gaza said Wednesday that some of their boats were attacked by drones south of Greece, prompting Spain and Italy to send navy vessels for possible rescues. The Global Sumud Flotilla said it was attacked during the night...
White House budget office tells agencies to draft mass firing plans ahead of potential shutdown
WASHINGTON — The White House is telling agencies to prepare large-scale firings of federal workers if the government shuts down next week. In a memo released Wednesday night, the Office of Management and Budget said agencies should consider a reduction in force for federal programs whose funding would lapse next...
Trump is hosting Turkey’s Erdogan at the White House as the U.S. considers lifting ban on F-35 sales
WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump will hold talks with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan at the White House on Thursday as the Republican leader has indicated that the U.S. government’s hold on sales of advanced fighter jets to Ankara may soon be lifted. During Trump’s first term, the United States...
Paris court rules former President Sarkozy will have to go to prison even if he appeals
PARIS — A Paris court sentenced former French President Nicolas Sarkozy to 5 years in prison and — in a major surprise — said he’ll be incarcerated even if he appeals, after finding him guilty Thursday in his trial for alleged illegal campaign financing by Libya. Sarkozy said he was...
Rihanna and A$AP Rocky welcome 3rd child, Rocki
LOS ANGELES — Rihanna and A$AP Rocky have announced the birth of their third child, a girl. Rihanna announced the birth of Rocki Irish Mayers in an Instagram post Wednesday. The post featured one photo of the multihyphenate, 37, with the baby and another photo of baby shoes. It was...
Analysis: Ryder Cup has power to divide — or unite — during fraught, fragile time in U.S.Video
FARMINGDALE, N.Y. — Often sports, at their best, are the purest form of competition. They offer a chance to pick winners and losers in showdowns between rival teams, countries, sometimes even worldviews, in an arena where the games are played for high stakes but, ultimately, not for life and death....
Vikings-Steelers game gives thriving Brian Flores a reflection of gratitudeVideo
EAGAN, Minn. — Brian Flores found the perfect pit stop for his coaching career in Pittsburgh. Regardless of where this track winds up, he has clearly been enjoying the ride with Minnesota since then. The third-year defensive coordinator of the Vikings gets the chance this weekend to catch up with...
Ukrainians cautious after Trump shifts stance, saying they can win the war against Russia
KYIV, Ukraine — Ukrainians were cautious Wednesday in their response to a surprise pivot in U.S. President Donald Trump’s views on their prospects for defeating Russia’s invasion, after he said they could win the three-year war and retake land captured by Moscow. Russian officials, meanwhile, said developments on the battlefield...
Trump says he was victim of ‘triple sabotage’ at U.N. and Secret Service is looking into the matter
WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump said Wednesday that he was the victim of “three very sinister events” during his time at the United Nations on Tuesday and that the Secret Service will be looking into the issues. The president was attending the U.N. General Assembly, where he gave a speech...
Jaxson Dart ‘ready’ to be Giants’ starting QB; Brian Daboll won’t say why change now
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — Jaxson Dart took over as the New York Giants’ starting quarterback at practice Wednesday, more than 24 hours after finding out the job is his. The rookie’s emotions about the promotion are simple. “I’m ready,” Dart said. “It wasn’t anything extra. You always say like, ‘I’m...
Judge rules feds can’t require states to cooperate on immigration to get disaster money
BOSTON — A federal judge in Rhode Island ruled on Wednesday that it’s unconstitutional to require states to cooperate on immigration enforcement actions to get funding for disasters, which is overseen by the Federal Emergency Management Agency. A coalition of 20 state Democratic attorneys general in May filed a federal...
Justice Department to try to charge ex-FBI Director James Comey
WASHINGTON — The Justice Department is preparing to ask a grand jury as soon as Thursday to indict former FBI Director James Comey on allegations that he lied to Congress as prosecutors approach a legal deadline for bringing charges, according to two people familiar with the matter. Officials are hoping...
Pentagon adds exemptions to requirement for all troops to get the flu shot
WASHINGTON — The Pentagon has stepped back from the policy that requires all troops to get the flu shot every year by introducing exemptions for reservists and proclaiming that the shot is only necessary in some circumstances for all service members, according to a document obtained by The Associated Press....
Ryder Cup banter, blunders get started at Bethpage without a shot being hitVideo
FARMINGDALE, N.Y. — The opening tee shot still two days away, the gamesmanship at the Ryder Cup began Wednesday when European captain Luke Donald took a few subtle jabs on pay-for-play during his speech at the opening ceremony. “We’re fueled by something money cannot buy,” Donald said. Europe, 1 up....
Federal judge refuses to reinstate 8 former inspectors general fired by Trump administration
WASHINGTON — A federal judge refused on Wednesday to reinstate eight former inspectors general who filed a lawsuit after the Trump administration fired them with no warning and little explanation. U.S. District Judge Ana Reyes said that while President Donald Trump likely violated the federal law governing the process for...
Kimmel is back on ABC, but some affiliates still refuse to air his show
NEW YORK — Jimmy Kimmel is back on his ABC late-night show, but it’s still a mystery when — or if — viewers in cities such as Seattle, Washington and St. Louis will be able to see him again on their televisions. ABC stations owned by the Nexstar and Sinclair...
Trump snubs Biden with autopen photo on new Presidential Walk of FameVideo
WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump has added a Presidential Walk of Fame to the exterior of the White House, featuring portraits of each of the previous commanders-in-chief — except for one. Instead of a headshot of Joe Biden, the Republican incumbent instead hung a photo of an autopen signing the...
Guardians’ David Fry sustains broken nose, facial fractures after being hit in face by 99 mph pitchVideo
CLEVELAND, Ohio — Cleveland Guardians designated hitter David Fry sustained a broken nose and facial fractures after he was hit in the face by a pitch from Detroit’s Tarik Skubal in the sixth inning of Cleveland’s 5-2 win over the Tigers, a victory that deadlocked the AL Central division race....
