Associated Press stories, Page 680
Israel’s next target in Gaza war is likely Rafah. Terrified people say there’s nowhere left to go
RAFAH, Gaza Strip — Gaza’s southernmost town, Rafah, is bursting at the seams. Nearly the last place spared an Israeli offensive so far, Rafah’s population has more than quintupled with Palestinians streaming in to escape fighting. They pack by the dozens into apartments. Sidewalks and once-empty lots are clogged with...
NFL will host its 1st regular-season game in Spain in 2025 at Real Madrid’s stadium
LAS VEGAS — The NFL is headed to Spain in 2025 for the first regular-season game in that country. The league announced Friday at the Super Bowl that its international slate of games for the 2025 season will feature a game at Real Madrid’s iconic Santiago Bernabeu Stadium. “We could...
UCLA coach Chip Kelly steps down after 6 seasons as Bruins prepare for move to Big Ten
UCLA coach Chip Kelly stepped down Friday after six seasons leading the Bruins, and a person involved in the decision confirmed to the Associated Press he was leaving to join Ohio State as offensive coordinator. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because Ohio State still was finalizing the deal...
Chemical attack suspect likely vanished in the Thames, U.K. police say
LONDON — The suspect in a London chemical attack that left a woman hospitalized with life-changing injuries and injured her two young daughters likely has vanished in the River Thames, police said Friday. Metropolitan Police Commander Jon Savell said closed-circuit television images showed Abdul Ezedi walking on a bridge over...
Prince Harry settles tabloid phone hacking claim, says his mission to tame the media continues
LONDON — Prince Harry said Friday that his “mission” to rein in the British media continues, after he accepted costs and damages from a tabloid publisher that invaded his privacy with phone hacking and other illegal snooping. Harry’s attorney, David Sherborne, said at a court hearing that Mirror Group Newspapers...
Oklahoma judge who sent more than 500 texts during a murder trial resigns
OKLAHOMA CITY — An Oklahoma judge who sent more than 500 texts to her bailiff during a murder trial will resign, according to a court filing. In a proposed settlement agreement filed Thursday with the Oklahoma Court on the Judiciary, District Judge Traci Soderstrom agreed to resign on Friday and...
Pope blasts ‘radical individualism’ as he meets with Argentines ahead of big canonization
ROME — Pope Francis on Friday blasted the “radical individualism” that he said was infecting society today, as he greeted Argentine pilgrims who are in town for this weekend’s canonization of the first female saint from his home country. Instead, Francis held up as a model the 18th century Argentine...
Netanyahu orders population of Gaza’s crowded Rafah evacuated ahead of an expected ground invasion
RAFAH, Gaza Strip — Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says he has ordered the military to prepare a plan to evacuate the population of Rafah ahead of an expected Israeli invasion of the southern Gaza town. Netanyahu made the announcement Friday following international criticism of Israel’s plan to invade the...
Damar Hamlin on a lesson of the past year: ‘Trust what you know and trust what got you here’
LAS VEGAS — Damar Hamlin learned a lot about himself over the past year. That’s no surprise after his near-death experience on the field about 13 months ago. Hamlin spoke for a few minutes Thursday on a platform overlooking radio row at this year’s Super Bowl. It was easy to...
Hannah Stuelke drops 47, Caitlin Clark within 39 points of scoring record as No. 2 Iowa tops Penn State
IOWA CITY, Iowa — Hannah Stuelke scored a career-high 47 points and Caitlin Clark added 27 points in her quest for the scoring record as No. 2 Iowa defeated Penn State, 111-93, on Thursday night. Clark now has 3,489 career points and needs just 39 more to break the NCAA...
Wisconsin has been hit with its 1st-ever February tornado
MADISON, Wis. — The first-ever February tornado for the state of Wisconsin was spotted Thursday just south of Madison, the National Weather Service confirmed. It was the first time a tornado was confirmed during the second month of the year in the state since records have been kept, the Milwaukee...
Thousands of doctors in England to strike again as health likely to become a key U.K. election issue
LONDON — Thousands of doctors in the early years of their careers in England are to go on strike later this month for another five-day stretch as their long-standing pay dispute with the British government remains in stasis. The British Medical Association, the union that represents the so-called junior doctors,...
Putin uses Tucker Carlson interview to press his Ukraine narrative, hints at swapping WSJ reporter
Russian President Vladimir Putin used an interview with former Fox News host Tucker Carlson to urge Washington to recognize Moscow’s interests and persuade Ukraine to sit down for talks. Putin also said that Russia stands ready to negotiate a potential prisoner exchange that would free Wall Street Journal reporter Evan...
Usher says it’s been a challenge to squeeze 30-year career into 13-minute Super Bowl halftime showVideo
LAS VEGAS — Usher found fitting a successful three decades of music into a super-short Super Bowl halftime show a challenge, but the multiple Grammy winner decided to concentrate on past hits, moments from his popular Las Vegas residency and possibly draw from his new album. “I was very mindful...
Ravens’ Lamar Jackson near-unanimous pick for 2nd AP NFL MVP
LAS VEGAS — Lamar Jackson was a near-unanimous choice for his second AP NFL MVP award announced at NFL Honors on Thursday night. Baltimore’s All-Pro quarterback received 49 of 50 first-place votes from a nationwide panel of voters that includes media members who regularly cover the NFL, former players and...
Julius Peppers headlines defensive-focused Pro Football Hall of Fame class
LAS VEGAS — First-time candidate Julius Peppers headlines a 2024 Pro Football Hall of Fame class that has a distinctive defensive feel. The star defensive end was joined by another elite pass rusher in Dwight Freeney and do-everything linebacker Patrick Willis in the modern era category announced Thursday night. Prolific...
Ace Baldwin Jr.’s hot finish sends Penn State over Iowa for 3rd straight win
UNIVERSITY PARK — Ace Baldwin Jr. scored 13 of Penn State’s final 18 points and finished with 22 in an 89-79 victory over Iowa on Thursday night for the Nittany Lions’ third straight win. Baldwin hit a 3-pointer to give Penn State (12-11, 6-6 Big Ten) its final lead. Qudus...
Body-camera footage shows chaotic lead-up to Times Square brawl between police and migrantsVideo
NEW YORK — The confrontation begins with police officers ordering a group of migrants to leave a bustling Times Square block. It escalates when one of those men, slowly walking away, lobs an insult in Spanish: “They look like Ugly Betty.” Second later, he is pushed up against a wall...
Sahith Theegala takes early lead in weather-delayed Phoenix Open with a 65Video
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — Sahith Theegala spent time with his parents in the players’ dining room and grabbed a bite to eat during what ended up being a long weather delay. With no room to sit in the clubhouse at TPC Scottsdale, Theegala went out to his car to get warm,...
Kobe Bryant immortalized with 19-foot bronze statue outside arena
LOS ANGELES — The Los Angeles Lakers unveiled a statue of Kobe Bryant on Thursday, honoring their late superstar with a 19-foot bronze likeness outside their downtown arena. The 4,000-pound statue depicts Bryant in his white No. 8 jersey with his right index finger raised as he walked off the...
Harold Varner III goes from worst to first in a week. He shares LIV Golf Vegas lead with Paul CaseyVideo
LAS VEGAS — Harold Varner III made an impressive turnaround in one week, going from last place in the LIV Golf season opener to a 7-under-par 63 on Thursday to share the first-round lead with Paul Casey. LIV Golf Las Vegas is being held the same week as the Super...
Chiefs still feel void after death of their matriarch, Norma Hunt
HENDERSON, Nev. — There is much that Clark Hunt will never forget about that night four years ago in Miami, when five decades of futility had finally ended, and the Kansas City Chiefs — the team his late father Lamar Hunt had founded — raised another Lombardi Trophy. The most...
Judge denies Peter Navarro’s bid to remain out of prison while appealing contempt of Congress case
A federal judge on Thursday denied Trump White House official Peter Navarro’s bid to remain out of prison while he appeals his contempt of Congress conviction for refusing to cooperate with an investigation into the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol. Navarro was sentenced last month to four...
Knicks take big swing at busy NBA trade deadline
Bojan Bogdanovic left Detroit to join a now even-more-formidable contender in New York. Gordon Hayward is leaving Charlotte for one of the NBA’s best surprise stories this season in Oklahoma City. Doug McDermott was once traded by Indiana to San Antonio, and now, the Spurs have traded him back to...
2 JetBlue planes make contact at Logan Airport, wingtip touches tail
BOSTON — Two JetBlue planes made contact Thursday morning at Boston Logan International Airport, with one wingtip touching another plane’s tail. No one was hurt and both flights were canceled, Jennifer Mehigan of the Massachusetts Port Authority said in an email. The left winglet of JetBlue Flight 777 struck the...
