Associated Press stories, Page 710
Heavy rain soaks Texas and closes schools as downpours continue drenching parts of the country
HOUSTON — Heavy rain in Texas on Wednesday closed schools and elevated flooding risks around Houston in another round of soaking downpours that have made for a soggy and dangerous week across large portions of the United States. A stretch of wet and freezing winter weather has swept away vehicles...
Colorado pastor accused of defrauding investors of $3M via crypto scheme says he got help from ‘the Lord’
DENVER — A Colorado pastor for an online church who is accused of defrauding investors of more than $3.2 million through a cryptocurrency marketplace he ran with his wife says “the Lord” helped him orchestrate the venture. Colorado’s securities commissioner filed civil fraud charges against Eli Regalado and his wife...
Boeing 757 lost nose wheel preparing for takeoff during a very rough stretch for the plane maker
A Boeing 757 jet operated by Delta Air Lines lost a nose wheel while preparing for takeoff from Atlanta. It was an older model of plane than those made by Boeing that have raised safety concerns about Boeing, yet it occurred with an intense spotlight on one of the nation’s...
Man arrested outside Taylor Swift’s Manhattan townhouse reportedly spotted there about 30 times
NEW YORK — A man charged with stalking and harassment after his arrest near singer Taylor Swift’s Manhattan townhouse had been spotted there dozens of times in the past two months and was repeatedly asked to leave, according to court documents released Wednesday. David Crowe, 33, of Seattle was taken...
Arizona GOP boss quits after leaked tape shows him floating a job for Kari Lake to skip Senate raceVideo
PHOENIX — Arizona Republican Party Chairman Jeff DeWit resigned Wednesday after he could be heard in a leaked recording offering a job and asking U.S. Senate candidate Kari Lake to name a price that would keep her out of politics. DeWit’s departure shakes up the Republican Party in a battleground...
Alabama inmate waiting to hear court ruling on scheduled nitrogen gas execution
MONTGOMERY — An Alabama inmate scheduled to be the first person in the United States to be put to death with nitrogen gas is waiting to see if he will receive a last-minute reprieve from federal courts in his bid to halt the execution. Unless blocked by the courts, Alabama...
What to know about changes to this year’s FAFSA application for college students
NEW YORK — A new version of the federal student aid application known as the FAFSA is now available to all college applicants for the 2024-2025 school year. The new Free Application for Federal Student Aid was designed to make it easier for students and parents to apply and to...
Utah Jazz owners say they have the immediate ability to bring an NHL team to Salt Lake City
The owners of the NBA’s Utah Jazz said Wednesday they have the immediate ability to bring an NHL team to Salt Lake City and requested the initiation of an expansion process. The Smith Entertainment Group said in a news release it would use the Jazz’s arena as an interim home...
5 players from 2018 Canada world junior team take leave of absence from their clubs
Five players from Canada’s 2018 world junior team have taken a leave of absence from their current clubs in recent days amid a report that five members of that team have been asked to surrender to police to face sexual assault charges. NHL players Michael McLeod and Cal Foote of...
Ohio bans gender-affirming care and restricts transgender athletes despite GOP governor’s veto
COLUMBUS — Ohio has banned gender-affirming care for minors and restricted transgender women’s and girls’ participation on sports teams, a move that has families of transgender children scrambling over how best to care for them. The Republican-dominated Senate voted Wednesday to override GOP Gov. Mike DeWine’s veto. The new law...
The primaries have just begun. But Trump and Biden are already shifting to a November mindset
NEW YORK — Barely 400,000 votes have been cast in two rural Republican primaries over the span of eight days. But both Donald Trump and Joe Biden are behaving like their parties’ nominees already. Trump’s double-digit victory Tuesday in independent-minded New Hampshire, where he was considered more vulnerable than perhaps...
West Virginia’s RaeQuan Battle thrives after judge lets athletes with multiple transfers play immediately
RaeQuan Battle and his West Virginia teammates celebrated on the court amidst a swarm of students as John Denver’s “Take Me Home, Country Roads” blared over the WVU Coliseum sound system. Battle’s 23 points and nine rebounds led West Virginia to a stunning 91-85 upset win over No. 3 Kansas...
Lions get look at 3-time Pro Bowl TE Zach Ertz in practice to see if he can play in NFC title game
ALLEN PARK, Mich. — Detroit Lions tight end Zach Ertz practiced with his new team Wednesday, potentially making the three-time Pro Bowl player available for the NFC championship game in San Francisco. The 33-year-old Ertz agreed to a deal with Detroit earlier this week to add much-needed depth. Lions coach...
Proud Boys member sentenced to 6 years in prison for Capitol riot role after berating judge
WASHINGTON — A man who stormed the U.S. Capitol with fellow Proud Boys extremist group members was sentenced on Wednesday to six years in prison after he berated and insulted the judge who punished him. Marc Bru repeatedly interrupted Chief Judge James Boasberg before he handed down the sentence, calling...
Who are No Labels’ donors? Democratic groups file complaints in an attempt to find out
WASHINGTON — For months, the centrist group No Labels has stockpiled cash and diligently worked to secure ballot access for a potential third-party presidential bid, striking fear among allies of President Joe Biden that the effort could siphon away votes and hand the White House to Donald Trump. Now, with...
Jon Stewart will return to ‘The Daily Show’ as host — just on Mondays
NEW YORK — Comedian Jon Stewart is rewinding the clock, returning to “The Daily Show” as a weekly host and executive producing through the 2024 U.S. elections cycle. Comedy Central on Wednesday said Stewart will host the topical TV show, the perch he ruled for 16 years starting in 1999,...
Jodie Foster’s back, ‘Barbie’ brings novel numbers and other Oscar nomination facts and figuresVideo
LOS ANGELES — A look at notable facts, figures and curiosities from Tuesday’s nominations for the 96th Academy Awards, which saw “Oppenheimer” lead with 13 Oscar nominations, with “Poor Things” and “Killers of the Flower Moon” also running up big numbers. Fostering the Oscars Jodie Foster became an Academy Awards...
Ichiro Suzuki arrives on next year’s Hall of Fame ballot; CC Sabathia, Felix Hernandez eligible too
It was a little past 8 a.m. in Tokyo when the newest inductees to the Baseball Hall of Fame were announced. Next year there could be some big celebrations over breakfast in Japan. Ichiro Suzuki headlines the group of players who are eligible for voting a year from now. That...
Titans hire Bengals offensive coordinator Brian Callahan as their head coach
NASHVILLE, Tenn. — The Tennessee Titans have hired Cincinnati Bengals offensive coordinator Brian Callahan as their head coach, tasked with trying to turn them back into winners and groom Will Levis into their franchise quarterback. The Titans announced Wednesday their hiring of the first of 10 candidates that they interviewed....
Scientists spot previously unknown colonies of emperor penguins in Antarctica
Previously unknown colonies of emperor penguins have been spotted in new satellite imagery. Emperor penguins, considered “near threatened” with extinction, are the world’s largest penguins. They raise their chicks in Antarctic winter on patches of frozen sea ice. But if the ice breaks up before the chicks have fledged, most...
How to book a unique all-inclusive vacation that’s not terrible
All-inclusive vacations can conjure images of food under heat lamps, too many poolside piña coladas, and being trapped on resort grounds. But sun-soaked packages are not the only type of all-inclusives. Sure, sprawling mega-resorts exist — and their numbers are growing. All-Inclusive by Marriott Bonvoy has spent the last couple...
Works of poetry, fiction and nonfiction receive $10,000 ‘Science + Literature’ awards
NEW YORK — A poetry collection, a coming-of-age novel and a history of deep sea exploration are unlikely to be found in the same section of your favorite bookstore. But they all have enough in common to be this year’s winners of Science + Literature awards, $10,000 prizes administered by...
Hungary is the last holdout for Sweden’s NATO membership. So when will Orbán follow Turkey’s lead?
BUDAPEST, Hungary — With Turkey completing its ratification of Sweden’s bid to join NATO, Hungary is the last member of the military alliance not to have given its approval. After more than a year of delays, and consistent urging from its Western partners to move forward with Sweden’s application, the...
Jennifer Lopez shimmies, and Elie Saab shimmers, at the Paris spring couture shows
PARIS — As the Paris spring couture shows entered their third day, Jennifer Lopez ensured that the power of runway designs were matched by the power of a VIP audience. The singer and actress energized the Palais de Tokyo, arriving at the last minute for Elie Saab’s show amid pandemonium....
Ford to recall nearly 1.9 million Explorer SUVs to secure trim pieces that can fly off in traffic
DETROIT — Ford is recalling nearly 1.9 million Explorer SUVs in the U.S. because a trim piece can fly off and create a hazard for other drivers. The recall covers Explorers from the 2011 through 2019 model years. Documents posted Wednesday by the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration say...

