Associated Press stories, Page 773
South Korea’s parliament passes landmark ban on production and sales of dog meat
SEOUL, South Korea — South Korea’s parliament on Tuesday passed a landmark ban on production and sales of dog meat, as public calls for a prohibition have grown sharply over concerns about animal rights and the country’s international image. Some angry dog farmers said they plan to challenge the bill’s...
With Trump present in court, judges express skepticism of claims that he’s immune from prosecution
WASHINGTON — With Donald Trump listening intently in the courtroom, federal appeals court judges in Washington expressed deep skepticism Tuesday that the former president was immune from prosecution on charges that he plotted to overturn the results of the 2020 election. The panel of three judges, two of whom were...
Explosion at historic Texas hotel injures 21 and scatters debris in downtown Fort Worth
FORT WORTH, Texas — An explosion at a historic Texas hotel in Fort Worth on Monday blew out windows, littered downtown streets with large sections of debris from the building and injured 21 people, including one who was in critical condition, authorities said. The blast flung doors and entire sections...
France gets its youngest-ever prime minister, Gabriel Attal, as Macron shakes up government
PARIS — Gabriel Attal was named Tuesday as France’s youngest-ever prime minister, as President Emmanuel Macron seeks a fresh start for the rest of his term amid growing political pressure from the far right. Macron’s office announced the appointment in a statement. Attal, 34, rose to prominence as the government...
Israel’s military says no damage was caused in a strike on an army base in northern Israel
GHANDOURIYEH, Lebanon — Israel’s military said no damage was caused to one of its army bases in northern Israel after Hezbollah said it launched explosive drones Tuesday toward the area, while an Israeli drone strike in Lebanon killed three members of the militant group, officials said. The Israeli military did...
Spain investigates contamination of Atlantic shore by countless plastic pellets spilled from ship
MADRID — Spanish state prosecutors have opened an investigation of countless tiny plastic pellets washing up on the country’s northwest coastline after they were spilled from a transport ship, posing a possible major ecological problem in the area. The state prosecutor’s office made the announcement late on Monday after having...
Michigan overpowers Washington as Jim Harbaugh delivers national titleVideo
HOUSTON — Jim Harbaugh raised the championship trophy as gold and white confetti sprayed over his team and “We Are the Champions” blared. Nine years after he took over at Michigan, Harbaugh delivered on the lofty expectations that he brought with him to his beloved alma mater. Blake Corum ran...
White House, Pentagon will review Defense Secretary Austin’s lack of disclosure on his hospital stay
WASHINGTON — Both the White House and Pentagon said Monday they would look into why President Joe Biden and other top officials weren’t informed for days that Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin had been hospitalized. A Pentagon spokesman pointed to one reason: A key staffer was out sick with the flu....
Jaguars fire defensive coordinator Mike Caldwell, 7 assistants
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Defensive coordinator Mike Caldwell and seven of his assistants ended up taking the fall for the biggest late-season collapse in Jacksonville Jaguars history. Coach Doug Pederson fired Caldwell and the others Monday, a day after a 28-20 loss at Tennessee that knocked the Jaguars out of the...
Analysis: Browns’ improbable season continues in Houston with AFC wild-card round matchup
CLEVELAND — This season jammed with unexpected twists, hard turns, highs, lows and Joe Flacco’s improbable arrival is circling back down a familiar path for the Cleveland Browns. For the second time in three weeks, Cleveland is headed to Houston. With so much more at stake. The Browns (11-6) will...
Park Service retracts decision to take down William Penn statue at Philadelphia historical site
HARRISBURG — The National Park Service withdrew a proposal Monday to take down a statue of William Penn at a Philadelphia historical site as part of a renovation that touched off a torrent of criticism over the legacy of the man who founded the province of Pennsylvania. In a brief...
Analysis: After nearly making playoffs, Bengals face decisions on many free agents
CINCINNATI — After Joe Burrow was lost for the season with a wrist injury in November, coach Zac Taylor insisted the Bengals had been built to win even without their franchise quarterback. Well, yes and no. Backup Jake Browning exceeded expectations by winning three of his first four starts, helping...
Ducks trade defenseman Jamie Drysdale to Flyers for prospect Cutter Gauthier
ANAHEIM, Calif. — The Anaheim Ducks traded defenseman Jamie Drysdale and a second-round pick in 2025 to the Philadelphia Flyers for high-scoring college left wing Cutter Gauthier. The teams executed the swap of highly regarded youngsters Monday. The 21-year-old Drysdale was the sixth overall pick in the 2020 draft by...
Analysis: Bills show ability to overcome flaws; playoff meeting vs. Steelers next
ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. — Let’s dispense with predictions, because enough people — Buffalo Bills fans included — already have been proven wrong by a team that has defied the odds and the eye test by earning a playoff berth, never mind the AFC’s No. 2 seed. All it takes for...
Explosion at historic Texas hotel injures 21 and scatters debris in downtown Fort WorthVideo
FORT WORTH, Texas — An explosion at a historic Texas hotel in Fort Worth on Monday blew out windows, littered downtown streets with large sections of debris from the building and injured 21 people, including one who was in critical condition, authorities said. The blast flung doors and entire sections...
Golden Globes ratings rebound to 9.4 million viewers, up from 2023 telecast
NEW YORK — Reviews have been poor for Sunday’s 81st Golden Globes, but the telecast pulled in an average of 9.4 million viewers, up about 50% from last year, according to CBS. The ceremony had the benefit of an NFL lead-in, as well as an especially starry gathering that drew...
Florida Republicans oust state party chairman facing rape allegations in critical election year
TALLAHASSEE — The Republican Party of Florida ousted Chairman Christian Ziegler in a special vote on Monday as police investigate a rape accusation against him — a move that came a week before Gov. Ron DeSantis competes in Iowa’s first-in-the-nation presidential caucus. A majority of about 200 members approved the...
Man caught on camera accosting a Las Vegas judge in court is sentenced in an unrelated attackVideo
LAS VEGAS — The same judge accosted by a defendant in a Las Vegas courtroom last week sentenced her attacker Monday to up to four years in prison in an unrelated case. Deobra Delone Redden leapt over the bench and attacked Clark County District Court Judge Mary Kay Holthus in...
What to know about the Alaska Airlines 737 Max 9 jet that suffered a blowout
NEW YORK — An emergency landing by an Alaska Airlines jetliner has prompted U.S. federal authorities to ground some Boeing 737 Max 9 aircraft, adding another episode to the troubled history of Boeing’s Max lineup of jets. Here is what to know about the Max 9 plane involved, and what...
Maple Leafs sign William Nylander to $92 million, 8-year extension
TORONTO — William Nylander will wear a Toronto Maple Leafs sweater for years to come. Nylander has agreed to a $92 million, eight-year contract extension with the Maple Leafs, the team said Monday. It is the largest contract in franchise history by total value and includes a no-movement clause. The...
NFL Playoff Guide: How to watch the games, bracket format and betting favorites
Six teams — the Steelers, Browns, Lions, Packers, Texans and Rams — are in the playoffs after missing out last season. At least four teams who failed to qualify one season have reached the playoffs the next every year since 1990. Buffalo Bills and Dallas Cowboys are riding high after...
Paris names a street after David Bowie celebrating music icon’s legacy
PARIS — Paris immortalized late British music icon David Bowie by naming a street after him in the city’s southeast on what would have been his 77th birthday on Monday. The inauguration of rue David-Bowie was first announced in 2020 by Jérôme Coumet, mayor of the 13th arrondissement. Bowie died...
Mary Lou Retton says she’s a ‘fighter’ as she recuperates at home following pneumonia scare
Olympic gymnastics great Mary Lou Retton said she faces a long battle recuperating at home from a rare form of pneumonia in which doctors weren’t sure whether she would survive. In an interview that aired Monday on NBC’s “Today” show, Retton said while wearing a breathing tube pumping oxygen through...
Tiger Woods, Nike end partnership after more than 27 years
Tiger Woods is no longer a Nike athlete after 27 years, ending a partnership between the swoosh and golf’s biggest star and raising questions about the future of both in the sport. Woods in a social media post thanked Nike co-founder Phil Knight for his “passion and vision” that brought...
Houston, the lone unbeaten team in college hoops, jumps Kansas to No. 2 in AP Top 25 behind Purdue
Purdue held its place atop the AP Top 25 on Monday following its win over Illinois in a top-10 showdown, while Houston jumped Kansas into second place as the last unbeaten team in Division I men’s college basketball. The Boilermakers, who beat the No. 9 Illini 83-78 last week, picked...
