Associated Press stories, Page 806
Trump’s vow to only be a dictator on ‘day one’ follows growing worry over his authoritarian rhetoric
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — As Donald Trump faces growing scrutiny over his increasingly authoritarian and violent rhetoric, Fox News host Sean Hannity gave his longtime friend a chance to assure the American people that he wouldn’t abuse power or seek retribution if he wins a second term. But instead of offering...
Palestinians crowd into ever-shrinking areas in Gaza as Israel’s war against Hamas enters 3rd month
RAFAH, Gaza Strip — Desperate Palestinians fleeing Israel’s expanding ground offensive crowded into an ever-shrinking area of the Gaza Strip as the Israel-Hamas war entered its third month Friday. The United Nations warned that its aid operation is “in tatters” because no place in the besieged enclave is safe. Israel’s...
Putin will seek another presidential term in Russia, aiming to extend his rule of over two decades
Vladimir Putin on Friday moved to prolong his repressive and unyielding grip on Russia for at least another six years, announcing his candidacy in the presidential election next March that he is all but certain to win. Putin still commands wide support after nearly a quarter-century in power, despite starting...
Michigan teen gets life in prison for killing 4 students during high school attack
PONTIAC, Mich. — A teenager was sentenced to life in prison Friday for killing four students, wounding more and terrorizing Michigan’s Oxford High School in 2021. A judge rejected pleas for a shorter sentence and ensured that Ethan Crumbley, 17, will not get an opportunity for parole. Life sentences for...
Biden showcases $8.2B for 10 major rail projects, including in W.Pa.
LAS VEGAS — President Joe Biden went to Las Vegas on Friday to say he’s “putting high-speed rail on the fast track,” and he used the moment to blast Donald Trump — his predecessor and likely 2024 challenger — as a do-nothing politician. “Trump just talks the talk. We walk...
Bills coach Sean McDermott apologizes for referencing 9/11 hijackers in team meeting 4 years ago
ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. — An emotional Buffalo Bills coach Sean McDermott acknowledged regret Thursday for crediting the 9/11 hijackers for their coordination during a team meeting four years ago. McDermott had cited the hijackers while stressing the importance of communication. Upon realizing how his message was being interpreted, McDermott said...
A Jan. 6 rioter praised Vivek Ramaswamy at his sentencing for suggesting riot was an ‘inside job’
WASHINGTON — A former California police chief convicted of a conspiracy charge in the U.S. Capitol riot was sentenced Thursday to more than 11 years in prison after giving a speech that praised Republican presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy’s suggestion the Jan. 6, 2021, attack could have been an “inside job.”...
Jags employee charged with stealing $22M gambled away 99% of funds, plans guilty plea, lawyer says
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — A former Jacksonville Jaguars financial manager accused of stealing more than $22 million from the franchise has a gambling addiction and plans to plead guilty to resolve federal charges against him, his attorney said Thursday. Attorney Alex King of First Coast Criminal Defense in Jacksonville released a...
Hunter Biden is indicted on 9 tax charges, adding to gun charges in a special counsel investigation
WASHINGTON — Hunter Biden was indicted on nine tax charges in California as a special counsel investigation into the business dealings of President Joe Biden’s son intensifies against the backdrop of the 2024 election. The new charges filed Thursday — three felonies and six misdemeanors — are in addition to...
QB Joe Flacco set for 2nd start as Browns meet Jaguars with AFC playoff ramifications
CLEVELAND — Joe Flacco has gone from the couch to contention. Signed three weeks ago by Cleveland as emergency protection when quarterback Deshaun Watson was lost with a season-ending shoulder injury, Flacco has a chance to get the Browns into the playoffs — a scenario not even he could have...
Jaguars QB Trevor Lawrence returns to practice in hope of playing Browns
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence returned to practice in a limited capacity Thursday, taking another step toward playing at Cleveland despite a high ankle sprain. Lawrence took snaps, moved around on his right ankle and threw passes during the portion of practice open to reporters. It came...
Army goes for Commander-in-Chief’s trophy vs. Navy
FOXBOROUGH, Mass. — College football keeps changing. The Army-Navy game never does. In an era of booster collectives and transfer portals, the nation’s oldest service academies will line up their triple-option offenses Saturday at the home of the New England Patriots for a day full of pageantry, tradition and a...
The GOP’s slim House majority is getting even tighter with Kevin McCarthy’s retirement
WASHINGTON — House Speaker Mike Johnson’s margin for error in getting Republican priorities through the House is getting slimmer, complicating future votes and magnifying the ability of individual lawmakers to force concessions. Republicans had just a 222-213 margin before Rep. George Santos of New York was expelled in a broad,...
Yankees make vintage Steinbrenner move by landing All-Star OF Juan Soto
NEW YORK — Juan Soto’s arrival is a sign the New York Yankees want stars to help them rebound from their worst season in three decades — a move right out of late owner George Steinbrenner’s playbook. “We certainly want to try under the Steinbrenner leadership to make this the...
Duke hires Penn State defensive coordinator Manny Diaz to lead Blue Devils
Duke has hired Penn State defensive coordinator Manny Diaz as its head coach, a person with direct knowledge of the move told The Associated Press on Thursday night. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the deal was being finalized and the school was planning an announcement. Diaz replaces...
Ex-Philadelphia labor leader convicted of embezzling from union to pay for home renovations, meals
PHILADELPHIA — Former Philadelphia labor leader John “Johnny Doc” Dougherty and a codefendant were convicted Thursday of using more than $650,000 in union funds for personal use, marking the second conviction federal prosecutors have secured against the long-powerful figure since a sweeping 2019 indictment. Dougherty, who led Local 98 of...
Masters champion Jon Rahm signs with LIV Golf
Masters champion Jon Rahm bolted for Saudi-funded LIV Golf on Thursday for what’s believed to be more money than the PGA Tour’s entire prize fund, a stunning blow that deepens the divide in golf as the two sides were negotiating a commercial deal. Rahm confirmed the move in an interview...
McDonald’s testing new CosMc’s chain amid unprecedented global expansion
McDonald’s is testing a new restaurant format with customizable drinks and treats designed to appeal to afternoon snackers — and grab sales from competitors like Starbucks and Dunkin’. The company said Wednesday it will open 10 CosMc’s restaurants through the first half of next year. One will be near the...
Families of the Pittsburgh synagogue attack unveil a memorial design
PITTSBURGH — In the years following the deadly 2018 Pittsburgh synagogue attack, relatives of those slain have gone through their own private grief, public memorial services and the trial and death sentence of the perpetrator. They’ve also been deliberating, slowly and methodically, on what kind of permanent memorial should be...
Trump appeals ruling rejecting immunity claim as window narrows to derail federal election case
WASHINGTON — Former President Donald Trump is appealing a ruling that found he is not immune from criminal prosecution as he runs out of opportunities to delay or even derail an upcoming trial on charges that he plotted to overturn the results of the 2020 election. Lawyers for the 2024...
Monessen native Michael Moorer along with Hatton, Calderon, Corrales elected to Boxing Hall of Fame
CANASTOTA, N.Y. — Monessen native Michael Moorer, the first left-hander to win the heavyweight title, and fellow two-division champions Ricky Hatton and Ivan Calderon were elected Thursday to the International Boxing Hall of Fame. Diego Corrales, who died two years after winning a 2005 bout voted “Fight of the Year,”...
Jayden Daniels, the dazzling quarterback for LSU, is the AP college football player of the year
BATON ROUGE, La. — LSU quarterback Jayden Daniels is The Associated Press college football player of the year, the school’s second winner in the past five seasons. Daniels received 35 of the 51 first-place votes and 130 total points from AP Top 25 poll voters. The Heisman Trophy finalist finished...
Meta makes end-to-end encryption a default on Facebook Messenger
NEW YORK — Meta is rolling out end-to-end encryption for calls and messages across its Facebook and Messenger platforms, the company announced Thursday. Such encryption means that no one other than the sender and the recipient — not even Meta — can decipher people’s messages. Encrypted chats, first introduced as...
Longtime NFL kicker, Penn State walk-on Robbie Gould retires after 18-year career
Longtime NFL kicker Robbie Gould is retiring following an 18-year career that established him as one of the game’s best in the clutch. Gould announced his retirement on The Player’s Tribune on Thursday. Gould had been a free agent after the San Francisco 49ers opted not to bring him back...
Texas judge grants pregnant woman permission to get an abortion despite state’s ban
AUSTIN, Texas — A Texas judge on Thursday gave a pregnant woman whose fetus has a fatal diagnosis permission to get an abortion in an unprecedented challenge over bans that more than a dozen states have enacted since Roe v. Wade was overturned. The lawsuit by Kate Cox, a 31-year-old...
