Associated Press stories, Page 864
Ex-NFL player Sergio Brown arrested in Southern California in connection to mother’s slaying
Former NFL player Sergio Brown was arrested in Southern California in connection with the death of his mother, authorities said, as he tried to reenter the United States from Mexico just weeks after the 73-year-old woman was found slain behind her suburban Chicago home. Brown, 35, was detained Tuesday afternoon...
Huge rocket motors arrive at Los Angeles museum for space shuttle Endeavour displayVideo
LOS ANGELES — Two giant rocket motors required to display the retired NASA space shuttle Endeavour as if it’s about to blast off arrived Wednesday at a Los Angeles museum, completing their long journey from the Mojave Desert. The 116-foot-long (35.3-meter) motors, which look like giant white cylinders, were trucked...
Ukraine President Zelenskyy at NATO defense ministers meeting seeking more support to fight Russia
BRUSSELS — For the first time, Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy joined a meeting of more than 50 defense leaders from around the world Wednesday to make a personal pitch for military aid, in the face of lagging political support in the U.S. and new pressure on allies to send weapons...
Hunter Biden judge agrees to drop old gun count after indictment replaces scuttled plea deal
WASHINGTON — A gun count that had been part of a collapsed plea deal in the Hunter Biden case was dismissed Wednesday as a judge signed off on a prosecution request. The order from U.S. District Judge Maryellen Noreika formally removes a gun possession charge that has now been replaced...
Abortion rights and marijuana questions expected to drive Ohioans to polls as early voting begins
COLUMBUS, Ohio — Heavier-than-normal turnout is expected Wednesday as early voting begins in Ohio’s closely watched off-year election to decide the future of abortion access and marijuana legalization in the state. Of greatest interest nationally is Issue 1, a proposed constitutional amendment giving every person “the right to make and...
Colts QB Anthony Richardson to miss at least 4 weeks after going on injured reserve
INDIANAPOLIS — Rookie quarterback Anthony Richardson will miss at least four weeks after the Indianapolis Colts put him on the injured reserve list Wednesday. The former Florida star injured the AC joint in his right shoulder when he hit the ground awkwardly at the end of a 4-yard run during...
Bryce Elder gets the nod for Braves in Game 3 of NLDS vs. Phillies
PHILADELPHIA — The Atlanta Braves picked right-hander Bryce Elder to start Game 3 of the NL Division Series against the Philadelphia Phillies on Wednesday. Elder (12-4, 3.81) struggled down the stretch after pitching a career-high 174 2/3 innings in his first full season in the big leagues. But the Braves...
Republicans nominate Steve Scalise to be House speaker and will try to unite before a floor vote
WASHINGTON — Republicans nominated Rep. Steve Scalise on Wednesday to be the next House speaker but now must try to unite their deeply divided majority to elect the conservative in a floor vote after ousting Rep. Kevin McCarthy from the job. In private balloting at the Capitol, House Republicans narrowly...
Birkenstock set for its stock market debut as Wall Street trades in its wingtips for sandals
NEW YORK — Birkenstock is making its debut on the stock market as Wall Street trades in its wingtips for sandals for a day. The 249-year-old German maker of upmarket sandals set a price of $46 per share for its initial public offering of stock, valuing the company at $8.64...
Dozens of flights canceled after fire rips through parking garage at London’s Luton Airport
LONDON — Thousands of travelers faced disruption as all flights were suspended Wednesday at London’s Luton airport after a fire tore through a newly built parking garage, destroying vehicles and partially collapsing the structure. Four firefighters and an airport employee were treated for the effects of smoke inhalation after the...
Apartment fire in northwestern Spain kills 4 people, including 3 children
VIGO, Spain — Three children and an adult died Wednesday and nine people were injured in a fire in an apartment building believed to be occupied by squatters in Spain’s northwestern city of Vigo, officials said. Spain’s state news agency EFE said the dead included a woman and three of...
ACT test scores for U.S. students drop to new 30-year low
High school students’ scores on the ACT college admissions test have dropped to their lowest in more than three decades, showing a lack of student preparedness for college-level coursework, according to the nonprofit organization that administers the test. Scores have been falling for six consecutive years, but the trend accelerated...
As strikes devastate Gaza, Israel forms unity government to oversee war sparked by Hamas attackVideo
JERUSALEM — Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu joined with a top political rival Wednesday to create a wartime Cabinet to oversee the fight to avenge the gruesome weekend attack by Hamas militants. In the sealed-off Gaza Strip, Palestinian suffering mounted as Israeli bombardment demolished neighborhoods and the only power plant...
Internal conflicts and power struggles have become hallmarks of the modern GOP
COLUMBUS, Ohio — After Ohio Republicans bolstered their statehouse majority last year due to their dominating showing in the midterm elections, they split into rival camps over who should lead the lower chamber. The division between younger, more impatient conservatives and more traditional ones was only settled when Democrats crossed...
Exxon Mobil buys Pioneer Natural in $59.5 billion deal with energy prices surging
Exxon Mobil Corp. is buying Pioneer Natural Resources in an all-stock deal valued at $59.5 billion, its largest buyout since acquiring Mobil two decades ago, creating a colossal fracking operator in West Texas. Including debt, Exxon is committing about $64.5 billion to the acquisition, leaving no doubt of the Texas...
Corey Seager still going deep in Texas, helps send Rangers to ALCS with sweep of 101-win OriolesVideo
ARLINGTON, Texas — Corey Seager is still going deep in Texas during the postseason. This time he is doing it for the Rangers, who are streaking through October. Seager and Adolis García homered early, Nathan Eovaldi pitched seven smooth innings in another playoff clincher and Texas completed an AL Division...
Purdue favored to win Big Ten again, but can anyone end league’s NCAA Tournament trouble?Video
MINNEAPOLIS — The Big Ten got an unexpected boost in the offseason when Zach Edey decided to return to Purdue for a fourth year. But the question remains whether Edey’s towering presence will make a difference next March. Or will Purdue’s well-publicized struggles in the NCAA Tournament — emblematic of...
Lexi Thompson ready for the bright lights of Vegas and big stage of PGA TourVideo
In the midst of one of her roughest years, Lexi Thompson faces her biggest challenge. Thompson was coming off her first top-10 finish of the year two weeks ago when she said her management company told her the Shriners Children’s Open had offered her a sponsor exemption to play on...
Jonas Johansson wins in debut as Lightning beat Predators in NHL season openerVideo
TAMPA, Fla. — Jonas Johansson made 29 saves in his first start in place of the injured Andrei Vasilevskiy, Nicholas Paul had two third-period power-play goals and the Tampa Bay Lightning beat the Nashville Predators, 5-3, in the NHL regular-season opener Tuesday night. Johansson was signed to be Vasilevskiy’s backup....
Scrutiny of Arkansas governor’s $19,000 lectern deepens after new records are released
LITTLE ROCK — New public records have widened questions over when Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders’ office planned to use Republican Party funds to reimburse the state for a $19,000 lectern, which was bought in June using a government credit card. The Arkansas GOP paid for the lectern in September,...
Column: MLB’s playoff format penalizing top seeds with all that time offVideo
The Baltimore Orioles won an AL-leading 101 games during the regular season. The Los Angeles Dodgers also reached triple digits in victories. Those impressive accomplishments earned both teams a bye in the opening round of the playoffs. Clearly, the time off did them no good. Tossing in the 104-win Atlanta...
Astros hit 4 homers, with a pair by Abreu, to rout Twins and take 2-1 ALDS leadVideo
MINNEAPOLIS — José Abreu hit a three-run homer for Houston in a four-run first inning against Sonny Gray and piled on with a two-run shot in the ninth, powering the Astros past the Minnesota Twins, 9-1, on Tuesday for a 2-1 lead in their AL Division Series. Yordan Alvarez hit...
Cardinals place RB James Conner on injured reserve with knee injuryVideo
TEMPE, Ariz. — The Arizona Cardinals placed leading rusher James Conner on injured reserve on Tuesday after a knee injury in Sunday’s loss to the Bengals. It’s another blow for the Cardinals (1-4), who already are missing franchise quarterback Kyler Murray and two-time All-Pro safety Budda Baker because of injuries....
Barry Melrose retiring as ESPN’s longtime hockey analyst after Parkinson’s disease diagnosis
Former NHL player and coach Barry Melrose is stepping away from his career as one of hockey’s most recognized analysts after being diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease, ESPN announced on Tuesday. The news of Melrose’s illness and retirement was made on ESPN’s SportsCenter on the same day the NHL 2023-24 season...
Rep. George Santos faces new charges he stole donor IDs, made unauthorized charges to their credit cards
NEW YORK — A new indictment filed Tuesday charged U.S. Rep. George Santos with stealing the identities of donors to his campaign and then using their credit cards to ring up tens of thousands of dollars in unauthorized charges. Prosecutors said some of that stolen money ended up in his...

