Associated Press stories, Page 952
Kentucky Derby races on amid 7th death, scratched favorite
LOUISVILLE, Ky. — A star-crossed Kentucky Derby lost its early favorite when Forte was scratched and two more horses died, making it seven in all, at Churchill Downs earlier Saturday, further blows to a sport already reeling from a series of doping suspensions and breakdowns. “This is part of racing...
Biden hopes strong job market means soft landing for economy
WASHINGTON — For President Joe Biden, the past few days have raised hopes that the U.S. economy can stick a soft landing—possibly avoiding a recession as the 2024 election nears. Most U.S. adults have downbeat feelings about Biden’s economic leadership, as high inflation has overshadowed a strong jobs market. It’s...
Ukraine downs Russian hypersonic missile with U.S. Patriot
KYIV, Ukraine — Ukraine’s air force claimed Saturday to have downed a Russian hypersonic missile over Kyiv using newly acquired American Patriot defense systems, the first known time the country has been able to intercept one of Moscow’s most modern missiles. Air Force commander Mykola Oleshchuk said in a Telegram...
Oprah tells class of 2023 to follow ‘still, small voice’
NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Oprah Winfrey delighted graduates at her alma mater Tennessee State University on Saturday, telling the story of how she fell one credit short of graduating as she launched the media career that would make her a household name. Giving the commencement address at the historically Black university,...
Pro-Kremlin novelist injured in car explosion in Russia
TALLINN, Estonia — The car of a prominent pro-Kremlin novelist exploded in Russia on Saturday, injuring him and killing his driver, Russia’s state news agency Tass reported, citing emergency and law enforcement officials. The incident involving the car of Zakhar Prilepin, a well-known nationalist writer and an ardent supporter of...
N.Y. jury will have wide latitude to decide civil Trump claims
NEW YORK — The jury hearing an advice columnist’s claims that she was raped by Donald Trump could begin deliberations as soon as Tuesday, and it will have wide latitude in deciding the truthfulness of the allegations against the former president. The writer E. Jean Carroll, 79, testified that Trump...
California reparations task force to vote on formal apology
OAKLAND, Calif. — California’s reparations task force is set to wrap up its first-in-the-nation work Saturday, voting on recommendations for a formal apology for the state’s role in perpetuating a legacy of slavery and discrimination that has thwarted Black residents from living freely for decades. The nine-member committee, which first...
Kentucky Derby hat styles: Bigger is often better
LOUISVILLE, Ky. — The Kentucky Derby is arguably the world’s most famous horse race. It’s also a chance for racegoers to strut their fashion stuff. Seersucker suits, floral dresses and bright colors abound, but racegoers famously elevate their style to another level with their grand collection of hats and fascinators....
Over 200 dead, many more missing after Congo floods
KINSHASA, Congo — The death toll from flash floods and landslides in eastern Congo has risen beyond 200, with many more people still missing, according to local authorities in the province of South Kivu. Thomas Bakenge, administrator of Kalehe, the worst-hit territory, told reporters on the scene Saturday that 203...
2 Florida men sentenced for armed robbery of postal worker
TAMPA, Fla. — Two Florida men have been sentenced to federal prison for the armed robbery of a postal worker. Omar Rochester Miller Jr., 23, and Christopher Diaz, 27, were sentenced Thursday in Tampa federal court, according to court records. Miller received nine years and two months, and Diaz received...
1 dead, at least 6 injured at Mississippi party shooting
OCEAN SPRINGS, Miss. — One person is dead and at least six other people were shot during a Cinco de Mayo party at a Mississippi restaurant late Friday night, police said. Ocean Springs Police Capt. Ryan LeMaire, in a news release, confirmed that seven people were shot at The Scratch...
Early Kentucky Derby favorite Forte scratched from race
LOUISVILLE, Ky. — The early favorite for the Kentucky Derby was scratched Saturday hours before the race. Forte was declared out of the 149th Derby, according to Churchill Downs spokesman Darren Rogers. Co-owner Mike Repole said Kentucky Horse Racing Commission veterinarians had concerns about a bruised right front foot. It...
Queen or queen consort? What to know about Camilla’s title
LONDON — Now that she has been crowned alongside her husband, King Charles III’s wife is officially known as Queen Camilla. While it sounds more official than “queen consort,” the changing of titles does not signify any practical difference in the role of the 75-year-old royal. Queen consorts do not...
King Charles III crowned in ancient rite at uncertain moment for British monarchyVideo
LONDON — King Charles III was crowned Saturday at Westminster Abbey, receiving the bejeweled St. Edward’s Crown in a ceremony built on ancient tradition at a time when the monarchy is striving to remain relevant in a fractured modern Britain. Trumpets sounded inside the medieval abbey and the congregation shouted...
Charges in NYC chokehold death may hinge on ‘reasonableness’
NEW YORK — The potential criminal charges against a U.S. Marine veteran who put Jordan Neely in a fatal chokehold aboard a New York City subway train might depend on whether a “reasonable” New Yorker would have acted similarly. Neely, a locally-known Michael Jackson impersonator who friends say suffered from...
Man gets 14 years in 1/6 case, longest sentence imposed yet
WASHINGTON — A Kentucky man with a long criminal record was sentenced Friday to a record-setting 14 years in prison for attacking police officers with pepper spray and a chair as he stormed the U.S. Capitol with his wife. The prison sentence for Peter Schwartz, who was living in Uniontown...
Spectator tumbles over railing into bullpen in Philly
PHILADELPHIA — A spectator fell over a protective railing and into the Red Sox bullpen while reaching for a baseball in the first inning of Boston’s game against Philadelphia at Citizens Bank Park on Friday night. The fan was taken to the trauma center at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital, according...
19 horses to tangle in wide-open 149th Kentucky Derby
LOUISVILLE, Ky. — The cast of characters for the 149th Kentucky Derby was rewritten in the days before the race. What didn’t change: Forte is the early 3-1 favorite Saturday in a seemingly wide-open field of 19 horses. Four horses were scratched — Practical Move, Lord Miles, Continuar and Skinner...
With detailed race question, Census may end ancestry ask
Is ancestry history? The U.S. Census Bureau is contemplating getting rid of a question about a person’s ancestry on its most comprehensive survey, saying it may duplicate a newly revised race question that allows respondents to write from where they or their antecedents came. The Census Bureau is conducting research...
Russia’s Wagner boss threatens Bakhmut pullout in Ukraine
KYIV, Ukraine — The owner of Russia’s Wagner military contractor threatened Friday to withdraw his troops next week from the protracted battle for the eastern Ukrainian city of Bakhmut, accusing Moscow’s military command of starving his forces of ammunition. Yevgeny Prigozhin, a wealthy entrepreneur with longtime links to Russian President...
Germany: Man rescued from woods after sex game goes awry
BERLIN — German police say a 51-year-old man who was left tied up in the woods when a sex game went awry had a lucky escape after a cyclist and a hunter heard his screams for help. Police said the man was discovered fully dressed but firmly bound with ropes...
Biden said to pick Air Force general as Joint Chiefs chair
WASHINGTON — President Joe Biden is expected to nominate a history-making Air Force fighter pilot with years of experience in shaping U.S. defenses to meet China’s rise to serve as the nation’s next top military officer, according to two U.S. officials familiar with the decision. If confirmed by the Senate,...
CDC’s Rochelle Walensky resigns, citing pandemic transition
NEW YORK — Dr. Rochelle Walensky, the head of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, submitted her resignation Friday, saying the waning of the covid-19 pandemic was a good time to make a transition. Walensky’s last day will be June 30, CDC officials said, and an interim director wasn’t...
King Charles III surprises crowd outside Buckingham PalaceVideo
LONDON — King Charles III surprised cheering fans who started gathering outside Buckingham Palace on Friday, a day ahead of his coronation, as final touches were made in preparation for an occasion that London hasn’t celebrated in 70 years. People in the crowd screamed his name as Charles stepped from...
‘Yellowstone’ will end with season 5 in the fall, new spin-off will follow, Paramount says
At least one mystery surrounding the Paramount Network blockbuster hit “Yellowstone” has been answered. Paramount announced on Friday, May 5, 2023, that season 5 of the drama will be the last and the second half of the season will air in November. The midseason finale aired on Jan. 1. The...
