Associated Press stories, Page 954

NEW YORK — After nearly two years and at least $1.4 million spent, the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration on Friday released an external review of its overseas operations that gave short shrift to recent corruption scandals and offered a series of recommendations that critics dismissed as overly vague. Much of...

PHOENIX — Years ago, skateboarding was branded as a hobby for rebels or stoners in city streets, schoolyards and back alleys. Those days are long gone. Skateboarding, which has Native Hawaiian roots connected to surfing, no longer is on the fringes. It became an Olympic sport in 2020. There are...

NEW YORK — Dallas Mavericks star Luka Doncic was fined $35,000 on Friday for directing a money sign toward officials in the final seconds of a loss to Golden State. Doncic walked toward officials while rubbing his fingers together with 1.7 seconds left in the 127-125 loss on Wednesday night....

CLEVELAND — The Cleveland Browns added another speedy wide receiver Friday, agreeing to contract terms with free agent Marquise Goodwin, a person familiar with the negotiations told The Associated Press. The 32-year-old Goodwin is getting a one-year deal, said the person, who spoke on condition of anonymity because the contract...

GREENVILLE, S.C. — South Carolina certainly has front-line, championship talent with All-American Aliyah Boston and top scorer Zia Cooke. And they’re backed by a bench that’s second-to-none in the women’s game. “It’s not just the starting five that can make things happen,” Cooke said. The Gamecocks’ reserves lead the nation...

YOKOHAMA, Japan — The Trevor Bauer era in Japan began Friday at an introductory news conference, where he pulled a blue and white Yokohama DeNA BayStars jersey over a white shirt and red tie. The 2020 Cy Young Award winner is in Japan on a one-year deal that could let...

The arrival of spring means summer entertaining season isn’t far behind, which is an excellent excuse for a home bartending refresher. Because like changing a tire and ironing a shirt, crafting a cocktail is one of those skills adults should have at least a passing familiarity with. Equipping yourself is...

WASHINGTON — House Republicans on Friday narrowly passed legislation to press a midterm campaign promise to give parents greater say in what’s taught in public schools even as critics complained the “parents’ rights” bill would fuel a far-right movement that’s resulted in book bans, restrictions aimed at transgender students and...

PARIS — Ongoing unrest across France and calls for a new round of demonstrations against President Emmanuel Macron’s pension plan persuaded officials to postpone a planned state visit next week by Britain’s King Charles III. Charles had been scheduled to arrive in France on Sunday to celebrate France and Britain’s...

KYIV, Ukraine — Long-range Russian bombardment killed at least 10 civilians and wounded 20 others in several parts of Ukraine on Friday, officials in Kyiv said, as a Kremlin official boasted that its forces were prepared to repel an expected Ukrainian counteroffensive this spring. Five people died in Kostiantynivka, in...

WASHINGTON — A lawyer for Donald Trump was back in court Friday after being ordered to answer questions before a grand jury investigating the possible mishandling of classified documents at the former president’s Florida estate. M. Evan Corcoran entered federal court in the District of Columbia early Friday morning, one...

FRANKFORT, Ky. — Kentucky’s Democratic governor issued an election-year veto Friday of a Republican bill aimed at regulating the lives of transgender youths that includes banning access to gender-affirming health care and restricting the bathrooms they can use. The bill also bans discussion of sexual orientation and gender identity in...

COLUMBIA, S.C. — South Carolina leading scorer Gregory “GG” Jackson II said Friday that he’s entering the NBA draft after one season in college. The 6-foot-9 freshman said on Instagram Live that his year in college with the Gamecocks helped him mature. “Now, I’m declaring for the NBA draft, just...

SAITAMA, Japan — Kaori Sakamoto fended off a challenge from South Korea’s Lee Hae-in on Friday to become the first Japanese woman to defend her title at the figure skating world championships. Sakamoto, who led after the short program, made only one mistake in Friday’s free skate at Saitama Super...

DÜSSELDORF, Germany — Another World Cup failure, another rebuild for Germany. This time there’s even more at stake. Germany will host next year’s European Championship and is desperate to avoid another debacle at home. The Germans once took pride in having a “tournament team,” one that could put distractions aside...

KYIV, Ukraine — Ukraine renewed its push to keep Russian athletes out of the Olympics on Friday ahead of an International Olympic Committee board meeting next week which is expected to set the framework for their return to international sports events. Vadym Guttsait, who is Ukraine’s sports minister and leads...

Pride nights, held annually for several years by National Hockey League teams to show support for the LGBTQ community, are in the spotlight following several high-profile incidents this season. A handful of players have objected to participating in pregame warmups that included Pride-themed jerseys, most recently Florida’s Eric and Marc...

SAN DIEGO — As drought dried up rivers that carry California’s newly hatched Chinook salmon to the ocean, state officials in recent years resorted to loading up the fish by the millions onto trucks and barges to take them to the Pacific. The surreal and desperate scramble boosted the survival...

PARK CITY, Utah — Gwyneth Paltrow is expected to testify Friday in a trial over a 2016 ski collision at a Utah ski resort, where a man claims that the movie star’s recklessness on the slope caused broken ribs, brain damage and lasting physical injuries. Paltrow and Terry Sanderson, the...

HONG KONG — Hong Kong firefighters were battling a blaze Friday at a warehouse that forced 3,400 people to evacuate, including students, police said. Thick smoke was seen pouring out from the building where the fire broke out around 2 p.m. at the warehouse on Fat Tseung Street in Cheung...

SEOUL, South Korea — North Korea claimed Friday to have tested a nuclear-capable underwater drone designed to generate a gigantic “radioactive tsunami” that would destroy naval strike groups and ports. Analysts were skeptical that the device presents a major new threat, but the test underlines the North’s commitment to raising...

MONTICELLO, Minn. — Water containing a radioactive material has leaked for a second time from a nuclear plant near Minneapolis and the plant will be shut down, but there is no danger to the public, the plant’s owner said Thursday. A leak of what was believed to be hundreds of...