Associated Press stories, Page 972
What to know entering the NBA playoffs, which start Saturday
Here’s a rarity: All five teams from one division are going to the NBA playoffs. And they pulled that off in a year where a division champion almost didn’t get there. All five teams from the Pacific Division — Sacramento, Phoenix, the Los Angeles Clippers, Golden State and the Los...
NFL Draft steal? Tennessee’s Hendon Hooker hurdles age, health, style concernsVideo
Hendon Hooker is fluid on the football field and mobile in NFL meeting rooms, where he has been hurdling concerns about his age, health and playing style. The 25-year-old former Tennessee quarterback, who tore the ACL in his left knee less than five months ago, has spent his predraft visits...
Capitals, coach Peter Laviolette part ways after missing playoffsVideo
Peter Laviolette won’t be back as coach of the Washington Capitals, who now have a big decision to make after missing the playoffs for the first time in nearly a decade. The Capitals parted ways with Laviolette on Friday, less than 24 hours after their season ended, a decision general...
Former NBA star Shawn Kemp charged in parking lot shootingVideo
SEATTLE — Prosecutors in Washington state charged former NBA star Shawn Kemp on Friday with first-degree assault in a parking lot shooting last month over a stolen cellphone, saying that in a text message just before the shooting, Kemp wrote, “I’m about to shoot this (expletive).” Kemp was arrested after...
Masters champ Jon Rahm rebounds as Jimmy Walker leads RBC HeritageVideo
HILTON HEAD ISLAND, S.C. — Jimmy Walker was feeling like his old self after his second straight 6-under-par 65 on Friday — and so was Masters champion Jon Rahm halfway through the RBC Heritage. Walker had his third straight round in the 60s overall to post a two-day total of...
Trump reports little income from Truth Social, $1M from NFTs
NEW YORK — Former President Donald Trump says he’s not making much money from his social media network but estimates it is worth between $5 million and $25 million, according to his personal financial disclosure form filed Friday. He owns about 90% of his social media company, Trump Media &...
DA: Suspect in killing of Cash App founder planned attack
SAN FRANCISCO — The tech consultant charged with the killing of Cash App founder Bob Lee planned the attack, drove the victim to a secluded spot and stabbed him over an apparent dispute related to the suspect’s sister, prosecutors said in a court document released Friday. The motion to detain...
Former Steeler Ryan Shazier, others get chance to show media skills at NFL workshopVideo
INGLEWOOD, Calif. — Jason Kelce has excelled as one of the NFL’s best offensive linemen for his ability to quickly adjust blocking schemes and make split-second decisions to ensure his quarterback has a clean pocket. The Philadelphia Eagles center has discovered that translating that to a television or radio audience...
Rory McIlroy to forfeit $3 million by skipping RBC HeritageVideo
Rory McIlroy withdrawing from the RBC Heritage this week means he will forfeit $3 million from his Player Impact Program bonus. The PGA Tour confirmed Friday that McIlroy, who received $9 million of his potential $12 million bonus in January, will not be getting the balance. The PIP, which began...
Profits at big U.S. banks show few signs of industry distress
NEW YORK — The nation’s largest banks appear to be weathering the current turmoil in their industry just fine. Despite a pair of historical failures last month that put the nation’s banking industry into crisis mode, the nation’s biggest banks posted strong profits last quarter, helped by higher interest rates...
Airport reopens as South Florida flood water slowly recedes
FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. — One of Florida’s busiest airports reopened Friday morning, two days after an unprecedented deluge left planes and travelers stranded and turned Fort Lauderdale’s streets into rivers. Officials at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport completed final inspections after sunrise Friday and resumed operations at 9 a.m. In a...
U.S. charges 28 members of Sinaloa cartel, sons of El Chapo
WASHINGTON — The Justice Department on Friday charged 28 members of Mexico’s powerful Sinaloa cartel, including sons of notorious drug lord Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzman, in a sprawling fentanyl-trafficking investigation. Attorney General Merrick Garland announced the charges Friday alongside Drug Enforcement Administration chief Anne Milgram and other top federal prosecutors....
DeSantis signs 6-week abortion ban for Florida in closed-door ceremony
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis has signed a bill to ban abortions after six weeks of pregnancy, giving the Republican a major conservative policy victory as he prepares to launch an expected presidential candidacy. DeSantis signed the measure late Thursday night in a private ceremony without fanfare, hours...
U.S.: Billing records helped ID suspect in military docs leak
BOSTON — Billing records of an internet social media platform helped the FBI identify a Massachusetts Air National Guardsman in the leak of highly classified military documents, according to court records unsealed Friday. The new details came as Jack Teixeira appeared in court to face charges of unauthorized removal and...
Minneapolis OKs dawn Muslim prayer call, 1st for big U.S. city
MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. — Minneapolis will allow broadcasts of the Muslim call to prayer at all hours, becoming the first major U.S. city to allow the announcement or “adhan” to be heard over speakers five times a day, year-round. The Minneapolis City Council unanimously agreed Thursday to amend the city’s noise...
European spacecraft on way to Jupiter and its icy moons
A European spacecraft rocketed away Friday on a decadelong quest to explore Jupiter and three of its icy moons that could have buried oceans. The journey began with a perfect morning liftoff by Europe’s Ariane rocket from French Guiana on the coast of South America. But there were some tense...
Supreme Court temporarily blocks restrictions on abortion pill
WASHINGTON — The Supreme Court said Friday it was temporarily keeping in place federal rules for use of an abortion drug, while it takes time to more fully consider the issues raised in a court challenge. In an order signed by Justice Samuel Alito, the court asked both sides to...
U.S. retail sales fall 1% amid high inflation, rising rates
WASHINGTON — Americans cut their spending at retail stores in March for the second straight month, a sign consumers are becoming more cautious after a burst of spending in January. Retail sales dropped 1% in March from February, a sharper decline than the 0.2% fall in the previous month. Sales...
Wild plan to ride ‘Gus Bus’ and Marc-Andre Fleury in true goalie tandem
ST. PAUL, Minn. — When the Minnesota Wild brought back Marc-Andre Fleury and traded Cam Talbot for Filip Gustavsson last summer, their outlook in the net seemed obvious. Fleury was the three-time Stanley Cup winner with 19 seasons in the NHL who would be the primary goalie. Gustavsson was the...
MLB players find less time for small talk with pitch clock
DENVER — Home plate used to be a place where the sociable Brandon Crawford would touch base with catchers and umpires. Just a casual conversation to catch up: How’s the family? What’s up? That sort of thing. These days, the San Francisco Giants infielder keeps the chatter to a minimum....
Japan approves plan to open 1st casino to lure tourists
TOKYO — Japan’s government on Friday approved a controversial plan to open the country’s first casino in the city of Osaka as it seeks to lure more foreign tourists. The casino resort is to include conference facilities, an exhibition hall, a hotel and a theater and is expected to open...
Russia trained Belarusian pilots in nuclear weapons use
MOSCOW — Belarusian air force crews have completed their training for using tactical nuclear weapons as part of Russia’s plan to deploy the weapons to its ally Belarus amid the fighting in neighboring Ukraine, the Russian Defense Ministry said Friday. The ministry released a video in which a Belarusian pilot...
Top Fed official sees need for more interest rate increases
WASHINGTON — A senior Federal Reserve official said Friday that there has been little progress on inflation for more than a year and that more interest rate hikes are needed to get prices under control. Christopher Waller, a member of the Fed’s governing board, did not specify how many more...
In private, Gov. Shapiro’s working group on climate change meets
HARRISBURG — The group tasked by Gov. Josh Shapiro with developing a state-level plan to fight climate change met for the first time this week, a step the Democrat promised to take when he questioned his predecessor’s strategy to make Pennsylvania the first major fossil fuel state to adopt carbon...
Spanish climber leaves cave after 500 days in isolation
MADRID — A Spanish mountain climber emerged Friday from a cave 230 feet underground where she spent 500 days isolated from the outside world. Beatriz Flamini, 50, of Madrid, left the cave in southern Spain shortly after 9 a.m. after being told by supporters that she had completed the feat...
