Associated Press stories, Page 1357
W.Va. lawmakers OK bill barring ‘brainwashing’ race teaching
CHARLESTON, W.Va. — West Virginia lawmakers advanced legislation on Friday that would restrict the way public school teachers can talk about race, a bill one Republican delegate said is meant to protect kids from “brainwashing.” During more than two hours of tense, back-and-forth debate, Del. Todd Longanacre said he doesn’t...
Texas clinics’ lawsuit over abortion ban ‘effectively over’
AUSTIN, Texas — The Texas Supreme Court on Friday dealt essentially a final blow to abortion clinics’ best hopes of stopping a restrictive law that has sharply curtailed the number of abortions in the state since September and will now fully stay in place for the foreseeable future. The ruling...
NFL teams ready to spend in free agency even with no franchise QBs aroundVideo
With the NFL’s broadcasting rights fees skyrocketing in the near future, leading to a much higher salary cap down the road, maybe this season’s free agency frenzy won’t be as frenetic as years past. Don’t bet on it. Sure, the salary cap, pretty much stagnant for two years because of...
Texas judge blocks investigations of trans youth parents
A Texas judge on Friday blocked the state from investigating as child abuse gender confirming care for transgender youth. District Judge Amy Clark Meachum issued a temporary injunction preventing the state from enforcing Republican Gov. Greg Abbott’s directive to compel the Department of Family and Protective Services to investigate reports...
Florida Gov. DeSantis, Disney butting heads on LGBTQ issue
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — Disney World is suspending its political donations in Florida after the company’s CEO received huge blowback for not using Disney’s vast influence in the state to try to quash a recently passed Republican bill that would prevent teachers from instructing early grades on LGBTQ issues. Shortly after,...
Ex-student protest leader becomes Chile’s youngest president
SANTIAGO, Chile — Left-leaning former student leader Gabriel Boric vowed to improve the lives of all Chileans and attack deep inequality that has sparked massive protests, hours after being inaugurated Friday as the youngest president in the country’s history. At 36, Boric was only 4 years old when democracy returned...
Home run derby could decide MLB All-Star Game winnerVideo
NEW YORK — If the next All-Star Game in Major League Baseball goes deep into the night, a slugger might get a chance to decide it by going deep — in a Home Run Derby. That’s right, say going, going, goodbye to extra innings in the Midsummer Classic. Instead, bring...
MLB players end up split on final dealVideo
NEW YORK — Baseball players maintained unity throughout labor negotiations, yet were divided when it came time to vote on the deal. The eight-man executive subcommittee that appeared to be most involved in the nearly year-long talks voted 8-0 Thursday against approving the five-year contract. Team player representatives, the overall...
No indictment for Texans QB Deshaun Watson over sex assault claimsVideo
HOUSTON — A grand jury on Friday declined to indict Houston Texans quarterback Deshaun Watson after a police investigation sparked by lawsuits filed by 22 women who have accused him of sexual assault and harassment. The grand jury’s decision came about a year after the women first filed their suits,...
From Arizona to Florida, sights of MLB spring training returnVideo
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — Arizona Diamondbacks catcher Carson Kelly and manager Torey Lovullo shared a hug, a grin and a few slaps on the back under the bright blue sky that the Cactus League is known for providing. The bickering is over. Baseball is back. A day after owners and players...
Unvaccinated MLB players can’t travel to Canada to play Blue Jays
NEW YORK — MLB players who are not vaccinated against the coronavirus won’t be allowed to travel into Canada to face the Blue Jays in Toronto and won’t be paid for those games. Canada’s government requires a person must have received a second vaccine dose — or one dose of...
Players Championship gets 4 hours of play and Monday finish
PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. — The Players Championship delivered only four hours of golf Friday before rain saturated the TPC Sawgrass, assuring the PGA Tour’s premier event will not end until Monday. So much for Saturday being “moving day.” Based on the forecast of overnight rain and raging wind, the...
Russia widens social media crackdown by blocking Instagram
Russian regulators said Friday that internet users will be blocked from accessing Instagram because it’s being used to call for violence against Russian soldiers, in Moscow’s latest move to tighten up access to foreign social platforms. The communications and media regulator, Roskomnadzor, said in a statement that it’s restricting national...
Russia’s bioweapon conspiracy theory finds support in U.S.
Russia’s baseless claims about secret American biological warfare labs in Ukraine are taking root in the U.S. too, uniting covid-19 conspiracy theorists, QAnon adherents and some supporters of ex-President Donald Trump. Despite rebuttals from independent scientists, Ukrainian leaders and officials at the White House and Pentagon, the online popularity of...
Former Carlisle police detective gets prison for trading official actions for sex
A former Pennsylvania police detective who served on a drug task force was sentenced Friday to more than six years in prison for having traded official actions for sexual favors. Former Carlisle police officer Christopher Collare, 54, of Blythewood, South Carolina, was sentenced to 75 months on charges of bribery,...
Pennsylvania payrolls, labor force grew in January
Pennsylvania’s payrolls grew again in January, the unemployment rate crept down and the labor force expanded after more than a year of contraction, according to new figures released Friday. Pennsylvania’s unemployment rate dropped a tenth of a percentage point to 5.4% from December’s adjusted rate, according to the state Department...
U.S. slashes Russia trade status, bans alcohol and seafood
President Joe Biden announced Friday the U.S. will dramatically downgrade its trade status with Russia as punishment for its invasion of Ukraine and also ban imports of Russian seafood, alcohol and diamonds. The broad trade shift, which revokes the “most favored nation” status for Russia, is being taken in coordination...
Russian warplanes, artillery widen attack, hit industry hub
LVIV, Ukraine — Russia’s airplanes and artillery widened their assault on Ukraine on Friday, striking airfields in the west and a major industrial hub in the east, as Moscow’s forces tried to regroup from recent losses and their onslaught fast reduced crowded cities to rubble. American intelligence officials offered an...
EU foreign policy chief says ‘pause’ needed in Iran talks
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — The European Union’s foreign policy chief said Friday that “a pause” was needed in ongoing talks over Iran’s tattered nuclear deal with world powers, blaming “external factors” for the delay. The comments by Josep Borrell come as a roadmap appeared imminent for the U.S. to...
Penn State rallies to beat Ohio State in Big Ten tournament
INDIANAPOLIS — Sam Sessoms scored 18 points and No. 11 seed Penn State rallied from an 11-point deficit in the second half to beat sixth-seeded Ohio State 71-68 on Thursday night in the second round of the Big Ten tournament. The Nittany Lions ended a four-game skid against Ohio State...
N. Korea may fire big missile to put spy satellite in space
North Korea has tested parts of its biggest intercontinental ballistic missile in two recent launches, the U.S. and South Korean militaries said, a suggestion it is likely to fire that weapon soon to put a spy satellite into orbit in what would be its most significant provocation in years. Separately,...
EPA plan would limit downwind pollution from power plants
The Environmental Protection Agency is proposing a federal plan that would restrict smokestack emissions from power plants and other industrial sources that burden downwind areas with smog-causing pollution they can’t control. The plan announced Friday is intended to help more than two dozen states meet “good neighbor” obligations under the...
Senate gives final approval to Ukraine aid, huge budget bill
WASHINGTON — A $13.6 billion emergency package of military and humanitarian aid for besieged Ukraine and its European allies easily won final congressional approval Thursday, hitching a ride on a government-wide spending bill that’s five months late but loaded with political prizes for both parties. With Russian President Vladimir Putin’s...
Emilio Delgado, Luis on ‘Sesame Street’ for 45 years, dies
Emilio Delgado, the actor and singer who for 45 years was a warm and familiar presence in children’s lives and a rare Latino face on American television as fix-it shop owner Luis on “Sesame Street,” died Thursday. His wife, Carol Delgado, told The Associated Press that Emilio Delgado died from...
Georgia fires Tom Crean after worst season in program historyVideo
Georgia coach Tom Crean was fired in a much-anticipated announcement a day after the end of a 26-loss season. Georgia announced Thursday night Crean will not return for his fifth season. The quick decision comes less than 24 hours after the Bulldogs’ 86-51 loss to Vanderbilt in the first round...
