Associated Press stories, Page 1497
Washington releases longtime kicker, signs former Pitt player as replacement
ASHBURN, Va. — Washington released longtime kicker Dustin Hopkins on Wednesday and signed Chris Blewitt as his replacement. Hopkins was in his seventh season with the team but seemed on the hot seat with coach Ron Rivera for several weeks. He missed a 42-yard field goal attempt in a loss...
Pig-to-human transplants come a step closer with new test
Scientists temporarily attached a pig’s kidney to a human body and watched it begin to work, a small step in the decades-long quest to one day use animal organs for life-saving transplants. Pigs have been the most recent research focus to address the organ shortage, but among the hurdles: A...
White House details plans to vaccinate children age 5-11Video
WASHINGTON — Children ages 5 to 11 will soon be able to get a COVID-19 shot at their pediatrician’s office, local pharmacy and potentially even their school, the White House said Wednesday as it detailed plans for the expected authorization of the Pfizer shot for elementary school youngsters in a...
New York City requiring vaccine for cops, firefighters, city workers
NEW YORK — New York City will require its entire municipal workforce to be vaccinated against covid-19 or be placed on unpaid leave, Mayor Bill de Blasio said Wednesday, an ultimatum that ensures a fight with some unions representing employees, including police officers and firefighters, who have refused the shots....
Tiny wrists in cuffs: How police use force against children
CHICAGO — Royal Smart remembers every detail: the feeling of the handcuffs on his wrists. The panic as he was led outside into the cold March darkness, arms raised, to face a wall of police officers pointing their guns. He was 8 years old. Neither he nor anyone else at...
Queen accepts medical advice to rest, cancels North Ireland trip
LONDON — Queen Elizabeth II has reluctantly accepted medical advice to rest for a few days and has canceled a trip to Northern Ireland, Buckingham Palace said Wednesday. The palace didn’t offer specifics on the decision, but says the 95-year-old monarch is “in good spirits,” and disappointed that she will...
Astros erupt for 7 runs in 9th inning, beat Red Sox to even ALCS
BOSTON — Jose Altuve hit a tying home run in the eighth inning and the Houston offense awakened with seven runs in the ninth Tuesday night as the Astros came back to beat the Boston Red Sox 9-2, evening the AL Championship Series at two games apiece. Six outs from...
Cody Bellinger, Mookie Betts rally Dodgers, cut Braves’ NLCS lead
LOS ANGELES — Cody Bellinger hit a tying, three-run homer and Mookie Betts then lined an RBI double as the Los Angeles Dodgers rallied in the eighth inning, beating Atlanta, 6-5, on Tuesday and cutting the Braves’ lead in the NL Championship Series to 2-1. The Dodgers were down to...
Rape count dropped, sexual assault added against Somerset County prosecutor
State prosecutors dropped a rape charge against an elected district attorney in western Pennsylvania on Tuesday but added new felony charges of sexual assault and aggravated indecent assault. Somerset County District Attorney Jeffrey Lynn Thomas waived a preliminary hearing that had been scheduled for Tuesday. Thomas, 36, is accused of...
Jan. 6 panel votes to hold Steve Bannon in contempt
WASHINGTON — A House committee investigating the Jan. 6 Capitol insurrection voted unanimously to hold former White House aide Steve Bannon in contempt of Congress after the longtime ally of former President Donald Trump defied a subpoena for documents and testimony. Still defending his supporters who broke into the Capitol...
FBI at Russian oligarch’s homes for ‘law enforcement’ action
Federal agents were carrying out “law enforcement activity” on Tuesday at a Washington mansion and New York City townhouse tied to Russian oligarch Oleg Deripaska, a close ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin. FBI officials would not provide any additional information about the circumstances surrounding their presence at either property...
To jab or not to jab? Vaccinations still hot topic in sportsVideo
NHL commissioner Gary Bettman let out a faint cough and assured those seated at least 6 feet away that it was allergies, not covid-19. He had tested negative for the coronavirus three times in the previous week. It allowed the fully vaccinated 69-year-old the opportunity to underscore the message that...
Indictment accuses Nebraska congressman of lying to FBI
A federal grand jury on Tuesday indicted U.S. Rep. Jeff Fortenberry of Nebraska, accusing him of lying to the FBI and concealing information from federal agents who were investigating campaign contributions funneled to him from a Nigerian billionaire. The U.S. attorney’s office announced that the grand jury in Los Angeles...
Browns star RB Nick Chubb to miss Thursday’s game vs. Broncos with calf injuryVideo
BEREA, Ohio — The NFL’s top rushing team has run into major trouble. Browns star back Nick Chubb will miss his second straight game with a calf injury, leaving Cleveland without its two best backs Thursday night against the Denver Broncos. Chubb was ruled out Tuesday by coach Kevin Stefanski...
Ravens put offensive tackle Ronnie Stanley on injured reserveVideo
OWINGS MILLS, Md. — The Baltimore Ravens put tackle Ronnie Stanley on injured reserve Tuesday. Stanley spent the latter half of last season on IR as well because of an ankle injury, and he only played in the season opener this year. “At this point in time, my ankle isn’t...
Mel Tucker, Michigan State among biggest surprises in Big Ten
Mel Tucker took over a downtrodden Michigan State program before a pandemic-shortened 2020 season. For a variety of reasons, it was one to forget in East Lansing. After a 2-5 finish in his inaugural campaign, Tucker refurbished the program with returning players and a variety of important plug-ins from the...
Navy probe finds major failures in fire that destroyed ship
A Navy report has concluded there were sweeping failures by commanders, crew members and others that fueled the July 2020 arson fire that destroyed the USS Bonhomme Richard, calling the massive five-day blaze in San Diego preventable and unacceptable. While one sailor has been charged with setting the fire, the...
Facebook paying fine to settle U.S. suit on discrimination
Facebook is paying a $4.75 million fine and up to $9.5 million to eligible victims to resolve the Justice Department’s allegations that it discriminated against U.S. workers in favor of foreigners with special visas to fill high-paying jobs. Facebook also agreed in the settlement announced Tuesday to train its employees...
U.S. regulators lay out plan for over-the-counter hearing aids
Health regulators on Tuesday unveiled their proposal to allow Americans to buy hearing aids without a prescription, a long-awaited move intended to make the devices more accessible to millions of people with hearing problems. The Food and Drug Administration said the proposed rule would cut red tape that currently requires...
Manatee deaths rise in Florida as pollutants kill seagrass
Manatees have starved to death by the hundreds along Florida’s east coast because algae blooms and contaminants are killing the seagrass the beloved sea mammals eat, a wildlife official told a House committee Tuesday. Seagrass has been decimated in the 156-mile-long Indian River Lagoon and neighboring areas. The aquatic plant...
Tech, health care stocks lead Wall Street indexes higher
Health care and technology companies led a broad rally for stocks on Wall Street Tuesday as investors welcomed another batch of encouraging company earnings reports. The S&P 500 rose 0.7%, driving the benchmark index to its fifth straight gain. The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 0.6% and the tech-heavy Nasdaq...
Haiti gang seeks $1M each for kidnapped U.S. missionaries
A gang that kidnapped 17 members of a U.S.-based missionary group is demanding $1 million ransom per person, although authorities are not clear whether that includes the five children being held, a top Haitian official told The Associated Press on Tuesday. The official, who wasn’t authorized to speak to the...
Israeli scuba diver discovers ancient Crusader sword
JERUSALEM — An Israeli scuba diver has salvaged an ancient sword off the country’s Mediterranean coast that experts say dates back to the Crusades. Israel’s Antiquities Authority said Monday the man was on a weekend dive in northern Israel when he spotted a trove of ancient artifacts that included anchors,...
Banchero, No. 9 Duke headline preseason ACC basketball picks; Pitt tabbed to finish next to last
GREENSBORO, N.C. — Ninth-ranked Duke is the preseason favorite to win the Atlantic Coast Conference in its final season under Hall of Fame coach Mike Krzyzewski, while touted Blue Devils freshman Paolo Banchero is the pick to be the league’s player and freshman of the year. The ACC released results...
Browns’ Mayfield expects to play despite shoulder injury
BEREA, Ohio — Baker Mayfield wants to tough it out. The Browns quarterback said he expects to play Thursday night against the Denver Broncos despite a painful left shoulder injury that has worsened since he hurt it a month ago while trying to make a tackle. Asked if he expects...
