Associated Press stories, Page 1509
U.S., Pakistani officials in strained talks on Afghanistan
ISLAMABAD — U.S. and Pakistani officials are meeting Friday amid a worsening relationship between the two countries as each nation searches for a way forward in Afghanistan under Taliban rule. Pakistan has been pressing for greater engagement with the all-male, all-Taliban Cabinet in Kabul even as it shies away from...
Taliban official: At least 100 dead, wounded in Afghan blast
KABUL, Afghanistan — An explosion at a mosque in northern Afghanistan on Friday that targeted Shiite Muslim worshippers left at least 100 people killed or wounded, a Taliban police official said. The official, Dost Mohammad Obaida, the deputy police chief for Kunduz province, said that the “majority of them have...
Google to keep climate denial ads away from other content
LONDON — Google will ban digital ads promoting false climate change claims from appearing next to the content of other publishers, hoping to limit revenue for climate change deniers and stop the spread of misinformation on its platform. The company said Thursday in a blog post that the new policy...
Russell Wilson leaves with finger injury in Seahawks’ loss to Rams
SEATTLE — Matthew Stafford threw for 365 yards and a touchdown and the Los Angeles Rams beat the Seattle Seahawks 26-17 on Thursday night in a game Russell Wilson left in the second half with a finger injury on his throwing hand. Wilson missed significant game time due to injury...
Colorado woman who won’t get vaccinated denied kidney transplant
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. — When a Colorado woman found out her hospital wouldn’t approve her kidney transplant surgery until she got the covid-19 vaccine, she was left with a difficult decision pitting her health needs against her religious beliefs. Leilani Lutali, a born-again Christian, went with her faith. Even though...
Randy Arozarena shines again; Rays blank Red Sox in ALDS openerVideo
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Randy Arozarena became the first player to hit a home run and steal home in a postseason game, and rookie Shane McClanahan pitched the Tampa Bay Rays to a 5-0 victory over the Boston Red Sox in their AL Division Series opener Thursday night. The breakout...
Ricardo Pepi scores 2 more goals, lifts U.S. over Jamaica in qualifierVideo
AUSTIN, Texas — Ricardo Pepi got a pair of goals early in the second half, becoming at 18 the youngest American to score in consecutive World Cup qualifiers, and the United States dominated Jamaica in a 2-0 victory Thursday night. Pepi, who scored the his first international goal to break...
Sung Kang eagles last hole for 61 and 2-shot lead in VegasVideo
LAS VEGAS — Sung Kang found the missing piece to his game and put everything together Thursday in the Shriners Children’s Open for a 10-under 61 that gave him a two-shot lead after the first round. Kang already had nine birdies against one bogey when he hit 7-wood from a...
More than 120,000 U.S. kids had caregivers die during pandemic
NEW YORK — The number of U.S. children orphaned during the covid-19 pandemic may be larger than previously estimated, and the toll has been far greater among Black and Hispanic Americans, a new study suggests. More than half the children who lost a primary caregiver during the pandemic belonged to...
Astros open ALDS with convincing win against White SoxVideo
HOUSTON — Lance McCullers Jr. was terrific. Yordan Alvarez delivered, and Jose Altuve scored on a nifty slide. The Houston Astros sure love October. McCullers pitched scoreless ball into the seventh inning, and the Astros beat Lance Lynn and the Chicago White Sox, 6-1, in Game 1 of their AL...
Broncos QB Teddy Bridgewater returns to practice, could play vs. SteelersVideo
ENGLEWOOD, Colo. — Teddy Bridgewater’s chances of playing at Pittsburgh this weekend improved dramatically Thursday when he returned to practice four days after suffering a concussion against the Baltimore Ravens. Bridgewater worked with the starters and was listed as limited on the injury report. He remains in the NFL’s concussion...
Titans’ Bud Dupree says he rushed back from knee injury suffered while with SteelersVideo
NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Outside linebacker Bud Dupree said his mind, and pride, got ahead of his body in his recovery from a torn right ACL. Blame the eagerness of wanting to make a good impression with his new team, the Tennessee Titans, and introduce himself the right way to a...
NASCAR driver Ryan Blaney given key role in search for new crew chiefVideo
CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Ryan Blaney wanted a leadership role at Team Penske, a request granted when Roger Penske invited the driver to participate in interviews for Blaney’s new crew chief. Discussions were underway on who would replace Todd Gordon as leader of the No. 12 Ford when he retires at...
Big Ten welcomes changes, ‘normalcy’ as new basketball era beginsVideo
INDIANAPOLIS — When Big Ten basketball returned to Indianapolis on Thursday, it seemed like a whole new world. Coaches openly embraced the branding power and benefits players received from the name, image and likeness rules changes. Players talked about how the extra money has helped. Transfer talk was no longer...
Browns’ Baker Mayfield has torn labrum in left shoulderVideo
BEREA, Ohio — For now, Baker Mayfield is going to play through the pain — and maybe some painful-looking passes. Cleveland’s quarterback has a partially torn labrum in his left, non-throwing shoulder that does not require surgery at this time, a person familiar with the injury told the Associated Press...
New Hampshire legislator leaves panel leadership over false covid claims
CONCORD, N.H. — Republican state Rep. Ken Weyler on Wednesday stepped down as chairperson of the House Finance and Joint Legislative Fiscal committees after Gov. Chris Sununu said he should be removed because he continued to spread covid-19 misinformation. “Representative Weyler and I spoke about my deep concerns of the...
Packers appear on verge of adding ex-Cowboys LB Jaylon SmithVideo
GREEN BAY, Wis. — Jaylon Smith appears to be on his way to the Green Bay Packers, one day after the Dallas Cowboys released the veteran linebacker. Packers coach Matt LaFleur said Thursday that “nothing’s official yet,” but added that he believes Smith is in Green Bay while discussing how...
Report details Trump’s all-out bid to undo election resultsVideo
WASHINGTON — Donald Trump’s extraordinary effort to overturn his 2020 election defeat brought the Justice Department to the brink of chaos, and prompted top officials there and at the White House to threaten to resign, a Senate Judiciary Committee report found. The report released Thursday by the Democratic-run committee offers...
Trump to invoke executive privilege in Jan. 6 House investigation
WASHINGTON — Donald Trump intends to assert executive privilege in a congressional investigation into the Jan. 6 insurrection at the Capitol, a move that could prevent the testimony of onetime aides, according to a letter sent by lawyers for the former president. The letter went to at least some witnesses...
Student arrested in Texas school shooting released from jail
ARLINGTON, Texas — An 18-year-old student accused in a shooting at a Texas high school was released from jail Thursday after posting bond. Police accuse Timothy George Simpkins of opening fire in a classroom Wednesday at Timberview High School in Arlington. Two people were shot and two others suffered unspecified...
Ghost towns: Nursing home staffing falls amid pandemic
SYRACUSE, N.Y. — When Natalie Walters arrived at her father’s nursing home, the parking lot was nearly empty and, inside, the elevator made no stops. On the 13th floor, the lights were off and the TVs silent. The last time she was allowed inside, nine months earlier, aides passed in...
Alabama swamped, 4 killed in floods from slow-moving front
PELHAM, Ala. — Terrified drivers climbed out of swamped cars and muddy floodwater flowed through neighborhoods after a stalled weather front drenched Alabama for hours, leaving entire communities under water Thursday and killing at least four people with still more drenching storms to come. Dozens of people had to be...
U.S. health experts urge flu shots to avoid ‘twindemic’
The U.S. is gearing up in case of a bad flu season on top of the continuing covid-19 crisis, with a plea Thursday for Americans to get vaccinated against both. “I get it: We are all tired of talking about vaccines,” said Dr. Rochelle Walensky, director of the Centers for...
18 ex-NBA players charged in $4M health care fraud scheme
NEW YORK — Eighteen former NBA players were charged Thursday with pocketing about $2.5 million illegally by defrauding the league’s health and welfare benefit plan in a scam that authorities said involved claiming fictitious medical and dental expenses. “The defendants’ playbook involved fraud and deception,” U.S. Attorney Audrey Strauss told...
Africa welcomes new malaria vaccine as a ‘game-changer’
LAGOS, Nigeria — African health officials are optimistic that the world’s first malaria vaccine endorsed by the World Health Organization will “dramatically change” the way the continent of 1.3 billion people fights the disease. The new malaria vaccine is “a game-changer” in combating the disease which accounts for hundreds of...
