Associated Press stories, Page 1068
Biden wants ‘sharper rules’ on unknown aerial objects
WASHINGTON — President Joe Biden said Thursday that the U.S. is developing “sharper rules” to track, monitor and potentially shoot down unknown aerial objects, following three weeks of high-stakes drama sparked by the discovery of a suspected Chinese spy balloon transiting much of the country. The president has directed national...
Tim McCarver, big league catcher and broadcaster, dies at 81
NEW YORK — Tim McCarver, the All-Star catcher and Hall of Fame broadcaster who during 60 years in baseball won two World Series titles with the St. Louis Cardinals and had a long run as the one of the country’s most recognized, incisive and talkative television commentators, died Thursday. He...
All-Star weekend arrives, as NBA heads to Salt Lake City
SALT LAKE CITY — If so inclined, and if fellow captain LeBron James was to cooperate with his own selections, Giannis Antetokounmpo could pick Luka Doncic, Nikola Jokic, Joel Embiid and Lauri Markkanen to play on his team Sunday night. Imagine that: an All-International All-Star starting lineup. It’s one of...
West Virginia drinking water still clear of derailment toxin
CHARLESTON, W.Va. — West Virginia officials have reiterated that the state’s drinking water remains safe following an Ohio train derailment that led to a toxic plume of chemicals being released. Chemicals that leaked from the derailment are being monitored as they move down the Ohio River, but they are not...
Tesla recalls ‘Full Self-Driving’ to fix flaws in behavior
DETROIT — Tesla is recalling nearly 363,000 vehicles with its “Full Self-Driving” system to fix problems with the way it behaves around intersections and following posted speed limits. The recall, part of a larger investigation by U.S. safety regulators into Tesla’s automated driving systems, came after regulators expressed concerns about...
Father of July 4 parade shooting suspect pleads not guilty
CHICAGO — The father of a man charged with fatally shooting seven people at a Fourth of July parade in suburban Chicago entered a not guilty plea on Thursday to charges that he helped his son obtain a gun license three years before the attack. Robert Crimo Jr.’s not guilty...
Germany: Afghan brothers jailed for life for killing sister
BERLIN — A court in Germany convicted two Afghan men Thursday of killing their 34-year-old elder sister because they didn’t agree with her lifestyle. The Berlin regional court found the men, aged 28 and 24, guilty of murder for killing the mother of two in July 2021. Her body was...
Average long-term U.S. mortgage rate jumps to 6.32% this week
The average long-term U.S. mortgage rate jumped this week to its highest level in five weeks, bad news for home shoppers heading into the spring buying season. Mortgage buyer Freddie Mac reported Thursday that the average on the benchmark 30-year rate rose to 6.32% from 6.12% last week. The average...
Haley’s candidacy shows balancing act for women in politics
In announcing her campaign for the Republican presidential nomination this week, Nikki Haley made a subtle reference to the historic nature of her candidacy. “I don’t put up with bullies,” Haley said in a video that launched her bid to become the first female president of the U.S. “And when...
Trump election probe grand jury believes some witnesses lied
ATLANTA — A special grand jury investigating efforts by then-President Donald Trump and his allies to overturn his 2020 election loss in Georgia says it believes “one or more witnesses” committed perjury and urged local prosecutors to bring charges. Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis should “seek appropriate indictments for...
Biden gets routine medical exam as he prepares for 2024 run
WASHINGTON — President Joe Biden was undergoing a routine medical checkup Thursday at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, an event that is being keenly watched as the oldest president in history makes plans for an expected reelection campaign. The president arrived at Walter Reed by helicopter and entered the...
U.S. launches artificial intelligence military use initiative
THE HAGUE, Netherlands — The United States launched an initiative Thursday promoting international cooperation on the responsible use of artificial intelligence and autonomous weapons by militaries, seeking to impose order on an emerging technology that has the potential to change the way war is waged. “As a rapidly changing technology,...
Michigan State University shooter had note with possible motive
EAST LANSING, Mich. — The man who shot eight students at Michigan State University, killing three, was found with two handguns and a note containing a possible motive for the attack, police said Thursday. The 9 mm guns, dozens of rounds of ammunition and the two-page note were found with...
Russia fires another missile barrage at Ukraine, kills 1
KYIV, Ukraine — Russia again pummeled Ukraine with a barrage of cruise and other missiles on Thursday, hitting targets from east to west as the war ‘s one-year anniversary nears. One of the strikes killed a 79-year-old woman and injured at least seven other people, Ukrainian authorities said. Russian forces...
UN official warns of rising earthquake death toll in Syria
AMMAN — The United Nations regional humanitarian coordinator for the Syrian crisis said Thursday that the country’s death toll from last week’s deadly earthquake is likely to rise further as teams scramble to remove rubble in hard-hit areas. In an interview with The Associated Press, Muhannad Hadi defended the U.N.’s...
Michael Kors channels ’70s New York chic for latest line
NEW YORK— Michael Kors channeled classic ’70s style for his latest collection, drawing inspiration from powerful women of the era like Tina Turner, Jane Fonda, Gloria Steinem and even his mother. Steinem sat front row Wednesday during Kors’ New York Fashion Week show, which featured models sporting a variety of...
Weekly jobless applications fall again despite Fed rate push
Fewer Americans filed for jobless benefits last week despite efforts by the Federal Reserve to loosen the labor market with higher interest rates as it tries to cool the economy. Applications for jobless aid in the U.S. for the week ending Feb. 11 fell by 1,000 last week to 194,000,...
Group: Tesla workers fired after launching union efforts
Several employees at a Tesla gigafactory in Buffalo, N.Y., have been fired after launching union organizing efforts two days ago, according to Tesla Workers United. The group said in a statement on Thursday that workers received an email around 7 p.m. Wednesday updating them on a new policy that prohibits...
EPA head sees Ohio train spill site as residents demand infoVideo
EAST PALESTINE, Ohio — The head of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency got a first-hand look Thursday at a creek contaminated by a freight train derailment in Ohio that spilled toxic chemicals and burned in a huge plume over homes and businesses. The visit by EPA Administrator Michael Regan, who...
AP source: FBI searched U. of Delaware in Biden docs probe
WASHINGTON — The FBI searched the University of Delaware in recent weeks for classified documents as part of its investigation into the potential mishandling of sensitive government records by President Joe Biden. The search, first reported by CNN, was confirmed to The Associated Press by a person familiar with the...
Biden’s empathy shapes policy, but some voters don’t feel it
WASHINGTON — Sitting aboard Air Force One last year, President Joe Biden was scanning the newspaper and spotted a ghostly photo of a child’s swing set engulfed in raw sewage. He didn’t just sigh or shake his head. Upon landing back in Washington, he ordered longtime aide Steve Ricchetti to...
Lonely tunes: Humpback whales wail less as population grows
WASHINGTON — Those melancholy tunes sung by humpback whales may really be a sign of loneliness. Scientists who tracked humpback whales in Australia noticed that fewer whales wailed to find mates as their population grew. “Humpback whale song is loud and travels far in the ocean,” said marine biologist Rebecca...
Bowman, Larson give Hendrick sweep of front row at DaytonaVideo
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — Alex Bowman won his third career Daytona 500 pole and will be joined by Hendrick Motorsports teammate Kyle Larson on the front row for NASCAR’s season opener. The Hendrick dominance is no surprise. Bowman, who missed five races late last season because of a concussion, is...
Stocks tick higher as hopes on economy joust rate fearsVideo
NEW YORK — Stocks ticked higher Wednesday on Wall Street as hopes for a resilient economy jousted with worries about inflation following a much stronger reading than expected on U.S. retail sales. The S&P 500 rose 0.3% after swinging from early losses to gains through the day. The Dow Jones...
Fowl-free: McDonald’s debuts plant-based McNuggets
McDonald’s McNuggets are going fowl-free. The Chicago-based fast food giant is introducing plant-based McNuggets next week. Germany will be the first market to get them. McPlant Nuggets — made from peas, corn and wheat with a tempura batter — are the second product McDonald’s has co-developed with Beyond Meat, an...
