Associated Press stories, Page 2246
Space Force launches its 1st mission with virus precautions
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. — The newly established U.S. Space Force launched its first national security satellite Thursday with a leaner staff because of the coronavirus pandemic. “Nothing stops the space launch mission!” the 45th Space Wing tweeted from Cape Canaveral. The approximately $1 billion satellite is the sixth and final...
Pandemic fallout: NCAA slashes distribution by $375 millionVideo
The NCAA will distribute $225 million to its Division I members in June, a whopping $375 million less than had been budgeted after the coronavirus pandemic forced the cancellation of the big-money men’s basketball tournament. Ohio State president Michael Drake, chairman of the NCAA board of governors, said the association...
Harlem Globetrotters great Curly Neal dies at 77Video
Fred “Curly” Neal, the dribbling wizard who entertained millions with the Harlem Globetrotters for parts of three decades, died at age 77. The Globetrotters said Neal died in his home outside of Houston on Thursday morning. “We have lost one of the most genuine human beings the world has ever...
Home internet jammed up? Try these steps before upgrading
With so much of the U.S. workforce — and its families — now cooped up at home to combat the spread of the novel coronavirus, it’s not a huge surprise that home internet is showing the strain. If you’ve had a business videoconference stutter while your teenagers play Call of...
Trump says feds developing new guidelines for virus risk
WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump said Thursday that federal officials are developing guidelines to rate counties by risk of virus spread, as he aims to begin to ease nationwide guidelines meant to stem the coronavirus outbreak. In a letter to the nation’s governors, Trump said the new guidelines are meant...
AP Source: Browns tackle, former Steeler Chris Hubbard restructures contractVideo
CLEVELAND — Browns right tackle Chris Hubbard has agreed to rework his contract and take a substantial pay cut after the team signed free agent Jack Conklin, a person familiar with the deal told the Associated Press on Thursday. Hubbard, who lost his starting job when Cleveland signed Conklin to...
UFC light heavyweight champ Jon Jones arrested, accused of DWIVideo
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — UFC light heavyweight champion Jon “Bones” Jones has been arrested on suspicion of DWI and other offenses after officers heard gunshots and found him in a parked car with a handgun and a half-empty bottle of liquor early Thursday, Albuquerque police said. The 32-year-old Jones was arrested...
Trump say feds developing new guidelines for coronavirus risk
WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump said Thursday that federal officials are developing guidelines to rate counties by risk of virus spread, as he aims to begin to ease nationwide guidelines meant to stem the coronavirus outbreak. In a letter to the nation’s governors, Trump said the new guidelines are meant...
Canada tells U.S. not to put troops at border during pandemicVideo
TORONTO — Canada has told the United States it is strongly opposed to a Trump administration proposal to put troops at the U.S.-Canada border amid the pandemic and said if it goes ahead it would damage relations between the two longtime allies. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said his government has...
Indianapolis 500 postponed until August because of covid-19Video
The Indianapolis 500 has been postponed until August because of the coronavirus pandemic and won’t run on Memorial Day weekend for the first time since 1946. The race will instead be held Aug. 23, three months later than its May 24 scheduled date. “The month of May at the Indianapolis...
Autism diagnosis more common in the U.S. as racial gap closesVideo
NEW YORK — Autism has grown slightly more common in the United States, but a gap in diagnosis of white and black kids has disappeared, according to a government report released Thursday. Closure of that gap — thanks to increased screening — is the main reason autism diagnoses are up...
Peeps production stops, but Easter is coveredVideo
No more Peeps are being hatched for at least a couple of weeks — but it shouldn’t affect Easter baskets. The Bethlehem, Pennsylvania-based Just Born confections company said its production facilities there and in Philadelphia closed Wednesday through April 7. But the company says it had already produced and shipped...
Congress’ relief bill would vastly expand unemployment aidVideo
NEW YORK — With record-high numbers of Americans seeking unemployment benefits after losing their jobs because of the coronavirus, Congress is set to significantly enhance the program. The $2.2 trillion rescue package nearing final approval will, for four months, add $600 a week to standard unemployment benefits, which vary by...
Golden Globes amend eligibility rules due to virusVideo
NEW YORK — The Golden Globes will accept movies submissions without a theatrical release for the first time due to the coronavirus pandemic, the Hollywood Foreign Press Association announced Thursday. The press association, which puts on the annual award show, said films that are first released on television or a...
In drastic move, Italy shuts most factories to halt virusVideo
SOAVE, ITALY — Italy has become the first Western developed nation to idle most of its industry to halt the spread of the coronavirus, a potential cautionary tale for other governments, such as the Trump administration, that are resisting such drastic measures. After more than two weeks of a nationwide...
Meghan to narrate Disney nature film in first post-royal job
Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex, has her first post-royal job: narrating a Disney documentary about elephants. Disney announced Thursday that the duchess, who is married to Britain’s Prince Harry, is lending her voice to “Elephant,” released April 3 on the Disney+ streaming service. It’s one of a series of animal-...
Dreaming of lottery riches? Virus could cut jackpots
DES MOINES, Iowa — Hoping to escape all the coronavirus-caused economic uncertainty by winning a giant lottery jackpot? Think again. Those jackpots are going to shrink as the pandemic tamps down lottery sales. The group that oversees the Powerball game announced Wednesday night that it would cut minimum jackpots in...
WNBA draft will be virtual event this season amid pandemic
NEW YORK — The WNBA draft will be a virtual event this year. The league announced Thursday that its draft will still be held April 17 as originally scheduled, but without players, fans or media in attendance because of the coronavirus pandemic. “The WNBA draft is a time to celebrate...
U.S. indicts Venezuela’s Maduro on narcoterrorism chargesVideo
MIAMI — Nicolás Maduro effectively converted Venezuela into a criminal enterprise at the service of drug traffickers and terrorist groups as he and his allies stole billions from the South American country, the Justice Department charged in several indictments against the embattled socialist and his inner circle that were made...
Sister: N.Y. nurse treating coronavirus patients dies of virusVideo
NEW YORK — A health care worker at one of the New York City hospitals under siege by the coronavirus has died, according to coworkers and his sister. Kious Kelly, an assistant nurse manager at the Mount Sinai West hospital in Manhattan, died Tuesday from the virus after he got...
TV viewership climbing with people stuck at home by virus
A fixture on television, actress Julie Bowen of “Modern Family” is doing the same thing as millions of other people during the widespread coronavirus shutdown. She’s sitting at home, watching more television than she normally would. In a world turned upside down by disease, TV viewership is growing. It’s a...
Gov. Wolf extending stay-at-home order to 2 more counties
Gov. Tom Wolf’s administration reported more coronavirus-related deaths in Pennsylvania on Wednesday and ordered residents of Lehigh and Northampton counties to stay home, with few exceptions, as more of the state is put under the directive in an effort to slow the virus’ spread. Wolf’s office said the order will...
U.S. economy grew at 2.1% rate in 4th quarterVideo
WASHINGTON — The economy grew by a moderate 2.1% in the fourth quarter of last year, but many economists believe that will be the last positive growth seen for some time as the country endures a sharp contraction because of the impact of the coronavirus. The Commerce Department said Thursday...
U.S. unemployment claims soar to record 3.3 million as layoffs jumpVideo
WASHINGTON — Nearly 3.3 million Americans applied for unemployment benefits last week — more than quadruple the previous record set in 1982 — amid a widespread economic shutdown caused by the coronavirus. The surge in weekly applications was a stunning reflection of the damage the viral outbreak is doing to...
Ford pushes for factory restart, union not so sure
DETROIT — Ford says it wants to reopen five North American assembly plants in April that were closed due to the threat of coronavirus. The three Detroit automakers suspended production at North American factories March 19 under pressure from the United Auto Workers union, which had concerns about members working...
