Associated Press stories, Page 2292
China reports major drop in new virus cases; 143 new deaths
BEIJING — China reported 2,641 new virus cases Saturday as it escalates measures to contain the outbreak and reassure an anxious public. The figure is a major drop from the higher numbers in recent days since a broader diagnostic method was implemented. The number of new deaths rose slightly to...
No handshakes: Viral outbreak spooks Asian places of worship
MANILA, Philippines (AP) — In a popular Catholic church in the Philippines, nearly half of the pews were empty for Sunday Mass. The few hundred worshippers who showed up were asked to refrain from shaking others’ hands or holding them during prayers to prevent the spread of the virus that...
Kuchar leads by two at Riviera with McIlroy, Scott chasing; Woods falls backVideo
LOS ANGELES — Matt Kuchar made a mess of the easiest hole at Riviera. He couldn’t find the fairway and felt he was on the defensive all afternoon Friday in the Genesis Invitational. He was good enough with the short irons that he still managed a 2-under-par 69 and built...
Angry protests in Mexico after woman’s gruesome killing
MEXICO CITY — Angry demonstrations broke out in Mexico City on Friday as hundreds of women protested the gruesome slaying and mutilation of a young woman, a case that has come to personify outrage over the rising incidence of gender-related killings, or femicides. In the morning, dozens of protesters spray-painted...
Ohio wants to put Lake Erie on a new, strict pollution diet
TOLEDO, Ohio — Ohio wants to put Lake Erie on a new, stricter pollution diet to fight back against the toxic algae blooms that have flourished for more than a decade, environmental regulators said Thursday. The state intends to establish a plan to reduce runoff that’s feeding the outbreaks by...
Feds: Florida doctor stole $26M to fund political ambition
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — A Florida vascular surgeon bilked the government and health insurers of more than $26 million to possibly finance his political ambitions in his native country of Ghana, federal authorities said. Earlier this month, a federal grand jury unsealed a 58-count indictment alleging that Dr. Moses deGraft-Johnson falsely...
Anti-abortion group flips views on new Georgia senator
MARIETTA, Ga. — An influential anti-abortion group is backing Republican Sen. Kelly Loeffler of Georgia in her November special election, only months after opposing her appointment to the post. Susan B. Anthony List President Marjorie Dannenfelser said Friday that her initial concerns were based on information “from the rumor universe”...
Northern Iowa reverses course, will pay $10k winner full prizeVideo
CEDAR FALLS, Iowa — The sponsor of a halftime basketball shooting promotion at Northern Iowa games reversed course in the face of growing criticism and will pay out the full $10,000 to a contestant who competed earlier this week. A public outcry was swelling since the Wednesday night contest, when...
Blues defenseman Jay Bouwmeester has defibrillator inserted to regulate heartVideo
Jay Bouwmeester had surgery Friday to insert a defibrillator to restore his heart’s normal rhythm after the St. Louis Blues defenseman collapsed on the bench during a game in Anaheim this week. Blues general manager Doug Armstrong said the procedure was performed at the UC Irvine Medical Center. The 36-year-old...
De Blasio endorses former 2020 rival Sanders for president
NEW YORK — New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio is endorsing Bernie Sanders for president, a move that puts de Blasio in a position to become a leading voice in opposition to Sanders’ newest rival, Mike Bloomberg, his predecessor in leading the nation’s largest city. De Blasio, an unabashed...
New A’s infielder Tony Kemp chose not to be part of Astros’ sign stealingVideo
MESA, Ariz. — Called up in September 2017 by Houston, Tony Kemp immediately got asked by teammates whether he wanted to be a part of the Astros’ sign-stealing scheme. His answer was a firm no, and Kemp didn’t feel further pressure to do it. “That stood,” the second baseman said...
In Nevada, Klobuchar’s shifts on immigration under scrutiny
LAS VEGAS — Democratic presidential candidate Amy Klobuchar says she no longer believes English should be the national language of the U.S., disavowing a vote she took more than a decade ago as she tries to build support in a state where Hispanics make up a critical constituency. Campaigning in...
United and American push back expected return of Boeing Max
CHICAGO — United Airlines and American Airlines said Friday they are removing the grounded Boeing 737 Max from their schedules longer than previously planned, which means thousands more flights will be canceled during the peak summer travel season. The reduction in flights could mean slightly higher fares. United said it...
Appeals court deals blow to Trump’s Medicaid work rules
WASHINGTON — The Trump administration’s effort to remake Medicaid by requiring low-income people to work for health care suffered a serious setback Friday when a federal appeals court ruled it goes beyond what’s allowed by law. The unanimous decision by a three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for...
Facebook reverses on paid influencers after Bloomberg memes
SAN FRANCISCO — Facebook has decided to let political campaigns pay online influencers to spread their messages, a practice that had sidestepped many of the social network’s rules governing political ads. Friday’s policy reversal highlights difficulties tech companies and regulators have in keeping up with the changing nature of paid...
Zuckerberg accepts that Facebook may have to pay more tax
LONDON — Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg plans to throw his support behind international reforms that would require Silicon Valley tech giants to pay more tax in Europe. The billionaire social network founder is due to meet members of the European Union’s executive Commission in Brussels and speak at the Munich...
With champs in tow, Joe Gibbs stands tall as class of NASCARVideo
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla — Joe Gibbs was trying to apologize. His driver won another checkered flag at Daytona — the same track where Gibbs’ eponymous race team is the defending Daytona 500 champion — and the 79-year-old wanted to make some things right. He was eight days removed from giving...
Official says U.S., Taliban reach Afghanistan truce agreement
MUNICH — The United States and the Taliban have reached agreement on a temporary truce that will take effect in the coming days and, if successfully completed, will lead to a formal cease-fire, the start of peace negotiations between all Afghan sides next month and the ultimate withdrawal of American...
Florida ‘red flag’ gun law used 3,500 times since Parkland
FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. — A 23-year-old man who posted on Facebook, “I don’t know why I don’t go on a killing spree.” A West Palm Beach couple who shot up their home while high on cocaine. A 31-year-old Gulf Coast man who pointed a semiautomatic rifle at a motorcyclist. All...
MLB to raise salaries for minor leaguers in 2021Video
NEW YORK — MLB is raising the minimum salary for minor league players in 2021, according to a memo sent Friday from the commissioner’s office to all 30 teams and obtained by the Associated Press. Two years after successfully lobbying Congress to exempt minor leaguers from federal minimum wage laws,...
Wild GM Bill Guerin fires coach Bruce BoudreauVideo
ST. PAUL, Minn. — The Minnesota Wild fired coach Bruce Boudreau on Friday, with the team out of playoff position. He is the eighth NHL coach to lose his job this season. First-year general manager Bill Guerin dismissed Boudreau after a shootout loss to the New York Rangers. Assistant Dean...
Chicago teacher removed during probe of ‘go back’ anthem row
CHICAGO — A Chicago teacher accused of telling a Hispanic student she should go back to her own country after she refused to stand for the national anthem has been removed from the classroom while district officials investigate, the school’s principal said. Students at Senn High School on the city’s...
U.S. murder suspect went undetected in Italy for 2 weeks
ROME — An American woman wanted over her husband’s 2002 murder was able to stay at the Rome hotel where she was arrested for nearly two weeks before an international arrest warrant turned up in the system identifying her as a murder suspect, Italian police said Friday. Beverly McCallum, 59,...
Evidence in trash can links dead neighbor to missing S.C. girlVideo
COLUMBIA, S.C. — Investigators found a man dead inside his South Carolina home shortly after finding an item from a missing 6-year-old girl inside his trash can, authorities said. Faye Marie Swetlik disappeared Monday while playing in her front yard after getting off the school bus, investigators said. Her death...
Darius Rucker’s ‘Wagon Wheel’ keeps rollingVideo
Country singer Darius Rucker couldn’t quite believe it when he was surprised this week with the news that his song “Wagon Wheel” was certified eight times platinum, making it one of the top five most popular country singles ever. On Wednesday, Rucker stopped by the Country Music Hall of Fame...
