Associated Press stories, Page 604
Florida Sen. Rick Scott, a close Trump ally, joins race to succeed Mitch McConnell as GOP leader
WASHINGTON — Florida Sen. Rick Scott said Wednesday that he will run for Senate Republican leader when Mitch McConnell steps down from the post, becoming the third Republican in the race. South Dakota Sen. John Thune, the current No. 2 Republican in the Senate, and Texas Sen. John Cornyn have...
NFL making progress but not ready to vote on Tom Brady’s bid for stake in Raiders
NASHVILLE, Tenn. — The NFL is making progress on Tom Brady’s bid to become a minority owner of the Las Vegas Raiders with Mark Davis. How much closer the seven-time Super Bowl champ is to joining the league’s club of owners remains to be seen. Owners did not vote in...
Celtics, Pacers will try to overcome bad habits in Game 2 of East finals
BOSTON — There was a dominant refrain ringing in Jayson Tatum’s head following the Celtics’ comeback 133-128 overtime win over the Pacers to open the Eastern Conference finals. “Don’t relax,” he said. In each of the previous two rounds, Boston opened its series with Miami and Cleveland with lopsided victories,...
Devils hire former Maple Leafs coach Sheldon Keefe
NEWARK, N.J. — Sheldon Keefe is being hired as the coach of the New Jersey Devils, less than two weeks after he was fired by the Toronto Maple Leafs. A source close to the franchise confirmed the hiring in a telephone call with the Associated Press, adding the official announcement...
Seattle QB Geno Smith says learning a new offense is easier at this point of his careerVideo
RENTON, Wash. — With the number of stops he has made and the number of offensive coordinators he has worked with over the years, learning yet another new offense isn’t quite as daunting as it once was for Seattle quarterback Geno Smith. That doesn’t mean it’s easy, though. “When I...
Times have changed for Dak Prescott; Cowboys QB isn’t worried about contract
FRISCO, Texas — Dak Prescott felt disrespected four years ago during the long wait for his first big payday as quarterback of the Dallas Cowboys. The 2016 AP NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year had been a bargain as a fourth-round draft pick and played on the franchise tag before...
Stars in West final after knocking out last 2 Stanley Cup champs
DALLAS — The top-seeded Dallas Stars are in the Western Conference final after knocking out the last two Stanley Cup champions, one of those featuring a pair of 100-point scorers. Edmonton had the NHL’s only other duo of 100-point scorers in the regular season, with Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl...
Ravens’ Lamar Jackson hopes dropping a few pounds will make him even more agile this upcoming seasonVideo
OWINGS MILLS, Md. — A slimmer Lamar Jackson hopes to be even more agile in 2024. His actual weight at the moment? That’s something of a secret. Jackson acknowledges that he is lighter but isn’t offering many specifics. “I’m like two-something right now,” he said Wednesday. “I’ll say it was...
Shutdown of fintech middleman Synapse freezes thousands of Americans’ deposits
NEW YORK — The bank accounts of tens of thousands of U.S. businesses and consumers have been frozen in the aftermath of the abrupt shutdown and bankruptcy of financial technology company Synapse, which acts as a middleman between financial technology companies and banks. Synapse filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection...
Second flag carried by Jan. 6 rioters displayed outside house owned by Justice Alito, report says
WASHINGTON — A second flag of a type carried by rioters during the attack on the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, was displayed outside a house owned by Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito, The New York Times reported Wednesday. An “Appeal to Heaven” flag was flown outside Alito’s beach...
Nashville rejects sign for Morgan Wallen’s new bar, decrying his behavior
NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Nashville councilmembers have rejected plans for a glowing sign to be erected at Morgan Wallen’s new bar along the city’s neon-lit strip of honky tonks, citing his use of a racial slur that caused controversy in 2021 and recent criminal charges accusing the country star of throwing...
UCLA police chief reassigned after handling of campus demonstrations prompted criticism
LOS ANGELES — The police chief at the University of California, Los Angeles, has been reassigned following criticism over his handling of recent campus demonstrations that included a mob attacking a pro-Palestinian encampment. Chief John Thomas was temporarily reassigned Tuesday “pending an examination of our security processes,” said Mary Osako,...
Rafael Nadal’s last French Open should be like Serena Williams’ last U.S. OpenVideo
If this is, as expected, Rafael Nadal’s final French Open, it will be one that everyone — the 37-year-old Spaniard included — surely will remember vividly. No matter how healthy the guy everyone calls “Rafa” might be. No matter how long his stay in the bracket lasts. No matter whether...
After ’embarrassing’ Indy 500, Rahal Letterman Lanigan searching
INDIANAPOLIS — The was a quiet sort of confidence among the four drivers at Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing on the eve of Indianapolis 500 qualifying this year. The team had invested heavily over the previous 12 months, shoring up parts of its program that had fallen behind, and there was...
Former Republican presidential candidate Nikki Haley says she will vote for Donald Trump
COLUMBIA, S.C. — Nikki Haley said Wednesday that she will be voting for Donald Trump in the general election, a notable show of support given their intense and often personal rivalry during the Republican primary calendar. But Haley also made it clear that she feels Trump has work to do...
Michigan farmworker diagnosed with bird flu, becoming 2nd U.S. case tied to dairy cows
NEW YORK — A Michigan dairy worker has been diagnosed with bird flu — the second human case associated with an outbreak in U.S. dairy cows. The patient had mild eye symptoms and has recovered, U.S. and Michigan health officials said in announcing the case Wednesday. The worker had been...
Prosecutor in Trump classified papers case calls claims of hostility toward co-defendant ‘garbage’
FORT PIERCE, Fla. — A lawyer for Donald Trump’s personal valet accused federal prosecutors Wednesday of targeting the valet because he refused to cooperate against the former president in the classified documents case. A prosecutor called the claim “garbage.” Walt Nauta was charged alongside Trump last year in a federal...
Penn State baseball team tops No. 1 seed Illinois in Big Ten TournamentVideo
OMAHA, Neb. — Adam Cecere hit a home run and made a highlight catch, J.T. Marr added three hits and No. 8 seed Penn State beat top-seeded Illinois, 8-4, on Wednesday as the Illini suffered their eighth straight loss at the Big Ten Tournament. Penn State (27-23), which advances to...
Chiefs’ Patrick Mahomes: Harrison Butker entitled to his beliefs, even if he doesn’t agree
NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Patrick Mahomes said Wednesday that while he doesn’t agree with all the beliefs espoused by kicker Harrison Butker during a recent commencement address, the Chiefs quarterback nevertheless respects his teammate’s right to make them be known. Butker delivered what has become a polarizing speech May 11 at...
Hunter Biden’s tax trial set for September as judge agrees to delay, with gun trial still in June
LOS ANGELES — Hunter Biden is scheduled to stand trial on federal tax charges in September after a judge on Wednesday granted his request to delay the California trial that had been approaching next month. U.S. District Judge Mark C. Scarsi agreed to delay the trial until Sept. 5, citing...
Judge signs off on $600 million Ohio train derailment settlement but residents still have questions
A federal judge has signed off on the $600 million class action settlement over last year’s disastrous Norfolk Southern derailment in eastern Ohio, but many people who live near East Palestine are still wondering how much they will end up with out of the deal. Preliminary approval for the settlement...
Yankees owner Hal Steinbrenner credits clubhouse technology for improved health, fast start
NEW YORK — Yankees owner Hal Steinbrenner credits new clubhouse technology with helping New York get off to an AL-best 33-17 start, is pleased Juan Soto has bonded with teammates and fans, and is confident his club can return to the playoffs after a one-year absence. “Our injuries have been...
Browns QB Deshaun Watson doesn’t throw on Day 2 of practice as he recovers from shoulder surgery
BEREA, Ohio — Deshaun Watson did not make any throws on Wednesday with reporters in attendance as the Cleveland Browns’ quarterback continues to recover from right shoulder surgery. Watson played in just six games last season before breaking his throwing shoulder and needing surgery in November. He took part in...
Lauryn Hill’s classic ‘Miseducation’ album tops Apple Music’s list of best albums of all time
LOS ANGELES — Let the debate begin. Who has the best music albums ever? Apple Music certainly has an idea. The music streaming giant announced on Wednesday their 10 greatest albums of all time with Lauryn Hill’s 1998 iconic “The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill” claiming the top spot. Hill’s debut...
Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs accused of 2003 sexual assault in lawsuit
NEW YORK (AP) — A former model accused Sean “Diddy” Combs of sexually assaulting her at his New York City recording studio in 2003 in a lawsuit filed Tuesday, the latest in a series of allegations against the embattled hip-hop mogul. The woman said she was a successful 22-year-old model...
