Associated Press stories, Page 717
London judge acquits climate activist Greta Thunberg of refusing to leave oil industry conference
LONDON — Climate activist Greta Thunberg was acquitted Friday of a charge of refusing to follow a police order to leave a protest blocking the entrance to a major oil and gas industry conference in London last year. The courtroom gallery erupted with applause as Judge John Law told Thunberg...
Theo Epstein to return to Red Sox as advisor and part-owner of parent company, Fenway Sports Group
BOSTON — Theo Epstein, who as Red Sox general manager was the architect of two World Series championships, is returning to the organization as a minority owner and part-time senior adviser to its parent company, Fenway Sports Group. Epstein, who also helped the Chicago Cubs win the 2016 title —...
Why Taylor Swift’s globe-trotting in private jets is getting scrutinized
PHILADELPHIA — For weeks, scrutiny over singer Taylor Swift’s travel in private jets has been bubbling up on social media, with people pointing out the planet-warming emissions of carbon dioxide released with every flight. The megastar is dating Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce, one of the NFL’s most...
Fat Tuesday means big business for New Orleans bakers under exploding demand for King Cakes
NEW ORLEANS — It’s Carnival season in New Orleans and that means lines are long outside local bakeries and the pace inside is brisk as workers strive to meet customer demand for king cakes — those brightly colored seasonal pastries that have exploded in popularity over the years. “Mardi Gras...
Biden left with few choices as immigration takes center stage in American politics
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — Almost immediately after he walked into the Oval Office on his first day as president, Joe Biden began rolling back his predecessor’s immigration policies, which he had assailed throughout the 2020 campaign as harsh and inhumane. A lot has changed in three years. Biden, now sounding increasingly...
Tesla recalling nearly 2.2M vehicles for software update to fix warning lights that are too small
DETROIT — Tesla is recalling nearly all of the vehicles it has sold in the U.S. because some warning lights on the instrument panel are too small. The recall of nearly 2.2 million vehicles announced Friday by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is a sign of stepped-up scrutiny of...
Ukraine says Russia refuses to turn over the bodies of military plane crash victims
KYIV, Ukraine — Russia has refused Ukrainian requests to hand over the bodies of scores of prisoners of war whom the Kremlin claims were killed in the downing of a Russian military transport plane by Kyiv’s forces, a Ukrainian intelligence official said. Andrii Yusov, the spokesperson for Ukraine’s military intelligence,...
Hamas says it’s studying Gaza cease-fire proposal, but appears to rule out key provisions
BEIRUT — Hamas officials said Friday that the group is studying a proposed cease-fire deal that would include prolonged pauses in fighting in Gaza and swaps of Israeli hostages for Palestinian prisoners, but at the same time appeared to rule out some of its key components. Osama Hamdan, a senior...
Baker Mayfield helps NFC to early lead over AFC in revamped Pro Bowl Games
ORLANDO, Fla. — Tampa Bay’s Baker Mayfield beat Houston’s C.J. Stroud in the Precision Passing skills challenge, helping the NFC build a 12-6 lead over the AFC on the opening night of the 2024 Pro Bowl Games. The made-for-TV Pro Bowl Skills Show, aired Thursday night from a fieldhouse on...
U.S. employers add robust 353,000 jobs in January in further sign of economic strength
WASHINGTON — The nation’s employers delivered a stunning burst of hiring to begin 2024, adding 353,000 jobs in January in the latest sign of the economy’s continuing ability to shrug off the highest interest rates in two decades. Friday’s government report showed that last month’s job gain — far above...
3 killed when small plane crashed and burned in Florida mobile home park
CLEARWATER, Fla. — A 72-year-old Florida man was drifting off to sleep when he heard an “unbelievable roar” and was thrown to the floor covered in insulation and broken glass, narrowly surviving the deadly crash of a small plane that ripped apart his mobile home and destroyed the trailer next...
Senior Bowl features well-traveled QBs, other top prospects
MOBILE, Ala. — The Senior Bowl quarterbacks are a well-traveled group, most of whom have moved from one Power Five program to another. Led by Washington’s Michael Penix Jr. and Oregon’s Bo Nix, all seven have spent this week leading up to Saturday’s Senior Bowl working on their next landing...
Prosecutors weigh perjury charge for ex-Trump CFO Allen Weisselberg over civil fraud trial testimony
NEW YORK — Manhattan prosecutors are weighing a potential perjury charge against Donald Trump’s former corporate finance chief in connection with testimony he gave in October at the ex-president’s New York civil fraud trial, two people familiar with the matter told the Associated Press. Allen Weisselberg, who had been the...
Chris Shula, grandson of Don Shula, to be Rams’ defensive coordinator
LOS ANGELES — Chris Shula, the grandson of Hall of Fame coach Don Shula, will be the Los Angeles Rams’ new defensive coordinator, according to a person with knowledge of the decision. The person spoke to the Associated Press on condition of anonymity Thursday because the team had not yet...
Patrick Cantlay takes off PGA Tour board hat, shoots 64. He trails Thomas Detry by 1 at Pebble BeachVideo
PEBBLE BEACH, Calif. — Patrick Cantlay has spent about as much time on the phone as the golf course this week as a PGA Tour board member trying to nail down a deal for a $3 billion investment. It didn’t seem to affect his day job at the AT&T Pebble...
All-Star notes: Elias Lindholm found out mid-flight he was traded from Calgary to Vancouver
TORONTO — Elias Lindholm was on his way back to Calgary from a trip to Mexico when he learned he had been traded to NHL-leading Vancouver. When he arrived at All-Star Weekend on Thursday, a new Canucks jersey with his name and No. 23 on the back was waiting for...
A grainy sonar image reignites excitement and skepticism over Earhart’s final flight
COLUMBIA, S.C. — A grainy sonar image recorded by a private pilot has reinvigorated interest in one of the past century’s most alluring mysteries: What happened to Amelia Earhart when her plane vanished during her flight around the world in 1937? Numerous expeditions have turned up nothing, only confirming that...
Browns give Titans permission to interview Bill Callahan, who’s expected to join son, AP source saysVideo
CLEVELAND — There are now two Callahans with the Titans. Offensive line coach Bill Callahan is leaving the Cleveland Browns to join his son Brian’s staff with the Tennessee Titans, a person familiar with the negotiations told the Associated Press on Thursday night. Callahan has informed the Browns that he’s...
Seahawks hope they’ve found ‘disruptor’ with new coach Mike Macdonald
RENTON, Wash. — There wasn’t anything personal with John Schneider’s heavy rooting interest for the AFC championship game last weekend and wanting to see Kansas City, and not Baltimore, in the Super Bowl. The Seattle Seahawks general manager was simply thinking about the future of his organization and the desire...
Clippers, Timberwolves, Knicks each have 2 players selected as All-Star Game reserves
NEW YORK — Kawhi Leonard and Paul George of the Los Angeles Clippers were chosen as All-Star reserves Thursday, and the Minnesota Timberwolves and New York Knicks also had two players selected. Anthony Edwards and Karl-Anthony Towns of the Western Conference-leading Timberwolves will be going to the Feb. 18 game...
Caitlin Clark, Iowa drawing sold-out crowds, big ratings even on road
Caitlin Clark has been a must-see attraction all season, with sold-out arenas where some tickets have gone for thousands of dollars on the secondary market. The prices are only expected to go higher as the Iowa star approaches the NCAA all-time scoring record over the next few weeks. While teams...
NHL All-Star Weekend has new look thanks to Connor McDavid
TORONTO — In the aftermath of last year’s NHL All-Star skills competition that was confusing, disjointed and went off poorly in the arena and on television, Gary Bettman asked Connor McDavid for his thoughts. The long-serving commissioner wanted to know what the reigning MVP, face of the league, Edmonton captain...
Patriots hire former Browns offensive coordinator Alex Van Pelt, promote DeMarcus Covington to DCVideo
FOXBOROUGH, Mass. — Fired Cleveland Browns offensive coordinator Alex Van Pelt has been hired for the same job with the New England Patriots, giving first-time head coach Jerod Mayo an experienced voice on offense. The team also confirmed the widely reported promotion of defensive line coach DeMarcus Covington to defensive...
What to know as Republican governors consider sending more National Guard to the Texas border
AUSTIN, Texas — As Republicans cheer on Texas Gov. Greg Abbott’s escalating feud with the Biden administration over immigration enforcement, some governors are considering deploying National Guard members to the border — again. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis on Thursday was among the first to commit more personnel to Texas, announcing...
New videos show towers of fire that prompted evacuations after last year’s fiery Ohio derailment
Residents of eastern Ohio can now get an up-close view in newly released videos of the twin toxic towers of fire that forced them from their homes last February when officials decided to blow open five tank cars filled with vinyl chloride they worried might explode days after a Norfolk...
