Associated Press stories, Page 973
Danny Masterson used drugging, Scientology to get away with rape, prosecutor says
LOS ANGELES — Danny Masterson drugged women’s drinks so he could rape them, then relied on his prominence in the Church of Scientology to avoid consequences for years, a prosecutor told jurors Tuesday in closing arguments at the actor’s trial. “The defendant drugs his victims to gain control. He does...
Putin, Zelenskyy agree to meet with ‘African leaders peace mission’
CAPE TOWN, South Africa — Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy have agreed to separate meetings with a delegation of leaders from six African countries to discuss a possible plan to end the war in Ukraine, South Africa’s president said Tuesday. South African President Cyril Ramaphosa said...
76ers fire coach Doc Rivers after 3 seasons
PHILADELPHIA — Doc Rivers’ penchant for playoff collapses and second-round exits cost him his coaching job with the Philadelphia 76ers. The 76ers fired Rivers on Tuesday following a third straight exit in the second round of the playoffs, and the second time over that span he lost a series lead...
Prince Harry seeks to challenge denial of request to pay for own U.K. police protection
LONDON — A lawyer for Prince Harry argued in a London court Tuesday that he should be allowed to challenge a government decision that denied him the right to pay for police protection when he visits the U.K. The case is one of six the Duke of Sussex has pending...
4 more ex-U.S. soccer players diagnosed with CTE
English soccer star Jimmy Fryatt was known for his ability to head the ball, and the proof of his prowess may be in the damage it did to his brain. Still physically fit in his late 70s, Fryatt played tennis but couldn’t keep score or remember which side of the...
Authorities: Mentally ill man who attacked congressional staffers has violent history
FAIRFAX, Va. — A mentally ill man threatened a woman with a metal baseball bat, chasing her through a northern Virginia neighborhood, before attacking U.S. Rep. Gerry Connolly’s office, shattering windows and striking two women, including an intern on her first day on the job, authorities said. Staffers then managed...
Skeletons found in Pompeii ruins reveal deaths by earthquake
MILAN — The discovery of two skeletons buried beneath a collapsed wall in the Pompeii archaeological site point to deaths by powerful earthquakes that accompanied the devastating eruption of Mount Vesuvius in the first century, experts said Tuesday, in addition to the victims of volcanic ash and gas. The two...
ChatGPT chief says artificial intelligence should be regulated by a U.S. or global agencyVideo
The head of the artificial intelligence company that makes ChatGPT told Congress on Tuesday that government intervention will be critical to mitigating the risks of increasingly powerful AI systems. “As this technology advances, we understand that people are anxious about how it could change the way we live. We are...
Pence allies launching super PAC to back former VP’s expected 2024 candidacy
NEW YORK — Allies of former Vice President Mike Pence are launching a new super PAC to support his expected candidacy for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination. “Committed to America,” the Pence-sanctioned group, publicly launches Tuesday, according to people familiar with the project, who spoke on condition of anonymity to...
As NBA coaching changes mount, some lament the lack of job security
MIAMI — Miami’s Erik Spoelstra and Denver’s Michael Malone are two of the four NBA coaches to have spent at least eight years with their current team. They know how rare that is. Spoelstra and Malone both spoke out Monday following the recent dismissals of three coaches who aren’t far...
Duchess of Sussex set to receive Ms. Foundation’s Woman of Vision Award
NEW YORK — Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex, will be in New York Tuesday night, along with Black Voters Matter co-founder LaTosha Brown, to receive the Ms. Foundation’s Women of Vision Award, as the nation’s oldest women’s foundation marks its 50th anniversary. The appearance is set to be her first...
Willie Nelson’s 90th birthday concerts getting a theatrical release
NASHVILLE, Tennessee — If you missed out on Willie Nelson’s 90th birthday concerts last month in Los Angeles, you can see all the special performances honoring the 12-time Grammy winner in a limited theatrical run. “Long Story Short: Willie Nelson 90” will be shown in theaters on June 11, with...
Beijing LGBT Center shuttered as crackdown grows in China
TAIPEI, Taiwan — An advocacy group that also served as a safe space for the LGBTQ community in Beijing became the latest organization to close under a crackdown by Chinese leader Xi Jinping’s government. “We very regretfully announce, due to forces beyond our control, the Beijing LGBT Center will stop...
Cannes Film Festival readies a blockbuster editionVideo
The Cannes Film Festival, which will kick off Tuesday, is such a colossal extravaganza that taking measure of its ups and downs is notoriously difficult. It’s a showcase of the world’s best cinema. It’s a red-carpet spectacular. It’s a French Riviera hive of dealmaking. But by at least some metrics,...
Retail sales up 0.4% in April, buoyed by solid job market, easing inflationary pressure
NEW YORK — Consumers picked up their spending modestly in April from March, buoyed by a solid job market and easing inflationary pressures. A bump up in demand for new cars also helped results, according to the Commerce Department report issued Tuesday. Retail sales increased 0.4% in April from March...
Before you transfer garden plants outdoors, make sure they’re hardened off
It’s prime planting time in many regions, and gardeners are flocking to garden centers for annuals, and herb and vegetablestarter plants. Likewise, those who have grown plants from seeds indoors may be gearing up to transplant them in the garden now. But regardless of their origins, seedlings can’t typically go...
Ukraine thwarts ‘exceptional’ Russian air attack on Kyiv
KYIV, Ukraine — Ukrainian air defenses thwarted an intense Russian air attack on Kyiv early Tuesday, shooting down all 18 missiles aimed at the capital with the help of Western-supplied weapons, officials said. Loud explosions boomed over Kyiv as the nighttime attack combined Russian missiles launched from the air, sea...
Salman Rushdie warns free expression under threat in rare public address after attack
LONDON — Writer Salman Rushdie has made a public speech, nine months after being stabbed and seriously injured onstage, warning that freedom of expression in the West is under its most severe threat in his lifetime. Rushdie delivered a video message to the British Book Awards, where he was awarded...
Nigerian chef cooks nonstop for 100 hours to set new global record
ABUJA, Nigeria — A Nigerian chef on Monday set a new global record for the longest hours nonstop cooking as she cooked for 100 hours, surpassing the current record. Hilda Baci had been cooking since last week Thursday when she set out to beat the Guinness World Record of 87...
DeSantis curtails diversity, equity and inclusion programs in Florida state colleges
TALLAHASSEE — Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis on Monday signed a bill that blocks public colleges from using federal or state funding on diversity programs, addressing a concern of conservatives ahead of the Republican governor’s expected presidential candidacy. The law, which DeSantis proposed earlier this year, comes as Republicans across the...
Trump tells former adviser Michael Flynn: ‘We’re going to bring you back’
NEW YORK — Former President Donald Trump called into an event hosted by his former national security adviser Michael Flynn over the weekend, telling his ex-adviser, “We’re going to bring you back.” After scrubbing a rally in Iowa on Saturday night because of bad weather, Trump spoke via telephone at...
Damar Hamlin honored with PFWA Halas Award for overcoming adversityVideo
Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin, who is working on his return to the field after having gone into cardiac arrest during a game in January, was selected as the winner of the 2023 George Halas Award. The Professional Football Writers of America on Monday announced the 55th winner of the...
Peacock will exclusively carry NFL playoff game in a first for streaming service
The NFL is taking another big step into streaming by putting one of its playoff games exclusively on a digital platform for the first time. The league and NBCUniversal announced Monday that the Saturday night game on Wild Card weekend will be on Peacock. The Peacock exclusive game on Jan....
Kentucky Derby winner Mage set as 8-5 morning line favorite for PreaknessVideo
HALETHORPE, Md. — Kentucky Derby winner Mage was installed as the 8-5 morning line favorite for the Preakness at the post position draw Monday. He’s the only horse in the field of eight set to take part in the second race of the Triple Crown two weeks after running in...
Justin Thomas looking to find results as he defends PGA Championship titleVideo
PITTSFORD, N.Y. — Justin Thomas won the PGA Championship when he least expected it, matching a tournament record last year at Southern Hills when he rallied from seven shots behind in the final round and won in a playoff. Now he’s not sure what to expect. That was his only...
