Associated Press stories, Page 1068
Kyle Larson to try Indy 500-Coca-Cola 600 double in 2024
CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Kyle Larson will attempt to race the Indianapolis 500 next year with McLaren Racing in a joint effort with NASCAR team owner Rick Hendrick. The surprise announcement Thursday by McLaren and Hendrick at last gives Larson a path into his dream race. It also means he will...
Shapiro taps ex-lawmakers, Carnegie Mellon official for Cabinet
HARRISBURG — Two just-retired state lawmakers will help fill out the Cabinet of the incoming Democratic governor, Josh Shapiro, who also said Thursday that he will pluck a pair of nominees from Carnegie Mellon University and the University of Pennsylvania who each held senior federal government posts. Former Republican Sen....
NBA updates All-Star vote numbers; LeBron, Durant still lead
NEW YORK — LeBron James of the Los Angeles Lakers is well on his way to catching Kareem Abdul-Jabbar on more than the NBA’s career scoring list. James is on pace to be an All-Star for the 19th time, after the NBA said Thursday he remains the overall leading vote-getter...
Idaho stabbing suspect to face preliminary hearing in June
The man charged in the stabbing deaths of four University of Idaho students will have a preliminary hearing in late June, when prosecutors will try to show a judge that they have enough evidence to justify the felony charges. Bryan Kohberger waived his right to a speedy preliminary hearing during...
Russian forces press deadly assault for breakthrough in east
KYIV, Ukraine — Russia said Thursday that its forces are edging closer to capturing a salt-mining town in eastern Ukraine, which would mark an elusive victory for the Kremlin but come at the cost of heavy Russian casualties and extensive destruction of the territory they claim. More than 100 Russian...
U.S. kindergarten vaccination rate dropped again, data shows
NEW YORK — Vaccination rates for U.S. kindergarteners dropped again last year, and federal officials are starting a new campaign to try to bring them up. Usually, 94% to 95% of kindergarteners are vaccinated against measles, tetanus and certain other diseases. The vaccination rates dropped below 94% in the 2020-2021...
A side-by-side look at the Trump, Biden classified documents
The revelation that classified materials were discovered at think tank offices formerly used by President Joe Biden, as well as at the president’s Delaware home, has prompted questions on how the circumstances compare with the seizure last year of hundreds of documents marked as classified from Mar-a-Lago, the Florida residence...
Trump to hold 1st public campaign event in South Carolina
COLUMBIA, S.C. — Former President Donald Trump is planning to hold the first public campaign event of his 2024 White House bid in the early-voting state of South Carolina. Campaign spokesperson Steven Cheung told The Associated Press on Thursday that Trump will visit South Carolina later this month. No other...
Valuable winning lottery ticket could be in your coat pocket
DES MOINES, Iowa — Thinking of lining up at the mini-mart for a shot at a $1.35 billion Mega Millions jackpot? Maybe you should first dig into your coat pockets or your car’s glove box to make sure you don’t already have a winning ticket from an earlier drawing. As...
Atlanta will be site if Bills, Chiefs meet for AFC title
NEW YORK — Atlanta’s Mercedes-Benz Stadium will be the neutral site if Buffalo and Kansas City meet in the AFC championship game. The NFL decided to put that potential matchup in a neutral city after the Bills’ Week 17 game against Cincinnati was canceled when Damar Hamlin went into cardiac...
Ronaldo left off FIFA award list headed by Messi, Mbappé
ZURICH — Cristiano Ronaldo was left off the the 14-player shortlist for the annual Best FIFA Men’s Player award for the first time, with Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappé among those selected. Ronaldo, who was released by Manchester United and benched by Portugal during the World Cup, won the FIFA...
Steelers assistant Brian Flores interviews with Browns to run their defense
CLEVELAND — Brian Flores landed in the AFC North last season. He might be ready to make a move inside the division. Flores, who joined coach Mike Tomlin’s staff in Pittsburgh following his messy departure in Miami, is interviewing with the Cleveland Browns on Thursday to be their new defensive...
Premature shutdown behind rocket launch fail of Virgin Orbit craft
LONDON — Virgin Orbit said Thursday its first attempt to launch satellites into orbit from the U.K. failed after its rocket’s upper stage prematurely shut down. The U.S.-based company used a modified Boeing 747 plane to carry one of its rockets from Cornwall in southwestern England over the Atlantic Ocean...
Bears hire Big Ten Commissioner Kevin Warren as team president
CHICAGO — The Chicago Bears hired Big Ten Commissioner Kevin Warren as their president and CEO on Thursday, bringing him back to the NFL to help lead a founding franchise after three years running one of college athletics’ marquee conferences. Warren replaces the retiring Ted Phillips and becomes the Bears’...
Burning Man latest foe of green energy project in Nevada
RENO, Nev. — Add Burning Man to the list of plaintiffs challenging one of the growing number of “green energy” projects in the works in Nevada. Lithium mines aimed at boosting production of electric vehicle batteries and geothermal power plants that tap underground water to produce renewable energy are at...
U.K. royals appear for first time after Harry’s book published
LONDON — Members of the U.K. royal family appeared in public Thursday for the first time since the publication of Prince Harry’s explosive memoir, touring charities and a hospital as they got on with the task of being working royals. Prince William and Kate seemed relaxed as they arrived at...
2022 was 5th or 6th warmest on record as Earth heats up
DENVER — Earth’s fever persisted last year, not quite spiking to a record high but still in the top five or six warmest on record, government agencies reported Thursday. But expect record-shattering hot years soon, likely in the next couple years because of “relentless” climate change from the burning of...
Wall Street wobbles following run-up into inflation report
NEW YORK — Wall Street is wobbling Thursday as it digests a report showing inflation slowed again last month, bolstering hopes the Federal Reserve may take it easier on the economy through smaller hikes to interest rates. The S&P 500 was 0.2% lower after flipping between small gains and losses...
Tourists may get refunds over covid measures says E.U. court
BERLIN — Travelers whose package tours were ruined by the imposition of restrictions to combat the covid-19 pandemic may be entitled to at least a partial refund, the European Union’s highest court said Thursday. The European Court of Justice weighed in after being asked for its opinion by a court...
Nebraska governor names predecessor to U.S. Senate seat
LINCOLN, Neb. — In one of his first acts as Nebraska’s governor, Republican Jim Pillen named his predecessor to the state’s vacant U.S. Senate seat on Thursday. Pillen surprised no one in naming fellow Republican Pete Ricketts to the seat vacated Sunday by Ben Sasse. The governor said 111 people...
Jimmy Page, Rod Stewart, others pay tribute after death of Jeff Beck
Reactions to the death of Jeff Beck, rock innovator and guitar virtuoso who died Tuesday. “The six stringed Warrior is no longer here for us to admire the spell he could weave around our mortal emotions. Jeff could channel music from the ethereal. His technique unique. His imaginations apparently limitless....
Mexico City sends National Guard into subways after accident
MEXICO CITY — The mayor of Mexico City announced Thursday that 6,060 National Guard officers will be posted in the city’s subway system after a series of accidents. Mayor Claudia Sheinbaum said a series of mechanical problems in recent months may have been due to “not normal” causes. Sheinbaum appeared...
Harvick: ‘It’s just time,’ racer says of 2023 final season
CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Kevin Harvick received the same answer nearly every time he asked another athlete how they decided to retire: Harvick would just know it was time. The driver thrust onto the global stage when he was named Dale Earnhardt’s replacement just days after Earnhardt’s fatal 2001 crash will...
U.S. consumer inflation eased again to 6.5% in December
WASHINGTON — Rising U.S. consumer prices moderated again last month, bolstering hopes that inflation’s grip on the economy will continue to ease this year and possibly require less drastic action by the Federal Reserve to control it. Inflation declined to 6.5% in December compared with a year earlier, the government...
Minimal airline delays, cancellations a day after U.S. outage
Delays and cancellations among flights across the United States were minimal on Thursday, a day after a system that offers safety information to pilots failed, grounding U.S. air traffic and leading to thousands of stranded travelers. There were 636 delays into, within or out of the U.S. as of Thursday...
