Associated Press stories, Page 1647
U.N. rights chief: Israeli strikes in Gaza may be war crimes
GENEVA — The top U.N. human rights body on Thursday passed a resolution aimed to intensify scrutiny of Israel’s treatment of Palestinians, after the U.N. rights chief said Israeli forces may have committed war crimes and faulted the militant group Hamas for violations of international law in their 11-day war...
States tap federal aid to shore up empty unemployment funds
Businesses could be spared billions of dollars of higher taxes in coming years — potentially freeing up money to spend on employees or invest in their operations — as a result of federal coronavirus aid flowing to the states. Governors and lawmakers in more than half the states are planning...
Djokovic, Nadal, Federer in same half of French Open field
Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer all ended up in the same half of the French Open men’s field in the draw Thursday, meaning no more than one of them can reach the final. The Big Three top the leaderboard for Grand Slam men’s singles titles: Federer and Nadal...
Boorish fans: 76ers, Knicks issue bans after incidents
The New York Knicks and Philadelphia 76ers each banned a fan and issued apologies Thursday for actions directed at opposing players during playoff games, and the NBA said that rules surrounding fan behavior will be “vigorously enforced” going forward. The Knicks said they banned a fan from Madison Square Garden...
Unearthing history: Tulsa massacre victims search resumes
OKLAHOMA CITY — As the U.S. marks 100 years since one of its most shameful historical chapters, researchers, including descendants of Black victims of the Tulsa Race Massacre, are preparing to resume a search for remains believed to have been hastily buried in mass graves. Although many details about the...
Fewer Americans sign contracts to buy homes in April
SILVER SPRING, Md. — Fewer Americans signed contracts to buy homes in April as a lack of supply continues to foil would-be buyers. The National Association of Realtors’ index of pending home sales fell 4.4% to 106.2 in April, a third straight sluggish month after nearly a year-long rebound from...
Official: San Jose shooter said he hated work years before killing 9
SAN JOSE, Calif. — A gunman who killed nine people at a California rail yard appeared to target some of the victims, a sheriff told The Associated Press on Thursday, while a Biden administration official said he spoke of hating his workplace when customs officers detained him after a 2016...
U.S. jobless claims fall to 406,000, a new pandemic low
WASHINGTON — The number of Americans seeking unemployment benefits dropped last week to 406,000, a new pandemic low and more evidence that the job market is strengthening as the virus wanes and economy further reopens. Thursday’s report from the Labor Department showed that applications declined 38,000 from 444,000 a week...
GOP set to block Jan. 6 commission, stoking Senate filibuster fight
WASHINGTON — Senate Republicans are ready to deploy the filibuster to block a commission on the Jan. 6 insurrection, shattering hopes for a bipartisan probe of the deadly assault on the U.S. Capitol and reviving pressure on Democrats to do away with the procedural tactic that critics say has lost...
Shoppers go back to stores, but retailers face challenges
NEW YORK — Americans are going back to one of their favorite past times: store shopping. With more people getting vaccinated and dropping their face masks, retailers from Walmart to Macy’s are seeing an eager return to their stores after more than a year of their customers migrating online during...
‘School of Rock’ actor Kevin Clark killed in bike accident
CHICAGO — Kevin Clark, who played drummer Freddy “Spazzy McGee” Jones in the 2003 movie “School of Rock” with Jack Black, was killed when he was struck by a car while riding his bicycle along a Chicago street early Wednesday. Police said Clark, 32, was struck after running a red...
This Date in Sports History: May 27
1823 — A $20,000 match race between American Eclipse (representing The North) and Henry (representing The South) is held at Union Course, Long Island, N.Y. American Eclipse wins in two-of-three heats, after his original jockey, William Crafts, is replaced by Samuel Purdy before the second heat. The race, witnessed by...
Ohio announces 1st $1 million Vax-a-Million lottery winner
COLUMBUS, Ohio — A southwestern Ohio woman won the state’s first $1 million Vax-a-Million vaccination incentive prize, while a Dayton-area teen was awarded the first full-ride college scholarship offered by the program, the state announced Wednesday night. The winners were selected in a random drawing Monday and had their information...
West Virginia’s Jackson Wolf strikes out 7 in complete game
OKLAHOMA CITY — Jackson Wolf struck out seven in his first career complete game, and No. 8 seed West Virginia beat top-seeded Texas, 5-1, on Wednesday in the Big 12 Tournament. West Virginia (25-25) had just eight conference wins this season, with two coming against Texas to close the regular...
Wisconsin GOP leader hires retired police to probe election
MADISON — One of Wisconsin’s top Republican lawmakers said Wednesday he is hiring retired police officers to investigate the presidential election won by President Joe Biden in the battleground state. Assembly Speaker Robin Vos is joining Republicans across the country in their continued push for repeated examinations of ballots. Assembly...
Phil Mickelson tries to focus at Colonial after historic PGA win
FORT WORTH, Texas — Phil Mickelson allowed himself to get distracted for a couple of days after his victory at the PGA Championship, taking some time to relish the historic achievement of becoming the oldest player to win a major. “Because when I’m doing it, I’m not fully aware because...
Colts welcome Carson Wentz with open arms as workouts wind downVideo
INDIANAPOLIS — Carson Wentz spent the past two weeks working out in a whole new world. The quarterback found his way around the Indianapolis Colts complex, talked football with a different set of coaches, got acclimated to calling plays in a new huddle and started relearning coach Frank Reich’s offense....
‘The Very Hungry Caterpillar’ author Eric Carle dies at 91
NEW YORK — Eric Carle, the beloved children’s author and illustrator whose classic “The Very Hungry Caterpillar” and other works gave millions of kids some of their earliest and most cherished literary memories, has died at age 91. Carle’s family says he died Sunday at his summer studio in Northampton,...
Villarreal beats Man U on penalties for Europa League titleVideo
GDANSK, Poland — Villarreal goalkeeper Gerónimo Rulli decided a marathon shootout by converting his own spot kick and then saving one from counterpart David de Gea as the Spanish team beat Manchester United 11-10 on penalties Wednesday to win the Europa League final. After a 1-1 draw following extra time,...
Woman in racist Central Park confrontation sues over firing
NEW YORK — The white woman who was widely condemned and fired after a videotaped dispute with a Black birdwatcher in Central Park filed a lawsuit against her former employer, accusing the company of not doing an investigation before her termination because of her race and gender. In her federal...
NFL expects full stadiums this season; 2022 salary cap set at $208.2MVideo
NFL commissioner Roger Goodell says the league expects full stadiums this season, and players and staff are being encouraged to receive the covid-19 vaccine. “One of the things we’ve obviously learned over the last year is not to make projections too far out,” Goodell said Wednesday following virtual meetings with...
Stocks close modestly higher after choppy day on Wall Street
A choppy day of trading on Wall Street ended with stocks closing higher Wednesday, reversing much of the S&P 500’s modest pullback the day before. The benchmark index ended just under 0.2% higher after wavering between small gains and losses. Retailers and other companies that rely on consumer spending made...
Mickey Callaway banned through at least 2022 after harassment probe
NEW YORK — Former New York Mets manager Mickey Callaway was suspended by Major League Baseball on Wednesday through at least the end of the 2022 season following an investigation of sexual harassment allegations. Shortly after MLB’s announcement of the suspension, the Los Angeles Angels said they had fired Callaway,...
Karine Jean-Pierre makes history giving White House briefingVideo
WASHINGTON — Karine Jean-Pierre on Wednesday became the first openly gay woman to deliver the White House press briefing and only the second Black woman in history to take on the role. Jean-Pierre, the White House principal deputy press secretary, had briefed reporters aboard Air Force One, but Wednesday marked...
New Era apologizes, pulls hats mocked on social media
NEW YORK — New Era says it pulled a lampooned line of Major League Baseball hats from its website Tuesday and is apologizing for design inaccuracies on the caps meant to pay homage to communities with big league clubs. New Era spokesman Mark Maidment said in a statement Wednesday to...
