Associated Press stories, Page 289

LOUISVILLE, Ky. — The Kentucky Derby purse has been raised to $5 million for the 150th edition in May. The increase of $2 million was announced Wednesday by Churchill Downs. The 1 1/4-mile race will be May 4. This year’s winner will receive $3.1 million. The runner-up will earn $1...

WASHINGTON — Marching ahead with multiple impeachment plans, House Republicans set their sights Wednesday on Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, who they intend to prove is “derelict in his duty” over handling the surge of migrants at the U.S.-Mexico border. The chairman of the Homeland Security Committee, Rep. Mark Green,...

CONCORD, N.H. — A major storm drenched the Northeast and slammed it with fierce winds, knocking out power to hundreds of thousands following a bout of violent weather that struck most of the U.S. The storm, which started Tuesday night and was moving out Wednesday, washed out roads and took...

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. — A lawsuit filed by families of the 17 people killed and other victims of the Parkland, Florida, school massacre against a former sheriff’s deputy who failed to intervene can go forward, a judge ruled, rejecting his motion to dismiss the case before trial. Circuit Judge Carol-Lisa...

Twitch, the video game streaming platform acquired by Amazon a decade ago for close to $1 billion, is laying off more than 500 employees as the company tries to turn the tremendously expensive division profitable. Twitch CEO Dan Clancy in an email to employees said that even with cost cuts...

MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. — Police in South Florida say a man fatally shot a 30-year-old Buffalo Bills fan during an altercation outside Hard Rock Stadium after the Bills defeated the Miami Dolphins in the final regular season game. As Dylan Brody Isaacs and his friends were returning to their vehicle...

WASHINGTON — Republicans on Wednesday took the first step toward holding Hunter Biden in contempt of Congress for defying a congressional subpoena. They advanced the charge to a full House vote just hours after the president’s son sparked a momentary political frenzy by appearing in the front row for part...

DENVER — U.S. Rep. Lauren Boebert has been cleared of domestic violence allegations made by her ex-husband during an altercation at a Colorado restaurant, police said Wednesday. Jayson Boebert had accused the congresswoman of punching him in the face but he later recanted, Silt police said in a statement. The...

NEW YORK — Donald Trump won’t make his own closing argument after all in his New York civil business fraud trial after his lawyers objected to the judge’s insistence that the former president stick to “relevant” matters. Judge Arthur Engoron rescinded his conditional permission for the unusual plan on Wednesday,...

NEW YORK — The fight against climate change requires the mass cooperation of industries, companies, governments and communities, but individuals have a role to play, too. Little things make a difference, and feel good too. At the dawn of 2024, also known as New Year’s resolution season, here’s just a...

NFL regular-season games averaged 17.9 million viewers, tied for the second highest since averages were first tracked in 1995. Buoyed by increases of at least 24% in two of the five packages, the first year of the league’s new television contracts saw a total increase of 7% from last season....

NEW YORK — The 30th Screen Actors Guild Awards on Wednesday heaped nominations on “Oppenheimer,” “Barbie” and “American Fiction,” while snubbing Leonardo DiCaprio for best male actor. As they were at the Golden Globes, Greta Gerwig’s “Barbie” and Christopher Nolan’s “Oppenheimer” were again the lead nominees. Each film picked up...

LOS ANGELES — Listened to more music last year? You’re not alone. The global music industry surpassed 4 trillion streams in 2023, a new single-year record, Luminate’s 2023 Year-End Report found. Global streams were also up 34% from last year, reflective of an increasingly international music marketplace. Stateside, three genres...

BEIT RIMA, West Bank — Security camera video from a West Bank village shows a young man standing in a central square when he is suddenly shot and drops to the ground. Two others rushing to his aid are also hit, leaving a 17-year-old dead, moments before Israeli military jeeps...

Nearly 21 million children in the U.S. and its territories are expected to receive food benefits this summer through a newly permanent federal program, the United States Department of Agriculture announced Wednesday. Thirty-five states, all five U.S. territories and four tribes opted into the Summer Electronic Benefits Transfer program, or...

GUAYAQUIL, Ecuador — It was a day like any other at the TC Television studio in Ecuador, with its mid-afternoon newscast underway, when masked gunmen burst in, unleashing at least 15 minutes of threats and fear — all broadcast live. First, a man with a pistol appeared in the middle...

SACRAMENTO — California lawmakers will debate on Wednesday whether to ban tackle football for children under 12, a move pushed by advocates seeking to protect kids from brain damage but opposed by coaches who warn it would cut off youths from an important source of physical activity. The bill, authored...

WASHINGTON — Republican U.S. Rep. Greg Pence of Indiana said Tuesday he will not seek reelection this year to a fourth term, becoming the latest House member to announce that they won’t run for reelection. Pence, the older brother of former Vice President Mike Pence, announced his decision Tuesday morning...

SAN FRANCISCO — Meta said Tuesday it will start hiding inappropriate content from teenagers’ accounts on Instagram and Facebook, including posts about suicide, self-harm and eating disorders. The social media giant based in Menlo Park, Calif., said in a blog post that while it already aims not to recommend such...

SANTA FE, N.M. — One of three defendants has pleaded guilty to federal charges in connection with a series of drive-by shootings at the homes of state and local lawmakers in Albuquerque after the 2022 election, according to federal court filings made public Tuesday. Jose Louise Trujillo pleaded guilty at...

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. — Maybe Russell Wilson and the Denver Broncos aren’t headed for a costly divorce, after all. The possibility of working things out with their benched $242.6 million quarterback was the main message that emerged from the Broncos’ season-ending news conference Tuesday. Coach Sean Payton said no decision has...

Dallas coach Mike McCarthy thought he talked too much about his return to Green Bay last season when the Cowboys lost to the Packers. With the stakes much higher for another reunion in a wild-card game at the home of the Cowboys on Sunday, McCarthy can use the benefit of...