Associated Press stories, Page 589
Ford recalls Maverick pickups in U.S. because tail lights can go dark
DEARBORN, Mich. — Ford is recalling nearly 243,000 Maverick small pickup trucks in the U.S. because the tail lights may not illuminate. The company says a computer can falsely detect too much current on one or both of the tail lamps, causing them to stay dark while the trucks are...
Blinken urges Israel and Hamas to move ahead with a cease-fire deal and says ‘the time is now’
JERUSALEM — U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken met with Israeli leaders Wednesday in his push for a cease-fire deal between Israel and Hamas, saying “the time is now” for an agreement that would free hostages and bring a pause in the nearly seven months of war in Gaza. Blinken...
Arizona’s Democratic leaders get enough votes to repeal 19th century abortion ban
PHOENIX — Democrats in the Arizona Legislature made a final push Wednesday to repeal the state’s long-dormant ban on nearly all abortions, which a court said can be enforced. Voting wasn’t complete but the Senate had the 16 votes it needed to advance the bill. Fourteen Democrats in the Senate...
Former students of the for-profit Art Institutes are approved for $6 billion in loan cancellation
WASHINGTON — The Biden administration on Wednesday said it will cancel $6 billion in student loans for people who attended the Art Institutes, a system of for-profit colleges that closed the last of its campuses in 2023 amid accusations of fraud. Saying the chain lured students with “pervasive” lies, the...
Utah cat with a fondness for cardboard takes surprise trip to California in an Amazon box
Galena, a 6-year-old house cat from Utah, likes hiding and playing with cardboard. Earlier this month, the combination of the two made for a stressful trip in an Amazon package, a feverish search, a California rescue and a tearful reunion. Her family is still waiting to “reintroduce cardboard to her...
Pennsylvania moves to join states that punish stalkers who use Bluetooth tracking devices
HARRISBURG — Pennsylvania took a step Tuesday toward becoming the latest state to punish someone for using a Bluetooth-connected device to track someone without their permission. The state House of Representatives voted 199-1 to approve legislation that would make using a tracking device to secretly track another person part of...
What’s causing the catastrophic rainfall in Kenya?
NAIROBI, Kenya — The torrential rains and deadly floods that have hit Kenya since March have been some of the most catastrophic in the country in recent years. At least 169 people have died due to the heavy rains, with at least 91 missing, according to the latest government figures....
Haiti’s transitional council names a new prime minister in the hopes of quelling stifling violence
PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti — Haiti’s newly installed transitional council chose a little known former sports minister as the Caribbean country’s prime minister Tuesday as part of its monumental task of trying to establish a stable new government amid stifling violence. Fritz Bélizaire was chosen in a surprise move to replace current...
LeBron James, Darvin Ham face uncertain futures with Lakers after elimination
DENVER — The futures of LeBron James and Darvin Ham with the Los Angeles Lakers are murky after their first-round playoff exit. One might choose to leave, and the other might not have a choice. For James, the decision is his — whether he wants to wear purple and gold...
Angels’ Mike Trout needs surgery on torn meniscus, no timetable on return
ANAHEIM, Calif. — Los Angeles Angels star Mike Trout will have surgery to repair a torn meniscus in his left knee, sidelining the three-time AL MVP indefinitely. The Angels believe Trout will be able to return this season, general manager Perry Minasian said while announcing the injury Tuesday. Trout is...
Scammers stole $3.4 billion from older Americans last year, FBI report says
WASHINGTON — Scammers stole more than $3.4 billion from older Americans last year, according to an FBI report released Tuesday that shows a rise in losses through increasingly sophisticated criminal tactics to trick the vulnerable into giving up their life savings. Losses from scams reported by Americans older than 60...
Mammograms should start at 40 to address rising breast cancer rates at younger ages, panel says
Regular mammograms to screen for breast cancer should start younger, at age 40, according to an influential U.S. task force. Women ages 40 to 74 should get screened every other year, the group said. Previously, the task force had said women could choose to start breast cancer screening as young...
Astros to option slumping 2020 AL MVP José Abreu to their spring training facility in FloridaVideo
HOUSTON — The Houston Astros will option slumping first baseman José Abreu to their spring training facility to try to help the 2020 AL MVP get back on track. General manager Dana Brown made the announcement Tuesday, saying Houston would make the move Wednesday. The 37-year-old will report to the...
Walmart launches store-label food brand as it seeks to appeal to younger shoppers
NEW YORK — Walmart is launching the U.S. retailer’s biggest store-label food brand in 20 years in terms of the breadth of items, seeking to appeal to younger customers who are not loyal to grocery brands and want chef-inspired foods that are more affordably priced. The brand, called Bettergoods, is...
A massive Powerball win draws attention to a little-known immigrant culture in the U.S.Video
PORTLAND, Ore. — Cheng “Charlie” Saephan wore a broad smile and a bright blue sash emblazoned with the words “Iu-Mien USA” as he hoisted an oversized check for $1.3 billion above his head. The 46-year-old immigrant’s luck in winning an enormous Powerball jackpot in Oregon earlier this month — a...
Deaths at the Kentucky Derby bring changes ahead of the 150th edition at Churchill DownsVideo
Memories are made at the Kentucky Derby, most of them good. Whether cashing a winning ticket, sipping mint juleps or marveling at the horses, crowds pack Churchill Downs to experience a bucket list sporting event. Many left last year in tears, anger and questioning the safety of the sport after...
Capitals’ T.J. Oshie hopes to play next season. He’ll only do so if his back problems are fixed
ARLINGTON, Va. — T.J. Oshie lingered on the ice long after many of his Washington Capitals teammates departed for the locker room following the loss that eliminated them from the playoffs. His family was at all four games, including in New York, just in case. They could be the final...
House Republicans launch investigation into federal funding for universities amid campus protests
WASHINGTON — House Republicans on Tuesday announced an investigation into the federal funding for universities where students have protested the Israel-Hamas war, broadening a campaign that has placed heavy scrutiny on how presidents at the nation’s most prestigious colleges have dealt with reports of antisemitism on campus. Several House committees...
Trainer Chad Brown seeks first Kentucky Derby victory after coming close. Having 2 entrants helps
LOUISVILLE, Ky. — There was a brief moment three weeks ago when trainer Chad Brown’s Kentucky Derby outlook was jolted as one of his hopefuls resisted multiple attempts to enter the gate in a major qualifying race and then started slowly. Things turned out way better than Brown could have...
After a strong 1st round, overall NFL draft ratings down 3% from last year
NEW YORK — After posting strong numbers for the first round, viewership for the NFL draft was down 3% from last year on TV and digital platforms. The draft averaged 5.74 million viewers for the three days this year across ABC, ESPN, ESPN2 and NFL Network after averaging 5.93 million...
Terms for Mike Tyson’s fight with Jake Paul include heavier gloves, shorter rounds
AUSTIN, Texas — Mike Tyson’s fight against Jake Paul in Texas this summer has been sanctioned as a competitive boxing match rather than an exhibition, and the rounds will be shorter and the gloves will be heavier. The Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation this week approved terms for the...
Sword-wielding man attacks passersby in London, killing a 14-year-old boy and injuring 4 others
LONDON — A man wielding a sword attacked members of the public and police officers in a northeast London suburb Tuesday, killing a 14-year-old boy and injuring four other people, British authorities said. A 36-year-old man was subdued with a stun gun and arrested on suspicion of murder in a...
4 officers killed in North Carolina were at disadvantage as shots rained from above, police say
CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Law enforcement officers with an arrest warrant demanded that a man come out of a house in North Carolina before four were killed by gunfire, the victims unable to survive shots coming from inside the dwelling, a witness and officials said Tuesday. Still reeling from Monday’s attack...
Trump says he’ll use National Guard to deport migrants, doubling down on anti-immigration rhetoric
WASHINGTON — Donald Trump says he’d use the National Guard as part of efforts to deport millions of migrants across the country if he’s reelected, signaling that he’s doubling down on anti-immigration rhetoric that fueled his previous rise to power. Trump’s comments came during a lengthy in-person and telephone interview...
Encino out of the 150th Kentucky Derby with leg issue. Epic Ride joins the 20-horse fieldVideo
LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Encino won’t run in the Kentucky Derby this weekend, trainer Brad Cox said Tuesday. The colt didn’t look right after morning training and was transported to an equine hospital in Lexington. X-rays were negative, but a soft tissue strain in his right front leg was diagnosed, Cox...

