Associated Press stories, Page 643
How Putin’s crackdown on dissent became the hallmark of the Russian leader’s 24 years in power
TALLINN, Estonia — When charismatic opposition leader Boris Nemtsov was gunned down on a bridge near the Kremlin in February 2015, more than 50,000 Muscovites expressed their shock and outrage the next day at the brazen assassination. Police stood aside as they rallied and chanted anti-government slogans. Nine years later,...
China says economy got a strong start in 2024, sets sights on latest technology, upgrading factories
BEIJING — China has plenty of room to maneuver to attain its annual target for robust economic growth of about 5% after a strong start for the year, top economic officials said Wednesday, though they acknowledged it’s a challenge. China’s exports rose about 10% in the first two months of...
Hostage crisis poses dilemma for Israel and offers a path to victory for Hamas
Over the last five months, Israel has killed thousands of Hamas fighters, destroyed dozens of their tunnels and wreaked unprecedented destruction on the Gaza Strip. But it still faces a dilemma that was clear from the start of the war and will ultimately determine its outcome: It can either try...
Nikki Haley suspends her campaign and leaves Donald Trump as the last major Republican candidate
NEW YORK — Nikki Haley suspended her presidential campaign on Wednesday after being soundly defeated across the country on Super Tuesday, leaving Donald Trump as the last remaining major candidate for the 2024 Republican nomination. Haley didn’t endorse the former president in a speech in Charleston, South Carolina. Instead, she...
Dae Dae Grant’s 26 points lead Duquesne over VCU
RICHMOND, Va. — Dae Dae Grant had 26 points in Duquesne’s 69-59 victory against VCU on Tuesday night. Grant shot 8 of 17 from the field, including 5 for 11 from 3-point range, and went 5 for 5 from the line for the Dukes (19-11, 9-8 Atlantic 10 Conference). Jake...
Robert Morris’ season ends in Horizon League Tournament 1st roundVideo
FORT WAYNE, Ind. — Quinton Morton-Robertson had 17 points in Purdue Fort Wayne’s 78-63 win over Robert Morris on Tuesday night in the first round of the Horizon League Tournament. Morton-Robertson added five rebounds, five assists and three steals for the Mastodons (21-11). Jalen Jackson scored 16 points while shooting...
QB Joe Flacco, Islanders forward Anders Lee among new investors in Irish soccer team
DUBLIN — Veteran NFL quarterback Joe Flacco’s new team is St Patrick’s Athletic — as an investor in the Irish soccer club. The Dublin team announced Tuesday that Flacco, New York Islanders forward Anders Lee and former NFL players Matt Birk and Chad Greenway are part of a group that...
Last year’s free-agent frenzy offers hope, caution for NFL teams
NFL teams are set to dole out billions in free-agent contracts in the coming weeks as teams around the league hope bold moves in March will pay off with wins on the field once the season starts. But in a league with a sharp aging curve and specific systems that...
Biden and Trump dominate Super Tuesday races and move closer to a November rematch
WASHINGTON — President Joe Biden and his predecessor, Donald Trump, romped through more than a dozen states on Super Tuesday, all but cementing a November rematch and pushing the former president’s last major rival, Nikki Haley, out of the Republican race. Their victories from coast to coast, including the delegate-rich...
Booth where Tony Soprano may – or may not – have been whacked sells for a cool $82K to mystery buyer
BLOOMFIELD, N.J. — The ice cream parlor booth where Tony Soprano may or may not have been whacked has sold for more than $82,000. As Tony would say, Madone! An anonymous buyer bid $82,600 Monday night in an online auction for the piece of memorabilia that occupies an outsize role...
Giants giving star running back Saquon Barkley chance to test free agencyVideo
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — Star running back Saquon Barkley moved another step closer to free agency Tuesday when the New York Giants elected not to put a franchise tag on the second overall pick in the 2018 NFL draft. The Giants used the tag last season and eventually worked out...
Seahawks’ makeover begins with releases of safeties Jamal Adams, Quandre Diggs
RENTON, Wash. — The Seattle Seahawks’ remodel under new coach Mike Macdonald started Tuesday as the team released safeties Jamal Adams and Quandre Diggs as well as tight end Will Dissly in moves that will give the team a boost of salary cap space ahead of the start of the...
Colts place non-exclusive franchise tag on WR Michael Pittman Jr.
INDIANAPOLIS — The Indianapolis Colts placed the non-exclusive franchise tag on starting receiver Michael Pittman Jr. on Tuesday. The move was announced less than an hour before the league’s deadline and less than a week after general manager Chris Ballard promised Pittman would be a Colt next fall. The two...
Bears place franchise tag on Pro Bowl CB Jaylon Johnson
CHICAGO — The Chicago Bears placed the franchise tag on cornerback Jaylon Johnson on Tuesday after he made his first Pro Bowl in the final season of his rookie contract. Johnson would earn $19.8 million in 2024 if he doesn’t agree to a multiyear deal before the July 15 deadline....
Jaguars place franchise tag on standout pass rusher Josh Allen
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — The Jaguars used their franchise tag on standout pass rusher Josh Allen on Tuesday, essentially guaranteeing he will play at least another year in Jacksonville. Allen, the seventh overall pick in the 2019 draft, set a single-season franchise record with 17½ sacks in the final year of...
A’s release renderings of new Las Vegas domed stadium that resembles famous opera house
LAS VEGAS — The Oakland Athletics and their design teams released renderings Tuesday of the club’s planned $1.5 billion stadium in Las Vegas that show five overlapping layers with a similar look to the famous Sydney Opera House. The A’s hope to move into that 33,000-seat domed stadium in 2028,...
Miami Beach is breaking up with spring break — or at least trying toVideo
MIAMI BEACH, Fla. — Miami Beach is trying to break up with spring break, but it’s not yet clear whether spring break will take the hint. After three consecutive years of spring break violence, Miami Beach officials are implementing monthlong security measures aimed at curbing the chaos, including parking restrictions...
Explosive fire at site housing vaping supplies kills 1 outside Detroit, sends debris a mile awayVideo
CLINTON TOWNSHIP, Mich. — A fire that destroyed a building which housed supplies for the vaping industry caused multiple explosions that killed one person and injured a firefighter as the blasts rocked suburban Detroit, sending gas cannisters and debris shooting far into the air, authorities said. The debris fell Monday...
LIV Golf abandons its pursuit of getting world ranking pointsVideo
The Great White Shark is waving the white flag when it comes to LIV Golf being recognized by the Official World Golf Ranking. Greg Norman, the CEO and commissioner of the Saudi-funded league, told his players that LIV has withdrawn its application. LIV Golf first applied for world ranking points...
Rewritten indictment against Sen. Bob Menendez alleges new obstruction of justice crimes
NEW YORK — New obstruction of justice crimes were added Tuesday to charges against Sen. Bob Menendez and his wife that allege they accepted gold bars, cash and a luxury car in return for favors the senator carried out to assist three businessmen. The new charges were in a rewritten...
Astros ace Justin Verlander to start season on injured list
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — Houston Astros ace Justin Verlander will open the season on the injured list after dealing with right shoulder inflammation during the offseason, which could jeopardize his conditional $35 million option for 2025. Astros manager Joe Espada said Tuesday the 41-year-old Verlander hasn’t suffered any setbacks...
Ravens put franchise tag on DT Justin Madubuike after career-high 13 sacks
The Baltimore Ravens put the franchise tag on Justin Madubuike on Tuesday after the defensive tackle finished his rookie contract with a breakout season in 2023. The franchise tag for defensive tackles comes with a one-year cost of just over $22 million, although Madubuike and the Ravens can continue negotiating...
Dartmouth men’s basketball team votes to unionize, though steps remain
HANOVER, N.H. — The Dartmouth men’s basketball team voted to unionize Tuesday in an unprecedented step toward forming the first labor union for college athletes and another blow to the NCAA’s deteriorating amateur business model. In an election supervised by the National Labor Relations Board in the school’s human resources...
AP mock NFL draft: Bears keep the No. 1 pick, take USC star QB Caleb WilliamsVideo
The Chicago Bears passed up C.J. Stroud and Bryce Young last year because they had Justin Fields. Now, they’ve got a shot at Caleb Williams. They can’t miss another chance at a franchise quarterback. The Bears traded away the No. 1 overall pick in the 2023 draft to the Carolina...
Independent Sen. Kyrsten Sinema of Arizona says she won’t seek reelection, avoiding 3-way race
PHOENIX — Independent Sen. Kyrsten Sinema of Arizona announced Tuesday that she won’t run for a second term after her estrangement from the Democratic Party left her politically homeless and without a clear path to reelection. Sinema’s announcement comes after Senate Republicans blocked a bipartisan bill to help secure the...
