Associated Press stories, Page 673
Before you start seeds indoors, make sure they’re not duds
I’ve had just about enough of winter and am itching to get my hands dirty. I can’t do that yet in my New York garden, but I have been distracting myself by growing microgreens and dwarf strawberries on the kitchen counter. It will be another month before I bring out...
This year, why not make custom chocolates for, or with, your Valentine?
Since Cadbury popularized the fancy box of chocolates in the 19th century, the link between love and those darkly sweet treats has only grown stronger — thanks partly to years of clever marketing. “If you look at advertising over the years, chocolate companies emphasized love and romance, and that you...
As cancer treatment advances, patients and doctors push back against drugs’ harsh side effects
For cancer patients, the harsh side effects of powerful drugs have long been the trade-off for living longer. Now, patients and doctors are questioning whether all that suffering is necessary. They’ve ignited a movement to radically change how new cancer drugs are tested, with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration...
Court cases lead to new voting districts in some states. Could it affect control of Congress?
Since most Americans last voted for Congress, thousands of people have been added to certain voting districts — and subtracted from others — under new political maps enacted following court rulings. The sum of that redistricting math, assuming no major political shift in either major party’s direction, figures to provide...
Ready to disappoint Taylor Swift, Brock Purdy goes overtime on Super Bowl opening night
LAS VEGAS — Brock Purdy went overtime on Super Bowl opening night. The San Francisco 49ers’ second-year quarterback began by saying he’s ready to spoil Taylor Swift’s trip to Las Vegas and finished by remaining at the microphone to answer questions for several minutes after Monday’s media extravaganza concluded. With...
Trump not immune from prosecution in 2020 election interference case, U.S. appeals court rules
WASHINGTON — A federal appeals panel ruled Tuesday that Donald Trump can face trial on charges that he plotted to overturn the results of the 2020 election, sharply rejecting the former president’s claims that he is immune from prosecution while setting the stage for additional challenges that could further delay...
UN nuclear chief says security is still fragile at Ukraine’s Russian-occupied nuclear power plant
KYIV, Ukraine — Security at Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant remains fragile amid worrying recent staff cuts enacted by Russian authorities occupying the facility, which is one of the 10 biggest atomic power plants in the world, the United Nations nuclear watchdog chief said Tuesday. International Atomic Energy Agency chief...
As King Charles III is treated for cancer, here is the order of succession to the British throne
LONDON — As King Charles III receives treatment for cancer, he remains Britain’s monarch and head of state. The king’s older son, Prince William, is next in line for the throne. The crown does not pass from reigning monarchs to their spouses, so Queen Camilla is not in the line...
GM recalls over 323,000 heavy-duty pickups because tailgates can open unexpectedly
General Motors is recalling more than 323,000 heavy-duty pickup trucks in the U.S. because the electronic tailgate release switches can short circuit and open the gates while the vehicles are in park. The recall covers certain Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra 2500 and 3500 trucks from the 2020 through 2024...
South Dakota man charged with murder for allegedly running down chief deputy during police chase
South Dakota prosecutors charged a Sioux Falls man on Monday with first-degree murder and aggravated eluding in the death of a deputy who was struck while putting out spikes during a police chase. Joseph Gene Hoek, 40, was ordered held without bail at his first court appearance in the death...
Turkey mourns tens of thousands dead, surrounded by the ruins of last year’s earthquake
ANTAKYA, Turkey — Millions of people across Turkey on Tuesday mourned the loss of more than 53,000 friends, loved ones and neighbors in the country’s catastrophic earthquake a year ago. To mark what it calls the “Disaster of the Century,” the government arranged a series of events to commemorate the...
Russian court orders the arrest of a bestselling writer over his support for Ukraine
MOSCOW — A Moscow court ordered the arrest Tuesday of a bestselling detective novelist and dissident on charges of “justifying terrorism,” two months after he was pranked by two pro-Kremlin activists into expressing support for Ukraine on a phone call. Moscow’s Basmanny District Court ordered Grigory Chkhartishvili, who is known...
Singer-songwriter Toby Keith dies after battling stomach cancer
NORMAN, Okla. — Toby Keith, a sometimes polarizing figure in country music who crafted an identity around his macho, pro-American swagger, has died. He was 62. The “Beer For My Horses” singer-songwriter, who was battling stomach cancer, died peacefully Monday surrounded by his family, according to a statement posted on...
Senate Republicans resist advancing on border policy bill, leaving aid for Ukraine in doubt
WASHINGTON — Facing a torrent of criticism from conservatives, Senate Republicans on Monday resisted advancing on a bipartisan proposal intended to clamp down on illegal border crossings, signaling a likely defeat in Congress that would leave leaders with no clear path to approve wartime aid for Ukraine. In a dramatic...
Auditor: Brett Favre must finish repaying misspent welfare money
JACKSON, Miss. — Mississippi’s state auditor filed court papers Monday renewing his call for Brett Favre to repay the state for welfare money that the auditor says was improperly spent on projects backed by the retired NFL quarterback. Auditor Shad White’s demand of nearly $730,000 from Favre is the latest...
Eagles to host NFL’s 1st regular-season game in Brazil on Friday, Sept. 6
LAS VEGAS — The Philadelphia Eagles will be the host team for the NFL’s first regular-season game in Brazil on Friday, Sept. 6 — a day after the 2024 season opener, Commissioner Roger Goodell said Monday. Goodell addressed gambling, officiating, diversity, the Rooney Rule and much more in an nearly...
Capitals’ Evgeny Kuznetsov enters NHL/NHLPA player assistance program
Washington Capitals center Evgeny Kuznetsov is entering the NHL/NHLPA player assistance program, the league and union announced Monday. Kuznetsov will be away from the team indefinitely while he receives care. Under the terms of the program, he can return to the team for practice and then games when cleared by...
U.S. labor official says Dartmouth basketball players are school employees, sets stage for union vote
A National Labor Relations Board regional official ruled Monday that Dartmouth basketball players are employees of the school, clearing the way for an election that would create the first-ever labor union for NCAA athletes. All 15 members of the Dartmouth men’s basketball team signed a petition in September asking to...
A week of bizarre and shocking developments in auto racing
NASCAR successfully waved the checkered flag on its opening event of the year just before the heavy rains began to drench Los Angeles. That NASCAR crammed the two-day Clash at the Coliseum into a compelling one-day show capped a frenzied week in global motorsports. So many crazy things happened in...
Cyberattack on Pennsylvania courts didn’t appear to compromise data, officials say
HARRISBURG — A cyberattack this weekend on the website of Pennsylvania’s state courts agency disabled some online systems but did not appear to compromise any data and didn’t stop the courts from opening Monday, officials said. Various county court clerks said their offices were operating smoothly, despite the disruptions to...
49ers have concerns about the condition of their Super Bowl practice field
NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell said league and independent inspectors have found the practice field set aside for the San Francisco 49ers is safe to use during Super Bowl week despite complaints from the team. The Niners had expressed concern to the league that the field on UNLV’s campus is too...
Pennsylvania Capitol protest against state investing in Israel bonds ends with scores of arrestsVideo
HARRISBURG — Police took more than 100 people protesting the Pennsylvania state government’s investments in Israel into custody Monday, shutting down a demonstration on the steps of the Capitol Rotunda in Harrisburg. A spokesperson for the Department of General Services, which includes the Pennsylvania Capitol Police, said 126 people were...
Browns hire Ken Dorsey as OC, hope he can get most out of QB Watson
BEREA, Ohio — Ken Dorsey’s background playing quarterback and coaching QBs made him a natural pick for the Browns, who hope he can work his magic with Deshaun Watson. Fired during the season in Buffalo, Dorsey was introduced Monday as Cleveland’s new offensive coordinator by coach Kevin Stefanski, who made...
RB Christian McCaffrey’s play validates 49ers’ big deal to acquire him
SANTA CLARA, Calif. — As San Francisco 49ers CEO Jed York tells the story, coach Kyle Shanahan took some convincing before deciding it was worth dealing a boatload of draft picks before last season’s trade deadline for Christian McCaffrey. With most teams around the NFL downgrading the value of running...
TEs Travis Kelce of Chiefs, George Kittle of 49ers ready to match up again in Super Bowl
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The Chiefs’ Travis Kelce and the 49ers’ George Kittle are best of friends when they are off the field. They are fierce competitors when they step on it. They also happen to be two of the best tight ends ever to play the game, and they...

