Associated Press stories, Page 884
Hungry ticks can use this static trick to land on you and your pets
NEW YORK — Hungry ticks have some slick tricks. They can zoom through the air using static electricity to latch onto people, pets and other animals, new research shows. Humans and animals naturally pick up static charges as they go about their days. And those charges are enough to give...
Climate change keeps making wildfires and smoke worse. Scientists call it the ‘new abnormal’
It was a smell that invoked a memory. Both for Emily Kuchlbauer in North Carolina and Ryan Bomba in Chicago. It was smoke from wildfires, the odor of an increasingly hot and occasionally on-fire world. Kuchlbauer had flashbacks to the surprise of soot coating her car three years ago when...
Are you confronting a big medical bill? Attack it with a plan — and these tips
An enormous medical bill can trigger a wave of panic, but try to resist. That startling invoice that arrived in the mail may not be what you wind up paying. Errors or slow insurance payments may have inflated the total. Even if it’s accurate, financial aid or other assistance might...
Baltimore block party shooting victims include more than a dozen minors, police sayVideo
BALTIMORE — Gunfire erupted Sunday at a block party in Baltimore — killing two people, wounding 28 and leaving an extensive crime scene that marred the U.S. holiday weekend, police said. Three of the wounded were in critical condition and more than a dozen were under 18. The shooting took...
Moms for Liberty’s focus on school races nationwide sets up political clash with teachers unions
PHILADELPHIA — Moms for Liberty, a “parental rights” group that has sought to take over school boards in multiple states, is looking to expand those efforts across the country and to other education posts in 2024 and beyond. The effort is setting up for a clash with teachers unions and...
In 370 days, Supreme Court conservatives dash decades of abortion and affirmative action precedents
WASHINGTON — Overturning Roe v. Wade and eliminating affirmative action in higher education had been leading goals of the conservative legal movement for decades. In a span of 370 days, a Supreme Court reshaped by three justices nominated by President Donald Trump made both a reality. Last June, the court...
Rickie Fowler leads Rocket Mortgage Classic at 20-under
DETROIT — Rickie Fowler has put himself in a position to win a PGA Tour title again. He’s hoping to take advantage for a change. Fowler birdied six of his last eight holes Saturday to surge into the Rocket Mortgage Classic lead at 20-under-par, giving him another chance to end...
NASCAR Cup Series drivers praise setup for 1st street race in downtown ChicagoVideo
CHICAGO — Before NASCAR raced in the Los Angeles Coliseum in 2022, Kevin Harvick thought it was going to be a disaster. It didn’t take long for the event to win him over. Heading into the Cup Series’ first street race, Harvick is keeping an open mind. “Going through all...
Venus Williams back at Wimbledon at age 43, ready to play on Centre Court againVideo
WIMBLEDON, England — Asked two days before her 24th Wimbledon begins whether she’s still excited to play tennis at this level, Venus Williams quickly answered: “It’s so much fun.” The next question Saturday was about being on tour without her younger sister, Serena, who wrapped up her career at last...
NBA free agency roundup: Austin Reaves, D’Angelo Russell, Brook Lopez staying putVideo
The Los Angeles Lakers kept two of their best guards. And the Milwaukee Bucks retained their big man, as the early trend in free agency of most players staying put continued Saturday. Austin Reaves agreed to a four-year deal that could be worth $56 million, and D’Angelo Russell returned to...
Why social media is being blamed for fueling riots in France
Social media companies are once again under scrutiny, this time in France as the country’s president blames TikTok, Snapchat and other platforms for helping fuel widespread riots over the fatal police shooting of a 17-year-old driver. On Friday, French President Emmanuel Macron accused social media of playing a “considerable role”...
Reports: 7-time All-Star Damian Lillard asks Trail Blazers for tradeVideo
Damian Lillard repeatedly has said he wants to contend for a championship. After 11 years in Portland, he has decided he needs to move elsewhere to make that happen. Lillard asked the Trail Blazers for a trade, a move that will end the seven-time All-Star’s tenure with that team, according...
NHL free agency roundup: Hurricanes, Rangers turn rivalry into signing frenzyVideo
Don Waddell’s expectations were so low on the chances of improving the Carolina Hurricanes roster to open NHL free agency Saturday, the general manager told his staff they might not even have to come into the office. Some four hours into the signing period, Waddell came away with a big...
Mike Babcock back in NHL as coach of Blue Jackets
Mike Babcock is back in the NHL with the Columbus Blue Jackets, confident he has evolved as a coach in his nearly four years out of a pro job. The 2008 Stanley Cup-winning coach with Detroit finally took over Saturday in Columbus, Ohio, introduced as the person the organization’s brass...
Summer movie season is in full swing. Here’s what’s coming through Labor Day
The summer movie season goes into high-gear in July, with the arrival of the seventh “Mission: Impossible”movie followed by the “Oppenheimer”and “Barbie”showdown on July 21. Not that you have to choose one or the other — as Tom Cruise said on Twitter, “I love a double feature, and it doesn’t...
Russian attacks in Ukraine leave 3 killed, 17 wounded
KYIV, Ukraine — Ukrainian officials reported more civilian casualties from Russian shelling in the country’s east and south on Saturday, as Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez began a visit to Kyiv as a show of continuing support from Madrid and the European Union for Ukraine’s fight to dislodge invading Russian...
Dutch king apologizes for country’s role in slavery on 150th anniversary of abolition
AMSTERDAM — Dutch King Willem-Alexander apologized Saturday for his country’s role in slavery and asked for forgiveness in a historic speech greeted by cheers and whoops at an event to commemorate the anniversary of the abolition of slavery. The king’s speech followed Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte’s apology late last...
From human ashes to cellphones, what’s going on with concert fans lately?
NEW YORK — From flinging bras to tossing flowers, concertgoers have long been a bit extra in showing adoration for their beloved artists — but a recent spate of artists being hit by weightier projectiles raises concerns about extreme fan culture and security. Country singer Kelsea Ballerini was the latest...
AL West-leading Rangers acquire once-dominant closer Aroldis ChapmanVideo
ARLINGTON, Texas — Aroldis Chapman is headed to the Texas Rangers in a trade after smoothing out his rough ending with the New York Yankees by impressing teammates and the front office during a brief stay with the Kansas City Royals. The AL West leaders acquired Chapman from the Royals...
50 shades of ballet? Melanie Hamrick on her steamy novel that makes ‘Black Swan’ seem tame
NEW YORK — Melanie Hamrick, who knows her way around a quick pirouette, had to move fast when her 6-year-old son Deveraux recently picked up a copy of her new novel, “First Position,” as she was signing books. “I didn’t realize how well he was reading,” the former ballerina and...
Cam Johnson stays with Nets on 4-year deal worth $108M
NEW YORK — Cam Johnson (Pitt, Our Lady of the Sacred Heart) is staying with the Brooklyn Nets on a four-year deal worth about $108 million after quickly becoming one of their top players following his arrival in the trade for Kevin Durant. Johnson averaged 16.6 points in 25 starts...
Review: Harrison Ford gets a swashbuckling sendoff in ‘Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny’Video
Goodbyes don’t tend to mean much in the Hollywood franchise system. Death isn’t a reliable end for characters or, lately, even actors. Technology, nostalgia and the often-inflated value of brands and IP have created a nightmarish cycle of resurrection and regurgitation, curdling what we love most. And yet when someone...
Moore, Pendrith share Rocket Mortgage Classic lead at 13 under
DETROIT — Taylor Moore and Taylor Pendrith shared the Rocket Mortgage Classic lead at 13-under Friday, hoping to hold off a veteran trying to end a victory drought and a promising young pro aiming for his first PGA Tour victory. Pendrith shot an 8-under 64 at Detroit Golf Club, one...
Golden Knights re-sign goalie Adin Hill on eve of free agency
Adin Hill is returning to the Vegas Golden Knights after backstopping them to their first Stanley Cup title in franchise history. The Golden Knights re-signed their playoff hero goaltender Friday to a $9.8 million, two-year deal that carries an annual salary cap hit of $4.9 million through 2025. Hill is...
NBA free agency roundup: Kyrie Irving, Draymond Green, Kyle Kuzma staying putVideo
Kyrie Irving and Luka Doncic are going to try again together in Dallas. Draymond Green is going to chase more championships with Stephen Curry in Golden State, just like Khris Middleton is alongside Giannis Antetokounmpo in Milwaukee. And Jerami Grant is staying put in Portland, for serious money. All those...
