Today: September 25, 2024
Today: September 25, 2024

World

World

Blazers say they're willing to wait months to resolve Lillard saga if necessary

Damian Lillard wants to be traded to the Miami Heat. The Portland Trail Blazers know this yet haven’t abandoned hope that the seven-time All-Star changes his mind. And whether he does or not, the Blazers insist that they’re in no hurry. General manager Joe Cronin, at the news conference where the team unveiled its new five-year, $160 million contract with Jerami Grant, spoke at length about the impasse with Lillard. He offered no specifics on talks — not negotiating publicly — and revealed that he hasn’t spoken with Lillard since the franchise cornerstone asked to be

July 10, 2023
Blazers say they're willing to wait months to resolve Lillard saga if necessary
World

Jabeur reaches Wimbledon quarterfinals, where defending champion Rybakina awaits

Ons Jabeur is getting another shot at Elena Rybakina, a year after losing to her in the Wimbledon final. It’s just the quarterfinals this time around, but the Tunisian player has to go through the defending champion to have a chance of winning her first Grand Slam tournament. The sixth-seeded Jabeur routed two-time champion Petra Kvitova 6-0, 6-3 on Monday in the fourth round at the All England Club. “I’m probably going for my revenge,” Jabeur said on court. “It was a difficult final last year. It’s going to bring a lot of memories.” Jabeur has

July 10, 2023
Jabeur reaches Wimbledon quarterfinals, where defending champion Rybakina awaits
World

Man accused of shooting at 6 from scooter in NYC is arraigned on murder, other charges

A man accused of killing an 86-year-old and injuring three other people in a series of apparently random shootings while riding a scooter in New York City was arraigned Monday on charges including murder and attempted murder, prosecutors said. Thomas Abreu, 25, was arraigned in a hospital in five shootings that occurred in Queens over about 10 minutes late Saturday morning, a spokesperson for Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz said. An additional person was shot and injured in Brooklyn. “The streets of two boroughs were turned into scenes of terror as this defendant allegedly rode his

July 10, 2023
Man accused of shooting at 6 from scooter in NYC is arraigned on murder, other charges
World

Florida in hot water as ocean temperatures rise along with the humidity

Record global ocean heating has invaded Florida with a vengeance. Water temperatures in the mid-90s (mid-30s Celsius) are threatening delicate coral reefs, depriving swimmers of cooling dips and adding a bit more ick to the Sunshine State’s already oppressive summer weather. Forecasters are warning of temperatures that with humidity will feel like 110 degrees (43 degrees Celsius) by week’s end. If that’s not enough, Florida is about to get a dose of dust from Africa’s Saharan desert that’s likely to hurt air quality. The globe is coming off a week of heat not seen in modern

July 10, 2023
Florida in hot water as ocean temperatures rise along with the humidity
World

Texas governor names second interim attorney general ahead of Ken Paxton's impeachment trial

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott has picked a longtime aide to serve as the state’s second acting attorney general following Republican Ken Paxton’s historic impeachment on allegations of misconduct and crimes, the governor’s office announced Monday. Angela Colmenero will step in as the state’s top lawyer on an interim basis starting Friday while Paxton awaits a trial in the state Senate that could result in his permanent removal, the office said. The trial is scheduled to begin Sept. 5. Colmenero, a lawyer and Abbott’s deputy chief of staff, will take over the role from John Scott, a former

July 10, 2023
Texas governor names second interim attorney general ahead of Ken Paxton's impeachment trial
World

Be wary of scams as Amazon Prime Day kicks off, experts warn

Amazon Prime Day is here. And, once again, experts are warning consumers of scams. Scams targeting online shoppers — often by impersonating companies like Amazon and other major retailers — are nothing new. But phishing attempts increase amid busy spending seen during significant sales events — from Black Friday to, of course, Prime Day, according to the Better Business Bureau. “This is a huge moment on the retail calendar,” Josh Planos, vice president of communications and public relations at the Better Business Bureau, told The Associated Press. “And because of that, it represents an enormous opportunity

July 10, 2023
Be wary of scams as Amazon Prime Day kicks off, experts warn
World

Dusty Baker buys his All-Star coaches blazers after getting them suits last year

Dusty Baker and the All-Star Game are tailor made for each other. After buying suits for his All-Star coaches last year, Baker purchased sports jackets for Tuesday night’s game. “We look like a band this year because we got ’em all the same blue blazer,” the 74-year-old Houston Astros manager said Monday. “And so the only thing is, as the leader of the band, I didn’t wear mine. So I just had to let people know I was leader of the band.” Baker wore a green and black flannel zippered jacket to Monday’s news conference. He is

July 10, 2023
Dusty Baker buys his All-Star coaches blazers after getting them suits last year
World

Israeli parliament gives initial OK to measure limiting the Supreme Court's oversight powers

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s parliamentary coalition gave initial approval early Tuesday to a contentious bill to limit the Supreme Court’s oversight powers, pressing forward with a judicial overhaul plan that has polarized Israel. The legislation is one of several bills proposed by Netanyahu’s ultranationalist and ultra-Orthodox allies. The plan has provoked months of sustained protests by opponents who say it is pushing the country toward authoritarian rule. Mass protests were expected later Tuesday in response to the vote. Lawmakers held the first of three readings of a bill that would curb the high court’s ability to scrutinize

July 10, 2023
Israeli parliament gives initial OK to measure limiting the Supreme Court's oversight powers
World

A woman accused of burning a Wyoming abortion clinic has reached a plea agreement with prosecutors

A college student who authorities say admitted setting fire to a building slated to become Wyoming’s only full-service abortion clinic has reached a plea agreement with prosecutors, federal court documents showed Monday. Details of the proposed plea deal for Lorna Roxanne Green weren’t available to the public pending a judge’s approval of the agreement. Green, 22, pleaded not guilty to an arson charge in U.S. District Court in Cheyenne in June. Green faces up to 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. The plea agreement means Green could avoid going to trial, set for July

July 10, 2023
A woman accused of burning a Wyoming abortion clinic has reached a plea agreement with prosecutors
World

Northwestern fires coach Pat Fitzgerald amid hazing scandal

Northwestern has fired coach Pat Fitzgerald amid a hazing scandal that called into question his leadership of the program and damaged the university’s reputation after it mishandled its response to the allegations. Fitzgerald’s dismissal on Monday completed a rapid fall from grace for the former Northwestern linebacker. The 48-year-old Fitzgerald had been firmly entrenched at his alma mater, an annual fixture on any list of college coaches with the most job security. “The head coach is ultimately responsible for the culture of his team,” Northwestern President Michael Schill said in an open letter. “The hazing we

July 10, 2023
Northwestern fires coach Pat Fitzgerald amid hazing scandal
World

In Las Vegas, NBA Commissioner Adam Silver discusses keeping eye on gambling

NBA Commissioner Adam Silver said Monday that he believes all leagues have to continue keeping an incredibly close eye on gambling trends within their sport, mindful of issues that the NFL in particular has had to address in recent months. Silver — who has been a longtime proponent of legalized sports betting frameworks within sports — spoke in Las Vegas, part of a moderated discussion as part of the Associated Press Sports Editors convention. He said he draws the analogy to insider trading, and how leagues, he believes, are finding ways to stay ahead of major

July 11, 2023
In Las Vegas, NBA Commissioner Adam Silver discusses keeping eye on gambling
World

Pilot escapes with minor injuries when small plane crashes into hangar's roof at California airport

A pilot escaped with only minor injuries after a single-engine plane crashed nose-first into the roof of a hangar Monday at a Southern California airport, authorities said. The crash happened around 2:30 p.m. while the pilot of the Cessna 172 was “practicing landings and takeoffs” at Long Beach Airport, south of Los Angeles, the Federal Aviation Administration said in a statement. Video aired by ABC 7 showed the nose of the plane embedded in the hangar’s roof, with the tail sticking straight up. The pilot, who was the only person on board, had to be

July 11, 2023
Pilot escapes with minor injuries when small plane crashes into hangar's roof at California airport
World

Adley Rutschman adds new wrinkle to Home Run Derby as switch hitter

Adley Rutschman added a new wrinkle to the Home Run Derby, even if it didn’t result in a victory. Rutschman displayed his power from both sides of the plate as a switch hitter, swatting a combined 27 homers in his first-round matchup on Monday night. Rutschman had the crowd roaring during the initial 3-minute round, hitting 21 homers left-handed. Rutschman’s longest homer left-handed was a 445-foot shot that reached the third level of right field at T-Mobile Park. For the bonus round, Rutschman flipped around and hit right-handed. Rutschman hit six out to left field in the

July 11, 2023
Adley Rutschman adds new wrinkle to Home Run Derby as switch hitter
World

New Zealand prosecutor alleges tourists were not warned before volcano eruption in 2019 killed 22

Tourists received no health and safety warnings before they landed on New Zealand’s most active volcano ahead of a 2019 eruption that killed 22 people, a prosecutor said Tuesday. There were 47 people on White Island, the tip of an undersea volcano also known by its Indigenous Maori name Whakaari, when superheated steam erupted on Dec. 9. Most of the 25 people who survived were severely burned. The island’s owners, brothers Andrew, James and Peter Buttle, their company Whakaari Management Ltd. and tour operators I.D. Tours NZ Ltd. and Tauranga Tourism Services Ltd. went on trial Tuesday in Auckland District

July 11, 2023
New Zealand prosecutor alleges tourists were not warned before volcano eruption in 2019 killed 22
World

Threats of a strike heating up even before UAW begins negotiations with automakers

Whenever the United Auto Workers union begins negotiating a new contract with Detroit’s three automakers, threats of a strike are typically heard on the floor of the old Chrysler transmission plant in Kokomo, Indiana. This year, the talk is a little louder. Besides the usual haggling over wages, pensions and health care, the union has set its sights on a more consequential goal: It is determined to secure a foothold in the joint-venture plants that will manufacture electric vehicle batteries in the years and likely decades ahead. As the industry undergoes a historic transition from internal combustion

July 11, 2023
Threats of a strike heating up even before UAW begins negotiations with automakers
World

Julio Rodríguez hit a record 41 homers in the Home Run Derby's first round to beat Pete Alonso

Mariners star Julio Rodríguez hit a record 41 homers in the first round before his hometown fans, advancing to the semifinals of the All-Star Home Run Derby on Monday night along with Tampa Bay’s Randy Arozarena, Toronto’s Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Luis Robert of the Chicago White Sox. At 22 trying to become the youngest Derby winner, Rodríguez knocked out two-time champion Pete Alonso of the New York Mets, who hit 21. Rodríguez beat Corey Seager 32-24 in the first round last year at Dodger Stadium, then knocked out Alonso 31-23 before losing to Juan Soto 19-18

July 11, 2023
Julio Rodríguez hit a record 41 homers in the Home Run Derby's first round to beat Pete Alonso
World

Test scores show American students slipping further behind despite recovery efforts

Students across the U.S. fell further behind academically last school year despite extensive efforts to help them recover from pandemic learning setbacks, according to an analysis of test scores released Tuesday. The research by NWEA, a nonprofit group that administers standardized tests, lands as the 2024 deadline approaches quickly for schools to spend the last of the $190 billion in federal pandemic relief money. There are ways schools can take better advantage of their limited resources and time to boost learning, said Chase Nordengren, the group’s lead researcher for instructional strategies. He said schools could group students based on their

July 11, 2023
Test scores show American students slipping further behind despite recovery efforts
World

Rescuers brace for more rain as relentless storms flood Northeast, Vermont hit hard

Swift water rescue teams and local officials across Vermont braced for more precipitation and flooding Tuesday after persistent heavy rains drenched the state and other parts of the Northeast, unleashing fast-moving waters that washed out roads, trapped residents in their homes and disrupted travel. One person was killed in New York as she tried to leave her inundated house. There have been no reports of injuries or deaths related to the flooding in Vermont, according to emergency officials. But dozens of roads were closed, including many along the spine of the Green Mountains. And the National

July 11, 2023
Rescuers brace for more rain as relentless storms flood Northeast, Vermont hit hard
World

Iowa Legislature will take up 6-week abortion ban during special session Tuesday

Iowa’s Legislature convenes Tuesday in a special session focused exclusively on abortion restrictions, where Republican lawmakers will work to push through a new ban on abortion after roughly six weeks of pregnancy. The day will be a marathon of committee hearings and floor debates in both chambers, with votes likely to extend late into the night. Demonstrators for and against the bill are expected to rally at the capitol building throughout the day. Republican Gov. Kim Reynolds ordered the rare session after the state Supreme Court declined to reinstate a law she signed in 2018

July 11, 2023
Iowa Legislature will take up 6-week abortion ban during special session Tuesday
World

At least 1 killed as elevated road collapses in Bangkok

At least one person was killed after an elevated road being built in Thailand’s capital collapsed, and two others were listed as missing, with rescue crews unable to access the site Tuesday for fear of a further collapse, authorities said. Another 12 people were injured in the accident on Monday, according to the department of disaster prevention and mitigation. It was not immediately clear what caused the collapse of the road on the west side of Bangkok, but Governor Chadchart Sittipan said it had been severely damaged and remained inaccessible. The body of the one confirmed fatality

July 11, 2023
At least 1 killed as elevated road collapses in Bangkok
World

UN warns its development goals for 2030 are in trouble and 575 million people will remain very poor

In a grim report, the U.N. warned Monday that at the current rate of global progress 575 million people will still be living in extreme poverty and 84 million children won’t be going to school in 2030 – and it will take 286 years to reach equality between men and women. The report on progress in achieving 17 wide-ranging U.N. goals adopted by world leaders in 2015 to improve life for the world’s more than 7 billion people said that only 15% of some 140 specific targets that experts evaluated are on track to be reached

July 11, 2023
UN warns its development goals for 2030 are in trouble and 575 million people will remain very poor
World

With player stylists and Gucci collabs, MLB eyes a fresh look with younger fans

Major League Baseball’s quest for the crown of cool will be on display Tuesday when its top players strut down a red carpet show at Seattle’s famous Pike Place Market ahead of the All-Star Game. The fan-friendly event is as much an homage to baseball’s iconic place in street style — from the game’s signature caps and jerseys to the classic tees — as it is an indication that MLB is increasingly staking its claim on fashion as an entry to new audiences and pop culture reverence. “MLB gave me a stylist for this game,” said Corbin

July 11, 2023
With player stylists and Gucci collabs, MLB eyes a fresh look with younger fans
World

In US Southwest, residents used to scorching summers are still sweating out extreme heat wave

Even Southwestern desert residents accustomed to scorching summers are feeling the grip of an extreme heat wave smacking Arizona, Nevada, New Mexico and Southern California this week with 100-degree-plus temps and excessive heat warnings. To add insult to injury, the region has been left high and dry with no monsoon activity, which can help offset the blazing temperatures. In Arizona, the monsoon season officially begins June 15 and can bring powerful storms with high winds, lightning and heavy bursts of rain. In Phoenix, Martin Brown and his black Labrador, Sammy, escaped the heat Monday in the lobby

July 11, 2023
In US Southwest, residents used to scorching summers are still sweating out extreme heat wave
World

Israelis block highways in nationwide protests over government's plan to overhaul judiciary

Israeli protesters blocked highways leading to Jerusalem, Haifa and Tel Aviv at the start of countrywide demonstrations Tuesday against the government’s planned judicial overhaul that has divided the nation. The demonstrations came the morning after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s parliamentary coalition gave initial approval to a bill to limit the Supreme Court’s oversight powers, pressing forward with contentious proposed changes to the judiciary despite widespread opposition. The legislation is one of several bills proposed by Netanyahu’s ultranationalist and ultra-Orthodox allies. The plan has provoked months of sustained protests by opponents who say it is pushing the country

July 11, 2023
Israelis block highways in nationwide protests over government's plan to overhaul judiciary
World

Helicopter with 6 on board including foreign tourists is missing near Mount Everest in Nepal

A helicopter carrying foreign tourists went missing Tuesday in the Mount Everest area of Nepal and contact was lost with the aircraft. The helicopter was returning to the capital Kathmandu on Tuesday morning after bringing the five tourists on a sightseeing trip to the world’s highest peak. A search effort was underway involving another helicopter in the skies and police and soldiers on the ground. Much of the mountainous area is only accessible on foot with no roads. Airport official Sagar Kadel said weather conditions had caused changes to be made to the helicopter’s planned flight

July 11, 2023
Helicopter with 6 on board including foreign tourists is missing near Mount Everest in Nepal

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