AP California News

AP National Writer PARIS (AP) — Longtime men’s gymnastics rivals China and Japan appear headed for another tight finish at the Olympics. The sport’s two superpowers surged to the top of qualifying at Bercy Arena on Saturday. China, seeking its fourth Olympic team title, posted a team total of 263.028. Japan, a seven-time Olympic champion,

Associated Press BENI MELLAL, Morocco (AP) — In the unrelenting heat of Morocco’s Middle Atlas, people were sleeping on rooftops. Hanna Ouhbour needed refuge too, but she was outside a hospital waiting for her diabetic cousin who was in a room without air conditioning. On Wednesday, there were 21 heat-related deaths at Beni Mellal’s main

AP Sports Writer PARIS (AP) — Before Tokyo three years ago, the U.S. Olympic swim coaches pondered how to best support their athletes and help fire them up before a race, given there were no family or friends or fans in the stands. They turned to clanging cowbells. While spectators return to the pool in

Associated Press SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Tyler Fitzgerald continued his power surge with two home runs, Kyle Harrison tied a career high with 11 strikeouts, and the San Francisco Giants beat the Colorado Rockies 11-4 on Friday night. Fitzgerald, with a pair of two-run homers, became the first Giants player to hit seven home runs

Associated Press FOREST RANCH, Calif. (AP) — Thousands of firefighters battling a wildfire in Northern California received some help from the weather Saturday hours after it exploded in size, scorching an area greater than the size of Los Angeles. The blaze was one of several tearing through the western United States and Canada, fueled by

AP Sports Writer ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) — Brent Rooker hit his 10th home run in July, Seth Brown had three hits and drove in three runs, and the Oakland Athletics secured their first winning month in two years, beating the Los Angeles Angels 5-4 Friday night. Oakland is 13-7 in July, snapping a string of

Associated Press SAN DIEGO (AP) — Marvel Studios returned to San Diego Comic-Con with dancing Deadpool variants and a choir for a panel that included news about the next two “Avengers” films and surprise guests, including Harrison Ford and Robert Downey Jr. Downey is returning to Marvel’s films, but not as Iron Man. He’ll play

Associated Press COACHELLA, Calif. (AP) — Claudia Lua Alvarado has staked her future on the rows of towering date palms behind the home where she lives with her husband and two children in a desert community east of Los Angeles. It’s not solely due to the fleshy, sweet fruit they give each year. Their ample

Associated Press PHOENIX (AP) — Ismael “El Mayo” Zambada, the top leader and co-founder of Mexico’s Sinaloa cartel, eluded the reach of U.S. law enforcement for decades as the criminal organization evolved into the world’s biggest manufacturer and smuggler of illicit fentanyl pills and other drugs to the United States. Zambada, 76, once ran the

HOUSTON (AP) — Framber Valdez struck out 10 in 6 1/3 innings, Alex Bregman and Jon Singleton hit home runs and the Houston Astros beat the Los Angeles Dodgers 5-0 on Friday night. Bregman hit a solo home run to left in the third inning and Singleton hit a 403-foot two-run homer into the second

AP Baseball Writer BALTIMORE (AP) — Jurickson Profar hit a pair of two-run homers, the second of which broke a ninth-inning tie, to send the San Diego Padres to their sixth straight victory, 6-4 over the Baltimore Orioles on Friday night. Profar’s two-out drive in the ninth was the latest stumble by Orioles closer Craig

Associated Press LOS ANGELES (AP) — Three years ago, Joel Hernandez built a small wooden shack under the 405 freeway cutting through Los Angeles. He had the help of a friend who lives in his own shack, just a few steps down the stairs he painstakingly dug out of the dirt hillside and reinforced with

HOUSTON (AP) — All-Star first baseman Freddie Freeman was scratched from the Dodgers starting lineup for Friday night’s game at Houston and will return to Los Angeles to be with his family, according to manager Dave Roberts. Roberts did not detail the reason said there was no timetable for when Freeman will rejoin the team.

AP Sports Writer ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) — Mike Trout has received good medical news for a change. The Los Angeles Angels star said an MRI on his left knee came back clean and he is hoping to resume his rehab soon. “It is a huge relief for me. I just want make sure it feels

AP Sports Writer COSTA MESA, Calif. (AP) — The Raiders do run seven-on-seven drills in training camp, but coach Antonio Pierce has made it known he prefers all 11 on each side going against each other. And when the Raiders have put their front four on the practice field this week with the rest of

AP Pro Football Writer SANTA CLARA, Calif. (AP) — The San Francisco 49ers haven’t made substantial investments in the offensive line, believing coach Kyle Shanahan’s scheme and a deep group of playmakers can make up for any deficiencies. That theory is being put to the test early in training camp when the one linemen that

AP College Sports Writer Thousands of former college athletes will be eligible for payments ranging from a few dollars to more than a million under the $2.78 billion antitrust settlement agreed to by the NCAA and five power conferences, a deal that also paves the way for schools to directly compensate athletes while attempting regulate

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Thousands of ex-college athletes eligible for damages ranging from pennies to more than $1 million under NCAA settlement.

AP Sports Writer IRVINE, Calif. (AP) — New Orleans Saints reserve quarterback Jake Haener is balancing a recent skin cancer diagnosis with his effort to secure a job backing up starter Derek Carr. Haener shared his diagnosis when he was asked about a small circular adhesive bandage on his right cheek. The 25-year-old, second-year pro

NEW YORK (AP) — St. Louis right-hander Kener Perez, San Diego left-hander Ibrahym Jimenez and free agent left-hander Yonathan Frias were suspended for 56 games each Friday following positive tests for performance-enhancing drugs. Perez tested positive for Stanozolol, Jimenez for Nandrolone and Frias for Boldenone, the commissioner’s office said Friday, All three were penalized under