ROCHESTER, N.Y. (AP) — The National Toy Hall of Fame is floating the idea of inducting balloons. They are among the 12 finalists being considered for the honor later this year, alongside other first-time contenders including the trampoline and the party game Apples to Apples. Also nominated are the “Choose Your Own Adventure” gamebooks, Hess
Continue ReadingAP White House Correspondent WASHINGTON (AP) — Representatives for former President Donald Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris’ transition teams met for the first time at the White House, the Biden administration announced Wednesday, as the outgoing administration plans to smooth the handoff to whomever wins in November. Chief of Staff Jeffrey Zients hosted a
Continue ReadingAP Music Writer NEW YORK (AP) — Lin-Manuel Miranda argues most New Yorkers have an answer to the following question: When did you first see “The Warriors”? The 1979 cult classic about gangs in New York is the inspiration for a new musical concept album from Miranda and actor and playwriter Eisa Davis. The project
Continue ReadingDonna Kelce is the latest family member to make her mark on the world of entertainment, cameoing in two upcoming Hallmark Christmas movies that, naturally, are football-themed. True to form, she won’t be playing favorites between her sons, Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce and recently retired Philadelphia Eagles center Jason Kelce. “Holiday Touchdown:
Continue ReadingPESHAWAR, Pakistan (AP) — Officials say that Pakistan has complained to Kabul after an Afghan diplomat failed to stand up when the Pakistani national anthem was played during an event in the country’s northwest. They said on Wednesday that Mohibullah Shakir, the Afghan consul general in the northwestern city of Peshawar, remained seated when the
Continue ReadingWASHINGTON (AP) — Americans can now renew their passports online, bypassing a cumbersome mail-in paper application process that often caused delays. The State Department announced Wednesday that its online renewal system is now fully operational, after testing in pilot programs, and available to adult passport holders whose passport has expired within the past five years
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The Palm Springs Unified School District is celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month by honoring the cultures and contributions of Hispanic and Latino communities. To commemorate this occasion, the district is organizing assemblies that will showcase the colorful fashion, music, and art of these cultures. On Wednesday, Vista Del Monte Elementary School hosted assemblies for students in
Continue ReadingAP Basketball Writer The WNBA is headed back to Portland, with Oregon’s biggest city getting an expansion team that will begin play in 2026. The team will be owned and operated by Raj Sports, led by Lisa Bhathal Merage and Alex Bhathal. They paid $125 million for the franchise. The Bhathals started having conversations with
Continue ReadingAP Music Writer NEW YORK (AP) — Sean “Diddy” Combs is widely recognized as one of the most influential figures in hip-hop, but his indictment Tuesday on sex trafficking and racketeering charges further clouds his legacy. For some, it may change their relationship to his music. The indictment, detailing allegations dating back to 2008, accuses
Continue ReadingAP Music Writer NEW YORK (AP) — Sean “Diddy” Combs is widely recognized as one of the most influential figures in hip-hop, but his indictment Tuesday on sex trafficking and racketeering charges further clouds his legacy. For some, it may change their relationship to his music. The indictment, detailing allegations dating back to 2008, accuses
Continue ReadingLOS ANGELES (AP) — John David “JD” Souther, a prolific songwriter and musician who helped shape the country-rock sound that took root in Southern California in the 1970s with his collaborations with the Eagles and Linda Ronstadt, has died at the age of 78. Souther, who collaborated on some of the Eagles’ biggest hits, such
Continue ReadingLOS ANGELES (AP) — John David “JD” Souther, a prolific songwriter and musician who helped shape the country-rock sound that took root in Southern California in the 1970s with his collaborations with the Eagles and Linda Ronstadt, has died at the age of 78. Souther, who collaborated on some of the Eagles’ biggest hits, such
Continue ReadingWARSAW, Poland (AP) — Soldiers and residents in southwestern Poland are laying sandbags near swollen rivers around the city of Wroclaw to protect homes and businesses after days of flooding across Central Europe. Poland joins Austria, the Czech Republic and Romania in being hard hit by floods following record rains in the region starting last
Continue ReadingAssociated Press MULTAN, Pakistan (AP) — Pakistani police say they have arrested the key suspect in the gang rape of a woman polio worker who was assaulted by three men during last week’s vaccination campaign. Two other suspects in the case are still at large. A local police official said on Wednesday that the suspect,
Continue ReadingLONDON (AP) — Qualcomm lost its bid to get a European Union antitrust penalty thrown out after a top court largely rebuffed the technology company’s arguments in the case involving cellphone chipsets. The European Union’s General Court said Wednesday it was rejecting most of Qualcomm’s appeal against the 242 million euro ($269 million) fine that
Continue ReadingAssociated Press LONDON (AP) — An artwork featuring the plaster face casts of hundreds of transgender people is on display in London’s Trafalgar Square. Mexican artist Teresa Margolles’ “Mil Veces un Instante (A Thousand Times in an Instant)” is a 3.3 metric ton cube covered in face masks of 726 trans, nonbinary and gender nonconforming
Continue ReadingAssociated Press BRUSSELS (AP) — The European Union has begun the process of clawing back hundreds of millions of euros in funds meant to go Hungary. It’s taking the action because the ant-migrant government in Budapest refuses to pay a huge fine for breaking the bloc’s asylum rules. In June, the EU’s top court ordered
Continue ReadingAP Sports Writer French soccer star Wissam Ben Yedder will stay free ahead of his trial on charges of sexual assault while intoxicated, one of his lawyers told The Associated Press. Marie Roumiantseva said Wednesday that Ben Yedder will remain under strict judicial supervision after a woman filed a lawsuit for sexual assault earlier this
Continue ReadingEdmunds Vehicle recalls are an important part of automotive safety. But they can also be quite a hassle for owners. Taking your vehicle to the dealership for an unexpected repair or fix is just one more thing you have to plan for. Happily, things are changing. With many of the newest vehicles, some recalls can
Continue ReadingAssociated Press TOKYO (AP) — A Chinese aircraft carrier entered an area near Japan’s shores for the first time on Wednesday, leading Tokyo to convey its “serious concerns” to Beijing over China’s increasingly assertive military actions around Japan, officials said. The Chinese carrier Liaoning, accompanied by two destroyers, sailed between Japan’s westernmost island of Yonaguni
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