Farewell, Fontana: NASCAR’s last weekend at a racing gem
FONTANA, Calif. — Most of NASCAR’s Cup Series drivers feel like they’re saying their final goodbye to a dear old friend this weekend.
Kirk battles, takes 2-shot lead into final round at Honda
PALM BEACH GARDENS, Fla. — Chris Kirk’s last win on the PGA Tour was nearly eight years ago. He’s put himself in a position to change that at the Honda Classic.
Young snowboarder from China loves jokes, fries and big air
COPPER MOUNTAIN, Colo. — The 11-year-old snowboarder from China has jokes. Lots of them. She even wants to write a joke book one day.
US has a teacher shortage. HBCUs are helping to change that
BOWIE, Md. — Surrounded by kindergarteners, Lana Scott held up a card with upper and lower case Ys, dotted with pictures of words that started with that letter: Yo-yo. Yak. Yacht.
US Navy applies lessons from costly shipbuilding mistakes
BATH, Maine — The U.S. Navy appears to have learned from its costly lessons after cramming too much new technology onto warships and speeding them into production as it embarks on building new destroyers, which are the backbone of the fleet.
Feds seek to limit telehealth prescriptions for some drugs
WASHINGTON — The Biden administration moved Friday to require patients see a doctor in person before getting attention deficit disorder medication or addictive painkillers, toughening access to the drugs against the backdrop of a deepening opioid crisis.
Blinken heads to Asia, with China, Russia tensions soaring
WASHINGTON — Fresh from a meeting with China’s top diplomat and a U.N. Security Council session on Ukraine, Secretary of State Antony Blinken will travel to Central and South Asia next week for international talks that will put him in the same room as his Chinese and Russian counterparts.
FDA’s tobacco unit pledges reset after criticism
WASHINGTON — Food and Drug Administration officials on Friday pledged a reset in the agency’s tobacco program, responding to criticisms that a lack of direction has hampered efforts to regulate cigarettes, vaping devices and related products.
As Ukraine marks year of war, leader vows to secure victory
KYIV, Ukraine — Ukraine’s leader pledged Friday to push for victory in 2023 as he and other Ukrainians marked the somber anniversary of the Russian invasion that upended their lives and Europe’s security.
Biden ready to run, US first lady says
NAIROBI, Kenya — U.S. first lady Jill Biden gave one of the clearest indications yet that President Joe Biden will run for a second term, telling The Associated Press in an exclusive interview on Friday that there’s “pretty much” nothing left to do but figure out the time and place for the announcement.
Key US inflation measure surges at fastest rate since June
WASHINGTON — The Federal Reserve’s preferred inflation gauge rose last month at its fastest pace since June, an alarming sign that price pressures remain entrenched in the U.S. economy and could lead the Fed to keep raising interest rates well into this year.
For poor schools, building repairs zap COVID relief money
JACKSON, Miss. — The air-conditioning gave out as students returned from summer break last year to Jim Hill High School in Jackson, Mississippi, forcing them to learn in sweltering heat. By Thanksgiving, students were huddling under blankets because the heat wasn’t working.
Flotsam found off New York may be from famous SS Savannah
NEW YORK — A chunk of weather-beaten flotsam that washed up on a New York shoreline after Tropical Storm Ian last fall has piqued the interest of experts who say it is likely part of the SS Savannah, which ran aground and broke apart in 1821, two years after it became the first vessel to cross the Atlantic Ocean partly under steam power.
MLB catchers wary of looming robo umps amid rules changes
Seattle Mariners manager Scott Servais spent parts of 11 seasons and nearly 800 games behind home plate as a catcher with four franchises, mostly in the 1990s.
Suh leads, Kirk fires a 62 in 2nd round of Honda Classic
PALM BEACH GARDENS, Fla. — There have been about 7,200 rounds played at the Honda Classic since it moved to PGA National 17 years ago.
In NIL-era first, NCAA gives Miami probation for violation
CORAL GABLES, Fla. — Miami was placed on probation for one year on Friday after the school and the NCAA said women’s basketball coaches inadvertently helped arrange impermissible contact between a booster and two players who signed with the Hurricanes.
LIV Golf, PGA Tour spar over testimony from Saudi officials
A federal judge declined Friday to postpone the trial date in LIV Golf’s antitrust lawsuit against the PGA Tour, even while conceding that might be inevitable if LIV owner Saudi Arabia appeals a ruling that officials with its sovereign wealth fund be required to testify.
World Baseball Classic in Japan to still feature masks
TOKYO — Fans of the upcoming World Baseball Classic are going to see two versions, depending whether the games are in the United States or Taiwan, or in Japan.
US savors World Cup berth; Carmelo Anthony named ambassador
USA Basketball put together different rosters for all six World Cup qualifying windows, and coach Jim Boylen noticed the same two things with each of those groups.
Dr. Seuss’ ‘How the Grinch stole Christmas!’ gets a sequel
BOSTON — Dr. Seuss fans might find their hearts growing three sizes this coming holiday season with the release of a sequel to the 1957 classic children’s book “How the Grinch Stole Christmas!”
