By JAKE COYLE, AP Film Writer NEW YORK (AP) — Greta Gerwig’s “Lady Bird” has been named best picture by the New York Film Critics Circle, which also awarded Gerwig best director and its star, Saoirse Ronan, best actress. The film critics’ group announced its awards Thursday on Twitter, throwing its fullest support behind Gerwig’s coming-of-age … Continue reading
By CALEB JONES and JENNIFER SINCO KELLEHER, Associated Press HONOLULU (AP) — Just days after North Korea tested its most powerful missile yet, Hawaii is dusting off a relic not heard on the islands since the end of the Cold War. The monthly test of Hawaii’s siren warning system for tsunamis and other natural disasters will … Continue reading
By KRISTIN M. HALL, Associated Press NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — A federal judge has denied a request by country singer Randy Travis to stop the state of Texas from releasing footage of him naked and ranting during a 2012 DUI arrest. The ruling on a request for a preliminary injunction issued Thursday paves the way for … Continue reading
By BARRY WILNER, AP Sports Writer Karen Chen’s autobiography just hit the book shelves. Imagine what she can write about if she wins an Olympic medal in February. The defending U.S. women’s figure skating champion authored the book “Finding the Edge” with the help of Natalie England over the past few months. Chen calls it a … Continue reading
By WILL WEISSERT, Associated Press AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — Republican U.S. Rep. Joe Barton, Texas’ most-senior member of Congress, announced Thursday that he won’t seek re-election after a naked photo of him circulated online and a conservative activist released past messages of a sexual nature from him. The photo of the 68-year-old Barton was posted on … Continue reading
ALEXANDRIA, Va. (AP) — Federal prosecutors are recommending that a former Louisiana congressman serve no more jail time now that many of the convictions against him have been overturned. William Jefferson, a Democrat who represented parts of New Orleans, has served more than five years in a federal prison after being convicted on bribery charges. … Continue reading
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Latest on Republican tax overhaul legislation (all times local): 11:05 a.m. House Speaker Paul Ryan says the GOP drubbing in Tuesday night’s off-year elections “just puts more pressure on making sure we follow through” on the party’s drive to overhaul the tax code. The Wisconsin Republican, speaking at an event held … Continue reading
By IRAM ASIM, Associated Press BASTI LASHARI, Pakistan (AP) — Aasia Bibi had warned her parents time and again that if they forced her to marry her cousin, a man she disliked, she would be capable of going to any length to exit the union. She was already in a relationship, she said, and should be … Continue reading
By KYLE POTTER, Associated Press ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) — Minneapolis has elected a black transgender woman to its city council, another national first in what advocacy groups have described as a banner night for transgender people in public office. Andrea Jenkins easily won the race Tuesday for an open seat in south Minneapolis, with roughly … Continue reading
By MARCY GORDON and ERICA WERNER, Associated Press WASHINGTON (AP) — A House committee waded through a fresh pile of amendments Wednesday as Republicans pressed their drive to overhaul the nation’s tax system, a day after GOP lawmakers blocked Democrats’ efforts to get bigger tax benefits for the cost of raising or adopting children. As the … Continue reading
By ANTHONY McCARTNEY, AP Entertainment Writer BEVERLY HILLS, Calif. (AP) — For every era of film in the last half-century, there’s a memorable Donald Sutherland role. Whether it’s his breakthrough performance in “The Dirty Dozen,” his portrayal of demented arsonist in “Backdraft” or playing a ruthless president in “The Hunger Games” films, Sutherland’s career spans roughly … Continue reading
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Struggling social-media darlings Twitter and Snapchat are taking on new looks as the services seek wider audiences in the shadow of Facebook. Twitter is rolling out a 280-character limit for nearly all its users, abandoning its iconic 140-character limit for tweets. And Snapchat, long popular with young people, will undergo a … Continue reading
By ALAN SUDERMAN, Associated Press RICHMOND, Va. (AP) — Ed Gillespie has been in plenty of tight spots during his three decades in and around politics. A Washington insider well accustomed to the public eye, he’s helped sell a military surge in Iraq to a war-weary public, stood up for a doomed U.S. Supreme Court nominee … Continue reading
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump is again criticizing the NFL over players kneeling during the national anthem. Trump said on Twitter Wednesday that the “NFL has decided that it will not force players to stand for the playing of our National Anthem.” He adds: “Total disrespect for our great country!” Trump appeared to be … Continue reading
By TOM WITHERS, AP Sports Writer CLEVELAND (AP) — Gordon Hayward’s face was etched in pain and shock. Of all the juicy subplots for this hyped homecoming and a season opener between heated rivals, a serious injury to Hayward wasn’t on the list. Boston’s season changed in a gruesome instant Tuesday night. Hayward, one of the … Continue reading
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