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This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate 3 PHOENIX (AP) — Abortion is the top issue in the Arizona attorney general election pitting Republican Abraham Hamadeh against Democrat Kris Mayes. Hamadeh, a former Maricopa County prosecutor and intelligence officer in the U.S. Army Reserve, promises to uphold Arizona's longstanding ban on abortion if elected in November. He is endorsed by former President Donald Trump for the Nov. 8 contest. Mayes, an attorney and university professor who served for seven years on the Arizona Corporation Commission, says she supports abortion rights and doesn’t consider either the older ban or a more recent law to be constitutional. “My opponent apparently is OK with forcing the victims of rape and incest to carry to term,” Mayes said last week during the only televised debate the pair will have during their contest. Hamadeh said the attorney general can’t unilaterally decide which laws to … [Read more...] about Abortion rights a key issue in Arizona attorney general race

This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate 3 NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — The snail darter, a tiny Southeastern fish at the center of an epic battle over Endangered Species Act protection in the 1970s, is no longer considered imperiled, officials announced Tuesday. The fish held up construction of the Tellico Dam in Tennessee for more than two years as biologists and others fought to protect its only known habitat, the free-flowing Little Tennessee River. The battle, which went all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court and beyond, is still sometimes cited as an example of environmental excess, although the reality is much more complicated. The dam eventually was built, with snail darters collected and transplanted into other rivers. They were also later discovered in several additional streams. Snail darters went from being considered an endangered species to a threatened species in 1984. Three years ago, the Center for Biological … [Read more...] about Snail darter, focus of epic conservation fight, is recovered

This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate 12 NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Loretta Lynn, the Kentucky coal miner’s daughter whose frank songs about life and love as a woman in Appalachia pulled her out of poverty and made her a pillar of country music, has died. She was 90. In a statement provided to The Associated Press, Lynn's family said she died Tuesday at her home in Hurricane Mills, Tennessee. “Our precious mom, Loretta Lynn, passed away peacefully this morning, October 4th, in her sleep at home in her beloved ranch in Hurricane Mills,” the family said in a statement. They asked for privacy as they grieve and said a memorial will be announced later. Lynn already had four children before launching her career in the early 1960s, and her songs reflected her pride in her rural Kentucky background. As a songwriter, she crafted a persona of a defiantly tough woman, a … [Read more...] about Loretta Lynn, coal miner’s daughter and country queen, dies

This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate 5 OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — J.D. Runnels and his son, James, share a love for football. Runnels played for the University of Oklahoma and in the National Football League, and he coached in the United States Football League this past season. His son plays center for Southridge Middle School's eighth-grade team in Moore, an Oklahoma City suburb. James nearly was held out of playing this season because his parents objected to the “biological sex affidavit” Oklahoma public school athletes, from kindergarten to college, are now required to submit to participate. The form — part of a law its author says is aimed at ensuring girls' and women's teams allow only cisgender females — asks what sex a student was at birth. J.D. said James' mother considered it government overreach and “none of their business." They considered not turning in the form for their son, who is cisgender. … [Read more...] about Oklahoma sports ‘biological sex affidavit’ raises questions

This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate 6 HOUSTON (AP) — The Houston Texans have had chances to win every game they've played, but they've yet to put together a complete performance. It adds up to them being the NFL's only winless team. Houston (0-3-1) started fast in each of its first three games but couldn't finish. Then, on Sunday against the Los Angeles Chargers, the Texans trailed by 20 at halftime before scoring 17 straight points to get within a field goal in the fourth quarter. The defense couldn’t get a stop after that with the Chargers adding a touchdown to seal the 34-24 victory. “I like the way the team fought back, gave ourselves a chance to win at the end, but we didn’t finish,” coach Lovie Smith said. “You need to finish the game, and we didn’t finish the game the way we need to.” The Texans allowed the Chargers to pile up 419 yards Sunday. They've given up big plays week after the … [Read more...] about Plagued by poor finishes, Texans are NFL’s only winless team

This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate 6 AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — Tiffany Jackson, a former standout at the University of Texas who was the No. 5 pick in the WNBA draft in 2007 and played nine years in the league, has died of cancer, the school announced. She was 37. Jackson, who was first diagnosed with breast cancer in 2015, died Monday. She was hired as head coach at Wiley College in April. Jackson was a three-time All-Big 12 selection and was voted the national freshman of the year by the U.S Basketball Writers Association in 2004. She finished her Texas career ranked in the top five in career points, rebounds and steals. She is the only Longhorns player to reach 1,000 points, 1,000 rebounds, 300 steals and 150 blocks in a career. “Tiffany had a great career and was an impact player,” former Texas coach Jody Conradt said. "She was recognized for her all-around game and the fact that she was … [Read more...] about Former Texas standout and WNBA player Jackson dies at 37

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Stars and fans react to the death of Loretta Lynn, who died Tuesday at her home at 90. —- “Mama and Loretta Lynn were four years apart, Mama being the oldest. They always reminded me a lot of each other. Strong women, who loved their children and were fiercely loyal. Now they’re both in Heaven getting to visit and talk about how they were raised, how different country music is now from what it was when they were young. Sure makes me feel good that Mama went first so she could welcome Loretta into the hollers of heaven!” — Reba McEntire on Instagram. “We've been like sisters all these years we've been in Nashville and she was a wonderful human being, wonderful talent, had millions of fans and I'm one of them. I miss her dearly as we all will.” — Dolly Parton wrote on Twitter. “Today is a sad day. The world lost a magnificent human being. Loretta Lynn was a great artist, a strong and resilient country music pioneer and a precious friend. I am … [Read more...] about Musicians, fans react to death of country star Loretta Lynn

This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate 5 PARIS (AP) — Paris will not broadcast World Cup matches on giant screens in public fan zones amid concerns over rights violations of migrant workers and the environmental impact of the tournament in Qatar. It follows similar moves by other French cities, despite France going in as the defending champion. Some other European teams or federations are also looking at ways to protest. Pierre Rabadan, deputy mayor of Paris in charge of sports, told reporters in the French capital that the decision against public broadcasting of matches is due to “the conditions of the organization of this World Cup, both on the environmental and social level.” He said in an interview with France Blue Paris that “air-conditioned stadiums” and the “conditions in which these facilities have been built are to be questioned.” Rabadan stressed that Paris is not boycotting the soccer … [Read more...] about Paris joins big screen boycott of World Cup games from Qatar

This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate 5 GENEVA (AP) — The U.N. refugee agency said Tuesday it's giving its highest award to former German Chancellor Angela Merkel for her efforts to welcome more than 1 million refugees — mostly from Syria — into Germany, despite some criticism both at home and abroad. Matthew Saltmarsh, spokesman for the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees, said Merkel had been selected as the latest recipient for the Nansen award, which is handed out annually by the Geneva-based U.N. agency. “Under the then-Federal Chancellor Merkel’s leadership, Germany welcomed more than 1.2 million refugees and asylum-seekers in 2015 and 2016, which, as you will remember, was the height of the conflict in Syria, and there was deadly violence in other parts of the world,” Saltmarsh told reporters. “Dr. Merkel helped to highlight the plight of refugees globally.” Merkel's decision to let in so many … [Read more...] about Merkel wins UN refugee agency award over welcome of Syrians