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Sanaz Toossi, Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright, makes the leap to star in her own play, ‘English’

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:16:09 GMT

NEW YORK (AP) — Theatergoers seeing the Pulitzer Prize-winning play “English” at the Barrington Stage Company will have a treat this fall. They’ll get to see the playwright up on stage.Sanaz Toossi steps into the role she wrote as one of four Iranian students preparing for an English language exam over several weeks in a storefront school near Tehran. “I’ll be the first to say I make fun of actors all the time. So then playing this role has been humbling in the best way,” she says, laughing, between rehearsals. The production in Pittsfield, Massachusetts, runs from Sept. 27–Oct. 15.“English” explores the ways in which language shapes identity, can help people feel understood or misunderstood and the push and pull of culture. It’s funny, tender and sharp, all at the same time.“I’ve honestly just had to forget that I wrote the play,” says Toossi. “I just can’t use my playwright brain right now. I think it would be impossible to do this play. I can’t be the writer in the ro...

Jaguars WR Zay Jones is a long shot to face the Falcons in London. LB Devin Lloyd is out

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:16:09 GMT

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (AP) — Jacksonville Jaguars receiver Zay Jones is a long shot to play against Atlanta at Wembley Stadium in London on Sunday, the team said Wednesday.Coach Doug Pederson said Jones, who sprained his right knee two weeks ago against Kansas City and was inactive for last week’s game against Houston, will make the trip across the pond. Jones has five receptions for 55 yards and a touchdown this season.“We’re going to see how he works this week,” Pederson said. “Probably a long shot for the game, but we will see where he’s what. He’s progressing very nice.”The Jaguars (1-2) are playing back-to-back games in London, with the second one coming against Buffalo at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Oct. 8. With Jones traveling, he could miss the first one and play in the second one.Jamal Agnew and Tim Jones are expected to fill in for Zay Jones, assuming he’s sidelined against the Falcons (2-1).The Jaguars will be without starting linebacker Devin Lloyd for bo...

Authorities make arrests in the case of Kentucky woman reported missing 8 years ago

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:16:09 GMT

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) — The former boyfriend of a central Kentucky woman who disappeared more than eight years ago has been arrested on charges stemming from the investigation, the FBI and Kentucky State Police said Wednesday in a statement.Brooks Houck was arrested without incident on charges stemming from the Crystal Rogers investigation, the statement said. The indictment remains sealed and additional details will be revealed during Houck’s arraignment in early October in the Nelson County Circuit Court, according to the statement.Houck has been charged with murder and tampering with physical evidence, the Courier Journal reported, citing court documents. His bond was set at $10 million cash.Houck, who was Rogers’ boyfriend at the time she disappeared and was the father of one of her children, told officers that he had last seen her alive when they visited his family’s farm the night before she disappeared. Rogers was reported missing in Nelson County in early July 2015. Her car w...

Democratic US Sen. Menendez of New Jersey pleads not guilty to charges alleging he traded political influence for bribes

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:16:09 GMT

NEW YORK (AP) — Democratic US Sen. Menendez of New Jersey pleads not guilty to charges alleging he traded political influence for bribes.Source

Bipartisan Ohio commission unanimously approves new maps that favor Republican state legislators

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:16:09 GMT

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — Ohio’s political map-making commission unanimously approved new Statehouse maps Tuesday night, moving a step closer to resolving a long-running redistricting battle.The state’s lengthy saga over the new political boundaries required to be drawn after every U.S. Census has been riddled with lawsuits and repeated court rulings finding previous maps were unconstitutionally gerrymandered to favor the state’s leading Republicans.The new state House and Senate maps are poised to last into the 2030 election cycle, pending legal hurdles, and, like their predecessors, give the GOP an advantage statewide.Under the plan, Republicans would have an advantage in roughly 62% of the House seats and 70% of the Senate seats. By contrast, the state’s partisan breakdown, averaged over the period from 2012 to 2020, was about 54% Republican and 46% Democratic. Republicans currently hold a supermajority in each of the state legislative chambers.State Sen. Rob McColl...

Stock market today: Wall Street holds steadier as its September swoon eases a bit

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:16:09 GMT

NEW YORK (AP) — Wall Street is holding a bit steadier, and stocks are waffling Wednesday after falling sharply through most of September so far. The S&P 500 was virtually unchanged after drifting between small gains and losses through the morning. It’s coming off a 1.5% tumble from the day before that dragged it to its lowest level since June. The Dow Jones Industrial Average was down 55 points, or 0.2%, at 33,563, as of 11:11 a.m. Eastern time, and the Nasdaq composite was 0.1% higher.Pressure on stocks continued from the bond market, but it wasn’t increasing by much. The yield on the 10-year Treasury had dropped as low as 4.49% before pulling back to 4.55%, which is where it was late Tuesday. It’s been generally charging higher as traders accept a new normal where interest rates will stay high for longer. High yields mean bonds are paying more in interest, which makes investors less willing to pay high prices for stocks and other riskier investments.After more than...

Former Loudoun Co. schools superintendent’s jury trial continues after first witness testifies

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:16:09 GMT

Did former Loudoun County Public Schools Superintendent Scott Ziegler retaliate against a public schoolteacher for speaking to a special grand jury about a sexual assault investigation, and did he unlawfully discharge her from her position?That’s the question a jury in Loudoun County, Virginia, has to consider as day two of oral arguments get underway Wednesday.Ziegler faces three misdemeanor indictments for allegedly retaliating against Erin Brooks, a LCPS teacher who testified to the attorney general’s special grand jury, who was investigating sexual assault allegations. Ziegler is also accused of firing Brooks unlawfully.The charges against Ziegler stem from the school system’s handling of two sexual assaults by the same student at two different schools in 2021, which led to the school board firing him in December 2022.Testimony in the trial began Tuesday when Brooks appeared as the first witness. 7News reporter Nick Minock told WTOP that Brooks outlined the tim...

Correction: Ancient Humans-Genetics story

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:16:09 GMT

In a story published September 25, 2023, about ancient human DNA, The Associated Press erroneously reported the estimated number of Neanderthals that ever lived. Most scientists believe it was far more than 100,000, not 100,000.Source

Poland says it wants to pursue hosting 2036 Olympics

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:16:09 GMT

WARSAW, Poland (AP) — Poland will tell the International Olympic Committee it wants to host the 2036 Summer Games, state president Andrzej Duda said Wednesday.Duda announced the government-backed project less than three weeks before parliamentary elections on Oct. 15.It follows Poland hosting the multi-sport 2023 European Games earlier this year with 7,000 athletes centered on Kraków.Duda said Polish Olympic officials will soon present a letter of intent to IOC President Thomas Bach. The European Olympic Committees group meets Oct. 6-7 in Istanbul.The European Olympic body said Wednesday it welcomed Poland’s interest to build on its European Games project.“From everything the EOC saw there (at European Games), Poland is well qualified to host the Olympic Games too,” its executive committee member Hasan Arat said in a statement.The IOC has set no timetable for picking a host for the 2036 Olympics and seems unlikely to make much progress in the next two years.Bach’s 12-year presidenti...

Wander Franco investigations continue as Rays prepare for the playoffs without their star shortstop

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:16:09 GMT

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) — Wander Franco remains away from the Tampa Bay Rays as they prepare for the postseason, leaving the team without one of its most dynamic young players amid investigations into an alleged relationship between Franco and a minor.The 22-year-old has been sidelined since mid-August, when he agreed to a one-week stay on the restricted list and later was shifted to administrative leave while Major League Baseball and authorities in Franco’s native Dominican Republic investigate.Here’s what you need to know about Franco’s status for postseason play and beyond:WHAT IS FRANCO ACCUSED OF?The one-time No. 1 prospect in baseball was placed on administrative leave indefinitely by MLB while authorities in the Dominican Republic investigate Franco for an alleged relationship with a minor.The investigations follow reported social media posts suggesting Franco was in a relationship with a minor. The Associated Press has not been able to verify the reported posts. Ángel Dar...