LOS ANGELES (AP) — City crews on Friday took an initial step toward securing an unfinished complex of downtown Los Angeles high-rise towers that have been vandalized with graffiti and used for dangerous social media stunts after the developer ran out of money. Workers began removing scaffolding protecting a temporary walkway that officials say said has helped trespassers enter the …

Washington Capitals (23-21-8, seventh in the Metropolitan Division) vs. Montreal Canadiens (22-24-8, sixth in the Atlantic Division) Montreal, Quebec; Saturday, 7 p.m. EST BOTTOM LINE: The Montreal Canadiens host the Washington Capitals after Cole Caufield scored two goals in the Canadiens’ 7-4 loss to the New York Rangers. Montreal is 11-14-3 in home games and 22-24-8 overall. The Canadiens have …

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — A television station in Portland, Oregon, apologized Friday for inadvertently showing a racist image during a program aimed at highlighting positive stories. KGW-TV displayed the image Thursday evening during “The Good Stuff,” which includes a “Throwback Thursday” segment sharing “cheesy, silly, or memorable” photos submitted by viewers. “The image, seemingly from the 1950s, depicted children throwing …

Lower-income families with school-age kids can get help from the federal government paying for groceries this summer, unless they live in one of the 14 states that have said no to joining the program this year. The reasons for the rejections, all from states with Republican governors, include philosophical objections to welfare programs, technical challenges due to aging computer systems …

The AP Top 25 men’s college basketball poll is back every week throughout the season! Get the poll delivered straight to your inbox with AP Top 25 Poll Alerts. Sign up here. Marshall Thundering Herd (12-13, 7-5 Sun Belt) at Appalachian State Mountaineers (20-5, 10-2 Sun Belt) Boone, North Carolina; Thursday, 6:30 p.m. EST FANDUEL SPORTSBOOK LINE: Mountaineers -10.5; over/under …

The AP Top 25 men’s college basketball poll is back every week throughout the season! Get the poll delivered straight to your inbox with AP Top 25 Poll Alerts. Sign up here. UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. (AP) — Malik Hall had a career-high 29 points and 10 rebounds, Jaden Akins scored 16 of his 20 points in the first half and …

JERUSALEM (AP) — The families of two Palestinian-American teenagers killed in separate but eerily similar incidents in the West Bank say investigators from the American Embassy have visited their homes to look into the shootings. Launching American probes into the killings of Mohammad Khdour and Tawfic Abdel Jabbar reflects what appears to be a lack of confidence in the Israeli …

TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — Gerrit Cole was leaving the Yankees’ minor league complex when fans on the sidewalk by the parking lot asked for autographs. When the 2023 AL Cy Young Award winner reached over a bush-lined fence to grab a baseball and pen, a fan asked whether he could capture the honor again this year. “Would be nice,” Cole …

The AP Top 25 men’s college basketball poll is back every week throughout the season! Get the poll delivered straight to your inbox with AP Top 25 Poll Alerts. Sign up here. Texas State Bobcats (11-14, 4-8 Sun Belt) at South Alabama Jaguars (12-13, 4-8 Sun Belt) Mobile, Alabama; Thursday, 8 p.m. EST FANDUEL SPORTSBOOK LINE: Jaguars -2; over/under is …

PARÍS (AP) — El presidente de Francia, Emmanuel Macron, firmará el viernes un acuerdo bilateral de seguridad con su homólogo ucraniano, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, quien también visitará Alemania, explicó su oficina en un comunicado el jueves. No se ofrecieron los detalles concretos del pacto, que se firmará en el Palacio del Elíseo. A principios de año, Macron anunció que Francia estaba …