Word games
FILE - Soccer player Megan Rapinoe poses for photos on the red carpet of the Women's Sports Foundation's 40th annual Salute to Women in Sports in New York on Oct. 16, 2019. Rapinoe has selected #MeToo founder Tarana Burke's memoir, “Unbound,” for her new book club. (AP Photo/Mary Altaffer, File)
Goals: Megan Rapinoe launches 'The Call In' book club

Aug. 16, 2021 08:13 AM EDT

Vanessa Ferrari, of Italy, performs during the women's artistic gymnastic qualifications at the 2020 Summer Olympics, Sunday, July 25, 2021, in Tokyo. (AP Photo/Natacha Pisarenko)
AP PHOTOS: Taboo in Tokyo, tattoos on display at Olympics

Jul. 26, 2021 08:17 AM EDT

FILE - In this Friday, May 31, 2019 file photo,T he eight co-champions of the 2019 Scripps National Spelling Bee, from left, Shruthika Padhy, 13, of Cherry Hill, N.J., Erin Howard, 14, of Huntsville, Ala., Rishik Gandhasri, 13, of San Jose, Calif., Christopher Serrao, 13, of Whitehouse Station, N.J., Saketh Sundar, 13, of Clarksville, Md., Sohum Sukhatankar, 13, of Dallas, Texas, Rohan Raja, 13, of Irving, Texas, and Abhijay Kodali, 12, of Flower Mound, Texas, hold the trophy at the end of the competition in Oxon Hill, Md. The Scripps National Spelling Bee is undergoing a major overhaul to ensure it can identify a single champion, adding vocabulary questions and a lightning-round tiebreaker to this year's pandemic-altered competition, Friday, April 23, 2021. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh, File)
Vocabulary, lightning round added to National Spelling Bee

By Ben Nuckols Apr. 23, 2021 01:03 AM EDT

FILE - In this May 29, 2014 file photo, Paige Kimble, executive director of the Scripps National Spelling Bee, applauds during the Scripps National Spelling Bee at National Harbor in Oxon Hill, Md. Breaking from a tradition of being led by former contestants, the Scripps National Spelling Bee has hired a nonprofit leader with no history in the competition as its executive director, signaling a new era for the nearly century-old showcase for the top spellers in the English language. Cincinnati-based Scripps announced Monday, March 1, 2021, that J. Michael Durnil will take over immediately as bee director. He replaces Kimble, who stepped down last year. (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta, File)
Nonprofit leader takes over as National Spelling Bee chief

By Ben Nuckols Mar. 01, 2021 11:01 AM EST

Following COVID-19 pandemic safety guidelines, masked competitors in the 75th annual Yuma County Spelling Bee are seated six feet apart in the first four rows on the floor, instead of being seated traditionally side-by-side on stage, inside the Schoening Conference Center at Arizona Western College, Thursday, Feb. 11, 2021. Also, each competitor was allowed to be accompanied by one parent, who are seated behind the competitors, and socially distanced and masked. (Randy Hoeft/The Yuma Sun via AP)
National Spelling Bee to return in mostly virtual format

By Ben Nuckols Feb. 22, 2021 08:05 AM EST

FILE - In this May 29, 2014, file photo, Paige Kimble, executive director of the Scripps National Spelling Bee, applauds during the Scripps National Spelling Bee at National Harbor in Oxon Hill, Md. On Monday, Dec. 7, 2020, Scripps announced that Kimble is stepping down after 22 years in charge of the world’s preeminent spelling competition. (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta, File)
Longtime National Spelling Bee director steps down

By Ben Nuckols Dec. 07, 2020 04:04 PM EST

In this screenshot provided by SpellPundit, spellers and organizers of the SpellPundit Online National Spelling Bee participate in semifinals Tuesday night, May 26, 2020. The bee was launched after the Scripps National Spelling Bee was canceled because of the coronavirus pandemic. (SpellPundit via AP)
Tough words, little drama, familiar champ in virtual bee

By Ben Nuckols May. 28, 2020 10:43 PM EDT

In this screenshot provided by SpellPundit, spellers and organizers of the SpellPundit Online National Spelling Bee participate in semifinals Tuesday night, May 26, 2020. The bee was launched after the Scripps National Spelling Bee was canceled because of the coronavirus pandemic. (SpellPundit via AP)
Top spellers prepare to crown national champion, from home

By Ben Nuckols May. 28, 2020 07:23 AM EDT

FILE - In this June 1, 2017 file photo, Shourav Dasari, 14, from Spring, Texas, correctly spells his word during the finals of the 90th Scripps National Spelling Bee, in Oxon Hill, Md. With the 2020 Scripps National Spelling Bee canceled because the coronavirus pandemic, an online spelling bee launched by two Texas teenagers is offering a consolation prize of sorts, with competitors nationwide including many of the kids who were considered favorites for the Scripps title.(AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta, File)
With spelling bee canceled, ex-spellers launch their own bee

By Ben Nuckols Apr. 22, 2020 09:48 AM EDT

Nurses attend a demonstration outside a public hospital to protest their lack of protective gear, in Mexico City, Tuesday, April 21, 2020. The government has extended its social distancing measures through the end of May, predicting that the cases of the new coronavirus will peak in Mexico in about three weeks. (AP Photo/Fernando Llano)
What you need to know today about the virus outbreak

By The Associated Press Apr. 21, 2020 09:08 AM EDT

FILE - In this May 31, 2019 file photos, eight co-champions celebrate after winning the Scripps National Spelling Bee, in Oxon Hill, Md. The Scripps National Spelling Bee has been canceled after organizers concluded there was “no clear path to safely set a new date in 2020” because of the coronavirus pandemic. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky)
National Spelling Bee canceled for first time since 1945

By Ben Nuckols Apr. 21, 2020 09:05 AM EDT

A man holds a flag as he attends a rally to protest stay-at-home orders put into place due to the COVID-19 outbreak Tuesday, April 21, 2020, outside the Missouri Capitol in Jefferson City, Mo. Several hundred gathered to protest the restrictions and urge the reopening of businesses closed in an effort to slow the spread of the coronavirus . (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson)
Virus cancels events worldwide; opinions on reopening mixed

By Colleen Long And Kate Brumback Apr. 21, 2020 01:46 AM EDT

Milwaukee Brewers' Christian Yelich, left, greets teammate Ryan Braun after the Brewers announced Yelich's multi-year contract extension at the teams' spring training facility Friday, March 6, 2020, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Matt York)
The Latest: Pacers' Oladipo hosts Instagram show on artists

By The Associated Press Apr. 10, 2020 05:38 AM EDT