Human welfare
FILE - Kai Owens, center, celebrates after finishing first in the finals, between Hannah Soar, left, who finished second, and Tess Johnson, who placed third, in the World Cup women's dual moguls skiing competition Friday, Feb. 5, 2021, in Deer Valley, Utah. As an infant, she was abandoned at a town square in a province of China. Taken to an orphanage, she was adopted by a couple from Colorado at 16 months. Now 17, U.S. freestyle skier Kai Owens is on the verge of earning a spot in moguls for the Winter Games in Beijing. It's a return to China she's long thought about. (AP Photo/Rick Bowmer, File)
Adopted US moguls skier eyes return to China as Olympian

By Pat Graham Dec. 20, 2021 01:47 PM EST

FILE - Kayla Harrison is shown during a PFL (Professional Fighters League) bout against Larissa Pacheco at Nassau Coliseum in Uniondale, N.Y., in this Thursday, May 9, 2019, file photo. Two-time Olympic gold medalist Kayla Harrison tries for another $1 million prize when she fights Taylor Guardado in the main event of the 2021 PFL Championships this week in Florida. (AP Photo/Greg Payan, File)
Harrison, now a mother of 2, fights for $1M PFL championship

By Dan Gelston Oct. 25, 2021 10:36 AM EDT

FILE - In this July 23, 2021 file photo, Brazil's Rayssa Leal trains during a street skateboarding practice session at the 2020 Summer Olympics, in Tokyo, Japan. Life has been nothing-but-normal for the Brazilian teenager who became an overnight sensation after winning a silver medal at the Olympics’ inaugural skateboarding competition. (AP Photo/Markus Schreiber, file)
Brazilian teen enjoying new life after skateboarding success

By Tales Azzoni Oct. 02, 2021 07:52 AM EDT

In this image made from a video, Afghan athletes Zakia Khudadadi, left, and Hossain Rasouli arrive at Haneda airport in Tokyo Saturday, Aug. 28, 2021. They have arrived in Tokyo, via what's been described as a harrowing journey from Kabul to Paris, to compete in the Paralympics. (TBS via AP)
Afghans arrive for Paralympics; to be mostly out of sight

By Stephen Wade Aug. 29, 2021 02:50 AM EDT

FILE - Simone Biles performs on the balance beam during the artistic gymnastics women's apparatus final at the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo, in this Tuesday, Aug. 3, 2021, file photo. Biles is at peace with her decision to opt out of several competitions at the Tokyo Olympics to focus on her mental health. The seven-time Olympic medalist is happy to spread the importance of putting the person ahead of the athlete, one of the themes of her fall exhibition tour that will feature four other members of the 2021 Olympic gymnastics team. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)
Biles: Mental health advocacy part of post-Olympic tour

By Will Graves Aug. 19, 2021 09:00 AM EDT

Boxer Thomas Essomba trains at Steel City Gym in Sheffield, England, Thursday, Aug. 4, 2021. Cameroonian boxer Thomas Essomba, was one of seven people who defected at London 2012. Nine years on, he talks to AP about what it’s been like to live with that decision. (AP Photo/Jon Super)
9 years on, Cameroon Olympic boxer talks of defection to UK

By Sylvia Hui And Tristan Werkmeister Aug. 06, 2021 02:23 AM EDT

FILE In this file pool photo taken on Saturday, April 4, 2020, Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko takes part in a hockey match during Republican amateur competitions in Minsk, Belarus. A feud between Belarusian Olympic sprinter Krystsina Tsimanouskaya and team officials that prompted her to seek refuge in Poland has again cast a spotlight on the repressive environment in the ex-Soviet nation, where authorities have unleashed a relentless crackdown on dissent. (Andrei Pokumeiko/BelTA Pool Photo via AP, File)
EXPLAINER: What is behind Belarus athlete's Olympics crisis?

By Yuras Karmanau And Vladimir Isachenkov Aug. 04, 2021 03:47 AM EDT

FILE - In this July 27, 2021 file photo, Simone Biles, of the United States, performs on the vault during the artistic gymnastics women's final at the 2020 Summer Olympics, in Tokyo. Biles and Naomi Osaka are prominent young Black women under the pressure of a global Olympic spotlight that few human beings ever face. But being a young Black woman -- which, in American life, comes with its own built-in pressure to perform -- entails much more than meets the eye. (AP Photo/Natacha Pisarenko, File)
Black women, across generations, heed Biles’ Olympic example

By Aaron Morrison, Astrid Galvan And Deepti Hajela Aug. 03, 2021 10:19 PM EDT

The refugee team carry the Olympic flag during the opening ceremony in the Olympic Stadium at the 2020 Summer Olympics, Friday, July 23, 2021, in Tokyo, Japan. (Dylan Martinez/Pool Photo via AP)
IOC to adapt refugee athletes program to counter criticism

By Graham Dunbar Jul. 27, 2021 05:38 AM EDT

The refugee team carry the Olympic flag during the opening ceremony in the Olympic Stadium at the 2020 Summer Olympics, Friday, July 23, 2021, in Tokyo, Japan. (Dylan Martinez/Pool Photo via AP)
EXPLAINER: How team of refugee athletes made it to Olympics

By James Ellingworth Jul. 25, 2021 03:17 AM EDT

Kimia Alizadeh Zonoozi, Refugee Olympic Team, right, is attacked by Britain's Jade Jones during the taekwondo women's 57kg match at the 2020 Summer Olympics, Sunday, July 25, 2021, in Tokyo, Japan. (AP Photo/Themba Hadebe)
Iranian taekwondoka barely misses refugee team's 1st medal

By Greg Beacham Jul. 24, 2021 11:57 PM EDT

Simone Biles, of United States, performs her floor exercise routine during the women's artistic gymnastic qualifications at the 2020 Summer Olympics, Sunday, July 25, 2021, in Tokyo. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull)
Olympics Latest: Rashitov wins taekwondo gold at Tokyo Games

Jul. 24, 2021 08:59 PM EDT

FILE - In this Aug. 18, 2016 file photo, Kimia Alizadeh Zenoorin of Iran celebrates after winning the bronze medal in a women's Taekwondo 57-kg competition at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The defector from Iran who left citing institutional sexism will face the Iranian in the opening bout of their taekwondo class at the Tokyo Olympics. The draw Thursday, July 22, 2021, for the women’s 57-kilogram class placed Kimia Alizadeh of the refugee team against Nahid Kiyani Chandeh of Iran. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini, File)
Refugee defector from Iran to face Iranian at Tokyo Olympics

Jul. 22, 2021 08:14 AM EDT

ADDS RESTRICTION: ONE TIME USE ONLY, EDITORIAL USE ONLY - IOC President Thomas Bach, right, meets with Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga, second from left, during a welcome party for Bach and IOC officials at Akasaka Palace, Japanese state guest house, in Tokyo, Japan, Sunday, July 18, 2021.(Courtesy of Tokyo 2020 via AP)
Under-fire Olympic composer steps down over past bullying

By Yuri Kageyama And Mari Yamaguchi Jul. 19, 2021 07:39 AM EDT

Japanese composer for Tokyo Olympics apologizes for abuse

By Yuri Kageyama Jul. 17, 2021 09:07 PM EDT
TOKYO (AP) — Keigo Oyamada, a Japanese composer whose music is part of the Tokyo Olympics opening ceremony, has apologized for bullying a classmate during his...

Syrian refugee Ibrahim al-Hussein, an amputee swimmer who lost his leg during the war in Syria, prepares to dive during a training at the Olympic Aquatic Centre, in Athens, on Wednesday , June 30, 2021. Ibrahim al-Hussein will be part of a Refugee Paralympic Team for the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games as the International Paralympic Committee announce Wednesday. (AP Photo/Petros Giannakouris)
Syrian refugee swimmer makes his mark at the Paralympics

By Theodora Tongas And James Ellingworth Jul. 14, 2021 07:12 AM EDT

Pennsylvania drops mask mandate

Jun. 28, 2021 10:37 AM EDT
HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — Pennsylvania lifted its mask mandate on Monday, more than 14 months after the administration of Gov. Tom Wolf began requiring people to...

Editorial Roundup: Iowa

By The Associated Press Jun. 28, 2021 10:00 AM EDT
Quad-City Times. June 9, 2021. Editorial: It’s time to step up Unfortunately, the people of Davenport have become...

A group of migrants mainly from Venezuela wade through the Rio Grande as they cross the U.S.-Mexico border, Wednesday, June 16, 2021, in Del Rio, Texas. Record numbers of Venezuelans are crossing the U.S.-Mexico border as overall migration swells. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)
Driven by pandemic, Venezuelans uproot again to come to US

By Joshua Goodman Jun. 28, 2021 01:02 AM EDT

A young migrant girl from Venezuela stands with her mother as they wait with Border Patrol after turning themselves in after crossing the U.S.-Mexico border, Tuesday, June 15, 2021, in Del Rio, Texas. Record numbers of Venezuelans are crossing the U.S.-Mexico border as overall migration swells. They're fleeing turmoil in the country with the world's largest oil reserves and pandemic-induced pain across South America. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)
Driven by pandemic, Venezuelans uproot again to come to US

By Joshua Goodman Jun. 28, 2021 01:01 AM EDT