Friday 31 March 2017

Murder charge dropped in Houston apartment slayings

HOUSTON (AP) - Prosecutors have dropped a capital murder charge against a man accused in shootings at a Houston apartment complex that left two people dead and four wounded, including a former contestant on the reality TV show "America's Next Top Model."

Harris County prosecutors say 28-year-old Jeremy Jones was ...
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International break leaves Liverpool and Everton depleted

LIVERPOOL, England (AP) - The international break has put a bit of a damper on the 228th Merseyside Derby.

Both Liverpool and Everton will have depleted squads for Saturday's Premier League match because of injuries sustained by players while on international duty.

Everton defender Seamus Coleman broke his right leg ...
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Consultant to Chief Wahoo opponent accused of embezzlement

CLEVELAND (AP) - Federal prosecutors have charged an Ohio man accused of embezzling over $180,000 in federal grants intended to help Native Americans.

Cleveland.com (http://bit.ly/2nmDQYD ) reports there's a twist: Defendant Craig McGuire was a consultant to a Native American man who's been among the leading opponents of the Cleveland ...
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Trimble gave Terps two years more than most college stars would have

PERSPECTIVE | The guard made the right decision in turning pro, even though his draft prospects are uncertain.
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Rex Tillerson has walled himself off from an increasingly uneasy corps of diplomats

Many career diplomats say they still have not met Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, and some have been instructed not to speak to him directly — or even make eye contact. His distant management style has bewildered foreign officials who are struggling to understand where the U.S. stands on key issues, and it threatens to undermine the power and reach of the State Department.
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Under Pulis, West Brom set for best Premier League season

LONDON (AP) - Back in August, West Bromwich Albion's Tony Pulis was the bookmakers' favorite to be the first Premier League manager to lose his job this season.

Pulis had criticized the club's board for what he deemed an unsatisfactory and frustrating offseason of transfer activity. And five games into ...
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FIFA sends 1,300-page corruption probe to Swiss prosecutors

GENEVA (AP) - FIFA has sent 1,300 pages of internal investigation reports into suspected bribery and corruption to Switzerland's attorney general.

However, FIFA said Friday it was legally barred from publishing the full reports or commenting on the evidence or conclusions.

The documents complete a 22-month probe by legal firm ...
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Former Vols QB Dobbs earns Torchbearer honor from school

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (AP) - Former Tennessee quarterback Joshua Dobbs has been selected as a Torchbearer, which is billed as the highest student honor given out by the university.

Dobbs learned Thursday that he'd received the honor. He's only the 26th student-athlete to earn the award, which has been given out ...
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North Carolina's "bathroom bill" repeal: who's satisfied?

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) - North Carolina has rolled back a state law that blocked some anti-discrimination protections for LGBT people, but questions persist whether politicians have done enough to coax back the businesses and sports leagues who withdrew lucrative plans from the state.

Initial reactions were largely muted on Thursday's ...
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Grant, Ingram to receive stars on Music City Walk of Fame

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) - Christian music singer Amy Grant and Nashville philanthropist Martha R. Ingram will be honored with stars on the Music City Walk of Fame next month.

The Nashville Convention & Visitors Corp. made the announcement Thursday. The ceremony will be at 1 p.m. April 27 in Walk ...
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Baltimore kicks off weeklong Light City event

BALTIMORE (AP) - Baltimore is preparing to kick off its second annual Light City event.

Friday marks the beginning of the weeklong festival of lights, sponsored by the Baltimore Office of Promotion and the Arts, that will feature parades, art installations, a bike rally and fireworks display.

The festival will ...
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Thursday 30 March 2017

Spike network to be spiked, rebranded as Paramount in 2018

NEW YORK (AP) - Cable television's Spike network will be transformed into the Paramount network early next year, introducing new series with stars to include Alicia Silverstone and Michael Shannon.

In its announcement Thursday, owner Viacom billed the rebranded network as "a prime destination for premium storytelling." Spike, launched ...
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Collin Hartman will return to Indiana for final season

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. (AP) - Forward Collin Hartman will return to Indiana next fall for his fifth season.

The 6-foot-7, 220 pound senior missed all of the 2016-17 season with a left knee injury.

After earning his bachelor's degree last May and proposing to his girlfriend during his Senior Night speech ...
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Evil Elsa? 'Frozen' producer reveals film's original ending

Disney's animated phenomenon, "Frozen," may not have been a heartwarming tale of sisterly love if its creators stuck to the film's original planned ending.

"Frozen" producer Peter Del Vecho tells Entertainment Weekly the original version of the film was more in line with the Hans Christian Andersen tale on which ...
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Survival specialist Allardyce making his mark at Palace

MANCHESTER, England (AP) - With his brief and humiliating experience as coach of England's national team behind him, Sam Allardyce is back on familiar ground in the Premier League and doing what he does best: Turning around the fortunes of a struggling team.

"Big Sam," as he is known in ...
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Nationals' plans for their rotation becoming clear

Decoding the maneuvers necessary in setting Washington's starting pitchers for the first week of the season.
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Britain's young royals promote conversation on mental health

LONDON (AP) - Prince William, his wife Kate and his brother Prince Harry are spearheading a campaign to encourage people to talk openly about mental health issues.

The young royals released 10 films Thursday as part of their Heads Together campaign to change the national conversation on mental health.

The ...
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Soccer weekend: What to watch in Europe's main leagues

What to watch in the leading soccer leagues in Europe this weekend:

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ENGLAND

A seventh team could be joining the race for Champions League qualification.

Everton is making a late run to challenge the current top six, with seven wins from 10 games putting the team at the top ...
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Indianapolis exhibit showcases bond between people, dogs

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) - A new exhibit at Indianapolis' Eiteljorg Museum is putting a spotlight on the enduring bond between humans and dogs.

"Dogs: Faithful and True" opened this month at the downtown museum and runs through Aug. 6. The show's paintings and sculptures reveal the many roles dogs have played ...
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Bluesy Ben Arfa frustrated at Paris Saint-Germain

PARIS (AP) - For Hatem Ben Arfa, signing with Paris Saint-Germain was supposed to be the end of a long and tortuous road back to the limelight.

But less than a year after landing at France's biggest club, Ben Arfa has the blues. Frustrated by his lack of playing time, ...
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Bosnian UE athlete who lost father gets support from locals

EVANSVILLE, Ind. (AP) - When tragedy struck Sergej Vucetic's family, his other family - his Evansville family - rushed to his aid.

"It took us seven seconds to decide, and that was if we are going to go now or seven seconds from now," Maid Hamzic said. "We drove like ...
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Iranian club fined for laser-flashing fan misconduct

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia (AP) - Iranian football club Esteghlal FC has been ordered to pay fines totaling $51,000 over the misconduct of its spectators who flashed laser beams at opposing players and the referee during two recent matches.

The Asian Football Confederation's disciplinary committee also said Wednesday that if there ...
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Officials use tablets to look at plays during the half

DALLAS (AP) - Officials are always looking for ways to improve their accuracy on calls.

Now many of them have the opportunity to review plays at halftime thanks to technology developed by DVSport.

"Officials are always working hard to get it right," said Deb Williamson, who is the officials' coordinator ...
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Leonardo DiCaprio, Q-Tip bro it up at intimate showcase

NEW YORK (AP) - Longtime friends Leonardo DiCaprio and Q-Tip hung out at an intimate showcase for an Australian band making its New York City debut late Wednesday.

The Oscar-winning actor and Grammy-winning rapper were in the small audience at Ludlow House as trio Chase Atlantic performed songs in a ...
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Wednesday 29 March 2017

The Wizards just won their first division title in 38 damn years

COLUMN | The longest divisional drought in U.S. sports is over. R.I.P.
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Lopetegui off to promising start with Spain's national team

MADRID (AP) - Julen Lopetegui is proving to be a worthy replacement for Vicente del Bosque.

The Spain coach, unbeaten since taking over Del Bosque's job in July, has quickly put the national team back on track as a top European contender.

Spain has won six of its eight games ...
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Dylan to meet Nobel academy to receive literature diploma

HELSINKI (AP) - The Swedish Academy says 2016 Nobel literature winner Bob Dylan will meet with members of the academy this weekend and they will hand over his Nobel diploma and medal.

Sara Danius, permanent secretary of the academy, says in a blog on the academy's website that Dylan will ...
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Barcelona defends Messi over 'unfair' suspension

BARCELONA, Spain (AP) - Barcelona says Lionel Messi's four-match international suspension for insulting a linesman was "unfair and totally disproportionate."

Barcelona released a statement Wednesday expressing "its surprise and indignation" with FIFA's decision to sideline the playmaker for so long following the incident in Argentina's win over Chile in World ...
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Snoop Dogg to induct Tupac into Rock & Roll Hall of Fame

NEW YORK (AP) - Snoop Dogg will induct the late rapper Tupac Shakur into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, while Pharrell Williams will induct Nile Rodgers during the ceremony in Brooklyn next month.

The Rock & Roll Hall announced Wednesday additional guests who'll be on hand April 7 ...
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Elkhart County corrections officer sets goals for his sport

ELKHART, Ind. (AP) - Weights aren't the only thing Thomas Davis lifts.

Davis, who stands at 6-foot-3 and weighs over 400 pounds, set a world record last year by bench pressing 622.8 pounds. But Davis also wants to inspire others.

"I want be able to inspire people with what I ...
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Thailand's ex-tourism chief gets 50 years for taking bribes

BANGKOK (AP) - The former head of Thailand's tourism promotion board has been sentenced to 50 years in prison for accepting $1.8 million in bribes from two Hollywood producers to let them organize the Bangkok International Film Festival a decade ago.

The Bangkok Criminal Court found Juthamas Siriwan guilty on ...
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N.W.A., Vin Scully to be preserved by Library of Congress

WASHINGTON (AP) - First it became the basis for an Oscar-nominated movie. Now, "Straight Outta Compton" - the groundbreaking album from rap group N.W.A. and a one-time flashpoint in the nation's culture wars - has been selected for the prestigious National Recording Registry.

The album was one of 25 additions ...
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After protest, Webb declines to accept Naval Academy award

ANNAPOLIS, Md. (AP) - Former U.S. Sen. Jim Webb announced that he will not accept a Naval Academy Alumni Association award because of recent protests from other alumni.

Media outlets report that several alumni wrote to the association starting last week, asking the organization to rescind the Distinguished Graduate Award ...
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Vin Scully on opening day: 'I'll probably have things to do'

WASHINGTON (AP) - On Monday, the Dodgers will play their first opening day since 1950 without Vin Scully calling their games. He won't be in the stands. He won't make a point of watching on TV, either.

"It's a day game. I'll probably have things to do," the famed 89-year-old ...
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Tennessee's Barnes: Gut feeling Gonzaga will win NCAA title

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (AP) - Tennessee coach Rick Barnes has faced every team in the Final Four and has a prediction regarding a potential championship game matchup.

"I bet you this right now," Barnes said. "If North Carolina and Gonzaga make it to the championship game, I'll bet you the bookies ...
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Tuesday 28 March 2017

Biking industry's impact tagged at $780 million in Minnesota

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) - A new report pegs the economic impact of cycling in Minnesota at $780 million annually.

The study finds more than 13 percent of Minnesotans commute by bike, at least once in a while.

The state Department of Transportation commissioned the study, which also found about 5,500 jobs ...
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Abby Lee Miller quits 'Dance Moms' before fraud sentencing

"Dance Moms" star Abby Lee Miller says she has quit the Lifetime reality series ahead of her scheduled May sentencing on federal bankruptcy fraud charges.

Miller posted on Instagram on Sunday that she will no longer take part in the show. She says that she has asked for creative credit ...
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Injured Murray to miss Davis Cup quarterfinals

LONDON (AP) - Andy Murray will miss Britain's Davis Cup quarterfinal series against France next month because of an elbow injury.

Murray sustained the injury in practice and also recently withdrew from the Miami Open.

Britain captain Leon Davis says "not having Andy in the side is obviously a big ...
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?A total slap in the face?: Raiders head for Vegas, deserting legendary Black Hole

As if it couldn't get any worse, the team isn't clearing out for a couple of years because its stadium in Sin City isn't ready yet.
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Trump spilled beans on grandchild-to-be's gender

WASHINGTON (AP) - President Donald Trump spilled the beans on the gender of his next grandchild before the parents were ready.

Trump's son Eric and his wife Lara are expecting their first child in September.

In an interview aired Tuesday on Fox News' "Fox & Friends," Eric said his father ...
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Australia beats UAE 2-0 after 4 draws in qualifying

Australia defeated United Arab Emirates 2-0 in Sydney on Tuesday, ending a run of four games without a win to get qualification for the 2018 World Cup back on track.

Goals in each half from Jackson Irvine and Mathew Leckie sealed a vital win for the Socceroos, who had slipped ...
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Will Smith, 'Fresh Prince' cast enjoy brief reunion

Will Smith has reunited with his "Fresh Prince of Bel Air" cast mates.

Alfonso Ribeiro, who played Smith's Tom Jones-loving cousin Carlton on the 1990s sitcom, posted a picture on Instagram on Monday of the cast getting together. Joined by Smith and Ribeiro were Tatyana Ali, Karyn Parsons, Daphne Reid ...
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New Zealand beats Fiji 2-0 in World Cup qualifier

WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) - New Zealand advanced to the final stage of World Cup qualifying in the Oceania region by beating Fiji 2-0 Tuesday.

Ryan Thomas scored both goals in the Group A match, the first in the 27th minute and the other in the 68th.

New Zealand will ...
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Golden Globe winner Christine Kaufmann dies in Germany

BERLIN (AP) - Christine Kaufmann, an Austrian-born actor who became the country's first Golden Globe winner and was married to Tony Curtis in the 1960s, has died. She was 72.

Kaufmann died in Munich after a battle with leukemia, her management company told the dpa news agency Tuesday.

Born in ...
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World Cup Under-17 finals to be held in Kolkata, India

KOLKATA, India (AP) - Football's world governing body FIFA has chosen the eastern city of Kolkata to host the final of the under-17 World Cup to be held in India.

A team of FIFA officials completed a week-long tour and finalized six venues for the FIFA U-17 World Cup India ...
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NFL owners approve Raiders' move to Las Vegas, so what now?

PHOENIX (AP) - Sometime in the not distant future, they will become the Las Vegas Raiders.

Until then, likely in 2020, Mark Davis' team belongs to Oakland. Well, sort of.

NFL owners approved the Raiders' move to Las Vegas 31-1 at the league meetings Monday. Miami was the lone dissenter. ...
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Monday 27 March 2017

Jury: Cleveland Indians not responsible for fan hurt by ball

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) - A jury says the Cleveland Indians aren't responsible for injuries to a New York man hit by a foul ball at a baseball game in July 2012 and blinded in one eye.

Cleveland.com (http://bit.ly/2nn7Hlj ) reports the decision late last week in a Cleveland-area county court ...
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Anchor Scott Pelley is pulling no punches ? and people are noticing

The CBS anchor has set himself apart in covering the Trump administration by abandoning careful neutrality in favor of pointed truth-telling.
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Adele: 'I don't know if I will ever tour again'

AUCKLAND, New Zealand (AP) - Adele fans who didn't catch her on her world tour that's winding down may be out of luck in the future.

The New Zealand Herald reports Adele told the audience during Sunday night's show in Auckland that "touring isn't something I'm good at" and she ...
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Making sense of South Carolina and its most unlikely run to the Final Four

Of all the motley members of this year's Final Four class, the Gamecocks truly stand out.
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Napoli's Sarri wins coach of the year award for Serie A

FLORENCE, Italy (AP) - Napoli's Maurizio Sarri has won the coach of the year award in Serie A.

The award, known as the Panchina d'oro (golden bench), recognizes the best coach of the previous season, as voted for by their peers.

Sarri is the first coach of Napoli to win ...
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Books on gun violence and immigration win prizes

NEW YORK (AP) - Books on gun violence, Koch Industries and New York's history of immigration have won prizes for outstanding nonfiction work.

Prize officials told The Associated Press on Monday that Gary Younge's "Another Day in the Death of America: A Chronicle of Ten Short Lives" won the $10,000 ...
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News service sues Vermont over access to new lawsuits

BURLINGTON, Vt. (AP) - A California-based news service has filed a lawsuit against the Vermont court system, alleging it improperly conceals newly filed lawsuits in violation of the public's right to access court records under the First Amendment.

The Burlington Free Press reports (http://bfpne.ws/2n8tbjX ) the suit filed by Courthouse ...
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How AP tallied the cost of North Carolina's "bathroom bill"

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) - The Associated Press used dozens of interviews and multiple public records requests to determine that North Carolina's "bathroom bill" will cost the state more than $3.76 billion in lost business over a dozen years.

This is how the largest elements were compiled and used:

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PAYPAL

...
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EXCHANGE: Art effort to beautify Carbondale's streetscapes

CARBONDALE, Ill. (AP) - In just a few months, the Strip will feature several new functional and decorative works of art.

Carbondale Community Arts is currently accepting proposals for a public art initiative geared toward beautifying the city's downtown.

The city-funded permanent installation, also overseen by the Southern Illinois University ...
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AP Exclusive: 'Bathroom bill' to cost North Carolina $3.76B

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) - Despite Republican assurances that North Carolina's "bathroom bill" isn't hurting the economy, the law limiting LGBT protections will cost the state more than $3.76 billion in lost business over a dozen years, according to an Associated Press analysis.

Over the past year, North Carolina has suffered ...
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AP Exclusive: 'Bathroom bill' limiting LGBT rights will cost North Carolina $3.76B in lost business

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) - AP Exclusive: 'Bathroom bill' limiting LGBT rights will cost North Carolina $3.76B in lost business over 12 years.


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Sunday 26 March 2017

Oh la la! Cypriot renews Platini memorabilia record bid

MOSFILOTI, Cyprus (AP) - A Cypriot fan of former soccer player and administrator Michel Platini is renewing a bid to be entered in the Guinness Book of World Records for the biggest collection of Plantini memorabilia.

Philippos Stavrou Platini - yes, he legally adopted his sports hero's surname - said ...
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Who will emerge from Florida-South Carolina and UNC-Kentucky matchups?

Sunday brings two big games. We've got previews ahead of the tips and then stay up to date right here.
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Julio Jones, others plan residential, entertainment complex

ATLANTA (AP) - Atlanta Falcons football star Julio Jones is among investigators in what backers describe as a massive business and entertainment project planned northeast of Atlanta.

Plans call for a mix of shops, offices, apartments, condos and a 25-story hotel building near the Mall of Georgia, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution ...
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Two months out of office, Obama is having a post-presidency like no other

The 44th president has attempted to stay above the Washington fray and emphasized the need for a new generation of political leaders to step up. But — instead of settling into a quiet life after the White House that most of his predecessors enjoyed — Barack Obama is preparing to throw himself into the highly partisan issue of redistricting, with the goal of reversing the electoral declines that Democrats experienced under his watch.
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Will NYC invite the 'Fearless Girl' to stay on Wall Street?

NEW YORK (AP) - Should the "Fearless Girl" stand up to Wall Street's charging bull forever?

That's the question New York City officials are facing after a statue of a ponytailed girl in a windblown dress went up in front of the bronze bull early this month and immediately became ...
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2 months since he left office, Obama is having a post-presidency like no other

The 44th president has attempted to stay above the Washington fray and emphasized the need for a new generation of political leaders to step up. But at the same time, Barack Obama is preparing to throw himself into the wonky and highly partisan issue of redistricting, with the goal of reversing the electoral declines that Democrats have experienced nationally.
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Antonio Banderas says he's recovered from a heart attack

MADRID (AP) - Spanish film star Antonio Banderas says he has recovered from a heart attack that he had in January.

The 56-year-old Banderas tells Spanish media that "I suffered a heart attack on Jan. 26, but it wasn't serious and hasn't caused any damage."

Banderas says he underwent a ...
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Kisenosato wins Spring sumo title in debut as grand champion

OSAKA, Japan (AP) - Making his debut at sumo's highest rank of grand champion, Japanese wrestler Kisenosato won the Spring Grand Sumo Tournament in dramatic fashion on Sunday.

Needing a win in regulation to force a tiebreaker, Kisenosato beat Mongolian Terunofuji to give both wrestlers a record of 13-2.

Kisenosato ...
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Bishop Montgomery wins Boys Open title 74-67 over Woodcreek

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) - When the Bishop Montgomery Knights beat Woodcreek Timberwolves 74-67 to win the Boys Open Division state title Saturday night they used two tools. The first one was to get out to a fast start. The second, close the game out for a win.

Ethan Thompson had ...
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Gonzaga's national title chance a breakthrough moment

SAN JOSE, Calif. (AP) - Gonzaga had great players go through Spokane, great teams that won year after year, laying the foundation for the program's big breakthrough this season.

Now the bar will be raised.

No more questions about when the Zags will reach college basketball's final weekend. Their Final ...
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New energy exhibit set to open in November at Houston museum

HOUSTON (AP) - As the elevator doors open on the fourth floor of Houston Museum of Natural Science, a giant hunk of metal rotates around a pipe, much like a wrench would tighten around a bolt. There's a "whoosh" as machinery turns.

The Houston Chronicle (http://bit.ly/2o5BSfH ) reports the "iron ...
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Saturday 25 March 2017

Florida's OT buzzer-beater stuns Wisconsin in game of the tournament

The Gators' Chris Chiozza's length-of-the-floor buzzer-beater in the early hours of Saturday sets up an SEC showdown with South Carolina in the Elite Eight.
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NBA bans Joakim Noah 20 games for drug violation

Joakim Noah of the New York Knicks has been suspended 20 games without pay for violating the league's anti-drug policy.

The NBA announced the suspension Saturday, saying Noah tested positive for Selective Androgen Receptor Modulator LGD-4033 - something that can be found in over-the-counter supplements.

Yahoo Sports first reported the ...
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Bribery trial paints stark picture of Pennsylvania politics

HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) - Then-gubernatorial candidate Rob McCord was leaving a meeting in 2013 with a potential campaign donor when an aide told him he felt like he needed to "take a shower."

Now a cooperating witness in the FBI's wide-ranging, pay-to-play investigation of Pennsylvania state government, McCord described the ...
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High school sports star ordered to trial on rape charge

SCOTT TOWNSHIP, Pa. (AP) - A two-sport star at a suburban Pittsburgh high school has been ordered to stand trial on rape and other charges in an alleged assault on a 17-year-old girl.

An Allegheny County district court judge ruled Friday that prosecutors had enough evidence to send the case ...
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Union Pacific renews warnings about track dangers

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) - Union Pacific is renewing its campaign to urge people to stay off railroad tracks.

The railroad has created a series of animated videos about the potential dangers of railroad tracks that Union Pacific posts on social media sites.

The short videos highlight the risks of taking ...
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Nebraska agency wants to know: How'd your turkey hunt go?

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) - A state agency wants to know how the fall 2016 turkey hunt went for hunters in Nebraska.

The Nebraska Game and Parks Commission is asking hunters via email to participate in a survey that will end early next month. If the hunters didn't provide email addresses ...
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Spain and Italy level atop group as are Serbia and Ireland

Halfway through European qualifying for the 2018 World Cup, there is little to divide some of the teams.

Spain and Italy continued their tense battle for top spot in their group with comfortable victories on Friday.

The two countries remained tied atop Group G after Spain defeated Israel 4-1 in ...
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Jayhawks coach Bill Self has mellowed over the years

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) - Kansas coach Bill Self has kicked out the signage on scorer's tables, tossed sweat-stained suit jackets and screamed so loudly at players and officials that his face turned beet red.

Good thing he's mellowed over the years.

These days, Self merely slams clipboards in frustration, ...
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Public memorial service to honor Fisher and Reynolds

LOS ANGELES (AP) - Stars and fans will gather Saturday for a public memorial to honor late actresses Debbie Reynolds and Carrie Fisher nearly three months after their deaths.

The ceremony honoring the lives of the mother-daughter duo will be held at Forest Lawn-Hollywood Hills, the storied cemetery that is ...
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Tipping Off: Reaching the Sweet 16 commonplace for UConn

NEW YORK (AP) - Reaching the Sweet 16 seems to be a rite of spring for Geno Auriemma the UConn Huskies.

They've made the regional semifinals in 24 consecutive years. Still, the Hall of Fame coach takes nothing for granted, despite winning 109 consecutive games and four straight national championships.

...
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March Madness 2017: Gators stun Wisconsin at OT buzzer; Kentucky races past UCLA

The Sweet 16 matchups roll on Friday night. Stay up to date all weekend with game previews, the latest updates and much more.
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Friday 24 March 2017

Avalanche, Senators to play 2 regular-season games in Sweden

NEW YORK (AP) - The Colorado Avalanche and Ottawa Senators will play two regular-season games in Sweden next season.

The NHL and NHL Players' Association on Friday announced their new Global Series games Nov. 10 and 11 in Stockholm.

The Avalanche and Senators will play the NHL's first regular-season games ...
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Decisions loom for the Nationals as last week of spring training begins

It seems one bench spot and one bullpen spot are up for grabs, and filling either will require difficult decisions.
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11 health-care bill changes aimed at wooing moderates and the far right

House leaders have introduced several amendments, but it remains unclear whether those changes will persuade skeptics.
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Hamas TV channel builds Jerusalem set in Gaza

KHAN YOUNIS, Gaza Strip (AP) - Quiet on the set! Surrounded by militant training sites on uprooted Jewish settlement lands, the first movie set in the Gaza Strip is growing, depicting the history-rich, volatile alleyways of Jerusalem's Old City.

The set is the latest effort by the al-Aqsa channel, run ...
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UND facing Boston in NCAA West Regional hockey semifinal

FARGO, N.D. (AP) - The defending national champion University of North Dakota men's hockey team is two wins away from another appearance in the Frozen Four.

UND plays Boston on Friday afternoon in an NCAA Tournament West Regional semifinal at Fargo's Scheels Arena. If the Fighting Hawks win, they'll face ...
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UEFA fines Barcelona for fans celebrating 6-1 win on pitch

NYON, Switzerland (AP) - UEFA has fined Barcelona for fans running on the pitch to celebrate victory over Paris Saint-Germain, and three other clubs for incidents at recent Champions League and Europa League games.

UEFA says a 19,000 euros ($20,500) fine for Barcelona after a 6-1 win at Camp Nou ...
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Nelson Algren Museum to open Sunday in Gary's Miller area

GARY, Ind. (AP) - A museum dedicated to the Nelson Algren opens Sunday in the northwest Indiana beach community where the late author had a cottage.

The (Munster) Times reports (http://bit.ly/2nJ90NU ) the Nelson Algren Museum in Gary's Miller neighborhood incudes a replica of Algren's Chicago writing space with his ...
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Janssen out of Dutch squad for Bulgaria World Cup qualifier

THE HAGUE, Netherlands (AP) - Tottenham Hotspur striker Vincent Janssen is sick and has been left out of the Netherlands squad travelling to Bulgaria for a World Cup qualifier.

Coach Danny Blind has not called up a replacement for Janssen. Blind is leaving on Friday for Sofia with a 24-player ...
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Kings score 4 special teams goals in 5-2 win over Jets

LOS ANGELES (AP) - The Los Angeles Kings know the uphill challenge they face to get in the postseason. They need to win and then get a lot of help.

The Kings accomplished the first task with Drew Doughty, Marian Gaborik and Anze Kopitar each scoring a power-play goal in ...
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March Madness 2017: Xavier pulls stunning upset of Arizona; Kansas routs Purdue

Thursday's Sweet 16 matchups roll on. Stay up to date all weekend with game previews, the latest updates and much more.
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With 10 games left, Heat look to finish playoff push

MIAMI (AP) - They have won 24 times in their last 31 games. They put together the NBA's longest winning streak this season, a 13-game run that was beyond surprising. They are on the cusp of doing something never accomplished in NBA history.

This Miami Heat comeback tale has been ...
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Thursday 23 March 2017

John Wall's offensive explosion against Atlanta started with his defense

The Washington point guard missed eight consecutive shots in the first half before ending the night with 22 points.
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Todd Fisher says mom Debbie Reynolds set him up for death

LOS ANGELES (AP) - Todd Fisher says his mother, Debbie Reynolds, set him up "for her leaving the planet" the day his sister and Reynolds' daughter, Carrie Fisher, died in December.

The 84-year-old Reynolds suffered a stroke and died one day after her 60-year-old daughter died following a heart attack. ...
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Russia's World Cup CEO mulls FIFA Council spot

MOSCOW (AP) - The man in charge of organizing the World Cup in Russia is considering running for a spot on the FIFA Council after the country's deputy prime minister was barred from standing.

Organizing committee CEO Alexei Sorokin tells Russian state news agency R-Sport "it would be a big ...
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London attacker was British-born and had been investigated by authorities, prime minister says

Prime Minister Theresa May made her comments a day after an attack that killed a police officer and two other people and injured dozens. The suspect, who was killed by police and has not been named by officials, had previously been investigated by MI5, she said.
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Britain police say attacker acted alone; 8 arrested in sweeps

Authorities said they believed the assailant was "inspired by international terrorism." The attacker, who was shot and killed by police, fatally stabbed an officer at the gates to London's Parliament compound after plowing a vehicle through terrified pedestrians. Two other people were killed and dozens were injured .
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Meijer Gardens plans new attractions, $115M in fundraising

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (AP) - Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park in western Michigan is planning a new welcome center, rooftop sculpture garden and picnic pavilion as part of a $115 million fundraising campaign.

The Grand Rapids attraction announced Thursday that $102 million already has been raised as part of ...
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Britain police say attacker acted alone; 7 arrested in sweeps

Authorities said they believed the assailant was "inspired by international terrorism." The attacker, who was shot and killed by police, fatally stabbed an officer at the gates to London's Parliament compound after plowing a vehicle through terrified pedestrians. Two other people were killed and dozens were injured .
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Indiana students curate NCAA social media during tournament

MUNCIE, Ind. (AP) - NCAA officials say a crew of about 30 Ball State University students is helping with social media content during the college men's and women's basketball tournaments.

The Indianapolis Business Journal reports (http://bit.ly/2mRk1by ) that students have been working on official NCAA Twitter accounts like @marchmadness , ...
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Seven arrested after attack that killed 3, injured dozens in ?heart? of London

Authorities said they believed the assailant acted alone but was "inspired by international terrorism." The attacker, who was shot and killed by police, fatally stabbed an officer at the gates to Britain's Parliament compound after plowing a vehicle through terrified pedestrians.
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Credit card charge dropped against ex-Miss Mississippi

FLORA, Miss. (AP) - Authorities in Flora say a judge has dropped a credit card fraud charge against a former Miss Mississippi.

Police tell news outlets that Melinda King Sanders paid the plaintiff during a court hearing Wednesday, and all charges were dropped.

Sanders tells WAPT-TV (http://bit.ly/2np2dZn ) that she's ...
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Miller and Mack still close after time together at Xavier

SAN JOSE, Calif. (AP) - Sean Miller had just been named Xavier's head basketball coach when he began meeting with athletic director Dawn Rogers about filling out his staff.

Rogers had previously worked with Chris Mack, then on Skip Prosser's staff at Wake Forest, and suggested Miller consider him with ...
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Wednesday 22 March 2017

Ukraine: Documents ready to ban Russia's Eurovision entry

MOSCOW (AP) - Ukraine's security service says it has prepared documents to ban Russia's contestant from this year's Eurovision song contest, but that a final decision has not been made.

Russia chose Yulia Samoylova to represent the country in the May 11-13 contest in Kiev.

But Samoylova has toured in ...
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Dani Carvajal misses Spain training with flu

MADRID (AP) - Spain defender Dani Carvajal has missed a national team training session because of the flu.

The Spanish soccer federation says he did not practice Wednesday as a "precaution" ahead of the team's World Cup qualifier against Israel on Friday.

Reserve goalkeeper Pepe Reina had missed a practice ...
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UMass names Kelsey men's basketball coach

AMHERST, Mass. (AP) - Massachusetts has named Pat Kelsey men's basketball coach.

Kelsey comes to UMass after five seasons as coach at Winthrop. He led the South Carolina school to a 102-59 record in that span and qualified for the NCAA tournament this season with a record of 26-7. He ...
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Colin Kaepernick donates $50,000 to Meals on Wheels

Meals on Wheels has confirmed a $50,000 donation from former San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick.

The group that provides food for seniors in need thanked Kaepernick for his donation on Tuesday. It came a day after President Donald Trump took a swipe Kaepernick during a campaign-style rally in Kentucky ...
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Chuck Berry's final studio album to be released in June

ST. LOUIS (AP) - Chuck Berry's final studio album will be released on June 16.

The album, titled "CHUCK," was announced in October, five months before the rock pioneer's death on Saturday at the age of 90.

"CHUCK" is Berry's first album since 1979's "Rock It." Dualtone Records says eight ...
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AFC says East Timor passports for 9 Brazilians are invalid

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia (AP) - The East Timor passports of nine Brazilian soccer players who represented the tiny Pacific island nation have been declared invalid, the Asian Football Confederation said Wednesday.

FIFA has been investigating the East Timor federation for suspected involvement in wrongly naturalizing Brazilians players for selection in ...
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3 disqualified from Olympics over doping, Russia says

MOSCOW (AP) - Russian officials say three of the country's athletes have been retroactively disqualified from the 2012 Olympics after failing doping retests.

The Russian track and field federation says hammer throwers Maria Bespalova and Gulfiya Khanafeeva and triple jumper Viktoria Valyukevich have been disqualified. None of them were medalists.

...
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Belgium-born Lecomte helps Baylor get to another Sweet 16

WACO, Texas (AP) - Manu Lecomte is like so many other players who made the NCAA Tournament. They grew up with dreams of making big plays on the biggest stage.

Like his four-point play to start a personal scoring surge late in the second-round game that finally put Baylor ahead ...
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Seattle-area youth bowling coach facing child porn charge

SEATTLE (AP) - A youth bowling coach from the Seattle area has been charged with possessing images of child pornography that show him sexually abusing one of his team members.

Seattlepi.com reports (http://bit.ly/2mOylSb) that 53-year-old Ty Treddenbarger of Burien remains held on $500,000 bail after authorities say he admitted to ...
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Australia couple are 1st foreigners to own US radio stations

JUNEAU, Alaska (AP) - An Australian couple with roots in Alaska has broken a longstanding barrier to full foreign ownership of U.S. radio stations.

The Federal Communications Commission recently approved a request by Richard and Sharon Burns to increase their interest in 29 radio stations in Alaska, Texas and Arkansas ...
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Kentucky Derby Museum plans Man o' War exhibit

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) - The Kentucky Derby Museum says it is planning a new exhibit next month on one of thoroughbred racing's most famous horses: Man o' War.

The museum says in a statement that the interactive exhibit will open on April 8 and include information about Man o' War's ...
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Tuesday 21 March 2017

Italy: TV show yanked after complaints of 'offensive' sexism

ROME (AP) - Italy's state-run RAI television has canceled a weekend talk show after it came under blistering criticism for a segment about why Eastern European women purportedly make good girlfriends.

The March 18 broadcast of "Let's Talk About it Saturday" featured a list of qualities that, according to RAI, ...
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UEFA president says few countries can host 48-team World Cup

PRAGUE (AP) - There are only a few countries in Europe that would be able to host a 48-team World Cup, UEFA President Aleksander Ceferin said Tuesday.

FIFA decided in January to expand its biggest event from 32 to 48 teams for the 2026 tournament.

Speaking during a visit to ...
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After extraordinary hearing on FBI?s Russia probe, Trump is dealt his hardest truth

FBI director James Comey's testimony on wiretapping and the Russia probe put the White House on the defensive, and threatens to damage the president's credibility not only with voters, but also with lawmakers of his own party.
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Woody Harrelson gives up smoking pot after '30 solid years'

NEW YORK (AP) - Woody Harrelson has given up marijuana after decades of what he calls partying too hard.

The actor is one of Hollywood's most well-known marijuana enthusiasts. Harrelson tells Vulture that he hasn't smoked pot in nearly a year.

He cites "30 solid years" of partying for his ...
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Labs extend purebred dog popularity record; Rottweilers rise

NEW YORK (AP) - Labrador retrievers have extended their record run as America's most popular dog breed.

They top the American Kennel Club's new rankings Tuesday for a 26th straight year. The rankings are for 2016.

They show Rottweilers are enjoying renewed favor, and bulldog breeds are holding their regained ...
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Stolen Van Gogh paintings return to Amsterdam museum

AMSTERDAM (AP) - The Van Gogh Museum has welcomed home two paintings by the Dutch master more than 14 years after they were ripped off a wall at the museum in a nighttime heist.

The paintings, the 1882 "Seascape at Scheveningen," and 1884-85 work "Congregation leaving the Reformed Church in ...
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New Mexico cheerleader moves cyberbullying suit to fed court

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) - A former high school cheerleader is suing the Albuquerque school district in federal court over nude images of her posted by teammates on social media.

The lawsuit was moved to U.S. District Court in Albuquerque last week. It alleges teammates at West Mesa High School used ...
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Students, family members invited to learn about, create art

FORT WAYNE, Ind. (AP) - As other children painted in a nearby room, 5-year-old Caeson King on Sunday stood in a Fort Wayne Museum of Art hallway and posed for a picture, a display of artwork behind him.

But it wasn't just any artwork; it was his.

He and other ...
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Blight battle finds focus at Aretha Franklin's birthplace

MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) - The crumbling house where Aretha Franklin was born looks no different from many others on Lucy Avenue in Memphis' Soulsville neighborhood: empty and shuttered, with plywood over the windows. A rear section has collapsed, and weeds grow all around it. No one has lived there for ...
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Temple's Haason Reddick enjoying the ride to NFL draft

PHILADELPHIA (AP) - For some NFL prospects, the arrival of spring coincides with the dog days of the process that leads to the draft. Let's get to Philadelphia already, is what many are thinking.

Haason Reddick has exactly opposite feelings. Maybe it's because he went to school in Philly, at ...
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'If you can play, play': Chris Bosh speaks on rest debate

MIAMI (AP) - Chris Bosh never wanted to take games off as a player and would give anything to be playing right now. So he has a very simple perspective on the NBA's rest-or-play debate .

"If you can play," Bosh said, "go out there and play."

Having the game ...
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Monday 20 March 2017

Germany goalkeeper Neuer out of England, Azerbaijan games

BERLIN (AP) - Germany goalkeeper Manuel Neuer has pulled out of the upcoming games against England and Azerbaijan because of calf problems.

Neuer, who played a full game for Bayern Munich at Borussia Moenchengladbach on Sunday, will remain in Munich for treatment.

The German soccer federation says coach Joachim Loew ...
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How two old-school Washington insiders became the cool kids of Trumpism

Matt and Mercedes Schlapp speak nearly every day with someone at the White House — often, they say, Stephen Bannon or Reince Priebus. Sometimes even President Trump himself. So how did these two members of the Republican establishment become the unofficial ambassadors to The Swamp?
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World donors pledge $75 million to safeguard cultural heritage threatened by war, IS extremists

PARIS (AP) - World donors pledge $75 million to safeguard cultural heritage threatened by war, IS extremists.


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2020 Olympic golf course votes to amend membership policy

TOKYO (AP) - The course that will host the 2020 Olympic golf tournament has decided to change its membership policy to include women.

The Kasumigaseki Country Club said Monday its executive board decided on the change after discussions among its members. The membership policy came under scrutiny when Tokyo Gov. ...
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In a wild NCAA tournament weekend, it?s adapt or perish. Guess what Duke did.

Gamecocks score an incredible 65 points in the second half against one of basketball's elite programs.
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Nepal to strap some Everest climbers with GPS device

KATHMANDU, Nepal (AP) - Some climbers attempting to scale Mount Everest during the upcoming spring climbing season will be strapped with a GPS device to locate them in case they are in trouble and to prevent false claims of reaching the summit, officials said Monday.

Hundreds of climbers are expected ...
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Kim Kardashian West 'mentally prepped' for rape during heist

LOS ANGELES (AP) - Kim Kardashian West says she "mentally prepped" herself to be raped while being held at gunpoint during a Paris jewelry heist last year.

Kardashian West discussed the incident on Sunday night's episode of the E! network's "Keeping Up with the Kardashians."

She says two robbers wearing ...
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Nepal to strap Everest climbers with GPS device

KATHMANDU, Nepal (AP) - Some climbers attempting to scale Mount Everest over the next two months will be strapped with a GPS device for their safety and to prevent false claims of reaching the summit.

The chief of Nepal's tourism department, Durga Dutta Dhakal, said Monday that climbers would be ...
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Indianapolis museum to showcase Aubudon's vivid bird prints

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) - A collection of prints by famed 19th century wildlife artist John James Audubon is coming to the Indianapolis Museum of Art.

The exhibit featuring 75 of Audubon's vivid prints of owls, pelicans and other birds is called "Drawn to Nature."

The Indianapolis Star reports (http://indy.st/2marlnb ) the ...
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Combination of Purdue campuses means more art in Hammond

HAMMOND, Ind. (AP) - When Judy Jacobi talks about the art at Purdue University Northwest, enthusiasm and joy light up her face, just as the art around the Westville and Hammond campuses captures the imagination.

Part of the transition that combined Purdue Calumet and Purdue North Central into Purdue University ...
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3 NRL clubs face fines for concussion protocol breaches

SYDNEY (AP) - Three clubs face $270,000 (350,000 Australian dollars) in fines for alleged breaches of the National Rugby League's concussion protocols in what could be the heaviest sanctions the competition's governing body has ever imposed for such infringements.

NRL chief executive Todd Greenberg on Monday said the breach notices ...
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Sunday 19 March 2017

Washington athlete going for gold at Special Olympics

BAINBRIDGE ISLAND, Wash. (AP) - Stefanie Sarason will embark on the journey of a lifetime on Saturday. But first, coffee.

She'll begin the day at her favorite coffee shop - Blackbird Bakery in Winslow - for one last taste of home before wrangling her pack of luggage over to the ...
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Why Wichita State vs. Kentucky could be an NCAA tournament classic ? for the second time

The Shockers are grossly underseeded, which is why they'll face off vs. the Wildcats in the second round for the second time in four years.
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Man United survives Middlesbrough fightback, wins 3-1 in EPL

MIDDLESBROUGH, England (AP) - A weakened Manchester United team survived a late fightback from managerless Middlesbrough to win 3-1 on Sunday and climb out of sixth place in the Premier League for the first time in 19 weeks.

Playing its third game in less than seven days, United looked like ...
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1 dead in shooting at Louisville art gallery during party

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) - Louisville police say one person has been fatally shot and four people were wounded during a party at an art gallery.

Media outlets report the shooting occurred early Sunday at the Tim Faulkner Gallery.

Louisville Metropolitan Police spokesman Dwight Mitchell says as many as 200 people ...
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Evansville mayor works on plan for baseball stadium repairs

EVANSVILLE, Ind. (AP) - Evansville's mayor says he's working on a plan to pay for needed repairs to the city's 102-year-old baseball stadium.

The Evansville Vanderburgh School Corp. owns Bosse Field and has sought state permission for a property tax increase raising about $300,000 a year. School district officials say ...
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Key dates in the life of rock 'n' roll visionary Chuck Berry

Some key dates in the life of Chuck Berry:

-Oct. 18, 1926: Born Charles Edward Anderson Berry in St. Louis.

-Oct. 28, 1948: Marries Themetta Suggs with whom he has four children.

-Dec. 31, 1952: Needing a replacement for an ailing musician for a New Year's Eve show, pianist/bandleader Johnnie ...
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On a Texas prairie, distance grows between neighbors over an American birthright

Working-class white voters such as Tamara Estes are infuriated by undocumented immigrants. But if President Trump fulfills his pledge to deport millions, he'll be splitting up families such as her neighbors, whose four children were all born in America.
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Stade Francais and Racing 92 cancel merger plans

PARIS (AP) - Stade Francais and Racing 92 won't finally join forces to create a super rugby club in the Paris region.

Facing strong opposition from fans and players, both clubs' presidents decided to scrap their planned merger.

Racing 92 President Jacky Lorenzetti said on the club's website he "gave ...
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Fear, hope and deportations

Trump's promises to deport undocumented immigrants give one woman hope and the family next door fear.
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Love of aviation takes off for first-time fliers

OCALA, Fla. (AP) - Caroline Morris was giggling so hard the 8-year-old could barely tell people how she felt about her first airplane flight at the Girls Fly event March 11 at Ocala International Airport.

"It was scary but awesome," Caroline managed to get out between laughs as local pilot ...
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TIPPING OFF: Learning from how players see big-time games

A look at some interesting things as we head into Sunday, when the NCAA Tournament will finalize its Sweet 16:

__

SOMETIMES ...

Southern Cal's De'Anthony Melton got as philosophical as a basketball player can get. When asked about the Trojans' second-round game with Baylor, he answered: "It doesn't matter ...
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Saturday 18 March 2017

How a wealthy GOP family and Trump?s chief strategist built a populist power base

Through at least five joint ventures, Robert Mercer, daughter Rebekah and Stephen Bannon aimed to sow distrust of big government and erode the dominance of the major news media. Among their projects was Breitbart News, the media outlet the Mercers now partly own. Under Bannon's leadership, Breitbart gave voice to the nationalistic fervor that Donald Trump embraced.
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Group warns about problem gambling as March Madness rolls on

BOSTON (AP) - A local group wants to make sure March Madness doesn't turn into a year-round gambling habit for some people.

The Massachusetts Council on Compulsive Gambling says now is a good time to talk to friends and family members - particularly children - about the consequences of problem ...
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Le Graet re-elected as French football federation president

PARIS (AP) - French football federation president Noel Le Graet has been re-elected in the first round of balloting.

The federation said Le Graet and his list of candidates got 57.4 percent of the votes on Saturday.

The 75-year-old Le Graet beat Nancy president Jacques Rousselot on 41.9 percent to ...
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Concert promoter charged with domestic violence assault

PORTLAND, Maine (AP) - The promoter of a popular concert series in Bangor and Portland is facing a domestic violence charge.

Police say the incident began March 12 when 41-year-old Alexander Gray of Old Town demanded to see his girlfriend's cellphone at their condo in Portland.

The Portland Press Herald ...
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Report: Alleged Yahoo hacker worked at Prokhorov bank

MOSCOW (AP) - A Russian news report says an intelligence agent charged by the United States in the hacking of half a billion Yahoo user accounts worked at an investment bank owned by billionaire Mikhail Prokhorov, who also owns the Brooklyn Nets basketball team.

The report Saturday in the respected ...
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Entertainment acts announced for Norsk Hostfest in Minot

MINOT, N.D. (AP) - Entertainment acts have been announced for this year's Norsk Hostfest in Minot.

Comedian Jeff Dunham and the legendary rock band The Doobie Brothers are headliners. Also scheduled to perform are singers Amy Grant, Joe Diffie and John Michael Montgomery, and musical groups Celtic Thunder and the ...
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Kashima Antlers beat Shimizu S-Pulse 3-2 in J-League

TOKYO (AP) - Naomichi Ueda, Mu Kanazaki and Yuma Suzuki scored late in the second half as Kashima Antlers erased a 2-0 deficit to beat Shimizu S-Pulse 3-2 in J-League soccer on Saturday.

Shota Kaneko put Shimizu ahead in the 41st minute and Ryohei Shirasaki doubled the lead in the ...
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11-year-old Berthoud girl worked as stunt double in 'Logan'

BOULDER, Colo. (AP) - Blame it on Scooby Doo.

"Scooby-Doo And The Samurai Sword" from 2009 could be responsible for landing Berthoud's 11-year-old Nayah Murphy in "Logan," which hits screens nationwide today and is the final film in the Wolverine franchise that.

It could be a stretch, but Murphy said ...
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Together for 7 decades, St. Cloud couple die 23 hours apart

ST. CLOUD, Fla. (AP) - The first time Elmer Bihl saw his future wife across a dance floor, he knew she was the one.

Their love story began seven decades ago and ended when Elmer, 93, died March 1. Ruth, 89, followed the next day.

"To me, it was just ...
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During March Madness, fans fill out brackets, and coaches fill out jobs

PERSPECTIVE | There's seemingly no limit to the butterfly effect when a head coaching job comes open.
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EXCHANGE: Husband in Kuwait, woman takes photos from window

COLLINSVILLE, Ill. (AP) - Dawn and Rob Blum are back together after a six-month separation that had Rob serving in Kuwait with the Illinois Air National Guard.

Dawn counted the days until his return by taking a photo out their bedroom every day for 188 days.

"I wanted to mark ...
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Friday 17 March 2017

Former Michigan player Lewis charged with domestic violence

ANN ARBOR, Mich. (AP) - Former Michigan cornerback and NFL prospect Jourdan Lewis has been charged with misdemeanor domestic violence after authorities say he assaulted his girlfriend.

Lewis was arraigned Thursday in 15th District Court in Ann Arbor, where a plea of not guilty was entered on his behalf. Lewis' ...
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UCLA's Steve Alford focused on team, not Indiana job opening

UCLA coach Steve Alford says he's focused on the NCAA Tournament, not the job opening at his alma mater Indiana.

Alford played four seasons in Bloomington and led the Hoosiers to the 1987 NCAA title under coach Bobby Knight. His name was among the first to come up when Indiana ...
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Prosecutors shelve probe into Germany match threat

BERLIN (AP) - German prosecutors are shelving their investigation into an alleged plan by Islamic extremists to attack a Germany-Netherlands football match in 2015.

Authorities abruptly called off the Nov. 17, 2015, match in Hannover, citing intelligence warnings of an imminent attack, and evacuated the stadium.

No explosives were found ...
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Brooklyn Museum highlights Georgia O'Keeffe as style icon

NEW YORK (AP) - A New York City museum is highlighting Georgia O'Keeffe's role as a style icon.

The Brooklyn Museum exhibit - titled "Georgia O'Keeffe: Living Modern" - features clothing, paintings and photos. It's part of a yearlong project celebrating feminist thinking.

Guest curator Wanda M. Corn studied six ...
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$63 million upgrade project is approved for Sanford Stadium

ATHENS, Ga. (AP) - Higher education leaders have approved a major expansion and renovation project involving the west end of Sanford Stadium, the University of Georgia football team's home field.

The Athens Banner-Herald reports (http://bit.ly/2n5Aixi ) that the Board of Regents of the University System of Georgia approved the project ...
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For South Carolina, an NCAA tournament win would be a long time coming

The Gamecocks are looking for their first tournament win since the Watergate era. Really.
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British royals William and Kate visit Paris as Brexit looms

PARIS (AP) - Prince William and his wife Kate are coming to Paris to meet the French president as Britain gets ready to launch divorce proceedings from the European Union.

While the couple has visited France several times, it's William's first official visit to Paris since his mother Diana was ...
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British film company buys rights to Syrian swimmer's story

BERLIN (AP) - A British film company has agreed to buy the rights to the story of a teenage refugee who fled Syria and swam at the Olympics a year later.

Yusra Mardini and her sister Sara were forced to swim for hours alongside their overloaded boat to reach Greece ...
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Convicted reality star's request for shorter sentence denied

ROCHESTER, N.Y. (AP) - A VH1 reality star involved in an interstate drug ring has been denied a request for a shorter prison sentence.

The Democrat and Chronicle reports (http://on.rocne.ws/2m8IFZM ) that Mendeecees Harris, of the show "Love and Hip Hop," requested to have his federal drug distribution sentence reduced ...
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APNewsBreak: New ads show Marines as good citizens, warriors

SAN DIEGO (AP) - The Marine Corps is launching a new recruitment ad campaign meant to draw millennials by showing Marines as not only strong warriors but good citizens.

"Battles Won" is the name of the campaign that includes TV ads and online clips of Marines unloading "Toys for Tots" ...
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Women's NCAA Tournament tips off

The women's NCAA Tournament gets underway Friday with half of the 64-team field playing.

The same question remains for 63 of them: Can they beat UConn?

The Huskies have won 107 consecutive games overall and four straight national championships. UConn won't have to leave the state until potentially the Final ...
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Thursday 16 March 2017

Fact to fiction: Boris Johnson's father pens Brexit thriller

LONDON (AP) - In the thriller "Kompromat," a political earthquake is shaking Britain and the European Union, a populist tide is sweeping the West and a resurgent Russia is pulling invisible strings around the world.

British author Stanley Johnson found gallons of real-life fuel for his forthcoming novel, billed as ...
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Issa Hayatou voted out after 29 years as president of African soccer confederation, loses to Ahmad o

ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia (AP) - Issa Hayatou voted out after 29 years as president of African soccer confederation, loses to Ahmad of Madagascar.


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'This is all connected': After devastating accident, Vermont-Purdue game has bigger meaning

Josh Speidel's recovery from a traumatic brain injury suffered in a 2015 car accident is awe-inspiring and has lifted his teammates to the NCAA's highest level.
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Demi Lovato on 5 years sober: 'It's been quite the journey'

Demi Lovato is celebrating five years of sobriety.

The 24-year-old singer celebrated with an Instagram post on Wednesday. She writes that "it's been quite the journey," adding, "so many times I wanted to relapse but sat on my hands and begged God to relieve the obsession."

Lovato's personal struggles have ...
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Irrepressible Mbappe leading rampant Monaco to new heights

MONACO (AP) - Led by the irrepressible form of teen forward Kylian Mbappe, Monaco is winning widespread admiration for a scintillating brand of attacking football that has produced 126 goals so far this season.

The 18-year-old Mbappe, with his lightning speed, trickery and calm finishing, is the talk of European ...
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Director Jia Zhangke to host film festival in northern China

BEIJING (AP) - Chinese director Jia Zhangke, known for films exploring China's wrenching social changes, will host his own festival to showcase the work of young directors and movies from developing countries.

Jia announced Thursday the Pingyao International Film Festival will be held Oct. 19-26 in the small city of ...
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IOC board member apologizes for linking Russian ban to Nazis

PYEONGCHANG, South Korea (AP) - IOC board member Gian Franco Kasper apologized Thursday for comparing a ban on Russia from the 2018 Olympics to persecution of Jews in Nazi Germany.

"It was an inappropriate and insensitive comment," Kasper, the long-time International Ski Federation president, said in a statement.

The 73-year-old ...
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A week of celebrating the King awaits at Bay Hill

ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) - The Arnold Palmer Invitational is more than just a tournament this year. It's an event.

Palmer died on Sept. 25 of heart complications. The public funeral service was held on Oct. 4, two days after the Ryder Cup. Palmer would not have wanted to distract from ...
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A look at what could happen in the women's NCAA Tournament

NEW YORK (AP) - It's been pretty easy to pick UConn to win the title the last few years. While the path may be more difficult this season, the result will be the same. The question is what will happen in the other 57 games in the women's bracket that ...
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Warriors look to gain momentum again, chase West's top seed

OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) - Sure, it's a little strange for Steve Kerr to be talking about how his Golden State Warriors must regain momentum in March.

They are the NBA's top team, after all. Yet having lost three straight and on the brink of another defeat Tuesday night before rallying ...
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How to watch Thursday's NCAA tournament games on TV, online or even if you've cut the cord

There are tons of options available.
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Wednesday 15 March 2017

UMass says no evidence to support allegations in lawsuit

AMHERST, Mass. (AP) - The University of Massachusetts is responding to a lawsuit filed by a woman who alleges she was held against her will by members of the men's basketball staff.

UMass athletic director Ryan Bamford said in a statement Tuesday that when the university became aware of the ...
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A man, his pipe and some music amid Aleppo?s destruction

Mohammed Mohiedin Anis speaks five languages. He studied medicine. He has a dwindling collection of vintage American cars. Bombs have shattered his once fine life, and a photographer captured his will to live.
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Lancaster man pleads guilty to child sex charges

LANCASTER, S.C. (AP) - A Lancaster man is facing 20 years in prison after pleading guilty to a sexual assault on a child.

South Carolina Attorney General's Office spokeswoman Hayley Thrift Bledsoe tells The Herald of Rock Hill (http://bit.ly/2nmNTBn) 26-year-old Albert Lee Witherspoon pleaded guilty to criminal sexual conduct with ...
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Time for Europe's elite to start taking Leicester seriously

LEICESTER, England (AP) - The obvious answer was Barcelona or Real Madrid. Bayern Munich would have been understandable, too.

But when Gianluigi Buffon was asked which team he would like to avoid in the draw for the Champions League quarterfinals, the Juventus goalkeeper went for competition's big outsider.

"Leicester," the ...
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Professor's talk on South Korea a hit in home-office comedy

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) - You can see the exact moment professor Robert Kelly knows his live interview has imploded.

As Kelly speaks from his home office via Skype with BBC about the just-ousted South Korean president, his eyes dart left as he watches on his computer screen as his ...
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Donald Davidson's love of Indy 500 started in England

ANDERSON, Ind. (AP) - While growing up in England, a teenage Donald Davidson developed an interest in auto racing. That fascination brought him to Indianapolis in 1964 and the love affair with the Indianapolis 500 continues to this day.

Davidson, the official historian for the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, was in ...
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New trail system will connect 2 communities near Sedona

PHOENIX (AP) - Construction on a non-motorized trail system and a new trailhead will connect two neighboring communities near Sedona.

Coconino National Forest officials announced Tuesday the trails connecting the communities of Cornville and Bridgeport will open later this month.

The agency has worked together with Yavapai County and a ...
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UMKC relishing first postseason as it hosts CBI game

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) - Kareem Richardson will never confuse the NCAA Tournament with the CBI, one of the myriad other postseason tournaments that doesn't even rise to the level of the NIT.

He was an assistant under Chris Mack at Xavier when the Musketeers went to the Sweet 16. ...
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US argues to reinstate convictions in 'Hollywood South' case

NEW ORLEANS (AP) - Federal prosecutors have filed their arguments for reinstating criminal convictions against two people they said fraudulently obtained more than $1 million in tax credits from a program that helped build Louisiana's film industry into "Hollywood South."

Many of the counts on which attorney Michael Arata and ...
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Seavey becomes oldest, fastest musher to win Iditarod

ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) - Mitch Seavey became the oldest and fastest musher to win the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race, in year marred by an abnormally high number of dog deaths.

After bringing in his dog team off the Bering Sea ice and under the famed burled arch on Front ...
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Richard Pitino enjoys much-needed rebound at Minnesota

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) - Richard Pitino's first real memory of March Madness stands as one of the defining moments in college basketball history - and a day that most Kentucky fans have spent 25 years trying to forget.

He was 9 years old in The Spectrum in Philadelphia on March 28, ...
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Tuesday 14 March 2017

Tyler Perry's dad escapes Louisiana house fire

GREENSBURG, La. (AP) - The father of actor and filmmaker Tyler Perry is OK after a fire destroyed his Louisiana home.

Officials in Greensburg, Louisiana, tell WAFB-TV (http://bit.ly/2nA6MwE) that Emmett Perry was home at the time the fire was reported about 8 Monday night. St. Helena Parish Sheriff Nat Williams ...
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Missouri to pay firm $80,000 in search for basketball coach

COLUMBIA, Mo. (AP) - The University of Missouri will pay $80,000 to a search firm helping the university find a new men's basketball coach.

The Columbia Daily Tribune reports (http://bit.ly/2njdWZV ) the university released details of its contract with the Parker Executive Search firm on Monday.

The fee doesn't include ...
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How to win your office pool

Don't waste your time filling out nine quintillion different bracket combinations. Just use this one.
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Moving memoir of terminal cancer up for Wellcome book prize

LONDON (AP) - A doctor's posthumously published account of his life with terminal cancer is among six finalists for the medically themed Wellcome Trust Book Prize.

Paul Kalanithi's "When Breath Becomes Air" is among six books shortlisted for the prize, open to fiction or nonfiction works published in Britain that ...
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Man starts sentence in crash that killed Miami Heat dancer

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (AP) - A man whose drunken driving crash claimed the life of a Miami Heat dancer has begun a 15-year sentence.

The Miami Herald (https://goo.gl/DcFQI4 ) reports 49-year-old Mario Careaga turned himself in to authorities Monday in South Florida's Broward County. He was convicted of DUI manslaughter ...
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Austria forward Burgstaller returns for Moldova qualifier

VIENNA (AP) - Austria forward Guido Burgstaller will return to the national team for next week's World Cup qualifier against Moldova and a friendly against Finland.

Missing from the team since being dropped ahead of the 2016 European Championship, the Schalke player has been included in the 23-man squad announced ...
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Derby brings in former player Rowett to replace McClaren

DERBY, England (AP) - English club Derby has moved swiftly to replace fired manager Steve McClaren, bringing in former player Gary Rowett as its fifth coach in 13 months.

Rowett was hired Tuesday, two days after McClaren departed for the second time with Derby in 10th place in the second-tier ...
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How Butler made its bulldog a marketing dynamo

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) - Eighteen years ago, Butler University alumni office staffer Kelli Walker came to her department head, Bill Farkas, with a quirky idea: Bring back a live bulldog as school mascot.

The reaction that ran through Farkas' mind: "That's the dumbest idea I've ever heard of."

The Butler Bulldogs ...
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Judge extends deadline in SEC suit over 38 Studios deal

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (AP) - The Rhode Island Commerce Corporation has been given more time to respond to charges in a lawsuit brought against it by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission over the state's failed $75 million deal with former Boston Red Sox pitcher Curt Schilling's video game company.

The ...
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Meow Madness: The Purrfect mix of kittens and basketball

NEW YORK (AP) - Watch out Villanova and Kentucky (and Arizona and Northwestern), there's a new set of cats going wild for March Madness.

Time for Meow Madness , coming in April.

Buoyed by the success of the Kitten Bowl, the Hallmark Channel is debuting a new show hosted by ...
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Notre Dame confident after recent NCAA Tournament success

SOUTH BEND, Ind. (AP) - Notre Dame basketball is doing something its football team hasn't been able to do in recent years: thrive in big games.

The Fighting Irish (25-9), who this past weekend advanced to the Atlantic Coast Conference title game for the second time in three years, head ...
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Monday 13 March 2017

3 charged with assaulting officer after disturbance call

ROANOKE, Va. (AP) - Police in Virginia say three people are facing charges for assaulting an officer who was responding to a disturbance call.

The Roanoke Times (http://bit.ly/2mC1L7p) reports 36-year-old Chad Edward Boothe, 35-year-old Bryan Lee Boothe and 33-year-old Erin Nicole Turner were arrested Saturday and charged with assaulting a ...
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Juventus focused on winning the Champions League

MILAN (AP) - With a sixth straight Serie A title looking likely and another Italian Cup final on the horizon, Juventus has become almost obsessively focused on the Champions League.

There is a feeling in Turin that victory in Europe would crown its resurrection from relegation to Serie B in ...
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Malawi withdraws from African Cup qualifying, has no money

BLANTYRE, Malawi (AP) - The Malawi soccer association says it will withdraw from the qualifying competition for the 2019 African Cup of Nations because it can't afford to fund its team's campaign.

The Football Association of Malawi says it still needs to officially inform the Confederation of African Football of ...
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After this KKK banner came down, the real story began

Even before the last screw came out of the banner that had been hanging on East Main Street in the small Georgia town of Dahlonega, photos of it were appearing all over social media, and people began speculating about who did it. But the point wasn't who did it. The point was that it had happened, and whatever it had unleashed was taking on a life of its own.
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Pittsburgh's Warhol Museum promotes new director from within

PITTSBURGH (AP) - The Andy Warhol Museum in Pittsburgh has promoted its new director from within.

Patrick Moore has been interim director since Eric Shiner left in August for a position with Sotheby's auction house in New York. Moore was named director of the museum on Friday.

Moore was hired ...
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Obama books to be published worldwide, from Ireland to India

NEW YORK (AP) - The publishing of the upcoming books by Barack and Michelle Obama will be a global event.

Penguin Random House announced Monday that it has lined up publishers from Ireland to South Africa for the two books, to be released by the Crown imprint in the U.S. ...
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Wheelchair user chosen as Russian entry at Eurovision

MOSCOW (AP) - A woman who uses a wheelchair has been selected to represent Russia at the upcoming Eurovision song contest, seemingly putting an end to speculation that Russia might boycott the politically charged competition held in Kiev.

Several Russian lawmakers and entertainment stars have called to boycott the competition ...
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