With the heart of an upstart, UCLA outlasts Michigan to reach Final Four

The Bruins became just the fifth No. 11 seed — and second First Four participant, joining VCU in 2011 — to advance to the Final Four with a 51-49 upset over No. 1 seed Michigan.
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Maryland's Brenda Frese named The Associated Press women’s basketball coach of the year for second t

SAN ANTONIO (AP) - Maryland's Brenda Frese named The Associated Press women's basketball coach of the year for second time in her career.

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'Philip Roth': Blake Bailey's story behind the story arrives

NEW YORK (AP) - The life of Philip Roth was a story. So was the writing of his biography.

Blake Bailey's "Philip Roth," a volume Roth had imagined in some form for more than 20 years, comes out April 7. Ever willing to provoke or amplify an argument, the ...
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Navarro warned Trump of virus supply shortage, then pursued his own deals

White House trade adviser Peter Navarro urged the president to invest in ingredients for drugs, handheld coronavirus tests and other supplies. When he was ignored, he pursued $1 billion in "haphazard" contracts, according to new documents released by House Democrats.
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BBC correspondent leaves China amid safety concerns

BEIJING (AP) - A veteran BBC correspondent whose coverage angered China has left the country amid concerns for his safety, the BBC and a journalist organization said.

The BBC said Wednesday that John Sudworth had relocated to Taiwan and would continue to be the British public broadcaster's China correspondent.

The ...
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White House unveils jobs plan, setting up fight over role of government

The approximately $2 trillion jobs plan focuses on infrastructure and the climate, representing President Biden's vision for how to reshape the U.S. economy.
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Hunter Biden says he wouldn't repeat work for Ukrainian firm

WASHINGTON (AP) - President Joe Biden's son Hunter says his service on the board of a Ukrainian gas company, which Republicans tried to turn into a negative during the 2020 presidential campaign, wasn't unethical and didn't represent a lack of judgment on his part.

But the younger Biden wouldn't ...
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White House unveils jobs plan, setting up a fight over role of government

The approximately $2 trillion jobs plan is focused on infrastructure and the climate, a blueprint that represents President Biden's vision for how to reshape the U.S. economy.
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A busy Thursday in golf and tennis awaits the Korda family

MIAMI (AP) - Nelly Korda keeps asking her parents if she can book their flight to watch her and her sister play in the LPGA's first major of the year this week.

She wants them there. She's equally thrilled that they're not there yet. And if they don't get there ...
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Bored games: Teams find funs ways to fill gaps at tourneys

SAN ANTONIO (AP) - Wiffle ball games and ping-pong tournaments. Boat rides, TikTok videos and Uno. Lots and lots of Uno, in fast-paced games in which the cards fly in a frenzy.

The men's and women's NCAA Tournaments in Indianapolis and San Antonio aren't all COVID-19 tests, basketball and contact ...
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USA Football recommends 8 procedures for youth safety

USA Football has introduced eight procedures to enhance safety and health for youth players, with all of those methods endorsed by some major medical organizations.

USA Football's Athlete Health & Wellness Recommendations for youth football play have been supported by the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM), the National ...
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Dapper Labs, creators of NBA Top Shot, get $305M in funding

SILVER SPRING, Md. (AP) - Canadian blockchain technology company Dapper Labs has secured $305 million in private funding - some of it from current and former NBA players, including Michael Jordan - to scale up its virtual NBA trading card site, the company said Tuesday.

Vancouver, British Columbia-based Dapper says ...
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Rebecca Welch first woman to referee in English men's league

LONDON (AP) - An English men's professional league game will have a female referee for the first time when Rebecca Welch takes charge of the fourth tier fixture between Harrogate and Port Vale on Monday.

"Initially I wasn't really aware of it being appointed as the first female referee," Welch ...
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Goldberg, Zendaya to be honored at Essence Hollywood awards

LOS ANGELES (AP) - Whoopi Goldberg, Andra Day and Zendaya will be among the honorees at this year's Essence Black Women in Hollywood event, which will be livestreamed during Oscars week for the first time this year.

Essence on Tuesday announced the honorees for the 14th annual ceremony on ...
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Benzema to stand trial in October for alleged blackmail

PARIS (AP) - Karim Benzema will face trial in October for his alleged involvement in blackmailing former France teammate Matthieu Valbuena over a sex tape, the Versailles prosecutor's office said on Tuesday.

Benzema will stand trial from Oct. 20-22 on the charge of complicity in attempted blackmail. He denies any ...
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2 Poland players positive for virus before England qualifier

WARSAW, Poland (AP) - Two Poland players have tested positive for the coronavirus, the Polish Football Association said on Tuesday, a day before the team plays against England in a World Cup qualifier.

Defender Kamil Piatkowski and midfielder Grzegorz Krychowiak tested positive before the team's scheduled flight to Britain. That ...
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Biden, health officials sound alarm as signs of a coronavirus surge proliferate

Case counts are up, and younger people who are not yet vaccinated are being hospitalized with severe coronavirus infections.
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BTS condemns anti-Asian racism, says they've experienced it

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) - K-pop superstar group BTS has condemned racism against Asians, Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders in a statement saying they've experienced it themselves.

"We stand against racial discrimination," BTS tweeted Tuesday in English and Korean. The band said their own painful encounters with racism included "expletives" ...
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Baylor broils No. 3 Razorbacks, ready for even bigger game

Another contender emerged from the mist at the NCAA Tournament - nothing dramatic, mind you, like in the movies, because we already knew No. 1 seed Baylor was very good.

But so was third-seeded Arkansas. Yet the Bears ran the Razorbacks into the ground early and then again when ...
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Editorial Roundup: Wisconsin

Eau Claire Leader-Telegram. March 28, 2021.

Editorial: Affordable housing is statewide need

There are some reactions that we know we're going to get when certain stories run. There are going to be strong statements in response to courts stories, especially if the victims in a case are children. When ...
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Spanish resorts languish while Madrid hosts Europe's parties

MADRID (AP) - In Madrid, the real party starts at 11 p.m. after the bars close - and curfew kicks in.

That's when young, polyglot groups of revelers from Italy, the Netherlands, Germany and, most noticeably, France, join their Spanish contemporaries in Old Madrid's narrow streets to seek illicit fun. ...
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Karlsson leads Sharks past Wild 4-3 in shootout

SAN JOSE, Calif. (AP) - Erik Karlsson scored twice in regulation and then added the deciding goal in the eighth round of the shootout to lead the San Jose Sharks past the Minnesota Wild 4-3 on Monday night.

"We ask a lot of him," coach Bob Boughner said. "A game ...
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Ex-Browns coach Hue Jackson says team lied about rebuild

CLEVELAND (AP) - Former Browns coach Hue Jackson said owner Jimmy Haslam gave him a contract extension midway through a winless 2017 season and that he was lied to from the start about the team's rebuilding plans.

During a wide-ranging radio interview Monday with ESPN 850, Jackson said the Browns' ...
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Metcalf loves her 'weirdo B storyline' on TV's 'The Conners'

NEW YORK (AP) - Laurie Metcalf smiles and laughs when she thinks of her character Jackie and her assorted misadventures on the "Roseanne" spinoff, "The Conners."

Dating back to her introduction in Roseanne Barr's 1988's sitcom, Jackie has reinvented herself many times over. She's been a cop, a truck ...
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Ship stuck in Suez Canal is freed

An international effort to free the giant cargo carrier had been underway since Tuesday, when the vessel ran aground and blocked a waterway through which 13 percent of all global trade passes.
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Celebrity birthdays for the week of April 4-10

Celebrity birthdays for the week of April 4-10:

April 4: Actor Craig T. Nelson is 77. Actor Christine Lahti ("Chicago Hope") is 71. Singer Steve Gatlin of the Gatlin Brothers is 70. Actor Mary-Margaret Humes ("Dawson's Creek," ″History of the World Part 1″) is 67. Writer-producer David E. Kelley ("Ally ...
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Murder trial of Derek Chauvin, officer charged in George Floyd’s death, gets underway

Follow live coverage as the trial gets started with opening statements set to begin in a downtown Minneapolis courtroom a few miles from where the former officer was filmed holding his knee on Floyd's neck for more than nine minutes during an arrest.
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'Captain Underpants' book pulled for 'passive racism'

NEW YORK (AP) - A graphic novel for children from the wildly popular "Captain Underpants" series is being pulled from library and book store shelves after its publisher said it "perpetuates passive racism."

The book under scrutiny is 2010's "The Adventures of Ook and Gluk" by Dav Pilkey, who has ...
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Illinois-made 'Coolest Thing' keeps ice off traffic lights

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (AP) - The next time you're in a blinding snowstorm but can clearly see the traffic signal ahead, thank the producers of "The Coolest Thing Made in Illinois."

The Self-Regulating Traffic Signal Heater, manufactured in Elk Grove Village, was declared the winner last week of the second annual ...
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Spring high school football season underway in Wisconsin

GREEN BAY, Wis. (AP) - Dozens of Wisconsin high schools are playing football this spring after opting out of the fall season because of the coronavirus pandemic.

According to the Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association, about 250 high schools played football last fall, but more than 100 schools are playing ...
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No Oscars or sensitive art spark Hong Kong censorship fears

HONG KONG (AP) - Decisions in Hong Kong not to display a politically sensitive photograph in a museum exhibition and not broadcast the annual Academy Awards for the first time in decades have prompted concerns that Beijing's crackdown on dissent in the city is extending to arts and entertainment.

Hong ...
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Injured Lewandowski out of England-Poland, doubt for Bayern

WARSAW, Poland (AP) - Robert Lewandowski will be out for up to 10 days with a knee injury sustained with the Polish national team, ruling him out of Wednesday's game against England and making him doubtful for crucial games in Bayern Munich's season.

Poland captain Lewandowski scored twice in a ...
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AP Interview: Japan urges EU to ensure stable vaccine export

TOKYO (AP) - The government minister tasked with overseeing Japan's coronavirus vaccination campaign on Monday urged the European Union to ensure stable exports of European-made vaccines, warning that any attempt to suspend shipments amid a shortage in Europe would harm relations.

Vaccine Minister Taro Kono's comments in an interview with ...
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Maryland’s season ends in the Sweet 16 with a stunning loss to Texas

The Terrapins score a season-low 61 points and fade in the second half.
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NCAA tourney hits halfway point, still the field vs. Gonzaga

The Elite Eight marks the halfway point of the NCAA Tournament, but don't blink. It has the shelf life of chicken nuggets.

By the time your head hits the pillow tomorrow night, we'll be down to a Final Four and find out whether the selection committee is any better at ...
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White House, private firms developing plans for ‘vaccine passports’

The effort has gained momentum with a growing number of companies saying they will require proof of vaccination before opening again.
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Pandemic blamed for lack of VAR after Ronaldo's complaints

Cristiano Ronaldo's tears and rage over the absence of VAR had already hastened the introduction of the technology in one competition.

He'll now be hoping UEFA takes note of his video-review protests once again.

Portugal's path to the 2022 World Cup has been complicated by Ronaldo being denied a ...
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2021 NCAA tournament live updates: Sweet 16 scores and analysis from Sunday’s games

The Sweet 16 continues for the men's and women's basketball tournaments on Sunday. Who will reach the Elite Eight? Follow along for live updates.
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Kluber to follow Yankees' Cole, Taillon to skip 1st turn

TAMPA, Fla. (AP) - Corey Kluber will follow ace Gerrit Cole in the New York Yankees' rotation, and Jameson Taillon will be skipped the first time through as the team builds him up slowly in his return following Tommy John surgery.

Cole will start Thursday's opener against Toronto at Yankee ...
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White House, private firms developing standards for ‘vaccine passports’

The effort has gained momentum with a growing number of companies saying they will require proof of vaccination before opening their doors again.
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Santa Fe officials plan for new mural amid monument debate

SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) - City officials are seeking proposals from artists interested in creating a new multicultural mural on two walls of a tower-like structure on Federal Place at the downtown Santa Fe Community Convention Center.

While the city attempts to move forward on the "Culture Connects" public art ...
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'92 Heisman winner Ward named trustee for Florida college

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) - Charlie Ward, the 1992 Heisman Trophy winner and former NBA player, has been named a trustee for a Florida community college.

Gov. Ron DeSantis picked Ward on Friday to the Tallahassee Community College District Board of Trustees.

Ward was a star player at Florida State University ...
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Jazz festival returns after pandemic hiatus last year

A popular jazz fest in Vermont is returning in the latest sign that pandemic-related restrictions in place for most of the past year are easing.

The Burlington Discover Jazz Festival will be back on the streets in June with in-person performances.

Jay Wahl, executive director of The Flynn, told ...
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Longest-serving bookseller among 25,000 Czech virus victims

PELHRIMOV, Czech Republic (AP) - A year after the Czech Republic recorded its first death from the coronavirus, the central European nation paused to remember all the citizens who lost their lives in the pandemic. By the end of the day, the number had surpassed 25,000.

Bells tolled across the ...
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Gaudreau responds with 2 assists as Flames beat Jets 4-2

CALGARY, Alberta (AP) - Johnny Gaudreau responded to a barb from his coach with a pair of assists for the Calgary Flames in a 4-2 win over the Winnipeg Jets on Saturday night.

Josh Leivo, Mark Giordano, Andrew Mangiapane and Sam Bennett scored for Calgary (16-17-3), which halted a four-game ...
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Arkansas hangs on as No. 15 Oral Roberts misses a three-pointer at the buzzer

Davonte Davis made a tough 12-footer from the left of the key with three seconds left to win the game for Arkansas.
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Missouri State set or women's Sweet 16 rematch vs Stanford

Brice Calip and Missouri State were young, still inexperienced and in many ways just enjoying the moment when they made it to the women's NCAA Sweet 16 two years ago.

There is a different feeling now for Calip and eight other Lady Bears still around from that 2019 game. But ...
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This March Madness, the globetrotters have found their way to Indianapolis

With 157 players hailing from 49 countries and four unincorporated territories, this March Madness gets an 'A' in international relations.
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Floyd spurred broad push for change globally, activists say

Richard Wallace had seen it all before, and he wasn't hopeful.

It was, he thought, the same old story: Police kill a Black person, protests erupt, politicians pledge reforms and corporations offer platitudes about supporting needed change. But Wallace, the 38-year-old founder and executive director of Equity and Transformation, a ...
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Chen wins 3rd straight worlds, beating Olympic champ Hanyu

STOCKHOLM (AP) - Nathan Chen put himself in the company of history's best figure skaters, becoming the first American since Scott Hamilton to win a third consecutive World Figure Skating Championships men's title.

Chen was dynamic in easily surpassing two-time Olympic champ Yuzuru Hanyu of Japan in the free skate ...
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NRA faces internal woes as it girds for new gun control fight

An upcoming bankruptcy hearing is expected to examine alleged mismanagement and self-dealing in the National Rifle Association. It comes as two mass shootings in a week — in Atlanta and Boulder, Colo. — have directed public attention to gun control.
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Art exhibition remembers the Black women who were lynched

ELIZABETH CITY, Va. (AP) - History doesn't show a kinship between Mary Turner and Nat Turner. They are certainly connected, though, when it comes to the artwork of Alexis Joyner.

He grew up with the ghosts of Nat Turner.

Joyner, 65, was born in Southampton County and played on the ...
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Manchester United women's team makes its Old Trafford debut

MANCHESTER, England (AP) - The Manchester United women's team made its Old Trafford debut on Saturday in a league game against West Ham.

The team normally plays its Women's Super League home matches at Leigh Sports Village but switched to Old Trafford during the international break in the men's game.

...
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Shots, and a musical serenade, at NYC vaccination center

NEW YORK (AP) - On a recent weekday, the sounds of Vivaldi, Mozart and Bach greeted hundreds of just-inoculated New Yorkers as they entered a medical observation area at one of the city's biggest COVID-19 vaccination sites, the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center.

Hearing the music, many stopped to record ...
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Indian cricket great Tendulkar tests positive for COVID-19

MUMBAI, India (AP) - Indian cricket great Sachin Tendulkar has tested positive for the coronavirus and is quarantining at home.

The 47-year-old Tendulkar, test cricket's all time leading run-scorer, reported Saturday that he tested positive "following mild symptoms."

"I've quarantined myself at home and am following all the necessary protocols ...
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5,000 attend rock concert in Barcelona after COVID-19 screen

BARCELONA, Spain (AP) - Five thousand music lovers are set to attend a rock concert in Barcelona on Saturday after passing a same-day COVID-19 screening, to test its effectiveness in preventing outbreaks of the virus at large cultural events.

The show by Spanish rock group Love of Lesbian has the ...
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Calls for change for women's rights in French sports

PARIS (AP) - French society is at a "turning point" for women's rights within the male-dominated sports world, the country's sports minister said this week amid a wave of protests from female journalists denouncing discrimination.

With Paris preparing to host what France hopes will be the most equal-ever Olympics in ...
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Maryland’s Brenda Frese has been coaching with a heavy heart as her dad battles cancer

As the Terrapins have started their NCAA tournament run, her father is at the Mayo Clinic getting treatment for prostate cancer.
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Dominion Voting sues Fox for $1.6B over 2020 election claims

WASHINGTON (AP) - Dominion Voting Systems filed a $1.6 billion defamation lawsuit against Fox News on Friday, arguing the cable news giant falsely claimed in an effort to boost faltering ratings that the voting company had rigged the 2020 election.

The lawsuit is part of a growing body of ...
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Biden keeps returning to Trump as a cause of troubles

The specter of Donald Trump loomed awkwardly at President Biden's first news conference Thursday — part foil, part scapegoat and, once, as a punchline.
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Carrie Underwood's faith shines through on church hymns

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) - Don't get her wrong, Carrie Underwood loves to sing about getting revenge on the cheating ex and belting out ballads on award show stages in dazzling gowns. But Underwood's spirituality has always been at her musical core.

The seven-time Grammy winner has always made hits that ...
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UEFA removes 2 soccer officials linked to criminal cases

GENEVA (AP) - A Croatian soccer official sentenced to prison in a corruption case linked to a Luka Modrić transfer was removed from a committee overseeing the European Championship, UEFA said Friday.

Damir Vrbanović lost an appeal last week against his conviction and a three-year sentence in a ruling by ...
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Biden keeps returning to Trump as a cause of nation’s troubles

The specter of Donald Trump loomed awkwardly at President Biden's first news conference Thursday — part foil, part scapegoat and, once, as a punchline.
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China erasing H&M from internet amid Xinjiang backlash

HONG KONG (AP) - H&M disappeared from the internet in China as the government raised pressure on shoe and clothing brands and announced sanctions Friday against British officials in a spiraling fight over complaints of abuses in the Xinjiang region.

H&M products were missing from major e-commerce platforms including Alibaba ...
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Japanese PM Suga expects to invite Biden to Tokyo Olympics

TOKYO (AP) - Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga said Friday he expects to invite President Joe Biden to the Tokyo Olympics when he visits the United States next month.

Suga is expected to visit the White House on April 9.

Suga was asked by a lawmaker in Parliament if he ...
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Belgium shows restored masterpiece but stolen panel rankles

GHENT, Belgium (AP) - Look closely, and one panel of the brilliantly restored lower half of the Ghent Altarpiece still has old varnish, right next to the vivid coloring that has come to life again in one of the most iconic works of Western art.

It seems older than the ...
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MLB stadiums pass 1 million COVID-19 vaccination shots given

More than 1 million COVID-19 vaccination shots have been dispensed at Major League Baseball stadiums, with the Oakland Coliseum and Marlins Park among the sites planning to continue operating after opening day.

The 11 ballparks that converted to mass vaccination centers in the offseason combined to pass a million total ...
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Double-double: Champagnie twins enter NBA draft process

NEW YORK (AP) - Hope all those eagle-eyed scouts can tell twins apart.

Julian Champagnie is entering the NBA draft process - just like his brother - after leading the Big East in scoring during his sophomore season at St. John's.

The 6-foot-8, 220-pound forward plans to maintain his ...
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Pro-Trump Senate candidates create early 2022 headaches for GOP

Former Missouri governor Eric Greitens, who resigned under a cloud in 2018, is the latest controversial candidate who has rushed into a campaign pledging loyalty to the former president.
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Russia wants Tchaikovsky music for anthem at Tokyo Olympics

MOSCOW (AP) - Russia wants to use music by 19th-century composer Pyotr Tchaikovsky as its replacement anthem for the Tokyo Olympics, the president of the country's Olympic committee said Thursday.

Russia's team name, flag and national anthem were banned for two years from the Olympics and world championships in December.

...
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AP Week in Pictures: Middle East

This photo gallery highlights some of the most compelling images made or published by Associated Press photographers in the Middle East, Afghanistan & Pakistan Region between March 18-24, 2021.

This week's selection includes scenes from across the region, where Israel held its fourth election in two years, this time with ...
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The NCAA’s shell game is the real women’s basketball scandal

Is the NCAA's women's basketball problem one of incompetence or indifference? Those are the choices.
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LGBT groups want equality law in Japan before Tokyo Olympics

TOKYO (AP) - Activists submitted a petition with over 106,000 signatures to Japan's ruling party Thursday, calling for an LGBT equality law to be enacted before the Tokyo Games, saying Japan as host nation should live up to the Olympic charter banning gender and sexual discrimination.

Their action came on ...
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UK court rejects Depp bid to appeal 'wife beater' ruling

LONDON (AP) - A British court on Thursday refused Johnny Depp permission to appeal a judge's ruling that he assaulted ex-wife Amber Heard.

Two Court of Appeal judges said the Hollywood star cannot challenge the High Court's rejection of his libel lawsuit against publisher of The Sun newspaper for labeling ...
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New 'Lord of the Rings' edition to include Tolkien artwork

NEW YORK (AP) - An upcoming edition of J.R.R. Tolkien's "The Lord of the Rings" trilogy will include paintings, drawings and other illustrations by the British author for the first time since it was published in the mid-1950s.

Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Books & Media announced Thursday that the new ...
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Biden faces new challenges ahead of first White House news conference

Seeking to focus on the coronavirus relief plan and vaccination successes, the president must also grapple with mass shootings and a border surge as mounting crises.
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West Virginia safety Tykee Smith entering transfer portal

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. (AP) - West Virginia safety Tykee Smith is entering the transfer portal.

Smith announced his decision Wednesday night on Twitter.

Smith was an Associated Press third team all-American as a sophomore last season, when he was fourth on the Mountaineers with 61 tackles. He also had two interceptions ...
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Weaned on Hollywood endings, Americans now face a messy one

There will come a day - maybe even a day in the next few months - when Americans wake up, emerge from their homes, cast away their masks and resume their lives. On that day, the Great Coronavirus Pandemic of 2020-21 will be over.

Ridiculous, right? A consummation devoutly to ...
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Few Black women coaches lead Power Five basketball programs

Dawn Staley and Joni Taylor embraced before and after the Southeastern Conference Tournament championship, savoring an historic moment in women's basketball.

It took 41 years for two Black women head coaches to meet for the first time in a tournament championship of a Power Five conference. For it to ...
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Review: Children's music for everyone from Sara Watkins

"Under the Pepper Tree," Sara Watkins (New West)

Seeking material to create a world of imagination, Sara Watkins clearly used hers, turning to sources ranging from Stephen Foster to Willy Wonka to the Beatles. The enchanting result is "Under the Pepper Tree," children's music for everyone.

A young mother, ...
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Amazon Prime Video to stream 21 Yankees games

NEW YORK (AP) - Amazon Prime Video will stream 21 Yankees games to members in New York's broadcast market for the second straight season, a slate that starts with an April 18 matchup against Tampa Bay.

The games are produced by the Yankees' YES Network and are all scheduled for ...
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Denmark: Repairman dies while working on massive sculpture

COPENHAGEN, Denmark (AP) - Police in Denmark say a repairman died while working on a steel column that is part of a massive sculpture in the city of Herning.

Jutland region police said the 46-year-old man was performing maintenance work on the sculpture, titled "Elia," and was nearing the ...
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6N: France makes 5 changes for title decider vs. Scotland

PARIS (AP) - Romain Ntamack will start at flyhalf for France in one of five team changes for the Six Nations Championship decider against Scotland on Friday.

France and Wales are both in contention for the title, although 2019 champion Wales remains the favorite despite missing out on the Grand ...
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Vermont school votes to remove nickname offensive to some

DANVILLE, Vt. (AP) - Another Vermont school has voted to end the use of a nickname that some find offensive.

The Danville School Board voted on Tuesday to do away immediately with the school's nickname, "Indians."

The Caledonian-Record reports the school's new policy prohibits the representation of the ...
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Pecan festival in Florence to return in 2021 with new name

FLORENCE, S.C. (AP) - Organizers of Florence's pecan festival say the event will return this year with a new name.

SC Pecan Festival will now be known as the SC Pecan Music and Food Festival, WPDE-TV reported.

Organizers announced the festival's new name and look on Tuesday.

The festival is ...
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In the most mundane of settings, a burst of bullets

Ten people died: Shoppers and shop clerks, managers and mothers, regular folks getting their food, making a living.
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Blatter banned by FIFA a 2nd time for financial wrongdoing

ZURICH (AP) - Sepp Blatter was banned for a second time by FIFA on Wednesday for financial wrongdoing, seven months before the 85-year-old former president's first ban expires.

Blatter has recently been in poor health and was put in an induced coma for one week after undergoing heart surgery in ...
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Queen Elizabeth's granddaughter Zara has third child at home

LONDON (AP) - Queen Elizabeth II's granddaughter Zara Tindall and her husband, the former rugby player, Mike Tindall, are celebrating the birth of their third child, who was born at home on the bathroom floor after the couple were unable to get to a hospital in time.

Lucas Philip Tindall ...
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Dubai's deputy ruler Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid dies at 75

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) - Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum, deputy ruler of Dubai and the United Arab Emirates minister of finance, has died, his brother said on Wednesday. He was 75.

Sheikh Hamdan served as deputy leader of Dubai under his brother, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al ...
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Iowa's Clark, UConn's Bueckers dominating women's tourney

SAN ANTONIO (AP) - Paige Bueckers and Caitlin Clark seem to be playing a personal game of horse on the national stage. After one delivers a highlight-filled performance, the other has a top-this moment.

The captivating basketball exploits by the heralded freshmen have created a buzz around the women's NCAA ...
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German soccer chief slams discrimination facing female stars

BERLIN (AP) - German soccer federation president Fritz Keller has slammed the structural discrimination facing female players in his country.

Keller made his comments on Tuesday, after a video conference the day before with Germany captain Alexandra Popp and goalkeeper Almuth Schult to discuss the fall-out from a sports ...
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Officials say suspect is in custody

A Boulder police officer was among the victims of the shooting at a King Soopers store Monday. Law enforcement officials said the suspect is in custody, but they offered scarce details about the attack, including any information about a possible motive.
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Photos from the scene of a shooting at a Boulder grocery store

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George C. Wolfe, Anne Carson win PEN achievement awards

NEW YORK (AP) - Tony Award-winner George C. Wolfe and Canadian poet-translator Anne Carson are among this year's winners of PEN America awards for career achievement.

Wolfe, whose credits range from writing the musical "Jelly's Last Jam" to directing "Angels In America," has received the PEN/Mike Nichols Writing for ...
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Amended transgender sports bill applies only to K-12 teams

BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) - Some North Dakota senators have amended a transgender sports bill to make the legislation apply only to high school teams and not to college or club sports.

The Senate Judiciary Committee on Monday voted 6-1 in favor of an amended version of a House bill ...
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UK reflects on 'grief and loss,' a year from first lockdown

LONDON (AP) - The U.K. has a lot to reflect on.

A year to the day since Prime Minister Boris Johnson first put the country under lockdown to slow the fast-spreading coronavirus, a national day of reflection has been organized by the end-of-life charity Marie Curie to remember the people ...
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FIFA clears 3 former France U21 players to represent Senegal

ZURICH (AP) - Three former France Under-21 players had their international eligibility switched to Senegal by FIFA on Tuesday.

Paris Saint-Germain defender Abdou Diallo, Monaco defender Fodé Ballo-Touré and Leicester midfielder Nampalys Mendy can transfer the use of family ties because they never played for France's senior team.

All three ...
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Bayer Leverkusen fires coach Peter Bosz after sudden decline

BERLIN (AP) - Bayer Leverkusen fired coach Peter Bosz on Tuesday following a decline in the team's form over the past few months.

The Bundesliga club said 39-year-old Hannes Wolf, who had been in charge of the Germany under-18 team, will take over until the end of the season.

Leverkusen ...
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Spain’s good problem: Under-21s depleted as players move up

MADRID (AP) - The rapid rise of some talented youngsters has created a good problem for Spanish soccer before this week's World Cup qualifiers and the Under-21 European Championship.

A fine run by a few youth players prompted Luis Enrique, the coach of the senior team, to take them away ...
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March was bound to be mad; NCAA tourney hasn't disappointed

Considering how everything else has gone this past year, March was bound to be mad. So far, it hasn't disappointed.

The last perfect NCAA Tournament bracket was busted before the first round was over. The second round just wrapped with an even dozen upsets already in the books - ...
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In terms of chaos, this year's Sweet 16 field is historic

By at least one measure, this is the most chaotic Sweet 16 field to date.

The seed numbers of the 16 remaining teams add up to 94, the highest total since the NCAA Tournament expanded in 1985. The previous record of 89 was set in 1986.

This year's regional semifinals ...
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Bill to aid US publishers vs. Google, Facebook rises again

A congressional effort to bolster U.S. news organizations in negotiations with Big Tech has supporters hoping that third time's the charm.

The bill, the Journalism Competition and Preservation Act, was introduced in March for the third time since 2018. Its odds of passage may have improved in a Democrat-run Congress ...
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Editorial Roundup: Nebraska

Omaha World-Herald. March 19, 2021.

Editorial: Let's develop a cooperative state plan to tackle Nebraska's climate challenges

If any state has strong, convincing grounds to develop and implement its own comprehensive strategy to deal with climate change, it's Nebraska.

Consider three key factors for our state:

• Ag ...
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11th-hour push on stimulus led Biden to quietly create a huge social program

Democrats have been pressing to expand child payments for decades. The pandemic relief package provided a way, and they grabbed it.
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Celebrity birthdays for the week of March 28-April 3

Celebrity birthdays for the week of March 28-April 3:

March 28: Harmonica player Charlie McCoy ("Hee Haw") is 80. Actor Dianne Wiest is 75. Country singer Reba McEntire is 66. Actor Alexandra Billings ("Transparent") is 59. Rapper Salt of Salt-N-Pepa is 55. Actor Tracey Needham ("The Division," "JAG") is 54. ...
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On federal death row, inmates talk about Biden, executions

CHICAGO (AP) - On federal death row, prisoners fling notes on a string under each other's cell doors and converse through interconnected air ducts. A top issue these days: whether President Joe Biden will halt executions, several told The Associated Press.

Biden hasn't spoken publicly about capital punishment since ...
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Chad disqualified from African Cup of Nations qualifying

CAIRO (AP) - Chad was disqualified from African Cup of Nations qualifying on Monday because the country's government dissolved the soccer federation.

The Confederation of African Football said it ordered Chad to forfeit two games scheduled for this week as 3-0 losses.

Chad was to host Namibia on Wednesday ...
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Big upset day in NCAAs: Has the mid-major revolution begun?

In any other college basketball season, four upsets in the eight second-round games played at the NCAA Tournament would be a sign that something big is brewing.

Were those the opening shots in the long-rumored mid-major revolution? Have enough talented kids and smart coaches finally taken up residence at ...
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Ex-NRL star Jarryd Hayne found guilty of sexual assault

SYDNEY (AP) - Ex-rugby league international Jarryd Hayne has been found guilty of the sexual assault of a woman in 2018.

A District Court jury in Sydney deliberated for almost 18 hours before reaching a decision on Monday.

The jury found Hayne not guilty of aggravated sexual intercourse without consent ...
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AstraZeneca’s U.S. trial shows vaccine is 79 percent effective

The U.S. trial included 32,000 volunteers and is a boost for the troubled vaccine, which had its rollout paused across Europe last week after reports of a relative handful of rare but worrying blood clots.
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10,000 and counting: The 'Point God' shows no signs of age

PHOENIX (AP) - Chris Paul says he knows the secret for why he's still a dominant NBA point guard at an age when most of his peers are getting into coaching or figuring out their next steps in life.

"I told the guys in the locker room I've got the ...
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NBA likely next stop for Oklahoma State freshman Cunningham

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) - Just like that, Cade Cunningham's college career appears to be over.

The 6-foot-8 freshman point guard scored 24 points in Oklahoma State's 80-70 loss to Oregon State in the second round of the NCAA Tournament on Sunday night. The first-team AP All-American is expected to be a ...
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Infant son of Browns WR Ryan Switzer back in hospital

CLEVELAND (AP) - Cleveland Browns wide receiver Ryan Switzer said his infant son has been hospitalized again and is undergoing a blood transfusion.

Switzer posted the latest Twitter update about Christian on Sunday, saying he's having another transfusion after his hemoglobin dropped overnight. Switzer said doctors need to get the ...
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Man gets 20 to 40 years in 2015 death of Minaj crew member

PHILADELPHIA (AP) - A man has been sentenced to 20 to 40 years in state prison in the stabbing death of the stage manager of rap superstar Nicki Minaj outside a northwest Philadelphia bar six years ago.

The Philadelphia Inquirer reports that 39-year-old Khaliyfa Neely was sentenced Friday on ...
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Fireworks fizzle this year at Battle Creek baseball games

BATTLE CREEK, Mich. (AP) - There will be no rocket's red glare at Battle Creek Bombers baseball games.

Battle Creek city officials have banned fireworks shows, noting there's a risk of perchlorates migrating into the drinking water system, WOOD-TV reported. They're a contaminant found in rocket fuel, ammunition and other ...
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Gen Con delays annual gaming convention in Indianapolis

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) - A gaming convention that draws tens of thousands of visitors to Indianapolis has pushed back the annual gathering amid plans to make it a hybrid event due to the coronavirus pandemic.

The Seattle-based Gen Con convention will run Sept. 16-19, instead of Aug. 5-8 as originally planned, ...
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Pentagon chief arrives in Afghanistan as deadline to withdraw U.S. troops looms

The unannounced visit comes as the Biden administration wrestles with how to end its role in a war that is nearly 20 years old without allowing security to disintegrate.
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Grandparents in the pandemic: a lost year, but now some hope

CINCINNATI (AP) - No sleepovers with popcorn and Disney movies. No dance recitals or holiday pageants, let alone any Grandparents' Day for visiting the kids' classrooms.

No hugs.

The first 12 months of the pandemic represent a lost year for many in the largest group of grandparents in U.S. history. ...
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Japan PM vows no virus rebound as emergency measures end

TOKYO (AP) - Japan's Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga pledged Sunday to do his utmost to prevent a resurgence of the coronavirus ahead of the Olympic torch relay and his upcoming visit to Washington.

Suga was addressing his ruling Liberal Democratic Party's annual convention, just hours ahead of the planned lifting ...
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CB Kyle Fuller, released by Bears, signs with Broncos

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. (AP) - Former All-Pro cornerback Kyle Fuller is reuniting with coach Vic Fangio in Denver.

Fuller quickly agreed to a one-year, $9.5 million contract with the Broncos on Saturday following his release from the Chicago Bears.

Drafted with the No. 14 overall pick in 2014, Fuller was ...
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US's 1st student-run Sirius XM station is in Little Havana

MIAMI (AP) - Nestled in the heart of Little Havana, just a few blocks from Marlins Park, is one of the most unique radio stations in America.

SLAM Radio is the first and only satellite radio station in the nation run by high school students. Broadcasting on Sirius XM-Channel 145, ...
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Coronavirus doesn't care that it's the NCAA Tournament

If you didn't pay attention to college basketball until the NCAA Tournament, the good news is you didn't miss much. The regular season was a revolving door, the schedule and sometimes even the final score determined by which players and teams were entering the sport's COVID-19 protocol and which were ...
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EXPLAINER: Tokyo Olympics march on without fans from abroad

TOKYO (AP) - The Tokyo Olympics and the International Olympic Committee have banned fans from abroad with the games opening in four months. It's part of the fallout from holding the Olympics in the middle of a pandemic.

IOC President Thomas Bach said Saturday he was "sorry" when the decision ...
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Dillard, suburban theater have 3-year collaboration

NEW ORLEANS (AP) - A historically Black university in New Orleans and a suburban live theater have a three-year agreement for internships and other collaborations.

Dillard University theater students have internships with the Jefferson Performing Arts Society in a program continuing through the 2023-24 season, the theater said ...
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Urbana High grad stars as warrior in 'Wonder Woman 1984'

FREDERICK, Md. (AP) - On the island of Themyscira, nine fierce Amazons, clad in gold, race through a death-defying obstacle course amid the roar of a stadium crowd.

As they climb ropes, leap from bars and jump across narrow posts that stand 40 feet in the air, a young girl ...
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Leeds record goalscorer Peter Lorimer dead at age 74

LEEDS, England (AP) - Peter Lorimer, the record goalscorer and youngest-ever player for English soccer club Leeds, has died. He was 74.

Leeds announced Lorimer's death on Saturday, saying the former Scotland international had been suffering with a long-term illness.

Nicknamed "Hot Shot" and "Lasher" because of his powerful strike ...
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Amid national spotlight on bias, Asian American leaders struggle over where to take movement

More than a year into a global pandemic that has sparked a backlash against Asians in the United States, questions over what to do about it — and what the community is asking for — remain fraught and unsettled.
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Patrick Ewing, back in March Madness, has a message for his doubters

It took decades to land a job and years to get his alma mater back to the NCAA men's tournament. But now Ewing and his Hoyas are there. "I have shut a lot of people up," Ewing said.
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In French woods, rivals take aim at senator's WWI research

HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) - The World War I exploits of Sgt. Alvin C. York netted Gary Cooper a best actor Academy Award and Pennsylvania state Sen. Doug Mastriano a degree, a book deal - and academic backlash.

Mastriano had a deep interest in York long before he led anti-mask ...
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Spectators from abroad to be barred from Tokyo Olympics due to pandemic risks

TOKYO (AP) - Spectators from abroad to be barred from Tokyo Olympics due to pandemic risks.

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Twitter to establish legal entity in Turkey, comply with law

ISTANBUL (AP) - Twitter has announced it will establish a legal entity in Turkey in order to continue operating in the country, which passed a controversial social media law last year.

In a statement Friday, the social media company said it had reviewed the amended internet law and made the ...
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COVID put 21-year-old on a ventilator, Then she gave birth

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) - Alexia Khammanivong did not know she had given birth.

She didn't know that minutes before, she'd been flying over Tampa Bay in a helicopter at 120 mph.

She didn't know Kyrie weighed 3 pounds, 9 ounces, or that he, like her, was breathing through the ...
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A brilliant upset, a milestone victory and overtime skirmishes get first round started in style

No. 15 seed Oral Roberts stunned second-seeded Ohio State to join an exclusive fraternity and Bob Huggins earned his 900th career win to join an elite group as the first round of the NCAA men's tournament got underway Friday.
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Philly author's 1974 novel long ignored, now celebrated

PHILADELPHIA (AP) -

Heroines don't always show up the way that Fran Ross wrote Oreo. Oreo was cut from an entirely different cloth.

While Oreo shares many attributes with Blaxploitation heroines of the era, her quest has nothing to do with rescuing or avenging a boyfriend who's in trouble ...
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2021 NCAA tournament live updates: The first round of March Madness is finally here

The NCAA men's basketball tournament's first round begins at 12:15 p.m. Find the latest scores, analysis and live updates on all the games here.
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Suspect’s church condemns ‘evil actions and desires’

Robert Aaron Long's longtime church condemned him in a lengthy statement on Friday morning, saying the 21-year-old shooter had committed an "extreme and wicked act" that had prompted leaders to remove him from the congregation.
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Tech firm to replace Chevrolet as Man United jersey sponsor

MANCHESTER, England (AP) - Manchester United's jerseys will be sponsored by a technology company providing remote-access computer software after the Premier League club announced Friday that TeamViewer will replace Chevrolet.

The five-year deal starting next season sees a less well known brand replacing the car giant. It is expected to ...
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Program to explore how different cultures deal with grief

DETROIT (AP) - Michigan State University's Science Gallery Detroit and the MSU Broad Art Museum will host an international, virtual conference on grief and how people across the globe deal with it.

Science of Grief starts Saturday evening with a panel discussion that explores death rituals practiced throughout the world ...
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Ex-UK cycling doc banned from medical work over drug order

MANCHESTER, England (AP) - British medical authorities on Friday banned the former doctor of the British Olympic program and the Tour de France-winning Team Sky after he was found to have covered up the order of a drug intended to boost a rider's performance.

Dr. Richard Freeman was struck off ...
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Ancient bronze figurine of bull uncovered in southern Greece

ATHENS, Greece (AP) - Heavy rainfall in southern Greece has led to the discovery of a bronze bull figurine believed to have been a votive offering made to the god Zeus in Ancient Olympia as early as 3,000 years ago.

Greece's Culture Ministry said Friday that the small, intact figurine ...
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Rangers player says opponent racially abused him during game

GLASGOW (AP) - A player for Scottish champion Rangers says he was racially abused by a Slavia Prague opponent late in their Europa League match in what the Czech team claimed was offensive but not racial language.

Rangers midfielder Glen Kamara, who is Black, told manager Steven Gerrard that Ondřej ...
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Ukraine legal loss to UEFA means Nations League relegation

LAUSANNE, Switzerland (AP) - The Ukrainian soccer federation lost its appeal against UEFA on Friday over forfeiting a Nations League game in Switzerland because of COVID-19 cases in the team.

The Court of Arbitration for Sport ruling relegates Ukraine to the Nations League second tier next year and reprieves Switzerland, ...
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Tokyo Olympics ready to announce ban on fans from abroad

TOKYO (AP) - Tokyo organizers and the International Olympic Committee are poised to finally make it official that most fans from abroad will be prohibited from attending the postponed Olympics when they open in four months.

The announcement is expected to come after "five-party" talks on Saturday with the IOC, ...
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Swiss skier Holdener positive for virus at World Cup finals

Olympic slalom silver medalist Wendy Holdener tested positive for COVID-19 and will not race at the World Cup Finals meeting, the Swiss ski team said Friday.

Holdener was to start in the last slalom and giant slalom races this weekend on home snow in Lenzerheide.

Her positive result in rapid ...
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Morehead St seeks another NCAA upset after 10-year absence

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) - Preston Spradlin didn't fret when Morehead State stumbled out of the gate, and he's making sure the Eagles aren't comfortable despite their red-hot roll.

After all, there's so much to achieve in their long-awaited return to the NCAA Tournament, as Kentucky's lone representative yet.

Wednesday marked 10 ...
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Call of Duty among finalists for Video Game Hall of Fame

ROCHESTER, N.Y. (AP) - Voting is open for the next inductees into the World Video Game Hall of Fame, with Call of Duty, Guitar Hero and Animal Crossing among the 12 finalists.

Also on the ballot announced Thursday are: FarmVille, FIFA International Soccer, Mattel Football, Microsoft Flight Simulator, Pole Position, ...
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City signs another redevelopment deal for large textile mill

LEWISTON, Maine (AP) - Lewiston has approved a new agreement for the redevelopment of a large textile mill with the same developer with whom they have negotiated with for years.

The city council voted 5-1 on Tuesday to approve the fifth agreement with developer Tom Platz since 2015 to ...
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Suspect’s first appearance in court is canceled

Read more
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Prepare the popcorn: AMC opening more movie theaters

It's showtime! AMC Theatres says it will have 98% of its U.S. movie theaters open on Friday, with more expected to open by March 26.

Shares of AMC Entertainment Holdings Inc. are up more than 4% before the market open on Thursday.

Movie theaters all over shuttered their ...
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Inter Milan match postponed amid coronavirus outbreak

MILAN (AP) - Inter Milan's match against Sassuolo on Saturday has been postponed because of a rising number of coronavirus cases and the team's players have been banned from traveling for international duty, the Italian club said Thursday.

Inter defender Stefan de Vrij and midfielder Matías Vecino were the latest ...
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Ringo calling! If he wants you to sing, who could say no?

LOS ANGELES (AP) - If Ringo Starr calls to ask if you'll sing on a song for him, who could possibly say no?

The beloved Beatle dug into his contacts for help on the chorus of "Here's to the Nights," his most recent song written by Diane Warren, and he ...
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Wimbledon expecting reduced attendance for 2021 tournament

LONDON (AP) - Wimbledon organizers are working on the basis of having a reduced number of spectators for this year's tournament because of coronavirus restrictions.

The All England Club said Thursday it was remaining "flexible" as it reacts to changing circumstances amid the pandemic as the British government follows a ...
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World Rugby stays in-house in hiring new chief executive

DUBLIN (AP) - World Rugby made the in-house move of hiring Alan Gilpin as the governing body's chief executive, tasking the English official with leading the sport out of financial turmoil brought on by the coronavirus pandemic.

Gilpin, whose appointment was announced Thursday, has had the dual role of chief ...
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Barcelona gains momentum in Spain while Atlético slumps

MADRID (AP) - How quickly things changed for the top two clubs fighting for the Spanish league title.

It wasn't long ago that everything seemed to go Atlético Madrid's way. It was the team to beat and it held a comfortable lead at the top. There were no signs it ...
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Japan to end virus emergency in Tokyo despite rebound fears

TOKYO (AP) - Japan on Thursday will approve ending a monthslong state of emergency in Tokyo set up to curb the spread of the coronavirus, despite concerns of a resurgence ahead of the spring party season and next week's Olympic torch relay.

Experts on a government-commissioned panel moved to end ...
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Baby Boilers 2? Purdue leaning on Fab 4 for tourney run

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) - Jaden Ivey grew up with high expectations.

His mother, Niele, led Notre Dame to the first of its two national championships and now coaches at her alma mater. His father, Javin Hunter, played for the Fighting Irish and in the NFL. The younger Ivey was a highly-touted ...
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James Levine, who ruled over Met Opera, dead at age 77

NEW YORK (AP) - Conductor James Levine, who ruled over the Metropolitan Opera for more than four decades before being eased aside when his health declined and then was fired for sexual improprieties, has died. He was 77.

Levine died March 9 in Palm Springs, California, of natural causes, his ...
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AP source: Washington adding CB Jackson on $42M, 3-year deal

Washington dipped into the free agent pool and spent significant money to fill a void at cornerback.

The team is signing William Jackson to a contract worth $42 million over three years with $26 million guaranteed, according to a person with knowledge of the deal. The person spoke to The ...
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8 killed in Atlanta-area shootings; suspect arrested after manhunt

Authorities said they do not know yet whether the attacks, which killed six Asian women, were racially motivated, but the shootings raised concerns among advocacy groups and left police nationwide mobilizing to add protections for Asian Americans.
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Sabres fire coach Krueger while in midst of 12-game skid

BUFFALO, N.Y. (AP) - The Buffalo Sabres fired coach Ralph Krueger on Wednesday, less than two years into his second season, and with the freefalling team in the midst of an 0-10-2 skid.

The Sabres made the move the morning following a 3-2 loss at New Jersey, against a Devils ...
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A mad scientist in the music studio, this Starrah is rising

NEW YORK (AP) - Freshly minted Grammy-winning songwriter Starrah has long helped others be stars. Now it's her turn to shine.

The hitmaker for the likes of Drake, Rihanna, Maroon 5, Camila Cabello, Nicki Minaj, Halsey and Katy Perry is releasing her debut full-length album this week, a natural extension ...
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Goggia, Feuz win WCup downhill titles after races canceled

LENZERHEIDE, Switzerland (AP) - Sofia Goggia and Beat Feuz became downhill World Cup champions on Wednesday without needing to put on their skis after the final races of the season were canceled because of heavy snow.

It was the second title in the fastest discipline for Goggia, who has not ...
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PSG shuts down youth academy amid coronavirus outbreak

PARIS (AP) - Paris Saint-Germain closed its youth academy training facility on Wednesday following a COVID-19 outbreak.

The French club said several new coronavirus cases were recently detected following a testing campaign at the training center. The club said the academy will be closed until Monday "as a precautionary measure" ...
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Maryland lawmakers OK college athlete endorsement bill

ANNAPOLIS, Md. (AP) - Maryland lawmakers aren't waiting on the NCAA or Congress to allow college athletes to earn money from endorsements.

The Maryland Senate unanimously passed legislation Tuesday. The House passed a similar measure earlier this month. The legislation still needs a final vote by the other chamber ...
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AP PHOTOS: Turkish riders recall skills of Seljuks and Huns

ERZURUM, Turkey (AP) - Riders in eastern Turkey play cirit, an equestrian sport that dates back to the martial horsemen who spearheaded the historical conquests of central Asia's Turkic tribes.

A recent match on a snow-covered field in Erzurum saw players from two of the province's clubs - the Comrades ...
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St. John's juniors Moore, Cole set to transfer

NEW YORK (AP) - Isaih Moore and Vince Cole are leaving St. John's after one season with the team.

Both juniors have entered their name into the NCAA transfer portal, the school announced Tuesday evening.

Moore and Cole, both from South Carolina, arrived this past season as junior college transfers ...
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Eight killed, including six Asian women, in Atlanta-area shootings

Authorities said they do not know yet whether the killings were racially motivated, but the shootings raised concerns among advocacy groups. Police arrested a suspect in the case but they are still working to confirm a connection between the three shootings and to determine a motive.
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Tiger Woods returns to video games, this time with 2K series

Tiger Woods is back in the game - digitally, at least.

Woods has signed a long-term partnership with the company behind the "PGA Tour 2K" video game series, returning the 15-time major champion to an industry he once dominated with EA Sports.

The deal was announced Tuesday, nearly a month ...
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Army pushed to deny D.C.’s request for National Guard before Jan. 6

In a draft memo, the Army argued the U.S. military shouldn't be needed unless more than 100,000 demonstrators were expected.
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Army pushed to deny District’s request for National Guard before Jan. 6

In a draft memo, the Army argued the U.S. military shouldn't be needed unless more than 100,000 demonstrators were expected.
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Former point guard jailed in bribery scheme has book deal

NEW YORK (AP) - A former point guard sentenced to prison in 2019 for his role in a college basketball bribery scheme has a book coming out next year.

Hanover Square Press announced Tuesday that Merl Code's "Black Market" will be published in March 2022. Code, a Clemson point ...
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Founder of Baltimore art collection backed Confederate cause

BALTIMORE (AP) - A founder of the Baltimore art collection that bears his name campaigned for the Confederate cause along with his son, a revelation that comes from a museum whose spokesman says it's trying to show its role in inequality over the years.

The disclosures come as institutions such ...
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UK's Prince Philip leaves hospital after heart procedure.

LONDON (AP) - UK's Prince Philip leaves hospital after heart procedure.

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World Rugby launches 3-tier global women's competition

DUBLIN (AP) - A global, 16-team women's rugby competition was launched on Tuesday in an effort to unify the calendar across the hemispheres and raise competitiveness in the 15-a-side game.

The competition, called WXV, is set to begin in 2023 and will consist of three tiers. It will be staged ...
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Tokyo Olympic torch relay: Masks, quiet cheering and caution

TOKYO (AP) - Organizers plan to exercise extreme caution when the Olympic torch relay starts next week, knowing any stumble could imperil the the opening of the Tokyo Games in just over four months.

The organizers spoke in detail on Tuesday about their plans for the relay, which is scheduled ...
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'Pit bull' Spithill mellow with America's Cup poised

WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) - The years must have mellowed Jimmy Spithill.

The usually feisty Australian sailor, master of the psychological ploy and the trash-talking style Aussies refer to as "sledging," was a model of sportsmanship and diplomacy Tuesday after the ninth race of the America's Cup match in Auckland.

...
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Berlin to open cultural venues despite rising virus numbers

BERLIN (AP) - Stefan Geismeier gingerly dusted the head of the ancient Mesopotamian figure in Berlin's famous Pergamon Museum, then checked to make sure the statue was firmly anchored on its pedestal before moving on to the next object in the vast, empty building.

As the stone restoration specialist ...
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Pizza, smoothie and wings: Focused Antetokounmpo on a roll

WASHINGTON (AP) - Giannis Antetokounmpo didn't realize he and the Milwaukee Bucks had won nine of 10 and wasn't totally certain the Philadelphia 76ers are in first place in the Eastern Conference.

The NBA's back-to-back reigning MVP isn't looking too far ahead. Playoffs? Playoffs? Antetokounmpo isn't even focused on the ...
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Comcast signs deal with LA 2028 Olympic organizers

LOS ANGELES (AP) - The company that owns NBC is pumping more money into the Olympic business, signing a deal with the 2028 Los Angeles organization as a "founding partner."

Comcast, which bought NBC in 2011, joins Delta Airlines as the second major sponsor for the LA organizing committee. Financial ...
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Former poet laureate, others to receive humanities awards

JACKSON, Miss. (AP) - Former Mississippi and U.S. Poet Laureate Natasha Trethewey will be among those honored with Mississippi Humanities Council awards.

The 2021 Public Humanities Awards is planned for 7 p.m. March 26 on the Humanities Council's Facebook and YouTube channels, The Clarion Ledger reported. The ceremony is being ...
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Atonio, Vincent return for France's next Six Nations game

PARIS (AP) - Two of the players on the French national rugby team who tested positive for COVID-19 last month have been recalled for Saturday's Six Nations match against Wales.

La Rochelle tighthead prop Uini Atonio and Montpellier center Arthur Vincent will replace Wilfid Hounkpatin and Jonathan Danty, the French ...
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French police investigate burglary at Angel Di Maria's house

French prosecutors have launched an investigation into a robbery at the home of Angel Di Maria after thieves broke in while the Argentina winger was playing for Paris Saint-Germain.

Nanterre prosecutor's office secretary general Marion Chalaux told The Associated Press on Monday that the investigation is being handled by a ...
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The Latest: Half of Italy’s regions under strict lockdown

ROME - Half of Italy's regions have gone into the strictest form of lockdown in a bid to curb the latest spike in coronavirus infections that have brought COVID-19 hospital admissions beyond manageable thresholds.

Schools, from day-care centers through university level, and retail shops were shuttered Monday in nine regions ...
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The Latest: Philippine pandemic spokesman says he's infected

MANILA, Philippines - The president's spokesman, who also has been the country's leading voice on dealing with the pandemic, has tested positive for the coronavirus amid alarm over an infection spike that has forced key cities to reimpose curfews and lockdowns.

Presidential spokesman Harry Roque held a regular televised news ...
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America's Cup helmsmen explain extraordinary 8th race

AUCKLAND, New Zealand (AP) - Helmsmen Peter Burling and James Spithill have done their best to explain the inexplicable; the bizarre eighth race of the 36th America's Cup Match in which Team New Zealand came from more than four minutes behind to beat Italy's Luna Rossa and take a 5-3 ...
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The joy of music returns for Grammy winners, performers

Beyoncé, Taylor Swift and Billie Eilish made history at the Grammy Awards. Just as joyously, dozens of creators largely sidelined for a year due to the pandemic got to make music again.

The Grammys on Sunday broke through the Zoom trap that has bedeviled other awards shows with a surprisingly ...
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The Latest: China has administered 65M vaccine doses at home

BEIJING - A Chinese official says the country has administered almost 65 million doses of coronavirus vaccine to its citizens amid plans to immunize up to 80% of its entire population of 1.4 billion.

Teams have been dispatched nationwide to oversee vaccinations and are working with targeted groups according ...
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PHOTOS: See music's return to the big stage at the Grammys

LOS ANGELES (AP) - Music returned in a big way at the Grammy Awards, as artists sidelined during the pandemic convened in downtown Los Angeles for a historic night.

Beyoncé emerged from Sunday's ceremony as the most decorated woman in Grammys history, while Taylor Swift became the first woman ...
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Several top teams seeking 1st title in this NCAA Tournament

If you're tired of watching the same old powerhouses, this is an NCAA Tournament for you.

Duke, Kentucky and Louisville didn't qualify. UCLA, Michigan State and Syracuse barely did. North Carolina is a No. 8 seed. Connecticut is a No. 7.

The four No. 1 seeds are Gonzaga, Baylor, ...
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Once a virus epicenter, Los Angeles set to reopen - partly

LOS ANGELES (AP) - The last time Brittney Valles welcomed diners into Guerrilla Tacos, her restaurant was open for a mere five hours in July before being ordered to close again because of the surging coronavirus pandemic.

So, it's little surprise Valles is not rushing to open her doors ...
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Prep basketball rivalry wounds reverberate through decades

FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. (AP) - That December night, 57 years ago in Prescott, a chill permeated the air. The temperature plunged below 30, jacket weather even for Flagstaff High School basketball players amped up to face their rival.

Inside the stuffy gym, though, pressure was building amid the squeaking of sneakers ...
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Biden wants government to have central role in promoting equality. He’s being tested.

President Biden has said promoting racial equity through federal policy is a central goal of his administration.  But he faces a critical test amid shifting strategies to open schools.
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"It's been a good run": Missoulian press set for last print

MISSOULA, Mont. (AP) - The rumble of titanic machinery can be heard throughout the pressroom of the Missoulian each night as the press churns out thousands of copies of the newspaper along the conveyor belt.

But on March 28, the Missoulian press will run for the final time and those ...
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Biden’s push for equity faces test amid shifting strategies to open schools

The demise of a grant program promised during the campaign demonstrates the complexities of President Biden's pledges to expand the federal government's role in promoting equity.
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Backcountry ski entry from resorts reconsidered after deaths

SALT LAKE CITY (AP) - The stairway to heaven may actually be a bootpack.

Just a 15-minute hike in ski boots up through the snow from the Ninety-Nine 90 lift on The Canyons side of Park City Mountain Resort delivers skiers and snowboarders a view from the clouds, the Salt ...
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COVID-19 leads to burst of info, but some data blocked in NJ

TRENTON, N.J. (AP) - While New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy has pledged to be transparent throughout the coronavirus pandemic, his administration has denied or slowly responded to requests for records related to spending, communications and decision-making.

Sunshine Week, an annual focus on press freedoms and the fight for government transparency, ...
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Governors evade sunshine laws to keep records from public

PIERRE, S.D. (AP) - South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem's outspoken business-as-usual approach throughout the coronavirus pandemic has made her a darling of national conservatives and allowed her to hopscotch across the country as a fundraising force.

But the public cannot see emails on how she made her decisions or how ...
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U.S. push for Afghan peace has renewed ‘urgency,’ but some fear it could backfire

The approach is an attempt to reach a peace deal within weeks by applying unprecedented pressure to negotiating teams on both sides of the conflict.
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Marvin Hagler helped boxing soar in the 1980s, and nothing topped his epic TKO of Thomas Hearns

Hagler-Hearns lasted less than eight minutes but may have been one of the best fights of all time.
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Andy Garcia documentary could lead to a Florida film studio

TAMPA, Fla. (AP) - Last year, Andy Garcia expressed interest in shooting a feature film in Tampa.

He is still working toward making that happen.

Meanwhile, that effort birthed an opportunity for area film students to work on a documentary.

Titled Stonebreaker and executive produced by Garcia, the documentary tells ...
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J-Rod continues: Lopez, Rodriguez say they're still together

LOS ANGELES (AP) - J-Lo and A-Rod are still J-Rod.

Jennifer Lopez and Alex Rodriguez said Saturday that reports of their split are inaccurate, and they are working things through.

A day earlier, multiple reports based on anonymous sources said the pop star-actor and the former baseball great had called ...
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Zaha 1st EPL player not to take a knee ahead of Palace win

LONDON (AP) - Wilfried Zaha became the first Premier League player not to take a knee before his Crystal Palace team beat West Bromwich Albion 1-0 on Saturday.

Luka Milivojevic scored with a first-half penalty which Zaha had won.

Zaha was back in the starting XI after an injury and ...
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Vols' Fulkerson to miss rest of SEC tourney with concussion

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) - Tennessee forward John Fulkerson sustained a concussion and facial fracture during a quarterfinal win over Florida and will miss the rest of the Southeastern Conference Tournament.

The school announced the update Saturday before the Volunteers played No. 6 Alabama in the semifinals.

Fulkerson, a senior, ...
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French actor strips for culture during Cesar Awards ceremony

The ceremony announcing the winners of this year's Cesar Awards, France's equivalent of the Oscars, included a loud cry for culture in the age of the coronavirus, with one actor stripping naked onstage to make a statement about the continued closure of cinemas and theaters.

Corinne Masiero came onstage ...
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