Ingested Articles

ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) — An aide who accused New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo of groping her at his official residence told a newspaper in her first public interview it was a frightening physical encounter in which the Democrat slammed a…

Members of the New York Philharmonic gave an outdoor concert at Lincoln Center for heath care workers on Wednesday, 13 months after the novel coronavirus pandemic decimated their season. New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio spoke before the 90-minute concert by a brass quintet and a horn quartet with flute Mindy Kaufman. The Philharmonic, the Metropolitan Opera and Broadway theaters were darkened on March 12 last year by the pandemic. The orchestra and opera hope to resume subscription concerts in September. The concert was the first of “Restart Stages,” in which Lincoln Center is creating 10 outdoor performance and rehearsal spaces across its campus.

Heisman Trophy winner DeVonta Smith of Alabama is scheduled to appear in person in Cleveland at the NFL draft later this month. Quarterback Mac Jones, defensive lineman Christian Barmore and cornerback Patrick Surtain II will be there as well from the national champion Crimson Tide. Also attending will be LSU wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase, North Dakota State quarterback Trey Lance, Florida tight end Kyle Pitts, Miami edge rusher Gregory Rousseau, Penn State linebacker Micah Parsons, and Virginia Tech cornerback Caleb Farley.

Nike has suspended its endorsement contract with Deshaun Watson amid allegations of sexual assault and harassment against the Houston Texans quarterback. Watson has been accused of sexual assault or harassment in lawsuits filed by 22 women. Watson’s attorney, Rusty Hardin, has called the allegations “meritless” and questioned the claims against Watson, alleging they were made following a failed attempt to blackmail his client.

Wisconsin athletic director Barry Alvarez is retiring after a three-decade run in which he transformed the university’s football program and later guided the Badgers to their greatest all-around sports success in school history. The 74-year-old Alvarez announced Tuesday he would retire on June 30. He arrived at Wisconsin in 1990 as football coach and turned one of the Big Ten’s weakest programs into one of its strongest. He became athletic director in 2004 and briefly served in a dual role before stepping down as football coach after the 2005 season.

Former Vice President Mike Pence has launched a new advocacy group as he and other Trump administration officials look to boost their post-White House plans. Pence’s group, Advancing American Freedom, will serve as a counterpoint to President Joe Biden's agenda — as well as a potential springboard for Pence's own presidential campaign. It's one of several groups launched in recent weeks by former Trump aides who are hoping to capitalize on the former president's continued popularity with the Republican base. They include former senior policy adviser Stephen Miller, who has created a new legal group that aims to be an American Civil Liberties Union for conservatives. 

Jon Rahm arrived at the Masters on Wednesday, after not sleeping much or touching a club for the past few days. Such is life for a first-time father. Rahm and his wife, Kelley, welcomed their son on Friday and it’s been a predictable whirlwind ever since for the world’s No. 3 player. Rahm had said he would leave the Masters if that was when the baby decided to arrive. The baby named Kepa is healthy. Rahm’s wife is healthy. And now, Rahm is ready to go at Augusta National.

The face mask that former Minneapolis police Officer Derek Chauvin has been required to wear during his trial in George Floyd’s death has hidden his reaction to testimony. That includes any sympathy or remorse that legal experts say can make a difference to jurors. Instead, Chauvin's impassive expression at the scene has become an enduring image throughout the trial. The teenager who captured it on a cellphone camera described it as “cold” and “heartless.” Legal experts say the image presents a problem for Chauvin’s defense because it could  influence how jurors feel about the former officer.

Jurors in the trial of a Minneapolis police officer charged in George Floyd’s death are hearing from investigators from the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension. It's an agency that could be seen as the state’s equivalent of the FBI. The BCA has come under fire for its investigations of other police-involved deaths, especially the case of a Minneapolis officer who shot and killed an unarmed Australian woman in 2017. It has kept a lower public profile while leading the investigation into the roles of Derek Chauvin and three other fired officers in the death of Floyd in May of 2020.

Dustin Johnson didn’t feel like his Masters victory was less significant last fall because no fans were at Augusta National to see his win and celebrate with him. That said, he pays them the ultimate compliment: In his eyes, they make the Masters what it is. Welcome back, patrons. Welcome back, Masters in the springtime. Welcome back, all the things at Augusta National that bloom this time of year and provide the backdrop for perhaps the most picturesque locale in golf. There are new rules. Masks must be worn, social distancing policies apply and there’s no eating or drinking around the roped-off spots closest to the greens. But after a one-year pandemic-caused absence, fans are back at the Masters.

President Joe Biden is drawing a red line on his $2.3 trillion infrastructure plan. He says he is open to compromise on how to pay for the plan but inaction is unacceptable. The president turned fiery in a Wednesday afternoon speech, saying that the United States must build, invest and research for the future. Biden says failure to do so would amount to giving up on “leading the world.” Biden allowed that “compromise is inevitable.” He says the administration will be open to “good ideas in good faith negotiations.” But he added: “We will not be open to doing nothing.”

The NHL’s Vancouver Canucks say 25 members of the organization have tested positive for the coronavirus, including 21 players. The team was shut down last week, and it’s uncertain when it will play its next game. In a statement attributed to team doctor Jim Bovard and infectious disease doctor Josh Douglas, the Canucks say the COVID-19 cases stem from a variant of the virus that was traced back to one individual contracting it in a public setting. Four staff members also tested positive for the virus and another player is considered a close contact. The entire team remains in quarantine. 

The family of celebrity zookeeper and TV show host Jack Hanna said he's been diagnosed with dementia and will retire from public life. In a news release Wednesday, his family said it’s believed he now has Alzheimer’s disease that has progressed quickly in the last few months. The 74-year-old Hanna was director of the Columbus Zoo from 1978 to 1992 and still serves as its director emeritus. Hanna is also well-known for his live animal demonstrations on late-night talk shows, as well as his own syndicated television shows. His entertainment work boosted the profile of the Ohio zoo, leading to massive attendance increases over the years. 

NEW YORK (AP) — What happened to Comic Relief’s Red Nose Day 2020, like so many philanthropic campaigns during the pandemic, was no laughing matter. Back in February of last year, Alison Moore, the CEO of Comic Relief U.S., had…

PARIS (AP) — French children, parents and teachers are battling with internet connection problems across the country after an abrupt nationwide switch to online learning saturated networks and embarrassed the government. Paris prosecutors opened an investigation Wednesday into possible hacking…

Middle-distance runner Kameron Jones’ contributions to Clemson's track program might not be measured through his times as much as his actions in trying to keep the men’s team from being eliminated. The graduate transfer and his teammates were informed in November that a program sponsored more than 67 years ago would be shuttered after this season for financial reasons. Also being eliminated is the cross country team. This is yet another loss of a college sports program that helped fill the Olympic pipeline. At least 85 sports have been eliminated by schools since the coronavirus pandemic hit a year ago.