Ingested Articles

Hindus are throwing colored powder and spraying water in massive Holi celebrations despite many Indian states restricting gatherings because of a coronavirus resurgence. Holi marks the advent of spring and is widely celebrated throughout Hindu-majority India. But virus infections have been surging lately. Daily reported cases were around 10,000 in February but have topped 60,000 for several days. The rise coincides with state elections and large gatherings like the Kumbh Mela festival, where Hindus take dips in the Ganges. Health experts say the situation can be controlled if people follow COVID-19 protocols and vaccination expands. Around 60 million people have received at least one dose, in a population of more than 1.3 billion.

ISLAMABAD (AP) — Pakistan on Monday launched a five-day vaccination campaign against polio despite facing another surge of coronavirus cases, the second anti-polio drive in 2021 as the country struggles to eradicate the crippling children’s disease. This time, the campaign…

BUDAPEST, Hungary (AP) — Hungary has vaccinated more of its population than any other country in the European Union, according to figures from an EU agency, but it continues to be one of the world's worst in the number of…

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…

BEIJING (AP) — China stepped up pressure Monday on foreign shoe and clothing brands to reject reports of abuses in Xinjiang, telling companies that are targeted by Beijing for boycotts to look more closely and pointing to a statement by…

Sarah Obama, the matriarch of former U.S. President Barack Obama’s Kenyan family has died, relatives and officials confirmed but did not disclose the cause of death. She was at least 99 years old. Mama Sarah, as the step-grandmother of the former U.S. president was fondly called, was a philanthropist who promoted education for girls and orphans. She passed away while being treated at a hospital in Kisumu, Kenya’s third-largest city in the country’s west. Kisumu Governor Anyang Nyong’o offered his condolences to the people of Kogelo village for losing a matriarch and said she will be remembered for her work to promote education to empower orphans. 

Thai authorities along the country’s border with Myanmar are bracing for a possible influx of more ethnic Karen villagers fleeing new airstrikes by the Myanmar military. Myanmar aircraft carried out three strikes overnight Sunday, according to Free Burma Rangers, a humanitarian relief agency that delivers medical and other assistance to villagers. A member of the agency says no one was believed to have been killed but one child was severely injured. On Sunday, about 2,500 people crossed the river dividing the two countries after two days of aerial attacks. The airstrikes mark an escalation in the increasingly violent crackdown by the Myanmar government against opponents of the Feb. 1 military takeover. 

The longing for “normalcy” keeps coming up throughout the pandemic as people yearn for control, but is normal really what we want? As one writer says, going back to normal seems like turning away from all the valuable life lessons and reorganized priorities that people have discovered during the pandemic. And in that time, a previously unimaginable human adaptability has been on display. Now, as vaccines roll out, the question of whether going back to a normal that might not have been that great in the first place is more relevant than ever.

The NCAA Tournament still looks like the field versus Gonzaga. The Bulldogs crushed Creighton, and Michigan manhandled Florida State, putting three No. 1 seeds into the Elite Eight. But joining them were two teams — No. 6 USC and No. 11 UCLA — from the underappreciated Pac-12 Conference, suggesting few selection committee members stayed up late enough to judge the caliber of basketball being played on the West Coast. In Monday's games, No. 1 Baylor — the last of seven entries from the Big 12 Conference — plays No. 3 Arkansas, and No. 2 Houston meets 12th seed Oregon State. 

The Ripetta school of art in Rome recently joined a handful of high schools in Italy that give transgender students the right to be known by a name other than the one they were given at birth. The initiative aims to create an environment where transgender students feel secure and reflects a growing awareness in Italy of gender dysphoria among teenagers and children. The school adopted the new policy in December.  Sonia Mugello, a teacher at the school, says the policy aims to give transgender students in transition a “serene” environment and the freedom to be themselves.

Billy Horschel is back among the top 20 in the world for the first time since the summer of 2015, and all it took was low expectations and the longest week of his career. Horschel had never made it to the weekend of the Dell Technologies Match Play. He had never taken seven days away from golf before a tournament. It all fell into place when he won six matches over 122 holes at Austin Country Club. He beat Scottie Scheffler, 2 and 1, for the title. Now he can dream of more match play in the Ryder Cup.

Stanford was forced to be a band of nomads and was more than ready for neutral-site games at the women's NCAA Tournament. In late November, Santa Clara County established COVID-19 health and safety protocols prohibiting practices and competitions. Those restrictions remained in effect for nine weeks. So the Cardinal hit the road. Stanford spent nearly 10 weeks away from its campus. After playing their season opener Nov. 25 at Maples Pavilion, the Cardinal didn’t play on their home floor again until hosting Colorado on Feb. 5. Now Stanford is headed to Elite Eight, feeling confident after being nomads for two months.

The men's and women's NCAA Tournament regional finals begin Monday. The men's tournament has Houston and Oregon State facing off in the Midwest Region final while Arkansas battles Baylor in the South Region final. The women's regional finals include a star-studded clash between traditional powers UConn and Baylor plus a more surprising matchup between Indiana and Arizona. 

A joint WHO-China study on the origins of COVID-19 says that transmission from bats to humans through another animal is the most likely scenario and that a lab leak of the coronavirus is “extremely unlikely.” A draft copy was obtained Monday by The Associated Press. The findings were largely as expected, and left many questions unanswered. The team proposed further research in every area except the lab leak hypothesis. The report’s release has been repeatedly delayed, raising questions about whether the Chinese side was trying to skew the conclusions. The AP received what appeared to be a near-final version from a Geneva-based diplomat from a WHO-member country. 

Delays in freeing a mammoth container ship stuck in Egypt’s Suez Canal have highlighted still more pressure points in global trade, a year after supply chains were disrupted by the pandemic. Tugboats and salvage crews took advantage of high tides early Monday to partially refloat the Ever Given, which carries cargo between Asia and Europe. It was unclear how long it would take to fully free the canal after moving the ship, which has been stuck for nearly a week, blocking traffic through the critical trade gateway. Some ships were diverting around the continent of Africa, while dozens more were waiting to pass through the vital trade link. 

Andre Drummond is joining the Los Angeles Lakers for the playoff push. The defending NBA champs signed the two-time All-Star center before their game against Orlando. Drummond agreed to a buyout Friday from the Cleveland Cavaliers, who acquired him last year after nearly eight seasons in Detroit. He had to clear waivers before he could join a team of his choosing, and Drummond chose to join LeBron James, Anthony Davis and the Lakers. When Drummond gets up to playing speed after sitting out the past six weeks, the four-time NBA rebounding leader should be a significant upgrade at center for Los Angeles

Isaiah White scored 22 points and Southern California shut down Oregon’s potent offense to reach the Elite Eight for the first time since 2001 with an 82-68 win in the West Region semifinals. Pac-12 After Dark Indy style turned into a lights-out performance by USC. The Trojans clipped the high-flying Ducks with their length on the perimeter and 7-footer Evan Mobley in the middle. Offensively, the region’s No. 6 seed bobbed and weaved through the holes in Oregon’s defense, shooting 57% and 10 of 17 from 3. The all-around domination put three Pac-12 teams in the Elite Eight for the first time in 20 years and gives USC a shot at undefeated Gonzaga in the regional final.

Charli Collier scored 16 points and grabbed 11 rebounds as No. 6 Texas shut down No. 2 Maryland’s high-powered offense for a 64-61 win that sent the Longhorns to the Elite Eight as the lowest seed still alive in the women’s NCAA Tournament. The Terrapins had the highest-scoring offense in the country during the regular season and averaged 99 points in the first two rounds before running into a Texas defensive wall that slowed the pace to a grinding halt. First-year coach Vic Schaefer has Texas one win away from its first Final Four since 2003. 

The Arizona Diamondbacks are ready to open the season in familiar fashion: with Mad Bum on the mound. Madison Bumgarner was tabbed by manager Torey Lovullo to make his second straight opening day start for the Diamondbacks on Thursday at San Diego. The 31-year-old four-time All-Star struggled in his first season in Arizona going 1-4 with a 6.48 ERA. But Bumgarner will still lead off a Diamondbacks rotation that includes Merrill Kelly, Caleb Smith, Taylor Widener and Luke Weaver. This will be the seventh opening day start in Bumgarner’s career. The Yankees also are setting their rotation, announcing Sunday that Corey Kluber will follow ace Gerrit Cole against Toronto.