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Top court orders India's government to present oxygen plan

NEW DELHI (AP) — India's government, facing calls for a strict lockdown to slow a devastating surge in coronavirus infections, was ordered by the Supreme Court on Wednesday to submit a plan to meet New Delhi hospitals’ oxygen needs within…

LEADING OFF: Cole-McCullers, Willie Mays' 90th birthday

Gerrit Cole starts against Houston on Thursday for the first time since leaving the Astros for a $324 million, nine-year contract with the Yankees before the 2020 season. He’ll face friend and former teammate Lance McCullers Jr. when the American League powers wrap up their three-game series in a New York matinee. Willie Mays turns 90. He is the oldest living Hall of Famer. A New York and San Francisco Giants great who finished his career with the New York Mets, he had 660 home runs and 3,283 hits with a .302 average and 1,903 RBIs from 1951-73. 

La Russa's extra-inning gaffe stings White Sox in loss

Hall of Famer manager Tony La Russa's second stint with the Chicago White Sox is off to a bumpy start. And a decision during a 1-0 loss at Cincinnati will only raise more doubts about whether he is the right person for the job. La Russa acknowledged he was unaware of a rule that would have allowed him to use José Abreu as the automatic runner at second base rather than closer Liam Hendriks in the 10th inning. La Russa says ““I’ll re-read that situation.” The pandemic rule states the runner must be the batter preceding that inning’s leadoff hitter, but there is an exception if it would be the pitcher.

South Carolina House adds firing squad to execution methods

The South Carolina House has voted to add the firing squad to the state's execution methods amid a lack of lethal-injection drugs. The chamber’s 66-43 vote Wednesday is one of the last steps needed to finalize the bill. The measure is meant to jump-start executions in a state that used to have one of the busiest death chambers in the country. The last execution was carried out 10 years ago. The bill requires death row inmates to choose between the firing squad and the electric chair if lethal- injection drugs aren't available.

More than 200 NGOs call for UN arms embargo on Myanmar

UNITED NATIONS (AP) — More than 200 global organizations urged the U.N. Security Council on Wednesday to impose an arms embargo on Myanmar, saying the time for statements has passed and immediate action is needed to help protect peaceful protesters…

Mom who gave birth on flight didn't know she was pregnant

Lavinia “Lavi” Mounga had no idea a baby was coming when she went into labor on a flight from her home in Utah to Honolulu last week. Mounga said she didn’t know she was pregnant, and then the baby “came out of nowhere” while flying to Hawaii. The baby boy, Raymond Mounga, arrived early at just 29 weeks while mom was traveling to Oahu for vacation with her family. A Hawaii Pacific Health family medicine physician and three neonatal intensive care unit nurses from North Kansas City Hospital were on the plane and helped the new mother and baby. The child will have to stay in the hospital in Hawaii until he is full term, about another 10 weeks.

Jill Biden visits Utah school as US moves toward reopening

First lady Jill Biden spoke at a Salt Lake City school as the U.S. makes uneven progress toward reopening classrooms during the coronavirus pandemic. On Wednesday she visited Glendale Middle School, which serves a diverse student body and returned to in-person instruction a few months ago. The stop is part of a swing through the U.S. West that also includes Nevada and Colorado. Biden visited with a few students and later spoke to a group of teachers in an auditorium where she thanked them for their work during the pandemic. She also stressed the Biden administration’s commitment to investing in education.

The Latest: Milwaukee Brewers reach 85% vaccination level

The Milwaukee Brewers have joined the list of Major League Baseball teams to have at least 85% of players, coaches and Tier 1 employees vaccinated. MLB announced before the season it would relax pandemic-related protocols for teams that reached that 85% threshold for vaccination. Manager Craig Counsell and pitcher Brandon Woodruff talked during the Brewers’ pregame Zoom sessions with reporters about how their protocols had been relaxed. One of the major changes for teams that reach the 85% vaccination mark is they are no longer required to wear masks in the dugout. MLB announced at the end of April that nine teams had reached an 85% vaccination rate.

Blue Jays shuffling back to Buffalo starting June 1

The Toronto Blue Jays are returning to their home away from home, Buffalo, New York, starting in June. And this time, they’ll have a limited number of fans in attendance. Forced from Canada by that government’s coronavirus travel restrictions, the Blue Jays will be back at Sahlen Field, the regular home of the Blue Jays’ Triple-A farm team.   Toronto played its first two homestands at its spring training ballpark in Dunedin, Florida, and will play its third there from May 14-24. But the Blue Jays did not want to remain in Florida for the hotter months.

Chelsea beats Madrid to set up all-English CL final vs City

Chelsea ensured a turbulent season will end in a Champions League final by making the competition’s most successful team look ordinary. Timo Werner and Mason Mount clinched a 2-0 victory over Real Madrid that ousted the record 13-time European champions 3-1 on aggregate. It will be an all-English final against Manchester City. But the Premier League rivals will have to fly four hours to play the UEFA showpiece on May 29 in Istanbul which is currently in a coronavirus lockdown. Getting a shot at adding to its 2012 Champions League title will vindicate Chelsea’s decision in January to fire club great Frank Lampard and hire Thomas Tuchel.

Firing of Atlanta officer who shot Rayshard Brooks reversed

The firing of the former Atlanta police officer who’s charged with murder in the shooting death of Rayshard Brooks has been reversed. Garrett Rolfe was fired in June, a day after he shot Brooks in the parking lot of a fast food restaurant. The Atlanta Civil Service Board on Wednesday released its decision on Rolfe’s appeal of his firing. Based on the city's failure to comply with some provisions of its code and on witness testimony, the board says it concluded Rolfe wasn't given due process before he was fired.

Florida inquiry clears Bloomberg over felons voting case

Florida authorities have closed a criminal investigation into fund-raising efforts by former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg to pay off the outstanding fines of thousands of the state’s felons seeking to reclaim their voting rights. The Florida Department of Law Enforcement said Wednesday it found no violations of election law. Bloomberg last year earmarked $100 million in Florida to help defeat then-President Donald Trump. Investigators say the billionaire Democrat and former presidential candidate also raised more than $16 million to pay off the legal debts of felons so they could vote. Florida's top law enforcement agency says it launched a preliminary investigation last year, but found nothing to warrant continuing.

NASCAR's future is here: Next Gen car finally arrives

NASCAR's first new car in seven years has finally arrived. The Next Gen has been designed with competition, cost containment and manufacturer relevance in mind. It was first proposed in 2018 and expected to debut this season before the pandemic delayed it until next year. The car is a collaboration between NASCAR and its stakeholders. Its design will closely resemble the showroom version of the manufacturer models and include modern upgrades found on street cars. The Next Gen will also allow NASCAR to eventually shift to hybrid technology that could encourage new manufacturers to enter the sport. 

Broadway readies imminent ticket sales for a fall reopening

Many Broadway productions are scrambling to resume ticket sales in the coming days to welcome theater-goers this fall after city and state leaders have green-lit a reopening of the Great White Way at full capacity. New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo says Broadway theaters can reopen Sept. 14 and will be allowed to decide their own entry requirements, like whether people must prove they’ve been vaccinated to attend a show. Selling tickets will allow theaters to gauge interest before stages open, said Robert Mujica, Cuomo’s budget director. The Broadway that reopens will look different, with “Frozen” and “Mean Girls” deciding not to restart.

Main stage of Chinese rocket likely to plunge to Earth soon

BEIJING (AP) — The largest section of the rocket that launched the main module of China's first permanent space station into orbit is expected to plunge back to Earth as early as Saturday at an unknown location. Usually, discarded core,…

Federal judge strikes down CDC eviction moratorium

BOSTON (AP) — A federal judge ruled Wednesday that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention exceeded its authority when it imposed a federal eviction moratorium. The Justice Department said it would appeal the ruling from the U.S. District Court…

Orioles' John Means has no-hitter through 8 vs. Seattle

Baltimore Orioles left-hander John Means has not allowed a hit to the Seattle Mariners through eight innings. Means has faced the minimum and allowed just one base runner. Sam Haggerty struck out swinging in the third inning, but reached first when the pitch in the dirt bounced away from catcher Pedro Severino. Haggerty wasn’t on base long, getting thrown out attempting to steal second. Means has struck out seven and induced weak contact when the Mariners have put the ball in play.

Biden touts $28.6B restaurant relief program, orders tacos

WASHINGTON (AP) — Setting foot in a restaurant for his first time as president, Joe Biden made a Cinco de Mayo taco and enchilada run to highlight his administration’s $28.6 billion program to help eateries that lost business because of…

Did agents raid home of wrong woman over Jan. 6 riot? Maybe.

The Justice Department’s massive prosecution of those who stormed the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6 has not been without its problems, including a potential instance of mistaken identity. The home of an Alaska woman was raided by agents who did not arrest her, and she says she was wrongly identified. She said the agents told her they were looking for House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's laptop. As Republicans are increasingly seeking to minimize the insurrection and play down the horror of that day, any missteps by federal prosecutors could be used in that effort to discredit what actually happened. 

Detroit pizza man paints street, tries to save people dough

A Detroit pizzeria owner upset over people getting $150 tickets for unwittingly parking in a handicap zone got a bucket of blue paint and marked the street himself. Tony Sacco is co-owner of Mootz Pizzeria and Bar. There is a single sign along the curb indicating that parking is reserved for drivers with a handicap tag. But Sacco says it’s confusing because parking enforcers consider the space reserved for as many as four vehicles. For Sacco, the last straw was a $150 ticket given to a woman who was buying ice cream for her kids. A city engineer visited the site Wednesday and said more signs would be installed on Library Street but the blue paint won't last.

Bills GM Beane would consider cutting unvaccinated player

Buffalo Bills general manager Brandon Beane would theoretically consider cutting an unvaccinated player if it meant the team being able to lift NFL COVID-19 protocols restricting in-person team meetings. Beane made the comment on the team-sponsored “One Bills Live” broadcast and was referring to the prospect of cutting a player at the lower-end of the Bills' 53-man roster. Beane says the payoff would allow the Bills to return to a sense of normalcy after NFL rules restricted the number of players and coaches who could gather at one time last year. The NFL is loosening its restrictions for teams whose staff and players have been fully vaccinated, but has yet to announce guidelines for when teams begin practice.

Top US general urges greater racial diversity in military

The top U.S. general says the military must do more to improve career opportunities for Black Americans. They remain vastly underrepresented in some areas, including among Air Force pilots and in the top ranks of the military. Army Gen. Mark Milley is chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. He told a Howard University ROTC commissioning ceremony on Wednesday that diversity is an important strength of the military. But, he added, "We must get better.” He said only two of 41 four-star generals are Black, even though the overall military is 20 percent Black.

EXPLAINER: Will juror's march presence impact Chauvin case?

Legal experts say the revelation that a juror who helped convict Derek Chauvin had participated in a march in Washington, D.C., months before the trial is unlikely to affect that guilty verdict. But that’s not always the case. Though rare, there have been cases in which convictions have been tossed out or reexamined after new information about a juror is discovered. Brandon Mitchell is one of 12 jurors who convicted Chauvin in the murder of George Floyd. He says the march he attended last summer in Washington was not about Floyd and was to commemorate Martin Luther King Jr's “I have a Dream” speech.