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EXPLAINER: No evidence '3/5 compromise' aimed to end slavery

Republican lawmakers in recent days have given new voice to a claim that’s surfaced and been debunked before, that the clause in the Constitution counting slaves as three-fifths of a person actually was a step toward ending slavery. The most recent example came from Tennessee state Rep. Justin Lafferty, amid a debate over whether educators should be restricted while teaching about systemic racism in America. His remarks sparked applause from the GOP-controlled House while shocking many Black lawmakers and activists. Scholars interviewed by The Associated Press on Wednesday said there is no evidence the constitutional provision was intended to end slavery.

Google says 20% of workers will be remote, many more hybrid

Google says that it expects about 20% of its workforce to still work remotely after the pandemic. In addition, some 60% will work a hybrid schedule that includes about three days in the office and two days wherever the employees work best. The announcement Wednesday relaxes a stricter stance the company had taken earlier. For up to 20 days per year, Google employees will also be able to work from any location other than their main office. This has been increased from a previous allotment of 10 days. Most of Google’s 135,000 employees can continue to work from home through September of this year. 

Capela, Hawks pull away late to take 135-103 win over Suns

Clint Capela scored 18 points to lead seven scorers in double figures and the Atlanta Hawks pulled away late to overcome Devin Booker’s 30 points and beat the Phoenix Suns 135-103. The Suns began the night even with the Utah Jazz in the race for the NBA’s best record, thanks to a five-game winning streak. Phoenix faded badly in the fourth quarter of the back-to-back following Tuesday night’s 134-118 overtime win at Cleveland. Atlanta outscored Phoenix 38-15 in the fourth period. Mikal Bridges, who had 18 points, was the Suns’ only other scorer in double figures. Trae Young had 16 points and 12 assists for Atlanta.

Four people killed when plane crashes into Mississippi home

Authorities say a small plane carrying three people to a university graduation crashed into a house in Mississippi, killing an occupant of the home and three Texas residents. The National Transportation Safety Board said Wednesday that an investigator was on the way to the scene in Hattiesburg. Authorities say the plane plunged into the home late Tuesday, starting a fire. Two adults and a toddler from Wichita Falls, Texas, were aboard the plane.  Authorities say the aircraft had left Wichita Falls and was preparing to land at the Hattiesburg airport when it crashed late Tuesday night.  

New York Rangers abruptly dump team president, GM

The New York Rangers say president John Davidson and general manager Jeff Gorton are out. The move comes less than 24 hours after the team criticized the NHL for not suspending Washington Capitals forward Tom Wilson and saying George Parros was unfit to remain as head of player safety. It was not immediately clear if the front-office shakeup had any connection to the statement. Chris Drury is now the president and GM of the storied NHL team.

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.