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China says US increasing military activity directed at it

BEIJING (AP) — Activity by U.S. military ships and surveillance planes directed at China has increased significantly under President Joe Biden's administration, a spokesperson for the Chinese Defense Ministry said Thursday. As an example, Wu Qian said the Navy destroyer…

EXPLAINER: No ransomware silver bullet, crooks out of reach

A new report by a public-private task force including Microsoft, Amazon, the National Governors Association, the FBI and Britain’s and Canada’s elite crime agencies offers a comprehensive plan for assaulting ransomware. Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas is set to join the formal online launch Thursday. But the challenge is daunting. The task force acknowledges there's no silver bullet for a scourge whose perpetrators enjoy safe harbor abroad. The criminal syndicates that dominate the ransomware business are mostly Russian-speaking and operate with near impunity out of Russia and allied countries. The U.S. government deems ransomware a national security threat.

Desperate Indians turn to unproven drugs as virus surges

As India faces a devastating surge of new coronavirus infections overwhelming its health care system, people are turning to desperate measures to try to keep loved ones alive. In some cases they are resorting to unproven medical treatments or to black markets for life-saving medications that are in short supply. Drugs such as hydroxychloroquine, which the World Health Organization says should not be used for the coronavirus, are being taken by desperate patients. The mounting desperation and rampant experimentation with unproven drugs come as India set another global record for new virus cases with more than 379,000 infections on Thursday. That is putting even more pressure on the country’s overwhelmed hospitals.

Meet 'SGOTUS': Emhoff settles in as second gentleman of US

The husband of Vice President Kamala Harris, Doug Emhoff, is settling in and defining his groundbreaking new role as second gentleman of the United States. It's a sharp pivot from his past work as a California-based entertainment lawyer. Emhoff has been spending a lot of time traveling around the country urging people to help end the coronavirus pandemic by getting vaccinated. Emhoff's role represents a historic shift in politics and for political unions. He's the first man to take on the more traditional role of supporter and confidant of the vice president.

Uber to recruit 20,000 UK drivers on post-lockdown demand

LONDON (AP) — Uber plans to recruit 20,000 more drivers in the United Kingdom to help fill swelling demand for rides as the country's coronavirus lockdown restrictions ease. The San Francisco-based ride hailing company said Thursday it aims to sign…

Top court: Germany must set clear post-2030 climate goals

BERLIN (AP) — Germany's top court ruled Thursday that the government has to set clear goals for reducing greenhouse gas emissions after 2030, arguing that current legislation doesn't go far enough in ensuring climate change is limited to acceptable levels.…

India adds another 379K virus cases, tries to vaccinate more

India has set another global record in new virus cases, as millions of people in one state cast votes despite rising infections. With 379,257 new infections, India now has reported more than 18.3 million cases, second only to the United States. Daily deaths have nearly tripled in the past three weeks, reflecting the intensity of the latest surge. And the country’s already teetering health system is under immense strain, prompting allies to send help. Amid the crisis, voting for the eighth and final phase of the West Bengal state elections began Thursday. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has faced criticism over the last few weeks for holding huge rallies in the state, which experts suggest might have driven the surge there too. 

NWHL holds door open in bid to thaw relationship with PWHPA

National Women's Hockey League commissioner Tyler Tumminia is holding the door open should members of the Professional Women’s Hockey Players’ Association ever want to reach out. The two sides have been at odds for two years. The PWHPA includes many of the world's top players who want a different league with reliable salaries and benefits. The NWHL is doubling its salary cap to $300,000 for each of its six teams. Tumminia says that suggests stability. PWHPA executive Jayna Hefford calls the increase a positive step. Former Canadian national team goalie Shannon Szabados remains skeptical.

Kentucky Derby is family affair for Asmussens and O'Neills

The worlds of two horse racing families will collide in the Kentucky Derby this weekend. Steve Asmussen trains Super Stock, owned by his 79-year-old father. Doug O'Neill trains Hot Rod Charlie, co-owned by his nephew Patrick O'Neill and bought at auction by his brother Dennis. The Asmussens are lifers in  the sport, with Steve's parents running a training center in Laredo, Texas, for decades. His brother, Cash, was a star jockey in Europe. The O'Neills came up the hard way, too, honing a love of the sport through racetrack visits as kids. 

When Spoelstra and Popovich face off, the respect is clear

The postgame routine between San Antonio’s Gregg Popovich and Miami’s Erik Spoelstra is almost always the same. A handshake or embrace near midcourt at the final buzzer. They exchange a few words. They laugh. And then the coaches head off in opposite directions. It has been this way for a while now, and was again Wednesday when they met for the 37th time. There is clear mutual admiration between the two coaches who have been in their jobs longer than any other current coaches in the NBA. 

LEADING OFF: Harper healing after fastball to face

Phillies star Bryce Harper says he’s feeling fine after being hit in the face by a 96.9 mph fastball Wednesday. Harper was drilled in the left cheek by Cardinals left-hander Génesis Cabrera’s first pitch in the sixth inning of a 5-3 victory. The All-Star slugger picked himself up and walked off the field, blood dripping from a cut on the side of his nose. He said in a video on Instagram that “everything feels good.” He appeared to have only minor swelling and bruising. Elsewhere, the Dodgers and Brewers begin a four-game set between NL division leaders in Milwaukee.

'Clean out our insides': Ethiopia detains Tigrayans amid war

Ethiopia has swept up thousands of ethnic Tigrayans into detention centers across the country on accusations that they are traitors, often holding them for months and without charges, The Associated Press has found. The detentions of both military personnel and civilians are an apparent attempt to purge state institutions of the Tigrayans who once dominated them, as the government enters its sixth month of fighting in the Tigray region. The detentions in at least nine locations are far more sweeping in scope and more arbitrary than Ethiopia has acknowledged, sometimes with ethnic profiling as the sole reason.

Welcome to NY: Lindor slumping, drawing boos from Mets fans

Francisco Lindor is off to a rough start with the New York Mets after signing a $341 million contract. The star shortstop is batting .203 with three RBIs through 19 games with his new team and has started drawing boos the past two nights at Citi Field. Lindor says the crowd reaction is “interesting” and “funny," but it “doesn’t feel right, for sure.” He knows Mets fans just want to see positive results.

Suns beat Clippers, clinch first playoff spot in 11 years

Chris Paul scored 28 points, Devin Booker added 21 and the Phoenix Suns beat the Los Angeles Clippers 109-101 in a matchup of two of the Western Conference’s top teams. Phoenix clinched a playoff berth for the first time in 11 years and once again looked like a team that might play deep into the summer. The Suns finally figured out a way to beat the Clippers, who won the first two games of the season series. Phoenix didn’t trail the entire game but needed a fourth-quarter push to turn back a Los Angeles rally. Paul George led the Clippers with 25 points.

India's deepening water crisis at the heart of farm protests

At the heart of India’s farm protests and decades-old agrarian crisis is a policy conundrum: India has been subsidizing the cultivation of rice in the north, but these are thirsty crops that have dramatically lowered the groundwater table. The protesting farmers are overwhelmingly from the region that has benefitted most from policies for maximizing food production. But the policies aimed at providing a surplus have deepened India's water crisis. The groundwater in Punjab, a state with 27 million people, is projected to dry up entirely by 2039. And climate change has made the monsoon rains -- a lifeline for over half of India’s cultivated area -- unpredictable and made farmers more reliant on groundwater.

'Congress should act,' Biden tells lawmakers near and far

WASHINGTON (AP) — The roar of applause that typically greets a new president entering the House chamber softened Wednesday to just a few hundred hands clapping as Joe Biden arrived to deliver his first joint address to Congress under strict…

LEADING OFF: Harper healing after fastball to face

Phillies star Bryce Harper says he’s feeling fine after being hit in the face by a 96.9 mph fastball Wednesday. Harper was drilled in the left cheek by Cardinals left-hander Génesis Cabrera’s first pitch in the sixth inning of a 5-3 victory. The All-Star slugger picked himself up and walked off the field, blood dripping from a cut on the side of his nose. He said in a video on Instagram that “everything feels good.” He appeared to have only minor swelling and bruising. Elsewhere, the Dodgers and Brewers begin a four-game set between NL division leaders in Milwaukee.

North Carolina body camera law comes under harsh glare

A North Carolina law that gives local courts authority over the release of body camera video has come under a harsh glare after a judge refused to make public footage of deputies shooting and killing Andrew Brown Jr. The 2016 law says that law enforcement video is not a public record and generally cannot be released without court approval. A judge ruled Wednesday that body camera and dashboard footage in Brown's death must be kept from public view for at least another month to avoid harming a state investigation. The April 21 shooting happened as deputies were serving drug-related warrants at Brown’s home in Elizabeth City.

Asian shares, US futures advance after Biden speech

Asian shares rose Thursday and U.S. futures also were higher after President Joe Biden delivered a speech to Congress that outlined ambitious plans for jobs creating spending on early education, child care and other public services. Shares rose in Hong…

Phillies' Bryce Harper hit by pitch in face, "feels good"

Phillies star Bryce Harper said he feels fine after being hit in the face by a 96.9 mph fastball Wednesday night, forcing him from Philadelphia’s game against St. Louis. Harper was drilled in the left cheek by left-handed reliever Génesis Cabrera’s first pitch in the sixth inning. The All-Star slugger picked himself up and walked off the field, blood dripping from a cut on the side of his nose. Cabrera drilled Didi Gregorius with another fastball on his next pitch. Phillies manager Joe Girardi came out of the dugout to argue with plate umpire Chris Segal and was ejected.

Spoelstra gets win No. 600, Heat top Spurs 116-111

Erik Spoelstra got a milestone win, and it didn’t come easily. Jimmy Butler scored 29 points, Bam Adebayo had a big three-point play with 51.8 seconds left and the Miami Heat went on a 17-0 run in the second half before hanging on late to beat the San Antonio Spurs 116-111. It was the 600th regular-season win for Spoelstra, making him the 27th coach in NBA history to win that many and just the sixth coach to do so with one franchise. Dejounte Murray had 22 points, 10 rebounds and 11 assists for the Spurs, who were without starting guard Derrick White, who is expected to miss the rest of the season with a sprained ankle.

Samsung reports profit jump on smartphone, TV sales

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — Samsung Electronics said Thursday its operating profit for the last quarter jumped 46% from a year earlier driven by increased sales of smartphones and televisions as its business continues to flourish amid the pandemic. The…

Cavaliers' Love sorry for on-court tantrum: 'That wasn't me'

Cleveland Cavaliers forward Kevin Love has apologized for his on-court tantrum, saying his behavior was out of line and out of character. The five-time All-Star spoke following Cleveland’s shootaround Wednesday before facing the Orlando Magic. Love didn't take any questions from reporters after speaking passionately for 13 minutes about the incident, his frustration in dealing with an injury this season and his continued struggle with mental health. Love said he didn't know how bad his actions looked until after Monday night's game. In the third quarter against Toronto, a frustrated Love angrily tapped the ball back into play on an inbounds pass. It was grabbed by the Raptors, who made a 3-pointer and went on to win 112-96.

AP FACT CHECK: Claims from Biden's joint address to Congress

President Joe Biden is giving his first joint address to Congress, and an AP Fact Check is examining his statements and the Republican response. Biden claims that when he was vice president he addressed the root causes of migration from Central America into the United States and the “plan was working," but President Donald Trump abandoned it. That’s incorrect. Biden led President Barack Obama’s efforts to address a spike in migration from Central America, but poverty and violence have been endemic for decades. Hundreds of millions of dollars of U.S. aid have gone to Central America annually, even during Trump’s presidency, but migration from Mexico and Central America has continued unabated with periodic spikes.