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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.

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…

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.

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 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 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.

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.

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…

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.

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. 

President Joe Biden is using his first address before a joint session of Congress to make the case that his administration has made progress during the first 100 days he’s been in office, confronting the public health and economic maelstrom caused by the coronavirus pandemic. Biden is also using the prime-time address to make his pitch directly to Americans for his expansive — and expensive — vision to rebuild the nation’s roads, bridges, water pipes and other infrastructure, bolster public education and extend other benefits for a wide swath of Americans. Here are some key takeaways from the president’s address.

BANGKOK (AP) — Myanmar government forces launched airstrikes against ethnic minority guerrillas in two areas of the country on Wednesday, local reports said. Fighting has been raging daily in northern Myanmar in territory controlled by the Kachin Independence Organization, representing…

Video released in Chicago shows an officer shooting an armed suspect in the back as he sought to elude capture. The videos released Wednesday by Chicago’s independent police review board again put a spotlight on police use of deadly force. For many, shooting fleeing suspects when their backs are turned, as in the case of Anthony Alvarez, is never justified. State laws and Supreme Court precedent do permit it under certain circumstances. From the videos released by the police review board, there’s no disputing that Alvarez had a gun. It is clearly visible. But the fact that a fleeing suspect has a gun doesn’t automatically make shooting them legal. A key point of dispute in Alvarez's case is whether he turned or was beginning to turn toward the officer when he was shot.

Republican Sen. Tim Scott is crediting former President Donald Trump and fellow members of the GOP with creating what he calls “a joyful springtime for our nation.” Scott gives that nod to Trump and the party as part of his prepared remarks on behalf of Republicans in response to President Joe Biden's speech to a joint session of Congress. Biden is striking an optimistic tone in excerpts released ahead of his speech, declaring that the U.S. is “turning peril into possibility, crisis into opportunity.” But Scott's remarks indicate his is ascribing the turnaround to the GOP.

When the Tokyo Olympics was postponed because of the COVID-19 pandemic, U.S. women's water polo star Kiley Neushul decided to retire from the national team. The decision created a giant hole in the lineup for a powerhouse U.S. team going for a third consecutive gold medal this summer. Neushul had been a key performer for the U.S. on each side of the pool. Coach Adam Krikorian says replacing her is “impossible.” In her first interview since her decision, Neushel tells The Associated Press she wouldn't “have been in the right headspace to continue on.” She says she's excited about pursuing other interests.

Producer Charlie Yook and NFL Network didn’t have their own draft broadcast last year, but he was able to glean a couple of things from last year’s joint effort with ESPN. The biggest is when it comes to the draft, sometimes simple works best and that it is OK to combine resources. While 12 prospects will be in Cleveland waiting to be selected and pose with commissioner Roger Goodell, the NFL has sent 45 camera kits to prospects homes with iPhones, lighting, a backdrop and the hats of each team. NFL Network and ESPN will also have access to all 32 team war room cams after years of competing to see which teams they could get exclusive access.

An Idaho lawmaker facing rape allegations from a 19-year-old intern refused to answer some questions during a legislative ethics hearing Wednesday after his attorney told him to invoke his constitutional right against self-incrimination. Lewiston Republican Rep. Aaron von Ehlinger’s ethics hearing is expected to last one day. The investigation into von Ehlinger’s conduct began in March after the intern told a supervisor that von Ehlinger raped her at his apartment after the two had dinner at a restaurant. The Boise Police Department is investigating. Von Ehlinger has denied the allegations and maintains the sexual activity was consensual.

Columbus Mayor Andrew Ginther has asked the Department of Justice for an investigation into the city’s police department following a series of police killings of Black people. The Democratic mayor says while the city is committed to reform and has already established a number of “significant” changes in the past few years, it is not enough. Wednesday's request said a culture change is needed inside the police department. The Justice Department recently announced it’s opening probes into policing in Louisville, Kentucky, over the March 2020 death of Breonna Taylor, and in Minneapolis following last year’s death of George Floyd. 

Atlanta’s two biggest outdoor pro sports stadiums will both allow 100% capacity at events beginning next month. The Braves say they will return to normal capacity at 41,084-seat Truist Park beginning May 7, when they face the Philadelphia Phillies to begin their third homestand of the season. They'll join the Texas Rangers, who opened the season at 100%. Officials also say Mercedes-Benz Stadium will return to 100% capacity beginning May 15 when Atlanta United hosts a Major League Soccer match against CF Montreal. Mercedes-Benz Stadium can hold more than 70,000 fans. Face coverings will continue to be required at both stadiums.