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German 'emergency brake' plan clears last legislative hurdle

BERLIN (AP) — A plan by German Chancellor Angela Merkel's government to mandate uniform restrictions in areas where the coronavirus is spreading too quickly cleared its final legislative hurdle on Thursday as it was passed by parliament's upper house. The…

'He was guilty.' Extra juror in favor of Chauvin conviction

An alternate juror at the trial of Derek Chauvin said she agreed with the jury’s decision to convict him in George Floyd’s death. Lisa Christensen said in an interview aired on “CBS This Morning” that she saw Chauvin as the leader of officers at the scene and that he brushed off warnings by bystanders that Floyd was in danger. Christensen said she didn't know if she would have voted to convict Chauvin on all three counts, but she felt he was guilty. She was one of two alternates who sat through three weeks of testimony but was dismissed before deliberations.

Norway lends AstraZeneca vaccine jabs to Sweden, Iceland

COPENHAGEN, Denmark (AP) — Norway will lend all of its 216,000 doses of AstraZeneca to neighboring Sweden and Iceland as long as its own government regulator has paused the use of the vaccine. On March 11, Norway followed Denmark in…

'We're buzzing!' Brit Awards to welcome back music fans

LONDON (AP) — British music's leading prize night next month will feature an audience of 4,000 people, in what will be the first major indoor music event in the country to welcome back a live audience since the coronavirus pandemic…

Sanctions-battered Iran, weary of pandemic, faces worst wave

After facing criticism for downplaying the virus last year, Iranian authorities have put partial lockdowns and other measures in place to try and slow the coronavirus’ spread. But in this nation of 80 million people, which faces crushing U.S. sanctions, many struggle to earn enough to feed their families and good jobs remain scarce, forcing the public back out into the streets. Economic pressure, coupled with the growing uncertainty over when vaccines will be widely available in the Islamic Republic, have many simply giving up on the luxury of social distancing. That has public health officials worried the worst of the pandemic still may be yet to come.

In Biden climate show, watch for cajoling, conflict, pathos

President Joe Biden takes center stage in a two-day climate summit highlighting America's return to the fight to curb global warming. The all-virtual summit that begins Thursday will feature 40 world leaders and lots of other advocates and experts but is clearly Biden's show. Biden is expected to promise that America will cut its carbon pollution at least in half compared with 2005. Then he's going to challenge other nations to be just as ambitious. Also key will be financial help to poorer nations. The summit will be livestreamed so anyone can watch the cajoling, conflict and pathos.

How long does protection from COVID-19 vaccines last?

Since the COVID-19 vaccines haven't been around that long, it's not yet known how long their protection lasts. Experts are still studying vaccinated people to determine if and when boosters might be needed. So far, evidence indicates shots by Pfizer and Moderna last at least six months, and likely longer. Another reason we might need follow-up shots is if the vaccines lose their effectiveness against variants. Follow-up shots could contain vaccines for multiple variants. The need for them will also depend on the success of the global vaccination push, and tamping down transmission of the virus and emerging variants.

EXPLAINER: Why India is shattering global infection records

The world’s fastest pace of spreading infections and the highest daily increase in coronavirus cases are pushing India further into a deepening and deadly health care crisis. India is the world’s second-most populous country, and its size presents extraordinary challenges to fighting COVID-19. It is a major vaccine producer but making enough to protect people will take time. Some 2.7 million vaccine doses are given daily, but that’s still less than 10% of its people who’ve gotten their first shot. Experts also note many opportunities were lost when India experienced a lull in cases late last year and mistakenly thought the worst had passed.

Syracuse coach Hillsman has 11 players enter transfer portal

Syracuse coach Quentin Hillsman has been a busy man since the women's basketball season ended. He's had 11 players enter the NCAA transfer portal and has brought in four players to help make up for the losses. He says the Orange are in a good place and “not in panic mode.” Among those who have departed are leading scorer Kiara Lewis and Emily Engstler, who led the team in rebounding as the first player off the bench. Both are staying in the Atlantic Coast Conference, Lewis at Clemson and Engstler at Louisville. Hillsman admitted to being shocked by some of the players who departed.

LEADING OFF: Padres-Dodgers back at it, Astros struggling

Los Angeles right-hander Walker Buehler starts the opener of a four-game series against the San Diego Padres at Dodger Stadium on Thursday. Buehler will be followed by Clayton Kershaw and Trevor Bauer, with Dustin May scheduled for Sunday’s series finale. The Dodgers won two of three last weekend in San Diego during the first series of the season between the NL West rivals. Meanwhile, right-hander Domingo Germán returns to the Yankees' rotation after a stint at the alternate training site, and the slumping Astros have lost nine of 10 heading into an AL West matchup with the visiting Angels. 

FCS draft prospects generally opted not to play this spring

There’s a common thread linking most of the Football Championship Subdivision players who expect to hear their name called in the NFL draft. They didn’t participate in their schools’ pandemic-delayed spring season. The delaying of the FCS season until February left draft prospects from those schools facing a dilemma. Do they stick with their schools for the spring season or use that time to get ready for the draft? Most decided to start preparing for their future. North Dakota State's Trey Lance and Dillon Radunz will likely be the first two players drafted from non-Football Bowl Subdivision programs.  

Indonesia looking for submarine that may be too deep to help

Indonesia’s navy ships are intensely searching for a submarine that likely fell too deep to retrieve, making survival chances for the 53 people on board slim. Neighboring countries have rushed their rescue ships to support the complex operation. The diesel-powered submarine was participating in a training exercise Wednesday when it missed a scheduled reporting call. Officials reported an oil slick and the smell of diesel fuel near the starting position of its last dive, about 60 miles north of the resort island of Bali, though there has been no clear evidence that they are linked to the submarine. Indonesia’s navy believes the submarine sank to a depth of 2,000-2,300 feet _ much deeper than its estimated collapse depth at 656 feet. 

Suns survive heave from Embiid in 116-113 win over 76ers

Chris Paul scored 28 points, Devin Booker had 19 and Mikal Bridges 18 to lead the Phoenix Suns to a 116-113 win over the Philadelphia 76ers on Wednesday night. Joel Embiid had 38 points and 17 rebounds. He heaved a fullcourt shot at the horn that rattled around the rim and put the All-Star center on his back in disbelief over the near-make. The Sixers again played without starters Ben Simmons because of an unspecified illness and Tobias Harris with a sore right knee.

Blue states chart diverging paths on death penalty debate

A death penalty repeal proposal under consideration in Nevada is proving party affiliation can be an unreliable predictor on capital punishment. Three Democratic-majority legislatures have passed measures abolishing the death penalty since 2019, but the future of Nevada's repeal effort is far from clear. The proposal passed the Assembly this month. But leaders in the state Senate have not indicated whether they’ll consider the bill, and Gov. Steve Sisolak staunchly opposes it. Democratic-majority legislatures in Colorado, New Hampshire and Virginia have recently done away with the death penalty. Advocates on both sides of the debate say the contrast among states underscores how the death penalty jumbles partisan divides.

China administers 200 million vaccine doses domestically

BEIJING (AP) — Around 200 million doses of COVID-19 vaccine have been administered so far inside China, with an emphasis on front-line workers, university students and people living in border areas, health officials said. China is ramping up vaccination efforts…

DC statehood faces a crossroads with congressional vote

Proponents of statehood for Washington, D.C., face a milestone moment in their decades-long movement to reshape the American political map. The House will vote Thursday on legislation that would create the new state of Washington, Douglass Commonwealth, with one representative and two senators. A tiny sliver of land including the White House, the U.S. Capitol and the National Mall would remain as a federal district. The measure is expected to pass easily in the House and be sent to the Senate, where the real fight awaits in the evenly divided chamber.

Police chiefs hail Chauvin verdict as a key step to healing

Law enforcement leaders say the conviction of former Minneapolis Police Officer Derek Chauvin for George Floyd's death is a step toward restoring trust in the criminal justice system and repairing relations with communities. Police chiefs' willingness to speak out about the case is a major departure from years past, when even the highest levels would close rank around an officer following an on-duty killing. But police leaders and activists alike caution that a single case will not end systemic racism or stamp out excessive force in departments nationwide.

Boulder shooting suspect charged with using large magazine

Local prosecutors in Colorado have filed over 40 more felony charges against a man charged with killing 10 people at a Boulder supermarket last month, including for allegedly using a large capacity magazine banned by state lawmakers in response to recent mass shootings. The court document outlining the new charges filed Wednesday lists 19 new victims, including 11 law enforcement officers, that 21-year-old Ahmad Al Aliwi Alissa is accused of attempting to kill during the attack. Some victims have more than one count of attempted first-degree murder associated with them. Alissa’s defense has said he suffers from “mental illness” but hasn't offered any details.

LEADING OFF: Padres-Dodgers back at it, Astros struggling

Los Angeles right-hander Walker Buehler starts the opener of a four-game series against the San Diego Padres at Dodger Stadium on Thursday. Buehler will be followed by Clayton Kershaw and Trevor Bauer, with Dustin May scheduled for Sunday’s series finale. The Dodgers won two of three last weekend in San Diego during the first series of the season between the NL West rivals. Meanwhile, right-hander Domingo Germán returns to the Yankees' rotation after a stint at the alternate training site, and the slumping Astros have lost nine of 10 heading into an AL West matchup with the visiting Angels. 

Curry finally goes cold, Beal rallies Wizards past Warriors

Stephen Curry had his first rough night in a month, and Bradley Beal rallied Washington in the fourth quarter for its season-best sixth straight victory, 118-114 over the Golden State Warriors. The Wizards hosted fans for the first time in more than a year. Coming off a historic 11-game stretch in which he made 78 3-pointers and surpassed Beal as the NBA’s scoring leader, Curry scored 18 points on 7-of-25 shooting, including 2 of 14 on 3s. Beal scored 29 points as the glamorous matchup with Curry mostly fizzled until Washington’s late rally. Russell Westbrook had 14 points, a season-high 20 rebounds and 10 assists for the Wizards.

Antonio Brown settles assault lawsuit with former trainer

NFL wide receiver Antonio Brown has settled a civil lawsuit by former trainer Britney Taylor who accused Brown of sexually assaulting her. Taylor filed the lawsuit in 2019 and lawyers for her and Brown released statements Wednesday revealing the agreement. The civil suit stemmed from what Taylor said occurred in 2017 and 2018, when she said the player sexually assaulted her twice, then raped her. Brown countersued Taylor, claiming defamation. Brown is currently a free agent after winning the Super Bowl with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in February. He remains subject to discipline under the NFL’s personal conduct policy. 

A's extend winning streak to 11, helped by 2 errors in 10th

The Oakland Athletics extended their winning streak to 11, rallying from a two-run deficit to beat the Twins 13-12  when Luis Arraez threw away Ramón Laureano’s grounder for Minnesota’s second error of the 10th inning. Nelson Cruz had two home runs and four RBIs for the Twins, and Byron Buxton hit a two-run homer for a 12-10 lead in the 10th. Mark Canha hit what should have been a game-ending grounder to second baseman Travis Blankenhorn, who allowed the ball to bounce off his glove for a run-scoring error. Arraez then sailed his throw over first baseman Willians Astudillo.

AP source: NFL exploring changes to scouting combine

The NFL is exploring changes to the annual NFL scouting combine to improve the professional and medical experience for draft prospects, a person familiar with those discussions told The Associated Press. The combine in Indianapolis was canceled this year because of the coronavirus pandemic, so prospects displayed their talents for scouts, coaches and general managers at their college pro days instead. Teams interviewed players virtually and most medical and psychological testing was done by video. About 150 draft prospects did in-person medical evaluations in Indianapolis earlier this month.