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Opposition accuses UK govt of sleaze amid lobbying scandal

LONDON (AP) — A lobbying scandal swirling around former British Prime Minister David Cameron has deepened, with claims that a senior civil servant held down a part-time job with a now-bankrupt financial firm that was awarded lucrative government contracts. It…

No. 2 House Republican says GOP would act against Gaetz

The No. 2 House Republican says party leaders would “take action” against Rep. Matt Gaetz if the Justice Department formally moves ahead with legal action against him. The remarks by Louisiana Rep. Steve Scalise make him the latest of many congressional Republicans who have opted against springing to the defense of the Florida Republican. Federal agents are investigating Gaetz over allegations that include sex trafficking and sex with a minor, according to two people who spoke on condition of anonymity because they could not discuss details publicly. Gaetz has denied the accusations and has not been charged with any crimes.

Another Granato making a case for the family name in Buffalo

Buffalo Sabres interim coach Don Granato is emerging from the shadow of his more famous siblings. The team has emerged from an 18-game winless skid to win four of its last eight. Much of the credit is going to the 53-year-old Granato. He simplified the style of play and keeps an even keel. His brother, Tony, played 13 NHL seasons. His sister, Cammi, is a hockey Hall of Famer and two-time Olympian.

Prosecutors: No charges for officer in Capitol riot shooting

Federal prosecutors won’t charge a police officer who shot and killed a woman as she climbed through the broken part of a door during the insurrection at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6. Authorities had considered for months whether criminal charges were appropriate for the Capitol Police officer who fatally shot Ashli Babbitt, a 35-year-old Air Force veteran from San Diego. The Justice Department’s decision officially closes out the investigation. Prosecutors said they had reviewed video of the incident, along with statements from the officer involved and other officers and witnesses, examined physical evidence from the scene and reviewed the autopsy results

'The Bachelor' star Colton Underwood comes out as gay

Colton Underwood, the former football tight end who found fame on "The Bachelor,” has revealed that he is gay. “I’ve ran from myself for a long time. I’ve hated myself for a long time,” Underwood told “Good Morning America” on…

Irish watchdog opens another Facebook probe, over data dump

LONDON (AP) — Ireland's privacy regulator said Wednesday it has opened an investigation into Facebook after data on more than 500 million users was reportedly found dumped online, in a suspected violation of strict European Union privacy rules. The Data…

We need to plan: UK travel urges clarity from government

LONDON (AP) — Leaders from Britain's aviation industry joined forces Wednesday to urge the British government to ensure that popular European destinations face the least onerous coronavirus travel restrictions when holidays are allowed again. Under the government's new traffic light…

South Africans anxious over pause in use of J&J vaccines

JOHANNESBURG (AP) — South Africa's decision to suspend the use of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine due to preliminary reports of rare blood clots has left the country without any shots as it struggles to combat an aggressive coronavirus variant.…

Somalia's president OKs mandate extension, alarming US, EU

MOGADISHU, Somalia (AP) — Somalia’s president has defiantly signed into law an extension of his mandate and that of his government as the United States and others threatened sanctions and warned of further instability in one of the world’s most…

Italian TV host apologizes for gestures mimicking Asians

MILAN (AP) — A Swiss-Italian television host apologized Wednesday for mimicking Asians on a satirical TV program after her actions drew protests on social media. “I am truly sorry and I apologize if I hurt anybody,’’ Michelle Hunziker said in…

Probe faults DC Guard use of aircraft during June protests

An investigation has concluded that members of the Washington D.C. National Guard didn’t fully understand how to appropriately use helicopters during civil unrest in the city last June when one of the aircraft flew very low over a crowd. Army officials say that “a number” of service members received administrative discipline, but they refused to provide details. One Army official says no one was found to have committed any misconduct. Instead they were guilty of “performance shortcomings.” The long-overdue report was triggered by widespread objections, including from Congress, after a D.C. Guard helicopter hovered low enough over protesters near the Capitol One Arena to create a deafening noise and spray protesters with rotor wash. 

Claressa Shields to make MMA debut with PFL on June 10

Two-time Olympic boxing gold medalist Claressa Shields has a date and an opponent for her mixed martial arts debut with the Professional Fighters League. The promotion tells The Associated Press that Shields will fight Brittney Elkin on June 10. The bout in Atlantic City, New Jersey, will be the beginning of Shields’ daunting quest to add MMA success to her boxing championships, which include professional world titles in three weight classes. Shields announced her decision to take up MMA late last year, telling the AP she was determined to claim championship belts in both of the major combat sports.

Wisconsin Treasurer Godlewski launches US Senate bid

Wisconsin Treasurer Sarah Godlewski has joined the growing ranks of Democrats running for the U.S. Senate seat currently held by Republican Sen. Ron Johnson, who has yet to say whether he will seek a third term. Godlewski launched her bid in a video on Wednesday. The 39-year-old Godlewski is a native of Eau Claire who was elected treasurer in 2018. Democrats already in the race include Milwaukee Bucks executive Alex Lasry and Outagamie County Executive Tom Nelson. Lt. Gov. Mandela Barnes is among others also considering a run. Johnson is one of the biggest targets for Democrats nationally as well as in Wisconsin. He emerged as one of former President Donald Trump’s most ardent supporters toward the end of his term.

EU throws weight behind Pfizer-BioNTech and new technology

BRUSSELS (AP) — In a stinging rebuke to pharma giant AstraZeneca Wednesday, the European Union announced plans to negotiate a massive contract extension for Pfizer-BioNTech's COVID-19 vaccine insisting the 27-nation bloc had to go with companies that had shown their…

Europe scrambles as J&J vaccine delay deals another blow

European nations are scrambling in the wake of Johnson & Johnson's delay of the rollout of its COVID-19 vaccines amid reports of very rare blood clots. Some leaders opted for caution Wednesday after American health officials paused the vaccine's use while they study the clots in a handful of people. Experts agree COVID-19 poses a much larger risk of death and hospitalization than the potential threat of atypical clots. Italy, Croatia and Denmark put their lots in storage while waiting for guidance from European health officials. Spain and Portugal were left empty-handed. But Poland said that it will go ahead and administer the first batch of 120,000 doses that had arrived. 

AP source: Ponzi schemer Bernie Madoff dies in prison

Bernie Madoff, the financier who pleaded guilty to orchestrating the largest Ponzi scheme in history, has died in prison. A person familiar with the matter told The Associated Press that Madoff died early Wednesday at the federal medical center in Butner, North Carolina, apparently of natural causes. The person was not authorized to speak publicly and spoke to the AP on the condition of anonymity. Last year, Madoff’s lawyers filed court papers to try to get the 82-year-old released from prison in the COVID-19 pandemic, saying he had suffered from end-stage renal disease and other chronic medical conditions. The request was denied. 

Swap the crop? New York hemp farmers eager to grow marijuana

Farmers dealing with depressed prices for plants that produce CBD are eager to take part in a statewide marijuana market expected to generate billions of dollars a year once retail sales start. They already know how to grow and process cannabis plants, since hemp is essentially the same plant with lower levels of THC, marijuana’s active ingredient. Now they’re waiting on rules for getting into the new market. There are about 700 hemp farmers in the state, with some growing the plant for textiles or food but most growing for CBD.

In Minnesota, suburban mayor is thrust into policing debate

Mike Elliott is among many who celebrated his election as mayor of Brooklyn Center as the beginning of a new era. The inner-ring Minneapolis suburb is one of the most racially diverse places in the state and would for the first time be led by a person of color. A little more than two years later, Elliott is finding out just how difficult it is to turn the page on the nation’s racial history. The shooting of Daunte Wright, a Black man, by a white police officer has set off protests, political upheaval and painful reckoning about racism and representation in his small city.

Coinbase is here ... a digital currency exchange goes public

Wall Street will be focusing on Coinbase with the digital currency exchange becoming a publicly traded company. Coinbase is going public Wednesday with cryptocurrency chatter seemingly coming from everywhere, even at the U.S. Federal Reserve. It is being incorporated into the business plans and accepted by major companies such as Tesla, PayPal and Visa. There were 43 million verified Coinbase users in 2020, with 2.8 million making transactions monthly. Its revenue more than doubled to $1.14 billion last year and the company swung to a profit of $322.3 million after losing tens of millions in 2019.

Report: Broad missteps left Capitol Police unprepared Jan. 6

A blistering internal report by the U.S. Capitol Police describes a multitude of missteps that left the force unprepared for the Jan. 6 insurrection. The report obtained by The Associated Press says riot shields shattered upon impact, expired weapons couldn’t be used, training courses had been skipped and an intelligence division had no set standards. The watchdog report was released internally last month. It provides new details about broader security and intelligence failures that Congress has been investigating. And it provides details about conversations between officials as they disagreed on whether National Guard forces were necessary to back up the understaffed police force.

Study finds people want more than watchdogs for journalists

A study of people's attitudes toward the press finds that distrust goes deeper than just partisanship and down to how journalists define their mission. Americans want their journalists to be more than watchdogs. The study was released Wednesday by the Media Insight Project, a collaboration between the American Press Institute and The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research. It suggested that while Americans support journalists on their hunt for facts, they don't necessarily agree that the role of the press is to shine a light on problems for communities to solve them. The reports says the press' job is bigger and broader than it has been defined.

Mumbai imposes strict virus restrictions as infections surge

The teeming metropolis of Mumbai and other parts of Maharashtra, the Indian state worst hit by the pandemic, face stricter restrictions for 15 days in an effort to stem the surge of coronavirus infections. Top state officials stressed that the closure of most industries, businesses, public places and limits on the movement of people doesn't constitute a lockdown. Last year, a sudden nationwide lockdown left millions jobless overnight and since then, state leaders have repeatedly stressed that another lockdown wasn’t on the cards. The distinction did little to allay fears of thousands of migrant workers waiting at a Mumbai railway station for a ride home. India has detected over 180,000 new infections in the past 24 hours, about a third in Maharashtra state.

Royal funeral offers chance for William, Harry to reconcile

When Prince Philip’s funeral takes place this weekend, it will be more than a focal point for national mourning. Many will also be watching for any signs of reconciliation between Prince Harry and the royal family, especially with his elder brother Prince William. It will be the first time that Harry comes face-to-face with the royal family since he and his wife Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex, stepped away from royal duties last March and moved to California with their young son, Archie. Many observers believe that the funeral will provide an ideal opportunity for the monarchy to show a united front and for the royal brothers to mend their rift. But some say it will take more time than that to heal the hurt.