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Texas Rep. Crenshaw temporarily blinded after eye surgery

Texas Republican Rep. Dan Crenshaw says he has undergone surgery on his eye and will be virtually sightless for a month. Crenshaw is a Navy veteran who lost his right eye and suffered damage to his left eye in 2012 when a homemade bomb exploded when he was deployed to Afghanistan. Crenshaw said in a news release Saturday that an ophthalmologist on Thursday discovered the retina to his left eye was detaching. Crenshaw says he underwent successful surgery on Friday, but is “effectively blind for about a month" while he heals. Crenshaw is serving his second term in the U.S. House.

‘Clear the Capitol,’ Pence pleaded, timeline of riot shows

New details from the deadly riot of Jan. 6 are in a previously undisclosed document prepared by the Pentagon for internal use. The document is a timeline, and was obtained by The Associated Press and vetted by current and former government officials. It adds another layer of understanding about the state of fear and panic while the insurrection played out. And it lays bare the inaction by then-President Donald Trump and how that void contributed to a slowed response by the military and law enforcement. The timeline shows that the intelligence missteps, tactical errors and bureaucratic delays were eclipsed by the government’s failure to comprehend the scale and intensity of a violent uprising by American.

In GOP strongholds, a big push on 'culture war' legislation

Republican state legislators have been in overdrive this year on so-called culture-war bills. They've moved firmly on abortion limits, restrictions on the rights of transgender youth and more. Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson offered a rare rebuke of that effort this past week by vetoing a bill banning gender-confirming treatments for transgender youth. South Carolina, South Dakota, Oklahoma and Tennessee are among the states where GOP lawmakers are pushing similar cultural legislation from the right. The bills reflect the larger mood of the Republican Party as it portrays Democrats as out of touch with average Americans.

For Black journalists, working Chauvin trial drains emotions

Covering the trial of ex-Minneapolis police Officer Derek Chauvin in the death of George Floyd is a particularly intense experience for Black journalists. They face the emotionally draining experience of watching, over and over, the video of a Black man who died following an encounter with a white police officer. The Poynter Institute, a journalism think tank, has noted that mental health experts say repeated exposure to disturbing scenes can be devastating. The National Association of Black Journalists has called on news organizations to make resources available to help employees cope. Reporters covering the trial say they seek outlets to relieve stress at the end of the day, even if it's finding a friendly dog to pet. 

Prosecutor: Salvini should not be tried for migrant policy

ROME (AP) — An Italian prosecutor on Saturday told a court in Sicily that there's no reason to order right-wing leader Matteo Salvini to stand trial for alleged kidnapping for his role in keeping rescued migrants aboard a coast guard…

Mobile vaccination aims to reach older Mississippi adults

Close to 80 older adults have received a COVID-19 vaccination in the first mobile vaccination event hosted by the state of Mississippi. Participants were picked up by bus at senior apartment complexes in Clarksdale and driven to a community health center. Department of Human Services spokesperson Danny Blanton says places like Clarksdale are especially important to reach because of the state’s focus on vaccinating minorities and older adults — two groups disproportionately affected by the virus. Clarksdale is more than 80% Black. More than half a million people have been fully vaccinated in Mississippi. The state's population is around 3 million.  

Women fighting fires in Florida: Colleagues' support crucial

Five women who made history by working an entire firefighting shift with no men are still thriving at their fire department in Florida months later. The members of the team at Palm Beach Gardens Fire Rescue say they've succeeded in a heavily male-dominated profession for a couple of reasons. One is that their male colleagues and supervisors have enthusiastically supported them. The other is that they have successfully handled the challenges that have come their way and proved that they can do the job just as well as men.  

Reforms follow deadly year in New York nursing homes

After a deadly year in New York’s nursing homes, state lawmakers have passed legislation that could potentially force facility owners to spend more on patient care. Rules passed in recent days as part of a state budget deal would require for-profit homes to spend at least 70% of their revenue on direct patient care. Home operators will also face limits on their profit margins. The nursing home industry has blasted the new revenue requirements. It says operators need flexibility for things like construction costs.

Too much? BBC gets complaints over Prince Philip coverage

The U.K.’s national broadcaster has received so many complaints that its coverage of the death of Prince Philip was excessive that it set up a special website page for viewers to register their objections. The BBC canceled its regular programming after Philip's death was announced Friday and instead aired special reports hosted by black-clad news anchors. The network’s music radio stations played instrumentals and somber tunes. Some Britons saw the BBC’s actions as a fitting mark of respect. For others, it was a bit much. The publicly funded broadcaster often finds itself criticized from all sides over its treatment of major national events. It didn’t disclose how many people had complained by Saturday.

Gun salutes mark death of UK's Prince Philip

Gun salutes across the U.K., in Commonwealth countries and at sea are marking the death of Britain’s Prince Philip as military leaders honor the former naval officer and husband of Queen Elizabeth II. Batteries of cannons and guns in London, Edinburgh, Cardiff and Belfast are set to fire off 41 rounds at one-minute intervals on Saturday. The Australian Defense Force offered its salute at 5 p.m. local time outside Parliament House in Canberra. Members of the public left flowers outside Buckingham Palace and Windsor Castle on Saturday, ignoring appeals from authorities and the royal family to refrain from gathering because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

After Amazon: Labor tries to regroup in wake of Alabama loss

Despite the strongest public support and the most sympathetic president in years, the American labor movement just suffered a stinging defeat -- again. Amazon warehouse workers in Bessemer, Alabama, overwhelmingly voted against joining the Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union in much-anticipated election results announced Friday. Amazon and business groups celebrated the decision, saying warehouse workers got a chance to weigh the pros and cons of union membership -- and voted to reject it. But labor activists argue that the lopsided vote shows how unfairly the odds are stack against union organizing efforts and highlight the need for Congress to reform U.S. labor law. The House last month passed such legislation, but it looks likely to die in the Senate. 

EXPLAINER: What is behind the latest unrest in N Ireland?

Young people have hurled bricks, fireworks and gasoline  bombs at police and set hijacked cars on fire during a week of violence on the streets of Northern Ireland. Police have responded with rubber bullets and water cannons. The chaotic scenes have stirred memories of decades of Catholic-Protestant conflict, known as “The Troubles.” A 1998 peace deal ended large-scale violence, but did not resolve deep-rooted tensions. Northern Ireland remains contested between residents ho want to remain part of the United Kingdom and those who want to join the Republic of Ireland and remain in the European Union. Britain's departure from the EU has led to heightened tensions.

LEADING OFF: Judge still sore; Jays' Hernández to C-19 IL

Aaron Judge’s health is once again a concern for the New York Yankees. The star slugger has missed two games with soreness in his left side, and manager Aaron Boone wasn’t sure if Judge would be able to play Saturday against the Tampa Bay Rays. The 2017 AL Rookie of the Year was off to a hot start, and New York is hoping that won’t be interrupted by a trip to the injured list. Judge missed 142 games spanning 2018-20 for various injuries. Elsewhere, Blue Jays outfielder Teoscar Hernández is on the COVID-19 injured list after he was exposed to someone with a positive coronavirus case outside of the team. 

Chasing Ledecky: Leah Smith keeps coming after US star

If Katie Ledecky wasn't setting world records and piling up Olympic medals, Leah Smith would be the top middle-to-long distance swimmer in the U.S. She's been doggedly pursuing Ledecky's relentlessly high standards for the last five years. Smith has had successes of her own, including Olympic medals, although her coach readily admits that Ledecky is the world's best. Smith is just fine competing in the same era. They will be vying against each other for Olympic berths in several events at the U.S. trials in June, including the 1,500-meter freestyle being contested by women for the first time in Tokyo.

Stalled at first jab: Vaccine shortages hit poor countries

As many as 60 countries might be stalled at the first shots of their coronavirus vaccinations because nearly all deliveries through the global program intended to help some of the world's poorest nations are blocked until as late as June. The COVAX initiative is designed to provide vaccines to countries lacking the clout to negotiate on their own for scarce supplies. In the past two weeks, only 2 million doses were cleared for shipment to 92 countries through the program, the same amount injected in Britain alone. Internal World Health Organization documents obtained by The Associated Press say uncertain deliveries are causing some countries to lose faith in COVAX.

US to keep migrant families in hotels as amid rush for space

Migrant families will be held at hotels in the Phoenix area in response to a growing number of people crossing the U.S.-Mexico border, another step in the Biden’s administration rush to set up temporary space. U.S. Sen. Kyrsten Sinema's office says it was told U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement will occupy “several hotels along the southwest border, including in Chandler and Phoenix.” Contractor Endeavors Inc. has beds available at hotels in the Phoenix suburb of Chandler and the Texas cities of El Paso and Cotulla. As more migrants cross, only about one in three families picked up by the Border Patrol last month was quickly expelled from the U.S.

Jokic leads Nuggets to 8th straight win by beating Spurs

Nikola Jokic had 26 points, 14 assists and 13 rebounds, and the Denver Nuggets held off the San Antonio Spurs for a 121-119 win when DeMar DeRozan’s shot attempt at the buzzer rolled out. Jokic posted his 54th career triple-double to help the Nuggets to their eighth straight victory. Michael Porter Jr. had 22 points and reserve Monte Morris chipped in 21 as the Nuggets beat the Spurs for the second time in three nights. Derrick White had 25 points for the sputtering Spurs. They've dropped five in a row.

Senate filibuster's racist past fuels arguments for its end

The Senate filibuster is coming under fresh scrutiny. Advocates seeking changes to the practice are targeting not only the enormous power it gives a single senator to halt President Joe Biden’s agenda, but its use as a tool of racism. Nearly 150 groups are calling on the Senate to eliminate the filibuster, saying it is a Jim Crow-era relic. The organizations indicated the matter takes on fresh urgency after passage of Georgia’s restrictive new elections law. The Senate is poised to consider a sweeping elections and ethics package from Democrats that Republicans oppose. 

Hometown no-no: Musgrove no-hitter for Padres vs. Rangers

San Diego Padres right-hander Joe Musgrove has thrown the first no-hitter in the history of his hometown team. The Padres were the only active MLB team without a no-hitter, and it came in their 8,206th regular season game. Musgrove faced only 28 Texas Rangers batters, one over the minimum, in the 3-0 victory. The only Rangers baserunner was Joey Gallo after he got hit by a pitch in the fourth inning. Musgrove struck out 10 threw 77 of his 112 pitches for strikes.

The Latest: MLB has 4 positive virus tests in past week

Major League Baseball had two players and two staff members test positive for the coronavirus over the past week, according to results released by the league and players’ association. One of the players was on a big league roster and the other was participating at an alternate site. The four positives were found from more than 12,000 total tests conducted. Since the end of intake testing to begin spring training, 25 positive tests have occurred out of nearly 100,000 tests. That's about a 0.03% positive rate. The positive tests this season include at least four among the Nationals, an outbreak that prompted MLB to postpone Washington’s season-opening series against the New York Mets.

Tatum's career-high 53 help Celtics top T-Wolves 145-136

Jayson Tatum scored a career-high 53 points including 18 in the fourth quarter and overtime and the Boston Celtics held on to beat the Minnesota Timberwolves 145-136. It was the first career 50-point game for the All-Star who eclipsed his previous high of 41. Jaylen Brown had 26 points. Marcus Smart added 24 points, eight assists and six rebounds to help Boston post its fourth win in five games. Boston erased what was a 17-point deficit in the third quarter and led by as many as eight in the fourth before Minnesota rallied to send it to OT. Karl-Anthony Towns led the Timberwolves with 30 points and 12 rebounds.

Hawks win 120-108, overcome 50-point game by Bulls' LaVine

Trae Young scored 42 points, Clint Capela had 22 points and 10 rebounds, and the Atlanta Hawks overcame a sizzling performance by Zach LaVine to beat the Chicago Bulls 120-108. LaVine scored 39 of his career-high 50 points in the first half, and Nikola Vucevic had 25 points and 10 rebounds as the Bulls had a three-game winning streak stopped. Chicago was trying to win four straight for the first time since December 2017. LaVine set the NBA high for points in the first half this season. He scored 25 straight in the second quarter but the Hawks didn’t go easily.

Musgrove no-hitter through 8 in 2nd game for hometown Padres

San Diego Padres right-hander Joe Musgrove hasn’t allowed a hit through eight innings against the Texas Rangers. It is only the right-hander's second start for his hometown team that is the only MLB franchise never to throw a no-hitter. Musgrove faced 22 batters, only one over the minimum, through seven innings Friday night. The only Rangers baserunner was Joey Gallo after getting hit by a pitch with two outs in the fourth. Musgrove has 10 strikeouts and has thrown 69 of his 103 pitches for strikes.

Biden to rush vaccinators to Michigan as gov urges limits

Washington is rushing federal resources to support vaccinations, testing and treatments to Michigan in an effort to control the state’s worst-in-the-nation COVID-19 outbreak. President Joe Biden outlined the moves late Thursday in a call with Gov. Gretchen Whitmer where they discussed the situation in the state. It will not include a “surge” of vaccine doses to the state, a move Whitmer has advocated. The announcement came as the governor recommended, but did not order, a two-week pause on face-to-face high school instruction, indoor restaurant dining and youth sports.