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With a powerful new tool, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer has fresh options for advancing President Joe Biden’s priorities over Republican obstruction in the 50-50 split Senate. Though Republicans still pledge to do all they can to halt Biden’s agenda, the parliamentarian’s opinion this week is a potential game-changer. It unleashes multiple options for Democrats to advance certain parts of Biden’s agenda with a 51-vote threshold, rather than the 60 votes typically needed. The White House said Tuesday that Biden remains intent on winning some support from Republicans. But it's clear that the partisan polarization in Washington has led to a new era in legislating. 

Native American leaders in New Mexico say they see U.S. Interior Secretary Deb Haaland as a “formidable guardian” and steward of their interests. The Laguna Pueblo woman is the first-ever Native American cabinet secretary. On Tuesday, she made her first official trip to her home state, where she met with tribal officials, Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham and members of New Mexico’s congressional delegation. The round-table discussion highlighted federal coronavirus relief while underscoring the significance of Haaland’s confirmation. Tribal leaders told the group their prayers were answered when Haaland was chosen to head the Interior Department, which has broad authority over Native Americans. 

Brooks Koepka is swinging the club fine, a good sign going into the Masters. Getting to the ball for those swings is the problem. Less than a month removed from a March 16 surgery following a fall that left him with a dislocated right kneecap and damaged ligament, Koepka is at Augusta National. The course isn’t exactly flat and definitely isn’t one of the easier walks in golf. Koepka has been to the Masters five previous times, making the cut in each. The four-time major champion finished tied for second in 2019 and tied for seventh in November.

An NCAA official says the governing body may consider using a single site for later rounds of men’s college basketball tournaments following a successful run in Indianapolis. Senior vice president of basketball Dan Gavitt told reporters Tuesday that it was unlikely to occur before 2027 or that all 68 teams would play at one site. But if schools and coaches are interested, Gavitt says the model could work for future regional games and the Final Four.

Nearly half of new coronavirus infections nationwide are in just five states — a situation that is putting pressure on the federal government to consider changing how it distributes vaccines by sending more doses to hot spots. New York, Michigan, Florida, Pennsylvania and New Jersey together reported 44% of the nation’s new COVID-19 infections. That's nearly 197,500 new cases in the latest available seven-day period. Total U.S. infections during the same week numbered more than 452,000, according to state health agency data compiled by Johns Hopkins University.

Psychology experts offer several suggestions for talking to friends and family who believe conspiracy theories about COVID-19. Instead of lecturing or mocking, listen and ask them why they believe what they believe. Stay calm and remember that many people won't change their minds no matter what you say. Instead, focus on shared interests to help the believer focus on personal connections. If the person won't drop it, ask to change the subject. Experts say the pandemic has been stressful for everyone, and that many people believe COVID-19 conspiracy theories because it makes them feel more secure during a frightening time.

A controversial new election law may help Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp rebuild his relationship with a broad swath of Republicans as he prepares to run for a second term next year. The governor was narrowly elected in 2018 as a strong conservative and staunch ally of then-President Donald Trump. But Kemp’s refusal to bow to pressure from Trump to find a way to overturn Joe Biden’s 2020 victory in the state left many of the former president’s allies eager to exact revenge. That means the election bill could be one of Kemp’s last hopes to rekindle a bond with Republicans who remain fiercely loyal to Trump and will be a critical force in next year’s GOP primary. 

HELSINKI (AP) — Greenland is holding an early parliamentary election Tuesday focused in part on whether the semi-autonomous Danish territory should allow international companies to mine the sparsely populated Arctic island's substantial deposits of rare-earth metals. Lawmakers agreed on a…

ROME (AP) — Italian restaurant owners and others angry at having their businesses shut for weeks due to a virus lockdown clashed with police Tuesday during a protest outside Parliament in Rome, while in the south, hundreds of demonstrators blocked…

PRAGUE (AP) — The Czech government on Tuesday approved the first easing of its tight lockdown in one of the European Union's hardest-hit countries, allowing at least some children to return to school. “It’s not a full relaxation,” Health Minister…

A member of George Floyd’s family often occupies a reserved seat in the back corner of the Minneapolis courtroom where former police officer Derek Chauvin is on trial in Floyd’s death. The seat reserved for Chauvin’s family goes unclaimed. Several times Floyd’s brother Philonise Floyd was there to bear witness on behalf of his family. He has watched the often-excruciating bystander, police body camera and security videos of George Floyd’s fatal encounter with Chauvin last May 25, and listened to testimony from eyewitnesses and police. Philonise Floyd says he’s been trying to stop crying and has kept a box of tissues on the floor next to his chair. 

Demetrious Johnson and Eddie Alvarez moved to the One Championship mixed martial arts promotion over three years ago partially for the chance to test their skills against the rest of the world after winning championships in their native North America. The coronavirus pandemic then left them with the longest layoffs of their professional careers. They're back in action Thursday morning in Singapore, and their home fans will be able to see them on prime-time U.S. television. One Championship is hoping to continue to carve out a slice of the U.S. MMA market with a series of shows following a popular pro wrestling program on TNT.

YANGON, Myanmar (AP) — Authorities in Myanmar arrested the country’s best-known comedian on Tuesday as they continue to crack down on people they accuse of helping incite nationwide protests against February's military coup. The comedian Zarganar was taken from his…

MOSCOW (AP) — Supporters of Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny were detained Tuesday outside a penal colony east of Moscow where the Kremlin critic is currently serving time. Navalny has been on hunger strike for nearly a week to protest…

An American Olympic gold rush largely supported by U.S. college sports teams could be coming to an end. The COVID-19 pandemic, along with the substantial changes pending in the college-sports business model, have led many leaders in both college and the Olympics to wonder if today's success can continue. In a question from a survey sent by The Associated Press to athletic directors across the country, nearly 65% of said “Yes” when asked if the U.S. Olympic team should pay part of the bill to the colleges that run sports programs that feed much of the pipeline.  At stake is a stretch of Olympic dominance that has seen the U.S. win a world-leading 678 medals in both Summer and Winter Olympics since 2000. 

KENSINGTON, N.H. (AP) — A sugar maple tree that has watched over a New Hampshire home for more than 200 years and was one of the largest of its kind in the United States is coming down because of safety…

The world’s largest vaccine maker, based in India, will be able to restart exports of AstraZeneca doses by June if new coronavirus infections subside in the country, its chief executive says. But a continued surge could result in more delays because the Serum Institute of India would have to meet domestic needs, Adar Poonawalla warns in an interview with The Associated Press. The company is a key supplier for the U.N.-backed COVAX program that aims to distribute vaccines equitably in the world. COVAX says a surge in infections in India has caused the Serum Institute of India to cater to domestic demand, resulting in a delay in global shipments of up to 90 million doses.

BRUSSELS (AP) — Despite its flagging vaccination drive, the European Union said Tuesday it is still on target to reach what it calls “sufficient community immunity” by the end of June. The European Commission has said it wants to have…