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Democratic Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam is backing Terry McAuliffe in the race to succeed him, handing his predecessor one of the contest’s most coveted endorsements. Northam says McAuliffe’s accomplishments during his previous term in the governor’s mansion show he's the right person for the job. Northam and McAuliffe shared the news with The Associated Press ahead of a formal announcement Thursday. McAuliffe was Virginia governor from 2014 to 2018 and is widely seen as the front-runner in the five-way Democratic primary in June. He's previously rolled out an unmatched number of endorsements from key Virginia power brokers. 

ANKARA, Turkey (AP) — Turkey on Thursday strongly rejected accusations that it snubbed Ursula von der Leyen — one of the European Union’s most powerful executives — because of her gender after a protocol gaffe during a meeting at the…

Howard Weitzman, an attorney whose clients included Michael Jackson, Justin Bieber, and auto maker John DeLorean, has died.  Weitzman's wife says he died Wednesday after a brief illness. He was 81. Weitzman came to national fame as defense attorney for DeLorean, who was accused of cocaine trafficking in 1982. Weitzman argued that the FBI had entrapped DeLorean and got a not guilty verdict. He defended Jackson both during his life and after, serving as the lead lawyer overseeing the pop superstar's estate. And he defended Bieber in a 2011 paternity suit and several subsequent lawsuits. 

Brooks Koepka’s surgically repaired knee wasn’t the problem in the opening round of the Masters. His swing was. Koepka never got clicking Thursday at Augusta National. He shot a 2-over 74, putting him squarely in the middle of the Masters pack. Koepka started with six pars and then the adventure began -- with just four more pars in his final 12 holes, including a five-hole stretch that went bogey-bogey-bogey-birdie-birdie. It was Koepka’s worst round at Augusta National in his last 12 tries and snapped a streak of 10 straight rounds under par.

New York lawmakers have created a $2.1 billion fund to aid workers who lost jobs or income during the coronavirus pandemic but were excluded from other government relief programs because of their immigration status. The program is the largest of its kind in the U.S. It passed this week as part of the state budget. The fund will give payments of up to $15,600 to unauthorized immigrant workers who weren’t eligible for federal stimulus checks, unemployment aid, or other benefits.

Phillip Adams was a journeyman NFL player whose career was cut short by injuries. That disappointment apparently stuck with him during his post-football life. Authorities in Rock Hill, South Carolina, say the 32-year-old Adams fatally shot five people including a doctor, his wife and their two grandchildren before later killing himself. Adams' agent, Scott Casterline, says an injury during his rookie year prevented Adams from reaching his potential and that “weighed on him heavily.” Casterline says Adams “would isolate.” Former Cowboys cornerback Kevin Smith, who trained with Adams, says Adams often worked too hard on his body. Smith adds that Adams was curt in his recent communications.

The state of Florida has filed a lawsuit against the federal government to demand cruise ships be allowed to start sailing immediately. Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis says the no-sail order is outdated and hurts the state as the industry generates billions for the economy. The CDC issued new guidelines last week for companies on how to respond in the event of COVID-19 cases but has so far not lifted its no-sail order. DeSantis says cruising has resumed in much of the world, forcing Americans to fly to other ports. White House press secretary Jen Psaki says the CDC's guidance is “based on data and health and medical guidelines.”

Lee Elder was the first Black player to tee it up at the Masters. But that achievement came only after so many prime years were stolen from him by the scourge of racism. When Augusta National extended Elder the long-overdue honor of serving as an honorary starter, his 86-year-old body wouldn’t cooperate. Instead of taking a ceremonial swing alongside Gary Player and Jack Nicklaus, Elder could only manage a wave and a smile. The emotional ceremony to start the Masters was a sad reminder of how much the game of golf missed by excluding so many for so long.

An associate of Rep. Matt Gaetz's is working toward a plea deal with federal prosecutors investigating a sex trafficking operation, potentially escalating the legal and political jeopardy facing the Florida congressman. The revelation that Gaetz's political ally Joel Greenberg is seeking to strike a plea deal with investigators came during a hearing Thursday at federal court in Orlando. It is a significant step in the case and signals that Greenberg could potentially serve as a witness in the Justice Department’s investigation into Gaetz. A lawyer for Greenberg said after the hearing, “I am sure Matt Gaetz is not feeling very comfortable today.” Gaetz has denied any wrongdoing.

An information blackout under Myanmar’s military junta has worsened as fiber broadband service that is last legal way for ordinary people to access the internet became intermittently inaccessible on several networks. Authorities in some areas have also started confiscating satellite dishes used to access international news broadcasts. Protests against the the Feb. 1 coup that ousted the elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi continued Thursday despite the killing of 11 people by security forces a day earlier. The junta has gradually throttled back internet service since the military takeover. At least 598 protesters and bystanders have been killed by security forces since the coup.

Nations around the world are setting new records for COVID-19 deaths and new coronavirus infections, and the disease is surging even in some countries that have kept the virus in check. Brazil this week became just the third country, after the U.S. and Peru, to report a 24-hour tally of COVID-19 deaths that exceeded 4,000. India hit a peak of almost 127,000 new cases in 24 hours, and Iran set a new coronavirus infection record for the third straight day, reporting nearly 22,600 new cases. In the United States, Michigan has averaged more than 7,000 new virus cases a day.

Two new U.S. airlines are planning on starting service this spring, tapping into the travel recovery that is picking up speed. Avelo Airlines said Thursday that it will begin flying later this month to 11 destinations from Burbank, California. The startup plans to expand to other routes as it adds more planes to its fleet, which numbers just three planes. The next addition will be Breeze Airways, the latest creation of David Neeleman, who founded JetBlue Airways more than 20 years ago. Both hope to draw passengers by filling in smaller, overlooked routes on the spider web of airline routes crisscrossing the United States. 

The foundation of the case against the former Minneapolis police officer charged with killing George Floyd is a mountain of video evidence, but presenting that to jurors isn’t as easy as pushing play. Observers say most of the tools on display during Derek Chauvin’s trial have played a quiet role in court cases for decades. Prosecutors have repeatedly shown video from multiple cameras on the street and in bystanders’ hands, asked witnesses to annotate video footage or photographs and narrated the action on screen. The defense has yet to begin presenting its case but Chauvin’s attorney has indicated video evidence will show his client is not guilty. 

A patchwork of advice is emerging from governments across Europe and farther afield, a day after the European Union’s drug regulator said there was a “possible link” between the AstraZeneca vaccine and a rare clotting disorder. Regulators in the United Kingdom and the EU both stressed that the benefits of receiving the vaccine continue to outweigh the risks for most people. But some countries are limiting its use among certain age groups. Experts fear the confusing messages about the vaccine could dampen enthusiasm for it at a time when Europe and many other parts of the world are facing surging cases. 

Nearly 19,000 children traveling alone were stopped at the Mexican border in March, smashing previous highs set during periods of heavy child migration in 2014 and 2019. Is it a crisis? Migration to the U.S. from Mexico is increasing in a major way for the third time in seven years under Republican and Democratic presidents — and for similar reasons. Central Americans have been fleeing poverty and violence for decades, and Hurricane Eta in November and hunger have given new impetus for some in Guatemala and Honduras. Migrants also are guided by changes U.S. policy — both real and rumored.