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In Israel, twin dramas point to difficult path for Netanyahu

Israel’s future and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s fate are winding through court and senior political circles. The twin dramas pose an extraordinary decision for Israeli President Reuven Rivlin, who is said to be considering whether corruption charges against Israel's longest-serving premier should factor into which party leader he chooses to assemble a governing coalition. Meanwhile, Netanyahu's trial grinds forward. The Likud party leader denies the charges and accuses prosecutors of plotting a “coup” and a “witch hunt.” Netanyahu faces a tough path ahead and the developments risk sending Israel into an unprecedented fifth consecutive election. 

LEADING OFF: Nats set to start short-handed vs Braves

The Washington Nationals are finally set to start their season, hosting Atlanta after their three-game series against the New York Mets was postponed by a coronavirus outbreak. The Nats still have 11 players sidelined — four of whom tested positive for COVID-19. The Nationals haven’t announced who is in isolation because of test results or which additional seven players are under quarantine because contact tracing determined they could have been exposed to the illness. Elsewhere, Dodgers left-hander Clayton Kershaw is trying to shake a slow start to 2021.

Analysis: Results vary in NBA with trades, buyouts

The early results have varied among players acquired around the recent NBA trade deadline or buyouts. Andre Drummond didn't make it through the first half of his debut with the Lakers after the former Cleveland player added through a buyout injured a toe. LaMarcus Aldridge had a strong start in Brooklyn after not playing for a month while waiting for a buyout in San Antonio. Chicago won for the first time in the fifth game since acquiring two-time All-Star Nicola Vucevic from Orlando. Denver is 4-0 since getting Aaron Gordon from the Magic, who pivoted suddenly to a rebuild in an injury-plagued season. Gordon says “it seems like a great fit.”

Analysis: Baylor's strengths shine in title-game blowout

If you looked at Baylor’s statistical profile, there were three factors in particular that stood out as elite — 3-point shooting, offensive rebounding and the ability to force turnovers. All of that was on display from the very beginning Monday night, and Gonzaga simply looked overwhelmed. Gonzaga actually shot 51% from the field while Baylor shot 45% — yet the Bears won by 16 in a game that was never all that close. Baylor finished with 67 field goal attempts to 49 for Gonzaga, which helped offset that disadvantage in shooting accuracy. The Bears got those extra opportunities by forcing turnovers and dominating the boards.

France to open archive for period covering Rwandan genocide

The lead author of a report commissioned by President Emmanuel Macron said France’s role before and during the 1994 Rwandan genocide was a “monumental failure” that the country must acknowledge. His remarks come just days before France will open its archives from the period to the public. Macron’s decision to commission the report and open the archives are part of his efforts to more fully confront the French role in the genocide and to improve relations with Rwanda. While long overdue, the moves may finally help the two countries reconcile. The report concluded that French authorities remained blind to the preparations for genocide as they supported the government of then-Rwandan President Juvénal Habyarimana. But it cleared them of complicity in the slaughter.

Padres star Fernando Tatis Jr. dislocates shoulder on swing

Padres star shortstop Fernando Tatis Jr. hurt himself taking a hard swing and immediately left the game against the San Francisco Giants. Tatis winced in pain as he fell to the ground. As he got up, he was cradling his left arm, and as he was helped off the field, two trainers helped hold his left arm against his body. The 22-year-old Tatis left a game late in spring training with left shoulder discomfort but was back two days later. Manager Jayce Tingler said then that Tatis had been dealing with left shoulder discomfort since his minor league days. 

Analysis: Baylor bullied the Bulldogs to win national title

The big, bad Baylor Bears bullied college basketball’s beautiful game into a corner. The bid for an undefeated season, one game short. A first-time national champion, crowned. Baylor overwhelmed Gonzaga with a burst of power and speed, winning its first national championship while ending the Bulldogs’ perfect season with an 86-70 win. A two-year title-game wait became the coronation of a team built to batter anything in its path, even the ultra-efficient Zags.

Gonzaga joins long list of unbeaten teams to fall in tourney

Twenty teams have entered the NCAA Tournament unbeaten. Only seven won championships. On Monday night, after 5 1/2 months and 31 games as America’s top team, the Bulldogs headed home just the like other 13 without the trophy. Baylor’s perfect game upended Gonzaga’s perfect season. And the 86-70 decision extended the 1975-76 Indiana Hoosiers’ streak as Division I’s last unbeaten men’s champion another year.

Baylor nearly flawless in title game rout of Gonzaga

Baylor knew it would need to play to near-perfection to end Gonzaga’s flawless season. The Bears just about did that in a 86-70 rout of the overall No. 1 seed for their first men's basketball national championship. Jared Butler and their dynamic backcourt hit their first five 3-pointers and never cooled off. Undersized big man Mark Vital delivered as many headaches as bruises. Their bench was superb, their rebounding exceptional, their game plan impeccable and the coaching of Scott Drew spot-on in the crowning moment of his long building job in Waco, Texas.

Asian stocks mixed after Wall St rally on economic optimism

TOKYO (AP) — Asian shares were mixed Tuesday after a Wall Street rally that reflected some optimism about the economy recovering from the pandemic. Japan's benchmark Nikkei 225 lost early gains and fell nearly 0.2% to 30,038.44 in morning trading.…

The Latest: Baylor 1st national title denies Zags perfection

Baylor is the national champion in college basketball. The Bears won their first title with an 86-70 win over Gonzaga, denying the Zags a perfect season. All-American guard Jared Butler had 22 points and seven assists for the Bears, who finished at 28-2. MaCio Teague had 19 points and Davion Mitchell 15. Freshman Jalen Suggs had 22 points for Gonzaga, which finished 31-1. Indiana in 1976 is still the last undefeated national champion.

AP source: MLB moving All-Star Game to Denver's Coors Field

Major League Baseball plans to relocate the All-Star Game to Coors Field in Denver after pulling this year’s Midsummer Classic from Atlanta over objections to sweeping changes to Georgia’s voting laws, according to a person familiar with the decision. The person spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity Monday night because MLB hadn’t announced the move yet. The commissioner’s office was expected to declare Tuesday that the Colorado Rockies will host the game. ESPN was first to report the decision. MLB pulled the July 13 game from Truist Park in Atlanta in response to Georgia voting rules that Republican Gov. Brian Kemp quickly signed into law March 25. Critics have condemned the changes as being too restrictive.

Irving scores 40, Nets lose Harden but beat Knicks 114-112

Kyrie Irving scored 40 points, Jeff Green made two free throws with 3.7 seconds left and the Brooklyn Nets overcome the early loss of James Harden to beat the New York Knicks 114-112. Harden returned after missing two games with right hamstring tightness but lasted just four minutes before having to leave again with the same injury. Green scored 23 points and Joe Harris added 16 for the Nets, who won their eighth straight at home. Julius Randle had 19 points, 15 rebounds and 12 assists in his fourth triple-double of the season. RJ Barrett scored 22 points and Reggie Bullock added 21.

Pinch-pounder: Black Keys drummer fills in at Indians opener

Patrick Carney wasn’t nervous before his first live drumming gig in more than a year, just honored. A lifelong Indians fan and one half of Black Keys, the Grammy Award-winning rock duo from Akron, Ohio, Carney filled in at Cleveland’s home opener for drummer John Adams, who is recovering from heart surgery. Adams missed his first home opener since 1973, ending a run that has featured him sitting high in the left-field bleachers and pounding a steady beat whenever the Indians are hitting. Carney has been coming to Indians games since he was a kid. Cleveland lost the opener to Kansas City 3-0. 

Prayer vigil held outside NY hospital for rapper DMX

Supporters and family of the rapper DMX have chanted his name and offered up prayers outside the hospital where he remains on life support. The 50-year-old was admitted to the hospital following a heart attack. The crowd outside White Plains Hospital on Monday called “DMX! DMX!” A woman’s sobs reverberated as those in the audience heard a recording of the rapper, whose birth name is Earl Simmons. DMX made his rap debut in 1998, and has released seven albums in a career that has included three Grammy nominations. But substance abuse has been a struggle for him over the years.

CDC inquiry sought on HIV outbreak in WVa's largest county

U.S. Sen. Joe Manchin has submitted a congressional inquiry with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention regarding an HIV outbreak in West Virginia’s largest county. The West Virginia Democrat on Monday asked for the inquiry on behalf of the Kanawha County Commission. It comes two months after a CDC official warned that the county’s outbreak was the most concerning in the United States. Commission President Kent Carper says the outbreak is an important public health issue and is deserving of the commission's understanding. In a letter to CDC director Dr. Rochelle Walensky, Manchin asked that the CDC review the commission’s concerns and reply by Friday.  

LEADING OFF: Nats set to start short-handed vs Braves

The Washington Nationals are finally set to start their season, hosting the Atlanta Braves after their three-game series against the New York Mets was postponed by a coronavirus outbreak. The Nats still have 11 players sidelined -- four of whom tested positive for COVID-19. The Nationals haven’t announced who is in isolation because of test results or which additional seven players are under quarantine because contact tracing determined they could have been exposed to the illness. Elsewhere, Dodgers left-hander Clayton Kershaw is trying to shake a slow start to 2021.

Labor board says Amazon illegally fired outspoken workers

The National Labor Relations Board has found that two outspoken Amazon workers were illegally fired last year. Both employees, Emily Cunningham and Maren Costa, worked at Amazon offices in Seattle and publicly criticized the company, pushing it to do more to reduce its impact on climate change and to better protect warehouse workers from the coronavirus. The NLRB confirmed Monday that it found merit in the case. In a statement, Amazon said it fired the employees for repeatedly violating internal policies, not because they talked publicly about working conditions or sustainability. The NRLB said if Amazon doesn’t settle the case a complaint will be filed. After that, a trial could start.

Tar Heels turn to assistant Davis as Williams' successor

North Carolina has promoted assistant coach Hubert Davis to take over the storied men’s basketball program. The school announced Davis' hiring four days after Hall of Fame coach Roy Williams announced his retirement after 18 years with the Tar Heels, a run that included three national championships. The 50-year-old Davis played for the Tar Heels under Dean Smith before a 12-year NBA career. He had spent the past nine seasons working under Williams. Davis left an ESPN broadcasting career to join Williams’ staff in 2012.

Abbott won’t throw pitch, rebuffing MLB voting-rights stance

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott has declined to throw the ceremonial first pitch at the Texas Rangers' home opener. The Republican governor said Monday that he made the decision after Major League Baseball moved the MLB All-Star Game from Atlanta in response to Georgia’s sweeping new voting laws. It's the latest jab in an ongoing fight that's pushing corporate America into the political battle over voting rights. Abbott's decision came hours before the team was set to take the field against the Toronto Blue Jays in the Dallas suburb of Arlington. Major League Baseball and the Texas Rangers have not responded to requests for comment.

The Latest: NHL's Canucks have 17 players in COVID protocol

The Vancouver Canucks now have 17 players in the NHL COVID-19 protocol with the addition of rookie forward Nils Hoglander. It marks the fifth straight day the Canucks’ list has grown. The total in the protocol at the same time represents the most for one NHL team since the New Jersey Devils had 18 on Feb. 12. There are 22 players across the league listed for a third consecutive day, which remains the highest total since 24 players were listed in mid-February. The NHL’s one-day high is 59 players in the protocol on Feb. 12. 

Groups: Census privacy tool could hurt voting rights goals

A report from two civil rights groups says a method being used for the first time by the U.S. Census Bureau to protect people’s privacy in 2020 census data could make voting rights enforcement more difficult. The report says the method known as “differential privacy” also could make it harder to ensure congressional and legislative districts have equal populations. The Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund and Asian Americans Advancing Justice say their findings reinforce concerns about the deliberate introduction of erroneous numbers to thwart data miners. They say it could hamper redistricting and fail to comply with the Voting Rights Act.

See ya Sam: Jets trade Darnold to Panthers for 3 draft picks

The New York Jets have traded quarterback Sam Darnold to the Carolina Panthers. It ends a stint in New York for Darnold that was marked by a few flashes of brilliance, inconsistent play and unfortunate injuries. And with the Jets holding the No. 2 overall pick in the NFL draft, they’re moving on to another young signal-caller who might deliver the team back to respectability. New York announced acquired a sixth-round pick in this year’s draft and second- and fourth-round picks in the 2022 draft. 

New Utah law requires dads to pay prenatal child support

A new Utah law will require biological fathers pay half of a woman’s out-of-pocket pregnancy costs. The bill’s sponsor has presented the measure as an effort to decrease the burden of pregnancy on women and increase responsibility for men who have children. Critics argue the legislation doesn’t do enough to adequately address maternal health care needs and could make abusive situations even more dangerous. Anti-abortion activists have lauded the bill saying it will protect the lives of unborn children by supporting women through their pregnancy. The legislation is not intended to lower the frequency of abortions but the bill sponsor says that could be a potential result.