Search Results for: news

Fans return to major league stadiums for openers on Thursday amid pandemic attendance restrictions in most places. Baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred can envision filled ballparks by midseason. Capacity is limited to about 12% at the season’s start in Boston and Washington. Twelve teams are at 20%, Colorado at about 43% and Houston at 50%. The only team higher is Texas, at 100%. “I hope by midsummer that we have ballparks that are unrestricted and we have full fan access,” Manfred said during an interview with The Associated Press. Manfred thinks most players could be vaccinated against COVID-19 by mid-May. 

Researchers say a man in Africa who recovered from Ebola suffered a relapse nearly six months later that led to 91 new cases before he died. The report adds to evidence that the deadly virus can lurk in the body long after symptoms end, and that survivors need monitoring for their own welfare and to prevent spread. Relapses like this one from an outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo are thought to be rare. This is the first one clearly shown to have spawned a large cluster of new cases. The New England Journal of Medicine published details on Wednesday.

Chicago Blackhawks GM Stan Bowman has been selected to oversee building the U.S. men's national hockey team for the 2022 Beijing Games. Bowman will serve as general manager and be assisted by Minnesota Wild GM and three-time U.S. Olympian Bill Guerin. USA Hockey's announcement comes with the NHL anticipating its players' return to the Olympics, pending negotiations with the International Olympic Committee scheduled for this summer. Bowman will draw from what he considers the deepest pool of American-born talent ever assembled. The potential list of first-time American-born Olympians include Toronto's Auston Matthews, Buffalo's Jack Eichel and New York Rangers defenseman Adam Fox.

New Yorkers can now possess up to 3 ounces of cannabis under a legalization bill signed by Gov. Andrew Cuomo. Criminal justice reform advocates hope the legislation signed Wednesday will help redress the inequities of a system that has locked up people of color for marijuana offenses at disproportionate rates. The legislation provides protections for cannabis users in the workplace, housing, family court and in schools, colleges and universities, and sets a target of providing half of marijuana licenses to individuals from underrepresented communities. Sales of recreational-use marijuana won’t become legal for an estimated 18 months until the state draws up regulations.

The Wisconsin Supreme Court has struck down Gov. Tony Evers’ statewide mask mandate, ruling that the Democratic governor exceeded his authority by unilaterally extending the mandate for months through multiple emergency orders. The 4-3 ruling Wednesday by the conservative-controlled court is the latest legal blow to attempts by Evers to control the coronavirus. It comes after Republicans in the Legislature voted to repeal the mask mandate, only to see Evers quickly re-issue it. The court ruled that any public health emergency issued by Evers is valid for just 60 days and can’t be extended without approval of the Legislature. Evers says he used science to guide his decisions. He promises to keep working to get people vaccinated and urges people to continue to wear masks.

THE HAGUE, Netherlands (AP) — International Criminal Court appeals judges on Wednesday upheld the acquittals of former Ivory Coast president Laurent Gbagbo and former minister Charles Ble Goude on charges of involvement in deadly post-election violence. Both were acquitted in…

BERLIN (AP) — The head of the European Medicines Agency said Wednesday that there is “no evidence” that would support restricting the use of AstraZeneca’s coronavirus vaccine in any population, as Germany has now done amid concerns over rare blood…

UCLA coach Mick Cronin was asked whether he thought the Bruins had the team to make a Final Four run. He said no after a series of challenges this season. Yet the fifth No. 11 seed ever to make the Final Four is ready for more. Up next for UCLA is overall No. 1 seed Gonzaga on Saturday night in the national semifinals. The winner goes to the national championship game.

French President Emmanuel Macron has announced a three-week nationwide school closure and a month-long domestic travel ban in an effort to fight the rapid spread of the virus. In a televised address to the nation Wednesday night, Macron said efforts are needed as “the epidemic is accelerating.” The move is a departure from the government’s policy in recent months, which has focused on regionalized restrictions. School closures in particular had been seen as a very last resort.

NCAA President Mark Emmert has promised the Women’s Basketball Coaches Association he will work with coaches to fix the “stark difference” between the Division I men’s and women’s tournaments. Emmert says nobody likes the results of trying to hold the tournaments in the same formats during a pandemic and nobody wants to see similar issues crop up in other sports in coming months. He and the NCAA’s heads of basketball discussed the conditions in San Antonio on Wednesday with the WBCA. Two of the Final Four coaches in UConn’s Geno Auriemma and Dawn Staley of South Carolina also took part in the 70-minute call. Questions covered the use of March Madness, courts, staffing and budgets. 

WASHINGTON (AP) — Joe Biden will convene his first Cabinet meeting on Thursday, a presidential rite of passage that will be used to promote his new infrastructure plan. The gathering will look very different from those held by his predecessor.…

Americans are broadly supportive of President Joe Biden’s early handling of the coronavirus pandemic, and approval of his stewardship of the economy has ticked up following passage of a sprawling $1.9 trillion relief bill. That's according to a new poll from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research. But Americans are split over Biden’s early approach to some of the hot-button issues that are moving to the forefront, including guns and immigration. The president has outlined goals for tackling both issues but has made clear that they are not his immediate legislative priorities.  

People 21 and over in Virginia could legally possess and grow small amounts of marijuana beginning in July under changes the governor is proposing to legislation the General Assembly passed this year. That's about three years faster than the original legislation. Racial justice advocates and some fellow Democrats had called on Gov. Ralph Northam to speed up the timeline for legalization. Retail sales won't go into effect until 2024 under the bill. Lawmakers will convene in April to consider Northam's proposed amendments. His office said Black Virginians have been disproportionately policed and convicted for using marijuana, even after lawmakers decriminalized marijuana last year.

ROME (AP) — Italy ordered two Russian Embassy officials expelled Wednesday and arrested an Italian Navy captain on spying charges after police caught the officer allegedly giving classified documents to one of the Russians in exchange for money. Foreign Minister…

Cleveland Indians fans won't be allowed inside Progressive Field wearing Native American headdresses or face paint. While moving forward with a plan to change their name, the Indians announced a new fan dress policy for the 2021 season. The team said fans will either be ejected or denied admission for behavior that includes wearing headdresses or “face paint styled in a way that references or appropriates American Indian cultures and traditions.” The Indians said earlier this year that they are changing their name, joining a nationwide movement to ban racist symbols and slogans. The name change will not take effect until the 2022 season at the earliest.

The men’s and women’s NCAA tournaments in Indianapolis and San Antonio aren’t all COVID-19 tests, basketball and contact tracing. But being in quasi-isolation with any movement inside and outside hotels restricted, teams had to get creative during the days and weeks between games and nasal swabs to find ways to stay entertained. There have been Wiffle ball games and ping-pong tournaments. There are boat rides, TikTok videos and Uno. Lots and lots of Uno, in fast-paced games in which the cards fly in a frenzy. It's been a taxing journey for players, coaches and support staff cooped up in hotels.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Wednesday reaffirmed a determination made last year by the Trump administration that Hong Kong is no longer autonomous and remains undeserving of special treatment by the United States. In a notice…

One of President Joe Biden's dogs has left some poop in a White House hallway. Reporters accompanying Jill Biden on a trip to California spotted the brown stuff Wednesday as they waited just inside the mansion to be taken to the first lady's motorcade. It's unclear which pooch — Major or Champ — dropped the poo. This week, the younger of Biden's two German shepherds, Major, was involved in his second biting incident in March. The first lady's spokesperson says Major “nipped someone while on a walk” Monday and the person was treated and returned to work without injury. The dogs recently spent time back home in Delaware, where Major received training.

Major League Baseball is set to start the season Thursday and opening day brings a welcome change for fans. Crowds are being allowed back in the ballparks again. No fans were permitted last year during a season shortened to 60 games because of the coronavirus pandemic. All 30 teams are scheduled to play Thursday, with Juan Soto, Fernando Tatis Jr. and Mike Trout among the stars in action. The first game of the season is at Yankee Stadium, where Gerrit Cole is set to face the Toronto Blue Jays. Weather could be a factor in some spots. Rain is in the forecast on the East Coast and temperatures might in the 30s at Wrigley Field.