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Key players in trial of ex-officer charged in Floyd's death

Opening statements are set for Monday in the trial of a former Minneapolis police officer charged with murder and manslaughter in George Floyd's death. Derek Chauvin's trial is expected to last about four weeks. Outside issues such as the COVID-19 pandemic and a global outcry over racial inequities are also affecting the trial, which will be streamed online for the world to see. Floyd, who was Black, died May 25 after Chauvin pressed his knee on Floyd’s neck while Floyd pleaded that he couldn’t breathe.

Unbeaten Zags keep rolling with 83-65 rout of Creighton

Top-seeded Gonzaga did against Creighton what it’s done throughout this unblemished season. Drew Timme scored 22 points and the top-seeded Bulldogs rolled past the fifth-seeded Bluejays with versatile offense and efficient defense to win 83-65 in the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament. Andrew Nembhard added 17 points for the Bulldogs, who have won a school-record 33 consecutive games and extended their Division I record to 26 straight double-digit wins. The Zags will face sixth-seeded Southern California or seventh-seeded Oregon on Tuesday in the West regional final. Marcus Zegarowski scored 19 points to lead the Bluejays, who were trying to reach their first Elite Eight since 1941.

US-backed Syrian forces raid camp of IS families, arrest 9

BEIRUT (AP) — Thousands of Kurdish-led forces, with assistance from the U.S.-led coalition, launched a military operation Sunday at a sprawling camp in northeast Syria, in a new effort to identify and arrest Islamic State militants and tamp down escalating…

Scheffler and Horschel in all-American final for Match Play

It's an all-American final for the third straight time in the Dell Technologies Match Play. Scottie Scheffler delivered the clutch putt with a 10-foot birdie on the 17th hole. That led to a 1-up victory over Matt Kuchar. In the other semifinal Sunday morning, Billy Horschel beat Victor Perez of France in 16 holes. Kuchar was trying to match Tiger Woods' record by reaching the championship match for the fourth time. But he couldn't buy a putt, and he missed an 8-footer on the 18th to extend the match. The longest putt Kuchar made was just over 3 feet.

Capitals hold on to beat Rangers for 10th win in 11 games

Tom Wilson had two goals, Alex Ovechkin scored the 724th of his career and the Washington Capitals held on to beat the New York Rangers 5-4 for their 10th victory in 11 games. Ovechkin has 11 goals in those 11 games and leads the team with 18 this season. The Capitals led 4-0 early in the third period on a goal by Evgeny Kuznetsov before a Rangers scoring flurry made things interesting. T.J. Oshie’s deflection goal with 8:14 left that gave him a three-point game proved crucial as it stood up as the game-winner. The Rangers have lost two one-goal games in a row after a three-game winning streak.

Penny wise: Memphis wins NIT title, has bigger goals for '22

Boogie Ellis scored 23 points and Memphis beat Mississippi State 77-64 in the NIT championship game. The Tigers have a title in Penny Hardaway’s third season coaching his alma mater after just missing out on the NCAA Tournament. They also were NIT champs in 2002. Landers Nolley II opened the second half with a jumper and a 3-pointer that put 20-8 Memphis ahead to stay. The Tigers won 11 of their last 13 games, the only losses being one-possession setbacks six days apart against NCAA Elite Eight team Houston. Cameron Matthews scored 19 points to pace Mississippi State.

Biden economic plan to focus 1st on infrastructure this week

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden will lay out the first part of his multitrillion-dollar economic recovery package this week, focusing on rebuilding roads, bridges and other infrastructure, followed by a separate plan later in April addressing child and health…

Rain swamps Bristol dirt track; NASCAR to try again Monday

NASCAR will try to run its first Cup Series race on dirt since 1970 on Monday after heavy rain swamped Bristol Motor Speedway. The converted track already was facing challenges before torrential overnight rain flooded the grounds surrounding the speedway. The Goodyear tire provided for the Cup cars doesn't seem suited for the dirt surface and NASCAR is worried about multiple tire failures when the event finally goes green. The muddy track currently is too thick to avoid caking driver windshields. But the dirt has taken on enough water that thick dust may not be a problem Monday.

Hamilton holds off Verstappen to win tense F1 season-opener

Lewis Hamilton just managed to hold off Max Verstappen to win the season-opening Bahrain Grand Prix and clinch the 96th F1 win of his career. The race was effectively decided when Verstappen overtook Hamilton but went too wide on a turn and off track limits. He was told by his team to give Hamilton the position back as he risked a time penalty. Verstappen still had a few laps to catch Hamilton and he almost did. He finished .74 seconds behind the Mercedes driver. Hamilton’s teammate Valtteri Bottas took third but was way behind the front two. Fernando Alonso failed to finish the race on his F1 comeback with Alpine.

White House says it's working on access to migrant centers

White House press secretary Jen Psaki is declining to provide a specific date for when the media will get access to Border Patrol facilities temporarily holding thousands of migrant children seeking to live in the United States. But Psaki says the Biden administration is committed to transparency and “we’re working to get that done as soon as we can.” More than 16,000 unaccompanied children were in government custody as of Thursday, including about 5,000 in substandard Customs and Border Protection facilities. Republican lawmakers on Capitol Hill have been calling on the administration to open the facilities to the cameras, asserting that the current policy is designed to keep the public from “fully realizing” what is happening at the border.

Jurors in ex-officer's high-profile trial face heavy burden

The huge task for jurors at the trial of a white former police officer charged in the death of George Floyd showed during jury selection as some would-be jurors said they were unnerved by the very thought of being on the panel. All jurors at all trials feel pressure, knowing their decisions will alter lives. But the weight on jurors in Minneapolis who will hear opening statements Monday is in a whole different category. They are assigned to weigh whether to assign guilt in the death of a Black man that prompted some of the largest protests in U.S. history. One question is whether the ex-officer, Derek Chauvin, can get a fair trial with so much pressure on jurors and with some potentially fearing the consequences should they acquit.

Myanmar mourns, protests after crackdown's deadliest day yet

Mourners flocked to funerals of those killed in the deadliest day of a crackdown on protests of last month’s coup in Myanmar, as demonstrators returned to the streets Sunday to press their demands for a return to democracy. A day earlier, security forces killed at least 114 people, including several children under 16, according to local media. That shocking escalation that prompted the U.N. rapporteur to accuse the junta of committing “mass murder” and to criticize the international community for not doing enough to stop it. There were reports that the violence also continued Sunday. The Feb. 1 coup that ousted Aung San Suu Kyi’s elected government reversed years of progress toward democracy after five decades of military rule. 

Key events since George Floyd's arrest and death

George Floyd's death after his arrest by police officers in Minneapolis on May 25, 2020, sparked widespread anger after millions of people saw video of the event. The four officers at the scene were quickly fired and charged in his death. The agonizing bystander video shows Floyd repeatedly crying “I can't breathe" and eventually going still as Officer Derek Chauvin presses his knee on Floyd's neck. The video's release sparked immediate protests and sometimes violent riots nationwide and around the world. Opening statements are set for Monday in Chauvin's trial on murder and manslaughter charges.

UK eases lockdown but nervously eyes European virus surge

LONDON (AP) — Britain is taking another small step out of lockdown as it looks nervously at a new virus surge inundating its European neighbors. With U.K. coronavirus vaccination rates outstripping those of European Union nations, Prime Minister Boris Johnson…

Virus fight stalls in early hot spots New York, New Jersey

A year after they became a global epicenter of the coronavirus pandemic, New York and New Jersey are back atop the list of U.S. states with the highest rates of infection. Even as the vaccination campaign has ramped up, the number of people getting infected in New Jersey has crept to by 37% in a little more than a month, to about 23,600 every seven days. About 50,000 people per week in New York are testing positive for the virus. The two states now rank No. 1 and 2 in new infections per capita among U.S. states. But the situation in New York and New Jersey mirrors a national trend that has seen case numbers inch up in recent days.

In Brazil, moms are bearing the brunt of pandemic's blow

Sao Paulo city officials put out a call last month for 4,500 public school cleaning jobs, targeting Brazilian mothers affected by the raging pandemic. In just two days, over 90,000 women applied. The overwhelming response offers a glimpse at how women have been disproportionally sidelined by the crisis. Worldwide, as schools remain closed, many mothers juggle fewer work hours with homeschooling and household duties. Others put their careers on hold entirely, or were laid off. In Brazil, female participation in the workforce has fallen below 50% for the first time in at least a decade. And as the nation battles a brutal resurgence in COVID-19, economists say the health and economic crises are further delaying the return of women to the workforce.

Colorado massacre spurs calls for state action on gun deaths

For the second time in less than a week, a 21-year-old man used a gun purchased legally in the U.S. to massacre people. The mass shootings in Colorado and Georgia are giving new urgency to efforts to enact gun restrictions, even while showing how hard it can be to prevent a tragedy. Colorado has passed gun control laws in recent years, but the suspect in a grocery store shooting that killed 10 legally bought a gun despite an assault conviction and questions about his mental health. Democratic leaders are weighing calls for stronger action. But support for gun rights is strong in parts of Colorado, and Second Amendment advocates argue new restrictions aren't the answer.  

UK variant hunters lead global race to stay ahead of COVID

Even when the U.K. had just a few dozen confirmed cases of COVID-19, professor Sharon Peacock recognized that the country needed to expand its capacity to analyze the genetic makeup of the virus. The Cambridge University microbiologist set about bringing scientists together to work on genomic sequencing. That has made Britain a world leader in finding new variants that are more dangerous or resistant to vaccines. The work is part of a global effort, and scientists around the world are learning from Britain as they ramp up their work to respond to variants and stay ahead of COVID-19.

Census data delay scrambles plans for state redistricting

A delay in census data is scrambling plans in some states to redraw districts for the U.S. House and state legislatures. The Census Bureau has said redistricting data that was supposed to be provided to states by the end of March won't be ready until August or September. That's after the deadline to finish redistricting in some states. As a result, states such as Oklahoma and Oregon are considering ways to use other population estimates to begin redistricting state House and Senate seats. Officials in other states, including North Carolina and Texas, have proposed delaying their 2022 primary elections.

In Minneapolis, an immigrant street struggles to recover

Nearly a year after sometimes violent protests for racial justice shook Minneapolis, an immigrant corridor is struggling to recover. Lake Street, the focus of so much violence during the protests that followed George Floyd's death in police custody, has been a beacon for immigrants for more than a century. Now, some stores remain boarded up, some have been closed permanently, and residents are worried about crime. Meanwhile, politicians are bickering about rebuilding funds. And even when Minnesota’s notorious winter surrendered recently to sunny, spring-like weather, the sidewalks in the most hard-hit neighborhoods remained quiet.

New York lawmakers agree to legalize recreational marijuana

New York lawmakers have finalized an agreement to legalize recreational marijuana sales to adults over the age of 21. The state has come close to passing marijuana legislation several times but until now has been unable to finalize a deal. New York joins at least 14 other states that allow residents to buy marijuana for recreational, and not just medical, use. Democratic Gov. Andrew Cuomo has made legalization a priority for his administration this year. His office has estimated that once a legal marijuana industry is fully mature, it could bring the state about $350 million annually.

Court fight against Georgia voting overhaul no sure thing

Court challenges to Republican-led election restrictions in Georgia and elsewhere face an uncertain road in a legal system that has grown more conservative in recent years. National legislation favored by Democrats could counteract some state restrictions, but that too is no sure thing in a closely divided Congress. Groups opposed to Georgia’s sweeping overhaul of election laws filed suit in federal court in Atlanta on Thursday, a few hours after Gov. Brian Kemp signed the new law. They say restrictions on voting in person or by mail violate the constitutional rights of all Georgians and also disproportionately affect voters of color in violation of the seminal Voting Rights Act of 1965.

Path from Clinton to Biden takes U-turn on debt, trade, more

Times have changed since the 1990s. President Joe Biden is taking the opposite approach of the Clinton administration to help the economy. He's bulking up on debt to fuel growth, offering aid to the poor without work requirements and pulling back from globalization. It's an ambitious evolution that reflects the pandemic, changes in Democratic voters and the long-festering problems of inequality. But Biden is executing his plan with many of the same policymakers who served President Bill Clinton decades earlier. In that far different time, Clinton pushed balanced budgets, work requirements for welfare recipients and expanded global trade.