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A senior Australian policeman has suggested a phone app be developed to document sexual consent in a bid to improve conviction rates in sex crime cases. New South Wales state Police Commissioner Mick Fuller says dating apps have brought couples together and the same technology could also provide clarity on the question of consent. Fuller says the number of sexual assaults reported in Australia’s most populous state was increasing while a prosecution success rate of only 2% stemming from those reports shows the system is failing. Responses to the consent app suggestion have been largely negative or skeptical. 

The growing calls for New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo to resign are testing President Joe Biden’s relentless effort to avoid the day-to-day distractions of the political world as he tries to navigate a historic confluence of crises. Biden’s team has been trying to sell its $1.9 trillion COVID-19 relief package to the public. But Biden has in recent days been pulled into the debate over the fate of the governor who became the national face of his party’s pandemic response a year ago. The pressure on Biden grew last week when most of New York’s congressional delegation, including Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, called on Cuomo to step aside. 

As the NFL opened its business year, veterans Trent Williams, A.J. Green and Emmanuel Sanders prospered. That trio of players with a total of 31 pro seasons made out very well despite not getting big offers immediately. The 49ers held onto the best tackle who could have become a free agent by giving Williams the richest contract ever for an offensive lineman. His agents at Elite Loyalty Sports said the deal will pay Williams $138.1 million over the next six years, surpassing the $138 million deal David Bakhtiari got from Green Bay a year ago.

Giannis Antetokounmpo scored 10 of his 32 points in overtime to lead the Milwaukee Bucks to a 109-105 victory over the Philadelphia 76ers in a matchup of two of the Eastern Conference’s best teams. With P.J. Tucker reportedly headed to Milwaukee in a trade with Houston, Donte DiVincenzo scored 20 points and Jrue Holiday added 19 for the Bucks, who have won five in a row and 10 of 11. Tucker did not play Wednesday for the Rockets, and neither did Milwaukee’s D.J. Augustin and D.J. Wilson, who according to ESPN are heading to Houston in the trade. Tobias Harris scored 19 points and Danny Green added 18 for Philadelphia, which had its six-game winning streak snapped.

Mika Zibanejad had three goals and three assists in New York’s seven-goal second period, and the Rangers beat the Philadelphia Flyers 9-0. Pavel Buchnevich had two goals and two assists — all in the second period — and Brendan Lemieux, Artemi Panarin, Jacob Trouba and Filip Chytil also scored in the Rangers’ most decisive victory since beating New Jersey 9-0 on March 31, 1986. Alexandar Georgiev stopped 26 shots for his sixth career shutout. The Rangers were without head coach David Quinn and assistants Jacques Martin, David Oliver and Greg Brown were due to NHL COVID-19 protocols. Hartford Wolf Pack head coach Kris Knoblauch and associate head coach Gord Murphy, and Rangers associate general manager Chris Drury were behind the bench.

Some of the top players at the March Madness tournament in Indiana are speaking out against the NCAA. Isaiah Livers of Michigan, Geo Baker of Rutgers and Jordan Bohannon of Iowa were among the players who took to social media demanding equal rights. They used the hashtag #NotNCAAProperty. They want the OK to earn money for things like sponsorship deals, online endorsement and personnel appearances. The NCAA is in the process of changing its rules to allow athletes to profit from their names, images and likenesses. Those efforts have bogged down since the start of 2021.  

New York prosecutors are asking new questions about former President Donald Trump's Seven Springs estate. Among other things, they're trying to determine whether the value of the century-old mansion was improperly inflated to reduce the former president’s taxes. That's according to a person who wasn't authorized to discuss the ongoing investigation and spoke to The Associated Press on the condition of anonymity. Trump's former personal attorney Michael Cohen has spoken with investigators at least seven times and is expected to meet in person with investigators Friday at the Manhattan District Attorney's Office. Former mafia prosecutor Mark Pomerantz was recently hired to lead the high-profile inquiry. 

Politicians, celebrities, activists and athletes are expressing outrage over the killing of eight people at three Atlanta-area massage parlors. Six of the victims of Tuesday's shootings were identified as Asian and seven were women. A 21-year-old white man has been charged with eight counts of murder. Police say Robert Aaron Long told them he has a “sex addiction” and that the killings were not racially motivated. But many saw the violence as an attack on Asian Americans, who have been increasingly targeted during the coronavirus pandemic. 

Authorities are seeking to identify the bodies of two people killed in a huge fireworks explosion in a Southern California neighborhood. Authorities said Wednesday that they have not yet determined if the bodies are of two cousins reported missing since the blast. The victims were found on the property where the blast occurred Tuesday. The explosion left a vast debris field scattered over a neighborhood in Ontario, California. Authorities say bomb teams were sent in to defuse any unexploded fireworks and render the area safe for the return of evacuated neighborhood residents. Authorities say they have found about 60 large boxes' worth of fireworks at the debris site and will destroy them. 

WASHINGTON (AP) — Violent extremists motivated by a range of political grievances and racial biases pose an “elevated threat” to the United States, officials said Wednesday in an unclassified intelligence report released more than two months after a mob of…

Defender Bryan Reynolds received his first call-up to the U.S. national team after the 19-year-old made his debut for Roma last weekend. Leicester backup goalkeeper Chituru Odunze also could debut against Jamaica on March 25 at Wiener Neustadt, Austria, or three days later at Northern Ireland. Forward Matthew Hoppe, who has scored five goals for Schalke this season, was not called in for a possible debut. Juventus midfielder Weston McKennie, who U.S. coach Gregg Berhalter says has a slight injury, was not among the 26 players announced.

Republicans still divided over former President Donald Trump’s legacy are seizing on his signature campaign issue: immigration. The GOP is leaning in on the highly charged issue amid a spike in border crossing that are straining U.S. facilities. They are blaming Biden for rolling back many of Trump's hardline policies and taking a kinder tone. The push comes as Republicans contend with President Joe Biden’s early popularity, good news about vaccinations, and Americans’ embrace of the COVID relief bill that they opposed. It's an issue that some believe could help unite the party as they head into the 2022 midterm elections. 

If a minor league player says an umpire is acting like a robot this year, he might be right. Computer umpires for ball and strikes are coming to a low-level minor league but are a while away from the big leagues. Major League Baseball plans to use Automated Ball-Strike technology in eight of nine ballparks at the Low-A Southeast League, which starts play May 4 as minor league baseball resumes after a one-year break caused by the novel coronavirus pandemic. The Major League Baseball Umpires Association agreed to cooperate if the system is utilized by MLB.

The San Francisco 49ers have locked up their biggest potential free agent for the long term by agreeing to give star left tackle Trent Williams the richest contract ever for an offensive lineman. Williams’ agents at Elite Loyalty Sports say the deal will pay Williams $138.1 million over the next six years, surpassing the $138 million deal David Bakhtiari got from Green Bay during last season. Williams also will get the biggest signing bonus ever for an offensive lineman at $30.1 million, as well as $55.1 million guaranteed. Williams sat out the entire 2019 season in Washington over a dispute with the front office before reviving his career in San Francisco, earning his eighth Pro Bowl selection.

The U.S. Treasury Department says states can cut taxes without penalty from a federal pandemic relief law — so long as they use their own funds to offset those cuts. Republican governors, lawmakers and attorneys general in numerous states have expressed concern about the relief act signed by President Joe Biden. It prohibits states from using federal aid “to either directly or indirectly” offset a reduction in tax revenue. A treasury spokesperson tells The Associated Press the provision isn't meant as a blanket prohibition on tax cuts; states just can't use the relief funds to pay for them.

The growing calls for New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo to resign are testing President Joe Biden’s relentless effort to avoid the day-to-day distractions of the political world as he tries to navigate a historic confluence of crises. Biden’s team has been trying to sell its $1.9 trillion COVID relief package to the public. But Biden has in recent days been pulled into the debate over the fate of the governor who became the national face of his party’s pandemic response a year ago. The pressure on Biden grew last week when most of New York’s congressional delegation, including Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, called on Cuomo to step aside. 

Attorneys in the trial of a former Minneapolis police officer charged in George Floyd’s death are wrangling over not just the 12 jurors who will decide the verdict but also two alternates. Derek Chauvin’s trial is moving forward amid national attention around Floyd’s death, plus a pandemic that could potentially disrupt proceedings expected to last several weeks. That’s why the two alternates will play an important role, ready to sub in for other jurors who are unable to continue with the trial. The judge won’t reveal who the alternative jurors are until attorneys have finished making their cases.

The Buffalo Sabres have fired coach Ralph Krueger less than two years into his tenure and with the free-falling team in the midst of a 0-10-2 skid. The Sabres made the move the morning after a 3-2 loss at New Jersey against a Devils team that snapped an 11-game home skid. Assistant coach Don Granato takes over on an interim basis. General manager Kevyn Adams hasn't ruled out more changes by noting he's open to “anything and everything,” in advance of the NHL trade deadline on April 12.

The New York Rangers will be without coach David Quinn and his entire staff against Philadelphia because of NHL COVID protocol. The team says Quinn and assistants Jacques Martin, David Oliver and Greg Brown are unavailable. Martin is among the oldest coaches in hockey at age 68. Kris Knoblauch, who coaches the Rangers’ top minor league affiliate, the American Hockey League’s Hartford WolfPack, will serve as acting coach. Hartford assistant Gord Murphy and associate general manager Chris Drury will also be behind the bench. The Rangers will have defenseman Adam Fox and forward Pavel Buchnevich back from the protocol list.

The Biden administration is pushing forward with its plan to reopen schools, and as part of that, it's expanding coronavirus testing for teachers, staff and students. The administration is also convening a summit next week for educators to share “best practices” for getting children back into the classroom. Education Secretary Miguel Cardona is telling states how much money they'll get from the COVID-19 relief bill. The states will share $122 billion, with allocations ranging from $285 million for Vermont schools to $15 billion for California. President Joe Biden's plan is to have most elementary and middle schools open by the end of his first 100 days in office.