Associated Press stories, Page 1726
Jim Litke: NCAA tourney hits halfway point, still the field vs. Gonzaga
The Elite Eight marks the halfway point of the NCAA Tournament, but don’t blink. It has the shelf life of chicken nuggets. By the time your head hits the pillow Tuesday night, we’ll be down to a Final Four and find out whether the selection committee is any better at...
Southwest Airlines orders 100 Boeing 737 Max planes
NEW YORK — Southwest Airlines said Monday it’s expanding its all-Boeing fleet with an order for 100 737 MAX airplanes. The Max was grounded worldwide in March 2019 after two crashes that killed 346 people. Regulators in the U.S., Europe, Canada, Brazil and other countries cleared the plane to resume...
Pope grants ‘time out’ to German archbishop faulted over abuse
BERLIN — Pope Francis has granted a “time out” to a German archbishop who offered his resignation after being faulted for his handling of allegations of sexual abuse in his previous diocese, church authorities said Monday. Hamburg Archbishop Stefan Hesse’s offer on March 18 followed the release of a report...
Jurors shown video at ex-officer’s trial in George Floyd’s deathVideo
MINNEAPOLIS — The video of George Floyd gasping for breath was essentially Exhibit A as the former Minneapolis police officer who pressed his knee on the Black man’s neck went on trial Monday on charges of murder and manslaughter. Prosecutor Jerry Blackwell showed the jurors the footage at the earliest...
Hungary first in European Union for vaccinations, and deaths
BUDAPEST, Hungary — Hungary has vaccinated more of its population than any other country in the European Union, according to figures from an EU agency, but it continues to be one of the world’s worst in the number of covid-19 deaths per capita. The Central European country has given at...
WHO report says animals likely source of covid-19
BEIJING — A joint WHO-China study on the origins of covid-19 says that transmission of the virus from bats to humans through another animal is the most likely scenario and that a lab leak is “extremely unlikely,” according to a draft copy obtained by the Associated Press. The findings offer...
Thousands flee into Thailand following Myanmar air strikes
YANGON, Myanmar — A series of airstrikes by Myanmar’s military along the country’s border raised concerns Monday that more villagers might flee to neighboring Thailand in large numbers, adding a new dimension to an already volatile crisis. The strikes in areas populated predominantly by ethnic Karen people represent another escalation...
7 wounded when dispute sparks shootout at Cleveland motorcycle club
CLEVELAND — A shootout at a private motorcycle club in Cleveland that left seven people wounded was apparently sparked by a dispute involving a man and a woman, authorities said. The shooting occurred around 3 a.m. Sunday inside the Spot Night Club. Authorities said the man involved in the argument...
Canal service provider says container ship in Suez set free
SUEZ, Egypt — Salvage teams on Monday set free a colossal container ship that has halted global trade through the Suez Canal, a canal services firm said, bringing an end to a crisis that for nearly a week clogged one of the world’s most vital maritime arteries. Helped by the...
This date in sports history: March 29
1929 — The Boston Bruins win the Stanley Cup with a 2-1 victory over the New York Rangers to complete a two-game sweep. 1940 — Joe Louis knocks out Johnny Paychek in the second round at Madison Square Garden in New York to retain the world heavyweight title. 1941 —...
U.S. men lose to Honduras, miss 3rd straight Olympic soccer tournamentVideo
American players fell to the field at the final whistle. Another missed Olympics soccer tournament for the U.S. men. Another failed four-cycle. Juan Carlos Obregón scored in the fourth minute of first-half stoppage time, goalkeeper David Ochoa committed a blunder that gifted Luis Palma a goal two minutes into the...
Jameson Taillon to skip 1st turn in Yankees’ rotation
TAMPA, Fla. — Corey Kluber will follow ace Gerrit Cole in the New York Yankees’ rotation, and former Pittsburgh Pirates standout Jameson Taillon will be skipped the first time through as the team builds him up slowly in his return following Tommy John surgery. Cole will start Thursday’s opener against...
Man fires gun at Everglades park rangers; later arrested
EVERGLADES NATIONAL PARK, Fla. — A man who fired a gun at Everglades National Park rangers was arrested Sunday evening, the park said. The park tweeted at 8:15 p.m. Sunday that visitors and residents in Flamingo, a section of the park, should shelter in place. A later tweet said the...
Billy Horschel outlasts Scottie Scheffler in sloppy final of Match Play
AUSTIN, Texas — Billy Horschel had just enough left in the tank to win the Dell Technologies Match Play on Sunday with plenty of help from Scottie Scheffler in a sloppy end to the longest week in golf. Horschel made only one birdie in the championship match, chipping in from...
Body camera video shows Maryland officers berating 5-year-old boyVideo
SILVER SPRING, Md. — A police department in Maryland has released body camera video that captured two of its officers berating a 5-year-old boy who had walked away from his elementary school, calling him a “little beast” and threatening him with a beating. The video released Friday by the Montgomery...
Inside job: Michigan goes to the paint to top FSU
INDIANAPOLIS — What was touted as the marquee matchup in the Sweet 16 turned into a dud. For everyone but Michigan, that is. Seven-foot-1 freshman Hunter Dickinson had 14 points and eight rebounds and the top-seeded Wolverines took the inside route to the Elite Eight, pounding away in the paint...
Record rain causes flash flooding in Tennessee; 4 deadVideo
Torrential rain across Tennessee flooded homes and at least one church and left roads impassable, prompting dozens of people to be rescued in the Nashville area. Authorities said four bodies were found Sunday in the flood’s aftermath. Nashville received more than 7 inches of rain, the second-highest two-day rainfall total...
Michigan GOP chair apologizes for calling Gov. Whitmer, others ‘witches’
DETROIT — Michigan Republican Chairman Ron Weiser has apologized for comments calling the three highest-ranking elected female leaders in the state “witches” who should be “ready for the burning at the stake.” The comments Weiser made during an event Thursday in Oakland County about Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, Attorney General Dana...
Ohio GOP congressman gives shots to promote covid-19 efforts
NORWOOD, Ohio — A Republican congressman gave covid-19 vaccinations Sunday to promote efforts to get reluctant people to get the shots. An early advocate of getting vaccinated, Rep. Brad Wenstrup is among Republicans concerned about their voters getting inoculated because of unfounded claims about the vaccines. “A lot of it...
Gio Reyna, Christian Pulisic lead U.S. over Northern Ireland in friendlyVideo
The U.S. broke out a 3-4-3 formation with wingbacks, a new weapon in the team’s arsenal under coach Gregg Berhalter that opened space for Christian Pulisic. The result was the Americans’ first win at a European opponent in six years. Gio Reyna scored on a deflected shot off a pass...
Former Trump adviser takes prominent role in voting battle
A GOP lawyer who advised former President Donald Trump on his campaign to overturn the 2020 election results is now playing a central role coordinating the Republican effort to tighten voting laws around the country. Cleta Mitchell, a longtime Republican lawyer and advocate for conservative causes, was among the Trump...
Coronavirus fight stalls in early hot spots New York, New Jersey
ALBANY, N.Y. — A year after becoming 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 new infections in New Jersey has...
Memphis wins NIT title with win over Mississippi State
FRISCO, Texas — Boogie Ellis scored 23 points, and Memphis never trailed after a fast start to beat Mississippi State, 77-64, in the NIT championship game Sunday, giving the Tigers a title in Penny Hardaway’s third season coaching his alma mater. After just missing out on their first NCAA Tournament...
Duquesne clinches NEC regular-season crown beating Bryant
SMITHFIELD, R.I. — Garrett Owens ran for 105 yards on 14 carries and scored a touchdown, and Duquesne clinched the Northeast Conference regular-season title with 20-10 win over Bryant on Sunday. With the win the Dukes (4-0, 4-0) secured a place in the NEC’s conference title game and will get...
Rain swamps Bristol dirt track; NASCAR to try again Monday
BRISTOL, Tenn. — NASCAR’s hyped return to dirt is instead a muddy mess on hold at least until Monday. Torrential rains flooded campgrounds and parking lots surrounding Bristol Motor Speedway and created a rut for NASCAR far deeper than anything the Cup Series drivers encountered on the track. NASCAR canceled...

