Gamers will be blocked from manually adding players to EA Sports’ new college football game who decide not to accept an offer to have their name, image and likeness used in it, the video-game developer said Thursday. EA Sports revealed the safeguard in its announcement that it has begun reaching out to athletes to pay them to be featured in …

TEHRAN, Iran (AP) — Candidates for Iran’s parliament began campaigning Thursday in the country’s first election since the 2022 crackdown on nationwide protests that followed the death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini in police custody. Iran’s state television said 15,200 candidates will compete for a four-year term in the 290-seat chamber, which has been controlled by hard-liners for the past two …

WASHINGTON (AP) — Some of Congress’ staunchest critics of China are visiting Taiwan in a show of support that is certain to draw scrutiny from Beijing, which views such interactions as a challenge to its claim of sovereignty over the island. The delegation is led by Rep. Mike Gallagher, the Republican chairman of the House Select Committee on the Chinese …

The AP Top 25 men’s college basketball poll is back every week throughout the season! Get the poll delivered straight to your inbox with AP Top 25 Poll Alerts. Sign up here. Oral Roberts Golden Eagles (11-15, 5-8 Summit League) at Omaha Mavericks (13-15, 6-7 Summit League) Omaha, Nebraska; Thursday, 8 p.m. EST FANDUEL SPORTSBOOK LINE: Mavericks -3.5; over/under is …

The AP Top 25 men’s college basketball poll is back every week throughout the season! Get the poll delivered straight to your inbox with AP Top 25 Poll Alerts. Sign up here. UCSB Gauchos (14-11, 7-8 Big West) at UC Irvine Anteaters (19-7, 12-2 Big West) Irvine, California; Thursday, 11 p.m. EST BOTTOM LINE: UCSB plays the UC Irvine Anteaters …

PHOENIX (AP) — Brandon Woodruff is staying with the Milwaukee Brewers after all. The right-hander has finalized a backloaded $17.5 million, two-year contract with Milwaukee that includes a mutual option for the 2026 season. The deal was completed three months after the Brewers allowed the injured pitcher to test free agency rather than tendering him a contract for 2024. “I’ve …

CHARLESTON, W.Va. (AP) — West Virginia’s Republican-controlled House of Delegates voted overwhelmingly Wednesday to allow teachers and other school staff who undergo training to carry guns in K-12 public schools. The bill, which now heads to the Senate, would allow teachers, administrators and support personnel with concealed carry permits to volunteer to bring a firearm into school with the intention …

Vancouver Canucks (37-15-6, first in the Pacific Division) vs. Seattle Kraken (23-21-11, fifth in the Pacific Division) Seattle; Thursday, 10 p.m. EST BOTTOM LINE: The Seattle Kraken host the Vancouver Canucks after Jared McCann scored two goals in the Kraken’s 4-3 overtime loss to the Detroit Red Wings. Seattle has gone 23-21-11 overall with a 6-6-3 record against the Pacific …

BOSTON (AP) — Appeals Court Associate Justice Gabrielle R. Wolohojian, a former romantic partner of Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey, testified Wednesday before the Governor’s Council on her nomination to the state’s highest court. Healey has said her past relationship with Wolohojian shouldn’t deny the state the benefit of having her serve on the state Supreme Judicial Court. The panel didn’t …

PASADENA, Calif. (AP) — Danai Gurira remembers a moment filming “ The Walking Dead ” which she now believes contributed to the future pairing of her character Michonne with Andrew Lincoln’s Rick. It was during season three, Gurira’s first season on the show. The scene featured Lincoln, Steven Yeun, Norman Reedus, Lauren Cohan and Michael Rooker. Gurira recalls Michonne wielding …