Russia might put strategic nukes in Belarus, leader says
March 31, 2023 GMTTALLINN, Estonia (AP) — The president of Belarus says Russian strategic nuclear weapons might be deployed in his country along with part of Russia's tactical nuclear arsenal.
Russian President Vladimir Putin announced this week that his country intended to deploy tactical, comparatively short-range and small-yield nuclear weapons in Belarus, its neighbor and ally.
In S. Korea, Pelosi avoids public comments on Taiwan, China
August 5, 2022 GMTSEOUL, South Korea (AP) — After infuriating China over her trip to Taiwan, U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi met South Korean political leaders in Seoul on Thursday but avoided making direct public comments on relations with Beijing and Taipei that could further increase regional tensions.
Japan FM to visit China amid friction over detained Japanese
March 31, 2023 GMTTOKYO (AP) — Japanese Foreign Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi said Friday he will visit China this weekend for talks with his counterpart Qin Gang, becoming Japan's first top diplomat to do so in more than three years amid growing frictions between the two countries, including a recent flap over the detention of a Japanese national in Beijing.
Finland’s NATO membership: What’s next?
March 31, 2023 GMTHELSINKI (AP) — Finland received the green light to join NATO when Turkey ratified the Nordic country’s membership late Thursday, becoming the last country in the 30-member Western military alliance to sign off.
Russia sends bombs as Ukraine marks grim Bucha anniversary
March 31, 2023 GMTBUCHA, Ukraine (AP) — Russia used its long-range arsenal to bombard anew several areas of Ukraine on Friday, killing at least two civilians and damaging homes as Ukrainians commemorated the anniversary of the liberation of Bucha.
Charles III heads to Hamburg on last leg of 1st foreign trip
March 31, 2023 GMTBERLIN (AP) — King Charles III boarded a carriage, though not the horse-drawn kind, for the final leg of his three-day trip to Germany, traveling by train from Berlin to the port city of Hamburg, where he planned to remember pivotal events from World War II.
Russia, Indonesia sign extradition treaty to combat crime
March 31, 2023 GMTDENPASAR, Indonesia (AP) — Indonesia and Russia signed an extradition agreement on Friday which they said will help combat transnational crime and be a turning point in their relations.
The treaty — Indonesia's first extradition agreement with a European country — was signed by Indonesian Law and Human Rights Minister Yasonna Laoly and Russian Minister of Justice Konstantin Chuychenko.
Biden heads to Mississippi town ravaged by deadly tornado
March 31, 2023 GMTWASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden on Friday will visit a Mississippi town ravaged by a deadly tornado even as a new series of severe storms threatens to rip across the Midwest and the South.
Last week's twister destroyed roughly 300 homes and businesses in Rolling Fork and the nearby town of Silver City, leaving mounds of wreckage full of lumber, bricks and twisted metal.
Australia concerned by journalist’s delayed verdict in China
March 31, 2023 GMTSYDNEY (AP) — Australia remains deeply concerned that Australian journalist Cheng Lei has not learned of a verdict a year after standing trial in China on national security charges, the foreign minister said Friday.
Malaysia’s top court refuses ex-PM Najib’s bid for review
March 31, 2023 GMTPUTRAJAYA, Malaysia (AP) — Malaysia's top court refused Friday to review its 2022 decision to uphold former Prime Minister Najib Razak's conviction for graft and 12-year jail sentence, saying he was “the author of his own misfortune.”
Finland’s NATO membership: What’s next?
March 31, 2023 GMTHELSINKI (AP) — Finland received the green light to join NATO when Turkey ratified the Nordic country's membership late Thursday, becoming the last country in the 30-member Western military alliance to sign off.
Montenegro vote pits incumbent president against new blood
March 31, 2023 GMTPODGORICA, Montenegro (AP) — Voters in small Montenegro go to the polls this weekend to choose their next president in a runoff between pro-Western incumbent Milo Djukanovic and Jakov Milatovic, a newcomer supported by the shaky governing coalition with links to neighboring Serbia.
Trump indictment throws 2024 race into uncharted territory
March 31, 2023 GMTNEW YORK (AP) — The historic indictment of former President Donald Trump thrust the 2024 presidential election into uncharted territory, raising the remarkable prospect that the leading contender for the Republican nomination will seek the White House while also facing trial for criminal charges in New York.
Trump’s indictment in New York: Here’s what to know
March 31, 2023 GMTNEW YORK (AP) — Donald Trump has become the first former U.S. president to be charged with a crime, the culmination of a political rise defined by unprecedented scandal.
San Diego County supervisor to resign after assault lawsuit
March 31, 2023 GMTSAN DIEGO (AP) — A powerful San Diego County supervisor said he will resign amid accusations that he sexually assaulted a government employee, completing a swift and shocking fall for a decorated Marine combat veteran whose star rose with his Democratic Party’s ascendancy in the nation’s eighth-largest city.
Shadowy brokers walk off with billions in Venezuelan oil
March 31, 2023 GMTCARACAS, Venezuela (AP) — One startup lists as its address a small home in a working-class district in Venezuela's capital whose owner has never heard of the firm. Another is a Hong Kong-based shell company created in 2020.
Bill to criminalize help for Idaho minors’ abortions passes
March 31, 2023 GMTBOISE, Idaho (AP) — A bill that would criminalize helping minors obtain an abortion without parental consent won final passage in Idaho's legislature on Thursday and is headed to the desk of Republican Gov.
Climate, coups risk African goal of silencing guns by 2030
March 31, 2023 GMTUNITED NATIONS (AP) — The goal of silencing the guns in Africa this decade is being challenged by climate change, terrorism, coups and the continent’s history, the head of the African Union initiative told the U.N.
Trump’s indictment, long expected, still stuns at NYC court
March 31, 2023 GMTNEW YORK (AP) — If you didn’t know what you were looking for, you might’ve missed it. Even then, it was hard to know at the moment that history was unfolding before your eyes.
Donald Trump’s indictment, the first of a former U.S.
Maine Legislature approves nearly $10 billion budget
March 31, 2023 GMTAUGUSTA, Maine (AP) — Democrats in the Maine Legislature pushed through a nearly $10 billion, two-year state budget that prevents any government shutdown, but angered Republicans and virtually assures partisan rancor moving forward.
Trump indictment live updates: Latest news, developments
March 31, 2023 GMTWASHINGTON (AP) — In the first criminal case against a former president, Donald Trump has been indicted on charges involving payments made during the 2016 campaign to silence claims of an extramarital sexual encounter.
Longtime LA politician guilty on federal corruption charges
March 31, 2023 GMTLOS ANGELES (AP) — A longtime Los Angeles politician was convicted Thursday on federal corruption charges in a scheme in which prosecutors said he promised to help steer a multimillion-dollar government contract to the University of Southern California if his son got a scholarship and a teaching job.
Trump indictment and hush money investigation, explained
March 31, 2023 GMTDonald Trump has become the first former president to be indicted in a criminal case after a grand jury investigation into hush money payments made on his behalf during the 2016 presidential campaign.
Mississippi pushes more state policing in mostly Black city
March 31, 2023 GMTJACKSON, Miss. (AP) — The majority-white and Republican-led Mississippi Legislature is taking final steps to expand the the territory of a state-run police department inside the capital city of Jackson, which is majority-Black and governed by Democrats.
Fox lawsuit highlights effects of conspiracies on Dominion
March 31, 2023 GMTPHOENIX (AP) — In Arizona’s most populous county, elected officials are bracing for what could happen when it comes time to replace its $2 million-a-year contract for voting equipment.
Officials in Maricopa County, which includes Phoenix, say they have no concerns about their current vendor, Dominion Voting Systems.
Sports betting bill wins final OK from Kentucky lawmakers
March 31, 2023 GMTFRANKFORT,, Ky. (AP) — A bill to legalize sports betting in Kentucky won final legislative approval Thursday, clearing the last hurdle in the Senate after days of uncertainty over whether backers could muster enough support.
Mississippi picks education head after Black nominee nixed
March 31, 2023 GMTJACKSON, Miss. (AP) — A day after Mississippi’s Republican-led Senate voted against confirming veteran educator Robert P.
Donald Trump was just indicted. Here’s what happens next
March 31, 2023 GMTNEW YORK (AP) — Every day, hundreds of people are taken into law enforcement custody in New York City. Former President Donald Trump is expected to become one of them as early as next week.
Kentucky House gives final passage to medical marijuana bill
March 31, 2023 GMTFRANKFORT, Ky. (AP) — Medical marijuana advocates achieved a long-sought victory Thursday, when Kentucky lawmakers gave final passage to a measure to legalize access to medical cannabis for people suffering from a defined list of debilitating illnesses.
San Diego County supervisor to resign after assault lawsuit
March 31, 2023 GMTSAN DIEGO (AP) — The chair of San Diego County’s board of supervisors said he will resign amid accusations that he sexually assaulted a government employee, completing a swift and shocking fall for a decorated Marine combat veteran whose star rose with his Democratic Party’s ascendancy in the nation’s eighth-largest city.
UK agrees to join Pacific trade pact in post-Brexit deal
March 31, 2023 GMTLONDON (AP) — The U.K. has agreed to join an Asia-Pacific trade pact that includes Japan, Mexico and Australia — the biggest new trade deal Britain has struck since leaving the European Union three years ago.
Arkansas Gov. Sanders, lawmakers call for $124M tax cut plan
March 30, 2023 GMTLITTLE ROCK, Ark. (AP) — Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders and legislative leaders on Thursday called for cutting income taxes by $124 million as they near the end of this year's legislative session.
California’s Newsom starts tour to boost red-state Democrats
March 30, 2023 GMTSACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — California Gov. Gavin Newsom dropped $10 million on a new political action committee Thursday, pledging to boost Democrats in the reddest of red states ahead of the 2024 election and what could be a future run for president.
Joint Base Andrews lifts lockdown; no armed suspect found
March 30, 2023 GMTWASHINGTON (AP) — Joint Base Andrews, one of the nation’s most sensitive military bases and home to Air Force One, emerged from a lockdown Thursday evening after officials were unable to confirm reports of a man carrying an “assault-style” rifle on the base, authorities said.
Who’s who in the Manhattan DA’s Donald Trump indictment
March 30, 2023 GMTAs Donald Trump fought his way to victory in the 2016 presidential campaign, key allies tried to smooth his bumpy path by paying off two women who had been thinking of going public with allegations of extramarital encounters with the Republican.
Among 160 years of presidential scandals, Trump stands alone
March 30, 2023 GMTThough far from the only U.S. president dogged by legal and ethical scandals, Donald Trump now occupies a unique place in history as the first indicted on criminal charges.
Florida Senate OKs easier path to imposing death penalty
March 30, 2023 GMTTALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) — The Florida Senate on Thursday passed a bill repealing a law requiring a unanimous jury recommendation for the death penalty, a reaction to the life sentence handed to the man who massacred 17 people at a Parkland high school.
Maryland votes to expand Medicaid gender-affirming care
March 30, 2023 GMTANNAPOLIS, Md. (AP) — Maryland lawmakers gave final approval Thursday to expanding procedures relating to gender-affirming care that are covered by the state’s Medicaid program.
The 93-39 vote by the House of Delegates sends the measure to Gov.
Suit contests University of Wyoming trans woman in sorority
March 30, 2023 GMTCHEYENNE, Wyo. (AP) — The nationwide battle over the places where transgender people may belong has flared at the University of Wyoming, where a lawsuit filed by seven sorority members challenges the induction of a transgender woman into their local chapter.
NC budget provisions take new import with Medicaid expansion
March 30, 2023 GMTRALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — North Carolina state government budgets usually include policy directives that give any governor heartburn.
This year should be no exception, as the budget proposal from House Republicans unveiled this week that would spend almost $30 billion next fiscal year and almost $31 billion the following year contained several items that Democratic Gov.
How California reparations proposals could become law
March 30, 2023 GMTSACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — Reparations for Black residents in California will move to the state Legislature once a first-in-the-nation task force submits its recommendations and findings by July 1.
Trump’s legal worries extend far beyond charges in New York
March 30, 2023 GMTThe hush money case in New York that has led to criminal charges against Donald Trump is just one of a number of investigations that could pose legal problems for the former president.
North Dakota governor vetoes transgender pronouns bill
March 30, 2023 GMTNorth Dakota's Republican governor vetoed a bill that would generally prohibit public schools teachers and staff from referring to transgender students by pronouns other than those reflecting the sex assigned to them at birth.
Kansas moves to help survivors pursue child sex abuse claims
March 30, 2023 GMTTOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Abuse survivors and advocates who've pushed for legislation making it easier in Kansas to prosecute abusers and file lawsuits decades later have achieved a breakthrough in the Legislature, where the proposal is advancing quickly.
Florida OKs bill to carry concealed guns without a permit
March 30, 2023 GMTTALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) — Floridians will be able to carry concealed guns without a permit under a bill the Legislature sent to Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis on Thursday. The governor said at a suburban Atlanta gun store that he will sign the bill.
Political consultant admits forging petition signatures
March 30, 2023 GMTA Philadelphia political consultant pleaded guilty Thursday to criminal charges for forging signatures to get Democratic nominee clients onto 2019 primary ballots in the city, according to the Attorney General’s office.
Probe: Delays in district’s schools awards not deliberate
March 30, 2023 GMTRICHMOND, Va. (AP) — A third-party investigation into delays by a northern Virginia public school district in recognizing student achievements on a standardized test found no evidence the delays were deliberate, the superintendent said this week.
Indictment: Political campaign worker offered voters bribes
March 30, 2023 GMTPERTH AMBOY, N.J. (AP) — Three political campaign workers have been indicted on charges stemming from a scheme where authorities say one offered $20 supermarket gift cards to voters in return for letting her complete their mail-in ballots.
Judge’s ruling undercuts US health law’s preventive care
March 30, 2023 GMTAUSTIN, Texas (AP) — A federal judge in Texas who previously ruled to dismantle the Affordable Care Act struck down a narrower but key part of the nation's health law Thursday that requires most insurers to cover preventive services that include screenings for cancer, diabetes and mental health.
Wisconsin regents OK tuition increase proposal for 23-24
March 30, 2023 GMTMADISON, Wis. (AP) — University of Wisconsin System students will have to pay hundreds of dollars more to attend classes next year under a plan system officials overwhelmingly approved Thursday.
Wisconsin license delays improve, but agency needs more help
March 30, 2023 GMTMADISON, Wis. (AP) — Wisconsin Republicans questioned the efforts of Democratic Gov. Tony Evers' administration to fix lengthy delays in issuing professional licenses, even as an agency head said Thursday that wait times had improved.
New York’s budget likely late because of ‘big budget issues’
March 30, 2023 GMTALBANY, N.Y. (AP) — New York legislative leaders said Thursday they expected to miss the deadline for adopting a new state budget as they negotiate with fellow Democrat Gov. Kathy Hochul over her proposals to change bail rules and create new housing.
New Hampshire Senate votes to protect presidential primary
March 30, 2023 GMTCONCORD, N.H. (AP) — New Hampshire’s prominent place in the presidential nominating calendar would be enshrined in the state’s constitution under a measure that won unanimous support Thursday in the state Senate.
Rapper’s multimillion-dollar politics conspiracy trial opens
March 30, 2023 GMTWASHINGTON (AP) — A founding member of the 1990s hip-hop group the Fugees was enmeshed in political conspiracies involving millions of dollars in foreign money under two different U.S. presidents, federal prosecutors said as his trial got underway with opening statements Thursday.
Biden calls to revive bank regulations that Trump weakened
March 30, 2023 GMTWASHINGTON (AP) — Weeks after the failure of two banks, President Joe Biden called Thursday for independent regulatory agencies to impose tighter rules on the financial system, telling them that they can act under current law without additional steps taken by Congress.
Manhattan claws back people as urban counties stem outflow
March 30, 2023 GMTTurns out the pandemic hasn't permanently dissuaded people — especially immigrants — from seeking their fortunes amid Manhattan's bustling streets.
The county that encompasses Manhattan added more than 17,000 residents in the year ending last July after losing almost 111,000 people in the previous 12-month period, according to population estimates released Thursday by the U.S.
Biden meets NFL player Damar Hamlin, praises his resilience
March 30, 2023 GMTWASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden met Thursday with Damar Hamlin, the Buffalo Bills safety who went into cardiac arrest and was resuscitated on the field after making a tackle during an NFL game in January.
New Jersey passes bill overhauling campaign finance system
March 30, 2023 GMTTRENTON, N.J. (AP) — New Jersey's Democrat-led Legislature passed a sweeping overhaul of the state's campaign finance laws on Thursday, sending the measure to Democratic Gov. Phil Murphy's desk.
Ex-Boston officer charged with assaulting cop in Jan. 6 riot
March 30, 2023 GMTBOSTON (AP) — A former Boston police officer was arrested Thursday on charges that he assaulted a police officer after storming the U.S. Capitol with the mob of President Donald Trump supporters on Jan.
Republican leaders seek federal inquiry of New Mexico claims
March 30, 2023 GMTSANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — Republican legislative leaders in New Mexico are asking the federal government to investigate two divisions in the state Health Department amid allegations of abuse, neglect and exploitation of developmentally disabled people.
Bolsonaro returns to Brazil after 3-month stint in Florida
March 30, 2023 GMTBRASILIA, Brazil (AP) — Former President Jair Bolsonaro returned Thursday to Brazil after a three-month stint in Florida following his election loss, and the right-wing populist told supporters he doesn’t think leftists will be in power in Brazil for long.
Missouri House bans diversity funding; Senate likely to undo
March 30, 2023 GMTJEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) — Republicans on Thursday voted to ban diversity spending in the government of Missouri, a state known internationally for racial justice protests in Ferguson and the University of Missouri.
House committee passes bill to overturn DC police reform
March 30, 2023 GMTWASHINGTON (AP) — Following through on plans for robust oversight of the nation's capital, House Republicans on Wednesday accused Washington officials of losing control of local affairs, voting to overturn a police reform package passed by the D.C.
Q&A: Prosecutors open up about prisoner’s fatal beating
March 30, 2023 GMTSPRINGFIELD, Ill. (AP) — Three former Illinois prison guards will spend years behind bars for fatally punching, kicking and stomping a 65-year-old inmate after dragging him out of sight of security cameras.
Transcript of AP interview with Volodymyr Zelenskyy
March 30, 2023 GMTON A TRAIN FROM SUMY TO KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — AP Executive Editor Julie Pace interviewed Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy as Zelenskyy visited the southeastern city of Zaporizhzhia, which still faces regular shelling from Russian forces, and northern towns in the Sumy region that were liberated shortly after the war began a year ago.
6 US troops have traumatic brain injury after Syria attacks
March 30, 2023 GMTWASHINGTON (AP) — The Pentagon said Thursday that an additional six troops were injured in attacks last week in northeastern Syria that U.S.
Helicopters in Kentucky crash are versatile Army workhorses
March 30, 2023 GMTTwo U.S. Army Black Hawk medical evacuation helicopters crashed during training Wednesday night in Kentucky, killing nine soldiers.
A look at how the largest US counties gained or lost people
March 30, 2023 GMTSeveral large, urban counties across the United States gained residents or stemmed population declines in the year ending last July after losing residents in the previous 12-month period amid the COVID-19 pandemic, according to the U.S.
New Mexico governor signs bill expanding voter access
March 30, 2023 GMTSANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — New Mexico’s governor Thursday signed a Democratic-sponsored voting rights bill aimed at expanding access to the ballot and two other related measures.
Top UN court rejects Iranian bid to free assets frozen by US
March 30, 2023 GMTTHE HAGUE, Netherlands (AP) — The United Nations’ top court on Thursday rejected Tehran’s legal bid to free up some $2 billion in Iranian central bank assets frozen by U.S. authorities to be paid in compensation to victims of a 1983 bombing in Lebanon and other attacks linked to Iran.
Not just Trump’s VP: Pence touts time as governor, US Rep
March 30, 2023 GMTCEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (AP) — Mike Pence is best known as Donald Trump’s vice president, someone who, apart from one dramatic rejection of his boss ’s effort to overturn their 2020 election defeat, served as a steadfastly loyal, mostly uncontroversial No.
Netanyahu supporters block highway to support judicial plan
March 30, 2023 GMTTEL AVIV, Israel (AP) — Thousands of right-wing Israelis on Thursday blocked a main highway in Tel Aviv as they demonstrated in favor of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's plan to overhaul the country's judicial system.
Buttigieg touts airport projects to boost safety, efficiency
March 30, 2023 GMTFORT WORTH, Texas (AP) — The federal government is spending more money on improvements at Dallas-Fort Worth International and other airports that officials say will increase safety by reducing the number of times that planes on the ground must taxi across active runways.
US: Russia seeks arms-for-food deal with North Korea
March 30, 2023 GMTWASHINGTON (AP) — The White House on Thursday said it has new evidence that Russia is looking again to North Korea for weapons to fuel the war in Ukraine, this time in a deal that would provide Pyongyang with needed food and other commodities in return.
Maryland voters to decide abortion constitutional amendment
March 30, 2023 GMTANNAPOLIS, Md. (AP) — Maryland voters will decide next year whether to enshrine the right to abortion in the Maryland Constitution, after the House of Delegates voted Thursday to put a constitutional amendment on the ballot.
Belarus detains Russian dad convicted in antiwar art case
March 30, 2023 GMTTALLINN, Estonia (AP) — Authorities in Belarus said Thursday they have detained a fugitive single father who escaped house arrest in neighboring Russia shortly before he was convicted of discrediting the army and sentenced to prison following his daughter's antiwar sketch at school.
Biden pick Ajay Banga cleared to take top job at World Bank
March 30, 2023 GMTWASHINGTON (AP) — The Biden administration's choice to run the World Bank — former Mastercard CEO Ajay Banga — appears to have a lock on the job.
The World Bank said Thursday that Banga was the only candidate nominated in a search that began more than a month ago.
US Mideast envoy hopeful Saudi-Iran détente will help region
March 30, 2023 GMTKHARTOUM, Sudan (AP) — The Biden administration is hopeful that warming ties between Iran and Saudi Arabia will help deescalate conflicts and crises across the Middle East, a senior U.S. diplomat said Thursday.
Georgia lawmakers get incomplete grade in transition year
March 30, 2023 GMTATLANTA (AP) — For the Georgia General Assembly, 2023 was a year when a lot of things didn't happen.
Lawmakers pass bill to protect domestic violence victims
March 30, 2023 GMTFRANKFORT, Ky. (AP) — Kentucky lawmakers on Thursday gave final passage to a bill to expand an address confidentiality program intended to protect domestic violence victims from their abusers.
The measure cleared the House on a 96-0 vote and now goes to Gov.