Tornado slams Little Rock, smashes rooftops, flips vehicles
March 31, 2023 GMTLITTLE ROCK, Ark. (AP) — A tornado plowed through Arkansas' capital and surrounding areas Friday afternoon, reducing rooftops to splinters, toppling vehicles and tossing debris on roadways as people raced for shelter.
Worries grow that Trump indictment will eclipse other probes
March 31, 2023 GMTWASHINGTON (AP) — The indictment against former President Donald Trump involving a 2016 hush money payment is raising concerns that it could undermine public confidence in what democracy experts view as far more important investigations.
Factory explosion survivor, on fire, fell into chocolate vat
March 31, 2023 GMTA woman pulled alive from the rubble of a Pennsylvania chocolate factory after an explosion that killed seven co-workers says flames had engulfed the building, and her arm, when the floor gave way beneath her.
Judge: Dominion defamation case against Fox will go to trial
March 31, 2023 GMTDOVER, Del. (AP) — A voting machine company’s defamation case against Fox News over its airing of false allegations about the 2020 presidential election will go to trial after a Delaware judge on Friday ruled that a jury must decide whether the network aired the claims with actual malice, the standard for proving libel against public figures.
US Marine’s adoption of Afghan war orphan voided
March 31, 2023 GMTCHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. (AP) — In a highly unusual ruling, a state court judge on Thursday voided a U.S. Marine’s adoption of an Afghan war orphan, more than a year after he took the little girl away from the Afghan couple raising her.
Baldwin codefendant gets 6 months probation on gun charge
March 31, 2023 GMTSANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — A codefendant in the case against actor Alec Baldwin in the fatal 2021 shooting of a cinematographer on a movie set in New Mexico was convicted Friday of unsafe handling of a firearm and sentenced to six months of probation.
Gwyneth Paltrow scores court win that means more than $1
March 31, 2023 GMTPARK CITY, Utah (AP) — All that for a dollar?
Nah, Gwyneth Paltrow ’s motivation to go to trial to fight a lawsuit accusing her of sending a fellow skier “absolutely flying” at a posh Utah ski resort in 2016 was about vindication.
EPA approves California rules phasing out diesel trucks
March 31, 2023 GMTSACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — The Biden administration cleared the way Friday for California's plan to phase out a wide range of diesel-powered trucks, part of the state's efforts to drastically cut planet-warming emissions and improve air quality in heavy-traffic areas like ports along the coast.
Florida teen debuts trans visibility film as bans spread
March 31, 2023 GMTST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) — A Florida teenager has documented how it feels to be young and transgender for a film set to debut at a festival as transgender people around the world celebrate visibility and lawmakers across the country look to restrict their rights and care.
Brooke Shields takes charge of her story in ‘Pretty Baby’
March 31, 2023 GMTNEW YORK (AP) — Brooke Shields has been known as beautiful, smart and famous since she was a baby, but a new documentary reveals why it’s taken decades for her to feel confident in her talent.
Italy temporarily blocks ChatGPT over privacy concerns
March 31, 2023 GMTROME (AP) — Italy is temporarily blocking the artificial intelligence software ChatGPT in the wake of a data breach as it investigates a possible violation of stringent European Union data protection rules, the government's privacy watchdog said Friday.
No handcuffs but a mugshot: Trump to be arraigned Tuesday
March 31, 2023 GMTNEW YORK (AP) — Former President Donald Trump will be formally arrested and arraigned next Tuesday in his hush money case, court officials said — an announcement promising the historic, shocking scene of a former U.S.
Romania: Andrew Tate’s detention replaced with house arrest
March 31, 2023 GMTBUCHAREST, Romania (AP) — Andrew Tate, the divisive internet personality who has spent months in a Romanian jail on suspicion of organized crime and human trafficking, has won an appeal to replace his detention with house arrest, an official said Friday.
Journalist’s arrest threatens reporting from Russia
March 31, 2023 GMTNEW YORK (AP) — The arrest of a Wall Street Journal reporter on espionage charges in Russia has news organizations based outside the country weighing for the second time in a year whether the risks of reporting there during wartime are too great.
Minneapolis and state agree to revamp policing post-Floyd
March 31, 2023 GMTMINNEAPOLIS (AP) — The city of Minneapolis and the Minnesota Department of Human Rights signed a “court-enforceable settlement agreement” Friday to revamp policing in the city where George Floyd was murdered by an officer nearly three years ago.
Members of exiled Chinese church detained in Thailand
March 31, 2023 GMTBANGKOK, Thailand (AP) — More than 60 self-exiled members of a Chinese Christian church who were detained in Thailand paid fines Friday for overstaying their visas, but remained uncertain about their legal status amid fears they would be deported against their will to their home country, where they face possible persecution.
Russia might put strategic nukes in Belarus, leader says
March 31, 2023 GMTTALLINN, Estonia (AP) — Russian strategic nuclear weapons might be deployed to Belarus along with part of Russia's tactical nuclear arsenal, Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko said Friday, ramping up his rhetoric amid tensions with the West over the Kremlin's war in Ukraine.
Vatican: Pope OK to leave hospital, has pizza, baptizes baby
March 31, 2023 GMTROME (AP) — Pope Francis has been cleared by doctors for discharge on Saturday from the Rome hospital where he was treated for bronchitis, the Vatican said, adding that the pontiff had pizza one evening with medical staff and baptized a baby in the pediatrics ward.
China’s global influence looms over Harris trip to Africa
March 31, 2023 GMTLUSAKA, Zambia (AP) — When Vice President Kamala Harris arrived in Zambia on Friday for the final stop of her weeklong trip across Africa, she touched down at an airport that’s doubled in size and features glittering new terminals.
Final Four: At Florida Atlantic, it’s not ‘F-A-Who?’ anymore
March 31, 2023 GMTHOUSTON (AP) — Nobody will ever mistake Tobacco Road for 777 Glades Road, which is the address of one of history’s most unexpected Final Four party crashers.
But there, across the street from a strip mall anchored by a Whole Foods in the upscale retirement town of Boca Raton, Florida, sits one of the fastest-growing, most-diverse college campuses that very few basketball fans had heard of until this month.
Europe’s inflation eases to 6.9% as energy falls but food up
March 31, 2023 GMTLONDON (AP) — Inflation in the 20 countries that use the euro currency slowed to the lowest level in a year as energy prices dropped, but food costs were still on the rise, keeping pressure on the European Central Bank to hike interest rates further.
Gwyneth Paltrow won her ski trial. Here’s how it played out
March 31, 2023 GMTPARK CITY, Utah (AP) — When two skiers collided on a beginner run at an upscale Utah ski resort in 2016, no one could foresee that seven years later, the crash would become the subject of a closely watched celebrity trial.
March Madness: Final Four set with Miami, SDSU, FAU, UConn
March 31, 2023 GMTMarch Madness has rounded toward the Final Four and No. 1 seeds are nowhere to be found. Instead, the Final Four will have no team seeded better than No.
A key inflation gauge tracked by the Fed slowed in February
March 31, 2023 GMTWASHINGTON (AP) — The Federal Reserve's favored inflation gauge slowed sharply last month, an encouraging sign in the Fed's yearlong effort to cool price pressures through steadily higher interest rates.
Oscar Pistorius stays in prison after his parole is denied
March 31, 2023 GMTPRETORIA, South Africa (AP) — Former Olympic runner Oscar Pistorius was denied parole Friday and will have to stay in prison for at least another year and four months after it was decided that he had not served the “minimum detention period” required to be released following his murder conviction for killing girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp 10 years ago.
Biden to Russia on detained US journalist: ‘Let him go’
March 31, 2023 GMTWASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden on Friday urged Russia to release Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich, who was arrested on espionage charges — allegations the newspaper denies.
MLB opening day has 14 clock violations, stolen base spike
March 31, 2023 GMTCHICAGO (AP) — Marcus Stroman is getting used to Major League Baseball's new pitch clock. And it's no small deal for the Chicago Cubs right-hander.
Pirates hold hostage some crew of oil tanker off West Africa
March 31, 2023 GMTCOPENHAGEN, Denmark (AP) — Six members of the 16-man crew on a Liberia-flagged tanker are being held hostage by pirates who boarded the ship in West Africa’s Gulf of Guinea last week, the Danish shipper that owns the vessel and the French Navy said Friday.
Many electric vehicles to lose big tax credit with new rules
March 31, 2023 GMTWASHINGTON (AP) — Fewer new electric vehicles will qualify for a full $7,500 federal tax credit later this year, and many will get only half that, under rules proposed Friday by the U.S.
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.
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.
Funerals set for Nashville school shooting’s 6 victims
March 31, 2023 GMTNASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Funeral arrangements were disclosed Thursday for the six people killed in this week's school shooting in Nashville, as the grieving city mourns the victims of the horrific attack that transformed what should have been a normal day of school on a bright, sunny morning into wrenching tragedy.
Purdue’s Zach Edey named AP men’s player of the year
March 31, 2023 GMTZach Edey spent the days following Purdue's historic NCAA Tournament loss lying low, his phone turned off, along with the rest of the outside world.
1 year ago, scenes of horror emerged from Ukraine’s Bucha
March 31, 2023 GMTBUCHA, Ukraine (AP) — The cratered roads have been repaved and the damaged houses are gradually being repaired. But the scenes that emerged from this town near Kyiv a year ago, after it was retaken from Russian forces, have indelibly linked its name to the savagery of war.
Gwyneth Paltrow gets vindication at ski collision trial
March 31, 2023 GMTPARK CITY, Utah (AP) — Gwyneth Paltrow wasn’t to blame for a 2016 collision with a retired optometrist on a beginner run at a posh Utah ski resort during a family vacation, a jury decided Thursday following a live-streamed trial that became a pop culture fixation.
Donald Trump indicted; expected to surrender early next week
March 31, 2023 GMTNEW YORK (AP) — Donald Trump has been indicted by a Manhattan grand jury, a historic reckoning after years of investigations into his personal, political and business dealings and an abrupt jolt to his bid to retake the White House.
Richard Branson’s Virgin Orbit slashing 85% of its workforce
March 31, 2023 GMTRichard Branson's Virgin Orbit is letting go of almost its entire work force with the satellite launch company finding it difficult to secure funding three months after a failed mission.
The company, headquartered in Long Beach, California, will cut 675 jobs, about 85% of its workforce, according to a Friday filing with the U.S.
36 bodies found inside well after collapse at Indian temple
March 31, 2023 GMTNEW DELHI (AP) — Thirty-six bodies have been found inside a well at a Hindu temple in central India after dozens of people attending a festival fell into the muddy water when its cover collapsed, officials said Friday.
Death scene in burned ferry moves Filipino rescuers to tears
March 31, 2023 GMTMANILA, Philippines (AP) — A Philippine coast guard commander said Friday that the tragic scenes of death his team saw aboard a gutted ferry, including bodies of adults clutching children, had moved them to tears and sparked fears other passengers could be found dead in the still-smoldering ship.
52 years after capture, orca Lolita may return to Pacific
March 31, 2023 GMTMIAMI (AP) — More than 50 years after the orca known as Lolita was captured for public display, plans are in place to return her from the Miami Seaquarium to her home waters in the Pacific Northwest, where a nearly century-old, endangered killer whale believed to be her mother still swims.
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.
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.
Russia arrests Wall Street Journal reporter on spying charge
March 31, 2023 GMTshow promo - Russia’s top security agency says an American reporter for The Wall Street Journal has been arrested on espionage charges. The Federal Security Service said Thursday that Evan Gershkovich was detained in the Ural Mountains city of Yekaterinburg while allegedly trying to obtain classified information. The Wall Street Journal said it “vehemently denies the allegations” and is seeking Gershkovich’s immediate release. The FSB didn’t say when the arrest took place. Gershkovich could face up to 20 years in prison if convicted of espionage. He is the first American reporter to be arrested on espionage charges in Russia since the Cold War. A Moscow court quickly ruled to keep Gershkovich behind bars pending the investigation.
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.
FBI documents give new view into Las Vegas shooter’s mindset
March 31, 2023 GMTLAS VEGAS (AP) — The high-stakes gambler who carried out the deadliest mass shooting in modern America, killing 60 and injuring hundreds more in Las Vegas, was apparently angry over how the casinos were treating him despite his high-roller status, according to a fellow gambler.
911 calls reveal terror at Nashville school during attack
March 31, 2023 GMTNASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Authorities released 911 recordings on Thursday that capture the terror inside a Nashville elementary school during a mass shooting this week, as callers pleaded for help in hushed voices while sirens, crying and gunfire could be heard in the background.
High inflation pushes poverty rate even higher in Argentina
March 31, 2023 GMTBUENOS AIRES, Argentina (AP) — One of the world’s highest inflation rates is making it more difficult to make ends meet in Argentina, where at the end of last year nearly four of every 10 people were poor, official figures revealed Thursday.
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.
Arrest orders issued for 6 in Mexican detention center fire
March 30, 2023 GMTMEXICO CITY (AP) — A Mexican court issued arrest orders Thursday for six people in relation to the fire that killed 39 migrants at a detention facility this week in the border city of Ciudad Juarez, according to the federal prosecutor leading the investigation.
What to know about Alvin Bragg, Manhattan district attorney
March 30, 2023 GMTA New York grand jury that voted to indict former President Donald Trump on charges involving payments made during the 2016 presidential campaign to silence claims of an extramarital sexual encounter has refocused attention on the Manhattan district attorney steering the case. Alvin Bragg's decision to convene the grand jury early this year led to the first criminal charge against a former U.S.
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.
Minnesota train derailment, ethanol fire renew safety fears
March 30, 2023 GMTPRINSBURG, Minn. (AP) — Hundreds of people had to evacuate their Minnesota town after a train hauling ethanol and corn syrup derailed and caught fire early Thursday, but authorities were hopeful that the quick response and cold weather would help limit the impact of this latest crash.
Turkey’s parliament ratifies Finland’s membership in NATO
March 30, 2023 GMTANKARA, Turkey (AP) — Turkey’s parliament on Thursday ratified Finland’s application to join NATO, lifting the last hurdle in the way of the Nordic country’s long-delayed accession into the Western military alliance.
Nashville shooting timeline: What we know so far
March 30, 2023 GMTMonday’s shooting at a private Christian school in Nashville unfolded over approximately 15 minutes as a shooter opened fire inside, killing six people, before police arrived and fatally shot the suspect.
American detained in Russia a ‘brave, committed’ journalist
March 30, 2023 GMTWorking as a journalist in Moscow seemed a natural fit for Evan Gershkovich, the son of immigrants from the Soviet Union who grew up speaking Russian at home in Princeton, N.J.
After he graduated in 2014 from Bowdoin College, one of the country’s most selective schools, however, “it took me awhile to figure out that journalism was the career for me,” he said in a 2020 interview on the school's website.
How ‘swatting’ calls spread as schools face real threats
March 30, 2023 GMTA spate of threats and false reports of shooters have been pouring into schools and colleges across the country for months, raising concerns among law enforcement and elected leaders.
Schools in Pennsylvania and Utah were the latest targeted by so-called swatting.
9 killed in Army Black Hawk helicopter crash in Kentucky
March 30, 2023 GMTFORT CAMPBELL, Ky. (AP) — U.S. Army investigators are trying to determine what caused two Black Hawk medical evacuation helicopters to crash during a routine nightime training exercise in Kentucky, killing all nine soldiers aboard.
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.
Women’s Final Four secondary ticket market outpaces men’s
March 30, 2023 GMTTickets prices on the secondary market are substantially higher for the women's Final Four than for the men.
The women play in a much smaller venue, but they also have more recognizable names in the their Final Four.
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.
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.
Has T. rex lost its bite? Menacing snarl may be wrong
March 30, 2023 GMTNEW YORK (AP) — The Tyrannosaurus rex is often shown baring massive, sharp teeth, like the ferocious creature in “Jurassic Park.” But new research suggests that this classic image might be wrong.
Canada mass shooting inquiry identifies many police failings
March 30, 2023 GMTTRURO, Nova Scotia (AP) — A public inquiry has found widespread failures in how Canada’s federal police force responded to the country's worst mass shooting and recommends that the government rethink the Royal Canadian Mounted Police’s central role in the country's policing.
Gun injuries in US surged during pandemic, CDC study shows
March 30, 2023 GMTNEW YORK (AP) — For every American killed by gunfire, an estimated two or more more survive, often with terrible injuries — a fact that public health experts say is crucial to understanding the full impact of guns on society.
Pope showing ‘marked improvement,’ could leave hospital soon
March 30, 2023 GMTROME (AP) — Pope Francis showed a “marked improvement” Thursday after being given intravenous antibiotics for a bronchitis infection and could be released from the hospital in the coming days, the Vatican and his doctors reported.
FACT FOCUS: No ‘incredible rise’ in transgender shooters
March 30, 2023 GMTMoments after the assailant who killed six people at a Nashville private school was identified as transgender, a baseless narrative emerged: that there has been an incredible rise in transgender or nonbinary mass shooters in recent years.
College ends partnership with school over the David issue
March 30, 2023 GMTHILLSDALE, Mich. (AP) — A Michigan college has ended its partnership with a Florida charter school whose principal was forced to resign after a parent complained sixth graders were exposed to pornography during a lesson on Renaissance art that included Michelangelo’s David sculpture.
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.
March Madness: South Carolina favored against Clark’s Iowa
March 30, 2023 GMTMarch Madness is down to the Women's Final Four. Defending champion South Carolina remains on track to repeat and complete the 10th undefeated season in the women’s game after its 86-75 win over Maryland.
Responding to Indigenous, Vatican rejects Discovery Doctrine
March 30, 2023 GMTVATICAN CITY (AP) — The Vatican on Thursday responded to Indigenous demands and formally repudiated the “Doctrine of Discovery,” the theories backed by 15th-century “papal bulls” that legitimized the colonial-era seizure of Native lands and form the basis of some property laws today.
Pickleball Slam: Roddick, Agassi, McEnroe, Chang take swings
March 30, 2023 GMTWhen Andy Roddick agreed to join John McEnroe, Andre Agassi and Michael Chang at the Pickleball Slam, the 2003 U.S.
Used car prices are surging. Here’s why you should buy now
March 30, 2023 GMTWell, it was nice while it lasted.
For nearly a year, the average used vehicle in the United States had been edging toward affordable again for millions of people. The relief felt belated and relatively slight, but it was welcome nonetheless.
CNN preaches patience as ratings tank during turnaround
March 30, 2023 GMTNEW YORK (AP) — CNN's leadership is preaching patience even though thousands of viewers are abandoning the network during its attempted turnaround, with no indication yet whether it will be rewarded.
Victims of Nashville school shooting honored in somber vigil
March 30, 2023 GMTNASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Hundreds gathered Wednesday at a candlelight vigil in Nashville to honor and mourn the three children and three adults who were killed in a shooting at a Christian school this week.
Philippine ferry fire kills 31 people; at least 7 missing
March 30, 2023 GMTMANILA, Philippines (AP) — A fire broke out on a ferry in the southern Philippines and raged overnight for eight hours, killing at least 31 of the approximately 250 passengers and crew, officials said Thursday.
Ukraine by rail: Inside Zelenskyy’s efforts to buoy a nation
March 30, 2023 GMTIsrael’s Palestinians mostly sit out democracy protests
March 30, 2023 GMTHAIFA, Israel (AP) — Amal Oraby is usually a fixture at street protests. But as tens of thousands of Israelis have demonstrated for months against a contentious government plan to overhaul the judiciary, Oraby is sitting this one out.
Sibling, 5, fatally shoots 16-month-old brother in Indiana
March 30, 2023 GMTLAFAYETTE, Ind. (AP) — A 16-month-old boy was fatally shot by his 5-year-old sibling at a northwestern Indiana apartment, authorities said.