Month: March 2024

By DAVID KOENIG AP Airlines Writer The FBI is telling people who were on board the Boeing 737 Max that lost a panel in midflight that they might be victims of a crime. In letters to some of the passengers, an FBI victim specialist says the case is currently under investigation by the FBI. A

By LEAH WILLINGHAM Associated Press CHARLESTON, W.Va. (AP) — West Virginia Republican Gov. Jim Justice has signed a law that supporters say promotes the free exchange of ideas in science classrooms. Opponents say it’s constitutionally vague and could allow for the incursion of religion into public schools. The legislation allows public school teachers to answer

By BRUCE SCHREINER Associated Press FRANKFORT, Ky. (AP) — Kentucky lawmakers have wrapped up work on a bill meant to help attract nuclear energy projects to a state where coal has been king for generations. The House gave the measure final passage Friday. It now goes to Democratic Gov. Andy Beshear. The bill cleared the

By ADRIAN SAINZ Associated Press MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) — Relatives of Tyre Nichols, George Floyd and Eric Garner are expressing frustration with politicians who have failed to pass legislation targeting police violence or have worked to invalidate laws intended to reduce chances that citizens’ encounters with police end in death. Philonise Floyd, the brother of

By MARK STEVENSON Associated Press MEXICO CITY (AP) — Mexico’s president says he won’t fight drug cartels on U.S. orders, in the clearest explanation yet of his refusal to confront the gangs. President Andrés Manuel López Obrador has laid out various justifications over the years for his “hugs, not bullets” policy of avoiding clashes with

By ADAM BEAM Associated Press SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — California’s unemployment rate is now the highest in the country. The state’s unemployment rate was 5.3% in February. That’s higher than Nevada’s 5.2% rate. The national unemployment rate is 3.9%. The increase comes after new data revealed job growth in California was much slower last year

BOISE, Idaho (AP) — The GOP-led Idaho Legislature has passed a bill that would ban the use of any public funds for gender-affirming care, including for state employees using work health insurance and for adults covered by Medicaid. The Senate overwhelmingly approved the measure Friday after it previously passed through the House. It will be

By COLLIN BINKLEY AP Education Writer WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. Education Department says it discovered a calculation error in hundreds of thousands of student financial aid applications sent to colleges this month and will need to reprocess them, a blunder that follows a series of others and threatens further delays to this year’s college

By FARNOUSH AMIRI Associated Press WASHINGTON (AP) — Barely six months into the job, House Speaker Mike Johnson is at risk of the same conservative revolt that took down his predecessor. The next steps following a resolution filed Friday by Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene to remove him from office will determine Johnson’s political future as

By JOHN RABY Associated Press CHARLESTON (AP) — The National Guard has joined in fighting wildfires that erupted this week in West Virginia. Two Blackhawk helicopters dropped water from buckets on the fires Friday in steep, wooded terrain in Hardy County, near the Virginia border. Officials say the fires have burned more than 4,000 acres

By JAMIE STENGLE Associated Press DALLAS (AP) — A Texas medical panel has rebuffed calls to list specific exceptions to one of the most restrictive abortions bans in the U.S., which physicians say is dangerously unclear and has forced women with serious pregnancy complications to leave the state. The head of the Texas Medical Board

CHICAGO (AP) — A pair of juries has found two men guilty of killing a Chicago boy almost nine years ago. The Sun-Times reports jurors on Thursday found 29-year-old Jamal Joiner and 28-year-old Rasheed Martin each guilty of murder in connection with the death of 7-year-old Amari Brown. The jurors also found them each guilty

By SYLVIA HUI Associated Press LONDON (AP) — One of the most famous, photographed and talked-about women in the world is fighting a very personal battle. Kate, Princess of Wales, disclosed Friday that she is being treated for an unspecified form of cancer. The revelation went alongside a request for “some time, space and privacy

By CARLA K. JOHNSON AP Medical Writer Kate, the Princess of Wales, has disclosed that she has cancer and is undergoing chemotherapy — though in a video announcement Friday, she did not say what kind of cancer or reveal details of her treatment. Here’s what is known: What kind of surgery did Kate have? Kate

By SARA CLINE Associated Press BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) — Louisiana crawfish are in demand despite a shortage of the mudbugs driven by last summer’s drought, extreme heat, saltwater intrusion on the Mississippi River and a hard winter freeze. The state is the nation’s top producer of crawfish, but last year harvested a fraction of

By JEFF AMY Associated Press ATLANTA (AP) — A former Georgia insurance commissioner is pleading guilty to conspiring to commit health care fraud. John W. Oxendine of Johns Creek entered the guilty plea Friday in federal court in Atlanta. The crime is punishable by up to 10 years in prison, but the 61-year-old Oxendine is

By JACK DURA Associated Press BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) — A Democratic state senator in North Dakota has filed paperwork for a campaign to run for governor. Merrill Piepkorn, of Fargo, did not confirm his candidacy. However, he said he is planning a press conference soon. Democrat and security guard Travis Hipsher also is running for

By JOHN RABY Associated Press CHARLESTON, W.Va. (AP) — West Virginia has become the 12th state to ban smoking in vehicles with children present. Republican Gov. Jim Justice signed a bill Friday that would fine violators up to $25, but only if a vehicle is pulled over for another offense. Smoking with children present cannot

By STEPHEN GROVES Associated Press WASHINGTON (AP) — Rep. Mike Gallagher, a Wisconsin Republican who has spearheaded House pushback against the Chinese government, says he will resign from the House. Gallagher will resign his position on April 19. It will leave Republicans with a 217-213 majority in the House, meaning that they cannot afford to

By STEPHEN WHYNO AP Sports Writer WASHINGTON (AP) — The attorney general for the District of Columbia contends that the NBA’s Washington Wizards and NHL’s Washington Capitals are obligated to play their games in the downtown arena through 2047. Brian Schwalb made that assertion in a letter to Monumental Sports and Entertainment this week. The

By STEVE REED AP Sports Writer CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — The Atlantic Coast Conference and Florida State squared off in a courtroom for the first time Friday, following the member school’s push to exit the conference for a more lucrative landing spot elsewhere. During a four-hour hearing at Mecklenburg County courthouse, attorneys from both sides

LONDON (AP) — Kate, Princess of Wales, has released a statement saying she has been diagnosed with cancer. In it, she said she wanted to thank people for their messages of support after her abdominal surgery in January. She said her condition was initially thought to be non-cancerous but tests after the operation found cancer.

By MARK SCOLFORO Associated Press HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — Some of Pennsylvania’s most populous counties are relocating polling places out of synagogues because next month’s primary election falls on the first day of Passover. The primary election is April 23. In Allegheny County, which includes Pittsburgh, the election board voted to relocate 16 polling places

By BRUCE SCHREINER Associated Press FRANKFORT, Ky. (AP) — A Republican lawmaker in Kentucky says a bill shielding doctors and other health providers from criminal liability is broad enough to apply to in vitro fertilization services. State Sen. Whitney Westerfield made the comments Friday as the bill won final passage. The measure now goes to

By ALEX VEIGA AP Business Writer Real estate brokerage company Compass Inc. will pay $57.5 million as part of a proposed settlement to resolve lawsuits over real estate commissions. The New York-based company also agreed to change its business practices to ensure clients can more clearly understand how brokers and agents are compensated for their

LOS ANGELES (AP) — As global warming raises temperatures, a California work safety board has approved standards that would require companies to protect employees from excessive indoor heat, particularly in warehouses. But the rules still need to overcome opposition by another state agency. The Los Angeles Times reports the rules were approved Thursday by the

By SUSAN MONTOYA BRYAN Associated Press ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — Federal prosecutors have charged a South Carolina man with carjacking resulting in death and the gunning down of a New Mexico state police officer who had stopped to help him. Authorities made the announcement Friday on the steps of the federal courthouse in Albuquerque, just

By ERIC TUCKER Associated Press WASHINGTON (AP) — The White House says President Joe Biden plans to host Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani next month. The visit comes as the countries hold formal talks about winding down the mission of a U.S.-led military coalition formed to fight the Islamic State group in Iraq. The

HOT SPRINGS, Va. (AP) — Virginia State Police have identified the five people killed when a small private jet crashed as it approached a rural airport earlier this month. Police say the twin-engine jet left Fort Lauderdale, Florida, on March 10 and was to land at Ingalls Field Airport in Hot Springs, Virginia, when it

By MATTHEW LEE and JOSEF FEDERMAN Associated Press TEL AVIV, Israel (AP) — U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Friday once again left the Middle East empty-handed as Israel’s prime minister rejected American appeals to call off a promised ground invasion of the southern Gaza city of Rafah, which is overflowing with displaced civilians.

Valentino’s longtime creative director, Pierpaolo Piccioli, has announced his departure from the storied Italian fashion house. In an emotional statement shared Friday on Instagram, Piccioli reflected on his 25-year tenure with the brand, thanking co-founders Valentino Garavani and Giancarlo Giammetti and the team that contributed to the brand’s success during his time. The designer, known

By BRIAN MELLEY and JILL LAWLESS Associated Press LONDON (AP) — Kate, the Princess of Wales, said Friday she has cancer and is undergoing chemotherapy. The video announcement came after weeks of speculation spread on social media about her whereabouts and health since she was hospitalized in January for unspecified abdominal surgery. Kate, 42, hadn’t

MOSCOW (AP) — Russia’s state RIA Novosti news agency says several gunmen fired shots at a concert hall in Moscow on Friday, leaving a number of people injured. RIA Novosti said at least three people in combat fatigues fired weapons. The state Tass news agency also reported the shooting at the Crocus City Hall, a

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP) — U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris has arrived in Puerto Rico as part of a whirlwind trip to tout the federal aid the U.S. territory has received following deadly hurricanes and attend a Democratic fundraiser. Her visit Friday comes days after U.S. President Joe Biden launched a campaign targeting Latino

By LINDSEY BAHR AP Film Writer Joana Vicente is stepping down as the CEO of the Sundance Institute, the nonprofit behind the annual Sundance Film Festival, after two and a half years. “She has been a true advocate for independent storytellers, and I know she will continue to positively impact this community,” said Sundance Institute

By TODD RICHMOND Associated Press MADISON, Wis. (AP) — A federal judge has temporarily blocked plans to build a high-voltage power line across a Mississippi River wildlife refuge. American Transmission Company, ITC Midwest and Dairyland Power Cooperative are building a 102-mile transmission line linking Iowa’s Dubuque County and Wisconsin’s Dane County. About a mile of

By NICK PERRY and HOLLY RAMER Associated Press HOPKINTON, N.H. (AP) — The latest effort to force the hand-counting of ballots in New Hampshire has fallen flat. Followers of MyPillow founder and Donald Trump ally Mike Lindell initially hoped to gather enough petitions to bring the topic up at 55 annual town meetings this month.

By MICHAEL R. SISAK Associated Press NEW YORK (AP) — Donald Trump says he has almost a half-billion dollars in cash but would rather spend it on his presidential run instead of the $454 million civil fraud judgment against him in New York. The former Republican president hopes to have a court excuse him from

Associated Press (AP) — A court in Romania’s capital has denied a request by online influencer Andrew Tate to return assets that were seized during investigations into the case in which he is charged with human trafficking, rape and forming a criminal gang to sexually exploit women. Tate’s spokesperson says he will appeal the ruling

LONDON (AP) — The online auction of a trove of letters, photos and other items that Pattie Boyd, who was at the heart of the Swinging 60s, concluded Friday — and it’s safe to say that it really surpassed all expectations. Christie’s, the world-renowned auction house, said its online sale of The Pattie Boyd Collection

By LISA MASCARO and FARNOUSH AMIRI Associated Press WASHINGTON (AP) — House Speaker Mike Johnson is at risk of being ousted. Hard-right Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia filed a motion to vacate on Friday in the middle of a House vote on a $1.2 trillion package to keep the government open. It’s the same

DETROIT (AP) — Jeep maker Stellantis is laying off about 400 white-collar workers in the U.S. as it deals with the transition from combustion engines to electric vehicles. The company formed in the 2021 merger between PSA Peugeot and Fiat Chrysler says the affected workers are mainly in engineering, technology and software at the headquarters

By MICHAEL KUNZELMAN Associated Press WASHINGTON (AP) — A St. Louis Cardinals super fan known as “Rally Runner” has pleaded guilty to storming the U.S. Capitol while wearing red face paint and red clothes. Rally Runner pleaded guilty on Friday to a felony charge of civil disorder and is scheduled to be sentenced in July.

By ROB MAADDI AP Pro Football Writer TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — Welsh rugby star Louis Rees-Zammit was dripping sweat and still catching his breath after finishing up receiving drills when several NFL scouts approached him at the University of South Florida’s pro day. Rees-Zammit politely answered every question before walking off to speak to reporters.

WARSAW, Poland (AP) — Poland’s government has prepared new legislation to boost the nation’s capacity for self-defense, including more funding for first aid courses, better public warning systems, and more emergency shelters. Ministers say the bill was prompted by the war that neighboring Ukraine is fighting against Russia’s aggression. Russia has recently captured territory in

By MELINA WALLING Associated Press Champions of organic farming have long portrayed it as friendlier to humans and the earth. But a new study in a California county found a surprising effect as their acreage grew — their conventional neighbors were using more pesticides than before. The researchers, whose work appears in this week’s journal