Higher cancer rates found in military pilots, ground crews
March 19, 2023 GMTWASHINGTON (AP) — A Pentagon study has found high rates of cancer among military pilots and for the first time has shown that ground crews who fuel, maintain and launch those aircraft are also getting sick.
Trump says he expects to be arrested, calls for protest
March 19, 2023 GMTNEW YORK (AP) — Donald Trump claimed on Saturday that his arrest is imminent and issued an extraordinary call for his supporters to protest as a New York grand jury investigates hush money payments to women who alleged sexual encounters with the former president.
In Chicago mayor’s race, 2 hopefuls reflect Democrats’ split
March 19, 2023 GMTCHICAGO (AP) — Before they were rivals to be Chicago’s next mayor, Paul Vallas and Brandon Johnson both worked in education, though their career paths — like their views on the city's future — were very different.
Republican bills push cash bail, subvert Democratic changes
March 19, 2023 GMTMADISON, Wis. (AP) — Just two days before he drove his SUV through a Christmas parade in suburban Milwaukee, killing six people and injuring more than 60, Darrell Brooks Jr.
GOP donor faces trial on charges of sex trafficking minors
March 19, 2023 GMTMINNEAPOLIS (AP) — A formerly well-connected Republican donor, accused of plying petite, vulnerable teenage girls with cash, liquor and gifts, goes on trial Tuesday on federal charges of sex trafficking minors.
Some Trump rivals rally to his side as possible charges loom
March 18, 2023 GMTNORTH CHARLESTON, S.C. (AP) — Top Republicans, including some of Donald Trump's potential rivals for the GOP's 2024 presidential nomination, rushed to his defense Saturday after Trump said he is bracing for possible arrest.
Haley, Ramaswamy among those taking on ‘woke ideology’ in SC
March 18, 2023 GMTNORTH CHARLESTON, S.C. (AP) — Republicans who are seeking to lead their party in the 2024 presidential race gathered in South Carolina this weekend with a goal at the forefront of their agenda: taking on “woke ideology.”
Election conspiracy movement grinds on as 2024 approaches
March 19, 2023 GMTFRANKLIN, Tenn. (AP) — One by one, the presenters inside the crowded hotel ballroom shared their computer screens and promised to show how easy it is to hack into voting systems across the U.S.
Drawing gasps from the crowd, they highlighted theoretical vulnerabilities and problems from past elections.
Bank failures: Anger in Congress, but division on what to do
March 18, 2023 GMTWASHINGTON (AP) — Bills were filed, hearings were planned and blame was cast as Congress reacted this past week to the abrupt failure of two banks.
UN commission calls for closing the gender digital divide
March 19, 2023 GMTUNITED NATIONS (AP) — The U.N.’s premiere global body fighting for gender equality on Saturday called for wide-ranging efforts to close the gap between men and women in today’s technology-driven world and urged zero tolerance for gender-based violence and harassment online.
From highlands to the coast, quake damages Ecuador, Peru
March 19, 2023 GMTQUITO, Ecuador (AP) — Juan Vera lost three relatives when a strong earthquake that shook parts of Ecuador and Peru on Saturday brought down his niece’s home. The government has offered to pay for the woman’s funeral and those of her baby and her partner, but Vera wonders why local authorities allowed his relatives to live in such an old home to begin with.
Russia’s Putin makes surprise trip to occupied Mariupol
March 19, 2023 GMTKYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Russian President Vladimir Putin visited the occupied port city of Mariupol, his first trip to Ukrainian territory that Moscow illegally annexed in September and a show of defiance after the International Criminal Court issued a warrant for his arrest on war crimes charges.
Pakistani police file terrorism charges against ex-PM Khan
March 19, 2023 GMTISLAMABAD (AP) — Police in the Pakistani capital filed charges Sunday against former Prime Minister Imran Khan, 17 of his aides and scores of supporters, accusing them of terrorism and several other offenses after the ousted premier's followers clashed with security forces in Islamabad the previous day.
Serbian president criticizes ICC arrest warrant for Putin
March 19, 2023 GMTBELGRADE, Serbia (AP) — Issuing an international arrest warrant for Russian President Vladimir Putin will have negative consequences and will only prolong the war in Ukraine, Serbia’s president said Sunday.
Vandals attack French politician’s office over pensions row
March 19, 2023 GMTPARIS (AP) — Protesters have vandalized the Nice office of the president of the Republicans party in an apparent threat to get his right-wing party to vote to block President Emmanuel Macron’s pension reform.
Fight over science holds up key UN climate report
March 19, 2023 GMTBERLIN (AP) — Publication of a major new United Nations report on climate change is being held up by a battle between rich and developing countries over emissions targets and financial aid to vulnerable nations.
Long-serving Montenegro president seeks re-election
March 19, 2023 GMTPODGORICA, Montenegro (AP) — Voters in Montenegro are casting ballots Sunday in a presidential election marked by political turmoil and uncertainty over whether the small NATO member state in the Balkans will unblock its bid to join the European Union or instead seek to improve ties with Serbia and Russia.
Netanyahu urges military chief to contain reservist protest
March 19, 2023 GMTTEL AVIV, Israel (AP) — Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu urged the military's chief of staff on Sunday to contain a wave of protest from within the ranks over a contentious government plan to overhaul the judiciary.
North Korea launches missile into sea amid US-SKorea drills
March 19, 2023 GMTSEOUL, South Korea (AP) — North Korea launched a short-range ballistic missile toward the sea on Sunday, its neighbors said, ramping up testing activities in response to ongoing U.S.-South Korean military drills that it views as an invasion rehearsal.
Qatar charges ex-finance minister with bribery, embezzlement
March 19, 2023 GMTDUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Qatar announced Sunday the nation's former finance minister faces charges including bribery and embezzlement from his time in the post.
Ali Sharif al-Emadi was arrested in May 2021, with little about his case being made public.
Macron’s leadership at risk amid tensions over pension plan
March 19, 2023 GMTPARIS (AP) — A parody photo appearing on protest signs and online in France shows President Emmanuel Macron sitting on piles of garbage. The image references the trash going uncollected with sanitation workers on strike, but also what many French people think about their leader.
Mexico president holds massive rally ahead of 2024 elections
March 19, 2023 GMTMEXICO CITY (AP) — Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador held a massive rally in Mexico City’s main plaza attended by tens of thousands of people Saturday.
Though it was called to commemorate Mexico's 1938 expropriation of the oil industry, many of those attending the rally Saturday agreed that it was the de-facto opening salvo to the 2024 elections that will choose the president’s successor.
New Mexico Legislature passes sweeping tax-relief plan
March 19, 2023 GMTSANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — New Mexico's Legislature passed a $1.1 billion tax relief package Saturday at the close of its annual session as lawmakers tapped a financial windfall from oil production in efforts to break through entrenched cycles of poverty with tax refunds to working families with children, reduced tax rates and increased incentives for private industry.
Serbia, Kosovo agree on how to implement EU plan, envoy says
March 18, 2023 GMTOHRID, North Macedonia (AP) — The leaders of Serbia and Kosovo have tentatively agreed on how to implement a European Union-sponsored plan to normalize their relations after decades of tensions between the two Balkan wartime foes, EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said Saturday after chairing talks between them.
French protesters march past garbage piles, resisting Macron
March 18, 2023 GMTPARIS (AP) — A smattering of protests against President Emmanuel Macron’s plan to raise France's retirement age from 62 to 64 took place Saturday in Paris and beyond, as uncollected garbage reeked in the streets of the French capital amid a strike by sanitation workers.
Russia, Ukraine extend grain deal to aid world’s poor
March 18, 2023 GMTKYIV, Ukraine (AP) — An unprecedented wartime deal that allowed grain to flow from Ukraine to countries in Africa, the Middle East and Asia where hunger is a growing threat and high food prices are pushing more people into poverty was extended just before its expiration date, officials said Saturday.
Supervisor in Tyre Nichols’ death retired before firing
March 18, 2023 GMTMEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) — The Memphis police supervisor on scene when Tyre Nichols was beaten to death by officers retired with his benefits the day before a hearing to fire him, according to documents filed to revoke his law enforcement certification.
Wyoming governor signs measure prohibiting abortion pills
March 18, 2023 GMTWyoming Gov. Mark Gordon has signed into law the nation's first explicit ban on abortion pills since they became the predominant choice for abortion in the U.S. in recent years.
Gordon, a Republican, signed the bill Friday night while allowing a separate measure restricting abortion to become law without his signature.
UK minister in Rwanda to reinforce migrant deportation plan
March 18, 2023 GMTLONDON (AP) — Britain's interior minister arrived in Rwanda on Saturday for a visit aimed at reinforcing the U.K. government's commitment to a controversial plan to deport some asylum-seekers to the African country.
Pro-Moscow voices tried to steer Ohio train disaster debate
March 18, 2023 GMTWASHINGTON (AP) — Soon after a train derailed and spilled toxic chemicals in Ohio last month, anonymous pro-Russian accounts started spreading misleading claims and anti-American propaganda about it on Twitter, using Elon Musk's new verification system to expand their reach while creating the illusion of credibility.
How a warrant for Putin puts new spin on Xi visit to Russia
March 18, 2023 GMTFacing arrest warrant, Russia’s Putin visits annexed Crimea
March 18, 2023 GMTKYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Russian President Vladimir Putin traveled to Crimea to mark the ninth anniversary of the Black Sea peninsula’s annexation from Ukraine on Saturday, the day after the International Criminal Court issued an arrest warrant for the Russian leader accusing him of war crimes.
Judge extends agreement date for Oklahoma poultry lawsuit
March 18, 2023 GMTA federal judge is giving Oklahoma and nearly a dozen poultry companies, including the world’s largest poultry producer, Tyson Foods, an additional 90 days to reach an agreement on plans to clean a watershed polluted by chicken litter.
Vatican closes embassy in Nicaragua after Ortega’s crackdown
March 18, 2023 GMTVATICAN CITY (AP) — The Vatican said Saturday it had closed its embassy in Nicaragua after the country's government proposed suspending diplomatic relations, the latest episode in a yearslong crackdown on the Catholic Church by the administration of Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega.
Japan, German leaders agree to strengthen ties, supply chain
March 18, 2023 GMTTOKYO (AP) — German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida on Saturday held the first round of government consultations in Tokyo and agreed to strengthen economic and defense ties to better cope with China's growing influence and global security concerns.
Turkey’s top diplomat visits Cairo in effort to mend ties
March 18, 2023 GMTCAIRO (AP) — Turkey’s chief diplomat was in Cairo on Saturday for talks with Egyptian officials as the regional powers seek to mend their frayed ties after years of tension.
Mevlut Cavusoglu, Turkey's foreign minister, arrived in the Egyptian capital early Saturday.
Kazakhs to vote in newly energized parliament elections
March 18, 2023 GMTMOSCOW (AP) — Voters in Kazakhstan will cast ballots Sunday after a short but active campaign for seats in the lower house of parliament that is being reconfigured in the wake of deadly unrest that gripped the resource-rich Central Asian nation a year ago.
New Mexico passes bill to safeguard abortion providers
March 18, 2023 GMTSANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — New Mexico legislators raced against the clock Friday to advance hard-fought proposals aimed at safeguarding abortion access, delivering tax relief and reducing gun violence in the final hours of a 60-day legislative session.
West spotlights North Korea rights abuses; China opposes
March 18, 2023 GMTUNITED NATIONS (AP) — The United States, its Western allies and experts shone a spotlight on the dire human rights situation and increasing repression in North Korea at a U.N. meeting Friday that China and Russia denounced as a politicized move likely to further escalate tensions on the Korean peninsula.
Mexican migrant killed in California capsize left daughter
March 18, 2023 GMTMEXICO CITY (AP) — Yecenia Lazcano Soriano left behind a 4-year-old daughter in her home town of Tehuacan, Mexico, when she set out almost in secret to reach the United States.
The last message she sent to relatives was a heart emoji.
Tougher riot penalties becoming NC law with no Cooper veto
March 18, 2023 GMTRALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — Increased punishments for rioting in North Carolina will become law later this year as Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper announced on Friday he wouldn't use his veto stamp on legislation that's similar to a bill he successfully blocked in 2021.
New Mexico opts for veto power on spent nuclear fuel debate
March 18, 2023 GMTALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — New Mexico's governor on Friday signed legislation aimed at keeping spent nuclear fuel produced by commercial U.S. nuclear power plants from being shipped to the state, just hours after the measure cleared its final legislative hurdle.
Officials are preparing security in case of Trump indictment
March 18, 2023 GMTNEW YORK (AP) — Law enforcement officials in New York are making security preparations for the possibility that former President Donald Trump could be indicted in the coming weeks and appear in a Manhattan courtroom in an investigation examining hush money paid to women who alleged sexual encounters with him, four law enforcement officials said Friday.
Judge orders more Trump lawyer testimony in Mar-a-Lago probe
March 18, 2023 GMTWASHINGTON (AP) — Federal prosecutors investigating the potential mishandling of classified documents at former President Donald Trump's Florida estate will be able to again question a Trump lawyer before a grand jury, a judge has ruled in a sealed order.
Dems say some foreign gifts to Trump remain unaccounted for
March 18, 2023 GMTWASHINGTON (AP) — Donald Trump's White House has failed to report more than 100 gifts from foreign nations worth more than a quarter-million dollars, and federal officials have been unable to find a life-size painting of Trump given by the president of El Salvador as well as golf clubs from the prime minister of Japan, according to a report Friday from House Democrats.
Russia will extend Ukraine grain deal for 60 days — not 120
March 18, 2023 GMTUNITED NATIONS (AP) — On the eve of the expiration of a deal enabling Ukraine to export grain, the United Nations’ humanitarian chief on Friday called its extension crucial to ensuring global food supplies and keeping prices from spiraling as they did after Russia’s invasion of its smaller neighbor.
Native American groups blast governor for agency appointment
March 18, 2023 GMTSANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — A coalition of advocates dedicated to stemming the tide of violence and missing persons cases in Indian Country is demanding more transparency from New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham, saying there should be greater accountability in the system for vetting state-appointed positions that serve Indigenous communities.
Will Americans end up footing the bill for bank failures?
March 17, 2023 GMTWASHINGTON (AP) — The government's response to the failure of two large banks has already involved hundreds of billions of dollars. So will ordinary Americans end up paying for it, one way or another?
Supreme Court honors legacy of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg
March 17, 2023 GMTWASHINGTON (AP) — Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, whose death ahead of the 2020 election led to a conservative shift on the Supreme Court, was remembered Friday during ceremonies at the high court as a legendary champion for women's rights.
Guest lineups for the Sunday news shows
March 17, 2023 GMTWASHINGTON (AP) — ABC’s “This Week” — Former Vice President Mike Pence; Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass.
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NBC’s “Meet the Press” — Warren; Sen. Mike Rounds, R-S.D.
‘I’M BACK!’: Trump returns to Facebook after reinstatement
March 17, 2023 GMTNEW YORK (AP) — Former President Donald Trump has returned to Facebook after a more than two-year ban.
“I’M BACK!” Trump posted on the site weeks after his personal account was reactivated.
State voter fraud system fractures as Republicans opt out
March 17, 2023 GMTATLANTA (AP) — Election officials from states enrolled in a bipartisan effort to ensure accurate voter lists decided Friday against making rule changes that had been pushed by Republicans amid conspiracies targeting the group, prompting more GOP-leaning states to leave.
Biden cheers for Irish bonds, unity on St. Patrick’s Day
March 17, 2023 GMTWASHINGTON (AP) — Sporting a green tie and shamrocks for St. Patrick’s Day, President Joe Biden on Friday voiced his support for a recent economic accord affecting Ireland as he hosted the republic's prime minister, a longstanding meetup scuttled by the COVID-19 pandemic the past two years.
Former Air Force officer gets prison term for Capitol attack
March 17, 2023 GMTWASHINGTON (AP) — A retired Air Force officer who stormed the U.S. Capitol dressed in combat gear and carried zip-tie handcuffs into the Senate gallery was sentenced on Friday to two years in prison.
State and US officials tout spending to plug ‘orphan wells’
March 17, 2023 GMTATCHAFALAYA NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE, La. (AP) — Stacks of valves, networks of pipes and hulking, two-story-tall tanks litter parts of the swampy landscape of Louisiana’s Atchafalaya Basin, rusting relics of sites where oil wells were drilled in the 1970s, an unwanted legacy of the energy industry that has long helped drive the Louisiana economy.
Veto of Kansas bill on trans athletes sets up override fight
March 17, 2023 GMTTOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — A Kansas bill banning transgender athletes from girls' and women's sports was vetoed by Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly for the third year in a row Friday, setting up a hotly contested fight in the Republican-controlled Legislature to override her.
EPA tells states not to block waste from Ohio derailment
March 17, 2023 GMTThe U.S. Environmental Protection Agency on Friday ordered states to stop blocking contaminated waste from a fiery train derailment in Ohio from being sent to hazardous waste storage sites around the nation.
Haiti PM turns to military for help in fighting gangs
March 17, 2023 GMTPORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti (AP) — Prime Minister Ariel Henry signaled Friday that he wants to mobilize Haiti’s military to help the National Police fight the country’s increasingly powerful gangs.
Henry said during an appearance at the Haitian Armed Forces headquarters that he intends to mobilize all of the country’s security forces in the fight against gang violence.
Wisconsin Democratic Secretary of State La Follette resigns
March 17, 2023 GMTMADISON, Wis. (AP) — Wisconsin's longtime Democratic Secretary of State Doug La Follette abruptly resigned on Friday, saying he was leaving three months into his 11th consecutive term “to focus on my personal needs” after watching the office be stripped of its power over the past 50 years.
Ex-Tennessee lawmaker asks judge to withdraw guilty plea
March 17, 2023 GMTNASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — A former Tennessee state senator accused of violating federal campaign finance laws is seeking to withdraw his guilty plea, arguing that he initially did so with “unsure heart and confused mind.”
Maryland lawmakers allot more money to K-12 education
March 17, 2023 GMTANNAPOLIS, Md. (AP) — Maryland lawmakers are working to shift between $300 million and $400 million in the state budget to add more help to implement the state's K-12 education funding law, known as the Blueprint for Maryland's Future.
6 women who went missing in Mexico were killed, burned
March 17, 2023 GMTMEXICO CITY (AP) — Prosecutors in Mexico confirmed Friday that six women who went missing on March 7 were killed and their bodies burned by a gang of armed men.
It was one of the largest collective killings of a group of women in recent years in Mexico.
Favre must remain in welfare lawsuit, Mississippi argues
March 17, 2023 GMTJACKSON, Miss. (AP) — A judge should ignore a request from retired NFL quarterback Brett Favre to be removed from a civil lawsuit that seeks to recover misspent welfare money in Mississippi’s largest-ever public corruption case, the state Department of Human Services said this week.
Haaland criticized over ‘difficult’ choice on Willow project
March 17, 2023 GMTWASHINGTON (AP) — In early March, President Joe Biden met with members of Alaska's bipartisan congressional delegation as they implored him to approve a contentious oil drilling project in their state.
Lawmaker pauses filibuster on agreement to debate trans bill
March 17, 2023 GMTA lawmaker who has been holding up the work of the Nebraska Legislature for weeks to protest a bill that would ban gender-affirming therapies for minors has paused her persistent filibuster in a deal that will see lawmakers debate the bill next week.
Republicans gain supermajority in Louisiana House
March 17, 2023 GMTBATON ROUGE, La. (AP) — Republicans now have a two-thirds supermajority in both the Louisiana House and Senate after the state’s longest serving legislator switched parties Friday, giving the GOP the power to override gubernatorial vetoes.
Greece raises minimum wage to pre-bailout levels
March 17, 2023 GMTATHENS, Greece (AP) — Greece announced on Friday an increase in the minimum wage that will restore pay to levels existing before sweeping cuts were imposed more than a decade ago during an international bailout.
Vermont Senate passes bill to protect abortion providers
March 17, 2023 GMTMONTPELIER, Vt. (AP) — The Vermont Senate on Friday passed a bill that aims to protect health care workers from disciplinary action for providing abortions and gender-affirming health care, and change insurance premium charges related to such care.
Biden calls for tougher penalties for execs of failed banks
March 17, 2023 GMTWASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden on Friday called on Congress to allow regulators to impose tougher penalties on the executives of failed banks, including clawing back compensation and making it easier to bar them from working in the industry.
20 years after U.S. invasion, young Iraqis see signs of hope
March 17, 2023 GMTBAGHDAD (AP) — On the banks of the Tigris River one recent evening, young Iraqi men and women in jeans and sneakers danced with joyous abandon to a local rap star as a vermillion sun set behind them.
Governments pledge money, attention to Venezuela’s crisis
March 17, 2023 GMTCARACAS, Venezuela (AP) — Governments and financial institutions pledged millions of dollars Friday for humanitarian and development projects to address the urgent needs of Venezuelans at home and abroad affected by a crisis that diplomats acknowledged requires renewed attention.
Turkey’s president says he will back Finland’s NATO bid
March 17, 2023 GMTISTANBUL (AP) — Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Friday that his government would move forward with ratifying Finland’s NATO application, paving the way for the country to join the military bloc ahead of Sweden.
Conn. lawmaker flips car near Capitol, loses leadership role
March 17, 2023 GMTHARTFORD, Conn. (AP) — A Connecticut lawmaker was removed from her leadership roles Friday after being arrested on drunken driving charges when her car flipped and landed on its roof near the state Capitol the night before.
Feds spend $2.4 million on cloud seeding for Colorado River
March 17, 2023 GMTDENVER (AP) — The Southern Nevada Water Authority on Thursday voted to accept a $2.4 million grant from the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation to fund cloud seeding in other Western states whose rivers feed the parched desert region.
Librarian fired for ‘unkind pushback’ at conservative event
March 17, 2023 GMTHENDERSONVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — A library director in Tennessee has been fired after the actor and evangelist Kirk Cameron accused him of “unkind pushback” to visiting celebrities during a conservative event last month, officials said.
Syrian Kurdish force says it lost 9 fighters in Iraq crash
March 17, 2023 GMTQAMISHLI, Syria (AP) — The main U.S.-backed and Kurdish-led force in northeastern Syria said Friday it lost nine fighters, including a commander, when two helicopters crashed this week in neighboring Iraq.
Trump vs. DeSantis: Rivals’ very different styles on display
March 17, 2023 GMTDAVENPORT, Iowa (AP) — In his first trip to Iowa this year, Ron DeSantis did not take any questions from voters.
Feds want justices to end Navajo fight for Colo. River water
March 17, 2023 GMTStates that rely on water from the over-tapped Colorado River want the U.S. Supreme Court to block a lawsuit from the Navajo Nation that could upend how water is shared in the Western U.S.
UN rights chief decries ‘systematic repression’ in Belarus
March 17, 2023 GMTGENEVA (AP) — The U.N. human rights chief called on Belarus Friday to end its “systematic repression” of critics and immediately release people held on political grounds, saying some violations may amount to crimes against humanity.