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House GOP passes parents' rights bill in clash over schools
AP

House GOP passes parents' rights bill in clash over schools

House Republicans have narrowly passed legislation that would fulfill a campaign promise to give parents a role in what’s taught in public schools. It has little chance in the Democrat-run Senate and critics say it would propel a far-right movement that has led to book bans, restrictions aimed at transgender students and raucous school board meetings across the country. Speaker Kevin McCarthy made the “Parents' Bill of Rights Act” a priority during the early weeks of his tenure. Friday's vote was an early test of unity for House Republicans, who have a thin majority.

U.S. bishops' new guidelines aim to limit trans health care
AP

U.S. bishops' new guidelines aim to limit trans health care

U.S. Catholic bishops have issued new guidelines to Catholic hospitals barring them from providing transgender people with gender transition care. LGBTQ advocates within the church have criticized the document and its authors for failing to pay heed to scientific research, a move they say will cause physical and emotional harm to trans people. The 14-page document specifically states that Catholic hospitals should not perform any type of treatment or surgery that transforms the sexual characteristics of the person. The bishops say hospitals should provide spiritual and emotional care for those affected by gender dysphoria. Critics and transgender Catholics say the church and its upper hierarchy should engage constructively with transgender people.

4 ex-cops charged in Tyre Nichols' death barred from police
AP

4 ex-cops charged in Tyre Nichols' death barred from police

Four of five former Memphis police officers charged with murder in the beating death of Tyre Nichols can no longer work as law enforcement in Tennessee. The 29-year-old Black man was handcuffed, brutally beaten by police officers after a Jan. 7 traffic stop and ignored by first responders for crucial minutes despite being barely conscious. Nichols died Jan. 10. The Peace Officer Standards & Training Commission, or P.O.S.T., voted to decertify Demetrius Haley, Emmitt Martin, Justin Smith and Desmond Mills on Friday. Police body cameras recorded the officers beating Nichols, propping the badly injured man in handcuffs against an unmarked police car and ignoring him as he struggles to stay upright.

AP

Storms bring flash floods, tornado threats to parts of US

Authorities in Missouri are searching for a missing person after flash flooding swept away a vehicle and a suspected tornado touched down in north Texas as a storm system moving eastward threatens to spawn tornadoes. The National Weather Service is forecasting severe weather into Friday evening mostly from the lower Mississippi Valley to the Ohio Valley. The greatest tornado threat was expected in Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi and Tennessee. Officials in Missouri with the  Logan Rogersville Fire Protection District say they’re searching for a person missing after a vehicle got swept away near the Finley River late Thursday. In Texas, Emergency Management Coordinator Cody Powell of Wise County says a likely tornado damaged some homes, but he had no reports of injuries.

Kentucky governor vetoes sweeping GOP transgender measure
AP

Kentucky governor vetoes sweeping GOP transgender measure

Kentucky’s Democratic governor has vetoed a sweeping Republican measure aimed at regulating the lives of transgender youths. Gov. Andy Beshear said in his veto message Friday that the bill would increase youth suicides. The bill would also ban transgender students’ access to gender-affirming health care and restrict the bathrooms they use at school. It cleared the GOP-led legislature by veto-proof margins. Lawmakers will reconvene next week for the final two days of this year’s session, when they could vote to override the veto. Beshear is seeking reelection to a second term this year in Republican-trending Kentucky. His veto Friday could reverberate through the November election.

Much of West Coast faces ban to fish salmon amid low stocks
AP

Much of West Coast faces ban to fish salmon amid low stocks

Federal officials are expected to prohibit king salmon fishing this season along much of the West Coast, which many predict could stretch into 2024 season as the drought and other factors take their toll on the iconic Chinook fish. In early April, the Pacific Fishery Management Council, the regulatory group, will consider three proposals that all call for the closure of the 2023 season for commercial and recreational salmon fishing in California and most of Oregon. Biologists say the Chinook salmon population has declined dramatically after years of drought. Many in the fishing industry say Trump-era rules that allowed more water to be diverted from the Sacramento River Basin to agriculture caused even more harm.

Indigenous artists help skateboarding earn stamp of approval
AP

Indigenous artists help skateboarding earn stamp of approval

For years skateboarding was branded as a hobby for rebels or stoners in city streets, schoolyards and back alleys. Those days are long gone. Skateboarding, which has Indigenous roots connected to surfing, is an Olympic sport and boasts numerous competitions across the U.S and abroad. And on Friday, the U.S. Postal Service is issuing stamps that laud the sport — and what Indigenous groups have brought to the skating culture. The agency is debuting the “Art of the Skateboard" stamps at a Phoenix skate park, featuring designs from Indigenous artists. The stamps underscore the prevalence of skateboarding, especially in Indian Country where the demand for skate parks is growing.

Trump arrested? Putin jailed? Fake AI images spread online
AP

Trump arrested? Putin jailed? Fake AI images spread online

Fake images of former President Donald Trump being arrested by New York City police and Russian President Vladimir Putin behind prison bars have flooded social media in recent days. Both were produced using increasingly sophisticated and widely available image-generating software powered by artificial intelligence. The images were among scores of visuals to go viral on social media following the release of a newer, more powerful version of a popular image-generating program. Misinformation experts warn such surges in convincingly real, synthetic images will become commonplace, especially during major news events. They suggest better public awareness about the emerging technology is needed.

March Madness: Alabama and surprising bunch remain in South
AP

March Madness: Alabama and surprising bunch remain in South

Alabama was expected to be in the Sweet 16 as the overall top seed in the NCAA Tournament. Few thought the teams standing between the Crimson Tide and a trip to the Final Four would be No. 5 seed San Diego State, sixth-seeded Creighton and 15th-seeded Princeton. A win over Alabama could elevate any of those schools to the status of March Madness legend. Coach Nate Oats understands the pressure his team faces when it faces San Diego State Friday night as it seeks its first Elite Eight berth since 2004. Friday's other semifinal in Louisville features Creighton against Princeton.

Dear Abby: Friend with benefits still benefiting after engagement
AP

Dear Abby: Friend with benefits still benefiting after engagement

Dear Abby: I lost my husband of 20 years a little over two years ago. Last year, I moved to another state to be close to family. I rented an apartment, and my best friend moved with me. Shortly after, I met a much younger man. He was immediately interested in me. He’s sweet, kind and very ha…

Ingram's 1st triple-double lifts Pelicans past Hornets
AP

Ingram's 1st triple-double lifts Pelicans past Hornets

Brandon Ingram had 30 points, 11 rebounds and 10 assists for the first triple-double of his seven-year NBA career, leading the New Orleans Pelicans to a 115-96 victory over the short-handed Charlotte Hornets. Ingram picked up three consecutive rebounds late in the third quarter to get to double-digits in that category. Jonas Valanciunas scored 20 points and grabbed 19 rebounds for his 38th double-double of the season to help the Pelicans win their third in a row. C.J. McCollum added 20 points, Trey Murphy 19 and Naji Marshall had 16 off the bench. P.J. Washington scored 18 points, including 16 in the first half for Charlotte. Svi Mykhailiuk had 15 points and Gordon Hayward 12 points.

Nowell breaks NCAA assist record, KSU beats MSU 98-93 in OT
AP

Nowell breaks NCAA assist record, KSU beats MSU 98-93 in OT

Markquis Nowell broke the NCAA Tournament record for assists in a game with 19, his last two on spectacular passes in the final minute of overtime, and Kansas State beat Michigan State 98-93 in a Sweet 16 thriller at Madison Square Garden. Playing in his hometown and fighting through a second-half ankle injury, Nowell found Keyontae Johnson for a reverse alley-oop with 52 seconds left in OT to give the Wildcats the lead for good in this back-and-forth East Region semifinal. Nowell finished with 20 points and five steals. A.J. Hoggard led Michigan State with 25 points. Kansas State will face Florida Atlantic for a berth in the Final Four.

March Madness: Sweet 16 begins from NYC to Las Vegas
AP

March Madness: Sweet 16 begins from NYC to Las Vegas

  • Updated

The NCAA Tournament has reached Sweet 16 weekend in the battle for the national championship in men’s basketball. Top seeds Purdue and defending champion Kansas did not make it. This weekend will see games in New York City, Las Vegas, Kansas City, Missouri, and Louisville, Kentucky. The Final Four is in Houston. The semifinals are on April 1, with the championship game on April 3.

Park outside: Hyundai, Kia recall vehicles due to fire risk
AP

Park outside: Hyundai, Kia recall vehicles due to fire risk

Hyundai and Kia are telling owners of over 571,000 SUVs and minivans in the U.S. to park them outdoors because the tow hitch harnesses can catch fire while they are parked or being driven. The Korean automakers are recalling the vehicles. Affected Hyundais include the 2019 to 2023 Santa Fe, the 2021 to 2023 Santa Fe Hybrid, the 2022 and 2023 Santa Fe Plug-in hybrid and the 2022 and 2023 Santa Cruz.  The only Kia affected is the Carnival minivan from 2022 and 2023. All have Hyundai or Kia tow hitch harnesses. The automakers say water can get into a circuit board and cause a short circuit. Dealers will remove a fuse and tow hitch module until a fix is ready. Later they'll install a new fuse and wire extension.

Rioter charged in Pelosi laptop theft sentenced to prison
AP

Rioter charged in Pelosi laptop theft sentenced to prison

A Pennsylvania woman linked to a far-right extremist movement has been sentenced to three years in prison for storming the U.S. Capitol and invading then-House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s office with other rioters. The judge who sentenced Riley June Williams on Thursday also presided over her trial last year. Williams was charged but not convicted of helping steal a laptop from Pelosi’s office suite during the riot on Jan. 6, 2021. A jury convicted Williams in November of six charges, including a felony count of civil disorder. But it deadlocked on two other counts, including “aiding and abetting” the laptop’s theft.

Skeptical US lawmakers grill TikTok CEO over safety
AP

Skeptical US lawmakers grill TikTok CEO over safety

The CEO of TikTok is being grilled by a U.S. congressional committee to make the case for why the hugely popular video-sharing app shouldn’t be banned. Shou Zi Chew’s testimony Thursday came at a crucial time for the company, which has 150 million American users but is under increasing pressure from U.S. officials concerned about data security and user safety. TikTok and its parent company ByteDance have been swept up in a wider geopolitical battle between Beijing and Washington over trade and technology. Chew, a 40-year-old Singapore native, made a rare public appearance to counter the volley of accusations that TikTok has been facing.

Denver school shooting suspect dead; parents push security
AP

Denver school shooting suspect dead; parents push security

A coroner's office says a body found in the Colorado woods near an abandoned car was that of a 17-year-old student accused of wounding two administrators in a shooting at his Denver high school. Park County Sheriff Tom McGraw says the body was discovered Wednesday not far from the student’s car in a remote mountain area about 50 miles southwest of Denver, near the small town of Bailey. Earlier in the day, Denver police identified the suspect in the shooting at East High School as Austin Lyle. The Park County coroner’s office confirmed in a Facebook post that the body was that of Lyle. The cause of death wasn’t immediately released.

Ukraine president visits front-line areas as new phase nears
AP

Ukraine president visits front-line areas as new phase nears

Ukraine’s president has made his third visit in two days to areas that have felt the brunt of Russia’s invasion. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy made a trip on Thursday to the southern Kherson region which was mostly retaken from the Kremlin’s forces. It came as a senior Kyiv commander hinted that a brewing Ukrainian counteroffensive could come “very soon.” Zelenskyy visited Kharkiv on Wednesday. Kharkiv is the country’s second-largest city in northeastern Ukraine. It was recaptured from the Russians last September as part of the same monthslong counteroffensive that won back most of Kherson. Zelenskyy met with troops Wednesday in the eastern Donetsk region. He gave state awards to the defenders of Bakhmut. The wrecked city is now a symbol of Ukraine’s dogged resistance.

Lawmakers tell ex-CEOs 'you must answer' for bank failures
AP

Lawmakers tell ex-CEOs 'you must answer' for bank failures

Leaders of the Senate’s banking committee are telling former chief executive officers at the failed Silicon Valley Bank and Signature Bank they “must answer” for their banks' "downfall.” The senators say in a letter to each CEO he's expected to appear before the panel. The banking committee is examining the events leading up to the closures of the two banks, with the first congressional hearing set for Tuesday. Separate letters were sent Thursday to former Silicon Valley Bank CEO Gregory Becker and former Signature Bank CEO Joseph DePaolo. Attorneys copied in on the letters sent to the former CEOs haven't responded to requests from The Associated Press for comment.

Manhattan DA rejects GOP demand for info on Trump case
AP

Manhattan DA rejects GOP demand for info on Trump case

The Manhattan district attorney investigating Donald Trump has rebuffed House Republicans’ request to turn over documents. The office called the effort an “unprecedented inquiry” into an ongoing probe. In a letter obtained by The Associated Press, the general counsel for Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg admonished the congressional requests as “an unlawful incursion into New York’s sovereignty.” The response from Bragg’s office comes days after the Republican chairmen of three House committees sent a letter to him, seeking information about his actions in the Trump case, which they characterized as an “unprecedented abuse of prosecutorial authority.”

Dear Abby: 'Wonderful relationship' has become a nightmare
AP

Dear Abby: 'Wonderful relationship' has become a nightmare

Dear Abby: I have been in a relationship for five years. It started out wonderful, but now I’m having second thoughts. He keeps putting my kids down and telling me I’m a bad mother. It’s so bad he has even put a knife to my throat. And, yes, he hits me.

Trump Legal Troubles Republicans
AP

Trump Legal Troubles Republicans

FILE - Former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley listens to a question at the Vision '24 conference on Saturday, March 18, 2023, in North Charleston, S.C. As Republicans aim to regain the White House, just three major candidates have officially come forward, including former President Donald Trump. He's joined by Haley and entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy. (AP Photo/Meg Kinnard, File)

What made Beethoven sick? DNA from his hair offers clues
AP

What made Beethoven sick? DNA from his hair offers clues

Scientists have pulled DNA from Ludwig van Beethoven's hair to look for clues about his many health problems and hearing loss. They weren't able to figure out why the famous composer lost his hearing and had severe stomach problems. But they reported Wednesday that they did find clues about the liver disease that is widely believed to have killed the German composer. Beethoven's genome showed that he had a high risk for liver disease and was infected with the liver-damaging hepatitis B. The researchers concluded that those factors, along with his drinking, likely contributed to his death nearly 200 years ago.

AP sources: Manhattan DA postpones Trump grand jury session
AP

AP sources: Manhattan DA postpones Trump grand jury session

Manhattan prosecutors postponed a scheduled grand jury session on Wednesday in the investigation into Donald Trump over hush money payments during his 2016 presidential campaign. That's according to four people familiar with the matter who insisted on anonymity to discuss an ongoing investigation. Three people said the grand jury was told to be on standby for Thursday. The reason for the postponement wasn't clear, but one person said it wasn't security-related. The postponement indicates a vote on whether or not to indict Trump might be at least temporarily pushed back. The grand jury may hear from yet another witness, according to a person familiar with proceedings.

Presidential waiting game: GOP hopefuls hold off campaigns
AP

Presidential waiting game: GOP hopefuls hold off campaigns

At this point during the last presidential election in 2020, more than 15 Democrats had jumped into their party’s open presidential race. But this year, the open Republican field for 2024 still officially remains small — and dominated by former President Donald Trump. Meanwhile, more than half a dozen potential Republican presidential hopefuls are testing the waters of a national campaign while holding off on making any official announcements. Political strategists say most of them don’t have much more time to wait if they want a shot to win the party’s nomination. The only three major candidates to have officially come forward are Trump, former U.N. ambassador Nikki Haley and entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy.

Pioneer of gospel music rediscovered in Pittsburgh archives
AP

Pioneer of gospel music rediscovered in Pittsburgh archives

For over 20 years, the work of gospel music composer Charles Henry Pace sat in 14 unorganized crates, dirty and decomposing. This was until a music historian at the University of Pittsburgh was inspired to uncover the true history behind the photo negatives, printing plates and pieces of sheet music the university acquired in 1999. As a result, they’ve discovered that Pace was an early pioneer of gospel music whose independently owned publishing company helped elevate and expand the genre. This week the community will honor Pace and his wife Frankie with a free concert in the historic Hill District of Pittsburgh, showcasing some of his work.

Transgender youth: 'Forced outing' bills make schools unsafe
AP

Transgender youth: 'Forced outing' bills make schools unsafe

Proposals in several states would allow or require schools to deadname transgender students or out them to their parents without consent. Transgender kids and their families say the proposals could eliminate K-12 public schools as one of the last remaining havens to explore their identities. The stated aim of the bills is to give parents greater control over their childrens' education. Some parents and teachers argue they have a right to know. But others warn the proposals could jeopardize children's health and safety. And some teachers say the reporting requirements force educators to betray the trust of their students or risk losing their job.

Quick spring refreshes: Making the old place feel like new
AP

Quick spring refreshes: Making the old place feel like new

Maybe you had hoped to be in a new home this year but were deterred by high housing prices. Maybe it’s just the arrival of spring that’s got you looking around your rooms and wanting something fresh. Designers and home editors say there's lots you can do to make the old place feel like a new place, or just an updated place. And without breaking the bank. You can switch out a few furnishing or decorative items. Rearrange others. Sort and organize. Remove and donate. Perhaps change the purpose of a room. And oh yeah, clean everything.

Dear Abby: Woman might double down on romance with gambler
AP

Dear Abby: Woman might double down on romance with gambler

Dear Abby: My ex-husband and I separated two months after our wedding. Our divorce was final five months ago. After I left him, I started talking to a younger guy I had a lot in common with. However, he has a gambling problem and ended up stealing money from my cash app.

CORRECTION Mexico Foreign Minister
AP

CORRECTION Mexico Foreign Minister

CORRECTS DATE - Marcelo Ebrard Casaubon, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Mexico, stands next to writer Elena Poniatowska as he presents his book "El Camino de México" or Mexico´s Path in English, at the Palacio de Mineria in Mexico City, Monday, March 20, 2023. (AP Photo/Marco Ugarte)

Mexico Foreign Minister
AP

Mexico Foreign Minister

Marcelo Ebrard Casaubon, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Mexico, presents his book "El Camino de México" or Mexico´s Path in English, at the Palacio de Mineria in Mexico City, Monday, March 20, 2023. (AP Photo/Marco Ugarte)

Mexico Foreign Minister
AP

Mexico Foreign Minister

Marcelo Ebrard Casaubon, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Mexico, presents his book "El Camino de México" or Mexico´s Path in English, at the Palacio de Mineria in Mexico City, Monday, March 20, 2023. (AP Photo/Marco Ugarte)

Mexico Foreign Minister
AP

Mexico Foreign Minister

Mexican journalist Elena Poniatowska attends the presentation of the book "El Camino de México" or Mexico´s Path in English, by Marcelo Ebrard Casaubon, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Mexico, at the Palacio de Mineria in Mexico City, Monday, March 20, 2023. (AP Photo/Marco Ugarte)

CORRECTION Mexico Foreign Minister
AP

CORRECTION Mexico Foreign Minister

CORRECTS DATE - Mexican journalist Elena Poniatowska attends the presentation of the book "El Camino de México" or Mexico´s Path in English, by Marcelo Ebrard Casaubon, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Mexico, at the Palacio de Mineria in Mexico City, Monday, March 20, 2023. (AP Photo/Marco Ugarte)

CORRECTION Mexico Foreign Minister
AP

CORRECTION Mexico Foreign Minister

CORRECTS DATE - A woman holds a copy of the book "El Camino de México" or Mexico´s Path in English, by Marcelo Ebrard Casaubon, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Mexico, at the Palacio de Mineria in Mexico City, Monday, March 20, 2023. (AP Photo/Marco Ugarte)

Biden creates national monuments, marine sanctuary in West
AP

Biden creates national monuments, marine sanctuary in West

President Joe Biden has established national monuments in Nevada and Texas and creating a marine sanctuary southwest of Hawaii. Biden announced the measures Tuesday at a White House summit on conservation. Biden designated a desert mountain in southern Nevada called Avi Kwa Ame as a national monument. Native Americans consider the mountain sacred. The Democratic president also designated Castner Range National Monument in El Paso, Texas and initiated a national marine sanctuary in U.S. waters near the Pacific Remote Islands southwest of Hawaii. Biden’s actions come as environmental activists protested his approval of the Willow oil drilling project in Alaska.

Springsteen, Kaling, Louis-Dreyfus among 22 honored by Biden
AP

Springsteen, Kaling, Louis-Dreyfus among 22 honored by Biden

President Joe Biden welcomed a high-wattage collection of singers, authors, artists and humanitarians to the White House on Tuesday to present them with medals — and then stole the show himself with a quip about seeking reelection. Bruce Springsteen, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Mindy Kaling and Gladys Knight were among the 22 people and organizations being honored. When author Colson Whitehead’s award was announced, Biden noted the novelist had already won back-to-back Pulitzer Prizes. The president, who is expected to announce for reelection this spring, quickly picked up on that and joked that he was looking “for a back-to-back myself.”

Norfolk Southern supports some new regs after Ohio disaster
AP

Norfolk Southern supports some new regs after Ohio disaster

Norfolk Southern’s CEO is offering support for some parts of a bipartisan Senate bill to put tougher safety regulations on railroads. A fiery hazardous materials train derailed last month on the Ohio-Pennsylvania border. CEO Alan Shaw is under pressure from senators and federal safety regulators to step up his commitment to safety regulations as he appears before the Senate Commerce Committee on Wednesday. Shaw says in prepared remarks that Norfolk Southern will “support legislative efforts to enhance the safety of the freight rail industry. But he does not address several key provisions of the Railway Safety Act of 2023.

Reborn Ringling Bros. circus to leap on tour — minus animals
AP

Reborn Ringling Bros. circus to leap on tour — minus animals

The Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey circus has been reimagined and reborn without animals as a high-octane family event with highwire tricks, soaring trapeze artists and bicycles leaping on trampolines. Feld Entertainment, which owns the “Greatest Show on Earth,” revealed to The Associated Press what audiences can expect during the show’s 2023 North American tour kicking off this fall. The 75 performers from 18 countries will include performers on a triangular high wire 25 feet off the ground, flying trapeze artists, a spinning double wheel powered by acrobats and BMX trail bikes and unicycle riders doing flips and tricks.

Muslim authorities say Ramadan fasting to begin Thursday
AP

Muslim authorities say Ramadan fasting to begin Thursday

Muslim authorities in Saudi Arabia and several other Middle Eastern countries say this year’s fasting month of Ramadan will begin Thursday based on the expected sighting of the crescent moon. Clerics across the region said the moon was not visible Tuesday night, meaning it will almost certainly appear the following evening, heralding the start of the monthlong observance. During Ramadan, Muslims refrain from eating, drinking, smoking, and sexual intercourse from dawn until dusk. Even a tiny sip of water or a puff of smoke is enough to invalidate the fast. At night, family and friends gather and feast in a festive atmosphere.

Review: A writer investigates a UFO cult in East Texas
AP

Review: A writer investigates a UFO cult in East Texas

Charlie Garner, a private detective turned novelist, still loves his ex-wife, so when she goes missing, he investigates. As “The Donut Legion” opens, his suspicions turn to a shadowy UFO cult that has persuaded hundreds of people to surrender their earthly possessions. As Charlie begins to uncover the cult’s diabolical secrets, his life is threatened and bodies start to pile up. Associated Press reviewer Bruce DeSilva says that as usual, veteran crime writer Joe R. Lansdale has produced an entertaining, slyly humorous tale populated by quirky characters. This time, they include a vicious chimpanzee sporting a red cowboy hat.

Yellen says bank situation stabilizing, different from 2008
AP

Yellen says bank situation stabilizing, different from 2008

Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen says she's focused on stabilizing the U.S. banking system following regional bank failures in California and New York. Yellen says additional bank rescue arrangements “could be warranted” if new failures at smaller institutions jeopardize financial stability. Yellen spoke Tuesday at the American Bankers Association. The Treasury secretary says overall the bank situation “is stabilizing” and the system “remains sound.” Yellen says government intervention has been necessary to “protect the broader banking system” and more rescue efforts could be necessary. Yellen says the 2008 financial meltdown was a solvency crisis but "what we’re seeing now is contagious bank runs.” Earlier this month, Silicon Valley Bank and Signature Bank failed.

Trump waits out grand jury as New York braces for protests
AP

Trump waits out grand jury as New York braces for protests

Former President Donald Trump is in Florida, waiting out the possibility of criminal charges in New York City — as the city braces for disruptions that could follow an indictment. Meanwhile on Tuesday, Republican contenders in the 2024 presidential race are sizing up the impact a prosecution could have on a campaign in which Trump is a leading contender. The New York grand jury investigating Trump over a hush money payment to a porn star appears poised to complete its work soon — but not as soon as Tuesday, as Trump had predicted.

Producer claims Fox coerced testimony in Dominion libel case
AP

Producer claims Fox coerced testimony in Dominion libel case

A Fox News producer claims the network “coerced” her testimony during a deposition in a libel lawsuit filed by a voting machine company. The $1.6 billion lawsuit filed by Dominion Voting Systems alleges that Fox amplified false allegations that its machines changed votes in the 2020 presidential election. Abby Grossberg, a former producer for Fox host Maria Bartiromo, has filed a separate lawsuit contending that Fox pressured her to give misleading testimony during her deposition in the Dominion case. Grossberg's claim is part of a gender discrimination lawsuit she filed against Fox. The network denies her allegations and countered with its own lawsuit, seeking to bar Grossberg from sharing confidential discussions with company lawyers.

Los Angeles schools shut down as staff begin 3-day strike
AP

Los Angeles schools shut down as staff begin 3-day strike

Tens of thousands of workers in the Los Angeles Unified School District are walking off the job over stalled contract talks. They’re being joined Tuesday in solidarity by teachers for a planned three-day strike that’s shutting down the nation’s second-largest school system. Demonstrations began at a bus yard and are planned at schools across the city by members of Local 99 of the Service Employees International Union, which represents about 30,000 teachers’ aides, special education assistants, bus drivers, custodians, cafeteria workers and other support staff. They are demanding better wages and increased staffing. Superintendent Alberto M. Carvalho says the union has refused to negotiate.

Paul Newman's camp for sick kids rises from the ashes
AP

Paul Newman's camp for sick kids rises from the ashes

Two years after a fire devastated Paul Newman's Hole in the Wall Gang camp for seriously ill children, a rebuilt camp center is opening. The February 2021 blaze burned the center of the camp. It had been made to look like an Old West town and housed the woodworking shop, the arts and crafts area, the camp store, and an educational kitchen. The new $4.5 million complex has twice the space with more accessibility and new amenities. Those include a quiet sensory room, a room with a fireplace for parents and caregivers, an emergency storm shelter, and a cistern in case of another fire.

Itching to start spring garden cleanup? Not so fast!
AP

Itching to start spring garden cleanup? Not so fast!

Spring gardening is an exercise in patience. The longer hours of daylight might have you itching to start gardening. But hold off on clearing away last year's leaves and stalks. Doing your spring cleanup too early removes beneficial insects that are sheltering there. Without them, there's less food for birds and fewer flowers and vegetables later. Many experts recommend removing plant matter only after several days of 50-plus-degree temperatures. Also beware of mulching too early as it can inhibit plant growth. And premature fertilizing can hurt the lawn and the environment. But there is one gardening task that's perfectly suited for early spring. Now's a great time to repot houseplants. The longer days are stimulating them to resume actively growing.