Man rescued from rubble in Myanmar's capital as civil war complicates relief efforts
BANGKOK (AP) — Rescue crews in Myanmar pulled a 26-year-old man out alive from the rubble of a capital city hotel after nearly 108 hours, but most teams were finding only bodies five days after a massive earthquake hit the country. The 7.7 magnitude earthquake toppled thousands of buildings, collapsed bridges and buckled roads. So far, 2,886 people have been reported dead in Myanmar. The earthquake also rocked neighboring Thailand, causing the collapse of a high-rise building under construction in Bangkok. One body was removed from the rubble early Wednesday, raising the death total in Bangkok to 22.
Israel’s military operation in Gaza Strip expanding to seize 'large areas,' defense minister says
JERUSALEM (AP) — Israel’s defense minister says the country's military operation in the Gaza Strip is expanding to seize “large areas” of the Palestinian territory. Defense Minister Israel Katz said Wednesday that the operation was “expanding to crush and clean the area of terrorists and terrorist infrastructure and capture large areas that will be added to the security zones of the State of Israel.” The defense minister called on Gaza residents to “expel Hamas and return all hostages.” The militant group still holds 59 captives of whom 24 are believed to still be alive after most of the rest were released in ceasefire agreements or other deals. The war began when Hamas-led militants attacked southern Israel on Oct. 7, 2023.
As Israel advances in Gaza, many exhausted families flee again. Some can't bear it
KHAN YOUNIS, Gaza Strip (AP) — As Israel orders wide new evacuations across the Gaza Strip, Palestinians say they are crushed by exhaustion and hopelessness at the prospect of fleeing once again. Many are packing up a few belongings and trudging off in search of new shelters. Some say they just can’t bear to move. Even before the latest evacuation orders, tens of thousands fled temporary shelters in the week after Israel shattered a 2-month-old ceasefire on March 18 with renewed bombardment and ground assaults. The conditions are becoming increasingly dire for families. Since March 2, Israel has blocked all food, fuel and supplies from entering Gaza, and aid groups say there are no more tents to help the newly displaced.
Trump is set to announce 'reciprocal' tariffs in a risky move that could reshape the economy
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump is set to launch a barrage of so-called reciprocal tariffs on friend and foe alike. Wednesday's tariffs come on what Trump has dubbed “Liberation Day” to free the U.S. from what he has said are years of unfair trade practices. By most economists’ assessments, the risky move threatens to plunge the economy into a downturn and mangle decades-old alliances. The White House is exuding confidence despite the political and financial gamble being undertaken. Importers would likely pass along some of the cost of the taxes on to consumers. The Budget Lab at Yale University estimates a 20% universal tariff would cost the average household $3,400 to $4,200.
US judge orders Trump administration to restore legal aid to unaccompanied migrant children
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — A federal judge in California has ordered the Trump administration to temporarily restore legal aid to unaccompanied migrant children in the United States. The Republican administration on March 21 terminated a federal contract that provides legal aid for children under 18. Plaintiffs are legal aid groups whose funding was cut. They want the government to make sure children do not face court proceedings without legal aid. Attorneys for the government say taxpayers are not obligated to pay for direct legal services.
Democrats' win in Wisconsin court race also is a big loss for Elon Musk
MADISON, Wis. (AP) — The Democrats' victory in the Wisconsin Supreme Court race is a big loss for Elon Musk. The billionaire supporter of President Donald Trump and his affiliated groups spent more than $21 million supporting the conservative in the race in hopes of breaking liberals' 4-3 majority on the court. But the Democrats' candidate, Judge Susan Crawford, won comfortably. She and Democrats made Musk's spending the focus of their campaign. The election was the first test of Musk's political impact since he skyrocketed in prominence by launching a controversial effort to slash the federal government in Trump's administration.
Val Kilmer, 'Top Gun' and Batman star with an intense approach, dies at 65
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Val Kilmer has died at age 65. The versatile actor played flying ace Iceman opposite Tom Cruise in “Top Gun,” Batman in “Batman Forever” and singer Jim Morrison in the biopic “The Doors.” Kilmer's daughter says he died Tuesday in Los Angeles from pneumonia. He had been diagnosed with throat cancer in 2014. The Los Angeles-born Kilmer studied acting at the elite Juilliard School and had his big break in the 1985 spy spoof “Top Secret.” He was sometimes regarded as a difficult presence on film sets but said in his memoir that he always put the art first.
A wary Europe awaits Rubio with NATO's future on the line
WASHINGTON (AP) — Secretary of State Marco Rubio is traveling this week to a gathering of top diplomats from NATO countries. He is sure to find allies alarmed, angered and confused by President Donald Trump’s desire to reestablish ties with Russia and escalating rhetorical attacks on transatlantic partners. Recent White House comments directed at NATO allies Canada and Denmark have only increased the angst, especially as new U.S. tariffs are taking effect. As he did at another meeting of allies last month, Rubio may be able to salvage a group consensus on the war in Ukraine, but he'll be hard-pressed to explain the latest insults.
Worried families and search dogs bond during the long days of rescue effort at Bangkok collapse
BANGKOK (AP) — For most of the day, somberness clouds a makeshift shelter for grief-stricken relatives of dozens of workers still missing at the site of a building collapse in Bangkok. But for a few minutes, the faces of the waiting people broke out in smiles as a group of fluffy, playful dogs approached. Sahara, Safari and Tua Lek are golden retrievers trained in searching for live and deceased victims. Search dogs with K9 USAR Thailand have been looking for workers missing since the building collapsed in Friday's earthquake that struck neighboring Myanmar. The dogs visited with the families during a break from their rescue mission.
With a nod to America's civil rights legacy, Sen. Cory Booker makes a mark of his own
WASHINGTON (AP) — Democratic Sen. Cory Booker broke the record for the longest floor speech in recorded Senate history when he bested Sen. Strom Thurmond's filibuster of the Civil Rights Act of 1957. Booker's speech was meant to highlight what he called a “looming constitutional crisis" in the many early actions taken by President Donald Trump in the first weeks of his term. But the speech by the New Jersey Democrat also drew a sharp contrast to Thurmond's legacy. Booker invoked the late Congressman John Lewis, who organized during the Civil Rights movement. Booker urged Americans to make “good trouble” as Lewis had in opposing Jim Crow laws.
