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Divers are searching for survivors after a boat capsized in high winds off the Louisiana coast. 12 people are still missing.

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PORT FOURCHON, La. (AP) - With 12 people still missing from a capsized oil industry vessel, divers awaited a break in stormy weather Thursday that would allow them to reach the hull and search for survivors.

Coast Guard Petty Officer 2nd Class Jonathan Lally said rescuers don't know whether any of the missing might be caught inside the lift boat that flipped over Tuesday in hurricane-force winds and high seas off the Louisiana coast.

"There is the potential they are still there, but we don't know," Lally said early Thursday. "We're still searching for 12 people because there are 12 still missing."

The Coast Guard expects the divers to make it to the vessel Thursday but wants to make sure the rescuers won't need rescuing themselves, he said.

"With something like this, that is a vessel that is capsized with the potential of people trapped inside, there are a lot of dynamic aspects we have to look at," Lally said.

Six people from the Seacor Power were rescued alive and one person's body was recovered from the water Wednesday as searchers scanned an area larger than the state of Rhode Island.

Part of the overturned ship's hull and one of its legs were still visible, leaving most of the bulky vessel underwater, in an area 50 to 55 feet (15 to 17 meters) deep, according to the Coast Guard. Also called a jackup rig, it has three long legs designed to reach the sea floor and lift it out of water as an offshore platform.

Despite a widening search involving Coast Guard boats and aircraft, no other crew members have been spotted. "We had both air and surface assets out last night - nothing materially has changed," U.S. Coast Guard Petty Officer Third Class John Michelli said around dawn Thursday.

Authorities using all-terrain vehicles to search the shoreline near Port Fourchon, a major base for the U.S. oil and gas industry, paused for impending storms Thursday. The National Weather Service issued a flash flood warning for the area as heavy rainfall pushed through.

Lafourche Parish President Archie P. Chaisson III said the sheriff's office, harbor police and Homeland Security officers were looking for signs of life on the shore.

"There are some local guys that are on that vessel," Chaisson said. "It's a very tight community in that industry. Those crews are very tight. This crew had apparently been around for a while working together."

Marion Cuyler, the fiancée of crane operator Chaz Morales, was waiting with family of other missing workers at a Port Fourchon fire station Wednesday near a landing site where helicopters were coming and going. She said she talked to her fiancé before he left Tuesday.

"He said that they were jacking down and they were about to head out, and I'm like, 'The weather's too bad. You need to come home.' And he's like, 'I wish I could.'"

The vulnerabilities of lift boats in storms have been known for years, and federal authorities have investigated multiple deaths involving them.

In September 2011, large waves struck the hull of the Trinity II in the Gulf of Mexico, breaking one of its giant legs, and the stern collapsed into the water, the National Transportation Safety Board wrote in its report. Four of the 10 people on board perished.

In July 1989, the lift boat AVCO V sank off the coast of Leeville, Louisiana, in storms associated with Hurricane Chantal. Waves shifted equipment on the deck, prompting the vessel to capsize and sink, the NTSB found. Ten of the 14 people on board died.

Coast Guard Capt. Will Watson said winds were 80 to 90 mph (130 to 145 kph) and waves rose 7 to 9 feet high (2.1 to 2.7 meters) when the Seacor Power overturned.

"That's challenging under any circumstance," Watson said at a Wednesday news conference. "We don't know the degree to which that contributed to what happened, but we do know those are challenging conditions to be out in the maritime environment."

The National Weather Service in New Orleans issued a special marine warning before 4 p.m. Tuesday that predicted steep waves and winds greater than 50 knots (58 mph).

Weather service meteorologist Phil Grigsby said the system was an offshore derecho - or straight-winds storm. "This was not a microburst -- just a broad straight-line wind event that swept over a huge area," Grigsby said.

He said the weather service's nearest official gauge, at Grand Isle, showed about 30 minutes of 75 mph (120 km/h) winds, followed by hours of winds over 50 mph (80 km/h).

___

Photographer Gerald Herbert contributed to this story from Grand Isle, Louisiana. McGill contributed from New Orleans; and Martin from Atlanta.

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Divers aim to reach capsized vessel in search for survivors

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PORT FOURCHON, La. (AP) - With 12 people still missing from a capsized oil industry vessel, divers awaited a break in stormy weather Thursday that would allow them to reach the hull and search for survivors.

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A NH representative is sponsoring a bill that would make killing a cat in a hit and run would be illegal.

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Nine lives notwithstanding, killing a cat in a hit-and-run soon could become illegal in New Hampshire.

State law already requires drivers who injure or kill dogs to notify police or the animals' owners, or else face a $1,000 fine.

It is unclear why cats and other pets were left out of the initial law, but the state Legislature is currently considering an expansion that would give cats equal footing to canines.

Republican Rep. Daryl Abbas sponsored the bill after the death of his 5-year-old cat, Arrow.

The Animal League Defense Fund says there has been a trend of similar state laws that recognize the bond between animals and their human companions.

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Lawmakers Fighting Like Cats And Dogs? Not Over This Bill

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Nine lives notwithstanding, killing a cat in a hit-and-run soon could become illegal in New Hampshire. State law already requires drivers who injure or kill dogs to notify police or the animals' owners, or else face a $1,000 fine.

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Today is the 8th anniversary of the Boston Bombing. Dubbed Boston Day, the mayor is encouraging citizens to take part in random acts of kindness.

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Boston is marking the eighth anniversary of the marathon bombing Thursday with acts of kindness and a moment of silence.

City officials are urging the public to honor the victims of the act of terrorism by celebrating "the resiliency, generosity, and strength" that was demonstrated by Bostonians and people around the world in response to the bombing on April 15, 2013.

Since 2015, April 15 has been designated as a day of service and reflection - "One Boston Day." But because of the coronavirus pandemic, there will be none of the traditional large-scale events and volunteer projects from past years, according to the city.

Instead, officials are urging residents to celebrate the day by sharing a moment of kindness with loved ones, friends, neighbors, and "fellow Bostonians."

"I hope you'll join us to spread kindness however you can, whether that means donating to a charity responding to the COVID-19 pandemic, supporting a small business in your neighborhood, or checking in on an older neighbor," Acting Mayor Kim Janey said in a statement. "The positive impact we can achieve together is more important than ever as we ensure that the City of Boston reopens safely and equitably, with recovery and renewal in every neighborhood."

As we recognize #OneBostonDay today, the message is simple: Be kind. We're challenging Bostonians to complete at least 4 of our 15 acts of kindness. Don't forget to share what you're doing to spread kindness safely by using #OneBostonDay!

Learn more: https://t.co/IhFehnHls6 pic.twitter.com/1UyBdRKF9s

- City of Boston (@CityOfBoston) April 15, 2021

Janey will hold a moment of silence Thursday outside City Hall at 2:49 p.m., marking the time of the first explosion in 2013.

The explosions at the finish line of the Boston Marathon claimed the lives of 29-year-old Krystle Campbell, 23-year-old Lingzi Lu, and 8-year-old Martin Richard. The suspects behind the attack later fatally shot MIT police officer Sean Collier. Boston police officer Dennis Simmonds died in 2014 from injuries sustained in a shootout with the suspects in Watertown the year before.

A to the victims of the bombings was unveiled near the finish line in 2019. According to the mayor's office, Janey will pay tribute to the victims of the bombings at the memorial just after 12 p.m. Gov. Charlie Baker and Janey will lay a wreath together at the memorial at 5 p.m.

Janey and the One Boston Day organization are circulating a of acts of kindness residents can practice safely from home, including calling an older Bostonian and offering them assistance, donating to a nonprofit organization, or thanking the front line workers and first responders you know.

"This year, as we continue to battle a global public health crisis, the spirit of One Boston Day is more important than ever," the organization wrote on its website .

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Public encouraged to mark 8th anniversary of marathon bombing with acts of kindness on One Boston Day

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Boston is marking the eighth anniversary of the marathon bombing Thursday with acts of kindness and a moment of silence. City officials are urging the public to honor the victims of the act of terrorism by celebrating "the resiliency, generosity, and strength" that was demonstrated by Bostonians and people around the world in response to the bombing on April 15, 2013.

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JLo and Alex Rodriguez have announced they are splitting up.

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Jennifer Lopez and Alex Rodriguez are officially going their separate ways.

The performing sensation and the former baseball slugger, who have been a couple since 2017, have called off their two-year engagement and will focus on remaining friends.

The two revealed the news in an exclusive joint statement to TODAY.

We have realized we are better as friends and look forward to remaining so. We will continue to work together and support each other on our shared businesses and projects. We wish the best for each other and one another's children. Out of respect for them, the only other comment we have to say is thank you to everyone who has sent kind words and support.

Reports first circulated in March that they had called off their engagement, but multiple sources told TODAY at the time that the two "never officially broke up" and were still together.

"They hit a rough patch that made them think about what they should do," the sources added, noting that it was tough for the couple to see each other amid COVID-19 restrictions while Lopez, 51, was working in the Dominican Republic and Rodriguez, 45, was in Miami.

"All the reports are inaccurate. We are working through some things," Lopez and Rodriguez also told TODAY in a joint statement in March.

However, breakup rumors swirled again earlier this week when Lopez shared a series of selfies from the set of her new movie, "Shotgun Wedding," and her engagement ring was missing from the photos.

Lopez and Rodriguez announced their engagement in March 2019 after two years of dating. Rodriguez proposed in the Bahamas.

Lopez was previously married to Ojani Noa (1997-1998), Cris Judd (2001-2003) and Marc Anthony (2004-2014), with whom she shares 13-year-old twins, Max and Emme.

In 2018, she opened up about her special bond with Rodriguez in an interview with Willie Geist on Sunday TODAY.

"He's brought something to my life that I've never had before, which is an unconditional support and love, kind of a matching of twin souls," she said. "That's a different thing for me - now I know what it's like to be with me. He works as much as I do, he's kind of as driven as I am."

Rodriguez is dad to daughters Natasha, 16, and Ella, 12, with ex-wife Cynthia Scurtis, and he and Lopez have shared some of their joyful moments as a blended family on social media.

"Kids are so beautiful and open to love and new friends," Lopez told People in 2018.

"I was so loving to his kids and he was so loving and accepting of mine, and they embraced each other right away," she added.

Last year, Lopez visited TODAY and told Hoda Kotb that their wedding plans were on hold due to the coronavirus pandemic.

"I'm a little heartbroken because we did have some great plans," she said. "I'm also like, 'You know what? God has a bigger plan.'"

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Jennifer Lopez and Alex Rodriguez announce breakup in TODAY exclusive

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Jennifer Lopez and Alex Rodriguez are officially going their separate ways. The performing sensation and the former baseball slugger, who have been a couple since 2017, have called off their two-year engagement and will focus on remaining friends. The two revealed the news in an exclusive joint statement to TODAY.

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Dr. Birx will be the graduation speaker at Plymouth State's commencement ceremonies this year.

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Dr. Deborah Birx, once a leader in the fight against COVID before revealing that a call from former President Donald Trump made her "uncomfortable," will deliver the keynote address at Plymouth State University next month.

Birx's brother, Donald Birx, is the school president. The undergraduate commencement ceremony will be held on May 8 at 10 a.m. at Mary Lyon Lawn on campus.

PSU will honor Birx with an Honorary Doctrate in Public Service for her work during the fight against two historic infections, including the HIV/AIDS epidemic 30 years ago.

More recently, Birx was a top official in the Trump Administration and only recently revealed to the media about an experience she had had with her former boss following an appearance last summer on CNN.

Back again on CNN two weeks ago, Birx spoke to the network's chief medical correspondent, Dr. Sanjay Gupta, for a special program called "COVID WAR: The Pandemic Doctors Speak Out."

She said her conversation with Trump in the summer was "very uncomfortable, very direct and very difficult to hear."

"That was a very difficult time," she said, "because everybody in the White House was upset with that interview and the clarity that I brought about the epidemic."

Birx - an expert on basic immunology, infectious diseases and vaccine research, among other areas of medicine - became part of the Mount Rushmore of medical experts who were harshly criticized by the president for contradicting his statements and creating a sense of urgency as the pandemic wore on.

Prior to that episode, though, in February of 2020, Birx was named the White House Coronavirus Response Coordinator, answering directly to Vice President Mike Pence, named by Trump to lead the White House Coronavirus Task Force.

Pence referred to Birx as his "right arm." She left office on Jan. 20., 2021, the day Joe Biden was innaugurated as the country's next president.

The weekend events will begin on May 7 at 6 p.m., when Pamela Diamantis - the principal and partner at Curbstone Financial Management Corporation and former trustee of the University System of New Hampshire - will be the featured speaker.

Both ceremonies will recognize graduates from the Class of 2020 and Class of 2021.

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Dr. Birx, part of Trump's Covid Task Force, will be speaker at Plymouth State graduation

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Dr. Deborah Birx, once a leader in the fight against COVID before revealing that a call from former President Donald Trump made her "uncomfortable," will deliver the keynote address at Plymouth State University next month. Birx's brother, Donald Birx, is the school president. The undergraduate commencement ceremony will be held on May 8 at 10 a.m.

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A study has released its results showing that you are more likely to get a blood clot from Covid than from a vaccine.

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London - A study by researchers at Oxford University in England suggests the risks of experiencing dangerous, rare blood clots in the brain are far higher in those who catch the coronavirus than in those who get either the AstraZeneca vaccine, or the vaccines made by Pfizer and Moderna in the U.S. The research shows that the number of people who experience clots after getting the vaccines made by the American pharmaceutical giants appears very similar to the number who get the rare condition after a shot of the AstraZeneca drug, which was developed in conjunction with Oxford's vaccine institute.

A key finding of the research, revealed Thursday as a "pre-print" study which has yet to be reviewed by other scientists, was that the risk of experiencing a blood clot in the brain was about 95 times higher for people who contract COVID-19 than in the general population.

That's yet another serious health threat associated with the disease, and one the scientists hoped would boost confidence in all of the major vaccines currently available in the Western world, as their research suggests the drugs carry a significantly lower threat of clotting than the disease they've been proven to fend off.

"This is more evidence of the vaccine helping people in a dramatic way from the ravages of COVID-19," CBS News medical consultant Dr. David Agus said of the study on "CBS This Morning."

The analysis of real-world data collated by the global health research network TriNetX and European agencies included information on hundreds of thousands of people who either caught COVID-19, or who were given the AstraZeneca, Pfizer or Moderna shots. Most of the data on the mRNA-type vaccines, which are the American drugs, was from the U.S., while data on the AstraZeneca shots came largely from Europe's mass-vaccination programs.

The data showed that about 4 in every 1 million people who get the American-made vaccines experience cerebral venous thrombosis (CVT), or blood clots in the brain. With the AstraZeneca vaccine, which works in a different way and is similar to the Johnson & Johnson shot, the research showed an incidence rate of about 5 in every 1 million.

That equates to a risk of CVT 10-times greater for people who catch the coronavirus than for those who get the Pfizer or Moderna vaccines, and 8-times greater for those given the AstraZeneca shot.

"There are concerns about possible associations between vaccines, and CVT, causing governments and regulators to restrict the use of certain vaccines," noted Paul Harrison, Professor of Psychiatry and Head of Oxford's Translational Neurobiology Group. "We've reached two important conclusions. Firstly, COVID-19 markedly increases the risk of CVT, adding to the list of blood clotting problems this infection causes. Secondly, the COVID-19 risk is higher than seen with the current vaccines, even for those under 30; something that should be taken into account when considering the balances between risks and benefits for vaccination."

The research released by Oxford on Thursday found that about 39 of every 1 million people who contract COVID-19 are likely to experience the clots on the brain. The scientists stressed that the point of their research was not to compare vaccines, but to gather firm data on the risks of all the vaccines compared to the risks associated with catching COVID-19.

"The signals that COVID-19 is linked to CVT, as well as portal vein thrombosis - a clotting disorder of the liver - are clear, and one we should take note of," said Dr. Maxime Taquet, another of the researchers from the Translational Neurobiology Group.

As the figures used to determine the overall incidence rates were being constantly updated, the researchers stressed that "all comparisons must be interpreted cautiously as data are still accruing."

They noted also that it was still unclear whether "COVID-19 and vaccines lead to CVT by the same or different mechanisms," and said that would be the subject of their ongoing research.

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Study shows vaccines carry much lower risk of blood clots than COVID-19

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London - A study by researchers at Oxford University in England suggests the risks of experiencing dangerous, rare blood clots in the brain are far higher in those who catch the coronavirus than in those who get either the AstraZeneca vaccine, or the vaccines made by Pfizer and Moderna in the U.S.

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A man has been shot and killed in an Ohio hospital after a gun was found in his waistband during a routine patdown.

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Officers conducting a routine pat-down of a man in a hospital emergency room found a gun in his waistband, spurring a struggle over the weapon and a standoff that ended in officers killing him, according to police body-camera footage released on Wednesday.

Officers had been searching Miles Jackson, a black man, at the hospital on Monday in preparation for a custody exchange over warrants he had out for his arrest. Jackson began to struggle with the two officers after one of them felt the gun, video showed.

One of the officers used a stun gun on Jackson after they fell to the floor, while the other attempted to pull Jackson's hands away from his waistband. A shot can then be heard in the video, apparently from the gun in Jackson's waistband.

The officer who stunned Jackson took cover outside the room. The other officer appeared to return fire at Jackson once before taking cover behind a hospital bed, video showed.

Officers shouted for minutes at Jackson, 27, to raise his hands and put them on his head. An officer eventually used a stun gun for a second time on Jackson, who was on his side on the hospital room floor. Another shot can be heard in the video before officers opened fire.

Jackson died in the shooting at Mount Carmel St Ann's hospital in suburban Columbus.

Jackson had apparently been brought to the hospital earlier that day, walked away, and then was found in a nearby bank parking lot. Before Jackson was taken back to the hospital, a Westerville officer patted him down briefly, according to footage from the officer's body-cam video.

"I'm just going to pat you down real quick, make sure you ain't got nothing on you, right, no weapons, nothing like that?" the officer said. Jackson repeatedly asked for a cigarette, saying he had anxiety.

Columbus police were called to the hospital because Jackson had outstanding warrants in the city.

Once Jackson was in a room in the hospital's emergency room, an officer briefly handcuffed his left hand to the hospital bed. A few minutes later, an officer removed the handcuff and began collecting Jackson's property.

"You don't have nothing sharp in your pockets, do you?" the officer asked. "Hopefully somebody would have caught that earlier." About a minute later, a bullet dropped from Jackson's pants.

"Uh oh. Got a little bullet action," the officer said calmly as he picked it up. "Don't see people carrying those around every day."

Within the next minute, the officer told his fellow officer to get Jackson's arm around him. "He's got a gun," the officer said.

Over about three minutes, officers outside the room shouted dozens of commands at Jackson, lying on the floor, to put his right hand over his head with his left hand. One Columbus officer was still in the room, behind the bed, with his gun pointed in Jackson's direction, video showed.

"I'm just scared, guys," Jackson said at one point. Later, he said, "So if I move y'all not going to shoot me. They're not going to shoot me?" He also told officers he wasn't going to do anything and that he was leaning on his right hand.

A police officer instructed Jackson again to raise his right hand.

"Slowly put your right hand up in the air. Slowly," she said. When Jackson said he was putting the gun down, the officer replied, "Do not touch the gun. Let go of the gun and put both of your hands up over your head."

The second use of the stun gun, the shot and then the police shooting erupted within seconds after her orders, the video showed.

On Wednesday, Westerville's police chief placed the two officers who initially came into contact with Jackson on administrative leave. He told residents "that if policy violations are found, there will be an appropriate level of accountability".

Westerville officers Eric Everhart and David Lammert, who are both white, will be on leave while an internal investigation into the shooting is conducted, the department said. But the department's investigation cannot overlap or interfere with the independent investigation the attorney general, Dave Yost, is conducting, Charles said, so it will be on hold until that is completed.

Columbus police identified the officers in the shooting as Andrew Howe and Ryan Krichbaum, both 15 year veterans of the agency.

Emergency room staff tried to revive Jackson. He was pronounced dead at the hospital, authorities said. No officers, hospital staff or physicians were injured, officials said.

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Body-cam footage shows Ohio man killed by police after struggle in hospital

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Officers conducting a routine pat-down of a man in a hospital emergency room found a gun in his waistband, spurring a struggle over the weapon and a standoff that ended in officers killing him, according to police body-camera footage released on Wednesday.

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Secretary of State Blinken is visiting Afghanistan after President Biden announced a complete withdrawal of troops from the country

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Secretary of State Antony Blinken arrived in Kabul on Thursday in an unannounced visit that comes just a day after President Biden announced that he has decided to withdraw all U.S. troops from Afghanistan, ending America's longest conflict.

Blinken told Afghan President Ashraf Ghani that his visit was intended to "demonstrate with my visit the ongoing commitment of the United States to the Islamic Republic and the people of Afghanistan."

"The partnership is changing, but the partnership is enduring," Blinken said.

Ghani replied: "We respect the decision and are adjusting our priorities."

On Wednesday, Biden announced that the remaining 2,500 U.S. troops would be coming home by Sept. 11, the 20th anniversary of the terrorist attacks that sparked a U.S. invasion of Afghanistan.

The president said a continued military presence in Afghanistan was no longer sustainable. The war there has claimed the lives of more than 2,300 U.S. troops, and more than 100,000 Afghans civilians have been either killed or wounded in the conflict in the past decade.

Blinken arrived in the Afghan capital as NATO announced that it would follow the U.S. lead and withdraw its roughly 7,000 troops from Afghanistan within a few months.

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Blinken Arrives In Afghanistan After Biden Announces Troop Withdrawal

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Secretary of State Antony Blinken arrived in Kabul on Thursday in an unannounced visit that comes just a day after President Biden announced that he has decided to withdraw all U.S. troops from Afghanistan, ending America's longest conflict.

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Brad Pitt was seen leaving a hospital in a wheelchair.

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Relax, it's for liability reasons!

Brad Pitt was photographed exiting a Beverly Hills medical center in a wheelchair Wednesday, following a reported dental appointment.

Pitt, 57, was wheeled along by a bodyguard, clad in a black hoodie and grey jeans. The "Once Upon A Time in Hollywood" star sported an oversized pair of sunglasses over his mask, with a set of white sneakers to complete the look.

Though this writer is admittedly neither a doctor nor familiar with the inner workings of Brad Pitt's mouth - if only! - the star was likely confined to the wheelchair per the longstanding policy by hospitals to avoid liability should a patient injure themselves exiting a facility quote-unquote under their own power.

As to what procedure Pitt would have been undergoing, that's anyone's guess, though we'd wager he's probably a little too old to be getting his wisdom teeth out at this point.

Pitt was recently revealed - along with Harrison Ford, Brad Pitt, Halle Berry and Reese Witherspoon, among others - as a member of the ensemble roster the Academy Awards tapped to present at the April 25 ceremony - maybe he was just having an extra-serious tooth cleaning to prepare.

One person who's definitely no longer on a shortlist of hospital pickup contacts is his ex-wife Angelina Jolie. The couple's protracted split has progressed into one of Hollywood's ugliest courtroom battles.

Most recently, a source told Page Six that Pitt was "heartbroken" over an alleged leak by someone in Jolie's camp that she and the couple's children are willing to testify to alleged spousal abuse on his part, as part of the custody battle over their six children.

(Pitt was never been arrested or charged for any offense during his marriage to Jolie, nor were there any police reports made.)

"Brad and his camp has never attacked Angelina," the source said. "But his camp feels this leak was calculated to sway opinion ahead of the conclusion of their trial."

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Brad Pitt leaves medical center in a wheelchair post-dentist

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Relax, it's for liability reasons! Brad Pitt was photographed exiting a Beverly Hills medical center in a wheelchair Wednesday, following a reported dental appointment. Pitt, 57, was wheeled along by a bodyguard, clad in a black hoodie and grey jeans.

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The officer charged with the killing of Daunte Wright will appear in court. The officer has said she accidentally used her gun instead of her taser.

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Daunte Wright became a father while he was still a teenager, and seemed to relish the role of a doting young dad, his family and friends said.

A family photo shows a beaming Wright holding his son, Daunte Jr., at his first birthday party. Another shows Wright, wearing a COVID-19 face mask and his son wearing a bib with the inscription, "ALWAYS HUNGRY."

Wright, 20, was fatally shot Sunday by a police officer in the Minneapolis suburb of Brooklyn Center. As protesters and civil rights advocates called for justice and police accountability over his death, his family asked people to also remember his life.

"He had a 2-year-old son that's not going to be able to play basketball with him. He had sisters and brothers that he loved so much," his mother, Katie Wright, said Tuesday on "Good Morning America."

His aunt, Naisha Wright, said he was "a lovable young man."

"His smile - oh, Lord - the most beautiful smile," she said.

An older cousin, Mario Greer, said he and Wright loved seeing each other on holidays, especially on the Fourth of July, when they liked to shoot off Roman candles together.

Wright attended three different high schools, including Edison High School in Minneapolis, where he was voted "class clown" as a freshman.

Jonathan Mason, who worked as a youth development specialist and mentor at the school, said Wright was a gregarious, popular student who had many friends.

"He was a charismatic kid. He would joke with you, and he was so witty," Mason said. "He was one of those kids that everybody looked up to."

Wright played on the freshman and junior varsity basketball teams, and was known for having a good left-hand shot, Mason said.

During mentoring sessions, Wright would talk about what he hoped to do with his life, Mason said.

"He said, 'I want to be an NBA player, I want to be a fashion designer, I want to be a business owner,' " Mason recalled. "I said, 'If you grow up, you can be whatever you want to be.'"

The two also talked about how Black men should behave during encounters with police, because of the history of Black Americans being shot by police during traffic stops and other encounters.

"I talked about if they pull you over, make sure your hands are on the top of the steering wheel, don't reach for anything," Mason said.

"He would always say, 'Man, why we gotta do all that just for people not to kill us?' "

Wright moved to Patrick Henry High School in Minneapolis in 2018, where his sister is also a student. Principal Yusuf Abdullah said he left after one semester and then went to Stadium View School.

"We got to know Daunte really well through his sister. Many staff worked with him through the years, trying to build a relationship with him, connect with him," Abdullah said.

He said Daunte wasn't a difficult kid, but had some of the typical issues of teenagers: "A troubled life? No. I think just along the lines of a teenage life." He wouldn't elaborate.

"He was a good kid - excitable," he said.

Police have described the shooting of Wright as "an accidental discharge" that happened as officers were trying to arrest Wright on an outstanding warrant after stopping his car for having expired registration tags. Wright's mother said he called her just before he was shot and told her police had pulled him over because he had air fresheners hanging from his rearview mirror.

The city's police chief, who resigned Tuesday, said he believed the officer who shot Wright, Kim Potter, meant to use her Taser on him, but instead shot him with her gun. A prosecutor on Wednesday charged Potter, who also resigned, with second-degree manslaughter.

According to court records, Wright was being sought after failing to appear in court on charges that he fled from officers and possessed a gun without a permit during an encounter with Minneapolis police in June.

A search of court records shows Wright had a minor criminal record, with petty misdemeanor convictions for possession/sale of a small amount of marijuana and disorderly conduct.

After he was killed Sunday, his family learned of a connection between Wright and George Floyd, the Black man whose death under the knee of a Minneapolis police officer nearly a year ago sparked nationwide protests. Floyd's girlfriend, Courteney Ross, said she worked with Wright while he was a student at Edison High School. Ross was a teacher's assistant and counselor at the school, said Mason, who worked with Ross.

"(I'm) crushed. It's enough that Floyd is gone, but for one of my youths to be gone as well," Ross said Tuesday during a protest against police brutality in Minneapolis.

"He was just a wonderful, beautiful boy," Ross said.

___

AP writer Tim Sullivan in Minneapolis; Kat Stafford in Detroit; and AP researcher Rhonda Shafner also contributed to this report.

___

Find AP's full coverage of the death of Daunte Wright at: https://apnews.com/hub/death-of-daunte-wright

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Daunte Wright: Doting dad, ballplayer, slain by police

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Daunte Wright became a father while he was still a teenager, and seemed to relish the role of a doting young dad, his family and friends said. A family photo shows a beaming Wright holding his son, Daunte Jr., at his first birthday party.

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A group of House and Senate Democrats proposed expanding the Supreme Court to 13 justices. Speaker Pelosi has turned it down, saying that she prefers to go with Biden's suggestion of creating a commission that would study the impacts of changing the number of sitting judges.

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A group of House and Senate Democrats on Thursday introduced legislation to expand the Supreme Court from 9 members to 13, trying to spur momentum for the first change in the makeup of the court in 150 years.

The Democrats and progressive activists said the change was necessary to restore balance to the court after Senate Republicans blocked President Barack Obama's nominee in 2016 and pushed through a third Donald J. Trump appointee, Justice Amy Coney Barrett, just days before last year's election.

They were to appear Thursday morning on the steps of the Supreme Court to unveil the bill.

"Republicans stole the court's majority, with Justice Amy Coney Barrett's confirmation completing their crime spree," Senator Edward J.Markey, Democrat of Massachusetts, a sponsor of the legislation, said in a statement announcing it. "Senate Republicans have politicized the Supreme Court, undermined its legitimacy, and threatened the rights of millions of Americans, especially people of color, women, and our immigrant communities."

With the filibuster in place, the legislation stands no chance in the Senate, where it is hotly opposed by Republicans who say that Democrats are trying to "pack" the court to gain partisan advantage. It is also unlikely to make much progress before a new commission created last week by President Biden delivers its report, ordered within six months, on potential changes to the court. But proponents of expanding the court hope to use the legislation to generate more support for an overhaul.

Representative Jerrold Nadler, Democrat of New York and the chairman of the Judiciary Committee, said it made sense to enlarge the court given its complex workload and the growth of the federal court system since the makeup of the high court was last changed in 1869. The size of the court is set by law, not the Constitution, and it was changed multiple times in the early days of the nation.

"Nine justices may have made sense in the nineteenth century when there were only nine circuits, and many of our most important federal laws - covering everything from civil rights, to antitrust, the internet, financial regulation, health care, immigration, and white collar crime - simply did not exist, and did not require adjudication by the Supreme Court," said Mr. Nadler, another sponsor of the bill."But the logic behind having only nine justices is much weaker today, when there are 13 circuits."

Mr. Biden has been dismissive in the past about calls to expand the court. But it became a major issue in the presidential primaries, and his promise to create a commission to explore the idea was his way of avoiding taking a definitive stance on the issue. The commission is not expected to deliver a recommendation on what to do, but instead gather information on the implications of enlarging the court or imposing term limits on justices who now serve for life.

Republicans are pushing back forcefully on the idea. A group of House Republicans has proposed a constitutional amendment fixing the membership of the court at nine justices. And the Judicial Crisis Network, a conservative advocacy group, on Thursday launched what it said would be a $1 million advertising campaign criticizing Mr. Biden for exploring a change in the makeup of the court after resisting the idea for years.

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House and Senate Democrats propose a bill to expand the Supreme Court.

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A group of House and Senate Democrats on Thursday introduced legislation to expand the Supreme Court from 9 members to 13, trying to spur momentum for the first change in the makeup of the court in 150 years.

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Biden has imposed new sanctions on Russia because of its election interference and security hacking.

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us expected to sanction russia and expel russian officials from us in response to recent hacks and election interference  - cnnpolitics

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US is expected to sanction Russia and expel Russian officials in response to hacks and election interference

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The Biden administration is expected to announce sanctions as soon as Thursday targeting Russian individuals and entities, in addition to the expulsion of as many as a dozen Russian diplomats from the US in response to the hack of SolarWinds and election interference, according to two sources familiar with the plans.

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The Derek Chauvin trial has wrapped up the defense's case. Closing arguments are expected next week. Chauvin declined to testify.

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Defense rests, will call no more witnesses

The defense rested its case on Thursday morning after Derek Chauvin announced he would not testify.

The defense called seven witnesses, far fewer than the 38 called by the prosecution, which has the burden of proof.

Among those testifying for the defense were two expert witnesses, a former forensic pathologist and a use-of-force expert.

Closing arguments are expected to take place on Monday, before the case goes to the jury for deliberations.

Chauvin is charged with second- and third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter in the death of George Floyd, 46.

Derek Chauvin says he will not testify

Derek Chauvin, the police officer on trial in the death of George Floyd, invoked his 5th Amendment right not to testify on Thursday.

Chauvin's decision comes after much speculation over whether or not he would take the stand.

The defense said they have discussed this issue with Chauvin several times before he made the decision not to testify.

Defense expert: Floyd died from heart trouble, not restraint

MINNEAPOLIS - George Floyd died of a sudden heart rhythm disturbance as a result of his heart disease, a forensic pathologist testified for the defense at former Officer Derek Chauvin's murder trial, contradicting prosecution experts who said Floyd succumbed to a lack of oxygen from the way he was pinned down.

Dr. David Fowler, a former Maryland chief medical examiner who is now with a consulting firm, said Wednesday the fentanyl and methamphetamine in Floyd's system, and possibly carbon monoxide poisoning from auto exhaust, were contributing factors in the 46-year-old Black man's death last May.

"All of those combined to cause Mr. Floyd's death," he said on the second day of the defense case.

Fowler also testified that he would classify the manner of death "undetermined," rather than homicide, as the county's chief medical examiner ruled. He said Floyd's death had too many conflicting factors, some of which could be ruled homicide and some that could be considered accidental.

Prosecutors say Floyd died because the white officer's knee was pressed against Floyd's neck or neck area for 9 1/2 minutes as he lay on the pavement on his stomach, his hands cuffed behind him and his face jammed against the ground.

Prosecutor Jerry Blackwell launched an aggressive cross-examination, attacking Fowler's findings down the line. He got Fowler to acknowledge that even someone who dies from being deprived of oxygen ultimately dies of an arrhythmia.

He also got Fowler to admit that he didn't take the weight of Chauvin's gear into account when he analyzed the pressure on Floyd's body. Blackwell further accused Fowler of jumping to conclusions and suggesting to the jury that Floyd had a white pill in his mouth in the video of his arrest. Fowler denied saying that.

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Derek Chauvin trial: Live updates on George Floyd's death

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The defense rested its case on Thursday morning after Derek Chauvin announced he would not testify. The defense called seven witnesses, far fewer than the 38 called by the prosecution, which has the burden of proof. Among those testifying for the defense were two expert witnesses, a former forensic pathologist and a use-of-force expert.

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Rapper DMX died at the age of 50.

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NEW YORK (AP) - DMX, the iconic hip-hop artist behind the songs "Ruff Ryders' Anthem" and "Party Up (Up in Here)" whose distinctively gruff voice and thoughtful messages in his rhymes made him one of rap's biggest stars, has died, according to a family statement Friday. He was 50.

The Grammy-nominated performer died after suffering "catastrophic cardiac arrest," according to a statement from the hospital in White Plains, New York, where he died. He was rushed there from his home April 2.

His family's statement said DMX, whose birth name was Earl Simmons, died with relatives by his side after several days on life support.

"Earl was a warrior who fought till the very end. He loved his family with all of his heart, and we cherish the times we spent with him," the family said, adding that his music "inspired countless fans across the world."

Memorial plans were not yet set.

DMX - who rapped with a trademark raspy delivery that was often paired with growls, barks and "What!" as an ad-lib - built a multiplatinum career in the late 1990s and early 2000s, but he also struggled with drug addiction and legal problems that repeatedly put him behind bars.

"His message of triumph over struggle, his search for the light out of darkness, his pursuit of truth and grace brought us closer to our own humanity," his record label, Def Jam Recordings, said in a statement describing him as "nothing less than a giant."

Fellow hip hop artists remembered him likewise, with Eve praising him as "one of the most special people I have ever met" and Nas calling him "Gods poet" in an Instagram post.

DMX made a splash in 1998 with his first studio album, "It's Dark and Hell is Hot," which debuted No. 1 on the Billboard 200 albums chart. The multiplatinum-selling album was anchored by several hits including "Ruff Ryders' Anthem," "Get At Me Dog," "Stop Being Greedy" and "How It's Goin' Down."

DMX followed up with four straight chart-topping albums including "... And Then There Was X," "Flesh of My Flesh, Blood of My Blood," "The Great Depression" and "Grand Champ." He released seven albums, earned three Grammy nominations and was named favorite rap/hip-hop artist at the 2000 American Music Awards.

DMX arrived on the rap scene around the same time as Jay-Z, Ja Rule and others who dominated the charts and emerged as platinum-selling acts. They were all part of rap crews, too: DMX fronted the Ruff Ryders collective, which helped launch the careers of Grammy winners Eve and Swizz Beatz, and relaunch The Lox, formerly signed to Bad Boy Records. Ruff Ryders had success on the charts and on radio with its "Ryde or Die" compilation albums.

Along with his musical career, DMX paved his way as an actor. He starred in the 1998 film "Belly" and appeared in 2000′s "Romeo Must Die" with Jet Li and Aaliyah. DMX and Aaliyah teamed up for "Come Back in One Piece" on the film's soundtrack.

The rapper would later open Aaliyah's tribute music video, "Miss You," alongside her other friends and collaborators, including Missy Elliott, Lil' Kim and Queen Latifah, after Aaliyah's 2001 death in a plane crash at age 22.

The rapper also starred in 2001′s "Exit Wounds" with Steven Seagal and 2003′s "Cradle 2 the Grave" with Li.

But while DMX made his mark as one of hip-hop's most recognizable names for his rap artistry and as an actor, the rapper was personally stifled by his legal battles - he was repeatedly arrested and jailed within a decade - and drug addiction. His addiction first took hold at age 14 when smoked a marijuana cigarette that was laced with cocaine.

"Earl Simmons was a wonderful, caring father, and a sensitive, thoughtful man," said Lyor Cohen, a former executive at Def Jam, in a statement. "Unfortunately, Dark Man X took over and ran amok, tormented and struggling to find the light. ... DMX gave me the inspiration to keep going at Def Jam when rap became soft and silly."

DMX pleaded guilty in 2004 after he posed as an undercover federal agent and crashed his SUV through a security gate at New York's Kennedy Airport. He was arrested in 2008 on drug and animal cruelty charges following an overnight raid on his house in Phoenix. He tried to barricade himself in his bedroom but emerged when a SWAT team entered his home.

In 2010, he was sentenced to a year in prison for violating terms of his probation. After he was admitted to rehab numerous times over the next year, he said he had finally beat his drug addiction.

First responders helped bring DMX back to life after he was found in a hotel parking lot in New York in 2016. The rapper said he suffered from asthma.

A couple years later, DMX was sentenced to a year in prison for tax fraud. Prosecutors said he concocted a multiyear scheme to hide millions of dollars in income from the IRS and get around nearly $2 million in tax liabilities.

After his release, DMX planned a 32-date tour to mark the 20th anniversary of "It's Dark and Hell is Hot." But the rapper canceled a series of shows to check himself into a rehab facility in 2019. In an Instagram post, his team said he apologized for the canceled shows and thanked his fans for the continued support.

Besides his legal troubles, DMX took the initiative to help the less fortunate. He gave a group of Philadelphia men advice during a surprise appearance at a homeless support group meeting in 2017, and helped a Maine family with its back-to-school purchases a couple years later.

Last year, DMX faced off against Snoop Dogg in a Verzuz battle, which drew more than 500,000 viewers.

"You can't be a fan and not feel empathy for him in his journey," hip-hop and electronic music producer Flying Lotus said in an interview while DMX was hospitalized this week. "You think of 'Belly' and all the great stuff that he was part of. But he was dealt such a weird hand, I think, with the drug stuff. And I just have empathy."

Survivors include his 15 children and his mother.

___

Landrum reported from Los Angeles. Associated Press writer Ryan Pearson contributed from Los Angeles.

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'Nothing less than a giant': Rapper-actor DMX dies at 50

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NEW YORK (AP) - DMX, the iconic hip-hop artist behind the songs "Ruff Ryders' Anthem" and "Party Up (Up in Here)" whose distinctively gruff voice and thoughtful messages in his rhymes made him one of rap's biggest stars, has died, according to a family statement Friday. He was 50.

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Hiseki Mastuyama has become the first Asian to win the Men's US Masters.

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Hideki Matsuyama overcame three bogeys in the last four holes to win the Masters Tournament Sunday, and in doing so, became the first Japanese man to win a golf major championship.

Matsuyama started the final round at Augusta National Golf Club with a four-stroke lead Sunday morning, coming out on top with a score of 10 under par. He bested Will Zalatoris, who finished one stroke behind, as well as Jordan Spieth and Xander Schauffele who tied for third.

His journey to victory started a decade ago, with his first appearance at the Masters in 2011 after an earthquake struck his home in Sendai, Japan. He walked away with low amateur honors, according to the Masters. He recalled walking off the 18 th hole when veteran pro golfer Steve Stricker complimented his game.

"That's a memory I'll cherish," he said. "Because of that round, it gave me the confidence that I could play here. I could play professional golf as a career."

The winner's purse for the 2021 Masters is more than $2 million. Matsuyama went into the tournament ranked 25 th in the world, and Vegas Insider posted the odds of him winning at 46-to-1. However, those odds jumped to 5-to-six going into the final round on Sunday.

Making Japan proud Hideki. Congratulations on such a huge accomplishment for you and your country. This historical @TheMasters win will impact the entire golf world.
- Tiger Woods (@TigerWoods) April 11, 2021

Tiger Woods, who was unable to compete due to injuries sustained in a car crash in February, congratulated Matsuyama on Twitter shortly after the tournament ended.

The Masters concluded Sunday evening in the States, but it was Monday morning in Japan. Golf grew in popularity in Japan in the 1960s when Americans such as Sam Snead, Arnold Palmer and Jack Nicklaus competed in tournaments and exhibition matches there.

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Hideki Matsuyama Wins Masters, Makes History For Japan

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Hideki Matsuyama overcame three bogeys in the last four holes to win the Masters Tournament Sunday, and in doing so, became the first Japanese man to win a golf major championship. Matsuyama started the final round at Augusta National Golf Club with a four-stroke lead Sunday morning, coming out on top with a score of 10 under par.

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Over the weekend, NH hosted its third mass-vaccination site at the NH Speedway

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New Hampshire's third mass COVID-19 vaccination clinic will fully vaccinate around 12,000 Granite Staters this weekend.The clinic is administering the Johnson & Johnson vaccine, the single-dose shot Granite Staters 18 years old and older are eligible for.Governor Chris Sununu was among the thousands of cheering people driving in for their shot. "It's going so well and again, how can you not feel the vibe there, right?" Sununu said. "Everyone's cheering, everyone's excited.Sununu arrived at the clinic in a convertible with other members of the state's COVID-19 response team. "A round of J&J for me and my friends," Sununu said as he drove up to a volunteer.He said he hopes when Granite Staters see state officials getting vaccinated, they will trust the shot's safety."If it just encourages one other person to get the vaccine, then that's a good thing," Sununu said.Perry Plummer of N.H.'s COVID vaccine response team said people are in and out of the speedway in about 40 minutes. The state added a lane and are using a larger tent to protect vaccinators from inclement weather."It's a huge tent," Plummer said. "Our people are protected, and it's working really well." Although the state had a surplus of Johnson & Johnson vaccines for the clinic, future supply will decrease, according to Bureau of Infectious Disease Control Chief Dr. Beth Daly."Last week, we got around 20,000 doses," Daly said. "This next week, we are only getting about 2,500 doses."Some states recently paused Johnson & Johnson vaccine clinics over side effect concerns, but the CDC said the vaccine is safe to use."Those are all normal things that can happen after vaccination that just indicates that the vaccine is working. Your body is developing that protection against the virus," Daly said. State officials remind Granite Staters that scheduling an appointment is required to get vaccinated.

New Hampshire's third mass COVID-19 vaccination clinic will fully vaccinate around 12,000 Granite Staters this weekend.

The clinic is administering the Johnson & Johnson vaccine, the single-dose shot Granite Staters 18 years old and older are eligible for.

Governor Chris Sununu was among the thousands of cheering people driving in for their shot.

"It's going so well and again, how can you not feel the vibe there, right?" Sununu said. "Everyone's cheering, everyone's excited.

Sununu arrived at the clinic in a convertible with other members of the state's COVID-19 response team.

"A round of J&J for me and my friends," Sununu said as he drove up to a volunteer.

He said he hopes when Granite Staters see state officials getting vaccinated, they will trust the shot's safety.

"If it just encourages one other person to get the vaccine, then that's a good thing," Sununu said.

Perry Plummer of N.H.'s COVID vaccine response team said people are in and out of the speedway in about 40 minutes. The state added a lane and are using a larger tent to protect vaccinators from inclement weather.

"It's a huge tent," Plummer said. "Our people are protected, and it's working really well."

Although the state had a surplus of Johnson & Johnson vaccines for the clinic, future supply will decrease, according to Bureau of Infectious Disease Control Chief Dr. Beth Daly.

"Last week, we got around 20,000 doses," Daly said. "This next week, we are only getting about 2,500 doses."

Some states recently paused Johnson & Johnson vaccine clinics over side effect concerns, but the CDC said the vaccine is safe to use.

"Those are all normal things that can happen after vaccination that just indicates that the vaccine is working. Your body is developing that protection against the virus," Daly said.

State officials remind Granite Staters that scheduling an appointment is required to get vaccinated.

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New Hampshire Motor Speedway hosts state's third mass vaccination clinic

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New Hampshire's third mass COVID-19 vaccination clinic will fully vaccinate around 12,000 Granite Staters this weekend.The clinic is administering the Johnson & Johnson vaccine, the single-dose shot Granite Staters 18 years old and older are eligible for.Governor Chris Sununu was among the thousands of cheering people driving in for their shot.

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The NH House Speaker, Sherman Packard, called a female representative a b*t*h when he thought his microphone was turned off at the latest House hearing.

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New Hampshire House Speaker Sherman Packard apologized to a female lawmaker and the full House on Friday for using a profanity while referring to her in a brief side comment.Sherman used the language at the start of the final day of a marathon three-day session at the NH Sportsplex in Bedford. The House held the session at the 55,000-square-foot facility because it is spacious enough to allow for social distancing to accommodate 400-member body.While most members wore masks during the session, an area was set aside for those who chose not to wear them. But all legislators were required to wear masks when they were not in their seats.Shortly before Packard gaveled the session to order in the morning, House Clerk Paul Smith - standing beside Packard - admonished Rep. Anne Copp, a Derry Republican, to "please have your mask on if you're walking around. Thank you."Packard then turned to Smith and made his side comment. The House livestream video was captured and tweeted by WMUR political director Adam Sexton.Later in the session, Packard apologized, saying:"Earlier today before the session had officially started, I referred to a member of this House in a highly inappropriate manner. I want to apologize in a sincere manner to this member and to the House."I let the stress and anxiety of this event get the best of me, and I said something I would not want any member of this House to say about a fellow member, or any person."I want you all to know that I feel terrible about this situation, and I want the member to know - and you all to know - that you all have my utmost respect."

New Hampshire House Speaker Sherman Packard apologized to a female lawmaker and the full House on Friday for using a profanity while referring to her in a brief side comment.

Sherman used the language at the start of the final day of a marathon three-day session at the NH Sportsplex in Bedford. The House held the session at the 55,000-square-foot facility because it is spacious enough to allow for social distancing to accommodate 400-member body.

While most members wore masks during the session, an area was set aside for those who chose not to wear them. But all legislators were required to wear masks when they were not in their seats.

Shortly before Packard gaveled the session to order in the morning, House Clerk Paul Smith - standing beside Packard - admonished Rep. Anne Copp, a Derry Republican, to "please have your mask on if you're walking around. Thank you."

Packard then turned to Smith and made his side comment. The House livestream video was captured and tweeted by WMUR political director Adam Sexton.

Later in the session, Packard apologized, saying:

"Earlier today before the session had officially started, I referred to a member of this House in a highly inappropriate manner. I want to apologize in a sincere manner to this member and to the House.

"I let the stress and anxiety of this event get the best of me, and I said something I would not want any member of this House to say about a fellow member, or any person.

"I want you all to know that I feel terrible about this situation, and I want the member to know - and you all to know - that you all have my utmost respect."

This content is imported from Twitter. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site.

It looks and sounds here like Speaker Packard calls Rep. Anne Copp, (R) Derry, a "b****" after the House Clerk reminds her to put on a mask while walking on the House floor at the beginning of today's session. This is video and audio from the @NHHouseofReps feed. #NHPolitics pic.twitter.com/bCEwMCoYL3
- Adam Sexton (@AdamSextonWMUR) April 9, 2021

This content is imported from Twitter. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site.

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NH House Speaker apologizes for using profanity to describe female lawmaker

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New Hampshire House Speaker Sherman Packard apologized to a female lawmaker and the full House on Friday for using a profanity while referring to her in a brief side comment.Sherman used the language at the start of the final day of a marathon three-day session at the NH Sportsplex in Bedford.

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The NH House has passed a bill that would require all children under the age of 2 to sit in rear-facing carseats.

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The New Hampshire House has passed a bill that would require children under age 2 to be restrained in a rear-facing car seat in a vehicle.

The majority of the House Transportation Committee, which recommended approval of the bill, said it would help "close an identified gap in child passenger safety law in New Hampshire."

It has the support of New Hampshire chiefs of police, Children's Hospital at Dartmouth-Hitchcock, and a number of other groups.

Opponents said parents should be able to choose appropriate child restraint systems for their children.

They also expressed concern about some children not being able to fit in the seats, or that some can get sick in rear-facing seats.

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N.H. House Bill Requires Kids Under 2 In Rear-facing Car Seats

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The New Hampshire House has passed a bill that would require children under age 2 to be restrained in a rear-facing car seat in a vehicle. The majority of the House Transportation Committee, which recommended approval of the bill, said it would help "close an identified gap in child passenger safety law in New Hampshire."

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A house burned down in Laconia over the weekend--an investigation is ongoing.

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A fire in Laconia burned a house down Saturday evening on Winnisquam Lake. The Laconia Fire Department said in a news release Saturday they were dispatched to a reported building fire at 93 Eastman Shore Road South at 6:18 p.m.Laconia Fire said they found a one-and-a-half story house "fully involved and beginning to collapse." The fire was extending to nearby brush and a trailered boat.Water needed to be shuttled in because the road is not within the hydrant district.Mutual aid from multiple Lakes Region fire departments assisted in the fire's takedown.Firefighters said the building is a total loss with repair costs estimating at $100,000.No injuries were reported at the scene, according to Laconia Fire.The department said the fire's cause is still under investigation but not considered suspicious. This is the second multiple-alarm fire in Laconia within four days, according to the Laconia Fire Department.

A fire in Laconia burned a house down Saturday evening on Winnisquam Lake.

The Laconia Fire Department said in a news release Saturday they were dispatched to a reported building fire at 93 Eastman Shore Road South at 6:18 p.m.

Laconia Fire said they found a one-and-a-half story house "fully involved and beginning to collapse." The fire was extending to nearby brush and a trailered boat.

Water needed to be shuttled in because the road is not within the hydrant district.

Mutual aid from multiple Lakes Region fire departments assisted in the fire's takedown.

Firefighters said the building is a total loss with repair costs estimating at $100,000.

No injuries were reported at the scene, according to Laconia Fire.

The department said the fire's cause is still under investigation but not considered suspicious.

This is the second multiple-alarm fire in Laconia within four days, according to the Laconia Fire Department.

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Fire burns down house on Winnisquam Lake in Laconia

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A fire in Laconia burned a house down Saturday evening on Winnisquam Lake. The Laconia Fire Department said in a news release Saturday they were dispatched to a reported building fire at 93 Eastman Shore Road South at 6:18 p.m.Laconia Fire said they found a one-and-a-half story house "fully involved and beginning to collapse."

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The St. Vincent volcano will most likely erupt in the next few days. Evacuations are underway.

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The Caribbean island of St Vincent is likely to see further volcanic eruptions and ash fall over the coming days, experts have warned.

The La Soufrière volcano first erupted on Friday, blanketing the island in a layer of ash and forcing more than 16,000 people to evacuate their homes.

Smaller explosions continued over the weekend, triggering widespread outages of electricity and water supplies.

Emergency officials have described the landscape as a "battle zone".

"The volcano continues to erupt explosively with the production of copious amounts of ash," the University of the West Indies' Seismic Research Center said.

"Explosions and accompanying ash fall, of similar or larger magnitude, are likely to continue to occur over the next few days impacting St Vincent and neighbouring islands," it warned.

June Shipley, who is visiting her family on the island, told the BBC there were widespread fears a larger eruption could be imminent.

"We do hear the rumblings of the volcano and we do see the smoke," she said.

White-coloured dust has covered buildings and roads around the island, including in its capital Kingstown.

The warning to expect further activity at La Soufrière followed what officials described as an "explosive event" on Sunday.

The emergency management organisation Nemo tweeted: "Massive power outage following another explosive event at La Soufriere Volcano. Lightning, thunder and rumblings."

It later spoke of "possible destruction and devastation of communities close to the volcano", and compared the eruption to that of 1902, the worst in St Vincent's history when more than 1,000 people were killed.

Rhiannon West, who is originally from England, lives in the south-east of St Vincent with her partner and six-month-old baby. She told the BBC about her experience:

We stood outside our home on Saturday and watched as the volcano erupted and a huge billowing cloud of ash was sent into the air. It was incredible but also terrifying.

Since then we've been sheltering indoors with everything closed.

It's scary thinking about what we can do to protect the baby from the ash. We've put sheets around the bottom of the doors to make sure none of it gets in.

We keep losing electricity, and we've had no running water since Thursday. Our local shop has run out of bottled water, and it's very scary to think we could run out ourselves.

This could go on for weeks and neither of us can work because of the power supply issues.

The atmosphere is just very eerie. Everything is grey with a thick layer of ash and people are scared that these eruptions could get worse.

How are residents coping?

More people fled their homes on Sunday amid fears of further volcanic activity and ash fall.

More than 3,000 people have been staying at government-run shelters around the island. Cruise ships have also been readied to take evacuees to nearby islands.

St Lucia, Antigua and Grenada have all offered to open their borders to evacuees. A group of 130 people have already been taken to St Lucia.

Meanwhile, Nemo urged those remaining on the island to "be careful on the roads, which have become treacherous as a result of the ash flow".

Ash has hardened on the ground after rain showers and many homes are without water and electricity, emergency officials said early on Sunday.

Some residents said power had been restored later in the day, but several areas are still in the dark.

Prime Minister Ralph Gonsalves said water supplies to most of the island had been cut off and its airspace closed because of the smoke and thick plumes of volcanic ash moving through the atmosphere.

He earlier said that a lot of volcanic ash had fallen over the sea. "We don't know how much more is going to come out... so far, we have done well in that nobody got injured, nobody is dead."

The Barbados Defence Force has been deployed to provide humanitarian assistance, the Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency said.

The Barbados Defence Force (BDF) deployed a contingent as part of the Regional Security System's (RSS) humanitarian assistance and disaster response (HADR) mission to St Vincent and the Grenadines (SVG) in the aftermath of the La Soufrière volcano eruption. pic.twitter.com/R1NInZYaSU
- CDEMA (@cdemacu) April 10, 2021

The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. View original tweet on Twitter

The ash has also spread beyond St Vincent, reaching as far as Barbados which is 120 miles (190 km) to the east. People there have been urged to stay indoors and told to avoid breathing in the ash.

"This is to protect yourselves and your family," said Chief Medical Officer Kenneth George.

People on the island of St Lucia, which is around 47 miles north of St Vincent, have been warned to expect air quality to be affected, with harmful gases potentially making it harder to breathe for people with conditions such as asthma.

One resident of St Lucia, Olivia, told the BBC that she was worried about a possible change in wind direction and ash being carried northwards.

"I am terrified of all the effects that are unknown at this point, ash in the middle of a pandemic - no-one is prepared for that," she said.

"Victoria Hospital has been transformed to become the Respiratory Hospital, and is treating Covid patients" she said, adding: "So technically, persons suffering from the effects of ash inhalation would be on the wards with Covid patients."

The volcano had been dormant since 1979, but in late 2020 it started spewing steam and smoke and making rumbling noises.

The first sign that an eruption was imminent came on Thursday evening, when a lava dome became visible on La Soufrière.

Just before 09:00 on Friday (13:00 GMT), seismologists from the University of the West Indies confirmed that an "explosive eruption" was under way.

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St Vincent volcano: Eruptions likely in coming days, experts warn

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The Caribbean island of St Vincent is likely to see further volcanic eruptions and ash fall over the coming days, experts have warned. The La Soufrière volcano first erupted on Friday, blanketing the island in a layer of ash and forcing more than 16,000 people to evacuate their homes.

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A police officer in Virginia was fired after he pulled a gun and pepper sprayed a Black & Latino US military officer when pulled over during a traffic stop.

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virginia police officer who pepper-sprayed an army officer during a traffic stop

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One of the Virginia police officers who pepper-sprayed an Army officer during a traffic stop has been fired

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One of the police officers accused of using excessive force in a Virginia traffic stop has been fired following an investigation, the town manager said late Sunday.

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Protests erupted overnight in a suburb of Minneapolis after a Black man was shot and killed in a traffic violation stop.

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BROOKLYN CENTER, Minn. (Reuters) - Hundreds of angry protesters clashed with police in a Minneapolis suburb after a 20-year-old Black man was shot dead during a traffic stop.

The protests in Brooklyn Center came hours before the trial of Derek Chauvin, the former Minneapolis police officer charged with murdering George Floyd, was set to resume in a courtroom less than 10 miles (16 km) away on Monday.

Outside of the Brooklyn Center Police Department on Sunday night, smoke billowed as a line of police officers fired rubber bullets and chemical agents at protesters, some of whom lobbed rocks, bags of garbage and water bottles at the police.

Brooklyn Center's mayor ordered a curfew until 6 a.m. (1100 GMT), and the local school superintendent said the district would move to remote learning on Monday "out of an abundance of caution."

The man killed by police was identified by relatives and Minnesota Governor Tim Walz as Daunte Wright, 20. Walz said in a statement that he was monitoring the unrest as "our state mourns another life of a Black man taken by law enforcement."

Late Sunday, a group of about 100 to 200 protesters gathered around the Brooklyn Center police headquarters and threw projectiles at the police department, Commissioner John Harrington of the Minnesota Department of Public Safety said in a live-streamed news briefing. The group was later dispersed.

Another pocket of protesters broke into about twenty businesses at a regional shopping center, with some businesses looted, according to the police and local media reports.

Anti-police protesters have already spent recent days rallying in Minneapolis as the trial of Chauvin, a white former city policeman, enters its third week in a courthouse ringed with barriers and soldiers from the National Guard.

Chauvin is charged with murder and manslaughter for kneeling on the neck of Floyd, a 46-year-old Black man, who was handcuffed during the deadly arrest last May, video of which sparked global protests against police brutality.

Brooklyn Center Mayor Mike Elliott said: "We want to make sure everyone is safe. Please be safe and please go home," he said in a tweet addressed to protestors.

While the incident is being investigated "we continue to ask that members of our community gathering do so peacefully, amid our calls for transparency and accountability," he added later.

'DAUNTE, DON'T RUN'

Wright's mother, Katie Wright, told reporters at the scene that she had received a call from her son on Sunday afternoon telling her that police had pulled him over for having air fresheners dangling from his rear-view mirror, illegal in Minnesota. She could hear police tell her son to get out the vehicle, she said.

"I heard scuffling, and I heard police officers say, 'Daunte, don't run,'" she said through tears. The call ended. When she dialed his number again, his girlfriend answered and said he was dead in the driver's seat.

In a statement, Brooklyn Center police said officers pulled over a man for a traffic violation just before 2 p.m., and found he had an outstanding arrest warrant.

As police tried to arrest him, he got back in the car. One officer shot the man, who was not identified in the statement. The man drove several blocks before striking another vehicle and dying at the scene.

Police say both officers' body cameras were recording during the incident. The state's Bureau of Criminal Apprehension said it was investigating the shooting.

The Minnesota branch of the American Civil Liberties Union said another independent agency should investigate, and demanded the immediate release of any videos of the shooting. The group said it had "deep concerns that police here appear to have used dangling air fresheners as an excuse for making a pretextual stop, something police do all too often to target Black people."

Near the site of the shooting, protesters yelled angrily at a line of police in riot gear holding long batons. Some protesters vandalized two police vehicles, pelting them with stones and jumping on them.

Police fired rubber bullets, hitting at least two in the crowd and leaving at least one man bleeding from the head, a Reuters witness said, before crowds marched to the police department building.

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judicial process / court cases / court decisions

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Protests erupt after police shoot Black man in U.S. traffic stop

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BROOKLYN CENTER, Minn. (Reuters) - Hundreds of angry protesters clashed with police in a Minneapolis suburb after a 20-year-old Black man was shot dead during a traffic stop. The protests in Brooklyn Center came hours before the trial of Derek Chauvin, the former Minneapolis police officer charged with murdering George Floyd, was set to resume in a courtroom less than 10 miles (16 km) away on Monday.

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Prince Philip, the husband of Queen Elizabeth II has died at the age of 99.

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Prince Charles Speaks Out, Pays Tribute To His 'Dear Papa' Prince Philip | NBC News

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Governor Sununu will open vaccinations to all residents 16 and older on April 19.

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New Hampshire will make COVID-19 vaccines available to everyone age 16 or older regardless of residency starting April 19, Gov. Chris Sununu announced Thursday.The change will allow out-of-state college students, people with vacation homes and visitors to the state to get a vaccination appointment in New Hampshire.>> H0w and where to get the COVID-19 vaccine in New HampshireAlthough vaccinations had been made available to anyone age 16 or over who could prove residency with a driver's license, a payroll check or government-issued payment, Sununu said the state has enough appointments available to accommodate more people, beginning April 19."There is plenty of time between now and April 19 for additional New Hampshire residents to get an appointment," Sununu said.>> Latest COVID-19 impact coverage from WMURAnyone who wants to get vaccinated in New Hampshire will still need to get an appointment through the state's scheduling system, VINI. Some sort of identification or appointment confirmation will likely still be needed, Sununu said. The original decision to not open up vaccination appointments to out-of-state college students drew criticism from leaders in cities and towns with large student populations. Durham town administrator Todd Selig said the COVID-19 cases in his community were largely attributable to students at the University of New Hampshire, and it would make sense from a public health standpoint to vaccinate all students, regardless of where they came from.>> COVID-19 in New Hampshire: Important informationOther states have had less restrictive residency requirements. Massachusetts, for example, has allowed vaccinations for anyone who lives, studies or works in the state, as long as they meet other age or medical eligibility requirements.New Hampshire health officials said New Hampshire continues to do well in administering the vaccines it receives. Dr. Beth Daly, chief of the state Bureau of Infectious Disease Control, said 36% of the state's population has received at least one dose, and 20% are fully vaccinated.Daly said that between those who have received at least one vaccine dose and those who are scheduled to be vaccinated, about 60% of the state's 16-and-older population has made the choice to get vaccinated.This weekend, the Johnson & Johnson vaccine will be available at several vaccination sites. Up to 12,000 people will receive a dose at another mass vaccination site at the New Hampshire Motor Speedway, including Sununu, who will receive his shot on Saturday.Three additional sites will have doses on Sunday in Concord, Newington and Salem. Though, most of those appointments are full."We've gotten a huge influx of Johnson & Johnson vaccine in this past week and we don't want to hold out," Sununu said "We're going to get it out very, very quickly." ** Town-by-town COVID-19 case data **--

New Hampshire will make COVID-19 vaccines available to everyone age 16 or older regardless of residency starting April 19, Gov. Chris Sununu announced Thursday.

The change will allow out-of-state college students, people with vacation homes and visitors to the state to get a vaccination appointment in New Hampshire.

>> H0w and where to get the COVID-19 vaccine in New Hampshire

Although vaccinations had been made available to anyone age 16 or over who could prove residency with a driver's license, a payroll check or government-issued payment, Sununu said the state has enough appointments available to accommodate more people, beginning April 19.
>> Latest COVID-19 impact coverage from WMUR
"There is plenty of time between now and April 19 for additional New Hampshire residents to get an appointment," Sununu said.

Anyone who wants to get vaccinated in New Hampshire will still need to get an appointment through the state's scheduling system, VINI. Some sort of identification or appointment confirmation will likely still be needed, Sununu said.

The original decision to not open up vaccination appointments to out-of-state college students drew criticism from leaders in cities and towns with large student populations. Durham town administrator Todd Selig said the COVID-19 cases in his community were largely attributable to students at the University of New Hampshire, and it would make sense from a public health standpoint to vaccinate all students, regardless of where they came from.

>> COVID-19 in New Hampshire: Important information

Other states have had less restrictive residency requirements. Massachusetts, for example, has allowed vaccinations for anyone who lives, studies or works in the state, as long as they meet other age or medical eligibility requirements.

New Hampshire health officials said New Hampshire continues to do well in administering the vaccines it receives. Dr. Beth Daly, chief of the state Bureau of Infectious Disease Control, said 36% of the state's population has received at least one dose, and 20% are fully vaccinated.

Daly said that between those who have received at least one vaccine dose and those who are scheduled to be vaccinated, about 60% of the state's 16-and-older population has made the choice to get vaccinated.

This weekend, the Johnson & Johnson vaccine will be available at several vaccination sites. Up to 12,000 people will receive a dose at another mass vaccination site at the New Hampshire Motor Speedway, including Sununu, who will receive his shot on Saturday.

Three additional sites will have doses on Sunday in Concord, Newington and Salem. Though, most of those appointments are full.

"We've gotten a huge influx of Johnson & Johnson vaccine in this past week and we don't want to hold out," Sununu said "We're going to get it out very, very quickly."

--

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NH will open COVID-19 vaccine eligibility for all people 16+, regardless of their residency

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New Hampshire will make COVID-19 vaccines available to everyone age 16 or older regardless of residency starting April 19, Gov.

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A man shot and killed one person and wounded six others, including a state trooper in Texas yesterday afternoon.

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BRYAN, Texas -- A man accused of opening fire Thursday at a Texas cabinet-making company where he worked, killing one person and wounding five others before shooting and wounding a state trooper, has been identified as 27-year-old Larry Bollin.

According to the Bryan Police Department, Bollin has since been charged with murder and is being held on a $1 million bond. Police say additional charges may be filed.

Bryan Police Chief Eric Buske told reporters he believes Bollin is an employee at the Kent Moore Cabinets location where the shooting happened. He said investigators believe Bollin was solely responsible for the attack, which happened around 2:30 p.m., and that he was gone by the time officers arrived.

Here is the booking photo of Larry Bollin, 27 year old from Grimes County. Charged with Murder and being held on $1,000,000 bond. More charges may possibly be filed tomorrow. pic.twitter.com/kKQPspEPGQ
- Bryan Police Department (@BryanPolice) April 9, 2021

During the manhunt for Bollin, he shot and wounded a state trooper, who was hospitalized in serious but stable condition, the Texas Department of Public Safety said on Twitter.

A DPS Trooper was shot while pursuing an individual suspected of being involved in the shooting in Bryan. He remains in serious but stable condition. 💙🙏🏼
- Texas DPS (@TxDPS) April 8, 2021

The trooper was not immediately identified.

In the latest update from the hospital, two of the victims remain in critical condition and three are in stable condition, including the DPS trooper.

Investigators said the names of the victims will be released Friday, April 9.

Police have not commented on a possible motive, but Bollins' family describes him as "level headed." they say he was involved in an ongoing dispute with a group of co-workers, exclusively telling ABC News in a statement, "Please do not judge the situation until you hear all the facts."

"We want to thank the hospital and the doctors and the nurses who have just given phenomenal care to him," said DPS spokesperson Lt. Craig Cummings during an evening update.
Grimes County Sheriff Don Sowell said about two hours after the attack, Bollin was arrested in Bedias, a tiny community about 40 miles northeast of Bryan.

Bryan is located in the shadow of Texas A&M University and about 100 miles northwest of Houston. With more than 86,000 residents, it is the seat of Brazos County.

Investigators were still trying to determine the motive for the attack, authorities said.

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives sent agents and dogs to the shooting scene, said spokesman Deon Washington.
HEAR THE AUDIO: Chaos heard on police dispatch audio during Bryan shooting

The company, which makes custom cabinets, has design centers in nearly a dozen Texas cities and employs more than 600 people, according to its website.

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott offered prayers for shooting victims and their families.

"I have been working closely with the Texas Department of Public Safety and the Texas Rangers as they assist local law enforcement on a swift response to this criminal act. Their efforts led to the arrest of the shooting suspect."
"Our hearts are hurting. We're all devastated by the tragic events at our Stone City manufacturing plant in Bryan on Thursday. Our thoughts are with our workers and their families, and we ask that you join us in keeping everyone touched by this tragedy in your thoughts (and prayers). We are fully cooperating with the police who are investigating this horrible crime. We're thankful that law enforcement officers responded so quickly and are so appreciative of the critical medical care that paramedics provided to our coworkers. Our focus now is on our employees and their families during this most difficult time, and we hope you understand we are not able to respond to your comments. Your concern and kind words are deeply appreciated." WATCH: Woman says she 'just hid and prayed' during shooting

Kent Moore Cabinets also offered its prayers with the following statement:

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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Bryan, Texas shooting: 27-year-old suspect charged with murder, held on $1M bond

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Police in Bryan, Texas, located about 100 miles outside of Houston, said one person died and five others were critically wounded when shots rang at Kent Moore Cabinets. A state trooper was also wounded while pursuing the suspect, who is in custody.

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Kim Jong Un has said that the conditions North Korea is facing currently because of Covid, US sanctions, and natural disasters could lead to a humanitarian crisis.

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North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has called for waging another "arduous march" to fight severe economic difficulties, for the first time comparing them to a 1990s famine that killed hundreds of thousands.

Kim had previously said his country faces the "worst-ever" situation due to several factors, including the coronavirus pandemic, U.S.-led sanctions and natural disasters last summer. But it's the first time he publicly drew parallel with the deadly famine.

North Korea monitoring groups haven't detected any signs of mass starvation or a humanitarian disaster. But Kim's comments still suggest how seriously he views the current difficulties - which foreign observers say are the biggest test of his nine-year rule.

"There are many obstacles and difficulties ahead of us, and so our struggle for carrying out the decisions of the Eighth Party Congress would not be all plain sailing," Kim told lower-level ruling party members on Thursday, according to the Korean Central News Agency.

"I made up my mind to ask the WPK (Workers' Party of Korea) organizations at all levels, including its Central Committee and the cell secretaries of the entire party, to wage another more difficult 'arduous march' in order to relieve our people of the difficulty, even a little," Kim said.

Kim's speech came at the closing ceremony of a party meeting with thousands of grassroots members of the ruling party, called cell secretaries.

During his opening day speech Tuesday, Kim said improving public livelihoods in the face of the "worst-ever situation" would depend on the party cells.

During the party congress in January, Kim ordered officials to build stronger self-supporting economy, reduce reliance on imports and make more consumer goods. But North Korea's problems are the result of decades of mismanagement, self-imposed isolation and sanctions over its nuclear program, analysts say.

Chinese data show North Korea's trade with China, its biggest trading partner and aid benefactor, shrank by about 80 percent last year following North Korea's border closure as part of stringent pandemic measures.

Experts say North Korea has no other option because a major coronavirus outbreak could have dire consequences on its broken health care system.

Cha Deok-cheol, deputy spokesman at South Korea's Unification Ministry, told reporters Friday that there are multiple signs that North Korea is taking steps to ease control on its border with China, including the North's own reports that it established new anti-virus facilities on the border and passed new laws on the disinfection of imported goods.

North Korea for years depended on international aid after the famine in the mid-1990s, which was precipitated by the loss of Soviet assistance, mismanagement and natural disasters. The exact death toll isn't clear, varying from hundreds of thousands to 2 million to 3 million.

Some experts say North Korea's ongoing difficulties will not lead to famine because China won't let that happen. They say China worries about North Korean refugees flooding over the border or the establishment of a pro-U.S., unified Korea on its doorstep.

When Kim last month exchanged messages with Chinese President Xi Jinping, North Korea's state media said Xi expressed a commitment to "provide the peoples of the two countries with better life."

Some analysts saw it as an indication that China would soon provide North Korea with badly needed food, fertilizer and other supplies that had been significantly reduced amid the pandemic border closures.

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Kim Jong Un compares North Korea's economic woes to 1990s famine

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North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has called for waging another "arduous march" to fight severe economic difficulties, for the first time comparing them to a 1990s famine that killed hundreds of thousands. Kim had previously said his country faces the "worst-ever" situation due to several factors, including the coronavirus pandemic, U.S.-led sanctions and natural disasters last summer.

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Taylor Swift has begun to record all six of her earlier albums because of a dispute of rights, reclaiming her music. She released a perfect replica of "Fearless."

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Most pop stars, if pressed, will tell you they don't listen to their old records.

Years later, they can still hear all the imperfections, the missed opportunities, the things they'd have done differently.

So when Taylor Swift announced plans to re-record all of her first six albums, starting with 2008's Fearless, it seemed likely that she'd take the opportunity to rewrite history.

After all, one of the best tracks on Fearless, the lilting Fifteen, is about going back in time to "tell yourself what you know now."

But somehow she's resisted that temptation. Fearless (Taylor's Version) is an almost perfect replica of the original, right down to the giggle Swift lets slip in the middle of Hey Stephen.

The new recordings are cleaner, perhaps. It's easier to pick out little details like Swift dampening the strings of her guitar on White Horse, or the rattle of the hi-hats on Forever And Always.

'De-maturing' her vocals

Most impressively, Swift seems to have regressed her voice to its teenage state. The maturity she discovered on last year's folk-pop masterpieces Folklore and Evermore is gone. In its place is a wide-eyed innocence that the album's giddy recollections of prom dates and first kisses requires.

With everything the star has been through in the last 13 years - from failed relationships to public vilification and a career resurrection - it's an impressive feat. It would be fascinating to know how she pulled it off: Was it simply a technical process of studying the original tapes, or did she delve deep into her psyche to find a former version of herself? Either way, it's hard to overstate the complexity of pulling it off.

One song that does seem to have been tweaked is, appropriately enough, called Change.

Leading into the final chorus, Swift corrects her pronunciation of the word "revolution" and adds additional harmonies on the closing "hallelujahs". It's a subtle tweak, but it gives the song's climax a little more oomph.

Overall, the experience is a bit like hearing Fearless on a brand new pair of headphones. Minor details stand out because your brain is attuned to the novelty of having "a new thing". A week from now, the new versions will seem indistinguishable from the originals.

And that is the point. Swift's decision to re-make her old music isn't an exercise in vanity, it's about taking back control.

'Act of aggression'

The backstory is complicated - but here's a brief overview: Swift's recording career started in 2005, when she signed a 12-year deal with Nashville's Big Machine Recordings. Her first album went seven-times platinum in the US and after switching lanes to pop music on 2012's Red, she became a global superstar in the process.

Braun later sold the rights to an investment fund for an estimated $300m, although he reportedly retains a financial interest in the music.

Swift was incensed that he would profit from her records, characterising the sale as an act of aggression that "stripped me of my life's work".

She immediately began blocking requests for her old songs to be used in films and TV shows - thwarting one potential source of revenue - and vowed to re-record her back catalogue entirely.

In doing so, she regains control of her songs - with the hope that the new versions will "replace" the originals on streaming services and download stores.

So far, the plan seems to be working. Dedicated Swifties have flocked to the new version of Fearless, sending it to number one on iTunes within hours of its release.

They've been enticed by the inclusion of 14 bonus tracks, six of which are previously-unreleased songs from the era. (Among them is the casually-scathing Mr Perfectly Fine, supposedly written about her relationship with Joe Jonas, which the star's wife Sophie Turner has described as "not NOT a bop").

But once the excitement settles down, will fans stick with the new recordings, or go back to the beloved originals? Swift will undoubtedly be watching to see what happens next.

Follow us on Facebook, or on Twitter @BBCNewsEnts. If you have a story suggestion email entertainment.news@bbc.co.uk.

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Taylor Swift releases a 'perfect replica' of Fearless

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Most pop stars, if pressed, will tell you they don't listen to their old records. Years later, they can still hear all the imperfections, the missed opportunities, the things they'd have done differently. So when Taylor Swift announced plans to re-record all of her first six albums, starting with 2008's Fearless, it seemed likely that she'd take the opportunity to rewrite history.

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Egypt has unearthed a 3,000 year old city--one of the oldest archeological digs ever.

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Archaeologists have unearthed the remains of an ancient city dating back 3,000 years, which they describe as the "largest" ever found in Egypt. Renowned Egyptologist Zahi Hawass announced the discovery of the "lost golden city" located near Luxor, home of the legendary Valley of the Kings.

In a statement released on Thursday, the excavation team said the city "was lost under the sands and dates to the reign of Amenhotep III and continued to be used by Tutankhamun and Ay."

Biggest discovery since Tutankhamun's tomb

Betsy Bryan, professor of Egyptian art and archaeology at Johns Hopkins University, described the find as the "second most important archeological discovery since the tomb of Tutankhamun" nearly a century ago.

Excavations began in September 2020 between the temples of Ramses III and Amenhotep III near Luxor, some 500 kilometres (300 miles) south of Cairo. Within weeks, the team discovered mud brick formations that ran in all directions.

After seven months of excavations, several neighborhoods have been uncovered, including a bakery complete with ovens and storage pottery, as well as administrative and residential districts.

'Golden age of the pharoahs'

Items of jewelry have also been unearthed, along with colored pottery vessels, scarab beetle amulets and mud bricks bearing Amenhotep III's seals.

Ancient historians say that Amenhotep III inherited an empire that stretched from the Euphrates River in modern Iraq and Syria to Sudan and died around 1354 BC. His reign, which lasted over four decades, was renowned for its opulence and grand monuments, including the Colossi of Memnon - two massive stone statues near Luxor that represent him and his wife.

Bryan said that the city "will give us a rare glimpse into the life of the ancient Egyptians at the time where the empire was at its wealthiest."

Egyptian archeology trending

Last week, Egypt had transported the mummified remains of 18 ancient kings and four queens across Cairo from the iconic Egyptian Museum to the new National Museum of Egyptian Civilisation. The elaborate procession was dubbed the " Pharaohs' Golden Parade."

Among the 22 bodies were those of Amenhotep III and his wife, Queen Tiye. The event was livestreamed for audiences around the world to watch.

(Source: AFP)

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3,000 year-old 'lost golden city' unearthed in Egypt | DW | 09.04.2021

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Archaeologists have unearthed the remains of an ancient city dating back 3,000 years, which they describe as the "largest" ever found in Egypt. Renowned Egyptologist Zahi Hawass announced the discovery of the "lost golden city" located near Luxor, home of the legendary Valley of the Kings.

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Disneyland is opening an Avengers campus at its theme park.

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Disney sets opening date for Marvel's Avengers Campus | CNN Business

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Soon guests will be able to walk alongside Earth's Mightiest Heroes when "Avengers Campus," the new land based on the Marvel franchise, opens at Disney's California Adventure on June 4.

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Amazon workers in Alabama voted to unionize. The final tally will come in today, but early vote counts indicate that the workers may have rejected forming a union.

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As of Thursday evening, workers at an Alabama Amazon warehouse appeared poised to reject the Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union. With nearly half of ballots counted by the National Labor Relations Board as of 4 p.m. PT, votes against the union outnumbered votes in favor by a margin of more than two to one, with 1,100 votes against the union and 463 votes in favor. The tally is in recess until 4:30 a.m. PT Friday, with results expected later that day.

The workers in Bessemer, Alabama, voted over a seven-week period, returning vote-by-mail ballots in a historic election to decide whether to form the first US Amazon union. About 5,800 workers were eligible to vote, and 3,215 returned their ballots. Hundreds of ballots were reportedly challenged prior to the count based on questions of whether the employee was eligible to vote in the election.

Editors' top picks

The NLRB will give a final tally if one party wins by a wide enough margin that the challenged ballots couldn't change the results. If the margin is too narrow, the agency will resolve the challenges in litigation that could take weeks.

Read more: Amazon union vote tally: What you need to know as the ballots are counted

Amazon fought intensely against the union drive, reportedly hiring an anti-union consultant at a rate of $3,200 a day and requiring employees to attend trainings that argued against unions. The company argued it already treats its workers well, with a starting wage that's nearly double the region's minimum wage, as well as health, retirement and tuition benefits. A heavily unionized workforce could drive up Amazon's costs and potentially have a say in the use of robotics and automation in Amazon's warehouses.

Even if Amazon is the clear winner, the union could object to the election on the basis of an unfair labor practice or electioneering that improperly swayed the result. In this scenario, RWDSU would have one week to object to the election. If the labor board rules in RWDSU's favor, the agency could order a re-do of the election.

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Amazon early vote tally shows workers poised to overwhelmingly reject union

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As of Thursday evening, workers at an Alabama Amazon warehouse appeared poised to reject the Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union. With nearly half of ballots counted by the National Labor Relations Board as of 4 p.m.

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More violence erupted last night between teens and police in Belfast, Ireland.

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BELFAST (AP) - Gangs of youths threw stones and fireworks at police in Belfast who hit back with water cannons as violence flared again on the streets of Northern Ireland.

Unrest has erupted over the past week amid tensions over post-Brexit trade rules and worsening relations between the parties in the Protestant-Catholic power-sharing Belfast government.

The latest violence Thursday night came despite appeals by U.K. Prime Minister Boris Johnson, Irish Premier Micheal Martin and U.S. President Joe Biden for a calming of tensions.

Police holding riot shields were pelted with missiles before officers charged at the rioters with dogs. Police also used water cannons to disperse the crowds.

Earlier in the day, the Northern Ireland Assembly unanimously passed a motion calling for an end to the disorder, and the region's power-sharing government condemned the violence

"While our political positions are very different on many issues, we are all united in our support for law and order and we collectively state our support for policing and for the police officers who have been putting themselves in harm's way to protect others," leaders of the five-party government said in a joint statement.

"We, and our departments, will continue to work together to maximize the support we can give to communities and the (Police Service of Northern Ireland) to prevent further violence and unrest."

Northern Ireland has seen sporadic outbreaks of street violence since the 1998 Good Friday peace accord ended "the Troubles" - decades of Catholic-Protestant bloodshed over the status of the region in which more than 3,000 people died.

Britain's split from the EU has highlighted the contested status of Northern Ireland, where some people identify as British and want to stay part of the U.K. while others see themselves as Irish and seek unity with the neighboring Republic of Ireland, an EU member.

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Rioters ignore pleas for calm as violence flares in Belfast

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BELFAST (AP) - Gangs of youths threw stones and fireworks at police in Belfast who hit back with water cannons as violence flared again on the streets of Northern Ireland. Unrest has erupted over the past week amid tensions over post-Brexit trade rules and worsening relations between the parties in the Protestant-Catholic power-sharing Belfast government.

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The Caribbean island of St. Vincent is under a red alert for a volcano that is showing signs of eruption. Residents are being evacuated.

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Volcano Erupts On Caribbean Island Of St. Vincent As Evacuation Continues

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St. Vincent’s National Emergency Management Organization announced Friday that the volcano had erupted amid ongoing attempts to evacuate nearby residents.

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The man who carried the Confederate flag into the Capitol on January 6 has been indicted.

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Kevin Seefried, who was photographed carrying a Confederate flag in the U.S. Capitol during the Jan. 6 riots in Washington, has been indicted by a grand jury on five counts related to obstruction, entering restricted property and disorderly conduct.

Seefried's son, Hunter Seefried, was also indicted. The younger Seefried faces the same five counts as his father in addition to three charges related to destruction of government property and violence on Capitol grounds.

The grand jury document was filed with the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia on Wednesday and made public on Thursday. The two men were arrested in January after turning themselves in to authorities in Wilmington, Del. Both men are residents of Delaware.

Kevin and Hunter Seefried are among the hundreds of individuals who have been charged with crimes related to the attack on the Capitol, which was carried out largely by supporters of former President Donald Trump who rejected his electoral defeat to President Joe Biden.

An affidavit signed by FBI Special Agent Katherine Pattillo filed in connection with the case in January said that authorities reviewed video footage allegedly showing the Seefrieds entering the Capitol via a broken window.

The two were identified, according to the affidavit, after a co-worker of Hunter Seefried told the FBI that Hunter had "bragged about being in the Capitol with his father on January 6, 2021."

Pattillo also wrote that she reviewed footage posted to Twitter that allegedly shows Hunter Seefried "punching out glass in a window in the Capitol complex after people adjacent to him in the crowd broke it with a wooden 2 x 4."

"Kevin Seefried confirmed to law enforcement agents that Hunter Seefried was asked by an individual unknown to the Seefrieds to assist with clearing the window because Hunter Seefried was wearing gloves," Pattillo wrote.

Both men participated in separate, voluntary interviews with investigators, Pattillo wrote. Kevin Seefried said during his interview that he had brought the Confederate flag from his home in Delaware, where he had it displayed outside.

"Defendant Kevin Seefried told law enforcement that he had traveled with his family from Delaware to the District of Columbia to hear President Trump speak and that he and Hunter Seefried participated in a march from the White House to the Capitol led by an individual with a bull horn," Pattillo wrote.

The five charges that both men face are: obstruction of an official proceeding and aiding and abetting; entering and remaining in a restricted building or grounds; disorderly and disruptive conduct in a restricted building or grounds; disorderly conduct in a Capitol building; and parading, demonstrating, or picketing in a Capitol building.

In addition, Hunter Seefried also faces charges of entering and remaining in a restricted building or grounds with physical violence against property; destruction of government property; and act of physical violence in the Capitol grounds or buildings.

An attorney for Hunter Seefried did not immediately respond to a request for comment. An attorney for Kevin Seefried could not immediately be reached.

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Man who carried Confederate flag to Capitol during Jan. 6 riot indicted

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Kevin Seefried, who was photographed carrying a Confederate flag in the U.S. Capitol during the Jan. 6 riots in Washington, has been indicted by a grand jury on five counts related to obstruction, entering restricted property and disorderly conduct. Seefried's son, Hunter Seefried, was also indicted.

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One of the most important witnesses in the murder trial of former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin is expected to take the stand today: the county's chief medical examiner. In his autopsy report he stated that George Floyd died from neck compression, not from a drug overdose.

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MINNEAPOLIS - One of the most important witnesses in the murder trial of former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin is expected to take the stand Friday, prosecutors said, capping off a long week of highly technical legal and medical testimony.

Last year, Dr. Andrew Baker, the Hennepin County chief medical examiner, ruled George Floyd's death a homicide. He said Floyd's heart and lungs stopped amid "law enforcement subdual, restraint and neck compression."

A family-commissioned autopsy released around the same time found Floyd's death was a homicide caused by "asphyxiation from sustained pressure."

Baker's testimony will be key to prosecutors, who say Floyd was killed by Chauvin's knee on his neck for more than nine minutes. The defense argues Floyd died as a result of the drugs in his system and underlying medical issues.

Chauvin is charged with second-degree murder, third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter in Floyd's death.
Stay updated on the Derek Chauvin trial: Sign up for text messages of key updates, follow USA TODAY Network reporters on Twitter, or subscribe to the Daily Briefing newsletter. Latest updates:

Court was expected to resume at 9:15 a.m. CST Friday.

Jurors have heard from 33 witnesses so far - all called by the prosecution.

A medical expert in the physiology of breathing said Thursday the way Floyd was restrained - handcuffed behind his back, face-down on the ground, with a knee on his neck - prevented him from breathing properly and caused his death. Another, a police surgeon, said Floyd didn't overdose or have a heart attack.

A forensic toxicologist who analyzed George Floyd's blood and urine told jurors Thursday the amount of meth in Floyd's system was consistent with a prescribed dose - a "very low" amount.

Doctor testifying for prosecution says 'what Mr. Floyd was subjected to' would kill a healthy person

Dr. Martin Tobin, a physician who has been working in respiratory physiology for 40 years, testified Thursday that Floyd died from a "low level of oxygen," which caused damage to his brain and an abnormal heartbeat. Tobin was called as an expert witness by prosecutors and examined records and video in the Floyd case, but he did not conduct an examination of Floyd's body.

Tobin said he watched videos of Floyd's arrests "hundreds of times" and found Chauvin's left knee was on Floyd's neck for the majority of the time. The combination of Floyd being handcuffed behind his back, the officers' manipulation of the cuffs, and the pavement beneath Floyd combined to interfere with Floyd's ability to breathe, Tobin testified.

The overall effect of the restraint was almost "as if a surgeon had gone in and removed the lung," he said, referring to Floyd's left lung. "A healthy person subjected to what Mr. Floyd was subjected to would have died as a result of what he was subjected to," Tobin said. Read more about his testimony here.

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Derek Chauvin trial live: Medical examiner who performed George Floyd's autopsy expected to testify

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MINNEAPOLIS - One of the most important witnesses in the murder trial of former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin is expected to take the stand Friday, prosecutors said, capping off a long week of highly technical legal and medical testimony. Last year, Dr. Andrew Baker, the Hennepin County chief medical examiner, ruled George Floyd's death a homicide.

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Illinois Rep. Adam Kinzinger became the first congressional Republican to say that Representative Matt Gaetz should resign. Gaetz is under federal investigation for sex trafficking.

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first gop member of congress calls on matt gaetz to resign  - cnnpolitics

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First GOP member of Congress calls on Matt Gaetz to resign

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Illinois Rep. Adam Kinzinger became the first congressional Republican to call on his colleague from Florida, Rep. Matt Gaetz, to resign in the face of a federal investigation into sex trafficking allegations.

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A new study has been released that shows that 34% of Covid survivors are diagnosed with a mental or neurological disorder within 6 months.

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LONDON (Reuters) - One in three COVID-19 survivors in a study of more than 230,000 mostly American patients were diagnosed with a brain or psychiatric disorder within six months, suggesting the pandemic could lead to a wave of mental and neurological problems, scientists said on Tuesday.

Researchers who conducted the analysis said it was not clear how the virus was linked to psychiatric conditions such as anxiety and depression, but that these were the most common diagnoses among the 14 disorders they looked at.

Post-COVID cases of stroke, dementia and other neurological disorders were rarer, the researchers said, but were still significant, especially in those who had severe COVID-19.

"Although the individual risks for most disorders are small, the effect across the whole population may be substantial," said Paul Harrison, a professor of psychiatry at Oxford University who co-led the work.

Max Taquet, also an Oxford psychiatrist who worked with Harrison, noted that the study was not able to examine the biological or psychological mechanisms involved, but said urgent research is needed to identify these "with a view to preventing or treating them".

Health experts are increasingly concerned by evidence of higher risks of brain and mental health disorders among COVID-19 survivors. A previous study by the same researchers found last year that 20% of COVID-19 survivors were diagnosed with a psychiatric disorder within three months.

The new findings, published in the Lancet Psychiatry journal, analysed health records of 236,379 COVID-19 patients, mostly from the United States, and found 34% had been diagnosed with neurological or psychiatric illnesses within six months.

The disorders were significantly more common in COVID-19 patients than in comparison groups of people who recovered from flu or other respiratory infections over the same time period, the scientists said, suggesting COVID-19 had a specific impact.

Anxiety, at 17%, and mood disorders, at 14%, were the most common, and did not appear to be related to how mild or severe the patient's COVID-19 infection had been.

Among those who had been admitted to intensive care with severe COVID-19 however, 7% had a stroke within six months, and almost 2% were diagnosed with dementia.

Independent experts said the findings were worrying.

"This is a very important paper. It confirms beyond any reasonable doubt that COVID-19 affects both brain and mind in equal measure," said Simon Wessely, chair of psychiatry at King's College London.

"The impact COVID-19 is having on individuals' mental health can be severe," said Lea Milligan, chief executive of the MQ Mental Health research charity. "This is contributing to the already rising levels of mental illness and requires further, urgent research."

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pharmaceuticals & medical research (trbc level 2)

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A third of COVID survivors suffer neurological or mental disorders: study

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One in three COVID-19 survivors in a study of more than 230,000 mostly American patients were diagnosed with a brain or psychiatric disorder within six months, suggesting the pandemic could lead to a wave of mental and neurological problems, scientists said on Tuesday.

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The US Masters begins today. Tee times have been released.

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AUGUSTA, Ga. -- The first-and second-round tee times are out for the 2021 Masters. As usual, Augusta National spread the wealth around proportionately with these threesomes. There will be intrigue off the first tee on the first of four long, wonderful spring days at the first major championship of 2021.

The Masters' return to April has been long anticipated since the rescheduled event went on without a hitch last November. The 88-man field that will take on the course beginning Thursday is star-studded with nearly all of the best golfers in the world competing. That is obvious when looking at the groups as prepared by Augusta National for Round 1 action. Check out our full 2021 Masters coverage guide for information on how to watch live.

The first big-time group that will get going is Bubba Watson, Brooks Koepka and Viktor Hovland. Others that follow include really interesting mixing and matching of past champions, amateurs and current starts. Here are some of the ones that stand out from the pack.

Augusta National doesn't really do the mega-groups thing for the first two days, which is nice when you want to spread your attention on the entirety of the tournament. You get a nice amalgamation of so many different types of players at different stages of their careers and a manageable number of golfers (88) instead of trying to squeeze in 156 before the sun sets.

My favorite group is probably the one involving Spieth, who is my pick this week to win. He and Morikawa have been the two best iron players on the planet since Feb. 1. Throw in Cameron Smith, who has finished in the top five in two of the last three Masters, and it's a really exciting trio.

Let's take a look at all 30 groups that will start play on Thursday at the 85th Masters. All times Eastern
Watch all four rounds of the 2021 Masters starting Thursday with Masters Live as we follow the best golfers in the world throughout Augusta National with Featured Groups, check in at the famed Amen Corner and see leaders round the turn on holes 15 & 16. Watch live on $250,000 is on the line! Take a swing at our $250K jackpot and more guaranteed cash prizes by entering CBS Sports Golf Props for the upcoming major. Best of all, it's 100% free to play. See rules for details. CBSSports.com CBS Sports App Paramount+
2021 Masters tee times, Thursday pairings

8 a.m. -- Michael Thompson, Hudson Swafford
8:12 a.m. -- Sandy Lyle, Matt Jones, Dylan Frittelli
8:24 a.m. -- Ian Woosnam, Jim Herman, Stewart Cink
8:26 a.m. -- Sebastian Munoz, Henrik Stenson, Robert Streb
8:48 a.m. -- Bernhard Langer, Will Zalatoris, Joe Long
9 a.m. -- Brian Harman, Ian Poulter, Brendon Todd
9:12 a.m. -- Charl Schwartzel, Si Woo Kim, Corey Conners
9:24 a.m. -- Danny Willett, Joaquin Niemann, Kevin Kisner
9:36 a.m -- Jason Day, Matthew Wolff, Cameron Champ
9:48 a.m. -- Hideki Matsuyama, Harris English, Abraham Ancer
10:06 a.m. -- Bubba Watson, Brooks Koepka, Viktor Hovland
10:18 a.m. -- Sergio Garcia, Webb Simpson, Christiaan Bezuidenhout
10:30 a.m. -- Dustin Johnson, Lee Westwood, Tyler Strafaci
10:42 a.m. -- Xander Schauffele, Jon Rahm, Rory McIlroy
10:54 a.m. -- Patrick Reed, Daniel Berger, Paul Casey
11:06 a.m. -- Vijay Singh, Martin Laird
11:18 a.m. -- Larry Mize, Jimmy Walker, Brian Gay
11:30 a.m. -- Carlos Ortiz, Mackenzie Hughes, Bernd Wiesberger
11:42 a.m. -- Mike Weir, C.T. Pan, Robert MacIntyre
11:54 a.m. -- Jose Maria Olazabal, Matt Wallace, Lanto Griffin
12:12 p.m. -- Victor Perez, Jason Kokrak, Marc Leishman
12:24 p.m. -- Fred Couples, Francesco Molinari, Charles Osborne
12:36 p.m. -- Zach Johnson, Kevin Na, Gary Woodland
12:48 p.m. -- Shane Lowry, Justin Rose, Matt Kuchar
1 p.m. -- Billy Horschel, Tyrrell Hatton, Ryan Palmer
1:12 p.m. -- Phil Mickelson, Tommy Fleetwood, Scottie Scheffler
1:24 p.m. -- Patrick Cantlay, Sungjae Im, Matthew Fitzpatrick
1:36 p.m. -- Adam Scott, Bryson DeChambeau, Max Homa
1:48 p.m. -- Tony Finau, Louis Oosthuizen, Justin Thomas
2 p.m. -- Jordan Spieth, Cameron Smith, Collin Morikawa

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2021 Masters tee times, pairings: Complete field, groups, schedule for Round 1 at Augusta National

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AUGUSTA, Ga. -- The first-and second-round tee times are out for the 2021 Masters. As usual, Augusta National spread the wealth around proportionately with these threesomes. There will be intrigue off the first tee on the first of four long, wonderful spring days at the first major championship of 2021.

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The CDC has announced that the more-contagious UK variant is the predominant strain in the US now.

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The B.1.1.7 coronavirus variant that originated in the United Kingdom is now the most common strain in the U.S., Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) director Rochelle Walensky said Wednesday at a White House briefing.

Why it matters: Studies have shown the B.1.1.7 variant is more contagious than the original strain and is associated with a higher risk of death.

The U.S. currently has 16,275 confirmed cases of the B.1.1.7 variant, per CDC data.

The big picture: Health officials have warned people to remain vigilant about preventing the spread of COVID-19.

Walensky said variants like B.1.1.7 are contributing to an increase in the U.S.' daily rate of new cases over the last few weeks.

What to watch: Axios' Coronavirus Variant Tracker

Go deeper: The race between COVID vaccines and emerging variants

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centers for disease control and prevention (cdc)

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CDC director: U.K. COVID variant now dominant strain in U.S.

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The B.1.1.7 coronavirus variant that originated in the United Kingdom is now the most common strain in the U.S., Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) director Rochelle Walensky said Wednesday at a White House briefing. Why it matters: Studies have shown the B.1.1.7 variant is more contagious than the original strain and is associated with a higher risk of death.

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President Biden is announcing initial steps his administration plans to take on firearm safety. He is also nominating a gun safety advocate to lead the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, & Explosives.

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Governor Sununu has mandated that all schools return to 5-day-a-week learning by April 19. Some schools are asking for waivers after April vacation. There will not be enough bus drivers.

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As the deadline approaches to have all schools offer in-person learning five days per week, one bus company worries it won't be able to provide enough transportation.Casey Hopkins, director of transportation for Seacoast Learning Collaborative, said he has talked to other transportation directors, and everybody seems to be having the same problem. There simply aren't enough bus drivers."Trying to find those people who want to do it with COVID mixed in and putting themselves at risk is a really difficult challenge to find," Hopkins said.Seacoast Learning Collaborative serves 14 school districts."SLC deals mainly with specialized transportation, so we do a lot of the special needs transportation in the state," Hopkins said.He said the company's drivers tend to be older and don't want risk COVID-19 exposure. Another group the company can usually count on is also in short supply."A lot of women will drive buses because they can bring their kids, but now they're weighing the odds of COVID being exposed not only to them but their children on the bus," he said.In an effort to attract drivers, the company has increased wages. Starting pay is now $13 per hour for new drivers. Hopkins said the company is taking steps to make sure drivers feel safe."We have done a lot of cleaning, a lot of making policies," he said. "After every run, windows being cracked, things like that."He said that unless they can attract more drivers, the organization isn't sure it can meet the needs of the school districts."The demand is so high," he said. "It has never been this high, with the strict guidelines than ever before, so we're all feeling the heat."The organization is holding its first-ever job fair from 5-7 p.m. on April 14 at Seacoast Learning Collaborative at 53 Allen St. in Rochester.

As the deadline approaches to have all schools offer in-person learning five days per week, one bus company worries it won't be able to provide enough transportation.

Casey Hopkins, director of transportation for Seacoast Learning Collaborative, said he has talked to other transportation directors, and everybody seems to be having the same problem. There simply aren't enough bus drivers.

"Trying to find those people who want to do it with COVID mixed in and putting themselves at risk is a really difficult challenge to find," Hopkins said.

Seacoast Learning Collaborative serves 14 school districts.

"SLC deals mainly with specialized transportation, so we do a lot of the special needs transportation in the state," Hopkins said.

He said the company's drivers tend to be older and don't want risk COVID-19 exposure. Another group the company can usually count on is also in short supply.

"A lot of women will drive buses because they can bring their kids, but now they're weighing the odds of COVID being exposed not only to them but their children on the bus," he said.

In an effort to attract drivers, the company has increased wages. Starting pay is now $13 per hour for new drivers. Hopkins said the company is taking steps to make sure drivers feel safe.

"We have done a lot of cleaning, a lot of making policies," he said. "After every run, windows being cracked, things like that."

He said that unless they can attract more drivers, the organization isn't sure it can meet the needs of the school districts.

"The demand is so high," he said. "It has never been this high, with the strict guidelines than ever before, so we're all feeling the heat."

The organization is holding its first-ever job fair from 5-7 p.m. on April 14 at Seacoast Learning Collaborative at 53 Allen St. in Rochester.

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Bus company faces driver shortage as schools ramp up to 5 days per week

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As the deadline approaches to have all schools offer in-person learning five days per week, one bus company worries it won't be able to provide enough transportation.Casey Hopkins, director of transportation for Seacoast Learning Collaborative, said he has talked to other transportation directors, and everybody seems to be having the same problem.

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The NH House has passed a budget along party lines. a range of The budget includes tax cuts to state business taxes, and the tax on rooms and means. The House budget also cuts $50 million in Health & Human Services over the next two years.

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The New Hampshire House has passed its version of the state budget, a $13.6 billion dollar spending plan that Republicans call a prudent response to the pandemic and which Democrats say will harm the vulnerable.

This plan passed along party lines, and includes many policies dear to conservatives. That includes a range of tax cuts: to state business taxes, and the tax on rooms and means. The House budget also orders state health officials to find $50 million in unspecified savings over the next two years.

Representative Ken Weyler, who leads the House Finance Committee, told fellow lawmakers Wednesday that the budget was crafted for this moment.

"It was balanced with the money the Ways and Means Committee gave to us," Weyler said. "It reflects the difficult times we are in. It reduces the total of the present budget, and it does not add any new taxes."

Democrats took a different view, criticizing - among other things - the elimination of more than 200 vacant jobs in the Department of Health and Human Services.

"The next state budget could, could help to build an equitable and inclusive and sustainable recovery, but HB 1 as amended does not do that," said Manchester Rep. Mary Heath.

Republicans said spending growth on human services was unsustainable and said tax cuts would help businesses and boost the economy.

GOP leaders also larded many non-spending items into the budget, including limits on executive branch emergency powers and a ban on allowing tax dollars to flow to entities that teach that race or sex makes people inherently oppressive or victimized. The stated goal was to ensure the budget would get enough support within the Republican caucus.

The approach, which Gov. Chris Sununu criticized as "off the rails,"' appears to have worked. The budget now moves to the Senate, where it is expected to see significant changes.
Subscribe to Primarily Politics, NHPR's weekly politics newsletter.

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In Party Line Vote, N.H. House Passes State Budget Built On Tax Cuts

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The New Hampshire House has passed its version of the state budget, a $13.6 billion dollar spending plan that Republicans call a prudent response to the pandemic and which Democrats say will harm the vulnerable. This plan passed along party lines, and includes many policies dear to conservatives.

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Police in the Netherlands detained a man who had plans to bomb a vaccination center.

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THE HAGUE, Netherlands (AP) - Police in the Netherlands have arrested a 37-year-old man on suspicion of plotting a crime with "terrorist intent" for allegedly planning to set off what they described as a "firework bomb" at a coronavirus vaccination center, prosecutors said Thursday.

The man, whose identity was not released in line with Dutch privacy guidelines, was arrested March 18. He allegedly wanted to attack the former town hall in the northern port of Den Helder, 90 kilometers (55 miles) north of Amsterdam, which is being used as a vaccination center.

Prosecutors said the alleged plot is being treated as a terror act because it "aimed to instill serious fear among the population and to disrupt the economic and social structures of the country."

The suspect "sought to sabotage a crucial government process, the nationally coordinated vaccination program, in an extremely violent manner," the prosecution statement said. "This also affects public health: The fewer people can be vaccinated, the more victims the virus will claim."

The suspect has been detained since his arrest as investigations continue into possible accomplices, prosecutors said.

Early last month, a blast caused by what police called a "homemade device" smashed windows at a coronavirus testing center in a small Dutch town. Nobody was hurt in the explosion. In January, rioters torched a coronavirus test facility in the fishing village of Urk on the first night of a 9 p.m.-to-4:30 a.m. nationwide curfew imposed as part of the government's latest coronavirus lockdown.

The Netherlands remains in a months-long lockdown amid stubbornly high coronavirus infection numbers. Restaurants, bars, museums and other public places remain closed, although the government is experimenting with relaxing some restrictions for people who can prove they have been vaccinated or have tested negative for COVID-19.

Follow AP's pandemic coverage at:

https://apnews.com/hub/coronavirus-pandemic

https://apnews.com/hub/coronavirus-vaccine

https://apnews.com/UnderstandingtheOutbreak

Copyright 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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Dutch Police Detain Man in Plot to Attack Vaccination Center

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THE HAGUE, Netherlands (AP) - Police in the Netherlands have arrested a 37-year-old man on suspicion of plotting a crime with "terrorist intent" for allegedly planning to set off what they described as a "firework bomb" at a coronavirus vaccination center, prosecutors said Thursday.

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A NH teen from Gilmanton saved another boy's life (from West Virginia) when he saw him flip his ATV on Tik Tok. He called emergency services who were able to lift the ATV off the boy.

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GILMANTON, N.H. (AP) - A New Hampshire teen has been credited with saving a boy more than 800 miles (1,290 kilometers) away - thanks to TikTok.

Caden Cotnoir, 13, was watching a TikTok livestream of Trent Jarrett, 12, riding a four-wheeler in West Virginia, when something went awry, WMUR-TV reported.

"All of a sudden his phone goes kind of blank, you can see a little bit of light and you can just hear him yelling for help," Caden said.

Caden said he could hear Trent yelling out numbers.

"I was yelling out my grandparent's house phone number," Trent said, adding it was the only number he could remember.

Caden made a virtual call for help and Trent's parents managed to find him and lift the ATV off him. After being trapped for about 20 minutes, he sustained minor cuts and bruises.

"He did was he was supposed to do and got the right people and it worked out. It was an Easter miracle," Caden's stepfather, Gilmanton Police Chief Matt Currier, said of him.

Caden had followed Trent because of the boys' shared interests, including hunting and fishing, the station reported. The two met via Zoom on Monday, and Trent said he'd like to thank Caden for everything he did.

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New Hampshire teen saves West Virginia boy via TikTok

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GILMANTON, N.H. (AP) - A New Hampshire teen has been credited with saving a boy more than 800 miles (1,290 kilometers) away - thanks to TikTok. Caden Cotnoir, 13, was watching a TikTok livestream of Trent Jarrett, 12, riding a four-wheeler in West Virginia, when something went awry, WMUR-TV reported.

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It has come out that Regé-Jean Page, the star of "Bridgerton" was turned down for a role because of his race.

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"Hurts no less now than it did back then," the Bridgerton breakout star says.

After a report surfaced that Regé-Jean Page wasn't cast as Superman's grandfather on because he's Black, the Bridgerton breakout star shared his feelings on Twitter.

On Tuesday, The Hollywood Reporter reported that Page had auditioned for the DC Comics TV role because the creators wanted nontraditional casting for the character. But multiple sources alleged to THR that Geoff Johns, the former co-chairman of DC Films who was overseeing the series, rejected the idea because Superman could not have a Black grandfather. Reps for Johns told THR that the longtime DC comics writer believed fans expected the character to look like a young Man of Steel star Henry Cavill.

"Hearing about these conversations hurts no less now than it did back then," Page wrote on Twitter on Wednesday. "The clarifications almost hurt more tbh. Still just doing my thing. Still we do the work. We still fly."

And flying he is, as it was just announced that Page will not be returning for Bridgerton season 2. "Pleasure and a privilege! An honour to be a member of the family - on and off screen, cast, crew and incredible fans - the love is real and will just keep growing," Page wrote on Twitter after his exit was announced. The actor, who recently made his debut as an SNL host, will next be seen in Netflix's highly anticipated action movie The Gray Man.

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Regé-Jean Page responds to report that he wasn't cast as Superman's grandfather because he's Black

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"Hurts no less now than it did back then," the Bridgerton breakout star says. After a report surfaced that Regé-Jean Page wasn't cast as Superman's grandfather on because he's Black, the Bridgerton breakout star shared his feelings on Twitter.

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Ice out has officially been declared on Lake Winnipesaukee!

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Manchester Ink Link | Where all things Manchester Connect!

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The Windy.com interactive graphic above allows you to zoom in and out, fast-forward to see the futurecast, and check on various weather patterns here in NH and around the country. Select from menu in the top right corner.
Thursday's Weather

High-pressure building south from Eastern Canada will control our weather into the weekend. Today will be in the mid-60s and tomorrow will hit 70!

Weather Outlook, April 8 - April 12

Today: Mild with a mix of sun & clouds High 64 Winds: NE 5-10 mph

Tonight: Partly cloudy Low 44 Winds: WSW 5-10 mph

Friday: Some sun & warmer High 70 Winds: SW 5-10 mph

Friday night: Mostly clear Low 45 Winds: SSW 5-10 mph

Saturday: Very warm with a mix of sun & clouds High 75 Winds: SSW 5-10 mph

Saturday night: Partly cloudy & mild Low 48 Winds: ESE 5-10 mph

Sunday: Cloudy & cooler High 58 Winds: E 5-10 mph

Sunday night: Rain Low 45 Winds: ENE 5-10 mph

Monday: Cloudy with morning showers High 56 Winds: ENE 5-10 mph

Monday night: Mostly cloudy Low 40 Winds: N 5-10 mph

Weather Patterns We're Watching

Summer-like on Saturday and turning cooler for Sunday with rain moving in at night.

Ice Out

Lake Winnipesaukee Ice-Out occurs when all the ice on Lake Winnipesaukee, the largest lake in New Hampshire, has broken up after winter. Over the years this has been decided upon by a variety of means; as of 2018, Dave Emerson makes the call. Emerson flies two to three times a day over Lake Winnipesaukee to check on the ice. Ice-Out is declared when the MS Mount Washington can make it to every one of its ports: Center Harbor, Wolfeboro, Alton, Weirs Beach and Meredith. Lake Winnipesaukee It's official! Declaring "Ice Out" at 4:42 April 5, 2021. Emerson Aviation Ice-out generally occurs the third week of April. The earliest ice-out was in 2016, on March 18. The latest ice-out was in 1888, on May 12.

Want to be an Inklink Weather Spotter?

Rick Gordon could use your help. If you are interested in becoming a local weather spotter (all locations around NH) contact Rick at gordonwx@comcast.net and he'll walk you through the process!

About Rick Gordon

Rick is a native of Red Hill, PA, and is a former Chief Meteorologist at WMUR-TV. He currently teaches ninth-grade physical science at Central High School. His past adventures in weather-watching include a stint as on-air meteorologist for WSEE in Erie, PA; meteorologist with D&M Weather Services in Pittsburgh, PA; AccuWeather in State College, PA; and weather guy for KDKA radio in Pittsburgh. He studied meteorology at Millersville University in Lancaster, PA (aka God's Country) and currently lives in Wells Beach, Maine. Drop him a line at gordonwx@comcast.net .

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Weather: Ice out at Winnipesaukee - enjoy the spring-like temperatures | Manchester Ink Link

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The Windy.com interactive graphic above allows you to zoom in and out, fast-forward to see the futurecast, and check on various weather patterns here in NH and around the country. Select from menu in the top right corner. High-pressure building south from Eastern Canada will control our weather into the weekend.

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Northern Ireland is in its 6th night of violence, this time with a bus being burned. Protesters are angry about some of the new Brexit regulations and that police did not prosecute over 20 politicians for breaking Covid restrictions by gathering for a funeral.

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northern ireland riots: bus torched in more belfast violence as british and irish leaders call for calm - cnn

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Bus torched in more Northern Ireland violence as British and Irish leaders call for calm

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The White House joined Northern Irish, British and Irish leaders on Thursday, expressing concern as parts of Northern Ireland experienced a week of violence as unionists and nationalists clashed with police and each other.

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An unopened Super Mario Bros. game from 1986 that was forgotten about in a desk drawer sold for $660,000.

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DALLAS (AP) - An unopened copy of Nintendo's Super Mario Bros. that was bought in 1986 and then forgotten about in a desk drawer has sold at auction for $660,000.

Heritage Auctions in Dallas said the video game sold Friday.

The auction house said the video game was bought as a Christmas gift but ended up being placed in a desk drawer, where it remained sealed in plastic and with its hang tab intact until it was found earlier this year.

"Since the production window for this copy and others like it was so short, finding another copy from this same production run in similar condition would be akin to looking for single drop of water in an ocean," said Valarie McLeckie, Heritage's video game specialist.

Heritage said it is the finest copy known to have been professionally graded for auction. Its selling price far exceeded the $114,000 that another unopened copy that was produced in 1987 fetched in a Heritage auction last summer.

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Unopened Super Mario Bros. game from 1986 sells for $660,000

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DALLAS (AP) - An unopened copy of Nintendo's Super Mario Bros. that was bought in 1986 and then forgotten about in a desk drawer has sold at auction for $660,000. Heritage Auctions in Dallas said the video game sold Friday.

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A mass vaccination site closed early yesterday in Colorado when 13 out of 1700 people started to have adverse reactions to the J&J vaccine.

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COMMERCE CITY, Colo. (KDVR) - The mass vaccination site at Dick's Sporting Goods Park in Commerce City, Colorado closed early Wednesday afternoon after people started having adverse reactions to the Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine.

Centura Health said 0.8% of patients - or 13 people out of an estimated 1,700 - who received the vaccine Wednesday had adverse reactions.

The vaccination site, which was scheduled to close at 5 p.m., shut down around 3:30 p.m. and sent home 640 people who had been waiting in line for hours for the vaccine. Their vaccination slots have been rescheduled for Sunday, when they will be receiving the Pfizer vaccine.

There is no information yet on how many people had reactions or how severe those reactions were.

In response to a FOX31 inquiry, a Centura Health representative issued the following statement:

As of today, April 7, we have decided to pause operations of the Vaccines for All mass vaccination event at Dick's Sporting Goods Park, which we are hosting in partnership with the State of Colorado. Following the administration of the J&J vaccine and during onsite observation, we saw a limited number of adverse reactions to the vaccine that equaled 0.8 percent of those receiving the vaccine Wednesday. We followed our protocols and in an abundance of caution, made the decision - in partnership with the state - to pause operations for the remainder of the day. Over 1,700 patients received their shots today, and the 640 patients who were unable to receive their vaccine this afternoon will automatically be rescheduled for Sunday, April 11, at Dick's Sporting Goods Park. Our goal is to continue to vaccinate Coloradans as quickly as possible while keeping our patients' safety at the forefront.

This is a developing story. Details will be reported as they are received.

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Colorado vaccine site closes early after 13 patients experience adverse reactions

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COMMERCE CITY, Colo. (KDVR) - The mass vaccination site at Dick's Sporting Goods Park in Commerce City, Colorado closed early Wednesday afternoon after people started having adverse reactions to the Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine. Centura Health said 0.8% of patients - or 13 people out of an estimated 1,700 - who received the vaccine Wednesday had adverse reactions.

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Five people were shot and killed in a South Carolina home, two of them were children.

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Police said a suspect is in custody.

Five people are dead, including two children, following a shooting inside a home in Rock Hill, South Carolina, according to the York County Sheriff's Office.

A sixth person was also shot and has serious injuries. The suspect, authorities said, has been apprehended.

"We have IDed the person we feel is responsible for the shooting on Marshall Rd. We found him in a nearby house. There is no active threat to the community," the York County Sheriff's Office tweeted.

The sheriff's office identified the victims a Dr. Robert Lesslie, 70, and his wife, Barbara Lesslie, 69, their two grandchildren and James Lewis, 39, who was working at the home Wednesday when he was shot.

All deaths are being investigated as homicides, according to the York County Coroner's Office.

Authorities have not released the suspect's name nor have released a motive. "We hope to share more information about this tragic event as soon as possible. Thank you for your patience," the sheriff's office said.

Deputies were sent to a home near 4400 Marshall Road around 4:45 p.m. ET Wednesday about a report of a shooting involving multiple individuals. That is when authorities discovered the victims.

The next press conference is expected Thursday morning.
This is a developing story. Please check back for updates. ABC News' Alexandra Faul contributed to this report.

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5 people dead, including 2 children, in South Carolina mass shooting

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Police said a suspect is in custody. Five people are dead, including two children, following a shooting inside a home in Rock Hill, South Carolina, according to the York County Sheriff's Office. A sixth person was also shot and has serious injuries. The suspect, authorities said, has been apprehended.

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The Derek Chauvin Trial is heading into the end of its second week. Chauvin is the officer being charged for the murder of George Floyd. Yesterday's focus was on a recording of Floyd. The defense claims he says, "I ate too many drugs." The prosecution claims he says, "I ain't do no drugs." Earlier in the trial, the police chief testified that Chauvin used excessive force.

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MINNEAPOLIS - More witnesses were expected to take the stand Thursday in the murder trial of former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin, where attorney questioning has returned to the topic of George Floyd's drug use.

Floyd's girlfriend Courteney Ross told jurors last week the two both became addicted to opioids four years ago after they were prescribed the drugs for chronic pain. Like millions of Americans, they tried to go clean but failed, she said.

On Wednesday, defense attorney Eric Nelson suggested Floyd said the words "I ate too many drugs" during his struggle with police last Memorial Day. He played several seconds of unintelligible police bodycam audio for witnesses: One said he couldn't make out Floyd's words, and other said he thought Floyd was saying "I ain't do no drugs."

In the afternoon, two forensic scientists said pills found in the SUV and police squad car Floyd had been in that day contained methamphetamine, a stimulant, and fentanyl, a synthetic opioid.

Chauvin is charged with second-degree murder, third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter in Floyd's death. The defense argues Floyd died as a result of the drugs in his system and underlying medical issues, but prosecutors say Floyd was killed by Chauvin's knee on his neck for more than nine minutes.
Stay updated on the Derek Chauvin trial: Sign up for text messages of key updates, follow USA TODAY Network reporters on Twitter, or subscribe to the Daily Briefing newsletter. Latest updates:

Court is set to resume at 9:15 a.m. CT Thursday.

Jurors have heard from 30 witnesses so far - all called by the prosecution.

Jurors have sat through several days of highly technical testimony about use of force and chains of command, and a reporter in the courtroom Wednesday noted one juror may have fallen asleep.

Expert witness Sgt. Jody Stiger, a Los Angeles Police Department officer who has conducted about 2,500 use-of-force reviews in his career, told jurors Wednesday that Chauvin used "deadly" force on George Floyd and kept his knee on Floyd's neck for more than nine minutes.

'Duty of care': Prosecutors say Chauvin betrayed policy by not giving Floyd aid

The prosecution has said Chauvin is not only culpable in Floyd's death but that he also failed to carry out his duty to provide basic care when Floyd was in medical distress and then became unresponsive.

Several Minneapolis police department officials testified Chauvin violated department policy by failing to move Floyd on his side to ease his breathing once he had been restrained face-down on the ground.

"When someone is in our custody, we have an obligation to provide for their care," Minneapolis Police Chief Medaria Arradondo told jurors. That's true even if an officer is applying defense tactics, the chief said. "They're still in our custody," he said. "They have rights."

The defense has argued Chauvin and the other officers were unable to care for Floyd because they were distracted and threatened by a crowd of vocal, upset bystanders. "As the crowd grew in size, seemingly so too did their anger," lead defense attorney, Eric Nelson, told jurors. .

Expert witness Sgt. Jody Stiger says Chauvin used 'deadly' force

Sgt. Jody Stiger, a Los Angeles Police Department officer who has conducted about 2,500 use-of-force reviews in his career, told jurors Wednesday that Chauvin used "deadly" force on George Floyd and kept his knee on Floyd's neck for more than nine minutes.

Stiger said the initial force used on Floyd was appropriate because Floyd was resisting arrest as officers tried to get him into their patrol car. However, after officers forced Floyd to the ground, "they should have de-escalated the situation," Stiger said. Instead, the officers continued to intensify the situation, he said.

Stiger said the number of officers on the scene outweighed any threat posed by Floyd, who was not actively resisting while he was in the prone position. He said "no force should have been used after he was in that position." But the pressure continually exerted by Chauvin "raised the possibility of death," he said. .

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Derek Chauvin trial live: Questioning returns to focus on George Floyd's drug use

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MINNEAPOLIS - More witnesses were expected to take the stand Thursday in the murder trial of former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin, where attorney questioning has returned to the topic of George Floyd's drug use. Floyd's girlfriend Courteney Ross told jurors last week the two both became addicted to opioids four years ago after they were prescribed the drugs for chronic pain.