Silicon Valley cities are canceling public safety contracts with Flock Safety amid fears its license plate cameras allow illegal data sharing. The Santa Clara County supervisors were the most recent to vote to cut ties after other cities did the same. Officials in Mountain View said Flock turned on a national “lookup” feature without permission. Records also show out-of-state police appear in searches tied to Los Altos and Santa Clara networks. California law has barred sharing this data with out-of-state or federal agencies since 2016. Flock says safeguards now block that access. Civil rights and immigrant advocates warn mass surveillance still invites misuse.
From former presidents to an NBA Hall of Famer to prominent church pastors, stories of the Rev. Jesse Jackson Sr.’s influence on politics, corporate boardrooms and picket lines loomed large at a celebration honoring the late civil rights leader. Thousands of people gathered Friday at a church on Chicago’s South Side to pay a final public tribute to Jackson. Barack Obama, Bill Clinton and Joe Biden were in attendance. The ceremony honors Jackson, a protege of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. and two-time presidential candidate. It follows memorial services that drew large crowds in Chicago and South Carolina, where Jackson was born.
Former Michigan football coach Sherrone Moore has pleaded no contest to two misdemeanors in a criminal case that arose immediately after he was fired for having an inappropriate relationship with his executive assistant. The deal was struck Friday, on the same day that a judge planned to hear a challenge to Moore’s arrest in December on three charges, including felony home invasion. Those charges were dropped in exchange for Moore pleading no contest to trespassing and malicious use of a telecom device.
A report by Rhode Island’s attorney general detailing decades of sexual abuse by Catholic clergy is giving survivors a sense of vindication while renewing calls for accountability and support. The investigation identified 75 clergy members who sexually abused more than 300 children since 1950, though officials say the true number is likely higher. Survivors say the report confirms what they have long known and exposes years of secrecy within the church. Many are now speaking publicly about the lasting trauma and the struggle to be believed. They are urging church leaders to provide meaningful support for victims, including help paying for therapy and other services.
Two men are under arrest after police say they attacked two officers protecting San Francisco Mayor Daniel Lurie. Lurie was unharmed. Witnesses told Mission Local, a San Francisco news outlet, that the men were part of a group blocking Lurie’s vehicle in the Tenderloin neighborhood. Authorities say the men turned violent after an officer asked them to move. A video obtained by the news outlet shows a struggle between a bodyguard and a man who throws him to the ground. A spokesperson says the mayor was not involved in the altercation. Police say the officers suffered injuries that are not life-threatening. The suspects were arrested on assault and other charges.
BUENOS AIRES, Argentina (AP) — Assisted by a glittering, pink soccer ball, Lionel Messi crossed yet another frontier with his visit to the White House.
A new study has found that an asteroid NASA used for target practice a few years ago was nudged into a slightly different route around the sun. It's the first time that a celestial body's solar orbit was deliberately changed. Scientists reported Friday that the 2022 impact by the Dart spacecraft not only trimmed the asteroid's orbit around its bigger space rock companion, but also around the sun. Researchers say their findings could help divert an incoming killer space rock given enough advance notice. The study was published in Science Advances.
MIAMI (AP) — Ronald Acuña Jr. scored easily from third base for Venezuela at the World Baseball Classic, and about a half-dozen of his teammates hopped over the dugout railing to start a celebration.
The calls to 911 poured in from staff at Camp East Montana, the nation's largest U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement detention facility, in its first months of operation in El Paso, Texas. The emergencies included repeated suicide attempts by detainees, seizures, injuries from fights and a pregnant woman in pain. Data from more than a hundred 911 calls obtained by The Associated Press, interviews with detainees and court filings offer a portrait of overcrowding, medical neglect, malnutrition and emotional distress. A Department of Homeland Security spokesperson rejected claims of subprime conditions, saying detainees receive food, water and medical treatment in a facility that's regularly cleaned.
The Florida Bar has walked back what it said was an erroneous earlier statement its representatives had made indicating that it had an open investigation into Lindsey Halligan, a former top federal prosecutor in Virginia. A letter from a bar association representative to an advocacy group that had requested an inquiry into Halligan said that there as an “investigation pending” in response to the group’s complaint. Jennifer Krell Davis, a spokeswoman for the Florida Bar, also said Thursday that there was an “open file” but declined to comment further “as active Florida discipline cases are confidential.” On Friday, Davis issued a new statement saying the Florida Bar wrote a letter to the complainant “erroneously stating” there is a pending Bar investigation Halligan.
Muslims across the United States are observing Ramadan under rising fears tied to immigration raids, anti-Muslim rhetoric, and war in the Middle East. Community members in places like Paterson, New Jersey, and Minneapolis say many are striving to maintain the Ramadan spirit while grappling with myriad concerns affecting their communities. In Minnesota, an imam says a mosque has canceled communal iftar meals after local businesses took an economic hit from the federal government's immigration crackdown. National groups are sharing know-your-rights guidance for mosque leaders. Leaders also point to harsh anti-Muslim vitriol during the current election season. Even so, many communities keep praying, fasting and supporting one another.
Phoenix Suns forward Dillon Brooks has been arrested for suspicion of driving under the influence in Scottsdale, Arizona. Police say they conducted a traffic stop in Scottsdale at roughly 1 a.m. Friday and Brooks was arrested after an investigation. He was taken to jail and released following the booking process around 3:30 a.m. The 30-year-old hasn’t played since Feb. 21 because of a fractured left hand. He’s expected to be out until at least late March after having surgery. The Suns say they are aware of the situation and gathering information.
Britney Spears has been arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence of drugs and alcohol near her Southern California home. Authorities say Spears was pulled over after reports that her BMW was driving fast and erratically on a highway on Wednesday night. The California Highway Patrol says she was jailed after taking a series of field sobriety tests. A representative for Spears calls the incident “completely inexcusable” and says she plans to comply with the law and seek help. Jail records show she was booked early Thursday and released later in the morning. The district attorney will decide on charges.
DANBURY, Conn. (AP) — Until recently, a call coming into the Danbury Fire Department meant alarms and tones immediately blasting at high volume — startling the firefighters before they headed out to scenes that could get their hearts pumping even faster.
This is the weekend when clocks move ahead, causing angst, lost sleep and health issues for many. Over the last decade, at least 19 states have passed laws to let them stay in daylight saving time if the federal government allows it. And some are giving serious consideration to staying in standard time — if their neighbors are willing to make the same move. There's not a clear consensus on what to do when every solution will still leave millions of Americans in the dark later in the morning or earlier in the evening than they would like for a chunk of the year.
WASHINGTON (AP) — Lionel Messi bestowed President Donald Trump with a bejeweled pink soccer ball during a White House ceremony honoring Inter Miami for winning last year's MLS Cup.
Serious medical and mental health emergencies have been routine at the nation’s largest U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement detention facility since its opening in August. Data from more than a hundred 911 calls at Camp East Montana in El Paso, Texas, along with interviews and court filings, offer a disturbing portrait of overcrowding, medical neglect, malnutrition and emotional distress. Current and former detainees say they struggle to obtain health care as disease spreads, lose weight because of a lack of food, and fear security guards known to use force to put down disturbances. A Department of Homeland Security spokesperson rejected claims of subprime conditions, saying Camp East Montana detainees receive food, water and medical treatment in a facility that is regularly cleaned.
An Iowa man is facing three counts of aggravated murder in Utah, where authorities say he killed three women. The Utah Department of Public Safety said Thursday that the man killed one woman, stole her vehicle then drove it to a trailhead and killed two other women before fleeing in one of their vehicles. He was arrested early Thursday in southwestern Colorado. Authorities say there’s no indication the suspect knew the women. A public defender representing the man in Colorado declined to comment Thursday. The Associated Press left a message with a Utah public defender's office regarding the charges in that state.
Republican Rep. Tony Gonzales of Texas is withdrawing from his reelection race, after having admitted an affair with a former staff member who later died by suicide. He is vowing to finish out his term in Congress. Gonzales had faced calls from GOP leadership to end his reelection bid, and from others in Congress to resign. “After deep reflection and with the support of my loving family, I have decided not to seek re-election,” Gonzales said in a statement posted late Thursday to X. The move is the latest in a quickly changing situation that stunned Capitol Hill and resulted in a House Ethics Committee investigation.
After James Talarico won the Democratic Senate nomination in Texas, Republicans are racing to paint him as too progressive. Conservatives started flooding social media with old clips highlighting his comments on gender, immigration and race. Republican strategists believe they can use his comments as fodder for attack ads in the general election. On Wednesday, Talarico warned supporters that powerful elites will smear him because they find him threatening. Although Talarico gained prominence through viral videos, Republicans hope to use years of on-camera musings against him.
A late-hour attempt by California’s top Democratic official to thin out the party’s crowded field for governor flopped, leaving Democrats anxious over the possibility about a Republican upset in November. Outgoing Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom has acknowledged fears inside the party that multiple Democratic candidates could undercut each other in the June 2 primary election, opening a pathway for a Republican to seize the top job in one of the nation’s most solidly Democratic states. California Democratic Party Chair Rusty Hicks urged lagging candidates to exit the race before the Friday deadline to formally enter the contest, but none of the established Democrats dropped out.
California street doctors warn that new federal Medi-Cal rules put many unhoused people at risk of losing health coverage. The law starts in 2027 and adds an 80-hour monthly work rule for many adults. It also forces eligibility checks every six months. Meeting those requirements will be particularly challenging for the state's roughly 180,000 homeless people. They often have no phones or internet to complete a job application. State officials estimate up to 2 million people will lose coverage. Exemptions exist for disability, mental illness, and addiction. But patients need doctors to certify them. Many cannot. California plans automated checks, but gaps remain.
Beyond Meat is dropping “meat” from its name as it moves beyond the struggling market for plant-based burgers, sausages and tenders and expands into new categories like protein drinks. The company now known as the Beyond The Plant Protein Co., or simply Beyond on its packaging, changed its website and social media channels this week. Beyond introduced a sparkling protein drink called Beyond Immerse, in January. It plans to release a protein bar this summer. Plant-based meat sales have been struggling in the U.S. for years, but consumer demand for protein is skyrocketing. Beyond CEO and founder Ethan Brown says he wants to reshape the company around plants and their benefits.
A California watchdog is urging state lawmakers to make data centers cover their own power costs, so households do not pay more. The Little Hoover Commission warns that AI-driven growth could strain the grid and raise utility bills. The report says regulators need clearer data on where demand lands. It seeks confidential, facility-level reporting on electricity use. It also calls for a special rate class for extremely large power users. The plan includes prepaying for grid upgrades and helping cover wildfire safety costs. The report also flags backup diesel generators, carbon emissions, and water use by data centers as hampering California's climate goals.
PHOENIX (AP) — A Haitian man confined at an Arizona immigration detention center for months died at a hospital Monday after a tooth infection was left untreated, the man’s brother said Wednesday.
Police body camera footage shows bargoers and pedestrians fleeing and ducking for cover in the chaotic moments after a gunman killed three people in a mass shooting outside a Texas bar. The terrifying moments captured by officers and surveillance cameras were released Thursday. They show how the shooting that left more than a dozen others wounded unfolded quickly early Sunday in downtown Austin. Police Chief Lisa Davis says officers arrived within 56 seconds of the first 911 call. They shot and killed the gunman. Davis wouldn't discuss the motive behind the shooting. The FBI says it’s investigating the attack as a potential act of terrorism.
Police say the mother of two girls found buried inside suitcases in a Cleveland field has been charged with two counts of murder. Twenty-eight-year-old Aliyah Henderson is accused of killing Mila Chatman and Amor Wilson. Their remains were recovered after a dog walker led authorities to the suitcases four days earlier. Mila's father, DeShaun Chatman, says he had been looking for his daughter and pursuing custody for five years before investigators told him late Wednesday that she was dead. Phone numbers linked to Henderson were no longer hers, and it was unclear if she was represented by a lawyer.
The Justice Department has released additional Jeffrey Epstein files involving uncorroborated accusations made by a woman against President Donald Trump that the department said had been mistakenly withheld during an earlier review. The department said last week that it was reviewing to determine if any records were improperly withheld after several news organizations reported that the massive tranche of records that had been made public didn’t include files documenting a series of interviews conducted in 2019 with a woman who made an allegation against Trump. The department said those files had been “incorrectly coded as duplicative,” and therefore were inadvertently not published along with the millions of other Epstein files.
Last year, President Donald Trump promoted unproven ties between Tylenol and autism and touted an old generic drug as a treatment for the developmental condition. New research found that for nearly three months after that, Tylenol orders for pregnant women showing up in emergency rooms dropped and prescriptions of the generic drug for children rose. Doctors published a research letter with their findings in The Lancet on Thursday. Orders for Tylenol were 10% lower than predicted for pregnant emergency department patients aged 15-44. And outpatient prescriptions of the generic drug leucovorin for children ages 5–17 were 71% higher than projected.
Defense attorneys for the man accused of sparking the deadly Palisades Fire in Los Angeles are calling for his release in light of new evidence. Jonathan Rinderknecht's lawyers say he is being used as a scapegoat for the Los Angeles Fire Department’s failure to fully extinguish a blaze that started a week prior. Rinderknecht was charged in October with starting the fire and has pleaded not guilty. Prosecutors say the Palisades blaze was a so-called holdover fire from one that Rinderknecht started on Jan. 1. They say it burned undetected deep in chapparal root systems.
Britney Spears’ has led a largely private life after her conservatorship ended in 2021, but public drama has come anyway. On Thursday, police arrest her in California, and the moment cast fresh attention on her recent timeline. In 2022, she marries Sam Asghari and releases a new song with Elton John. In 2023, she has a messy run-in with Victor Wembanyama’s security in Las Vegas and publishes a bestselling memoir. Asghari then files for divorce. In 2024, Spears rejects album rumors and settles legal fights with her father and Asghari. In 2025, ex-husband Kevin Federline publishes a memoir, and she accuses him of “constant gaslighting.”
As the Trump administration dismantles the Education Department, the agency is pulling back on its role policing discrimination in America’s schools. In its place, some are pushing states to step up. In Pennsylvania and elsewhere, Democrats are proposing new state agencies to investigate schools and uphold students’ civil rights. More immediately, some are also urging existing state offices to step in when students face discrimination based on race, disability or sex at school. Pushing the work to states could create a patchwork of systems with uneven protections. But proponents say it offers a backstop for families with nowhere else to turn.
Elon Musk continued to defend his actions in the months leading up to his 2022 purchase of Twitter in court Thursday. He faces a class action lawsuit claiming he misled investors. The civil trial in San Francisco centers on a class-action lawsuit filed just before Musk took control of Twitter, a social media service he renamed X, in October 2022, six months after agreeing to buy the embattled company for $44 billion, or $54.20 per share.
President Donald Trump has fired his embattled Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem. Trump said he was nominating Oklahoma Republican Sen. Markwayne Mullin for the position in an announcement on social media on Thursday. The announcement came after Noem faced a two-day grilling on Capitol Hill from Republicans and Democrats and as Noem faced mounting criticism over her leadership of the Department of Homeland Security. Trump says he’ll make Noem a “Special Envoy for The Shield of the Americas.” Noem touted her achievements on social media and thanked Trump for the new role.
Forecasters say the first major storm outbreak ahead of spring is threatening much of the central U.S. They warn strong tornadoes and other forms of severe weather are possible. The National Weather Service says scattered severe storms are expected to begin late Thursday in the Texas Panhandle, western Oklahoma and parts of Kansas. Forecasters expect the strongest storms to spread Friday across much of Oklahoma, Kansas and Missouri. The national Storm Prediction Center says more than 6 million people face the highest risk Friday. Forecasters also expect very warm weekend temperatures in many areas, up to 30 degrees above average.
Oscars producers say Gwyneth Paltrow and Robert Downey Jr. will join Chris Evans, Javier Bardem, Maya Rudolph and last year’s acting winners as presenters at the next Oscars. On Thursday, they also added Anne Hathaway, Will Arnett and Paul Mescal to a group that already includes Adrien Brody, Mikey Madison, Kieran Culkin and Zoe Saldaña will hand out trophies. The ceremony takes place on March 15 with Conan O’Brien as host. This year, “Sinners” leads nominations with a record 16. Michael B. Jordan, Wunmi Mosaku and Delroy Lindo are the “Sinners” cast members up for acting trophies.
VistaVision, the large-scale film format used largely in the 1950s, is enjoying a big-screen revival. At the Academy Awards on March 15, a movie made largely with decades-old antique film equipment is poised to win best picture. “One Battle After Another” is the first film in more than 60 years largely shot with and projected in VistaVision. Another best-picture nominee, “Bugonia,” was also shot on VistaVision. Even in 2026, when most films are shot digitally and AI has begun filtering into moviemaking, the films have showed that a vintage, analog film system can still astonish moviegoers.
Some two dozen states are challenging President Donald Trump’s new global tariffs in court. On Thursday, the states filed a lawsuit over import taxes he imposed after a stinging loss at the Supreme Court. Democratic attorneys general leading the suit argue that Trump is overstepping his power with planned 15% tariffs on much of the world. Trump has said the tariffs are essential to address trade deficits. He imposed duties under Section 122 of the Trade Act of 1974 after the Supreme Court struck down tariffs he imposed last year under an emergency powers law. The new suit argues that law was intended to be used only in specific, limited circumstances.
Savannah Guthrie made an off-camera appearance at offices of NBC's “Today” show, her first time back since her mother Nancy went missing from her Arizona home. Guthrie made the appearance Thursday morning. “Today” said Guthrie plans to return to the air eventually but remains focused now on supporting her family. Nancy Guthrie was last seen on Jan. 31 and reported missing the next day, in what authorities believe was an abduction. The Guthrie family has posted a $1 million reward for information leading to the recovery of the 84-year-old matriarch. “Today” has been covering the story intently, and former anchor Hoda Kotb has returned to fill in for Guthrie.
A Wyoming man accused of hitting a wolf with a snowmobile before taping its mouth shut, showing off the wounded animal in a rural bar, then killing it expressed remorse Thursday and changed his plea to felony animal cruelty to guilty.
Sen. John Cornyn is going on offense against Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton as they fight for a Republican Senate runoff, and President Donald Trump’s endorsement hangs over it all. On Thursday, Cornyn’s campaign is releasing a new video that highlights corruption and personal allegations against Paxton. The video revisits Paxton’s impeachment trial and a securities fraud case. On Wednesday, Trump said he plans to endorse one of them before the May 26 runoff and expects the other candidate to quit. Paxton says he'll stay in the race even if Trump picks Cornyn. Republican leaders worry that Paxton’s troubles may risk the seat in the fall election.
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