AP-Newswatch

Some cancer patients can find it hard to tell family and friends

For some cancer patients, sharing the news can be a difficult decision. Not everyone is comfortable telling others, for cultural or privacy reasons, or because they just don’t want to talk about it. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin initially kept his prostate cancer quiet. Kate, Princess of Wales, also waited to publicly disclose her cancer. Their reactions hardly surprised experts. One patient counselor said people sometimes keep it to themselves because they don’t want to be identified solely as a cancer patient. In the U.S., death rates from cancer have been declining for decades but it remains the nation’s No. 2 killer.

Why did more than 1,000 people die after police subdued them with force that isn’t meant to kill?

Every day, police in the U.S. rely on common use-of-force tactics that, unlike guns, are meant to stop people without killing them. But when misused, these tactics can still end in death — as happened with George Floyd in 2020. An investigation led by The Associated Press has found that, over a decade, more than 1,000 people died after police subdued them through physical holds, stun guns, body blows and other force not intended to be lethal. Medical officials cited the force in about half the cases. In others, officers didn’t follow best safety practices, creating a recipe for death. These deadly encounters happened in nearly every state and the deceased came from all walks of life. The toll, however, disproportionately fell on Black Americans.

Doctors visiting a Gaza hospital are stunned by the war’s toll on Palestinian children

DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza (AP) — An international team of doctors was prepared for the worst before visiting a hospital in central Gaza. The doctors were nevertheless stunned by the gruesome impact that Israel’s war against Hamas is having on Palestinian children. One toddler died from a brain injury caused by an Israeli strike. His cousin, an infant, is still fighting for her life. These gut-wrenching casualties were described to The Associated Press by Tanya Haj-Hassan, a pediatric intensive care doctor from Jordan. She was part of a seven-doctor team that recently finished a two-week stint in Gaza, whose hospitals have been devastated by the war that began on Oct. 7.

Cargo ship had engine maintenance in port before it collided with Baltimore bridge, officials say

BALTIMORE (AP) — The U.S. Coast Guard says the cargo ship that crashed into and collapsed a bridge in Baltimore underwent “routine engine maintenance” in port beforehand. U.S. Coast Guard Rear Admiral Shannon Gilreath said at a news conference Wednesday that authorities had been informed that the ship was going to undergo the maintenance. He added that they were not informed of any problems. The ship collided into a support pillar early Tuesday, causing the span to buckle into the river. The bodies of two of six workers who plunged into the water were recovered earlier in the day. The others are presumed dead.

Fallen crypto mogul Sam Bankman-Fried sentenced to 25 years in prison

NEW YORK (AP) — FTX founder Sam Bankman-Fried has been sentenced to 25 years in prison for a cryptocurrency fraud that a prosecutor has described as one of the biggest financial frauds in U.S. history. Federal Judge Lewis A. Kaplan imposed the sentence Thursday in a packed Manhattan courtroom. The 32-year-old Bankman-Fried was convicted in November of fraud and conspiracy charges brought after his once-soaring cryptocurrency trading platform and related companies collapsed into bankruptcy. Bankman-Fried was extradited to the U.S. in December 2022, five years after he started his businesses with plans to revolutionize the emerging cryptocurrency industry.

Biden’s fundraiser with Obama and Clinton nets a record high $25 million, his campaign says

NEW YORK (AP) — A fundraiser for President Joe Biden in New York City that also stars Barack Obama and Bill Clinton is raising a whopping $25 million. Biden’s campaign says the Thursday night event sets a record for the biggest haul for a political event. The Radio City Music Hall fundraiser provides a gilded exclamation mark on a recent burst of campaign travel by Biden, who visited several political battlegrounds in the last few weeks. The Democratic president has a significant fundraising advantage over Republican rival Donald Trump, with more than four times as much cash on hand by the end of February.

Trump will attend the wake of a slain New York police officer as he goes after Biden over crime

NEW YORK (AP) — Donald Trump is set to attend the wake of a New York City police officer gunned down in the line of duty. The former president and presumptive Republican presidential nominee is expected Thursday at the visitation on Long Island for Officer Jonathan Diller, who was fatally shot during a traffic stop on Monday. Trump’s campaign says he was “moved by the invitation” to the wake but did not offer more details on his appearance or whether he planned to speak. It comes as President Joe Biden will also be in New York Thursday for a celebrity-studded fundraising extravaganza in New York City with two of his Democratic predecessors, former Presidents Bill Clinton and Barack Obama.

US changes how it categorizes people by race and ethnicity. It’s the first revision in 27 years

ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — For the first time in 27 years, the U.S. government is changing how it categorizes people by race and ethnicity. The goal is to more accurately count residents, including those who identify as Hispanic and of Middle Eastern and North African heritage. The revisions announced Thursday are the latest efforts to categorize and define the people of the United States. This evolving process often reflects changes in social attitudes and immigration. Under the revisions, questions about race and ethnicity that previously were asked separately will be combined into a single question. A Middle Eastern and North African category also will be created.

Schools in the path of April’s total solar eclipse prepare for a natural teaching moment

CLEVELAND (AP) — The total solar eclipse expected on April 8 already is inspiring school lessons in science, literacy and culture. Some schools in or near the path of totality also are organizing group viewings for students to experience the awe of daytime darkness and learn about the astronomy behind it together. Dennis Schatz, a former president of the National Science Teaching Association, encourages educators to use the eclipse as “a teachable moment.” But the timing of the eclipse, around dismissal time for some in its path, means many schools will be closed for the day so that students aren’t stuck on buses or in crowds expected to gather.

It’s a bittersweet Easter for chocolate lovers and African cocoa farmers but big brands see profits

ACCRA, Ghana (AP) — Shoppers may get a bitter surprise in their Easter baskets this year. Chocolate eggs and bunnies are more expensive than ever as changing climate patterns eat into global cocoa supplies and the earnings of farmers in Africa. Cocoa is the main ingredient in chocolate, and about three-quarters of it comes from trees in West Africa. Severe seasonal winds and heavy rainfall have cut the amount harvested in recent months. The global price of cocoa has soared to record highs. Farmers who harvest cacao beans say the increases aren’t enough to cover their lower yields and higher production costs. But big confectionery companies have maintained profit margins by raising chocolate prices.