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 Another round of torrential rain and flash flooding came Saturday for parts of the South and Midwest already heavily waterlogged by days of severe storms that also spawned deadly tornadoes. Forecasters warned that rivers in some places would continue to rise for days. Day after day of heavy rains have pounded the central U.S., rapidly swelling waterways and prompting a series of flash flood emergencies in from Texas to Ohio. The National Weather Service said dozens of locations in multiple states were expected to reach what the agency calls “ major flood stage,” with extensive flooding of structures, roads, bridges and other critical infrastructure possible. At least 16 weather-related deaths have been reported since the start of the storms, including 10 in Tennessee. A 57-year-old man died Friday evening after getting out of a car that washed off a road in West Plains, Missouri. Flooding killed two people in Kentucky — a 9-year-old boy swept away that same day on his way to school, and a 74-year-old whose body was found Saturday inside a fully submerged vehicle in Nelson County, authorities said. Also Saturday a 5-year-old died at a home in Little Rock, Arkansas, in a weather-related incident, according to police. No details were immediately provided. Tornadoes earlier in the week destroyed entire neighborhoods and were responsible for at least seven of the deaths. And interstate commerce is affected — the extreme flooding across a corridor that includes the major cargo hubs in Louisville, Kentucky, and Memphis could lead to shipping and supply chain delays, said Jonathan Porter, chief meteorologist at AccuWeather. The outburst comes at a time when nearly half of NWS forecast offices have 20% vacancy rates after Trump administration job cuts — twice that of just a decade ago. Massive march storm to bring blizzards, tornadoes, flooding, and fires across US Louisville Mayor Craig Greenberg said Saturday that the Ohio River rose 5 feet (about 1.5 meters) in 24 hours and would continue to swell for days. “We expect this to be one of the top 10 flooding events in Louisville history,” he said. Flash flood threat looms over many states Flash flood emergency and tornado warnings continued to be issued Saturday across Arkansas, Mississippi, Tennessee and Kentucky, with more heavy rains and damaging winds in the mix. All of eastern Kentucky was under a flood watch through Sunday morning. Hundreds of Kentucky roads across the state were impassable because of floodwaters, downed trees or mud and rock slides. Downtown Hopkinsville, Kentucky, reopened in the morning after floodwaters from the Little River receded, giving a much-needed reprieve, but still more rainfall was on its way, Mayor James R. Knight Jr. said. “We got a little rain, but most of it went north of us,” Knight said. “Thank goodness on that. Gave us a little break.” In north-central Kentucky, emergency officials ordered a mandatory evacuation for Falmouth, a town of 2,000 people in a bend of the rising Licking River. The warnings were similar to catastrophic flooding nearly 30 years ago when the river reached a record 50 feet (15 meters), resulting in five deaths and 1,000 homes destroyed. In Arkansas, weather officials pleaded with people to avoid travel unless absolutely necessary due to widespread flooding. BNSF Railway confirmed that a railroad bridge in Mammoth Spring was washed out by floodwaters, causing the derailment of several cars. No injuries were reported, but there was no immediate estimate for when the bridge would reopen. Why so much nasty weather? Since Wednesday, more than a foot of rain (30.5 centimeters) has fallen in parts of Kentucky, and more than 8 inches (20 centimeters) in parts of Arkansas and Missouri, forecasters said Saturday. Forecasters attributed the violent weather to warm temperatures, an unstable atmosphere, strong wind shear and abundant moisture streaming from the Gulf. At least two reports of observed tornadoes were noted Friday evening in Missouri and Arkansas, according to the National Weather Service. One, near Blytheville, Arkansas, lofted debris at least 25,000 feet (7.6 kilometers) high, according to NWS meteorologist Chelly Amin. The state’s emergency management office reported damage in 22 counties from tornadoes, wind, hail and flash flooding. In Dyersburg, Tennessee, dozens of people arrived Saturday at a storm shelter near a public school in the rain, clutching blankets, pillows and other necessities. Winter storms bring flooding and 'thunder ice' in several US states Among them was George Manns, 77, who said he was in his apartment when he heard a tornado warning and decided to head to the shelter. Just days earlier the city was hit by a tornado that caused millions of dollars in damage. “I grabbed all my stuff and came here,” said Mann, who brought a folding chair, two bags of toiletries, laptops, iPads and medications: “I don’t leave them in my apartment in case my apartment is destroyed. I have to make sure I have them with me.”

President Donald Trump plans to meet with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday in what would be their second White House sit-down since Trump's return to office. The visit, confirmed by a White House official and Netanyahu's office Saturday, comes as Israel deploys troops in a new security corridor across Gaza to pressure the Hamas militant group. Netanyahu's defense minister has said Israel will seize large areas of the territory and add them to its so-called security zones. Last month, Israel shattered the ceasefire with a surprise bombardment in Gaza after trying to pressure Hamas to accept proposed new terms for the ceasefire, a move supported by the White House. Hundreds of Palestinians have since been killed. Israel has pledged to escalate the war in Gaza until Hamas returns the remaining hostages seized in the Oct. 7, 2023, attack that sparked the war, disarms and leaves the territory. Israel also has halted all supplies of food, fuel and humanitarian aid into Gaza. Netanyahu's office in a statement on social media said he and Trump would discuss “the tariff issue, the efforts to return our hostages, Israel-Turkey relations, the Iranian threat and the battle against the International Criminal Court.” Israel faces a 17% tariff. Netanyahu is wanted by the court for alleged crimes against humanity in Gaza. The U.S. is not a member of the court. In February, Netanyahu became the first foreign leader invited to the White House during Trump's second term. Their meeting focused on Israel’s war with Hamas and the next steps as a ceasefire deal took hold. Israeli strikes kill at least 17 in Gaza as ground troops move into northern territory At a joint news conference afterward, Trump made the surprise proposal that displaced Palestinians in Gaza be permanently resettled outside the territory and the United States take “ownership” in redeveloping the area into “the Riviera of the Middle East.” Palestinians objected to leaving their homeland, and Arab nations and rights groups sharply criticized the idea. That February meeting gave Netanyahu a chance to remind the world of the Trump administration’s support for Israel, defend the conduct of the war and distract from political pressures back home. Those pressures have only grown as Israelis protest both the lack of a deal to bring remaining hostages home from Gaza and Netanyahu’s moves to fire the head of the country’s domestic security agency and its attorney general. He also faces calls to accept responsibility for his role in failing to prevent the Oct. 7. attack. In a statement Saturday, relatives of hostages held in Gaza pleaded with Trump to “please use all your power to pressure Netanyahu to end this war and bring our hostages back now.” “We are addressing President Trump: Netanyahu is lying when he says that military pressure will bring back the abductees. The only way to quickly return all the abductees is to end the war and return them all in one fell swoop,” Ifat Calderon, aunt of hostage Ofer Calderon, said in Tel Aviv, Israel. Hamas says it will only release the remaining 59 hostages — 24 of whom are believed to be alive — in exchange for the release of more Palestinian prisoners, a lasting ceasefire and an Israeli pullout from Gaza. The Oct. 7 attack on southern Israel killed about 1,200 people, mostly civilians. Some 251 hostages were taken, most of them since released in ceasefire agreements and other deals. More than 50,000 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza as part of Israel’s offensive, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry, which doesn’t say whether those killed are civilians or combatants. Israel says it has killed around 20,000 militants, without providing evidence. Meanwhile, police arrested two of Netanyahu's close associates this week on suspicion of accepting money from Qatar to promote a positive image of the Gulf Arab state in Israel. Qatar is a key mediator for Hamas in its negotiations with Israel but denies backing the militant group. Netanyahu says the case is baseless. The prime minister is also the subject of a long-running corruption trial and regularly rails against a “deep state” that he alleges is out to get him. Israeli strikes on Gaza overnight leaves more than 50 Palestinians dead Trump says the first foreign trip of his second administration will include stops in Saudi Arabia, Qatar and possibly the United Arab Emirates, and “other places.” The trip could come as soon as May. Trump has said he wants to reward Saudi Arabia for its investment in the U.S. and that all three Gulf countries would be making commitments to creating jobs in the U.S. during his trip.

Opponents of President Donald Trump and billionaire Elon Musk plan to rally across the US on Saturday to protest the administration's actions on government downsizing, the economy, human rights and other issues. More than 1,200 “Hands Off!” demonstrations have been planned by more than 150 groups, including civil rights organisations, labour unions, LBGTQ+ advocates, veterans and fair-elections activists. The protests are planned for the National Mall in Washington, DC, state capitols and other locations in all 50 states. The White House did not return an email message seeking comment about the protests. Trump has promoted his policies as being in the best interest of the US. Protesters are assailing the Trump administration's moves to fire thousands of federal workers, close Social Security Administration field offices, effectively shutter entire agencies, deport immigrants, scale back protections for transgender people and cut federal funding for health programs. Trump grants 2nd extension for TikTok to remain operational in US Musk, a Trump adviser who owns Tesla, SpaceX and the social media platform X, has played a key role in government downsizing as the head of the newly created Department of Government Efficiency. He says he is saving taxpayers billions of dollars. Activists have staged nationwide demonstrations against Trump or Musk multiple times since the new administration took power. But the opposition movement has yet to produce a mass mobilization like the Women's March in 2017, which brought thousands of women to Washington, DC, after Trump's first inauguration, or the Black Lives Matter demonstrations that erupted in multiple cities after George Floyd's killing in 2020. Organisers say they hope Saturday's demonstrations will be the largest since Trump returned to office in January.

US President Donald Trump has approved another 75-day extension for TikTok to comply with a US law that mandates the popular video-sharing platform to either divest its American business or face a ban. "We do not want TikTok to 'go dark'," Trump wrote on Truth Social. "We look forward to working with TikTok and China to close the Deal." TikTok is owned by the Chinese tech firm ByteDance. Trump initially granted an extension after taking office in January, which was set to expire this weekend. With over 170 million US users, TikTok faces potential shutdown under a law passed by Congress unless a sale is completed. ByteDance, in a statement on Friday, confirmed ongoing talks with the Trump administration but noted that "an agreement has not been executed". "There are key matters to be resolved. Any agreement will be subject to approval under Chinese law," a company spokesperson said. The Biden administration previously raised national security concerns, claiming TikTok could be used by Beijing for surveillance or political influence. A bipartisan law passed last year gave ByteDance six months to sell its majority stake or face a ban. Free speech advocates, however, have argued against banning the platform. The latest extension aims to give more time to finalize a deal and keep TikTok running in the US under new ownership. "The Deal requires more work to ensure all necessary approvals are signed," Trump said on Truth Social on Friday. Although a deal was nearly secured earlier in the week, it fell apart after Trump announced sweeping new global tariffs, including on Chinese imports. According to a CBS News source, ByteDance then reached out to the White House, saying China would not approve the transaction unless tariff discussions were included in the negotiations. The source said the plan had involved Trump signing an order to begin a 120-day window to close the deal, allowing time for final paperwork and funding. The agreement reportedly had backing from ByteDance, new and existing investors, and the US government, but China withdrew once tariffs were imposed. In a statement, the Chinese embassy in Washington said it "opposed practices that violate the basic principles of the market economy". Currently, Chinese goods face an overall 54% tariff when entering the US, while China has hit back with 34% in countermeasures. Several new potential buyers have surfaced. CBS reports that Amazon submitted a last-minute bid, though the company has not commented. Other interested parties include billionaire Frank McCourt and Canadian investor Kevin O’Leary. Reddit co-founder Alexis Ohanian has joined McCourt’s consortium. Microsoft, private equity firm Blackstone, venture capital group Andreessen Horowitz, and search engine Perplexity AI are also reportedly exploring bids. Trump mentioned that four groups are in talks with his administration about a possible acquisition, without naming them. Vice-President JD Vance is leading efforts to secure a deal. Trump has also floated the possibility of a broader agreement with China, where Beijing might greenlight a TikTok sale in return for reduced US tariffs. "We hope to continue working in Good Faith with China, who I understand are not very happy about our Reciprocal Tariffs," Trump wrote on Truth Social.He emphasized that the tariffs remain "the most powerful economic tool, and every important to our national security". Source: BBC

The Trump administration is moving to suspend over $500 million in federal contracts and grants awarded to Brown University, expanding its list of Ivy League institutions facing threats to their federal funding in response to how they’ve handled antisemitism, according to a White House official on Thursday. The official, speaking anonymously due to lack of authorisation to address the matter publicly, stated that nearly $510 million in federal research and project funds are at risk. Trump tariffs ignite global backlash, shake markets, trade alliances In an email sent Thursday to campus leadership, Brown Provost Frank Doyle acknowledge awareness of “concerning rumours” regarding potential government action on the university’s research funding. “At this moment, we have no confirmation to support any of these rumours,” Doyle noted. Brown would be the fifth Ivy League institution targeted by the Trump administration, which is leveraging federal funding to enforce its policies on campuses. Numerous universities — including all Ivy League schools except Penn and Dartmouth — are currently under federal investigation for alleged antisemitism following a wave of pro-Palestinian demonstrations last year. Columbia University was the first to be impacted, losing $400 million in federal funds and facing additional funding threats unless it improved safety for Jewish students. Last month, the university agreed to a range of federal demands, such as revising student disciplinary procedures and reviewing its Middle East studies department. Subsequently, around $175 million in federal funding was suspended from the University of Pennsylvania over a transgender swimmer who previously competed for the school. On Monday, a federal task force on antisemitism reported it was reviewing close to $9 billion in grants and contracts at Harvard University as part of a broader inquiry into campus antisemitism. And on Tuesday, Princeton University reported that numerous federal research grants had been suspended by the administration. This mounting pressure has posed a significant challenge for U.S. universities, which depend heavily on federal research support as a primary income source. The Trump administration has vowed to adopt a more forceful stance on antisemitism at colleges, accusing former President Joe Biden of being too lenient. It has launched fresh investigations, and detained or deported multiple foreign students linked to pro-Palestinian protests. Last month, an incoming assistant professor of medicine at Brown was deported to Lebanon after “openly admitting” to supporting a Hezbollah leader and attending his funeral, according to the Department of Homeland Security. Trump’s promised ‘reciprocal’ tariffs unleashed on dozens of countries; Bangladesh slapped with 37% During last year’s student protests against the Israel-Hamas conflict, Brown drew attention for striking an agreement with student activists: in return for dismantling an encampment, the university promised to allow its governing board to vote on divesting from companies accused of enabling Israel’s occupation of Palestinian land. Brown’s governing body later declined the divestment request.

A transgender college student, Marcy Rheintgen, was arrested last month for entering a women’s restroom at the Florida State Capitol—an act that civil rights attorneys say marks the first known arrest under transgender bathroom laws passed in multiple U.S. states. Before being detained, 20-year-old Rheintgen declared, “I am here to break the law,” as she entered the building in Tallahassee on March 19. Capitol police, who had been alerted in advance, warned her she would face a trespass notice if she proceeded into the restroom. According to an arrest affidavit, Rheintgen entered to wash her hands and pray the rosary, and was arrested after refusing to leave. She has been charged with misdemeanor trespassing, an offense that carries a penalty of up to 60 days in jail. A court appearance is scheduled for May. “I wanted people to see how absurd this law is in practice,” Rheintgen told the Associated Press. “If I’m a criminal now, just for washing my hands, how am I supposed to live a normal life? It’s ridiculous.” At least 14 U.S. states have enacted laws barring transgender women from using women’s bathrooms in public schools and some government facilities. But only Florida and Utah impose criminal penalties for violations. A similar law in Montana was temporarily blocked by a judge this week. According to Jon Davidson, senior staff attorney with the American Civil Liberties Union, Rheintgen’s case is the first known arrest under such criminal provisions. Rheintgen, who was visiting her grandparents in Florida, said she sent letters to all 160 Florida lawmakers ahead of her protest, informing them of her intentions. She said her civil disobedience was fueled by disappointment in how the state she frequently visits has become increasingly unwelcoming to transgender people. Author JK Rowling draws criticism for transgender comments In her message to lawmakers, Rheintgen wrote, “I know that you know in your heart that this law is wrong and unjust. I know that you know that transgender people are human too, and that you can’t arrest us away.” The incident underscores the difficulty states are facing in enforcing transgender restroom laws. Several states — including Alabama, Kansas, Kentucky, and North Dakota — have passed such measures without specifying how they would be enforced. Others, like Utah, rely on reports from the public, though activists there have swamped tip lines with fake submissions in protest. Florida lawmakers behind the bill, Representative Rachel Plakon and Senator Erin Grall, did not respond to requests for comment. They have previously defended the law as a means to safeguard women and girls in gender-segregated spaces. Critics, however, argue the law endangers transgender individuals and fosters invasive behavior. “This arrest isn’t about safety,” said Nadine Smith, executive director of Equality Florida. “It’s about cruelty, humiliation, and systematically stripping people of dignity. Transgender people have been using restrooms matching their gender for generations without incident. What’s new is this wave of laws designed to push them out of public life.” Rheintgen said she’s deeply anxious about the legal consequences. If convicted, she fears being jailed with men, having her hair cut, and being temporarily cut off from her hormone treatment. “People are calling this a test case,” she said. “But I didn’t do it to challenge the law—I did it because I was upset. I honestly don’t know what to expect. It’s terrifying.” Source: With input from agency 

Wildfires continue to spread across the western regions of North and South Carolina, with dry, windy conditions fueling the flames. State agencies report that over 12,000 acres have burned in South Carolina alone, while North Carolina is currently battling four separate fires. South Korea battles devastating wildfires as death toll reaches 27 Dr. Beverly Hargus, a local veterinarian, describes the situation as dire, explaining that debris left behind by a previous hurricane has acted as fuel for the fires. “Everything is so dry that it’s burning rapidly, and the wind is making it unpredictable,” she said. With her clinic just a mile and a half from the fire, she and her team have begun preparing for a possible evacuation, organizing essential equipment and documents while waiting to see how the fire progresses. Hargus’ clinic is already housing evacuated pets, but if the fire moves closer, they will need to relocate the animals again. While her facility is unable to accommodate large animals, the Western North Carolina Agricultural Center has taken in horses, goats, and sheep. Evacuations ordered as strong winds hinder California wildfire battle “We started receiving calls from displaced pet owners on Sunday night, and we’ve been placing dogs and cats wherever we can,” Hargus said. “For larger animals, we direct them to the agricultural center, which has plenty of stalls.” As the fires advance, Hargus admits she feels overwhelmed by the uncertainty and difficult decisions ahead. Source: With input from agency 

Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen is traveling to Greenland on Wednesday for a three-day trip aimed at building trust and cooperation with Greenlandic officials at a time when the Trump administration is seeking control of the vast Arctic territory. Frederiksen announced plans for her visit after US Vice President JD Vance visited a US air base in Greenland last week and accused Denmark of underinvesting in the territory. Greenland is a mineral-rich, strategically critical island that is becoming more accessible because of climate change. Trump has said that the landmass is critical to US security. It's geographically part of North America, but is a semiautonomous territory belonging to the Kingdom of Denmark. Frederiksen is due to meet the incoming Greenlandic leader, Jens-Frederik Nielsen, after an election last month that produced a new government. She is also to meet with the future Naalakkersuisut, the Cabinet, in a visit due to last through Friday. “It has my deepest respect how the Greenlandic people and the Greenlandic politicians handle the great pressure that is on Greenland," she said in government statement announcing the visit. On the agenda are talks with Nielsen about cooperation between Greenland and Denmark. Nielsen has said in recent days that he welcomes the visit, and that Greenland would resist any US attempt to annex the territory. “We must listen when others talk about us. But we must not be shaken. President Trump says the United States is ‘getting Greenland.’ Let me make this clear: The US is not getting that. We don’t belong to anyone else. We decide our own future,” he wrote Sunday on Facebook. Houthis claim downing American drone amid US strikes “We must not act out of fear. We must respond with peace, dignity and unity. And it is through these values that we must clearly, clearly and calmly show the American president that Greenland is ours.” For years, the people of Greenland, with a population of about 57,000, have been working toward eventual independence from Denmark. The Trump administration's threats to take control of the island one way or the other, possibly even with military force, have angered many in Greenland and Denmark. The incoming government wants to take a slower approach on the question of eventual independence. The political group in Greenland most sympathetic to the US president, the Naleraq party that advocates a swift path toward independence, was excluded from coalition talks to form the next government. Peter Viggo Jakobsen, associate professor at the Danish Defense Academy, said last week that the Trump administration’s aspirations for Greenland could backfire and push the more mild parties closer to Denmark. He said that “Trump has scared most Greenlanders away from this idea about a close relationship to the United States because they don’t trust him.”

Firefighters managed to halt the forward spread of a wildfire sweeping through a remote region of eastern California, yet evacuation orders for residents of hundreds of homes remained in effect, officials reported Monday evening. The Silver Fire ignited Sunday afternoon along Route 6 in Inyo County, approximately 5 miles (8 kilometers) northeast of Bishop in the Owens Valley, near the Nevada border. Authorities were investigating the cause. AI-enabled drone deployed in Germany to accelerate wildfire detection and response By Monday, the fire had scorched nearly 2.5 square miles (about 6.5 square kilometers) of grass and brush, according to a post on the social platform X by the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection. Containment had reached 47%. Following the outbreak, evacuation orders were issued for around 800 homes near the small communities of Laws, Chalfant, and White Mountain Estates. However, officials did not provide an update Monday evening on how many residents remained under evacuation orders. Fire crews planned to stay overnight to monitor hotspots and reinforce containment lines. Gusts reaching 65 mph (104 kph) had restricted the deployment of water-dropping helicopters and kept air tankers grounded, Cal Fire spokesperson Chloe Castillo said earlier on Monday. “The winds are highly unpredictable,” she noted. “At one moment, they push north; the next, they shift east.” Cal Fire reported that the fire threatened land belonging to the Bishop Paiute Tribe, as well as habitats of endangered species such as the Owens pupfish and desert bighorn sheep. Inyo County has experienced minimal recent rainfall and remains unusually dry, with some areas suffering from extreme drought. South Korea battles devastating wildfires as death toll reaches 27 Similarly, much of Southern California is facing moderate to extreme drought conditions, according to the U.S. Drought Monitor.

US President Donald Trump has said that he is contemplating ways to serve a third term as president, emphasizing that he is not joking about the possibility. In an interview with NBC News from his Mar-a-Lago club, Trump indicated there are potential methods to overcome the constitutional limit on presidential terms. He later expanded on this in a conversation with reporters on Air Force One, claiming that many people have urged him to pursue a third term, which he described as a fourth term due to his belief that the 2020 election was rigged, despite losing it to Joe Biden. However, Trump noted that he was not ready to focus on the idea of a third term, as there is still a long time until his second term ends. The 22nd Amendment, ratified in 1951, restricts any person from being elected president more than twice. While any attempt to extend his presidency would face significant legal challenges, Trump’s comments highlight his continuing desire to maintain power, echoing his previous attempts to contest the 2020 election results. Rep. Daniel Goldman, a Democrat from New York and lead counsel during Trump’s first impeachment, criticized the remarks as part of a broader effort to dismantle democratic norms, urging Congressional Republicans to oppose Trump’s aspirations for a third term. At the Conservative Political Action Conference last month, Steve Bannon, a former Trump strategist, endorsed Trump’s potential 2028 run, while some supporters, like Kayla Thompson from Wisconsin, expressed strong backing for Trump to return for another term, believing that the country is on the right path under his leadership. Constitutional law experts, such as Jeremy Paul from Northeastern University, dismissed the idea of Trump running for a third term, citing the clear legal barriers. Trump was also asked by NBC’s Kristen Welker about a hypothetical situation where Vice President JD Vance runs for president and hands the office to Trump, to which Trump acknowledged that this was one possibility but did not elaborate on others. Election law professor Derek Muller pointed out that the 12th Amendment disqualifies anyone who is ineligible for the presidency from running for vice president, meaning that Trump could not circumvent term limits by seeking the vice-presidency. Muller also noted that the pursuit of a third term would require cooperation from various political and legal authorities, and suggested that Trump’s talk about a third term might be more about asserting political strength as a “lame-duck” president. Trump, who would be 82 at the end of his second term, said he enjoys working and would be willing to continue in the role. He also claimed that his popularity would make a third term feasible, citing inflated polling numbers. However, Gallup data shows that Trump’s approval rating never exceeded 47% during his second term, far lower than historical peaks seen by previous presidents. Trump has previously joked about the possibility of serving beyond two terms, raising the idea playfully in front of supportive audiences. There was no immediate response from congressional leaders to Trump’s comments.