«SFGate» (sfgate.com)

BUCHAREST, Romania, (AP) — Pet lovers gathered for the 15th annual Romanian pet industry event in Bucharest. The gathering invited owners to dress their pets in colorful costumes for a lively parade.

Powerful winds and extreme weather are knocking out power, damaging property, and fueling wildfires across parts of the United States. About 346,000 customers were still without electricity in Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Michigan on Saturday. Officials in Nebraska say wind-driven grass fires are responsible for one death, with at least 12 structures destroyed. Blizzard conditions were expected in the Upper Midwest.

Thousands of people have protested in Italy against wars in the Middle East and proposed judicial reforms by Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni. Demonstrators gathered in Rome on Saturday chanting against Meloni’s government as a March 22–23 referendum on changes to Italy’s judicial system becomes a key political test before next year’s election. Meloni said that the reforms would speed up courts and restore trust. But critics say that the changes will threaten judicial independence. Anti-war... Читать дальше...

Rwanda's foreign minister says the country's government will withdraw its counterinsurgency troops from Mozambique if the mission’s foreign backers don't maintain sustainable funding. Foreign Affairs Minister Olivier Nduhungirehe said in an X post on Saturday that Rwandan troops were “being constantly questioned, vilified, criticized, blamed or sanctioned by the very countries that benefit from our intervention in Mozambique.” The U.S. State Department imposed visa restrictions last week on “several... Читать дальше...

Federal prosecutors in New York have accused a lobbyist of trying to extort a former client and the client’s son for $500,000. The government says on Friday that Joshua Nass was arrested and an attempted extortion charge unsealed. Prosecutors allege Nass recruited a confidential witness to pressure the son into paying the money. The names of the father and son haven't been released. Congressional disclosure forms show that Nass worked on behalf of an ex-nursing home operator pardoned recently by President Donald Trump. Читать дальше...

Turkey’s foreign minister says diplomacy between the U.S. and Iran is stalled, but he thinks quiet back-channel talks remain possible. In an interview Saturday, Hakan Fidan said Ankara sees no serious push to restart formal negotiations. He says Iran feels betrayed after being attacked during nuclear talks. Fidan says Ankara wants to stay out of the war, despite missiles intercepted over Turkey that appear to have come from Iran. He rules out a military response for now. Fidan also says Turkey tried... Читать дальше...

The slow-moving storm is bringing heavy rain and significant flooding to the Islands.

The six U.S. service members who died in the crash of a U.S. military refueling aircraft included a Georgia father and several members based in Ohio. Officials say the Thursday crash is under investigation and not caused by hostile or friendly fire. The Ohio Air National Guard says three airmen come from its 121st Air Refueling Wing in Columbus. The family of Birmingham, Alabama, pilot Alex Klinner confirm he also was killed in the crash. The family says Klinner had recently been promoted to major and been deployed less than a week.

The United States flag has been raised over its embassy in Caracas for the first time since 2019. The move Saturday highlights the recent shift in the relations between the two countries since former President Nicolás Maduro was captured by American troops in January. The reopening of the American embassy, which drew immediate attention from local residents, comes after several statements from U.S. President Donald Trump in support of Maduro’s successor, acting President Delcy Rodríguez, who has... Читать дальше...

Trinidad and Tobago’s government has received House of Representatives approval to extend the country’s state of emergency for three months. The twin-island Caribbean nation is struggling with a high level of crime. The two motions to extend the measure in a 26-12 vote late Friday with no abstentions. It grants the government additional powers including to make arrests and conduct searches without warrants. Trinidad and Tobago has spent roughly 10 of the last 14 months under an emergency.