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Vaccinating poultry could help cut soaring egg prices

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Vaccines could be a key means of suppressing bird flu and avoiding the slaughter of millions of chickens, which is blamed for egg prices averaging nearly $6 a dozen. But the move has been delayed in part because of concerns it could jeopardize chicken exports worth billions of dollars a year.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture has announced plans to spend $100 million to study bird flu vaccines to fight the disease in concert with meat chicken, egg and turkey groups. That’s part of a larger $1 billion effort to invest in more protections to keep the virus off farms that President Donald Trump believes will help lower egg prices.

Chicken meat producers remain the most resistant to vaccines because of concerns they could harm meat exports, which totaled nearly $4.7 billion last year. Egg and turkey producers sell most of their products in the U.S. and have been hit hardest by the virus.

Why is a vaccine needed?

Without a new policy including vaccines, the government will continue to slaughter every flock with a bird flu infection to limit the spread of the disease. Those deaths have totaled over 166 million birds in the U.S. since 2022.

Most birds killed are egg-laying chickens, and the death of so many hens is the main reason egg prices keep rising. The average price per dozen has hit $5.90, and in some part of the country, it is far higher.

Poultry veterinarian Simon Shane, who runs http://www.Egg-News.com, said the government is hesitant to use vaccines and change its policy of killing birds largely because of the meat chicken industry’s opposition.

“Basically this is a political issue, and this only came to a head because eggs are at $8 to $9 a dozen, and it’s embarrassing the government — embarrassing the present administration,” Shane said.

Why doesn’t the US use a bird flu vaccine?

Before using vaccinations, the government must decide how to devise an effective system and monitor for outbreaks within vaccinated flocks that might not show any symptoms, said John Clifford, the USDA’s former longtime chief veterinary officer, who now works with a poultry industry export group. Once that is figured out, the industry can negotiate with countries to minimize trade problems.

“What the industry wants is the ability to develop the strategic plan to share that with the trading partners and then find out what kind of impact that that will have on trade,” Clifford said.

There are fears that vaccinating could allow the virus to linger undetected in flocks and mutate in ways that could make it more of a threat to humans and allow sick birds to get into the food supply. Like with other diseases, properly cooking chicken to 165 degrees Fahrenheit (74 degrees Celsius) will kill bird flu, but the industry and chicken buyers don’t want it there at all.

For meat chicken, known as broilers, the virus isn’t as significant because those birds are slaughtered at 6 to 8 weeks old and thus have less chance of being infected compared with egg-laying hens, which live to 2 years or older. Also most broilers are raised in the Southeast, which hasn’t had as many outbreaks as the Midwest and West.

Another delay to vaccinating concerns distribution. Egg farmers want to administer it through chicken feed or water, saying it’s not practical to give shots to millions of birds in a single barn.

It can also be difficult to tell the difference between a vaccinated bird and one that has been sick with the virus. That would make other countries nervous about importing meat.

“People have talked about how expensive it would be to monitor vaccinated populations. And it would be. But where do we want to spend our money?” said Dr. Carol Cardona, a bird flu expert at the University of Minnesota. “We’re spending our money hand over fist right now in depopulation and to buy eggs for breakfast.”

What does the experience in other countries show?

China and Mexico have been vaccinating their poultry for years, but they take different approaches.

In Mexico chicken are vaccinated, but Clifford said the country doesn’t slaughter flocks when infections are found. That basically ensures the virus is present in poultry.

China still slaughters vaccinated flocks when infections are found, which has proven more effective at limiting the spread of the virus and reigning in outbreaks.

Clifford said the U.S. would need to continue culling flocks with outbreaks even after vaccinating, and it might make sense to give shots only to egg layers and turkeys, not broilers.

Will it help egg prices?

Don’t expect big relief anytime soon.

The USDA, which did not respond to a request for comment for this article sent last week, clearly isn’t moving to vaccinate immediately. And, regardless, it will take time to raise new hens.

“We’re going to have to wait to replace those with new hatched chicks, and it takes 20 weeks before they even start laying,” Shane said. “So I don’t know where they’re going to get the eggs from.”

Prices may ease somewhat later this year after peak demand, which happens around Easter, if massive egg farms in Iowa, Ohio, California and elsewhere can avoid more outbreaks.

The USDA has predicted that average egg prices will be 41% higher than the 2024 average of $3.17 per dozen. That would mean $4.47 per dozen, slightly below the current average.

Trump stands firm on tariff plans after threat against EU: ‘I’m not going to bend at all’

(WASHINGTON) -- President Donald Trump on Thursday stood firm on his tariff policy, hours after threatening to escalate a global trade war with a 200% tariff on champagne and other alcohol products from the European Union.

"I'm not going to bend at all," Trump told reporters at the White House on Thursday. When asked whether he would reconsider a fresh round of tariffs set to go into effect on April 2, Trump offered a one-word reply: "No."

U.S. stocks tumbled Thursday, erasing some gains in the S&P 500 and tech-heavy Nasdaq a day earlier. The Dow Jones Industrial Average closed down 535 points, or 1.3%, while the S&P 500 dropped 1.4%. The tech-heavy Nasdaq declined nearly 2%.

Shares of large European winemakers also fell on Thursday in apparent reaction to Trump's tariff threat.

The threat of additional U.S. tariffs came after the EU announced plans to slap tariffs on $28 billion worth of U.S. goods, including a 50% tariff on whiskey. Those tariffs marked a response to U.S. duties on steel and aluminum imports.

Trump called on the EU to drop its tariff on whiskey, saying the U.S would otherwise "shortly place" a tariff on alcohol products from the EU.

Trump sharply criticized the EU, describing the organization as "one of the most hostile and abusive taxing and tariffing authorities in the World."

In a post on X, French Trade Minister Laurent Saint-Martin said: “Donald Trump is escalating the trade war he chose to unleash. France remains determined to retaliate together with the European Commission and our partners. We will not give in to threats and will always protect our sectors.”

If Trump moves forward with his tariff threat, the move could have a significant impact on American consumers.

The US is the world’s largest importer of wine and champagne. The US imported nearly $4.9 billion worth of Wine each year, with $1.6 billion imported from France, according to World Bank Data. In 2023, the US imported more than $1.7 billion worth of champagne.

The Distilled Spirits Council of the U.S. is urging the U.S. and EU to come to a resolution that gets the industry back to “zero-to-zero tariffs.”

“This is a model that has allowed spirits exports between the U.S. and EU to flourish and is in line with President Trump’s vision for fair and reciprocal trade,” the council’s President Chris Swonger wrote in a statement.

In his first term, Trump also targeted the alcohol industry. A series of tit-for-tat tariffs hit alcohol products in the U.S. and the EU. The Biden administration suspended those tariffs, but now the industry is once again in the crosshairs. The industry has still been recovering from that first tariff spat.

For the past three years, “U.S. distillers have worked hard to regain solid footing in our largest export market,” Swonger added.

The tariff threats on Thursday mark the latest skirmish in a global trade war. In response to U.S. duties on steel and aluminum, Canada announced retaliatory tariffs applied to $20.7 billion in U.S. goods, government officials said. The U.S. imports more steel and aluminum from Canada than from any other country.

The Trump administration last week slapped a 10% tariff on China, doubling taxes on Chinese imports to 20%. In response, China imposed retaliatory duties on U.S. agricultural goods, deepening a trade war between the world's two largest economies.

The trade tensions triggered recession fears on Wall Street. Goldman Sachs last week hiked its odds of a recession from 15% to 20%. Moody's Analytics raised its gauge of the probability of a recession to 35%.

This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.

US stocks down slightly amid trade war and looming government shutdown

Traders work on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) in New York City.

(NEW YORK) -- U.S. stocks dropped slightly lower early Thursday, after a reprieve for the S&P and Nasdaq a day earlier amid President Donald Trump's trade war.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 150 points in early trading, or 0.4%, while the S&P 500 ticked down 0.25%. The tech-heavy Nasdaq declined 0.35%.

Trading opened minutes after Trump threatened a 200% tariff on champagne and other alcohol products from the European Union, escalating a global trade war that has roiled markets.

A continued back-and-forth over international tariffs is hanging over the U.S. economy, along with a looming government shutdown with a deadline on Friday.

Federal officials said Wednesday that consumer prices climbed 2.8% in February over the same year-earlier month, meaning inflation cooled more than economists expected.

After initially modest gains, the Dow Jones Industrial Average closed on Wednesday down about 0.2%, while the S&P 500 climbed 0.5%. The tech-heavy Nasdaq increased 1.2%.

This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.

Putin responds to US-Ukraine ceasefire proposal, says Russia ‘for it’ but has concerns

Steve Witkoff, special envoy to the Middle East. (Photo by Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)

(LONDON) -- In his first public remarks on the proposed 30-day ceasefire in Ukraine, President Vladimir Putin said Russia is "for it" but that he wants his own security guarantees.

Putin raised questions regarding a 30-day ceasefire during a press briefing in Moscow on Thursday, as President Donald Trump's Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff landed in the city to discuss the proposal.

"It seems to me, it would be very good for the Ukrainian side to reach a truce for at least 30 days. And we are for it. But there is a nuance," Putin said, highlighting concerns regarding Russia's Kursk region, where Ukrainian forces pushed into last year in a surprise offensive but in recent weeks have seen Russian forces retake significant ground.

"If we stop the hostilities for 30 days, what does it mean? Does it mean that everyone who is there will leave without a fight?" Putin said. "Or the Ukrainian leadership will give them an order to lay down their arms and just surrender? How will it be? It is not clear."

Putin said he also wants guarantees that during a 30-day ceasefire, Ukraine will not regroup, and he wondered who would determine if there were any violations of a ceasefire.

"These are all issues that require careful investigation from both sides," he said.

Putin suggested Russia should talk with Trump to discuss his concerns, while adding, "But the idea itself is to end this conflict with peaceful means. We support it."

At the top of his remarks, the president thanked Trump "for his attention to Ukraine's settlement."

"We believe that this ceasefire should lead to a long-term peace and eliminate the initial causes of this crisis," Putin said.

Trump's Middle East envoy landed in Moscow on Thursday morning for discussions on the proposed 30-day ceasefire in Ukraine -- a step leaders in Kyiv and Washington, D.C., hope will facilitate a larger peace deal to end Russia's three-year-old invasion of its neighbor.

Witkoff's trip is "part of our continued efforts to press Russia to agree to a ceasefire and stop its brutal war against Ukraine," White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters at a Wednesday briefing.

Witkoff will meet with Putin on Thursday night in a closed format, according to Russian foreign policy aide Yuri Ushakov.

Putin will not speak with Trump on Thursday, according to Ushakov.

Trump described Thursday's discussions between the U.S. and Russian officials as "very serious" during remarks from the Oval Office.

"Things are going OK in Russia," he said, adding that it "doesn't mean anything until we hear what the final outcome is."

"Hopefully they will do the right thing," he said of Russia, saying he would like to see Moscow accept the 30-day ceasefire.

Asked by ABC News Chief White House Correspondent Mary Bruce if he plans to speak with Putin soon on the ceasefire proposal, Trump said, "I'd love to meet with him or talk to him, but we have to get it over with fast."

Trump also reacted to Putin's remarks earlier Thursday, saying, "He put out a very promising statement, but it was incomplete."

The ceasefire proposal is "phase one" of the peace process, Trump said, noting that discussions on a final agreement have touched on who will get certain pieces of land and a "very big power plant."

U.S. and Ukrainian officials agreed to a total 30-day ceasefire during talks in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, earlier this week. The ball is now "truly in their court," Secretary of State Marco Rubio said of Russia following the talks in Jeddah.

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy called Putin's comments "very predictable" and "manipulative" in his Thursday evening address.

"Putin, of course, is afraid to tell President Trump directly that he wants to continue this war, wants to kill Ukrainians. And that is why they there, in Moscow, are setting the idea of silence with such preconditions that nothing will work out at all or that it will not work out for as long as possible," Zelenskyy said. "Putin often does this -- he does not say 'no' directly, but does so in a way that practically only delays everything and makes normal decisions impossible. We believe that all this is now -- another Russian manipulation."

Yehor Cherniev, a member of the Ukrainian Parliament representing President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's party, said Russia is trying to "waste time."

"They cannot say yes and they cannot say no. That's why they will try to find some reasons why they cannot say yes," Cherniev told ABC News as Putin delivered his remarks Thursday. "And actually, I think they will even put on the table some conditions for this ceasefire which will be unacceptable for us. And that will be their answer -- to put responsibility for the ceasefire on our side."

Ahead of Putin's remarks, Zelenskyy said Ukraine is ready for peace while Russia seeks to "postpone peace."

"Regrettably, for more than a day already, the world has yet to hear a meaningful response from Russia to the proposals made," he said on X on Thursday. "This once again demonstrates that Russia seeks to prolong the war and postpone peace for as long as possible. We hope that U.S. pressure will be sufficient to compel Russia to end the war."

The Kremlin had so far been noncommittal on the U.S.-Ukrainian proposal. Officials were "scrutinizing" the publicly released statements, Peskov said on Wednesday. Russia, he added, "doesn't want to get ahead of itself" on the potential ceasefire.

Ushakov -- who took part in last month's meeting with U.S. negotiators in Saudi Arabia -- described the proposed ceasefire as "a hasty document."

"It should be worked on, and our position should also be considered and taken into account," he told journalists. "For now, only the Ukrainian approach is outlined there," Ushakov added, suggesting the 30-day pause in fighting would be an opportunity for Ukrainian forces to regroup.

"We believe that our goal is a long-term peaceful settlement, we are striving for it, a peaceful settlement that takes into account the legitimate interests of our country, our known concerns," Ushakov said. "Some steps that imitate peaceful actions, it seems to me, no one needs in this situation."

Ushakov said he outlined Russia's position to national security adviser Mike Waltz. "I myself have recently been in fairly regular telephone contact with Mike Waltz," he said. "Yesterday he called me and informed me about the main results of the talks with the Ukrainian delegation in Jeddah."

ABC News' Tanya Stukalova, Joe Simonetti and Will Gretsky contributed to this report.

Putin demands Kursk total victory ahead of Moscow talks with Trump envoy

(LONDON) -- Russian President Vladimir Putin visited a command center in Kursk on Wednesday, ordering troops there to "destroy" all Ukrainian formations remaining in the contested border region.

"Your task is to completely destroy the enemy, which has entrenched itself in the Kursk region and is still conducting warfare here, and fully liberate the Kursk region's territory within the shortest possible time," Putin said while clad in military fatigues.

"The previous status along the borderline must be restored," the president said. "I do expect that all combat objectives facing your combat units will be attained unconditionally and the Kursk region's territory will be fully cleared of the enemy in the near future."

Ukrainian forces pushed into Kursk in August in a surprise offensive, seizing the town of Sudzha and surrounding villages. Kyiv's troops have repelled months of Russian counteroffensives, but recent weeks have seen their salient crumble and Russian forces retake significant ground.

On Wednesday, Russian troops raised their flags over central Sudzha as Ukrainian forces hurriedly retreated back toward the shared border.

Russia's battlefield successes in Kursk come as the U.S. pushes both Moscow and Kyiv to return to peace negotiations. This week, Ukraine and the U.S. agreed to a potential 30-day ceasefire, with American representatives also putting the proposal to a non-committal Kremlin.

Russian officials have indicated that they will not engage in peace negotiations while any of Kursk remains under Ukrainian control. Kyiv had hoped to use its occupation of the territory as leverage in talks, though its footprint there is now rapidly shrinking.

On Wednesday, Putin said he will give "special thought in the future to creating a security zone along the state border" to prevent repeat Ukrainian incursions. Prisoners taken on Russian territory would be treated "as terrorists," Putin said, adding that "foreign mercenaries" are not protected under the Geneva Conventions.

President Donald Trump's Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff is expected in Moscow this week as the administration pushes for a ceasefire and broader peace deal. The ball is now "truly in their court," Secretary of State Marco Rubio said of Russia following the U.S.-Ukrainian agreement to a 30-day ceasefire proposal.

The Kremlin was non-committal. Officials were "scrutinizing" the publicly released statements, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said on Wednesday. Russia, he added, "doesn't want to get ahead of itself" on the potential ceasefire.

On Thursday, Peskov confirmed that American negotiators are traveling to Moscow. "Contacts are planned," Peskov told a press briefing, adding of the potential outcomes, "We will not prejudge, we will tell you later." Peskov did not say whether Witkoff would meet with Putin.

Trump's push for peace -- which has been twinned with fierce public criticism of Ukraine and President Volodymyr Zelenskyy -- has been welcomed by America's allies, though leaders have been perturbed by the president's apparent alignment with Russia's false narratives about the conflict.

Rubio will meet with G7 foreign ministers in Quebec, Canada, on Thursday. His presence at the meeting will also be overshadowed by Trump's spiralling trade war with America's northern neighbor, plus the president's repeated suggestion that Canada be absorbed by the U.S. and become its 51st state.

The G7 event "is not a meeting about how we're going to take over Canada," Rubio said Wednesday, as quoted by the Associated Press.

Canadian Foreign Minister Melanie Joly, though, said that "in every single meeting, I will raise the issue of tariffs to coordinate a response with the Europeans and to put pressure on the Americans."

"The only constant in this unjustifiable trade war seems to be President Trump's talk of annexing our country through economic coercion," Joly said. "Yesterday, he called our border a fictional line and repeated his disrespectful 51st state rhetoric."

ABC News' Tanya Stukalova, Patrick Reevell and Will Gretsky contributed to this report.

In brief: Seth Green joins final season of ‘The Conners’ and more

Seth Green is joining The Conners family. The actor will be part of the show's cast for its upcoming seventh and final season, according to Deadline. He'll play a character named Chad, who is a new friend of Darlene's. The two confide in each other and bond, perhaps a little too much. The Conners will begin airing its six-episode final season on March 26 at 8 p.m. ET on ABC ...

Paramount+ has renewed Landman for a second season. The show, which comes from creators Taylor Sheridan and Christian Wallace, stars Billy Bob Thornton and Demi Moore. It follows an "upstairs/downstairs story of roughnecks and wildcat billionaires fueling a boom so big, it’s reshaping our climate, our economy and our geopolitics," according to a press release ...

Call Her Daddy host Alex Cooper is making her way to TV. Hulu has announced a new unscripted series, which will be created and hosted by Cooper. Currently using the working title Overboard for Love, the show is a dating series set aboard a luxury yacht. Singles will mix, mingle and find love — but there's a twist, as gaining access to the amenities on the ship will not be easy. "As the journey unfolds, romance ignites; alliances form; and hearts are shattered. In the end, only one couple will reign supreme. Who will rise to the top, and who will be left stranded?" the show's official logline reads ...

Woman charged with holding ‘severely emaciated’ stepson in captivity for over 20 years: Police

A woman was charged for allegedly holding her “severely emaciated” stepson in captivity for over 20 years, since he was 11 years old, and forcing him to endure “prolonged abuse, starvation, severe neglect, and inhumane treatment,” police said. Facebook / Waterbury Police Department

(WATERBURY, Conn.) -- A Connecticut woman has been arrested for allegedly holding her "severely emaciated" stepson in captivity at their home for over 20 years, since he was 11 years old, and forcing him to endure "prolonged abuse, starvation, severe neglect, and inhumane treatment," police said.

"It's truly horrifying and beyond comprehension what occurred here. The young man's unimaginable suffering over the course of two decades is just a reminder of the darkness that does exist in our world," Waterbury Mayor Paul Pernerewski said at a press conference Thursday.

The now 32-year-old man was 5-foot-9 and just 68 pounds when he was found, according to officials.

The victim was discovered on Feb. 17, when Waterbury Police Department officers, along with personnel from the Waterbury Fire Department, responded to a report of an active fire at a residence at approximately 8:42 p.m.

The fire was quickly extinguished by authorities and two occupants were found inside the home at the time. The first person was identified as 56-year-old Kimberly Sullivan, the owner of the property who called authorities for help, and the second person was identified as a 32-year-old man who was later determined to be Sullivan's stepson.

Sullivan was evacuated to safety following the fire but the male occupant, who had suffered smoke inhalation and exposure to the fire, had to be assisted from the home by Waterbury Fire Department personnel and was placed in the care of emergency medical services.

Investigators quickly realized there was a room in the house that appeared to have exterior locks on the door and, as they began speaking to the male victim, he disclosed he was being held captive in the house for approximately 20 years.

"While receiving medical care, the male victim disclosed to first responders that he had intentionally set the fire in his upstairs room, stating, 'I wanted my freedom,'" officials said in their statement regarding the case. "He further alleged that he had been held captive by Sullivan since he was approximately 11 years old."

"Following these alarming statements, the Waterbury Police Department Major Crimes Unit, in collaboration with the Waterbury State's Attorney's Office, launched an extensive investigation," authorities continued. "Detectives determined that the victim had been held in captivity for over 20 years, enduring prolonged abuse, starvation, severe neglect, and inhumane treatment."

The 32-year-old was also found in a "severely emaciated condition and had not received medical or dental care" during his time in captivity inside the home over the past two decades, according to police.

"Investigators further discovered that he had been provided with only minimal amounts of food and water which led to his extremely malnourished condition," police continued.

When asked about the victim's father, Waterbury Police Chief Fernando Spagnolo said that the biological father died in January 2024. The father was wheelchair bound from a medical condition. The victim's biological mother has not been involved in his life from since about 2 years old, he said.

Sullivan's lawyer defended his client and said it was the victim's late father who was responsible.

"He was not locked in the room. She did not restrain him in any way. She provided food. She provided shelter. She is blown away by these allegations," her lawyer, Ioannis Kaloidis, told New Haven ABC affiliate WTNH.

Kaloidis said the stepson's late biological father "dictated how the boy would be raised."

"We think as the evidence comes out, you will see she's not the villain she's being made out to be," Kaloidis added.

During the background investigation, police found that there were two incidents in the Waterbury Police Department had in their system for that address in 2005.

The first was a request from the Department of Children and Families to do a welfare check at the location because the victim's friends had not seen him lately and were concerned about him, police said. Officers went to the house and saw that it was clean, and they spoke to the victim but at that point in time, there was no cause for any alarm or any conditions that would have led officers to believe anything abnormal was occurring, police said Thursday.

Waterbury police were called back to the house in April 2005 by the family who wanted to file a harassment claim against members of the school district. The family said members of the school district were continuously reporting them to DCF and felt that they were trying to get them in trouble, police said. There was no proof provided by the family that there was any type of harassment that was occurring. Police are now working with DCF to look at records that they may have had from previous investigations.

Throughout the years, it appears the locks used on the exterior of that room increased as time progressed, and the victim got older and a bit stronger, officials said at Thursday's press conference.

There are a lot of physical and mental health issues that the victim is now dealing with, Spagnolo said.

During the investigation, Sullivan was identified as a suspect, and an arrest warrant was issued for her on Tuesday.

Sullivan was located by police on Wednesday and taken into police custody by the Waterbury Police Department on charges of assault in the first degree, kidnapping in the second degree, unlawful restraint in the first degree, cruelty to persons and reckless endangerment in the first degree, police said.

"The suffering this victim endured for over 20 years is both heartbreaking and unimaginable," said Spagnolo. "This case required relentless investigative effort, and I commend the dedication of our officers and the Waterbury State's Attorney's Office. Their unwavering commitment ensured that justice is served, and the perpetrator is held fully accountable for these horrific crimes."

"Thirty-three years in law enforcement, this is the worst treatment of humanity that I've ever witnessed," Spagnolo said Thursday.

Sullivan was subsequently arraigned in court and her bond was set at $300,000. She is now expected to be placed in the custody of the Connecticut Department of Corrections while she awaits trial.

Kimberly Sullivan refused to talk to police almost immediately but does not have any prior criminal history, officials said.

Pope spends 12th anniversary as head of Catholic church in hospital as recovery continues

Candles with a portrait of Pope Francis are seen outside the Policlinico A. Gemelli Hospital where Pope Francis is hospitalized for pneumonia, on March 9, 2025 in Rome, Italy. Pope Francis was hospitalized in Rome on February 14 with bronchitis, and later developed pneumonia in both his lungs. (Photo by Antonio Masiello/Getty Images)

(ROME) -- Pope Francis has begun his 28th consecutive day in hospital on the 12th anniversary of when he was elected pope in 2013 following five ballots in a papal conclave.

While no events are planned to mark the pontiff’s 12 years as head of the Catholic church, it is a public holiday in the Vatican, as it is each year, to mark the anniversary.

Pope Francis' condition remained "stationary" on Wednesday, with tests confirming his improvement, according to the Vatican.

A chest X-ray performed on Tuesday confirmed improvements recorded over the past few days, the Holy See, the Vatican's press office, said in its Wednesday evening update.

The pope continues to undergo high-flow oxygen therapy during the day and "noninvasive mechanical ventilation during his night rest," the Vatican said.

Pope Francis' prognosis was "lifted" on Monday, meaning he is no longer in imminent danger, but the clinical picture remains complex.

The 88-year-old pontiff will continue "for additional days, the pharmacological medical therapy in a hospital environment" due to the "complexity of the clinical picture and the significant infectious picture presented at hospitalization," the Vatican said.

Francis' doctors said there are positive signs of the pontiff's recovery, but caution remains, according to Vatican sources, after he was admitted to Rome's Gemelli Hospital on Feb. 14 and was diagnosed with bilateral pneumonia.

Tiger Woods biopic in the works with Barack, Michelle Obama in talks to produce

A biopic about Tiger Woods is in the works.

Amazon MGM is developing the film, with Barack and Michelle Obama's company Higher Ground in talks to produce it. Deadline first reported the news.

The film will be based on Kevin Cook's book The Tiger Slam: The Inside Story of the Greatest Golf Ever Played. It will cover the rise of Woods as a child prodigy who later turned into a golf superstar. Reinaldo Marcus Green, who directed the film King Richard, will helm the movie.

It is expected that the film will focus on Woods' four major consecutive major championship wins, a feat known as the Tiger Slam. He has won 15 major championships and has 82 PGA Tour victories.

Woods' personal life, though filled with drama, will reportedly not be depicted in the film. In 2009, several extramarital affairs he took part in came to light, which caused many companies to end their sponsorship deals with him. He was then arrested in 2017 for driving under the influence. In 2021, he survived a car accident, though he sustained leg injuries from the incident.

Along with the Obamas, Irwin Winkler, who produced Goodfellas, Rocky and Creed, is also attached to the project.

Former Texas megachurch pastor indicted in Oklahoma on child sexual abuse charges

DALLAS (AP) — A former pastor of a Texas megachurch who resigned after a woman accused him of sexually abusing her in the 1980s has been indicted in Oklahoma on child sexual abuse charges, that state’s attorney general’s office said Wednesday.

Robert Preston Morris, 63, has been charged with five counts of lewd or indecent acts with a child.

The alleged abuse started in 1982 when the victim, referred to in the indictment as C.C., was 12 years old and Morris was a traveling evangelist staying in Hominy, Oklahoma, with her family, according to the attorney general’s office. The abuse allegedly continued for four years.

Cindy Clemishire, Morris’ accuser, said in a statement that she is very grateful to the authorities who have worked to make the indictment possible and is hopeful “justice will ultimately prevail.”

“After almost 43 years, the law has finally caught up with Robert Morris for the horrific crimes he committed against me as a child,” said Clemishire, now 55. “Now, it is time for the legal system to hold him accountable.”

The Associated Press typically does not name people who say they have been sexually assaulted, but Clemishire said she would like her name included.

Phone numbers associated with Morris were either disconnected or messages were not immediately returned Wednesday. It was unclear whether he has an attorney.

“There can be no tolerance for those who sexually prey on children,” Attorney General Gentner Drummond said in a statement. “This case is all the more despicable because the alleged perpetrator was a pastor who exploited his position. The victim in this case has waited far too many years for justice to be done.”

The Gateway Church, based in the Dallas suburb of Southlake, was founded by Morris in 2000. It said in a statement Wednesday that its members are praying for Clemishire and “all of those impacted by this terrible situation.”

“We are aware of the actions being taken by the legal authorities in Oklahoma and are grateful for the work of the justice system in holding abusers accountable for their actions,” the statement said.

Morris resigned last year from the church after allegations came to light on the religious watchdog blog The Wartburg Watch.

Clemishire told The Dallas Morning News last year that she met Morris in 1981, when he was a traveling preacher and began preaching at her family’s church in Oklahoma. She said Morris and his wife and young son became close to her family. She said he was staying at her house in 1982 when the abuse began.

The church has multiple locations in the area. It is among the largest in the United States, according to the attorney general’s office.

Morris was known to be politically active. The church hosted President Donald Trump on its Dallas campus in 2020 for a discussion on race relations and the economy.

Morris could face up to 20 years in prison for each of the five charges, according to the attorney general’s office. He was not in custody as of Wednesday.

FEMA launches review of migrant shelter aid, suggesting smuggling laws were violated

McALLEN, Texas (AP) — The Trump administration has launched a review of organizations that provide temporary housing and other aid to migrants, suggesting they may have violated a law used to prosecute smugglers.

The Department of Homeland Security has “significant concerns” that federal grants used to address a surge of migration under former President Joe Biden were used for illegal activities, wrote Cameron Hamilton, acting administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

His letter, dated Tuesday and obtained by The Associated Press, asks recipients of grants from FEMA’s Shelter and Services Program to provide names and contact information for migrants served and “a detailed and descriptive list of specific services provided” within 30 days. The letter says funding will be withheld during the review.

While it doesn’t explicitly threaten criminal prosecution, it raises concerns that recipients may have violated U.S. Criminal Code Section 1324, a felony offense against bringing people across the border illegally or transporting them within the United States. It also says executive officers must sign sworn statements that they have no knowledge or suspicions of anyone in their organizations violating the smuggling law.

FEMA did not immediately respond to a request for comment late Wednesday.

The demand appears to be a new salvo against organizations that provide food, housing and travel aid to people who cross the border. Migrants often arrive exhausted, low on money and unsure how to navigate on their own through bus stations and airports.

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, a Republican who was at odds with the Biden administration over immigration and is closely aligned with the Trump White House, took a similar tack against migrant aid groups but was blocked in court.

FEMA’s Shelter and Services Program awarded $641 million to dozens of state and local governments and organizations across the country in the 2024 fiscal year to help them deal with large numbers of migrants who crossed the border from Mexico. They include the cities of New York, Philadelphia, Chicago and Denver, as well as the United Way of Miami, the San Antonio Food Bank and several branches of Catholic Charities.

It was unclear if any any governments received the letters, but the Trump administration has fiercely criticized states, counties and cities that limit cooperation with federal immigration authorities. Last month, it sued Chicago over laws that it said thwarted federal law enforcement.

Manhole explosion at Texas Tech University causes fires, outages and cancels classes

LUBBOCK, Texas (AP) — An explosion on the Texas Tech University campus in Lubbock set off fires and power outages Wednesday, leading school officials to issue evacuation orders for several buildings and cancel classes for the rest of the week.

An alert sent to the campus community around 8:45 p.m. described the explosion as occurring at a substation but a later update said it was at a manhole. No injuries were reported, Lubbock Fire Rescue Capt. Jon Tunnell said.

Videos circulating on social media and local TV stations showed a heavy presence of firefighters on campus and fire and smoke coming out of at least one manhole cover.

It wasn’t clear what might have caused the explosion.

Power will be shut down to the entire campus in Lubbock, Texas, while repairs are underway, said Caitlynn Jeffries, a spokesperson for the university’s police department.

“You can go ahead and go home for Spring break. We are closing school down for the next couple days,” Jeffries said.

The school also instructed faculty and staff to work remotely if possible until further notice.

Lubbock Fire Rescue responded to a possible gas leak around 7 p.m. local time and found “multiple manhole covers with smoke and fire issuing from them,” Tunnell said.

“This remains a very active scene as crews continue to assist Texas Tech University in mitigating this emergency,” he said.

There are more than 40,000 students at Texas Tech and the school sits on 1,800 acres in West Texas.

Longview officer injured in weekend shooting released from hospital

UPDATE: The Longview Police Department said the officer who was injured in the Saturday incident has been released from the hospital and is recovering at home.

LONGVIEW — According to our news partner KETK, a Longview police officer was injured on Saturday night while responding to a vehicle burglary. The Longview Police Department said officers were dispatched to the 700 block of Lincoln Drive at around 11:22 p.m. to a vehicle burglary in progress.

As police searched the area, they located the burglarized vehicle and the suspect was found inside a second vehicle on Kenwood Drive. Continue reading Longview officer injured in weekend shooting released from hospital

Nearly 8,500 Wood County Electric Co-Op customers without power

WOOD COUNTY — According to our news partner KETK, nearly 8,500 Wood County Electric Co-Op customers are without power as of Wednesday night. The co-op said they were working to identify what caused the transmission outage that affected five substations. However, as it is dark and the transmission lines run through rugged terrain, a representative said it will take time to identify the cause.

People are asked to report an outage at 866-415-2951 and follow the steps found on their website. Continue reading Nearly 8,500 Wood County Electric Co-Op customers without power

White Oak patrol lieutenant promoted to police chief

WHITE OAK — According to our new partner KETK, the White Oak Police Department has announced a new chief of police who will take office in April 25.

Brannon Robertson is the current patrol lieutenant and has been a police officer since August 1996. Robertson’s first job was at the Gregg County Sheriff’s Office as a reserve deputy. He then transferred to the Gladewater Police Department in October 1996. During his time in Gladewater, Robertson was promoted from reserve to animal control, to dispatch and then ultimately to patrol officer. Robertson was awarded Officer of the Year in 2004, 2012 and 2024. During his time in White Oak, Robertson was promoted from patrol officer to sergeant, to lieutenant and soon chief of police.

Chief Terry Roach announced his retirement earlier this year. Robertson claimed that stepping into the position was a “difficult decision made easy.”