LOWELL — A search warrant executed at a home on Lillian Terrace following Wednesday’s three-and-a half-hour standoff between a man inside the residence and members of the Northeastern Massachusetts Law Enforcement Council SWAT Team uncovered a loaded 9mm handgun, according to authorities. The alleged discovery contributed to Judge Pacifico DeCapua Jr.’s decision during a 58A dangerousness hearing in Lowell District Court on Thursday to hold the man involved in the standoff, 38-year-old Jorge Sanchez Jr., without bail as his case progresses in court. Sanchez is charged with violating an abuse p ..read more

By EDITH M. LEDERER (Associated Press) UNITED NATIONS (AP) — The United States vetoed a widely backed U.N. resolution on Thursday that would have paved the way for full United Nations membership for the state of Palestine. The vote in the 15-member Security Council was 12 in favor, the United States opposed and two abstentions. The resolution would have recommended that the 193-member General Assembly, where there are no vetoes, approve Palestine becoming the 194th member of the United Nations. Some 140 countries have already recognized the state of Palestine, so its admission would have been ..read more

MIAMI BEACH, Fla. — Carnival Cruise Line has released another round of updates on what travelers can expect when its new private destination Grand Bahama Celebration Key opens. Debuting in summer 2025, the port of call will be welcoming ships from Florida ports Port Canaveral, PortMiami, Tampa and Jacksonville as well as six other U.S. ports. The 369-acre site less than 20 miles east of Freeport will be the first dedicated to Carnival Cruise Line, although Carnival ships have used sister line destinations Princess Cays and Half Moon Cay for years. The largest port construction project in the l ..read more

Do you like the Great Outdoors? For the kickoff of the annual National Park Week, which for 2024 will be held April 20-28, the park service is offering free admission to its parks and monuments on Saturday, April 20. This can save you $50 or even more, but here’s what you need to know, from someone who’s taken advantage of it in the past. Show up at dawn. Seriously. I know, I know. Don’t hurt me. But then you get there before the thundering hordes arrive. As you might guess, free passes are a huge draw. You don’t need to sign up or register. Just show up and go. Tourists stop to gaze at the sp ..read more

Katie Walsh | Tribune News Service (TNS) The hazards of remaking a beloved film are well known. While the 1991 comedy “Don’t Tell Mom the Babysitter’s Dead,” starring Christina Applegate, didn’t exactly thrill critics 30 years ago, it’s become a cult classic, especially for elder millennials who grew up on the movie. It’s the ideal text for a remake — the source material isn’t regarded as untouchable, the name recognition is high, and it can be easily adaptable to a modern milieu while still stoking those childhood memories for those who love the original. Nostalgia can be a trap, one that wri ..read more

By JESSE BEDAYN, SUSAN HAIGH, TRÂN NGUYỄN and BECKY BOHRER (Associated Press/Report for America) DENVER (AP) — Artificial intelligence is helping decide which Americans get the job interview, the apartment, even medical care, but the first major proposals to reign in bias in AI decision making are facing headwinds from every direction. Lawmakers working on these bills, in states including Colorado, Connecticut and Texas, are coming together Thursday to argue the case for their proposals as civil rights-oriented groups and the industry play tug-of-war with core components of the legislation. Or ..read more

BOSTON — State dollars for the emergency family shelter system are dwindling, and restaurateurs who for years enjoyed expanded outdoor dining and the ability to sell drinks to go remain “in limbo” amid a sustained period of legislative disagreement. House and Senate Democrats broke for another long weekend Thursday without announcing any deal on a spending bill that would replenish shelter funding for the remainder of the fiscal year. While negotiators remain at odds over how much they want to draw from state savings and exactly what kind of time limits to place on shelter stays — plus whether ..read more

By ALANNA DURKIN RICHER (Associated Press) WASHINGTON (AP) — Donald Trump lost a bid Thursday to pause a string of lawsuits accusing him of inciting the U.S. Capitol attack, while the former president fights his 2020 election interference criminal case in Washington. U.S. District Judge Amit Mehta in Washington denied defense lawyers’ request to put the civil cases seeking to hold Trump responsible for the Jan. 6, 2021, riot on hold while the criminal case accusing him of conspiring to overturn his election defeat to President Joe Biden plays out. It’s the latest legal setback for the presumpt ..read more

After two seasons at Northern Michigan, goaltender Beni Halasz is transferring to UMass Lowell. Halasz entered the NCAA transfer portal after a 2023-24 season which saw him go 9-12-6 with a .901 save percentage in 28 games. In his two seasons at the CCHA school, the native of Hungary went 28-27-6 with a .911 save percentage, 2.56 goals against average and five shutouts. He was named to the CCHA All-Rookie Team after a fantastic freshman campaign which saw him post a .919 save percentage. He has extensive international experience representing Hungary. He spent two seasons with New Mexico of the ..read more

Danielle Dorsey | Los Angeles Times (TNS) LOS ANGELES — With a rainbow knitted kippah affixed to the crown of his head, Michael Twitty is paced and intentional as he moves through the test kitchen at the L.A. Times. He’s here to make one of his classic Passover dishes, matzoh ball gumbo, which combines two recipes from his food memoir “Koshersoul.” The crimson stew adds buoyant, scallion-studded matzoh balls to a heartening okra gumbo, joining two staple dishes from Jewish and Black Southern cuisines. Chicken broth and diced tomatoes lend the finished gumbo their umami, with a Creole spice ble ..read more