Taylor Swift calls cancellation of Vienna shows 'devastating' and explains her silence
LONDON (AP) -- Two weeks after organizers scrubbed Taylor Swift's concerts in Vienna amid a foiled terror plot, the singer issued her first statement on the cancellation. She calls it devastating and says she was filled with a "new sense of fear" and a "tremendous amount of guilt because so many people had planned on coming to those shows." She thanked authorities and says she waited to speak until the European leg of her Eras Tour concluded to prioritize safety. In the wake of the cancellations, Swift's representatives did not respond to multiple requests for comment from The Associated Press and other news organizations and her social media pages had gone dormant.
A Japanese woman who loves bananas is now the world's oldest person
TOKYO (AP) -- Tomiko Itooka is now the world's oldest living person at age 116. Guinness World Records confirmed the Japanese woman's status Thursday, following the death of 117-year-old Maria Branyas. Itooka lives in a nursing home in southeastern Japan. She was born May 23, 1908, as confirmed by the Gerontology Research Group, which validates details of people thought to be 110 or older. Itooka celebrated her birthday three months ago, receiving flowers, a cake and a card from the mayor. Her favorite food is bananas. When told about her becoming the oldest person, she replied, "Thank you." It's a phrase she also relays often to the caretakers at her home.
Divers recover 5 bodies from wrecked superyacht off Sicily; 1 still missing
PORTICELLO, Sicily (AP) -- Divers searching the wreck of a superyacht that sank off Sicily have found five bodies and searched for a sixth as questions intensified about why the sailboat sank so quickly. Divers and rescue crews unloaded three body bags Wednesday from rescue vessels that pulled into port at Porticello. Sicily's civil protection agency says three other bodies were also found in the wreckage. The discovery indicated that the operation to search the wreckage on the seabed 50 meters underwater was a recovery one, not a rescue. The Bayesian, a 56-meter British-flagged yacht, went down in a storm early Monday as it was moored about a kilometer offshore.
Man opens plane's door and walks on wing at Australian airport before he's arrested
MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) -- A passenger has been arrested at an Australian airport after he left a stationary airliner through an emergency exit, walked along a wing and then climbed down a jet engine to the tarmac. Officials say the Jetstar flight had arrived at Melbourne Airport from Sydney and had parked at a terminal gate when the man left the plane by the right-side exit on Thursday. Opening the exit automatically deployed a slide from the back of the wing at the fuselage to the ground, but the man chose to walk along the wing and climb down one of the Airbus A320's two engines. Australian Federal Police say officers arrested the man for "alleged aggressive behavior and breaching aircraft safety protocols."
US government report says fluoride at twice the recommended limit is linked to lower IQ in kids
NEW YORK (AP) -- A U.S. government report concludes that fluoride in drinking water at twice the recommended limit is linked with lower IQ in children. The report, based on an analysis of previously published research, marks the first time a federal agency has concluded that there is a link between higher levels of fluoride exposure and lower IQ in kids. Fluoride strengthens teeth and reduces cavities by replacing minerals lost during normal wear and tear. The addition of low levels of fluoride to drinking water has long been considered one of the greatest public health achievements of the last century.
Miles from her collapsed home, flood victim's sonograms of son found on Connecticut beach
A Connecticut mother got some good news this week while suffering the heartbreak of her home collapsing during the deadly flooding that struck parts of the state Sunday. Sonograms of Randi Marcucio's now-3-year-old son were found some 30 miles away from her property in Oxford on a beach in Westport. A stranger walking on the beach Monday found the piece of paper with two sonograms on it, along with Marcucio's name. She returned them to Marcucio on Wednesday. A flooded brook next to Marcucio's house washed out much of the land under it, leading to its collapse Monday.
Detroit judge is sued after putting teen in handcuffs, jail clothes during field trip
DETROIT (AP) -- There is more fallout in Detroit, a week after a judge ordered a teenager into jail clothes and handcuffs during a field trip. Attorneys for 15-year-old Eva Goodman filed a lawsuit in federal court. They are accusing Judge Kenneth King of humiliation, false arrest and unlawful detention. The judge singled out the teen for falling asleep and having what he considered to be a bad attitude. The girl's lawyers say King's actions were "extreme and outrageous." There is no comment yet from the judge's lawyer. King was removed from courtroom duties last week until he completes training.
Sam Sam the Kittycat Man ran away. Thanks to a microchip, he was found close by -- 11 years later
A cat in South Carolina has been reunited with his owner after 11 years thanks to a microchip. Charleston County Animal Control found Sam Sam the Kittycat Man earlier this month. He was skinny and feeding off scraps from a feral colony. Charleston Animal Society workers scanned Sam's microchip and discovered his owner lived on a farm less than a mile from where he was found. Jennifer Ravenel said she was stunned and so happy. As she petted her missing friend, she said she couldn't hold another cat in her lap after Sam disappeared because she was heartbroken.
Florida quietly removes LGBTQ+ travel info from state website
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) -- Key West, Fort Lauderdale and Wilton Manors are among several Florida cities that have long been top U.S. destinations for LGBTQ+ tourists. So it came as a surprise this week when travelers learned that Florida's tourism marketing agency quietly removed the "LGBTQ Travel" section from its website sometime in the past few months. Business owners who cater to Florida's LGBTQ+ tourists said Wednesday that it was the latest attempt by officials in the state to erase the LGBTQ+ community. Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis previously championed legislation to forbid classroom instruction on sexual orientation and gender identity in all grades, and supported a ban on gender-affirming care for minors.
The price of gold is at a record high. Here's why
NEW YORK (AP) -- The price of gold hit an all time high this week. The spot price for gold closed Tuesday above $2,514 per Troy ounce. That would make a gold bar or brick weighing 400 Troy ounces worth more than $1 million. Interest in buying gold often comes at times of uncertainty -- with potential concerns around inflation and the strength of the U.S. dollar, for example, causing some to look for alternative places to park their money. Factors behind the current rally include looming interest rate cuts, ongoing geopolitical risks and rising demand from central banks. But future gains are never promised -- and precious metals can be volatile.