FAA reduces SFO arrivals, setting up delays amid runway work and safety concerns

Travelers can expect roughly one quarter of arriving flights to be delayed by at least half an hour at San Francisco International Airport over the next six months after the Federal Aviation Administration this week cut a third of its arrivals because of safety concerns and runway construction.

A temporary runway project and permanent FAA rule change announced Tuesday means San Francisco’s airport will go from 54 plane arrivals an hour to 36 arrivals. It is not yet clear if any flights will be cut.

A deadly runway crash betweenAir Canada jet and a fire truckat New York’s LaGuardia Airport in March is the latest air-traffic safety calamity, but the aviation administration said the rule change was unique to SFO and it was not triggered by broader safety concerns. The San Francisco safety concerns are unique to that airport because of how close the parallel runways are and how complicated the airspace is with several surrounding airports.

FAA spokesman Ian Gregor said officials decided that SFO's longstanding practice of landing two planes at the same time on closely spaced parallel runways that are just 750 feet apart — along with congested airspace — was too dangerous. He could not say why the practice had been allowed.

SFO operates on two sets of parallel runways. The north-south runways are out of commission for six months for a repaving project that is responsible for nine of the 18 flight per hour reductions. The rule change will affect the remaining nine flights.

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It is unclear how the airport will handle the delays.

United Airlines said it is reviewing the rule change to see if any changes need to be made to its flight schedule, a spokesperson said by email.

Alaska Airlines said in an email that the situation was changing by the day, with 15 flights delayed out of SFO on Monday and none experiencing delays on Tuesday.

The San Francisco Bay Area is served by three major airports, including San José Mineta International Airport and Oakland San Francisco Bay Airport, and smaller ones.

Associated Press writer Janie Har contributed reporting from San Francisco

byVaclavien Pynzarien

in

April 03, 2026

FAA reduces SFO arrivals, setting up delays amid runway work and safety concerns

Travelers can expect roughly one quarter of arriving flights to be delayed by at least half an hour at San Francisco International Airp...

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MLB revives 'This Week in Baseball' as a digital series

NEW YORK (AP) — Major League Baseball is bringing back “This Week in Baseball” by giving it a digital flair.

The iconic series will be revived on Major League Baseball's X account, as well as @XOriginals, every Friday at noon and will run through the postseason.

“This Week in Baseball” debuted in 1977 and was a weekly 30-minute program produced by MLB that highlighted the major events of the past week. The show was hosted by the late Hall of Fame announcer Mel Allen for many years. It ran until 1998 and saw a second stint from 2000-11.

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The new-look “TWIB” will have episodes ranging from 5 to 10 minutes. It will be produced by MLB studios and include many segments from its predecessor, including highlights, bloopers, player profiles and “TWIB Notes." Kait Maniscalco will serve as the host.

AP MLB:https://apnews.com/hub/mlb

byVaclavien Pynzarien

in

April 03, 2026

MLB revives 'This Week in Baseball' as a digital series

NEW YORK (AP) — Major League Baseball is bringing back “This Week in Baseball” by giving it a digital flair. The iconic series wi...

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What is the April weather outlook in the Washington DC area?

On the heels of a turbulent March, which saw dramatic swings in temperature throughout the Washington DC area, weather experts expect a warm and dry April.

The Washington Post'sCapital Weather Gang said average temperatures will be 3 to 6 degrees hotter than a typical April, beginning with a warm start to the month. The National Weather Service says April usually has an average temperature of 55.6 degrees.

Daily high temperatures will reach 87 degrees, according toAccuWeather, which says the average high for April will be 71.

That means April 1 could wind up being one of the hottest days of the month, as the National Weather Service said Wednesday's temperature in the DC area peaked at 87 degrees.

Don't expect many April showers, with rainfall expected to be an inch or two below normal, the Post says.

DC averages 3.21 inches of rain in April, according to theNWS, but it's far from the wettest month. May, June and July all average at least 3.94 inches of precipitation.

Around the National Mall in Washington, DC this week, cherry blossoms are the main attraction as they near the point of full flower known as "peak bloom."
Visitors view the cherry blossoms as they approach peak bloom along the Tidal Basin in Washington D.C., March 26, 2026.

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Cherry blossoms paint Washington DC in shades of spring

Around the National Mall in Washington, DC this week,cherry blossomsare the main attraction as they near the point of full flower known as "peak bloom."Visitors view the cherry blossoms as they approach peak bloom along the Tidal Basin in Washington D.C., March 26, 2026.

Are cherry blossoms still blooming in DC?

Peak bloom for the cherry blossoms in DC began March 26, and by March 31 they were already "past their prime."

"The main cherry blossoms are on their way out now,"CherryBlossomWatch.comsays. "There are still plenty of beautiful flowers out now, but with warm and possibly unsettled weather on the way this week, there’ll be much less to see by the weekend."

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Can't make it to the Tidal Basin, the area's most popular destination for viewing cherry blossoms? The Trust for the National Mall offers alive, real-time viewof the trees along the iconic site.

What will the weather be in DC this weekend?

In the short term, temperatures will climb Friday to the upper 70s "with a warm, springlike feel," according toWTOP, which says temperatures will increase even more Saturday "for a hot start to the weekend."

There is a chance for showers and thunderstorms Friday and Saturday,NWSsays, and Sunday is the day WTOP says to monitor.

"A strong cold front sweeps through, bringing widespread rain along with a few storms, and a noticeable shift in temperatures," according to WTOP meteorologist Eileen Whelan.

A look back at March's weather in DC

The Post said this March was the eighth warmest on record, with the average temperature of 52.7 degrees being more than 5 degrees above normal.

The month featured volatile temperatures, including an 86-degree day March 11 followed by lows of 33 degrees the next day, according to the NWS.

NWS data shows the DC area received 1.90 inches of precipitation in March, far from the average of 3.50 inches.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:DC weather: What to expect in April after a volatile March

byVaclavien Pynzarien

in

April 03, 2026

What is the April weather outlook in the Washington DC area?

On the heels of a turbulent March, which saw dramatic swings in temperature throughout the Washington DC area, weather experts expect a...

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From The Sports Desk: World Cup qualifying drama

The final World Cup qualifiers took place yesterday and were, as expected,full of drama. OurAndrew Greifbreaks down all the results below. The headline: The final member of Team USA’s group will be Turkey, not Kosovo, and Italy will miss the tournament entirely.

Also, ourRohan Nadkarnirecently had a wide-ranging interview withBam Adebayo, the Miami Heat center who scored 83 points in a single game last month. In today’s newsletter: an excerpt from that conversation, on one of the greatest playoff moments in Heat history.

CheckNBC Newstomorrow for a full story on Adebayo, and keep coming back for continued coverage leading up to this summer’s World Cup.

The Field is Set

You didn’t have to be a soccer fan to appreciate the drama that played out yesterday across six matches — the final qualifying matches for the World Cup — stretching from Kosovo to Guadalajara, Mexico. There were penalty kicks, extra-time goals and a red card — and 12 hours after the day’s qualifiers started, the field for thissummer’s World Cupwas finally set.

That means that nearly four months after the 48-team field was drawn into four-team groups, the U.S. men at last know their third and final group stage opponent.

With a 1-0 win over Kosovo, Turkey qualified for Group D, where it will face the U.S. on June 25 in Inglewood, California. That will follow U.S. matches on June 12 against Paraguay, also in Inglewood, and June 19 against Australia in Seattle. One analysis of yesterday’s result is that the group stage games just got harder for the U.S.: In FIFA’s world rankings, Turkey is 22nd, while Kosovo, Team USA’s other prospective opponent, is 78th.

This will be Turkey’s first World Cup appearance since 2002, and it wasn’t the only nation yesterday to end a long tournament drought. The Democratic Republic of Congo made itsfirst World Cup since 1974after its 100th-minute goal beat Jamaica in extra time.

In Prague, Denmark scored a game-tying goal in the 111th minute — only for Czechia to ultimately win on penalty kicks to book its first World Cup appearance since 2006. Sweden, which missed out on the 2022 tournament, snuck past Poland after a goal in the 88th minute.

Iraq grabbed the final qualifying spot to advance to its first World Cup since 1986 by beating Bolivia, 2-1, in the day’s final game.

In perhaps the biggest shocker, Bosnia and Herzegovinaoutlasted Italy on penalty kicksto return to the World Cup for the first time since 2014. A proud soccer nation with four World Cup titles in its history, Italy will miss a third consecutive World Cup. Italy was down a player for the entire second half after earning a costly red card.

“We still don’t believe it,” the Italian defenderLeonardo Spinazzolasaid, according to The Associated Press.

Bam's Block

The Miami Heat take on the Boston Celtics tonight, the latest chapter in an ongoing Eastern Conference rivalry. We recently spoke with Heat centerBam Adebayoabout one of the great plays from the team’s postseason battles: Adebayo’s game-clinching block againstJayson Tatumin overtime of Game 1 of the 2020 Eastern Conference finals.

“I could have, for sure, been on the other end of the highlight,” Adebayo told NBC News. “That moment happened so fast, but also like it was in slow motion at the same time.”

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The Heat were leading 116-114 with 12 seconds left when Tatum received the ball at the top of the key. After eventually driving byJimmy Butler, Tatum went up for a dunk, only to be met with a denial by Adebayo above the rim. Miami won the game and eventually the series, advancing to the NBA Finals.

“I remember — it was so quiet in there, because it’s the bubble — it sounded like the basketball popped. And I remember like, ‘Damn. What just happened?’ I remember my hands tingling. But also when it happened, I was just so worried about getting the ball that I didn’t realize what happened. By the time I blocked it, I’m looking to grab the ball, and then I just see my teammates on the sideline going crazy, and I was like, ‘Dang, I really blocked that at the rim.’”

Heat coachErik Spoelstrarecalled: “I said ‘Oh, s---!’ in the moment of it, and it was oh, s--- because Tatum had a wide-open angle to the rim, and that’s unlike us. And then the double oh, s--- when Bam made the play.”

For more on Adebayo’s defensive greatness, be sure to come back toNBC News tomorrow.

What We're Reading

Iran “will be at the World Cup,” FIFA PresidentGianni Infantinosaid.

Changes are coming to the NFL schedule for next year, includingdropping “Monday Night Football”doubleheaders.

Tiger Woodssayshe’ll seek treatmentafter his DUI arrest.

NFL CommissionerRoger Goodellsays the league has noplans to ditch the Rooney Ruledespite pressure from the Florida attorney general.

Robin DeLorenzo, one of the first three female NFL officials,filed suit against the leagueover her treatment and firing.

LeBron JamespassedKareem Abdul-Jabbarformost wins in NBA historywith the Lakers’ victory over his former team, the Cavaliers.

Mariners prospectColt Emersoninked a $95 million contract— before he’s even played a game.

MLB umpireC.B. Bucknoris under more heat aftermissing a call at first baseand not even looking at the play when making the call.

What We're Watching

Barring another team’s collapse,Bam Adebayoand the Miami Heat appear headed toward the NBA play-in tournament. They’ll try to improve their standing tonight against the rival Boston Celtics.

Also,Victor Wembanyamaand the San Antonio Spurs continue their chase for the No. 1 seed in the Western Conference tonight against the Golden State Warriors.

All times are Eastern:

• 7:30 p.m.: Boston Celtics vs. Miami Heat, on ESPN

• 9 p.m.: Anaheim Ducks vs. San Jose Sharks, on HBO Max

• 10 p.m.: San Antonio Spurs vs. Golden State Warriors, on ESPN

That’s it for now! We’ll be back tomorrow.

byVaclavien Pynzarien

in

April 03, 2026

From The Sports Desk: World Cup qualifying drama

The final World Cup qualifiers took place yesterday and were, as expected,full of drama. OurAndrew Greifbreaks down all the results bel...

Read More

Gucci Mane was the target of a kidnapping plot by a fellow rapper, DOJ says

Rapper Gucci Mane was the victim of a kidnapping and robbery plot by a rapper signed to Mane's label earlier this year, the Department of Justice alleged in a criminal complaint unsealed Thursday.

Lontrell Williams Jr., known by the stage name Pooh Shiesty, allegedly asked to meet with Mane, whose legal name is Radric Davis, in Dallas on Jan. 10 to discuss his contract with Mane's label 1017, according to the criminal complaint filed Monday in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas.

Williams was "upset with the terms of his contract" and wanted to be released, the complaint said. They met that afternoon at a music studio inside an office building.

Williams was wearing an ankle monitor because he was on home confinement for a prior firearms conspiracy conviction out of Florida, the complaint said. While inside the studio, Williams allegedly learned on a phone call that his case manager had not given him permission to be out and had to return home immediately.

Mane offered to reschedule, but Williams allegedly asked to speak to him in an attached recording room. According to the complaint, Mane agreed and was inside the room with Williams, Williams' father and another artist.

An argument occurred inside the studio, and Williams told the other artist to bring him his bag, the complaint said.

He "pulled what appeared to be a black AK-style pistol from the bag" and pointed it at Mane, demanding that Mane sign the papers to release him from his contract, officials alleged. Mane signed the paperwork while Williams' father and the other artist stood by, according to the complaint.

Prosecutors allege that after they left, six others from their group armed themselves and demanded "property" from other individuals in the room, who were referred to by initials.

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One individual, identified as "M.M.," had a Rolex watch, wallet, Apple Airpods and a Louis Vuitton bag with other watches stolen, the complaint said. He was "choked from behind to the point of nearly losing consciousness," according to the complaint.

The victims were barred from leaving as one of the men involved allegedly barricaded them, according to the DOJ. The victims believed "they were going to be executed," the complaint said.

Williams, his father and seven others left in vehicles that were later identified in surveillance videos from a neighboring building, according to the complaint. One of the vehicles was a 2020 Dodge Charger Hellcat registered to his father and two rental cars that were rented to Williams' father at the time.

Williams, his father and six others were arrested Wednesday in Dallas and Memphis, Tennessee, according to the U.S. Attorney's office for the Northern District of Texas. They are facing federal charges in relation to kidnapping and robbery at gunpoint.

They each face a potential sentence of life in prison if convicted.

Ryan Raybould, the U.S. Attorney for the district, described them as having "resorted to violence and intimidation to achieve their purported business objectives."

Neither representatives for Mane nor Williams immediately responded to a request for comment from NBC News on Thursday.

The U.S. Attorney's Office said that the electronic monitoring device worn by Williams at the time of the alleged kidnapping and robbery placed him at the incident's location at the time as well as surveillance footage. Social media posts from the suspects also showed the allegedly stolen items after the incident occurred, the prosecutor's office said.

byVaclavien Pynzarien

in

April 03, 2026

Gucci Mane was the target of a kidnapping plot by a fellow rapper, DOJ says

Rapper Gucci Mane was the victim of a kidnapping and robbery plot by a rapper signed to Mane's label earlier this year, the Departm...

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Worker and Dad of 3 Dies After Falling 60 Feet at Construction Site

David Rodriguez, a 45-year-old construction worker and father of three, died after a 60-foot fall in Kansas

NEED TO KNOW

• A GoFundMe campaign has been launched to support his family

• Midwest Drywall and OSHA are investigating the incident, and work at the site has been temporarily suspended

A 45-year-old construction worker and father of three has died after falling approximately 60 feet at a job site in Wichita, Kan., according to local reports.

David Rodriguez was working at the Bio-Med building near English Street and Topeka Avenue, a few blocks west of INTRUST Bank Arena, when the incident occurred around 11 a.m. local time on March 30,12 Newsreported.

The first responding crew began patient care upon arrival, and Rodriguez was considered in critical condition because of how far he fell, Wichita Fire Department Battalion Chief Jose Ocadiz toldKAKE.

Rodriguez later died from his injuries.

Midwest Drywall confirmed in a statement to KAKE, 12 News andThe Wichita Eaglethat one of its employees had died following the incident.

“Midwest Drywall is heartbroken to confirm that a member of our team passed away following an incident today at a construction site in downtown Wichita,” Midwest Drywall's statement read. “Our prayers and deepest sympathies are with the individual’s family, friends, and teammates during this difficult time. The site has been secured, and work has been temporarily suspended while the incident is reviewed.”

Rodriguez is survived by his wife, Rosemary, and their three children, ages 9, 8 and 6. In a postshared to Facebook, the nonprofit League 42 described him as a “hard worker and devoted family man,” noting that all three of his children play baseball for the organization.

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“We offer our deepest condolences to David’s family and friends,” the group said in part.

AGoFundMe campaigncreated on behalf of Rodriguez’s family describes him as “one of the hardest workers” who “lived to serve his friends and family.”

“I will always remember David as genuine, kind, and funny, he always was making his friends laugh and was definitely the life of the party, he always lit up every room he walked into,” the fundraiser reads.

The campaign has raised over $27,000 of its $40,000 goal so far. It aims to help cover funeral and living expenses for his family as they grieve.

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) is investigating Rodriguez’s death, 12 News reported.

Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE's free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer​​, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

PEOPLE reached out to OSHA, Midwest Drywall and the Wichita fire and police departments.

Read the original article onPeople

byVaclavien Pynzarien

in

April 03, 2026

Worker and Dad of 3 Dies After Falling 60 Feet at Construction Site

David Rodriguez, a 45-year-old construction worker and father of three, died after a 60-foot fall in Kansas NEED TO KNOW ...

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Plane crash in Northeast Philly injures two; what we know

PHILADELPHIA - A small plane crashed in the Torresdale section of Philadelphia Wednesday afternoon, injuring two people and prompting emergency response, The Philadelphia Fire Department said.The crash was the result of an emergency landing and occurred at approximately 3:45 p.m. in Fluehr Park.The department said in its release that both people on board were taken to the hospital in serious condition after being extricated from the structure.The incident was placed “under control” at approximately 4:06 p.m., and there was no fire to extinguishofficials said, directing further questions to the Legacy Flight School.

According to publicly available flight tracking websites, the Piper Cherokee took off from Northeast Philadelphia Airport shortly after 3 p.m.

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The park where the plane went down is a little more than two miles southeast of the airport.

https://www.google.com/maps/place/Fluehr+Park,+4800+Grant+Ave,+Philadelphia,+PA+19114/@40.0540802,-74.989468,17z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m6!3m5!1s0x89c6b4a1b5e85b41:0x81eb55429e16a86d!8m2!3d40.0550821!4d-74.9902807!16s%2Fg%2F11b8tf55rn!5m1!1e1?entry=ttu&g_ep=EgoyMDI2MDMzMC4wIKXMDSoASAFQAw%3D%3D

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:Northeast Philly plane crash injures two; what we know now

byVaclavien Pynzarien

in

April 02, 2026

Plane crash in Northeast Philly injures two; what we know

PHILADELPHIA - A small plane crashed in the Torresdale section of Philadelphia Wednesday afternoon, injuring two people and prompting e...

Read More