National Headlines

MYANMAR-CYCLONE

Myanmar takes control of UN aid material

YANGON, Myanmar (AP) - U.N. officials say Myanmar's military

government has confiscated all cyclone relief supplies, including

food, that the U.N. has sent to the country.

A U.N. spokesman says the seizure includes 38 tons of

high-energy biscuits. The U.N. has suspended the delivery of aid to

Myanmar until the aid is released.

Myanmar confirms that it has taken control of the aid, but says

it plans to distribute it where it's needed.

The regime has also refused to grant visas to foreign aid

workers to coordinate the relief effort. Myanmar turned back a

relief plane yesterday because a search-and-rescue team and

unauthorized media were aboard.

Meanwhile, more than a million people who have been made

homeless from last weekend's cyclone are awaiting food, shelter and

medicine.

State media report at least 62,000 people are dead or missing.

And aid groups warn that thousands of children may have been

orphaned and the area is on the verge of a medical disaster.

OBAMA-UNION

Obama wins endorsement of government employees union

WASHINGTON (AP) - The president of the American Federation of

Government Employees says the influential union is endorsing

Democrat Barack Obama for president.

AFGE President John Gage - a superdelegate to the Democratic

National Convention - says he will also personally back Obama. The

union endorsement gives the Illinois senator fresh momentum toward

capturing the nomination.

Gage said today the endorsement was a recognition of the

enthusiasm and vitality behind the Illinois senator's campaign.

Obama's candidacy has been picking steam since Tuesday, when he

won the North Carolina primary and held rival Hillary Rodham

Clinton to a narrow victory in Indiana.

OBAMA-ENDORSEMENT

Obama wins two new superdelegates

WASHINGTON (AP) - A spokesman for Democrat Barack Obama's

presidential campaign says he's won the endorsements of two more

superdelegates.

Obama spokesman Dan Pfeiffer says Oregon Congressman Peter

DeFazio plans to endorse the Illinois senator at

an event in Oregon, which holds it's primary May 20th.

Pfeiffer also says New Jersey Congressman Don Payne is switching

his support to Obama. He had been backing Hillary Clinton.

The movement of uncommitted superdelegates into Obama's campaign

has picked up sharply since Tuesday, when he soundly defeated

Clinton in North Carolina's primary and held her to a narrow

victory in Indiana.

EDWARDS-OBAMA

Edwards says Obama has a lot going for him

NEW YORK (AP) - He's still not making a Democratic presidential

endorsement. But former candidate John Edwards seemed to stop just

short of it this morning.

Edwards tells NBC's "Today" show that Obama can unite the

Democratic party, bring in new voters and get people excited about

change.

The former vice-presidential candidate says Hillary Rodham

Clinton has made a very strong case for her candidacy, but adds

"it's very difficult to make the math work" for her nomination.

CLINTON

Clinton presses on, urges supporters to ignore calls to quit

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (AP) - Hillary Clinton is taking her pitch for

the Democratic White House bid to superdelegates in spite of

pundits who say she can no longer beat Barack Obama for the

nomination.

In an interview with USA Today, Clinton says she has "a much

broader base" for a winning coalition than Barack Obama does.

Her campaign claims Clinton is the stronger Democrat to run

against Republican John McCain in the fall.

Clinton will be campaigning in Oregon today before heading to

Kentucky for a Democratic party dinner tonight.

ECONOMY

March trade deficit drops by bigger-than-expected amount

WASHINGTON (AP) - The U.S. trade deficit narrowed sharply in

March as demand for imports fell by the largest amount since the

last recession was ending.

The Commerce Department reports that the deficit totaled 58.2

billion dollars, down 5.6 percent from February.

The bigger-than-expected improvement reflected spreading

weakness in the U.S. economy, which cut demand for imports by 2.9

percent, the largest one-month decline since December 2001, one

month after the last recession ended.

WALL STREET

UPDATE: Stocks weaken

NEW YORK (AP) - Stock prices are weaker in the early going.

Once again, crude oil futures are weighing on stocks. Near-month

crude rose to a record high above $125 a barrel today, as a weaker

dollar compelled investors to favor commodities.

Shares of American International Group are under pressure. It

plans to raise 12.5 billion dollars in the coming months. After

yesterday's close, the company disclosed it needs fresh cash and

reported a first-quarter loss of 7.8 billion dollars.

Before the opening bell, the government reported that the U.S.

trade deficit shrank in March by 5.6 percent. It was the biggest

decline since the last recession was ending. One economist says

that should mean an upward revision to first-quarter growth.

SEVERE WEATHER

At least 1 dead after severe storms hit Southeast

GREENSBORO, N.C. (AP) - Authorities in central North Carolina

are searching the wreckage caused by a reported tornado that killed

one person and injured three others.

A possible tornado touched down on the outskirts of Greensboro

late yesterday as severe storms swept across the Southeast,

damaging homes and businesses in at least four other states.

Officials say one person in a small truck was killed after the

vehicle was overturned in a parking lot west of Greensboro.

Yesterday, an apparent tornado also wrecked a shopping area in

Mississippi and strong winds flipped a mobile home in Alabama. In

south-central Tennessee, at least four homes and a few barns were

damaged.

Up to 60 homes were damaged in northeastern Virginia from what

may have been a tornado. Portions of Virginia and Maryland are

under a flood warning this morning.

AUSTRIA-CAPTIVE DAUGHTER

Judge extends custody of Austrian accused in dungeon case

VIENNA, Austria (AP) - An Austrian judge has ruled that a man

accused of keeping his daughter captive in a dungeon for 24 years

should remain in custody.

A court spokesman says today's decision extends Josef Fritzl's

pretrial detention by a month.

The ruling was made during a routine, closed-door session

required under Austrian law and will be re-evaluated in a month.

Josef Fritzl has been detained since April 26 on the suspicion

he locked up his daughter Elisabeth for 24 years and fathered seven

children with her. Authorities say he has confessed.

POWERBALL WINNER

Man who lost homes in Katrina claims huge Powerball prize

BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) - Finally, some good luck for a victim of

Hurricane Katrina.

Carl Hunter, who lost two homes in the storm, has won a

97-million-dollar Powerball jackpot.

Hunter is 73 and owns a small construction company in Metairie

(MEH'-tuh-ree) outside New Orleans. He picked up what turned out to

be the winning ticket for a drawing last January when he stopped at

a gas station to buy some milk. Claiming the prize yesterday,

Hunter says he had some change and used a dollar to buy the ticket.

His wife Dianne says, "It's all about milk."

Hunter is opting for the 34-million-dollar, lump-sum payment,

and says, "naturally," he's going to retire, now.

(Copyright 2008 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)