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QUITO, Ecuador (AP) — Ecuador's president says the death toll from a magnitude-7.8 earthquake has risen to 233. Rafael Correa (kor-AY'-ah) reported the new figure on his official Twitter account while flying home from Rome to deal with the emergency. The strongest earthquake to hit Ecuador since 1979 flattened buildings and buckled highways along its Pacific coast. The mayor of a town near the epicenter says earth-moving equipment is desperately needed to get people out of collapsed buildings.
MINAMIASO, Japan (AP) — Rescue workers are fanning out in Japan to search for victims of last week's double earthquakes that killed at least 41 people. The U.S military is preparing to join relief efforts, which are being hampered by landslides and damage to roads and bridges.
BRUSSELS (AP) — Thousands have turned out in Brussels for a "march against hate" in the wake of last month's suicide bombings that killed 32 people. The rally was originally planned for March 27, but was canceled over security fears. Police say about 6,500 people took part in the march today. Marchers were urged not to wear backpacks. One Brussels bomber detonated an explosives-filled backpack, and police have been searching for a second pack carried by an accomplice.
PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Authorities say a man has been arrested after a short standoff at a northeast Philadelphia home where three people were found shot to death. Police say the man refused to open the door when they arrived to investigate a reported shooting, and he fired several shots at SWAT units as they were climbing onto the roof. The suspect surrendered a short time later and police found three people dead in the house.
PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Philadelphia police say a man has confessed to fatally shooting a 4-year-old girl originally believed to have been killed by her 5-year-old brother. Police had been searching for the dead child's father or stepfather, who was believed to have owned the gun that was used. Police say the man turned himself in last night and admitted shooting the girl. He told police the boy had nothing to do with it.
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