It’s a swap of former second-round picks who didn’t work out with the teams they were selected by. Smith and Orhorhoro were both taken in the 2024 drafts, Orhorhoro at 35 and Smith at 48.

Smith never seemed to click with the regime that drafted him (coordinator Ryan Nielsen) and the one that inherited him (coordinator Anthony Campanile). Smith had just three sacks, all in his first season, during a flicker of promise in late December of a lost season. He played in just 24 of a possible 34 regular-season games for the Jaguars and was a healthy scratch on numerous occasions.

Orhorhoro (6-4, 295 pounds) gets a much-needed fresh start under Liam Coen and Campanile. Trading for a player who they targeted could allow the Jaguars to focus on another spot at pick No. 56 in next week’s NFL draft. Smith was a nonfactor last year, and had become an afterthought in Jacksonville’s defensive line mix. Orhorhoro had 3.5 sacks and 25 total tackles last year for the Falcons. But with a new head coach (Kevin Stefanski) now in charge in Atlanta, Orhorhoro wasn’t in the organization’s plans.

Fans trying to get to MetLife Stadium from New York City can expect to shell out $150 for a round-trip train fare for each match, transportation officials confirmed Friday.

That’s nearly 12 times the regular $12.90 fare for the roughly 15-minute, 9-mile (14-kilometer) ride from Manhattan’s Penn Station to the stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey. On-site parking won’t be available for most fans, so New Jersey officials anticipate that around 40,000 fans will use mass transit for each match.

The home stadium for both the NFL’s New York Giants and New York Jets is set to host eight World Cup matches, including the tournament final on July 19. Group stage matches for soccer powerhouses Brazil, France, Germany and England, along with other nations, begin June 13.

New Jersey Gov. Mikie Sherrill has suggested the upcharge was necessary to ensure that her state’s commuters weren’t stuck with a “tab for years to come” for hosting the World Cup on its return to the U.S. for the first time since 1994.

NJ Transit officials said it would cost $62 million to transport fans to and from the stadium over the duration of the tournament, and that outside grants had defrayed only $14 million of those anticipated expenses.

Charging $150 to each of the estimated 40,000 fans expected to take the rails before each game essentially offsets the Garden State’s projected $48 million transit bill, according to NJ Transit President and CEO Kris Kolluri.

“This isn’t price gouging,” he told reporters Friday. “We’re literally trying to recoup our costs.”

Transit prices in Boston also will be high

Taking public transit to World Cup matches in Boston's suburbs will also be costly.

Express buses from various locations to Gillette Stadium, home of the NFL’s New England Patriots, will cost $95, officials announced this week.

And thousands of fans have already snapped up $80 round-trip train tickets from Boston to the commuter rail station near the stadium. That’s four times the $20 riders are normally charged for a round-trip ticket during game days and other special events. Unlike MetLife, Gillette isn’t a short hop from downtown. The stadium is located in Foxborough, a town some 30 miles (48 kilometers) south of Boston.

Other cities are keeping fares the same

Other World Cup host cities have pledged to keep their transit fares unchanged, noting that the U.S. government has provided some $100 million in transit grants to host cities to provide enhanced bus and rail service.

In Los Angeles, one-way fares will remain $1.75; in Atlanta, they’re locked at $2.50; in Houston, a single ride will still cost $1.25 and in Philadelphia the base fare for the subway will remain $2.90.

Kansas City is running shuttles from locations around the city to Arrowhead Stadium that cost just $15 roundtrip. It’s also offering a free bus from the airport to downtown.

Kolluri said the fundamental difference with some of those cities is that their stadiums are located within city limits with more transit options than MetLife’s more suburban surroundings.

New Jersey’s governor, a Democrat who took office in January, said her administration also inherited an agreement where FIFA, international soccer’s governing body, contributed “$0 for transportation” while leaving the state’s perpetually cash-strapped transit agency “stuck with a $48 million bill.”

“As I have said repeatedly, FIFA should cover the cost of transporting its fans,” Sherrill said Friday. “If it won’t, we will not be subsidizing World Cup ticket holders on the backs of New Jerseyans who rely on NJ TRANSIT every day.”

FIFA says it shouldn't pay

FIFA has bristled at the suggestion, noting that the agreements signed with World Cup host cities back in 2018 called for free transportation for fans to all matches. It also argued that no other major event held at MetLife has been required to pay for fan transportation.

“We are quite surprised by the NJ Governor’s approach today on fan transportation,” the organization said in a statement Thursday, as news reports of the reported fare began to circulate. “FIFA worked for years with host cities on transportation and mobility plans, including advocating for millions of dollars in federal funding to support host cities for transportation.”

The huge increase in the fare to MetLife also drew an objection from New York Gov. Kathy Hochul.

“Charging over $100 for a short train ride sounds awfully high to me,” the Democrat posted on X earlier this week. The surge pricing was first reported by sports outlet The Athletic.

Alternatives to taking the train to MetLife Stadium will be almost as pricey.

A shuttle bus fleet with a capacity for about 10,000 riders will set off from the midtown Manhattan bus terminal and other locations for $80 roundtrip. Some 5,000 parking spots at the nearby American Dream Mall are also being sold in advance, currently priced at $225.

———

Associated Press reporter Mark Long in Gainesville, Florida, contributed to this story.

__

Follow Philip Marcelo at https://x.com/philmarcelo

The S&P 500 leaped 1.1% as Wall Street rallied toward the finish of a third straight week of big gains, its longest streak since Halloween. A freer flow of oil could take pressure off prices not only for gasoline but also for groceries and all kinds of other products that get moved by vehicles. It could even ultimately help people pay less on credit-card interest and mortgage bills.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average surged as many as 1,100 points before paring its gain to 872, or 1.8%. The Nasdaq composite was 1.3% higher, with an hour remaining in trading.

The U.S. stock market has jumped more than 12% since hitting a bottom in late March on hopes the United States and Iran can avoid a worst-case scenario for the global economy despite their war. Friday’s reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, which may only be temporary, is the clearest signal yet for optimism, and President Donald Trump said late Thursday that the war “should be ending pretty soon.”

The price for a barrel of benchmark U.S. crude plunged immediately after Iran’s foreign minister, Abbas Araghchi, posted on X that passage for all commercial vessels through the strait “is declared completely open” as a ceasefire appears to be holding in Lebanon. He said it would stay open for the remaining period of the ceasefire, and U.S. oil dropped 9.4% to settle at $82.59 per barrel.

Brent crude, the international standard, fell 9.1% to settle at $90.38 per barrel. To be sure, it remains above its $70 price from before the war, indicating some caution is still embedded in financial markets.

Several times since the war began, optimism on Wall Street has quickly swung to doubt about a possible end to the fighting. That in turn has caused vicious and sudden swings of prices for everything from stocks to bonds to oil.

Minutes after the Iranian foreign minister’s announcement of the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, Trump said on his social media network that the U.S. Navy’s blockade of Iranian ports remains “in full force” until both sides reach a deal on the war. He, though, also suggested that “should go very quickly in that most of the points are already negotiated” and emphasized it by using all capital letters.

Companies with big fuel bills soared to some of Wall Street’s biggest gains following the easing of oil prices.

United Airlines soared 7%. A day earlier, the head of the International Energy Agency had said that Europe has “maybe six weeks or so” of remaining jet fuel supplies.

Operators of cruise ships, which guzzle fuel, also steamed higher. Norwegian Cruise Line jumped 6.1%, and Royal Caribbean Group gained 7.9%.

Housing and auto-related companies likewise got some relief from the drop in oil prices.

With less threat of high inflation hurting the economy, a sustained drop in oil prices could convince the Federal Reserve to resume its cuts to interest rates to invigorate the economy. The yield on the 10-year Treasury sank to 4.24% from 4.32% late Thursday, and lower yields can bring down rates for mortgages and other loans going to U.S. households and businesses.

Builders FirstSource, a supplier of windows and other products, rose 5.6%, and homebuilder Lennar gained 4.4% on hopes that lower mortgage rates will spur more people to buy houses. Carvana climbed 6.6% because lower loan rates can get more customers into new autos.

A strong start to the earnings reporting season for big U.S. companies has also helped support the U.S. stock market, and more financial companies joined the list of companies delivering bigger profits for the start of 2026 than analysts expected.

State Street rose 2.9%, and Fifth Third Bancorp added 1.5% after both reported better results for the latest quarter than expected.

They helped offset a 10.1% slide for Netflix, which fell even though it delivered a better profit than expected. It did not raise its forecast for revenue growth for the full year, which analysts said may have disappointed some investors.

It also said Reed Hastings, cofounder and chairman of the streaming company, will step down from its board of directors in June when his term expires.

In stock markets abroad, stock indexes leaped in Europe following Iran’s announcement about the Strait of Hormuz. France’s CAC 40 jumped 2%, and Germany’s DAX returned 2.3%.

In Asia, where trading finished for the day before the announcement, indexes were weaker. Japan’s Nikkei 225 lost 1.8%, and Hong Kong’s Hang Seng fell 0.9% for two of the bigger losses.

___

AP Business Writers Chan Ho-him and Matt Ott contributed to this report.

U.S. District Court Judge Mary McElroy sided with Rhode Island's top election officials and civil rights advocates, writing that federal law does not permit the U.S. Department of Justice “to conduct the kind of fishing expedition it seeks here.”

In an emailed response, the Justice Department said it would not comment on ongoing litigation.

McElroy's decision is similar to other rejections by federal judges across country since the Justice Department began seeking detailed voter data from the states. The information includes dates of birth, addresses, driver’s license numbers and partial Social Security numbers.

Federal officials say they need the voter data to ensure election security, but Democratic and some Republican officials have objected to the requests and said such a demand violates state and federal privacy laws.

“The executive branch seems to have no problem taking actions that are clear Constitutional overreaches, regularly meddling in responsibilities that are the rights of the states,” Rhode Island Secretary of State Gregg M. Amore said in a statement. "But the power of our democratic republic, built on three, coequal branches of government, is clearer than ever before.”

Some election officials have raised concerns that federal officials will use the sensitive data for other purposes, such as searching for potential noncitizens. Those concerns were raised again after the DOJ's attorneys acknowledged in the Rhode Island case that the department was seeking unredacted voter roll information so it could be shared with the Department of Homeland Security to check citizenship status.

At least 12 states have either provided or promised to provide their detailed voter registration lists to the department, according to the Brennan Center: Alaska, Arkansas, Indiana, Louisiana, Mississippi, Nebraska, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas and Wyoming.

Meanwhile, the DOJ has sued at least 30 states and the District of Columbia seeking to force release of the data. In addition to Rhode Island, judges have rejected those attempts in California, Massachusetts, Michigan and Oregon. In Georgia, a judge dismissed a DOJ lawsuit because it had been filed in the wrong city, prompting the government to refile elsewhere.

In Rhode Island, McElroy sided with the federal judge's decision in Oregon. That ruling said the federal government was not entitled to unredacted voter registration lists containing sensitive data and said the Justice Department had failed to identify a basis or a purpose for requesting the voter records.

“Absent from the demand are any factual allegations suggesting that Rhode Island may be violating the list maintenance requirements,” McElroy wrote.

The Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office earlier this week arrested Jackson Jordan Hull, 25, a former teacher at River City Science Academy.

Hull faces a second-degree felony count of soliciting or engaging in a romantic relationship with a student and a third-degree felony count of unlawful use of a two-way communication device.

The case has raised questions for parents because, unlike many social media platforms, Canva is not typically viewed as a messaging app. It does not include a standard direct-message feature, but users can communicate by leaving comments on shared projects.

Investigators said they reviewed messages on Canva discussing plans to meet at a local park, describing Hull’s behavior as “grooming.”

“It concerns me for how much trust that student may then now have lost and the parents of that child, anyone who hears about the story, in our educators,” said Licensed Mental Health Counselor Steven Montesinos of MCS Counseling Center.

Montesinos said parents may feel an impulse to immediately clamp down on devices after hearing about incidents like this, but he urged a calmer, more collaborative approach.

He presented this example of a conversation that parents can use:

“’As your parent, I’m going to have ultimate say over the different rules we have around devices, but I want to work with you on this. What are some thoughts that you have about how we could keep you safe?’” Montesinos said.

Heather Finnegan said she’s used social media rules for both her children and grandchildren.

“We don’t do any screen time,” Finnegan said about her grandchildren. “I think it’s harder in the beginning.”

Others said their experiences growing up online shape how they plan to parent. Makayla Ray, 23, said the arrest hit close to home because she used Canva as a student.

“That’s just so messed up that you would go to those lengths to talk to a student,” Ray said.

Ray said she already plans to use monitoring tools when she has children.

“I shouldn’t have been exposed to that at such a young age,” she said.

The FBI recommends that families educate themselves about all the platforms children use, even those not designed as messaging apps.

You can adjust privacy settings on accounts and devices and report any inappropriate contact between a child and an adult to law enforcement.

Parents looking for additional oversight can also consider monitoring tools such as Bark, a parental control app that scans texts, email, social media and other online activity for potential danger, including cyberbullying, sexual content and predatory contact. The app can also help families manage screen time, block websites and track location.

Marie-Thérèse Ross entered the U.S. last June to begin a new life with a retired U.S. soldier she had met decades ago when he was stationed in France, court records show. But after her husband's death, Ross' stepson — a U.S. federal employee — allegedly intervened to have her taken into immigration custody earlier this month amid a dispute over the estate, an Alabama judge found.

“She returned to France this morning. This is a satisfaction for us,” French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot told reporters during a visit to the southern city of Montpellier on Friday. Barrot said U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement methods are “not in line” with French standards and are “not acceptable to us.”

Federal immigration agents detained Ross in Alabama on April 1 after she overstayed her 90-day visa, according to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. She was then held at a detention facility in Louisiana as French officials expressed concern about her well-being.

Ross' son, Herve Goix, told The Associated Press that she had been in the process of applying for a green card when she was taken into custody.

“She’s very tired, she’s not very good, but it’s difficult for her,” Goix said. “We are very, very happy, but we are tired.”

Ross was not given the medication she needed while being held in the Louisiana detention facility, according to her attorney Kim Willingham.

“She does not feel she or other inmates are being treated well within the facility,” Willingham told the AP. “She did everything she was supposed to do with regard to obtaining her green card.”

Ross gave up her pension and moved to Alabama last year to marry William B. Ross, a retired U.S. soldier she had met when he was stationed in France in the 1960s, Calhoun County court records show. But after William B. Ross died in January, his two sons became embroiled in a dispute with their stepmother over the modest estate, including the home in Anniston, Alabama, where she resided.

The sons rerouted mail from the residence, leading their stepmother to miss an immigration-related appointment, Calhoun County Probate Judge Shirley A. Millwood noted in a court order earlier this month. Millwood accused one son of using his position as a federal employee to prompt the detention of his stepmother days before a hearing over the estate.

Marie-Thérèse Ross was taken into custody in her nightgown and unable to bring her phone, passport and other identification with her, records show.

The stepson denied involvement in his stepmother's arrest in court, but Millwood said evidence indicated he knew in advance of the arrest and received a text message confirming it shortly afterward. His brother then arrived at the home to change the locks two hours after federal immigration agents removed their stepmother.

In an April 10 ruling, Millwood ordered the stepsons to allow Ross to retrieve her clothes, phone, documents and other possessions from her late husband's home.

Millwood also urged the federal government to investigate the circumstances of Ross' arrest “in light of the ongoing national events surrounding the distrust of federal law enforcement officers and the many investigations ongoing of corruption within our government.”

The office of attorney Megan Huizinga, who is representing the two stepsons in the estate dispute, declined to comment.

DHS did not immediately respond to a request for comment. In an emailed statement, the city of Anniston said its police department had “no involvement” in Ross’ arrest.

___

Riddle reported from Anniston, AL. Brook reported from New Orleans.

___

Brook is a corps member for The Associated Press/Report for America Statehouse News Initiative. Report for America is a nonprofit national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on undercovered issues.

The measure cleared the Senate by voice vote Friday, without a formal roll call — the same way it was approved hours earlier in the House — as Congress raced to meet a Monday deadline and send it to President Donald Trump for his signature.

Senate Majority Leader John Thune gave a nod to the political difficulty ahead as they assess options when the temporary extension expires at the end of the month. “We’ll be preparing accordingly,” the South Dakota Republican said.

It’s all setting up another showdown, in a matter of weeks, as Congress dives into the surveillance tool that pits Americans’ privacy rights against what U.S. officials have long said is a uniquely effective program for the security of the country.

The stopgap came after House Republican leaders hurriedly unveiled an ambitious five-year extension late Thursday with revisions to appease skeptics of the surveillance program — a sharp pivot from the clean 18-month renewal Trump and GOP leaders had pushed all week. But both those Republican bills collapsed, failing to advance, forcing leaders to pivot.

Early Friday, Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., a longtime critic of the surveillance system, stalled further action in the Senate as he pressed for changes.

Wyden said he has never seen this level of support on both sides of the political aisle — and in both chambers of Congress — for real revisions to the surveillance tool, although he did not stand in the way of a short-term extension, for now.

“It’s not making a choice between security and liberty. That’s garbage,” Wyden said. “We’re going to show that the two aren’t mutually exclusive.”

Chaotic, late-night House votes end in failure

Trump, House Speaker Mike Johnson and the White House had spent the week trying to line up support for an 18-month renewal of the spy tool with no changes. But holdouts held firm, forcing a late-night scramble.

GOP leaders in the House rushed lawmakers back into session late Thursday for a series of back-to-back votes that fell apart before pivoting to a stopgap to keep the program from expiring Monday.

First, they came out with a new plan that would have extended the program for five years, with revisions. Among the changes were new provisions to ensure that only FBI attorneys could authorize queries on U.S. people, and to require the Office of the Director of National Intelligence to review such cases, said Rep. Austin Scott, R-Ga., during the debate.

That plan also would enhance criminal penalties on those who unlawfully conduct such inquiries or disclose the surveillance information, Scott said. It provides a way for members of Congress and certain staff to access the proceedings of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance court, which handles such requests.

But the final product, a 14-page amendment, did not go far enough for some holdouts in either party.

GOP leaders then tried to salvage a shorter 18-month renewal that Trump had demanded and Johnson had previously backed. It failed as well, with some 20 Republicans joining most Democrats in blocking its advance.

Shortly after 2 a.m., they quickly agreed to the 10-day extension.

“We were very close tonight,” Johnson said after the late-night action.

But Democrats assailed the middle-of-the-night voting as amateur hour. “Are you kidding me? Who the hell is running this place?” said Rep. Jim McGovern, D-Mass., during a fiery floor debate.

Tennessee Rep. Andy Ogles, a member of the House Freedom Caucus that helped stall votes throughout the week, said the outcome was predictable after the procedural votes fell short.

“We warned them that this was gonna happen,” Ogles said. “Unfortunately, here we are at 2 in the morning.”

Surveillance program fight is a debate over privacy and security

At the center of the standoff is Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, which permits the CIA, National Security Agency, FBI and other agencies to collect and analyze vast amounts of overseas communications without a warrant. In doing so, they can incidentally sweep up communications involving Americans who interact with foreign targets.

U.S. officials say the authority is critical to disrupting terrorist plots, cyber intrusions and foreign espionage.

Extending the program is a recurring fight, as lawmakers weigh civil liberties concerns against intelligence officials’ warnings about national security risks.

“There are a lot of opinions,” Johnson said Thursday. “We want to make sure that we have this very important tool for national security, but we also do it in a way that jealously guards constitutional rights.”

Opponents of the surveillance tool point to past misuses. FBI officials repeatedly violated their own standards when searching intelligence related to the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the Capitol and racial justice protests in 2020, according to a 2024 court order.

Trump and his allies had lobbied aggressively all week for a clean renewal of the program, without changes.

A group of Republicans traveled to the White House on Tuesday, and on Wednesday, CIA Director John Ratcliffe spoke directly with GOP lawmakers. House Majority Leader Steve Scalise said Thursday there had “been negotiations late into the night with the White House and some of our members.”

“I am asking Republicans to UNIFY, and vote together on the test vote to bring a clean Bill to the floor,” Trump wrote on Truth Social this week. “We need to stick together.” They didn't.

Tyler Robinson was back in state court in Utah Friday as his attorneys asked to delay his May preliminary hearing and pressed their claims that biased coverage is tainting potential jurors in his aggravated murder case.

Among numerous examples cited was a New York Post story they say suggested Robinson confessed to Kirk's killing during a courtroom conversation on Dec. 11, in his first appearance after being charged. The conversation with his attorneys was inaudible, but the story cited a “lip reading analysis” to support its claim that Robinson said, “I think about the shooting daily.”

“The predominant purpose being served by the live stream coverage has not been the educational reporting of the court proceedings, but rather advertising profit, sensationalism, political agendas, and, most prominently, the vilification of Mr. Robinson,” his attorneys wrote in their request to bar cameras.

Prosecutors intend to seek the death penalty for Robinson should he be convicted in the Sept. 10 shooting of the conservative activist, who was addressing a crowd of thousands on the Utah Valley University campus in Orem.

Robinson, who turned 23 on Thursday, has not yet entered a plea. A trial date has not been set.

Cameras moved to the back of the room

Media sensationalism around the case has cut both ways. In a March 30 headline, the U.K.-based Daily Mail reported the bullet that killed Kirk “did NOT match” a rifle allegedly used by Robinson. The story was based on an inconclusive, preliminary finding by ballistics experts and led to speculation about Robinson's possible exoneration. The FBI is running additional tests, according to court documents.

Media organizations, prosecutors and Kirk's widow, Erika Kirk, want the court to allow cameras. They argue the best way to guard against the misinformation and conspiracy theories that concern Robinson's defense team is to make the process transparent.

Yet livestreaming by media outlets already has tested the patience of Judge Tony Graf.

During the December hearing, Graf temporarily stopped the livestream after it showed the defendant’s shackles in violation of a courtroom decorum order.

A January hearing was interrupted when Robinson's attorneys said close-up shots of Robinson being livestreamed by a local television station could again lead to claims based on lip reading. That, too, was a violation of Graf's decorum order. The judge ordered the camera operator not to film Robinson for the remainder of the hearing.

In recent hearings and again Friday, pool cameras for the media were stationed at the rear of the courtroom, behind Robinson. Graf also made camera operators come before him to acknowledge they understand the rules.

Mike Judd, a lawyer for a coalition of media organizations including The Associated Press that are fighting to preserve access, said Graf so far has focused on whether his rules inside the courtroom are being followed, not what the media is saying outside of court.

“The court can do all of that in order to try to control what gets fed into that media ecosystem,” Judd said. “You reduce the likelihood of somebody publishing things that you think may be of potentially biasing concern later on.”

Policies on cameras and livestreaming vary among states. Cameras are generally prohibited in federal courts.

“There's Supreme Court precedent that says courts generally need to be open to the public, but that's not an absolute right,” said University of Utah law professor Teneille Brown. “Even if they allow public access, that does not equal a right to broadcast or record.”

Surveillance video and a handwritten confession

The preliminary hearing scheduled for May is for prosecutors to show they have enough evidence to proceed to trial. Authorities have said DNA consistent with Robinson’s was found on the trigger of the rifle, the fired cartridge casing, two unfired cartridges and a towel used to wrap the rifle.

But the defense argued Friday it cannot move forward with the hearing until law enforcement agencies turn over more details about their DNA analysis of evidence.

Prosecutors responded that they have sufficient proof beyond DNA to tie Robinson to Kirk's killing. That includes surveillance video of Robinson near the university from the morning of the shooting wearing the same clothes as when he turned himself in. Robinson left a handwritten note for his romantic partner confessing to the crime before it happened, and also confessed to friends on the chatroom platform Discord, prosecutors said.

Rescheduling the preliminary hearing could delay the proceedings six months, Deputy Utah County Attorney Ryan McBride said.

“Justice delayed is justice denied,” he added.

___

Brown reported from Billings, Montana.

In a federal court filing Friday, Trump asks a judge to pause the case for 90 days while the two sides work to reach a settlement or resolution.

“This limited pause will neither prejudice the parties nor delay ultimate resolution," the filing says. "Rather, the extension will promote judicial economy and allow the Parties to explore avenues that could narrow or resolve the issues efficiently.”

Tax and ethics experts say the lawsuit raises a plethora of legal and ethical questions, including the propriety of the leader of the executive branch pursuing scorched-earth litigation against the very government he oversees.

Earlier this year, Trump filed a lawsuit in a Florida federal court, alleging that a previous leak of his and the Trump Organization’s confidential tax records caused “reputational and financial harm, public embarrassment, unfairly tarnished their business reputations, portrayed them in a false light, and negatively affected President Trump, and the other Plaintiffs’ public standing.”

The president’s sons, Donald Trump Jr. and Eric Trump, are also plaintiffs in the suit.

In 2024, former IRS contractor Charles Edward Littlejohn, of Washington, D.C. — who worked for Booz Allen Hamilton, a defense and national security tech firm — was sentenced to five years in prison after pleading guilty to leaking tax information about President Trump and others to two news outlets between 2018 and 2020.

The outlets were not named in the charging documents, but the description and time frame align with stories about Trump’s tax returns in The New York Times and reporting about wealthy Americans’ taxes in the nonprofit investigative journalism organization ProPublica. The 2020 New York Times report found Trump paid $750 in federal income tax the year he first entered the White House, and no income tax at all some years, thanks to reported colossal losses.

When asked in February how he would handle any potential damages from the case, Trump said, “I think what we’ll do is do something for charity."

“We could make it a substantial amount," he said at the time. "Nobody would care because it’s going to go to numerous very good charities.”

Several ethics watchdog groups have filed friend-of-the-court briefs challenging the president’s lawsuit.

The watchdog group Democracy Forward's February filing states that the case is “extraordinary because the President controls both sides of the litigation, which raises the prospect of collusive litigation tactics," and “the conflicts of interest make it uncertain whether the Department of Justice will zealously defend the public fisc in the same way that it has against other plaintiffs claiming damages for related events.”

The decision could have broad implications in one of the nation’s most prominent battleground states, which will have several high-profile races this fall. Maricopa County, which includes Phoenix, has been roiled by election conspiracy theorists ever since President Donald Trump lost the state to Democrat Joe Biden during his bid for reelection in 2020.

Justin Heap, the Republican recorder in Maricopa County, sued the predominantly Republican county board of supervisors last summer alleging it had illegally taken control of certain aspects of election administration. Heap claimed the board transferred funding, IT staff and some key functions — including management of ballot drop boxes and establishing early voting sites — away from his office through an agreement negotiated with his predecessor, whom he had recently defeated in a GOP primary.

Maricopa County Superior Court Judge Scott Blaney mostly sided with Heap's office in his ruling, which was filed Thursday but appeared on the public docket Friday. The board of supervisors “acted unlawfully and exceeded its statutory authority by seizing the Recorder's personnel, systems and equipment and refusing to return them” to the recorder, he wrote.

Blaney also ruled that the recorder's office is responsible for overseeing in-person early voting, among other duties, while the board is responsible for other operations, such as selecting Election Day voting locations, supplying polling locations and hiring poll workers.

“The Board's assertion of plenary authority over election administration through its general supervisory powers is inconsistent with Arizona law,” the judge wrote.

Board Chairwoman Kate Brophy McGee said the board will consider an appeal.

“I disagree with other portions of the ruling, and I will explore all options with the Board of Supervisors, including an expeditious appeal,” McGee, a Republican, said in a statement. "From day one, the Board of Supervisors has provided Recorder Heap the resources and staffing needed to fulfill his statutory duties. We will continue to do so because voters always come first.”

Heap, a former Republican state lawmaker, was elected in 2024 after unseating incumbent Stephen Richer in the GOP primary and defeating a Democratic candidate in the general election. In the past, Heap has stopped short of repeating false claims that the 2020 and 2022 elections were stolen, but has said voters don’t trust the state’s voting system and it’s poorly run.

False claims of fraud since the 2020 presidential election led to threats of violence against Richer and others in the Maricopa County elections office. Richer blamed Heap for contributing to an atmosphere of distrust and vitriol directed toward the office.

“He catered to the really ugly stuff that the people in that office had to live through,” Richer said of Heap, in an interview last month. “And he allied with people who were very much in the eye of the storm in terms of creating it.”

Once he took office, Heap terminated a previous agreement that was reached between Richer and the board that had revised how election operations were divided between the two offices. Heap filed his lawsuit with the backing of America First Legal, a conservative public interest group founded by Stephen Miller, now a deputy chief of staff in the White House.

The pardon order applied to more than 4,500 prisoners, but it was not immediately clear how many people imprisoned for opposing military rule were included and there was no sign that 80-year-old former leader Aung San Suu Kyi would be freed.

Win Myint is Suu Kyi’s longtime loyalist and was elected as president in 2018. He served as president while Suu Kyi led the government as state counsellor because the military-drafted constitution barred her from holding the presidency.

He was arrested on Feb. 1, 2021, the same day the military seized power and detained Suu Kyi. He was later given 12-year combined prison sentences for several offenses, which were reduced to eight years in 2023.

U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres took note of the amnesty and underscored "the need for meaningful efforts to ensure the swift release of all those arbitrarily detained” including Suu Kyi, his spokesperson said.

The U.N. chief stressed that a political solution must be found, based on an immediate cessation of violence and "a genuine commitment to inclusive dialogue,” U.N. spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric said, adding that this requires an environment where the people of Myanmar can “freely and peacefully exercise their political rights.”

State-run MRTV television reported that Win Myint, who was in a prison in Taungoo township in Bago region, had received amnesty.

Outside Insein Prison in Yangon, buses carrying prisoners were welcomed by relatives and friends who had been waiting since early morning. Among those released was filmmaker Shin Daewe, who was sentenced to life imprisonment under a counterterrorism law in January 2024.

The amnesty comes a week after Min Aung Hlaing was sworn into office following an election that critics say was neither free nor fair and was orchestrated to keep the military's iron grip on power.

Suu Kyi expected to be transferred under house arrest

State media said in addition to the 4,335 Myanmar prisoners pardoned, nearly 180 foreigners would be released and deported.

If the freed prisoners reoffend, they will have to serve the rest of their original sentences in addition to any new sentence, according to the terms of their release. A separate report said death sentences were commuted to life imprisonment, life sentences were reduced to 40 years and prison terms of less than 40 years were cut by one-sixth.

Under that measure, Suu Kyi’s 27-year sentence would be reduced by 4 1/2 years, leaving her with 22 1/2 years still to serve.

A senior military officer from the capital, Naypyitaw, told The Associated Press on Friday that Suu Kyi will be transferred to house arrest as part of the clemency. He spoke on condition of anonymity because he wasn't authorized to release information.

Suu Kyi has been serving a prison term on a variety of criminal convictions at an undisclosed location in Naypyitaw and has been moved to house arrest at least once in April 2024.

In his inauguration speech last week, Min Aung Hlaing said his government would implement amnesties that contribute to social reconciliation, justice and peace and support the country’s overall development.

Prisoner releases are common on holidays and other significant occasions in Myanmar.

Since the 2021 army takeover, nearly 8,000 civilians have been killed and some 22,170 political detainees, including Suu Kyi, remain jailed, according to the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners, a rights monitoring group. Total deaths in the ongoing conflict are estimated to be much higher.

Many political detainees have been held on incitement charges, a law widely used to arrest critics of the government or military and punishable by up to three years in prison. Others have been prosecuted under a counterterrorism law that carries a potential death penalty and has been used to target political and armed opponents, journalists and other dissenters.

The human rights advocacy group Burma Campaign UK said in its statement on Friday that the slow, staged release of political prisoners is designed to gain positive publicity while making no real reforms.

“These people should not have been arrested in the first place," the group said. "The Burmese military could stop arresting activists and could repeal all repressive laws. They haven’t done that.”

The messages take aim at JEA CEO Vickie Cavey, alleging ongoing scandals and mismanagement. Another set of texts questions how Jacksonville Chamber of Commerce President Daniel Davis spends taxpayer money.

The texts have been sent to hundreds, possibly thousands, of North Florida residents. The sender remains unknown, using spoofed phone numbers to conceal their identity.

RELATED: Anonymous text campaign targets Jacksonville civic leader, echoing attacks on JEA CEO | Anonymous text targets JEA CEO amid ongoing political tensions

Technology experts say the tools needed to carry out this kind of campaign are widely available.

“There are services — paid services — that can be used to do this,” said Ian Marlow, CEO of Fintech Consultants. “It’s not typically an individual acting alone. They’re using an online platform to distribute messages at scale.”

Marlow said obtaining large lists of phone numbers is relatively easy, and the cost to send mass texts anonymously is low. He added that payment methods can be difficult to trace.

“You can buy prepaid gift cards that aren’t tied to a name,” Marlow said. “You can also use disposable email accounts. That makes it harder to identify who’s behind the messages.”

He also noted that laws regulating robocalls and mass texting often lag behind rapidly evolving technology.

News4JAX has learned this type of messaging may be considered protected speech. Legal experts point to the 1994 U.S. Supreme Court case McIntyre v. Ohio Elections Commission, which upheld the right to distribute anonymous political material.

The court ruled that anonymity is a longstanding part of free political expression, and criticism of public officials generally falls within those protections.

While the content of the texts could potentially raise defamation concerns, there is no indication that either Cavey or Davis plans to pursue legal action.

Experts warn that as Florida heads deeper into an election year, similar campaigns could become more common.

“There are legitimate uses for this technology,” Marlow said. “But like anything else, it can also be used by groups with opposing agendas.”

These types of messages are often classified as issue advocacy, a form of political communication.

The Angels announced Anderson's death Friday morning without immediately disclosing the cause or location.

Anderson reached the majors with the then-California Angels in 1994 and played for the club until 2008, primarily as a left fielder. He was a fixture in the heart of their batting order for his entire tenure, becoming the franchise's career leader in games played (2,013), hits (2,368), RBIs (1,292), total bases (3,743), extra-base hits (796), doubles (489) and grand slams (8).

“The Angels organization is mourning the loss of one of our franchise’s most beloved icons, Garret Anderson,” Angels owner Arte Moreno said in a statement. “Garret was a cornerstone of our organization throughout his 15 seasons, and his stoic presence in the outfield and our clubhouse elevated the Angels into an era of continued success, highlighted by the 2002 World Series championship. Garret will forever hold a special place in the hearts of Angels fans for his professionalism, class and loyalty throughout his career and beyond. His admiration and respect for the game was immeasurable.”

The Angels will wear a memorial patch this season bearing Anderson's initials, the team announced. They will hold a moment of silence Friday before the Angels host the San Diego Padres.

Anderson was a three-time AL All-Star who finished as high as fourth in the AL MVP balloting during his 17-year major league career. He won two Silver Slugger awards, and he memorably won both the Home Run Derby and the All-Star Game MVP award in 2003 in Chicago.

His 272 career homers are third in Angels history behind Mike Trout and Tim Salmon. Only Trout has scored more runs in an Angels uniform than Anderson.

“Garret Anderson was a huge part of Angels history and inspired so many of us who wear this uniform,” Trout wrote on social media. “Keeping his family in my thoughts and prayers.”

In 2002, Anderson batted .306 and drove in a team-leading 123 runs for the then-Anaheim Angels, who won 99 games and earned a wild-card playoff berth. The Halos stormed through the playoffs to this franchise's only championship, overcoming a 3-2 series deficit to Barry Bonds and the San Francisco Giants to win the World Series.

Anderson was a key factor in the Fall Classic, batting 9 of 32 with six RBIs. He drove in the final three runs of the series with a tiebreaking three-run double in the third inning of the Angels' 4-1 victory over the Giants in Game 7.

Anderson's other baseball accomplishments included a 10-RBI game on Aug. 21, 2007.

Anderson finished his career with Atlanta and the Los Angeles Dodgers before his retirement in 2011. He batted .293 with 2,529 hits, 287 homers and 1,365 RBIs in the majors.

Anderson was inducted into the Angels' Hall of Fame in 2016, and he had regularly worked for the team as a television broadcaster on its pregame and postgame shows over the ensuing decade. He lived in coastal Newport Beach with his family.

Anderson was born in Los Angeles on June 30, 1972. He attended Granada Hills High School in the suburban San Fernando Valley before the Angels drafted him in the fourth round in 1990.

The Angels said Anderson is survived by his wife, Teresa, daughters Brianne and Bailey, and son Garret "Trey" Anderson III.

___

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

However, Trump added that the U.S. naval blockade on Iranian ships and ports “will remain in full force” until Iran reaches a deal with Washington to end the war.

Oil prices fell 10%, and the Dow soared 1,020 points after Iran said the strait is open, allowing tankers to resume shipments from the Persian Gulf. Stocks are heading for a third straight weekly gain, up 12% since late March on hopes the U.S. and Iran can avoid a worst-case economic scenario.

A 10-day ceasefire in Israel and Lebanon began at midnight and appears to be holding after more than a month of war between Israel and Hezbollah, although the Iran-backed Lebanese militant group is not a party to the deal. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel is “not yet finished” with Hezbollah. The militant group said its response will depend on how events unfold.

The fragile calm has prompted thousands of displaced Lebanese families to head home, with vehicles piled high with mattresses and salvaged belongings backed up for kilometers on a route leading to southern Lebanon. The war displaced over a million people in the tiny country.

The fighting has killed at least 3,000 people in Iran, more than 2,100 in Lebanon, 23 in Israel and more than a dozen in Gulf Arab states. Thirteen U.S. service members have also been killed.

Here is the latest:

Lebanese president says negotiations are ‘not a weakness’ and the country has reclaimed its sovereignty

President Joseph Aoun struck a defiant tone in his first address since a U.S.-brokered ceasefire took hold, saying he wants Lebanon to chart its own course after weeks of war between Israel and Hezbollah.

The president said he wants to see Lebanon “flourishing, not committing suicide.” He condemned Hezbollah’s rocket fire into northern Israel that triggered the latest round of fighting, and criticized Iran’s role in arming and backing the group.

He framed both as violations of Lebanese sovereignty, and again vowed to disarm non-state groups, including Hezbollah.

In a pointed response to Hezbollah’s criticism of Lebanon’s direct talks with Israel and claims that Beirut lacks leverage, Aoun said the country will make its own decisions and stand by demands shared across Lebanese society, not ones dictated by Iran or its allies.

“There will be no concessions to any principle, no infringement of the sovereignty of this country,” he said.

Aoun also reiterated calls for Israel to halt attacks, withdraw troops, release detainees and allow displaced people to return.

US Treasury sanctions Iraqi militias backed by Iran

The U.S. imposed sanctions on seven senior commanders of Iraqi militias that are supported by Iran, including groups like Kataib Hezbollah and Asaib Ahl al-Haq, for allegedly planning and carrying out attacks on U.S. personnel and coalition forces in the region.

Officials have said the move is part of a broader effort to counter Iran’s influence in Iraq and deter further violence against U.S. interests.

The action also signifies a U.S. strategy of using economic pressure, not just military force, to target Iran’s network of allies, while warning global banks and firms to stop doing business with anyone tied to these groups.

“We will not allow Iraq’s terrorist militias, backed by Iran, to threaten American lives or interests,” Secretary of the Treasury Scott Bessent said Friday. “Those who enable these militias’ violence will be held accountable.”

Head of US Central Command says ships are moving through the Strait of Hormuz

“We’ll see what this looks like going forward. But I think we should all remain optimistic,” Adm. Brad Cooper told reporters Friday after Iran announced the vital waterway was open to commercial vessels.

US Central Command leader says military will clear mines in Strait of Hormuz

The top commander in the Middle East confirmed that the U.S. military will be working to clear mines from the Strait of Hormuz but would offer no details on the scope of the task.

“It’s a mission that we’ve undertaken,” Cooper told reporters on a call Friday before adding that he wouldn’t want to “characterize” the extent to which the critical waterway has been mined by Iran as part of a weekslong conflict with the U.S. and Israel.

Cooper said that it was “well within our ability to remove mines.”

Earlier on Friday Trump said in a social media post that “Iran, with the help of the U.S.A., has removed, or is removing, all sea mines!”

US Central Command chief says military still has ‘eyes on every Iranian port’

The top U.S. military leader in the Middle East said Friday that the American naval blockade of ships tied to Iran will remain in place for as long as Trump “says it will remain in effect.”

Adm. Brad Cooper, who leads Central Command, told reporters on a phone call that “U.S. forces have eyes on every Iranian port.”

“We are watching every Iranian ship in every port. Period. Full stop,” Cooper said, adding that the U.S. military presence can stay in the region indefinitely.

“We’re well-provisioned. We’re well-manned. We have all the forces necessary to sustain this for as long as necessary,” Cooper said.

Iran threatens ‘reciprocal measures’ if US blockade continues

In comments published by Iranian state media Friday, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei slammed the ongoing U.S. blockade of Iranian ports as a violation of the ceasefire agreement.

He said the Strait of Hormuz remains under the supervision of Iran, which is serious about its commitments. But if the U.S. violates its own commitments, then “Iran will take the necessary reciprocal measures.’’

“No leniency will be shown in this regard,” he said.

First cruise ship transits the Strait of Hormuz since the Iran war began

The vessel-tracker MarineTraffic said the Malta-flagged passenger vessel, reportedly sailing without passengers and bound for Oman, departed Dubai on Friday after remaining docked for 47 days.

It said the Celestial Discovery ship is expected to arrive in Oman on Saturday.

Hours earlier, Iran and the U.S. said the strategic waterway, which has been effectively closed since the beginning of the conflict, will be fully open to commercial traffic.

UN chief says opening the Strait of Hormuz is ‘a step in the right direction’

Secretary-General Antonio Guterres reiterated the United Nations’ position: “We need the full restoration of international navigational rights and freedoms in the Strait of Hormuz to be respected by all parties,” his spokesman said.

Guterres supports diplomatic efforts “to find a peaceful path forward out of the current conflict in the Middle East,” U.N. spokesman Stephane Dujarric said.

“He also hopes that, together with the ceasefire, this measure will contribute to creating confidence between the parties and strengthen the ongoing dialogue facilitated by Pakistan,” the spokesman said.

What exactly did Trump ‘prohibit’ Israel from striking in Lebanon?

The State Department said Trump’s announced prohibition on Israeli strikes inside Lebanon applies only to offensive attacks and not to actions taken in self-defense, and referred to the third point of Wednesday’s agreement by Israel and Lebanon.

That point says “Israel shall preserve its right to take all necessary measures in self-defense, at any time, against planned, imminent, or ongoing attacks.” It adds that Israel “will not carry out any offensive military operations against Lebanese targets, including civilian, military, and other state targets, in the territory of Lebanon by land, air, and sea.”

With the ceasefire only a few hours old, Israel has already launched at least one deadly drone strike in southern Lebanon, according to the health ministry there. During the previous ceasefire, Israel struck what it said were Hezbollah targets almost daily.

Trump suggests a second round of direct US-Iran talks could happen this weekend

“The Iranians want to meet,” Trump said in a brief telephone interview with the news outlet Axios. “They want to make a deal. I think a meeting will probably take place over the weekend.”

Despite the ceasefire, an Israeli drone strike in Lebanon kills 1 person

An Israeli strike in the area of Kounine hit a car and a motorcycle, killing one person and wounding three, including a Syrian citizen, Lebanon’s health ministry said Friday. It was the first airstrike and first fatality reported since a 10-day truce between Israel and the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah took effect overnight.

The Lebanese army and U.N. peacekeepers in southern Lebanon had reported sporadic artillery shelling in some parts of the south in the hours after the ceasefire took effect.

The Israeli army did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Israel has maintained that it still has the right to strike in Lebanon in response to perceived threats despite the ceasefire. There was no immediate response from Hezbollah.

Thousands head home as US-brokered truce holds in Lebanon

A fragile calm settled over parts of Lebanon on Friday as a 10-day ceasefire brokered by the United States took hold between Israel and Hezbollah, prompting thousands of displaced families to begin the journey home — even as uncertainty, destruction and Israeli warnings against going back to parts of southern Lebanon clouded their return.

By early morning, cars were backed up for kilometers on the route leading south to the damaged Qasmiyeh bridge over the Litani River, a key crossing linking the southern coastal city of Tyre to the north. Vehicles piled high with mattresses, suitcases and salvaged belongings crept forward through a single reopened lane, hastily repaired after an Israeli airstrike just a day earlier.

Drivers heading back to their villages along coastal highways cheered each other, flashed victory signs and exchanged blessings.

▶ Read more

Iranian media reports a challenge to the FM’s post declaring Strait of Hormuz open

Two semiofficial news agencies in Iran are casting doubt on an earlier announcement from Iran’s top diplomat, Abbas Araghchi, that the Strait of Hormuz was being opened to global traffic.

Considered close with the powerful Revolutionary Guard, Fars news agency appeared to challenge Iran’s reported decision to open the strait in a series of posts on its X account.

The posts condemned a “strange silence from the Supreme National Security Council and the negotiating team.”

Iran’s Supreme National Security Council has recently acted as the de facto top decision-making body in the country, as doubts swirl over the status of the new supreme leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, who was reportedly injured early in the war.

Mehr news agency also has said that the reported decision to reopen the strategic waterway needed “clarification” and “requires the (Supreme) Leader’s approval.”

Netanyahu says Israel is ‘not yet finished’ with Hezbollah

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel agreed to a temporary ceasefire in Lebanon “at the request of my friend President Trump,” but said the campaign against Hezbollah is not yet complete.

Netanyahu claimed Israel had destroyed about “90%” of Hezbollah’s missile and rocket stockpiles, but added “we have not yet finished” dismantling the group.

His statement came shortly before Trump said, in a social media post, that Israel was prohibited by the U.S. from bombing Lebanon any longer, adding: “Enough is enough!!!”

Trump claims Iran agrees to ‘never close the Strait of Hormuz again’

Iran has not made any public comment suggesting it has offered such assurances.

The blocking of most tankers that use the critical waterway, through which about 20% of the world’s crude flows on a typical day, has led to a global surge in fuel prices and has impacted other facets of the global economy.

The U.S. is far less reliant than Asia and Europe on Persian Gulf energy.

Still, the closure of the strait contributed to the largest monthly inflation increase in the U.S. in four years last month.

Oil tumbles 10% and the Dow soars more than 1,000 points

Oil prices fell by 10%, and the Dow Jones Industrial Average soared 1,020 points after Iran said the Strait of Hormuz is fully open, which would allow oil tankers to exit the Persian Gulf again and carry crude to customers worldwide.

The S&P 500 jumped 1.3% in morning trading Friday as U.S. stocks race toward the finish of a third straight week of big gains. The Nasdaq composite climbed 1.5%. Stocks have rallied 12% since late March on hopes that the United States and Iran can avoid a worst-case scenario for the global economy.

Lebanese army to secure south as Lebanon pushes Israeli withdrawal, Aoun says

Lebanese President Joseph Aoun said the Lebanese army will play a “fundamental role” after the Israeli pullout, deploying in southern Lebanon and ending non-state armed presence.

Speaking to a delegation of Beirut members of parliament on Friday, Aoun said among the state’s priorities are consolidating the ceasefire, pushing for the withdrawal of Israeli forces, recovering Lebanese detainees and addressing pending border disputes with Israel.

Aoun cited Thursday’s phone call in which Trump expressed “support for Lebanon, its sovereignty, independence and the integrity of its territories,” describing it as one of the ceasefire’s most prominent signals of external support as negotiations advance.

Death toll of Lebanese killed in Israeli strikes increases to 2,294

Intense Israeli strikes on Thursday, one day before a 10-day U.S.-brokered ceasefire, killed 98 people, Lebanon’s health ministry said.

Since the latest war between Israel and Hezbollah erupted on March 2, at least 2,294 people have been killed, including 274 women and 177 children, according to the ministry. Another 7,185 people have been wounded, it added.

Trump again suggests Iran has agreed to hand over enriched uranium

“The U.S.A. will get all Nuclear ‘Dust,’ created by our great B2 Bombers - No money will exchange hands in any way, shape, or form,” Trump said in a social media post.

“Nuclear dust” is shorthand that Trump frequently uses to refer to the highly-enriched uranium believed to be buried under nuclear sites that the U.S. bombed during last year’s 12-day war between Israel and Iran.

If true, it would be a major concession from Iran and would lock in a key U.S. demand to end the conflict. But neither Iran nor countries acting as intermediaries in the conflict have said that Tehran has made such an agreement.

Trump on Thursday also asserted that Iran has “agreed to give us back the nuclear dust.”

German chancellor seeks US involvement in mission to secure Strait of Hormuz

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said Friday he wants U.S. involvement in a Europe-led mission to secure shipping through the Strait of Hormuz.

Speaking after an international conference in Paris on securing the strait, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said Germany could contribute mine clearance and maritime intelligence capabilities to such a mission, but would need parliamentary support and a ″secure legal basis″ such as a U.N. Security Council resolution.

He said Germany, ″if possible, would also like to see the United States of America participate; we believe this would be desirable.″

Trump says Iran, US, working to remove sea mines from Strait of Hormuz

“Iran, with the help of the U.S.A., has removed, or is removing, all sea mines!” Trump said in one of a barrage of social media postings announcing that Iran has agreed to reopen the strait.

Removing any mines will be critical to regain the confidence of commercial vessels that use the vital waterway to deliver oil and other products.

The Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps has dropped sea mines in the strait, according to the U.S. and Iranian news agencies.

The U.S. Navy has one littoral combat ship built for mine clearing, as well as other military assets in the region capable of doing that work. The Navy has dispatched two additional mine-clearing ships from Japan that are heading to the region.

Trump says Is

rael is ‘prohibited’ from further strikes on Lebanon

The U.S. leader offered the unusually blunt statement demanding restraint from Israel, the day after Israel and Lebanon agreed to a 10-day ceasefire in the Israel-Hezbollah conflict.

“Israel will not be bombing Lebanon any longer,” Trump said in the social media posting. “They are PROHIBITED from doing so by the U.S.A. Enough is enough!!!”

The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment on whether the prohibition on Israel spans both offensive and defensive strikes.

Macron and Starmer welcome Strait of Hormuz opening but say it must be permanent

The leaders of France and the U.K. have welcomed the announced reopening of the Strait of Hormuz but say it must become permanent.

President Emmanuel Macron and Prime Minister Keir Starmer say they will keep planning an international mission to restore maritime security, with a meeting of military planners in London next week.

Speaking after a gathering of some 50 countries, Macron said, “We all demand the full, immediate and unconditional reopening of the Strait of Hormuz by all parties.”

Starmer said the announcement by Iran and the U.S. that the waterway is open must become “both lasting and a workable proposal.”

He said France and the U.K. will lead a multinational mission to safeguard shipping “as soon as conditions allow.”

Quiet returns to northern Israel, but residents remain divided

After hours of sirens sounded across northern Israel late Thursday night, residents described a rare sense of quiet on Friday after a ceasefire with Hezbollah took effect.

Alerts across border communities stopped around 2 a.m., and in Kiryat Shmona, residents were seen at shopping malls and restaurants, with opinions divided over whether the 10-day ceasefire will hold.

“I live 100 meters from the border. The ceasefire is a mistake,” said resident Asaf Oakil, reflecting skepticism among some who say the fighting should continue until Hezbollah is defeated.

Another resident, expressing frustration after weeks of cross-border fire, said Israel should “strike harder” if attacks resume, adding that if rockets continue, “the whole area needs to be flattened.”

US military says it turned 19 ships back to Iran during blockade

U.S. Central Command said in a post on the social platform X on Friday that zero vessels have evaded American naval forces during the blockade of Iran-linked ships, and 19 vessels “complied with direction from U.S. forces to turn around and return to Iran.”

The post from Central Command came shortly before Trump thanked Iran for opening up the Strait of Hormuz, which Trump said was “completely open and ready for business.”

Trump, however, stressed that the blockade against Iranian shipping outside the Strait of Hormuz was still in place until negotiations were complete.

The narrow passageway into the Persian Gulf was effectively closed by Iran during the war with the U.S. and Israel, cutting off the flow of oil and natural gas through the gulf.

Trump says US blockade ‘will remain in full force’ until war ends

The president, in an all-caps social media post, said that the U.S. Navy’s blockade on Iranian ships and ports would remain in force “UNTIL SUCH TIME AS OUR TRANSACTION WITH IRAN IS 100% COMPLETE.”

“THIS PROCESS SHOULD GO VERY QUICKLY IN THAT MOST OF THE POINTS ARE ALREADY NEGOTIATED,” Trump added.

Crude oil slumps 10% and Wall Street rallies toward another record

Oil prices are falling by more than 10%, and Wall Street is rallying toward another record after Iran said the Strait of Hormuz is fully open, which would allow oil tankers to exit the Persian Gulf again and carry crude to customers worldwide.

The S&P 500 rallied 0.7% as U.S. stocks sprinted toward the finish of a third straight week of big gains. The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 1%, and the Nasdaq composite added 1%.

Stocks have rallied more than 11% since late March on hopes that the United States and Iran can avoid a worst-case scenario for the global economy.

Trump and Iranian foreign minister say Strait of Hormuz is fully open

U.S. President Donald Trump and Iran’s foreign minister said Friday that the Strait of Hormuz is now fully open to commercial vessels.

In a social media post, Trump said Iran announced that the strait “is fully open and ready for full passage.”

Minutes earlier, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi posted on the social platform X that the passage for all commercial vessels through the strait “is declared completely open” in line with the ceasefire in Lebanon.

He said it would stay open for the remaining period of the ceasefire.

It was not immediately clear what that meant for the U.S. blockade of the strait.

The unanimous procedural decision gives the companies a new day in federal court after a state jury ordered Chevron to pay upward of $740 million to clean up damage to the state’s coastline, one of multiple similar lawsuits.

Backed by the Trump administration, the companies said the work in Louisiana started as an effort to quickly increase the supply of aviation gasoline for the U.S. government during World War II and so should be heard in federal court.

The justices agreed. Justice Clarence Thomas, writing for the 8-0 court, noted Congress has long allowed lawsuits against the government and its contractors to be heard in federal court. This suit, he wrote, is clearly related to Chevron’s wartime efforts to bolster the U.S. aviation fuel supply. Federal courts are seen as a friendlier venue for the companies.

Louisiana’s coastal parishes have lost more than 2,000 square miles (5,180 square kilometers) of land over the past century, according to the U.S. Geological Survey, which has also identified oil and gas infrastructure as a significant cause. The state could lose an additional 3,000 square miles (7,770 square kilometers) in the coming decades, its coastal protection agency has warned.

The litigation over the role of oil and gas companies has crossed typical political lines in Louisiana. The hefty jury award came from a community in one of the most conservative, pro-energy parts of the state, said Republican Attorney General Liz Murrill.

Republican Gov. Jeff Landry, a longtime oil and gas industry supporter, also backed the lawsuits when he was attorney general. Local Louisiana leaders remain determined to keep the litigation alive despite the setback, said attorney John Carmouche.

“Simply changing where the case will be heard, as has happened, will not deter our efforts to have Big Oil held accountable for the damages they caused and the enormous restoration they owe the people of Louisiana,” Carmouche said.

Anne Rolfes, the director of the Louisiana Bucket Brigade environmental group, said the decision is a “bump in the road” in efforts to hold the industry accountable for pipelines and canals carving up the natural coastline that have left residents more vulnerable to hurricanes.

Chevron, on the other hand, applauded the Supreme Court’s decision, saying the claims are related to work that the companies did under federal supervision. “Chevron looks forward to litigating these cases in federal court, where they belong,” the company said in a statement.

The company denies responsibility for land loss in Louisiana and argues it’s wrong to sue over work done before state environmental regulations were in place.

The companies appealed to the high court after jurors in Plaquemines Parish — a sliver of land straddling the Mississippi River into the Gulf — found that energy giant Texaco, acquired by Chevron in 2001, had for decades violated Louisiana regulations governing coastal resources by failing to restore wetlands impacted by dredging canals, drilling wells and billions of gallons of wastewater dumped into the marsh.

The case is one of dozens of lawsuits filed in 2013 alleging oil giants, including Chevron and Exxon, violated state environmental laws for decades. Friday’s ruling overturns a 2024 decision from the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit. It will affect about a quarter of the dozens of lawsuits filed against various oil companies, Carmouche said.

The energy industry group Grow Louisiana said the decision should spell the end of the litigation. “These lawsuits have cost Louisiana billions, killed jobs and padded trial lawyers’ pockets," Executive Director Marc Ehrhardt said. “Enough is enough. Stop these lawsuits.”

The Louisiana Association of Business and Industry called the decision “an important win for legal clarity.”

Justice Samuel Alito recused himself from the case, pointing to financial ties to ConocoPhillips. He's previously recused himself from other cases due to his stock holdings.

___

Brook reported from New Orleans.

A White House official, who requested anonymity to discuss the planned meeting Friday, said the administration is engaging with advanced AI labs about their models and the security of software. The official stressed that any new technology that might be used by the federal government would require a technical period for evaluation.

The meeting comes after tensions have run hot between the Trump administration and the safety-conscious Anthropic, which has sought to put guardrails on the development of AI to minimize any potential risks and maximize its economic and national security benefits for the U.S.

President Donald Trump tried to stop all federal agencies from using Anthropic’s chatbot Claude over the company’s contract dispute with the Pentagon, with Trump saying in a February social media post that the administration "will not do business with them again!”

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth also sought to declare Anthropic a supply chain risk, an unprecedented move against a U.S. company that Anthropic has challenged in two federal courts. The company said it wanted assurance the Pentagon would not use its technology in fully autonomous weapons and the surveillance of Americans. Hegseth said the company must allow for any uses the Pentagon deemed lawful.

U.S. District Judge Rita Lin issued a ruling in March that blocked the enforcement of Trump’s social media directive ordering all federal agencies to stop using Anthropic products.

Anthropic declined to speak about the meeting in advance.

The San Francisco-based Anthropic has said the new Mythos model it announced on April 7 is so “strikingly capable” that it is limiting its use to select customers because of its ability to surpass human cybersecurity experts in finding and exploiting computer vulnerabilities.

And while some industry experts have questioned whether Anthropic's claims of too-powerful AI technology were a marketing ploy, even some of the company's sharpest critics have suggested that Mythos might represent a further advancement in AI.

One influential Anthropic critic, David Sacks, who was the White House's AI and crypto czar, said people should “take this seriously.”

“Anytime Anthropic is scaring people, you have to ask, ‘Is this a tactic? Is this part of their Chicken Little routine? Or is it real?’” Sacks said on the “All-In” podcast he co-hosts with other tech investors. “With cyber, I actually would give them credit in this case and say this is more on the real side.”

Sacks said, “It just makes sense that as the coding models become more and more capable, they are more capable at finding bugs. That means they’re more capable at finding vulnerabilities. That means they’re more capable at stringing together multiple vulnerabilities and creating an exploit.”

The model's potential benefits, as well as its risks, have also attracted attention outside the U.S.

The United Kingdom's AI Security Institute said it evaluated the new model and found it a “step up” over previous models, which were already rapidly improving.

“Mythos Preview can exploit systems with weak security posture, and it is likely that more models with these capabilities will be developed,” the institute said in a report.

Anthropic has also been in talks with the European Union about its AI models, including advanced models that haven’t yet been released in Europe, European Commission spokesman Thomas Regnier said Friday.

Axios first reported the scheduled meeting between Wiles and Amodei.

When it announced Mythos, Anthropic said it was also forming an initiative called Project Glasswing, bringing together tech giants such as Amazon, Apple, Google and Microsoft, along with other companies like JPMorgan Chase, in hopes of securing the world’s critical software from “severe” fallout that the new model could pose to public safety, national security and the economy.

“We’re releasing it to a subset of some of the world’s most important companies and organizations so they can use this to find vulnerabilities,” said the Anthropic co-founder and policy chief, Jack Clark, at this week’s Semafor World Economy conference.

Clark added that Mythos, while ahead of the curve, is not a “special model.”

“There will be other systems just like this in a few months from other companies, and in a year to a year-and-a-half later, there will be open-weight models from China that have these capabilities,” he said. So the world is going to have to get ready for more powerful systems that are going to exist within it.” ___

O'Brien reported from Providence, R.I. AP business reporter Kelvin Chan contributed to this report from London.

The sale will be held June 5, the U.S. Bureau of Land Management announced Friday. It would be the first in the region under a law passed by Congress last year calling for four lease sales in the refuge's coastal plain over a 10-year period. But it would be the third in the refuge overall, following one held near the end of President Donald Trump's first term that has been tangled in litigation and another in early 2025, shortly before then-President Joe Biden left office, that yielded no bids.

Drilling supporters, including Alaska political leaders, argued last year's sale was too meager an offering to draw interest.

The upcoming sale also would be the third federal oil and gas lease sale this year alone in Alaska under an aggressive push by the Trump administration to expand development in the state. There were no bidders in a sale last month for the aging Cook Inlet basin, while a lease sale in the National Petroleum Reserve-Alaska — where the large Willow oil project is under development — drew hundreds of bids despite pending legal challenges to the sale.

Bill Groffy, the land management agency's acting director, in a statement said the success of last month's petroleum reserve sale signaled a “robust and continuing demand for Alaskan energy, underscoring the need for more opportunities like the Coastal Plain sale.”

Leaders from Gwich’in villages near the arctic refuge and conservation groups vowed to continue fighting efforts to open the refuge's coastal plain to drilling. The Gwich'in consider the coastal plain sacred, as it provides calving grounds for a caribou herd they rely on. The plain, bordering the Beaufort Sea in northeast Alaska and featuring rolling hills and tundra, also provides habitat for wildlife including muskoxen and migratory birds.

“The Trump Administration’s relentless push to auction off this sacred land despite overwhelming public opposition and industry that has already signaled they are not interested makes clear that this administration values corporate interests over the rights and lives of Indigenous peoples," Galen Gilbert, first chief of Arctic Village Council, said in a statement. “We will continue to fight with every tool available to protect the Coastal Plain for our children and all future generations.”

Debate over drilling in the region spans decades.

Leaders of Kaktovik, an Iñupiaq community within the refuge, consider responsible development key to their region’s economic well-being and have welcomed efforts by the Trump administration to open more lands for drilling.

The Bureau of Land Management has said the coastal plain could contain 4.25 billion to 11.8 billion barrels of recoverable oil, but there is limited information about the amount and quality of oil. Meanwhile, conservation groups see the refuge as the crown jewel of the country's refuge system and a place that should be off-limits to development. The refuge itself is the largest in the country, covering an area roughly the size of South Carolina.

Andy Moderow, senior director of policy at Alaska Wilderness League, said the planned sale “simply runs counter to common sense.”

“Any oil and gas company that is even thinking about buying these leases should know that, if they do, they will be sending a clear message to the American people that no place in Alaska is too sacred to drill in a quest for corporate profits,” he said in a statement urging companies to sit out the sale.

Crowds gathered at the interactive event focused on helping families prepare for hurricane season and related emergencies before they happen.

Meteorologist Michelle McCormick takes an in-depth look at all of the resources available at the event.

Watch the full interview above.

Attorneys for the family of Charles Adair renewed their demand Friday that video of what happened be released publicly in announcing the wrongful death lawsuit.

Filed earlier this month, the lawsuit names the Wyandotte County sheriff, the unified government for the county and Kansas City, Kansas, and Richard Fatherley, who was charged last year with second-degree murder in Adair's death.

“The public has a right to transparency when someone dies in custody in this manner,” Ben Crump, an attorney who is representing the family, said in a news release.

Crump and another civil rights attorney, Harry Daniels, were allowed to view video of what happened. But the sheriff’s office has declined a records request from The Associated Press seeking the video.

Adair was arrested last July on misdemeanor warrants for failure to appear on multiple traffic violations. At the time, Adair’s leg needed to be amputated and was so badly infected that he was taken straight to the hospital, a Kansas Bureau of Investigation agent wrote in the affidavit.

Before Adair was cleared to return to the jail, he was diagnosed with a type of bone infection that sometimes develops in people with diabetes. A medical screening also found he was schizophrenic, the affidavit said.

The lawsuit said was incoherent and that deputies believed Adair’s medical condition “was affecting his brain.”

After having his leg rewrapped the following evening, he got into an argument with the deputy who was wheeling him back his cell. Adair ultimately threw himself out of the wheelchair, the affidavit said.

Once he was back in his cell, he was placed on his stomach on the bottom bunk, with his legs and knees on the ground.

The lawsuit noted that Adair was complying with commands but that Fatherley “pressed his body weight onto Mr. Adair's back.” Other deputies then removed Adair's handcuffs while Fatherley shifted his weight forward.

The lawsuit said none of the other law enforcement officers who were present intervened.

The lawsuit said the deputies failed to modify their tactics to account for Adair's apparent mental health impairment and weren't trained properly.

The lawsuit also said that Fatherely was allowed to continue using his sheriff's office email after he was charged, allowing him to communicate with other members of the sheriff's office and employees that he knew were witnesses.

Capt. Michael Kroening said Fatherely is on administrative leave and that his email was deactivated on April 13 after the litigation was filed.

Fatherley is free on bond with a status conference in the case set for next month. His attorney, James Spies, has said that Adair’s death was “a tragic accident” but it was not a result of Fatherley’s actions.

Police found both dead in their home in the Washington, D.C., suburb of Annandale, Virginia, early Thursday. They believe Justin Fairfax fatally shot his wife and then killed himself. They were going through a divorce and Justin Fairfax had been ordered by a judge to move out of the house by the end of the month.

Cerina Fairfax, 49, ran a thriving family dentistry practice in the nearby city of Fairfax. A profile page on its website described her as an avid reader who liked to travel, practice yoga, go on trail runs with her Vizsla-breed dogs and “spend time with her wonderful family.”

___

EDITOR’S NOTE — This story includes discussion of suicide. If you or someone you know needs help, the national suicide and crisis lifeline in the U.S. is available by calling or texting 988. There is also an online chat at 988lifeline.org

___

Virginia Rep. Jennifer McClellan, who knew Fairfax through her husband's campaign and the time he spent in office, said their two teenaged children were “the people she cherished most.”

“Cerina Fairfax was a loving and dedicated mother and the rock at the center of her large family," McClellan wrote in a statement.

Terron Sims II, a friend and patient, remembered her as a quiet and caring friend, whose dentistry was more than a profession.

“It was an expression of love and compassion,” Sims told WUSA-TV. “It was her way of service to others.”

Fairfax was recognized in 2015 as the Outstanding Graduate of the Last Decade by the Virginia Commonwealth School of Dentistry. Dr. Jeffrey Johnson, the interim dean of the dental school, wrote that her loss is deeply felt by many who knew her.

“As a clinician and alumna, Dr. Fairfax embodied the ideals of our profession — dedication to her patients, commitment to growth, and a deep sense of purpose in her work each day," Johnson wrote. "I know she was a mentor, role model, and friend to many in our school.”

Leaders in the state’s dental community also praised her accomplishments and commitment to patients.

“In addition to being a beloved practitioner in her community, Dr. Fairfax loved giving back through volunteer work and contributions to local charities focused on helping those in need,” said Ryan Dunn, CEO of the Virginia Dental Association, in a statement. “As we remember Dr. Fairfax, we honor the impact she made and the connections she helped build within the VDA and her community.”

Cerina and Justin Fairfax met as undergraduates at Duke University and married in 2006.

Justin Fairfax unsuccessfully sought the Democratic nomination for attorney general in 2013, then won the race for lieutenant governor in 2017. He was considered a rising star in the Democratic Party until two women came forward accusing him of sexually assaulting them years earlier, before he and Cerina were married. He left office at the end of his term in 2022, following an unsuccessful run for governor.

Cerina Fairfax said in court filings that they separated nearly two years ago. But they were still living in the same house with their children, who police said were both home at the time of their deaths.

The judge overseeing the divorce had told Justin Fairfax to move out by the end of April, writing “it is clear tensions in the Fairfax home have been extremely high for an extended period of time.”

Amy Spain, Cerina Fairfax’s attorney, said her client’s death “leaves an immeasurable void in the lives of all who knew and loved her.”

“Above all else, Cerina was a devoted mother to her beautiful children, who were the very center of her world,” Spain said. “She embodied the true meaning of motherhood through her unconditional and unwavering devotion to her children, providing a constant source of love, protection, and guidance.”

___

Associated Press writer John Raby in Charleston, West Virginia, contributed to this report.

Water sample testing is underway, but DOH-Clay said even though the presence of toxins hasn’t been confirmed yet, people should proceed as if they’re there.

Residents and visitors are advised to take the following precautions:

• Do not drink, swim, wade, use personal watercrafts, or come into contact with waters where there is a visible bloom.
• Wash your skin and clothing with soap and water if you have any contact with algae, or discolored or water that smells unpleasant.
• Keep pets and livestock away from the area to avoid any contact with water. Waters where algae blooms are present are not safe for animals. Pets and livestock should use an alternative source of water when algae blooms are present.
• Do not cook or clean dishes with water contaminated by algae blooms. Boiling the water will not eliminate toxins.
• Eating fillets from healthy fish caught in freshwater lakes experiencing blooms is safe. Rinse fish fillets with tap or bottled water, throw out the guts, and cook fish thoroughly.
• Do not eat shellfish in waters with algae blooms.

The Florida Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) and partners collect algae samples from reported bloom locations. After samples are analyzed at their laboratory, the toxin results can be viewed on Protecting Florida Together or on DEP’s Algal Bloom Dashboard.

What is blue-green algae?

Blue-green algae are a type of bacteria that is common in Florida’s freshwater environments. A bloom occurs when rapid growth of algae leads to an accumulation of individual cells that discolor water and often produce floating mats that emit unpleasant odors.

Blue-green algae blooms can also appear as scum, foam, or paint on the surface of the water in various colors. To learn more about the appearance of algae blooms, visit Protecting Florida Together.

Some environmental factors that contribute to blue-green algae blooms are sunny days, warm water temperatures, still water conditions, and excess nutrients.

Blooms can appear year-round but are more frequent in summer and fall.

Many types of blue-green algae can produce toxins.

Blue-green algae may not always be visible as a bloom, but it can still be present in the water.

Is blue-green algae harmful?

Blue-green algae can produce toxins, which can be harmful to humans and pets as well as ecosystems, including fish and other aquatic animals.

Sensitive individuals (e.g., children, the elderly and those who are immunocompromised) may still be at risk even at low concentrations and should avoid any exposure.

For additional information on potential health effects of algae blooms, visit the Florida Department of Health’s harmful algae blooms webpage.

Where can I find current water status?

Current information about Florida’s water quality status and public health notifications for harmful algae blooms and beach conditions is available at Protecting Florida Together.

You can subscribe to receive notifications when water quality changes in your area.

Where can I report issues related to algae blooms?

• Algae Blooms: DEP monitors algae blooms and collects samples for analysis. Blooms can be reported to DEP online or by calling toll-free at 1-855-305-3903.
• Human Health: Report symptoms from exposure to a harmful algae bloom or any aquatic toxin to the Florida Poison Information Center by calling 800-222-1222 to speak to a poison specialist.
• Animal Health: Contact your veterinarian if you believe your pet has become ill after consuming or having contact with blue-green algae contaminated water.
• Fish Kills: Dead, diseased, or abnormally behaving fish or wildlife should be reported to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission online or at 800-636-0511.

If you have other health questions or concerns about blue-green algae, please call DOH-Clay at 904-278-3784.

Luther Davis had convinced investors the money was for a player in the NFL, and he used the wig and make up to impersonate the athlete. The ruse worked.

The detailed allegations are included in a criminal complaint filed against Davis last month by the U.S. Attorney's Office in Atlanta.

Federal prosecutors say Davis would go on to don disguises — a wig once, and a do-rag-style head covering another time — again in March and July to impersonate two other NFL players on video calls and bilk millions more in loans. The complaint does not say exactly how the wigs and do-rag helped Davis assume the three different players' identities.

It also only identifies the NFL players by their initials.

Davis and CJ Evins, who prosecutors say executed the scheme with Davis, are charged with one count each of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and aggravated identity theft. They both pleaded not guilty in March, but they are scheduled to return to court on April 27 to enter a guilty plea, according to court filings.

An email and call to Davis' attorney, Gabe Banks, were not immediately returned. Evins' attorney, Benjamin Alper, confirmed his client is scheduled to plead guilty, but he said he had no additional comment.

The complaint says none of the NFL players had authorized Davis and Evins to obtain loans. In addition to wearing disguises, prosecutors say Davis used fake driver's licenses with photos of the players that could be found online.

The scheme brought in nearly $20 million from at least 13 fraudulent loans that Davis and Evins used to buy real estate, jewelry and cars, according to the complaint.

Davis was a national champion with the Crimson Tide in 2010.

Earlier this week, we learned the state attorney’s office issued a subpoena to JEA for records.

Nate Monroe is the executive editor of the Tributary and joined News4JAX+ at 10 a.m. to bring us up to speed about this latest twist in what has become quite a bit of drama surrounding JEA.

Watch the full interview above.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi posted on X that the crucial waterway, through which about 20% of the world's oil is shipped, was now fully open to commercial vessels, as a 10-day truce between Israel and the Iran-backed Hezbollah militant group in Lebanon appeared to hold.

Trump initially celebrated the Iranian announcement, posting on social media that the strait was "fully open and ready for full passage.” But minutes later, he issued another post saying the U.S. Navy's blockade would continue “UNTIL SUCH TIME AS OUR TRANSACTION WITH IRAN IS 100% COMPLETE.”

The president also said Iran, with help from the U.S., is working to remove all mines from the strait.

A spokesperson for the Iranian Foreign Ministry said the blockade was a violation of the ceasefire agreement.

In comments published by Iranian state media, Esmail Baghaei said the strait is still under the supervision of Iran, which is serious about its commitments. But if the U.S. violates its own commitments, then Iran "will take the necessary reciprocal measures."

“No leniency will be shown in this regard,” Baghaei said.

Trump suggests new talks could happen this weekend

Trump imposed the blockade earlier this week after Iran restricted traffic through the strait due to fighting in Lebanon, which Iran claimed was a breach of the Pakistan-brokered ceasefire reached between the U.S., Israel and Iran.

The president's decision to continue the blockade despite Iran’s announcement appeared aimed at sustaining pressure on Tehran as the fate of the two-week ceasefire reached last week remained uncertain. The ceasefire paused almost seven weeks of war between Israel, the U.S. and Iran.

Direct talks between the U.S. and Iran last weekend were inconclusive, as the two nations could not agree about Iran’s nuclear program and other points.

Trump suggested a second round of talks could happen this weekend.

“The Iranians want to meet,” he said in a brief telephone interview with the news outlet Axios. “They want to make a deal. I think a meeting will probably take place over the weekend.”

Oil prices fell Friday on hopes the U.S. and Iran were drawing closer to an agreement . The head of the International Energy Agency had warned that the energy crisis could get worse if the strait did not reopen.

Iranian media challenge announcement about Strait of Hormuz

Two Iranian semiofficial news agencies seemed to challenge Araghchi's announcement about the strait.

Considered close with Iran's powerful Revolutionary Guard, the Fars news agency issued a series of posts on X criticizing what it said was a lack of clarity over the decision to reopen the waterway and a “strange silence from the Supreme National Security Council and the negotiating team.”

Iran’s Supreme National Security Council has recently acted as the country's de facto top decision-making body, amid doubts over the status of the new supreme leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, who was reportedly wounded early in the war.

The Mehr news agency also said the decision to reopen the strait needed “clarification” and required the supreme leader’s approval.

Truce in Lebanon could help US-Iran peace efforts

The ceasefire in Lebanon could clear one major obstacle to a deal between Iran, the United States and Israel to end weeks of devastating war. But it was unclear to what extent Hezbollah would abide by a deal it did not play a role in negotiating and which will leave Israeli troops occupying a stretch of southern Lebanon.

Trump said in another post that Israel is “prohibited” by the U.S. from further strikes on Lebanon and that “enough is enough” in the Israel-Hezbollah war.

The State Department said the prohibition applies only to offensive attacks and not to actions taken in self-defense.

Shortly before Trump's post, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel agreed to the ceasefire in Lebanon “at the request of my friend President Trump,” but that the campaign against Hezbollah is not complete.

He claimed Israel had destroyed about 90% of Hezbollah’s missile and rocket stockpiles and added that Israeli forces “have not finished yet” with the dismantling of the group.

Celebrations in Beirut

In Beirut, celebratory gunshots rang out at the start of the truce. Displaced families began moving toward southern Lebanon and Beirut’s southern suburbs despite warnings by officials not to return to their homes until it became clear whether the ceasefire would hold.

The Lebanese army and U.N. peacekeepers in southern Lebanon had reported sporadic artillery shelling in some parts of southern Lebanon in the hours after the ceasefire took effect.

An Israeli strike in the area of Kounine hit a car and a motorcycle, killing one person and wounding three, including a Syrian citizen, the Lebanese Health Ministry said Friday. It was the first airstrike and first fatality reported since the truce took effect.

There was no immediate response from the Israeli army or Hezbollah.

Trump heralded the deal as a “historic day for Lebanon” and expressed confidence the war with Iran would soon end.

“I will say the war in Iran is going along swimmingly,” Trump said in Las Vegas. “It should be ending pretty soon.”

An end to Israel’s war with Hezbollah was a key demand of Iranian negotiators, who previously accused Israel of breaking the current ceasefire with strikes on Lebanon. Israel said that deal did not cover Lebanon.

The fighting has killed at least 3,000 people in Iran, more than 2,290 in Lebanon, 23 in Israel and more than a dozen in Gulf Arab states. Thirteen U.S. service members have also been killed.

Israel says it will keep troops in Lebanon

Israeli forces have engaged in fierce battles with Hezbollah as they pushed into southern Lebanon to create what officials have called a “security zone.”

Israel’s hard-line Defense Minister Israel Katz said Israel would continue to hold all the places it is currently stationed, including a buffer zone extending 10 kilometers (6 miles) into southern Lebanon. He said many homes in the area would be destroyed and Lebanese residents will not return.

Hezbollah has said Lebanese people have “the right to resist” Israeli occupation and that their actions “will be determined based on how developments unfold.”

Israel and Hezbollah have fought several wars and have been fighting on and off since the day after the start of the Gaza war. Israel and Lebanon reached a deal to end that war in November 2024, but Israel has kept up near-daily strikes in what it says is an effort to prevent the Iran-backed militant group from regrouping. That escalated into another invasion after Hezbollah again began firing missiles at Israel in response to its war on Iran.

Mediators seek compromise on three points

Mediators are pushing for compromise on three main points: Iran’s nuclear program, the Strait of Hormuz and compensation for wartime damages, according to a regional official involved in the mediation efforts.

Trump on Friday suggested Iran has agreed to hand over its enriched uranium.

“The U.S.A. will get all Nuclear ‘Dust,’ created by our great B2 Bombers — No money will exchange hands in any way, shape, or form,” he said in a post. Nuclear dust is the shorthand Trump frequently uses to refer to the highly enriched uranium that is believed buried under nuclear sites the U.S. bombed during last year’s 12-day war between Israel and Iran.

If true, it would be a major concession from Iran and would lock in a key demand of the U.S. to end the conflict. Neither Iran nor countries acting as intermediaries in the conflict have said Tehran has made such an agreement.

___

Madhani reported from Washington. Associated Press writers Matthew Lee and Ben Finley in Washington, Samy Magdy and Amir Rajdy in Cairo, Munir Ahmed in Islamabad, Abby Sewell in Beirut and Melanie Lidman in Tel Aviv, Israel, contributed to this report.

The Jacksonville Waves play the team’s first game at VyStar Veteran’s memorial Arena on Friday May 15th.

The Jacksonville Waves are one of 4 to be part of the UPSHOT league. The league’s commissioner is Donna Orender joined News4JAX+ at 10 a.m. to share more information.

Watch the full interview above.

Marshiray Wellington and Larry Love joined News4JAX+ at 10:30 a.m. to share more about the Oyster Fest taking place this weekend.

Watch the full interview above.

The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the Padres aren't commenting publicly on the process.

The Wall Street Journal first reported the imminent deal with private equity billionaire Jose E. Feliciano and his wife, Kwanza Jones. The team is expected to be sold for $3.9 billion in a record deal for a Major League Baseball team, easily topping the approximately $2.4 billion paid by Steven Cohen for the New York Mets in 2020.

The 53-year-old Feliciano is the co-founder and managing partner of Clearlake Capital, a private equity firm based in Santa Monica, California. The firm was part of an investment group that purchased Premier League club Chelsea in 2022, with Los Angeles Dodgers minority owner Todd Boehly becoming the Blues' chairman.

Seidler's family began to explore a sale of the Padres last November, two years after the death of the popular Peter Seidler. His brother, John Seidler, has served as the Padres' chairman since then.

Peter Seidler was part of a group that bought the Padres in 2012, and he became the team's primary owner in 2020. He enthralled San Diego's baseball fans with his free-spending eagerness to win the Padres' first World Series, and general manager A.J. Preller built a series of exciting teams that have reached the MLB playoffs in four of the last six seasons — a first in team history.

The Padres' potential sale price reflects their value as San Diego's only franchise in North America's four traditional major sports leagues, leading to a passionate fan base in their attractive home at downtown Petco Park. The team has set attendance records in each of the past three seasons, capped last season by drawing a whopping 3,437,201 fans — the second-most in the majors to the Dodgers, who play in their much larger stadium in Chavez Ravine.

Feliciano was born and raised in Puerto Rico before attending Princeton and Stanford. He co-founded Clearlake Capital two decades ago.

___

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

Fires used to die down or even die out at night as temperatures dropped and humidity increased, but that's happening less often. The number of hours in North America when the weather is favorable for wildfires is 36% higher than 50 years ago, according to a study Friday in Science Advances.

Places such as California have 550 more potential burning hours than the mid-1970s. Parts of southwestern New Mexico and central Arizona are seeing as much as 2,000 more hours a year when the weather is prone to burning fires, the highest increase seen in the study, which looked at Canada and the United States. The research looked at times when conditions were ripe for fire, but that didn't mean fires occurred during all that time.

Recent big fires in LA and Hawaii burned at night

Fires that surge at night are tougher to fight and included the Lahaina, Hawaii fire in 2023, the Jasper fire in Alberta in 2024 and the Los Angeles fires in 2025, the study said. Maui's fire ignited at 12:22 a.m.

It's not just the clock that is getting extended. The calendar is too. The number of days with fire-prone weather increased by 44%, which effectively added 26 days over the past half century.

It's mostly from warmer, drier nighttime weather, with a bit of extra wind, the study authors said.

“Fires normally slow down during the night, or they just stop,” said study co-author Xianli Wang, a fire scientist with the Canadian Forest Service. “But under extreme fire hazard conditions, fire actually burns through the night or later into the night.”

And Wang said Earth's warming atmosphere means it's like to get worse.

Tougher to fight fires at night

Fires that don't “go to sleep” get a running start the next day, making it harder to knock them down, University of California Merced fire scientist John Abatzoglou, who wasn’t part of the study, said in an email.

“Nights aren't what they used to be — that is, more reliable breaks for wildfire," he added. "Widespread warming and lack of humidity is keeping fires up at night.”

Wildland firefighter Nicholai Allen, who also founded a firm that makes home fire prevention tools, said it's very difficult to fight fires at night.

“You have to understand that you have snakes and bears and mountain lions and all the stuff you have in daytime,” Allen said, noting a colleague was bitten by a bear. “But at night, they're really scared and they're running away from the fire.”

The Canadian researchers analyzed nearly 9,000 larger fires from 2017 to 2023 using a weather satellite and other tools to get hour-by-hour data on atmospheric conditions during the fires, such as humidity, temperature, wind, rain and fuel moisture levels. They created a computer model that correlated weather conditions and fire status and applied to historical data in Canada and the United States from 1975 to 2106.

Nights are warming faster than days

Scientists have long said heat-trapping gases from the burning of coal, oil and natural gas make nights warm faster than days because of increased cloud cover that absorbs and re-emits heat down to Earth at night like a blanket. Since 1975, summers in the contiguous U.S. have seen nighttime lowest temperature warm by 2.6 degrees Fahrenheit (1.4 degrees Celsius), while daytime highest temperatures have gone up 2.2 degrees Fahrenheit (1.2 degrees Celsius), according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

Humidity at night “doesn't rebound” from its daytime dryness like it used to, said study lead author Kaiwei Luo, a fire science researcher at the University of Alberta.

Wildfires often coincide with drought, especially extreme drought, which means not only drier air, but hotter drier air that sucks up more moisture from the ground and plants, making fuels for fire more flammable, Wang said. In a drought, there's often a vicious circle of drying and when it is quite dry, a warmer atmosphere has more power to suck moisture out of fuels.

Just as warmer nights especially in heat waves don't let the body recover, the warmer nights are not allowing forests to recover, Wang said. It can take weeks for dead fuel to recover their lost moisture and be less fire-prone, he said.

“It's just a stress to the plants,” Wang said. “That also increases fuel load and make fire-burning more easily.”

From 2016 to 2025, wildfires in the United States on average burned an area the size of Massachusetts each year, slightly more than 11,000 square miles (28,500 square kilometers). That's 2.6 times the average burn area of the 1980s, according to the National Interagency Fire Center. Canada's land burned on average for the last 10 years is 2.8 times more than during the 1980s, according to the Canadian Interagency Forest Fire Centre.

Syracuse University fire scientist Jacob Bendix, who wasn't part of the research, called the study a sobering reminder of climate change's role in driving "increased fire potential across almost all of the fire-prone environments of North America.”

___

The Associated Press’ climate and environmental coverage receives financial support from multiple private foundations. AP is solely responsible for all content. Find AP’s standards for working with philanthropies, a list of supporters and funded coverage areas at AP.org.

The only question surrounding the Heisman Trophy winner is when he’ll make his debut.

Mendoza, who led Indiana to its first national championship, is an overwhelming favorite to be the No. 1-overall pick in the NFL draft next Thursday. He won’t be in Pittsburgh to hear NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell announce his name, choosing instead to celebrate his big night with family and friends in Miami.

The intrigue starts with the second pick. Ohio State edge rusher Arvell Reese was widely considered the choice for the New York Jets but Texas Tech edge David Bailey has gained momentum.

Here’s the third edition of the AP’s 2026 mock draft in order of picks:

1. Las Vegas Raiders: FERNANDO MENDOZA, QB, INDIANA

Mendoza is a precise pocket passer with prototypical size, poise and maturity. The Raiders have some playmakers — Brock Bowers and Ashton Jeanty — and spent more than a quarter-billion in free agency. Cousins gives Mendoza a mentor in the QB room. Part-owner Tom Brady can provide Mendoza with valuable advice. The Raiders haven’t won a playoff game since losing the Super Bowl following the 2002 season and have only reached the postseason twice in that span. They need Mendoza to be a franchise QB.

2. New York Jets: ARVELL REESE, EDGE RUSHER, OHIO STATE

We’re sticking with Reese. He’s a freak athlete — he ran a 4.47 40-yard dash — who played off-ball linebacker and standup edge. He has the talent to be an elite edge rusher who can make an immediate impact for the Jets.

3. Arizona Cardinals: DAVID BAILEY, EDGE RUSHER, TEXAS TECH

Bailey is another immensely athletic edge with elite upside. The Cardinals could trade down to add more draft assets or look at bolstering the offensive line. Bailey would join Josh Sweat to give Arizona two pass rushers who can create havoc.

4. Tennessee Titans: JEREMIYAH LOVE, RUNNING BACK, NOTRE DAME

The Titans reloaded in free agency, revamping the secondary and adding depth on defense along with another target for Cam Ward in wide receiver Wan’Dale Robinson. They have a tough choice here between Love or giving new coach Robert Saleh a star on defense: edge Rueben Bain Jr. and linebacker Sonny Styles. If general manager Mike Borgonzi sticks with the best available player, it’s Love.

5. New York Giants: SONNY STYLES, LINEBACKER, OHIO STATE

Styles’ impressive combine performance helped him soar into the top five on many draft boards. Protecting Jaxson Dart is a priority for the Giants so they’d have their choice of best offensive lineman in the draft at this spot but Styles is a supremely gifted defensive player.

6. Cleveland Browns: CARNELL TATE, WIDE RECEIVER, OHIO STATE

Tate is a consistent route runner with excellent hands and enough speed to be a top playmaker. The Browns added three veteran offensive linemen but still could target a tackle. Tate gives them a No. 1 receiver that’s hard to pass up.

7. Washington Commanders: MANSOOR DELANE, CORNERBACK, LSU

Delane is the best cover corner in the draft. He’ll provide a significant boost for a defense that’s thin in the secondary.

8. New Orleans Saints: RUEBEN BAIN JR., EDGE RUSHER, MIAMI

Bain is a versatile rusher who can line up on the edge or inside against guards, creating mismatches. He’ll be a huge asset for the Saints.

9. Kansas City Chiefs: FRANCIS MAUIGOA, OFFENSIVE TACKLE, MIAMI

Mauigoa is a three-year starter at right tackle who would replace Jawaan Taylor and provide Patrick Mahomes more protection. Getting Mahomes a playmaking receiver is also an option. So is an edge rusher. But Mauigoa is strong value slipping to this spot.

10. Cincinnati Bengals: CALEB DOWNS, SAFETY, OHIO STATE

Downs is an elite, versatile playmaker who strengthens a porous defense that has held the Bengals back in recent years. Downs has top-five talent but only slips because of potential value.

11. Miami Dolphins: MAKAI LEMON, WIDE RECEIVER, USC

After trading Jaylen Waddle and releasing Tyreek Hill, the Dolphins need to get Malik Willis a top receiver. Lemon is an elite playmaker who creates matchup nightmares for defenses in the slot.

12. Dallas Cowboys: AKHEEM MESIDOR, EDGE RUSHER, MIAMI

Mesidor is an older prospect at age 25 but his talent is clear on video. He’ll generate pressure from the outside and is solid against the run, which Jerry Jones emphasized last year after trading Micah Parsons.

13. Los Angeles Rams: JORDON TYSON, WIDE RECEIVER, ARIZONA STATE

He’s an exceptional route-runner with speed who catches the ball in traffic. The Rams were interested in some high-profile wideouts so drafting Tyson upgrades a dynamic group that includes All-Pro Puka Nacua and Davante Adams.

14. Baltimore Ravens: OLAIVAVEGA IOANE, GUARD, PENN STATE

Ioane fills a big need for the Ravens on the interior of their offensive line and fits their run-blocking scheme nicely.

15. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: KELDRIC FAULK, EDGE RUSHER, AUBURN

Scouts rave about Faulk’s leadership and he has obvious talent. The Buccaneers need a standout pass rusher and Faulk’s the type of player who fits general manager Jason Licht’s character criteria. A trade down to add more picks also is a possibility.

16. New York Jets: DENZEL BOSTON, WIDE RECEIVER, WASHINGTON

Boston is strong, fast and has elite ball skills. He has the frame (6-foot-4, 212) of receivers that new offensive coordinator Frank Reich has relied on in his system. The Jets could trade down and still get Boston or Omar Cooper Jr. and stockpile even more picks.

17. Detroit Lions: KADYN PROCTOR, OFFENSIVE TACKLE, ALABAMA

Proctor started at left tackle as a freshman and allowed just two sacks in his three seasons. He has great size — 6-foot-7, 352 pounds — and plenty of athleticism. Proctor even had five runs for 16 yards.

18. Minnesota Vikings: DILLON THIENEMAN, SAFETY, OREGON

Thieneman had an impressive combine, running a 4.36 40-yard dash that was faster than some of the NFL’s best receivers. A three-year starter, he’ll step right into Brian Flores’ defense.

19. Carolina Panthers: KENYON SADIQ, TIGHT END, OREGON

The Panthers improved their defense in free agency by adding edge rusher Jaelan Phillips and linebacker Devin Lloyd. If Sadiq is available, they’d get the best tight end in the draft at this spot, giving Bryce Young a potential favorite target.

20. Dallas Cowboys: JERMOD MCCOY, CORNERBACK, TENNESSEE

McCoy is a consistent corner with outstanding ball skills often mocked to the Cowboys at No. 12. Dallas gets a defensive back who can anchor the secondary.

21. Pittsburgh Steelers: MONROE FREELING, OFFENSIVE TACKLE, GEORGIA

Freeling has elite athleticism and is considered a potential top-10 pick. He just needs more experience after starting one season on the right side. Freeling has the athletic ability to adapt to a new spot.

22. Los Angeles Chargers: PETER WOODS, DEFENSIVE TACKLE, CLEMSON

Woods is a powerful, versatile defensive lineman who fits the type of player coach Jim Harbaugh wants on defense.

23. Philadelphia Eagles: BLAKE MILLER, OFFENSIVE TACKLE, CLEMSON

Miller started 54 games in college and can step in right away and play if the Eagles need him. He provides an eventual successor to right tackle Lane Johnson.

24. Cleveland Browns: T.J. PARKER, EDGE RUSHER, CLEMSON

Parker’s production dipped after big numbers in 2024 but he’s a strong, powerful edge with potential to flourish. He makes it three straight Clemson players in this mock.

25. Chicago Bears: ZION YOUNG, EDGE RUSHER, MISSOURI

The Bears lost several starters in the secondary and adding a defensive back is an option but a strong rusher also helps significantly. Young is a disruptive force who brings energy and leadership.

26. Buffalo Bills: CASHIUS HOWELL, EDGE RUSHER, TEXAS A&M

Despite acquiring D.J. Moore, another playmaking receiver is an option. Edge also is a priority and Howell has proven he gets to the quarterback and finishes.

27. San Francisco 49ers: K.C. CONCEPCION, WIDE RECEIVER, TEXAS A&M

Concepcion is a speedy, elusive wideout who gives Brock Purdy and the 49ers a top target and another playmaker on offense. Despite signing Mike Evans in free agency, San Francisco can’t pass up a confident player who already declared he’s the best receiver in the draft.

28. Houston Texans: KAYDEN MCDONALD, DEFENSIVE TACKLE, OHIO STATE

McDonald is another Buckeyes player going in the first round. He’s a natural run defender who’ll clog the middle of the line.

29. Kansas City Chiefs: OMAR COOPER JR., WIDE RECEIVER, INDIANA

After giving Mahomes a blocker with the ninth pick, the Chiefs add a potential top target late in the round. Cooper is a versatile playmaker who is known for getting yards after the catch.

30. Miami Dolphins: AVIEON TERRELL, CORNERBACK, CLEMSON

Terrell is an athletic cornerback who is projected higher in the draft. Alabama quarterback Ty Simpson is a possibility if he’s still available but the Dolphins signed Malik Willis.

31. New England Patriots: MAX IHEANACHOR, OFFENSIVE TACKLE, ARIZONA STATE

Iheanachor is an athletic former basketball player with ideal size who will need time to develop but projects as a potential starter right away.

32. Seattle Seahawks: JADARIAN PRICE, RUNNING BACK, NOTRE DAME

Price replaces the departed Super Bowl MVP and provides the Seahawks with a natural runner in the backfield. With Kenneth Walker III gone and Zach Charbonnet recovering from a knee injury, Price fills a need. Seattle could trade out of the first round, add more picks and potentially get Price early in the second.

___

AP NFL: https://apnews.com/NFL

Johnny Robinson III, who was employed at Temple Christian Academy in Jacksonville, was booked into the Clay County Jail on April 15 on multiple counts of transmission of harmful material to a minor and unlawful use of a two-way communication device. His total bond was set at $375,030.

A day later, on April 16, Robinson III was booked on additional charges of possession of child sexual abuse material after investigators say a forensic examination of his phone revealed multiple such images.

According to CCSO, the investigation began in December 2025 when the 12-year-old girl reported to a Clay County Sheriff’s Office School Resource Officer that she had been receiving sexually explicit messages and images from unknown phone numbers.

According to the victim, who is not a Temple Christian Academy student, according to the school, the messages had started in November 2025 and continued through January 2026.

Investigators say Robinson pretended to be a fellow student at the girl’s school around the same age, referencing friends and classmates known to the victim.

Each time the victim attempted to block a number, messages resumed from a different one, deputies said.

Investigators say they determined all the messages and images were sent using VoIP — Voice over Internet Protocol — phone numbers, a method of communicating through an internet connection rather than a traditional cellular or landline phone.

VoIP numbers are frequently used to conceal a sender’s identity because of the anonymity they can provide, according to investigators.

The explicit messages and images stopped shortly after the incident was reported to law enforcement, according to the Sheriff’s Office.

After an extensive investigation, detectives with the CCSO Internet Crimes Against Children unit identified Robinson III as the suspect.

Temple Christian Academy was notified of the investigation, and Robinson III was immediately placed on administrative leave.

A statement from TCA indicated that Robinson has since been fired.

Late last evening, we were notified that one of our teachers had been arrested. As a result, their employment with our school has been terminated, and they are no longer connected to our school in any way. The situation is now in the hands of the proper authorities, and we will continue to cooperate as needed. Temple Christian Academy prioritizes the safety and well-being of our students. We were also advised that the matter did not involve our school, our staff, or any of our students.

Temple Chrisitian Academy spokesperson

Anyone with information related to this investigation is encouraged to contact Detective Philip Crider at pcrider@claysheriff.com or by phone at 904-264-6512.

Tips can also be submitted anonymously to First Coast Crime Stoppers by dialing **TIPS or through the SaferWatch app.

Her focus is simple. Whether it’s trying to improve on a third-place finish at last year’s West Virginia state track meet or ignoring naysayers who don’t want a transgender girl on a girls' sports team, the Bridgeport High School sophomore just wants to enjoy time with her friends.

Anything else that might deflect her attention gets set aside. And, for now, that means not worrying about what the U.S. Supreme Court will decide by early summer in a case where she's the centerpiece over whether trans girls can compete.

“I’m not here to get an advantage,” Pepper-Jackson said. “I’ve been like pushed down and have people that just look at me nasty my whole life. And I’ve learned that that’s just something I’m going to have to deal with."

A plaintiff at age 11

In 2021, Pepper-Jackson took a stand by challenging a newly signed law in West Virginia banning trans athletes from competing in female sports in middle and high schools and colleges. The U.S. Supreme Court in 2023 allowed Pepper-Jackson to continue competing in middle school while the lawsuit continued.

Now she's in high school, and the lawsuit is nearing the finish line. In January, the Supreme Court’s conservative majority, which has repeatedly ruled against transgender Americans in the past year, signaled it would rule the state bans don’t violate either the Constitution or the federal law known as Title IX, which prohibits sex discrimination in education.

The justices heard arguments in a second case from Idaho, where Lindsay Hecox sued over the state’s first-in-the-nation ban for the chance to try out for the women’s track and cross-country teams at Boise State University. She didn’t make either squad.

Pepper-Jackson is the only trans person who has sought to compete in girls sports in West Virginia. If the court rules that state bans are legal, her current track season will be her farewell tour. It’s not something she thinks about.

“I can’t make their decisions for them, so I just have to wait and see what they’ll say,” she said. “I try not to look at it if this could be my last season."

West Virginia Attorney General JB McCuskey said he's confident the state will prevail.

"West Virginia’s law does not exclude anyone; it simply says biological boys will compete against boys, and biological girls will compete against girls," McCuskey said in a statement. "On the athletic field, biological sex matters — gender identity does not."

She identified as a girl from an early age

Pepper-Jackson has publicly identified as a girl since she was 8 years old and long before that at home.

Her mother, Heather Jackson, said Becky wasn’t like her two older brothers.

“I noticed immediately that Becky was different,” Jackson said. “When she was old enough to say what she wanted, toys or clothing or anything, she was very profound in her opinion.”

It started with her asking for — and getting — a makeup kit for Christmas at age 3. She also started wearing her mom’s shirts as dresses.

“She would be very opinionated on what she wanted to wear,” Jackson said. “I just followed her lead from the very beginning.”

At the onset of puberty, Pepper-Jackson started taking puberty-blocking medication.

“Becky did not undergo male puberty,” said Aubrey Sparks, legal director for the American Civil Liberties Union’s West Virginia chapter. “And so when you hear, 'Well, this is unfair. Trans kids have an advantage.’ That’s just not the case here.”

In sixth grade, Pepper-Jackson heeded her girls' track coach’s advice to switch from highly competitive distance running to field events. As a high school freshman last year, she took third place in the discus and eighth in the shot put at the state meet.

Detractors have followed her closely, including Republican Gov. Patrick Morrisey.

In 2024, five athletes from a rival school refused to compete alongside Pepper-Jackson. The five received a standing ovation at a news conference a week later in Charleston, where Morrisey, then as the state's attorney general, announced the state would challenge a federal appeals court ruling favoring Pepper-Jackson.

At the 2025 state meet, a female sprinter stood victorious on the podium wearing a T-shirt that read, “Men don’t belong in women’s sports."

It’s been quieter so far this season. Pepper-Jackson has won both the discus and shot put in her first two meets and has cheered on teammates competing in other events.

“There’s a lot of core lessons you learn from being in sports that you don’t get anywhere else, like teamwork, sportsmanship,” she said.

Off the field, she plans to pursue music in college and a career as a band director.

Others before her

Pepper-Jackson has paid attention to other trans girls who have excelled nationally in high school track.

AB Hernandez won gold in the girls high jump and triple jump at last year’s California state high school meet. Hernandez is now a senior at Jurupa Valley High School. Verónica Garcia won back-to-back 400-meter titles in Washington state in 2024 and 2025, and Ada Gallagher won the 200 meters at the Oregon state meet in 2024.

“I think it’s very inspiring,” Pepper-Jackson said.

The success of Hernandez renewed calls by some parents’ groups and conservatives, including President Donald Trump, for the state to ban trans girls from competing against other female athletes. California has a law on the books allowing students to participate on sports teams consistent with their gender identity, regardless of their sex assigned at birth.

When Hernandez qualified for three events last year, it sparked backlash that led the meet's governing body to let an additional girl compete and medal in events in which Hernandez was participating. It may have been the first of its kind rule-change in the nation.

A solid support system

Pepper-Jackson's biggest supporter is, of course, her mom. After a recent practice, the pair danced together, and Heather Jackson scooted across the grass to retrieve the discus after some of the athlete's throws.

Jackson said her daughter has handled the attention and scrutiny of her case “with astounding grace and intelligence and education, which is more than I would have been able to do at that age."

Pepper-Jackson said others have told her they look up to her, a notion she doesn’t understand because “I don’t see the gravity of this court case. I think it’s just common knowledge: Transgender girls should be able to be on the girls' sports team. I think that’s simple.”

___

Associated Press writer Sophie Austin in Sacramento, California, and AP videojournalist Patrick Aftoora-Orsagos in Clarksburg, West Virginia, contributed to this report.

The two women runners swapped their bibs with the two men, who both finished within the top 10 in the women’s half-marathon at the Two Oceans Marathon in Cape Town last Sunday, initially denying those slots to two female runners.

But the cheating was discovered by a marathon board member, and the men were disqualified from their 7th and 10th place finishes. Two women were belatedly recognized instead.

Larissa Parekh was accused of having Luke Jacobs run on her behalf, and Tegan Garvey was accused of having Nic Bradfield run on her behalf, marathon board member Stuart Mann said. All four runners face disciplinary action that could include two-year bans from the event, Mann said.

The annual Two Oceans race is one of South Africa’s iconic marathons and includes a 56-kilometer (34.7-mile) ultramarathon and a 21.1-kilometer (13.1-mile) half-marathon. The event attracts over 16,000 participants and finishing among the top 10 is a significant achievement for most runners.

Race board member calls swapping bibs unethical

Mann said exchanging bibs has become more common, and can be risky, “Not only is it considered unethical, but it also poses health and medicals risks in case of an emergency, as wrong medication may be administered to a wrong person,” Mann said.

Various motivations are at play, Mann explained. Some runners give their bib to a stand-in if they have a last-minute injury or some other unexpected reason why they can't run in a race they have registered for. Others do so to deceptively earn faster times than they otherwise could achieve, to qualify for future races, he said.

Online photos led to the discovery

Mann was tipped off to one of the swaps after Jacobs posted pictures of himself at the race on social media and people noticed that his bib displayed the name “Larissa.”

Jacobs said in a written apology: “I made an error in judgment and did not consider the consequences. I should not have taken part."

Parekh did not provide any clear explanation of how Jacobs ended up with her bib, Mann said. But Garvey admitted she gave hers to Bradfield, saying in a written statement that she had suffered a hip problem before the race.

“The day before, my hip gave in completely, leaving me unable to even walk. I felt bad as to give up my race entry so my friend ran in my place,” Garvey said.

Mann said both women have apologized.

According to an arrest report, officers went to Old Kings Road after an armed assault was reported. Police said they spoke with a homeowner in the Dinsmore neighborhood who reported his children were playing in the backyard when they came inside and said a neighbor was using racial slurs against them.

The man told police that his 40-year-old neighbor told him to “tell your kids to stop hitting the football over my fence.”

Officers also spoke with two witnesses listed in the report who provided statements about what they heard and saw, police said.

Sections of the police report obtained by News4JAX are redacted, but the 40-year-old man was arrested and accused of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon without the intent to kill. It was not immediately clear what the weapon was.

The man accused was booked into jail on Wednesday night and released on Friday after posting a $15,000 bond. He is due to appear in court next month.

Jones is scheduled for back-to-back plea change hearings on April 28 in separate cases charging him with profiting from rigged poker games and providing sports bettors with non-public information about injuries to stars LeBron James and Anthony Davis, according to court filings.

On Friday, federal prosecutors in Brooklyn provided the judge with a copy of Jones’ proposed plea agreement, including information on his possible punishment. It has yet to be made public. Jones remains free on bail.

Jones, 49, previously pleaded not guilty in both cases to charges of wire fraud conspiracy and money laundering conspiracy. Both charges carry a maximum punishment of 20 years in prison.

Messages seeking comment were left for his lawyer, Kenneth Montgomery. He told a judge at Jones’ arraignments in November that they “may be engaging in plea negotiations.”

Jones, a onetime teammate of James, was arrested last October along with Portland Trail Blazers head coach and Basketball Hall of Famer Chauncey Billups and Miami Heat guard Terry Rozier, and others, including a sports bettor accused of cashing in on injury information.

Jones was one of three people charged in both the poker and sports betting schemes. He remains free on bail.

A native of Galveston, Texas, Jones earned more than $20 million playing for 10 teams in 11 seasons from 1999 to 2009. He and James played together in Cleveland from 2005 to 2008 and Jones served as an unofficial assistant coach for James’ Los Angeles Lakers during the 2022-2023 season.

According to prosecutors, Jones sold or attempted to sell non-public information to bettors that James was injured and wouldn’t be playing in a Feb. 9, 2023, game against the Milwaukee Bucks, texting an unnamed co-conspirator: “Get a big bet on Milwaukee tonight before the information is out.”

James wasn’t listed on the Lakers’ injury report at the time of the text message, but the NBA’s all-time scoring leader was later ruled out of the game because of a lower body injury, according to prosecutors, and the Lakers lost the game 115-106.

On Jan. 15, 2024, prosecutors said, sports bettor Marves Fairley paid Jones approximately $2,500 for a tip that Davis, the Lakers’ forward and center at the time, would see limited playing time against the Oklahoma City Thunder because of an injury.

Fairley then placed a $100,000 bet on the Thunder to win, prosecutors said, but the tip was wrong. Davis played his usual minutes, scored 27 points and collected 15 rebounds in a 112-105 Lakers win, prompting Fairley to demand a refund of his $2,500 fee, prosecutors said.

In the poker scheme, according to prosecutors, Jones was among former NBA players used to lure unwitting players into poker games that were rigged using altered shuffling machines, hidden cameras, special sunglasses and even X-ray equipment built into the table.

According to the indictment, Jones was paid $2,500 for a game in the Hamptons where he was instructed to cheat by paying close attention to others involved in the scheme. His instructor likened those people to James and NBA All-Star Steph Curry, prosecutors said. When in doubt, Jones was told to fold his hand, prosecutors said.

In response, according to prosecutors, Jones texted: “y’all know I know what I’m doing!!”

The poker scheme often made use of illegal poker games run by New York crime families that required them to share a portion of their proceeds with the Gambino, Genovese and Bonnano crime families, according to prosecutors.

Members of those families, in turn, also helped commit violent acts, including assault, extortion and robbery, to ensure repayment of debts and the continued success of the operation, officials said in court documents.

A hot hand from outside the three-point arc, Jones once proclaimed himself in an interview with insidehoops.com as “the best shooter in the world.” He played in every regular season game for three consecutive seasons from 2003 to 2006.

After his playing days, he worked as a “shooting consultant” for the Cavaliers and was an assistant coach when the team, led by James, won the NBA championship in 2016.

Thursday was the deadline for former Duval Teachers United president “Terrie” Brady and former vice president Ruby George to report to their designated federal prison to begin serving their sentences for fraud.

The two admitted to a fraud scheme that prosecutors said drained millions of dollars from teachers over nearly a decade. They were sentenced in February.

Brady was given 27 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release, and George was given 12 months and 1 day in custody, plus six months on home confinement and three years of supervised release.

The Bureau of Prisons website now shows that Brady is at FCI Marianna in the Florida panhandle. The BOP shows that George is at FMC (Federal Medical Center) Carswell, in Fort Worth, Texas.

At sentencing, the judge said the court would make recommendations to the BOP that Brady be assigned to the closest facility to Jacksonville that had a minimum security prison camp.

The recommendation for George was the closest facility to Jacksonville that had a minimum security prison camp that met George’s medical needs. FMC Carswell does have a minimum security satellite camp.

Before sentencing the pair, the judge condemned Brady and George for repeatedly stealing for over a decade from the organization they were meant to serve, betraying people who trusted them.

The judge called the crime “just a decision to steal on a regular basis ... for 10 years.”

DTU represents about 6,500 Duval County school employees, most of whom pay dues straight out of their paychecks. The union brings in about $5 million a year, largely from those dues paid by teachers and school staff across Duval County.

While acknowledging the many letters praising Brady and George’s dedication and good deeds, the judge emphasized that the sentencing had to remain focused on justice and accountability.

Brady and George both presented messages to the judge during the hearing.

Brady said in an emotional plea to the courtroom that this was something she never imagined. She took accountability for her actions and acknowledged the hurt and shame she brought to DTU.

“I failed,“ Brady said through tears. “Because of my actions, I have lost their trust. They do deserve better. I hurt the employees of the union who counted on me to lead the organization. [...] I hurt my friends and my family, bringing them into my circle of shame.”

George also spoke, giving a strong and emotional delivery.

“I would like to say to this court, I was taught from my earliest memory, that every road has an end somewhere, and I always believed this, I don’t know how I got off track, I don’t know. It boggles my mind, after all of my 80-something years, did I get to this point? How did I get here? I’m in no way trying to justify my actions,” George said.

She asked the court for mercy and compassion.

“I regret my involvement, again, ask for a second chance. Regret I didn’t speak up. I ask that the court take my physical health into consideration,” she pleaded.

In January 2025, prosecutors announced a variety of fraud charges against Brady and George. Investigators believe the scheme succeeded for so long because of how carefully it was hidden.

According to the indictment, Brady and George sold unearned leave time back to the union, enabling each to pocket more than $1 million.

In 2010, the union’s auditor noted the financial liability that Brady and George’s large amounts of unused leave time represented for the union, and urged them to either take the vacation days or sell the time back to the union when the union had the funds available, which she began doing.

But the memo notes that, according to an analysis by the government, around 2013, she had used up all of the leave that she had accrued. While she was still legitimately accruing leave at that point – she was still cashing in leave like she used to do, but at this point, some of the leave she was cashing in had not actually been earned.

The indictment said Brady and George withheld the fraudulent activity from the DTU’s auditors by signing each other’s checks, hid the payments from the DTU’s Secretary/Treasurer, and withheld the funds from Florida’s Public Employee Relations Committee (PERC) in required yearly financial statements.

RELATED: Longtime Duval teachers union president retires in wake of FBI, IRS investigation | FBI agents left Duval teachers union office with credit card statements, computers, photos show

Brady was also charged with two counts of money laundering.

In October, Brady pleaded guilty to four of the charges she faced, including wire fraud, mail fraud, and money laundering.

“I accept full responsibility for my actions and their consequences,” Brady wrote in a statement at the time to News4JAX. “I am truly sorry for my wrongdoing and the harm I caused to Duval Teachers United (DTU) and its members. Understanding the seriousness of my offenses, I accept the outcome with humility and sincere remorse while deeply regretting breaching the trust placed in me by DTU, my community and my family.”

George pleaded guilty in August to three counts: conspiracy to commit wire fraud, aiding and abetting wire fraud, and aiding and abetting mail fraud.

Bolles announced the hiring of Pickett on Friday afternoon as the program’s new head coach. Pickett resigned from St. Johns Country Day, one of the most successful programs in high school history, last month. He built the Spartans into a national powerhouse during 28 seasons at his alma mater. The Spartans’ 15 state championships are tied for the most in Florida history.

“Coach Pickett’s record speaks for itself,” Bolles athletic director Rock Pillsbury said in a release. “With all his success on the field, he also cares for the overall well-being of his players as he blends competitive excellence with leadership skills, integrity and compassion. Needless to say, we are thrilled to welcome Coach Pickett to the Bulldog Family!”

Pickett, 61, was careful to say that he was only resigning from St. Johns and not retiring after his surprise departure on March 31. He replaces another coaching legend in Matt Tracy, who stepped down after the season and six state championships. Only Pickett (15) and Dave Silverberg (nine) have more titles than Tracy. Silverberg won four at Nease and has led Ponte Vedra to five.

FHP said the motorcyclist and the 51-year-old man from Jacksonville driving the truck tractor were both headed north on I-295 just before 12:30 a.m.

Troopers said the motorcyclist “failed to observe” the truck tractor and hit the back of it.

The motorcyclist, who was wearing a helmet according to the report, died at the scene.

The driver of the truck tractor was not injured. The report indicated he was wearing a seat belt.

Community members are getting hands-on training and safety tips on Friday at JaxReady Fest at the Prime Osborn Convention Center.

The free event continues until 3 p.m. Friday and will be open again from 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Saturday.

Crowds gathered Friday at the interactive event focused on helping families prepare for hurricane season and related emergencies before they happen.

From teaching young children how to make a 911 call, to creating at-home first-aid and preparation kits, city leaders say the goal is simple—make preparations easy and accessible for everyone.

Officials with the city’s Emergency Preparedness Division, along with community partners like JEA, are sharing resources and safety information — especially important as we head into hurricane season and the busy summer months. Mayor Donna Deegan also spoke to participants at the event.

“Jacksonville, as you know, is a coastal city with more than 850 square miles and one of the largest populations in the Southeast. Our exposure to storms and emergencies is not hypothetical,” Deegan said. “Somebody asked me this morning, ‘Well, we haven’t been hit in a long time directly.’ No, we haven’t, but we’ve watched other people get hit directly, and we’ve also seen what happens when we get hit indirectly, and it’s been a pretty big darn deal.”

City leaders say that preparation today can save lives tomorrow and encourage families to have a plan and to stay ready.

The late Wednesday morning pursuit began when the victim reported the theft. The officer — whose name has not been released — and his horse quickly took up the chase that was captured on his bodycam and also by a television news crew that happened to be in the area for an unrelated story.

The officer repeatedly screamed at the suspect to stop running, but she refused while denying she had taken the purse. The brief hoof chase went along sidewalks, under scaffolding, between parked cars and across streets before the woman was stopped by a pedestrian and then detained by the officer.

The woman was charged with larceny and providing false information. Authorities said she had been convicted of murder in the April 2000 fatal shooting of a cab driver and had served time in prison before being released. She is currently on lifetime parole.

No injuries were reported in the chase.

The shooting happened around 11 p.m. on Troyan Street, near East 1st Street. When officers arrived at the scene, they found the victim suffering from several gunshot wounds.

The victim is in his early 20s and was taken to a nearby hospital and is in stable condition.

JSO said two people approached the victim’s bedroom window and shot him several times. There were other people inside the home at the time of the shooting, but the victim was the only person shot.

After the shooting, the suspects left the scene. Detectives are speaking with witnesses and reviewing surveillance video taken nearby.

Anyone with information is asked to call the sheriff’s office at 904-630-0500, email jsocrimetips@jaxsheriff.org or contact Crime Stoppers at 1-866-845-TIPS.

The filing by parent company QVC Group, which also owns HSN, formerly the Home Shopping Network, arrives as long-running TV shopping networks struggle to adapt to the rapid shift by consumers now tuning in to livestreams on TikTok, or online marketplaces like Shein.

QVC Group, which filed in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of Texas, said that its international operations are not included in the process. It has more than $1 billion in cash on hand and said that it has ample liquidity to meet its business obligations.

QVC Group added that all of its brands are operating as usual, including customer-facing operations in the UK, Germany, Japan, and Italy. It will continue to serve its customers across all channels and platforms for QVC, HSN, and Cornerstone Brands.

“Bankruptcy may allow the necessary restructuring to give QVC the room to operate with better financials. However, it does not solve the need to reinvent and become relevant,” Neil Saunders, managing director of GlobalData, said in a statement.

QVC Group has attempted to revive flagging sales for some time, which in 2024 were down almost 30% compared with its peak of more than $14 billion in 2020. Shares in QVC Group, which went for over $900 a decade ago, were trading for less than $3 earlier this week.

The company is looking to emerge from bankruptcy protection in about 90 days.

Leo highlighted two of the big problems facing the continent during a Mass and a meeting with students and faculty at the Catholic University of Central Africa: the corruption that keeps countries in poverty and the brain drain of their brightest children who leave rather than fight the corruption at home.

They’re themes Leo has highlighted during his visit to Cameroon, a mineral-rich Central African nation which has been ruled since 1982 by 93-year-old President Paul Biya, who last year secured an eighth consecutive term with a disputed election.

Friday marked the half-way point in Leo’s 11-day tour of four African nations. He leaves Saturday for Angola, another country blessed with oil and other natural resources, but where a third of the population lives on less than $2.15 a day.

“Africa, indeed, must be freed from the scourge of corruption,” Leo told the university students and their teachers in the capital Yaounde.

“The greatness of a nation cannot be measured solely by the abundance of its natural resources, nor even by the material wealth of its institutions,” he said. “No society, in fact, can flourish unless it is grounded in upright consciences, formed in the truth.”

A big Mass to start the day

Leo began the day celebrating Mass in the port city of Douala, Cameroon’s financial and economic hub on its western coast. The Vatican had expected as many as 600,000 would attend, but only around 120,000 made it.

Cameroonian organizers suggested that security limitations and closed roads may have prevented many people from getting to the field, which was located well outside of town next to the Japoma sports stadium.

Some of those who did make it had spent the night on the ground, battling mosquitoes. But they said they were willing to make the sacrifice for the pope.

“I wanted to offer this effort to the pope, to show him that what he is doing and what he wants to accomplish should truly come to life,” said Alex Nzumo, who arrived at the Mass on crutches.

The field was nevertheless buzzing with people singing, swaying and dancing as an announcer shouted “Habemus Papam!” (We have a pope!). The Latin phrase is used to announce the election of a new pope but in this case joyfully announced Leo’s arrival at the field, where young people ran to keep up with his popemobile as he looped through the crowds.

In his homily, delivered in French and English, Leo urged young people to look beyond the poverty and disillusionment many experience and instead look to the future with hope.

“Do not give in to distrust and discouragement,” he said. “Do not forget that your people are even richer than this land, for your treasure lies in your values: faith, family, hospitality and work.”

With a population of 29 million, Cameroon is an overwhelmingly young country, where the median age is 18. Catholics represent about 29% of the population, and the country is a major source of growth and priestly vocations for the church.

An attention to young people

Leo had already offered words of encouragement to Cameroon’s youth, including in his opening speech to Biya, in which he demanded the “chains of corruption” in Cameroon be broken. But with Biya entrenched in power, Cameroon perhaps represents the most dramatic example of the tension between Africa’s youth and the continent’s many aging leaders.

Despite being an oil-producing country experiencing modest economic growth, young people say the benefits have not trickled down beyond the elites.

According to World Bank data, the unemployment rate in Cameroon stands at 3.5%, but 57% of the labor force aged 18 to 35 works in informal employment.

The dire economic outlook in Cameroon has led to significant brain drain and has strained an already understaffed health sector, as many doctors and nurses are leaving the country for more lucrative jobs in Europe and North America.

In 2023, about a third of trained doctors who graduate from medical school in Cameroon leave the country, according to the Ministry of Higher Education.

Pope urges young people to stay, and humanize artificial intelligence

In his remarks at the university, Leo urged the students to resist the temptation to leave and to instead use their educations to improve life for themselves and their fellow citizens at home. Africa, he said, needs them.

“In the face of the understandable tendency to migrate — which may lead one to believe that elsewhere a better future may be more easily found — I invite you, first and foremost, to respond with an ardent desire to serve your country and to apply the knowledge you are acquiring here to the benefit of your fellow citizens,” he said.

Among the most pressing issues they must address, he warned, is the advance of artificial intelligence and how it is altering the very relationship of people with the truth. As digital environments replace human encounters, people resort to self-referential bubbles where polarization, conflict and fear can spread.

“What is at stake is not merely the risk of error, but a transformation in our very relationship with truth," he warned.

___

Associated Press writer Mark Banchereau in Dakar, Senegal contributed to this report.

___

Associated Press religion coverage receives support through the AP’s collaboration with The Conversation US, with funding from Lilly Endowment Inc. The AP is solely responsible for this content.

“I’m grateful to be here healthy with a team that’s looking forward to trying to do some big things,” he said. “(What) a difference a year can make and I’m just grateful to be back in this position. I don’t want to take any moment for granted.”

In his first season in Houston after this summer’s blockbuster trade from Phoenix, Durant leads the young Rockets into the playoffs where they’ll open their first-round series with the Los Angeles Lakers on Saturday night.

The 37-year-old Durant missed the last seven games of the regular season last year with an ankle injury as the Suns went 1-6 to fall out of playoff contention.

This season he finished second in the league by playing 2,840 minutes despite being in his 19th NBA season.

And he can’t wait to play more — hopefully a lot more.

“When you get on the court and you get a chance to be healthy you want go out there and take advantage of that opportunity,” he said. “So, I’m looking forward to it.”

Durant led the Rockets this season by averaging 26 points a game as he became the oldest player in NBA history to score at least 2,000 points in a season.

Coach Ime Udoka said Durant has brought so much to his team since the trade but most importantly is that the Rockets knew they could always count on him.

“Just the availability on a night-to-night basis,” Udoka said. “Being able to play this many games at this stage in his career and the efficiency that he does it with … just the fact that he’s durable and available with the injuries in his past, is very impressive.”

The Rockets are aiming for their first title since winning back-to-back championships in 1994 and 1995. They’re in the playoffs for a second straight season after being eliminated by the Warriors in the opening round last year in their first postseason appearance since 2020.

Durant is the fifth-leading scorer in league history, a two-time NBA champion, a 16-time All-Star and four-time Olympic gold medalist. He brings a championship pedigree to a team where the four other players in the starting lineup have all made just one playoff trip.

So, with all he’s accomplished, how much does the prospect of winning another championship motivate him?

“Winning every day is the most important thing,” he said. “Obviously the main objective is to win a title, but you can’t do that unless you take care of each day first.”

That’s a lesson that has been invaluable to Durant’s teammates this season. Twenty-three-year-old Amen Thompson said he’s tried to mirror Durant in everything he does, from his work in the gym to how he takes care of his body.

“He’s great and I want to be great,” Thompson said. “We’ve got a lot of young guys that want to be great, so just having that as something to look at every day and just being teammates with him is good.”

Durant’s mentorship and positivity have also been a boost to the Rockets. Alperen Sengun, who is also 23, said before Durant joined the team he would get down on himself when he’d struggle offensively.

“I used to care a lot when I used to miss shots,” Sengun said. “But when I miss shots now, he’s already screaming in my ear: ‘It’s gonna come.’ So, he’s helped with a lot of things, but the big thing is confidence, especially confidence.”

While Durant has often encouraged his teammates and given them advice throughout the season, he doesn’t plan to impart any words of wisdom to them as the playoffs commence.

“Nope,” he said. “Just jump in the fire and let’s see what happens, man. We can all get advice and words of encouragement from everybody in our lives and it’s not going to be like actually being in that action.”

He’s confident that the Rockets are ready for the challenge after they ended the regular season by winning nine of 10 games.

“It’s the biggest stage of basketball and there’s a lot that comes around the game, but at the end of the day, when that ball’s tipped up, it’s just basketball,” he said. “So, we all know how to play at this level, and we all know what it takes to win basketball games. We’ve just got to do that consistently.”

___

AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/NBA

History’s first American pope is visiting the continent against the backdrop of his calls for peace that have sparked a feud with U.S. President Donald Trump over the war in Iran.

Currently in Cameroon after first visiting Algeria, Leo’s visit to the continent is so dizzying in its complexity it recalls some of the globe-trotting odysseys of St. John Paul II in his early years.

In meeting with leaders and with Africa's young population, which is set to double by 2050, the pope has also focused on themes including Christian-Muslim coexistence, the overexploitation of the region’s natural and human resources, corruption and migration.

Here’s a country-by-country look at each destination and highlights of the itinerary:

ALGERIA: April 13-15

In Algeria, Leo walked in the footsteps of his spiritual father, St. Augustine, making a pilgrimage to the archaeological ruins in Algeria where the fifth-century titan of early Christianity lived, died and wrote some of the most important works in Western thought.

The Algeria stop clearly carried the most personal importance for Leo, given his ties to St. Augustine, the inspiration of his Augustinian religious order.

Migration and Christian-Muslim coexistence were other top themes in Algeria, a former French colony which is a majority Sunni Muslim nation on North Africa’s Mediterranean coast. Leo also paid homage to migrants killed in shipwrecks trying to reach Europe and also visited the Great Mosque in Algiers.

In Annaba, the modern-day Hippo, Leo met with a small community of Augustinians and celebrated Mass at the Basilica of St. Augustine, the 19th century basilica overlooking the ruins of Hippo where thousands of pilgrims including Muslims visit every year.

CAMEROON: April 15-18

A major highlight of Leo's visit to Cameroon were his remarks at a “peace meeting” in the western city of Bamenda, the epicenter of Cameroon's separatist conflict. There, he blasted the “handful of tyrants” who are ravaging Earth with war and exploitation.

Although the remarks were directed at the separatist conflict, considered one of the world’s most neglected crises, Vatican officials have said the pope's Gospel-mandated message of peace on this trip transcends borders and is meant for all those responsible for the wars and exploitation ravaging Earth.

On Wednesday, his first day in Cameroon, Leo met with both religious and political leaders including Cameroon's 93-year-old president, Paul Biya, the world's oldest leader. He called for an end to the “chains of corruption” and for upright leadership.

Biya has been accused of using corrupt means and the targeting of critics and the opposition to remain in power.

Cameroon sits atop significant reserves of oil, natural gas, cobalt, bauxite, iron ore, gold and diamonds. The extractive sector accounts for nearly a third of the country’s exports, according to the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative. But revenues from extraction rarely reach rural and Indigenous communities and mostly benefit only foreign companies and a small national elite, activists say.

The pope also visited an orphanage that caters to children taken off the streets after suffering abandonment or maltreatment from their parents.

On Friday, he met with students at the Catholic University of Central Africa. And he celebrated a Mass before thousands of people in the economic hub of Douala, where he urged youths to resist temptation of corruption that has stifled their country's development.

ANGOLA: April 18-21

In Angola, where around 58% of the population is Catholic, Leo will pray at the Sanctuary of Mama Muxima, a Marian shrine that has become one of the most important Catholic pilgrimage sites in Angola.

The church was first built around the end of the 16th century by the Portuguese after they established a fortress at Muxima. It became a key point in the Portuguese trans-Atlantic human trade as a place where enslaved people were baptized before they were sent on ships to the Americas.

Angola today is the fourth largest oil producer in Africa and among the world’s top 20 producers, according to the International Energy Agency. It’s also the world’s third biggest diamond producer and has significant deposits of gold and highly sought after critical minerals.

But despite its varied natural resources, the World Bank estimated in 2023 that more than 30% of the population lived on less than $2.15 a day.

The country of around 38 million gained independence from Portugal in 1975, but still bears the scars of a devastating civil war that began straight after independence and raged on and off for 27 years before finally ending in 2002. More than half a million people are believed to have been killed.

In Angola, Leo will address young people especially to offer a message of hope and healing, the Vatican said.

EQUATORIAL GUINEA: April 21-23

The discovery of offshore oil in the mid-1990s transformed Equatorial Guinea’s economy virtually overnight, with oil now accounting for almost half of its GDP and more than 90% of exports, according to the African Development Bank.

Yet more than half of the authoritarian petrostate’s population still live in poverty, the World Bank reported last year.

The former Spanish colony is run by Africa’s longest-serving president, Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo, who has been in power since 1979 and is accused of widespread corruption and authoritarianism.

Several rights groups, including Human Rights Watch, have documented how revenues have enriched the ruling Obiang family rather than the broader population, where at least 70% of the country’s nearly 2 million people live in poverty.

The country’s government also faces rampant accusations of harassment, arrest and intimidation of political opponents, critics and journalists.

In addition to the negative impacts of the extraction industries, Vatican spokesman Matteo Bruni said Leo would raise issues of corruption and the proper role of governing authorities during the trip.

___

Associated Press religion coverage receives support through the AP’s collaboration with The Conversation US, with funding from Lilly Endowment Inc. The AP is solely responsible for this content.

Starmer says he was not informed that the Foreign Office had overruled the recommendation of security officials in early 2025 not to give Peter Mandelson the job. Many considered Mandelson a risky appointment because of his past friendship with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein and alleged business links to Russia and China.

Starmer said he was “absolutely furious” that he had been kept in the dark, calling it staggering” and “unforgivable.” He said he would “set out all the relevant facts in true transparency” to Parliament on Monday.

The top Foreign Office civil servant, Olly Robbins, took the fall for the decision and resigned.

The PM's job is in peril

The prime minister's job has been endangered by his fateful decision to appoint Mandelson, a trade expert and elder statesman of the governing Labour Party, as envoy to the Trump administration. It was a calculated risk that backfired spectacularly, and could bring down the prime minister.

Opposition politicians expressed disbelief that Starmer could have been unaware Mandelson had failed security vetting. Starmer said he only found out on Tuesday of this week.

Darren Jones, the chief secretary to the prime minister, said Friday that “the recommendation was to not appoint Peter Mandelson to the role,” and that the Foreign Office ignored it. He said that was “astonishing,” but within the rules.

He said no government minister had been told of the security assessment. People familiar with the process said that is standard practice because of the sensitive personal information involved.

Jones said the checks, carried out by a department known as U.K. Security Vetting, “go through financial, personal, sexual, religious and other types of background information, and that is why it is kept extremely private on a portal that only a few people have access to.”

Opposition Conservative Party leader Kemi Badenoch said claims the prime minister didn’t know were “completely preposterous.”

“This story does not stack up. The prime minister is taking us for fools,” she told the BBC. “All roads lead to a resignation.”

Ed Davey, the leader of the centrist Liberal Democrats, said Starmer “must go” if he misled Parliament and lied to the British public. The Lib Dems asked the prime minister's ethics adviser to investigate whether Starmer broke the government code of conduct by misleading Parliament.

Starmer has repeatedly insisted that “due process” was followed in the appointment, which was announced in December 2024. Mandelson took up the Washington post in February 2025, after undergoing security vetting.

Mandelson had known Epstein links

Mandelson’s expertise as a former European Union trade chief was considered a major asset in trying to persuade the Trump administration not to slap heavy tariffs on British goods, and seemed to pay off when the countries struck a trade deal in May 2025.

But documents released by the government in March, after being forced to by Parliament, showed Starmer ignored red flags raised by his staff about the appointment. He was warned that Mandelson’s friendship with Epstein, who died in prison in 2019, exposed the government to “reputational risk.”

Starmer fired Mandelson in September 2025 after evidence emerged that he had lied about the extent of his links to Epstein.

The release of millions of pages of Epstein-related documents by the U.S. Department of Justice in January reveled more and showed Mandelson’s relationship with the financier continued even after Epstein’s conviction in 2008 for sexual offenses involving a minor.

Emails suggested Mandelson had passed on sensitive, and potentially market-moving, government information to Epstein in 2009 after the global financial crisis.

British police subsequently launched a criminal probe. Mandelson was arrested on Feb. 23 on suspicion of misconduct in public office.

He has been released without bail conditions as the police investigation continues. Mandelson has previously denied wrongdoing and hasn’t been charged. He does not face allegations of sexual misconduct.

King Charles III’s brother, Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, formerly known as Prince Andrew, is also under police investigation over his friendship with Epstein. He, too, has been arrested but not charged.

Starmer's recent setbacks

The prime minister has apologized to the British public and to Epstein’s victims for believing what he has termed “Mandelson’s lies.”

The Mandelson revelations are among a string of setbacks Starmer has faced since he led the Labour Party to a landslide election victory in July 2024. He has struggled to deliver promised economic growth, repair tattered public services and ease the cost of living, and has been beset by missteps and U-turns.

The prime minister defused a potential crisis in February, when some Labour lawmakers called for him to resign over the Mandelson appointment. But he could face a leadership challenge after local and regional elections on May 7, in which Labour is expected to do badly.

Despite his struggles on the homefront, Starmer has been praised for his work on the world stage. He has played a key role in maintaining European support for Ukraine, and was in Paris on Friday to host a summit alongside French President Emmanuel Macron on reopening the Strait of Hormuz, the oil shipping route choked off by the U.S.-Israeli war on Iran.

In this segment, Sabrina sits down with Nina Sickler, PE, Director of Public Works for the City of Jacksonville and a driving force for economic development and innovation in local government, to reveal how their partnership is rewriting the rules of government efficiency and proving that faster, smarter permitting is the fastest way to make housing more affordable.

As the force behind SwiftGov, Sabrina is leading a movement to modernize local government across Florida, partnering with visionary leaders like Nina to deliver results that developers, engineers, and residents can actually feel.

To follow her work or bring SwiftGov to your community, visit swiftbuild.ai or connect with Sabrina on LinkedIn.

Thursday, federal prosecutors revealed a grand jury indictment against Cedric Dewayne Griffin for three counts of wire fraud and one count of illegal monetary transactions.

According to the indictment, in 2020 and 2021, Griffin applied for two loans through the Paycheck Protection Program, which was put in place to help businesses during COVID.

Prosecutors say that Griffin stated in his loan applications that one of his companies, Residential Alabama LLC, had dozens of employees and an average monthly payroll of tens of thousands of dollars.

His first loan application resulted in a loan for $216,287 to cover payroll, lease/mortgage interest, and utilities for his business, while the second application resulted in a $186,632 loan for payroll.

Griffin also applied for loan forgiveness for the first loan under PPP, which he received.

But according to the indictment, Griffin’s company had no employees, and no payroll expenses, and the loan proceeds were used for personal use.

Griffin’s two loan applications and his loan forgiveness application resulted in three wire fraud charges.

Prosecutors also charged him with an illegal monetary transaction for transferring $20,000 from Residential Alabama LLC’s bank account to the account of another one of his companies, G8 Equity, LLC.

Griffin has been on the radar of law enforcement in the area since at least 2022, when the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office posted a photo of him, asking if anyone knew where he was, because he was wanted for multiple counts of grand theft. He was arrested a few weeks later.

Then, in May 2023, JSO said it was looking for Griffin again, on an active warrant for organized fraud. That came just one day after the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission filed a federal civil lawsuit against Griffin, accusing him of running a multi-million dollar Ponzi scheme, primarily targeting Jacksonville residents.

That lawsuit alleged that Griffin got 103 people to invest at least $5.8 million into his businesses, G8 Equity and G8 RE Capital, from January 2020 to December 2021, promising high returns from his work flipping houses. But, the lawsuit said, the money was actually used to pay other investors and himself.

That same week, Griffin didn’t show for a court hearing in his 2022 fraud case. Griffin remained on the run for nearly two years, with local authorities searching for him on their warrant, and federal authorities trying to serve him with the SEC civil complaint.

Griffin was eventually arrested in January 2025. Following his arrest on the organized fraud charges, the affidavit for his arrest warrant revealed that those charges were tied to the investment scheme, with investigators interviewing dozens of victims, including members of the local real estate community, as well as politicians and athletes.

According to documents, one investor alone handed over $1 million to Griffin.

Griffin currently remains in the Duval County Jail. His 2022 theft case is set to go to trial next month. A trial date has not yet been set for his state organized fraud charges.

“Big Red Rebuild," as the project is called, would be funded by a mix of $250 million in philanthropic support and $350 million in private bond financing. Completion is targeted for the start of the 2028 football season. University regents will consider the proposal at its meeting in Lincoln next Friday.

“Memorial Stadium is one of the most iconic venues in all of college sports and this project ensures that our stadium is well-positioned for future generations," athletic director Troy Dannen said. "We have listened intently to Nebraska fans and are building a best-in-class fan experience that will also drive revenue for the University of Nebraska, create exciting new year-round programming for Nebraskans, create new opportunities for our student-athletes, and position Nebraska to compete and lead at the highest level in a rapidly evolving college athletics landscape.”

The Cornhuskers have played at Memorial Stadium since 1923 and will enter this season with an NCAA-record sellout streak of 410 games dating to 1962.

The proposal would upgrade amenities throughout the stadium and create a 360-degree main concourse connecting the east and west sides. Capacity would be 80,000, including 20,000 new chairback seats.

Officials said the stadium would host concerts and other events year-round and annual stadium revenue would increase 40%, to an estimated $95 million.

Construction would begin after the 2026 football season.

Incremental stadium improvements have been made over the years, including luxury suites in 1999 and an expansion to more than 85,000 seats in 2013. A $450 million renovation was approved in 2023 but did not go forward because school leaders wanted to review the scope, strategy and costs.

___

Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here. AP college football: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-football-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-football

But there is little of that energy so far in 2026. Even though Democrats may have a better shot at winning, there is far less attention and money as their candidates compete for the nomination in next month's primary.

Their struggles raise the possibility that the Democrats could miss another chance to win the Georgia governor's office for the first time since 1998.

National Democrats say they are not going to let that happen. Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear, who leads the Democratic Governors Association, said Georgia is “in play” and the money will be there for the party's eventual nominee.

“We’re going to make sure the Democratic candidate in Georgia has the funding they need to compete,” Beshear told The Associated Press on Saturday as he visited Atlanta to keynote a party dinner.

While Republicans have flooded the state with nearly $100 million in advertising, Democrats have spent only $1.24 million. Most observers believe no Democrat will win a majority in the rapidly approaching May 19 primary, prolonging the party's uncertainty.

Former Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms could be headed toward a June 16 runoff, thanks to superior name identification and being the only Black woman running in a party that has historically relied on support from Black women. But the scramble for a second spot appears wide-open, with likely contenders including former Republican Lt. Gov. Geoff Duncan, former state Sen. Jason Esteves and former state labor commissioner and CEO of suburban DeKalb County Mike Thurmond.

Democrat could face big Republican money

On the Republican side, health care billionaire Rick Jackson has already spent or pledged $50 million toward his bid, twice as much as any previous primary candidate for Georgia governor. There is also Lt. Gov. Burt Jones, who has been endorsed by President Donald Trump; Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger; and Attorney General Chris Carr.

It is a contrast to 2022, when Abrams outraised Republican Gov. Brian Kemp. She ended up losing the race, her second defeat to Kemp.

But Democrats say they are not worried this year even if they are outspent.

“I'll still win,” Bottoms said after a campaign event Monday, echoing other Democrats who say money can't paper over voter discontent with Republicans.

She argues that she is a “battle-tested leader” who gained national experience in President Joe Biden's administration. Like other Democrats, she cites expanding health care, affordable housing and better education as among her top issues.

“When given the opportunity to lead, I led on behalf of not just the city of Atlanta, but people across the state, and I am ready to go and fight for all of our communities to make Georgia a better place for our children,” Bottoms said Wednesday.

The Democratic race doesn’t feature notable policy splits along the lines of the progressive-moderate fissures that have opened around the country. It is not even a clear-cut contrast on style like in the Texas Senate primary that James Talarico won over Jasmine Crockett. Only Esteves, who started nearly unknown statewide, has been willing to attack the other candidates.

The noncombative nature of the other candidates was on display Wednesday night in a televised debate that included only Bottoms, Duncan and Thurmond. Duncan made only the most oblique criticisms of Bottoms' record as mayor. After Thurmond blamed Duncan for supporting a bill allowing people to carry guns more widely, he said in a postdebate interview that the criticism wasn't aimed at Duncan directly.

Esteves tries to go from unknown to contender

Esteves is banking on a late surge to propel him to the runoff. He has spent about $1 million on a burst of advertising, the only significant spending by any Democrat thus far. The 42-year-old, who is Black and Puerto Rican, argues he can build the “multiracial, multigenerational coalition" needed to win the young and diverse electorate in Georgia.

He often references his experience as a middle school teacher and small business owner in addition to his time as a lawyer, school board member and state senator.

“A lot of the challenges that Georgians are facing, I am facing in real time,” Esteves said in a Wednesday interview. “They’re looking for someone who not only wants to solve their issues, but can identify personally with their issues.”

Esteves is the only Democrat attacking Bottoms on how she managed crime, disorder and the COVID pandemic as mayor before her surprise decision not to seek a second term.

“The fact that she did not run for reelection confirmed people’s belief that when the going gets tough, she stepped out on the city,” Esteves said.

Bottoms defends her stewardship and says she declined to run again “based on what was best for me personally and my family."

Esteves has also repeatedly taken aim at Duncan, saying Duncan “oversaw some of the passage of the worst bills” while lieutenant governor, including Georgia’s ban on abortions after fetal cardiac activity is detected. Although dozens of state lawmakers are backing Esteves, his top surrogate has been Shanette Williams, the mother of Amber Nicole Thurman, a woman who died in a suburban Atlanta hospital in 2022 after taking abortion pills and developing an infection.

New Democrat Duncan seeks ‘trust’

Duncan is best known for opposing Trump's attempt to overturn his 2020 election loss to Biden. He has spent the past year apologizing for his Republican past and argues he is the only Democrat who can win over enough moderate voters to give his new party a win. In recent weeks, Duncan has begun to pick up some endorsements from moderate Democrats and unions.

“I don’t want to only earn your vote, I want to earn your trust,” Duncan said in Wednesday night's debate.

Thurmond calls himself a “throwback” and says his experience in state and local government, including leading the state child welfare agency, serving as labor commissioner and helping to bail out the DeKalb County school district as superintendent, would let him move quickly to enact Democratic priorities.

“I have a track record of service to the people of Georgia, and I believe this election would turn not on promises, but on performance,” Thurmond said in an interview after Wednesday's debate.

He has been trying to knit together a coalition of rural voters and older Democrats. Among those backing him are Roy Barnes, the last Democratic governor, and Andrew Young, the former mayor of Atlanta and one of the last surviving leaders of the 1960s Civil Rights movement. ___ A previous version of this story incorrectly stated that Jason Esteves' father is Puerto Rican and his mother was Black. His father is Puerto Rican and Black, while his mother was Puerto Rican.

Thanks to Operation Lifeline, there will be one fewer veteran on that list in Clay County.

Steve Mays, a disabled Army veteran, and his fiancée, Shirley, are starting a new chapter — and they won’t have a mortgage payment to worry about.

Steve received the keys to a brand-new, mortgage-free home in Green Cove Springs through Operation Lifeline, a local nonprofit dedicated to providing affordable housing for veterans.

Community leaders, along with Steve and Shirley, gathered for a ribbon-cutting ceremony at the home Thursday morning.

Steve’s story

Steve served in the Army for five years. After leaving the service, he worked in construction until a job-related accident resulted in the amputation of one of his legs, leaving him with a prosthetic.

For Steve, the home means far more than just a roof over his head.

“They do more than just build houses. They get these veterans off the street,” Steve said. “Gives them a sense of pride that they probably lost over the years.”

When asked if having the home gave him that sense of pride, Steve didn’t hesitate.

“Oh, it’s more than that, ma’am. I’m just overwhelmed,” he said.

Built by those who served

The home was built in part by transitioning service members through a Department of Defense program called SkillBridge.

“It allows military members during their last six months of service to spend time with a civilian organization, learn the skills to jump into a new industry,” said Erick Saks, executive director of Operation Lifeline. “So we’re teaching people construction and nonprofit management.”

The home was also designed with Steve’s disability in mind. Saks pointed out several accommodations built into the home to make daily life easier for the Army veteran.

“Steve is an amputee, and we want to make sure that it’s as easy as possible to get in here, especially we want to make sure that it’s future-proof for him,” Saks said.

Those accommodations include grab bars and a shower bench inside the bathroom.

Much of the home’s furniture and household items were provided through local donations. And when it came time for move-in day, Operation Lifeline made sure the home felt like it belonged to a veteran.

“One of the things that we do whenever we put a veteran in their house is we give them the American flag and then their service flag on the front,” Saks said.

A new beginning

For Steve and Shirley, the moment carries the weight of everything they’ve been through — and the promise of everything ahead.

Saks said Operation Lifeline’s mission isn’t slowing down.

“We’re able to use a special program that they are getting this house mortgage-free,” Saks said, adding that the organization’s goal is to continue helping veterans and people in need throughout the region.

President Emmanuel Macron and Prime Minister Keir Starmer said they would keep planning an international mission to restore maritime security, which Starmer said will be deployed “as soon as conditions allow.” They said military planners will meet in London next week.

Speaking after a gathering of some 50 countries and international organizations, Macron said “we all demand the full, immediate and unconditional reopening of the Strait of Hormuz by all parties.”

As the meeting was underway, U.S. President Donald Trump and Iran’s foreign minister declared the strait open to commercial vessels. Oil prices plunged after Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi posted on X that passage for commercial vessels would remain “completely open” for the duration of a 10-day ceasefire in Lebanon.

Trump in an all-caps social media post said that the U.S. Navy’s blockade of Iranian ships and ports would remain in force “UNTIL SUCH TIME AS OUR TRANSACTION WITH IRAN IS 100% COMPLETE.”

Starmer cautiously welcomed the announcement, but said it must become “both lasting and a workable proposal.”

The Paris meeting is part of attempts by sidelined nations to ease the impact of a conflict they didn’t start and haven’t joined, but that has sent the global economy reeling. Petroleum prices soared after the war started on Feb. 28, when Iran effectively shut the narrow strait through which a fifth of the world’s oil usually passes.

The U.S. is not part of the planning for what has been branded the Strait of Hormuz Maritime Freedom of Navigation Initiative, which Macron said would be “a neutral mission, entirely separate from the belligerents to escort and secure the merchant ships transiting the Gulf.”

Starmer, facing political troubles at home, was greeted by Macron in the courtyard of the Elysee presidential palace on Friday afternoon. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and Italian Premier Giorgia Meloni also attended in person. Others, including the prime ministers of Australia and Canada, the South Korean and Ukrainian presidents and representatives of China and India, joined by video.

Military planning underway

In an echo of the “coalition of the willing” assembled to provide security for Ukraine in the event of a ceasefire in that war, Starmer said that along with France, the U.K. will lead a multinational mission to protect freedom of navigation as soon as conditions allow.

“This will be strictly peaceful and defensive, as a mission to reassure commercial shipping and support mine clearance," he said.

He said more than a dozen countries had agreed to contribute assets, far fewer than in the wider Hormuz coalition.

Britain has discussed using mine-hunting drones, deployed from the ship RFA Lyme Bay.

The war has highlighted the shrunken state of the Royal Navy, which has deployed just one major warship, the destroyer HMS Dragon, to the eastern Mediterranean. France, which has the EU’s most powerful military, has sent its nuclear-powered aircraft carrier to the region, alongside a helicopter carrier and several frigates.

Meloni said she had expressed Italy’s “willingness to make its naval units available," while Merz said Germany could contribute mine clearance and maritime intelligence capabilities to such a mission, but would need parliamentary support and a ″secure legal basis″ such as a U.N. Security Council resolution.

He said Germany, ″if possible, would also like to see the United States of America participate; we believe this would be desirable.″

That's a departure from Macron, who has said the mission will involve countries not involved in the conflict.

Macron's office said roles for members of the coalition could include “intelligence, mine-clearing capabilities, military escorts (and) communication procedures with coastal states.”

Sidharth Kaushal, a research fellow in sea power at the Royal United Services Institute think tank, said mine-clearing and creating a warning system for maritime threats were more likely roles for the coalition than warships escorting commercial tankers through the strait.

“You need huge numbers of vessels for that sort of thing, which nobody has,” he said.

Trump dismisses NATO as ‘paper tiger’

Iran expert Ellie Geranmayeh, deputy head of the Middle East and North Africa program at the European Council on Foreign Relations think tank, said mine-clearing is an area where European countries and their partners could play a role.

“They would be a better party to do this than the United States, because once you have U.S. military doing this and lingering on Iranian shores, it creates a potential arena for Iran and the U.S. to have miscalculations and get back into a sort of military tension,” she said.

The operation is partly a response to Trump, who has berated allies for failing to join the war. The president has called allies “cowards,” said NATO “wasn’t there when we needed them” and telling Britain: “You don’t even have a navy.”

Kaushal said European countries were likely trying “to demonstrate the ability to provide security in a way that’s distinct from, if not completely separate from, the U.S. and which also demonstrates a capacity for independent action.”

“How many states actually have spare capacity to offer to this is a pretty open question.”

Trump appeared dismissive of European offers of help, though he referred to NATO rather than the Franco-British-led coalition.

“Now that the Hormuz Strait situation is over, I received a call from NATO asking if we would need some help. I TOLD THEM TO STAY AWAY, UNLESS THEY JUST WANT TO LOAD UP THEIR SHIPS WITH OIL," he posted on social media.

“They were useless when needed, a Paper Tiger!”

___

Lawless reported from London. Associated Press writer John Leicester in Paris contributed to this report.

The cause of death was not immediately known. A press release from the Grand Ole Opry described it as a sudden illness.

The two-time Grammy Award winner was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame, the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame and the Country Music Hall of Fame. “I will never be able to believe that I deserve this, unless I receive it as a representative of my family, my mentors, my collaborators, my promoters and my friends,” Schlitz said in 2017, when he learned of the Country Music Hall of Fame honor. “That’s the only way I can deal with this.”

Schlitz made his Grand Ole Opry debut in 2017 and was later inducted in 2022. He is the only non-artist to receive the honor in the Opry’s 100 years. The historic venue's Saturday night show will be dedicated in his honor.

He was named ASCAP Country Songwriter of the Year for four consecutive years, from 1988 through 1991. He also wrote music and lyrics for “The Adventures of Tom Sawyer,” the 1999 Broadway musical.

Schlitz's songs are widely considered some of the most unwavering in country music, and have been recorded by such hitmakers as Kenny Rogers (“The Gambler,” “The Greatest”), Randy Travis (“On the Other Hand,” “Forever and Ever, Amen”), The Judds (“I Know Where I’m Going”), The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band (“I Love Only You,”) Tanya Tucker (“I Won’t Take Less Than Your Love,”) Mary Chapin Carpenter (“He Thinks He’ll Keep Her”) and many others.

He also wrote “You Can’t Make Old Friends” for Rogers and Dolly Parton; their first duet since 1983's “Islands in the Stream.”

Schlitz, a North Carolina native, was born in 1952 and raised in Durham before packing his bags and heading to Nashville. His first recorded song, “The Gambler,” is perhaps his most enduring hit and the tent-pole of his legacy. The song, which was recorded by Rogers in 1978 and certified five times platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), opened doors for country music in the '70s, a track that was not only a huge genre hit but also a pop crossover one.

As Rogers said when he inducted Schlitz into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2012, “Don doesn’t just write songs. He writes careers.”

“We are heartbroken by the news of the passing of Don Schlitz. Don loved his family, his home state of North Carolina, and above all, songs and songwriters. He carried that love into every room, every stage and every lyric he ever wrote,” Sarah Trahern, Country Music Association CEO, wrote in a statement Friday. “Not long ago, we shared a dinner, and as we were leaving, Don picked up a guitar and began to play. That is how I will always remember him, smiling and with a guitar in his hand. His legacy lives on through his music and the many artists and writers he inspired. He will be deeply missed.”

“Don Schlitz’s place as a songwriting great would be secure had he never written ‘The Gambler’ or had he only written ‘The Gambler,’” Kyle Young, CEO of the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum, wrote in a statement Friday. “Nashville was richer for his presence and is lesser for his absence.”

Schlitz is survived by his wife Stacey, daughter Cory Dixon and her husband Matt Dixon, son Pete Schlitz and his wife Christian Webb Schlitz, grandchildren Roman, Gia, Isla and Lilah, brother Brad Schlitz and sister Kathy Hinkley.

Alcaraz, ranked No. 2, withdrew from the Barcelona Open in midweek after undergoing a test on his right wrist, and the fourth-ranked Djokovic is nursing a shoulder injury.

On Friday, Alcaraz said it “hurts” to announce that he'll miss the Madrid Open for a second straight year. The tournament starts on Monday.

Alcaraz's withdrawal in Barcelona came a day after he called for a trainer and had his wrist treated during his opening match, a 6-4, 6-2 victory over Otto Virtanen.

Djokovic hasn't competed since the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells. He missed the Miami Open because of a right shoulder injury and also skipped the Monte Carlo Masters.

“Madrid, unfortunately I won’t be able to compete at the Madrid Open this year,” he wrote Friday on his social media accounts. "I’m continuing my recovery in order to be back soon. Hasta pronto!”

Djokovic is a three-time champion in Madrid.

The tournament said in a statement: “We hope to see you back here as soon as possible so we can enjoy your tennis as we have done so many times in the Caja Mágica.”

Alcaraz and Djokovic's next tournaments are the Italian Open and the French Open. Alcaraz won both of those titles last year.

___

AP tennis: https://apnews.com/hub/tennis

Consumer Reports says a little maintenance before grilling season can help your grill run better, last longer, and—most importantly—stay safe to use.

After a long winter, grills can take a beating. Consumer Reports grill expert Paul Hope says maintenance isn’t just about appearances.

It can help prevent bigger problems down the line.

Issues like faulty igniters, leaking gas lines, or clogged burners are often fixable, but they can become serious hazards if ignored.

A good place to start is checking for gas leaks. With the propane tank connected and the valve open, spray the gas line with a mixture of water and dish soap.

If you see bubbles forming, that’s a sign of a leak, and the gas line should be replaced before using the grill.

Another often-overlooked issue is debris inside the grill, including spider webs that can build up over the winter.

Hope warns that if webs are present, lighting the grill could cause them to ignite, creating a potential safety risk.

Once everything looks clear, fire up the grill and take a look at the burners. Blue, even flames are a good sign. Yellow or uneven flames usually mean the burner is clogged.

After turning off the gas and letting the grill cool, you can try clearing the burner holes with something small like a toothpick. If that doesn’t solve the problem, replacing the burners may be necessary.

The igniter is another key component to check. If it’s slow to click, doesn’t click at all, or fails to light the grill, Consumer Reports says it should be replaced right away.

A faulty igniter can allow gas to build up, increasing the risk of a sudden flare-up when ignition finally occurs.

By early morning, cars were backed up for kilometers on the route leading south to the damaged Qasmiyeh bridge over the Litani River, a key crossing linking the southern coastal city of Tyre to the north. Vehicles piled high with mattresses, suitcases and salvaged belongings crept forward through a single reopened lane, hastily repaired after an Israeli airstrike just a day earlier.

Drivers heading back to their villages along coastal highways cheered each other, flashed victory signs and exchanged blessings.

The latest Israel-Hezbollah war displaced more than a million people. Despite warnings from Lebanese officials that they should not immediately attempt to return to their homes, many began moving toward southern Lebanon in the hours after the ceasefire was declared. The truce appeared to be largely holding overnight.

Israel and Hezbollah have fought several wars and have been fighting on and off since the day after the start of the Gaza war. Israel and Lebanon reached a deal to end that war in November 2024, but Israel had kept up near-daily strikes in what it says is an effort to prevent the Iran-backed militant group from regrouping. That escalated into another invasion after Hezbollah again began firing missiles at Israel in response to its war on Iran.

Lebanese return to rubble after intense strikes

In southern villages like Jibsheet, a trickle of residents returned to flattened apartment blocks and streets littered with chunks of concrete, twisted aluminum shutters and dangling electrical wires.

“I feel free being back,” said Zainab Fahas, 23. “But look, they destroyed everything — the square, the houses, the shops, everything.”

Many did not believe that their ordeal was really over.

“Israel doesn’t want peace,” said Ali Wahdan, 27, a medic walking on crutches over the rubble of the emergency services’ headquarters in Jibsheet. He was badly wounded in an Israeli airstrike that hit the building without warning during the first week of the war.

“I wish it were different," he said. “But this war will continue.”

In the neighborhood of Haret Hreik in Beirut’s southern suburb, entire buildings had been reduced to rubble after weeks of intense Israeli strikes. Ahmad Lahham, 48, waved the yellow Hezbollah flag standing on a mountain of rubble that used to be his apartment building, which had also housed a branch of Hezbollah’s financial arm, Al-Qard Al-Hassan.

“We are at the service of the fighters," said Lahham, pledging his loyalty to the group.

He praised Iran, saying Tehran's pressure in its talks with the U.S. led to the truce, and condemned Lebanon’s direct talks with Israel.

“Only the Iranians stood with us, no one else,” he said, calling Lebanon’s leaders “the leadership of shame.”

A local government official in Haret Hreik said Israel struck the neighborhood 62 times over the last six weeks.

“We’ve been able to clear up the rubble of the partially damaged buildings, but for those destroyed, we will need special equipment,” Sadek Slim, the neighborhood’s deputy mayor, told a press briefing.

The area was gridlocked with traffic, with people coming back to check on their homes and Hezbollah supporters zooming on scooters, waving the group’s flag. Cars packed with families, with their possessions strapped to the roof or bursting from open trunks, were sitting in traffic for hours Friday afternoon on the highway south as a dust storm filled the air. Aid workers passed out much-needed bottles of water to those stuck in traffic.

Wounded continued to arrive at a hospital

Meanwhile, in Al-Najda al Shaabiya Hospital in the southern Lebanese city of Nabatiyeh, officials said Thursday was one of the heaviest days of Israeli strikes since this latest Israel-Hezbollah war began.

Hospital Director Mona Abou Zeid said the wounded continued arriving from nearby Israeli strikes until around an hour after the ceasefire took effect at midnight.

Among those wounded in the bombardment on Nabatiyeh Thursday was 33-year-old Mahmoud Sahmarani, who said he stepped outside his home to buy some charcoal for his shisha water pipe when an Israeli strike hit his five-story building, killing his father and cousin as they were peeling potatoes for lunch. All that remains of his apartment is rubble, leaving him and the rest of his family homeless.

“Israel should have withdrawn from Lebanon,” he said from his hospital bed, his left eye swollen shut and his head swaddled in bandages. “If we don’t get them out, they will continue to kill us.”

Many still hesitant to go home

In downtown Beirut, tents still line some areas as some families begin to leave, while others wait, weighing the risks of returning south.

A tricycle piled with mattresses weaves through the camp, signaling the first departures after a fragile ceasefire.

“Our homes in the south are gone, destroyed,” said Ali Balhas, from Siddiqeen town in the Tyre province. “Israel is deceptive. You never really know its policies or how it will act toward people."

“I have six children here, and I can’t leave that quickly. Once there is more safety, we will try to take the children and go back" to our village he said.

Amira Ayyash, a woman from Qaaqaiat al-Jisr in the Nabatiyeh province, decided to wait and assess the situation before returning home.

“We do not know at what hour they might strike us, for they are treacherous. So we decided to take it slowly,” she said.

Ahmad Ramadan, 42, a father of three stuck in the bottleneck, said he initially planned to wait out the ceasefire at his cousin’s now-crowded apartment in Beirut. But the desire to see what had become of his house in the southern city of Tyre overcame him.

“We are going to check on our house, just quickly, and come back. We just need to know if there’s damage,” he said. “Even if we’re waiting for hours here it’s worth knowing what happened.”

It wasn’t the Iran war, nor the partial government shutdown over Department of Homeland Security funding. He was focused on a monumental issue of a different kind, hoisting artist renderings of the $400 million White House ballroom he’s building, complete with hand-carved “top-of-the-line” Corinthian columns.

“I’m so busy that I don’t have time to do this. I’m fighting wars and other things,” Trump said before extensively detailing plans for “the greatest ballroom anywhere in the world.”

His divided attention has become a Democratic point of attack and a concern for some Republicans who worry he’s not spending enough time on issues that voters care most about ahead of November’s midterm races.

The contrast was on full display Thursday, when, as Trump flew to Las Vegas to discuss tax cuts for Americans earning tips, his administration was pushing ahead with another of his splashy projects: Plans to build a 250-foot Triumphal Arch near the Lincoln Memorial replete with a Lady Liberty-like statue and a pair of golden eagles.

The president’s ability to speak to the concerns of working people has always seemed incongruous with his biography as a billionaire real estate developer. Yet his populist policies and emphasis on the economy during his 2024 campaign helped catapult him back to the White House.

Republican strategist Rick Tyler noted that, when Trump first ran for president in 2016, his wealth was a selling point.

“While other people, like Mitt Romney, played down how rich he was, Trump was giving free helicopter rides at the Iowa State Fair,” Tyler said. “People loved it.”

Still, Trump’s preoccupation with some of the gilded trappings of the presidency, as more Americans worry about bills, has drawn accusations that he’s a modern-day Marie Antoinette.

“‘Fighting wars’ and surging gas prices, yet Trump has time to brag about his billionaire backed ballroom,” Sen. Andy Kim, a New Jersey Democrat, responded on X to Trump’s Air Force One presentation.

Democratic California Gov. Gavin Newsom, a potential 2028 presidential hopeful, has been more direct in comparing Trump to the last queen before the French Revolution, who has come to embody extravagant opulence — even posting an AI-generated image of Trump's face on her body on social media.

“TRUMP ‘MARIE ANTOINETTE’ SAYS, ‘NO HEALTH CARE FOR YOU PEASANTS, BUT A BALLROOM FOR THE QUEEN!’” Newsom wrote in October 2025, at the start of last fall's 43-day government shutdown.

White House says Trump's success benefits all Americans

Asked about opponents invoking Marie Antoinette, White House spokesman Davis Ingle said Trump “is going to go down in history as the most successful and consequential president in our lifetime.”

“His successes on behalf of the American people will be imprinted upon the fabric of America and will be felt by every other White House that comes after him," Ingle said in a statement.

The president faced similar critiques during his first term. But lately he's been unabashed about accusations he’s disconnected from Americans' worries about high costs, which could leave Republicans with an uphill battle to retain control of Congress.

Republicans have been loath to question Trump, though notably there has been little criticism of a federal judge’s ruling that work on the project must stop until it has congressional approval. The GOP-controlled House and Senate also haven’t prioritized legislation to move the ballroom project forward.

“I’m not much into architecture,” Republican Sen. John Kennedy of Louisiana said last fall.

About two-thirds of Americans said Trump is “out of touch” with the concerns of most people in the United States today, according to an ABC News/Washington Post/Ipsos poll from February, though the same percentage said the same about the Democratic Party.

Presidents are usually removed from voters, separated by layers of security and surrounded by adoring subordinates. In her book “Why Presidents Fail And How They Can Succeed Again,” Elaine Kamarck argues that presidents get too focused on their own political narratives rather than the public's concerns. Yet, when it comes to Trump, “All of this stuff is frankly unique to him.”

She pointed to the ballroom as well as Trump's other White House renovations, soon adding his signature to paper currency and renaming the Kennedy Center after himself.

“It's a reflection, I think, of his own background as a businessman and somebody who made his fortune selling his name," said Kamarck, who worked in Bill Clinton’s White House.

While Trump focuses on the ballroom and other Washington projects, some public work projects in other parts of the country have languished.

Joe Meyer, the former mayor of Covington, Kentucky, spent years pushing for critical improvements to the Brent Spence Bridge connecting his town with Cincinnati, a project listed as a top federal priority dating back to Trump's first administration.

Federal funds for improvements were approved under President Joe Biden but held up by a Trump-ordered review. Work is now finally set to begin later this year, though delays will likely limit design options and slow the project, Meyer said.

“The ballroom is Washington inside-baseball,” Meyer said. “The bridge is just a wreck. It’s frustration that we’ve been dealing with forever.”

A $100 tip and a golden tractor

Trumpeting new tax deductions for tips, Trump staged ordering McDonald's to the Oval Office — which he has adorned with gold flourishes — and tipped the grandmother making the delivery $100. When she described large medical bills from her husband’s cancer treatments, Trump said she should bring him to an upcoming UFC fight on the White House lawn.

When hundreds of farmers were invited to the White House for an agricultural policy speech, they stood on the South Lawn beside a tractor that had been painted gold. It drizzled, but Trump stayed dry, addressing them from a covered second-floor balcony.

“You don’t mind rain,” the president told the farmers below.

He then flew to Miami for a conference of Saudi investors who, the president noted, were too rich to be impressed by U.S. families scrounging to save up $5,000.

“I know they’re looking like, ‘What the hell is $5,000?’" Trump joked. "Their shoes cost them more than $5,000."

When asked in February, meanwhile, for his message to young people wanting to buy a home, Trump replied: “Save a little longer. Wait a little longer."

Members of the Cabinet have also fed the perception that Trump's promised “ Golden Age ” may not be arriving for everyone. Health Secretary Robert Kennedy Jr. advised Americans to buy liver instead of beef.

“If you go and buy a steak, it’s still pretty expensive. But if you buy the cheaper cuts, it’s great meat. And it is very, very affordable. Or liver, or, you know, all these alternatives,” he told podcast host Joe Rogan.

Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins said people could still afford meals consisting of “a piece of chicken, a piece of broccoli, corn tortilla and one other thing.”

Texas-based Republican consultant Brendan Steinhauser said he thinks that Trump “can kind of get away with" building a ballroom because voters have come to expect that from him as a brash dealmaker and businessman.

But Steinhauser said he worries that dramatic increases in gas prices and a potentially weakening economy could resonate with voters. Ahead of the midterms, Steinhauser said, Democrats could score points “trying to make it more about Trump and his oligarch friends.”

___

Associated Press writers Linley Sanders in Washington and Ali Swenson in New York contributed to this report.

About one out of five people visit the ER each year. But doctors say many of those injuries didn’t have to happen. First: don’t ever let kids around water unsupervised. Drowning is the number one cause of death in children ages one to four years old!

Also, put your device down when driving!

“We see a lot of impaired driving or distracted driving,” said Dr. Jason Milk, Medical Director of the Hillcrest Emergency Department at Cleveland Clinic.

Looking at your phone for five seconds while going 55 miles per hour means you’re traveling the length of a football field with your eyes off the road.

E-bikes and scooters are also driving a surge in ER visits. Injuries from e-bikes doubled every year in a recent study, and e-scooter injuries jumped 45%.

Also in the kitchen, slow down and be careful. Don’t look away or chop too fast. Bagels and avocados are big culprits for cutting accidents.

Also, use caution with hot tubs and saunas. Doctors say extreme heat can cause a fast drop in blood pressure and the CDC warns diuretics and some blood pressure and mental health meds can lead to dizziness, fainting and dangerous falls.

“Especially elderly population that have health comorbidities that are on a lot of different medications,” explained Milk.

Adults over 65 face some of the highest rates of heat-related er visits each year making prevention and awareness critical.

Here’s some reassuring news: only about 11% of ER visits result in a hospital stay. That means nearly nine out of 10 patients are treated and release.

Sánchez and Lula have been outspoken in their criticism of the decision by the U.S. and Israel to attack Iran that has caused energy prices to soar. Both spoke in favor of peace, while not naming U.S. President Donald Trump, who has threatened both with punitive tariffs in the past, during a one-hour news conference after their summit.

“We want to double our efforts to work for peace and for a reinforced multilateral order. While others open wounds, we want to mend them and cure them,” Sánchez told reporters.

Sánchez’s government declared its airspace closed to U.S. planes being used in the Iran war, and said it is not allowing the U.S. to use jointly operated military bases in southern Spain for actions related to the war. Earlier this week, Lula released a video message expressing “deep solidarity” with Pope Leo XIV following public criticisms made by Trump after the pontiff slammed the Iran war.

Lula and Sánchez are among the few progressive leaders who have withstood a shift to the right and remain popular in their countries while defending multilateral agreements, human rights, environmental protections and gender equality — all bugaboos of Trump, Lula's neighbor in Argentina, Javier Milei, and Europe's far right.

The meetings come amid a busy week for Sánchez, who just returned from meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping, his fourth trip to Beijing in just over three years.

Lula and Sánchez, along with ministers from their cabinets, signed 15 agreements ranging from trade and satellite connections to the exploitation of rare earths needed for industry when they met inside a former royal palace in Barcelona.

Their bilateral meeting was a prelude for Saturday's double dose of gatherings when Lula and Sánchez confer with other leaders inside a sprawling conference center in Spain’s second city.

“Brazil and Spain are side by side in the trenches together,” Lula said. “We are an example that it is possible to find solutions to problems without giving into the empty promises of extremism.”

In that vein, Lula said that the aim for Saturday was to discuss how “democracy must go beyond just voting and bring real benefits to people’s lives.”

A growing group

The first gathering on Saturday is the IV Meeting in Defense of Democracy. The event was launched by Brazil and Spain in 2024 as a forum to exchange ideas aimed at combating the “extremism, polarization and misinformation” that undermines participatory democracy, the organizers say. The first two editions of this event were held at the United Nations and the previous one was in Santiago, Chile, last year.

This edition will include the presence of European Council President António Costa, Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, Colombian President Gustavo Petro, and the leaders of other countries from Uruguay and Lithuania to Ghana and Albania.

“If the president of Mexico and South Africa are coming, that means our group is growing,¨ Lula said about how he sees the tide could be turning to favor progressive and middle-of-the-road political parties.

Sheinbaum’s participation comes after Spain’s King Felipe VI ironed out a longstanding diplomatic dispute regarding Spain’s colonial past when he recently acknowledged the Spanish conquest of the Americas had led to the “abuse” of native peoples.

Rallying the Left

Many of the leaders from the first event will stay put for the inaugural Global Progressive Mobilization, a gathering of left-leaning politicians and policymakers, being held at the same venue later on Saturday. The format was launched after Sánchez and former Swedish Prime Minister Stefan Löfven, who is now president of the Party of European Socialists political grouping, discussed the idea at a meeting of European Socialists last year.

Sánchez and Lula will both give speeches at the event, which is expected to have 3,000 attendees, including U.S. Democratic Sen. Chris Murphy, and feature round tables dedicated to issues ranging from wage inequality to how to improve election results for progressives.

Middle powers mingle

Pol Morillas, director of the Barcelona-based foreign affairs think tank CIDOB, said that the gatherings are meant to be a show of force by traditional democratic leaders who have seen how the populist far-right has successfully forwarded its messages of anti-migration and economic nationalism through international gatherings.

Morillas also sees the meetings in the context of the speech by Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney that shook the Davos economic forum in January on the importance of so-called “middle powers” seeking out new strategies to deal with a world of aggressive superpowers.

Lula, Sánchez and other leaders at the events “share the understanding that the world is not just for the great powers,” Morillas told The Associated Press.

____

AP writers Megan Janetsky in Mexico City and Mauricio Savarese in Sao Paulo, Brazil, contributed.

The event will run from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at 6817 Southpoint Parkway, suites 1201 and 1202. Admission and services are free.

The fair is being held in memory of Mitchell “Kevin” Woodall, the late husband of physician assistant Ne’Tosha Dopson-Woodall at Agape.

Free services will include:

• Blood pressure checks
• Diabetes screenings
• HIV testing
• Hepatitis C testing
• Mental health screenings

Organizers say there will also be free food and drinks, games and family-friendly activities. Vendor space is available, and event organizers are seeking sponsors and donations to support the community event and showcase local businesses.

For more information or to reserve a booth, call (904) 661-1592.

Kosovo's Parliament on Friday overwhelmingly approved in a 89-0 vote an earlier government decision to send the troops to the International Stabilization Force under a U.S.-backed initiative following the ceasefire between Israel and Hamas last year.

The ISF is yet to deploy to help maintain peace and assist in rebuilding Gaza under U.S. President Donald Trump's Board of Peace, which Kosovo has joined. Indonesia, Albania and Kazakhstan are among other countries that have promised to participate in ISF.

In Kosovo, contributing to the international force is seen as proof of how far the country has come after declaring independence from Serbia in 2008, a split which Belgrade still does not recognize.

Belgrade's brutal crackdown on Kosovo's separatist rebels prompted a NATO intervention in 1999 that forced the Serb troops out of the territory and paved the way for the peacekeepers' deployment under a KFOR mission.

"Our country has been a security consumer, meaning NATO countries have contributed to the security of the Republic of Kosovo," Defense Minister Ejup Maqedonci told The Associated Press. “Today we are entering a phase where we are becoming a provider, or exporter, of security.”

Maqedonci said the Kosovo contingent will consist of several dozen officers, including from demining units. The troops will be tasked with providing humanitarian support, security assistance and other duties determined by the mandate of the Gaza force, Maqedonci added.

“We are currently in the final preparations phase," Maqedonci said. He said a U.S. representative has helped with the preparation, including vaccination of troops, issuing of visas and other technical arrangements.

Kosovo currently has a security force of some 4,000 personnel that is being trained to become a small, professional military aligned with NATO.

Musician Milot Hoxha, 43, hailed the plan to participate in the Gaza mission.

“We ourselves have gone through such a transition and every small help for us has been very significant,” he said. "I believe it will be the same for them, that any kind of help will be positive. I strongly support this decision.”

Tensions with Serbia have been simmering ever since the war, with occasional violent incidents. The European Union has mediated negotiations aimed at normalizing relations between Belgrade and Pristina but these efforts have stalled recently.

The United States and most EU countries have recognized Kosovo as an independent state, while Russia and China have backed Serbia's claim on the territory.

Verstappen has been the most vocal critic of the 2026 cars' reliance on electrical power and the compromises it forces drivers to make on track. He's even suggested it could be his last season in F1.

Russell is an old rival of Verstappen and has his best shot yet at the title thanks to Mercedes' strong start to the season. He trails teammate Kimi Antonelli by nine points ahead of the Miami Grand Prix in two weeks.

“Formula 1’s bigger than any driver. You wouldn’t want to lose Max because I think we all enjoy racing against Max,” Russell said Friday, and suggested some of Verstappen's criticism might be because he and Red Bull aren't among the title contenders.

“The complaints that he has currently are different to the complaints of Mercedes, Ferrari, and McLaren because we’re at the front end of the grid.”

Russell said Verstappen's interest in forays into other events like endurance sportscar racing might be linked to having “not really much more for him to achieve” in F1.

“My goal now is to become a Formula 1 world champion. If I had four of them (titles) under my belt, I’d probably be doing the same," Russell said. "He’s in a very different stage of his career and I think you’d understand if he stayed and you’d understand if you went.”

Russell eyes changes

Russell said potential rule changes have been a focus for him during the unexpected mid-season break caused when the races in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia were called off.

Russell wants to bring back a “flat-out” feel to qualifying with less need to lift off the throttle and generate electrical power and says that's helped by an improved relationship between the drivers and the governing body, the FIA.

“The FIA have been in a lot of comms with a handful of drivers, and that’s been collective. And at least from the FIA technical standpoint, it’s probably the closest relationship we’ve had with them in numerous years, so that’s very positive to see,” he said.

Antonelli shrugs off pressure

After winning two of the opening three races and becoming F1's youngest standings leader, it's all about keeping the momentum going for Antonelli.

The 19-year-old Italian has been working on his fitness and says he feels more relaxed than he did in his rookie season last year.

“Obviously, George is super strong and competitors will get closer, so I just need to keep doing what I’m doing, just trying to raise the bar little by little,” he said.

Being the first Italian in 20 years to win an F1 race means a lot more attention back home, but Antonelli says it won't affect him.

“I am aware of obviously the increase of support and following after, especially my first wins, which has been very nice to see. But I don’t feel more pressure,” he said Friday. “I know expectations from people are higher now because obviously I’m coming off two wins and from a strong start of the season. But at the end of the day I keep my focus on the process, on what I have to do.”

___

AP auto racing: https://apnews.com/hub/auto-racing

The festival ran from April 10-12 featuring more than 100 performers across genres from rap and R&B to neo-soul, drum and bass, garage, house and indie rock. Headliners include Earl Sweatshirt, The Alchemist, Zack Fox & UWAY, Navy Blue, MAVI, Rae Khalil, Liv.e, Chanpan, redveil and Pink Siifu, with Ovrkast., Kelly Moonstone, Cleo Reed and Chuck Strangers among others.

Those national acts shared bills with Florida-based artists and collectives, including 00JORDIE, Machina Records, Flozigg, Mijita, The Nancys, Buboy, Camp Blu, Cannibal Kids, Jolt Radio and Jacksonville artist Nikayla and the phuNk

The art block featured live paintings from Jacksonville artists like Metamorphvic.

Click through the gallery above.

The festival spread across a downtown footprint with eight stages — three outdoor stages and five venue stages — letting ticketholders move among performances at longtime Gainesville music anchors. Programming also includes a film screening from Miami’s Subtropic Film Festival, visual art installations, live painting and screen printing, fashion shows featuring Florida designers, a car show, panel discussions on art and activism, interactive workshops, a surprise parade and a full schedule of circus and aerialist performances.

What began as an independent record label and a series of silent discos evolved into How Bazar, a brick-and-mortar event space and shop that brought artisan makers, performances and workshops across Florida last year in an effort to unite the state’s creative communities.

“A lot of the national and touring artists on the lineup are friends who often collaborate with each other, so this creates an energy much like a summer camp or a family reunion. We want everyone attending Big to feel that kind of comfort, friendliness and openness to connect with other people,” Laila Fakhoury said, a co-producer of the event. “We also worked really hard to represent cities across Florida with our artist line-up. Since Florida can feel like a forgotten state in terms of artists rarely touring here, this feels like a great opportunity to elevate and uplift Florida talent.”

A small team led by Fakhoury and Jahi Khalfani said the festival aims to be a sustainable, Florida-based staple that helps build community and support creative economies across the state.

“Big represents a continuation of growth and progression of a vision that has been really intentional from day one: we want to build this into a sustainable, Florida-based staple,” Fakhoury said. “We’ve built trust and a reputation with our communities, and people are pouring themselves back into this project, ultimately creating a positive economy that we hope can support creatives in Florida and beyond.”

Victor Wembanyama has met every expectation. Except, perhaps, his own.

He came to the San Antonio Spurs three years ago as the No. 1 draft pick and hoping to lead a revitalization, one where a perennial title contender that got stuck in a rebuilding cycle would finally rise again. So far, so good — the Spurs just finished their best season in a decade, going 62-20.

And now, the really good stuff — the playoffs — awaits.

“How ready? As ready as you can be,” Wembanyama said when asked about his level of preparation for his first look at the NBA postseason. “These moments, it’s really what you work on all year, but also your whole career. We’re dreaming of playoffs as kids before we come here.”

History says these second-seeded Spurs, who open the Western Conference playoffs at home against No. 7 Portland on Sunday night, could be poised to make a deep run.

Of the other 15 clubs in franchise history that finished with a winning percentage of .700 or better, 14 won at least one playoff series, 10 made the NBA’s final four, six went to the NBA Finals and five won championships.

The core then: Gregg Popovich as coach, leading names like Tim Duncan, Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili. The core now: Mitch Johnson as coach, leading names like Stephon Castle, De’Aaron Fox and Wembanyama — who seems to make all things possible.

“He’s embraced the city and the city’s embraced him, the stepping foot into the community,” Johnson said. “And it’s been genuine and it’s been authentic. ... It's pretty cool to witness upfront.”

To say Wembanyama — who is at least 7-foot-4, and somehow has other 7-foot men in the NBA gawking about how tall he seems — is unique is somehow an understatement. How many other 21-year-olds in the NBA draw headlines for spending part of their summers at a Buddhist temple (as he did last summer) as part of basketball training, bring books to read at the All-Star Game (to the disbelief of some fellow All-Stars) and can show off math skills during press conferences (as he did of late while debating the NBA's 65-game rule)?

Not many.

“He's unique,” Spurs forward Harrison Barnes said, knowing he was stating the obvious.

Wembanyama’s numbers this season: 1,600 points, 736 rebounds, 199 assists, 197 blocked shots, 122 3-pointers. Nobody in NBA history has ever finished a season with those totals, and the blocked shots are the biggest factor in why he stands alone there.

So, take the blocks out. Grade him in history on points, rebounds, assists and 3s for a season. Do that, and here's the full list of players to reach his totals in just those categories in one season: Dirk Nowitzki, Kevin Love, Russell Westbrook, DeMarcus Cousins, Karl-Anthony Towns (twice), Nikola Vucevic, Julius Randle and Nikola Jokic. That's it.

“He's a 7-5 guy that can handle the ball, shoot, guard the rim, guard the perimeter, all the little things,” said Portland coach Tiago Splitter, who went to the NBA Finals as a player on some of the great San Antonio teams and was part of the Spurs' most recent championship in 2014. “It's not a secret. He's a very good player.”

Oddsmakers say San Antonio is the second choice behind only defending champion Oklahoma City — the West's No. 1 seed — to win the NBA title. That means there is an expectation, and a realistic one, that Wembanyama's playoff debut might not just be a smashing success but might wind up bringing the ultimate success.

He was rookie of the year two years ago. He was on his way to winning defensive player of the year last season before his year got cut short by a diagnosis of deep vein thrombosis. He's eligible for all the big NBA awards this season, and basketball fans seem like they simply cannot get enough info about everything he does.

Now, the NBA's biggest stage awaits San Antonio's biggest star. He's played for Olympic gold before, so he knows what extremely high-stakes basketball is like, but his first chance to compete for an NBA championship is finally here.

“I can’t really help but dream about it, of course,” Wembanyama said. “But we have to stay grounded, stay in the moment. And before even thinking about Game 1, I have to think about showing up the right way. Practice, doing all my stuff, preparing, being locked in on the scouts. But yeah, I dream about it every day.”

___

AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/NBA

In fact, temperatures will come close to record levels. The record high at Jacksonville International Airport is 93 degrees set in 1967.

Temperatures will remain well above normal this weekend with highs in the 80s and 90s. Each day will feature plenty of sunshine. The fire weather threat will remain elevated in part due to the dry ground, low humidity and a breeze. Exercise extreme caution if you will be outdoors and make sure to follow any burn ban in place.

A front will move across our area late Sunday through Monday. However, the rain associated with the front will fall apart and not make it into our area. Temperatures will drop back into the 70s on Monday and Tuesday. It will be breezy as well.

This will keep the fire weather threat elevated due to the breeze, dry ground and lower humidity.

Speaking of rainfall, the rainfall outlook is not good news for our area. Over the next seven days, little or no rain is expected, and we certainly need any rain that we can get due to the worsening drought over our area.

Regarding the drought, the latest drought monitor reflects the overall pattern over the past few months. Most of our area remains in an extreme drought. An exceptional drought classification has been expanded to include more of our area.

TODAY: Mostly Sunny. High 92, Low 61.

SATURDAY: Mostly Sunny. High 93, Low 63.

SUNDAY: Partly to Mostly Cloudy. High 89, Low 56.

MONDAY: Sun & Clouds. Breezy. High 73, Low 54.

TUESDAY: Partly Cloudy. Breezy. High 77, Low 56.

WEDNESDAY: Abundant Sunshine. High 80, Low 58.

Friday, students and staff are expected to gather for a moment of silence at noon, marking one year since the shooting that shook the Tallahassee campus.

The university will pause for a moment of silence honoring Robert Morales and Tiru Chabba, who were killed during the attack. Both were employees at FSU.

Student leaders are also creating a space along Legacy Walk where people can leave flowers, write messages and reflect throughout the day.

But beyond remembrance, the past year has brought a series of changes — and new questions.

Safety changes

University officials say they have strengthened safety measures in the months since the shooting, focusing on response and preparedness.

Those changes include increased police presence, expanded emergency alert systems and additional training for students and staff on how to respond in an active threat situation.

At the state level, lawmakers have also pushed for new policies aimed at preventing similar incidents, including proposals to expand Florida’s Guardian Program to colleges and universities.

Where the case stands

The accused gunman, identified as Phoenix Ikner, was taken into custody the day of the shooting after being shot by police.

Prosecutors have since moved forward with charges and say they plan to seek the death penalty.

The case has faced delays, with the trial now scheduled for October 2026.

In the months leading up to that trial, new evidence and records have continued to surface, offering a clearer look at the investigation and the response that day.

New details from records

According to records from the State Attorney’s Office, the accused gunman exchanged more than 13,000 messages with ChatGPT over more than a year.

Those conversations included topics ranging from personal struggles and relationships to questions about weapons, school shootings and how similar attacks are covered in the media.

In one exchange, just hours before the shooting, records show he asked how the country might react if a shooting happened at Florida State University.

Records also show he asked about the busiest times on campus and questions related to firearms — details that are now part of an ongoing review into what led up to the attack.

Court records indicate authorities are still examining whether the attack was planned in advance, and what role, if any, those online interactions may have played.

An OpenAI spokesperson said the company identified an account believed to be connected to the suspect and shared that information with law enforcement after the shooting.

Earlier this month, Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier launched an investigation into OpenAI, the parent company of ChatGPT. He says he’s concerned about the potential harm its artificial intelligence products might pose to minors.

Trump has been hostile to renewable energy, instead promoting fossil fuels that he says are essential to American energy dominance. The Associated Press and Grist collaborated on a project to analyze how federal policy changes on energy are affecting farmers.

They found that two programs critical for renewable energy growth — a rural-focused initiative called REAP and a clean energy tax credit — have been sharply rolled back. In the fiscal year that started Oct. 1, they found that the U.S. Department of Agriculture hasn’t awarded a single dollar in rural energy grants or loan guarantees.

___

EDITOR’S NOTE: This story is a collaboration between Grist and The Associated Press.

___

Some takeaways from their reporting:

A longstanding renewable energy program is gutted

Through the Rural Energy for America Program, or REAP, the USDA issues grants and loans to farmers, ranchers, and rural businesses interested in renewable energy — like installing solar to lower utility costs. REAP has backed tens of thousands of renewable energy and efficiency projects, with grants totaling more than $1.8 billion, since it began nearly two decades ago.

The program was supercharged by funding from the Inflation Reduction Act in 2022, and had bipartisan support up until then.

But the Grist-AP analysis of USDA data found the program hasn't committed a single dollar in renewable energy development since September. It has never reopened REAP’s grant application cycle though it said it would do so last October. Its loan guarantee program — geared toward larger farm and rural business projects — has remained open, but the analysis found that the agency has awarded no new agreements this fiscal year.

And on March 31, the USDA announced a suspension of all REAP grant awards so it could update regulations to comply with a Trump executive order issued in July.

A USDA spokesperson said the suspension was temporary but didn't say for how long.

A tax credit begun under Bush is tightened, killing projects

The Energy Policy Act of 2005, signed by President George W. Bush, enacted a 30% investment tax credit for large-scale clean energy projects, boosting the solar industry. The tax credit was extended for eight years under President Obama and later extended under Trump in 2020.

When President Joe Biden signed the 2022 landmark climate bill, the tax credit was extended again through 2032 or when specific emissions targets were reached. But under Trump’s tax bill passed by Congress last year, the timeline for getting credits was moved up. Now, commercial solar projects have to be under construction by July 2026 and in service by the end of 2027 to be eligible for the credit.

The Grist-AP analysis found at least 126 solar projects proposed since 2024 — all of them on or near farmland — are awaiting regulatory approval. Together the projects would supply about 20 gigawatts of renewable electricity, enough to power about 4.5 million homes.

Some developers are abandoning projects because they say they can't meet the deadlines.

What all this means for farmers

Daniel Bell, a Kentucky sheep farmer, is earning extra money by running his flock on land owned by a commercial solar operation. The sheep keep the grass down beneath solar arrays. With an expanding flock, now he needs a new barn, and he wanted to power it with rooftop solar — only to find that the Trump administration had effectively stopped the grants that would have made it possible on his own property.

Bell said for him it's an issue of the freedom to do what he wants in a way that lowers his bills.

Robert Bonnie, who was undersecretary for farm production and conservation at the USDA under the Biden administration, said the retreat from funding renewables will be felt throughout rural America. Part of the USDA’s role has been to invest in rural areas while making rural prosperity part of the climate agenda.

“In places like Iowa and Texas, renewables matter, not just for additional power, and lower power bills, and clean energy, but also matters for farmers’ pocketbooks,” said Bonnie. “Anything you do to pull back on that is hugely problematic.”

___

The Associated Press’ climate and environmental coverage receives financial support from multiple private foundations. AP is solely responsible for all content. Find AP’s standards for working with philanthropies, a list of supporters and funded coverage areas at AP.org.

Tusk was speaking on Friday in the Polish parliament, before a parliamentary vote to overrule Nawrocki who had rejected regulations of the Polish crypto-asset market. Nawrocki has vetoed two separate attempts by the liberal government to regulate this market in the past six months.

Tusk claimed that the blocking of regulations by some Polish politicians indicated they were serving the interests of a specific company, Zondacrypto, which had in the past provided them with financial support and which had links with Russia.

“The source of this company’s financial success is not only Russian money linked to the so-called Bratva, one of the most important mafia groups in Russia, but also to Russian secret services,” Tusk said in his parliament speech.

Tusk said Zondacrypto at the same time “sponsors political and social events in Poland and promotes very specific political forces,” including by financing politicians of the formerly governing Law and Justice as well as of the far-right Confederation.

Tusk also said that Zondacrypto had been a strategic sponsor of a meeting of The Conservative Political Action Conference, the United States’ premier conservative gathering, in Rzeszow, eastern Poland, in March 2025. That meeting took place just five days before presidential elections in Poland which were a tight confrontation between a candidate of Tusk's liberal camp and Nawrocki, backed by Law and Justice.

During that meeting, Kristi Noem, then the U.S. homeland secretary, described the liberal candidate as “an absolute train wreck of a leader” and Nawrocki, who was attending the CPAC meeting, as someone who would lead Poland in a style similar to Trump.

“We need you to elect the right leader,” Noem, a prominent Trump ally, said in a speech at the event. “You will be the leaders that will turn Europe back to conservative values.”

Tusk also said that, when deciding to veto the new crypto regulations, Nawrocki was “fully aware” of all the details concerning Zondacrypto.

In response to Tusk's accusations, Zbigniew Bogucki, the head of the president's office, said Nawrocki was not opposed to the need to regulate the crypto-assets market but just to the “flawed regulatory model” proposed by the government.

Confederation leader Sławomir Mentzen said the new legislation would have “destroyed the Polish cryptocurrency market."

The government says the new regulations are meant to bring Poland in compliance with European Union rules on crypto-assets.

Zondacrypto did not reply to questions from AP about Tusk's accusations but it told Polish media earlier this week it was cooperating with Polish authorities investigating accusations against it.

“For me, it didn't make sense to think about it or waste time thinking about,” Rahm said Thursday after opening with seven birdies in his round of 6-under 65 at LIV Golf Mexico, leaving him three shots behind Victor Perez of France at Chapultepec Golf Club.

“Since everything happened so suddenly and so quickly, I wasn’t very worried about it because normally, before the rumors start, we already know something — there’s always someone within the league who knows something,” he said. “It happened so fast that I really didn’t worry about it.”

Speculation was running rampant on Wednesday the main source of funding — Saudi Arabia's sovereign wealth fund — was on the verge of drying up. The LIV chief executive, Scott O'Neil, sent a memo to staff the 2026 season would proceed without interruption and at “full throttle.”

Questions remained whether that would last beyond the end of the year.

There was a power outage at the course on Tuesday, fueling speculation about the league's future. And then the streaming of the first round went out for about two hours.

O'Neil sat down with LIV's broadcast team and remained bullish about the future.

“Given the momentum of this business, we’re really excited about where we are and the position where we are,” O'Neil said.

He said he met with 50 people at the Masters and rolled out a plan that “might surprise people.” LIV Golf has said some of its metrics such as ticket sales and team sponsorships have increased, and O'Neil is projecting 10 of the 13 teams and four of the 14 events will be profitable.

But there is a substantial cost involved with prize funds ($30 million for each tournament) and operations. The newsletter Money in Sport reported in February that LIV Golf already had spent $5.3 billion and was projected to surpass $6 billion by the end of the year.

“This notion of bringing teams to market, I had two calls this morning,” O'Neil said on the LIV broadcast. “This notion of, ‘Do you have to raise money?’ Probably this is business. But if we keep the trajectory going the way we are and the revenue growth going, this is going to be a really good business for a really long time.”

___

AP golf: https://apnews.com/hub/golf

A $3 million state investment announced Thursday will fund programs focused on small business support, workforce training, food access, healthcare, and youth crime prevention in District 10.

Standing just steps away from where that tragedy unfolded, leaders called the investment long overdue.

“This has never been done before, because this has never been done Councilwoman Ju’Coby Pittman said.

State Rep. Wyman Duggan (R-Duval County) said the funding, included in the governor’s budget, is designed to stay local — going directly to organizations already working in the community.

“We made sure those dollars go directly to the local organizations that already know what’s needed and or already doing the critical hard work. That’s who should be making the call”, Duggan said. “This money stays home.”

Officials say about $2 million of the funding will go toward five key areas:

• health and social wellness
• affordable housing and economic development
• education and workforce training
• infrastructure
• small business support

The remaining $1 million will be used for youth prevention programs.

Leaders say that $2 million investment alone could generate more than $5 million in economic impact through jobs, food access, and expanded opportunities.

But questions remain about how that money will actually be distributed — and which businesses will benefit.

News4Jax’s reporter Briana Brownlee asked Councilwoman Pittman how those businesses are selected and who gets access to the funding.

“I have funding from my colleagues, that they voted on several years ago, since I’ve been in office every year, and I just add to that. So those businesses have been identified as a source of leverage for the money that we have. They were selected, like Holly’s BBQ, we are also looking at Families of Slain Children, nonprofits, that need and for-profit businesses that need support fixing up their businesses on the outside.”

For Pittman, the investment is about more than numbers — it’s about changing what people see every day.

“When you look around, you see a lot of abandoned buildings in our district. We want to make sure we have a drive-by appeal for those corridors and make some money for the district,” Pittman said.

Some programs are already showing early results.

An industrial training program has trained dozens of students in recent months, with many going on to secure jobs. A local nursing academy says it has helped residents begin careers in healthcare — offering a pathway to stability in a community where opportunities can be limited.

The full list of programs expected to receive money:

• Beaver Street Enterprise Center (will help facilitate distribution and implement the district‑10 initiative)
• Florida Department of Children and Families (finalized distribution details with Beaver Street Enterprise Center)
• Sharon Marshall Nursing Academy
• James Coleman’s industrial training program
• Clara’s Grow and Go
• Farm Share
• Feeding Northeast Florida

The male wolf, named Neukgu, burrowed out of his enclosure at the O-World zoo in Daejeon on April 8, prompting a search that gripped the nation and raised fears about his safety. Animal rights activists questioned whether the wolf could survive outside the zoo and also worried it might be killed during capture, something that happened to a puma that escaped from the same zoo in 2018.

Intense national concern even prompted President Lee Jae Myung to make a statement reassuring the public police, fire officials and the military were doing their best to capture the wolf alive.

At one point, authorities nearly captured Neukgu after spotting him on a mountain near the zoo earlier this week, but he broke away from a perimeter set by rescue workers. A driver also spotted the wolf and shared a video of him trotting along a dark mountain road, lit by the headlights of the vehicle trailing behind.

Neukgu was finally found and tranquilized on a hill near an expressway early Friday, after an hours-long search involving drones, police and emergency workers and veterinarians, according to city and zoo officials. He was in stable condition after being taken back to the zoo, where veterinarians used a scope to remove a fishing hook from his stomach but found no other significant health issues.

Daejeon officials released social media videos showing rescuers pulling the limp wolf from a ditch and placing it in a carrier, and the animal undergoing medical examinations at the zoo.

Social media was flooded with celebratory posts, including messages like “welcome back” and “Neukgu, it’s dangerous outside the house.” Daejeon Mayor Lee Jang-woo in a Facebook post expressed his “deepest gratitude to citizens of Daejeon and also the entire nation for your support in ensuring Neukgu’s safe return.”

Born at the zoo in 2024, Neukgu is a third-generation descendent of a group of wolves brought from Russia in 2008 as part of a project to reintroduce wolves resembling those that lived in the Korean wild before going extinct in the 1960s.

Lee Kwan Jong, director of O-World, said Neukgu will be kept in a separate area from other animals and receive care until he has fully recovered and stabilized.

The zoo’s management, which has been criticized over a series of animal escapes, closed the facility following Neukgu’s escape and says it has not decided when it will reopen.

Lee Kwan Jong said the zoo, which is reviewing its security measures, will prioritize Neukgu’s recovery.

He's expected to be a huge attraction when the zoo reopens.

Users on Polymarket, the world's largest prediction market, could place bets on when the airman would be rescued. When Rep. Seth Moulton, D-Mass., shared a screenshot of the activity on social media, an April 3 rescue was trading at 15% compared with 63% who were betting on April 4.

After Moulton posted the screenshot and blasted this “dystopian death market,” Polymarket stopped the betting, saying the market “does not meet our integrity standards.”

A former Marine who served four tours in Iraq, Moulton said he was “absolutely not satisfied with Polymarket's response” and blamed the site for being “completely unwilling to self-regulate when it comes to betting on the lives of our service members.”

“This is war profiteering and Congress needs to step in and stop it,” he said.

A confrontation is brewing in Washington over prediction markets, the online exchanges that allow users to bet on the outcome of everything from a baseball game to when Jesus Christ will return.

In a highly polarized Congress, the need to guard against the prediction markets being used for insider trading has become rare common ground. Members of both parties pressed the leader of a typically low-profile regulatory agency on the issue during a hearing on Thursday. The market debate is also drawing in the White House, potential presidential candidates and state leaders.

“It's a national conversation about what it means to have market integrity,” said Kristin Johnson, a former commissioner at the Commodity Futures Trading Commission, which regulates prediction markets in the U.S.

In a capital that was slow to respond to the perils of tobacco, opioids and social media, the push to put guardrails on prediction markets has been uncommonly swift.

The markets, which include Polymarket and its chief rival Kalshi, have been criticized for everything from undermining the integrity of sports to contributing to an online betting addiction crisis among young men. Polymarket has come under particular scrutiny as a venue for offshore trades that are beyond the reach of U.S. regulators.

Donald Trump Jr., the president's son, is on Polymarket's advisory board and is a paid adviser for Kalshi. 1789 Capital, the venture capital firm where Trump Jr. is a partner, has invested in Polymarket.

Well-timed trades catch Washington's attention

The Associated Press reported this month that a group of new accounts on Polymarket made highly specific, well-timed bets on whether the U.S. and Iran would reach a ceasefire on April 7, resulting in hundreds of thousands of dollars in profits for these new customers.

On the same day the report was published, the White House warned staff against using private information to trade on prediction markets.

Earlier this year, an anonymous Polymarket user collected more than $400,000 on a January bet predicting the ouster of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, prompting concerns that someone with access to private U.S. government information may have engaged in insider trading.

Sen. Todd Young, an Indiana Republican and former Marine, said he had been concerned about trading in the sports market, “but I became especially concerned about market distortions, improper decision making, and undermining of public trust through self-enrichment after the news broke about Venezuela.”

Young and Sen. Elissa Slotkin, D-Mich., have introduced a bill that would bar federal employees from using nonpublic information to make bets on prediction markets. Their bill is among several bipartisan efforts in Congress to regulate prediction markets.

As he eyes a potential presidential campaign, Democrat Rahm Emanuel proposed a ban on prediction market bets by all federal employees and their families. On Wednesday, he suggested a 10% fee on those markets and online gambling to fund science and health research.

California Gov. Gavin Newsom, another potential Democratic presidential candidate, issued an executive order barring his appointees from using nonpublic information to trade on prediction markets.

For now, there's no immediate path to passage for any of the bills. But the scrutiny has drawn focus to the differing approaches of the main prediction markets.

Polymarket officials say little publicly and didn't comment for this story. The market, founded in 2020, operates largely offshore with limited functions in the U.S. that were allowed only after President Donald Trump returned to office.

Kalshi, meanwhile, says it already bans many of the most extreme betting markets and welcomes regulation.

“We support Congress and regulators taking action to police insider trading, keep prediction markets onshore and under federal regulation," said Kalshi spokesperson Elisabeth Diana. "Not all prediction markets are the same.”

White House spokesman Davis Ingle said Trump has been clear that "members of Congress and other government officials should be prohibited from using nonpublic information for financial benefit.”

Prediction markets bring CFTC into the spotlight

The bet-the-event activity is drawing attention to the Commodity Futures Trading Commission, which oversees the vast trading contracts industry, including prediction markets.

Dennis Kelleher, the president and chief executive of Better Markets, a Washington nonprofit that has pressed for stronger oversight of prediction markets, said the agency "certainly has no experience, expertise, budget, technology to actually in any way supervise, regulate or police gambling on everything from whether it’s Iran, Venezuela, whether it’s reality TV, whether Christ is going to come back before the end of the year.”

The agency, which by law is supposed to have a five-member board including representatives of both political parties, is served now by only one member, Michael Selig, a former CFTC law clerk who went on to represent cryptocurrency clients before Trump appointed him to lead the agency.

That's sparked concern among congressional Democrats. Sen. Richard Durbin, D-Ill., sent Selig a letter in February noting that the number of enforcement attorneys at the agency's Chicago office had declined from 20 to zero.

During a Thursday hearing of the House Agriculture Committee, which oversees the CFTC, Selig said the agency was hiring new staff and operating more efficiently. He refused to hold off on completing new regulations until new members were added to the board but insisted he was taking the potential of insider trading seriously.

“Nothing is more important than protecting market integrity,” he said.

Still, the agency's enforcement authority extends only to prediction markets regulated in the U.S.

For now, that distinction largely applies to Kalshi, which was established in 2018 and promotes its status as a regulated prediction market. Eager to reach American customers, Polymarket has introduced a U.S.-only prediction market platform to conform with U.S. regulations, but that platform currently has a waitlist to participate and is a small fraction of the size of its offshore counterpart.

CFTC's leadership criticizes Biden and takes on states

Asked at a recent Vanderbilt University forum about the CFTC's approach to insider trading in unregulated offshore prediction markets, Selig blamed the Biden administration for creating a regulatory environment that he said discouraged companies from operating in the U.S.

As the debate plays out in Washington, multiple states have tried to curtail prediction markets, arguing they are essentially operating as unlicensed gambling platforms. But the CFTC has responded forcefully to assert itself as the sole regulator, suing Connecticut, Arizona and Illinois this month.

That leaves Washington at a strange juncture, with widespread agreement among lawmakers that something should be done to address the issue of prediction markets. But there are differing thoughts on the scope of a solution.

Young acknowledged his proposal is just a first step, and said lawmakers have a lot to learn about prediction markets.

“But I think we can all agree at this early stage, as usage of these platforms grows and real money is put at stake, that this is a measure that should be taken immediately,” he said.

___

Sweet reported from New York. Associated Press writer Susan Haigh in Hartford, Connecticut, contributed to this report.

Robinson's attorneys want cameras banned from a Utah courtroom, pointing to sometimes sensationalist media coverage they fear will foster widespread bias against their client as he faces prosecution in last September's shooting death of the conservative activist on a college campus.

Prosecutors want cameras allowed, and suggested they could help dispel conspiracy theories and “distorted narratives” swirling around the case since Kirk was shot in the neck while speaking to a crowd of thousands.

“Transparency serves as a corrective to misinformation,” Utah County prosecutors said in a court filing arguing in favor of cameras. A trial date has not yet been set.

Popping flash bulbs at the ‘trial of the century’

Cameras appeared in courts long before the man charged with kidnapping and killing legendary aviator Charles Lindbergh’s baby went on trial in New Jersey in 1935.

An earlier photo captured a clutch of mobsters at Al Capone ’s trial holding hats in front of their faces so they wouldn't be recognized. In 1932, a German photographer feigned a broken arm to sneak a camera into the U.S. Supreme Court inside a sling and get a rare picture of justices in session.

Then came the “trial of the century” for Bruno Richard Hauptmann in the killing of Lindbergh's son. It ushered in a new era of criminal trial as visual spectacle.

Hundreds of reporters and dozens of photographers chronicled the proceedings. Popping flashbulbs repeatedly startled witnesses and some photographers reportedly climbed on tables to get their pictures.

Hauptmann was convicted of murder and executed. The chaotic trial provoked a backlash and new judicial ethics rules that kept cameras out of courtrooms for decades.

The swindler and the circus

Whether cameras should be allowed has spurred perpetual disagreement between transparency advocates and defense attorneys eager to shield clients from ignominious publicity that could tilt a jury against them.

In 1962, a Texas state judge allowed news organizations to film the trial of infamous con man Billie Sol Estes on swindling charges.

The case had national notoriety after Estes was accused of looting a federal crop subsidy program, triggering a Washington scandal during President John F. Kennedy’s administration. His attorneys argued against cameras, saying they would prejudice potential jurors. The judge rejected the request and pledged he would not let the media transform his courtroom into a circus.

Court documents later described the scene in the courtroom as “a mass of wires, television cameras, microphones and photographers.” Hearings in the case were broadcast live by radio and television.

Following Estes' conviction, the Supreme Court took up his appeal and said the intense publicity deprived him of his constitutional right to a fair trial. Justices overturned the state court conviction in an opinion that derided “the evil of televised trials.”

“To permit this powerful medium to use the trial process itself to influence the opinions of vast numbers of people, before a verdict of guilt or innocence has been rendered, would be entirely foreign to our system of justice,” justices said.

The ruling was in line with a long-standing prohibition on cameras in federal courts.

Bundy's trial got airtime, but not Trump's

Less than a decade later the Supreme Court decided differently in a case involving two Florida police officers who burglarized a restaurant.

Justices said in an 8-0 ruling that states could allow cameras at criminal trials and there was no “empirical data” to show the presence of broadcast media in the courtroom inherently has a negative effect.

In the years following, cameras gradually came into common use in state and local courtrooms across the nation. High-profile cases that were broadcast included murder trials for serial killers Ted Bundy and Jeffrey Dahmer, the excessive force prosecutions of the Los Angeles Police officers who beat Rodney King, and the murder trial of Jodi Arias in the killing of her ex-boyfriend.

Still, restrictions remain and judges typically retain broad discretion over which parts of a case can be broadcast and who can be filmed or photographed.

Donald Trump's trial and 2024 conviction in a hush money case was closed to cameras while court was in session under a New York state law that sharply restricts video coverage. Media organizations used sketch artists to capture the scene.

The made-for-TV trial

Arguably the most watched televised trial remains the 1995 prosecution of former football player O.J. Simpson in the death of his former wife, Nicole Brown Simpson and Ron Goldman. It, too, became known as the “trial of the century” and is listed by Guinness World Records as the “most viewed trial” with a daily average viewership of 5.5 million people.

As the case dragged on for months, viewers were inundated with courtroom testimony and analysts opinions. Simpson was acquitted.

The focus on every aspect of the case raised concerns about potential bias to jurors, and also that the lawyers and even the judge were acting differently knowing they were being watched across the nation.

“People were talking about how the judge and the attorneys were playing to the cameras as much as they were playing to the jury,” said Cornell Law School professor Valerie Hans.

And then Los Angeles' hopes and plans all collapsed during one quarter in Oklahoma City earlier this month.

Luka Doncic made a move toward the Thunder's basket, but stopped suddenly and hopped gingerly off the floor with a strained hamstring. Austin Reaves had already been looking uncomfortable, periodically grabbing at the oblique muscles in his side, and he also left the court for good a few minutes later.

Just like that, a Lakers season that had been on a steady upward trajectory went into a nosedive that hasn't ended yet.

Los Angeles will be without its starting backcourt when it hosts the Houston Rockets in a first-round playoff opener Saturday night, and the fourth-seeded Lakers aren't saying when Doncic or Reaves could return to uniform — if at all.

Everybody realizes the Lakers could — and probably should — be cooked without their top two scorers, including the NBA scoring champion himself. Not even the ageless presence of LeBron James seems likely to be enough to boost the Lakers’ supporting cast over any of the Western Conference’s other five elite teams.

“I’m sure everybody wants to play us,” Lakers coach JJ Redick said last week, before the Rockets earned that honor.

Yet the Lakers aren't ready to give up just yet on what appeared to be a promising spring just two weeks ago. Until that disastrous night in Oklahoma City, they appeared to be peaking on an ideal schedule, winning 16 of their previous 18 games to surge into third place in the Western Conference.

After all, Los Angeles won 53 games this season with just 64 appearances by Doncic, 60 by James and only 51 by Reaves. This team got ample experience without its full roster this season, and it didn't slow the Lakers down — even if the current circumstances are worse than anything they've overcome to date.

“We're a little short-handed, and we know that,” guard Luke Kennard said. “But we've been preparing really well. Our focus is really high. ... We were able to get some looks and develop a different kind of chemistry out on the court. We've added some stuff in practice, and I think we've done a good job executing it in practice, and I think our preparation has been really good.”

Several players must step up to give the Lakers a chance, and Kennard is near the top of that list.

Kennard is making his fifth trip to the playoffs with his fourth team, but he hasn't started a postseason game since 2019 with Detroit. He stepped into a high-volume role for the Lakers after Doncic and Reaves went out, contributing as a primary ballhandler and playmaker in addition to his trademark 3-point shooting.

For playoff-tested veteran Marcus Smart, the Lakers' challenge comes down to one factor: “Willpower.”

“We’re competitors,” added Smart, who's back in the postseason for the first time since 2023 after making it in each of his nine seasons with Boston. “They’re going to try to come in and punk us, and if you will allow that, you will be punked. I don’t think we have any guys that are going to be punked on this team. We might not be the most athletic and the strongest, but we’ve got to have the most heart.”

Center Deandre Ayton and forward Rui Hachimura both know they must be more aggressive offensively to counter for the loss of Doncic, one of the highest-usage players in basketball. Jake LaRavia, whose playing time fluctuated significantly throughout the season, is likely to play a significant role on both ends.

Even Bronny James is likely to get his first significant playoff minutes, perhaps alongside his famous father.

No matter what Redick conjures up to take on the physical challenge posed by the Rockets, the Lakers don't seem to accept the notion that their season essentially ended on that night in Oklahoma City.

“It’s going to take everybody,” Smart said. “With that, it’s a different style of play, and I don't think it’s something that Houston has prepared for. To be fair, they haven’t seen us without those guys. When they’re playing us, they’ve always played us with them. They’ve always had a matchup and game plan for them, and it’ll be interesting to see how they play us without them.”

___

AP NBA: https://apnews.com/NBA

Miura and Kihara, known to fans as “RikuRyu,” leave the skating world at their peak after surging from fifth place to first at the Milan Cortina Olympics with a world-record free skate that more than made up for earlier errors.

They became the first Japanese pair to win Olympic gold, a breakthrough in a country whose figure skating passion had until then largely focused on the individual events.

“While our competitive careers are coming to an end, we truly feel that we gave it our all, and have no regrets. We are proud of everything we went through, and feel we gained so much along the way,” they posted on Instagram.

“The two of us will now take on new challenges so that we can bring wider recognition to pair skating in Japan. We hope that we can count on you to follow us on our journey.”

The 24-year-old Miura and 33-year-old Kihara's announcement came on the same day that they met Japan’s Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako at a spring garden party at the Akasaka Palace’s imperial garden in Tokyo.

Based out of Canada with coach Bruno Marcotte, Miura and Kihara won the world title in 2023 and 2025, and two Olympic team event silver medals for Japan.

The Milan Cortina Olympic free skate was the last competitive performance for Miura and Kihara, who skipped last month's world championships, where Minerva Fabienne Hase and Nikita Volodin won pairs gold for Germany.

___

AP sports: https://apnews.com/sports

Marie-Louise Eta is coaching Union Berlin against Wolfsburg on Saturday as she starts a five-game stint as the team's interim coach in the Bundesliga until the end of the season. That will make her the first female coach in any of Europe's five biggest national men's leagues.

However, Eta previously signed a contract to coach Union's women's team from next season and club president Dirk Zingler wants to stick to that plan. Viewing her interim role as a five-game audition for the men's job is a “disservice” to the women's game, Zingler said.

“If (Eta) is really good, then she stays with the men, and if she's not so good, she goes to the women, that's not a discussion I'm having at all,” Zingler told Sky Sport Germany late Thursday.

“It's always a specialist, fact-based decision about who coaches which team and if we associate her with this discussion, then we're doing a disservice to her and to women's soccer as a whole. Marie-Louise Eta will be responsible for five games here and then she will take over the women.”

Zingler seems to be overruling Horst Heldt, Union's director of men’s professional soccer, who had said he wouldn't rule Eta out as a candidate for the permanent men's team role.

Eta herself has said she's focusing on the team's performance on the field and suggested she isn't looking beyond that.

“Next year in any case I’ll still be a coach,” she said Thursday.

Eta previously made history as the first female assistant coach in the men's Bundesliga and has been coaching the under-19 men's team at Union.

With five games to go, Union is 11th in the 18-team Bundesliga and not yet mathematically safe from the threat of relegation. Eta's predecessor Steffen Baumgart was fired last week with the team having won none of its last three games, and only two of the last 14.

The announcement of the 34-year-old Eta’s appointment prompted sexist and derogatory comments on social media, leading Union to push back.

___

AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer

Rumen Radev 's new coalition is seen as favored to win most of the votes in the April 19 poll, with some voters hoping that this could put an end to the country’s oligarchic corruption, while others are lining up behind Radev’s Eurosceptic and pro-Russian views.

Radev resigned from the mostly ceremonial presidency in January, a few months before the end of his second term in office, to launch a bid to lead the government as prime minister.

The 62-year-old former fighter pilot and air force commander is seen as Bulgaria’s most popular politician and has promised to give the nation a fresh start if his center-left Progressive Bulgaria coalition wins the upcoming election.

Sunday’s snap vote follows the resignation of a conservative-led government amid nationwide anti-corruption protests in December 2025 that drew hundreds of thousands of mainly young people to the streets.

Bulgaria, a European Union and NATO member country with a population of 6.5 million, joined the eurozone on Jan. 1 this year shortly after entering the border-free Schengen travel area. But it has been plagued by political instability since 2021, when three-time conservative Prime Minister Boyko Borissov resigned following massive protests fueled by anger over widespread corruption and injustice.

Since then, no government has survived for more than a year before being brought down by street protests or backroom deals in parliament, resulting in seven inconclusive early elections in five years. That's led to growing mistrust in the institutions, voter apathy and a shrinking turnout at the elections.

Last month, Bulgaria requested the assistance of the EU diplomatic service to counter Russian attempts to influence public opinion through social media networks and propaganda websites. The request was based on expert warnings about active networks of Russian influence accounts that seek to sow division.

Opinion polls predict Sunday's turnout to jump from an average of 35% in the last few elections to over 50%, partly because a new player has joined the race, but also due to efforts by the interim government to boost confidence in the vote with nationwide police raids, arrests and pretrial proceedings for vote-buying.

Most polls predict that Radev’s coalition could get more than 30% of the vote, putting him nearly 10% ahead of his closest rival — Borissov, the veteran leader of the center-right GERB party whose most recent term as prime minister was ended by the December 2025 protests. Most polls report margins of error from 3 to 3.5%.

Radev has cast himself as an opponent of the country’s entrenched mafia and its ties to high-ranking politicians. At the latest preelection rally on Wednesday, he vowed to “remove the corrupt, oligarchic model of governance from political power.”

Polls suggest that Radev is likely to come in first, but will need a partner to form a stable governing coalition. He's ruled out an alliances with Borissov’s GERB or with the Movement for Rights and Freedoms party, whose leader Delyan Peevski has been sanctioned for corruption by both the United States and Britain.

A possible coalition partner for such reforms in domestic politics could be the pro-Western bloc “We Continue the Change,” which is predicted to come in third with 12%-14 % of the votes.

However, there are significant foreign policy issues that could prevent such cooperation, including the ongoing controversy surrounding the Russian invasion of Ukraine: while officially denouncing Moscow’s aggression, Radev has repeatedly opposed military aid to Kyiv and has favored reopening talks with Russia as a way out of the conflict.

Evelina Slavkova, from research center Trend, said Radev was unlikely to make a serious effort to reorient Bulgaria more toward Russia.

“Our country has succeeded, despite all the obstacles, despite disagreements among some politicians, in building a very important set of tools that keeps Bulgaria on the right track,” she said in an interview with the AP.

Slavkova said the country’s membership in NATO and the EU, as well as it place in the eurozone and the Schengen Area, are “tools that allow us to be much more at ease.”

She also noted that during the campaign Radev avoided giving definitive yes- or no-answers while seeking some balance between the two positions.

“This might be acceptable during a campaign, but when you’re running the country, you’ll certainly have to provide clear, definitive answers” Slavkova said.

___

Valentina Petrova in Sofia, Bulgaria contributed to this report

Judge Greg Grogin granted Roberts-Smith bail in a Sydney court around five hours earlier, ruling the former Special Air Service Regiment corporal had established exceptional circumstances to justify his release from custody. Prosecutors had opposed bail and argued there was a risk that Roberts-Smith would flee Australia or interfere with witnesses and evidence.

Roberts-Smith, 47, was arrested on April 7 and charged with five counts of war crime murder involving the deaths of five Afghans in Uruzgan province in 2009 and 2012.

Australian law defines war crime murder as the intentional killing in a context of armed conflict of a person who is not taking an active part in the hostilities, such as a civilian, prisoner of war or a wounded soldier.

Roberts-Smith was driven away from Sydney's Silverwater Correctional Complex late Friday apparently wearing the same clothes he wore when police escorted him from a commercial airliner at Sydney Airport last week, news media images showed.

Roberts-Smith was awarded both the Victoria Cross and Medal of Gallantry for his service in Afghanistan and is only the second Australian veteran of the Afghanistan campaign to be charged with a war crime.

The charges follow a military report released in 2020 that found evidence elite SAS and commando regiment troops unlawfully killed 39 Afghan prisoners, farmers and other noncombatants. Around 40,000 Australian military personnel served in Afghanistan between 2001 and 2021, of whom 41 were killed.

Similar allegations against Roberts-Smith were found credible in a civil court case in 2023 when a judge rejected his claims that newspaper articles defamed him.

At that trial, Roberts-Smith testified he had never killed an unarmed Afghan and denied ever committing a war crime. He claimed he has the victim of spiteful fellow soldiers’ lies and of others’ envy of his medals.

But while the civil court found the war crimes allegations were mostly proven on a balance of probabilities, the war crime murder charges would have to be proved in a criminal court to a higher standard of beyond reasonable doubt.

Roberts-Smith is accused of personally shooting dead two victims. He allegedly ordered subordinates to shoot the other three victims.

In opposing bail, prosecutor Simon Buchen described the charges against Roberts-Smith as “among the most serious known to the criminal law.”

Buchen said Roberts-Smith had been ”on the cusp of relocating overseas” without telling authorities when he became aware that prosectors were considering charges.

Roberts-Smith had made “advanced plans to relocate overseas. Consideration was being given to moving to various destinations overseas,” Buchen told the court.

Roberts-Smith faces a potential maximum sentence of life in prison on each conviction. He has yet to enter pleas.

Defense lawyer Slade Howell told the bail hearing Roberts-Smith’s case “may properly be described as exceptional in the sense that it is out of the ordinary.”

“The use of domestic courts to prosecute alleged war crimes committed by a highly decorated Australian soldier deployed overseas repeatedly by the Australian government to fight a war on its behalf is unprecedented and is uncharted legal territory of the common law of this country,” Howell said.

Howell also said Roberts-Smith’s “proceedings will be beset by a multitude of delays, many of which are peculiar to these proceeding.”

Potential delays could arise if prosecutors decide to charge one or more of Roberts-Smith’s fellow veterans, some of whom now live overseas, Howell said.

Roberts-Smith took part in the bail hearing by video link from prison and spoke only when asked by the judge to confirm that he could see and hear proceedings.

He went camping. He jammed with local musicians. He drank root beer delivered on roller skates. He shopped for records. He bought a guitar. Then he went home.

The next time people in Benton saw George Harrison, it was with 73 million others who tuned in to watch his band, the Beatles, make their U.S. debut on “The Ed Sullivan Show" about four months later. The British Invasion, which changed popular music and American culture, was underway.

Now, the house where Harrison and his brother Peter stayed in Benton, 100 miles (160 kilometers) southeast of St. Louis, is for sale.

You’ll forgive Beatles fans if they’re worried about its future. In 1995, the house at 113 McCann Street had a date with the wrecking ball. Activists, including Harrison’s sister, Louise Harrison Caldwell, who had moved away in the late 1960s, stepped in to save it.

Coal mining brought the family of Harrison's sister to Benton

Previously known for hosting the state's last public hanging in 1928, Benton, population 6,700, was built on Southern Illinois' rich veins of coal. Louise Caldwell moved to town when her husband, a mining engineer, got a job in what was then a thriving industry.

The house they chose is a five-bedroom bungalow built in 1935 with a brick facade across its wide front porch.

In the mid-1990s, a state agency bought the house from a subsequent owner with plans to flatten it for parking. Mega-fan Robert Bartel of Springfield, a Beatles author and documentarian, alerted the media and Fab Four loyalists.

Local investors repurchased it from the state and opened the Hard Day's Nite Bed and Breakfast, featuring the couch Harrison traded guitar licks on and stacks of other loaned Beatles memorabilia, including a bevy from Bartel.

The bed-and-breakfast closed in 2010. Benton resident Grady Adams has since operated it as regular bed-and-bath apartments but now wants to sell, listing it for $105,000. Brian Calcaterra, Benton’s director of economic development, suggested the city draft an ordinance to protect the house from demolition by a new owner, but Benton Mayor Lee Messersmith said the city council has not discussed the matter.

“Of course, if it doesn't get demo'd, I would prefer that,” Adams said.

Interest in reviving the bed-and-breakfast is unclear

Whether there's interest — or energy — to return the McCann Street house to its Beatles glory is up for debate.

Jim Kirkpatrick of Creal Springs, author of “Before He Was Fab,” a recollection of Harrison's visit which has been optioned for a movie, has had at least one encouraging conversation with someone considering purchase.

Benton business owner Robert Rea, a historian who helped save the Beatles house three decades ago, said the obsession has faded.

“When we did this (in 1995), the world went crazy because they thought, ‘George is going to come, he’s going to save the house,'” Rea said. “And I’m just being honest with you, maybe I’m missing it or something, but that momentum is not here.”

Harrison's last chance to walk the streets in anonymity

Harrison's trip was perhaps the last time the musician could enjoy obscurity. He camped in Shawnee National Forest. He sat in with a popular local group when they played a nearby Veterans of Foreign Wars hall. The band’s leader took him to a drive-in restaurant with carhops on skates, where he guzzled root beer for the first time.

At a record store on Benton's downtown square, Harrison bought a pile of vinyl. Included was James Ray’s R&B single, “I’ve Got My Mind Set on You,” Harrison’s 1987 cover of which went to No. 1.

He also bought a Rickenbacker 425 guitar like the one bandmate John Lennon had. Harrison played the guitar a month later when the Beatles recorded “I Want to Hold Your Hand.” It sold at auction in 2014 for $675,000.

One day during Harrison's visit, he and Caldwell dropped by WFRX radio, where then-17-year-old Marcia Schafer Raubach had a Saturday afternoon teen program. Harrison gave her a copy of “She Loves You,” which he told her had just hit the top of the British charts.

Raubach interviewed Harrison on the air, the first for a Beatle in America, and played the 45, which she still has. She said it sounded different than the songs American teens were then punching up on jukeboxes. But it didn't make an impression on her audience.

Despite his longish hair in a land of crew cuts, Raubach found Harrison, dressed in a crisp white shirt, jeans and sandals, “very clean cut, he was personable and mannerly and they call him the ‘quiet Beatle’ — well, he was.”

“If I had known what they were going to become, I would have handled that differently,” Raubach, now 79, said. “It’s still amazing that he even came here and that I met him. I think he really liked Southern Illinois.”

Harrison never returned to Benton, though, dying in 2001 at 58. Caldwell was 91 when she died in 2023.

The airline will soon open bookings for four-hour stints in the Skynest sleep pods and says they will be the first lie-flat beds for budget air travelers. Fliers will get cozy with their fellow passengers, however, so crumbs, strong perfumes and bedsharing are forbidden.

The curtained berths will be available to economy and premium economy fliers on the airline’s new Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner aircraft from November. The planes will service the Auckland to New York route, which is one of the world’s longest commercial flights and leaves economy passengers sitting upright for a marathon 16 to 18 hours.

Instead, travelers will have the option of a pre-booked four-hour spot in a curtained pod, with costs starting from 495 New Zealand dollars ($291) on top of the price of their economy tickets. But use of the six pods, arranged in a triple-bunk style layout between cabins, will put fliers in close proximity to others, prompting the airline to publish etiquette notes.

Passengers must refrain from snacking in the pods, which can’t be used by children or any additional visitors.

“That means solo snoozes only please, no musical nests or tag-teaming,” Air New Zealand’s website says. For those worried about cleanliness, the airline assures travelers that the pillows, blankets and sheets supplied “are all refreshed” between four-hour naps.

Fliers are also required to change into specially provided socks to enter the pod, fasten their seatbelts over their blankets and forgo dousing themselves in any smelly “perfumes or potions.” Passengers will be woken by a gentle change in lighting at the end of their four-hour stint in the bunk – or by a flight attendant, possibly less gently, if they don’t rouse in time.

Each berth is about the length of a regular bed — 80 inches or 203 cm — but the pods don’t leave headroom for sitting up and access “requires bending, kneeling, crawling, or climbing into the space,” the aircraft’s website says. The bunks are 25 inches (64 cm) wide at shoulder height, tapering to 16 inches (41 cm) at the foot of the beds.

Seats or couches that convert into beds in the sky aren’t a new offering for business and first class travelers, but Air New Zealand believes its lie-flat bunks for economy travelers will be a world first.

The offering from New Zealand’s national carrier is the latest from airlines seeking to sell seat upgrades and other add-ons to economy travelers. Air New Zealand first announced the economy beds were in development in 2020.

The airline has increased fares and cut some domestic flights from its schedule in response to increased jet fuel costs during the war in the Middle East. In March, it suspended its earnings outlook due to fuel price volatility and warned that more changes to its routes were possible.

But on one of its longest flights, travelers might finally get some shut-eye — although they should expect snoring, for which earplugs are provided, the airline said.

“Statistically, someone’s going to do it,” Air New Zealand’s website reads. “It might be you.”

The team announced Thursday night it was bringing back Collier, but didn't disclose terms of the deal.

ESPN reported, citing sources, that the Lynx signed Collier to a one-year, $1.4 million supermax contract. The deal came a day after the WNBA defending champion Las Vegas Aces re-signed four-time MVP A’ja Wilson. ESPN reported that contract was a three-year, $5 million supermax deal, the most lucrative in league history.

The 29-year-old Collier averaged a career-high 22.9 points per game last season while shooting 53.1% from the floor, 40.3% from 3-point range and 90.6% from the foul line, becoming the first player in WNBA history to post 50/40/90 shooting splits while averaging 20 or more points per game. She finished second to Wilson in league MVP voting the last two years.

“Phee has been such an integral part of the Lynx since she was drafted in 2019," head coach and president of basketball operations Cheryl Reeve said in a statement released by the team. “Coming off a historic 50/40/90 season and guiding the Lynx to the most wins in franchise history, Phee is hungry to position the Lynx for a championship run in 2026.”

Minnesota went 34–10 in the regular season and was the No. 1 overall seed in the WNBA playoffs. But Collier injured her left ankle in Game 3 of the WNBA semifinals against Phoenix, ending her season. The Lynx lost the series to the Mercury in five games.

Collier, a two-time Olympic gold medalist and four-time All-WNBA and All-Defensive Team selection, was the sixth overall draft pick by the Lynx in 2019 out of UConn and won the league's Rookie of the Year award. She has career averages of 18.4 points, 7.8 rebounds, 2.9 assists, 1.7 steals and 1.2 blocks per game in seven seasons. Collier ranks second in franchise history in career steals (325) and scoring average (18.4), behind Maya Moore, and second in blocked shots (239) behind Sylvia Fowles.

Last season, Collier set the franchise record with 54 consecutive made free throws and was selected the WNBA All-Star Game MVP after setting the scoring mark with 36 points.

___

AP WNBA: https://apnews.com/hub/wnba-basketball

Instead, he became the second Guardians pitcher in eight months to fall short in the ninth inning.

“I did my best. Maybe next time,” Messick said after Cleveland's 4-2 victory over the Baltimore Orioles on Thursday night.

Leody Taveras led off the ninth with a grounder that just eluded diving second baseman Juan Brito and went into right field for a single to break up Messick's no-hit bid.

Cleveland still has the longest current gap between no-hitters of any major league franchise. The team’s most recent one was Len Barker’s perfect game on May 15, 1981, against the Toronto Blue Jays.

Up to that point, Messick had faced only one batter over the minimum and silenced a Baltimore lineup that came into the game third in the American League in on-base percentage (.334).

Blaze Alexander followed with a line-drive single to center that ended Messick's night. The 25-year-old Messick was removed to a standing ovation from the crowd of 14,748.

“That was very special what we got to watch tonight. That’s an unbelievably talented lineup that he took a no-hitter into the ninth against and just continued to attack,” Guardians manager Stephen Vogt said. “He and (catcher Austin) Hedges were magnificent with their sequencing. With that arsenal, that was a beautiful game.”

It was the first time in 11 career starts that Messick went more than seven innings. He was the 54th overall pick in the 2022 amateur draft out of Florida State and made his big league debut last year.

Messick threw 112 pitches, 78 for strikes. The 69.6% strike rate was the third-highest of his career. He walked two and equaled a career best with nine strikeouts. He was charged with two runs in eight-plus innings.

Messick got ahead of hitters early with 21 first-pitch strikes to the 27 batters he faced. The 18 swings and misses also tied a career high.

Out of Messick's six-pitch repertoire, the most effective was the changeup. He threw it 29 times and got 22 strikes, including nine whiffs. His most-used pitch was his four-seam fastball, which he threw 43 times.

“I know they were looking for it. It's just, the bottom falls out of it when you've got late movement like that, especially when you’ve set it up with other pitches, the heaters and the curveballs and cutters — you have to take an outlier swing to it,” Hedges said of the changeup. “You could tell they were trying to, but it’s just that good of a pitch.”

The sinker was Messick's third-most frequent pitch in his first three starts this season, but he threw it only twice against the Orioles.

Hedges said he had the feeling it might be a special night when center fielder Steven Kwan caught Taylor Ward's deep flyball at the wall to end the third inning. José Ramírez — who had a two-run homer in the first — made a nice stop on a grounder by Coby Mayo deep in the hole at third to end the fifth.

“The crowd got pretty loud and that’s an awesome feeling when everybody gets into it. I was really trying to lock in every pitch,” Messick said. “Pretty much about the sixth inning on, I prayed between pretty much every inning and I just was telling myself to execute.”

Baltimore averted a shutout when Gunnar Henderson’s sacrifice fly against closer Cade Smith drove in Taveras. Pete Alonso hit an RBI double before Smith retired the final two batters with runners at second and third for his fourth save.

“The boys were into it the whole game. Once Leody got that hit, I equate it to a sniper in the NBA, where it only takes one to go in for everything to change," said Orioles first-year manager Craig Albernaz, who was Cleveland's bench coach in 2024 and associate manager last season. “Messick was on. He had all his pitches dialed in the strike zone. He did a great job changing speeds in all counts, (getting) weak contact. He was on tonight.”

It was the fourth time since Barker's gem that a single Cleveland pitcher carried a no-hitter into the ninth. John Farrell went eight innings on May 4, 1989, against Kansas City before Kevin Seitzer broke it up with a single after Willie Wilson reached on an error.

Carlos Carrasco went 8 2/3 innings against Tampa Bay on July 1, 2015, and Gavin Williams had a no-hitter for 8 1/3 innings last season on Aug. 6 against the New York Mets.

Carrasco came within one strike of a no-hitter when Rays left fielder Joey Butler lined a slider on an 0-2 count that just eluded the glove of leaping Cleveland second baseman Jason Kipnis.

Juan Soto broke up Williams’ no-hit bid with a home run to center.

Messick is one of five American League pitchers with at least three wins. He improved to 3-0 this season and is third in the AL with a 1.05 ERA.

“I mean it (stinks), but it is baseball. I’ll have plenty more years to pitch a baseball game, so it might happen again,” he said.

___

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

Israel has not been fighting with Lebanon itself, but rather with the Iranian-backed Hezbollah militant group inside Lebanon. Hezbollah said in a statement that “any ceasefire must be comprehensive across all Lebanese territory and must not allow the Israeli enemy any freedom of movement.”

Nearly 2,200 people in Lebanon have been killed by Israeli air strikes.

Meanwhile, Pakistan’s army chief met with Iranian officials in Tehran on Thursday in a bid to ease tensions in the Middle East and arrange a second round of negotiations between the United States and Iran after almost seven weeks of war.

The U.S. naval blockade of Iranian ports continued as U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said the Trump administration would ramp up economic pain on Iran with new economic sanctions on countries doing business with it, calling the move the “financial equivalent” of a bombing campaign.

The White House said any further talks with Iran would likely take place in the Pakistani capital of Islamabad, though no decision had been made on whether to resume negotiations. Pakistan has emerged as a key mediator after it hosted direct talks between the U.S. and Iran in Islamabad.

Here is the latest:

Trump hails Israel-Lebanon ceasefire as ‘historic day’

In two social media posts Thursday night, U.S. President Donald Trump said that Thursday could have been “a historic day for Lebanon.” In a separate Truth Social message after the ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon went into effect, Trump added that he hoped the Lebanon-based, Iran-backed Hezbollah militant group “acts nicely and well.” “It will be an GREAT moment for them if they do,” Trump added.

Australia strikes deal with BP to underwrite fuel imports

BP has become a fifth company to strike a deal with the Australian government to underwrite fuel imports at prices inflated by the Iran war.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese announced the BP deal on Friday at Viva Energy’s Geelong refinery, southwest of Melbourne, that was damaged by fire over Wednesday night. Viva on Thursday secured 570,000 barrels of diesel underwritten by the government in shipments from Brunei and South Korea at prices that might otherwise be commercially unviable.

Albanese said the damaged Geelong refinery continued to produce diesel and jet fuel at 80% capacity and gasoline as 60% capacity.

Viva chief executive Scott Wyatt expected to import fuel to make up for the shortfall in the refinery’s production.

Australia has sufficient fuel supplies contracted into May, but there are concerns that shortages could emerge in the months ahead.

Sri Lanka repatriates Iranian sailors, including torpedo attack survivors

Sri Lanka has sent home 238 Iranian sailors, including 32 who were injured in a U.S torpedo attack which sank their warship in early March.

Defense Ministry spokesman Brig. Franklin Joseph said everyone except a few crew members from a second ship which later anchored in Sri Lanka were repatriated earlier this week.

A U.S submarine sank the Iranian warship IRIS Dena on March 4 as it returned home after taking part in am Indian naval exercise..

Sri Lankan navy recovered 87 bodies while 32 sailors wounded in the torpedo attack were hospitalized. The second ship was brought to a southern Sri Lankan port after the crew reported technical problems.

Trump says Iran

war ‘going along swimmingly’

The president said in a Las Vegas speech he was feeling pretty positive about the Iran war, despite the energy price spikes, the death and destruction and the anxiety about the future of NATO and the Middle East.

“I will say the war in Iran is going along swimmingly,” Trump said. “It should be ending pretty soon.”

Trump added that the war was “was perfect” as he praised the power of the U.S. military.

Reports of shelling in Lebanon continue after ceasefire goes into effect

Lebanon’s state-run National News agency reported that Israeli shelling continued in the villages of Khiam and Dibbine about a half hour after the truce began.

The Lebanese Army also repeated its warning to people displaced from southern Lebanon about returning home because of intermittent shelling.

Israel’s military told The Associated Press very early Friday that it was looking into reports of shelling and artillery fire in southern Lebanon.

The terms of the ceasefire, as provided by the U.S. State Department, prohibit Israel from offensive military actions in Lebanon. But they appear to leave more room for “self-defense,” including “against planned, imminent, or ongoing attacks.”

UN chief welcomes Israel and Lebanon ceasefire and calls on all parties to observe it

Secretary-General Antonio Guterres hopes the ceasefire will pave the way for negotiations toward a long-term solution to the Israel-Hezbollah conflict, U.N. spokesperson Stephane Dujarric said.

Guterres commends the United States for facilitating the ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon, he said.

The secretary-general reaffirms U.N. support for all efforts to end hostilities and the suffering of people on both sides of the Israel-Lebanon border, Dujarric said.

A 10-day ceasefire agreed on by Israel and Lebanon has gone into effect

A 10-day ceasefire announced by U.S. President Donald Trump and agreed on by Lebanon and Israel started at midnight.

The two neighboring countries held their first direct diplomatic talks in decades on Tuesday in Washington after more than a month of war between Israel and the Iran-backed, Lebanon-based Hezbollah militant group.

Hezbollah started firing on Israel right after the start of the Iran war. It kept up attacks focused on northern Israel communities through Thursday night, with at least eight people injured, including two seriously, according to Israel’s emergency services.

Air raid sirens were sounding in a few northern Israeli communities just minutes before the ceasefire was going into effect. Israel’s military also said late Thursday it was striking Hezbollah rocket launchers.

Trump claims Iran has ‘agreed to give us back the nuclear dust’

The president made the assertion in an exchange with reporters before departing for an event in Las Vegas on Thursday.

If true, it would be a major concession from Iran, and would lock in a key demand of the U.S. to end the conflict.

“They’ve agreed to give us back the nuclear dust that’s way underground because of the attack we made with the B-2 bombers,” said Trump, using a term he’s adopted as shorthand for the roughly 970 pounds of enriched uranium buried under Iranian nuclear sites damaged by U.S. strikes on the country last year.

Iran has repeatedly insisted that it doesn’t seek a nuclear weapon and that its program is for peaceful proposes. Neither Iran nor countries acting as intermediaries in the conflict have talked about what would be a major breakthrough.

Pressed by a reporter on what is he waiting for to move forward, Trump offered that it was “very complicated.”

He added, “I don’t think we’re waiting. I think we’re moving very fast. It could happen pretty quickly.”

The White House did not respond to follow-up queries about whether Iran has agreed to give up its enriched uranium, under what terms and to whom it would be surrendered. Trump has previously made claims about Iran’s nuclear program that have turned out to be imprecise.

UN envoy says Israel will react to any Hezbollah threats and hold its positions southern Lebanon during ceasefire

Ambassador Danny Danon told U.N. reporters Thursday that the 10-day ceasefire will be “challenging” because of Hezbollah, which said after the ceasefire announcement that continuing Israeli occupation grants Lebanon the right to resist.

Danon said Israel believes in direct negotiations with Lebanon, but knows this is a complex issue for the Lebanese government because of Hezbollah.

Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has offered to go to Washington — where the ambassadors of Israel and Lebanon met earlier this week — for negotiations, the ambassador said.

“We will come to any meeting to promote peace, but I cannot speak for the Lebanese government. We know that they are under pressure and threats from Iran,” Danon said.

Iran remains ‘cautiously optimistic’ about negotiations with the US, its UN envoy says

Ambassador Amir Saeid Iravani said the Islamic Republic welcomes and supports diplomatic efforts to bring a “sustainable end to this unlawful and unwarranted war,” including by Pakistan, Turkey, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, China and Russia.

“Despite our deep mistrust of the United States, stemming from its repeated betrayal of diplomacy, we nevertheless enter the negotiation in good faith and remain cautiously optimistic,” he told the U.N. General Assembly on Thursday.

“We believe that should the United States adopt a rational and constructive approach and refrain from advancing demands that are inconsistent with international law, this negotiation can lead to a meaningful outcome,” Iravani said.

He spoke at an assembly meeting in support of vetoes by Beijing and Moscow of a U.N. Security Council resolution backed by the U.S. and Gulf nations aimed at opening the Strait of Hormuz.

Hezbollah warns displaced people not to rush back home

The Lebanese militant group called on people to exercise restraint and refrain from returning to areas in south and eastern Lebanon and Beirut’s southern suburbs that have been hit hard by Israeli strikes “until the situation becomes fully clear.”

The Lebanese army issued similar warnings, urging people not to rush back to those areas after the 10-day ceasefire kicks in at midnight Beirut time.

Previous ceasefires saw tens of thousands of people clogging roads as they attempted to drive back to check on homes and belongings in the first hours of the truce.

More than 1 million Lebanese people have been displaced during the ongoing war between Israel and Hezbollah.

UAE official says Iran is viewed as the ‘main enemy’

Anwar Gargash, diplomatic advisor to the UAE’s president, said Gulf states have a different view of Iran, seeing it as the “main enemy”, citing its missile and drone attacks despite.

“We are fully aware of the position of many Arab societies in viewing Israel as the primary enemy, but the view in the Gulf states may be different... Iran is the one that attacked the Gulf states with thousands of missiles and drones, and for this reason we do not trust it, and we view it as a primary enemy,” he said during a media briefing Thursday at Dubai Press Club.

Gargash added that the UAE has questions over Iran’s nuclear program as well as its ballistic missiles and drones, and said that just as Tehran is seeking guarantees and reparations for war damage, the UAE also wants assurances that such “cowardly” attacks will not happen again.

Flurry of diplomacy to get to ceasefire in Lebanon

The 10-day ceasefire that Israel and Lebanon agreed to came about following a meeting between the nations’ ambassadors and a flurry of subsequent phone calls from President Donald Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio, according to a White House official.

After the talks Tuesday in Washington that included Rubio, Trump spoke Wednesday evening with Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu, who agreed to a ceasefire with certain terms, according to the official, who was not authorized to comment publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity.

Rubio then called Lebanon’s president, Joseph Aoun, who got on board. Trump then spoke with Aoun, and again with Netanyahu.

Meanwhile, the State Department worked with both governments to formulate a memorandum of understanding for the truce.

Iran’s parliamentary speaker says Lebanon ‘integral part’ of regional ceasefire

Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf made these remarks on Iranian state television after meeting Pakistan’s army chief Gen. Asim Munir in Tehran. U.S. President Donald Trump announced a 10-day truce between Lebanon and Israel in a bid to end the war between Israel and the Hezbollah militant group.

Iran, Hezbollah’s key patron and ally, has included ending the war in Lebanon as one of its conditions in its talks with Washington, mediated by Pakistan.

There was no mention about resuming in-person talks with Washington, as both sides gear up for a second round of talks.

US details ceasefire deal between Israel and Lebanon

The 10-day halt to the fighting that will begin later Thursday can be extended if there’s progress in talks to reach a lasting peace agreement and Lebanon “effectively demonstrates its ability to assert its sovereignty,” the State Department said.

President Donald Trump announced the truce following talks held in Washington this week. Israel hasn’t been fighting with Lebanon itself but rather with the Iranian-backed Hezbollah militant group inside Lebanon.

In the statement that the U.S. says was agreed to by Lebanon and Israel, there is a provision to allow Israel to defend itself “at any time, against planned, imminent, or ongoing attacks.” Hezbollah has said it will respond to any strikes by Israel.

But otherwise, Israel “will not carry out any offensive military operations against Lebanese targets, including civilian, military, and other state targets,” the statement says.

Trump says he could go to Pakistan to sign deal if agreement is reached with Iran

The president once again claimed progress is being made in talks with Iran and suggested he could be involved in the signing of a peace agreement, if one is reached.

“If the deal is signed in Islamabad, I might go,” said Trump, who heaped praise on Pakistani Prime Shehbaz Sharif and Pakistani Army Gen. Asim Munir for their role as mediators in the U.S.-Iran talks.

“The field marshal has been great. The prime minister has been really great in Pakistan, so I might go. They want me.”

Foreign minister says Portugal is open to ensuring maritime navigation remains free in the Strait of Hormuz

Foreign Minister Paulo Rangel said on Thursday his country’s prime minister will participate in a conference on Friday co-hosted by the French and British leaders on setting up a mission to ensure freedom of navigation through the strait after the Iran war ends.

But Rangel said a decision on Portugal’s contribution to such a mission won’t be taken “before we know exactly what is at stake” because the mission plan is still unclear.

He said the Portuguese “fully understand the value of freedom of navigation” because they have been “navigators for centuries.”

“So let’s go to the meeting, let’s see what are the plans,” Rangel said after talks with Cypriot counterpart Constantinos Kombos.

Trump says he has ‘to do what’s right’ as he pushes back against Pope Leo XIV on Iran war

Trump isn’t worried that his taunting of Pope Leo XIV might offend his voters.

“I have to do what’s right — the pope has to understand that,” Trump told reporters. “I have nothing against the pope. His brother is MAGA all the way.”

The U.S. president has maintained that the Iran war is about stopping that country from developing a nuclear weapon and he criticized that country’s leadership for killing its own people as he objected to the papal emphasis on peace.

The president added that he’s “sure the pope is a great guy,” yet he suggested Pope Leo XIV was naive about geopolitics.

“The pope has to understand that this is the real world,” Trump said.

Trump suggest he’s open to extending Iran ceasefire

The 14-day ceasefire is set to expire April 22, but Trump said it’s possible that the deadline to make a deal could be pushed out further.

“If we’re close to a deal would I extend?” Trump said in an exchange with reporters. “Yeah, I would do that”

Netanyahu says Israeli troops will remain in an expanded security zone in south Lebanon despite ceasefire

Israel’s Netanyahu says Israeli troops will remain in an expanded security zone in south Lebanon despite a ceasefire.

He said troops will remain in a10-kilometer deep zone, “much stronger, more extensive and more continuous than before.”

“That is where we are, and we are not leaving.”

Hezbollah, in commenting on the ceasefire, had said continuing Israeli occupation grants Lebanon the right to resist.

Trump calls Israel-Lebanon ceasefire ‘very exciting’ opportunity

“I had a great talk with both of them today,” Trump said of this conversations with Aoun and Netanyahu. “They’re going to be having a ceasefire, and that’ll include Hezbollah.”

Trump in an extended exchange with reporters said also that he expected that Aoun and Netanyahu would meet in the next week or two, before saying the White House meeting between the Mideast leaders could happen in the next four or five days.

The president added that he was open to visiting Lebanon “at the right time.”

Trump says $4 a gallon gas ‘not very high’ given importance of stopping Iran from getting a nuclear weapon

The U.S. president played down prices at the pump averaging $4.09 a gallon nationwide, saying the cost wasn’t so great relative to the risk of evening higher prices tied to keeping Iran from getting a nuclear weapon.

“Well, they’re not very high, if you look at what they were supposed to be in order to get rid of a nuclear weapon,” Trump told reporters about gas prices before a planned trip to Las Vegas.

The president repeated a past claim that he thought the war with Iran would have driven energy costs much higher.

Gas prices are up roughly 29% from a year ago, according to AAA.

Netanyahu says he has agreed to 10-day ceasefire in bid ‘to advance’ peace efforts with Lebanon

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says he has agreed to a 10-day ceasefire in Lebanon.

In a video statement, Netanyahu said he was taking the step in an attempt “to advance” peace efforts with Lebanon.

Israel and Lebanon opened negotiations this week in Washington aimed at forging a peace agreement. The Hezbollah militant group, which has been fighting Israel for six weeks, has said it opposes the dialogue.

“We have an opportunity to make a historic peace agreement with Lebanon,” Netanyahu said.

Italian premier hails Israel-Lebanon ceasefire as ‘excellent news’

Italian Premier Giorgia Meloni greeted the announcement of a ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon as “excellent news,” achieved “thanks to the mediation of the United States.”

She added that the ceasefire must be fully respected, singling out Hezbollah “for having started this conflict,” and expressed hope that it would create conditions for talks leading “to a full and lasting peace” between Israel and Lebanon.

Italy has the second-largest contingent of U.N. peacekeepers serving in southern Lebanon.

Hezbollah reacts to ceasefire announcement

Hezbollah said in a statement that “any ceasefire must be comprehensive across all Lebanese territory and must not allow the Israeli enemy any freedom of movement.”

Israel offered no official comment on Trump’s announcement.

Hezbollah added that “Israeli occupation on our land grants Lebanon and its people the right to resist it, and this matter will be determined based on how developments unfold,” a stance that could complicate the ceasefire.

Israel has staged a ground invasion in southern Lebanon, where its forces have been engaged in fierce battles with Hezbollah militants in the border area. It is unclear whether Israel would withdraw some or all of its forces as part of the truce.

▶ Read more

Northern Israeli leaders criticize proposed Lebanon ceasefire

Two local leaders in northern Israel criticized a proposed ceasefire with Lebanon, warning it would leave communities vulnerable.

Moshe Davidovich, head of the Mateh Asher Regional Council, said agreements may be signed in Washington but “the price is paid here in blood, in destroyed homes and shattered communities.”

He warned that a ceasefire without strict enforcement against Hezbollah and a buffer zone up to the Litani River, some 30 kilometers (18.64 miles) north of the Israeli border, would amount to “waiting for the next massacre.”

Eitan Davidi, head of the Margaliot moshav, called the move “a surrender” and “a political defeat.” He told the N12 news site it was made without coordination with northern residents and contradicts the stated goal of dismantling Hezbollah’s capabilities.

China’s UN envoy calls US blockade of Strait of Hormuz ‘a dangerous and irresponsible move’

Ambassador Fu Cong said the strait “should be safeguarded” for international navigation and called on Iran to take ‘proactive measures’ to open the waterway, used to ship about 20% of the world’s oil.

“The issue of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz is a spillover effect of the conflict in Iran,” he said. “Only a complete ceasefire can fundamentally create conditions for easing the situation.”

Fu told the U.N. General Assembly on Thursday that Beijing is engaged “in intensive mediation with all parties to actively promote talks for peace”’ and an end to the war in Iran.

The 193-member world body was meeting to hear China and Russia explain why they vetoed a Security Council resolution backed by the U.S. and Gulf nations aimed at opening the Strait of Hormuz.

Fu claimed the resolution would have given “a carte blanche for the continuation of aggressive actions and further escalation” rather than de-escalate the conflict and promote negotiations.

Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin announced Lyons' departure, calling him a great leader of ICE who helped to make American communities safer. Mullin said Lyons' last day will be May 31.

“We wish him luck on his next opportunity in the private sector,” Mullin said in a statement. The Department of Homeland Security did not immediately respond to an email from The Associated Press asking why he is resigning.

Lyons, who was named acting director in March 2025, led the agency at the center of President Donald Trump’s plans to reshape immigration to the U.S.

Under his leadership, the agency was granted a massive infusion of cash through Congress, which it used to expand hiring and detention capabilities, and it ramped up arrests to meet demand from the administration.

ICE was also central to a series of high-profile immigration enforcement operations in American cities, including Chicago and Minneapolis, a deployment that ended after backlash erupted over the deaths of two American protesters at the hands of federal immigration officers.

Stephen Miller, the president’s deputy chief of staff and the main architect of his immigration policy, called Lyons a "dedicated leader."

“His courageous work at ICE has saved countless thousands of American lives and helped deliver safety and tranquility to millions of Americans,” Miller said in a statement.

White House spokesperson Abigail Jackson described Lyons in a post on X as “an American patriot who made our country safer.”

It’s not clear who might replace Lyons. But whoever does will take over an agency flush with cash while still a flashpoint for controversy. ICE is at the center of a battle in Congress, with Democratic lawmakers demanding restraints on immigration officers before agreeing to restore routine funding for DHS.

On Thursday, Lyons, along with two other top immigration officials, appeared before a House subcommittee to argue for his agency’s budget and faced continued scrutiny from lawmakers of ICE’s actions.

Lyons' departure also comes as DHS is under new leadership after Trump fired former Secretary Kristi Noem, who led the department through the administration’s major immigration policy changes.

Mullin, who took over as secretary last month, is likely to continue to advance the president’s agenda but has struck a softer tone on some of the administration’s most contentious policies.

Public perceptions of ICE during Lyons' tenure were low. In a February AP-NORC poll, most U.S. adults, including independents, said they have an unfavorable view of the agency.

Lyons faced questions in Congress over the shooting deaths of Renee Good and Alex Pretti and was asked if he would apologize for the way some Trump administration officials characterized Good as an agitator. He declined to do so.

“I welcome the opportunity to speak to the family in private. But I’m not going to comment on any active investigation,” Lyons said.

Lyons said he had seen video that captured Pretti’s shooting but said he could not comment, citing an active investigation.

Lyons, who joined ICE in 2007 as an immigration enforcement agent in Texas, signed off on a memo, first obtained by The Associated Press, that granted federal immigration officers sweeping powers to forcibly enter homes and make arrests without a judge’s warrant.

Trump’s border czar Tom Homan described Lyons as serving selflessly and “a highly respected and effective acting Director of ICE.”

__

Golden reported from Seattle.

U.S. President Donald Trump announced the agreement as a ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon. However, Israel has not been fighting with Lebanon itself, but rather with the Iranian-backed Hezbollah militants inside the country, who were not formally part of the agreement.

Barrages of gunshots rang out across Beirut as residents fired into the air just after midnight to celebrate the beginning of the truce.

Displaced families began moving toward southern Lebanon and Beirut’s southern suburbs, despite warnings by officials not to attempt to return to their homes until it became clear whether the ceasefire would hold.

Earlier, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he agreed to the ceasefire “to advance” peace efforts with Lebanon, but said Israeli troops would not withdraw.

Israeli forces have engaged in fierce battles with Hezbollah in the border area as they pushed into southern Lebanon to create what officials have called a “security zone.” Netanyahu, in his video address, said it will extend 10 kilometers (6 miles) into Lebanon.

“That is where we are, and we are not leaving,” he said.

Hezbollah said that “Israeli occupation on our land grants Lebanon and its people the right to resist it, and this matter will be determined based on how developments unfold” — a stance that could complicate the ceasefire.

Israel reserves right to defend itself

The U.S. State Department said that according to the agreement, Israel reserves the right to defend itself “at any time, against planned, imminent, or ongoing attacks.” But otherwise, Israel “will not carry out any offensive military operations against Lebanese targets, including civilian, military, and other state targets.”

The wording suggested Israel would maintain the freedom to strike at will, as it did in the months following the ceasefire that ended the previous war. This time, Hezbollah said it would respond to any strikes by Israel.

It's unclear when the 1 million people displaced by the war will be able to safely return.

Lebanon’s state-run National News agency reported that Israeli shelling continued in the villages of Khiam and Dibbine about a half hour after the truce went into effect. Israel’s military said it was looking into reports of shelling and artillery fire in southern Lebanon.

Hezbollah kept firing rockets at northern Israeli towns and communities right up to the start of the ceasefire. Air raid sirens went off in some often-targeted border towns less than 10 minutes before midnight.

Flurry of diplomacy

The agreement came after a meeting between Israel's and Lebanon’s ambassadors in Washington and a flurry of subsequent phone calls from Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio, according to a White House official.

They were the first direct diplomatic talks between the two countries in decades. Hezbollah had opposed direct talks between Lebanon and Israel.

Trump spoke Wednesday evening with Netanyahu, who agreed to a ceasefire with certain terms, according to the official, who was not authorized to comment publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity.

Rubio then called Lebanon’s president, Joseph Aoun, who got on board. Trump then spoke with Aoun, and again with Netanyahu.

The State Department worked with both governments to formulate a memorandum of understanding for the truce.

“May have been a historic day for Lebanon. Good things are happening!!!” Trump said in a social media post.

Trump extends White House invitation

Lebanon has insisted on a ceasefire to stop the fighting between Israel and Hezbollah before engaging in more talks, while vowing to commit to disarming the group.

Israel and Lebanon have technically been at war since Israel was established in 1948, and Lebanon remains deeply divided over diplomatic engagement with Israel.

Trump also invited the leaders of Israel and Lebanon to the White House for what he said would be “the first meaningful talks" between the countries since 1983.

“Both sides want to see PEACE, and I believe that will happen, quickly,” Trump wrote on social media.

Lebanon and Israel signed an agreement in 1983 saying Lebanon would formally recognize Israel, and Israel would withdraw from Lebanon. The deal fell apart during Lebanon’s civil war and was formally rescinded a year later.

A Hezbollah official said the ceasefire was a result of Iran’s negotiations with the U.S., in which Iran had insisted Lebanon be included in its own ceasefire, and came about through efforts by mediator Pakistan. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak publicly.

Pakistan army chief meets with Iranian parliament speaker

Meanwhile, Pakistan’s army chief met Thursday with Iran’s parliament speaker as part of international efforts to press for an extension to a ceasefire that has paused almost seven weeks of war between Israel, the U.S. and Iran.

It was unclear whether the frantic diplomacy could lead to a lasting deal before the ceasefire ends next week. The Iran war has killed thousands of people and upended global markets by disrupting the flow of oil.

Iranian state television did not provide details on the meeting between Pakistani Army Gen. Asim Munir and Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf, his country’s chief negotiator.

There was no immediate comment from Pakistan, a key mediator after hosting the talks between the U.S. and Iran that authorities said helped narrow differences between the sides.

The White House said any further talks regarding Iran would likely take place in the Pakistani capital of Islamabad, though no decision had been made on whether to resume negotiations. The fragile ceasefire is holding despite a U.S. naval blockade of Iranian ports and Iranian counter-threats to target regional ports across the Red Sea.

Trump suggested the ceasefire could be extended.

“If we’re close to a deal, would I extend?” Trump said in an exchange with reporters. “Yeah, I would do that.”

The war has jolted markets and rattled the global economy as shipping has been cut off and airstrikes have pounded military and civilian infrastructure. Oil prices have fallen amid hopes for an end to fighting, and U.S. stocks on Wednesday surpassed records set in January.

Officials say US and Iran are making progress

Even as the U.S. blockade on Iranian ports and renewed Iranian threats strained the ceasefire, regional officials reported progress, telling AP the United States and Iran had an “in-principle agreement” to extend it to allow for more diplomacy. They spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive negotiations.

But tensions simmered.

The commander of Iran’s joint military command, Ali Abdollahi, threatened to halt trade in the region if the U.S. does not lift its naval blockade, and a newly appointed military adviser to Iranian Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei said he does not support extending the ceasefire.

Mediators seek compromise on sticking points

The fighting has killed at least 3,000 people in Iran, more than 2,100 in Lebanon, 23 in Israel and more than a dozen in Gulf Arab states. Thirteen U.S. service members have also been killed.

Mediators are pushing for a compromise on three main sticking points: Iran’s nuclear program, the Strait of Hormuz and compensation for wartime damages, according to a regional official involved in the mediation efforts.

Since the war began, Iran has curtailed maritime traffic through the strait, which a fifth of global oil transited through in peacetime. Tehran’s effective closure of the strait sent oil prices skyrocketing, raising the cost of fuel, food and other basic goods far beyond the Middle East.

___

Becatoros contributed from Athens, Greece. Matthew Lee and Ben Finley in Washington, Samy Magdy in Cairo, Melanie Lidman in Tel Aviv, Israel, and Munir Ahmed in Islamabad contributed to this report.

His parents, Janice and Ronnie Fields, have spent the last four years fighting for justice in the case.

“I’m hurt, I’m disgusted, and I’m just, you know, I am heartbroken,” Janice Fields said. “Just to know that four years going by and no answers, no justice, it really breaks my heart.”

Family and community members gathered Thursday to honor Rashaud’s memory, reflecting on the kind of person he was.

“He was the life of everybody,” his mother said. “The principal said he was a leader. He was not a follower. He was always a leader. He loves to push the young fellas on the football team. That just was the great person that Rashaud was. He was born to be great.”

Saray Green, a classmate and long-time friend of Rashaud’s, graduated alongside him in 2022. She says not having answers four years later has taken a toll.

“It hardens my heart very much,” she said. “I have moments all day, every day, random. It’s unfortunate. And it has me at a loss of words.”

She is urging whoever killed Rashaud to come forward.

“How would you feel if it was you? If it was your family member?” Green said. “So, just gotta be fair all the way around.”

District 10 Councilwoman Ju’Coby Pittman says the case remains frustratingly unsettled.

“We really don’t know if he was a target or not. We really don’t know that because no one is talking, no one wants to be a snitch, and that’s unfortunate,” Pittman said.

Pittman is also working to address the root causes of violence in her district. She said the state recently approved money for District 10 to help support small businesses and prevent crime.

“Receiving $3 million is a rollout of plans that the residents developed in the vision and implementation plan for District 10,” Pittman said. “We feel that these dollars would help through prevention programs, perhaps, and working with maybe even churches and nonprofits because it matters.”

Janice Fields says she will not stop fighting until she gets answers about who killed her son.

“If you know something, say something,” she said. “You could be sitting in the same seat I’m sitting in right now. All I ask y’all to do is please, please, if y’all know something say something — and you will remain anonymous.”

Fields also said the fight for justice extends beyond her family.

“Me and my husband, we fight for justice, but not just only for Rashaud, but for the other kids in this community, to put the guns down and stop the gun violence.”

Anyone with information about Rashaud Fields’ killer or the graduation party where he was shot is asked to contact the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office at 904-630-0500 or through email at jsocrimetips@jaxsheriff.org. You can also submit an anonymous tip to Crimestoppers by calling 1-866-845-TIPS (8477).

The proposal has been in the works for months, drawing repeated public opposition from community members who have shown up to speak out against the facility.

The outpour of people speaking out against the measure lasted for hours during the meeting, with one person saying, “I think this detention center will be a stain.”

“I don’t understand the rush when we don’t have all the facts before us,” one speaker said.

Critics of the proposal cited environmental concerns and potential strain on local resources, arguing that a 3,000-person facility is a significant burden for a town of roughly 6,000 people.

“I’m concerned about the strain of a 24/7 facility,” another person said during public comment.

“Bradford County should be building with these resources something for everybody – not an ICE facility," someone else said.

The building at the center of the debate is the Douglas Building, a county-owned 100,000-square-foot warehouse on U.S. 301.

Commissioners ultimately chose to table a decision while they look at other proposals for the Douglas Building, including options some residents said could turn the site into an industrial park.

What was under consideration Thursday night was a lease agreement that would allow the Bradford County Sheriff’s Office to use the building for a five-year term as a “federal detention facility.”

In a memo to commissioners, Sheriff Gordon Smith said several requirements would need to be met before any work begins, including approvals from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and the Florida Department of Environmental Protection.

During the meeting, Smith told commissioners he would not move forward if those requirements are not met.

“If they don’t come back with what we want, we don’t move forward,” Smith said. “These are humans. No human under my watch will be mistreated.”

RELATED: Bradford County plans warehouse conversion to ICE detention center despite community concerns

The sheriff has also said he believes the project could bring hundreds of jobs to the area.

“We owe it to the citizens of this county to ensure that this facility operates with the highest mechanical reliability and the lowest possible impact on our local infrastructure and quality of life,” Smith said in the letter.

Mejía, 48, a former head of the Working Families Alliance who had support from Vermont U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders, will fill the seat previously held by Democratic Gov. Mikie Sherrill and serve until January.

Her victory is a win for progressives and means Democrats hold on to the 11th District seat in the House, where Republicans hold a thin majority. It also adds to a string of victories for Democrats heading into this year’s midterm elections.

The Associated Press called the race for Mejía minutes after the polls closed.

Mejía later spoke in Montclair to an enthusiastic crowd of supporters who called out in unison with her that she was an “unbought, unbossed, sassy new member of Congress.”

Republicans criticized her throughout the campaign as too far to the left. She pushed back against those arguments, calling for better health care and education and attacking billionaires for having a “stranglehold” on the economy.

“It is not radical to say that a worker who toils every day cannot make ends meet, that they deserve justice, that they deserve higher wages,” Mejía said Thursday night. “That is not radical, that is good conscience. That is a good economy.”

Her speech echoed Sanders, who congratulated her in a social media post and said she would be a “great progressive addition” to Congress.

Mejía emerged from a crowded primary in February and cast the race as a test of Trump’s leadership. She criticized his pardons of people convicted of Jan. 6-related crimes and faulted him for freezing funds authorized by Congress.

She campaigned on populist economic policies and pushing to abolish U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. She has criticized the Israeli government and said she stands with Palestinian communities in their “pursuit of peace and dignity.”

Hathaway, 38, tried to use Mejía's progressive credentials to his advantage, as national Republicans cast her as a socialist. After her victory he congratulated Mejía and wished her well. He added that he still believes the district is looking for “balanced, pragmatic” leadership, not “far-left policies.”

The two could go head to head again in November’s election for a full two-year term.

The 11th District, which covers parts of Essex, Morris and Passaic counties in northern New Jersey’s wealthy suburbs, was long a Republican stronghold but has become increasingly Democratic since Trump’s first term.

Sherrill first won the seat in 2018’s midterm elections, when Democrats flipped dozens of seats to take control of Congress. In 2024 she won reelection by about 15 points, while Vice President Kamala Harris, the Democratic presidential nominee, carried the district by nearly 9 points.

Mejía's margin of victory was greater. With more than 90% of votes counted late Thursday, she led Hathaway by about 20 percentage points. Additional mail-in ballots — which have favored Mejía by an even larger margin — will be counted in the coming days as they can arrive as late as Wednesday.

Saran Cunningham, an 86-year-old retired special educator, said she was initially reluctant to support Mejía, worried that her views were too far to the left. She backed another candidate in the primary. But recently, outside the Morristown early polling location, she said she would now vote for Mejía.

“I think we’ve been tilting a little bit more to the right lately, which worries me,” Cunningham said. “I think that we need people in Congress who will fight for things that will help people as opposed to hurting them.”

Rob Berkowitz, 62, cast his early vote for Hathaway at the Denville polling station. Describing himself as a conservative, Berkowitz gave Trump high marks on immigration, the economy and the war in Iran, comparing him to Winston Churchill. He criticized the Democratic Party for moving away from leaders in the style of Harry Truman, whom he praised.

“They want borders wide open. They don’t want to enforce existing immigration laws,” Berkowitz said.

The February Democratic primary pitted Mejía against former Rep. Tom Malinowski and others in a race where the American Israel Public Affairs Committee was a key player. The group’s affiliated super PAC tried to thwart Malinowski after he questioned unconditional aid to the Israeli government. That effort appeared to backfire as Mejía, who said she agreed that Israel has committed genocide in Gaza, came out on top.

Over the years she has been a regular presence in the state Capitol, advocating for progressive causes, and was Sanders’ political director during his 2020 presidential run. During the Biden administration, she was deputy director of the Labor Department’s Women’s Bureau.

In addition to winning Sanders’ endorsement, she was backed by U.S. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York and Sen. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts.

Hathaway, a former Yale University football player, has worked in health care and finance as well as in politics as an aide for former GOP Gov. Chris Christie.

U.S. District Judge Richard Leon’s latest ruling comes in response to an appeals court’s instruction to clarify an earlier decision on the 90,000-square-foot (8,400-square-meter) ballroom planned for the site where it demolished the East Wing of the White House.

Trump on social media called Leon, who was nominated to the bench by Republican President George W. Bush, a “Trump Hating” judge who “has gone out of his way to undermine National Security, and to make sure that this Great Gift to America gets delayed, or doesn’t get built.”

The administration filed a notice that it will ask the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit to review Leon's latest decision, too.

National Trust for Historic Preservation president and CEO Carol Quillen, whose group sued to challenge the project, said in a statement that the group is pleased with the court's ruling.

Leon said that below-ground work on security measures is exempt from his order suspending above-ground construction. Government lawyers have argued that the project includes critical security features to guard against a range of possible threats, such as drones, ballistic missiles and biohazards.

Leon's latest ruling comes several days after a three-judge panel from the D.C. appeals court instructed him to reconsider the possible national security implications of stopping construction.

In his previous order, Leon barred above-ground work on the ballroom from proceeding without congressional approval. The judge also ruled on March 31 that any construction work that’s necessary to ensure the safety and security of the White House is exempt from the scope of the injunction. Leon said he reviewed material that the government privately submitted to him before concluding that halting construction wouldn’t jeopardize national security.

Leon had suspended his March 31 order for two weeks. He stayed his latest decision for another week, which gives the administration more time to seek Supreme Court review.

Leon said he is ordering a stop only to the above-ground construction of the planned ballroom, apart from any work needed to cover or secure that part of the project. Otherwise, the Trump administration is free to proceed with the construction of any excavations, bunkers, military installations, and medical facilities below the ballroom.

“Defendants argue that the entire ballroom construction project, from tip to tail, falls within the safety-and-security exception and therefore may proceed unabated," the judge wrote. “That is neither a reasonable nor a correct reading of my Order!”

On Saturday, the appeals court panel said it didn't have enough information to decide how much of the project can be suspended without jeopardizing the safety of the president, his family or the White House staff.

Leon said he recognizes the safety implications of the case, but stressed that “national security is not a blank check to proceed with otherwise unlawful activity.” He also said he has “no desire or intention to be dragooned into the role of construction manager.”

On April 2, two days after Leon's previous ruling, Trump’s ballroom won final approval from the 12-member National Capital Planning Commission, which is charged with approving construction on federal property in the Washington region.

The preservation group sued in December, a week after the White House finished demolishing the East Wing to make way for a ballroom that Trump said would fit 999 people. Trump says the project is funded by private donations, although public money is paying for the bunker construction and security upgrades.

He returned to the piano only after a mentor told him about a large number of piano pieces for the left hand alone.

After exhaustive practice he made a comeback, playing recitals as South Korea's only known professional left-hand-only pianist.

He is now preparing for a new challenge: his first joint performance with an orchestra at an international music festival next month.

“I’m so, so nervous I could die,” Lee, 54, said with a smile during a recent interview with The Associated Press at his Seoul home. “It’s just one concerto but working with an orchestra has its own difficulties.”

Thrown into despair

In August 2012, Lee, then a doctorate candidate at the music school at the University of Cincinnati, abruptly collapsed at his home.

He survived after extensive surgery, but the stroke damaged about 60% of his brain’s left hemisphere. He couldn’t move his right arm and leg and suffered temporary aphasia.

Lee was later brought back to South Korea in a wheelchair. His father, Lee Hae Chang, a baseball legend in South Korea, said his son couldn’t recognize him upon arrival.

“After the stroke, I didn’t even imagine playing the piano. I only thought about whether I could stand on my feet again,” Lee Hun said.

Performing with five fingers

Lee’s condition was also hard on his family, who had to care for him daily. His mother Poong Ok Hee recalled she had fought a lot with her son because of his mood swings. He often resisted her advice and assistance.

Things began changing after he dined with his former piano teacher, Chun Yung Hae, in 2013. Chun encouraged him to play the piano again, saying there were more than 1,000 pieces for the left hand alone. That rekindled his passion for the piano, and Lee began practicing immediately that night.

In 2016, Lee made a formal debut as a one-handed pianist at Seoul St. Mary’s Hospital, where he received treatment and rehabilitation. After performing Camille Saint-Saens’ “6 Etudes for the Left Hand Alone,” Lee played “Amazing Grace” with Chun, with Lee using his left hand and Chun her right hand. At least one spectator cried.

“He is a pianist so he must play the piano. He was completely hopeless and in despair, so I tried to give him some hope. But I didn’t expect him to play as well as this,” said Chun, who served as dean of the College of Music at Seoul’s Kyung Hee University.

Performing a masterpiece with orchestra

Lee has steadily given recitals, appeared on TV programs and written a memoir. He now walks without assistance and communicates relatively smoothly in Korean.

Local media dub him as “Korea’s Paul Wittgenstein,” an acclaimed Austrian pianist who is considered a pioneer in one-handed piano music. He lost his right arm in World War I and commissioned left-hand repertories by famed composers, including Ravel, Strauss, Prokofiev and Britten. His brother was philosopher Ludwig Wittgenstein.

On May 2, Lee is to appear at the annual Icheon Young-Artist International Music Festival in South Korea, performing with a festival orchestra. They’ll play Ravel’s “Piano Concerto for the Left Hand,” which was also commissioned by Wittgenstein.

It’s a highly difficult piece for a pianist, Lee said, but it’s something he’s been eager to play.

Chung Eun-hyon, head of Lee’s agency, Tool Music, said Lee has told him it’s his dream to play the concerto. Chung said he feels deeply emotional as he helps “make his dream come true.”

Dreams of a two-handed comeback

Before becoming a one-handed pianist, Lee said he focused on how to perfect skills to wow audiences. Now, he agonizes over how to convey his emotions and interpretation of music to people.

“He plays a sort of music that truly touches the heart of people and it’s not about finger dexterity,” said Lee Eungkwang, head of a cultural foundation responsible for the Icheon festival.

“I’m really curious what it was like when he played with both hands,” Lee said.

Lee Hun said he hopes to make a two-handed comeback one day, saying he succeeded in pressing a piano key once with his right hand at a concert in November 2024.

Medically speaking, prospects for Lee regaining the use of his right hand and performing with both hands are dim, according to his doctor at St. Mary’s Hospital, Koo Jaseong.

“I still would like to give him a round of applause to his efforts. Though rare, there have been reports of miraculous recoveries too,” Koo said.

“If you book a ticket, we want you and your family to have the certainty that you’ll fly without endless delays and cancellations,” Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said in a statement.

O’Hare has the most number of flights of any U.S. airport, and it already had one of the worst records for flight delays nationwide last year.

More than 3,080 flights were planned on peak days this summer, which represented a 14.9% increase from the summer before, according to the U.S. Department of Transportation and Federal Aviation Administration. That increase comes as air traffic controllers deal with taxiway closures for construction projects.

In its draft order, the federal government said both American and United announced expansion plans at O’Hare that could lead to significant delays this summer and limit the airfield’s ability to handle the expected amount of traffic.

Duffy said that the schedule was unrealistic and would have exceeded what the airport could handle. So the number of flights at the airport will be limited to a maximum of 2,708, which is still slightly higher than maximum of 2,680 flights that were scheduled at the peak of last summer. He said that “will reduce delays and make this busy summer travel season a little easier."

On slower days of the week, fewer flights will have to be cut because a smaller number was scheduled in the first place. Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Saturdays are typically slower days of the week for flights.

The flight limits will take effect May 17 and last through Oct. 24.

Airlines will go through the details of the order to figure out how many flights they have to cancel and then will notify customers.

American Airlines said that once implemented, the FAA’s order will improve reliability and reduce delays for customers traveling through O’Hare this summer.

“We are grateful to Secretary Duffy, Administrator Bedford, and their leadership teams for acting swiftly to ensure that Chicagoans and all consumers continue to benefit from sensible competition and to help minimize flight disruptions during the busy summer season,” American said in a statement.

American told employees in a memo that it estimates that it will have to cut no more than 40 arrivals and departures per day, but it estimates that United might have to cut more than 200 arrivals and departures based on the published schedules. United did not provide an estimate of how many flights it will have to cut.

United said the airline appreciates that the government came up with “a solution that makes sense for everyone who cares about O'Hare's success.”

Both airlines will review the order and their scheduled to determine where to make cuts and then notify travelers who are affected.

___

Associated Press Transportation Writer Josh Funk contributed to this report from Omaha, Nebraska.

Hamilton was FEMA’s temporary leader from January to May of last year but was fired one day after testifying on Capitol Hill that he did not agree with proposals to dismantle the organization charged with coordinating the federal government's response to disasters, an idea Trump had repeatedly floated.

“I do not believe it is in the best interest of the American people to eliminate the Federal Emergency Management Agency,” he told members of a House Appropriations subcommittee.

FEMA has lacked a permanent administrator throughout Trump's second term and is currently on its third temporary leader, something critics have said undermines the agency's effectiveness.

Trump offered Hamilton the job Wednesday, according to the person, who was not authorized to discuss it publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity. The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The New York Times first reported Trump's intent to nominate Hamilton.

Hamilton’s nomination would come at a crucial time for FEMA and as its future remains uncertain. Trump has said he wants to shift more responsibility for disasters to states and has created a FEMA Review Council, expected to propose sweeping reforms to how the agency supports disaster-impacted communities.

Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin has expressed support for FEMA while calling for reforms, striking a stark contrast from his predecessor Kristi Noem, who vowed to "eliminate FEMA as it exists today” and whose dealings with the review council grew fraught.

It’s unclear how Hamilton would lead FEMA or what Trump expects from his leadership.

Hamilton's relationship with DHS officials became “very hostile” during his short tenure at FEMA, he said in a September episode of the podcast “Disaster Tough.” He wanted to cut “wasteful spending” and “downsize the agency,” he said, but not dismantle it.

Trump has not officially announced the nomination and could change his mind. Hamilton could also face headwinds during the Senate confirmation process over never having served as a state emergency management director.

Federal law requires FEMA’s administrator to have “a demonstrated ability in and knowledge of emergency management and homeland security” and no less than five years of executive leadership and management experience. If confirmed, he would become the principal advisor to the president and the Homeland Security secretary for all matters related to emergency management.

Hamilton spent a decade in the U.S. Navy Seals, serving on Seal Team Eight for four overseas deployments between 2005 and 2015, according to his LinkedIn profile and a Congressional bio.

He then served as a supervisory emergency management specialist at the U.S. State Department and as the Department of Homeland Security’s director of emergency services for several years.

Hamilton ran for Congress in Virginia’s 7th district in 2024 but lost in the Republican primary.

In a LinkedIn post earlier this month marking 47 years since FEMA’s establishment, Hamilton said he was grateful to have served under Trump and alongside FEMA colleagues. “I wish my tenure had been longer,” he wrote, “as there is still much more work to do for reform.”

Milenko Faria was interviewed at the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services offices near Los Angeles, while his wife, Dr. Rubeliz Bolivar, entered her sixth day in immigration custody in Texas and was unable to attend the appointment they had been waiting for for more than 10 years.

Bolivar, who worked as a doctor in an area federally designated as medically underserved, was arrested by Border Patrol agents at McAllen International Airport on Saturday. She was with their American-born daughter, preparing to board a flight to join her husband and attend their asylum interview together.

Bolivar, 33, was the second Venezuelan physician arrested in the area within the span of a week. On April 6, Dr. Ezequiel Veliz was detained by Border Patrol agents at a checkpoint in South Texas. After spending about ten days in detention, his attorney, Victor Badell, said he was able to successfully request a bond hearing and secure his release on Thursday after paying a bond of $8,000.

The arrests are part of President Donald Trump’s hardline immigration policies. Following an enforcement surge in Minnesota in January, in which two U.S. citizens died, the Department of Homeland Security has focused on less visible arrests.

Bolívar worked in the emergency room of a hospital in McAllen, city of about 150,000 in the Rio Grande Valley near the Mexican border, starting in June 2025, when she was accepted into her medical residency program.

“She was always focused on the community, and when she was accepted, it was an immense joy,” Faria, 36, said in a telephone interview with The Associated Press. “We have never done anything outside the law. We have done everything by following the steps in accordance with the law to obtain permanent residency."

The husband said that she arrived at the U.S. with a tourist visa in 2016, after graduating from medical school in her native Venezuela.

Before her authorized period of stay expired, she was included in the asylum application filed by her husband, he said. Both are also seeking a green card through an application for skilled workers, processed by Faria’s employer, a California company where he has worked as an information systems technician since 2019.

The couple was beneficiary of Temporary Protected Status for Venezuela that shielded more than 600,000 Venezuelans from deportation. Trump terminated the protections for Venezuela, Haiti, Syria, Afghanistan, Nicaragua and other countries, a decision that has been challenged in federal court.

The Department of Homeland Security said that Bolivar was arrested because she was in the country illegally.

“She has overstayed her visa since 2017, nearly a decade, and had no legal status,” said DHS spokeswoman Lauren Bis.

Jodi Goodwin, an immigration attorney in South Texas, noted that around September or October 2025, she observed a change in policy regarding travel of individuals with pending applications before USCIS.

”It just became a very apparent trend where anyone that had some kind of application pending with USCIS, whether it was an adjustment of status or asylum, anything like that, they were going to be arrested,” said Goodwin.

Faria and Bolivar lived together in Santa Maria, California, until she moved to Texas in the summer of 2025 for her medical residency. He said he traveled every two months to visit his wife and daughter. The day of her arrest was the first time Bolívar had traveled since moving to Texas.

Bolivar was arrested by Customs and Border Protection officers before passing through transportation security screening, where she was asked to show her identification. She showed her driver’s license — bearing the “Real ID” endorsement required to domestic flights — and a work authorization valid until 2030.

She told them that she was adjusting status to a green card and was traveling to California for an asylum interview but the officer detained her after asking for her nationality and demanding that she provide proof of legal permanent residency, said Faria. He received text messages from his wife at the time she was being arrested.

Their 5-year-old daughter, a U.S. citizen, was also arrested and handed over to her grandfather 19 hours later. The girl is currently in California with her father.

The doctor was transferred to ICE custody on Sunday and is being held at El Valle Detention Facility in Texas.

She has asked several times why she was detained but has not received any response yet, Faria said.

Ezequiel Veliz, the other Venezuelan physician, came to the United States to become a doctor in 2018 under a tourist visa. His friend, Hector Ruiz, described him as a kind-hearted doctor who loves his pet cats and is devoted to his work.

Veliz adjusted his immigration status as a student and later as a doctor at a South Texas hospital in the Rio Grande Valley working under TPS. The pause in the protection status had immediate consequences on his two-year residency.

“He was one year and four months into that. He couldn’t continue working legally. He had to stop,” said Badell, his attorney.

He was waiting for a visa requested by the hospital when he was detained at a Border Patrol checkpoint traveling to Houston with his husband on April 6.

___

Associated Press writer Valerie Gonzalez contributed.

The incident occurred around 4:37 p.m. near 2551 Watermill Drive. The bus driver, a 44-year-old woman, steered left to navigate around a parked work truck and trailer, but struck the trailer in the process, FHP said.

RELATED: Semi driver cited for careless driving, fined $164 in school bus crash that injured 4 kindergartners, records show | ‘Drive with caution’: 2nd school bus crash in less than a week near railroad tracks on Zoo Parkway raises concerns

No injuries were reported among the students or either driver.

The truck’s driver, a 64-year-old man from Jacksonville, was not wearing a seatbelt at the time of the crash, according to the report.

Rep. James Walkinshaw, D-Va., expressed alarm that federal workers may be using AI chatbots to handle sensitive government data. Rep. William Timmons, R-S.C., asked whether it should be illegal for AI systems to use someone’s likeness to create pornographic images.

Rep. John McGuire, R-Va., expressed concerns that AI systems could deny U.S. military forces from taking lethal actions due to a model's conclusion for “moral” behavior. And Rep. Yassamin Ansari, D-Ariz., raised concerns about the Trump administration’s use of AI in the war with Iran, the technology’s intensive energy usage and its potential effects on the climate.

While members of Congress elsewhere debated other major topics — the scope of the federal government’s surveillance powers, the war with Iran and funding the Department of Homeland Security — the House Oversight Committee’s subcommittee roundtable on “Artificial Intelligence and American Power” brought executives of AI firms, academics and those implementing AI at major companies together with lawmakers.

Thursday’s discussion comes as leaders on Capitol Hill grapple with the dizzying pace of global developments in which technology plays a central role. But the conversation quickly considered the potential for artificial intelligence to dwarf every other challenge facing the country.

“People in our districts across this country are going to start feeling impacts very soon, and if we don’t start thinking properly and aggressively and proactively about the challenges that AI creates, I fear that we’re going to have a revolution on our hands,” said Rep. Dave Min, D-Calif.

The subcommittee’s ranking Democrat, Rep. Maxwell Frost of Florida, also expressed optimism about AI’s ability to cure diseases and boost the economy. But Frost, currently the youngest member of Congress, worried that the technology would outpace lawmakers and pose potentially disastrous consequences if not addressed early on.

“I don’t have faith in this institution to actually put the common sense guardrails in place. And then we fast forward ten years, and the house is on fire,” said Frost. “That won’t be good for anybody, whether it’s the industry or working families and people, or this institution itself.”

Rep. Eric Burlison, R-Mo., kicked off the meeting with praise for the industry and marveled at how one panelist’s company used AI to automate and fast-track manufacturing in the firm’s factories.

“It’s truly like the closest thing to Star Trek I’ve ever seen,” Burlison said. He later inquired about what congressional districts should do to attract AI firms for business.

Many also openly fretted about disclosures from technology firms like Anthropic, which recently announced that its Mythos AI model, which the company claims has capabilities so powerful that it is limiting its use to select customers because of its apparent ability to bypass traditional cybersecurity and hack major institutions like banks, government agencies and major corporations.

“I recognize AI is not going anywhere,” said Rep. Eli Crane, R-Ariz., a former Navy SEAL who served in combat. “That being said, does anyone on this panel feel or believe, in any way, that as we are going down the road in this AI race, we might be simultaneously engineering our own destruction?”

The assembled experts and industry leaders all highlighted AI’s vast and growing capabilities. They urged lawmakers, alongside their policy recommendations, to be thoughtful and well-informed when making policy.

Mark Beall, president of government affairs at the AI Policy Network Inc. and a former Pentagon official, warned that Congress risked the country losing its competitive edge on AI if it did not act on key national security concerns.

“I don’t think it’s going to kill us,” Robert Atkinson, founder of the Information Technology and Innovation Foundation, a technology think tank, told lawmakers.

“At the same time, I do think it’s important for the federal government to seriously fund AI safety research,” Atkinson continued. “We need to know a lot more about how the models work.”

Spencer Overton, a George Washington University law professor, said the incentives for AI companies “are really what they should be” when asked by lawmakers whether the firms were good actors.

“Constituents are looking for you, not for companies, to step up and protect them," Overton said. "They’re trusting you, the person that they voted for, to do that, as opposed to companies. That’s the way the system works, right?”

Too hot, too soon and way too dry.

Our sun-parched plants will shrivel in the sun for another weekend as record highs and dry conditions continue through Sunday. Breezy conditions could fan wildfire flames, leading to rapidly spreading threats.

Patchy to dense fog will be possible again tomorrow morning.

Record highs through Sunday:

Friday, April 17, 93 degrees set, in 1967.

Saturday, April 18, 94 degrees, set in 1967.

Sunday, April 19, 92 degrees, set in 1995.

A weak cold front will move through Sunday. The lack of energy and the limited moisture with the front are not looking good for rain chances. However, the GFS and EURO are a bit more optimistic today, showing a slight chance of a few passing showers, estimated chances 10 percent or less.

Behind the front, high pressure builds with a period of elevated north and northeasterly winds. Dry air filters in once again into the area behind the front, continuing the dry weather conditions into midweek.

High pressure will move east of the area Tuesday and Wednesday with lighter winds expected. Cooler temperatures return on Monday with highs a little below normal.

Tonight: Mostly clear with patchy to dense fog.

Friday: Patchy to dense fog early, then becoming mostly sunny with near record highs. Morning lows in the 50s inland, 60s along the beaches. Afternoon highs in the 80s to low 90s inland, 70s to low 80s along the beaches. Wind: S/SE 5-10 mph inland. Patchy to dense fog overnight.

Saturday: Partly cloudy with near record highs. Morning lows in the 50s inland, 60s along the beaches. Afternoon highs in the 80s to low 90s inland, 70s to low 80s along the beaches. Wind: S/SE 5-10 mph inland. Patchy to dense fog overnight.

Looking ahead: Cooler temperatures return next week with a strong northeasterly breeze.

Sunrise: 6:57 a.m.

Sunset: 7:56 p.m.

Owner David Blitzer announced the hire less than 48 hours after the team’s regular season ended without a playoff appearance. Mehta was an assistant when the Florida Panthers won the Stanley Cup each of the past two years.

“We quickly realized this job was in high demand and were incredibly fortunate to meet with many qualified candidates," Blitzer said. "Sunny’s familiarity with our organization and experience with a two-time Stanley Cup-winning team are characteristics that will serve as a foundation for future success. Our expectations are to be a perennial playoff team and compete for the Stanley Cup, and I look forward to Sunny leading us there.”

Mehta, 48, established the NHL's first full-fledged analytics department when he joined his home-state Devils in 2014 and worked for them through 2018. He spent time with Washington before going to Florida.

The Toronto Maple Leafs, who also had a vacancy after firing Brad Treliving late last month, also showed interest in Mehta, given their interest in a numbers-driven GM. The Devils beat Toronto the punch.

Raised in Wyckoff, New Jersey, Mehta grew up a Devils fan. He had a career as a professional poker player and worked in finance before getting into hockey.

“I knew this was the place I wanted to be,” Mehta said, thanking the Panthers for the chance to take the next step in his career. “New Jersey has a tremendous young core that will be looking to get back to being a contender, a complement of young assets and draft picks, and a passionate fan base hungry for success.”

The Devils parted ways with longtime GM Tom Fitzgerald late in the season. The future of coach Sheldon Keefe is not clear, though he guided the team to the playoffs in his first year in charge.

Mehta takes over at an important time for the franchise, with U.S. Olympic hero Jack Hughes at the center of a young core and captain Nico Hischier eligible to sign an extension as soon as July 1.

“I’m focusing on playing hockey here,” Hischier said about it the morning after Fitzgerald left. "I still have one more year. I’m with the Devils right now, and then we’ll see what happens."

If he is able to trade defenseman Dougie Hamilton this summer after his $7.4 million roster bonus is paid, it will clear up valuable salary cap space to use to improve the forward group.

___

AP NHL: https://apnews.com/hub/nhl

In his testimony before the House Ways and Means Committee, kicking off an expected sprint of seven budget hearings he'll attend across congressional committees and subcommittees over the next week, Kennedy emphasized the administration's work to reform dietary guidelines and crack down on waste, fraud and abuse.

Republicans on the committee praised Kennedy as a “breath of fresh air” and asked him to promote his department's recent actions. Democrats, who have been furious over Kennedy's sweeping overhaul of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, largely had a different agenda.

They needled Kennedy on what they viewed as the Trump administration’s hypocrisy on fraud, demanded to know why he was cutting budgets for various programs and slammed his efforts to pull back vaccine recommendations and messaging, which they said have caused unnecessary deaths.

Kennedy fired back, often raising his voice as he accused the Democrats of misrepresenting his work and past statements.

Here are three standout moments from Thursday's hearing:

A standoff over measles

One heated exchange early in the hearing came between Kennedy and Rep. Linda Sanchez. The California Democrat decried recent measles outbreaks across the U.S. and asked Kennedy to answer for the fact that under his leadership, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention pulled back public health messaging supporting vaccination.

“As a mother, this horrifies me,” Sanchez said. “Did President Trump approve your decision to end CDC’s pro-vaccine public messaging campaign?”

Kennedy repeatedly refused to answer, saying first he wanted to respond to the “misstatements that you've made” and later praising the Trump administration's record on preventing measles, although protections against the disease have eroded in some parts of the country as vaccination rates have dropped.

“That's not answering my question,” Sanchez said as the two talked over each other.

But Sanchez also got Kennedy, a longtime anti-vaccine activist before he entered politics, to acknowledge that a 6-year-old who died of measles last year in West Texas could have potentially been saved with vaccination.

“Do you agree with the majority of doctors that the measles vaccine could have saved that child’s life in Texas?” she asked.

“It's possible, certainly,” Kennedy said.

RFK Jr. denies talking about Black children being ‘re-parented’

A fight erupted between Kennedy and Rep. Terri Sewell, a Democrat from Alabama, when Kennedy vehemently denied making remarks he'd said in 2024.

The comments dated back to when Kennedy was a presidential candidate. On the “High Level Conversations” podcast in 2024, he said, “Psychiatric drugs — which every Black kid is now just standard put on Adderall, SSRIs, benzos, which are known to induce violence, and those kids are going to have a chance to go somewhere and get re-parented to live in a community where there'll be no cellphones, no screens, you'll actually have to talk to people."

“Have you ever re-parented, or parented, I should say, a Black child?” Sewell asked, as her staff held up a poster featuring an abbreviated version of the quote.

“I don't even know what that phrase means,” Kennedy said. “I'm not going to answer something I didn't say.”

“You're making stuff up,” he later claimed.

A recording of the podcast shows he made the comments during a conversation about free rehabilitation facilities he was proposing opening at the time in rural areas around the country.

HHS spokesperson Emily Hilliard said Kennedy before joining the administration was referring to spaces where young people facing alienation, mental health challenges and despair could get re-parented, which she said was a psychotherapy term for “developing the emotional regulation, discipline, boundaries, and self-worth that may not have been established in childhood.”

For Kennedy and his former party, civility is the exception

Kennedy spent most of his life as a Democrat, the scion of one of the nation's most famous political families. Both Republicans and Democrats during the hearing began their remarks by expressing their admiration of Kennedy's relatives, among them former President John F. Kennedy.

But again and again throughout Thursday's hearing, the fraying of bonds between Kennedy and his former party was on full display as spiteful comments were passed back and forth.

The health secretary grew defensive and visibly agitated. He repeatedly criticized Democratic lawmakers for not giving him a word in edgewise.

“They've all shut me up,” Kennedy said at one point. “They give a little speech that they can go and market, you know, for fundraising, and they don't allow me to answer the question.”

On a few rare occasions, the exchanges were civil. One representative, Gwen Moore of Wisconsin, used humor to make that happen.

“I promise to give you easy, comfortable questions if you don't yell at me and hurt my feelings,” she told Kennedy. He promised he wouldn't.

__

An earlier version of this story incorrectly reported that Kennedy's remarks about Black children were made last year. He made the remarks in 2024.

Workers who earn tips and overtime are seeing bigger returns this tax season, but those savings and others resulting from the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act” that Trump signed last year have been eaten away by higher gas pricesdriven by the Iran war.

The president recalled in his remarks how a woman in Las Vegas gave him the idea to make tips tax-free, a move that he said is now helping “thousands of Nevada waiters and waitresses, casino dealers, bartenders, bellmen, barbers, caddies."

“Every single American at every income level has more money in their pockets this week because of the Republican tax policies,” Trump said. “And we got to win the midterms. If we don't, these policies are going to be taken away from you.”

The president’s rare trip out West comes as Trump faces growing political pressure to wrap up the war and focus on a message that helps his party as they try to defend their congressional majorities in November’s elections. Trump insisted before departing from the White House for Las Vegas that gas prices were “not very high” compared with what he thought they would be because of the Iran war.

On Friday, Trump will hold an event in Phoenix with conservative political group Turning Point USA. But his first stop is in Las Vegas where he will hold a roundtable with several police officers who have benefited from new tax breaks on overtime, along with a barber and a casino pit supervisor, who got to claim the new tax breaks on tips.

The Treasury Department said Wednesday that the average tax refund this year has been over $3,400, up about $340 from a year ago.

Vegas, once known for affordable living, feels economic pain

In Las Vegas, the entertainment industry has been the city's financial lifeblood and many workers depend on gratuities from visitors.

But it’s also a city of commuters, including the tipped workers who drive to their jobs at glitzy casinos. Gasoline is averaging $5 a gallon in Las Vegas, up 28% from a year ago, according to AAA.

Nicholas Delaney, an airline attendant who lives in the Las Vegas suburb of Henderson and said he did not vote for the president in 2024, said he thinks Trump is doing a “terrible” job when it comes to the cost of living. He thought the tax break for tips was a good policy, but is concerned about the cost of groceries and gas.

“I gotta spend over $100 for a full tank of gas, 13 gallons? Crazy,” Delaney said.

Paula Goodman, a bartender in a Henderson casino, said the cost of living is her biggest concern right now, adding that she spends more than $400 a week on groceries for her family.

But Goodman, who voted for the president, said she thought he is “doing a pretty good damn job,” and doesn’t blame him for high gas prices, which she portrayed as just a fluctuation. As a bartender, she said she personally appreciated the tax savings on tips she brings home.

“Every little penny nowadays is, like, huge,” she said. “You’ve seen diesel, right? $6.11.”

Tax refunds are offset by gas prices

The White House said Trump is focused on tax cuts, deregulation and boosting U.S. energy production to drive down prices, and describes high gas prices as a temporary disruption from the war in Iran.

“Tens of millions of Americans are benefiting this tax season from the president’s signature provisions” in the tax law, said White House spokesman Kush Desai, saying that shows “how the administration hasn’t lost focus on delivering on our affordability agenda at home.”

Even so, the conflict has made things less affordable. The Bank of America Institute looked at its deposit and spending data and in a Tuesday analysis concluded that “the average increase in tax refunds could cover the average increase in gasoline spending for at least five months.”

Kathy Bostjancic, chief economist at Nationwide, the insurance and financial services company, said last week in an analysis that “the steep rise in gasoline prices looks likely to completely offset the increased tax funds windfall with households,” stressing that the money back would likely prevent a sharper drop in consumer spending.

Trump's economic message focusing on the tax breaks has also been drowned out this week by distractions from the president himself, who angered even some of his own supporters when he got into a public fight with the pope and posted a now-deleted image on social media depicting himself as Jesus.

GOP strategist Ron Bonjean said among Republicans, “the frustration and concern is growing every week about whether or not we will be able to hold onto the House this November.”

It takes a lot of repetition for a message like promoting the tax bill to break through to voters, but Trump’s tendency to drift into other subjects can dilute that, Bonjean said. Trump, who has at times dismissed affordability concerns as “a hoax,” and “con job” from Democrats, has to acknowledge the economic realities people are facing now if he wants to help his party this November, Bonjean said.

“He absolutely has to talk about his plan to bring down high gasoline costs, or else he’s lost his own message. It won’t be credible just to talk about no taxes on tips,” Bonjean said.

When will gas prices come down?

While the president has said he thinks the war with Iran will end soon, a deal to resolve it has not yet emerged, with the U.S. and Iran still proffering stances that are far apart.

Trump on Sunday said in a Fox News Channel interview that gas prices “could be the same or maybe a little bit higher” by the November midterms.

By Wednesday, in another Fox News interview, Trump walked back that comment. “I think they'll be much lower” before the election, on the assumption the war will be long over.

“When that’s settled, gas prices are going to go down tremendously,” Trump said.

Hours later at the White House, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent was less rosy, predicting that gas prices will fall sometime this summer, depending on how the negotiations with Iran go.

“I’m optimistic that sometime between June 20th and September 20th, that we can have $3 gas again,” Bessent told reporters.

Joe Spica, a Democratic candidate for the state legislature and a steward of The Culinary Workers Union, which represents about 60,000 hospitality workers in Las Vegas and Reno, said Las Vegas workers are feeling belt-tightening that is happening all over, because that means fewer visitors to Las Vegas, and fewer tips for workers.

“Something has to change, and it has to change fast,” Spica, a bellman at the Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas, said at a news conference Thursday organized by the union and the Nevada Democratic Party.

“The policies of this administration are hurting Las Vegas,” he said.

___

Associated Press writer Josh Boak in Washington contributed to this report.