publisher
stringclasses 1
value | publishing_date
stringdate 2025-03-01 05:01:16
2025-05-14 11:24:52
| topics
sequencelengths 0
243
| text
stringlengths 103
56k
|
|---|---|---|---|
Associated Press News | 2025-05-13 17:04:39+00:00 | [
"Mohammad bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud",
"Joe Biden",
"Saudi Arabia",
"Donald Trump",
"Jane Fraser",
"Jamal Khashoggi",
"Royalty",
"NVIDIA Corp.",
"Jensen Huang",
"Politics",
"Elon Musk",
"United States government",
"Ruth Porat",
"Saudi Arabia government",
"Stephen Schwarzman",
"Government policy",
"Scandals"
] | # Saudi Arabia greets Trump with lavish royal welcome
By Chris Megerian
May 13th, 2025 05:04 PM
---
WASHINGTON (AP) — The fist bump seems so long ago.
Three years after Joe Biden's cursory greeting with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Donald Trump luxuriated in an extravagant royal welcome as he arrived in Saudi Arabia on Tuesday.
Concerns about human rights and fossil fuels in the oil-rich autocracy were nowhere on the agenda. Instead the day was all about cutting deals and celebrating a personal relationship that has endured through scandal and political turmoil.
"I really believe we like each other a lot," Trump said as they sat on golden chairs under elaborate chandeliers in the royal palace. During a speech later in the day, the president described Prince Mohammed as an "incredible man" and "my friend."
The feeling was clearly mutual. The crown prince addressed his guest as "my dear President Trump," and the Saudis played his campaign anthems — "God Bless the U.S.A." and " YMCA " — during his appearance at an investment forum.
For the U.S. Republican president, the visit was a return to the international stage after his comeback election victory (Exactly one year ago, he was on trial in a hush money case and listening to his former lawyer testify against him in a New York City courtroom.)
Although Trump recently attended the funeral of Pope Francis in Rome, Saudi Arabia was originally intended to be his initial overseas destination, just like in his first term. It served as a gilded debut for a foreign policy focused on securing cash infusions for American businesses.
Trump pumped his fist as he stepped out of Air Force One, then descended the stairs to shake hands with Prince Mohammed, who greeted his guest on the tarmac in a rare display of respect.
The crown prince, Saudi Arabia's de facto ruler, has been eager to rehabilitate his global image after the killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi, which U.S. intelligence officials accused him of ordering. He's also seeking an economic revival for the kingdom to reduce its reliance on fossil fuels, and the occasion was an opportunity to demonstrate that the floodgates for investment were open again.
The guest list for an elaborate luncheon was stuffed with corporate executives, including Ruth Porat of Google, Stephen Schwarzman of the Blackstone Group, Jane Fraser of Citicorp, Alex Karp of Palantir and Jensen Huang of NVIDIA. Also attending was Elon Musk, the world's richest person and a top adviser to Trump.
As Air Force One approached Riyadh, Saudi pilots in six American-made F-15 fighter jets escorted the plane. After a traditional coffee ceremony inside the royal terminal at the airport, Trump's limousine was flanked by riders on white Arabian horses carrying American and Saudi flags. A honor guard was lined up with golden swords.
(Missing from the visit was the orb, a glowing sphere a little bigger than a bowling ball that Trump memorably posed for photos with during his trip to Riyadh in his first term.)
Trump has downplayed traditional American alliances in Europe, and often expressed exasperation with the country's trading and defense partners. But there was no such hesitation in Riyadh, and he said the relationship between the U.S. and Saudi Arabia "has been a bedrock of security and prosperity,"
Biden received little of the same pomp when he visited three years ago. He had previously criticized Saudi Arabia as a "pariah" but decided to travel to the kingdom anyway in an implicit acknowledgement that it was too influential of a global player to ignore.
The crown prince greeted the Democratic president at the palace, which is where the two leaders exchanged their fist bump. Their only other joint public appearance was all business, as they sat across from each other at a large conference table, flanked by top advisers.
Later that year, OPEC+ announced it would reduce oil production in a blow to Biden, whose political fortunes were being battered by inflation. The Democratic president acknowledged that it was "a disappointment, and it says that there are problems" in the U.S.-Saudi relationship.
But there was no such friction during Trump's visit. In his speech, the president flattered Saudi Arabia for its economic development and suggested that foreign leaders shouldn't be "giving you lectures on how to live and how to govern your own affairs."
"You achieved a modern miracle the Arabian way," Trump said.
Prince Mohammed, sitting in the audience, placed his right hand on his heart and beamed. |
Associated Press News | 2025-05-13 20:45:10+00:00 | [
"Soccer",
"FIFA World Cup",
"Ohio",
"New Jersey",
"Chicago",
"Sports",
"CONCACAF Gold Cup"
] | # US will play friendlies in New Jersey and Ohio as it prepares to co-host next year's World Cup
May 13th, 2025 08:45 PM
---
CHICAGO (AP) — The United States men's national team will play friendlies against South Korea on Sept. 6 at Harrison, New Jersey, and Japan three days later at Columbus, Ohio, as it prepares to co-host next year's World Cup.
The games announced Tuesday will be the first for the Americans after this year's CONCACAF Gold Cup, in which they face Trinidad and Tobago, Saudi Arabia and Haiti in June.
After the September matches, the U.S. will have just three more training camps during FIFA international fixture periods before the team gathers ahead of next year's World Cup: in October, November and March.
___
AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer |
Associated Press News | 2025-05-13 20:25:43+00:00 | [
"New York City",
"Eric Adams",
"Laura Taylor Swain",
"Prisons",
"New York City Wire",
"Benny Boscio",
"Debbie Greenberger",
"Lawsuits",
"Courts",
"Violence",
"Legal proceedings"
] | # Judge strips NYC of full authority over Rikers Island, citing 'unprecedented' violence
By Jake Offenhartz
May 13th, 2025 08:25 PM
---
NEW YORK (AP) — New York City will no longer fully control its jail system, including the long-troubled Rikers Island complex, after a federal judge found the city had failed to stem spiraling dysfunction and brutality against those in custody.
Instead, U.S. District Judge Laura Taylor Swain said she would appoint an outside manager to "take all necessary steps" toward restoring order inside the jails and bringing the city into compliance with previous court orders.
The official, known as a "remediation manager," will report directly to the court. While the city's corrections commissioner will remain responsible for much of the day-to-day operations of the jail system, the remediation manager will have broad powers to address long-standing safety problems, including authority over hiring and promotions, staff deployment and disciplinary action regarding the use of force
The extraordinary intervention, outlined Tuesday by Swain in a 77-page order, comes nearly a decade after the city's jail system was placed under federal oversight as part of a class-action lawsuit brought by detainees.
In the years since, rates of violence have continued to increase, creating a "grave and immediate threat" that violates the constitutional rights of those in custody, according to Swain.
"Worse still, the unsafe and dangerous conditions in the jails, which are characterized by unprecedented rates of use of force and violence, have become normalized despite the fact that they are clearly abnormal and unacceptable," Swain wrote Tuesday.
This past November, she found the city in contempt for failing to comply with 18 separate provisions of court orders pertaining to security, staffing, supervision, use of force and the safety of young detainees.
The contempt ruling opened the door to a federal receivership of Rikers Island, a remedy long supported by detainee advocates, strongly opposed by New York City Mayor Eric Adams and characterized by the court as an option of last resort.
In her order on Tuesday, Swain said the remedial manager would have "broad authority" similar to a federal receiver, but would be expected to work closely with the city-appointed commissioner of the Department of Correction to implement a reform plan.
At a press conference Tuesday, Adams said the city would follow the judge's order, while also suggesting the appointment of an outside manager was not necessary.
"Remediation manager? I don't know the definition of that," he said. "We have this oversight and that oversight. How much oversight are you going to do before you realize there are systemic problems?"
Benny Boscio, the president of the union that represents correction officers, said the union was willing to work with the outside manager, but it would maintain "our fierce advocacy for the preservation of our members' employment rights and improving their working conditions."
Advocates for detainees, meanwhile, celebrated the judge's order as a turning point in a decades-long effort at reform.
"This has the potential to finally change the culture of violence and brutality in the city's jails that we've seen for decades," said Debbie Greenberger, an attorney with the Emery Celli law firm, which represents detainees, along with the Legal Aid Society.
"Nothing is going to change overnight, but I'm more hopeful today that we have a path to transformational change," she added. |
Associated Press News | 2025-05-13 10:00:06+00:00 | [
"Cooper Flagg",
"Luka Doncic",
"Rick Welts",
"Kyrie Irving",
"NBA Draft",
"Patrick Ewing",
"Anthony Davis",
"Dallas Mavericks",
"Nico Harrison",
"Jon Scheyer",
"New York Knicks",
"Fires",
"NBA",
"Mark Cuban",
"Sports",
"NBA basketball",
"Dallas",
"LeBron James",
"Chicago",
"Patrick Dumont",
"Los Angeles Lakers"
] | # Rick Welts was at the 1st NBA lottery. And he was there when Mavs won a chance to draft Cooper Flagg
By Tim Reynolds
May 13th, 2025 10:00 AM
---
CHICAGO (AP) — Rick Welts was there, 40 years to the date earlier, when the NBA draft lottery got started. He worked for the league then and was in the room when that first one took place.
And it seems he has spent much of the four decades since debunking the rumors that the 1985 lottery was rigged so the New York Knicks would get Patrick Ewing.
Given all the extraordinary measures — including witnesses, accountants, videotaping of the event — that goes into running such a thing, it's reasonable to conclude that the 2025 lottery wasn't fixed, either.
But it might fix the Dallas Mavericks.
"The fun starts now," Welts, the team's CEO, said Monday night after the Mavs won this year's lottery and got the chance to draft Duke phenom Cooper Flagg with the No. 1 overall pick next month.
More accurately, perhaps, the fun resumes now — after a few months that were anything but fun.
Flagg worked out at the combine in Chicago on Tuesday, going through some shooting and sprinting drills as well as getting measured. He is scheduled for a news conference in Chicago on Wednesday.
If Dallas selects Flagg — it's difficult to think there's any other option at this point — he would join a team that currently has two other former Duke players in Kyrie Irving and Dereck Lively.
"I think Cooper would be incredible there," Duke coach Jon Scheyer told ESPN at the ACC's spring meetings in Amelia Island, Florida. "It's crazy. We never talked about Dallas. It's amazing how things work out. It would be an incredible spot for him."
The Mavs were a ton of fun not that long ago. At this time last year, they were making their way to the NBA Finals. Luka Doncic was a star in a city that, sorry Cowboys, isn't just a football town anymore and hasn't been for some time. Irving was dazzling.
And then, well, everyone knows what happened.
The Mavericks stunned the league by pulling off a trade with the Los Angeles Lakers, sending Doncic to be teammates with LeBron James and bringing back Anthony Davis in return. It was like general manager Nico Harrison's first name had been officially changed to Fire, since that's all the Mavs heard from their fans for weeks: "Fire Nico, fire Nico, fire Nico." Players kept getting hurt — Irving tore his ACL about a month after the trade — and hope was realistically gone. Dallas made the play-in tournament, but not the playoffs.
"Honestly, there hasn't been a lot of fun around the Mavericks for the past three months," Welts sad. "So, I think for everybody in the organization, from (team governor) Patrick Dumont to Nico Harrison, to coach (Jason) Kidd, to all of our staff, I guess it's been a lot to carry the last three months. And to have this happen, it's unbelievable."
Welts returned to Dallas on Tuesday, still holding the envelope with the No. 1 on it, amid cheers from others when he walked into the building. A couple of people threw confetti, and everybody was applauding.
"You guys have a good night?" Welts asked, fully aware of the answer.
Dumont, who also has taken criticism for allowing Harrison to trade Doncic, wasn't watching the lottery in real time. He was getting updates from former governor Mark Cuban, who called to say the Mavs jumped into the top four and, he thinks, then to say that the Mavs won. Turns out, Dumont isn't exactly sure what Cuban said — Cuban was evidently screaming pretty loudly and pretty excitedly.
"Listen, everyone, including Patrick, has been through a lot the past three months," Welts said. "You know, this is just such a moment of exhilaration, breath of fresh air for the franchise that you really feel like we get a fresh start."
Welts had been telling any friend who would listen in recent weeks that the Mavs were going to win the lottery. He had no way of knowing, obviously. But the only problem he could foresee after the lottery ended was finding the time to return hundreds of congratulatory text messages.
A good problem to have, indeed. The 1985 lottery, he'll never forget. Same goes for the 2025 one.
"I have a lot of stories about that one," Welts said of 1985. "But I'm going to remember this one more."
___
AP NBA: https://apnews.com/nba |
Associated Press News | 2025-05-13 18:35:16+00:00 | [
"Maryland",
"Wes Moore",
"Abortion",
"DC Wire",
"Health",
"Politics",
"Lesley Lopez",
"Subsidies"
] | # Maryland Gov. Wes Moore signs bill to tap unused ACA insurance funds for abortion grant program
By Brian Witte
May 13th, 2025 06:35 PM
---
ANNAPOLIS, Md. (AP) — Maryland will become the first state to use money collected from a surcharge on insurance plans sold under the Affordable Care Act to fund a program to pay for abortions, regardless of a patient's insurance coverage, under a measure signed into law Tuesday by Democratic Gov. Wes Moore.
The law will make about $25 million available when it takes effect July 1, because a $1 surcharge has been unused and growing over the last 15 years since the ACA took effect in 2010. It's estimated to make about $3 million available annually in future years.
"The lieutenant governor and I were very clear from Day 1 — that Maryland will always be a safe haven for abortion access," Moore said, highlighting the measure among some 170 bills signed at a ceremony.
The program will be paid for through the transfer of certain insurance premium funds collected by carriers that can only be used for abortion coverage in accordance with the ACA. Supporters say other states have access to a similar surplus of funds through their state exchange insurance systems.
"If programs like ours are duplicated across the country, we could help millions of Americans access essential abortion care — without relying on taxpayer dollars," said Del. Lesley Lopez, a Democrat from Maryland's Montgomery County, in the suburbs of the nation's capital.
Officials in New York and Illinois already have reached out to Maryland officials to learn more about the program, said Lopez, who sponsored the bill.
A dozen states require abortion coverage in ACA marketplace plans, according to KFF, a nonprofit that researches health care issues. They are California, Colorado, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New Jersey, New York, Oregon, Vermont and Washington.
"This money exists in every state that has abortion as a required type of care under their state's benefit exchanges," Lopez said. "It's basically all the blue states that mandated abortion be covered when the Affordable Care Act was starting to be implemented."
The law creates a grant program fund in the state's health department to improve access to abortion clinical services. It requires the department to award grants to nonprofit organizations to support equitable access.
Lynn McCann-Yeh, co-executive director of the Baltimore Abortion Fund, which helps pay costs associated with abortion for people who live in Maryland or who travel there, said it's hard to keep up with an annual budget of about $2 million.
"We would need many, many more times over that to fully be able to meet the full logistic and medical support for each caller," she said.
She said the $3 million that would be made available annually under the new law could make a major difference. The fund could apply to administer a share of that money.
"The $3 million is a great start, but it will take more than that and it will take sustained funding," she said.
Maryland's legislature is controlled by Democrats, who hold a 2-1 advantage over Republicans in voter registration statewide. Last year, Maryland voters approved a constitutional amendment with 76% support to enshrine abortion rights in the state's constitution, in response to the 2022 decision by the U.S. Supreme Court to overturn Roe v. Wade. The court's decision in the Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization gave control over abortion to the states.
"I think before the Dobbs decision, there just wasn't quite the same type of urgency as there is now," Lopez said. "We've seen abortion bans in some form or another in double digits in states across the country, so we've got to make sure that we shore up all the support we can in a state like Maryland that has it as a constitutionally protected right."
Twelve states currently enforce abortion bans with limited exceptions at all stages of pregnancy. Four more have bans that kick in after about six weeks, which is before many women know they're pregnant.
The Dobb decision and an influx of people from other states seeking abortions in Maryland has made the financial need more urgent, supporters of the law say.
Maryland has been seeing an increase in patients from other states where abortion has been banned. Last year, 15% of abortions in Maryland were obtained by patients from other states, according to the Guttmacher Institute, a research organization that supports abortion rights. That's a decrease from 20% in 2023.
___
Associated Press journalist Geoff Mulvihill contributed to this report from Cherry Hill, New Jersey. |
Associated Press News | 2025-05-13 20:29:28+00:00 | [
"New Jersey",
"3M Co.",
"Matt Platkin",
"Pollution",
"Legal proceedings",
"Shawn LaTourette",
"Business",
"The Chemours Co.",
"Lawsuits",
"Climate and environment",
"Climate"
] | # New Jersey says chemical maker 3M agrees to 'forever chemical' settlement worth up to $450M
May 13th, 2025 08:29 PM
---
TRENTON, N.J. (AP) — New Jersey's attorney general said Tuesday chemical manufacturer 3M agreed to pay up $450 million to resolve lawsuits over natural resource contamination stemming from PFAS — commonly referred to as "forever chemicals."
The settlement is subject to court approval and a public comment period, Attorney General Matt Platkin's office said. St. Paul, Minnesota-based 3M is expected to pay $285 million this year, with additional amounts payable over the next 25 years. The total amount could reach $450 million, Platkin's office said.
"Corporate polluters must be held accountable when they contaminate our state's water supply," Platkin said in a statement.
PFAS, or perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances, are a group of chemicals that have been around for decades and have now spread into the nation's air, water and soil.
3M said in 2022 it would end all PFAS manufacturing by the end of this year. In a statement, the company said it's on track to do so.
"This agreement is another important step toward reducing risk and uncertainty on these legacy issues, allowing 3M to focus on its strategic priorities," 3M said.
PFAS were manufactured by companies such as 3M, Chemours and others because they were incredibly useful. They helped eggs slide across non-stick frying pans, ensured that firefighting foam suffocates flames and helped clothes withstand rain and keep people dry.
The chemicals resist breaking down, though, meaning they linger in the environment.
Environmental activists say PFAS makers knew about the health harms of PFAS long before they were made public. The same attributes that make the chemicals so valuable – resistance to breakdown – make them hazardous to people.
PFAS accumulate in the body, which is why the Environmental Protection Agency set their limits for drinking water at 4 parts per trillion for two common types — PFOA and PFOS — that are phased out of manufacturing but still are present in the environment.
The New Jersey settlement stems from 2019 lawsuits at the nearly 1,500-acre (607-hectare) Chambers Works site in Pennsville and Carneys Point and another location in Parlin. The settlement also resolves all other statewide claims in litigation over PFAS in firefighting material used in the state.
The lawsuits alleged the companies involved, including 3M, knew about risks from forever chemicals produced at the facilities but continued to sell them.
The attorney general said that by agreeing to settle 3M would not go to trial next week in the Chambers Works case.
New Jersey's Department of Environmental Protection will use a portion of the settlement funds to "protect public health, safety and the environment from impacts caused by PFAS," according to a joint statement from the attorney general and DEP Commissioner Shawn LaTourette. |
Associated Press News | 2025-05-13 20:32:41+00:00 | [
"Robert Benton",
"Dustin Hoffman",
"Sally Field",
"Movies",
"Meryl Streep",
"Texas",
"New York City Wire",
"Notable Deaths",
"Sallie Rendigs",
"Richard Russo",
"Jeff Bridges",
"David Newman",
"Avery Corman",
"E.L. Doctorow",
"Paul Newman",
"Robert Towne",
"Philip Roth",
"Mark Harris",
"Ellery Douglass Benton",
"Arthur Penn",
"Arts and entertainment",
"John Benton",
"Faye Dunaway",
"Gloria Steinem",
"Jean-Luc Godard",
"Bonnie Parker",
"Warren Beatty",
"Entertainment"
] | # Robert Benton, Oscar-winning filmmaker of 'Kramer vs. Kramer,' dead at 92
By Hillel Italie
May 13th, 2025 08:32 PM
---
NEW YORK (AP) — Robert Benton, the Oscar-winning filmmaker who helped reset the rules in Hollywood as the co-creator of "Bonnie and Clyde," and later received mainstream validation as the writer-director of "Kramer vs. Kramer" and "Places in the Heart," has died at age 92.
Benton's son, John Benton, said that he died Sunday at his home in Manhattan of "natural causes."
During a 40-year screen career, the Texas native received six Oscar nominations and won three times: for writing and directing "Kramer vs. Kramer" and for writing "Places in the Heart." He was widely appreciated by actors as attentive and trusting, and directed Oscar-winning performances by Dustin Hoffman, Meryl Streep and Sally Field. Although severe dyslexia left him unable to read more than a few pages at a time as a child, he wrote and directed film adaptations of novels by Philip Roth, E.L. Doctorow and Richard Russo, among others.
Benton was an art director for Esquire magazine in the early 1960s when a love for French New Wave movies and old gangster stories (and news that a friend got $25,000 for a Doris Day screenplay) inspired him and Esquire editor David Newman to draft a treatment about the lives of Depression-era robbers Clyde Barrow and Bonnie Parker, imagining them as prototypes for 1960s rebels.
Their project took years to complete as Francois Truffaut and Jean-Luc Godard were among the directors who turned them down before Warren Beatty agreed to produce and star in the movie. "Bonnie and Clyde," directed by Arthur Penn and starring Beatty and Faye Dunaway, overcame initial critical resistance in 1967 to the film's shocking violence and became one of the touchstones of 1960s culture and the start of a more open and creative era in Hollywood.
The original story by Benton and Newman was even more daring: they had made Clyde Barrow bisexual and involved in a 3-way relationship with Bonnie and their male getaway driver. Beatty and Penn both resisted, and Barrow instead was portrayed as impotent, with an uncredited Robert Towne making numerous other changes to the script. "I honestly don't know who the 'auteur' of 'Bonnie and Clyde' was," Benton later told Mark Harris, author of "Pictures at a Revolution," a book about "Bonnie and Clyde" and four other movies from 1967.
## Oscar-winning triumphs
Over the following decade, none of Benton's films approached the impact of "Bonnie and Clyde," although he continued to have critical and commercial success. His writing credits included "Superman" and "What's Up, Doc?" He directed and co-wrote such well-reviewed works as "Bad Company," a revisionist Western featuring Jeff Bridges, and "The Late Show," a melancholy comedy for which his screenplay received an Oscar nomination.
His career soared in 1979 with his adaptation of the Avery Corman novel "Kramer vs. Kramer," about a self-absorbed advertising executive who becomes a loving parent to his young son after his wife walks out, only to have her return and ask for custody. Starring Hoffman and Streep, the movie was praised as a perceptive, emotional portrait of changing family roles and expectations and received five Academy Awards, including best picture. Hoffman, disenchanted at the time with the film business, would cite "Kramer vs. Kramer" and Benson's direction for reviving his love for movie acting.
Five years later, Benton was back in the Oscars race with a more personal film, "Places in the Heart," in which he drew upon family stories and childhood memories for his 1930s-set drama starring Fields as a mother of two in Texas who fights to hold on to her land after her husband is killed.
"I think that when I saw it all strung together, I was surprised at what a romantic view I had of the past," Benton told The Associated Press in 1984, adding that the movie was in part a tribute to his mother, who had died shortly before the release of "Kramer vs. Kramer."
## A lifelong movie fan
Benton was born in Waxahachie, Texas, outside of Dallas. He owed his early love for movies to his father, telephone company employee Ellery Douglass Benton, who, instead of asking about homework, would take his family to the picture shows. The elder Benton would also share memories of attending the funerals of outlaws Barrow and Parker, Texas natives who grew up in the Dallas area.
Robert Benton studied at the University of Texas and Columbia University, then served in the U.S. Army from 1954 until 1956. While at Esquire, Benton helped start the magazine's long-standing Dubious Achievement Award and dated Gloria Steinem, then on staff at the humor magazine Help! He married artist Sallie Rendigs in 1964. They had one son.
Between hits, Benton often endured long dry spells. His latter films included such disappointments as the thrillers "Billy Bathgate," "The Human Stain" and "Twilight." He had much more success with "Nobody's Fool," a wry comedy released in 1994 and starring Paul Newman, in his last Oscar-nominated performance, as a small-town troublemaker in upstate New York. Benton, whose film was based on Russo's novel, was nominated for best adapted screenplay.
"Somebody asked me once when the Academy Award nominations came out and I'd been nominated, 'What's the great thing about the Academy Awards?'" Benton told Venice magazine in 1998. "I said 'When you go to the awards and you see people, some of whom you've had bitter fights with, some of whom you're close friends with, some people you haven't seen in ten years, some people you just saw two days before — it's your family.' It's home. And home is what I've spent my life looking for." |
Associated Press News | 2025-05-13 06:14:47+00:00 | [
"Germany government",
"Germany",
"Berlin",
"Peter Fitzek",
"Business",
"Politics",
"Alexander Dobrindt"
] | # Germany bans the far-right 'Kingdom of Germany' group and arrests 4 of its leaders
By Kirsten Grieshaber
May 13th, 2025 06:14 AM
---
BERLIN (AP) — The German government on Tuesday banned the far-right organization "Kingdom of Germany" as a threat to the country's democratic order and arrested four of its leaders in raids across several states.
The group is part of the country's so-called Reich Citizen, or Reichsbürger, movement that claims the historical German Reich still exists and refuses to recognize the current democratic government or its parliament, laws and courts. Members also refuse to pay taxes or fines.
About 800 police officers launched raids Tuesday on the group's properties and the homes of its leading members throughout the country.
Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt, in announcing the ban on the group, said its members have underpinned their claims to power using antisemitic conspiracy narratives that cannot be tolerated.
"The members of this association have created a 'counter-state' in our country and built up economic criminal structures," Dobrindt said. "We will take decisive action against those who attack our free democratic basic order."
Among those arrested Tuesday was the group leader Peter Fitzek. He proclaimed the "Kingdom of Germany" in the eastern town of Wittenberg in 2012 and says it has around 6,000 followers, though the Interior Ministry says it has about 1,000 members The group claims to have seceded from the German federal government.
"This is not about harmless nostalgia, as the title of the association might suggest, but about criminal structures, criminal networks," the minister told reporters later in Berlin. "That's why it's being banned today."
The group's online platforms will be blocked and its assets will be confiscated to ensure that no further financial resources can be used for extremist purposes, Dobrindt said.
The group gave no immediate public comment, and generally declines to interact with media outlets.
It's not the first time that Germany has acted against the Reichsbürger movement.
In 2023, German police officers searched the homes of about 20 people in connection with investigations into the far-right Reich Citizens scene, whose adherents had similarities to followers of the QAnon movement in the United States.
Last year, the alleged leaders of a suspected far-right plot to topple Germany's government went on trial on Tuesday, opening proceedings in a case that shocked the country in late 2022. |
Associated Press News | 2025-05-13 16:00:41+00:00 | [
"Shootings",
"Crime",
"Monique Richardson",
"Homicide",
"Florida",
"Gun violence",
"Kate Payne",
"Education",
"Randall Harper"
] | # Florida State student accused in a mass shooting on campus to remain jailed
By Kate Payne
May 13th, 2025 04:00 PM
---
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) — A judge on Tuesday ordered the Florida State University student accused of killing two people and wounding six others in a mass shooting on campus last month to remain jailed without bond.
During 20-year-old Phoenix Ikner's first court appearance since the April 17 attack, Leon County Judge Monique Richardson ordered Ikner to have no contact with the victims and their families and approved the appointment of two public defenders for him, Megan Long and Randall Harper. The attorneys did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Ikner, who was shot and wounded by officers, ending the attack, sat quietly during the hearing, which he appeared at via video from a lockup in a neighboring county. He is charged with two counts of first-degree murder and seven counts of attempted first-degree murder.
Ikner is the stepson of a local sheriff's deputy, and investigators say he used his stepmother's former service weapon to carry out the shooting, which terrified the campus and the state's capital city.
Ikner was formally charged Monday after being released from a hospital. He was booked into the Leon County Detention Facility and then transferred to a jail in nearby Wakulla County, which is standard procedure when an inmate is related to a Leon County deputy, authorities said.
Investigators say that on the day of the attack, Ikner, an FSU political science student, arrived on campus and stayed near a parking garage until just before lunchtime, when he began walking into and out of buildings and green spaces while firing his gun. In less than five minutes, officers confronted Ikner, shooting and wounding him.
Authorities have not revealed a motive for the attack, which killed two men and wounded six other people.
If Ikner is convicted of the murder charges, he could face the death penalty.
___ Kate Payne 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. |
Associated Press News | 2025-05-13 18:50:59+00:00 | [
"Iowa",
"Donald Trump",
"Des Moines",
"Cedar Rapids",
"Politics",
"John Adams",
"Kim Reynold",
"Larry McBurney",
"United States government",
"Bill Gustoff",
"Eric Gjerde"
] | # Iowa lawmakers don't want cities to limit people's use of fireworks
By John Hanna
May 13th, 2025 06:50 PM
---
Iowa lawmakers want President Donald Trump to know that their state is eager to be at the center of next year's celebration of the nation's 250th birthday and shares his vision of fireworks filling the skies — so much so that they don't want local officials blocking any small, neighborhood displays.
The Republican-controlled Legislature passed a bill this week that would ban local limits on people setting off their own rockets, mortars, aerial spinners and Roman candles on July 3 or 4, or Dec. 31. There was nothing to stop big, public shows — say, a Fourth of July display as part of Trump's proposed "Great American State Fair" in Iowa's capital of Des Moines — but a relative handful of cities, including Des Moines, haven't allowed people to shoot them off, even on the nation's birthday or New Year's Eve.
The bill headed to Republican Gov. Kim Reynold's desk after the state House approved it Tuesday, 51-39, with the GOP majority overriding Democrats' concerns that it could undermine fire safety or harm military veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder. Des Moines and at least six of its suburbs, as well as the cities of Ames, Cedar Rapids and Dubuque bar people from setting off their own fireworks even on Independence Day.
In arguing for the bill, Republican state Rep. Bill Gustoff quoted founding father John Adams' desire for national celebrations involving parades and "illuminations" of fireworks, from "one end of this continent to the other." Gustoff, who is from the Des Moines area, also cited the proposal Trump first floated in 2023 to have a yearlong national exposition on the Iowa State Fairgrounds in Des Moines.
"Mr. President, we welcome that idea in Iowa and we're ready, willing and able to host the party," Gustoff said during Tuesday's short debate. "We need to enable Iowans to be part of that celebration."
While communities around the world have celebrated events with fireworks for hundreds of years, people's fondness for setting them off themselves has often been a bane of local police and firefighters. Still, only one state — Adams' home of Massachusetts — imposes an outright ban on their use by individual consumers.
For years, Pennsylvania only allowed the use of sparklers and similar novelty fireworks. But in 2017, it permitted the sale of the full array of products, only to narrow those sales in 2022 to July 2-4 and Dec. 31 amid complaints. Georgia ended a decades-long ban on consumer fireworks in 2015 and doesn't allow cities and counties to restrict them.
Iowa banned consumer sales of fireworks for decades, spurred on by a June 1931 fire that engulfed about 100 buildings in the small town of Spencer, which started with a sparkler at a drugstore. However, in 2017, Iowa lawmakers allowed cities and counties to license firework sellers and allow people to set off fireworks from June 1 through July 8 and from Dec. 10 through Jan. 3.
Iowa state health department data shows that in 2017, the number of fireworks-related emergency room visits in Iowa nearly doubled from 2016 and remained higher than pre-legalization levels through 2023. The state associations for fire marshals, fire chiefs, firefighters and emergency managers, opposed the fireworks law, as did the Iowa League of Cities.
Democratic state Rep. Larry McBurney, from the Des Moines area, said the flash, noise and smell of gunpowder from fireworks can trigger veterans' PTSD. Fellow Democratic state Rep. Eric Gjerde, a Cedar Rapids police officer, said people who call to complain about fireworks in his city often think they're hearing gunfire.
"We have to take every single one of those extremely seriously, so we send multiple officers to investigate," he told his colleagues.
Fireworks manufacturers and retailers supported the bill, as did the state association for retail stores and the small-government, free-market group Americans for Prosperity. But in arguing in favor of the bill, Gustoff cited next year's celebration of the Declaration of Independence's signing in 1776.
"Current law allows a patchwork of ordinances that are a trap for the unwary, patriotic American in Iowa who simply wants to celebrate Independence Day the way it was intended by our founding fathers," he said.
___
Associated Press Writers Hannah Fingerhut in Des Moines, Iowa; Jeff Amy in Atlanta and Marc Levy, in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, also contributed. |
Associated Press News | 2025-05-13 18:48:55+00:00 | [
"Mens college basketball",
"Paul Corsaro",
"College sports",
"College basketball",
"Indianapolis",
"Sports"
] | # IU Indianapolis fires Paul Corsaro for his treatment of players
May 13th, 2025 06:48 PM
---
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — IU Indianapolis fired men's basketball coach Paul Corsaro on Tuesday for how he treated his players. The Jaguars did not provide details of Corsaro's actions.
"His behavior did not meet the university's values and standards regarding the treatment of student athletes," the university said in a statement.
Corsaro went 10-24 overall and 6-14 in the Horizon League in his only season with the Jaguars.
The 36-year-old Indianapolis native was considered an up-and-comer in the coaching ranks when he left the University of Indianapolis last spring after four seasons. He posted a 79-37 mark with the Greyhounds, topping the 20-win mark and making NCAA Division II Tournament runs in each of his final two seasons at his alma mater.
Corsaro was named the Great Lakes Valley Conference and Midwest Region Coach of the Year in 2022-23.
He played both football and basketball in college. After graduating from Indianapolis in 2012, he joined the Greyhounds staff and worked there until 2017-18. Following two seasons as an assistant coach at Purdue Fort Wayne, he took the head coaching job at Indianapolis.
IU Indianapolis said it will conduct a national search for Corsaro's successor.
___
Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here. AP college basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-basketball-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-basketball |
Associated Press News | 2025-05-13 13:34:12+00:00 | [
"Shootings",
"Evette Jeffrey",
"Bronx",
"Teens",
"Law enforcement",
"New York",
"Gun violence",
"New York City Wire",
"Vanessa Gibson",
"New York City",
"Joseph Kenny"
] | # Teen 'innocent bystander' fatally shot during a fight near a New York City school
May 13th, 2025 01:34 PM
---
NEW YORK (AP) — A 16-year-old girl was killed by a stray bullet near a Bronx high school and a 14-year-old suspect was taken into custody, police said Tuesday.
The girl, Evette Jeffrey, was shot in the head Monday after a fistfight broke out between two rival gangs. A 14-year-old fired three rounds into a crowd of other teens, apparently trying to hit a person who had punched him, Chief of Detectives Joseph Kenny said at a news conference.
"Evette Jeffrey was not involved in this dispute. She was an innocent bystander who was simply trying to take cover behind a brick wall and was struck in the head by one of the rounds," Kenny said.
Jeffrey was taken to a local hospital, where she was pronounced dead.
The other 14-year-old, who was not identified by police, was apprehended late Tuesday morning as he was trying to get into a taxi. There were no charges filed against the teen as of midday, Kenny said.
Bronx Borough President Vanessa Gibson said Monday that the girl's mother is inconsolable.
"She got the worst phone call that no parent should ever get — ever — that her child was shot," Gibson said. |
Associated Press News | 2025-05-13 18:43:22+00:00 | [
"Crime",
"Homicide",
"Rachel McCarthy James",
"Book Reviews",
"Entertainment",
"Lizzie Borden",
"Fernanda Figueroa"
] | # 'Whack Job' review: How a survival tool turned murder weapon
By Fernanda Figueroa
May 13th, 2025 06:43 PM
---
From the murder of a Neanderthal-like man to the infamous Lizzie Borden, "Whack Job: A History of Axe Murder" provides a sarcastic, witty and quirky look at the history of a rather simple tool often found at the scene of a crime: an axe.
Rachel McCarthy James spends each chapter of "Whack Job" detailing an instance where "axe murder" has occurred, but for true crime fans the book might not make the cut.
Instead of looking at the gory details and dramatizing events, James examines the social-economic, political issues and human nature that caused these individuals to befall their fate to an axe. As such, the book, while having a true crime element, is ultimately a history crash course on the axe's evolution — from a survival tool in 430,000 BCE to a modern-day weapon of murder.
Still, this is what makes the book intriguing — even if, like me, you were hoping it would dive deeper into the axe murder itself.
James has fun with the topic, describing what makes the axe the perfect weapon in each instance, keeping the true crime fan in me thoroughly engaged.
A book such as this, focused on history and facts, could become tedious to a casual reader, but James knows how to disarm readers with properly timed humor and quippy theories.
True crime fan or not, James' book is a great primer of "axe murder" in all its shapes and forms
___
AP book reviews: https://apnews.com/hub/book-reviews |
Associated Press News | 2025-05-13 17:35:13+00:00 | [
"Portland Trail Blazers",
"Paul Allen",
"Microsoft Corp.",
"Jody Allen",
"Lymphoma",
"NBA",
"Sports",
"Philanthropy",
"NBA basketball",
"Business",
"Phil Knight"
] | # The NBA's Portland Trail Blazers are going up for sale
By Anne M. Peterson
May 13th, 2025 05:35 PM
---
PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — Paul Allen's estate announced Tuesday that it has begun the process of selling the Portland Trail Blazers.
The sale of the team is "consistent with Allen's directive to eventually sell his sports holdings and direct all estate proceeds to philanthropy," the Trail Blazers said in a statement.
Allen, the billionaire co-founder of Microsoft, died in 2018 at age 65 from complications of non-Hodgkin lymphoma. Since then, his sister, Jody Allen, has served as chair of the Trail Blazers and the NFL's Seattle Seahawks and trustee of the Paul G. Allen Trust.
The estate said it has hired the New York investment firm Allen & Company and the law firm Hogan Lovells to lead the sales process, "which is estimated to continue into the 2025-26 basketball season."
The team noted in its announcement that the NBA Board of Governors must ratify any final purchase agreement.
In addition to the Trail Blazers and Seahawks, Allen was a co-owner of Major League Soccer's Seattle Sounders. The statement said the announcement does not impact the Seahawks or the estate's 25% interest in the Sounders. Neither of those teams is for sale.
Allen bought the Trail Blazers in 1988, telling the The Associated Press at the time that "for a true fan of the game, this is a dream come true."
Since his death, there has been widespread speculation surrounding the future ownership of both the Seahawks and Trail Blazers. Allen stipulated in his will the eventual sale of both teams, with the proceeds given to philanthropic endeavors.
Jody Allen reportedly rebuffed an offer to buy the Trail Blazers from Nike co-founder Phil Knight for more than $2 billion in 2022. At that time, there were no ongoing discussions about the sale of the teams, she said in a rare statement.
"A time will come when that changes given Paul's plans to dedicate the vast majority of his wealth to philanthropy, but estates of this size and complexity can take 10 to 20 years to wind down," she said. "There is no pre-ordained timeline by which the teams must be sold."
CNBC earlier this year valued the Trail Blazers at $3.65 billion. In March, the Boston Celtics sold for $6.1 billion.
The Trail Blazers finished 36-46 this season and missed out on the playoffs for the fourth straight year. They have the 11th pick in the next month's NBA draft, as was decided in Monday night's draft lottery.
___
AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/NBA |
Associated Press News | 2025-05-13 17:10:47+00:00 | [
"Aaron Thomas",
"Juries",
"Crime",
"Legal proceedings",
"Melanie Wilk Thunberg",
"Sexual assault",
"John Calcagni",
"Child abuse",
"Indictments"
] | # Jurors deliberate fate of high school basketball coach who conducted naked fat tests
By Kimberlee Kruesi
May 13th, 2025 05:10 PM
---
WAKEFIELD, R.I. (AP) — Jurors began deliberating Tuesday in the child molestation trial of a former Rhode Island high school basketball coach who asked hundreds of male student-athletes to take off their underwear so he could check their body fat.
Defense attorneys contend Aaron Thomas conducted the tests because he was focused on developing a successful athletics program, downplaying the credibility of students who say they were humiliated and embarrassed.
The trial for the once popular coach and teacher at North Kingstown High School lasted six weeks. Thomas, 57, is charged with second-degree child molestation and second-degree sexual assault.
Jurors concluded Tuesday without a verdict. The judge has instructed them to deliberate each day from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. until they reach a decision.
For nearly 30 years, Thomas designed and administered a fitness test that involved measuring their upper inner thighs and pressing his fingers into their groin areas with no other adults present.
Defense attorneys acknowledged it was wrong and not backed by body composition expert but insisted it didn't break the law. They said that's because Thomas didn't touch the boy athletes for sexual gratification or arousal, a key requirement under the charges he faces.
"I suggest to you that justice was served years ago," John Calcagni, Thomas' attorney, said during closing arguments on Monday. "He lost his job. He'll never coach and teach ever again. And in his own words, his reputation has been destroyed."
Prosecutors, meanwhile, presented a starker picture in their closing argument on Tuesday, focusing on Thomas creating a program that allowed him to have unfettered access to young naked boys for decades.
Quoting from the student-athletes who testified throughout the trial, the prosecution argued that Thomas preyed on prepubescent boys who were smaller in size and likely intimidated by Thomas' authority.
"He's someone who used somewhat legitimate testing as a cover and a guise to administer his own perverted tests, under the guise of legitimacy for his own pleasure," said Special Assistant Attorney General Meegan Thomson.
A key detail surrounding the case is the question Thomas would present to the male athletes, asking if they were "shy or not shy?" Those who said no were asked to strip naked, allowing Thomas to pinch various areas of their bodies, including near their groins and buttocks. The tests were conducted behind closed doors, first in a small closet-like room and then eventually in Thomas' office.
"It's meant to be coercive. That question is not poised until you're alone being towered over this man at 6'4 and you're already in a state of undress and he's saying 'shy or not shy'.'" Thomson said.
During his testimony, Thomas told his attorney he likely saw more than 600 student-athletes throughout his career, with "roughly 80%" of them taking their underwear off during the test. He acknowledged that removing the underwear was not necessary.
During his third day of testifying, Thomas acknowledged he lied to law enforcement when he was initially asked if students were naked for the tests.
"I'm truly sorry that it occurred the way it occurred," Thomas said. "It was never my intent to ever hurt or cause any kind of pain, or embarrass, or make uncomfortable, even, any of the student-athletes. It was just for competitive advantage."
Although Thomas is alleged to have performed the tests on multiple students over many years, the charges relate to just two. One was 14 at the time of the alleged crime between September 2000 and February 2002.
On Monday, the defense team attacked the credibility of the two student-athletes whose allegations led to the charges, pointing out the mental health struggles of one of the witnesses and inconsistent statements in their testimony.
Calcagni also stressed that some of the student-athletes are pursuing a civil lawsuit against North Kingstown, saying "when money is on the line, that becomes a motivating factor for people, sometimes to stretching the truth, and sometimes not to tell the truth at all."
Thomson pushed back against those attacks, saying that one of the witnesses involved in the charges has passed the statute of limitations to file a civil lawsuit and countered that the mental health struggles directly stemmed from the years of abuse caused by Thomas.
More than a dozen student-athletes testified throughout the six-week trial, as well as law enforcement officers, body composition experts and former school officials.
Judge Melanie Wilk Thunberg told jurors that if they don't find Thomas guilty of sexual assault, they can consider whether he's guilty of misdemeanor battery, a lesser charge. |
Associated Press News | 2025-05-13 18:36:55+00:00 | [
"Arturo Chacn-Cruz",
"Classical music",
"Milan",
"San Francisco",
"Indianapolis",
"Celebrity",
"Arts and entertainment",
"Miami",
"Don Carlo",
"Sports",
"Doug Boles",
"Opera",
"Entertainment"
] | # From opera houses to the Indy 500: Arturo Chacón-Cruz's next big stage
May 13th, 2025 06:36 PM
---
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Acclaimed opera tenor Arturo Chacón-Cruz will perform "God Bless America" during pre-race ceremonies for the Indianapolis 500.
Chacón-Cruz is the winner of the 2024 International Opera Awards' Readers' Award and has performed in more than 60 leading roles in 30 countries. He's appeared in major opera houses such as New York's Metropolitan Opera, La Scala in Milan, San Francisco Opera and Vienna's Staatsoper.
Chacón-Cruz is acclaimed in the operas of Verdi, Puccini and the French Romantic repertoire, with signature roles including Werther, Don Carlo, Cavaradossi, Hoffmann and Manrico.
In 2018, he was named GQ Latin America's Man of the Year.
Based in Miami with his wife and son, Chacón-Cruz continues to represent both his Mexican heritage and American journey. He became an American citizen in 2010 and said singing "God Bless America" at the Indy 500 is "a moment that reflects my artistic path and the country I now call home."
IMS and IndyCar President Doug Boles called the Indy 500 pre-race ceremony and singing of "God Bless America" one of the most important tributes to the United States.
"Arturo has performed throughout the world, on some of the largest stages, so it's only fitting that he now adds his talent to 'The Greatest Spectacle in Racing' at the Racing Capital of the World," Boles said.
___
AP auto racing: https://apnews.com/hub/auto-racing |
Associated Press News | 2025-05-13 18:34:24+00:00 | [
"Jon Ossoff",
"Marjorie Taylor Greene",
"Brian P. Kemp",
"Donald Trump",
"Georgia",
"Joe Biden",
"U.S. Republican Party",
"Kevin McCarthy",
"Senate elections",
"Raphael Warnock",
"David Perdue",
"Voting",
"Jay Morgan",
"Rick Allen",
"Rich McCormick",
"Buddy Carter",
"Brian Robinson",
"Elections",
"Politics",
"Eric Tanenblatt",
"John King Jr.",
"2020 United States presidential election",
"Greg Dolezal",
"Mike Collins",
"United States Senate",
"Georgia state government",
"Brad Raffensperger",
"Brian Jack"
] | # Georgia Republicans look to rally behind a challenger to Sen. Jon Ossoff
By Jeff Amy and Bill Barrow
May 13th, 2025 06:34 PM
---
ATLANTA (AP) — When Georgia's governor and a lightning-rod congresswoman decided last week to not run for the U.S. Senate, it seemed like the waiting game was over among Republicans seeking to challenge Democratic U.S. Sen. Jon Ossoff.
U.S. Rep. Buddy Carter, who represents a district on the Georgia coast, had become the first major Republican candidate to declare when he announced on Thursday. Then, state Insurance Commissioner John King did the same on Monday.
"I expect a competitive primary — Senate seats don't come along that often," said Eric Tanenblatt, a top national GOP fundraiser and Kemp ally who has backed Trump's rivals in presidential primaries.
But after the exits of Gov. Brian Kemp and U.S. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, there's a new waiting game going on. Hopefuls are looking to President Donald Trump and Kemp for support. The governor told reporters last week that he'd like to unite with Trump behind a preferred candidate, which could head off an expensive and tumultuous primary that could weaken a nominee.
"I had a good conversation with President Trump about my decision. And I'm going to continue talking to him about the races in Georgia," Kemp said in Forsyth, Georgia. "I think if it's possible, it would be great if we can line up on things. That's hard to do sometimes in primaries."
Kemp and Trump met Sunday in Washington, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported, and some possible contenders are waiting to see how things play out. Republican congressman Mike Collins said on the day that Kemp stepped aside that he wanted to hear from Trump.
"I will speak to President Trump and his team and do whatever is necessary to ensure he has another vote in the Senate for the America First agenda," Collins said on the day Kemp stepped aside.
Five other GOP officeholders have acknowledged interest in the race, including two other Republicans in Congress, Rick Allen and Rich McCormick. Also mulling it over are Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger, state Agriculture Commissioner Tyler Harper and state Sen. Greg Dolezal.
Trump's own desires could elevate others.
U.S. Rep. Brian Jack, Trump's White House political adviser during Trump's first term, is in his first term in Congress. Jack has vaulted onto a leadership track in the House, becoming deputy chair of the National Republican Congressional Committee, the GOP House campaign arm. Having also served as an aide to then-House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, Jack was elected as the freshman representative to the House GOP Steering Committee. Jack has shown no public interest in the Senate seat but may be closer to Trump than any Georgia Republican.
Republicans have flagged Georgia and Michigan as prime opportunities for expanding their Senate majority in 2026. But in Georgia, unlike Michigan, the Democratic incumbent is seeking reelection. Ossoff is trying to show he can deliver for Georgia and work with Republicans while also offering a sharp critique of Trump.
While Georgia backed Trump in 2024, the state's voters have sometimes supported Democrats. They chose Joe Biden in 2020. They handed Senate control to Democrats in January 2021 runoffs by electing Ossoff and Raphael Warnock after Republicans David Perdue and Loeffler lashed themselves to Trump's false claims that his 2020 defeat was rigged. They then reelected Warnock in a runoff over Herschel Walker, the Republican nominee in 2022.
Any Republican challenger to Ossoff must win a primary that could be decided well to the right of the broader electorate.
"Republicans don't want business as usual. They want disruption," said Chip Lake, a GOP campaign consultant who worked for Walker in 2022.
But a primary in which every candidate tries to be the most conservative and most loyal to Trump could cause problems later.
"If we nominate someone that is just too extreme, I don't think it's going to go well for us in a general election," Tanenblatt said.
Rallying around a single candidate might reduce that risk. That's where Trump and Kemp, who has his own fraught history with the president, could play key roles.
Kemp pledged that his political organization, considered the most effective in Georgia, will work for a Republican Senate win in 2026. Victory could burnish Kemp's reputation.
"Just because my name's not on the ballot, that doesn't mean that I won't be on the political playing field," Kemp said.
But some time to campaign without a Trump endorsement would give candidates time to prove themselves, said Brian Robinson, a Republican political consultant.
"We'll see how hard they're working. We'll see how much money they're raising and we'll see what machinations go on in the third-party groups out of D.C.," Robinson said, alluding to politically active conservative groups such as Club for Growth.
Carter, a pharmacist, mayor and state lawmaker before he went to Congress, is trying to get a jump on that process. Tanenblatt said Carter is the kind of Republican who can appeal to the Trump base and the party's more traditional wing. His challenge, Tanenblatt said, is that he's largely unknown in metro Atlanta, home to most Georgia voters.
Collins, a second-term congressman, might benefit from representing a northeast Georgia district that includes some of Atlanta's suburbs. Besides Greene, he's maybe the most like Trump stylistically, with a string of inflammatory social media posts and a big, booming personality. It's not an act, said Jay Morgan, a longtime Republican strategist.
"This is not something he made up," Morgan said. "He's gotten a little better at it, he's gotten a little more polished and he is a hard worker. Nobody will work harder than Mike Collins."
Maybe the best-known Republican prospect is Raffensperger, but his notoriety could cut both ways. Raffensperger is best known for clashing with Trump when Trump asked him to overturn Biden's 2020 win in Georgia.
"The best argument Brad Raffensperger can make is he can win," Morgan said.
Raffensperger appealed to moderates and even Democrats in his 2022 reelection bid, but he is despised by many Republican activists.
"Donald Trump is the leader of this party, and you're not going to have success at all in a primary as a candidate running for any office in Georgia if you don't acknowledge that and be supportive of that," Lake said,
The right nominee will tap into GOP hunger to win back one of Georgia's Senate seats after three consecutive losses.
"They are tired of losing," Morgan said. "And this could be a critical, critical race. Depending on what happens in the country and the mood of the country, this is a race Republicans can win again."
___ |
Associated Press News | 2025-05-13 13:01:06+00:00 | [
"Meta Platforms",
"Inc.",
"Alphabet",
"Social media",
"Online safety",
"Elon Musk",
"LGBTQ",
"Mark Zuckerberg",
"Gender",
"Technology",
"Sarah Kate Ellis",
"Business"
] | # Major social media platforms fail to protect LGBTQ users, advocacy group GLAAD says
By Barbara Ortutay
May 13th, 2025 01:01 PM
---
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Major social media platforms such as Instagram and YouTube have failed to protect LGBTQ+ users from hate and harassment, in part, because they intentionally rolled back previous safety practices, the advocacy group GLAAD said Tuesday in its annual Social Media Safety Index.
The report said that recent "unprecedented hate speech policy rollbacks" from Instagram and Facebook parent Meta Platforms and Google's YouTube are "actively undermining the safety of LGBTQ people" both online and offline. Meta's rollback now allows users to call LGBTQ people "mentally ill," among other policy changes.
The scorecard assigns numeric ratings to each platform with regard to LGBTQ safety, privacy, and expression. Elon Musk's X received the lowest score at 30 out of 100, while TikTok came in highest at 56. Meta's Facebook, Instagram, Threads and Google's YouTube were in the 40s. The group's methodology has changed since last year, so the scores are not directly comparable to previous reports.
"At a time when real-world violence and harassment against LGBTQ people is on the rise, social media companies are profiting from the flames of anti-LGBTQ hate instead of ensuring the basic safety of LGBTQ users," said Sarah Kate Ellis, GLAAD's president and CEO.
While X has received the lowest scores since Musk's takeover of the platform in 2022 — when it was called Twitter — Meta's backslide can largely be attributed to its recent policy shift. CEO Mark Zuckerberg said in January that Meta is removing restrictions on topics like immigration and gender "that are out of touch with mainstream discourse," citing "recent elections" as a catalyst. GLAAD calls the rollback "particularly extreme."
Representatives for Meta, TikTok and X did not immediately respond to messages for comment.
GLAAD said Google recently removed "gender identity and expression" from YouTube's list of protected characteristic groups, which suggests that the platform is "no longer protecting transgender, nonbinary, and gender-nonconforming people from hate and discrimination."
Google says this is not the case.
"We confirmed earlier this year our hate speech policy hasn't changed. We have strict policies against content that promotes hatred or violence against members of the LGBTQ+ community and we continue to be vigilant in our efforts to quickly detect and remove this content," Google said in a statement.
Although GLAAD acknowledges Google's statement, the organization stresses that gender identity has not been restored as a protected characteristic on YouTube's hate speech policy page.
"YouTube should reverse this dangerous policy change and update its 'Hate Speech' policy to expressly include gender identity and expression as a protected characteristic," the report says.
GLAAD's report makes policy recommendations for protecting LGBTQ users, though it's unclear if the platforms will take these up, given that many have rolled back such protections. For instance, GLAAD says platforms should protect LGBTQ people from hate, harassment and violence, prohibit targeted misgendering and "deadnaming" of transgender users and explain steps it takes to stop wrongfully removing or demonetizing legitimate accounts and content related to LGBTQ topics. |
Associated Press News | 2025-05-13 16:11:04+00:00 | [
"Saudi Arabia",
"Labor",
"Amnesty International",
"Race and ethnicity"
] | # Amnesty report exposes abuse of Kenyan domestic workers in Saudi Arabia
By Associated Press
May 13th, 2025 04:11 PM
---
MOMBASA, Kenya (AP) — More than 70 Kenyan women have documented their harrowing experiences working as domestic workers in Saudi Arabia, a new report by Amnesty International released on Tuesday shows.
In the report, launched in the Kenyan coastal city of Mombasa, the rights group documents how workers were deceived by recruitment agents, denied rest days, and worked under inhumane conditions with little or no pay.
One of the women, Bigeni Maina Mwangi, told The Associated Press how she was promised a beautician job in Saudi Arabia, but she instead found herself thrust into a life of domestic servitude under exploitative conditions.
"The contract I signed in Nairobi was changed the moment I landed," she said. "The agent said I had no choice but to work."
Mwangi worked in Saudi Arabia for 17 months without pay. When she was finally sent home, her promised wages never came. Due to rising unemployment in Kenya, she found a better job in Dubai, but a return to Oman in 2020 led to even grimmer conditions.
"I worked in three houses non-stop, often without food," she said.
The Amnesty report urges the Kenyan and Saudi governments to extend labor protections to domestic workers, prosecute abusive employers, and ban recruitment agencies complicit in exploitation.
Another woman, Mejuma Shaban Ali, recounted signing her contract at Kenya's main airport before flying out in 2014. Her journey led her to what she described as "a prison."
"I was forced to escape the house disguised as taking out trash," Ali said. "I got to the Embassy hoping for help. Instead, I was told to find another employer because I had made no money to pay off my employer."
She ended up working illegally after being linked to a broker, with her passport still held by her first employer.
Both women called for a crackdown on rogue recruitment agencies and stronger embassy support. "There are people suffering in Oman with no way out," Ali warned.
The rights group estimates more than 150,000 Kenyans work as domestic workers in Saudi Arabia.
"The system amounts to modern slavery," said Amnesty Kenya Executive Director Irungu Houghton.
The Kenyan government has in recent months cracked down on exploitative recruitment agencies and promised to protect Kenyans abroad. The labor ministry in April facilitated the return of more than 100 Kenyans who were scammed by an agency and got stranded in Myanmar and Thailand. |
Associated Press News | 2025-05-13 16:30:40+00:00 | [
"Georgia",
"Chattanooga",
"Tennessee",
"Atlanta",
"Automotive accidents",
"Accidents"
] | # 3 people killed in fiery crash involving a half-dozen vehicles on north Georgia interstate
By The Associated Press
May 13th, 2025 04:30 PM
---
CALHOUN, Ga. (AP) — Three people were killed and two others injured in a fiery wreck involving multiple vehicles and semi-trailers on the interstate that connects Atlanta to Chattanooga, Tennessee, authorities said. The crash closed all of the southbound lanes Tuesday morning.
The crash happened on Interstate 75 near Calhoun, Georgia, the Gordon County Sheriff's Office said.
A semi-trailer headed north on the freeway collided with a car, and the truck then crossed the median into the southbound lanes, the Georgia State Patrol said. That caused collisions with two other semi-trailers, a car and a pickup truck, the agency said. The pickup caught fire.
All told, six vehicles were involved and three people were killed, the state patrol said. The two injured people were taken to hospitals. Their conditions weren't immediately released.
Video from local news outlets showed one of the semis crumpled in a ditch, and another partially off the highway.
The names of those killed and injured were not released.
The crash happened two days after two people were killed near Chattanooga on Mother's Day Sunday on I-75, about 45 miles (72 kilometers) north of Tuesday's wreck. |
Associated Press News | 2025-05-13 18:28:05+00:00 | [
"Trey Hendrickson",
"Zac Taylor",
"Cincinnati Bengals",
"Myles Garrett",
"NFL",
"NFL football",
"Sports",
"Katie Blackburn"
] | # All-Pro pass rusher Trey Hendrickson shows up at Bengals' practice frustrated over contract
By Charlie Goldsmith
May 13th, 2025 06:28 PM
---
CINCINNATI (AP) — A text from head coach Zac Taylor led Bengals All-Pro defensive end Trey Hendrickson to head to Cincinnati, attend Tuesday's optional team practice as a spectator and speak to reporters.
Hendrickson, entering the final year of his contract, has been seeking a new deal and also requested a trade. The Bengals' front office hasn't matched what he's looking for.
On Monday, Taylor texted Hendrickson that he'd be fined if he didn't report to mandatory minicamp next month.
That message frustrated Hendrickson, who held court with local reporters for 20 minutes during Tuesday's practice.
"A little bit transpired between me and Zac," Hendrickson said. "We've tried to keep it the least amount personal as possible, but at some point in this process it's becomes personal. Being sent 30 days before mandatory camp or how many ever days it is that if I don't show up I will be fined alludes to the fact that something won't get done in that time frame.
"The lack of communication post draft made it imminently clear to my party — meaning my wife, my son and my agent, a small group of people — that this might not work out."
Hendrickson led the NFL with 17 1/2 sacks last season and was selected as an All-Pro. He said that as the defensive end market escalates, he's looking for a new contract that matches what top pass rushers are getting paid.
Hendrickson is scheduled to earn $15.8 million in base salary and has a cap number of $18.7 million.
The Bengals haven't budged from their stance, and the two sides haven't been able to find a middle ground. That's led to frustration coming from Hendrickson, who released a statement to ESPN on Monday about the lack of communication since the NFL draft concluded on April 26.
"I think over the last week or so, it's become personal unfortunately," Hendrickson said. "When there's a lack of communication in any relationship, where it's a business or personal relationship, lack of communication leads to animosity, and that leaves my narrative only to me with no clear direction.
"So, the lack of direction, the lack of communication is leading me to things that are allowing me to think about what's going to happen more than how great they've treated me over the last four years."
Taylor and the Bengals' front office and ownership weren't made available for comment on Tuesday.
Bengals executive vice president Katie Blackburn said during the league meetings in late March the ball was in Hendrickson's court to agree to a deal.
"I think some of it is on him to be happy at some point, and if he's not, that's what holds it up sometimes," she said. "It takes him to say yes to something. We have all the respect in the world for him. He's been a great player. We're happy to have him."
Hendrickson said that he wouldn't be willing to play in 2025 without a new contract. He's uncertain about what his future with the Bengals will look like.
"I can't control the narratives," Hendrickson said. "That is one thing I found through this whole process. The way I feel is not being conveyed. I definitely am disappointed, I love Cincinnati. It's this weird dilemma. Players go through it a lot more often. I am just not going to let fear overtake me to do something and also give me a platform to glorify God in the good and in the bad. I am very blessed. The perspectives I can't control. I'm a football player. I'm itching to play football."
While both sides appear to be deadlocked, Hendrickson did say he thinks the current relationship with the Bengals can be repaired over time with a new deal. Hendrickson cited Myles Garrett's demands to be traded out of Cleveland earlier this year before he agreed to a extension worth $160 million, including $123.5 million guaranteed.
"He's done great things for his family and obviously providing on and off the football field. He's tremendous. But I think that relationship will repair with time. And same with this," Hendrickson said.
"This is just the uncomfortable business side that we've unfortunately had to deal with for the last couple years, and, quite frankly, I think we're all spent."
___
AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl |
Associated Press News | 2025-05-13 15:26:05+00:00 | [
"Syria",
"Donald Trump",
"Bashar Assad",
"Saudi Arabia",
"Mohammad bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud",
"Ahmad al-Sharaa",
"Recep Tayyip Erdogan",
"Syria government",
"Politics",
"Al-Qaida",
"Rebellions and uprisings",
"Bill Clinton",
"Sanctions and embargoes",
"Ibrahim Hamidi",
"Saudi Arabia government",
"Abu Mohammad al-Golani"
] | # Trump to ease sanctions on Syria, restore relations with new leader
By Zeke Miller, Bassem Mroue, and Aamer Madhani
May 13th, 2025 03:26 PM
---
RIYADH, Saudi Arabia (AP) — President Donald Trump said Tuesday that he will ease sanctions on Syria and move to normalize relations with its new government to give the country "a chance at peace."
Trump made the announcement shortly before he was set to meet Wednesday in Saudi Arabia with Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa, the onetime insurgent who last year led the overthrow of longtime leader Bashar Assad. Trump said the effort at rapprochement came at the urging of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, the Saudi de facto ruler, and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
"There is a new government that will hopefully succeed," Trump said of Syria, adding, "I say, good luck, Syria. Show us something special."
The developments were a major boost for the Syrian president, who had been imprisoned in Iraq for his role in the insurgency following the 2003 U.S.-led invasion of the Arab country. Al-Sharaa was named president of Syria in January, a month after a stunning offensive by insurgent groups led by al-Sharaa's Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, or HTS, that stormed Damascus, ending the 54-year rule of the Assad family.
The U.S. has been weighing how to handle al-Sharaa since he took power in December. Gulf leaders have rallied behind the new government in Damascus and want Trump to follow, believing it is a bulwark against Iran's return to influence in Syria, where it had helped prop up Assad's government during a decadelong civil war.
Then-President Joe Biden left the decision to Trump, whose administration has yet to formally recognize the new Syrian government. Sanctions imposed on Damascus under Assad also remain in place.
Before Trump spoke, the White House said he had "agreed to say hello" to the Syrian president while in Saudi Arabia.
The comments marked a striking change in tone from Trump and put him at odds with longtime U.S. ally Israel, which has been deeply skeptical of al-Sharaa's extremist past and cautioned against swift recognition of the new government.
Formerly known by the nom de guerre Abu Mohammed al-Golani, al-Sharaa joined the ranks of al-Qaida insurgents battling U.S. forces in Iraq after the U.S.-led invasion and still faces a warrant for his arrest on terrorism charges in Iraq. The U.S. once offered $10 million for information about his whereabouts because of his links to al-Qaida.
Al-Sharaa came back to his home country after the conflict began in 2011 and led al-Qaida's branch that used to be known as the Nusra Front. He later changed the name of his group to Hayat Tahrir al-Sham and cut links with al-Qaida.
He is set to become the first Syrian leader to meet an American president since Hafez Assad met Bill Clinton in Geneva in 2000.
Syria has historically had fraught relations with Washington since the days of the Cold War, when Damascus had close links with the Soviet Union and later when Syria became Iran's closest ally in the Arab world. The removal of the Assad family could change the track.
Ibrahim Hamidi, a London-based Syrian analyst, said Trump's planned meeting with al-Sharaa marks a "strategic shift" for the country.
"The Syrian-American meetings in Riyadh open the gate for the two sides to start discussing issues of disagreement between them in a positive atmosphere," said Hamidi, editor-in-chief of the Arab magazine Al Majalla. "This is important." |
Associated Press News | 2025-05-13 11:23:22+00:00 | [
"Pope Leo XIV",
"Rome",
"Papal conclave",
"Poverty",
"Gabriele Pedicino",
"Religion",
"Christianity"
] | # Pope Leo XIV visits the headquarters of his Augustinian order
By Paolo Santalucia
May 13th, 2025 11:23 AM
---
ROME (AP) — Pope Leo XIV celebrated Mass and had lunch with members of his Augustinian religious order on Tuesday, slipping into the congregation's headquarters outside St. Peter's Square where he served for 12 years as superior.
"The atmosphere was of great fraternity," said the Rev. Gabriele Pedicino, head of the Augustinians' Italian branch. "You really always have to practice and remember that he is now the pope, because he puts you at ease and has this closeness that always impresses me."
Leo was seen arriving in a black vehicle at around lunchtime at the Augustinianum, the pontifical institute that also serves as the Rome-based residence and headquarters of the Order of St. Augustine. Leo left shortly before 3 p.m.
The ethos of the order, which includes a contemplative spirituality, communal living and service to others, is traced to the fifth-century St. Augustine of Hippo, one of the theological and devotional giants of early Christianity.
The former Rev. Robert Prevost, history's first American pope, was twice elected superior of the order, serving as general prior from 2001-2013. The order was formed in the 13th century as a community of mendicant friars — dedicated to poverty, service and evangelization and inspired by the saint.
Ever since his May 8 election, Leo has repeatedly emphasized that he's a "son of St. Augustine" and quoted from the saint.
He visited an Augustinian-run Marian sanctuary south of Rome on Saturday in his first outing as pope, and during his first greeting to the world, Leo wore a pectoral cross given to him by his order that contained relics of St. Augustine.
Leo, the first Augustinian pope, has also kept as his papal coat of arms and motto "In Illo uno unum." The words were pronounced by St. Augustine in a sermon to explain that "although we Christians are many, in the one Christ we are one." The emblem on the coast of arms is that of the Augustinian order: a pierced flaming heart and a book, representing the Scriptures.
Pedicino said that he expected Leo to apply Augustine's teaching about communion and unity in diversity in his new ministry as pope.
"Diversity isn't a danger or something negative," he said of Augustine's teaching. "So I think the pope will work so that inside the church and out, the 'other' is increasingly seen not as a danger if different, but as someone to love and who enriches our life and makes it more beautiful."
___
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. |
Associated Press News | 2025-05-13 06:42:33+00:00 | [
"United Kingdom government",
"Keir Starmer",
"United Kingdom",
"London",
"Fires",
"Charles Grant",
"Politics",
"Dominic Murphy"
] | # Man arrested for arson at UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer's private home
May 13th, 2025 06:42 AM
---
LONDON (AP) — Police arrested a 21-year-old man Tuesday on suspicion of starting fires at U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer's private house, another property and a car connected to the politician.
The Metropolitan Police force said the suspect was detained on suspicion of arson with intent to endanger life after an early morning fire Monday damaged the door of the house where Starmer and his family lived before he was elected to lead the country.
No injuries were reported from any of the fires.
Counterterrorism detectives, who are leading the investigation because it involves the prime minister, are also looking into connections between a car fire Thursday near Starmer's house and a fire Sunday outside a north London house converted into apartments that he as a connection to.
"A key line of enquiry is whether the fires are linked due to the two premises and the vehicle all having previous links to the same high-profile public figure," said Cmdr. Dominic Murphy, head of counterterrorism at the Metropolitan Police.
Starmer moved with his family to the prime minister's official Downing Street residence after taking office in July.
Neighbor Charles Grant said police searched his yard Monday for a projectile.
"From what other people have told me today, I gather someone threw a firebomb at Keir Starmer's house," he said.
Starmer's house has attracted protesters in the past. Last year, three pro-Palestinian activists were arrested and charged with public order offenses after unfurling a banner covered in red handprints outside the building.
The main opposition leader, Kemi Badenoch of the Conservative Party, called it "a shocking incident."
"No one should face these sorts of threats, let alone people in public service," she posted on X. "It's an attack on our democracy and must never be tolerated." |
Associated Press News | 2025-05-13 13:41:55+00:00 | [
"Minnesota Vikings",
"Indianapolis Colts",
"Atlanta Falcons",
"Washington Commanders",
"New York Jets",
"Denver Broncos",
"Miami Dolphins",
"Los Angeles Rams",
"Jacksonville Jaguars",
"Mary Ellen Coe",
"Philadelphia Eagles",
"Pittsburgh Steelers",
"NFL",
"National Football League",
"Mark Wilf",
"Sports",
"Sao Paulo",
"NFL football",
"London",
"Dublin",
"Peter OReilly",
"Roger Goodell"
] | # NFL's record seven international games features back-to-back games for Vikings in Dublin and London
By Arnie Melendrez Stapleton
May 13th, 2025 01:41 PM
---
The Minnesota Vikings get a double dip of international play in 2025 with trips to both Ireland and Britain as the NFL features a record seven overseas kickoffs this season, including forays into Germany and Spain.
The Vikings will play the Pittsburgh Steelers at Croke Park in Dublin on Sept. 28 in Ireland's first NFL regular season game, and then they'll fly over to London to face the Cleveland Browns at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium a week later on Oct. 5.
"Our experiences in London have always been memorable, so to return in 2025 as the first team to play in back-to-back international games in different countries was something we could not pass up," Vikings owner Mark Wilf said.
The Vikings are 8-0 in international games, including 4-0 in the regular season. The Vikings and Browns also played in London in 2017, the last time the Vikings were scheduled to visit Cleveland. That means they're going to go 24 years between trips to Cleveland, with the next one in 2033.
The matchups were revealed on Tuesday by the NFL as part of a series of announcements of notable games on each of the league's broadcasters ahead of the full schedule release on Wednesday night.
That's also when the league will announce the Los Angeles Chargers' opponent for its first international game of the season in Brazil, on Sept. 5 at Corinthians Stadium in Sao Paulo. That's where the Philadelphia Eagles began their Super Bowl quest last year with a game against the Green Bay Packers on opening weekend.
The Brazilian game will be streamed for free to a worldwide audience exclusively on YouTube and YouTube TV, marking the platform's debut as a live NFL broadcaster. NFL commissioner Roger Goodell and YouTube chief business officer Mary Ellen Coe will announce the Chargers' opponent Wednesday at YouTube's 2025 Brandcast upfront event at Lincoln Center in New York.
YouTube and the NFL also announced a multi-year deal for the annual Super Bowl flag football game featuring creators and artists with additional international contests following the success of the inaugural game in February that drew more than 6 million live views.
In other international games, the Denver Broncos visit the New York Jets on Oct. 12 at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London; the Los Angeles Rams visit the Jacksonville Jaguars a week later at Wembley Stadium in London; the Atlanta Falcons visit the Indianapolis Colts on Nov. 9 at the Olympic Stadium in Berlin; and the Washington Commanders visit the Miami Dolphins on Nov. 16 at Santiago Bernabeu Stadium in Madrid.
This marks the 14th game in London for the Jaguars, as part of the team's multi-year commitment to playing games in Britain. Overall, the NFL has played 39 regular season games in London.
The six international matchups that were announced will all be on NFL Network and streamed on NFL+.
The Colts-Falcons game in Berlin is the fifth regular season NFL game in Germany. Previous games have been played in Munich and Frankfurt.
Peter O'Reilly, NFL executive vice president of club business and league events, said the largest-ever slate of international games "underscores our collective commitment to global growth as we continue our journey to becoming a truly global sport."
Also Tuesday, the NFL revealed on "Good Morning America" that the Super Bowl champion Eagles will play the Packers in Green Bay on Monday Night Football on Nov. 10. The rest of the MNF lineup will be announced Wednesday.
The Week 10 game at Lambeau Field pits the teams at the center of the tush push debate this offseason. Green Bay has proposed a ban on the Eagles' short-yardage tactic, calling for the NFL to outlaw the quarterback sneak where teammates push him from behind. The issue is expected to be debated at the league's spring meeting next week.
___
AP Pro Football Writer Dave Campbell contributed to this report.
___
AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/NFL |
Associated Press News | 2025-05-13 17:58:29+00:00 | [
"Television",
"Streaming media",
"Jimmy Pitaro",
"Technology",
"Rich Eisen",
"Sports",
"David Bauder",
"Entertainment",
"Business"
] | # ESPN says its direct-to-consumer streaming service will debut in September at $29.99 a month
By David Bauder
May 13th, 2025 05:58 PM
---
NEW YORK (AP) — ESPN said Tuesday that its new all-encompassing streaming service will take on a familiar name — ESPN — and launch in September at an initial price of $29.99 per month.
The service will enable consumers to view all of ESPN's various networks, including ones devoted to the SEC, Big 10 and ACC college leagues, as well as content from the current ESPN+ streaming service, which will be folded in to the new product.
The network also promised enhancements to its ESPN app for mobile devices, including using artificial intelligence to create a personalized "SportsCenter" for consumers that concentrates on news and highlights for their favorite teams, sports and athletes.
September will represent a big moment for ESPN on par with the cable sports network's launch in 1979, the introduction of ESPN2 in 1993 and launch of the ESPN.com website two years later, said Jimmy Pitaro, ESPN chairman. The exact date it will become available will be announced later.
It's also a pivotal development in the accelerating industry shift from television to streaming. ESPN and its sister channels will remain available on cable and satellite systems.
After kicking around several ideas for what to call the service, which was known informally as "Flagship" during the developmental stages, Pitaro said executives decided to keep it simple. "There's power in our name and there's trust in our name," he said.
All live events shown on ESPN networks, along with sports shown on broadcast sister ABC-TV, will be available through the streaming service.
So will its other programming, like "SportsCenter", "Pardon the Interruption," "First Take," "The Pat McAfee Show," "NFL Live" and original films. ESPN announced Tuesday that a former network personality, Rich Eisen, will bring his daily program to ESPN even as he continues to work at the NFL Network.
ESPN's streaming service will be available for $299.99 per year. The Disney-owned network said it will also allow people to bundle ESPN along with Hulu and Disney+ for $35.99 a month — or $29.99 a month for the first year.
Although consumers will be able to buy the more limited slate of programming available now on ESPN+ for $11.99 a month, Pitaro said ESPN decided against offering other lower-cost alternatives containing some, but not all, of the company's various services. It would be too confusing for consumers, he said.
Pitaro said ESPN remains open to other acquisitions or partnerships to build programming. That includes potentially taking on some struggling regional sports networks that show baseball, even though ESPN decided earlier this year to opt out of the final three years of its contract to show Major League Baseball at the end of this season.
"When the league is ready to have a conversation, we are ready to listen," Pitaro said.
___
David Bauder writes about the intersection of media and entertainment for the AP. Follow him at http://x.com/dbauder and https://bsky.app/profile/dbauder.bsky.social |
Associated Press News | 2025-05-13 17:35:39+00:00 | [
"Burkina Faso",
"Tehran",
"Iran",
"Iran government",
"Mohammad Kabura",
"Taliban",
"Ulf Laessing",
"Mohamed Toumba"
] | # The Taliban and Burkina Faso ambassadors pledge new trade and mining cooperation
By Wilson Mcmakin
May 13th, 2025 05:35 PM
---
DAKAR, Senegal (AP) — The Taliban's acting ambassador to Iran has met with his Burkina Faso counterpart in the Iranian capital Tehran as part of a broader outreach effort by the West African country to win new trade partners, according to Taliban-controlled media.
During the meeting between acting Ambassador Maulvi Fazl Mohammad Haqqani and Ambassador Mohammad Kabura, both parties pledged to cooperate on trade, mining and vocational training. The Taliban are the de facto rulers of Afghanistan.
"In this meeting, the parties emphasized the expansion of cooperation in the fields of trade, agriculture, mining, and the exchange of professional and vocational skills," the Afghan embassy in Tehran said in a statement.
Both ambassadors also pledged Monday to have private sector delegations visit soon as part of the plan to develop trade between Afghanistan and Burkina Faso.
The meeting comes less than a week after the Commander General of Iranian law enforcement and security forces visited neighboring Niger and announced new areas of cooperation and training for the Niger Police and National Guard, including training at the Iranian Police University.
"The meeting culminated in the signing of a memorandum of understanding covering several areas of cooperation between the two countries," according to a statement from Niger's Minister of the Interior, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Toumba to media outlets.
The Taliban seized power in Afghanistan in August 2021 as U.S. and NATO troops were in the final weeks of withdrawing from the country after two decades of war.
Burkina Faso has struggled in recent years with a ballooning militant insurgency, elements of which are aligned with the Taliban informally. The landlocked nation of 23 million people has come to symbolize the security crisis in the arid Sahel region south of the Sahara in recent years. It has been shaken by violence from extremist groups linked to al-Qaida and the Islamic State group, and the governments fighting them.
The three-nation bloc of Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger announced last year that they were leaving the regional bloc known as ECOWAS. They then created their own security partnership, known as the Alliance of Sahel States, severed military ties with long-standing Western partners such as U.S. and France, and turned to Russia for military support.
Ulf Laessing, head of the Sahel program at the Konrad Adenauer Foundation in Bamako, told The Associated Press that Burkina Faso and the Alliance of Sahel States, known by its French acronym AES, have been searching for alternative partners since their respective military juntas took power.
They wish to "rely less on western companies and focus more on their so called new partners," Laessing said.
"Iran has been trying to boost cooperation with the Sahel AES countries. They also have been active in Burkina Faso sending even some aid. A shipment arrived at Ouagadougou airport." |
Associated Press News | 2025-05-13 17:47:07+00:00 | [
"Kyle Larson",
"Tony Kanaan",
"Indianapolis",
"Christopher Bell",
"Automobile racing",
"IndyCar",
"Auto Racing",
"Sports",
"Indianapolis 500",
"Charlotte Motor Speedway"
] | # Rain delays opening day for Indianapolis 500 as Kanaan awaits approval to be Larson's replacement
By Jenna Fryer
May 13th, 2025 05:47 PM
---
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — The first day of practice for the 109th Indianapolis 500 has been delayed by rain, causing a disruption to Tuesday's schedule at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
The day was supposed to begin with a two-hour window for Arrow McLaren team principal Tony Kanaan to run a veteran refresher course in case he's needed to substitute for NASCAR star Kyle Larson, who is attempting to run both the Indy 500 and the Coca-Cola 600 on May 25. It will be Larson's second attempt at completing 1,100 miles on the same day; last year rain in both Indianapolis and Charlotte, North Carolina, prevented him from turning a lap at the 600.
The rain Tuesday in Indianapolis delayed all on-track activity, so IndyCar is expected to go to full field practice if weather permits. Kanaan will have to complete the refresher course at a later time.
But it's needed because NASCAR is adamant that Larson make the Coca-Cola 600 a priority. The Indy 500 was delayed by rain last year and Hendrick Motorsports made the decision to leave him at the speedway for the 500 and arrive late in North Carolina. But by the time he got to Charlotte Motor Speedway, the race was in a rain stoppage and never resumed.
It took NASCAR several weeks to decide whether or not it would grant Larson the waiver he needed to remain eligible for the playoffs, and this year NASCAR has made it clear he must be at the 600 or it will cost him dearly in his pursuit of a second Cup Series championship.
Larson was not discouraged by Tuesday's rain, even though the long-range forecast shows pockets of rain all the way into next week.
In fact, despite his non-stop racing schedule and run of NASCAR success — he's tied for the Cup Series points lead and tied with Christopher Bell with three wins so far this season — he said he's relaxed for the 500 and called it the "biggest event of the year."
"Every day is something really cool and just being part of it is special," Larson said. "Hopefully we can make the couple of weeks special and perform well on the track, get to the All-Star race, and then the 600 next week. I know we're going to have good cars for (the NASCAR races) so good times to be Kyle Larson."
He did say of all the different disciplines of racing he does, IndyCar is the most difficult because it requires the most work from him inside the cockpit.
"Everything besides the Indy car is really easy because I do it often," Larson said. "IndyCar is difficult to drive because there's so much more going on in the car. Sprint cars, I rarely touch, nothing matters. But the Indy car has so many adjustments. I feel like I am studying the wheel, staring at the wheel, and then they tell me to make an adjustment and I need to find it quickly, or hope it comes from memory. That part is what gets me."
Kanaan, meanwhile, is the 2013 Indy 500 winner but last raced the event in 2023 for McLaren. He then moved into a management role with the team and has since been promoted to team principal.
He said his wife noticed immediately it was a scheduled on-track day for Kanaan when she said "Good morning" and he grumbled a reply.
"She said 'I guess the race car driver is back,'" Kanaan said of his wife, Lauren.
___
AP auto racing: https://apnews.com/hub/auto-racing |
Associated Press News | 2025-05-13 17:28:41+00:00 | [
"NWSL soccer",
"Soccer",
"Sports retirements",
"FIFA Womens World Cup",
"San Diego",
"NWSL",
"Womens sports",
"Womens soccer",
"Sports",
"Alex Morgan",
"Lauren Leichtman",
"Alex Fernandez"
] | # Alex Morgan becomes a minority stakeholder in her former NWSL club, the San Diego Wave
By Anne M. Peterson
May 13th, 2025 05:28 PM
---
Alex Morgan has joined the investor group for the San Diego Wave, the National Women's Soccer League team she played for before retiring from professional soccer.
The Wave announced Tuesday that the two-time Women's World Cup winner has rejoined the club as a minority stakeholder.
"San Diego is where I've built my home, where I am raising my children, and found a purpose beyond my playing career," Morgan said in a statement. "I believed in Wave FC before a single match was played, and I still believe this Club has the power to change the future of women's sports."
Morgan announced she was retiring after a 15-year career in professional soccer last September, when she was pregnant with her son Enzo, who was born last month. A crowd of 26,516 filled San Diego's Snapdragon Stadium for Morgan's farewell match.
Morgan was among the first players signed by the Wave after the club joined the NWSL in 2021. She went on to play 63 matches with the Wave and scored 28 goals, including the team's first.
Morgan played in 150 NWSL matches over her career, which included stints with the Portland Thorns and the Orlando Pride.
In addition to World Cup titles in 2015 and 2019, Morgan also won an Olympic gold medal in 2012 for the United States. She played in 224 matches for the U.S., with 123 goals (fifth on the career list) and 53 assists. She was named the U.S. Soccer Player of the Year in 2012 and 2018.
Off the field, Morgan advanced women's soccer through her fight for equal pay. The U.S. women filed a lawsuit in 2019 that led to a historic agreement in 2022 that provided the women with pay equitable to what U.S. men's players received.
She also paved the way for reforms in the NWSL, calling for the adoption of an anti-harassment policy after a coach misconduct scandal rocked the league in 2021.
"Alex has always fought to positively impact this game beyond the pitch," said Lauren Leichtman, controlling owner of the Wave. "She used her platform to lead, to advocate, and to build something meaningful in San Diego. Her decision to invest is not only a continuation of her leadership but also a reflection of her belief in what we are building."
In addition to their son, Morgan and her husband, Servando Carrasco, have a daughter, Charlie, who was born in 2020.
___
AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer |
Associated Press News | 2025-05-13 17:29:26+00:00 | [
"Adalberto Jordan",
"Georgia",
"Stacey Abrams",
"Voting rights",
"Voting",
"Federico Moreno",
"Lawsuits",
"Courts",
"Legal proceedings",
"Catherine Engelbrecht",
"United States Senate",
"Politics",
"Jake Evans",
"Steve Jones"
] | # Federal appeals court may revive lawsuit against conservative group accused of voter intimidation
By Sudhin Thanawala
May 13th, 2025 05:29 PM
---
ATLANTA (AP) — A federal appeals court appeared inclined Tuesday to revive a lawsuit accusing a conservative group of violating the Voting Rights Act when it announced it was challenging the eligibility of more than 360,000 Georgia voters.
The lower court committed "legal error" in its ruling finding no violation of the Voting Rights Act, 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals Judge Adalberto Jordan said at a hearing in Atlanta.
Another judge on the panel, Federico Moreno, seemed to agree, saying the district court judge had failed to conduct a separate analysis of one part of the law.
The three-judge panel did not immediately issue a ruling.
The panel was considering a lawsuit against Texas-based nonprofit True the Vote by Fair Fight, a group founded by former Democratic Georgia gubernatorial candidate Stacey Abrams. Fair Fight argued True the Vote's mass voter challenge ahead of a 2021 runoff election for two pivotal U.S. Senate seats violated a section of the 1965 Voting Rights Act that prohibits voter intimidation.
In a 145-page decision last year, U.S. District Judge Steve Jones disagreed, saying the evidence presented during a trial did not show the actions of True the Vote "caused (or attempted to cause) any voter to be intimidated, coerced, or threatened in voting." Jones added, however, that the list of voters to be challenged "utterly lacked reliability" and bordered on "recklessness."
Jordan and Moreno took issue with Jones' conclusion that True the Vote did not attempt to intimidate voters.
Moreno asked an attorney for the group, Jake Evans, whether intimidating voters was the goal of the challenge.
Evans said there was no evidence of any desire by True the Vote's co-founder, Catherine Engelbrecht, to intimidate voters, and she had no contact with the challenged voters who testified at trial.
Jordan said that argument did not speak to the claim that the group attempted to intimidate voters.
"Attempt does not require success," he said.
Moreno also suggested the 11th Circuit needed to weigh in on such mass challenges for future elections. |
Associated Press News | 2025-05-13 17:37:57+00:00 | [
"Donald Trump",
"Legislation",
"Philanthropy",
"Terrorism",
"U.S. Republican Party",
"United States House of Representatives",
"District of Columbia",
"Language",
"Congress",
"Business",
"Government and politics",
"Diane Yentel",
"Michelle Roos",
"Internal Revenue Service",
"Thomas Kelley",
"Politics"
] | # House Republicans look to help Trump strip nonprofits of tax-exempt status
By Alexa St. John and Matthew Daly
May 13th, 2025 05:37 PM
---
WASHINGTON (AP) — A proposal by Republicans in Congress would allow President Donald Trump's administration to remove the tax-exempt status of nonprofits that it says support terrorism, creating what some nonprofits say is an arbitrary standard to financially punish charities that advocate for issues that don't align with his agenda.
Unusual language added Monday to a reconciliation bill from the House Ways and Means Committee — the tax-writing committee — would allow for terminating the tax-exempt status of groups the administration deems "terrorist supporting organizations." The language mirrors a bill from the last Congress that passed in the House but did not pass the Senate.
The definition and criteria for determining whether or how an organization supports terrorism are unclear. The bill also targets nonprofits in other ways, echoing complaints by Trump, who has called the tax-exempt status a "privilege" that has been "abused." Trump has threatened to revoke tax-exempt status for groups that don't abide by his directives or agree with his views.
GOP Rep. Jason Smith of Missouri, who chairs the Ways and Means panel, said during debate on the bill last fall that members of Congress "have the duty to make sure that taxpayers are not subsidizing terrorism." Smith didn't immediately respond to a message seeking further comment Tuesday.
House Republicans are conducting hearings this week for the so-called budget reconciliation process on various sections of the bill as a self-imposed Memorial Day deadline to pass Trump's tax breaks and spending cuts looms. Committees will then stitch the various sections together in what will become a massive package that is likely to include trillions of dollars in tax cuts.
The provision in the Ways and Means bill would create a new way to strip tax exemptions granted by the Internal Revenue Service to charitable organizations.
Churches and religious entities, universities, private foundations, political associations and other nonprofits such as labor groups are among those that often qualify as 501(c)(3). There are other 501(c) groups including (c)(4) trade unions, and (c)(6), including business groups. The exemption is powerful because the groups don't pay certain taxes and their donors get a federal tax deduction.
## Concern among advocacy groups
The Ways and Means proposal would hand "unchecked power" to administration officials "to punish organizations that do not fall in line with the administration's ideology," sad Diane Yentel, CEO of the National Council of Nonprofits, "without due process, without a third-party investigation and without public evidence."
The previous bill faced backlash from a variety of groups warning it could be a way to punish those at odds with the administration. The new one faces similar concerns.
"This is a five-alarm fire for nonprofits nationwide," said Lia Holland, campaigns and communications director at the nonprofit group Fight for the Future, which advocates free speech online. "Any organization with goals that do not line up with MAGA can be destroyed with a wink from Trump to the Treasury."
Holland said the "terribly thought-out legislation" puts environmental, racial justice, LGBTQ+ and other groups at risk.
The provision is one of several in the GOP bill causing concern for nonprofits and foundations, including one that would take away resources from foundations by increasing a tax on the income they earn from investing their endowments.
Additionally, the bill would require that corporations give at least 1% of their taxable income to charity to receive a tax benefit. Any donations below that threshold would not be deductible.
## Trump's feud with nonprofits
Trump has previously called the tax-exempt status a "privilege" that has been "abused," and he's already threatened to revoke it for those that don't abide by his directives or agree with his views. Most recently that's included Harvard University, which defied the administration's demands to limit on-campus activism. Trump froze more than $2.2 billion in grants and $60 million in contracts to the school, moved to terminate $450 million more and questioned its tax-exempt status. Harvard has sued to stop the grant freeze.
Michelle Roos, executive director of the Environmental Protection Network, which represents hundreds of former scientists and regulators, said last month "we all pay the price" when charitable organizations are silenced based on politics.
For example, the move to revoke tax-exempt status could choke off funding for groups that urge greater action to promote clean air, water and land, work to help communities most affected by industrial pollution and advocate for projects and policies to combat climate change — among other issues.
"It threatens the rights, health, and future of every community," Roos said in a statement.
Last month, Trump said he could target environmental groups and the ethics watchdog organization Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington.
Though past presidents have tried to influence and direct the IRS, presidents cannot order the agency to conduct tax investigations under a law passed by Congress in 1998. The IRS can examine an organization's tax-exempt status and can rescind it if it's not operating for charitable purposes as required. Still, the IRS' independence under Trump is in question.
Speaking generally about the Trump administration's stance toward nonprofits before the bill was unveiled, Thomas Kelley, a professor at the University of North Carolina School of Law, told The Associated Press it would devastate charitable groups if donations were no longer deductible. He also said most private grant-making foundations have internal policies that they give only to 501(c)(3) organizations.
___
St. John reported from Detroit. Associated Press writer Thalia Beaty contributed reporting.
___
Read more of AP's climate coverage at http://www.apnews.com/climate-and-environment.
___
Follow Alexa St. John on X: @alexa_stjohn. Reach her at: [email protected].
___
The Associated Press' climate and environmental coverage receives financial support from multiple private foundations. The AP is solely responsible for all content. Find the AP's standards for working with philanthropies, a list of supporters and funded coverage areas at AP.org. |
Associated Press News | 2025-05-13 17:33:31+00:00 | [
"Justin Thomas",
"Patrick Reed",
"Francesco Molinari",
"Golf",
"PGA Championship",
"Jack Nicklaus",
"Rory McIlroy",
"Louis Oosthuizen",
"Jordan Spieth",
"Andrew Novak",
"Sports",
"Tiger Woods"
] | # Justin Thomas returns to the site of his first major win, looking for third career PGA Championship
By Steve Reed
May 13th, 2025 05:33 PM
---
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — Justin Thomas has positioned himself to turn back the clock at the PGA Championship.
The resurgent Thomas returns to Quail Hollow this week looking to recapture some of the magic from his first major victory at the 2017 PGA Championship when he posted a two-shot victory over Francesco Molinari, Louis Oosthuizen and Patrick Reed.
The 32-year-old Thomas finally appears to have his game back on track following a years-long slump.
He's finished tied for second or better in three of his last four tournaments with a combined score of 41-under par, including a playoff win last month over Andrew Novak at the RBC Heritage that snapped a three-year winless drought on the PGA Tour.
The only tournament he hasn't been competitive in over the last month was the Masters. He finished tied for 36th.
Still, it is one of Thomas' best stretches of golf since 2016-17 when he became the fourth player behind Jack Nicklaus, Tiger Woods and Jordan Spieth to win five times in the same season, including a major, before his 25th birthday.
"I'm just more patient, I'd say," Thomas said of his recent improved play. "I don't feel like I'm forcing the issue as much. Just trying to trust my game and myself quite a bit more. I feel like some of the events maybe earlier this year or last year where I had a chance to win, I just felt like maybe I pressed a little too much."
While the memory of celebrating his first major on the 18th green at Quail Hollow eight years ago with his father Mike, then a PGA Tour professional at Harmony Landing in Louisville, Kentucky, and a former member of the PGA's board of directors, will forever be etched in his memory, Thomas admitted there's probably not much carryover from that to help him this week.
That tournament was played during the summer on what he called a "completely different golf course" with Bermuda grass versus overseed.
This one comes in the spring, with a course that will have absorbed several inches of rain by the time golfers tee off on Thursday, likely meaning that an already long course will play even longer.
"As much as I'd like to say (it matters), I think that's a bit of a stretch," Thomas said.
However, Thomas said his knowledge of the course and the confidence of knowing he can handle Quail Hollow's difficult three closing holes known as the "Green Mile" could pay dividends if he's near the top of the leaderboard on Sunday.
"If I'm coming down the stretch and trying to win the tournament, I can tell myself I've literally done this before here," Thomas said. "I've hit the shots. I've made the putts. I've handled all of that mentally on this exact golf course in this exact tournament."
It's helpful, too, that the weight of a losing streak has been lifted from his shoulders.
The win at Harbour Town last month — his first since the 2022 PGA Championship at Southern Hills — was something he called "the last thing I needed to do for my own well-being" and helped jettison him back into the top 10 in the world, while proving he's capable of making big shots to close out a win.
He nearly pulled off another last week at the Truist Championship, but wound up tied for second after a late run at the leaders.
He's in the right "head space," and he appears set on reaching bigger goals ahead.
Thomas said watching Rory McIlroy clinch the career Grand Slam last month with a win at the Masters has ignited some competitive jealousy within him. Although he's never won a major other than the PGA Championship, Thomas feels like it's something he's capable of accomplishing in his career.
"I have a lot of faith and a lot of ability — or trust in my ability," Thomas said. "I have confidence in, I feel like, what I can do. Obviously I knew I always wanted to win the Grand Slam, wanted to win all the majors. For some reason watching somebody do it firsthand, it reminded me almost of, damn, I forgot, I really do want to do that."
___
AP golf: https://apnews.com/hub/golf |
Associated Press News | 2025-05-13 14:00:07+00:00 | [
"Philadelphia",
"Ken Griffin",
"Philanthropy",
"Donald Trump",
"Constitutional law",
"Politics",
"Business",
"Julia Quinn",
"United States government",
"Jeffrey Rosen",
"Cason Carter"
] | # Ken Griffin will loan his copies of the Constitution and Bill of Rights so the public can see them
By Glenn Gamboa
May 13th, 2025 02:00 PM
---
Citadel CEO Ken Griffin believes American prosperity is a testament to the power of the Constitution. And as the country gets ready to celebrate its 250th anniversary next year, the hedge fund billionaire wants to expand public access to the 1787 document.
Griffin announced Tuesday that he will lend his first-edition copy of the Constitution to the National Constitution Center in Philadelphia for a public exhibit dedicated to the founding document of the U.S. government. He will also loan the center his copy of the Bill of Rights, which he has not previously acknowledged owning publicly, and has made a $15 million donation for the exhibit – the largest in the center's history.
"The authors of the Constitution had incredible foresight in designing a system of government that has withstood the test of time and now, more than ever, protects the American Dream," Griffin said in a statement.
Jeffrey Rosen, CEO of the National Constitution Center, called Griffin's loan of the documents and the donation a "transformative opportunity."
"Ken Griffin's generosity is going to allow us to create a new Founding Principles gallery that will tell the story of the American idea from the revolution through the Constitutional Convention through ratification and all the way up to the adoption of the Bill of Rights," said Rosen, adding that the new exhibit will also mark the center's largest renovation since it opened in 2003.
The support comes as the Constitution is increasingly cited, as all three branches of government navigate questions about who should be controlling what.
"The Constitution Center's mission has never been more relevant," said Rosen, adding that the nonpartisan nonprofit center tries to reduce polarization by offering a platform for both conservative and liberal Constitutional scholars. "It's an honor to convene people of different perspectives for these Constitutional debates and conversations. And we are very much looking forward to continuing these conversations."
A longtime Republican megadonor, Griffin has recently drawn attention for his criticisms of President Donald Trump.
"The United States was more than just a nation. It's a brand," Griffin said at the Semafor World Economy Summit last month. "It was like an aspiration for most the world. And we're eroding that brand right now."
But Griffin's representatives said the donation and loan to the NCC have been planned for years.
"The National Constitution Center is a powerful platform for celebrating our country's founding principles," said Julia Quinn, Citadel director of philanthropy. "The work it has done to increase awareness and understanding of the Constitution, at both the center itself and through its widely available educational programming, is best in class and we're thrilled about this partnership."
Griffin purchased the rare first printing of the Constitution at auction at Sotheby's in New York for $43.2 million in 2021, with plans to make the document available for public viewing. He declined to say when he acquired the rare first printing of 17 proposed constitutional amendments passed in 1789 by the House of Representatives for consideration by the Senate — which, after further debate, became the Bill of Rights.
Caroline Klibanoff, executive director of Made By Us, a nonprofit that helps museums and history institutions better connect with those under 30, said next year's 250th anniversary of the United States is an "incredible opportunity" to help members of the largest youth generation link their futures to their histories.
And at a time when younger generations show an increased distrust of institutions, the National Constitution Center can address that issue by showcasing such important documents, Kilbanoff said.
"They are the fact-checking generation. They want to see the original source material and not take your interpretation for it," she said. "Having the documents be at the forefront will be really desirable."
Griffin's team said he wanted to celebrate the essential American values of individual freedom, democracy, and opportunity with his philanthropy – including his support of the recently opened National Medal of Honor Museum and his donation to the National Constitution Center.
"Ken loves America and has shown an extraordinary commitment to our founding principles," said Cason Carter, Citadel head of public affairs. "He cares deeply about expanding access to the American Dream, which is underpinned by these historical documents, and he believes that America is well worth celebrating, particularly on its 250th anniversary."
______
Associated Press coverage of philanthropy and nonprofits 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. For all of AP's philanthropy coverage, visit https://apnews.com/hub/philanthropy. |
Associated Press News | 2025-05-13 17:24:26+00:00 | [
"Barack Obama",
"Donald Trump",
"Washington",
"Kevin McCarthy",
"John Podesta",
"Carl Nichols",
"Taylor Taranto",
"Hillary Clinton",
"Law enforcement",
"Riots",
"DC Wire",
"Violence",
"Fraud",
"United States government",
"Bomb threats",
"Juries",
"Law and order",
"2021 United States Capitol riot",
"Weapons testing",
"Samuel White",
"Government and politics",
"Legal proceedings",
"Politics"
] | # Trial opens for Capitol riot defendant who was arrested near Obama's DC home
By Michael Kunzelman
May 13th, 2025 05:24 PM
---
WASHINGTON (AP) — Only a few Capitol riot defendants remained jailed after President Donald Trump issued mass pardons to supporters who joined a mob's attack on Jan. 6, 2021. A trial for one of them — a military veteran charged with federal firearms offenses and a hoax bomb threat — began Tuesday with testimony about his 2023 arrest near former President Barack Obama's Washington home.
Taylor Taranto was arrested in Obama's neighborhood on the same day in June 2023 that Trump posted on social media what he claimed was the former president's address. Investigators said they found two guns, roughly 500 rounds of ammunition and a machete in Taranto's van.
Taranto was live streaming video on YouTube in which he said he was looking for "entrance points" to underground tunnels and wanted to get a "good angle on a shot," according to prosecutors. He reposted Trump's message about Obama's home address and wrote, "We got these losers surrounded! See you in hell, Podesta's and Obama's." He was referring to John Podesta, who chaired Hillary Clinton's 2016 Democratic presidential campaign.
Taranto wasn't the only Jan. 6 defendant whose criminal case didn't end when Trump provided clemency to all of the more than 1,500 people charged in the riot. In some cases, Trump's Justice Department concluded that the pardons covered separate offenses, such as charges for guns seized from homes during Capitol riot investigations.
In Taranto's case, however, prosecutors said the firearms offenses he faces are "wholly unrelated to the pardon." Taranto, a Navy veteran from Pasco, Washington, is charged with carrying firearms without a license, with illegally possessing large-capacity magazines and ammunition and with making a hoax bomb threat.
U.S. District Judge Carl Nichols, who was nominated by Trump, is hearing testimony and will decide the case without a jury. The government's first trial witness was an FBI agent who led the frantic search for Taranto after Capitol police investigators watched his livestreamed video and heard what they believed to be a bomb threat.
A prosecutor, Samuel White, told the judge that the video captured Taranto outlining his "ominous, threatening plan." Taranto said on the video that he was in Gaithersburg, Maryland, on a "one-way" to the National Institute of Standards and Technology.
Taranto's lawyers said he didn't have any bomb-making material and wasn't near the Gaithersburg institute. Defense attorney Pleasant Brodnax said the video shows Taranto was merely joking in an "avant-garde" manner.
"He believes he is a journalist and, to some extent, a comedian," Broadnax said.
Taranto has been jailed since his arrest. The judge concluded that he poses a danger to the public.
Taranto was charged with four misdemeanors related to the Jan. 6 attack. Prosecutors said he joined the crush of rioters who breached the building. He was captured on video at the entrance of the Speaker's Lobby around the time that a rioter, Ashli Babbitt, was shot and killed by an officer while she tried to climb through the broken window of a barricaded door.
Taranto's wife told investigators that he came to Washington because then-House Speaker Kevin McCarthy was offering to release unseen video of the Jan. 6 attack. Taranto made "ominous comments" about McCarthy on video, saying, "Coming at you McCarthy. Can't stop what's coming. Nothing can stop what's coming," according to prosecutors.
Taranto was attacked and injured by other inmates in the wing of the Washington jail where other Jan. 6 defendants were detained while awaiting trial, according to his lawyers. They said he was shunned for negative comments that he made about Babbitt. |
Associated Press News | 2025-05-13 13:12:22+00:00 | [
"Donald Trump",
"International trade",
"Joe Biden",
"Government policy",
"Economic policy",
"New York",
"District of Columbia",
"Legal proceedings",
"Lawsuits",
"Tariffs and global trade",
"New York City Wire",
"Richard Nixon",
"Victor Schwartz",
"Politics",
"Kathleen Claussen",
"George W. Bush",
"United States government",
"Business",
"Jeffrey Schwab",
"Taxes",
"Chuck Grassley",
"United States",
"Courts",
"Warren Maruyama"
] | # Trump trade war faces legal challenge as businesses, states argue his tariffs exceeded his power
By Paul Wiseman and Lindsay Whitehurst
May 13th, 2025 01:12 PM
---
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump is waging a trade war without getting approval from Congress: He declared a national emergency to slap import taxes — tariffs — on almost every country on earth.
The president is now facing at least seven lawsuits that argue he's gone too far and asserted power he does not have.
A three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of International Trade, which deals specifically with civil lawsuits involving international trade law, held the first hearing on the challenges Tuesday morning in New York. Five small businesses are asking the court to block the sweeping import taxes that Trump announced April 2 – "Liberation Day,'' he called it.
Declaring that the United States' huge and long-running trade deficits add up to a national emergency, Trump invoked the 1977 International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEPPA) and rolled out 10% tariffs on many countries. He imposed higher– up to 50% -- "reciprocal'' tariffs on countries that sold more goods to the United States than the U.S. sold them. (Trump later suspended those higher tariffs for 90 days.)
Trump's tariffs rattled global markets and raised fears that they would disrupt commerce and slow U.S. and global economic growth.
Jeffrey Schwab, senior counsel and director of litigation at the nonprofit Liberty Justice Center, said the president is exceeding the act's authority. "That statute doesn't actually say anything about giving the president the power to tariff,'' said Schwab, who is representing the small businesses. "It doesn't say the word tariff.''
In their complaint, the businesses also call Trump's emergency "a figment of his own imagination: trade deficits, which have persisted for decades without causing economic harm, are not an emergency.'' The U.S. has, in fact, run a trade deficit – the gap between exports and imports – with the rest of the world for 49 straight years, through good times and bad.
But the Trump administration argues that courts approved President Richard Nixon's emergency use of tariffs in a 1971 economic crisis. The Nixon administration successfully cited its authority under the 1917 Trading With Enemy Act, which preceded and supplied some of the legal language used in IEPPA.
The legal battle against Trump's tariffs has created unusual bedfellows, uniting states led by Democratic governors with libertarian groups – including the Liberty Justice Center – that often seek to overturn government regulation of businesses. A dozen states have filed suit against Trump's tariffs in the New York trade court. A hearing in that case is scheduled for May 21.
Kathleen Claussen, a professor and trade-law expert at Georgetown Law, said Tuesday's hearing and another scheduled for the states' lawsuit in the coming weeks will likely set the tone for legal battles over tariffs to come. If the court agrees to block the tariffs under the emergency economic-powers act, the Trump administration will certainly appeal. "It strikes me probably this probably is something that has to be decided by the Supreme Court," she said.
And if the cases do go to the Supreme Court, legal experts say, it's possible the justices will use conservative legal doctrines they cited to rein in government powers claimed by Democratic President Joe Biden administration to strike down or limit tariffs imposed by Trump, a Republican.
The U.S. Constitution gives the power to impose taxes — including tariffs — to Congress. But over the years lawmakers ceded power over trade policy to the White House, clearing the way for Trump's expansive use of tariffs.
Some lawmakers now want to reclaim some of the authority they've given up.
Republican Sen. Chuck Grassley of Iowa and Democratic Sen. Maria Cantwell of Washington, for instance, have introduced legislation that would require presidents to justify new tariffs to Congress. Lawmakers would then have 60 days to approve the tariffs. Otherwise, they would expire.
But their proposal appears to stand little chance of becoming law, given most Republican lawmakers' deference to Trump and the president's veto power. "That train has left the station,'' said trade lawyer Warren Maruyama, who was general counsel for the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative in the administration of President George W. Bush.
For now, many American businesses are struggling to cope with Trump's tariffs, which have lifted America's average tariff to the highest level since 1934 — even after a trade truce with China was announced Monday, according to Yale University's Budget Lab.
Victor Schwartz of New York City has spent the last 39 years building a business importing wine and spirits from small producers across the world. The tariffs are hitting his business hard. His customers want regional wines from around the world, so he can't just shift to American vintages. And the state requires him to post prices a month in advance so it's tough to keep up with Trump's ever-changing tariffs.
His business — V.O.S. Selections — is one of the five plaintiffs in Tuesday's hearing. "It's a race against time," he said. "Will we get through it? I'm not sure exactly." |
Associated Press News | 2025-05-13 17:19:49+00:00 | [
"Wildfires",
"Long Beach",
"Los Angeles",
"California",
"Los Angeles Area wildfires",
"Fires",
"Natural disasters"
] | # LA County wildfire alert mistakenly sent to millions due to tech glitch
May 13th, 2025 05:19 PM
---
LOS ANGELES (AP) — A technological glitch caused an emergency alert to be mistakenly sent to millions of Los Angeles County residents in January rather than only those in the proximity of a wildfire, according to a congressional report.
The mistaken alert on Jan. 9 came as residents were on edge two days after fierce winds and deadly wildfires ripped across Los Angeles County hillsides and burned through communities. The alert message was only supposed to go to residents in the San Fernando Valley facing an evacuation warning due to the Kenneth Fire.
The report issued Monday by Democratic Rep. Robert Garcia of Long Beach found that Los Angeles County officials properly coded the alert to reach the wireless devices of a more limited group of people. But the alert was sent to residents across the county of 10 million people, and without specific geographic information, prompting concern and confusion after two days of devastating wildfires.
That's because the coding for the precise location didn't get saved into the IPAWS federal channel for local emergency alerts, which software provider Genasys believed might be due to a network disruption, the report said. "The initial false alert is believed to be caused by technology issues with third-party technology vendor Genasys," the report said.
The report did not address how emergency alerts were handled in the Eaton and Palisades fires.
In the Eaton Fire in Altadena, evacuation orders went out long after houses were reported burning. LA County officials have launched their own independent review, led by a third party, of evacuation policies and the emergency alert system. An initial report released last month said nearly three dozen people who responded to the fires had been interviewed and more interviews were planned. The next report on the review is expected by July 27.
In the Palisades fire, residents said they received notification about the blaze on their phones well after they could see it coming and decided on their own to leave, reporting by The Associated Press found.
Garcia's report suggested that Los Angeles County officials could use more location-specific language in the text of warnings so residents know where they are intended for, and the need for enhanced training and standardized software to prevent issues like the faulty alert issued in connection with the Kenneth Fire.
"The lessons from the Kenneth Fire should not only inform reforms, but serve as a catalyst to modernize the nation's alerting infrastructure before the next disaster strikes," the report said. |
Associated Press News | 2025-05-13 07:17:15+00:00 | [
"Law enforcement",
"India",
"International",
"South Asia",
"Medication",
"Maninder Singh"
] | # 14 people die from drinking toxic liquor in India
May 13th, 2025 07:17 AM
---
NEW DELHI (AP) — At least 14 people died and six were hospitalized in critical condition after consuming toxic liquor overnight in northern India, police said Tuesday.
Seven people were arrested on allegations they supplied the toxic liquor in five villages around 19 kilometers (12 miles) from the city of Amritsar in northern Punjab, senior police officer Maninder Singh said.
The police have launched a crackdown to destroy the network of spurious liquor supplies in the area following the incident, Singh said.
The local administration deployed medics to the villages to check on people who drank the contaminated liquor, said Sakshi Sawhney, a senior government official in Amritsar.
Those showing symptoms are being shifted to hospitals to ensure the death toll doesn't rise, said Sawhney.
Investigators have not said what ingredients were suspected of causing the deaths and sickness.
In India, deaths from consumption of contaminated liquor manufactured locally is rampant, mainly in rural areas. |
Associated Press News | 2025-05-13 16:30:17+00:00 | [
"Donald Trump",
"China",
"Agriculture",
"International trade",
"National",
"Tariffs and global trade",
"Future of food",
"Government policy",
"Economic policy",
"International agreements",
"U.S. Department of Agriculture",
"Production facilities",
"United Kingdom government",
"Commodity markets",
"Associated Press",
"Matt Griggs",
"Politics",
"Legal proceedings",
"Dan Glessing",
"Business",
"Hubert Humphrey",
"Joe Janzen"
] | # Farmers taking a wait-and-see approach on Trump's trade war
By Steve Karnowski and Kristin M. Hall
May 13th, 2025 04:30 PM
---
WAVERLY, Minn. (AP) — Minnesota farmer Dan Glessing isn't ready to get too upset over President Donald Trump's trade wars.
Farm country voted heavily for Trump last November. Now Glessing and many other farmers are taking a wait-and-see attitude toward the Republican president's disputes with China and other international markets.
China normally would buy about one row out of every four of the Minnesota soybean crop and took in nearly $13 billion worth of soybeans from the U.S. as a whole last year. More than half of U.S. soybeans are exported internationally, with roughly half of those going to China, so it's a critical market.
Trump last month raised U.S. tariffs on products from China to 145%, and China retaliated with 125%. But Monday's announcement of a 90-day truce between the two countries backed up the reluctance of many farmers to hit the panic button.
More good news came in an updated forecast from the U.S. Department of Agriculture on Monday that projected higher corn exports and only slightly lower corn prices. The report also predicted somewhat lower soybean exports but higher domestic consumption, resulting in higher prices. Soybean futures surged.
After he finished planting his soybean crop on Monday, Glessing said he was excited by the news and hopes to see more progress. But he said he wasn't really surprised.
## Tariffs, weather and other uncertainty
On a bright, sunny day last week, as he began planting soybeans, Glessing said tariffs were only one of the things he's worried about — and not necessarily the biggest. Farming, after all, is an enterprise built on loose soil, the whims of weather and other uncontrollable factors.
"Am I concerned about tariffs? Yeah. I mean, there's uncertainty that comes with that," Glessing said. "Is that the number one driving factor in these poor commodity prices the last two years? No."
As he steered his 25-year-old Case IH tractor over a gently rolling field near the town of Waverly, he towed a planter that inserted his seeds through the stubble of last year's corn crop. As he laid down the long rows, he rumbled past a pond where wild swans paddled about.
Riding shotgun was Georgie the Corgi, who alternated between roaming around his cab and half-dozing at his feet.
Perhaps more skeptical than Glessing is Matt Griggs, one of many soybean farmers in Tennessee paying close attention to the trade war. On Monday, he said the ripple effects on farmers might still be coming.
"We're only on a 90-day pause," Griggs said. "Who knows what is going to come after that?"
Joe Janzen, an agricultural economist at the University of Illinois, said the commodity markets have largely shaken off the initial shock of the trade war, including Trumps' declaration of April 2 as "Liberation Day," when he announced stiff worldwide tariffs.
"Our markets have largely rebounded and are back where we were around April Second," Janzen said. "Tariffs have not had a major impact on prices yet."
Even something that might seem like good news — ideal planting conditions across much of the Midwest — has its downside. The potential for bigger crops sent prices downward, Glessing noted. High interest rates, seed and fertilizer costs pose additional challenges.
"There's so many other factors besides just tariffs and my market price," Glessing said.
## Looking for signs of progress
But Glessing said he was encouraged by that morning's news of a trade deal with the United Kingdom, and said he hopes the current uncertainty in talks with China and other countries ultimately leads to better trade deals going forward.
Glessing had finished planting his corn the day before on the other half of a field that he rents from his father's cousin, split between 45 acres of corn and 45 acres of beans. It's at the farm where his grandfather grew up, and it's part of the approximately 700 acres he plants on average. He locked in those planting decisions months earlier as he made deals for seeds, fertilizer and other supplies.
Back on his "home farm" closer to Waverly — where his late grandfather's house, made of local brick, still stands and a cacophony of house sparrow songs filled the air — Glessing was pleased to spot the first signs of corn he had planted there about 10 days earlier poking above the soil.
Waverly is about an hour west of Minneapolis. Its most famous resident was Democratic former Vice President Hubert Humphrey. It's in the congressional district represented by Republican House Majority Whip Tom Emmer.
Glessing's post as president of the Minnesota Farm Bureau puts him in close touch with other influential politicians, too. He and his wife, Seena, were Democratic Sen. Amy Klobuchar's guests at the Capitol for Trump's inauguration in January. Glessing declined to say who he voted for.
The Glessings have three kids, milk about 75 dairy cows, and grow corn, soybeans and alfalfa on a combination of parcels they own or rent. He uses the alfalfa and corn primarily to feed his cows. He sells his soybeans to a processing plant in Mankato, where some of them become soybean meal he adds to his animal feed. The milk from his cows goes to a co-op cheese plant in Litchfield that sells internationally.
Because Glessing has local buyers locked in and doesn't directly export his crops, he's partially cushioned from the volatility of world markets. But he's quick to point out that everything in the agricultural economy is interconnected.
## Lessons learned during Trump's first trade war
On his farm near Humboldt, Tennessee, roughly midway between Memphis and Nashville, Griggs weathered the 2018 trade war during Trump's first term and said he feels more prepared this time around.
"Back in 2018, prices were about the same as what they are now, and due to the trade war with China, prices dropped around 15%," he said. "They dropped significantly lower, and they dropped in a hurry, and due to that, we lost a lot of demand from China."
Griggs said exports to China never fully rebounded. But he doesn't think the impact of the current dispute will be nearly as drastic.
Griggs — who raises approximately 1,600 acres of cotton, corn, soybeans and wheat — said tariffs were just one consideration as he planned out this year's crops. Growing a variety of crops helps him minimize the risk that comes with weather, volatile prices, and now the prospect of a trade war.
Griggs said he's going to be watching for opportunities to sell when market volatility causes upticks in prices.
"The main thing I learned in 2018 was that if you do have a price period where prices have risen some, go ahead and take advantage of it instead of waiting for it to go higher," said Griggs. "Because when it comes to the tariffs and everything, the markets can be very unpredictable. So my lesson learned was, 'Don't hold out for a home run, be satisfied with a double.'"
He said a temporary subsidy called the Market Facilitation Program helped soybean farmers withstand some of the losses last time could help if something similar is revived this year. But he said no farmer wants to make a living off government subsidies.
"We just want fair access to markets," Griggs said. "And a fair price for the products we produce."
___
AP videographer Kristin M. Hall reported from Humboldt, Tennessee. AP videographer Mark Vancleave also contributed from Waverly. |
Associated Press News | 2025-05-13 16:35:39+00:00 | [
"2024 Paris Olympic Games",
"Adelia Petrosian",
"Anna Shcherbakova",
"Figure skating",
"Olympic games",
"Ice dancing",
"Sports - Europe",
"Vladislav Dikidzhi",
"Sports",
"Alina Gorbacheva",
"Kamila Valieva"
] | # Only four Russian figure skaters approved for 2026 Olympics qualification event as neutrals
May 13th, 2025 04:35 PM
---
LAUSANNE, Switzerland (AP) — Four Russian figure skaters were approved Tuesday by the International Skating Union to try to qualify for the 2026 Winter Olympics as neutral athletes who have not supported the invasion of Ukraine, including 17-year-old national champion Adelia Petrosian.
No Russian athletes, however, were approved to compete in the pairs and ice dance disciplines at a one-off Olympic qualification meeting in September in Beijing. The 2026 Milan-Cortina d'Ampezzo Olympics open on Feb. 6.
The ISU said "not all nominated athletes passed the rigorous screening" and the eligibility decisions by its ruling council are "final with regard to all applicants and not subject to appeal."
Russians and Belarusians have been banned from international skating events since the full military invasion of Ukraine started in February 2022, four days after the Beijing Winter Games closed.
The ISU previously said Russia and Belarus can have just one competitor — individual, pair, or ice dance couple — in each discipline at the Olympics.
At the 2024 Paris Summer Games, Russia was banned from team sports though a small group of individual Russian athletes ended up being allowed to compete as approved neutral athletes. They were judged not to have publicly supported the war or have ties to the military or state security agencies.
A similar process in underway ahead of the Milan-Cortina d'Ampezzo Olympics.
The ISU said it "thoroughly examined public appearances and statements made by the nominated (neutral athletes) since February 2022, to assess any active support for the invasion of Ukraine or any contractual links to Russian or Belarusian military and other national security agencies."
Petrosian is the likely star name among the Russian figure skaters.
The two-time national champion turns 18 in June and is coached by Eteri Tutberidze. The storied Russian team mentor was a controversial figure at the Beijing Olympics coaching gold-medal favorite Kamila Valieva through a doping scandal, and the eventual gold medalist Anna Shcherbakova.
The likely back-up women's skater approved for the Olympic qualifier is 17-year-old Alina Gorbacheva.
The two men's individual skaters approved as eligible to qualify are Petr Gummenik and Vladislav Dikidzhi.
___
More AP Olympics: https://apnews.com/hub/winter-olympics |
Associated Press News | 2025-05-13 17:15:45+00:00 | [
"Iowa",
"Kim Reynolds",
"Legislation",
"Monte Shaw",
"Business",
"Jeff Taylor",
"Politics",
"Climate and environment",
"Lee Enterprises",
"Inc.",
"Sabrina Zenor",
"Iowa state government",
"Climate"
] | # Carbon dioxide pipeline regulations pass in testy Iowa Senate but still need governor's signature
By Hannah Fingerhut
May 13th, 2025 05:15 PM
---
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — The Iowa Senate advanced a bill that could further complicate a massive carbon-capture pipeline project routed across several Midwestern states after a long-winded and testy debate that exposed a clear rift among Republicans over property rights and the future of the state's agricultural dominance.
The legislation that narrowly passed late Monday would prohibit the renewal of permits for a carbon dioxide pipeline, limit the use of such a pipeline to 25 years and significantly increase the insurance coverage requirements for the pipeline company. Those provisions would likely make it less financially feasible for a company to build the pipeline.
Already passed by the House, the measure now goes to Republican Gov. Kim Reynolds' desk. A spokesperson for the governor said Tuesday that the governor's office is reviewing the bill.
The legislation could force adjustments to Summit Carbon Solutions' plans for the estimated $8.9 billion, 2,500-mile (4,023-kilometer) project, which are already strained after South Dakota's governor signed a ban on the use of eminent domain — the government seizure of private property with compensation — to acquire land for carbon dioxide pipelines.
The project received permit approvals in Iowa, Minnesota and North Dakota, but it does face various court challenges, and its application was rejected in South Dakota.
The Iowa Senate, already operating in overtime as legislative session drags on, came to a halt after a dozen Republican state senators insisted that their leaders bring a pipeline bill to the floor.
In response, Summit spokesperson Sabrina Zenor this month outlined the company's investment to date, saying that the company remained committed to building the project and to Iowa.
"Summit Carbon Solutions has invested four years and nearly $175 million on voluntary agreements in Iowa, signing agreements with more than 1,300 landowners and securing 75% of the Phase One route," Zenor said in a May 1 statement.
Zenor declined to comment Tuesday.
Dozens of Summit employees and leaders and members of the Iowa Corn Growers Association, the Iowa Renewable Fuels Association and labor unions made a big showing as debate in the state Senate seemed inevitable. They told lawmakers that the project is essential for the future of Iowa's ethanol industry, for farmers and for construction jobs.
The pipeline would carry carbon emissions from ethanol plants in Iowa, Minnesota, Nebraska, North Dakota and South Dakota to be stored underground permanently in North Dakota. By lowering carbon emissions from the plants, the pipeline would lower their carbon intensity scores and make them more competitive in the renewable fuels market.
The project would also allow ethanol producers and Summit to tap into federal tax credits.
A majority of the Iowa Senate "turned their back on Iowa agriculture tonight," Iowa Renewable Fuels Association Executive Director Monte Shaw said in a statement.
"For 25 years, Iowa has benefited greatly from being the most profitable place in the world to convert corn kernels into ethanol," said Shaw, who predicts that there will be severe economic consequences if the legislation is signed into law. "Iowa is poised to be left behind."
The pipeline's critics accuse Summit of stepping on their property rights and downplaying the safety risks of building the pipeline alongside family homes, near schools and across ranches.
Lee Enterprises and The Associated Press reviewed hundreds of cases that reveal the great legal lengths the company went to to get the project built. In South Dakota, in particular, a slew of eminent domain legal actions to obtain land sparked a groundswell of opposition that was closely watched by lawmakers in Iowa as well.
Tensions flared among the Iowa Senate's Republican supermajority, with senators openly criticizing one another and exposing the closed-door discussions that got them there. Thirteen Republican senators joined with 14 Democrats in voting in favor of the bill. Twenty-one Republicans and one Democrat voted against it.
The Republicans who opposed it stressed that they, too, respect private property rights. But they said the bill has holes that will threaten any infrastructure development in Iowa, not just carbon-capture pipelines.
They criticized the bill for drawing out the permitting process by muddying up the standards of public use, allowing anyone, anywhere to intervene, and creating unnecessary insurance disputes between the company and landowners that may be miles away.
The bill's backers said those criticisms are overblown interpretations of the legislation and distractions from the issue at hand.
Republican state Sen. Jeff Taylor, who supports the bill, said it would fundamentally ensure that companies respect the constitutional requirement for eminent domain.
"Both the Iowa Constitution and the federal Constitution specify what the requirement is for eminent domain: It's public use," Taylor said. "It's not anything else. It's not a positive business climate, it's not helping the agribusiness in the state, it's not the price of corn or helping the ethanol plants. It's public use." |
Associated Press News | 2025-05-13 17:15:12+00:00 | [
"Horse racing",
"New York City Wire",
"Ruby Love",
"Bob Baffert",
"Sports",
"Billy Gorham",
"Baltimore",
"Jimmy McCarthy",
"Kentucky",
"Raul Mena",
"England",
"Jamie Osborne",
"David Redvers",
"Preakness Stakes"
] | # Lukas looks to 'turn the page' on American Promise in the Preakness after a troubled Derby trip
By Stephen Whyno
May 13th, 2025 05:15 PM
---
BALTIMORE (AP) — American Promise got cut off at the start of the Kentucky Derby, then couldn't get the room to squeeze between horses down the stretch. It added up to a 16th-place finish.
"He's a big horse," trainer D. Wayne Lukas said. "He can't stop and start like that. It just won't work."
Lukas is hoping things will work out better in the Preakness Stakes this Saturday, bringing American Promise back to race two weeks after the troubled trip in the Derby. No one has saddled more horses in the second leg of the Triple Crown than the 89-year-old Hall of Famer, who is looking to become the first to win the Preakness back to back since good friend Bob Baffert in 2001 and '02.
"When you have a trip that you could analyze and overanalyze or whatever you want to do, I turn the page and concentrate on this here and what we can get done," Lukas said Tuesday after overseeing American Promise jog a couple of miles in the rain at Pimlico Race Course. "He did really well. He had good energy and everything."
American Promise is set to be Lukas' 49th Preakness horse over 34 renditions of the race since winning his first try back in 1980 with Codex. If American Promise gets the job done, it will give Lukas an eighth Preakness victory and tie Baffert for the record.
Opening at odds of 15-1 — third-longest in the field of nine — he's a long shot to do so. But a deluge of rain this week could factor in, like the muddy track did at Churchill Downs when Sovereignty outdueled Journalism, who is the Preakness favorite with the Derby winner not running.
Lukas said Journalism "jumps off the page" and is a worthwhile favorite, but he has reason to believe American Promise could thrive with room to run, even if the surface is a little sloppy.
"I got a hunch that he'll be able to manage it," Lukas said.
## Dual-citizen horse
Heart of Honor is in a barn by himself this week at Pimlico because he will soon be returning to England, where he was born in 2022. But rather than being an international entrant in the Preakness, the colt is actually more American than British-bred.
"He ended up in the U.K. by accident," said Jimmy McCarthy, chief operating officer for Jamie Osborne's stable based in Hungerford.
That is because David Redvers bought his mare, Chilean champion Ruby Love, in November 2021 at Keeneland in Lexington, Kentucky, when she was in foal with him, then shipped her to England. In addition to her name, Heart of Honor got his moniker from the white mark on his face that looks a little like a heart.
On the track, he has shown some heart, finishing second in his past three races in Dubai at Meydan Racecourse, most recently the Grade 2 UAE Derby on April 5. The Preakness is a step up from that, not to mention an ordeal involving flying the horse first to Louisville, Kentucky, and then to Baltimore for a shot in the $2 million race.
Heart of Honor opened at 12-1.
"It's a big risk, and it's a big undertaking," McCarthy said. "It is a bit of an adventure. It's something they're willing to take a risk, so we'll see what happens."
## Local Billy
Pay Billy is the Maryland local long shot, an automatic qualifier from winning the Federico Tesio Stakes at nearby Laurel Park last month. Neither jockey Raul Mena nor trainer Billy Gorham has ever had a horse in a Triple Crown race before.
"Everyone in the barn's all excited," Gorham said. "A lot of the guys that work for me have been with me a long time. Everyone's worked hard through the years with just claiming horses and a few stakes horses here and there basically everyday horses. Now we get a chance to go in the Preakness, it's a big deal."
Mena, a 33-year-old from Chile who has been riding in the U.S. for nearly a decade, called it a "very special moment" for himself professionally, and because few expect Pay Billy at 20-1 to pull off an upset, he's enjoying the experience.
"He's not going to be the favorite," Mena said. "I don't got the pressure in the race. I know my horse: He's got the talent to be competing with those horses. ... If we win the race, it's going to be awesome. If he doesn't win, I'm still happy."
___
AP horse racing: https://apnews.com/hub/horse-racing |
Associated Press News | 2025-05-13 17:14:15+00:00 | [
"Chad Baker-Mazara",
"Southern California Trojans",
"College sports",
"Mens college basketball",
"Auburn Tigers",
"College basketball",
"Southern California Trojans mens basketball",
"San Diego",
"Sports",
"NCAA Mens Division I Basketball Championship",
"Eric Musselman"
] | # Chad Baker-Mazara transfers to USC after helping Auburn reach the Final Four
May 13th, 2025 05:14 PM
---
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Chad Baker-Mazara is transferring to Southern California after helping Auburn reach the Final Four.
The 6-foot-7 forward started 34 of 38 games for the Tigers last season, averaging 12.3 points and 3.0 rebounds while earning All-SEC third-team honors. The Tigers lost 79-73 to eventual national champion Florida in the national semifinals, with Baker-Mazara scoring 18 points.
"He's a proven winner and will be a player that we can play all over the floor," USC coach Eric Musselman said Tuesday. "Chad will be one of the best returning players in the country this year. Chad plays with incredible passion and emotion that can lift a home crowd."
Baker-Mazara, who is from the Dominican Republic, started nine of 35 games in his first season with the Tigers. He was selected to the SEC All-Tournament team.
He previously played at Northwest Florida State College and Duquesne before transferring to San Diego State as a sophomore. He was the Mountain West's sixth man of the year and helped the Aztecs to a berth in the NCAA Tournament.
Baker-Mazara is the sixth player to join USC for next season via the transfer portal.
___
Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here. AP college basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-basketball-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-basketball |
Associated Press News | 2025-05-13 12:04:32+00:00 | [
"Allergies",
"Gardening",
"Be Well",
"JWD-evergreen",
"Lifestyle",
"Business",
"Bermuda",
"Health",
"Trees",
"Jessica Damiano"
] | # Allergic gardeners can choose plants that produce less floating pollen
By Jessica Damiano
May 13th, 2025 12:04 PM
---
For many, the return of the spring garden brings with it a sneezy, itchy, foggy-headed feeling that hits the moment a warm breeze stirs up. I'm fortunate not to suffer much, but my blue car turned a chartreuse shade of yellow last week, and a $32 car wash provided results that lasted only two hours. Sigh.
These seasonal allergies often go by the old-fashioned name hay fever, but it's not the hay that causes misery for so many, it's the pollen.
And not just any pollen, but the nearly weightless kind that floats up our noses and engages our immune systems. Trees, weeds, grasses and even some of our favorite flowers are culprits.
But pollen isn't all bad. It's essential to the reproduction of plants, the survival of insects and the entire food web. We humans could not survive without it, so we absolutely shouldn't avoid high-pollen plants as a general rule. However, if you're an allergy sufferer who has had to forgo planting a garden due to health reasons, plants that release the least pollen may enable you to smell the flowers.
## Plants that might bring sneezes
Allergy-inducing plants are those that rely on wind rather than bees or butterflies to spread their pollen. Ragweed, which strikes in late summer and early fall, gets the most notoriety, but its springtime counterparts can be at least as irritating.
Trees most likely to cause symptoms include birch (Betula), catawba (Catalba), cypress (Cupressus), elm (Ulmus), hickory/pecan (Carya), oak (Quercus), sycamore (Platanus) and walnut (Juglans), according to the Ogren Plant Allergy Scale (OPALS), created by horticulturist Thomas Ogren and published in his 2020 book, "The Allergy-Fighting Garden."
Palm trees, too — but only the males. In fact, female trees don't produce pollen at all, so seek them out when possible.
Grasses can irritate eyes and sinuses, too. The scale ranks Bermuda (except sterile male varieties), Johnson, Kentucky, orchard, sweet vernal and timothy grasses among the highest for allergens.
Weeds like ragweed, curly dock, lamb's quarters, pigweed, plantain, sheep sorrel and sagebrush are also big pollen producers, Ogren found.
## Not all plants are irritating to allergy sufferers
On the other hand, plants with "double" flowers or heavier pollen that doesn't travel far are less likely to release much pollen.
Among trees, apricot (Prunus armeniaca), fig (Ficus), fir (Abies), fruiting pear (Pyrus), fruiting plum (Prunus domestica, Prunus insititia), redbud (Cerus), serviceberry (Amelanchier laevis), female ash (Fraxinus), female box elder (Acer negundo), female cottonwood/poplar (Populus), female maple (Acer), female palm (Arecaceae) and female willow (Salix) are easier on the respiratory system.
St. Augustine and sterile male Bermuda are safer bets in the grass department.
As for flowers, you've got options: Begonia, female clematis, columbine, crocus, daffodil, delphinium, hibiscus, impatiens, iris, bird of paradise, pansy, petunia, phlox, poppy, snapdragon, tulip, verbena and zinnia are friends. Roses, too — especially tightly packed, dense-petaled varieties, which exude even less pollen than those with single or semi-double flowers (rose allergies are more often fragrance-related than due to pollen, according to Ogren).
And if you suffer from seasonal allergies, keeping windows closed and getting someone else to mow the lawn will also help to nip your symptoms in the bud.
___
Jessica Damiano writes weekly gardening columns for the AP and publishes the award-winning Weekly Dirt Newsletter. You can sign up here for weekly gardening tips and advice.
___
For more AP gardening stories, go to https://apnews.com/hub/gardening. |
Associated Press News | 2025-05-13 17:10:43+00:00 | [
"Lionel Messi",
"Inter Miami CF",
"Soccer",
"MLS soccer",
"New York City Wire",
"Sports"
] | # Messi to unveil favorite goal, auction artwork for charity
May 13th, 2025 05:10 PM
---
FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (AP) — Lionel Messi is about to tell the world which of his many goals was his favorite.
The Inter Miami star, eight-time Ballon d'Or winner and World Cup champion announced Tuesday that he will unveil his favorite goal on May 22. A depiction of that goal will then be turned into a work of art that will be auctioned off for charity.
Messi has plenty of options to choose from: He's scored more than 800 goals for club and country over his long career with Argentina, Barcelona, Paris Saint-Germain and Inter Miami.
Messi and the artist, Refik Anadol, will both sign the art piece, which will be unveiled in New York by auction house Christie's on June 11.
"Choosing just one goal out of them all is very difficult," Messi said. "Each one is special in its own way, and some are really important or bring back incredible memories. But highlighting one as a favorite for the first time, to make this unique project possible is worth it. There's a strong purpose behind it, and I'm really happy to be part of it."
The auction will close on July 25.
___
AP MLS: https://apnews.com/hub/major-league-soccer |
Associated Press News | 2025-05-13 12:51:17+00:00 | [
"Baltimore",
"Fires",
"John Marsh",
"Building collapses",
"Amtrak",
"Accidents",
"DC Wire",
"New York City Wire",
"James Wallace",
"District of Columbia",
"Business",
"Evacuations",
"Transportation"
] | # More than 200 firefighters battle massive warehouse blaze in Baltimore. No injuries reported
May 13th, 2025 12:51 PM
---
BALTIMORE (AP) — More than 200 firefighters battled a massive blaze that broke out at a west Baltimore warehouse, disrupting Amtrak service in the area and prompting officials to move dozens of area residents.
Commuter rail service was canceled Tuesday amid fears the building could collapse onto railroad tracks.
Firefighters were dispatched to the multistory mattress warehouse at Edmondson Avenue and Bentalou Street around 7 p.m. Monday and found heavy fire, the Baltimore City Fire Department said in a social media post. About 30 residents of nearby homes were temporarily evacuated.
By Tuesday morning, the fire had been contained to the building, but firefighters were chasing hot spots and a deep-seated fire in multiple locations, fire department spokesperson John Marsh said. No injuries had been reported.
The cause has not been determined, and officials were still working to figure out where the fire started, Fire Chief James Wallace said at a news conference Tuesday. City and state officials will investigate, and Wallace said he has asked for the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives to take the lead, he said.
"The ATF brings a ton of resources for us, and given the size and scope of the fire, the fact that we disrupted rail service, it's very appropriate that we bring all hands on deck to investigate the cause of this fire," he said.
Officials believe that part of the building may have been in use and part may have been vacant, but they didn't have information about the building's history, he said.
"It's been years since we've had a fire of that magnitude — seven alarms," Wallace said. But it was necessary to bring in additional resources, including aerial ladders and a heavier water flow, he said.
The warehouse backs up to railroad tracks. Amtrak service was stopped for a time between Wilmington, Delaware, and Washington, D.C., Amtrak said in a social media post.
Service was restored by Tuesday morning, but was still restricted to one track and Amtrak warned that delays were expected for the rest of the day along the Northeast Corridor.
The Maryland Transit Administration canceled MARC commuter rail service on its Penn line on Tuesday morning because of the fire and concerns that the structure may collapse onto the tracks. Service was restored midday on a Saturday schedule, but extended delays were expected. |
Associated Press News | 2025-05-13 17:06:02+00:00 | [
"2024 Paris Olympic Games",
"Doping",
"Dominique Lasconi Mulamba",
"Ben Johnson",
"Paris",
"Olympic games",
"Track and field",
"Benita Sarr-Kindongo",
"Sports",
"Democratic Republic of the Congo"
] | # Paris Olympics sprinter banned 4 years for doping with anabolic steroid
May 13th, 2025 05:06 PM
---
MONACO (AP) — A 100-meter sprinter who tested positive at the Paris Olympics for the type of anabolic steroid used by Ben Johnson at the 1988 Seoul Summer Games claimed at his disciplinary hearing the drug "is unsuited for sprinters."
A doping tribunal judge banned Dominique Lasconi Mulamba for four years, the Athletics Integrity Unit said Tuesday and published details of the case.
Mulamba tested positive for stanozolol in Paris last August, one day after the Congo athlete placed seventh in his 100 heat clocking 10.53 seconds. He had been a flagbearer for Congo at the opening ceremony held on boats along the River Seine.
At a disciplinary hearing held by video link last month, Mulamba's lawyer, Benita Sarr-Kindongo, said stanozolol reduces muscle flexibility and is preferred by weightlifters and bodybuilders.
"The use of stanozolol would have negatively impacted his performance rather than enhancing it," the lawyer argued on the athlete's behalf, according to the published verdict. "No competitive benefit was gained."
The anabolic steroid was used 36 years earlier by Johnson before he crossed the finish line first in the 100 meters at the Seoul Olympics in a world-record time. He was later disqualified, stripped of the record and banned for two years in one of the most notorious Olympic doping cases.
"History itself tells a very different story," lawyers for the AIU argued at the Mulamba hearing, citing Johnson's case. "It is simply wrong to claim that stanozolol is unsuited for sprinters."
The 23-year-old Mulamba's ban expires in August 2028 after the Los Angeles Olympics closes. He can challenge his ban in an appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport.
___
AP Olympics: https://apnews.com/hub/2024-paris-olympic-games |
Associated Press News | 2025-05-13 15:45:47+00:00 | [
"Ohio",
"2024 Paris Olympic Games",
"Wrestling",
"Columbus",
"Prostitution",
"National",
"Sports",
"Kyle Snyder"
] | # Wrestling gold medalist Kyle Snyder charged in prostitution sting
May 13th, 2025 03:45 PM
---
COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — Olympic gold medalist Kyle Snyder, one of the most successful wrestlers in U.S. history, was arrested in a prostitution sting, according to police in Columbus.
Snyder, 29, was charged with engaging in prostitution after he was arrested on Friday, according to court records, which did not list an attorney for him. Messages seeking comment from Snyder were not immediately returned on Tuesday.
Snyder became the youngest American wrestler to win Olympic gold at age 20 during the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Games, and he followed that up with a silver at the Tokyo Games. He lost in the bronze-medal match at last year's Olympics in Paris.
He was a three-time NCAA champion at Ohio State and has won three world championships.
Just last week, the Real American Freestyle wrestling league announced it had added Snyder to its lineup.
The league, with pro wrestling icon Hulk Hogan as the commissioner, is slated to hold its first event Aug. 30 in Cleveland. |
Associated Press News | 2025-05-13 10:51:54+00:00 | [
"Andrew Witty",
"UnitedHealth Group",
"Inc.",
"Brian Thompson",
"Luigi Mangione",
"Stephen Hemsley",
"Minnesota",
"National",
"Business",
"Health",
"Humana",
"GSK Plc",
"Prescription drugs",
"Dave Wichmann"
] | # UnitedHealth Group CEO steps down as company withdraws outlook for 2025
By Michelle Chapman
May 13th, 2025 10:51 AM
---
UnitedHealth CEO Andrew Witty is stepping down for personal reasons and the nation's largest health insurer suspended its full-year financial outlook due to higher-than-expected medical costs.
Chairman Stephen Hemsley will become CEO, effective immediately, the Minnesota company said.
Hemsley was UnitedHealth Group CEO from 2006 to 2017. He will remain chairman of the company's board. Witty will serve as a senior adviser to Hemsley.
It has been a punishing period for UnitedHealth, starting in December when executive Brian Thompson was targeted outside of a New York City hotel and killed. While unrelated to the financial operations of the $340 billion healthcare giant, its shares have tumbled severely since the attack.
"I'm deeply disappointed in and apologize for the performance setbacks we have encountered from both external and internal challenges," Hemsley said during an early Tuesday conference call. "Many of the issues standing in the way of achieving our goals as well as our opportunities are largely within our control. I am optimistic about our future as these issues are within our capacity to resolve. We will approach them with humility, rigor and urgency."
The 60 year-old Witty joined the company in 2018 after serving about nine years as CEO of the British drugmaker GlaxoSmithKline. He was named UnitedHealth's CEO in February 2021, replacing Dave Wichmann.
UnitedHealth became one of the nation's largest companies under Witty's leadership. Total revenue topped $400 billion last year, a 55% increase from the $257 billion UnitedHealth brought in the year before Witty became CEO.
Shares of UnitedHealth rocketed higher under Witty, too, up 60.5% since he took the company's top job.
Yet there have been several setbacks for UnitedHealth over the past five months as it wrestles with the national attention on Luigi Mangione, who was indicted last month on a federal murder charge in the killing of Thompson.
The case has captured the American imagination, setting off a cascade of resentment and online vitriol toward U.S. health insurers while rattling corporate executives concerned about security.
UnitedHealth cut its 2025 forecast last month following its first quarterly earnings miss in more than a decade. On Tuesday the company withdrew that financial forecast entirely, saying that medical costs from new Medicare Advantage members were higher than expected.
Shares of UnitedHealth, which have plummeted 38% since the deadly Dec. 4 ambush of Thompson in midtown Manhattan, fell more than 16% Tuesday to levels last seen almost five years ago.
Other big insurers tumbled as well, with Elevance, Humana and Cigna falling between 4% and 7%.
More than 50 million people have health insurance under UnitedHealth Group Inc. It also has a large pharmacy benefit manager that runs prescription drug coverage and a growing Optum segment that delivers care and provides technical support.
UnitedHealthcare is the nation's largest provider of Medicare Advantage plans, with more than 8 million customers. Those are privately run versions of the federal government coverage program mostly for people ages 65 and older.
____________
AP Health Writer Tom Murphy contributed to this report. |
Associated Press News | 2025-05-13 04:08:48+00:00 | [
"Donald Trump",
"Arizona",
"U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement",
"John Jairo Lugo",
"Ryan Smith",
"New Haven",
"Phoenix",
"Immigration",
"Connecticut",
"Protests and demonstrations",
"National",
"Politics",
"Business",
"Race and ethnicity",
"Tom Cartwright",
"Justin Elicker",
"Andrew Levy",
"The Boeing Co.",
"Labor unions",
"Border security",
"Race and Ethnicity"
] | # Avelo Airlines carries out deportation flights for ICE
By Jacques Billeaud
May 13th, 2025 04:08 AM
---
PHOENIX (AP) — A budget airline that serves mostly small U.S. cities began federal deportation flights Monday out of Arizona, a move that's inspired an online boycott petition and sharp criticism from the union representing the carrier's flight attendants.
Avelo Airlines announced in April it had signed an agreement with the Department of Homeland Security to make charter deportation flights from Mesa Gateway Airport outside Phoenix. It said it will use three Boeing 737-800 planes for the flights.
The Houston-based airline is among a host of companies seeking to cash in on President Donald Trump's campaign for mass deportations.
Congressional deliberations began last month on a tax bill with a goal of funding, in part, the removal of 1 million immigrants annually and housing 100,000 people in U.S. detention centers. The GOP plan calls for hiring 10,000 more U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers and investigators.
## Details of Avelo agreement with ICE not disclosed
Avelo was launched in 2021 as COVID-19 still raged and billions of taxpayer dollars were propping up big airlines. It saves money mainly by flying older Boeing 737 jets that can be bought at relatively low prices. And it operates out of less-crowded and less-costly secondary airports, flying routes that are ignored by the big airlines. It said it had its first profitable quarter in late 2023.
Andrew Levy, Avelo's founder and chief executive, said in announcing the agreement last month that the airline's work for ICE would help the company expand and protect jobs.
"We realize this is a sensitive and complicated topic," said Levy, an airline industry veteran with previous stints as a senior executive at United and Allegiant airlines.
Avelo did not grant an interview request from The Associated Press.
Financial and other details of the Avelo agreement — including destinations of the deportation flights — haven't publicly surfaced. The AP asked Avelo and ICE for a copy of the agreement, but neither provided the document. The airline said it wasn't authorized to release the contract.
Several consumer brands have shunned being associated with deportations, a highly volatile issue that could drive away customers. During Trump's first term, authorities housed migrant children in hotels, prompting some hotel chains to say that they wouldn't participate.
## Union cites safety concerns
Many companies in the deportation business, such as detention center providers The Geo Group and Core Civic, rely little on consumer branding. Not Avelo, whose move inspired the boycott petition on change.org and drew criticism from the carrier's flight attendants union, which cited the difficulty of evacuating deportees from an aircraft in an emergency within the federal standard of 90 seconds or less.
"Having an entire flight of people handcuffed and shackled would hinder any evacuation and risk injury or death," the Association of Flight Attendants-CWA said in a statement. "It also impedes our ability to respond to a medical emergency, fire on board, decompression, etc. We cannot do our jobs in these conditions."
In New Haven, Connecticut, where Avelo flies out of Tweed New Haven Airport, Democratic Mayor Justin Elicker urged Avelo's CEO to reconsider. "For a company that champions themselves as 'New Haven's hometown airline,' this business decision is antithetical to New Haven's values," Elicker said in a statement.
Protests were held outside airports in Arizona and Connecticut on Monday.
In Mesa, over 30 protesters gathered on a road leading up to the airport, holding signs that denounced Trump's deportation efforts. In Connecticut, about 150 people assembled outside Tweed New Haven Airport, calling on travelers to boycott Avelo.
John Jairo Lugo, co-founder and community organizing director of Unidad Latina en Acción in New Haven, said protesters hope to create a financial incentive for Avelo to back out of its work for the federal government.
"We need to cause some economical damage to the company to really convince them that they should be on the side with the people and not with the government," Lugo said.
## Mesa is one of five hubs for ICE airline deportation operations
Mesa, a Phoenix suburb with about 500,000 people, is one of five hubs for ICE Air, the immigration agency's air transport operation for deportations. ICE Air operated nearly 8,000 flights in a 12-month period through April, according to the advocacy group Witness at the Border.
ICE contracts with an air broker, CSI Aviation, that hires two charter carriers -- GlobalX and Eastern Air Express -- to do most of the flights, said Tom Cartwright, who tracks flight data for Witness at the Border.
Cartwright said it was unusual in recent years for commercial passenger carriers to carry out deportation flights.
"It's always been with an air broker who then hires the carriers, and the carriers have not been regular commercial carriers, or what I call retail carriers, who are selling their own tickets," Cartwright said. "At least since I have been involved (in tracking ICE flights), they've all been charter companies."
Avelo will be a sub-carrier under a contract held by New Mexico-based CSI Aviation, which didn't respond to questions about how much money Avelo would make under the agreement.
Avelo provides passenger service to more than 50 cities in the U.S., as well as locations in Jamaica, Mexico and the Dominican Republic. Avelo does not operate regular commercial passenger service out of Mesa Gateway Airport, said airport spokesman Ryan Smith.
In February 2024, Avelo said it had its first profitable quarter, though it didn't provide details. In an interview two months later with the AP, Levy declined to provide numbers, saying the airline was a private company and had no need to provide that information publicly. ___
Associated Press writer Susan Haigh in Hartford, Connecticut, contributed to this report. |
Associated Press News | 2025-05-13 15:41:26+00:00 | [
"Cycling",
"Mathias Vacek",
"Sports",
"Rome",
"Albania",
"Francisco Muoz",
"Giro dItalia",
"Business"
] | # Van Uden sprints to biggest win of his career on Giro's 4th stage, Pedersen keeps overall lead
May 13th, 2025 03:41 PM
---
LECCE, Italy (AP) — Casper van Uden won a bunch sprint at the end of the fourth stage of the Giro d'Italia on Tuesday for the biggest victory of his career, while Mads Pedersen kept hold of the leader's pink jersey.
Van Uden, a Grand Tour debutant who rides for Team Picnic-PostNL, edged out Olav Kooij as the three-week race resumed in the heel of Italy after the opening three stages in Albania.
It was only the fifth-ever professional win for the 23-year-old Dutch cyclist and a first in nearly a year.
"I didn't do it alone. We did it with the whole team, all the boys here, and all the staff back at HQ as well. They did super work," Van Uden said.
"I don't think it's a surprise. I know the boys and everyone really believes in me, so sometimes I have to find that belief in myself a little bit, but this helps. And everyone from the team, they do a really good job helping me believe in myself and it pays off. "
Maikel Zijlaard was third at the end of the mostly flat, 189-kilometer (117-mile) route from the UNESCO World Heritage site of Alberobello to Lecce, to complete and all-Dutch podium for the first time in the Giro's history.
Pedersen was fourth to maintain a seven-second lead over pre-race favorite Primoz Roglic and his 14-second advantage over Mathias Vacek.
"It was a hectic final, especially like the rest of the day was quite easy, but the final was really something special," Pedersen said. "Wide roads and then narrow roads and so on. So a stressful day in the end, but all in all it was okay, we made it."
It was certainly a long day for lone breakaway rider Francisco Muñoz. The Spanish cyclist spent 133 kilometers up front on his own after escaping right from the start — and shaking his head when he saw no one had followed him.
Wednesday's fifth stage finishes at another World Heritage site as it ends in Matera, which is renowned for its "Sassi" or ancient cave dwellings, after a 151-kilometer route from Ceglie Messapica.
The Giro ends in Rome on June 1.
___
AP sports: https://apnews.com/sports |
Associated Press News | 2025-05-13 04:03:07+00:00 | [
"Grard Depardieu",
"Fanny Ardant",
"Juliette Binoche",
"France",
"Cannes Film Festival",
"Legal proceedings",
"International",
"Gerard Depardieu",
"Europe",
"Paris",
"Carine Durrieu Diebolt",
"Arts and entertainment",
"Courts",
"Indictments",
"Criminal punishment",
"Vincent Perez",
"MeToo",
"Assault",
"Charlotte Arnould",
"Sexual assault",
"Jrmie Assous",
"Entertainment"
] | # Gérard Depardieu found guilty of sexual assault
By Sylvie Corbet
May 13th, 2025 04:03 AM
---
PARIS (AP) — French movie star Gérard Depardieu was convicted Tuesday of sexually assaulting two women on a set and received an 18-month suspended prison sentence in a case that was widely seen as a post-#MeToo test for the country's film industry.
The 76-year-old Depardieu, one of the most prominent figures in French cinema for decades, must also pay both accusers a total of 29,040 euros (around $32,350) in fines, and the court ordered that his name be listed in the national sex offender database.
The actor was convicted of groping a 54-year-old woman responsible for decorating the set and a 34-year-old assistant during the filming of "Les Volets Verts" ("The Green Shutters") in 2021.
Depardieu, who has denied the accusations, did not attend the hearing in Paris. His lawyer said that his client would appeal the decision.
## Accuser praises the verdict
The case offered a fresh assessment of how French society and its filmmakers would handle sexual misconduct allegations against a top actor in the wake of the #MeToo movement.
One of the accusers, the set dresser, said she was "very much satisfied" with the verdict.
"I'm very moved," she told reporters. "That's a victory for me, really, and a big progress, a step forward. I feel justice was made."
Her lawyer, Carine Durrieu Diebolt, said "it is the victory of two women, and it is the victory of all women beyond this trial."
"Today we hope to see the end of impunity for an artist in the world of cinema," Durrieu Diebolt said. "I think that with this decision, we can no longer say that he is not a sexual abuser. And today, as the Cannes Film Festival opens, I'd like the film world to spare a thought for Gérard Depardieu's victims."
A suspended sentence means that Depardieu does not have to go to prison unless he commits another offense. Suspended sentences are common in France for a wide range of crimes.
The court said it took into account Depardieu's age, his poor health and his criminal record, which included one prior unrelated conviction, although the court offered no details.
## Other misconduct allegations arose
Depardieu's long and storied career — he told the court that he's made more than 250 films — has turned him into a French movie giant. He was nominated for an Oscar in 1991 for his performance as the swordsman and poet Cyrano de Bergerac.
In recent years, the actor has been accused publicly or in formal complaints of misconduct by more than 20 women, but so far only the sexual assault case has proceeded to court. Some other cases were dropped because of a lack of evidence or an expired statute of limitations.
During the four-day trial in March, Depardieu rejected the accusations, saying he's "not like that." He acknowledged using vulgar and sexual language on the film set and that he grabbed the set dresser's hips during an argument, but denied that his behavior was sexual.
The court, composed of a panel of three judges, concluded that Depardieu's explanations in court were "unpersuasive" and "not credible" and stressed both accusers' "constant, reiterated and substantiated declarations."
The court also said that both plaintiffs have been faced with an "aggressive" defense strategy "based on comments meant to offend them." The judges therefore concluded that comments by Depardieu's lawyer in court aggravated the harm to the accusers and justified higher fines.
Depardieu lawyer Jérémie Assous regretted that the court "considered that questioning the accusations is an additional assault ... which means that now the defense, even in this type of trial, is no longer accepted."
## The two accusers testified in court
The set dresser, whose duties could include choosing the furniture and paintings that will appear in a movie, said the actor used his legs as pincers to hold her as she squeezed past him in a narrow corridor.
She said he grabbed her hips then started groping her behind and "in front, around." She ran her hands near her buttocks, hips and pubic area to show where she was touched. She said he then grabbed her chest.
The woman also testified that Depardieu used an obscene expression to ask her to touch his penis and suggested he wanted to rape her. She told the court that the actor's calm and cooperative attitude during the trial bore no resemblance to his behavior at work.
The other plaintiff, an assistant, said Depardieu groped her buttocks and breasts during three separate incidents on the film set.
The Associated Press does not identify by name people who say they were sexually assaulted unless they consent to be named. Neither woman has done so in this case, although one has agreed to be pictured.
## Some expressed support for Depardieu
Some figures in the French cinema world have expressed their support for Depardieu. Actors Vincent Perez and Fanny Ardant were among those who took seats on his side of the courtroom.
French media reported last week that Depardieu was shooting a film directed by Ardant in the Azores archipelago, in Portugal.
The actor may have to face other legal proceedings soon.
In 2018, actor Charlotte Arnould accused him of raping her at his home. That case is still active, and in August 2024 prosecutors requested that it go to trial.
For more than a half-century, Depardieu stood as a towering figure in French cinema, a titan known for his commanding physical presence, instinct, sensibility and remarkable versatility.
A bon vivant who overcame a speech impediment and a turbulent youth, Depardieu rose to prominence in the 1970s and became one of France's most prolific and acclaimed actors, portraying a vast array of characters, from volatile outsiders to deeply introspective figures.
In recent years, his behavior toward women has come under renewed scrutiny, including after a documentary showed him repeatedly making obscene remarks and gestures during a 2018 trip to North Korea.
Actor Juliette Binoche, who presides over the jury for the 78th Cannes Film Festival, said Tuesday that Depardieu is "apparently no longer sacred," adding "it makes us reflect on the power some people have."
___
Associated Press journalists Samuel Petrequin, Catherine Gaschka and Yesica Brumec contributed to this report. |
Associated Press News | 2025-05-13 00:59:15+00:00 | [
"Australia government",
"Indonesia government",
"Pope Leo XIV",
"Prabowo Subianto",
"Anthony Albanese",
"Rome",
"Indonesia",
"Australia",
"Elections",
"Peter Dutton",
"Politics",
"Conservatism",
"Canada government",
"Mark Carney"
] | # Australian Cabinet sworn in after landslide election victory
May 13th, 2025 12:59 AM
---
CANBERRA, Australia (AP) — Australia's Cabinet was sworn into office Tuesday after the center-left Labor Party was reelected in a landslide May 3.
With vote counting continuing, Labor expects to hold between 92 and 95 seats in the 150-seat House of Representatives. The party held 78 seats in the previous Parliament.
The conservative opposition alliance of parties is on track to win 41 seats in one of its worst election results.
The Cabinet held its first meeting after the swearing-in ceremony.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese plans to fly to Jakarta on Wednesday to meet Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto. He then intends to fly from Indonesia to Rome to attend the inauguration of Pope Leo XIV on Sunday.
While in Rome, he plans to meet for the first time a range of world leaders including Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney.
The conservative opposition Liberal Party on Tuesday elected former minister Sussan Ley as their new leader. She is the first woman to lead the party that was founded in 1944. Her predecessor Peter Dutton is the only Australian opposition leader to lose his parliamentary seat in an election. |
Associated Press News | 2025-05-13 07:51:55+00:00 | [
"Russia",
"Penny Wong",
"Ukraine",
"Australia",
"Moscow",
"International agreements",
"Australia government",
"Thomas Schansman",
"Business",
"Dmitry Peskov",
"Russia government",
"Politics",
"Netherlands government",
"Caspar Veldkamp",
"Rebellions and uprisings",
"Don Rothwell"
] | # Global aviation council finds Russia responsible for downing MH17 over Ukraine in 2014
By Rod Mcguirk
May 13th, 2025 07:51 AM
---
MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) — The Council of the International Civil Aviation Organization on Tuesday found Russia responsible for shooting down Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 over Ukraine with the loss of 298 lives more than a decade ago, in a ruling that raises the prospect of victims' families being paid compensation.
Russia has rejected the findings.
A Dutch-led international investigation concluded in 2016 that the Amsterdam-to-Kuala Lumpur airliner was shot down on July 17, 2014, from Ukrainian territory held by separatist rebels using a Buk missile system delivered from Russia. Moscow denies any involvement in the MH17 tragedy.
The Netherlands and Australian governments brought the case against Moscow before the Montreal-based global aviation agency in 2022, and on Tuesday welcomed the verdict.
## Council finds that Russia violated the Chicago Convention
The council found that Russia had violated the Convention on International Civil Aviation, known as the Chicago Convention, which requires that states "refrain from resorting to the use of weapons against civil aircraft in flight."
It's the first time that the council, which represents 193 member states, has decided a dispute between governments.
Dutch Foreign Minister Caspar Veldkamp said that the council would consider the question of reparations within weeks.
"In that context, the Netherlands and Australia are requesting that the ICAO Council order the Russian Federation to enter into negotiations with the Netherlands and Australia, and that the Council facilitate this process," Veldkamp said in a statement.
"The latter is important in order to ensure that the negotiations are conducted in good faith and according to specific timelines, and that they will yield actual results," he added.
Dutch father Thomas Schansman, who lost his son in the disaster, said the ICAO decision makes it clear Russia was responsible for the tragedy and could lead to compensation, but that he and other relatives mostly want the country to acknowledge its culpability.
"Money cannot buy anything back," he told The Associated Press.
Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong urged the council to move swiftly to "determine remedies."
"We call on Russia to finally face up to its responsibility for its horrific act of violence and make reparations for its egregious conduct, as required under international law," Wong said in a statement.
## Russia rejects the council's findings
Speaking to journalists Tuesday, the Kremlin rejected the investigation's results as "biased."
"Russia did not take part in the investigation of this incident and therefore we will not accept these biased conclusions," said Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov.
Australian National University international law expert Don Rothwell said that the council had yet to publish the reasons for its decisions.
"One of the consequences for this process will be that the council will probably make some recommendations that Russia pay what are called reparations, which is an international term for damages, as a result of its violation of international law," Rothwell said.
"So we have to wait and see exactly what the council finds on that particular point," Rothwell added. |
Associated Press News | 2025-05-13 16:52:05+00:00 | [
"San Diego",
"Jacqueline Ma",
"California",
"Assault",
"Crime",
"Prisons",
"Legal proceedings",
"Criminal punishment",
"Education",
"Sexual assault",
"Child abuse",
"Law enforcement"
] | # Former teacher of the year gets 30 years in California prison for sexually assaulting students
May 13th, 2025 04:52 PM
---
SAN DIEGO (AP) — A onetime county teacher of the year at a Southern California elementary school has been sentenced to 30 years to life in prison for grooming and sexually assaulting two young boys on campus.
Jacqueline Ma, who taught at Lincoln Acres Elementary in National City near San Diego, pleaded guilty in February to two counts of forcible lewd acts on a child, one count of a lewd act on a child, and one count of possessing child sexual abuse material.
She was arrested in March 2023 after the mother of one of the victims reported inappropriate messages she found between her son and Ma on a family tablet. Investigators learned that Ma had groomed the boy for more than a year before she sexually abused him when he was 12 years old, according to the San Diego County District Attorney's Office.
Investigators also discovered that she had groomed and sexually assaulted an 11-year-old boy in 2020.
"This defendant violated the trust she had with her students in the most extreme and traumatic way possible and her actions are despicable," District Attorney Summer Stephan said in a statement last week. "Her victims will have to deal with a lifetime of negative effects and her 30-year sentence is appropriate."
Ma had taught in the district since 2013 and had a bachelor's degree in biology and a master's in education, both from UC San Diego, according to her teacher of the year profile in the San Diego Union-Tribune.
The award was given for the 2022-23 academic year by the San Diego County Office of Education. |
Associated Press News | 2025-05-13 11:08:28+00:00 | [
"Carlo Ancelotti",
"Soccer",
"Madrid",
"Real Madrid",
"Brazil",
"Barcelona",
"Sports",
"RCD Mallorca",
"Bayer Leverkusen"
] | # Ancelotti focused on finishing 'spectacular adventure' with Madrid before taking over Brazil job
By Tales Azzoni
May 13th, 2025 11:08 AM
---
MADRID (AP) — Carlo Ancelotti wants to finish his "spectacular adventure" with Real Madrid on a high note before turning his attention to his new job with five-time world champion Brazil.
Speaking for the first time since Brazil announced him as its next coach, Ancelotti said Tuesday he wants to remain fully focused on Madrid in his final two weeks in charge of the Spanish powerhouse.
The 65-year-old Italian had not commented on the move until he was asked about it at a news conference ahead of Madrid's next Spanish league match against Mallorca on Wednesday.
"I have great respect for this club, these fans and these players and I'm totally focused on finishing the last part of this spectacular adventure," Ancelotti said. "Beginning on May 26 I will start coaching Brazil, which will be a great challenge personally, but until then I will continue training Real Madrid and I want to finish the best possible way."
Ancelotti said he will give his all to help Madrid finish well in the Spanish league even though it only has a slim chance of defending its title. The club's last two league matches will be at Sevilla on Sunday and against Real Sociedad on May 25.
"It's very clear what I have to do during these next few weeks," Ancelotti said. "I have to prepare for tomorrow's match, then for the (weekend's) match and then for the match against Real Sociedad. On May 26 I'll have something else to do, and then I will start thinking about that."
Former Madrid player Xabi Alonso is widely expected to take over the coaching job after confirming he is leaving Bayer Leverkusen, but the Spanish club has yet to announce Ancelotti's successor.
"I like Alonso a lot," Ancelotti said when asked about the former midfielder. "I don't have any advice for him because he already has all the tools needed to become a great coach in the future."
Ancelotti, wearing Madrid's apparel as usual, looked relaxed as he led the team's practice session at the club's training center.
Madrid had not released any reaction or statement about its coach since Brazil's announcement, and there were no farewell or congratulatory messages for Ancelotti either.
"The club will make its announcement when it wants to make its announcement," Ancelotti said. "I don't see any problem."
Ancelotti had previously said he would never leave Madrid unless the club decided to make a change. On Tuesday, he said the partnership naturally came to an end.
"I never felt that Madrid didn't want me," Ancelotti said. "These are normal things in life, I couldn't be Madrid's coach forever. There's a time when things have to come to an end, for several different reasons. Maybe the club needed a new boost, maybe the coach needed a new boost. It's normal, there's no need to make a drama about this. I'm hugely thankful for this club and we will go our separate ways. It's a spectacular time that is coming to an end."
Madrid lost its fourth straight match to Barcelona on Sunday, a 4-3 defeat after holding a two-goal lead, to see its title chances in the league virtually vanish. Madrid dropped seven points behind the Catalan club with three matches remaining. A loss or a draw against Mallorca on Wednesday would hand Barcelona the title. Barcelona visits city rival Espanyol on Thursday.
"We don't want to hand the league to our rival," Ancelotti said. "We need to do well in these last three matches."
Ancelotti is leaving after four mostly successful years in his second stint with Madrid, which won both the Champions League and the Spanish league last season.
Ancelotti also coached the club from 2013-2015. In total, he was in charge of Madrid in 350 matches and helped it win three Champions Leagues, three Club World Cups, two Spanish leagues, two Copa del Reys, three UEFA Super Cups and two Spanish Super Cups.
Madrid began the season by winning the UEFA Super Cup title but has mostly struggled since then. Many Madrid fans blamed Ancelotti for its relatively poor season, saying he lost control over the squad and wasn't able to get the team ready for the clasicos against Barcelona.
He said he understood if fans were upset about him negotiating with Brazil during the season, but that such dealings were normal in soccer.
He admitted "not everything went perfectly," but felt that fans would not soon forget some "wonderful nights at the Bernabeu" during his stint.
"I don't regret anything. I've had a fantastic time here and I want to have a fantastic time in these last 15 days. I gave everything I could, and the titles speak for themselves," Ancelotti said. "Yes, I wanted to win another Spanish league and another Champions League, but I'm very happy with what has been happening."
___
AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer |
Associated Press News | 2025-05-13 14:21:28+00:00 | [
"Joe Biden",
"Mens health",
"Donald Trump",
"Prostate cancer",
"Cancer",
"Political debates",
"Health",
"Politics"
] | # Nodule found in Joe Biden's prostate during exam
May 13th, 2025 02:21 PM
---
WASHINGTON (AP) — A small nodule was found in the prostate of former President Joe Biden during a routine physical exam, a spokesperson said Tuesday.
A short statement said the finding "necessitated further evaluation," but it was not clear whether that had already taken place or the outcome of the examination.
The detection of nodules in the prostate generally requires a further exam by a urologist to rule out prostate cancer. These kinds of abnormal growths can be caused by cancer or by less serious conditions, including inflammation or an enlarged prostate.
Biden is 82. His age and concerns about his health were cited by Democratic leaders who pressed him to abandon his reelection bid in 2024 following a disastrous debate performance last June.
But as recently as last week, Biden rejected concerns about his age, saying the broader party didn't buy into that, and instead blaming the Democratic leadership and "significant contributors."
President Donald Trump repeatedly raised questions about Biden's physical and mental capacity during the campaign.
In February 2023, Biden had a skin lesion removed from his chest that was a basal cell carcinoma, a common form of skin cancer. And in November 2021, he had a polyp removed from his colon that was a benign, but potentially pre-cancerous lesion. |
Associated Press News | 2025-05-13 02:17:50+00:00 | [
"Boston Celtics",
"Jayson Tatum",
"Joe Mazzulla",
"Athlete injuries",
"NBA Playoffs",
"Jaylen Brown",
"Injuries",
"Medical diagnostic technology",
"Basketball",
"NBA",
"New York City Wire",
"Kristaps Porzingis",
"Sports",
"NBA basketball"
] | # Jayson Tatum suffers right leg injury in Celtics' loss to Knicks
By Brian Mahoney
May 13th, 2025 02:17 AM
---
NEW YORK (AP) — The Boston Celtics are used to seeing Jayson Tatum get up when he goes down, like he did after a hard fall that caused a wrist injury in the first round of the playoffs.
When he couldn't get to his feet late in Game 4 of the Eastern Conference semifinals and had to be carried off the court, it was clear just how serious his lower right leg injury was, even before testing that won't come until Tuesday.
"He's the type of guy, he gets right up," Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla said. "So he didn't and we'll know tomorrow exactly what it is. But yeah, I mean it's tough to watch a guy like him get carried like that."
The Celtics had just turned the ball over with about three minutes left and as Tatum lunged forward toward the loose ball, his leg gave out and he went down. He buried his face in a towel in obvious pain while grabbing at his leg above the ankle after the non-contact injury.
The New York Knicks won 121-113 to take a 3-1 lead. The series resumes Wednesday in Boston with the Celtics needing to win to extend their NBA title reign.
Mazzulla said the All-Star forward would undergo an MRI exam Tuesday.
"I think tonight is tough," the Celtics' Jaylen Brown said. "I think everybody's kind of at a loss for words, just because, one losing the game, but obviously the concern with JT. But we pick our heads back up tomorrow and go from there."
Tatum scored 42 points, his high in these playoffs, before he was hurt. He buried his face in his hands as he was pushed down a tunnel in a wheelchair after leaving the floor.
An eight-year veteran, Tatum won his first NBA title last year when he led Boston to its 18th championship.
Players and coaches on both sides expressed their concern for Tatum, who was hurt in Game 1 of the opening around against Orlando when he was fouled on a dunk attempt and landed awkwardly, remaining on the court briefly before getting up holding his right wrist. He remained in the game before missing Game 2, the first time he'd missed a playoff game in his career.
The Celtics won without him that time. Now they are faced with having to do it again.
"Obviously it's tough to see, but who hasn't had injuries, you know?" Celtics center Kristaps Porzingis said. "And it's a part of this sport, part of this game and we feel for him, of course. But we have to move forward. He don't want us to be over here sad and not play our best basketball. So, we're going to go out there and leave it all out there and live with the result."
___
AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/nba |
Associated Press News | 2025-05-13 16:42:57+00:00 | [
"Adelaide Faith",
"Books and literature",
"Psychotherapy",
"Book Reviews",
"Arts and entertainment",
"Health",
"Helen Wieffering",
"Fiction",
"Entertainment"
] | # 'Happiness Forever' review: Debut novel is set on a therapy couch
By Helen Wieffering
May 13th, 2025 04:42 PM
---
Do we get to choose who we love? For Sylvie, the protagonist of Adelaide Faith's "Happiness Forever," the answer is surely an emphatic "No." That's because Sylvie is in love with her therapist, an older woman with peach-colored hair who lives within walking distance of Sylvie's home. After 13 sessions, Sylvie spends her weeks counting down the hours until she and her therapist meet again. She can't decide whether she wants the therapist to adopt her or simply hold her hand.
The question of what to do about this inconvenient obsession carries through Faith's endearing debut novel. Sylvie knows she must respect the boundaries of the therapy room, but feeds her obsession in other ways — adopting her therapist's style of dress; studying therapy on her work breaks at the vet clinic; staying alert for a chance encounter in the neighborhood dog park. If the therapist only loved her, Sylvie believes all her problems would be solved. "There might be no need to worry about carrying on when somebody else had already worked out the meaning of life," Sylvie thinks.
What might in another book veer into unsettling territory is kept here in a lighthearted realm that deepens with meaning as we learn more about Sylvie's reasons for being in therapy and her shy attempts outside those sessions toward a fuller, healthier life. Sylvie makes a new friend; goes on a trip; and searches for ways to feel "like a person" with a "real" and meaningful life. As the book goes on, Sylvie must find out if she has healed enough to release herself from the therapist's grip.
___
AP book reviews: https://apnews.com/hub/book-reviews |
Associated Press News | 2025-05-12 21:45:25+00:00 | [
"Donald Trump",
"Internal Revenue Service",
"Taxes",
"Melanie Krause",
"Immigration",
"United States government",
"Privacy",
"United States",
"Elon Musk",
"Alan Butler Morrison"
] | # Judge refuses to block IRS from sharing tax data to identify and deport people illegally in U.S.
By The Associated Press
May 12th, 2025 09:45 PM
---
A federal judge on Monday refused to block the Internal Revenue Service from sharing immigrants' tax data with Immigration and Customs Enforcement for the purpose of identifying and deporting people illegally in the U.S.
In a win for the Trump administration, U.S. District Judge Dabney Friedrich denied a preliminary injunction in a lawsuit filed by nonprofit groups. They argued that undocumented immigrants who pay taxes are entitled to the same privacy protections as U.S. citizens and immigrants who are legally in the country.
Friedrich, who was appointed by President Donald Trump, had previously refused to grant a temporary order in the case.
The decision comes less than a month after former acting IRS commissioner Melanie Krause resigned over the deal allowing ICE to submit names and addresses of immigrants inside the U.S. illegally to the IRS for cross-verification against tax records.
"The plaintiffs are disappointed in the Court's denial of our preliminary injunction, but the case is far from over. We are considering our options," Alan Butler Morrison, the attorney representing the nonprofit groups, wrote in an email. He noted that the judge's ruling made it clear that the Department of Homeland Security and the IRS can't venture beyond the strict limitations spelled out in the case.
"So far, DHS has not made formal requests for taxpayer data and plaintiffs will be keeping a close watch to be sure that the defendants carry out their promises to follow the law and not use the exception for unlawful purposes," Morrison said.
The IRS has been in upheaval over Trump administration decisions to share taxpayer data. A previous acting commissioner announced his retirement earlier amid a furor over Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency gaining access to IRS taxpayer data.
The Treasury Department says the agreement with ICE will help carry out President Donald Trump's agenda to secure U.S. borders and is part of his larger nationwide immigration crackdown, which has resulted in deportations, workplace raids and the use of an 18th century wartime law to deport Venezuelan migrants.
The acting ICE director has said working with Treasury and other departments is "strictly for the major criminal cases."
Advocates, however, say the IRS-DHS information-sharing agreement violates privacy laws and diminishes the privacy of all Americans.
In her ruling, Friedrich said the agreement doesn't violate the Internal Revenue Code, so the IRS hasn't substantially changed the way it handles taxpayer information. Instead, the Trump administration has decided to use already existing "statutorily authorized tools" to help with criminal investigations, Friedrich wrote.
Federal law allows the IRS to release some taxpayer information to other agencies if the information may assist in criminal enforcement proceedings, and the requesting agency meets certain criteria, the judge said.
Still, that doesn't mean that all the information the IRS holds can be turned over, Friedrich said.
First, the investigating agency has to already have the name and address of the person whose information is being sought. Then the agency has to provide that information to the IRS, along with the time span for which the information relates, the law that allows the information to be released and the reason why any IRS-disclosed information would be relevant to the investigation.
"In other words, the IRS can disclose information it obtains itself (such as through audits), but not information it obtains exclusively from the taxpayer (such as a tax return filed by the taxpayer)," Friedrich wrote. She noted the law contains a significant exception — a taxpayer's identity, including the individual's name, address or taxpayer identifying number, isn't considered part of the protected tax return information. |
Associated Press News | 2025-05-13 02:23:52+00:00 | [
"Jayson Tatum",
"Jalen Brunson",
"New York Knicks",
"Boston Celtics",
"NBA Playoffs",
"Mikal Bridges",
"Karl Anthony Towns",
"Jaylen Brown",
"O.G. Anunoby",
"Athlete injuries",
"NBA",
"New York City Wire",
"Cleveland",
"Sports",
"Derrick White",
"NBA basketball",
"Al Horford"
] | # Knicks take a 3-1 lead over the Celtics with a 121-113 victory as Tatum is injured in final minutes
By Brian Mahoney
May 13th, 2025 02:23 AM
---
NEW YORK (AP) — Jalen Brunson and the New York Knicks had just taken control of the game with another fourth-quarter kick when Jayson Tatum fell to the court with a potentially severe right leg injury.
The specifics of Tatum's injury are uncertain but the situation in the Eastern Conference semifinals is clear.
The Knicks need one more victory to reach the conference finals for the first time in 25 years. The Celtics need to match the biggest comeback in NBA history to extend their title reign.
Brunson had 39 points and 12 assists, and the Knicks pushed the defending champions to the brink of elimination with a 121-113 victory Monday night in Game 4.
Blown out in Game 3, the Knicks dominated the second half to become the first home team to win in this series.
"I think it was a sense of urgency, desperation, just knowing that we have a great opportunity," Brunson said.
The Celtics will have to make the NBA's 14th comeback from a 3-1 deficit and may have to do it without Tatum, who was carried off the court with a right leg injury with 2:58 left.
Mikal Bridges and Karl-Anthony Towns each added 23 points and OG Anunoby bounced back from two poor performances by scoring 20 for the Knicks, who can win the series Wednesday night at Boston. If not, they would come back to Madison Square Garden to try to do it Friday night.
"We have to turn that page quickly and do our first job, which is win on Wednesday. That's the mindset," Celtics veteran Al Horford said. "As a group, we just have to rally together because obviously we've lost our leader, the guy that gets us going."
Tatum scored 42 points, his high in these playoffs, before he was hurt when the Celtics turned the ball over and his leg gave out as he tried to lunge forward toward the loose ball.
Nobody has come from 3-1 down since Denver did it twice in 2020 at the Walt Disney World resort. It hasn't happened when a team had to win a true road game since Cleveland rallied past Golden State in the 2016 NBA Finals.
After leading by at least 20 points in the first three games — but blowing the first two of them in Boston — the Celtics had another double-digit lead less than five minutes into this game and were up 62-51 at halftime.
Brunson then scored 18 in a desperate third quarter, when the Knicks played their starters the entire way and outscored the Celtics 37-23 to set up a thrilling final period.
"Just keep fighting," Bridges said. "We were down way worse before."
Tatum's three-point play tied it for the final time at 102-all before Anunoby hit a 3-pointer and the Knicks later put it away for good with an 11-0 burst that made it 116-104.
Derrick White made six 3-pointers and scored 23 points for the Celtics. Jaylen Brown had 20.
___
AP NBA: https://apnews.com/nba |
Associated Press News | 2025-05-13 16:17:05+00:00 | [
"Crime",
"Baghdad",
"Iraq",
"Law and order",
"Drug crimes",
"Terrorism",
"Prisons",
"Indictments",
"Islamic State group"
] | # Iraq says more than 19,000 prisoners have been released under a new amnesty law
By Qassim Abdul-Zahra
May 13th, 2025 04:17 PM
---
BAGHDAD (AP) — More than 19,000 prisoners have been released in Iraq so far this year under a broad new amnesty law that eases prison crowding and frees some people convicted of terrorism-related crimes, judicial authorities said Tuesday.
The amnesty covers some people convicted of the terror-related offense of membership in the Islamic State group, which had been seen by Sunni Muslims as disproportionately targeting their community. However, anyone convicted of a killing in connection with terrorism-related charges is not eligible for the amnesty. Other crimes covered under the amnesty include corruption, theft and drug use.
The number of releases were announced following a meeting Tuesday in Baghdad among top judicial officials led by the head of the Supreme Judicial Council Faeq Zeidan to discuss the implementation of the new law, passed earlier this year.
A statement released after the meeting said that 19,381 inmates were released from prisons during the first four months of the year. It added that the overall number of beneficiaries of the law, including those sentenced in absentia, those released on bail and those with outstanding arrest warrants, reached 93,597.
Iraq's prisons face a crisis of overcrowding, with the justice minister saying earlier this month that the country's 31 prisons hold about 65,000 inmates despite being built to hold only about half that number.
Thousands more detainees remain in the custody of security agencies but have not yet been transferred to the Justice Ministry due to a lack of prison capacity.
Among provisions of the new law adopted in January is that some people convicted of terrorism charges can ask for a retrial if they assert that their confessions were taken under duress while in detention.
The general amnesty law had strong support from Sunni lawmakers who argue that their community has been targeted by terrorism charges, with confessions sometimes extracted under torture.
Thousands of detainees held in the country are linked to the Islamic State group, which was defeated in Iraq in 2017. Some former members of the extremist group were executed for their acts while they controlled large parts of the country.
All executions have been halted under the general amnesty law.
Iraq has faced criticism from human rights groups over its application of the death penalty and particularly over mass executions carried out without prior notice to lawyers or family members of the prisoners. |
Associated Press News | 2025-05-13 16:11:21+00:00 | [
"Florida Panthers",
"Doug Cifu",
"National Hockey League",
"Social media",
"NHL",
"Sports",
"Donald Trump",
"Virtu Financial",
"Inc.",
"Vincent Viola",
"Gary Bettman",
"Business",
"Canada",
"NHL hockey"
] | # Panthers vice chairman Doug Cifu suspended by NHL over comments on social media
By Tim Reynolds
May 13th, 2025 04:11 PM
---
The NHL has suspended Florida Panthers vice chairman and alternate governor Doug Cifu from any involvement with the team or the league, doing so in response to inappropriate posts on Cifu's now-shuttered social media account.
Cifu, in posts on X, got into a back-and-forth with a Toronto fan on Sunday night, the fan starting the exchange by comparing hits by Florida players in this ongoing series against the Maple Leafs to the conflict between Israel and the Palestinians.
A post on Cifu's account shortly after, in response to the Toronto fan, referred to the fan a "51st state anti semite loser." President Donald Trump has often said in recent months that he wants to see Canada added to the United States as the 51st state. That post was among those deleted not long afterward, and the account has since been suspended.
"The NHL has concluded that Mr. Cifu's X posts were unacceptable and inappropriate," the league said in a statement, first reported by The Toronto Sun. "As a result, Mr. Cifu has been suspended indefinitely from any involvement with the Club and the NHL."
Cifu — whose name is etched on the Stanley Cup, part of the group that the Panthers included in that tribute after winning their first title last year — is CEO of Virtu Financial, a company he co-founded with Panthers owner, chairman and governor Vincent Viola in 2008.
Cifu will have an in-person meeting with Commissioner Gary Bettman at some point.
"My behavior does not reflect the standards of the Florida Panthers organization and the Viola family," Cifu said in a statement to Florida Hockey Now. "I sincerely apologize to all those affected by my comments. I am committed to working with the NHL to amend my actions."
___
AP NHL: https://apnews.com/NHL |
Associated Press News | 2025-05-13 16:08:37+00:00 | [
"Rory McIlroy",
"Scottie Scheffler",
"Golf",
"PGA Championship",
"Viktor Hovland",
"Bryson DeChambeau",
"Jordan Spieth",
"Max Homa",
"Sports betting",
"Masters Golf Tournament",
"The Masters",
"Sports",
"Justin Rose",
"Charlotte"
] | # Sports betting: McIlroy and Scheffler head into PGA Championship as co-favorites
By Ryan Hannable Of Betmgm Sportsbook
May 13th, 2025 04:08 PM
---
The last two Masters champions are the co-favorites for this week's PGA Championship.
Rory McIlroy and Scottie Scheffler are tied for the shortest odds at the BetMGM Sportsbook, both listed at +500 for the season's second major. The tournament starts Thursday at Quail Hollow Golf Club in Charlotte, North Carolina.
McIlroy, who won the Masters last month, has won four times at Quail Hollow, including last year's Wells Fargo Championship.
Unlike most PGA Championship venues, this is a familiar one because it is a regular stop on the PGA Tour. The course also hosted the 2017 PGA Championship and the 2022 Presidents Cup.
Quail Hollow is a long course, playing over 7,600 yards, and it will play even longer this week following heavy rain.
## PGA Championship favorites
There are three players with odds shorter than +1000 to win this week – Scheffler (+500), McIlroy (+500), and Bryson DeChambeau (+800).
As of Tuesday morning at the BetMGM Sportsbook, Scheffler is taking in the most number of bets in the outright winner market (14.9%) and the most money (20.7%).
McIlroy is next, taking in the second-most bets (13%) and second-most money (17.6%). DeChambeau has the third-most bets (12.6%) and third-most money (15.4%).
These three players are combining for more than half of the money (53.7%) in the outright winner market.
## PGA Championship long shots
While these players aren't necessarily long shots, they are the next tier behind the big three for the event.
Jordan Spieth, who is going for the career Grand Slam this week, is +5500 to win. He's bringing in the sixth-most bets (4.1%) and sixth-most money (5.3%).
Another player with longer odds generating some action is Viktor Hovland at +5000. He's drawing the ninth-most bets and seventh-most money.
At +9000, Justin Rose is taking in the 14th-most bets, while at +10000, Max Homa is taking in the 16th-most bets.
## PGA Championship prop bets
In addition to outright winner and top 5/10/20 finish bets, there are other markets available.
There's the winning margin, where one stroke has the lowest odds at +240, followed by a playoff, two strokes, and four strokes or more (+350). Three strokes is +650.
Will there be a hole-in-one? Yes is +140, while no is -175.
Other notable prop bets include: any player to set a course record by shooting 60 or lower (+650), albatross in the tournament (+1200), and Scheffler/McIlroy to win (+200) or the field (-285).
___
This column was provided to The Associated Press by BetMGM online sportsbook.
___
AP golf: https://apnews.com/hub/golf |
Associated Press News | 2025-05-13 16:02:24+00:00 | [
"Matthew Whitaker",
"Donald Trump",
"The Hague",
"Vladimir Putin",
"Mark Rutte",
"United States government",
"Russia",
"Canada",
"Ukraine",
"Government budgets",
"United States",
"NATO",
"Politics",
"North Atlantic Treaty Organization",
"Business",
"Russia Ukraine war",
"Dick Schoof"
] | # US envoy says the Trump administration insists NATO allies raise defense investment to 5%
By Lorne Cook
May 13th, 2025 04:02 PM
---
BRUSSELS (AP) — The Trump administration wants to hear this week how NATO's European member countries and Canada plan to boost defense investment to 5% of gross domestic product, new U.S. envoy Matthew Whitaker said Tuesday.
In 2023, as Russia's full-scale war on Ukraine entered its second year, NATO leaders agreed to spend at least 2% of GDP on national defense budgets. So far, 22 of the 32 member countries have done so.
The leaders will set a new goal at a summit in The Hague on June 25. President Donald Trump insists that U.S. allies should commit to spending at least 5%, but that would require investment at an unprecedented scale.
Trump has cast doubt over whether the U.S. would defend allies that spend too little.
Briefing reporters ahead of a meeting of NATO foreign ministers in Antalya, Turkey on Wednesday, U.S. Ambassador Matthew Whitaker insisted that "5% is our number. We're asking our allies to invest in their defense like they mean it."
"Make no mistake, this ministerial is going to be different," Whitaker said, adding that "5% is not just a number, it is a necessity for our security. The alliance is facing significant threats."
He did not outline those threats.
NATO leaders insisted at a summit last year that "Russia remains the most significant and direct threat to Allies' security," but some countries have grown uneasy about Trump's links to President Vladimir Putin.
Last week, Dutch Prime Minister Dick Schoof said that NATO's chief expects the leaders "to aim for 3.5% hard military spending by 2032," and to "1.5% related spending such as infrastructure, cybersecurity and things like that. Also achievable by 2032."
While the two figures do add up to 5%, factoring in infrastructure and cybersecurity would change the basis on which NATO traditionally calculates defense spending. The seven-year time frame is also short by the alliance's usual standards.
Asked about his demand, NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte did not deny it, but he said: "I'm not going to confirm the figures." He said that "there are many rumors floating around" as envoys discuss the new spending goal.
Whitaker appeared to confirm the "defense investment" plan, saying that it "also includes things like mobility, necessary infrastructure, cyber security. It is definitely more than just missiles, tanks and howitzers."
"But at the same time, it's got to be defense-related. It's not a grab bag for everything that you could possibly imagine," Whitaker added.
It remains difficult to see how many allies might reach even 3.5%. NATO's most recent estimates show that 22 allies would reach the 2% goal last year, compared to a previous forecast of 23.
Belgium, Canada, Croatia, Italy, Luxembourg, Montenegro, Portugal, Slovenia and Spain would not, although Spain does expect to reach the 2% goal in 2025, a year too late.
Even the United States was estimated to have spent 3.19% of GDP in 2024, down from 3.68% a decade ago, when all members vowed to increase spending after Russia annexed Ukraine's Crimean Peninsula. It's the only ally whose spending has dropped.
Whitaker also said that any European investments in "defense industry capabilities must also include the fair treatment for American defense technology firms." He said that excluding the U.S. and others "would undermine NATO interoperability, slow Europe's rearming, raise costs and stifle innovation."
Last month, the European Union announced a new drive to break its security dependency on the United States, with a focus on buying more defense equipment in Europe. |
Associated Press News | 2025-05-13 16:01:33+00:00 | [
"Newark",
"Ras Baraka",
"Robert Menendez",
"Delaney Hall",
"Donald Trump",
"Prisons",
"Law enforcement",
"Immigration",
"New York City Wire",
"Alina Habba",
"Protests and demonstrations",
"U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement",
"Indictments",
"Politics",
"Bonnie Coleman",
"U.S. Democratic Party"
] | # Newark mayor returns to immigration detention center days after trespassing arrest
May 13th, 2025 04:01 PM
---
NEWARK, N.J. (AP) — Newark Mayor Ras Baraka briefly returned Tuesday to the gates of the federal immigration detention center where he was arrested last week on trespassing charges.
Baraka, a Democrat running for governor in the June 10 primary, was turned away from Delaney Hall, the facility where he was arrested Friday. He departed and stayed about a half hour away from the building, according to NJ.com.
Witnesses said the arrest last week came after Baraka attempted to join three members of New Jersey's congressional delegation, Reps. Robert Menendez, LaMonica McIver, and Bonnie Watson Coleman, in attempting to enter the facility.
Baraka, an outspoken opponent of President Donald Trump's immigration crackdown and vocal opponent of the facility's opening, faces a court hearing on the trespassing charge on Thursday. He has denied the trespassing charge
It wasn't immediately clear how Baraka's appearance at the gates Tuesday differed from Friday when he was arrested. He denied being on the detention facility's property, which is run by private prison operator Geo Group. Alina Habba, interim U.S. attorney for New Jersey, said on the social platform X that Baraka trespassed there again.
In video of the Friday altercation shared with The Associated Press, a federal official in a jacket with the logo of the Homeland Security Investigations can be heard telling Baraka he could not enter the facility because "you are not a Congress member."
Baraka then left the secure area, rejoining protesters on the public side of the gate. Video showed him speaking through the gate to a man in a suit, who said: "They're talking about coming back to arrest you."
"I'm not on their property. They can't come out on the street and arrest me," Baraka replied.
Minutes later several ICE agents, some wearing face coverings, surrounded him and others on the public side. As protesters cried out, "Shame," Baraka was dragged back through the gate in handcuffs.
Delaney Hall is a two-story building next to a county prison and formerly operated as a halfway house. In February, ICE awarded a 15-year contract to The Geo Group Inc. to run the detention center. Geo valued the contract at $1 billion, in an unusually long and large agreement for ICE. |
Associated Press News | 2025-05-13 04:10:08+00:00 | [
"Donald Trump",
"JD Vance",
"Chicago",
"Pope Francis",
"Pope Leo XIV",
"Catholic Church",
"United States government",
"United States",
"Papal conclave",
"JWD-evergreen",
"United States Congress",
"Kamala Harris",
"Steven Millies",
"Robert F. Prevost",
"Hugh Hewitt",
"Raul Zegarra",
"David Gibson",
"Religion",
"Government and politics",
"Timothy Dolan",
"Politics"
] | # Trump and Pope Leo are Earth's most powerful Americans in differing ways
By Laurie Kellman
May 13th, 2025 04:10 AM
---
The motto of one newly elected American world leader: " Fight! " The other introduced himself to the world with his first public word as pope: " Peace."
The contrast between President Donald Trump and Chicago-born Pope Leo XIV couldn't be more stark — politically, personally or in their world views. They lead in different roles and realms.
But Leo's historic election last week to lead the world's 1.4 billion Catholics as the first U.S.-born pope means that the two most powerful people on the planet are Americans. That raises questions about American influence at a time when Trump's tariff wars and "one way or the other" threats have upended eight decades of global order and sparked distrust among allies toward the United States.
The prospect of too much American power in geopolitics is widely considered one reason that the Catholic Church had not elected an American to the papacy across the country's nearly 250-year history. Until, that is, the former Cardinal Robert F. Prevost of Chicago — Pope Leo XIV — was chosen last week to be the 267th pontiff.
"The irony of Leo's election is that many in the rest of the world will view it as a sign of hope — as an American who can speak for them rather than act against them," said David Gibson, director of Fordham University's Center on Religion and Culture.
## Pope Leo is another kind of American on the world stage
The shock and delight of the not-well-known cardinal's election soon shifted into robust discussion about how the top of the global pecking order could be populated by two Americans.
Trump is known to not enjoy sharing attention or primacy, as his "America first" foreign policy approach makes clear. American Catholics chose Trump over his Democratic rival, Kamala Harris.
In one apparent appeal to them, Trump posted an AI-generated image of himself dressed as a pope during the days of mourning for Pope Francis, who died April 21. The move was not appreciated by some Catholics and Italians. Trump denied posting the image himself and said anyone who was offended "can't take a joke." He insisted that "the Catholics loved it."
Even so, Trump wished Leo well and called it a "great honor" that the new pope was American.
Pope Leo, meanwhile, is in some senses a politician as well, with a calm manner and the approach of talking to his fellow cardinals in small groups before the conclave, they said. Though he was born in Chicago, Leo — then Prevost — spent two decades as a missionary in Peru before being appointed by Pope Francis in 2023 to lead the Vatican's powerful office that vets bishops around the world.
He wouldn't be the first pope to wade into world politics. Pope John Paul II, for example, is rightly credited with helping bring down communism. But Leo enters the papacy having already criticized Vice President JD Vance, the highest-profile Catholic in American politics, on social media. Leo is at odds with the administration on such policy issues as immigration — Trump's signature issue — and the environment.
Like Trump, Leo has turned his attention to the media. On Monday in Vatican City, he called for the release of imprisoned journalists and affirmed the calling for "all of us to safeguard the precious gift of free speech and of the press." In contrast, Trump's approach to journalists has been combative, from the White House to the courts.
## Trump and Pope Leo are in 'different lanes' as leaders
In early February, Leo — then still Prevost — shared an article from a Catholic publication with the headline, "JD Vance is wrong: Jesus doesn't ask us to rank our love for others."
It came days after Vance — a convert to Catholicism — discussed immigration in a Fox News interview by referencing a Christian tenet "that you love your family and then you love your neighbor, and then you love your community, and then you love your fellow citizens, and then after that, prioritize the rest of the world."
Leo, speaking Italian to thousands gathered in St. Peter's Square, described a different vision for the Church and human relations: "We have to be a church that works together to build bridges and to keep our arms open, like this very piazza, welcoming."
Vance suggested the papacy is "bigger" than politics and social media. "It's very hard to fit a 2,000-year-old institution into the politics of 2025 America," he said during an interview with conservative commentator Hugh Hewitt, adding that "it's better for all of us if we allow the church to be about the saving of souls."
In the rise of Trump at the same time as Leo, "the gospel meets the culture," said Steven Millies, director of The Bernardin Center at Catholic Theological Union in Chicago. Religion and politics, he added, are misaligned because they are "oriented toward different purposes."
"What both Francis and then Cardinal Prevost were doing was being bishops — teaching the Gospel, and reminding us the Gospel always is on the side of the poor, the afflicted, the suffering," Millies said in an email. "That's not Trump's lane as a president, a reality TV star or a businessman."
## How American is Pope Leo's world view, anyway?
Leo's decades in Peru — he is a citizen of both countries — can give him a broader view of humanity and power, and religion and politics, scholars say.
Beyond the obvious personality differences with Trump, Leo is expected to wield power differently — to the neediest people first, for example, whereas Trump cut off American aid. Leo did not mention his American roots during his first speech, nor did he speak in English — a sign, some Vatican watchers said, of his global priorities.
"Even though it is factually true that Leo is the first U.S.-born pope, it makes more sense to think about him as the second pope of the Americas. This challenges 'America first' approaches and imagines the region more holistically, as Pope Francis did first, with its center of gravity in the global south," said Raul Zegarra, assistant professor of Roman Catholic theological studies at Harvard Divinity School.
"All of this points to a pope that understands global leadership through dialogue instead of isolation; who understands power through service, instead of domination," he said. "It is hard to imagine a sharper contrast with the current administration in the U.S."
To hear some of the American cardinals tell it, Leo actually is not all that American in style or outlook, and his U.S. heritage played little if any part in his selection as pope. But Trump hovered over the proceedings.
Six American cardinals who had participated in the conclave took the stage at a press conference as "Born in the USA" and "American Pie" blared from speakers. Then, one after another downplayed Leo's American roots. One quoted a phrase that was going around, that Leo is "the least American of the American" cardinals. Several said they expected Leo to be a "bridge-builder" with the Trump administration — the meaning of the Latin word "pontiff."
Asked whether the cardinals elected Leo to offset Trump, several said no.
"I don't think at all my brother cardinals would have thought of him as a counterweight to any one person," said Cardinal Timothy Dolan, archbishop of New York.
"Obviously the cardinals were quite aware of things that have occurred in the United States, statements that have been made, political actions that have been taken," said Wilton Gregory, archbishop emeritus of Washington. But the conclave's goal, he said, was choosing "who among us" could strengthen the faith.
Said Millies: "It's not that the world should fear a U.S.-born pope. Quite the reverse: As 'the least American of the Americans,' he is untainted by our recent politics and may seem safer even as, still, he is an American intimately familiar with this nation's better angels."
___
Associated Press writer Darlene Superville in Washington contributed to this report. |
Associated Press News | 2025-05-13 13:25:31+00:00 | [
"Tennis",
"French Open Tennis Championships",
"Arthur Cazaux",
"Valentin Royer",
"France",
"Tristan Schoolkate",
"Terence Atmane",
"Paris",
"French Open",
"Sarah Rakotomanga Rajaonah",
"Destanee Aiava",
"Richard Gasquet",
"Pierre Hugues Herbert",
"United States",
"Stanislas Wawrinka",
"Diane Parry",
"Sports",
"Emilio Nava",
"Elsa Jacquemot"
] | # Former Roland Garros champ Stan Wawrinka, veteran Richard Gasquet get French Open wild cards
May 13th, 2025 01:25 PM
---
PARIS (AP) — Three-time major champion Stan Wawrinka and French veteran Richard Gasquet were among eight men given wild-card entries Tuesday for the French Open.
Wawrinka, who turned 40 in March, won the Australian Open in 2014 for his first Grand Slam singles title and added major wins at the French Open in 2015 and the 2016 U.S. Open.
The Swiss player has battled injuries in recent years and has dropped to No. 132 in the ATP rankings.
Gasquet will be playing his final tournament in Paris. The 38-year-old Frenchman, who reached a career-best ranking of No. 7 back in 2007, was once regarded as a potential Grand Slam winner but could never get past the semifinals at any major. Gasquet reached the Wimbledon semifinals twice and was also a semifinalist at the U.S Open. He claimed 16 tour titles and was a member of the France team that won the 2017 Davis Cup.
The French Open runs from May 25 to June 8.
___
French Open wild cards:
## Women's singles (main draw)
Destanee Aiava, Australia
Loïs Boisson, France.
Elsa Jacquemot, France.
Léolia Jeanjean, France.
Iva Jovic, United States.
Chloé Paquet, France.
Diane Parry, France.
Tiantsoa Sarah Rakotomanga Rajaonah, France.
## Men's singles (main draw)
Terence Atmane, France.
Arthur Cazaux, France.
Richard Gasquet, France.
Pierre-Hugues Herbert, France.
Emilio Nava, United States.
Valentin Royer, France.
Tristan Schoolkate, Australia.
Stan Wawrinka, Switzerland.
___
AP tennis: https://apnews.com/hub/tennis |
Associated Press News | 2025-05-13 15:48:10+00:00 | [
"Classical music",
"Fisher",
"Gustav Mahler",
"Silvio Scambone",
"Jaap van Zweden",
"Simon Reinink",
"Klaus Mkel",
"Dorian Gray",
"Michael Waterman",
"John F. Kennedy",
"Dominik Winterling",
"Kirill Petrenko",
"Vienna",
"Bernard Haitink",
"Chicago",
"Entertainment",
"Marina Mahler",
"Leonard Bernstein",
"Willem Mengelberg",
"Anders Hillborg"
] | # Composer Gustav Mahler celebrated at Amsterdam festival
By Ronald Blum
May 13th, 2025 03:48 PM
---
AMSTERDAM (AP) — When Klaus Mäkelä climbed the Concertgebouw podium and turned to the audience at the orchestra's third Gustav Mahler Festival in 105 years, the conductor could see the writing on the wall.
Facing him was "MAHLER" etched in gold on a cartouche and shining in a spotlight, centered in a permanent position of honor among the 17 composers enshrined across the balcony front. And sitting in the first row directly behind the sign Friday night was Marina Mahler, the composer's 81-year-old granddaughter.
"It was just as it should be. I was terribly moved and excited at the same time," she said after the final note of Symphony No. 1. "It affected me in the deepest possible way."
All 10 of Mahler's numbered symphonies are being presented in order along with his other major works from May 8-18, ending on the 114th anniversary of his death at age 50.
"This is in a way the first orchestra that really trusted in Mahler," Mäkela said.
Joining the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra are the Budapest Festival Orchestra, NHK Symphony Orchestra, Chicago Symphony Orchestra and Berlin Philharmonic, with conducting split among Mäkelä (Symphonies 1 and 8), Iván Fischer (2 and 5), Fabio Luisi (3 and 4), Jaap van Zweden (6 and 7), Kirill Petrenko (9) and Sakari Oramo (10). Programs are simulcast to a 1,500-seat amphitheater in Amsterdam's Vondelpark.
"We have a U.S. orchestra for the first time in this festival," said Simon Reinink, who headed the planning as general director of The Concertgebouw (the building, as opposed to the orchestra). "We also thought why shouldn't we invite an Asian orchestra?"
## Early champion was in Amsterdam
Mahler's first champion was Willem Mengelberg, who conducted the entirety of the first Mahler Festival in 1920 to celebrate his 25th anniversary as the Concertgebouw's chief conductor. A second festival was held in 1995 to mark the 75th anniversary of the first festival and a 100th anniversary celebration was planned for 2020 and canceled because of the coronavirus pandemic.
"Mahler is really in the DNA of the orchestra," said Dominik Winterling, managing director of Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra. "You feel it because we have a certain tradition, which is also passed on from generation to generation."
Bruno Walter and Leonard Bernstein were Mahler's other primary proponents in the 20th century.
"My father, who was a musician, always told me: `Mahler was a great conductor and a good composer with some problems. Usually the form is not perfect and it's formless,'" Iván Fischer said of Sándor Fischer, also a conductor.
When Bernstein led the Vienna Philharmonic in all of Mahler's symphonies over a decade starting in the mid-1960s, there was resistance.
"In intervals, in corridors, everywhere musicians talk to each other, there was this: `Yes, it's good music but a little kitsch. Well, why does he need these bombastic effects?'" Iván Fischer recalled. "Really the cult of Mahler, where everybody started to love it, came after this cycle of Bernstein in Vienna but it was a spirit of the time. I think what created the breakthrough was that you didn't feel that music had to comport to certain norms and so it was a little liberation of the '60s, the time of free love, Beatles."
Mahler has gained acceptance. The Fifth Symphony's adagietto was conducted by Bernstein at President John F. Kennedy's funeral and is featured in Luchino Visconti's 1971 film "Death in Venice" and 2022's "Tár." No. 2 sets a mood in a current Tony Award nominee, "The Picture of Dorian Gray."
## Klaus Mäkelä gets prominent role
Though just 29, Mäkelä was a natural fit to lead off with the first symphony because he becomes both Concertgebouw chief conductor and CSO music director for the 2027-28 season. His exuberantly stepped down two dozen steps toward the podium to open his program with Anders Hillborg's "Hell Mountain," a world premiere commissioned for the festival that quotes two of Mahler's works.
Van Zweden, who has a home a short walk from the Concertgebouw, was to open the canceled 2020 festival with the New York Philharmonic, when he was its music director. Van Zweden first heard Mahler When he was 6 or 7, van Zweden heard a fourth symphony led by Bernard Haitink, the Concertgebouw's chief conductor from 1961-88. A violinist in his youth, van Zweden became the orchestra's youngest concertmaster at age 19.
"The scores of Mahler, what he gave us is a GPS system about the road of his life," he said. "He is such a human and we are such a witness of all the emotional roller-coasters and beauty and sadness and everything in his life during that performance. That is a different experience than a Tchaikovsky symphony."
Luisi first heard Mahler when he attended a Fifth Symphony as a 15-year-old in Genoa, Italy.
"It was overwhelming. I didn't know that this music could be so passionate and intense all the time — such a long symphony with a lot of different characters, different feelings, different moods," he recalled. "I remember getting out of that concert shaking in pleasure and surprise."
Mäkelä used a new edition of the score for No. 1 compiled by Michael Waterman, the fifth member of his family to play in the Concertgebouw in a lineage dating to 1950. With the help of his mom Cleora and friend Silvio Scambone, Waterman compiled markings going back to 1967. He now is working on editions of Nos. 5 and 9 based on notations dating to Mengelberg, who headed the orchestra from 1895-1945 before he was banned for his collaboration with Nazis.
On Saturday, Fisher took a five-minute break between the first and second movements of No. 2, specified by Mahler but not often followed. In a hall famous for its precise acoustics, he drew breathtaking playing from horns that scampered on and off stage like NFL special teams.
"So you hear these trumpets from heaven, everywhere, different directions," he said.
Mäkelä is convinced Mahler has become more accessible in current times.
"It speaks to the audience now because it's music that everyone can relate to," he said. "Because it's so personal, it somehow gives you a possibility to self-reflect." |
Associated Press News | 2025-05-13 10:35:24+00:00 | [
"Bosnia and Herzegovina",
"Bullfighting",
"JWD-evergreen",
"Sports",
"Arts and entertainment",
"Animals",
"Lifestyle",
"Entertainment"
] | # A teenage bullfighting enthusiast celebrates victories in Bosnia
By Eldar Emric
May 13th, 2025 10:35 AM
---
KAKANJ, Bosnia (AP) — Like most girls her age, Bosnian teenager Mirnesa Junuzovic splits her days into free time and time reserved for school and house chores. How she spends the former, however, makes her quite unique.
The 15-year-old Junuzovic takes daily, hourslong walks with her bull, Cobra, and trains the beast for traditional bullfights that have been organized in the country for more than two centuries.
"We walk for three or more hours every day, I talk to him and call him by different nicknames that I have for him," Junuzovic said, adding: "I can always anticipate when he is going to rush or scrape at the ground."
Junuzovic believes that she and Cobra share a special bond and insists that while they train and walk through the fields and forest around her rural home on the outskirts of Kakanj, the bull sometimes uses its horns to move tree branches and shrubs out of her way.
When somebody else approaches him, Junuzovic insisted, "his whole demeanor changes" and he starts snorting.
"But he never acts like that with me," she rushed to say. "He knows that I take care of him. He is just like a human, except that he cannot talk."
Bullfights in Bosnia are relatively mellow and bloodless affairs resembling a natural clash for dominance between male bulls in the wild. Almost every weekend during the summer months, rodeo-like corrals are set up in forest clearings or meadows around the country.
Thousands of people gather around these enclosures in village fair-like settings to watch bull-on-bull fights in which animals push each other and clash horns until one of them admits defeat by turning their tail and fleeing. The clash often lasts just a few minutes.
Before bulls enter the arena, inspectors check their horns and even cut off the tips if they are too sharp. They also check the animals' anti-doping test results and make sure the bulls clash heads only if they want to.
Among the village folk in Bosnia, the love of bulls and bullfighting is installed in children at an early age. Attending the fights is often embraced as a family activity.
"This is a part of our tradition. We love it," explained Muriz Spahic, who drove for more than 70 kilometers (around 45 miles) to watch bulls fighting last Sunday outside the village of Bijelo Polje in central Bosnia.
"My grandpa loves it, he is here with us today, I love it, my child loves it," he said, "We go to the fights together."
In between the fights, the spectators fire up grills, roast meat, drink and dance to blaring folk music.
Fighting bulls of Bosnia have traditionally been trained by men, but women started joining the fray several years ago. Still, women in this field are rare and Junuzovic, who started training bulls at the age of 12, remains the youngest of the trainers.
Some of her school friends look down at her hobby and insist that it is "stinky," she said. But those who she really cares about are "very supportive. They call to congratulate me every time we win."
Bulls fight in different weight classes and Cobra, who weighs 620 kilograms (more than 1,360 pounds), is among the "lightweights."
Cobra's winning streak, which began eight fights ago, continued in Bijelo Polje, where he scored his ninth victory of the 2025 bullfighting season.
The other bull "quit," because he "was unprepared," Junuzovic said.
Around half of the scheduled battles overall end with one of the animals leaving the ring without even trying.
"Still, we won and every victory counts," she said with a big smile. |
Associated Press News | 2025-05-13 15:06:44+00:00 | [
"Myanmar",
"War and unrest",
"Military and defense",
"Funerals and memorial services",
"Myanmar government",
"Aung San Suu Kyi",
"Catherine West"
] | # Funerals held in Myanmar for pupils and teachers killed in airstrike on school
By Grant Peck
May 13th, 2025 03:06 PM
---
BANGKOK (AP) — Funerals have been held in Myanmar for almost two dozen students and teachers alleged to have been killed in an airstrike on a local school by a ruling military jet fighter.
Local resistance groups and independent media said Tuesday that 20 pupils and 2 teachers died in the attack on Ohe Htein Twin village, in Sagaing region's township of Tabayin, also known as Depayin. Their reports said that as many as 100 people were wounded.
The dead students were from grades 2 to 11, with the youngest seven years old, according to the shadow National Unity Government, which serves as an umbrella organization for opponents of military rule
A member of a local resistance group fighting against army rule told The Associated Press that another student, who was severely injured in Monday's bombing, died Tuesday afternoon while undergoing medical treatment.
The resistance fighter, who requested that neither he nor his group be named for fear of arrest by the military, said the incident occurred while more than 100 students were studying in a school in the village, which has about 500 houses. He denied that any resistance fighters were stationed in the village that was attacked.
Sagaing has been a stronghold of armed resistance to army rule in Myanmar, and the military in recent years has stepped up airstrikes in their fight against resistance forces, which include the armed People's Defense Forces. The resistance has no effective defense against air attacks, which many reports say hit non-military targets.
Myanmar has been in turmoil since the army's 2021 takeover ousted the elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi, which led to nationwide peaceful protests that escalated into a durable armed resistance denying the army control of much of the country.
A report Tuesday in the state-run Global New Light of Myanmar newspaper denied the army had carried out the airstrike, saying malicious media outlets were intentionally spreading fake information. The military's tight control over the media and the relative remoteness of many such incidents makes independent confirmation of what occurred difficult.
The bodies of 18 of the victims, most of them under the age of 10 were buried Monday in two village cemeteries after hastily arranged funerals just a few hours after the bombing incident, the unidentified resistance fighter said.
About 100 wounded people, both students and teachers, were being treated in regional hospitals as the village's clinic lacked adequate facilities. At least two victims have had to have limbs amputated, he added.
A member of another resistance group, the White Depeyin People's Defence Force, also speaking on condition of anonymity, told the AP that the funerals concluded on Tuesday.
A report on Tuesday by the Human Rights Ministry of the National Unity Government said the jet fighter took off from an airbase in Meiktila township in the central region of Mandalay on Monday morning and deliberately attacked the school with two cluster bombs while students were preparing to sit for their exams.
"All individuals implicated in the commanding, execution, or collusion of deliberate air strikes against innocent children, students, and educators shall be subject to stringent judicial repercussions," the group said in a separate statement. "No avenue for impunity shall be permitted. Every responsible party will be pursued without respite, unequivocally identified, held accountable and subjected to stringent punitive measures under the full force of the law."
The military has increasingly used airstrikes to counter the widespread armed struggle against its rule. More than 6,600 civilians are estimated to have been killed by security forces since the army's 2021 takeover, according to figures compiled by nongovernmental organizations.
Airstrikes in Myanmar garnered increased attention recently when numerous reports deemed credible by the United Nations and human rights groups said that they continued to be carried out in the wake of Myanmar's devastating March 28 earthquake, after which the military and resistance groups declared ceasefires to facilitate relief efforts.
"We are horrified by reports of a Myanmar regime airstrike on a school in an earthquake-affected area at a time when a ceasefire has been announced. Schools are meant to be a place of safety and opportunity, not collateral in a conflict," Britain's Minister for Indo-Pacific Catherine West said in a statement.
"We repeat our call to all parties, particularly the Myanmar military, to refrain from airstrikes, safeguard civilians, and protect civilian infrastructure." |
Associated Press News | 2025-05-13 04:48:21+00:00 | [
"Oswaldo Cabrera",
"Aaron Boone",
"Aaron Judge",
"Athlete injuries",
"Tim Lentych",
"New York Yankees",
"Baseball",
"MLB",
"New York City Wire",
"Sports",
"MLB baseball"
] | # Yankees' Oswaldo Cabrera leaves game in ambulance following home plate slide
By Andrew Destin
May 13th, 2025 04:48 AM
---
SEATTLE (AP) — Yankees third baseman Oswaldo Cabrera was taken off the field in an ambulance after he injured his left ankle in the ninth inning of New York's 11-5 victory over Seattle on Monday night.
Cabrera was hurt on an awkward slide when he reached back for the plate and scored the Yankees' final run on Aaron Judge's sacrifice fly.
Manager Aaron Boone said Cabrera had a brace put on his left ankle before entering the ambulance on a stretcher. Cabrera was taken to a hospital with team athletic trainer Tim Lentych.
"I think everyone understands it was a pretty serious situation," Boone said. "So, just praying for our guy (Cabrera) tonight and hoping for the best. Trust that he's in good hands as he goes through the night here."
Cabrera, a 26-year-old native of Venezuela, writhed on the ground and stayed down for several minutes while being attended to by various medical personnel.
"Right before he got carted off, he just called me over and said, 'Hey, did I score?'" Judge said. "So, just kind of shows you what type of guy he is. Something like that happens and the one thing on his mind for all the pain and everything is, 'Did I score?'"
Cabrera is in his fourth MLB season and has become a regular in the Yankees' lineup. He is hitting .243 this season with one home run and 12 RBIs.
"He cares for everybody in this room. He loves being a Yankee," Judge said. "He wears his jersey with pride. This is a tough one, especially a guy that's grinded his whole life and finally got an opportunity to be our everyday guy and been excelling at it."
___
AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb |
Associated Press News | 2025-05-13 15:26:37+00:00 | [
"Scottie Scheffler",
"Tiger Woods",
"Arnold Palmer",
"Rory McIlroy",
"Golf",
"Jordan Spieth",
"Xander Schauffele",
"Jack Nicklaus",
"Phil Mickelson",
"Jon Rahm",
"Gary Player",
"Dustin Johnson",
"Tennis",
"Brooks Koepka",
"PGA Championship",
"British Open Golf",
"U.S. Open Mens Golf Championships",
"On the Fringe",
"Sports",
"Raymond Floyd",
"Nick Faldo",
"Larry Nelson",
"Lee Trevino",
"Gene Sarazen",
"Ben Hogan",
"Collin Morikawa",
"Sandy Lyle",
"Nick Price"
] | # Golf waited 25 years for the latest career Grand Slam. How long will the next one take?
By Doug Ferguson
May 13th, 2025 03:26 PM
---
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — Tiger Woods became the youngest player to complete the career Grand Slam at age 24 when he crossed the Swilcan Bridge at St. Andrews and marched right into history. No one bothered asking who was next because no one was particularly close.
It's different now.
That was some grand occasion for Rory McIlroy when he won the Masters. There was sheer joy from 17 years of trying to win the green jacket, the last 11 years fully aware that he could join the most exclusive group in golf. "Welcome to the club, kid," is the text Woods sent him.
That raised the question: Who's next?
The attention immediately falls to Jordan Spieth, who has been trying to complete the Grand Slam at the PGA Championship since 2017, the last time it was at Quail Hollow. He has never finished closer than six shots in those previous eight attempts.
"There's been a number of years I've come to the PGA, and no one's really asked me about it," Spieth said Tuesday. "There's been some years where it was a storyline, I guess. It's funny, I think if didn't, then it wouldn't have been a storyline for me here necessarily."
Perhaps he's been lost behind McIlroy and Phil Mickelson, who has been trying to get the career slam since the 2014 U.S. Open. This year's might be Lefty's last chance. His five-year exemption to the U.S. Open from winning the 2021 PGA Championship at age 50 runs out.
"I would put money on Jordan being the next guy," Xander Schauffele said.
But this is no easy money, even when it's only one more major to win.
That surely was the feeling some 60 years ago when golf celebrated a career Grand Slam in consecutive years — Gary Player at the 1965 U.S. Open, Jack Nicklaus at the 1966 U.S. Open. Next in line was Arnold Palmer. All he needed was the PGA Championship.
"Certainly the incentive is there," Palmer said when he arrived at Firestone for the 1966 PGA Championship. "I feel so good there can't be any excuses."
But there was no Grand Slam, not that year or the next 28 years that followed until Palmer played his last PGA Championship in 1994 at age 64. Lee Trevino, Tom Watson and Raymond Floyd all reached the cusp of golf's greatest feat and never crossed the line.
After Nicklaus, it took 34 years before Woods got his Grand Slam, and then 25 years until McIlroy did it.
"Do I think it will take another 25 years? It's a good question," Scottie Scheffler said. "Jordan can win the Grand Slam by winning four majors. Rory did it in five. ... The odds would say he's good enough to do it, for sure."
Scheffler has been the dominant player for the last three years, winning the Masters in 2022 and 2024 and spending more consecutive weeks at No. 1 than anyone except Woods.
"I've only one won, technically. That's the other side of the coin," Scheffler said of his chances at the Grand Slam. "I've been playing some pretty good golf and I'm not even close."
The PGA Championship, which starts Thursday, and the next two majors at Oakmont (U.S. Open) and Royal Portrush (British Open) could go a long way in shaping the conversation for the next several years.
Jon Rahm winning the PGA Championship or British Open. Schauffele or Collin Morikawa winning at the U.S. Open. Dustin Johnson at the PGA Championship or British Open. Brooks Koepka at the British.
That's all it would take to add to the list of players on the verge of a feat realized by only Woods and McIlroy over the last 59 years.
But as hard as it is to win two majors, getting the third leg is no small task. That much is evident by the number of players who have two legs of the slam and got no closer.
Nick Price won the PGA Championship in 1992 and the British Open in 1994.
"From the time I won the first PGA, I wanted to win that Grand Slam so badly," Price said. "It's every golfer's dream. I always struggled at Augusta as a low ball-striker. And then the U.S. Open, I had two or three good chances. It was definitely one of those things on my mind."
Before him was Sandy Lyle and Nick Faldo, Fuzzy Zoeller and Larry Nelson, Hubert Green and the late Seve Ballesteros. The Spaniard had two legs of the Grand Slam at age 23.
Faldo won six majors — three apiece at the British Open and Masters — giving him the most majors of any players in the last century who got only two legs of the Grand Slam.
"It's not easy to get on the cusp, but it's a lot easier to get on the cusp than to actually pull it off," Scheffler said. He paused before adding, "I think it's really hard to get on the cusp."
And it doesn't get any easier as time goes on. The modern version of the Grand Slam didn't start until Palmer mentioned it in 1960. Gene Sarazen (1935) and Ben Hogan (1953) won the career slam retrospectively. It still counts.
Player (29), Nicklaus (26) and Woods were all in their 20s when they captured the last leg. McIlroy was 35 when he finally got the Masters, perhaps another reason he was so emotional that day at Augusta National, and still looks to be floating on air.
Johnson turned 40 last year and his game in the majors has dropped substantially since joining LIV Golf. Koepka turned 35 last month and has gone seven straight majors without a top 10 since winning the 2023 PGA Championship, the longest such streak of his career.
Spieth is 31, winless in three years but still in his prime. If he isn't next, perhaps the focus shifts to who joins the line.
___
On The Fringe analyzes the biggest topics in golf during the season. AP golf: https://apnews.com/hub/golf |
Associated Press News | 2025-05-13 08:15:56+00:00 | [
"Soccer",
"Son Heung-Min",
"Lee Kang in",
"Tottenham Hotspur FC",
"Kim Min-jae",
"Paris Saint-Germain FC",
"Manchester United FC",
"Inter Milan",
"Bayern Munich",
"Sports - Europe",
"Bundesliga",
"SSC Napoli",
"Sports",
"Premier League",
"South Korea"
] | # Son, Kim and Lee tasting success in Europe despite South Korea's soccer struggles
By John Duerden
May 13th, 2025 08:15 AM
---
SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — South Korea's national soccer team may be stumbling toward 2026 World Cup qualification and its clubs may have struggled in the Asian Champions League, but three of its biggest stars have been finding success in Europe.
Kim Min-jaehelped German giant Bayern Munich lift the Bundesliga title, the 28-year-old defender's second major prize in Europe after winning the Italian championship with Napoli two years earlier.
While Kim has two European trophies, the biggest star in Korean soccer is Son Heung-min and the 32-year-old forward is yet to win a major title. That could change next week with the Tottenham captain preparing to lead the London-based Spurs in the Europa League final against Premier League rival Manchester United.
"To complete the puzzle, you need every piece. Ultimately, I think, the most important final piece is still missing," Son, who joined Tottenham in 2015, told South Korea media in London on Monday. "I think I've been chasing that piece for 10 years. I'd love to finish that puzzle this time."
Son was part of the Tottenham team that lost the 2019 UEFA Champions League final to Liverpool. Now, as the senior player, he's determined to end what has been a difficult season for club — Tottenham is currently 17th out of 20 teams in the Premier League — and country, on a high.
"I think this will be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, something I may never have again," Son said. "I hope I won't have regrets afterward. When I return to Korea after the season, I'd like to give my Korean fans and our Tottenham supporters the biggest smile I can bring."
Son returned to action last weekend after an absence through injury but is set to start against Manchester United. The same is not automatically the case for Lee Kang-in.
The 24-year-old Lee, an attacking midfielder has been struggling for playing time of late for Paris Saint-Germain. He has appeared in 11 UEFA Champions League games this season but was on the bench as the French club beat Arsenal in the semifinals to book a final against Inter Milan on May 31 in Munich.
That game will marks the end of the European season and the start of transfer speculation. Lee has been linked with clubs elsewhere in Europe. So has Kim, whose season at Munich has been affected by injuries.
"I want to keep playing for Munich," Kim said last month. "There's no reason why I should leave this team. I like playing for Munich. I want to continue playing for this team next season. It's one thing that's important to me right now."
It remains to be seen where the three biggest stars in Korean football are in August but the focus is currently on winning three prizes in European club football and bringing some good news for fans at home.
__
AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer |
Associated Press News | 2025-05-13 14:58:34+00:00 | [
"Europe",
"Russia",
"Vladimir Putin",
"European Union",
"Economy",
"Eurocopa 2024",
"Business",
"David McHugh",
"International trade",
"Donald Trump"
] | # European economist says Russia's economy is strained due to the Ukraine war and sanctions
By Lorne Cook and David Mchugh
May 13th, 2025 02:58 PM
---
BRUSSELS (AP) — Russia's economy is under growing strain as its invasion of Ukraine drags on and Western sanctions are undermining President Vladimir Putin's ability to sustain his war, a leading European economist said after briefing finance ministers on Tuesday.
The economist, Torbjörn Becker, Director of the Stockholm Institute of Transition Economics, warned that should Russia prevail, European Union governments would have to spend 2-3 times more than they currently do on defense for several years.
Russia's "financial system, their macroeconomic performance, is under pressure. It's not in balance. Risks are mounting. But it doesn't mean that we can sit back and relax," Becker told reporters at EU headquarters in Brussels.
He spoke after briefing the bloc's finance ministers to help provide a picture of "the actual condition of Russia's economy, which significantly contrasts with the narrative promoted by Russian propaganda," the EU's Polish presidency said.
It said that discussion would help "us to better shape punitive, financial and economic sanctions against Russia."
Becker said Russia's economy only accounts for about 12% of the economies of the world's biggest trading bloc. He underlined that it is highly dependent on oil and natural gas revenue, and on imports of high-tech equipment to sustain the war effort.
Still, Russia's economy has outperformed predictions. High defense spending has propelled growth and kept unemployment low despite fueling inflation. At the same time, wages have gone up to keep pace with inflation, leaving many workers better off.
Large recruiting bonuses for military enlistees and death benefits for those killed in Ukraine have also put more income into the country's poorer regions.
Over the long term, inflation and a lack of foreign investments remain threats to the economy. The question is how long Russia's militarized economy can keep going before those issues bite and whether it can hold out for longer than Ukraine and its Western backers.
To hit its economy harder, EU envoys have drafted a new set of sanctions that would target more ships in the shadow fleet of tankers that Russia has deployed to evade a price cap of $60 per barrel imposed on Russian oil by the Group of 7 democracies.
They could also freeze the assets of the Nord Stream II gas pipeline consortium. The pipeline is not in use, but the EU believes the move could help to discourage investment. The sanctions could enter force as soon as Thursday.
"If we can lower oil prices and gas revenues and put tighter sanctions on what they can import, that's great," Becker said. He said U.S. President Donald Trump should press "China and India about what they are paying for and what they're exporting to Russia."
Russia found new markets for its oil in India and China after the EU imposed a near-total ban and continues to earn a substantial part of government revenues from exports of oil and gas.
Becker also urged Trump to hit Russia's financial system by restricting international transactions. "If something ruins an economy pretty quickly, it's a banking crisis," he said.
In a recent report, his institute said that Russia's oil revenues decreased dramatically in early 2025, notably due to EU and G7 sanctions on the ghost fleet. This has forced Russia to withdraw from its sovereign wealth fund.
The institute estimates that the liquid part of the fund is now equivalent to less than 3% of GDP. "If oil prices stay as they are, they will certainly run out of these funds in a year," Becker said.
___
David McHugh reported from Frankfurt, Germany. |
Associated Press News | 2025-05-13 12:42:58+00:00 | [
"Albania",
"Europe",
"Edi Rama",
"Sali Berisha",
"European Union",
"Socialism",
"U.S. Democratic Party",
"Global elections",
"Voting rights",
"Politics",
"Voting",
"Marta Kos"
] | # Albanian preliminary polls results show a clear win for the ruling Socialists
By Llazar Semini
May 13th, 2025 12:42 PM
---
TIRANA, Albania (AP) — Preliminary results in Albania's parliamentary election on Tuesday gave a clear victory to the ruling Socialist Party, which attracted voters supporting the country's uphill effort to join the European Union and Prime Minister Edi Rama's bid for a fourth term.
With about 97% of the votes counted, Rama's left-wing Socialists got 52.09% of the votes, or 82 seats in the 140-seat Assembly, or parliament, followed by the opposition center-right Democratic Party-led coalition of Sali Berisha with 34.43%, or 52 seats. Three other small parties will take the rest.
With that number, the left-wing Socialists should be able to govern alone.
Preliminary turnout Sunday was 42% of the 3.7 million eligible voters, or 4 percentage points lower than four years ago.
Berisha's Democrats claimed irregularities during the vote and also with ballots mailed from the diaspora, accusing the ruling Socialists of involving criminal gangs to favor their candidates, buying ballots and using other illegal methods.
"No way to reconcile with such elections. No, forget it," said Berisha, suggesting that the Democrats will not recognize the results.
The European Union hailed Albania's vote as "calm and well organized, despite some shortcomings," calling on "all political forces to ... ensure the continued functioning of the country's institutions."
"Albania's EU integration process is a strategic national objective, and a whole-of-society project, which is strongly supported by Albania's citizens," said EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas and Enlargement Commissioner Marta Kos, also calling "for a constructive and inclusive political dialogue as all of Albania's political parties and all sectors of society ... have a role to play in further advancing the country's EU accession process."
The Central Election Commission, the electoral executive, has said that by law the final results come out 48 hours after voting ends — in other words, later Tuesday. The results may be delayed following a request of the opposition not to consider some 53,000 ballots mailed from the diaspora in neighboring Greece, claiming they were manipulated.
For the first time, those in the diaspora could cast postal votes. About 195,000 mailed in their votes.
Eligible voters in Albania and abroad voted to elect 140 lawmakers for a four-year mandate in the Balkan nation. Because of mass emigration, the country of 2.4 million people has a total of nearly 3.7 million eligible voters.
Diaspora votes from Greece may have moved seats in three or four areas in favor of the left-wing Socialists. The opposition claims they were manipulated by Socialist supporters. The postal company said it has confirmation signatures of all the voters in Greece.
It is expected that Rama will give a speech to his supporters, likely on Wednesday.
Rama's Socialist Party says it can deliver EU membership in five years, which is an ambitious pledge, while battling the Democrats, who argue that Albania isn't ready for EU membership.
On Friday, the opposition will hold a protest against the alleged election manipulation. The protest will coincide with a European Political Community summit being held in Tirana.
"The friends who will come should listen to the people's voice asking for a free vote and also that a tyrant, a narco-dictator, is not allowing them but using all violent tools to grab the vote," said Berisha.
A joint international observation mission noted that despite being competitive and professionally managed, the election process so far was marked by the ruling party's misuse of public resources, a confrontational and polarizing tone, the two main political parties using divisive language, untransparent financing and unbalanced media coverage of smaller parties. |
Associated Press News | 2025-05-13 13:30:35+00:00 | [
"United Kingdom",
"Russell T Davies",
"Eurovision Song Contest",
"SciFi and fantasy",
"Television",
"Eurocopa 2024",
"Public media",
"Ncuti Gatwa",
"Varada Sethu",
"Sam Ryder",
"Arts and entertainment",
"BBC",
"Theo Evan",
"Belinda Chandra",
"Planets"
] | # 'Doctor Who' and Eurovision will unite for a night of music and intergalactic adventure
By Hilary Fox
May 13th, 2025 01:30 PM
---
LONDON (AP) — "Doctor Who" and Eurovision unite for an evening of music and intergalactic adventure on Saturday — all thanks to Russell T Davies.
Before fans tune in for the annual song contest, they can enjoy Ncuti Gatwa's Doctor and Varada Sethu's Belinda Chandra attending the Interstellar Song Contest in an episode of the sci-fi series.
In real life, the Eurovision Song Contest is an annual musical competition and TV event that sees 37 countries compete for a crystal microphone trophy over a four-hour live broadcast. In the interstellar version, aliens from 40 different worlds vie to win, also by singing.
Davies says it took three years to pull it off the doubleheader because they had to work with the BBC to set the schedule and storylines in stone to ensure a perfect alignment.
Britain's Sam Ryder took a "Space Man" to Eurovision before, in 2022. Now, Gatwa will read out the U.K.'s jury scores during the song contest's grand final, held this year in Basel, Switzerland.
Talking to The Associated Press, Davies says that both Eurovision and "Doctor Who" share the DNA of old-fashioned Saturday night television, making the combination "irresistible."
This conversation has been edited for clarity and brevity.
## AP: Do you feel that Eurovision and "Doctor Who" naturally share a kind of fandom?
DAVIES: I almost think every episode of "Doctor Who" is a great big celebration, sort of noise and color and spectacle, and that sums up Eurovision as well. In pitching this to Disney+ as well it's like, "Look we're going out in 60 of your territories" and Eurovision itself has a viewing figure that some years is bigger than the Super Bowl. There's not many shows that can say that on planet Earth.
## AP: How much fun did you have with the lore of Eurovision?
DAVIES: It's enormous fun. It could be said if you've never seen a single Eurovision Song Contest in your life, you can still come along and watch this. It's the kind of thing we'd have made up for a "Doctor Who" story anyway.
One day I'll do that "ABBA Voyage" story where the holograms come to life and start killing people. That's the best idea ever. We've got to do that one then. Can you imagine? That would be just amazing. I think there might be some copyright problems with that but we'd overcome them.
The actual pitch for the story to Juno (Dawson), who wrote it, was Eurovision meets "Die Hard." So as you will see, the moment it starts, there's trouble, someone's out to sabotage it. There are villains behind the scenes trying to disrupt the program. All chaos is let loose and the rest of the episode is spent saving people's lives after that.
## AP: How about the songs?
DAVIES: I think there's four songs in total (by Murray Gold). Obviously we don't get to all 40 planets with their songs, but it was a very big production. We had to hive this off into its own production unit. There are scenes in the television gallery, where 40 different monitors have output of 40 different screens. And that's all been fed in live. That's not done with green screen afterwards, that's all stuff they'd already shot. Crowds, acts, rehearsals, backstage, presenters, all of that stuff, playing onto that set, so it's terribly complicated.
## AP: Is this the most expensive episode of "Doctor Who"?
DAVIES: Frankly, they're all expensive. It was a lot, yes. It had to be planned very far in advance, more than any. Once you plan something carefully, then it costs less just because you're not busking. We allocate each story more or less the same amount of money. So I think it ends up costing as much as the others, but it just looks so good because they had so much time to plan it.
## AP: Am I allowed to ask how much an episode normally costs?
DAVIES: We never say that. I don't know why, but we just don't ever do it. I don't think they'd tell me. I'd faint.
## AP: Are you planning to watch Eurovision this year?
DAVIES: Yes, I will be. This will be a great night. I always sit and watch "Doctor Who" — I'm old-fashioned — on its old-fashioned BBC One transmission at 7 o'clock at night.
I know people who have Eurovision parties, which I've never gone to actually. Look at my life, it's devoted to television. I can't bear other people talking over it. That would just be a nightmare. So I will be sitting in. I'll get some nice dinner. I'll be a very happy man.
## AP: Have you got any favorites for this year?
DAVIES: I would like to go on a date with the man from Cyprus (Theo Evan). He's beautiful. I do like the U.K. entry this year ("What the Hell Just Happened?" by Remember Monday). I have a theory it's being underestimated in Great Britain. Just because we're so used to losing. We've won five times, everyone. But this country gets a bit cynical about Eurovision sometimes. But I love our song. I think it's got a very memorable chorus. |
Associated Press News | 2025-05-12 21:39:46+00:00 | [
"Burkina Faso",
"Islam",
"Radicalism",
"Al-Qaida",
"Charlie Werb",
"Wassim Nasr"
] | # More than 100 killed in jihadi attack in northern Burkina Faso
By Baba Ahmed and Wilson Mcmakin
May 12th, 2025 09:39 PM
---
BAMAKO, Mali (AP) — An attack by a jihadi group in northern Burkina Faso killed more than 100 people, mostly soldiers, an aid worker and local residents said Monday.
The attack on several locations, including a military base and the long besieged strategic town of Djibo, occurred early Sunday, said an aid worker actively involved in dialogues in Burkina Faso's hard-hit communities. A student from the area said her father was among those killed.
Both individuals spoke to The Associated Press on Monday on the condition of anonymity due to fear of reprisals.
A jihadi group aligned with Al-Qaida known as Jama'at Nasr al-Islam wal-Muslimin, or JNIM, which is active in the Sahel region, claimed responsibility for Sunday's attack.
Run by a military junta, the landlocked nation of 23 million has been among the worst hit by the security crisis in Africa's Sahel region, known as the global hot spot for violent extremism. About half of Burkina Faso is outside of government control as a result of the violence that contributed to two coups in 2022. Government security forces have also been accused of extrajudicial killings.
The aid worker, as well as Charlie Werb, an independent analyst focusing on the Sahel, recounted how Sunday's attack began simultaneously in different locations at 6 a.m. local time on Sunday.
"JNIM fighters attacked eight localities simultaneously to disperse the Burkina Faso air force. The main attack occurred in Djibo, where JNIM fighters first took control of all the town's entry checkpoints before attacking the military camps, particularly the Special Anti-Terrorist Unit's camp," said the aid worker.
Werb, who studied videos posted online, said the attackers spent several hours in the areas without air support from Burkina Faso's military, unlike similar attacks on Djibo in the past, when security forces have successfully repelled the extremists.
The latest attack shows JNIM's escalating power and widening reach in Burkina Faso, said Wassim Nasr, a Sahel specialist and senior research fellow at the Soufan Center security think tank. "The fact that Djibo was targeted confirms the extent of JNIM's freedom of movement within Burkina Faso."
Analysts have warned that the junta's strategy of military escalation, including the mass recruitment of civilians into poorly trained militias, has worsened inter-ethnic tensions.
____
McMakin reported from Dakar, Senegal
____
Follow AP's Africa coverage at: https://apnews.com/hub/africa |
Associated Press News | 2025-05-13 08:36:40+00:00 | [
"Novak Djokovic",
"Andy Murray",
"Tennis",
"French Open Tennis Championships",
"French Open",
"Sports",
"Australian Open Tennis Championships"
] | # Novak Djokovic splits with coach Andy Murray ahead of French Open
May 13th, 2025 08:36 AM
---
LONDON (AP) — Novak Djokovic is splitting with coach Andy Murray just two weeks ahead of the French Open, following a dismal start to the clay-court season.
Murray's representatives announced Tuesday that the two former No. 1-ranked players will "no longer be working together."
"Thanks to Novak for the unbelievable opportunity to work together and thanks to his team for all their hard work over the past six months," Murray was quoted as saying. "I wish Novak all the best for the rest of the season."
The decision comes after Djokovic lost his opening match in his last two tournaments in Monte Carlo and Madrid, both on clay.
Djokovic thanked Murray in a post on social media "for all the hard work, fun & support over last six months on & off the court."
"I really enjoyed deepening our friendship together," Djokovic wrote.
Djokovic and Murray joined forces ahead of the Australian Open in what initially was seen as an unlikely pairing. After Murray retired last year, Djokovic reached out with the coaching proposition.
Djokovic said in February that Murray had agreed to stay on for an "indefinite" period, including "some clay-court tournaments" this season. Djokovic has yet to win a tournament this season after having to retire from the Australian Open semifinals with a hamstring injury and losing in the final in Miami to leave him one shy of 100th career title.
___
AP tennis: https://apnews.com/hub/tennis |
Associated Press News | 2025-05-12 21:14:31+00:00 | [
"Donald Trump",
"Josh Hawley",
"Mike Johnson",
"Government programs",
"U.S. Republican Party",
"Taxes",
"United States House of Representatives",
"Legislation",
"California",
"Congress",
"Politics",
"United States government",
"Nick LaLota",
"Business",
"District of Columbia",
"Health"
] | # Trump's $4.9 trillion tax plan targets Medicaid to offset costs
By Lisa Mascaro and Kevin Freking
May 12th, 2025 09:14 PM
---
WASHINGTON (AP) — House Republicans proposed sweeping tax breaks Monday in President Donald Trump's big priority bill, tallying at least $4.9 trillion in costs so far, partly paid for with cuts to Medicaid, food stamps and green energy programs used by millions of Americans.
The House Ways and Means Committee named its package "THE ONE, BIG, BEAUTIFUL BILL'' in all capital letters, a nod to Trump himself. It seeks to extend the tax breaks approved during Trump's first term — and boost the standard deduction, child tax credit and estate tax exemption — while adding new tax breaks on tipped wages, overtime pay, Social Security benefits and auto loans that Trump promised during his campaign for the White House.
There's also a tripling of the state and local tax deduction, called SALT, from $10,000 up to $30,000 for couples, which certain high-tax state GOP lawmakers from New York and California already rejected as too meager. Private universities would be hit with hefty a new tax on their endowments, as much as 21%, as the Trump administration goes after the Ivy League and other campuses. And one unusual provision would terminate the tax-exempt status of groups the State Department says support "terrorists," which civil society advocates warn is a way to potentially punish those at odds with the Trump administration.
Overall, the package is touching off the biggest political debate over taxes, spending and the nation's priorities in nearly a decade. Not since 2017 has Congress wrestled with legislation as this, when Republicans approved the Trump tax cuts but also failed to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act, or Obamacare. The cost assessments are only preliminary, and expected to soar.
"Republicans need to UNIFY," Trump posted on social media before departing for a trip to the Middle East.
Trump said when he returns to Washington, "we will work together on any and all outstanding issues, but there shouldn't be many — The Bill is GREAT. We have no alternative, WE MUST WIN!"
But one key Republican, Sen. Josh Hawley of Missouri, implored his party not to impair Medicaid, arguing that cutting health care to pay for tax breaks is both "morally wrong and politically suicidal."
"If Republicans want to be a working-class party — if we want to be a majority party — we must ignore calls to cut Medicaid and start delivering on America's promise for America's working people," Hawley wrote in The New York Times.
Late Monday, the House Agriculture Committee released its proposals — cutting $290 billion from federal nutrition programs, in part by shifting costs to the states and requiring able-bodied adults without dependents to fulfill work requirements until they are 64 years old, rather than 54, to qualify for food aid.
## Round-the-clock work ahead
As Republicans race toward House Speaker Mike Johnson's Memorial Day deadline to pass Trump's big bill, they are preparing to flood the zone with round-the-clock public hearings starting Tuesday and stitch the various sections together in what will become a massive package.
The politics ahead are uncertain. The bipartisan Joint Committee on Taxation said Monday that tax breaks would reduce revenue by $4.9 trillion over the decade — and that was before Trump's new tax breaks were included.
Texas Rep. Chip Roy, a member of the conservative House Freedom Caucus, warned the price tag could climb to $20 trillion, piling onto the deficits and debt.
"I sure hope House & Senate leadership are coming up with a backup plan," Roy posted on social media, "…. because I'm not here to rack up an additional $20 trillion in debt over 10 years."
House Republicans have been huddling behind closed doors, working out final provisions in the 389-page tax portion of the package.
The legislation proposes to boost the standard deduction many Americans use by $2,000, to $32,000 per household, and increase the child tax credit from $2,000 to $2,500 for four years. It adds a new requirement focused on preventing undocumented immigrants from benefiting from the credit even if the children are U.S. citizens, which the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, a liberal think tank, estimates would affect 4.5 million children who are U.S. citizens or lawful residents.
It would also increase the estate tax exemption, which is now $14 million, to $15 million and index future increases to inflation.
As for the president's promises, the legislation includes Trump's "no taxes on tips" pledge, providing a deduction for those workers in service industry and other jobs that have traditionally relied on tips. It directs the Treasury secretary to issue guidance to avoid businesses gaming the system.
The package also provides tax relief for automobile shoppers with a temporary deduction of up to $10,000 on car loan interest, applying the benefit only for those vehicles where the final assembly occurred in the United States. The tax break would expire at the end of Trump's term.
For seniors, there would be a bolstered $4,000 deduction on Social Security wages for those with adjusted incomes no higher than $75,000 for individuals and $150,000 for couples.
But one hard-fought provision, the deduction for state and local taxes known as SALT, appears to be a work in progress. The legislation proposes lifting the cap to $15,000 for single filers and $30,000 for couples, but with a reduction at higher incomes — about $200,000 for singles and $400,000 for couples.
"Still a hell no," wrote Rep. Nick LaLota, R-N.Y., on social media.
## Battle over Medicaid, food aid
Meanwhile, dozens of House Republicans have told Johnson and GOP leaders they will not support cuts to Medicaid, which provides some 70 million Americans with health care, nor to green energy tax breaks that businesses back home have been relying on to invest in new wind, solar and renewable projects.
All told, 11 committees in the House have been compiling their sections of the package as Republicans seek at least $1.5 trillion in savings to help cover the cost of preserving the 2017 tax breaks, which are expiring at the end of the year.
The final section from the Agriculture Committee proposed cutting the Supplemental Nutrition and Assistance Program, known as SNAP, by expanding work requirements, limiting future expansions of the program and forcing states to shoulder more of the cost.
Along with new work requirements for older Americans, it would also require some parents of children older than 7 to work to qualify, down from 18 years old. Only areas with unemployment rates over 10% would be eligible for waivers.
Some Republicans have already balked at the increased costs to the states, which be required to contribute at least 5% of the cost of SNAP allotments beginning in 2028.
At the same time, the legislation would invest $60 billion in new money for agriculture programs, sending aid to farmers.
On Sunday, House Republicans on the Energy and Commerce Committee unveiled the cost-saving centerpiece of the package, with at least $880 billion in cuts largely to Medicaid to help cover the cost of the tax breaks.
While Republicans insist they are simply rooting out "waste, fraud and abuse" to generate savings with new work and eligibility requirements, Democrats warn that millions of Americans will lose coverage. In the 15 years since Obamacare became law, Medicaid has only expanded as most states have tapped into federal funds.
A preliminary estimate from the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office said the proposals would reduce the number of people with health care by 8.6 million.
To be eligible for Medicaid, there would be new "community engagement requirements" of at least 80 hours per month of work, education or service for able-bodied adults without dependents. People would also have to verify their eligibility to be in the program twice a year, rather than just once.
There are substantial cuts proposed for green energy programs and tax breaks, rolling back climate-change strategies from the Biden-era Inflation Reduction Act.
___
Associated Press writers Amanda Seitz, Leah Askarinam and Mary Clare Jalonick contributed to this report. |
Associated Press News | 2025-05-13 14:22:49+00:00 | [
"Soccer",
"Bologna FC",
"Christian Pulisic",
"Milan",
"AC Milan",
"Sports",
"Vincenzo Italiano",
"Riccardo Orsolini",
"Santiago Gimnez",
"Serie A"
] | # It's cup specialist vs. serial runner-up as Milan takes on Bologna in the Italian Cup final
By Daniella Matar
May 13th, 2025 02:22 PM
---
MILAN (AP) — A cup specialist will take on a serial runner-up when AC Milan plays Bologna in the Italian Cup final on Wednesday.
And both teams will be looking to get their hands on the trophy for the first time in decades.
Bologna hasn't won the Italian Cup since 1974, which was its last major trophy.
Milan has won plenty of trophies since then, but last lifted the Italian Cup 22 years ago — losing two finals in the intervening years.
This time, however, the Rossoneri are led by a cup specialist in coach Sérgio Conceição.
Indeed, Conceição has already steered Milan to a trophy this season — winning the Italian Super Cup in January just a week after being appointed as coach.
That was the 50-year-old's 12th trophy as coach, with nine coming in cup competitions.
Conceição also lifted seven cup trophies as a player, with Porto and Lazio.
However, even if Milan ends the season with two trophies in Conceição's five months in charge, it might not be enough to save the Portuguese coach's job.
Milan is eighth in Serie A with two rounds remaining and only has a slim chance of qualifying for the Champions League — or any European competition.
Winning the Italian Cup would earn Milan a spot in the Europa League and go some way toward salvaging a season where the Rossoneri were never competitive in Serie A or Europe, having been dumped out of the Champions League by Feyenoord in the knockout playoff round.
"It's not the moment to talk about my future," Conceição said. "Now we're only thinking about this final, against a difficult team to face.
"I have my character and my personality, I've changed things and you need time but at Milan you don't have time. … At Milan, what counts is winning trophies and Wednesday we have a great chance."
In contrast to Conceição, Bologna coach Vincenzo Italiano has not fared well in finals.
Italiano never won a cup in his playing days and, as Fiorentina coach, he lost back-to-back Europa Conference League finals — in 2023 and 2024 — and finished runner-up in the 2023 Italian Cup.
## Second meeting in a week
The cup final in Rome will be the teams' second meeting in less than a week.
Two goals from Santiago Giménez, either side of a Christian Pulisic strike, saw Milan rally to beat Bologna 3-1 and seriously dent its opponent's chances of qualifying for the Champions League again.
"We were ahead and we thought we could control it, Milan didn't give the impression of wanting to attack," Bologna scorer Riccardo Orsolini said in an interview with Italian newspaper Corriere della Sera.
"We gave them the spark that rekindled them and we got sliced through like butter. If we play like that in Rome we'll get slapped. We've understood what we shouldn't do."
___
AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer |
Associated Press News | 2025-05-12 21:06:54+00:00 | [
"Donald Trump",
"Qatar",
"Karoline Leavitt",
"Laura Loomer",
"Brian Schatz",
"Josh Hawley",
"Rand Paul",
"Cory Booker",
"Chris Murphy",
"John Thune",
"George W. Bush",
"Middle East",
"District of Columbia",
"Christopher Coons",
"U.S. Republican Party",
"Politics",
"Qatar government",
"U.S. Democratic Party",
"William Evanina",
"Constitutional law",
"Richard Painter",
"The Boeing Co.",
"Jessica Levinson"
] | # Trump's plan to accept free jet from Qatar raises questions
By Chris Megerian, Zeke Miller, and Bernard Condon
May 12th, 2025 09:06 PM
---
WASHINGTON (AP) — For President Donald Trump, accepting a free Air Force One replacement from Qatar is a no-brainer.
"I would never be one to turn down that kind of an offer," the Republican told reporters on Monday. "I could be a stupid person and say, 'No, we don't want a free, very expensive airplane.'"
Critics of the plan worry that the move threatens to turn a global symbol of American power into an airborne collection of ethical, legal, security and counterintelligence concerns.
"This is unprecedented," said Jessica Levinson, a constitutional law expert at Loyola Law School. "We just haven't tested these boundaries before."
Trump tried to tamp down some of the opposition by saying he wouldn't fly around in the gifted Boeing 747 when his term ends. Instead, he said, the $400 million plane would be donated to a future presidential library, similar to how the Boeing 707 used by President Ronald Reagan was decommissioned and put on display as a museum piece.
"It would go directly to the library after I leave office," Trump said. "I wouldn't be using it."
However, that did little to quell the controversy over the plane. Democrats are united in outrage, and even some of the Republican president's allies are worried. Laura Loomer, an outspoken conspiracy theorist who has tried to purge disloyal officials from the administration, wrote on social media that she would "take a bullet for Trump" but said she's "so disappointed."
Congressional Republicans have also expressed some doubts about the plan.
"My view is that it would be better if Air Force One were a big, beautiful jet made in the United States of America. That would be ideal," said Missouri Sen. Josh Hawley.
And Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul flatly said he was a "No" on whether Trump should accept the plane. When asked to elaborate on his reasoning, Paul replied: "I don't think it looks good or smells good." The Republican shrugged when asked by a reporter if there were "constitutional questions."
Trump will likely face persistent questions about the plane in the coming days as he travels to the Middle East, including a stop in Qatar.
## Why does Trump want the Qatari plane?
The two planes currently used as Air Force One have been flying for nearly four decades, and Trump is eager to replace them. During his first term, he displayed a model of a new jumbo jet in the Oval Office, complete with a revised paint scheme that echoed the red, white and dark blue design of his personal plane.
Boeing has been working on retrofitting 747s that were originally built for a now-defunct Russian airliner. But the program has faced nearly a decade of delays — with perhaps more on the way — from a series of issues, including a critical subcontractor's bankruptcy and the difficulty of finding and retaining qualified staff who could be awarded high-level security clearances.
The new planes aren't due to be finished until near the end of Trump's term, and he's out of patience. He has described the situation as "a total mess," and he has complained that Air Force One isn't as nice as the planes flown by some Arab leaders.
"It's not even the same ballgame," he said.
Trump said Qatar, which hosts the largest U.S. military base in the Middle East, offered a replacement plane that could be used while the government was waiting for Boeing to finish.
"We give free things out," he said. "We'll take one, too."
He bristled at suggestions that he should turn down the plane, comparing the potential gift to favors on the golf course.
"When they give you a putt, you pick it up and you walk to the next hole and you say, 'Thank you very much,'" he said.
Senate Majority Leader John Thune of South Dakota expressed skepticism.
"I understand his frustration. They're way behind schedule on delivering the next Air Force One," the Republican told reporters. "Whether or not this is the right solution or not, I don't know."
Mississippi GOP Sen. Roger Wicker said that any plane "needs to be gifted to the United States of America."
He added that whether the U.S. should accept a Qatari plane warranted further inquiry. "There'll be some questions about that, and this issue, I expect, will be vetted by the time a decision needs to be made," he said.
## Will the new plane be secure?
The Qatari plane has been described as a "palace in the sky," complete with luxurious accommodations and top-of-the-line finishes.
But security is the primary concern when it comes to presidential travel. The current Air Force One planes were built from scratch near the end of the Cold War. They are hardened against the effects of a nuclear blast and include a range of security features, such as anti-missile countermeasures and an onboard operating room. They are also equipped with air-to-air refueling capabilities for contingencies, though it has never been utilized with a president on board.
A former U.S. official briefed on the Air Force One replacement project said that while it would be possible to add some features to the Qatari jet, there was no way to add the full suite of capabilities to the plane on a tight timetable.
The official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss the sensitive program, said it would be a risk for presidents to fly on such a jet.
One of the most important features of Air Force One is the communications capabilities. Presidents can use the plane as a flying Situation Room, allowing them to respond to crises anywhere on the globe.
However, on Sept. 11, 2001, Republican President George W. Bush was frustrated by communications issues and ordered up massive technology upgrades over subsequent years to improve the president's ability to monitor events and communicate with people around the world.
The new ones under development by Boeing are being stripped down so workers can replace the standard wiring with shielded cabling. They're also modifying the jet with an array of classified security measures and communications capabilities.
Because of the high standards for ensuring a president can communicate clearly and securely, there are fears that Trump would be compromising safety by rushing to modify the Qatari jet.
"Disassembling and evaluating the plane for collection/spy devices will take years," William Evanina, who served as director of the National Counterintelligence and Security Center during Trump's first term, wrote on social media.
He said the plane should be considered nothing more than "a gracious presidential museum piece."
## Is any of this legal or ethical?
Even for a president who has blurred traditional lines around public service and personal gain, Trump's plans to receive a jumbo jet as a gift has rattled Washington.
The Constitution prohibits federal officials from accepting things of value, or "emoluments," from foreign governments without congressional approval.
"This is a classic example of what the founders worried about," said Richard Painter, a law professor at the University of Minnesota and former White House ethics chief under Bush. "But I don't think the founders anticipated it would get this bad."
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told Fox News on Monday that the details of the donation are "still being worked out" but would be done "in full compliance with the law."
She dismissed idea the idea that Qatar wanted to influence Trump.
"They know President Trump, and they know he only works with the interests of the American public in mind," she said.
Trump faced a legal fight over emoluments during his first term, when he opened the doors of his D.C. hotel to lobbyists, business executives and diplomats. His lawyers argued that the founders didn't intend to ban transactions representing an exchange of a service like hotel space for money, only outright gifts. But some ethics lawyers disagreed, and it's not clear if Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, the Philippines and other countries were paying full price or more for when they used the hotel.
In his second term, Trump's family business has been very busy overseas. In December, it struck a deal for two Trump-branded real estate projects in Riyadh with a Saudi firm that two years earlier it had partnered with for a Trump golf resort and villas in Oman. And in Qatar, the Trump Organization announced last month another Trump branded resort along the coast.
Four Democratic senators on the Foreign Relations Committee — Brian Schatz of Hawaii, Chris Coons of Delaware, Cory Booker of New Jersey and Chris Murphy of Connecticut — issued a statement saying Trump's plan "creates a clear conflict of interest, raises serious national security questions, invites foreign influence, and undermines public trust in our government."
"No one — not even the president — is above the law," they said.
___
Condon reported from New York. Associated Press writers Matt Brown, Lolita Baldor and Mary Clare Jalonick contributed to this report. |
Associated Press News | 2025-05-12 20:11:19+00:00 | [
"Donald Trump",
"Gender",
"Andrea Lucas",
"Karen Ortiz",
"Workplace culture",
"Labor",
"Civil rights",
"Email and messaging",
"Discrimination",
"Human rights",
"LGBTQ",
"Politics",
"Brittany Panuccio",
"Jocelyn Samuels",
"Race and ethnicity",
"New York",
"Business",
"Race and Ethnicity"
] | # Civil rights agency moves to fire judge fighting Trump directives
By Claire Savage
May 12th, 2025 08:11 PM
---
The federal agency tasked with protecting workers' civil rights has moved to terminate a New York administrative judge who has resisted compliance with directives from the White House, including President Donald Trump's executive order decreeing male and female as two "immutable" sexes.
The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission in response to Trump's order has moved to drop at least seven of its own pending cases representing transgender workers alleging discrimination, and is classifying all new gender identity-related discrimination cases as its lowest priority, signaling a major departure from its prior interpretation of civil rights law.
EEOC Administrative Judge Karen Ortiz, who in February criticized the agency's Trump-appointed head, Acting Chair Andrea Lucas, in an email copied to more than 1,000 colleagues, on Wednesday was placed on administrative leave. She also received notice that the EEOC leadership sought to fire her, accusing her of "profoundly unprofessional" conduct.
"Of particular concern, your February email was ultimately circulated to multiple press outlets, potentially resulting in significant reputational harm to the agency," according to the notice, which included a PDF of a March 10 article by The Associated Press about Ortiz, along with other materials.
An EEOC spokesperson said on Monday that the agency had no comment on Ortiz's termination proceedings. But in its notice to Ortiz, the agency said its action "does not pertain to the content of your disagreement with the Agency policy, but rather the disrespectful and disparaging manner in which you have conveyed your message."
In her February mass-email criticizing the agency's efforts to comply with Trump's order, Ortiz wrote to Lucas that "You are not fit to be our chair much less hold a license to practice law," adding: "I will not compromise my ethics and my duty to uphold the law." The letter was leaked on Reddit, where it gained more than 10,000 "upvotes." Many users cheered its author.
The EEOC subsequently revoked her email privileges for about a week and issued her a written reprimand for "discourteous conduct."
Ortiz's actions were cited in an April 18 White House proposal aimed to make it easier to fire some federal workers. It listed Ortiz as an example of bureaucrats who "use the protections the system gives them to oppose presidential policies and impose their own preferences."
Ortiz said she was unfazed after being called out by the nation's highest office. Trump "just gave me an even bigger platform," she said in an April 19 message to The AP.
The EEOC has undergone tumultuous change since Trump took office. He fired two of the three Democratic commissioners of the federal agency in an unprecedented move that swept away what would have been a key barrier to his campaign to dismantle diversity and inclusion programs, end protections for transgender and nonbinary workers and other priorities. One of the dismissed commissioners, Jocelyn Samuels, filed a lawsuit challenging her termination, arguing her removal was a violation of the Civil Rights Act that created the agency to be an independent and bipartisan protector of the rights of workers. The move also left the agency without the quorum needed to make key decisions. But last week, Trump tapped an assistant U.S. attorney in Florida, Brittany Panuccio, to fill one of the vacancies. If Panuccio is confirmed by the Senate, the EEOC would regain a quorum and establish a Republican majority 2-1, clearing the path to make major policy changes, including revising agency guidance on how to implement existing civil rights laws.
Since February, Ortiz said she has continued to "raise the alarm" and convey her opposition to the agency's actions, including in an April 24 email to Lucas and several other internal email groups with the subject line, "If You're Seeking Power, Here's Power" and a link to Tears for Fears' 1985 hit "Everybody Wants to Rule the World."
"Take in the lyrics," Ortiz wrote to Lucas. "Ponder what you're allowing yourself to be a part of."
Her ability to send emails was again promptly revoked.
Ortiz said she plans to fight the termination, and is strategizing with her attorneys and union on how best to respond. She may reply to the dismissal notice within 15 days, and has the right to request a time extension, an attorney, a union representative, or another representative of her choosing, according to the document, which was acquired by The AP. A final decision will be issued after the reply period has passed.
"I've been quite the thorn in the agency's side," Ortiz said Monday in a phone interview with The AP. "But, you know, it's warranted."
________
The Associated Press' women in the workforce and state government coverage receives financial support from Pivotal Ventures. 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. |
Associated Press News | 2025-05-13 06:56:45+00:00 | [
"Cricket",
"Sports",
"Mohammad Rizwan",
"Pakistan",
"India"
] | # Pakistan T20 cricket league set to resume after ceasefire
By Rizwan Ali
May 13th, 2025 06:56 AM
---
ISLAMABAD (AP) — The Pakistan Super League is set to resume this weekend after a ceasefire between Pakistan and India.
"PSL X picks up from where it left off! 6 teams, 0 fear," Pakistan Cricket Board chairman Mohsin Naqvi posted Tuesday on X.
"Let the aura take over as we unite and celebrate the spirit of cricket," he posted. "Get ready for 8 thrilling matches starting 17th May, leading up to the Grand Final on 25th May. Best of luck to all the teams!"
Pakistan and India agreed to a truce last Saturday after talks to defuse their most serious military confrontation in decades.
The Pakistan-based Twenty20 league was suspended last Thursday after an Indian drone fell near the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium, which was due to host a game featuring foreign players from Australia, England, South Africa, West Indies, New Zealand and Afghanistan.
The organizers first proposed moving the tournament to Dubai but later decided to postpone it after foreign players showed their reluctance to participate in the tournament due to security concerns. Around 43 foreign cricketers — competing in six PSL teams — were flown out of Pakistan from an airbase in Rawalpindi.
It was not clear how many foreign players will return to Pakistan for the remaining eight games, which will be played at Rawalpindi and Lahore.
The PCB said that Rawalpindi will host the remaining four league matches between May 17-19 before Lahore hosts the playoffs from May 21, including the final at Gaddafi Stadium on May 25.
Quetta Gladiators have already qualified for the playoffs and lead the standings with 13 points. Karachi Kings, Islamabad United, Lahore Qalandars and Peshawar Zalmi are in the running to fill the remaining three playoff spots.
Multan Sultans, led by Mohammad Rizwan, are already out of playoff race after losing eight of their nine league games.
On Monday, the world's most lucrative T20 league — the Indian Premier League — also announced the resumption of the tournament. The IPL will run from Saturday until June 3.
___
AP cricket: https://apnews.com/hub/cricket |
Associated Press News | 2025-05-13 14:02:34+00:00 | [
"China",
"Donald Trump",
"International trade",
"Mexico",
"Gustavo Petro",
"Claudia Sheinbaum",
"United Kingdom",
"China government",
"Howard Lutnick",
"Jerome Powell",
"Ursula Von Der Leyen",
"Joe Biden",
"Justin Trudeau",
"United States government",
"European Union",
"National",
"United States",
"Tariffs and global trade",
"General Motors Co.",
"Politics",
"Mark Carney",
"Ford Motor Co.",
"Business",
"Stellantis NV"
] | # Trump's tariffs have launched global trade wars. Here's a timeline of how we got here
By Wyatte Grantham-Philips
May 13th, 2025 02:02 PM
---
NEW YORK (AP) —
Long-threatened tariffs from U.S. President Donald Trump have plunged the country into trade wars abroad — all while on-again, off-again new levies continue to escalate uncertainty.
Trump launched a trade war during his first term as well, taking particular aim at China by putting taxes on most of its goods. Beijing responded with its own retaliatory tariffs on a range of U.S. products. Trump used the threat of more tariffs to force Canada and Mexico to renegotiate a North American trade pact, called the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement, in 2020.
When President Joe Biden took office, he preserved most of the tariffs Trump had enacted against China, in addition to imposing some new restrictions. But his administration claimed to take a more targeted approach.
Fast-forward to today, and economists stress there could be greater consequences on businesses and economies worldwide under Trump's more sweeping tariffs this time around — and that higher prices will likely leave consumers footing the bill. There's also been a sense of whiplash from Trump's back-and-forth tariff threats and responding retaliation seen over the last few months.
Here's a timeline of how we got here:
## January 20
Trump is sworn into office. In his inaugural address, he again promises to "tariff and tax foreign countries to enrich our citizens." And he reiterates plans to create an agency called the External Revenue Service, which has yet to be established.
On his first day in office, Trump also says he expects to put 25% tariffs on Canada and Mexico starting on Feb. 1, while declining to immediately flesh out plans for taxing Chinese imports.
## January 26
Trump threatens 25% tariffs on all Colombia imports and other retaliatory measures after President Gustavo Petro's rejects two U.S. military aircraft carrying migrants to the country, accusing Trump of not treating immigrants with dignity during deportation.
In response, Petro also announces a retaliatory 25% increase in Colombian tariffs on U.S. goods. But Colombia later reversed its decision and accepted the flights carrying migrants. The two countries soon signaled a halt in the trade dispute.
## February 1
Trump signs an executive order to impose tariffs on imports from Mexico, Canada and China — 10% on all imports from China and 25% on imports from Mexico and Canada starting Feb. 4. Trump invoked this power by declaring a national emergency — ostensibly over undocumented immigration and drug trafficking.
The action prompts swift outrage from all three countries, with promises of retaliatory measures.
## February 3
Trump agrees to a 30-day pause on his tariff threats against Mexico and Canada, as both trading partners take steps to appease Trump's concerns about border security and drug trafficking.
## February 4
Trump's new 10% tariffs on all Chinese imports to the U.S. still go into effect. China retaliates the same day by announcing a flurry of countermeasures, including new duties on a variety of American goods and an anti-monopoly investigation into Google.
China's 15% tariffs on coal and liquefied natural gas products, and a 10% levy on crude oil, agricultural machinery and large-engine cars imported from the U.S., take effect Feb. 10.
## February 10
Trump announces plans to hike steel and aluminum tariffs starting March 12. He removes the exemptions from his 2018 tariffs on steel, meaning that all steel imports will be taxed at a minimum of 25%, and also raises his 2018 aluminum tariffs from 10% to 25%.
## February 13
Trump announces a plan for "reciprocal" tariffs — promising to increase U.S. tariffs to match the tax rates that countries worldwide charge on imports "for purposes of fairness." Economists warn that the reciprocal tariffs, set to overturn decades of trade policy, could create chaos for global businesses.
## February 25
Trump signs an executive order instructing the Commerce Department to consider whether a tariff on imported copper is needed to protect national security. He cites the material's use in U.S. defense, infrastructure and emerging technologies.
## March 1
Trump signs an additional executive order instructing the Commerce Department to consider whether tariffs on lumber and timber are also needed to protect national security, arguing that the construction industry and military depend on a strong supply of wooden products in the U.S.
## March 4
Trump's 25% tariffs on imports from Canada and Mexico go into effect, though he limits the levy to 10% on Canadian energy. He also doubles the tariff on all Chinese imports to 20%.
All three countries promise retaliatory measures. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announces tariffs on more than $100 billion of American goods over the course of 21 days. And Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum says her country would respond with its own retaliatory tariffs on U.S. goods without specifying the targeted products immediately, signaling hopes to de-escalate.
China, meanwhile, imposes tariffs of up to 15% on a wide array of key U.S. farm exports, set to take effect March 10. It also expands the number of U.S. companies subject to export controls and other restrictions by about two dozen.
## March 5
Trump grants a one-month exemption on his new tariffs impacting goods from Mexico and Canada for U.S. automakers. The pause arrives after the president spoke with leaders of the "Big 3" automakers — Ford, General Motors and Stellantis.
## March 6
In a wider extension, Trump postpones 25% tariffs on many imports from Mexico and some imports from Canada for a month.
Trump credited Sheinbaum with making progress on border security and drug smuggling as a reason for again pausing tariffs. His actions also thaw relations with Canada somewhat, although outrage and uncertainty remains. Still, after its initial retaliatory tariffs of $30 billion Canadian (US$21 billion) on U.S. goods, the government says it's suspended a second wave of retaliatory tariffs worth $125 billion Canadian (US$87 billion).
## March 10
China's retaliatory 15% tariffs on key American farm products — including chicken, pork, soybeans and beef — take effect. Goods already in transit are set to be exempt through April 12, per China's Commerce Ministry previous announcement.
## March 12
Trump's new tariffs on all steel and aluminum imports go into effect. Both metals are now taxed at 25% across the board — with Trump's order to remove steel exemptions and raise aluminum's levy from his previously-imposed 2018 import taxes.
The European Union takes retaliatory trade action promising new duties on U.S. industrial and farm products. The measures will cover goods from the United States worth some 26 billion euros ($28 billion), and not just steel and aluminum products, but also textiles, home appliances and agricultural goods. Motorcycles, bourbon, peanut butter and jeans will be hit, as they were during Trump's first term. The 27-member bloc later says it will delay this retaliatory action until mid-April.
Canada, meanwhile, announces plans to impose more retaliatory tariffs worth Canadian $29.8 billion ($20.7 billion) on U.S. imports, set to go into effect March 13.
## March 13
Trump threatens a 200% tariff on European wine, Champagne and spirits if the European Union goes forward with its previously-announced plans for a 50% tariff on American whiskey.
## March 24
Trump says he will place a 25% tariff on all imports from any country that buys oil or gas from Venezuela, in addition to imposing new tariffs on the South American country itself, starting April 2.
The tariffs would most likely add to the taxes facing China, which in 2023 bought 68% of the oil exported by Venezuela, per the U.S. Energy Information Administration. But a number of countries also receive oil from Venezuela — including the United States itself.
## March 26
Trump says he is placing 25% tariffs on auto imports. These auto imports will start being collected April 3 — beginning with taxes on fully-imported cars. The tariffs are set to then expand to applicable auto parts in the following weeks, through May 3.
## April 2
Trump announces his long-promised "reciprocal" tariffs — declaring a 10% baseline tax on imports across the board starting April 5, as well as higher rates for dozens of nations that run trade surpluses with the U.S. to take effect April 9.
Among those steeper levies, Trump says the U.S. will now charge a 34% tax on imports from China, a 20% tax on imports from the European Union, 25% on South Korea, 24% on Japan and 32% on Taiwan. The new tariffs come on top of previously-imposed levies, including the 20% tax Trump announced on all Chinese imports earlier this year.
Meanwhile, for Canada and Mexico, the White House says USMCA-compliant imports can continue to enter the U.S. duty-free. Once the two countries have satisfied Trump's demands on immigration and drug trafficking, the White House adds, the tariff on the rest of their imports may drop from 25% to 12%.
## April 3
Trump's previously-announced auto tariffs begin. Prime Minister Mark Carney says that Canada will match the 25% levies with a tariff on vehicles imported from the U.S.
## April 4
China announces plans to impose a 34% tariff on imports of all U.S. products beginning April 10, matching Trump's new "reciprocal" tariff on Chinese goods, as part of a flurry of retaliatory measures.
The Commerce Ministry in Beijing says it will also impose more export controls on rare earths, which are materials used in high-tech products like computer chips and electric vehicle batteries. And the government adds 27 firms to lists of companies subject to trade sanctions or export controls.
## April 5
Trump's 10% minimum tariff on nearly all countries and territories takes effect.
## April 9
Trump's higher "reciprocal" rates go into effect, hiking taxes on imports from dozens of countries just after midnight. But hours later, his administration says it will suspend most of these higher rates for 90 days, while maintaining the recently-imposed 10% levy on nearly all global imports.
China is the exception. After following through on a threat to raise levies against China to a total of 104%, Trump says he will now raise those import taxes to 125% "effective immediately" — escalating tit-for-tat duties that have piled up between the two countries. The White House later clarifies that total tariffs against China are actually now 145%, once his previous 20% fentanyl tariffs are accounted for.
China upped its retaliation prior to this announcement — vowing to tax American goods at 84% starting April 10. Also earlier, EU member states vote to approve their own retaliatory levies on 20.9 billion euros ($23 billion) of U.S. goods in response to Trump's previously-imposed steel and aluminum tariffs. The EU's executive commission doesn't immediately specify which imports it will tax, but notes its counter tariffs will come in stages — with some set to arrive on April 15, and others May 15 and Dec. 1.
Separately, Canada's counter tariffs on auto imports take effect. The country implements a 25% levy on auto imports from the U.S. that do not comply with the 2020 USMCA pact.
## April 10
The EU puts its steel and aluminum tariff retaliation on hold for 90 days, to match Trump's pause on steeper "reciprocal" levies. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen says the commission wants to give negotiations with the U.S. a chance — but warns countermeasures will kick in if talks "are not satisfactory."
## April 11
China says it will raise tariffs on U.S. goods from 84% to 125%, in response to Trump's heightened levies. The new rate is set to begin April 12.
Later, the Trump administration unveils that electronics, including smartphones and laptops, will be exempt from so-called "reciprocal" tariffs. But in the days following, U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick signals that this is only a temporary reprieve, saying that sector-specific levies on semiconductors will arrive in "probably a month or two." And other, non-"reciprocal" tariffs that tax some electronics, notably from China, remain.
## April 14
Trump says he might temporarily exempt the auto industry from tariffs he previously imposed on the sector, to give carmakers time to adjust their supply chains.
The Trump administration also launches investigations into imports of computer chips, chipmaking equipment and pharmaceuticals — signaling next steps toward imposing tariffs on these sectors. The U.S. Commerce Department posts notices about these probes, seeking public comment within the next three weeks.
Separately, the Commerce Department says it's withdrawing from a 2019 agreement that had suspended an antidumping investigation into fresh tomato imports from Mexico. That termination, set to take effect July 14, means most tomatoes from Mexico will be subject to a 20.91% tariff.
## April 29
Trump signs executive orders to relax some of his 25% tariffs on automobiles and auto parts — aimed at easing import taxes for vehicles that are made with foreign parts, but assembled in the U.S.
For one year, the administration says it will provide a rebate of 3.75% relative to the sales prices of a domestically-assembled car — a figure reached by putting the previously-imposed 25% import tax on parts that make up 15% of that price. And for the second year, the rebate would equal 2.5% of the sales price, applying to a smaller share of the vehicle's parts.
## May 3
The latest round of Trump's auto tariffs takes effect. The previously-announced 25% levies now apply to a range of imported auto parts.
## May 4
Trump threatens a 100% tariff on foreign-made films, while claiming that the movie industry in the U.S. is dying. It isn't immediately clear how such a tariff on international productions could be implemented, but Trump says he's authorized the Commerce Department and the U.S. Trade Representative to "immediately begin the process."
## May 6
The U.S. trade deficit soared to a record $140.5 billion in March as consumers and businesses tried to get ahead of Trump'stariffs. Federal data showed an enormous stockpiling of pharmaceutical products. The deficit — which measures the gap between the value of goods and services the U.S. sells abroad against what it buys — has roughly doubled during the past year.
Also, the U.S. government announced that top officials are set to meet with a high-level Chinese delegation over the weekend in Switzerland in the first major talks between the two nations since President Trump sparked a trade war. No country has been hit harder by Trump's trade war than China, the world's biggest exporter and second largest economy. U.S. tariffs against China are set at 145% and China tariffs on the U.S. at 125%.
## May 7
The Federal Reserve left its key interest rate unchanged at 4.3%, saying that the risks of both higher unemployment and higher inflation have risen due to uncertainty about how and when Trump's tariffs might impact the U.S. economy. Chair Jerome Powell underscored that the tariffs have dampened consumer and business sentiment and that there's currently too many unknowns to be able to predict how the Fed might adjust its interest rate policy going forward.
## May 8
The United States and Britain announced a trade deal, potentially lowering the financial burden from tariffs while creating greater access abroad for American goods. The president said the agreement would lead to more beef and ethanol exports to the U.K., which would also streamline the processing of U.S. goods though customs. Trump said final details were being written up. "In the coming weeks, we'll have it all very conclusive," Trump said.
Britain said the deal will cut tariffs on U.K. cars from 27.5% to 10%, with a quota of 100,000 U.K. vehicles that can be imported to the U.S. at a 10% tariff. It also eliminate tariffs on steel and aluminum.
Separately, the European Union published a list of U.S. imports that it would target with retaliatory duties if no solution is found to end U.S. President Donald Trump's tariff war. The EU's executive branch, the European Commission, also said it would begin legal action at the World Trade Organization over the "reciprocal tariffs" that Trump imposed on countries around the world a month ago.
## May 12
The United States and China agreed to roll back most of the tariffs each nation had imposed on the other and declared a 90-day truce in their trade war.
The Trump administration said it would reduce the 145% duties it had imposed on imports from China to 30%, while China said it would cut its 125% tariffs on U.S. goods to 10%. Some of the U.S. tariffs — 24 percentage points — will be delayed for 90 days, while the rest of have been removed.
The deal was celebrated by financial markets, which soared in response. Yet economists noted that tariffs between the two countries remained noticeably higher than they were a few months ago. |
Associated Press News | 2025-05-13 13:53:25+00:00 | [
"Soccer",
"Premier League",
"New Zealand",
"Australia",
"Sports",
"Sydney",
"Rob McElhenney"
] | # Wrexham heading Down Under for preseason tour ahead of push for Premier League
May 13th, 2025 01:53 PM
---
WREXHAM, Wales (AP) — Wrexham is heading Down Under to prepare for its first shot at getting into the Premier League.
The fast-rising Welsh club owned by Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney will play three preseason friendlies in an eight-day span in July during a tour of Australia and New Zealand.
Wrexham has just clinched a third straight promotion and will be playing next season in the Championship — one tier down from the Premier League.
Wrexham will play Melbourne Victory on July 11 and then Sydney FC four days later, the team said Tuesday. The closing game of the tour will be against Wellington Phoenix on July 19.
"From the very beginning, we wanted to help make Wrexham a globally recognized team, town and brand," Reynolds and McElhenney said in a club statement. "We could not be more excited to bring the Red Dragons to Australia and New Zealand."
Wrexham has previously had preseason tours to the United States.
___
AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer |
Associated Press News | 2025-05-13 13:47:41+00:00 | [
"Canada",
"Electric vehicles",
"Ken Chiu",
"Ontario",
"Business",
"Flavio Volpe",
"Honda Motor Co.",
"Ltd."
] | # Honda Canada postpones multibillion EV investment project in Ontario
May 13th, 2025 01:47 PM
---
TORONTO (AP) — Honda Canada will postpone a $15-billion Canadian (US$10.7 billion) electric vehicle investment project in Canada's most populous province, including a proposed EV battery plant and retooled vehicle assembly facility.
Honda Canada spokesman Ken Chiu said Tuesday due to the recent slowdown in the EV market, Honda has announced an approximate two-year postponement of the comprehensive value chain investment project in Ontario.
"The company will continue to evaluate the timing and project progression as market conditions change," Chiu said in a statement.
The decision has no impact on current employment at the Honda manufacturing plant in Alliston, Ontario, he added.
Honda's EV project in Canada includes a retooled assembly plant, an electric vehicle battery plant in close proximity, as well as two key battery parts facilities located elsewhere in Ontario.
The project was expected to see the two main plants create 1,000 jobs on top of retaining the existing 4,200 jobs at the assembly plant.
Under the original plan, the plant was set to produce up to 240,000 vehicles per year when fully operational in 2028.
Ottawa was set to give the Japanese automaker around $2.5 billion Canadian (US$1.8 billion) through tax credits, while Ontario committed to providing up to $2.5 billion Canadian (US$1.8 billion) in support directly and indirectly.
"The market cooling consequences of US tariff actions continue to be felt by everyone, Honda included," Flavio Volpe, president of the Automotive Parts Manufacturers' Association, posted on social media. |
Associated Press News | 2025-05-13 13:38:22+00:00 | [
"Soccer",
"Liverpool FC",
"Atletico Madrid",
"FC Barcelona",
"Tottenham Hotspur FC",
"SSC Napoli",
"Uruguay",
"Marcelo Bielsa",
"Rodrigo Bentancur",
"Jose Maria Gimenez",
"Sports"
] | # Sports court rejects appeal from Uruguay players who clashed with fans at Copa America game in US
May 13th, 2025 01:38 PM
---
LAUSANNE, Switzerland (AP) — Sport's highest court rejected an appeal by five Uruguay players against their bans for clashing with fans after a Copa America semifinal in North Carolina last year, dismissing their claim that they acted in self defense to protect their families.
Five Uruguay players, including Liverpool forward Darwin Núñez, Barcelona defender Ronald Araújo and Atletico Madrid defender José María Giménez, were banned for between three and five games by South American soccer body CONMEBOL after the brawl.
The players had clashed with fans in the stands at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte after a 1-0 loss to Colombia last July. Tottenham midfielder Rodrigo Bentancur and Napoli defender Mathías Olivera also were involved and later banned.
The Court of Arbitration for Sport said Tuesday its judges dismissed appeals by the players and the Uruguayan soccer federation.
"The panel found that in this case, the principle of self-defense does not apply and that the conduct of the players constituted a voluntary, violent and unjustified action," the court said in a statement.
Núñez should now be suspended when Uruguay resumes World Cup qualifying games at Paraguay on June 5 and hosts Venezuela five days later.
Coached by Marcelo Bielsa, the team is on track to qualify for the 2026 tournament and return to the U.S., which will co-host the tournament with Canada and Mexico.
Uruguay is third in the standings in the 10-team South American qualifying group with four rounds left, six points ahead of seventh-placed Venezuela.
The top six in the final standings in September advance directly to the World Cup and the seventh-place team enters an intercontinental playoff in March next year.
___
AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer |
Associated Press News | 2025-05-13 10:49:30+00:00 | [
"Turkey",
"Abdullah Ocalan",
"Kurdistan Workers Party",
"Recep Tayyip Erdogan",
"Iraq",
"Turkey government",
"Syria",
"Islam",
"Syria government",
"Disarmament",
"Politics"
] | # Turkey says it is closely monitoring PKK disbandment to secure peace
By Suzan Fraser
May 13th, 2025 10:49 AM
---
ANKARA, Turkey (AP) — Turkey is closely monitoring any attempts to undermine its peace initiative with the PKK, a senior official said Tuesday, following the militant Kurdish group's announcement that it is dissolving and ending its decades-long armed conflict with the Turkish state.
The PKK, designated as a terrorist organization by several, announced the historic decision on Monday months after its imprisoned leader called for the group to formally disband and disarm — a move that could bring an end to one of the Middle East's longest-running insurgencies.
In making the call, the PKK leader stressed the need for securing Kurdish rights through negotiation rather than armed struggle.
Previous peace efforts with the group have failed, most recently in 2015. Given the past failures, a close aide to President Recep Tayyip Erdogan expressed determination to uphold the current initiative and prevent any disruptions.
"We are closely following attempts to sabotage the process and we will not allow anyone to test our state's determination in this regard," Fahrettin Altun, the head of the Turkish presidential communications office said.
The PKK initially launched its struggle with the goal of establishing an independent Kurdish state. Over time, it moderated its objectives toward autonomy and greater Kurdish rights within Turkey. The conflict, which has spilled into neighboring Iraq and Syria, has claimed tens of thousands of lives since it began in the 1980s.
The latest peace effort, which the government has labeled "Terror-Free Turkey" was launched in October, after a key ally of President Recep Tayyip suggested parole for PKK leader Abdullah Ocalan if the PKK renounces violence and disbands.
Officials have not disclose details about the process that will follow the PKK's decision.
Media close to the government have reported that the PKK's disarmament process is expected to take three to four months, with weapons being collected at designated locations in northern Iraq under official supervision.
According to Hurriyet newspaper, the disarmament could be overseen jointly by Turkey and the Kurdistan Regional Government in Iraq or through a commission involving Turkey, the United States, European Union nations and Iraq.
The newspaper also suggested that high-ranking PKK members may be relocated to third countries, while lower-ranking militants without arrest warrants could return to Turkey once a legal framework is established to facilitate their reintegration.
Turkish officials have not responded to requests for comment on the report.
Analysts expect Ocalan to see improved prison conditions following the PKK's disbandment.
Erdogan said Monday the PKK's declaration should apply to all PKK-affiliated groups, including Kurdish groups in Syria.
The Kurdish fighters in Syria have ties to the PKK and have been involved in intense fighting with Turkish-backed forces there. The leader of the U.S.-backed Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces previously said Ocalan's call for a dissolution does not apply to his group in Syria.
The group then reached an agreement with the central government in Damascus for a nationwide ceasefire and its merger into the Syrian army. Despite the deal, Kurdish officials in Syria later declared their desire for a federal state, sparking tensions with the Syrian government.
Some believe the main aim of the reconciliation effort is for Erdogan's government to garner Kurdish support for a new constitution that would allow him to remain in power beyond 2028, when his term ends. |
Associated Press News | 2025-05-13 13:19:48+00:00 | [
"Cycling",
"Sports retirements",
"2024 Paris Olympic Games",
"Sports",
"Bradley Wiggins"
] | # Cycling champion Bradley Wiggins says he was a cocaine addict and is 'lucky' to be alive
May 13th, 2025 01:19 PM
---
LONDON (AP) — Former Tour de France champion Bradley Wiggins has revealed he became addicted to cocaine after retiring from cycling.
In an interview with British newspaper The Observer, the five-time Olympic gold medalist said he is "lucky" to be alive.
"There were times my son thought I was going to be found dead in the morning," the 45-year-old Wiggins said. "I was a functioning addict. People wouldn't realize. I was high for most of the time for years."
The British cyclist was a gold medalist in four straight Olympics from 2004 and won the Tour in 2012. He retired in 2016.
In 2022, he made an allegation in an interview with Men's Health UK magazine that he was sexually groomed by a coach — whose name he did not reveal — when he was 13 years old.
In a soon-to-be-published autobiography, The Chain, Wiggins detailed how his life spiraled into a cycle of debt and addiction after retirement from the sport.
Wiggins told the Observer his cocaine addiction became a "really bad problem" and he was "walking a tightrope." He quit his addiction a year ago, the newspaper said.
"I already had a lot of self-hatred, but I was amplifying it," he said. "It was a form of self-harm and self-sabotage. It was not the person I wanted to be. I realized I was hurting a lot of people around me."
___
AP sports: https://apnews.com/sports |
Associated Press News | 2025-05-13 04:39:11+00:00 | [
"Donald Trump",
"International trade",
"Shigeru Ishiba",
"China",
"Japan",
"Japan government",
"World Trade Organization",
"Tariffs and global trade",
"Business",
"Politics"
] | # WTO chief says global free trade is in crisis
By Mari Yamaguchi
May 13th, 2025 04:39 AM
---
TOKYO (AP) — Global free trade is in crisis, the head of the World Trade Organization chief said Tuesday while meeting Japanese Prime Minister Shigaru Ishiba on Tuesday.
Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, director-general of the World Trade Organization, told Ishiba that she has high expectations for Japan as a champion of open markets as U.S. President Donald Trump disrupts world commerce with his fast-changing tariffs and other policies.
"Trade is facing very challenging times right now and it is quite difficult," she said. "We should try to use this crisis as an opportunity to solve the challenges we have and take advantage of new trends in trade."
Japan, as "a champion of the multilateral trading system" must help maintain, strengthen and reform the WTO, the Japanese Foreign Ministry cited her as saying.
Later Tuesday, the WTO chief met with Japanese Foreign Minister Takeshi Iwaya and issued a joint statement, saying that "in a time of uncertainty and disruption, the value of the multilateral trading system is unquestionable." Japan said in the same statement the current trade turmoil "would have a significant impact on the global economy and the entire multilateral trading system" and called for promoting WTO reforms, including its rule-making function, dispute settlement and monitoring of the implementation of agreements.
They met a day after the United States and China said they had agreed to slash recent sky- high tariffs for 90 days to allow time for negotiations.
Japan is among many countries yet to reach a deal with the Trump administration on hikes to U.S. tariffs, including those on autos, steel and aluminum.
The WTO played a pivotal role in past decades as the U.S. and other major economies championed the trade liberalization that facilitated the growth of global supply chains, many of which are anchored in China. By dismantling many protectionist barriers to trade, it has aided the ascent of Japan and China, and many other countries, as export manufacturing hubs.
Since taking office for a second time, Trump has prioritized higher tariffs to try to reduce U.S. imports and compel companies to locate factories in the United States, doubling down on a trade war that he launched during his first term.
Okonjo-Iweala and Ishiba agreed that WTO member countries should unite to restore the organization's capacity to address challenges.
The trade chief visited Japan to strengthen cooperation between the east Asian country and the WTO to maintain and reinforce the multilateral trading system, Japanese officials said.
She also met with Finance Minister Katsunobu Kato and Economy, Trade and Industry Minister Yoji Muto.
___
Associated Press video journalist Mayuko Ono in Tokyo contributed to this report. |
Associated Press News | 2025-05-13 09:35:59+00:00 | [
"Libya",
"Tripoli",
"War and unrest",
"Military and defense",
"Abdul Hamid Dbeibah",
"Ahmed Ammer",
"Libya government",
"Mahmoud Hamza"
] | # A warlord and 6 other people killed as militia infighting rocks Libya's capital, officials say
By Samy Magdy
May 13th, 2025 09:35 AM
---
CAIRO (AP) — Clashes between heavily armed militias rocked the Libyan capital, with gunfire and explosions heard across the city following the killing of a powerful warlord, officials said. At least six people were killed, they said.
The hourslong clashes, which involved heavy weapons, took place Monday evening into the early hours of Tuesday and centered in Tripoli's southern neighborhood of Abu Salim, the officials said.
The fighting stemmed from the killing of Abdel-Ghani al-Kikli, commander of the Stabilization Support Authority, SSA, on Monday by a rival militia, a senior government and health official said.
The SSA is an umbrella group of militias that rose to become one of the most powerful groups in western Libya, which has a history of atrocities and rights abuses during the country's long-running conflict. Al-Kikli, who was known as "Gheniwa," has been accused by Amnesty International of war crimes and other serious rights violations over the past decade.
Al-Kikli was killed in a facility run by the 444 Brigade, a militia commanded by Mahmoud Hamza, a warlord close to Prime Minister Abdul Hamid Dbeibah, one of the officials said.
Hamza's militia and their allies then attacked the offices of SSA across the capital, seizing their assets and detaining dozens of SSA fighters, said the officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity for their safety.
The Health Ministry's Ambulance and Emergency Services said in a statement that at least six people were killed in the vicinity of Abu Salim, the SSA stronghold. It said it helped evacuate many families trapped in the clashes.
Residents reported heavy clashes and explosions in multiple areas in the capital, with dozens of vehicles carrying fighters affiliated with different militias in the streets.
"It was a nightmare," said Ahmed Ammer, who lives in the city center, adding that the clashes were reminiscent of the civil war that engulfed the North African country following the 2011 overthrow and killing of longtime ruler Moammar Gadhafi.
He said the clashes subsided early Tuesday morning, but the situation has been tense with many fighters in the streets.
Classes in the capital's schools were suspended on Tuesday, according to the Tripoli-based Education Ministry. The University of Tripoli also said it suspended studies, exams and administrative work until further notice.
Dbeibah's government posted on its social media platforms early Tuesday that its forces carried out a military operation in Abu Salim and took full control of the area. It didn't provide further details.
In a statement, the U.N. mission in Libya expressed alarm about the "intense fighting with heavy weaponry in densely populated civilian areas" and warned that "attacks on civilians and civilian objects may amount to war crimes."
The clashes were the latest bout of violence in the largely lawless Mediterranean country, which has been plunged into chaos and division since 2011. Amid the chaos, militias grew in wealth and power, particularly in Tripoli and the western part of the country.
Libya has been divided for years between rival administrations in the east and west, each backed by armed groups and foreign governments. Currently, it is governed by Dbeibah's government in the west and by the administration of Prime Minister Ossama Hammad in the east. |
Associated Press News | 2025-05-13 13:06:49+00:00 | [
"Ari Aster",
"Cannes Film Festival",
"Josh OConnor",
"Joaquin Phoenix",
"Michael Cera",
"Kelly Reichardt",
"Denzel Washington",
"Movies",
"Paul Mescal",
"Emma Stone",
"Pedro Pascal",
"Sean Baker",
"Juliette Binoche",
"Benicio del Toro",
"Kristen Stewart",
"Scarlett Johansson",
"Spike Lee",
"Tom Cruise",
"Jafar Panahi",
"Joachim Trier",
"Lynne Ramsay",
"Oliver Hermanus",
"Luc Dardenne",
"Arts and entertainment",
"Chie Hayakawa",
"Mascha Schilinksi",
"Julia Ducournau",
"Donald Trump",
"Bong Joon-ho",
"Harris Dickinson",
"Wes Anderson",
"Entertainment"
] | # 5 things to look for at this year's Cannes Film Festival
By Jake Coyle
May 13th, 2025 01:06 PM
---
CANNES, France (AP) — The 78th Cannes Film Festival got underway Tuesday, kicking off two weeks of French Riviera frenzy. Here are five things to look for at this year's Cannes:
## Oscar season starts now
It might still be springtime, but, make no mistake, multiple Oscar campaigns will be launched in Cannes.
Recent Cannes editions have produced several best-picture winners, including Bong Joon Ho's "Parasite" and this year's winner, "Anora" by Sean Baker. The sway Cannes has on the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences has only grown in recent years as the academy has expanded its overseas membership — many of them European voters who closely follow the buzz in Cannes.
At the Oscars in March, three Cannes entries — "Anora," "Emilia Perez" and "The Substance" — were among the 10 best-picture nominees. Less heralded movies can also emerge. The Latvian animated charmer "Flow" premiered last year in Cannes before its upset win at the Oscars.
## As ever, a wide-open Palme d'Or race
Before we get to the Academy Awards, though, Cannes will hand out its own prize, the Palme d'Or.
Deliberations by the jury (headed this year by Juliette Binoche ) are held entirely in private, so predicting the Palme is no easier than it was guessing the next pope. That doesn't stop bookies from handicapping the race and plenty of guesswork up and down the Croisette.
This year's competition lineup features two previous Palme winners in Julia Ducournau (who returns with "Alpha," her follow-up to "Titane") and Jean-Pierre and Luc Dardenne (two-time winners, back this year with "The Young Mother's Home").
Some of the movies that could be in the mix include Lynne Ramsay's "Die, My Love," Jafar Panahi's "A Simple Accident" and Mascha Schilinksi's "Sound of Falling." Or it could be Chie Hayakawa's "Renoir," Joachim Trier's "Sentimental Value" or Ari Aster's "Eddington." Or it could be … well, you get the idea.
## Who will shine on the red carpet in Cannes?
Cannes has a power to burnish even the most established stars, and its red carpet will, for the next 10 days, host a nonstop parade of them. (And they will be clothed, as per Cannes' latest etiquette protocol.)
Among those on tap are Tom Cruise with "Mission Impossible: Final Reckoning" on Wednesday; Spike Lee's "Highest 2 Lowest," with Denzel Washington; Wes Anderson's "The Phoenician Scheme," with a cast featuring Benicio Del Toro and Michael Cera; Ari Aster's "Eddington," with Joaquin Phoenix, Pedro Pascal and Emma Stone; and Oliver Hermanus' "The History of Sound," with Paul Mescal and Josh O'Connor.
O'Connor also stars in Kelly Reichardt's "The Mastermind," scheduled as one of the festival's last premieres.
## How will the actors-turned-directors fare?
Three stars are coming to Cannes with their first features behind the camera: Scarlett Johansson ("Eleanor the Great"), Kristen Stewart ("The Chronology of Water") and Harris Dickinson ("Urchin"). All are premiering in the Cannes sidebar Un Certain Regard, which means they won't have quite the pressure of the competition lineup. But there's no calm or easygoing section of Cannes, and each could emerge from the festival either minted as a filmmaker or humbled by critics.
## Will the threat of tariffs dampen deal making?
While Cannes movie screens light up with films, deal making transpires along the Croisette. Cannes draws studios, producers and sales agents all on the hunt for acquisitions. But when U.S. President Donald Trump last week announced that he wants to enact tariffs on films made outside the U.S., it threw a giant wrench in the border-crossing dealmaking that Cannes specializes in. Yet with little detail on any possible tariffs and widespread doubt over its feasibility, the buying and selling of movies might not be slowed.
___
For more coverage of the 2025 Cannes Film Festival, visit: https://apnews.com/hub/cannes-film-festival |
Associated Press News | 2025-05-13 11:21:03+00:00 | [
"Arizona",
"Donald Trump",
"New Jersey",
"Nevada",
"Hispanics",
"Joe Biden",
"U.S. Democratic Party",
"Bernie Sanders",
"Voting",
"Immigration",
"2024 United States presidential election",
"Kamala Harris",
"Elon Musk",
"Race and ethnicity",
"Ruben Gallego",
"Politics",
"Chuck Rocha",
"Patricia Campos-Medina",
"Alex Berrios",
"Thomas Perez",
"Business",
"Alex Ball",
"Daniel Garza",
"Ras Baraka",
"Race and Ethnicity"
] | # Some Democrats push the economy, not immigration, for Latino voters
By Adriana Gomez Licon
May 13th, 2025 11:21 AM
---
FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (AP) — Democrats have long focused on immigration when courting Latino voters in states like Arizona, Nevada, New Jersey, and Florida, where generations of Mexican, Cuban and other Latin American immigrants have settled and gained permanent legal status.
But Donald Trump's victory in the 2024 presidential election and the rightward shift of Latino voters have some liberals reconsidering traditional wisdom.
"People do care about it, but they don't vote on it. They vote on the economy," said Patricia Campos-Medina, a labor activist who ran for the U.S. Senate last year in New Jersey and is now advising U.S. Rep. Mikie Sherrill, one of the Democrats running for governor in next month's primary.
Liberal strategists, organizers and some politicians are urging Democrats to focus on the economy in this year's elections rather than on immigration. Some argue a broad economic message would be more effective with the wide range of nationalities and experiences in the Latino community rather than customized efforts based on perceived cultural or political interests.
Last year, Trump, a Republican, made inroads in heavily Puerto Rican areas of eastern Pennsylvania and turned South Texas' Rio Grande Valley while improving his numbers along Florida's Interstate 4 corridor. His message to Latinos focused heavily on the economy and border security.
"Latino operatives have been saying, 'Don't treat us all as a monolith,'" said Tory Gavito, who co-founded Way to Win, a progressive group formed after Trump's 2016 win that recently conducted focus groups with Latinos who skipped the 2024 election. "They were pretty monolithic."
## Economic concerns topped everything else
Inflation was top of mind for nearly half of Latinos who voted last fall, according to AP VoteCast, a wide-ranging survey of the 2024 electorate. About three-quarters of Latino Trump voters were very concerned about housing costs in their community, compared with about 6 in 10 white Trump voters.
"Where we fell short was failing to fully appreciate the bread-and-butter economic issues that were driving them," said Tom Perez, a former Democratic National Committee chair who advised President Joe Biden. He is now co-chair of the American Bridge 21st Century, a group that does opposition research on Republicans. "Many folks felt like we were too focused on identity politics and not focused enough on the cost of eggs, the cost of gas, the cost of living."
Alex Berrios, co-founder of the organizing group Mi Vecino, which mobilizes Latino voters in Florida, Arizona and Maine, said Democrats focused too much on using buzzwords and trying to micro-target specific nationalities. The result, he argues, left voters feeling as though the party's message was staged.
"It's like they were saying, 'Let me get my Venezuelan script out,'" Berrios said. "No. The first thing is just be relatable."
Chuck Rocha is a Democratic strategist who mobilized Latinos for U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders' presidential bid in 2020 and for U.S. Sen. Ruben Gallego last year and started a super political action committee, or PAC, to reach out to Latinos in key races. He argued that Democrats "mess up by bringing a policy book to a boxing match."
"It's about three things: affordability, affordability, affordability," he said. "Affordability is the only thing that they care about because that's what's hitting them in the face every day."
## New Jersey becomes an early test
New Jersey's primary for governor is an early test of the different Democratic points of view. Last year, Trump flipped two Hispanic-majority towns that he had lost by more than 30 and 50 percentage points in 2016. Democrat Kamala Harris won a traditionally blue state by just 6 percentage points, the closest presidential contest there since 2004.
Sherrill, who flipped a longtime Republican district in winning her House seat in 2018, has focused on her biography and her military service while also arguing she will stand up to Trump and billionaire adviser Elon Musk. One of her ads promises she will "drive down costs from health care to housing."
Her campaign manager, Alex Ball, outlined during the weekend in a memo that one of its goals is meeting in person Hispanic voters from two suburban counties who have voted in three of the four past Democratic primaries.
"There is a real risk of a Republican winning in November, but Mikie is the candidate who can win just like she has won tough elections before, even driving out a long-time Republican incumbent in a Trump district — something no one thought was possible," Ball wrote.
Meanwhile, Newark Mayor Ras Baraka has frequently campaigned against U.S. immigration authorities' plans to open a detention facility in his city. The mayor was arrested by immigration authorities on Friday while demonstrating outside, with video of his detention and release spreading widely and leading to his competitors in the Democratic primary rallying to his side.
## Democrats see an opening
A May AP-NORC poll found that 38% of Hispanic adults approve of Trump's handling of the economy, which is roughly in line with U.S. adults overall.
But there's growing unease as Trump's plans to revive manufacturing and reshape the global economy have been rolled out with constant changes, creating uncertainty and sparking concerns of prices rising and products disappearing from shelves. From January through March, the economy shrank for the first time in three years as businesses were disrupted by Trump's trade wars. Trump fired thousands of federal workers, with impacts felt outside of Washington.
The Libre Initiative, a Koch Network-affiliated conservative group, is running ads targeting Latinos in support of tax breaks approved during Trump's first term that may expire at year's end.
Daniel Garza, president of the group, acknowledged "nervousness" among Latino voters, with some wondering if maybe Trump took on too much and too fast. But Garza said that it's too soon to make a fair assessment of his second term, which began in January.
He argues voters should wait and see how Trump negotiates trade and whether the Republican Party can pass his "big, beautiful bill" with both tax breaks and spending cuts and promises he made such as exempting tips, overtime and Social Security from taxation.
"My sense is that Latinos are a very patient lot," he said. "Aguantamos mucho."
That is Spanish for "We put up with a lot."
___
Associated Press Polling Editor Amelia Thomson-DeVeaux in Washington contributed to this report. |
Associated Press News | 2025-05-12 22:04:36+00:00 | [
"Tallahassee",
"Shootings",
"Crime",
"Homicide",
"Prisons",
"Gun violence",
"Education"
] | # Man accused in Florida State shooting out of hospital and booked into jail on murder charges
May 12th, 2025 10:04 PM
---
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) — A man accused of fatally shooting two people and wounding six others during a shooting last month at Florida State University was discharged from a Tallahassee hospital on Monday and charged with murder, authorities said.
Phoenix Ikner, 20, was booked into the Leon County Detention Facility on two counts of first-degree murder and seven counts of attempted first-degree murder, the Leon County Sheriff's Office said in a statement. He was then transferred to a jail in neighboring Wakulla County, which is standard procedure when an inmate is related to a Leon County deputy.
Ikner, identified as the stepson of a sheriff's deputy, arrived on campus April 17 and stayed near a parking garage before he walked in and out of buildings and green spaces while firing a handgun just before lunchtime, police said.
In roughly four minutes, officers confronted Ikner, a political science student at Florida State, and shot and wounded him, Tallahassee police said.
Police believe Ikner used a former service weapon that belongs to his stepmother, an 18-year veteran of the Leon County Sheriff's Office, officials said. In recent years, she has worked as a middle school resource officer and was the department's employee of the month a year ago in March. After the shooting she requested and was granted personal leave and also reassigned from her post at the school.
Authorities have not yet revealed a motive for the shooting.
Online jail and court records Monday didn't list an attorney for Ikner. Multiple attempts to reach his family after the shooting went unanswered. |
Associated Press News | 2025-05-14 06:51:44+00:00 | [
"Poland",
"Donald Tusk",
"Andrzej Duda",
"Military and defense",
"Poland government",
"Global elections",
"Conservatism",
"Legislation",
"Elections",
"Politics",
"Voting",
"Government policy",
"Business"
] | # A look at the leading candidates for Poland's next president
By Vanessa Gera
May 14th, 2025 06:51 AM
---
WARSAW, Poland (AP) — Poland holds a presidential election Sunday as the conservative incumbent Andrzej Duda nears the end of his second and final term. If none of the 13 candidates wins at least 50% of the vote, a runoff will be held June 1 between the top two. All signs indicate it will be a showdown between Warsaw Mayor Rafał Trzaskowski and conservative historian Karol Nawrocki.
While much of the power in Poland lies with the prime minister and legislature, the presidency is far more than ceremonial, with influence over foreign policy and military affairs and the ability to veto legislation.
Here is a look at the top four candidates:
## Rafał Trzaskowski, the liberal mayor of Warsaw
Trzaskowski, a political ally of Prime Minister Donald Tusk, has been leading in polls with support just above 30% — a clear edge over his two main rivals, both conservative nationalists.
Supporters of the 53-year-old praise his pro-European stance and his role in modernizing Warsaw, which has seen significant infrastructure and cultural investment during his tenure.
However, Poland remains a largely conservative, Catholic country. Trzaskowski's liberal views — particularly his support for LGBTQ+ rights and participation in Pride parades — alienate some voters outside urban centers. He also faces criticism over local governance, including allegations of inefficiency, controversial real estate management and perceived wasteful spending.
In a runoff, he could expect the bulk of right-wing voters to coalesce behind the other candidate. Trzaskowski could also be vulnerable to voter apathy among centrists and progressives who are frustrated with Tusk's inability to deliver on key campaign promises, such as loosening Poland's strict abortion law.
This is the second presidential campaign for Trzaskowski after Duda narrowly defeated him five years ago.
## Karol Nawrocki, a conservative histo
Nawrocki, 42, is the candidate representing Poland's conservative Law and Justice party. The historian currently heads the Institute of National Remembrance, where he angered Russia with efforts to topple Soviet-era memorials. He previously directed the Museum of the Second World War in Gdansk, putting his national conservative stamp on the institution. His academic work has focused on anti-communist resistance and organized crime in communist-era Poland.
He is not a party member, and his candidacy represents the Law and Justice party's strategy to present a fresh face as it aims to regain influence. The party ruled for eight years but lost power to Tusk's coalition in 2023.
Nawrocki's campaign has been marred by controversies.
Journalists revealed that in 2018, under the pseudonym "Tadeusz Batyr," he published a book on a notorious gangster. In a television interview, Batyr — with his face blurred and his voice altered — praised Nawrocki's work without disclosing they were the same person. Separately Nawrocki, using his real identity, praised Batyr's work.
Nawrocki has also been linked to a scandal involving the acquisition of a Gdansk apartment from an elderly pensioner named Jerzy. Allegations suggest Nawrocki promised to care for Jerzy in return but failed to fulfill the commitment, leading the man to end up in a city-funded retirement home. Journalists uncovered the story after Nawrocki claimed in a debate that he owned only one home, and the explanations he has given to explain the existence of his second apartment have shifted — creating a clear impression of impropriety that his competitors have seized on.
## Sławomir Mentzen, a far-right firebrand and beer entrepreneur
At 38, Sławomir Mentzen has emerged as a prominent figure in the presidential race, leveraging his savvy use of social media platforms to connect with younger voters. His sleek videos and populist messaging have resonated with many young people, especially men. Mentzen also has been actively touring the country, aiming to broaden his appeal to older demographics.
The rise of his Confederation party coincides with a broader surge of populist right-wing movements across Europe.
However, Mentzen's political journey has not been without controversy. In 2019, he made headlines with a statement saying: "We don't want Jews, homosexuals, abortion, taxes or the European Union."
While he later said the remark was taken out of context, it has continued to shadow him. Although the Confederation party has emphasized its free-market positions and distanced itself from some extreme elements, many Poles remain wary of Mentzen's past statements.
He experienced an early surge in the polls that faded after he advocated for the introduction of tuition fees at state universities, a stance that proved unpopular given Poland's tradition of free higher education.
He also has taken a hard-line position on abortion, opposing it even in cases of rape — a view that for many went too far.
Mentzen is also a successful entrepreneur. He has degrees in economics and physics and owns a brewery in the central city of Torun that has produced beers with names such as "White IPA Matters," "Hate Speech" and "Bitcoin." The "White IPA Matters" beer had a marketing campaign featuring a Black bartender, triggering controversy.
In a personal revelation, Mentzen disclosed in 2024 that he has autism. He shared that while he possesses strong concentration skills, he sometimes struggles with interpreting others' emotions.
## Szymon Hołownia, parliament speaker with a showman's flair
Szymon Hołownia, 48, is a former television personality who transitioned into politics, bringing charisma and a fresh face to the political scene.
Once a seminary student, he became widely known as the co-host of Poland's version of "Got Talent." His political journey began in earnest with his candidacy in the 2020 presidential election, where he secured nearly 14% of the vote to finish third.
In 2020, Hołownia founded the Poland 2050 movement, which evolved into a political party. In the 2023 election, the party joined forces with the conservative agrarian Polish People's Party to create the Third Way coalition, which then joined Tusk's coalition. Hołownia was elected as the speaker of the Sejm, Poland's lower house of parliament.
His showman's flair energized Poles hungry for new faces in a political scene dominated by many of the same figures for decades, including Tusk. Captivated citizens began watching live sessions of parliament online, drawn by his energy and wit.
Some analysts say his decision to join Tusk's government, however, has undermined his image as a refreshing outsider. |
Associated Press News | 2025-05-14 07:53:50+00:00 | [
"Plane crashes",
"Military and defense",
"Tokyo"
] | # 2 crew members missing after a military training plane crashes in central Japan
By Mari Yamaguchi
May 14th, 2025 07:53 AM
---
TOKYO (AP) — A search was launched on Wednesday for two crew members reported missing after a Japanese air force training plane crashed minutes after take off.
The T-4 training plane belonging to the Japan Air Self-Defense Force took off from Komaki Air Base, in the central Japanese prefecture of Aichi, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi said.
The force said the plane was lost from radar two minutes after taking off. The authorities are searching for the missing aircraft and its crew in an area near a reservoir known as the Iruka pond, officials said. The reservoir is about 10 kilometers (6 miles) northeast of the air base, near the city of Inuyama.
Defense Minister Gen Nakatani told reporters that parts of the aircraft have been found at the crash site. He said the cause of the crash is under investigation. Officials were also preparing to collect fuel apparently leaked from the aircraft and floating in the reservoir, Nakatani said.
Witnesses told the NHK national broadcaster that they heard a loud noise like thunder, followed by sirens of police cars and fire engines.
The T-4 plane, which operates out of Nyutabaru air base, in the southern prefecture of Miyazaki, was heading back to its home base on an unspecified mission, Nakatani said.
The crash is the latest in a series of defense aircraft accidents in recent years.
In April 2024, two SH-60K navy reconnaissance helicopters crashed during nighttime anti-submarine training near Torishima island, about 600 kilometers south of Tokyo, leaving all eight crewmembers dead.
In 2023, an army UH-60JA Black Hawk helicopter on a reconnaissance mission crashed off a southern island of Miyako, with the loss of 10 crew. |
Associated Press News | 2025-05-14 11:23:52+00:00 | [
"Algeria",
"France",
"France government",
"Government and politics",
"Algeria government"
] | # France expels Algerian diplomats in tit-for-tat decision as their feud deepens
May 14th, 2025 11:23 AM
---
ALGIERS, Algeria (AP) — France said Wednesday it will expel Algerian diplomats in response to Algeria's decision to do the same, escalating a diplomatic standoff.
The Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs said in a statement it had summoned Algerian officials to inform them of the decision, describing it as "strict reciprocity" after 15 French officials were expelled from Algiers on Sunday.
France did not say how many Algerians holding diplomatic passports had been expelled. It called on Algerian authorities to "demonstrate responsibility and to return to a demanding and constructive dialogue that had been initiated by our authorities, in the interest of both countries."
"The Algerians wanted to send back our agents; we are sending theirs back," French Foreign Minister Noël Barrot said on Wednesday, speaking Wednesday to French broadcaster BFMTV.
The measures are the latest sign of deteriorating relations between France and Algeria. They go against a 2013 deal allowing individuals with diplomatic passports to travel between the countries without needing visas.
Algeria said it expelled French officials on Sunday because France had broken procedures, including in how it assigned new diplomats to replace a different set that were expelled last month.
Despite economic ties and security cooperation, France and Algeria for decades have clashed over issues ranging from immigration to the painful legacy of French colonialism.
Tensions flared last year when France shifted its longstanding position and backed Morocco's plan for sovereignty over disputed Western Sahara. Algeria views the Morocco-controlled territory as Africa's last colony and supports the pro-independence Polisario Front materially and politically.
The tensions jeopardize more than $12 billion in annual bilateral trade and could create hurdles for the hundreds of thousands of Algerian-born residents of France who travel between the countries. |
Associated Press News | 2025-05-14 06:10:54+00:00 | [
"Saudi Arabia",
"Ahmed al-Doush",
"Donald Trump",
"Legal proceedings",
"Social media",
"United Kingdom government",
"Prisons",
"Mohammad bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud",
"Terrorism",
"Business",
"Cybercrime",
"Saudi Arabia government",
"Amnesty International",
"Indictments"
] | # British banking analyst jailed in Saudi Arabia for 10 years over 'unknown tweet'
By Gabe Levin
May 14th, 2025 06:10 AM
---
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — A British Bank of America analyst has been sentenced to a decade in a Saudi Arabian prison apparently over a since-deleted social media post, according to his lawyer.
The family of Ahmed al-Doush, 41, believes the charges against him stemmed from a deleted 2018 tweet about Sudan that did not mention Saudi Arabia and his relationship with the son of a Saudi critic in exile, Amnesty International said in a statement Tuesday.
The father-of-four was sentenced Monday after being accused of violating terrorism and anti-cyber crime laws.
"The exact tweet is unknown," Haydee Dijkstal, al-Doush's international counsel, posted Tuesday on X. "His trial and detention involved fair trial and due process violations." The lawyer said the U.K. government "should stand firmly against a British national's imprisonment for allegedly exercising his free speech rights."
The Saudi Arabian government did not respond to requests for comment.
"We are supporting a British man who is detained in Saudi Arabia and are in contact with his family and local authorities," a spokesperson for the Foreign Office in London said in a statement.
Al-Doush, a British national, was arrested in August 2024 at a Riyadh airport where he was waiting for a flight to Manchester, England, with his family following a holiday. His wife has since given birth to their fourth child.
"I rarely speak to my husband, but in the few snatched conversations we have managed, it is clear that Ahmed is struggling," al-Doush's wife, Amaher Nour, said ahead of her husband's sentencing, citing his thyroid problems and distress after nine months of detention.
The developments came while U.S. President Donald Trump was in Saudi Arabia, where several dual nationals with Western ties and Saudis have been detained in recent years over social media posts that could be viewed as critical to Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, the country's de facto ruler.
In 2021, a Saudi-American dual national was sentenced to more than 19 years in prison by Saudi Arabia on terrorism-related charges stemming from tweets.
Saad Almadi, now 75, was jailed in connection with tweets he had posted over the past several years in the U.S. He was released in 2023 but has been banned from leaving the kingdom.
On Wednesday, the kingdom's foreign minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al-Saud was asked during a press conference if Almadi's case had been discussed during Trump's trip.
"We obviously have robust conversations with our U.S. partners about a number of issues," Prince Faisal said, without directly commenting on Almadi. He added that Saudi Arabia "will always, you know, welcome those conversations."
Associated Press writer Baraa Anwer in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, contributed to this report |
Associated Press News | 2025-05-14 05:11:40+00:00 | [
"Los Angeles",
"California",
"Anne Bremner",
"Erik Menendez",
"O.J. Simpson",
"Kitty Menendez",
"Legal proceedings",
"Crime",
"Homicide",
"National",
"Law and order",
"Michael Jesic",
"Arts and entertainment",
"Entertainment"
] | # The Menendez brothers are now eligible for parole. What's next?
By Jaimie Ding
May 14th, 2025 05:11 AM
---
LOS ANGELES (AP) — The 1989 shotgun murders of Jose and Kitty Menendez in Los Angeles gripped the nation.
The killings of the entertainment executive and his wife in their wealthy Beverly Hills neighborhood were brutal. Their son Lyle Menendez was the one who called 911, with the brothers initially claiming the killing was Mafia-related or connected to their father's business dealings.
Lyle Menendez was attending Princeton University, and his younger brother Erik Menendez was a tennis star.
The brothers were later arrested, charged and convicted for their parents' deaths.
The brothers have argued that they committed the crimes in self-defense after years of abuse by their father.
On Tuesday, the brothers were granted their first chance at freedom in decades. A Los Angeles judge reduced the brothers' sentences from life in prison without parole to 50 years to life, making them immediately eligible for parole.
Here's what to know:
## Why is the case famous?
Coming on the heels of the O.J. Simpson trial, the nation was hungry for true crime TV. The brothers' first trial was one of the first to be almost entirely televised on Court TV. It spawned documentaries, television specials and dramatizations.
The Netflix drama " Monsters: Lyle and Erik Menendez Story " and the documentary "The Menendez Brothers," released in the fall of 2024, have been credited for bringing new attention to the case.
## What happened at resentencing?
The brothers' lawyers turned to family members and those who knew the brothers since their conviction to speak to their character and rehabilitation in prison in front of Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Michael Jesic.
The Menendez family have supported the brothers and called for their release since their resentencing effort began last fall.
Prosecutors, who have opposed the brothers' resentencing, did not call any witnesses. They've argued the brothers haven't taken full responsibility for their crimes.
Erik and Lyle Menendez appeared virtually to read their statements to the court.
"You did not deserve what I did to you, but you inspire me to do better," Erik Menendez said, addressing his family.
Jesic issued his decision immediately after the brothers spoke, granting them a new sentence of 50 years to life.
## How soon could they go before the parole board?
The brothers are immediately eligible for parole under California's youthful offender law because they committed the crime at ages 18 and 21, both under the age of 26.
Parole suitability hearings are conducted by a state board to determine if a person should be released. An inmate will be scheduled for their first hearing no later than six months following their eligibility date, according to board policy.
They already have a hearing before the board scheduled for June 13 in a clemency petition they've submitted to Gov. Gavin Newsom. It's not yet clear if that will serve as their formal parole hearing or if a separate one will be scheduled.
Newsom ordered the state parole board to conduct a comprehensive risk assessment for him to determine their danger to the public if released.
Anne Bremner, a trial lawyer in Seattle, said the brothers will have some pressure on them to prepare for the parole board and impress upon them that they should be let out.
"My guess is the parole board has been watching this and of course they've done these risk assessments already," she said. They know "who these two are, what their alleged crimes were and what they've done since the time that they were incarcerated until today."
## What happens if parole is denied or granted?
If they are denied at their first parole hearing, they will continue to receive subsequent hearings until they are granted release.
If parole is granted, Newsom could still move to override the board. If he lets the parole decision stand, the brothers would be released from prison.
## What other avenues do they have for release?
In May 2023, the brothers' attorneys also filed a petition for habeas corpus to the court, asking for a new trial in light of new evidence of their sexual abuse. LA prosecutors have filed a motion opposing that petition, but its status is unclear.
___
Associated Press writer Hallie Golden in Seattle contributed. |
Associated Press News | 2025-05-14 11:24:52+00:00 | [
"U.S. Democratic Party",
"Donald Trump",
"Bernie Sanders",
"Charles Schumer",
"Marco Rubio",
"Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez",
"U.S. Republican Party",
"Joe Biden",
"Mike Johnson",
"Pete Hegseth",
"Public opinion",
"Florida",
"United States government",
"United States",
"Barack Obama",
"Elon Musk",
"Politics",
"Linda Sleet",
"Patrick Reynolds",
"Damien Williams"
] | # AP-NORC Poll: Democrats' optimism about party's future drops sharply
By Steve Peoples and Linley Sanders
May 14th, 2025 11:24 AM
---
NEW YORK (AP) — Six months after Donald Trump's presidential victory, Democrats remain deeply pessimistic about the future of their party, although neither the Democratic Party nor the Republican Party is viewed favorably by a majority of U.S. adults.
A new poll conducted earlier this month by The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research found that only about one-third of Democrats are "very optimistic" or even "somewhat optimistic" about their party's future. That's down sharply from July 2024, when about 6 in 10 Democrats said they had a positive outlook.
"I'm not real high on Democrats right now," said poll respondent Damien Williams, a 48-year-old Democrat from Cahokia Heights, Illinois. "To me, they're not doing enough to push back against Trump."
The poll comes at a critical moment for the Democratic Party, which is desperately seeking momentum after losing the White House and both chambers of Congress in last fall's general election. In the survey, Democrats offer mixed reviews for some of their party's best-known elected officials — including Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, both of New York — while reporting significant concerns about how leaders are chosen in the U.S. political system.
Williams, a member of the Teamsters union, said he likely won't feel good about his party again "until somebody steps up in terms of being a leader that can bring positive change — an Obama-like figure."
Republicans, meanwhile, are slightly more optimistic about the future of the GOP than they were last year.
The poll finds that about half of Republicans, 55%, are very or somewhat optimistic about their party's future, up from 47% last summer. Still, only about 3 in 10 Republicans are optimistic about the state of U.S. politics, up from about 1 in 10 last summer.
Patrick Reynolds, a 50-year-old Republican community activist and pastor from Fort Worth, Texas, says he has conflicting feelings about Trump's leadership and the future of his party.
He worries that too many Republicans in Congress are falling in line behind the Republican president and his chief ally and adviser, Elon Musk, who has led Trump's push to slash the size of the federal government. Reynolds also says he's concerned that Trump's aggressive moves to combat illegal immigration may be violating the Constitution.
"How can we be the party of the rule of law when we're violating constitutional principles?" Reynolds said. "I think there could be a (political) backlash."
Neither political party is especially popular right now.
Overall, about 4 in 10 U.S. adults have a favorable view of the Republican Party while about one-third have a positive view of the Democratic Party.
This relatively weak support extends to some of each party's most prominent officials.
Roughly 4 in 10 Americans have a favorable view of Bernie Sanders, a Vermont independent who has twice run for the Democratic presidential nomination and has toured the nation in recent months rallying anti-Trump resistance. Among self-described Democrats, about three-quarters view Sanders favorably.
About half of Democrats have a favorable view of Ocasio-Cortez, who has joined Sanders on the "Fighting Oligarchy" tour. She is less popular among U.S. adults overall — about 3 in 10 have a favorable opinion of the 35-year-old representative, who is sometimes mentioned as a potential presidential candidate in 2028.
Schumer, the top Senate Democrat, is less popular than Sanders or Ocasio-Cortez.
Just about one-third of Democrats have a somewhat or very favorable view of the 74-year-old senator, who took a hit from many liberals for acceding to a Republican-led funding bill that kept the government open. The share of Democrats who view Schumer positively has fallen since December 2024, when about half had a somewhat or very favorable view. Among all adults, his favorability stands at 21%.
"I just feel like the majority of the old Democratic Party needs to go," said Democrat Monica Brown, a 61-year-old social worker from Knoxville, Tennessee. "They're not in tune with the new generation. They're not in tune with the new world. We've got such division within the party."
On the GOP side, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, a former Florida senator, is more popular than several other high-profile Republicans.
About 6 in 10 Republicans view Rubio favorably, although that number falls to about one-third among all adults. About half of Republicans have a positive opinion of House Speaker Mike Johnson of Louisiana, while around one-quarter of U.S. adults feel the same. That's roughly the same level of support for Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, a former Fox News Channel host who earns favorable ratings from 44% of Republicans and about one-quarter of Americans overall.
Beyond their negative outlook on the future of their party, 55% of Democrats are also pessimistic about the way leaders are chosen in the U.S. The figure is up slightly from 46% last summer, when President Joe Biden was still in the White House.
Linda Sleet, a 69-year-old retiree who lives in Venice, Florida, raised specific concerns about the way congressional districts are drawn and the Electoral College that is used to determine presidential contests instead of the popular vote.
"I don't have confidence in the system," Sleet said. "I think it served a purpose way back when. It does not now."
Williams, the Teamster from Illinois, said he's unhappy with just about everything to do with U.S. politics.
"I'm going to need to see some wins for America, for humanity, before I can be optimistic right now," he said. "Every day is just a constant barrage of negative feelings and news politically. It's all screwed up right now."
___
Sanders reported from Washington.
___
The AP-NORC poll of 1,175 adults was conducted May 1-5, using a sample drawn from NORC's probability-based AmeriSpeak Panel, which is designed to be representative of the U.S. population. The margin of sampling error for adults overall is plus or minus 4 percentage points. |
Subsets and Splits
No community queries yet
The top public SQL queries from the community will appear here once available.