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Associated Press News | 2025-05-14 03:51:32+00:00 | [
"Halle Bailey",
"Celebrity",
"Darryl Dwayne Granberry Jr.",
"Hip hop and rap",
"Los Angeles",
"Entertainment",
"Chloe Bailey"
] | # Halle Bailey gets restraining order against DDG
By Andrew Dalton
May 14th, 2025 03:51 AM
---
LOS ANGELES (AP) — A Los Angeles judge has granted a restraining order to "The Little Mermaid" actor and singer Halle Bailey, who says her ex-boyfriend, the rapper and YouTuber DDG, has been repeatedly violent with her and she fears for herself and the baby they have together.
The judge on Tuesday ordered DDG, whose legal name is Darryl Dwayne Granberry Jr., to stay away from Bailey and their 17-month-old son, Halo, until a June 6 hearing.
"Throughout our relationship," Bailey said in documents requesting the order, "Daryl has been and continues to be physically, verbally, emotionally, and financially abusive towards me. I am seeking orders to protect myself and our son Halo from his ongoing abuse."
A message seeking comment from a representative for Granberry was not immediately answered.
Bailey, 25, and Granberry, 27, were in a relationship from 2022 until last year, and since their breakup there have been "multiple acts of physical violence," Bailey said.
In a January incident that she recounts in detail, Bailey said Granberry was repeatedly calling her a "bitch" as she tried to strap the baby into a seat inside his car.
"The next thing I knew, things got physical between us," Bailey said in the documents. "We fought each other, wrestling and tussling. At one point, Darryl was pulling my hair. He then slammed my face on the steering wheel, causing my tooth to get chipped. I then stopped fighting back as I was in a lot of pain."
Bailey included photos of her tooth and bruises on her arms in her filing.
In March, she said Granberry entered her house when she wasn't home and texted her a photo of her bed along with a threatening message suggesting she was having sex with other men.
A few days later, she said, he berated her when she did not want to send their sick baby on a visit with him, and smashed the Ring camera on her porch when he realized it was recording the confrontation. She said when she called a relative for help, he took her phone and got into his car, slamming the door on her as she was holding the baby. Bailey filed a police report over the incident.
She also asked that Granberry be ordered to stop using his streaming platforms on Twitch and YouTube to turn his followers against her.
"Whenever he wishes to cause upset, he starts bad mouthing me to his several millions of fans," she said in the documents. "He claims I am withholding our son and that I am with other men. As a result, I then receive threats and hate on social media."
Granberry was also ordered not to possess any weapons. The judge can extend the order for up to five years at the June 6 hearing.
DDG, from Pontiac, Michigan, first saw success as a video streamer and then as a hip-hop artist. On May 5, he released his fourth studio album, "Blame the Chat," on Epic records.
Bailey, from Atlanta, has been nominated for five Grammy Awards as both a solo artist and as part of Chloe x Halle, the duo with her sister that first brought her fame.
She starred in the sitcom "Grown-ish" from 2018 to 2022, and in 2023 played the title character in Disney's live-action remake of "The Little Mermaid." |
Associated Press News | 2025-05-14 01:07:31+00:00 | [
"New Zealand",
"Diana Ward-Pickering",
"JWD-evergreen",
"Meta Platforms",
"Inc.",
"Brent Fuller",
"International trade",
"Agriculture",
"Currency markets",
"Kate Evans",
"Oddities",
"Lifestyle",
"Trees"
] | # The unofficial national fruit of New Zealand isn't native to the country — it's South American
By Charlotte Graham-Mclay
May 14th, 2025 01:07 AM
---
WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) — The unofficial national fruit of New Zealand isn't native to the country – it's South American. It isn't exclusively found in New Zealand. And it's not, perhaps surprisingly, the kiwi. It's the feijoa.
Known as pineapple guava elsewhere, the fruit — a green perfumed oval with a polarizing taste — can be purchased in California or Canberra. Yet no country has embraced the feijoa with quite the fervor or the fixation of New Zealanders.
Due to its short shelf life, New Zealand — a nation of thriving fruit exports — has never been able to spin the feijoa (pronounced fee-jo-ah) into a global brand, as growers have done with apples and kiwi. But during the brief span of weeks each year when the fruit is ripe, the country goes feijoa wild.
## A backyard boom
The feijoa's allure comes partly from how it's acquired. In autumn, fallen fruit forms fragrant carpets beneath backyard trees and is swept into boxes, bags and buckets to be offered for free outside homes, in office breakrooms and on neighborhood Facebook groups. There's such abundance that some feijoa lovers take pride in never having paid for one.
"It's sort of non-commercialized. We turn up our noses at the idea of buying them in the shop," said Kate Evans, author of the book Feijoa: A Story of Obsession and Belonging. "You just sort of expect to get them for free."
In suburban Wellington, Diana Ward-Pickering said she had given away "thousands" of feijoas from her five backyard trees this season: in a box on the sidewalk, to neighbors, to coworkers, to her daughter's eyelash technician — in short, to any friend or stranger who wanted some.
On a recent Sunday, Ward-Pickering selected a feijoa from dozens on the ground, halved it with a spoon, and scooped the pale, creamy flesh into her mouth.
"Delicious," she said. But while she could eat a kilogram (2.2 pounds) of the fruit in a sitting, she said, even her appetite couldn't keep up with the sudden and generous bounty that arrives each April.
"There are people who can't afford to pay for them," Ward-Pickering said. "We happily give them away."
## Love it or hate it
Not everyone's an enthusiast, and every New Zealander has an opinion. What devotees of the fruit savor as a distinctive texture, flavor and smell, is gritty, soapy or sour to others.
Diana Ward-Pickering's daughter, Lizzy, gingerly slurped a piece of feijoa into her mouth and grimaced.
"It's giving snot," she said. "My mind has not changed."
But for New Zealanders abroad who love the fruit, feijoas are a nostalgic taste evocative of a kiwi childhood. Evans, who admitted to once paying 3 Australian dollars ($1.90) for a single feijoa at a market in Australia, said that in 12 years living overseas she often saw expatriates asking the same question online: Where can I find feijoas?
## A strange history
How a fruit that hails from the Brazilian highlands, Uruguay and a corner of Argentina first came to New Zealand remains something of a mystery, Evans said. But what's known is that feijoas have been in New Zealand for just over 100 years, probably originating from California, via Australia.
The trees grow "extremely well" in New Zealand, growers say, due to the soil, subtropical climate and relative lack of destructive insect species.
In spite of New Zealand's booming backyard feijoa economy there's still demand for them in stores, where they are currently sold for about 9 to 10 New Zealand dollars ($5-6) per kilogram. There are about 100 commercial feijoa growers in New Zealand almost solely supplying the domestic market, including for popular beverages such as feijoa cider, kombucha and juice.
But exporting the fruit is "tricky," said Brent Fuller, spokesperson for the New Zealand Feijoa Growers Association. "They'll keep in the chiller for two or three weeks, but that's about it."
Research is underway to increase the shelf life of the fruit. But with the name feijoa still unknown abroad, it remains for now an institution of New Zealand's autumn.
"It's something that kind of bonds us and gives us an excuse to talk to people around us," Evans said. The kiwi, she added, has been a lucrative export for New Zealand.
"But we don't love it the way that we love feijoas." |
Associated Press News | 2025-05-14 01:10:41+00:00 | [
"Ahmedabad",
"Heat waves",
"Asia",
"Asia Pacific",
"Be Well",
"Health",
"Medical research",
"Lifestyle",
"Climate change",
"Associated Press",
"Climate and environment",
"Mayank Yadav",
"Weather",
"Priya Bhavsar"
] | # In one Indian city, reflective paint and bus stop sprinklers offer relief from killer heat
By Sibi Arasu
May 14th, 2025 01:10 AM
---
AHMEDABAD, India (AP) — For 20-year-old Mayank Yadav, riding a crowded bus in the summer months in this western Indian city can be like sitting in an oven. That makes it a treat when he steps off and into a bus stop outfitted with sprinklers that bathe overheated commuters in a cooling mist.
"Everyone is suffering from the heat," Yadav said. "I hope they do more of this across the city."
Rising heat is a problem for millions of people in India. In Ahmedabad, temperatures this year have already reached 42 degrees Celsius (107 Fahrenheit), a level usually not seen for several more weeks, prompting city officials to advise people to stay indoors and stay hydrated.
And yet, coping with that heat is a familiar challenge in Ahmedabad. After a 2010 heat wave killed more than 1,300 people, city and health officials rushed to develop South Asia's first heat action plan.
The plan, rolled out in 2013 and now replicated across India and South Asia, includes strategies for hospitals, government officials and citizens to react immediately when temperatures rise beyond human tolerance. Public health officials said it's helped save hundreds of lives every summer.
City officials, with help from climate and health researchers, have implemented two simple yet effective solutions to help those affected most by heat: the poor and those who work outdoors. By painting tin-roofed households with reflective paint, they've reduced indoor temperatures, which otherwise might be up to 5 degrees Celsius (9 degrees Fahrenheit) hotter than outside. More recently, the city hung curtains woven of straw and water sprinklers at one bus stop so commuters can get relief from the sun and heat. Officials said they plan to expand the idea to other bus stops in the city.
Residents said both measures have been a relief even as they brace for at least three more months of sweltering summer.
## A simple coat of paint makes all the difference
Throughout the city's low-income neighborhoods, hundreds of tin-roofed homes have been painted with reflective paint that helps keep the indoors cooler. Residents said their houses were so hot before the roofs were painted that they would spend most of their time outdoors under any shade they could find.
"Earlier, it was really difficult to sleep inside the house," said Akashbhai Thakor, who works as a delivery van driver and lives with his wife and three-month-old child in Ahmedabad. Thakor's roof was painted as part of a research project that is trying to measure the impact of the so-called cool roofs.
Early results have been promising. "After the roof was painted, the house is much cooler, especially at night," said Thakor.
People like Thakor are much more vulnerable to extreme heat because their houses aren't insulated and, since most of them depend on a daily wage, they must work regardless of the weather, said Priya Bhavsar of the Indian Institute of Public Health Gandhinagar, who is working on the project. Bhavsar said low-cost solutions could be the only respite for thousands of people in the city who can't afford to buy an air conditioner.
Veer Vanzara, who lives in the same area as Thakor and works in a nearby garment factory, said the heat makes his job much worse, especially since his factory has no ventilation. So his family is grateful for the cool roofs. "The evenings and night are much cooler than before inside our house," he said.
## A bus stop that's become an oasis from the heat
In Ahmedabad's city center, a 25-meter stretch of a bus stop has been draped with mats made of straw which, when sprinkled with water, immediately cool the hot wind. Sprinklers installed on the bus stop roof lightly spray cool water on the commuters below, providing instant relief from the blazing heat just a step away.
"When nothing like this was here, it was really hot. What they've done is really good. Senior citizens like me can get some cooling from the heat," said 77-year-old Ratilal Bhoire, who was waiting under the sprinklers with his daughter. Bhoire said when he was younger, Ahmedabad was hot, but it was still possible to walk many kilometers without feeling dizzy, even at the height of summer. "Nowadays you can't do that," he said.
Heat is the city's biggest problem and heat waves — continuous days of extreme heat — are increasing, said Dr. Tejas Shah of Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation, who oversees the city's heat action plan. "We are in the period of climate change, and it has already shown its effect," said Shah.
Shah and other city officials said the onset of summer has become a testing time and efforts such as cool roofs and cool bus stops are reducing heat-related illness and deaths. As climate projections predict only hotter and longer summers for his city, Shah said being prepared is the only thing to do.
"It (the heat) needs to be addressed in the proper way," he said.
___
Follow Sibi Arasu on X at @sibi123
___
The Associated Press' climate and environmental coverage receives financial support from multiple private foundations. AP is solely responsible for all content. Find AP's standards for working with philanthropies, a list of supporters and funded coverage areas at AP.org. |
Associated Press News | 2025-05-14 09:03:21+00:00 | [
"Germany",
"Daniil B.",
"Switzerland",
"Ukraine",
"Cologne",
"Crime",
"Russia government",
"Law enforcement",
"Herbert Reul",
"Fires",
"Arson",
"Stefanie Hubig"
] | # Germany and Switzerland arrest 3 over suspected plans to send explosive parcels to Ukraine
By Geir Moulson
May 14th, 2025 09:03 AM
---
BERLIN (AP) — Three Ukrainian nationals have been arrested in Germany and Switzerland on suspicion of agreeing to send parcels containing explosive or incendiary devices from Germany to Ukraine, apparently at the behest of people acting for Russia, German prosecutors said Wednesday.
The men are suspected of acting as secret agents for the purpose of sabotage, as well as agreeing to commit arson and bring about an explosion, federal prosecutors said in a statement.
The alleged plans fit a pattern in which Western officials have accused Russia and its proxies of staging dozens of attacks and other incidents across Europe since the full-scale invasion of Ukraine more than three years ago.
Two of the men — identified only as Vladyslav T. and Daniil B. in line with German privacy rules — were arrested in different parts of Germany on Friday and Saturday respectively. The third, identified as Yevhen B., was arrested in Tuesday in the northern Thurgau region of neighboring Switzerland.
The suspects are accused of telling "one or more people suspected to be acting on behalf of Russian state agencies" around March that they were prepared to carry out attacks on freight transport in Germany, prosecutors said. The alleged plan was for the men to send packages that would explode or catch fire while being transported to Ukraine.
One of the suspects, Vladyslav T., dispatched two "test packages" in Cologne at the end of March that contained GPS trackers to scope out possible means of transport, according to prosecutors. He was allegedly tasked with doing so by Yevhen B., who is accused of providing the contents of the packages via Daniil B.
German prosecutors did not elaborate further on what was in the packages or on how and where they were dispatched.
Herbert Reul, the top security official in North Rhine-Westphalia state, where Cologne is located, said he didn't believe the test packages had contained explosives or fuel. Of the suspects, he said: "The first impression is of low-level agents — people who ... are recruited for not much money and who then do the job for the Russian state."
In a previous case last year, Western security officials suspect Russian intelligence was behind a plot to put incendiary devices in packages on cargo planes headed to North America, including one that caught fire at a courier hub in Germany and another that ignited in a warehouse in the U.K.
"We know that Russia is trying by all means to destabilize Western democracies, including with deliberate sabotage and perfidious intelligence methods," German Justice Minister Stefanie Hubig said following the latest arrests. |
Associated Press News | 2025-05-14 09:27:35+00:00 | [
"Pope Francis",
"Christianity",
"Pope Leo XIV",
"Catholic Church",
"Middle East",
"Ukraine",
"Papal conclave",
"Religion",
"Donald Trump",
"India",
"Vatican City"
] | # Pope vows every effort to work for peace in regions where Christians persecuted, forced to flee
By Nicole Winfield
May 14th, 2025 09:27 AM
---
VATICAN CITY (AP) — Pope Leo XIV vowed to take "every effort" Wednesday to work for peace in the Middle East and Ukraine and to actively promote the spirituality and traditions of the eastern rite churches, those Catholic communities with origins in the Mideast and eastern Europe that have been decimated by years of conflict and persecution.
"The church needs you!" Leo told a Holy Year audience of eastern rite pilgrims.
Eastern-rite Catholics accept the authority of the pope but have many of their own rituals and liturgy. They include the Coptic, Chaldean, Maronite and Eritrean Catholic churches, as well as the Syro-Malabar church in India and Greek Catholic communities that are found across Eastern Europe and the Americas. Unlike Orthodox Christians, these Catholic churches fully recognize papal authority.
In his remarks, Leo acknowledged that many eastern rite Catholics have been forced to flee their homelands because of "war and persecution, instability and poverty." It was a reference to the exodus of Christians from the Middle East, Iraq and Syria especially, where entire communities have been displaced by years of Islamic extremist violence. Many of these communities in northern Iraq were some of the oldest of the faith, where the dialects of Aramaic — the language of Jesus — are still spoken.
Leo vowed to work for peace in those regions, citing in particular the Middle East and Ukraine, and said the Holy See was ready to "help bring enemies together, face to face."
"Who better than you can sing a song of hope even amid the abyss of violence?" he said. "From the Holy Land to Ukraine, from Lebanon to Syria, from the Middle East to Tigray and the Caucasus, how much violence do we see!"
In one of his first acts as pope, Leo spoke by telephone with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who invited him to Ukraine and thanked him for his support. Leo has in the past called Russia's war in Ukraine "an imperialist invasion in which Russia wants to conquer territory for reasons of power given Ukraine's strategic location."
The Vatican under Francis was largely sidelined in any peace efforts, though the Holy See did work on prisoner exchanges and to reunite Ukrainian children who were taken to Russian territory back with their families.
Zelenskyy, who met with President Donald Trump in St. Peter's Basilica on the sidelines of Pope Francis' funeral, is expected in Rome for Leo's formal installation Mass on Sunday.
Leo praised those Christians who are working at reconciliation even in regions where they are persecuted minorities, and urged them to continue.
"I thank God for those Christians — Eastern and Latin alike — who, above all in the Middle East, persevere and remain in their homelands, resisting the temptation to abandon them," Leo said. "Christians must be given the opportunity, and not just in words, to remain in their native lands with all the rights needed for a secure existence."
The audience featured a mix of faithful from around the world, with Lebanese and Ukrainian flags and ululating pilgrims.
Leo recalled that his namesake, Pope Leo XIII, paid particular attention to the eastern rite churches. That Leo, who was pope from 1878 to 1903, penned the first specific document about the dignity of eastern rite churches and the need to preserve and celebrate their traditions in the west.
That Leo went so far as to threaten any Latin rite priest in the west with dismissal if he tried to bring an eastern rite Catholic over to the western traditions of the Latin rite.
The former Cardinal Robert Prevost lamented that today, these Catholics often find indifference among other Latin rite Catholics when they resettle in communities in the diaspora. They "risk losing not only their native lands, but also, when they reach the West, their religious identity," he said.
"As a result, with the passing of generations, the priceless heritage of the Eastern Churches is being lost," the pontiff said.
He urged the Vatican office that deals with eastern churches to define guidelines for Latin rite bishops to better support diaspora communities, saying the contribution that eastern churches can give the west is "immense."
"We have great need to recover the sense of mystery that remains alive in your liturgies, liturgies that engage the human person in his or her entirety, that sing of the beauty of salvation and evoke a sense of wonder at how God's majesty embraces our human frailty," he said.
___
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 | 2025-05-14 08:42:36+00:00 | [
"Tour de France",
"Cycling",
"Paris",
"Lille",
"Nice",
"Sports"
] | # Tour de France final stage to feature Montmartre climb and Champs-Élysées finish
May 14th, 2025 08:42 AM
---
PARIS (AP) — Tour de France riders will climb up the iconic Montmarte hill in Paris on the final stage this year before cycling's biggest race finishes on the Champs-Élysées, organizers said Wednesday, as they look to build on the popular success of the Olympic road race.
Last year's final stage was held outside Paris for the first time since 1905 because of a clash with the Olympics, moving instead to Nice. Because of security and logistical reasons, the French capital did not have its traditional Tour finish on the Champs-Élysées.
The world famous avenue is back on the program this year for the conclusion of the 3,320-kilometer (2,063-mile) race.
"To mark the 50th anniversary of the first final finish on the Champs-Élysées, and one year after the excitement and cheers of the Paris 2024 Olympic road race, the peloton will return to the capital on a route that passes through the heights of Montmartre," organizers said.
## 500,000 spectators
At last year's Olympics, huge crowds of fans gathered in Montmartre — the area in the northern part of Paris that is popular among artists and offers grand vistas of the city — to cheer on riders.
"An exceptional route has been designed, inspired by the course of the 2024 Olympic road race, which drew over 500,000 spectators last August," Tour organizers said. "Riders will climb the Montmartre hill and pass beneath the Sacré-Coeur before battling it out on a stage that may break from the traditions established over the past 50 years in the heart of the capital."
Traditionally, the Champs-Élysées stage is largely processional until a sprint decides the day's winner. The inclusion of the sharp Montmartre climb could change that scenario. Full details of the route will be presented at a news conference next week.
The Tour starts from the northern city of Lille on July 5, with the women's race kicking off on July 26 from the Brittany town of Vannes.
___
AP sports: https://apnews.com/hub/sports |
Associated Press News | 2025-05-14 10:32:37+00:00 | [
"Tesla",
"Inc.",
"Electric vehicles",
"Transportation technology",
"Finance",
"Finance Business",
"Business",
"Lifestyle",
"Technology",
"Michael Cantu"
] | # Edmunds electric SUV test: 2025 Hyundai Ioniq 5 vs 2026 Tesla Model Y
By Michael Cantu
May 14th, 2025 10:32 AM
---
The Tesla Model Y and the Hyundai Ioniq 5 are two of the hottest electric SUVs on the market. Adding to their appeal, both SUVs were recently updated. The 2026 Model Y has new styling, higher-quality interior materials and a smoother ride quality. Changes to the 2025 Hyundai Ioniq 5 aren't as dramatic, but you do get more range, easier-to-use controls and new ways to charge. Which recently updated electric SUV is the better buy? Edmunds' experts compare them to find out.
## Range and charging
The 2026 Model Y is currently only available in the Long Range All-Wheel Drive version. It delivers an EPA-estimated 327 miles of range, which is impressive for a dual-motor electric SUV. Edmunds tested this version on its independent, standardized EV range test and found the Tesla matched its EPA estimate in real-world driving.
The 2025 Ioniq 5's estimated range spans from 245 miles in the base model to 318 miles in most single-motor models, which are rear-wheel-drive. Edmunds tested an Ioniq 5 Limited with dual electric motors and all-wheel drive. It beat its EPA estimate of 269 miles by going 282 miles in Edmunds' testing.
The Ioniq 5's new Tesla-style charging port allows it to charge at most Tesla Supercharger fast-charging stations. The Model Y has access to any type of Tesla charging station. Both can charge at non-Tesla stations as well. When using a high-powered fast-charging station, the Model Y can add up to 169 miles in 15 minutes. The Ioniq 5 charges a little quicker, regaining 178 miles in 15 minutes.
The Tesla offers a bit more maximum range but charges a little slower, making it a tie here.
Winner: tie
## Interior and tech features
Tesla stuffs a lot of standard tech in the Model Y, including a large 15.4-inch center touchscreen, a 16-speaker audio system, dual wireless phone chargers and several advanced driver aids. You can also stream movies and play arcade games when you're parked. Tesla's Full Self-Driving (Supervised) system is an expensive option, but it can drive and navigate the Model Y traffic on city streets and highways as long as the driver is paying attention and is prepared to take control if needed.
The Ioniq 5's base trim comes standard with a 12.3-inch center touchscreen and a pleasing number of advanced driver aids. Wireless connectivity for Apple CarPlay and Android Auto smartphone integration is also standard; neither system is available on the Model Y. However, you need to upgrade to a higher trim for the eight-speaker Bose audio system and upgraded highway driving assist system.
Both SUVs seat five and are spacious and comfortable. They also ride smoothly over bumps and are composed when cornering. But Edmunds has found it's the little things that help the Ioniq 5 get an edge here. Its available 360-degree camera system is more helpful than the Tesla's when parking, for example, and its controls and features are easier to use and learn. The Model Y's touchscreen, which controls almost everything, can be distracting to use while driving.
Winner: Ioniq 5
## Utility
The Model Y provides loads of cargo space: 29 cubic feet behind the rear seats and a whopping 71.4 cubic feet with the rear seat folded down. The front trunk adds another 4.1 cubes. The Ioniq 5 has less space, but it's enough for most folks: 26.3 cubic feet behind the rear seats and 58.5 cubic feet with the rear seats folded down. However, its front trunk is only large enough for a charging cord.
As for small-item storage, both SUVs provide plenty of compartments and sizable door pockets. The Ioniq 5 has a movable center console that's handy at times.
Winner: Model Y
## Pricing and value
The Model Y Long Range All-Wheel Drive currently starts at $50,630, and other models should be offered later. Although not cheap, it's an excellent value because of its extensive list of standard tech features, several standard comfort features like heated and ventilated front seats, and lengthy range.
The Ioniq 5's base Standard Range model starts at $44,075 but provides only 245 miles of range. The SE model, which offers 318 miles, is about $4,000 more. Neither one has as many standard features as the Tesla, but the lower price makes the Hyundai attainable for shoppers with smaller budgets. Both the Model Y and the Ioniq 5 currently qualify for federal tax credits.
Winner: tie
## Edmunds says
This comparison is a draw; both electric SUVs are excellent choices, so it comes down to personal preference. If you want a more traditional vehicle that's easier to use, go for the Ioniq 5. But if you prefer the Model Y's minimalist design approach and distinctive tech features, then it's the EV for you.
____
This story was provided to The Associated Press by the automotive website Edmunds.
Michael Cantu is a contributor at Edmunds. |
Associated Press News | 2025-05-14 04:05:37+00:00 | [
"Newark",
"Donald Trump",
"Sean Duffy",
"Joe Biden",
"Federal Aviation Administration",
"Aviation safety",
"Pete Buttigieg",
"U.S. Department of Transportation",
"Travel",
"New York City Wire",
"Business",
"Politics",
"Chris Rocheleau",
"Transportation"
] | # FAA to meet with airlines to address Newark airport delays and equipment issues
By Josh Funk
May 14th, 2025 04:05 AM
---
The recent chronic delays and cancellations at New Jersey's largest airport have highlighted the shortage of air traffic controllers and the aging equipment they use, which President Donald Trump's administration wants to replace.
The Federal Aviation Administration is working on a short-term fix to the problems at the Newark airport that includes technical repairs and cutting flights to keep traffic manageable while dealing with a shortage of controllers. Officials are meeting with all the airlines that fly out of Newark starting Wednesday to discuss the plan.
But even before those problems, aviation was already in the spotlight ever since the deadly midair collision of a passenger jet and a U.S. Army helicopter above Washington, D.C., in January, and a string of other crashes and mishaps since then. The investigations into those crashes continue while the U.S. Department of Transportation tries to make progress on the long-standing issues of not having enough air traffic controllers and relying on outdated equipment. A U.S. Senate hearing Wednesday morning will focus on the FAA's efforts.
## What happened in Newark?
Twice in the past two-and-a-half weeks, the radar and communications systems that air traffic controllers in Philadelphia who direct planes in and out of Newark rely on failed for a short time. That happened because the lines that carry the radar signal down from another FAA facility in New York failed, and the backup system didn't work immediately.
So the controllers were left unable to see or talk to the planes around Newark Liberty International Airport for as long as 90 seconds on April 28 and May 9. The lines — some of which were old copper wires — failed a third time on Sunday, but that time the backup system worked and the radar stayed online.
But the first one of those stressful situations prompted five to seven controllers to take a 45-day trauma leave, and that worsened the existing staff shortage at the Philadelphia control facility, prompting the FAA to limit the number of flights in Newark each day.
The FAA currently has 22 fully certified air traffic controllers and five supervisors assigned to Newark in the Philadelphia facility, but the agency wants to have 38 controllers there. Another 21 controllers are in training there, and 10 of them are certified on at least part of the area.
## What has been done in Newark?
The FAA quickly limited the number of flights in Newark to between 24 and 28 arrivals and the same number of departures every hour to make sure the remaining controllers could handle them safely. At times when controller staffing is especially lean, like Monday, the FAA is limiting traffic even further. Before the problems, 38 or 39 flights would take off and land every hour in Newark.
The meetings FAA officials are having with all the airlines starting Wednesday are focused on a plan that continues limiting takeoffs and landings to no more than 28 apiece an hour until at least mid-June. By then, a runway construction project should be wrapped up, and the controllers who took trauma leave would be scheduled to return. After that, the FAA has said it might be able to bump up the limit to 34 arrivals and 34 departures an hour.
Meanwhile, the number of flights a day must be cut because the airport can't handle everyone on the schedule. That's why Newark has generally led the nation in cancellations and delays in recent weeks. After the FAA meets with the airlines, it will give them a couple of weeks to submit information in writing, so it won't issue a decision before May 28.
The FAA has been able to install new fiber optic lines at Newark airport and the two other major airports in the New York area — Kennedy International and LaGuardia — but those are still being tested and won't come online until the end of the month. Officials were able to update some computer software last week that kept the radar from going offline a third time on Sunday when the primary line failed yet again.
Longer-term, the FAA is also planning to build a new radar system in Philadelphia, so that controllers there won't have to rely on the signal piped down from New York anymore. But that might not be done for months, although officials are working with contractors to speed up that project.
## Why not hire more controllers?
The FAA has been working for a long time to hire more air traffic controllers to replace retiring workers and handle the growing air traffic. But it can be hard to find good candidates for the stressful positions, and it takes years to train controllers to do the job.
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy has made several moves to try to hire more controllers. The FAA is trying to shorten the time it takes between when someone applies to the air traffic controller academy in Oklahoma City and when they start, and the agency is also trying to improve the graduation rate there by offering more support to the students. The candidates with the highest scores on the entrance exam are also getting top priority.
The FAA is also offering bonuses to experienced controllers if they opt not to retire early and continue working to help ease the shortage.
More high-tech simulators are also being used at airports across the country, including Newark, to train air traffic controllers. The FAA said Tuesday that controllers tend to complete training more quickly when they use one of the 111 simulators it has.
"These new simulators give air traffic control trainees a high-tech space to learn, develop and practice their skills," said acting FAA Administrator Chris Rocheleau.
## What about the outdated equipment?
The Transportation Department plans to ask Congress for billions and billions of dollars to pay for an overhaul of the air traffic control system nationwide to replace the 618 radars, install 4,600 new high-speed connections and upgrade all the computers controllers use. The exact price tag hasn't been determined.
Duffy blames former President Joe Biden's administration for failing to upgrade the air traffic control system, but Congress first recognized the system was struggling to keep up with the growing number of flights as far back as the 1990s, so the problems go back decades — long before the Biden or first Trump administrations. Biden's former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg has defended their efforts to upgrade some of the technology and expand air traffic controller hiring.
Some of the decades-old computer equipment that controllers rely on was on display at last week's news conference about the plan, which has drawn broad support from more than 50 groups across the industry. Duffy has used an assortment of colorful metaphors to emphasize how old the equipment is, saying the gear looks like it came off the set of the movie "Apollo 13" and comparing it to a 1967 Volkswagen Beetle. |
Associated Press News | 2025-05-14 10:25:41+00:00 | [
"China",
"Scott Bessent",
"Donald Trump",
"International trade",
"China government",
"Production facilities",
"Government policy",
"Tariffs and global trade",
"Business",
"Economic policy",
"Margaret Zhuang",
"Danny Lau"
] | # Chinese businesses view tariff pause with caution and uncertainty
By Huizhong Wu
May 14th, 2025 10:25 AM
---
BANGKOK (AP) — While U.S. President Donald Trump has talked of victory after reaching a weekend deal with China to reduce the sky-high tariffs levied on each others' goods, businesses in China are reacting to the temporary deal with caution.
The U.S. and China have cut the tariffs levied on each other in April, with the U.S. cutting the 145% tax Trump imposed last month to 30%. China agreed to lower its tariff rate on U.S. goods to 10% from 125%. The lower tariff rates came into effect on Wednesday.
U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, announcing the reduction in tariff rates this weekend in Geneva, had said, "We do want trade." While the markets have responded to the agreement with gusto, rebounding to the levels before Trump's tariffs, business owners remain wary.
Businesses like one kitchen utensil factory in southern Guangdong province were eager to get back to work. The business said they put at least four orders from their American clients back into production on Tuesday after the tariff pause was announced.
"We thought the negotiation would bring the tariffs down a bit, but didn't expect it would be so much," said Margaret Zhuang, a salesperson for the utensil factory in Guangdong province, one of China's manufacturing hubs.
The two countries are now planning to start negotiations for a longer-term deal.
Kahlee Yu, sales manager of Yangjiang Hongnan Industry and Trade Company, which also manufactures kitchen utensils, said he was reaching out to American customers again. "We're a little bit optimistic about the trade deal between the two sides. But it is still possible the tariff policies will change again, resulting in no orders from our American clients," he said.
However happy they were in the moment, the damage from tariffs announced in April has already been done, Zhuang added, as they are seeing fewer orders. Currently, she has orders for products up until June. Earlier this year, before Trump's trade war began, they had orders for production extending to August.
The uncertainty also means companies are less willing to make new investments. Kelvin Liao, sales director at Action Composites, a manufacturer of carbon fiber auto parts in Dongguan, a major city in Guangdong, said he was originally planning to buy a piece of land to build a new factory, but opted instead to rent because of the tariff situation.
"It is good to reach a trade deal between the two countries. But people have already lost confidence in Trump, and we will take a wait-and-see attitude," he said. "We believe the signing a trade deal is just a pause and the ultimate goal of the US is to curb China's development."
Tariffs also remain in place for some industries, which are not part of the general deal. Hong Kong businessman Danny Lau, who owns an aluminum-coating factory, said his company still faces about a 75% tariff from tariffs levied at different points since 2018 by the U.S. Still he welcomed the news from the weekend, saying he would reach out to existing American customers to gauge their views.
"Although the policy change doesn't cover our industry, we hope talks will continue and there will be better news during the 90-day pause," he said.
In April, some Chinese businesses said they would focus their attention on exporting to other markets, given how high the American tariffs were. Analysts said previously that the tariffs could cause Chinese businesses to diversify their supply chains and move part of their manufacturing capacity abroad, including to the U.S.
Liao, the auto parts manufacturer, said his company already has a factory in Vietnam, and the products there were exported to the U.S.
"We don't believe that the US has the ability to produce the products like ours with lower costs. We will not give up on the US market."
—-
AP researcher Yu Bing contributed to this report from Beijing. AP writers Kanis Leung in Hong Kong and Fu Ting in Washington contributed to this report. |
Associated Press News | 2025-05-14 08:49:04+00:00 | [
"Hungary",
"Viktor Orban",
"Hungary government",
"Legislation",
"Womens rights",
"Politics"
] | # Hungary targets critics with bill that would blacklist critical media and NGOs
By Justin Spike
May 14th, 2025 08:49 AM
---
BUDAPEST, Hungary (AP) — The nationalist party of Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán introduced a bill late Tuesday that would allow the government to monitor, restrict, penalize and potentially ban organizations it deems a threat to national sovereignty, marking a significant escalation of the government's long-running crackdown on critical media and non-governmental organizations.
The bill, submitted by a lawmaker in Orbán's Fidesz party, would expand the authority of Hungary 's controversial Sovereignty Protection Office, allowing it to identify organizations that influence public debate or voter sentiment in ways it considers detrimental to Hungary's interests.
Under the proposed legislation, such organizations could be placed on a list by governmental decree, stripped of key funding and subjected to severe financial penalties if they are found to "endanger the sovereignty of Hungary by carrying out activities aimed at influencing public life with foreign support."
The bill would also allow the bank accounts of affected organizations to be monitored, and access to the accounts and transactions deemed to violate the new provisions could be blocked.
The measure is the latest in an escalating effort by Orbán's government to tighten its control over political expression and civic engagement in Hungary as the European Union's longest-serving leader faces a major challenge to his 15-year grip on power in elections scheduled for next year.
Parliament will likely vote on the bill in the coming days and it is expected to pass since Fidesz has a two-thirds majority.
Facing mounting legal and financial pressure from the government, many of Hungary's independent media outlets and NGOs have increasingly depended on international grants and assistance to sustain their operations.
But in a February speech laced with conspiracy rhetoric, Orbán said that organizations that receive any funding from outside Hungary's borders "have to be taken down, they have to be swept away ... It is necessary to make their existence legally impossible."
Orbán has for years enacted crackdowns on NGOs and independent media, passing laws that critics say seek to stigmatize and obstruct groups that provide protection for women and minorities, offer legal and human rights assistance and expose official corruption.
Those efforts ramped up in 2023 when Orbán's right-wing populist government launched the Sovereignty Protection Office, an authority tasked with investigating organizations and media outlets it deems to be exerting foreign influence.
The office has the power to gather information on any groups or individuals that benefit from foreign funding and influence public debate, and Hungary's secret services can assist in its investigations. Violations can result in prison terms of up to three years.
Opponents of the government's policies have compared the Sovereignty Protection Office to Russia's "foreign agent" law, and said it can be used to arbitrarily target government critics, including NGOs and journalists.
The bill introduced Tuesday outlines a broad definition of what constitutes a threat to sovereignty. Organizations may be targeted if they oppose or portray in a negative light values such as Hungary's democratic character, national unity, traditional family structures, or Christian culture — suggesting that even legitimate criticism of government policy could be treated as a national security threat.
Groups placed on the list would be barred from receiving donations through Hungary's 1% personal income tax program — a vital funding stream for many non-profits — and would be required to obtain special authorization from the national tax authority to accept any foreign donations.
In addition, Hungarian citizens donating to listed organizations would need to submit a formal declaration affirming that their contributions were not sourced from abroad. Organizations found to have received prohibited support would be subject to fines amounting to 25 times the value of the offending donation. |
Associated Press News | 2025-05-14 10:19:27+00:00 | [
"New Zealand",
"Protests and demonstrations",
"Politics",
"Debbie Ngarewa-Packer",
"Race and ethnicity",
"New Zealand government",
"Voting",
"International agreements",
"Race and Ethnicity"
] | # Māori lawmakers who performed a protest haka receive temporary bans from New Zealand's Parliament
By Charlotte Graham-Mclay
May 14th, 2025 10:19 AM
---
WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) — Three New Zealand lawmakers from Te Pāti Māori, the Māori Party, will receive temporary bans from Parliament and severe censure, it was announced Wednesday, over their protest of a proposed law by performing a haka, a chanting dance of challenge, directed at their opponents.
A committee of their peers recommended the penalties, understood to be the harshest ever assigned to New Zealand parliamentarians, in findings that said the trio's actions could have intimidated other legislators and were in contempt of Parliament. Their temporary suspensions are expected to be affirmed by vote during a sitting of all lawmakers on Thursday.
The decision means that Hana-Rāwhiti Maipi-Clarke, who at 22 is currently New Zealand's youngest lawmaker, will be suspended from Parliament for seven days. The co-leaders of her political party, Rawiri Waititi and Debbie Ngarewa-Packer, face 21-day bans.
They won't receive salaries during their suspensions.
The ruling is the latest twist in a fraught national saga over a bill, now defeated, that opponents said would reverse decades of progress for Māori, New Zealand's Indigenous people, and provoke constitutional havoc.
## Why were the Māori lawmakers suspended?
Video of the legislators in full cry drew millions of views on social media and global news headlines last November. The bill they opposed was vanquished at a second vote in April.
However, some lawmakers from the center-right government objected to the Māori Party legislators' protest during the first vote and complained to parliament's speaker. At issue was the way the trio walked across the floor of the debating chamber towards their opponents while they performed the haka.
"It is not acceptable to physically approach another member on the floor of the debating chamber," Wednesday's report said, adding that the behavior could be considered intimidating. The committee denied the legislators were being punished for the haka — which is a beloved and sacred cultural institution in New Zealand life, but "the time at and manner in which it was performed" during a vote, according to the findings.
The committee deciding the fate of the lawmakers is comprised of members from all political parties. The government's opponents disagreed with parts or all of the decision but were overruled.
## How did the suspended legislators respond?
The three legislators didn't appear before the committee when summoned in April because they said New Zealand's parliament doesn't respect Māori cultural protocol and they wouldn't get a fair hearing.
"The process was grossly unjust, unfair, and unwarranted, resulting in an extreme sanction," Māori party spokesperson and lawmaker Mariameno Kapa-Kingi said in a statement Wednesday. "This was not about process, this became personal."
Waititi and Ngarewa-Packer, the leaders of the minor party that advocates Māori rights and holds six of Parliament's 123 seats, have for weeks lambasted the committee's process as intolerant of Māori principles and identity.
The pair received more severe sanctions than Maipi-Clarke because the younger lawmaker had written a letter of "contrition" to the committee, the report said.
## Why did a proposed law provoke the protest?
The controversial Principles of the Treaty of Waitangi Bill sought to redefine New Zealand's founding document, the 1840 pact between the British Crown and Māori tribal leaders signed during New Zealand's colonization.
The English and Māori language versions of the treaty differed and the Crown immediately began to breach both, resulting in mass land thefts and generations of disenfranchisement for Māori, who remain disadvantaged on almost every metric. But in recent decades, Māori protest movements have wrought growing recognition of the Treaty's promises in New Zealand's law, politics and public life.
That produced billion-dollar land settlements with tribes and strategies to advance Indigenous language and culture. Such policies were the target of the bill, drawn up by a minor libertarian party who denounced what they said was special treatment for Māori as they tried to rewrite the treaty's promises.
The bill was never expected to become law – and it didn't. But public uproar about it led to the lawmakers haka in Parliament last November. Days later, tens of thousands of New Zealanders marched on Parliament to oppose it in the largest race relations protest in the country's history. |
Associated Press News | 2025-05-14 09:28:06+00:00 | [
"Russia government",
"Russia",
"Grigory Melkonyants",
"Activism",
"Politics",
"Mikhail Biryukov",
"Elections",
"Ella Pamfilova",
"Indictments",
"Criminal punishment"
] | # Russia convicts a prominent election monitoring activist and sentences him to 5 years in prison
By Dasha Litvinova
May 14th, 2025 09:28 AM
---
A court in Moscow on Wednesday convicted one of the leaders of a prominent independent election monitoring group on charges of organizing the work of an "undesirable" organization and sentenced him to five years in prison.
Grigory Melkonyants, co-chair of Russia's leading election watchdog Golos, has rejected the charges as politically motivated. The case against him is part of the monthslong crackdown on Kremlin critics and rights activists that the government ratcheted up after invading Ukraine in 2022.
After a judge of the Basmanny District Court delivered the verdict, Melkonyants, 44, told several dozen supporters and journalists from the glass defendant's cage: "Don't worry, I'm not despairing. You shouldn't despair either!"
Golos has monitored for and exposed violations in every major election in Russia since it was founded in 2000. Over the years, it has faced mounting pressure from the authorities.
In 2013, the group was designated as a "foreign agent" — a label that implies additional government scrutiny and carries strong pejorative connotations. Three years later, it was liquidated as a non-governmental organization by Russia's Justice Ministry.
Golos has continued to operate without registering as an NGO, exposing violations in various elections, and in 2021 it was added to a new registry of "foreign agents," created by the Justice Ministry for groups that are not registered as a legal entity in Russia.
It has not been designated as "undesirable" — a label that under a 2015 law makes involvement with such organizations a criminal offense. But when it was an NGO, it was a member of the European Network of Election Monitoring Organizations, a group that was declared "undesirable" in Russia in 2021, and the charges against Melkonyants stemmed from that.
The defense argued that when ENEMO was outlawed in Russia, Golos wasn't a member, and Melkonyants had nothing to do with it.
Melkonyants, a renowned election expert and lawyer by training, was arrested in August 2023 and has been in custody ever since.
Ella Pamfilova, chair of Russia's Central Election Commission, the country's main election authority, spoke out in his support at the time, telling Russian business daily Vedomosti about the case: "I would really like to hope that they will handle this objectively. Because his criticism, often professional, helped us a lot sometimes."
Independent journalists, critics, activists and opposition figures in Russia have come under increasing pressure from the government in recent years that intensified significantly amid the war in Ukraine.
Multiple independent news outlets and rights groups have been shut down, labeled as "foreign agents" or outlawed as "undesirable." Hundreds of activists and critics of the Kremlin have faced criminal charges.
Melkonyants' defense team said after the verdict that they will appeal. Lawyer Mikhail Biryukov told reporters that "there is no evidence" in the case that he and others on the defense team consider "politically motivated, pretentious."
"We will fight for Grigory's freedom, because an illegal, unjust verdict should not exist. It should not stand (in the appeal proceedings). We all hope that the law will prevail," Biryukov said.
Memorial, Russia's prominent human rights group that won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2022, has designated Melkonyants as a political prisoner. |
Associated Press News | 2025-05-14 10:09:59+00:00 | [
"Protests and demonstrations",
"Democracy",
"Niger",
"Mali government",
"Censorship",
"Burkina Faso",
"Politics"
] | # Malian authorities ban French TV channel over its coverage of a pro-democracy protest
By Associated Press
May 14th, 2025 10:09 AM
---
BAMAKO, Mali (AP) — Mali's media regulatory body said it is banning a French television channel in the country due to "defamatory remarks" it made about a pro-democracy demonstration in the capital earlier this month.
The High Authority for Communication said in a letter published on Tuesday that it was cutting the signal of French channel TV5 Monde after a news anchor remarked that "hundreds of security forces were mobilized to prevent demonstrators from accessing" the Palais de la Culture during a May 3 protest.
The authority said this was incorrect and that "the forces of law and order were present at the Palais de la Culture to secure the demonstrators."
TV5MONDE did not immediately comment on the announcement.
The decision was the latest move by Malian authorities that targeted media outlets. The signals of France 24 and Radio France Internationale (RFI) have been blocked for three years, and Mali's private TV channel, Djoliba TV News, had its signal cut off for six months last December over a debate questioning the official version of a thwarted coup attempt in neighboring Burkina Faso.
Like Burkina Faso and Niger, Mali is ruled by military regimes that took power following coups. The regimes have formed an alliance called the Alliance of Sahel States and have severely restricted freedom of expression by cutting off media signals and arresting journalists, political figures, and civil society leaders. |
Associated Press News | 2025-05-13 23:20:07+00:00 | [
"Philanthropy",
"Florida",
"Donald Trump",
"Bill Gates",
"Government budgets",
"Joe Deitch",
"The Walt Disney Co.",
"Abigail Disney",
"Politics",
"Business",
"Tommy Marcus",
"United States government",
"Roy Disney"
] | # Abigail Disney urges donors to be braver about their giving and shouldering more risk
By Glenn Gamboa
May 13th, 2025 11:20 PM
---
MIAMI BEACH, Florida (AP) — Activist and philanthropist Abigail Disney urged donors and the leaders of major foundations and nonprofits to be braver with their giving, especially at a time when more are fearful about speaking their minds.
"The people who speak up against their own self-interest are becoming very, very important," Disney said Tuesday at the opening panel of The Elevate Prize Foundation's Make Good Famous Summit in Miami Beach, Florida. "The people in philanthropy are the people who need to be speaking up … What we are experiencing is nothing compared to the risk that people of color, Indigenous people, immigrants are experiencing every single day in this country."
Disney told The Associated Press in an interview before the panel that she planned to be more outspoken because "everyone has been so quiet since the election." Many question why major donors and foundations have not reacted faster to the Trump administration's cuts to foreign aid and federal funding to nonprofits, though some organizations, like the Marguerite Casey Foundation, have opted to scale up donations dramatically.
"When people see each other act, it becomes easier for them to act," said Disney, who joked that she inspired Bill Gates to spend all of the Gates Foundation's assets and shut down the nonprofit by 2045. Disney, whose grandfather Roy Disney co-founded The Walt Disney Co., announced in December that her Daphne Foundation would spend its assets and soon shut down.
Disney represented only one segment of philanthropists convened by The Elevate Prize Foundation to pledge action. "We are gathering at a time of real consequence," said Joe Deitch, the foundation's founder and chairman. "The challenges we face on the planet and as a people are daunting. We're witnessing a level of political and social division that often feels insurmountable."
The foundation took its own action by awarding international human rights organization Equality Now $1 million in unrestricted funds for its work, which will help the group expand its work.
Tommy Marcus, also known as Quentin Quarantino on Instagram where his 1.1 million followers have donated more than $30 million to charities he supports, said action makes him feel optimistic.
"I get hope from knowing — for the wonderful things that I really care about and I just feel obligated to do something about — that there's just so many good people who will say, 'You know, Tommy, I wasn't thinking about this, but here's $30'," he said. "I think the future of fundraising, the future of charity, is in community."
Marcus said in an interview that he found such support "flattering and a little scary," and that he takes the responsibility of that support very seriously. And he plans to continue to use his platform to draw attention to causes his followers can support.
"Unfortunately, there's plenty of reasons to be a bit demotivated and deflated," he said. "At the same time, I take inspiration from my community and the unique things that we band together for or the way we just help an individual do something."
Tynesha McHarris, co-founder of the Black Feminist Fund, said that this is a frightening time and there will be setbacks as they fight Trump administration policies that she says target Black women, but there will also be opportunities.
"We are in this moment in time where we have to respond against one of the most lethal threats globally, that is trying to come for everything that is possible," she said. "I get to be alongside a cadre of people that stand in their way. That is a gift. Take it. Even if it makes your hands sweat or your stomach hurt. It is a gift to be amongst a community and a country and a coalition who would rather choose freedom over fascism, freedom over fear."
Disney told the panel she would like to eliminate the words "tireless" and "fearless" from the English language,
"No one is tireless or fearless," she said. "Courage is working through fear, in spite of fear. I've never had a moment in my life when I wasn't fearful. The trick is to hold on to your values through fear."
_____
Associated Press coverage of philanthropy and non-profits 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 20:32:05+00:00 | [
"Missouri",
"Government budgets",
"Mike Kehoe",
"Saddam Hussein",
"Ronald Reagan",
"Josh Hawley",
"Notable Deaths",
"U.S. Republican Party",
"Politics",
"Kit Bond",
"Jason Van Eaton",
"United States Senate",
"Matt Blunt"
] | # Sen. Kit Bond, whose mastery of pork-barrel spending benefitted his native Missouri, dies at 86
By Heather Hollingsworth
May 13th, 2025 08:32 PM
---
Christopher "Kit" Bond, a Republican who brought billions of dollars in federal funding to Missouri during his four terms in the U.S. Senate and who was state's the youngest person to be governor, died Tuesday. He was 86.
Bond's family told Gov. Mike Kehoe's office that Bond died in St. Louis, but it didn't disclose the cause, Gabby Picard, a spokesperson for the governor, said in an email. Kehoe ordered flags flown at half staff for the man he described as a "skilled statesman."
Jason Van Eaton, Bond's former deputy chief of staff, told The Associated Press that his former boss' death marked the end of an era. "The lasting legacy of Kit Bond will be the thousands of people that he inspired," he said.
U.S. Senator Josh Hawley, of Missouri, described Bond as a "champion for Missouri" in a message on X. Former U.S. Sen. Jim Talent, of Missouri, praised Bond's "relentless and penetrating intelligence" in a statement.
As a member of the powerful Senate Appropriations Committee, Bond secured federal money for big and small projects in Missouri, scoffing at government watchdog groups that considered him a master of pork-barrel spending.
"If it's pork, it's an awfully healthy diet for the people of Missouri," Bond said in 1999.
Early in his career, Bond was considered a political wunderkind. When he took office at age 33 as Missouri's youngest governor, he was also the state's first Republican chief executive in about three decades and garnered consideration as a vice presidential candidate.
His early success stalled when he lost a reelection bid, but he later rebounded to win another term as governor before being elected to the Senate in 1986 and eventually becoming the patriarch of the Missouri Republican Party.
"Public service has been a blessing and a labor of love for me," Bond said during his 2009 announcement to a joint session of the Legislature that he would not seek another term.
Former Gov. Matt Blunt, who was the state's second-youngest governor, recalled the advice and friendship Bond offered after his 2004 election. He called Bond's death a "profound loss."
When Bond entered the Senate, he downplayed hot-button issues in favor of working on legislation that benefited Missouri. Early in his career, Bond voted to override President Ronald Reagan's veto of a highway financing bill that included money for projects in Missouri.
Bond assumed a higher national profile during his last term in the Senate. After the U.S. invasion of Iraq, he became a primary spokesman for congressional Republicans about the war during the time leading up to the 2006 elections.
Eventually, though, the Bush administration's central allegation that Saddam Hussein was hiding weapons of mass destruction proved baseless.
After Republicans lost control of Congress in 2006, Bond sought to mend relations with Democrats on the Senate Intelligence Committee after years of discord over its investigation into intelligence before the invasion of Iraq.
Testaments to Bond's longevity in the public arena are stamped across Missouri. A federal courthouse in Jefferson City and a life sciences center at the University of Missouri-Columbia are named after him. A highway bridge crossing the Missouri River in Hermann and one in Kansas City also carry his name.
Bond often bragged about his wife, Linda, a fundraising consultant whom he married in 2002, and his son from his previous marriage, Sam.
"I have a wonderful wife, a magnificent son I'm very proud of, I have the opportunity to serve the state I love," he told the AP in 2004.
___
Former Associated Press reporters Chris Blank and Sam Hananel contributed to this report. |
Associated Press News | 2025-05-13 20:32:02+00:00 | [
"Philadelphia Phillies",
"St. Louis Cardinals",
"Baseball",
"MLB",
"Aaron Nola",
"Climate and environment",
"Jesus Luzardo",
"Sports",
"St. Louis",
"Erick Fedde",
"Sonny Gray",
"MLB baseball"
] | # Cardinals and Phillies to play split doubleheader after Tuesday's game postponed due to weather
May 13th, 2025 08:32 PM
---
PHILADELPHIA (AP) — The second game of a three-game series between the St. Louis Cardinals and Philadelphia Phillies was postponed on Tuesday because of inclement weather.
The game will be made up as part of a split day/night doubleheader on Wednesday.
Cardinals right-hander Erick Fedde will face Phillies right-hander Aaron Nola in the first game of the doubleheader. Neither team has announced a starter for the second game.
St. Louis right-hander Sonny Gray was scheduled to face Philadelphia left-hander Jesus Luzardo on Tuesday before the postponement.
The Cardinals have won nine straight games after Monday night's 3-2 win over the Phillies.
___
AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb |
Associated Press News | 2025-05-13 20:22:34+00:00 | [
"Thomas Morstead",
"New York Jets",
"Austin McNamara",
"Aaron Rodgers",
"New York",
"Sports transactions",
"New York City Wire",
"NFL",
"Sports",
"Davante Adams",
"New Orleans",
"Braden Mann",
"C.J. Mosley",
"Aaron Glenn",
"NFL football"
] | # Veteran punter Thomas Morstead released by Jets amid roster overhaul by new regime
By Dennis Waszak Jr.
May 13th, 2025 08:22 PM
---
The New York Jets released veteran punter Thomas Morstead on Tuesday after two seasons in his second stint with the team.
Morstead, who turned 39 in March, is part of what has been a roster overhaul by new general manager Darren Mougey and coach Aaron Glenn since they were hired in January. Other veterans who have been released this offseason by the Jets include quarterback Aaron Rodgers, wide receiver Davante Adams and linebacker C.J. Mosley.
New York also announced it signed undrafted free agent Kai Kroeger, who played five seasons at South Carolina.
In a video message on his Instagram page, Morstead said he was working out at Tulane's Yulman Stadium in New Orleans and received a call from the Jets that they were moving on from him.
"Just wanted to say thank you to all the fans, all the coaches that I worked with over the past few years, the teammates," he said. "It's been awesome. Had a great experience. Disappointed to be moving on and disappointed how it went down, but it's just the way it goes in this business. I really appreciate everybody that's been a part of the journey. And I'm out here, getting some kicks in with my boys and just wanted to say thank you to everybody."
The Jets thanked the punter "for everything you've done in the Green & White" in their announcement of Morstead's release on social media.
Morstead was due a base salary of $2.1 million — with no guaranteed money — and set to count $3.05 million on the salary cap this season in the last year of his contract with New York.
Morstead averaged 48.2 yards per punt in 34 games with the Jets the past two seasons while landing 55 kicks inside the 20-yard line. He has a career punting average of 46.8 yards in 255 games. Morstead was a fifth-round draft pick by New Orleans out of SMU in 2009 and played 12 seasons with the Saints before joining the Jets in 2021. He filled in for seven games for an injured Braden Mann before being released by New York and signing with Atlanta.
Morstead played with Miami in 2022 before rejoining the Jets.
Kroeger averaged 44.6 yards per punt, the second-best mark in Gamecocks history and set a school record with 265 career punts. He and Austin McNamara, who signed during the offseason, are the punters currently on the Jets' roster.
___
AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl |
Associated Press News | 2025-05-13 20:19:30+00:00 | [
"Federal Reserve System",
"Financial markets",
"Donald Trump",
"Stocks and bonds",
"Business",
"Inflation"
] | # How major US stock indexes fared Tuesday, 5/13/2025
By The Associated Press
May 13th, 2025 08:19 PM
---
U.S. stocks rose following an encouraging report that showed inflation unexpectedly slowed across the country last month.
The S&P 500 climbed 0.7% Tuesday and erased its loss for the year so far. The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 0.6%, and the Nasdaq composite rose 1.6% as AI and other tech stocks led the way.
The report on inflation could give the Federal Reserve more leeway to cut interest rates later this year to help the economy, but analysts and economists cautioned that inflation could still run higher in coming months because of President Donald Trump's tariffs.
On Tuesday:
The S&P 500 rose 42.36 points, or 0.7%, to 5,886.55.
The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 269.67 points, or 0.6%, to 42,140.43.
The Nasdaq composite rose 301.74 points, or 1.6%, to 19,010.08.
The Russell 2000 index of smaller companies rose 10.15 points, or 0.5%, to 2,102.35.
For the week:
The S&P 500 is up 226.64 points, or 4%.
The Dow is up 891.05 points, or 2.2%.
The Nasdaq is up 1,081.17, or 6%.
The Russell 2000 is up 79.27 points, or 3.9%.
For the year:
The S&P 500 is up 4.92 points, or 0.1%.
The Dow is down 403.79 points, or 0.9%.
The Nasdaq is down 300.71 or 1.6%.
The Russell 2000 is down 127.81 points, or 5.7%. |
Associated Press News | 2025-05-12 17:53:02+00:00 | [
"Cannes Film Festival",
"Bella Hadid",
"Bianca Censori",
"Fairs and festivals",
"JWD-evergreen",
"Kendall Jenner",
"Thierry Frmaux",
"Entertainment",
"Lifestyle",
"Naomi Campbell",
"Oddities"
] | # Cannes bans nudity on its red carpet
May 12th, 2025 05:53 PM
---
CANNES, France (AP) — The Cannes Film Festival red carpet is perhaps the most rigidly controlled red carpet in the world. Now, the festival has added a new stipulation: no nudity.
While nudity was never previously endorsed at the festival, Cannes updated its dress policy on the eve of its 78th edition to read that "nudity is prohibited on the red carpet, as well as in any other area of the festival."
While a no-shirt-no-service policy is standard in places far less glamorous than Cannes, the policy tweak sparked widespread attention Monday because of the recent trend of sheer and "nude dresses, " such as Bianca Censori's Grammys appearance.
Asked for clarity on the policy, Cannes press officers said the festival "made explicit in its charter certain rules that have long been in effect."
"The aim is not to regulate attire per se, but to prohibit full nudity on the red carpet, in accordance with the institutional framework of the event and French law," it said.
Cannes also noted that "voluminous outfits, in particular those with a large train, that hinder the proper flow of traffic of guests and complicate seating in the theater are not permitted."
Still, skin has often been flashed at the French Riviera festival by celebrities like Bella Hadid, Naomi Campbell and Kendall Jenner, and dress policies have long been flouted by celebrities. For evening premieres at the Palais' Grand Théâtre Lumière, black tie and evening wear is required. Though not in recent years, Cannes security officials have sometimes turned away women for not wearing heels.
The festival also banned selfies in 2018 — Cannes director Thierry Frémaux called them "grotesque" — but A-listers sometimes snap a quick photo on the Palais steps.
The festival kicks off Tuesday.
___
For more on the 2025 Cannes Film Festival, visit https://apnews.com/hub/cannes-film-festival. |
Associated Press News | 2025-05-13 20:14:03+00:00 | [
"Roger Goodell",
"Dasha Smith",
"NFL",
"Sports",
"National Football League",
"Aaron Glenn",
"NFL football",
"Technology"
] | # NFL pauses accelerator program aimed at increasing diverse hirings
By Josh Dubow
May 13th, 2025 08:14 PM
---
The NFL will not hold its accelerator program aimed at increasing diversity among coaches at the upcoming spring meetings as the league plans to make changes to the program before bringing it back next year.
The latest event in the program, which began in 2022, was scheduled to have coaching candidates of diverse backgrounds meet with team owners at league meetings next week in Minnesota.
NFL chief administrative officer Dasha Smith said the program will come back in May 2026.
"This will allow us to reimagine the program, reflecting on the feedback and engaging with stakeholders so we can ensure a successful program in the future," she said in a statement Tuesday. "We're steadfast in our commitment to strengthen our talent pipeline and create an environment that reflects the diversity of our fan base. The NFL strives to be a unifying force, and we are confident the next evolution of our efforts will take us one step closer to that goal."
CBS Sports first reported the decision.
The NFL recently held an accelerator program for general manager candidates at league meetings in December, a three-day candidate development program at the scouting combine and the ninth-annual women's forum.
Among the people who have gone through the accelerator program and eventually got top jobs are New York Jets head coach Aaron Glenn and former Tennessee general manager Ran Carthon.
Smith said the league intends to combine the coaching and front office accelerator programs and remains committed to increasing diverse hirings for key leadership positions.
"We believe diversity of thought and background is essential to our success, and it's reflected in the policies, programs, and partnerships that help us attract, develop, and retain top talent at every level on and off the field," she said.
The NFL currently has seven minority head coaches and seven minority general managers. Commissioner Roger Goodell reiterated the league's commitment to diverse hiring at the Super Bowl.
"I believe that our diversity efforts have led to making the NFL better," he said in February in New Orleans. "It's attracted better talent. We think we're better if we get different perspectives, people with different backgrounds, whether they're women or men or people of color. We make ourselves stronger and we make ourselves better when we have that."
___
AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl |
Associated Press News | 2025-05-13 20:11:02+00:00 | [
"Pete Hegseth",
"Donald Trump",
"Military and defense",
"Associated Press",
"Josh Benson",
"U.S. Marine Corps",
"Middle East",
"U.S. Department of Defense",
"Europe",
"United States government"
] | # Hegseth's planned cuts could hit more than 120 high-ranking officers
By Lolita C. Baldor
May 13th, 2025 08:11 PM
---
WASHINGTON (AP) — Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth's plans to slash the number of senior military leaders across the services would cut more than 120 high-ranking officer jobs in the active duty and National Guard, including as many as nine top general slots.
Based on the percentages outlined by Hegseth and his senior staff, 20% of the 44 authorized top active duty general and admiral jobs would be eliminated, along with 10% of the more than 800 one-, two- and three-star positions, according to numbers compiled by The Associated Press.
The cuts — about nine positions among four-star generals and 80 jobs across the other leadership levels — would affect dozens of active duty officers scattered across the five services as well as those who are in joint command jobs, such as those overseeing Africa, the Middle East and Europe. The changes would eliminate 33 senior National Guard positions.
The cuts are part of a broader government-wide campaign to slash spending and personnel across federal agencies that is being pushed by President Donald Trump's administration and ally Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency.
According to Hegseth and others, the intent of the military job reductions isn't to reduce the overall size of the force but to thin out the higher ranks and offset those cuts with additional troops at lower levels. While the overall number of service members may not drop, the salary costs will be lower.
Some Democratic members of Congress have criticized Hegseth's plans as an attempt to politicize the military and oust leaders that don't agree with the Trump administration. The changes also come as the world is roiled by conflicts, including the wars in Gaza and Ukraine, and as the U.S. has troops deployed in Syria and elsewhere.
## Shifting leadership responsibilities
Military officials expect that as various jobs are downgraded — for example from a lieutenant general in charge to a major general or brigadier general — more leadership responsibilities will fall on colonels or Navy captains and other subordinates.
And while many of the job cuts will come through attrition, as senior officers retire or move on, the services say they will have the flexibility to move people into higher priority positions and get rid of less critical posts.
"More generals and admirals does not equal more success," Hegseth said in a video describing his plan. "This is not a slash and burn exercise meant to punish high-ranking officers. Nothing could be further from the truth. This has been a deliberative process."
Calling it the "Less Generals, More GIs" plan, he said the department will make "prudent reductions."
## How the cuts will hit the military services
The Army, which is the largest service, is allowed to have a maximum of 219 high-ranking general officers and is expected to absorb a higher number of the cuts, while the Marine Corps will probably see little impact at the very top. There are only two Marine four-star generals, and the tiny Space Force also only has two.
"The Marine Corps, with our general officers, like our civilians and senior executives, is by far the leanest service," said Lt. Col. Josh Benson, a Marine spokesman. "Due to the already lean nature of the general officers in the Marine Corps, any cuts to Marine general officers will have an outsized impact to the Corps relative to other services."
He said nearly one-third — or 21 — of Marine generals hold two or three jobs each, and as many as 10 positions are already empty.
Army leaders, meanwhile, have already developed plans to merge or close headquarters units and staff. As many as 40 general officer slots could be cut as a result, officials have said.
The joint jobs would include leaders at regional commands, such as those in Europe, the Indo-Pacific and the Middle East, as well as administrative or functional commands, such as Cyber Command and Special Operations Command.
Under the law, there currently can be no more than 232 of those joint officers, and they're spread across all the services.
It's unclear how many of the cuts those jobs would absorb, versus the slots in each of the services. But officials have talked about merging some commands as the Pentagon reviews its overall leadership structure.
In addition to the joint command jobs, Congress stipulates the maximum number of high-ranking general officers in the services: 219 in the Army, 171 in the Air Force, 21 in the Space Force, 64 in the Marine Corps and 150 flag officers in the Navy.
All combined, the services can't have more than 27 four-star officers, 153 three stars, 239 two stars and 210 one stars.
## National Guard review and cuts
The decrease in the National Guard stems from a review done by Guard leaders last year that identified more than 30 positions that could be cut among the 133 general officer jobs spread out across the government. There are about 30 general officers in the National Guard Bureau headquarters staff, and the rest are assigned to jobs in other federal agencies, including the FBI, CIA and the military commands.
Guard officials described their plan to Hegseth and Pentagon leaders, and it was approved. According to officials, it would result in six jobs cut from Guard Bureau staff and the rest from other military and government posts.
The adjutants general who run the Guard in each state are chosen by and work for the governors and so are not part of any cuts. They are largely one- and two- star officers. |
Associated Press News | 2025-05-13 17:39:56+00:00 | [
"Florida",
"Glen Edward Rogers",
"Tina Marie Cribbs",
"Ron DeSantis",
"Crime",
"Lake City",
"Carmen Gayheart",
"Anthony Wainwright",
"Homicide",
"Kidnapping",
"Legal proceedings",
"O.J. Simpson",
"Prisons",
"Law enforcement",
"Capital punishment",
"Ronald Goldman"
] | # 2 more executions set in Florida, making it 6 so far in 2025
May 13th, 2025 05:39 PM
---
STARKE, Fla. (AP) — Florida is continuing its rapid pace of executions this year, with one convicted killer set to die this week and another on June 10 who would be the sixth person put to death by the state in 2025.
Glen Rogers, 62, is scheduled to die by lethal injection at Florida State Prison on Thursday for the 1995 stabbing death near Tampa of Tina Marie Cribbs. Rogers, who has claimed he killed many people around the country, was also sentenced to death in California for another woman's murder.
Rogers was arrested in Kentucky driving Cribbs' car, which he claimed she had lent to him.
There were also claims by Rogers and others that he was involved in the O.J. Simpson murder case and was responsible for the killings of Nicole Brown Simpson and Ronald Goldman. This came up in a 2012 documentary and in correspondence between Rogers and a criminal profiler, but Los Angeles police and prosecutors said he was not the killer.
Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis last week signed a death warrant for Anthony Wainwright, 54, who was convicted of kidnapping, raping and murdering Carmen Gayheart in 1994. Gayheart was abducted from a grocery store parking lot in Lake City, Florida.
Wainwright and another man had escaped earlier from prison in North Carolina and were captured in Mississippi after a shootout with police, according to court records.
Both Rogers and Wainwright have appeals pending that could delay their executions. There were also six Florida executions in 2023 but only one in 2024. |
Associated Press News | 2025-05-13 20:06:47+00:00 | [
"Burkina Faso",
"Africa",
"Ibrahim Traore",
"John Jerry Rawlings",
"Coups detat",
"United States government",
"United States",
"Nigeria government",
"Richard Alandu",
"Thomas Sankara",
"Michael Langley"
] | # Burkina Faso's Traore captivates young Africans despite worsening security crisis
By Dulue Mbachu
May 13th, 2025 08:06 PM
---
ABUJA, Nigeria (AP) — As news emerged this week about hundreds of Burkina Faso citizens killed separately by both jihadi groups and government forces, images of Burkina Faso's junta leader Capt. Ibrahim Traore were plastered over Russian state media speaking about pan-Africanism and liberating the minds of the continent's youths.
Traore, who was in Moscow for the 80th anniversary of the defeat of Nazi Germany in World War II, is Africa's youngest leader at 37, a strong appeal for the continent's young population that is used to much older leaders.
Since coming to power in September 2022 after the country's second coup that year, he has dwelt on a rhetoric of self-reliance and independence from the West, particularly former colonial ruler France — a message that often resonates with young Africans and the diaspora.
## Why is Traore trending
The latest Traore frenzy reached a new peak late April with a solidarity march in the country's capital, Ouagadougou, following an alleged coup attempt and comments by Gen. Michael Langley, the head of U.S. military in Africa, accusing the Burkina Faso leader of misusing the country's gold reserves.
Following the 2022 coup that brought him to power, Traore promised to end the country's decadeslong deadly security crisis and leverage its rich mineral resources for the benefit of its 24 million citizens.
Alongside the coup-hit nations of Niger and Mali, Burkina Faso has since severed ties with the regional bloc of ECOWAS — criticized by many young Africans as representing the interest of leaders and not the citizens — as well as longstanding Western allies such as France, whose military provided security support to the government for many years to help its security crisis.
Analysts and locals suggest that these factors, combined with his youth, have contributed to Traore's appeal among young Africans.
"There is a growing consciousness among African youth at home and abroad that they need to do something about the continent's lack of progress," said Richard Alandu, a Ghanaian living near the border with Burkina Faso. "It appears Traore has become the face of that consciousness."
## How has Traore fared as Burkina Faso's junta leader
The security crisis that Traore vowed to resolve has worsened instead, slowing the country's overall economic development and preventing most citizens from benefiting from its mineral wealth, according to analysts and researchers' data.
"There has been no real progress on the ground" in Burkina Faso, said Gbara Awanen, a professor of international relations and security studies at Nigeria's Baze University, who specializes in West Africa. "A lot of it is just sleek propaganda."
Data from the U.S.-based Armed Conflict Location & Event Data Project, or ACLED, shows that while 2,894 people were killed by both government and armed groups during the year before the 2022 coup, the number has more than doubled to at least 7,200 in the last year.
Analysts say the attacks have worsened to the point that Ouagadougou is now increasingly threatened, with more than 60% of the country outside of government control. At least 2.1 million people have lost their homes as a result of the violence, and almost 6.5 million need humanitarian aid to survive, conservative estimates show.
## Propaganda rhythms
Babacar Ndiaye, a senior fellow at the Senegal-based Timbuktu Institute for Peace Studies, attributes the current frenzy surrounding Traore primarily to his popularity — and Russia-driven propaganda
Despite Burkina Faso's worsening security crisis, Traore still has "so much resonance and interest simply because of propaganda," Ndiaye said. "In Africa, there is deep frustration with the traditional leadership, so there is polarized anger towards a scapegoat that is the west."
West Africa, meanwhile, has a history of young men seizing power as exemplified by John Jerry Rawlings in Ghana, Samuel Doe in Liberia and Thomas Sankara in Burkina Faso, all in the 1980s. That history, placed against the perceived failure of Western-style democracy in Africa, has helped to create conditions for idolizing the likes of Traore.
Still, allegations of propaganda do not adequately explain the excitement that has built up around Africa's youngest ruler, according to Chidi Odinkalu, an Africa analyst and professor at Tufts University.
"Traore articulates a revolutionary message that is appealing to a young population frustrated by the thievery of what passes for 'democracy' in their own countries," said Odinkalu.
____
Follow AP's Africa coverage at: https://apnews.com/hub/africa |
Associated Press News | 2025-05-13 19:54:58+00:00 | [
"Cannes Film Festival",
"Charlie Chaplin",
"Spencer Chaplin",
"Movies",
"Comedy",
"Los Angeles",
"Entertainment",
"Kiera Chaplin",
"Thierry Fremaux"
] | # On 100th anniversary of 'The Gold Rush,' Cannes tips hat to Charlie Chaplin
By Jake Coyle
May 13th, 2025 07:54 PM
---
CANNES, France (AP) — One hundred years after Charlie Chaplin made dinner rolls dance and ate his shoe like it was a fine meal, "The Gold Rush" has been vividly brought back to life in a new restoration that premiered Tuesday at the Cannes Film Festival.
On the opening day of its 78th edition, Cannes debuted a 4K restoration of "The Gold Rush," one of Chaplin's most beloved silent masterpieces. The screening, held just before the festival's official opening ceremony, was part of a new day-one tradition for restored films, festival director Thierry Fremaux said before the screening at Cannes' Debussy Theatre.
Years in the making, this "Gold Rush" pristinely restores Chaplin's Tramp to all his downtrodden glory. The 1925 Alaskan frontier comedy may be marking its centenary, but it looks bracingly fresh in the restoration carried out by La Cineteca di Bologna.
The restoration was more complicated than most because it included an extensive search for any missing footage. In 1942, Chaplin edited the film and re-released it with sound effects, music and narration. That version landed two Oscar nominations, but the restoration sought to get as close to the 1925 original as possible.
In "The Gold Rush" Chaplin's lone prospector ambles through the snowy Alaskan wilds in pursuit less of gold than some food and perhaps companionship. His antic, cliff-dangling struggles make up much of the film's deft slapstick, but the Little Tramp's humble, sweet hopes for romance greatly exceed his strike-it-rich ambitions.
The film's premiere drew two grandchildren of Chaplin: Kiera Chaplin and Spencer Chaplin.
"What to say about 'The Gold Rush?' said Spencer Chaplin. "It was his biggest production to date. He built the set — it was almost like a tourist attraction in L.A. at the time. He built the mountains."
The screening in Cannes drew a packed house in one of Cannes' largest theaters, a crowd that the Chaplin descendants warmly surveyed.
"Our grandfather would be really proud to see this, a hundred years later, to see all you here and interested in seeing the film," said Kiera Chaplin.
"The Gold Rush" will roll out in theaters worldwide on June 26 in a release organized by mk2 Films.
___
For more coverage of the 2025 Cannes Film Festival, visit https://apnews.com/hub/cannes-film-festival. |
Associated Press News | 2025-05-13 19:54:21+00:00 | [
"Family medicine",
"Diego Maradona",
"Leopoldo Luque",
"Sports",
"Argentina",
"Carlos Daz",
"Health",
"Pablo Dimitroff"
] | # Daughter of Maradona testifies against late soccer star's primary care doctor
May 13th, 2025 07:54 PM
---
BUENOS AIRES, Argentina (AP) — One of Diego Maradona's daughters testified Tuesday that her father's primary care physician couldn't explain to her what type of treatment the soccer great was receiving and blamed the doctor for recommending that her father be moved to home care before his death in 2020.
Leopoldo Luque, a neurosurgeon who was Maradona's primary care doctor, is one of seven medical professionals on trial accused of negligence in Maradona's death.
Maradona had surgery for a hematoma that formed between his skull and brain and stayed in intensive care at Los Olivos clinic between Nov. 4-11, 2020. He then was sent to recover at a private home where he died two weeks later at the age of 60.
Gianinna Maradona told the court that her father's health was badly deteriorating a month before his death and that she made this observation to Luque on several occasions.
The deficiencies in Maradona's home care are one of the prosecution's key pieces of evidence. A cardiologist testified that he was against moving Maradona from the Olivos Clinic.
Three judges will decide whether those charged are guilty of manslaughter. The maximum prison sentence is 25 years.
"I told Luque that my dad seemed very lost, that he wasn't happy, and that he couldn't walk. He told me there were ups and downs in his days," said the daughter of "El Diez."
Recalling Maradona's 60th birthday on Oct. 30, Giannina testified that when she visited him at home, "he looked at us but didn't understand. I asked him if he felt OK, and he said no, that he felt bad."
The witness stated that every time she asked the doctor to explain why her father "was getting worse and worse … he couldn't tell me with certainty what treatment he was undergoing."
She recounted that Luque, along with psychiatrist Agustina Cosachov and psychologist Carlos Díaz, two other defendants, proposed home confinement for Maradona, and she ended up trusting the decision even though she didn't initially agree.
"I chose to believe that they, who were monitoring my father's health, were giving us the best proposal. Looking back I feel like it was all a play to keep my father in a dark, ugly, and lonely place," said Maradona's daughter.
Clinic medical director Pablo Dimitroff testified that after the surgery Maradona had "a complex psychomotor excitation episode" that resembled alcohol withdrawal.
Dimitroff also advised against home confinement, but Luque ultimately informed him of the decision to move Maradona out of the clinic.
___
AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer |
Associated Press News | 2025-05-13 04:04:02+00:00 | [
"Donald Trump",
"Joe Biden",
"Saudi Arabia",
"Syria",
"Mohammad bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud",
"Steve Witkoff",
"Bashar Assad",
"Royalty",
"Iran government",
"Larry Fink",
"Elon Musk",
"BlackRock",
"Inc.",
"Saudi Arabia government",
"Ahmad al-Sharaa",
"Stephen Schwarzman",
"Recep Tayyip Erdogan",
"Jamal Khashoggi",
"Politics",
"Hamas",
"Business",
"Syria government",
"Tesla",
"Sanctions and embargoes",
"Corporate management",
"SpaceX",
"Rebellions and uprisings",
"Houthis"
] | # Trump lays out Mideast vision as he visits Saudi crown prince
By Aamer Madhani, Zeke Miller, and Jon Gambrell
May 13th, 2025 04:04 AM
---
RIYADH, Saudi Arabia (AP) — President Donald Trump on Tuesday held out Saudi Arabia as a model for a reimagined Middle East, using the first major foreign trip of his term to emphasize the promise of economic prosperity over instability in a region reeling from multiple wars.
Offering partnership to longtime foes, Trump said he would move to lift sanctions on Syria and normalize relations with the new government led by a former insurgent, and he touted the U.S. role in bringing about a fragile ceasefire with Yemen's Houthis. But Trump also indicated his patience was not endless, as he urged Iran to make a new nuclear deal with the U.S. or risk severe economic and military consequences.
With his carrot and stick approach, Trump gave the clearest indication yet of his vision for remaking the region, where goals of fostering human rights and democracy promotion have been replaced by an emphasis on economic prosperity and regional stability.
Trump also made a pitch to Saudi Arabia to join the Abraham Accords started in his first term and recognize Israel. And he envisioned a hopeful future for the people of Gaza — emphasizing they must first cast off the influence of Hamas.
"As I have shown repeatedly, I am willing to end past conflicts and forge new partnerships for a better and more stable world, even if our differences may be profound," Trump said as he laid out his outlook for the region in a speech at an investment forum.
Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, the de facto ruler, welcomed Trump to the kingdom with royal flourishes and lavished attention on him at every turn. It was a stark contrast to the crown prince's awkward fist bump in 2022 with then-President Joe Biden, who tried to avoid being seen on camera shaking hands with him during a visit to the kingdom.
## Trump shows disdain for 'nation-builders' and interventionists
The Republican president made the case for a vision centered in pragmatism. It's something he sees as a necessity for the U.S., which he believes is still feeling the ill effects of 20 years of "endless war" in Iraq and Afghanistan.
"In the end, the so-called nation builders wrecked far more nations than they built, and the interventionists were intervening in complex societies that they did not even understand themselves," Trump said.
Trump used the moment to extend an olive branch to Iran and urge its leaders to come to terms with his administration on a deal to curb its nuclear program. But he also warned that this opportunity to find a diplomatic solution "won't last forever."
"If Iran's leadership rejects this olive branch ... we will have no choice but to inflict massive maximum pressure, drive Iranian oil exports to zero," he said.
The latest entreaty to Tehran comes days after Trump dispatched special envoy Steve Witkoff to meet with Iranian officials for a fourth round of talks aimed at persuading Iran to abandon its nuclear program.
Trump, in his speech, also said he hoped Saudi Arabia will recognize Israel "in your own time."
Saudi Arabia long has maintained that recognition of Israel is tied to the establishment of a Palestinian state along the lines of Israel's 1967 borders. Under the Biden administration, there was a push for Saudi Arabia to recognize Israel as part of a major diplomatic deal. However, the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas attack on Israel upended those plans and sent the region into one of the worst periods it has faced.
## Trump moving to restore relations with new leader of Syria
Separately, Trump announced he was lifting U.S. sanctions on Syria. He is expected 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.
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 suit, 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.
Trump said calls from Gulf leaders as well as Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan shaped his surprise announcement.
"So I say, good luck, Syria, show us something very special like they've done, frankly, in Saudi Arabia," Trump said.
Prince Mohammed carefully choreographed the visit as he looked to flatter Trump.
The de facto Saudi leader greeted Trump warmly as he stepped off Air Force One at King Khalid International Airport. The two leaders then retreated to a grand hall at the Riyadh airport, where Trump and his aides were served traditional Arabic coffee by waiting attendants wearing ceremonial gun belts.
The leaders signed more than a dozen agreements to increase cooperation between their governments' militaries, justice departments and cultural institutions.
The crown prince has already committed to some $600 billion in new Saudi investment in the U.S. And Trump teased $1 trillion would be even better.
## Fighter jet escort
The pomp began before Trump even landed. Royal Saudi Air Force F-15s provided an honorary escort for Air Force One as it approached the kingdom's capital — an exceptionally rare sight.
Trump and Prince Mohammed also took part in a formal greeting and lunch at the Royal Court at Al Yamamah Palace, gathering with guests and aides in an ornate room with blue and gold accents and massive crystal chandeliers. As he greeted business titans with Trump by his side, the crown prince was animated and smiling.
Biden's 2022 visit was far more restrained. At the time, Prince Mohammed's reputation had been badly damaged by a U.S. intelligence determination that he had ordered the 2018 killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi.
But that dark moment appeared to be distant memory for the prince on Tuesday as he rubbed elbows with high-profile business executives — including Blackstone Group CEO Stephen Schwarzman, BlackRock CEO Larry Fink and Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk — in front of the cameras and with Trump by his side.
Trump slammed Biden for "spurning" a "most trusted and long-standing partner."
"We have great partners in the world, but we have none stronger and nobody like the gentleman that's right before me," Trump said of the prince. "He's your greatest representative."
Later, the crown prince feted Trump with an intimate state dinner at Ad-Diriyah, a UNESCO heritage site that is the birthplace of the first Saudi state and the location of a major development project championed by the crown prince.
## Qatar and UAE next
The three countries on Trump's itinerary — Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates — are places where the Trump Organization, run by Trump's two oldest sons, is developing major real estate projects. They include a high-rise tower in Jeddah, a luxury hotel in Dubai and a golf course and villa complex in Qatar.
Trump planned to announce deals at all three stops during the Mideast swing, initiatives that will touch on artificial intelligence, expanding energy cooperation and beyond.
.And Trump believes more deals with Saudi Arabia should be in the offing.
"I really believe we like each other a lot," Trump said at one point with a smiling crown prince sitting nearby.
___
Madhani reported from Dubai, United Arab Emirates. |
Associated Press News | 2025-05-13 19:46:13+00:00 | [
"Aja Wilson",
"WNBA",
"Las Vegas Aces",
"Womens National Basketball Association",
"Becky Hammon",
"Breanna Stewart",
"Las Vegas",
"New York",
"Kelsey Plum",
"Sports",
"Cynthia Cooper",
"Caitlin Clark",
"Jewell Loyd",
"Liz Kitley",
"Napheesa Collier",
"Chelsea Gray",
"WNBA basketball",
"Jackie Young"
] | # WNBA MVP A'ja Wilson is fueled by the Aces falling short last season
By Mark Anderson
May 13th, 2025 07:46 PM
---
HENDERSON, Nev. (AP) — A'ja Wilson went into last season trying to prove she was indeed the WNBA's best player even if MVP voters thought otherwise in 2023.
She then went out and put together one of the best performances in league history.
The problem is her teammates didn't all come along, and the two-time defending champion Aces never quite found their game and eventually were eliminated by eventual winner New York in the semifinals. As satisfying as last season was individually for Wilson, failing to meet Las Vegas' high standards as a team sticks with her.
And that same drive that fueled her last season remains.
"I want to be the best," Wilson said. "Normally, you're classified the best when you win games and you win championships, so that was my whole mentality coming into this offseason. It was a long offseason. It was a long, dull offseason because we lost. Sometimes you need that 'L' to wake you up."
The offseason, however, wasn't a complete disappointment.
Her A'One signature Nike shoe was released earlier this month and became a big seller.
"I am overwhelmed a little bit because it means a lot to me," Wilson said. "The love, the joy, the positivity behind it, seeing so many people want to buy it, it definitely has my heart full. So I'm grateful. I'm so excited to see what's more to come."
That includes what to come with the Aces this season.
Wilson and the Aces return with most of the core intact but with some notable changes. Las Vegas helped orchestrate a three-team trade in January that sent Kelsey Plum to Los Angeles and landed Jewell Loyd from Seattle. The Aces also have what is essentially a new player in Liz Kitley, a post player who was drafted 24th a year ago but didn't play because of a torn ACL.
Plus, returning All-Star guards Chelsea Gray and Jackie Young should be healthy after playing through injuries last season.
"Me being healthy is a game changer, just getting everybody organized and being a leader and knowing the flows and ins and outs of the game," Gray said. "A'ja, I think it only helps her as well. We can get into some actions and stuff. It's hard when you look at it defensively. You have A'ja and you want to come double, who do you come off of? Who do you rotate to?"
That was part of why the Aces had their dominant two-year stretch. They could make opponents pay for placing too much attention on Wilson in the frontcourt, and she could take advantage when defenses backed off her to try to take away Las Vegas' perimeter shooting.
It almost didn't matter what kind of defense Wilson faced last season. She was on a mission from the beginning and averaged 26.9 points and 11.8 rebounds, joining the Houston Comets' Cynthia Cooper in 1997 as the league's only unanimous choices for MVP.
"She put together the single most greatest individual season in WNBA history," Aces coach Becky Hammon said. "Not only was it historical numbers-wise in the W, it would be the same in the NBA. It was just unprecedented.
"However, she was very upset with not winning a championship. So, to her, that was like, 'How do I get more out of my teammates?' We talked about it. We've got to get greatness out of everybody else. One person being great isn't enough, and she recognizes that."
A long, dull offseason.
Wilson doesn't want to experience another one of those again, but she also knows the competition is fierce.
Defending champion New York and Breanna Stewart figure to be in the conversation again, Caitlin Clark-led Indiana upgraded in the offseason and became one of the favorites, and Minnesota and Napheesa Collier came oh-so-close after losing in overtime to the Liberty in Game 5 of the finals.
But Wilson senses a different vibe in the Aces' locker room compared with last year at this time, one that more closely resembles the team that won it all in 2022 and 2023.
"It kind of sucks when the mindset (with other players) wasn't where it is," Wilson said. "But it's also human nature. When you come in after winning back to back, you have this feeling of, 'What else do we have to do?' We've already executed and done more than people may have expected us to do.
"I think this year we've come in with a different mindset, understanding how hard it is to get there."
___
AP WNBA: https://apnews.com/hub/wnba-basketball |
Associated Press News | 2025-05-13 19:35:33+00:00 | [
"Tesla",
"Inc.",
"Elon Musk",
"Self-driving cars",
"Donald Trump",
"Texas",
"Europe",
"Auto industry",
"Government regulations",
"Ann Carlson",
"Business",
"Austin",
"Politics",
"Dan Ives"
] | # Feds ask Musk's car company how its driverless taxis will avoid causing accidents in Texas rollout
By Bernard Condon
May 13th, 2025 07:35 PM
---
NEW YORK (AP) — Federal safety regulators have asked Elon Musk's car company to explain how its driverless taxis will avoid causing accidents when they hit the road in Texas next month before a national "robotaxi" launch that is key to keeping its stock price aloft.
Tesla has been told to provide information on how its taxis will operate safely in Austin, Texas, when there is fog, sun glare, rain and other low-visibility conditions that have been tied to accidents involving the company's driver-assistance software. Those accidents, including one that killed a pedestrian, triggered the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to launch an investigation in October of 2.4 million of Musk's vehicles.
The billionaire reassured investors on an earnings call last month that the robotaxi service would launch in Austin as planned and would quickly lead to millions of robotaxis and other autonomous self-driving Teslas operating around the country by the end of the year.
"We expect a green light after Tesla's response but the big focus is on more widespread launches in the U.S. after the Austin pilot kicks off," said Wedbush Securities stock analyst Dan Ives. "It's a pivotal time for Musk."
On that same call, Musk said he was stepping back from his work as President Donald Trump's government cost-cutting czar. Tesla's shares have risen 45% since but they're still down about 17% year to date.
Regulators routinely request safety information from automakers and NHTSA's order itself is not alarming, though it could lead to delays of the Austin launch if Tesla's answers to the nine-page letter made public by the agency on Monday are not satisfactory. The agency gave Tesla until June 19 to provide a response.
Federal regulators have limited powers over new Tesla taxis that operate without a steering wheel or brake pedals because there are no national regulations on self-driving technology. One fall back is that the vehicles themselves still must past longstanding safety checks.
"NHTSA can force a recall, either 'voluntarily,' by Tesla, or by ordering a recall," said Ann Carlson, the former acting NHTSA chief. "The agency cannot, however, require some sort of pre-approval before Tesla can launch."
In the letter, regulators posed several questions to Tesla in addition to those about low-visibility conditions. They asked for the number and models of the taxis, when and where the taxis will be deployed in the next several months, how they will be monitored remotely by Tesla in real time, the cameras and other sensors being used to guide the vehicles, the specific measures used to judge whether they are navigating the streets in a safe way, and the names of people at Tesla making those evaluations.
In his investor conference call last month, Musk spoke of an effortless driving future coming within months.
"Can you go to sleep in our cars and wake up at your destination?" the billionaire asked, then answered, "I'm confident that will be available in many cities in the U.S. by the end of this year."
If such a future doesn't come soon, the company could struggle to justify the stock's still-high price.
Tesla reported a 71% drop in profits in the first quarter as it faced angry protests over Musk's embrace of extreme right-wing politicians in Europe and his role in cutting government jobs that has divided the country. |
Associated Press News | 2025-05-13 19:33:08+00:00 | [
"Medical research",
"David Thomas",
"Public health",
"Michigan",
"Colleges and universities",
"Black experience",
"Education",
"Willie Woods",
"Race and ethnicity",
"Race and Ethnicity"
] | # Morehouse College names Michigan public health dean as next president
May 13th, 2025 07:33 PM
---
ATLANTA (AP) — Morehouse College trustees have named a University of Michigan public health researcher as the next president of the all-male historically Black school.
Trustees said Tuesday that F. DuBois Bowman, currently dean of the University of Michigan School of Public Health, would become Morehouse's new leader on July 15.
Bowman, a 1992 Morehouse graduate, will take over for David Thomas, who is stepping down in June after leading the 2,200-student college since 2018.
"Dr Bowman's record of visionary leadership, his deep commitment to academic excellence and his lifelong dedication to Morehouse make him the ideal choice to lead the college into its next era," Board of Trustees Chairman Willie Woods said in a statement.
Bowman won Morehouse's top alumni award in 2019, with trustees saluting his work as a mentor and for welcoming graduate students from Morehouse and sister school Spelman College at Michigan. One of his sons graduated from Morehouse in 2024 and a second son is currently a student.
He holds a master's degree in biostatistics from Michigan and a doctorate in biostatistics from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. He has previously worked at Columbia University and Emory University. His research has focused on neurological and mental health disorders.
Bowman has led Michigan's public health school for more than seven years. It's one of the top-ranked schools of public health nationwide, with more than 1,300 students and more than $100 million in annual research spending. |
Associated Press News | 2025-05-13 05:15:50+00:00 | [
"Kim Kardashian",
"Crime",
"Paris",
"Theft",
"Kris Jenner",
"France",
"Legal proceedings",
"Los Angeles",
"Arts and entertainment",
"Karl Lagerfeld",
"David de Pas",
"Simone Harouche"
] | # Kim Kardashian testifies at Paris robbery trial
By Thomas Adamson, John Leicester, and Nicolas Vaux-Montagny
May 13th, 2025 05:15 AM
---
PARIS (AP) — Kim Kardashian said a silent prayer — for her sister, her best friend, her family — as a masked man pulled her toward him in a Paris hotel room during the 2016 jewelry heist that changed her life. She wore a bathrobe. Her hands were zip-tied. Her mouth was taped. She thought she wouldn't survive.
"I was certain that was the moment that he was going to rape me," she told a Paris court Tuesday. "I absolutely did think I was going to die."
She said she was getting ready for bed when she heard stomping on the stairs. At first, she thought it was her sister Kourtney and a friend returning drunk from a night out at Paris Fashion Week.
"Hello? Hello? Who is it?" she called out. Then masked men stormed the room.
She grabbed her phone but didn't know the French emergency number. She tried to call her sister and bodyguard, but one man stopped her. The men threw her on the bed, zip-tied her hands and pressed a gun to her.
"I have babies," Kardashian said, according to her testimony. "I have to make it home. They can take everything. I just have to make it home."
She was carried into the bathroom. One man taped her mouth. She was told she'd be OK if she stayed quiet.
The last time Kardashian saw the men that police say robbed her, she was locked in the marble bathroom while masked assailants stole more than $6 million in jewelry. On Tuesday, nearly a decade later, she faced them again — this time, from the witness stand.
Her testimony marked the emotional climax of a trial that has gripped France and reignited debates about the cost of fame and what it means to live in public.
## Following digital breadcrumbs
At the time of the robbery, Kardashian was one of the most recognized women on the planet. A fashion icon. A reality star. A billionaire business mogul. She had mastered a new kind of celebrity — one broadcast in real time, post by post, to millions of followers.
But in the early hours of Oct. 3, 2016, that visibility became a weapon against her. The robbery marked a turning point for Kardashian, and for how the world understood vulnerability in the digital age.
Investigators believe the attackers followed Kardashian's digital breadcrumbs — images, timestamps, geotags — and exploited them with old-school criminal methods.
Dressed in black with defiant sparkling diamonds, Kardashian on Tuesday stood across from her mother, Kris Jenner, in the heavily secured courtroom. Her voice trembled as she thanked French authorities for "allowing me to share my truth."
She described how the attackers arrived at her hotel disguised as police officers, dragging the concierge upstairs in handcuffs. "I thought it was some sort of terrorist attack," she said.
One attacker demanded she turn over her diamond ring valued at $4 million on the bedside table. "He said, 'Ring! Ring!' and he pointed to his hand," she recalled.
French prosecutors say the assailants — most in their 60s and 70s — were part of a seasoned criminal ring. Two defendants have admitted being at the scene. One claims he didn't know who she was.
Twelve suspects were originally charged. One has since died. Another was excused due to illness. The French press dubbed them les papys braqueurs — "the grandpa robbers" — but prosecutors insist they were no harmless retirees.
They face charges including armed robbery, kidnapping and membership in a criminal gang, offenses that carry the potential for life imprisonment.
## 'Take everything. I need to live'
After the men fled, Kardashian rubbed the tape against the bathroom sink to free her hands. She hopped downstairs, still bound, to find her friend and stylist, Simone Harouche. Fearing the robbers might return, they went onto the balcony and hid in bushes. While lying there, Kardashian called her mother.
Earlier in the trial, Harouche recalled hearing Kardashian scream from upstairs: "'I need to live.' That is what she kept on saying, 'Take everything. I need to live.'"
Harouche locked herself in a bathroom and texted Kardashian's sister and bodyguard: "Something is very wrong."
She described how her friend was "beside herself ... she just was screaming."
Judge David de Pas asked whether Kardashian had made herself a target by posting images of herself with "jewels of great value." Harouche rejected the premise. "Just because a woman wears jewelry, that doesn't make her a target," she said. "That's like saying that because a woman wears a short skirt that she deserves to be raped."
After the robbery, critics slammed Kardashian for flaunting her wealth, including designer Karl Lagerfeld who told the Associated Press she was "too public" with her jewelry. But as details of the heist emerged, public opinion grew sympathetic.
The heist triggered a cultural shift, prompting publicists and managers to urge clients to delay social media posts, remove location tags and think twice before flashing luxury online. Yet Kardashian's own image, some say, continues to complicate that narrative. As she testified Tuesday about her trauma, journalists received a press release touting her Paris courthouse appearance: "Kim Kardashian stuns …wearing a show-stopping $1.5 million diamond necklace by Samer Halimeh New York, featuring 80 flawless diamonds." Visibility, it seemed, remains currency.
She told the court her house in Los Angeles was robbed shortly afterward in what appeared to be a copycat attack. Without security guards, she said, "I can't even sleep at night." She now keeps between four and six guards at home.
"I started to get this phobia of going out," Kardashian said. "This experience really changed everything for us."
At the time of the 2016 robbery, she said, her bodyguard was staying in a separate hotel: "We assumed that if we were in a hotel it was safe, it was secure."
She said Paris had once been a sanctuary, a place where she would walk at 3 or 4 a.m., window shopping, sometimes stopping for hot chocolate. It "always felt really safe," she said. "It was always a magical place."
Kardashian, who is studying to become a lawyer herself, said she was grateful for the opportunity "to tell my truth" in the packed Paris courtroom.
"This is my closure," she said. "This is me putting this, hopefully, to rest." |
Associated Press News | 2025-05-13 19:22:10+00:00 | [
"Texas Tech Red Raiders",
"NiJaree Bruce Canady",
"College sports",
"Bruce Canady",
"College baseball",
"Texas",
"Sports",
"Caitlin Lowe",
"Gerry Glasco",
"Compensation in sports",
"Softball"
] | # NiJaree Canady handles pressure, makes $1 million-plus NIL deal pay off for Texas Tech
By Cliff Brunt
May 13th, 2025 07:22 PM
---
OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — NiJaree Canady smiled broadly as she held up a gaudy championship belt with the Big 12 logo in the center.
Texas Tech's star pitcher had dominated the conference tournament, throwing 16 2/3 shutout innings in three games to claim the Most Outstanding Player award.
Her smile was as much from relief as joy. Moments before that, she had described the challenges she has faced since her decision to transfer from Stanford shifted the college softball landscape.
Canady led an upstart Stanford squad to the Women's College World Series semifinals her freshman and sophomore years. After last season, when she was named the USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year, she entered the transfer portal.
She shunned the traditional powers and signed a $1 million NIL deal to head to Texas Tech — a massive sum for a softball player that drew some unwanted attention.
"So, I definitely feel like there were a lot of things said about the whole entire thing and of course, like media and stuff," she said. "I feel like that added just — a weight to the situation."
Her father, Bruce Canady, said things got crazy.
"A whole lot of pressure was put on her," he said. "It got to the point where we thought we had had a stalker. Just a lot was going on. But, you know, Tech's a good place. It's a good place. They've got her in a good environment."
Canady said her father and her faith were among the key aspects that helped her deal with the challenges.
"I got through it," she said. "And there were days where it honestly was very hard, just looking back."
She'll take another step when the 12th-seeded Red Raiders (45-12) host Brown (33-15) on Friday in the Lubbock Regional.
That Canady was even in the portal was a bit of a shocker. She had been successful and had built deep friendships at Stanford.
"Extremely hard," Bruce Canady said. "I mean, we're the type of parents that push education. But then you get a lifetime opportunity ... then you just have to go with it."
Gerry Glasco took the head coaching job at Texas Tech last summer. After he started talking to Canady, he got busy.
"I realize we have to put together a team that can compete on a national level and give her a realistic chance to come to Tech or there's no way we can recruit her," he said.
Glasco came through, and Canady did the same. Canady has a 26-5 record with a nation-leading 0.81 ERA and has 263 strikeouts in 181 innings.
Canady also has been able to hit — something she didn't do at Stanford. She is batting .309 with eight home runs and 30 RBIs.
The ups and downs of the journey were part of why the winning of the Big 12 regular-season and tournament titles — the first ever for the school — were so satisfying for Canady. She loved her teammates at Stanford, but Tech is home for her now.
"I feel like it was all worth it, and there's no place I'd rather be right now than with Texas Tech," she said. "Being able to win the regular season and the the conference tournaments means everything."
Even Glasco was surprised by how well Canady pitched in the conference tournament. She's been dealing with a nagging injury and hasn't been practicing.
"To get to see her dominate in the circle the way she dominated this week was really eye opening to me as a coach," he said. "And we know her greatness. But like, it was very visible, very evident."
Canady allowed two hits and struck out eight in seven innings in the Big 12 title game, a 4-0 win over Arizona.
"I think she's a competitor, first and foremost," Arizona coach Caitlin Lowe said. "She obviously has elite stuff and she competes her tail off, and she has a lot of tools, right? So the moment you get on time, then there comes the change up. And being able to lay off the rise that's out of the zone to get to the rise that's in the zone and then being on time for that when it's your time. It's a cat and mouse game."
Canady felt comfortable at Devon Park in Oklahoma City — the site of her Women's College World Series wins — during the conference tournament. She hopes to lead her teammates back in a few weeks so they can have the World Series experience.
"This, especially being in Oklahoma City, is just a dream come true to be able to hold the (conference tournament) trophy," she said. "We still have one big goal we want to accomplish. We've knocked out two of the three."
___
AP sports: https://apnews.com/hub/sports |
Associated Press News | 2025-05-13 19:18:30+00:00 | [
"Florida",
"Ron DeSantis",
"Courts",
"Children",
"Brian Wright",
"Politics",
"Legal proceedings",
"Legislation",
"Lifestyle",
"Melissa Stewart"
] | # Federal appeals court continues to block Florida's drag-show ban as likely unconstitutional
May 13th, 2025 07:18 PM
---
ATLANTA (AP) — An injunction barring the enforcement of Florida's drag-show ban will remain in effect after a federal appeals court ruled Tuesday that the law is likely unconstitutional.
A three-judge panel for the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals voted 2-1 to back a lower court decision that described Florida's law, purportedly aimed at protecting children from drag shows, as overly broad and vaguely written. The case now returns to the Middle District of Florida, where a federal bench trial can be scheduled.
Attorney Melissa Stewart, who is representing Hamburger Mary's, a drag-themed casual-dining restaurant, said they're thrilled the First Amendment rights of Floridians will remain protected as the case continues.
"The Court's opinion recognizes this law for what it is -– an egregiously unconstitutional attempt to censor the speech and expression of citizens," Stewart said.
Brian Wright, a spokesman for the Florida governor's office, called the ruling an overreach by a federal court.
"No one has a constitutional right to perform sexual routines in front of little kids," Wright said. "We will do everything possible to have this lawless decision overturned."
The Hamburger Mary's in Orlando, which filed the lawsuit in 2023, regularly hosted drag shows, including family-friendly performances on Sundays that children were invited to attend. The restaurant closed its downtown location last year but plans to reopen at a new spot in nearby Kissimmee. The restaurant's owner has said the Florida law violated First Amendment rights by chilling speech.
Championed by Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis, the law seeks to punish venues for allowing children into what it called "adult live performances." Though it did not mention drag shows specifically, the sponsor of the legislation said it was aimed at those performances.
Venues that violated the law faced fines and the possibility that their liquor licenses could be suspended or revoked. Individuals could be charged with a misdemeanor crime. |
Associated Press News | 2025-05-13 19:20:57+00:00 | [
"England",
"United States",
"South Africa",
"Australia",
"Spain",
"PGA Championship",
"Adam Scott",
"Justin Thomas",
"Patrick Fishburn",
"Dustin Johnson",
"Justin Hicks",
"Will Zalatoris",
"Andre Chi",
"Tyler Collet",
"Ludvig Aberg",
"John Somers",
"Hideki Matsuyama",
"Michael Thorbjornsen",
"Max McGreevy",
"Luke Donald",
"Jordan Spieth",
"Rafael Campos",
"Patrick Reed",
"Jesse Droemer",
"Nick Dunlap",
"Justin Lower",
"Greg Koch",
"Dean Burmester",
"Sami Valimaki",
"Jacob Bridgeman",
"John Catlin",
"Lucas Glover",
"Matthieu Pavon",
"Max Homa",
"Joaquin Niemann",
"Joe Highsmith",
"Cameron Young",
"Michael Block",
"Marco Penge",
"Ryan Gerard",
"Chris Kirk",
"Scottie Scheffler",
"Tony Finau",
"Nicolai Hojgaard",
"Karl Vilips",
"Rory McIlroy",
"Thomas Detry",
"Xander Schauffele",
"Stephan Jaeger",
"Sam Stevens",
"Akshay Bhatia",
"Austin Eckroat",
"Max Greyserman",
"Andrew Novak",
"Keegan Bradley",
"Alex Noren",
"Sergio Garcia",
"John Keefer",
"Jason Day",
"Ryo Hisatsune",
"David Puig",
"Elvis Smylie",
"Viktor Hovland",
"Phil Mickelson",
"Kevin Yu",
"Corey Conners",
"Cameron Smith",
"Brian Harman",
"Jon Rahm",
"Tom Johnson",
"Daniel Berger",
"Patrick Cantlay",
"Matt Fitzpatrick",
"Golf",
"Jimmy Walker",
"Richard Bland",
"Jason Dufner",
"Seamus Power",
"Rasmus Neergaard-Petersen",
"Sports",
"Tyrrell Hatton",
"Patton Kizzire",
"Ryan Fox",
"Sepp Straka",
"Martin Kaymer",
"Matt Wallace",
"Jhonattan Vegas",
"Brooks Koepka",
"Rickie Fowler",
"Wyndham Clark",
"Taylor Moore",
"Collin Morikawa",
"Sahith Theegala",
"Shaun Micheel",
"Padraig Harrington",
"Patrick Rodgers",
"Nick Taylor",
"Harry Hall",
"Sam Burns",
"Byeong Hun An",
"Ben Griffin",
"Thriston Lawrence",
"J.J. Spaun",
"Garrick Higgo",
"Tom Hoge",
"Daniel Van Tonder",
"Victor Perez",
"Taylor Pendrith",
"Jake Knapp",
"Mackenzie Hughes",
"Aaron Rai",
"John Parry",
"Tom McKibbin",
"Keita Nakajima",
"Thorbjorn Olesen",
"Matt McCarty",
"Michael Kartrude",
"Beau Hossler",
"Erik van Rooyen",
"Sungjae Im",
"Michael Kim",
"Eugenio Chacarra",
"Takumi Kanaya",
"Christiaan Bezuidenhout",
"Ryan Lenahan",
"Maverick McNealy",
"Eric Cole",
"Cameron Davis",
"Timothy Wiseman",
"Rico Hoey",
"Lee Hodges",
"Denny McCarthy",
"Niklas Norgaard",
"Laurie Canter",
"Keith Mitchell",
"Adam Hadwin",
"Robert MacIntyre",
"Si Woo Kim",
"Larkin Gross",
"Gary Woodland",
"Tommy Fleetwood",
"J.T. Poston",
"Brian Campbell",
"Shane Lowry",
"Tom Kim",
"Bryson DeChambeau",
"Kurt Kitayama",
"Brian Bergstol",
"Dylan Newman",
"Nicolas Echavarria",
"Harris English",
"Min Woo Lee",
"Rasmus Hojgaard",
"Davis Riley",
"Eric Steger",
"Bob Sowards",
"Russell Henley",
"Bobby Gates",
"Davis Thompson",
"Bud Cauley",
"Justin Rose",
"Brandon Bingaman"
] | # Tee times for the PGA Championship at Quail Hollow
May 13th, 2025 07:20 PM
---
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — At Quail Hollow Club
Charlotte, N.C.
Purse: TBA
Yardage: 7,626; Par: 71
All Times EDT
Thursday-Friday
## First hole-10th hole
7 a.m.-12:25 p.m. — Luke Donald, England; Padraig Harrington, Ireland; Martin Kaymer, Germany.
7:11 a.m.-12:36 p.m. — John Somers, United States; Taylor Moore, United States; David Puig, Spain.
7:22 a.m.-12:47 p.m. — Kurt Kitayama, United States; Nic Ishee, United States; Alex Noren, Sweden.
7:33 a.m.-12:58 p.m. — J.T. Poston, United States; Ryo Hisatsune, Japan; Tom Johnson, United States.
7:44 a.m.-1:09 p.m. — Davis Thompson, United States; Bud Cauley, United States; Nico Echavarria, Colombia.
7:55 a.m.-1:20 p.m. — Harris English, United States; Michael Kim, United States; Thomas Detry, Belgium.
8:06 a.m-1:31 p.m. — Stephan Jaeger, Germany; Chris Kirk, United States; Robert MacIntyre, Scotland.
8:17 a.m.-1:42 p.m. — Thorbjorn Olesen, Denmark; Karl Vilips, Australia; Laurie Canter, England.
8:28 a.m.-1:53 p.m. — Si Woo Kim, South Korea; Sam Stevens, United States; Rico Hoey, Philippines.
8:39 a.m.-2:04 p.m. — Bobby Gates, United States; Lee Hodges, United States; Ben Griffin, United States.
8:50 a.m.-2:15 p.m. — Thriston Lawrence, South Africa; Nick Dunlap, United States; Harry Hall, England.
9:01 a.m.-2:26 p.m. — Greg Koch, United States; Marco Penge, England; Ryan Gerard, United States.
9:12 a.m.-2:37 p.m. — Dylan Newman, United States Daniel Van Tonder, South Africa; Victor Perez, France.
## 10th hole-first hole
7:05 a.m.-12:30 p.m. — John Parry, England; Justin Hicks, United States; Ryan Fox, New Zealand.
7:16 a.m.-12:41 p.m. — Andre Chi, United States; Patrick Fishburn, United States; Seamus Power, Ireland.
7:27 a.m.-12:52 p.m. — Max McGreevy, United States; Sahith Theegala, United States; Sepp Straka, Austria.
7:38 a.m.-1:03 p.m. — Brooks Koepka, United States; Rickie Fowler, United States; Shane Lowry, Ireland.
7:49 a.m.-1:14 p.m. — Phil Mickelson, United States; Tommy Fleetwood, England; Jason Day, Australia.
8 a.m.-1:25 p.m. — Jon Rahm, Spain; Patrick Cantlay, United States; Matt Fitzpatrick, England.
8:11 a.m.-1:36 p.m. — Corey Conners, Canada; Min Woo Lee, Australia; Rasmus Hojgaard, Denmark.
8:22 a.m.-1:47 p.m. — Rory McIlroy, Northern Ireland; Xander Schauffele, United States; Scottie Scheffler, United States.
8:33 a.m.-1:58 p.m. — Tony Finau, United States; Nicolai Hojgaard, Denmark; Max Greyserman, United States.
8:44 a.m.-2:09 p.m. — Andrew Novak, United States; Keegan Bradley, United States; Maverick McNealy, United States.
8:55 a.m.-2:20 p.m. — Akshay Bhatia, United States; Denny McCarthy, United States; Sam Burns, United States.
9:06 a.m.-2:31 p.m. — John Catlin, United States; Garrick Higgo, South Africa; Jesse Droemer, United States.
9:17 a.m.-2:42 p.m. — Eugenio Chacarra, Spain; Rupe Taylor, United States; Justin Lower, United States.
## First hole-10th hole
12:30 p.m.-7:05 a.m. — Michael Kartrude, United States; Sami Valimaki, Finland; Jake Knapp, United States.
12:41 p.m.-7:16 a.m. — Erik van Rooyen, South Africa; Michael Block, United States; Mackenzie Hughes, Canada.
12:52 p.m.-7:27 a.m. — Lucas Glover, United States; Max Homa, United States; Joaquin Niemann, Chile.
1:03 p.m.-7:38 a.m. — Tyrrell Hatton, England; Will Zalatoris, United States; Adam Scott, Australia.
1:14 p.m.-7:49 a.m. — Justin Thomas, United States; Dustin Johnson, United States; Collin Morikawa, United States.
1:25 p.m.-8 a.m. — Jordan Spieth, United States; Patrick Reed, United States; Ludvig Aberg, Sweden.
1:36 p.m.-8:11 a.m. — Hideki Matsuyama, Japan; Wyndham Clark, United States; Tom Kim, South Korea.
1:47 p.m.-8:22 a.m. — Bryson DeChambeau, United States; Viktor Hovland, Norway; Gary Woodland, United States.
1:58 p.m.-8:33 a.m. — Sergio Garcia, Spain; Daniel Berger, United States; Russell Henley, United States.
2:09 p.m.-8:44 a.m. — Justin Rose, England; Cameron Smith, Australia; Brian Harman, United States.
2:20 p.m.-8:55 a.m. — Brandon Bingaman, United States; Davis Riley, United States; Sungjae Im, South Korea.
2:31 p.m.-9:06 a.m. — Takumi Kanaya, Japan; Christiaan Bezuidenhout, South Africa; Tom McKibbin, Northern Ireland.
2:42 p.m.-9:17 a.m. — Keita Nakajima, Japan; Timothy Wiseman, United States; Beau Hossler, United States.
## 10th hole-first hole
12:25 p.m.-7 a.m. — Keith Mitchell, United States; Bob Sowards, United States; Adam Hadwin, Canada.
12:36 p.m.-7:11 a.m. — Eric Cole, United States; Eric Steger, United States; Cam Davis, Australia.
12:47 p.m.-7:22 a.m. — Austin Eckroat, United States; Brian Bergstol, United States; Jacob Bridgeman, United States.
12:58 p.m.-7:33 a.m. — Niklas Norgaard, Denmark; Byeong Hun An, South Korea; J.J. Spaun, United States.
1:09 p.m.-7:44 a.m. — Patrick Rodgers, United States; Nick Taylor, Canada; Dean Burmester, South Africa.
1:20 p.m.-7:55 a.m. — Joe Highsmith, United States; Cameron Young, United States; Aaron Rai, England.
1:31 p.m.-8:06 a.m. — Tom Hoge, United States; Matthieu Pavon, France; Taylor Pendrith, Canada.
1:42 p.m.-8:17 a.m. — Rasmus Neergaard-Petersen, Denmark; Patton Kizzire, United States; Matt McCarty, United States.
1:53 p.m.-8:28 a.m. — Tyler Collet, United States; Jimmy Walker, United States; Richard Bland, England.
2:04 p.m.-8:39 a.m. — Jason Dufner, United States; Michael Thorbjornsen, United States; Shaun Micheel, United States.
2:15 p.m.-8:50 a.m. — Rafael Campos, Puerto Rico; Ryan Lenahan, United States; Matt Wallace, England.
2:26 p.m.-9:01 a.m. — Jhonattan Vegas, Venezuela; Elvis Smylie, Australia; Brian Campbell, United States.
2:37 p.m.-9:12 a.m. — Kevin Yu, Taiwan, Larkin Gross, United States; John Keefer, United States.
___
AP golf: https://apnews.com/hub/golf |
Associated Press News | 2025-05-13 14:41:02+00:00 | [
"London",
"United Kingdom",
"Legal proceedings",
"Peter Sullivan",
"Diane Sindall",
"Courts",
"Prisons",
"Kim Smith",
"Jason Pitter",
"Sarah Myatt",
"Duncan Atkinson",
"Timothy Holroyde"
] | # A man wrongfully imprisoned for 38 years weeps as a UK court overturns his murder conviction
By Brian Melley
May 13th, 2025 02:41 PM
---
LONDON (AP) — A man who spent nearly four decades in a British prison in the killing of a barmaid said he was not angry or bitter Tuesday as his murder conviction was overturned and he was released after being exonerated by DNA evidence.
Peter Sullivan put his hand over his mouth and wept as the Court of Appeal in London quashed his conviction and ordered his freedom after he had spent years fighting to prove his innocence.
Sullivan, who watched the hearing by video from Wakefield prison in northern England, said through his lawyer that he was not resentful and was anxious to see his loved ones.
"As god is my witness, it is said the truth shall take you free," attorney Sarah Myatt read from a statement outside court. "It is unfortunate that it does not give a timescale as we advance towards resolving the wrongs done to me. I am not angry, I am not bitter."
He was the longest-serving victim of a wrongful conviction in the U.K., Myatt said.
Sullivan, 68, was convicted in 1987 of killing Diane Sindall in Bebington, near Liverpool in northwest England. He was behind bars for 38 years.
Sindall, 21, a florist who was engaged to be married, was returning home from a part-time job at a pub on a Friday night in August 1986 when her van ran out of fuel, police said. She was last seen walking along the road after midnight.
Her body was found about 12 hours later in an alley. She had been sexually assaulted and badly beaten.
Sexual fluid found on Sindall's body could not be scientifically analyzed until recently. A test in 2024 revealed it wasn't Sullivan, defense attorney Jason Pitter said.
"The prosecution case is that it was one person. It was one person who carried out a sexual assault on the victim," Pitter said. "The evidence here is now that one person was not the defendant."
Prosecutor Duncan Atkinson did not challenge the appeal and said that if the DNA evidence had been available at the time of the investigation it was inconceivable that Sullivan would have been prosecuted.
Merseyside Police said it reopened the investigation as the appeal was underway and was "committed to doing everything" to find the killer.
The Criminal Cases Review Commission, which examines possible wrongful convictions, declined to refer Sullivan's case to the appeals court in 2008 because it said testing at the time was unlikely to produce a DNA profile.
A commission spokesperson said that while it made the correct decision based on the evidence at the time, it regretted not identifying the potential miscarriage of justice in its first review.
Sullivan appealed in 2019 without the CCRC's help and the court turned down his bid in 2021.
But the commission took up the case later that year and was able to use scientific techniques that hadn't been available during the earlier review to find the DNA that set Sullivan free.
"In the light of that evidence, it is impossible to regard the appellant's conviction as safe," Justice Timothy Holroyde said.
Police said the DNA found in the subsequent investigation does not match anyone in a national database. They've ruled out as suspects Sindall's fiancé, members of her family and more than 260 men who have been screened since they reopened the investigation.
Sullivan's sister, Kim Smith, reflected outside the court on the toll the case had taken on two families.
"We lost Peter for 39 years and at the end of the day it's not just us," Smith said. "Peter hasn't won and neither has the Sindall family. They've lost their daughter, they are not going to get her back. We've got Peter back and now we've got to try and build a life around him again." |
Associated Press News | 2025-05-13 19:15:24+00:00 | [
"Alabama",
"Kay Ivey",
"Steve Marshall",
"Legal proceedings",
"Legislation",
"Violence",
"Sarah Stewart",
"Homicide",
"Trials",
"Walt Harris",
"Katherine Robertson",
"Ibraheem Yazeed"
] | # Alabama governor signs speedy trial bill into law, seeking to speed prosecution of violent crimes
May 13th, 2025 07:15 PM
---
MONTGOMERY, Ala. (AP) — Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey signed legislation Tuesday to allow visiting judges to be brought in to handle violent criminal cases to get them to trial more quickly.
The law known as the Speedy Trial Act allows the chief justice of the Alabama Supreme Court to appoint a sitting or retired judge to preside over a specific case or cases involving a violent offense. Under the act, the attorney general or a district attorney must request the appointments.
On the same day the bill was signed, Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall asked Chief Justice Sarah Stewart to appoint a visiting judge to handle the case of the man accused of the 2019 kidnapping and killing of college student Aniah Blanchard, 19. Her disappearance from an Auburn gas station drew national attention.
Marshall wrote in the letter to Stewart that "our entire state has watched the repeated delays in this case with angst and frustration."
Blanchard, a Southern Union student and stepdaughter of prominent UFC fighter Walt Harris, was last seen on Oct. 23, 2019. Her remains were discovered about a month later in a wooded area of Macon County. A trial date has not been set for Ibraheem Yazeed, the man accused of killing Blanchard. He has pleaded not guilty to capital murder charges.
Recently, Marshall's office had urged lawmakers to pass the legislation.
"There are significant bottlenecks in certain circuits in our state where violent crime cases are not moving quickly and victims are getting frustrated," Katherine Robertson, who serves as chief counsel for Marshall, said last week after lawmakers approved the bill.
Ivey also referred to the Blanchard case while signing the legislation into law. |
Associated Press News | 2025-05-13 19:12:04+00:00 | [
"Donald Trump",
"U.S. Department of Agriculture",
"Climate change",
"Lawsuits",
"Agriculture",
"Environmental conservation",
"New York City Wire",
"Future of food",
"Health",
"Melina Walling",
"Courts",
"Climate and environment",
"Legal proceedings",
"Jeffrey Stein",
"Associated Press",
"Jeff Stein",
"United States government",
"Business",
"Renewable energy",
"Climate"
] | # Facing lawsuit, USDA says it will restore climate change-related webpages
By Melina Walling
May 13th, 2025 07:12 PM
---
The U.S. Department of Agriculture has agreed to restore climate change-related webpages to its websites after it was sued over the deletions in February.
The lawsuit, brought on behalf of the Northeast Organic Farming Association of New York, the Natural Resources Defense Council and the Environmental Working Group, argued that the deletions violated rules around citizens' access to government information.
The USDA's reversal comes ahead of a scheduled May 21 hearing on the plaintiffs' motion for a preliminary injunction against the agency's actions in federal court in New York.
The department had removed resources on its websites related to climate-smart farming, conservation practices, rural clean energy projects and access to federal loans related to those areas after President Donald Trump's Jan. 20 inauguration.
At the same time, the Trump administration was working to pause or freeze other funding related to climate change and agriculture, some of which was funded by the Biden-era 2022 Inflation Reduction Act.
In a letter filed Monday in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York, the Justice Department said the USDA "will restore the climate-change-related web content that was removed post-inauguration" and that it "commits to complying with" federal laws governing its future "posting decisions."
The lawsuit was filed by Earthjustice and the Knight First Amendment Institute at Columbia University.
Earthjustice attorney Jeffrey Stein said Tuesday scrubbing the websites of information relevant to programs it was undoing "made it really difficult for farmers to fight for the funding that they're owed, for advocates to educate the public and members of Congress about the specific impacts of freezing funding on ordinary Americans in their districts."
"I think that the funding freeze and the staff layoffs and the purging of information, they all intertwined as a dangerous triple whammy," Stein said.
A USDA spokesperson referred The Associated Press to the Department of Justice, which did not immediately reply to a request for comment Tuesday.
Stein said USDA had committed to restoring most of the material within about two weeks. He said he hoped the agency's reversal would be a "positive sign" in other cases brought against the administration over agencies purging information from websites.
___
Follow Melina Walling on X @MelinaWalling and Bluesky @melinawalling.bsky.social.
___
The Associated Press' climate and environmental coverage receives financial support from multiple private foundations. AP is solely responsible for all content. Find AP's standards for working with philanthropies, a list of supporters and funded coverage areas at AP.org. |
Associated Press News | 2025-05-13 18:27:45+00:00 | [
"Crime",
"Drug crimes",
"Donald Trump",
"Drug cartels",
"San Diego",
"Terrorism",
"Pedro Inzunza Coronel",
"Mexico",
"Opioids",
"Adam Gordon"
] | # US charges high-ranking Mexican drug cartel suspects with narco-terrorism
By Julie Watson
May 13th, 2025 06:27 PM
---
SAN DIEGO (AP) — U.S. officials unveiled an indictment Tuesday against two alleged Mexican drug cartel leaders on narco-terrorism charges.
The indictment comes after the Trump administration in February designated the Sinaloa Cartel and seven other Latin American crime organizations as "foreign terrorist organizations," upping its pressure on cartels operating in the U.S. and on anyone aiding them. President Donald Trump called for the designation in an executive order on Jan. 20, the day he took office in his second term.
The "foreign terrorist organization" label is unusual because it deploys a terrorist designation normally reserved for groups like al-Qaida or the Islamic State group that use violence for political ends — not for money-focused crime rings such as the Latin American cartels.
"If you act like a terrorist, you shouldn't be surprised if you are charged as one," said Adam Gordon, U.S. attorney for the Southern District of California.
Those charged were described as key leaders of the Beltrán Leyva Organization, according to the indictment. The organization is one of a number of warring criminal groups that once formed part of the Sinaloa Cartel and have since split off and warred for territory and power, fueling bloodshed in large swathes of Mexico.
Pedro Inzunza Noriega and his son, Pedro Inzunza Coronel, were also charged with providing material support of terrorism in connection with the trafficking of massive amounts of fentanyl, cocaine, methamphetamine and heroin into the United States, according to court documents. Five other high-ranking members were charged with drug trafficking and money laundering.
All remain fugitives, officials said.
The father and son have overseen "one of the largest and most sophisticated fentanyl production networks in the world," Gordon said. The organization is accused of trafficking tens of thousands of kilograms (pounds) of fentanyl into the United States.
Mexican authorities in December raided multiple sites controlled by the father and son that resulted in the world's largest seizure of fentanyl, totaling 1,500 kilograms (more than 1.65 tons), according to court documents.
The group is also known for its violence, engaging in shootouts, kidnappings, torture and murders and targeting officials. It controls the drug trade in various parts of Central America and in many areas of Mexico – including in the border city of Tijuana, across from San Diego, according to the indictment.
The elder Pedro is paralyzed after being shot by a rival cartel member. His group has been one of the top distributors of cocaine and now fentanyl since 2006, Gordon said.
___
Associated Press writer Megan Janetsky in Mexico City contributed to this report. |
Associated Press News | 2025-05-13 12:43:56+00:00 | [
"United States government",
"Inflation",
"Retail and wholesale",
"Bird flu",
"United States",
"Lifestyle",
"Donald Trump",
"David L. Ortega",
"Cal-Maine Foods",
"Inc.",
"Kevin Bergquist",
"Wells Fargo Co.",
"Business"
] | # US egg prices fall for the first time in months but remain near record highs
By Dee-Ann Durbin
May 13th, 2025 12:43 PM
---
U.S. retail egg prices fell in April from the record-high prices they hit earlier this year, according to government data released Tuesday.
The average price for a dozen Grade A eggs declined to $5.12 last month after reaching a record $6.23 in March, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. It was the first month-to-month drop in egg prices since October 2024.
Overall, the average price of eggs of all sizes fell 12.7%, the steepest monthly decline since March 1984.
Still, retail egg prices remain near historic highs as a persistent outbreak of bird flu wipes out flocks of egg-laying hens. The April average price for a dozen large eggs was 79% higher than the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported for the same month a year ago, when the price averaged $2.86 per dozen.
David L. Ortega, a professor of food economics and policy at Michigan State University, said he thinks U.S. egg prices will continue to fall in May and June. Consumer demand tends to fall after Easter, which helps lower prices, he said.
Fewer bird flu outbreaks at commercial poultry operations in recent weeks also has helped to stabilize the country's egg supply, Ortega said.
According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, there were 59 bird flu outbreaks at commercial poultry operations in February, 12 in March and three in April.
But Ortega said the progress of the virus is uncertain, and prices could edge up again if outbreaks expand again.
Bird flu has killed more than 169 million birds since early 2022. Any time a bird gets sick, the entire flock is killed to help keep the virus from spreading. Once a flock is slaughtered, it can take as long as a year to clean a farm and raise new birds to egg-laying age.
Even one outbreak at a commercial facility can impact supply, because massive egg farms may have millions of birds. Outbreaks on two farms in Ohio and South Dakota in April affected more than 927,000 egg-laying hens.
Lowering egg prices has been a particular focus of President Donald Trump. In February, the U.S. Department of Agriculture said it would invest $1 billion to help farmers improve their biosecurity measures to fight bird flu.
The U.S. has also increased imports of eggs from South Korea, Turkey, Brazil and other countries. According to Wells Fargo Agri-Food Institute Sector Manager Kevin Bergquist, the volume of egg and egg product imports increased 77.5% during the first three months of the year compared to the same period a year ago.
The antitrust division of the U.S. Department of Justice is also investigating Cal-Maine Foods, the largest U.S. egg producer, which supplies around 20% of America's eggs. Cal-Maine confirmed the investigation in early April..
Ridgeland, Mississippi-based Cal-Maine said its net income more than tripled to $508.5 million in its most recent quarter, which ended March 1. |
Associated Press News | 2025-05-13 19:08:08+00:00 | [
"Luis Abinader",
"Dominican Republic",
"Censorship",
"Privacy",
"Protests and demonstrations",
"Jaime Rincn",
"Raquel Pea"
] | # Journalists in the Dominican Republic decry erosion of press freedom
By Martín Adames
May 13th, 2025 07:08 PM
---
SANTO DOMINGO, Dominican Republic (AP) — Dozens of people, including prominent journalists, marched Tuesday through the Dominican Republic 's capital to decry a bill that critics warn could lead to government censorship.
The bill, which is expected to be approved, calls for the creation of an independent regulator that would oversee content published on social media and digital news sites, focusing especially on anything that would violate the privacy of children or someone's dignity. But critics say such a regulator could overreach.
However, some journalists have publicly supported the bill, noting that it protects freedom of expression without prior censorship and calls for the respect of public criticism.
Opponents of the bill say it is the latest measure under the administration of President Luis Abinader that appears aimed at stifling the media in the Caribbean country of more than 11 million people.
Under Abinader, a newsroom located inside the National Palace in Santo Domingo was closed and journalists are now required to request access to press conferences and other events up to a week in advance. Under previous presidents, access was automatically granted to the palace with a verified press identification.
Journalists also complain that government security has become more aggressive during press conferences.
"We have seen how politicians repeatedly want to curtail the freedoms we have," Jaime Rincón, a reporter with El Nuevo Diario newspaper, told The Associated Press. "We are marching today for that reason, but also for the repeated abuse we have seen against our colleagues."
During the march, journalists held signs and chanted, "No to censorship! Freedom of press!"
Rincón said the bill not only affects journalists' freedom of speech: "It is a freedom that all Dominicans have, because with the internet, you can express yourself through any social network."
Rosalba Escalante, a reporter with ACD Media, who was recently pushed and stepped on by the security detail of Vice President Raquel Peña, who publicly apologized for the incident, also participated in Tuesday's march.
"Stealthily, access to the presidential press is becoming increasingly limited," she told the AP.
Abinader has not responded to the journalists' allegations, although when asked about the bill during a press conference on Monday he said he was not involved in its creation. "I didn't even add a comma," he said.
The protest march ended at the National Palace where a manifesto was presented calling for proper access to public records and elected officials, as well as an end to "harassment, censorship or reprisals" against journalists, among other things. |
Associated Press News | 2025-05-13 19:07:22+00:00 | [
"Cincinnati Bengals",
"Compensation in sports",
"College sports",
"Northwestern Wildcats",
"Christian Sarkisian Alex Sarkisian",
"College football",
"Northwestern Wildcats football",
"Alex Sarkisian",
"Sports",
"Christian Sarkisian",
"Athlete recruiting",
"Pat Fitzgerald",
"Mark Jackson"
] | # Northwestern hires Bengals scout Christian Sarkisian as its athletic department general manager
May 13th, 2025 07:07 PM
---
EVANSTON, Ill. (AP) — Northwestern hired Cincinnati Bengals scout Christian Sarkisian as the athletic department's general manager on Tuesday to oversee the school's salary cap and revenue-sharing issues.
Sarkisian, who spent the past seven years as a scout for the Bengals, will help Northwestern navigate a changing landscape. Schools would be allowed to share millions in revenue directly with student-athletes if a $2.8 billion antitrust settlement against the NCAA is approved by a federal judge. Sarkisian's primary focus will be on football.
Sarkisian will lead athlete evaluations and contract negotiations, and oversee Northwestern's name, image and likeness clearinghouse. He also will work with coaches on scholarship budgets and analyze future recruiting class needs.
"After seven years learning from the greatest of football minds and leaders, I feel ready to help add to the legacy of Northwestern's athletic programs," Sarkisian said in a statement. "From growing up never missing a Saturday at Ryan Field to helping build rosters that won bowl games and went to the Big Ten Championship, I've learned, and have been raised by, the Northwestern standard of excellence, and I look forward to doing my part to elevate our athletic programs."
Sarkisian is from the Chicago area and has a master's degree in sports administration from Northwestern. He was the Wildcats' assistant director of player personnel and recruiting assistant from 2015 to 2017 under former coach Pat Fitzgerald.
His grandfather Alex Sarkisian was captain of the 1948 Rose Bowl team and was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame. During his time with the Bengals, Cincinnati played in a Super Bowl and two AFC championship games.
"Christian brings a wealth of experience from his time in the NFL and his previous work here in Evanston, particularly in areas such as student-athlete evaluation, recruitment and strategic resources," athletic director Mark Jackson said. "His perspective and leadership will be instrumental as we navigate a rapidly changing college athletics environment and continue to support our student-athletes at the highest level."
___
AP college sports: https://apnews.com/hub/college-sports |
Associated Press News | 2025-05-13 19:03:09+00:00 | [
"Qatar",
"Nicaragua",
"Dominican Republic",
"Carmelo Anthony",
"Sports",
"Dirk Nowitzki",
"Andreas Zagklis",
"Basketball"
] | # US to open World Cup qualifying this fall against Dominican Republic and Nicaragua; 3rd team TBA
By Tim Reynolds
May 13th, 2025 07:03 PM
---
The U.S. will open qualifying for the 2027 Basketball World Cup in November against the Dominican Republic, Nicaragua and a third nation that will be determined later this summer by the results of a pre-qualifier tournament.
The groups — and 68 of the 80 nations that are in the mix for the 31 open World Cup berths — were announced at Doha, Qatar, on Tuesday. Qatar is the only nation to have a World Cup spot assured; it has one because it will host the tournament in the summer of 2027.
The other 12 nations — eight from Europe, four from the Americas — that will play in qualifying will be determined this summer.
"The qualifiers are a special part of this journey," FIBA secretary general Andreas Zagklis said. "The World Cup is not a three-week event. The World Cup is in reality more than two years, as you can see. ... This is the key moment on the way to Doha."
Germany is the defending champion, having topped Serbia for the gold medal at Manila in 2023. Canada beat the U.S. in that tournament for the bronze.
"When I started playing for the German national team in the late '90s, we would have never thought this was possible — that Germany will be World Cup champions," said German great Dirk Nowitzki, the longtime Dallas Mavericks star who brought the World Cup trophy onto the stage for the draw on Tuesday night. "I think that shows the growth of basketball in Germany and the rest of the world, in Europe, all over the place. It's been fun watching basketball grow the last two decades and more. And really, anything is possible in the world now in basketball."
The Americans have won the tournament five times, but not since 2014 — after finishing a record-worst seventh at China in 2019 and missing the medal stand again at Manila in 2023. It has been a challenge for the U.S. to field its best possible team for the World Cups, given that most stars tend to prefer playing in the Olympics and many can't commit to a plan where they would be playing in a World Cup one summer and the Olympics the following year.
"I'm excited," USA Basketball great and 2025 Basketball Hall of Fame enshrinee Carmelo Anthony said. "I think the world is excited. I think players are excited. I just think that intensity level, from what I've experienced in the previous World Cups, has shot up 10 times more than what it was before. I think the energy, I think that intentionality of the game, you see the passion of winning, not just from certain teams, you see it from all teams that are playing."
A breakdown of the qualifying by region:
## Americas
Teams: 16 for 7 World Cup spots.
First-round qualifying dates: November 2025, February 2026, July 2026.
Second-round qualifying dates: August 2026, November 2026, February 2027.
Format: Four groups of four teams in the first round (six games per team). The top three teams from each group will move on to the second round.
Group A: United States, Dominican Republic, Nicaragua, TBD.
Group B: Canada, Puerto Rico, Bahamas, TBD.
Group C: Brazil, Venezuela, Colombia, TBD.
Group D: Argentina, Uruguay, Panama, TBD.
(There are four teams still yet to qualify, and those teams will be determined at a pair of pre-qualifying tournaments in August.)
## Europe
Teams: 32 for 12 World Cup spots.
First-round qualifying dates: November 2025, February 2026, July 2026.
Second-round qualifying dates: August 2026, November 2026, February 2027.
Format: Eight groups of four teams in the first round (six games per team). The top three teams from each group will move on to the second round.
Group A: Spain, Georgia, TBD, TBD.
Group B: Greece, Montenegro, Portugal, TBD.
Group C: Serbia, Turkey, Bosnia and Herzegovina, TBD.
Group D: Britain, Italy, Iceland, Lithuania.
Group E: Germany, Israel, Cyprus, TBD.
Group F: Latvia, Poland, TBD, TBD.
Group G: France, Belgium, Finland, TBD.
Group H: Slovenia, Czech Republic, Sweden, Estonia.
(There are eight teams still yet to qualify, and those teams will be determined at pre-qualifying tournaments this summer.)
## Asia
Teams: 16 for 7 World Cup spots. (Qatar already qualified as host nation, and will be the eighth World Cup team from Asia.)
First-round qualifying dates: November 2025, February 2026, July 2026.
Second-round qualifying dates: August 2026, November 2026, February 2027.
Format: Four groups of four teams in the first round (six games per team). The top three teams from each group will move on to the second round.
Group A: Australia, New Zealand, Philippines, Guam.
Group B: Japan, China, South Korea, Taiwan.
Group C: Iran, Jordan, Syria, Iraq.
Group D: Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, India, Qatar.
## Africa
Teams: 16 for 5 World Cup spots
First-round qualifying dates: November 2025, February 2026, July 2026.
Second-round qualifying dates: August 2026, February 2027.
Format: Four groups of four teams in the first round (six games per team). The top three teams from each group will move on to the second round.
Group A: Cameroon, South Sudan, Libya, Cape Verde.
Group B: Senegal, Congo, Madagascar, Ivory Coast.
Group C: Nigeria, Rwanda, Guinea, Tunisia.
Group D: Mali, Angola, Uganda, Egypt.
___
AP sports: https://apnews.com/hub/sports |
Associated Press News | 2025-05-13 11:50:05+00:00 | [
"Womens college basketball",
"College sports",
"Public opinion",
"Womens National Basketball Association",
"JWD-evergreen",
"Womens sports",
"Associated Press",
"Sports",
"Bernard Seltzer",
"Oregon Ducks",
"Providence Friars",
"Matthew Behr",
"Meghan Sells",
"Portland Pilots",
"Caitlin Clark"
] | # About 3 in 10 Americans follow women's sports, poll finds
By Maya Sweedler
May 13th, 2025 11:50 AM
---
WASHINGTON (AP) — When Meghan Sells heads to Providence Park to watch Oregon's professional women's soccer team, she finds herself among a fairly mixed crowd — groups of young women, dads bringing their children, youth players checking out the Thorns' latest match.
The physician's assistant is a self-described lifelong sports fan and former softball player who "will watch any sport." That includes both collegiate and professional sports for women, putting Sells squarely in a fan base that suddenly has more options than ever before and is seen as fertile ground for teams and advertisers eager to ride the rising interest in the women's game.
About 3 in 10 U.S. adults follow women's professional or college sports "extremely," "very" or "somewhat" closely, according to a new poll from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research. That's lower than the share who follow men's sports by the same measurements — about half — but it also shows that Sells is far from alone.
As interest and investment in women's sports have picked up in recent years, so have the entry points for fans. The meteoric rise of Caitlin Clark, the University of Iowa phenom-turned-WNBA star, helped bring wider attention to women's basketball, and increased streaming availability, international success and name, image and likeness deals have elevated the value and viewership of women's sports.
"Growing up, I feel like the only sports I was able to really see on TV were men's — which is fine, I like men's sports," Sells said. "But I enjoy watching women's sports more. ... I think the more that you see it on TV, the more you're going to have younger people interested in it."
The poll found that women's sports fans — those who follow women's sports at least "somewhat" closely — are different from men's sports fans. Fans of women's sports, while not a majority-female group, are more gender balanced than men's sports fans. Those who follow women's pro sports also are more casual in their fandom than men's pro sports fans, tending to say they attend or watch games occasionally rather than frequently. People who follow men's sports, by contrast, are more likely to identify attachments to teams as opposed to players.
The survey was conducted just before the start of the 2025 WNBA season, an expansion year for the league. Coming off a season in which attendance records were set (and reset ), the league will debut a new franchise — the Golden State Valkyries — and up the number of regular season games from 40 to 44.
In 2026, two additional teams will join the league, including one in Portland, Oregon. Sells, who's been in the city for about a decade, said she is prepared to get season tickets.
## Different fan bases
Men's sports at both the collegiate and professional levels remain more popular than women's sports, the poll found. About one-third of U.S. adults said they watch, listen to or read about men's collegiate sports at least "somewhat" closely, and more than 4 in 10 say they follow men's pro sports. By contrast, about 2 in 10 say they follow women's collegiate sports at least "somewhat" closely, and a similar share say they follow women's pro sports.
A greater share of men than women say they follow professional or collegiate sports overall, but the gender balance was more even among women's sports fans. Around half of fans of women's sports are male, the survey found, compared with about two-thirds of fans of men's sports.
This could be in part due to the overlap between the fandoms: About 90% of U.S. adults who follow women's sports at least "somewhat" closely also say the same about men's sports, though about half of people who follow men's sports said they also followed women's sports.
As women's sports increase in popularity and accessibility, a relatively large share are casual fans. While close to 9 in 10 of both men's and women's pro sports fans say they frequently or occasionally watch, listen to or read about their respective professional sports, a higher percentage of women's sports fans say they are only occasional consumers.
That includes people like Matthew Behr, 58, a lifelong fan of the Green Bay Packers and Milwaukee Brewers in his home state of Wisconsin. He doesn't watch a lot of basketball, he said, but when the sport crosses into news coverage, he will read up on it.
That's how he started following Clark, whose final seasons at Iowa were credited with bringing new viewers to the sport and who now plays for the Indiana Fever.
"I was seeing it on MSNBC," he said. "I don't watch a lot of basketball. It's not a men's and women's thing. If she was playing in a women's football league, I'd probably watch that."
## Attending games
Men's sports — with larger leagues, bigger TV deals and a more expansive media ecosystem — have a more fervent audience. About two-thirds of men's sports fans said they "frequently" or "occasionally" attend a professional sporting event in person, compared with roughly half of women's sports fans.
One possible reason women's sports fans aren't showing up at sporting events is they're less likely to be attached to a specific team. Only about one-third of women's sports fans said the teams they support or follow are "extremely" or "very" important to why they follow the sport. For men's fans, the figure was around 50%.
However, nearly identical shares of men's and women's sports fans said that certain athletes they support were at least "very" important to why they follow women's sports.
Bernard Seltzer, a high school administrator and math and science teacher in Tampa, Florida, considers himself a general sports fan and said he enjoys watching the most skillful athletes, regardless of their gender. Even at the high school level, he is impressed by the finesse he sees female athletes demonstrate.
"Sometimes it's more impressive than watching masculine people banging their heads against the wall," he said.
___
The AP-NORC poll of 1,260 adults was conducted April 17-21, 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 3.9 percentage points. |
Associated Press News | 2025-05-13 12:16:11+00:00 | [
"Books and literature",
"Oprah Winfrey",
"Fiction",
"Entertainment",
"Poetry",
"Ocean Vuong"
] | # Ocean Vuong's new novel, 'The Emperor of Gladness,' is Winfrey's latest book club pick
By Hillel Italie
May 13th, 2025 12:16 PM
---
NEW YORK (AP) — Oprah Winfrey's latest book club pick is a new novel from Ocean Vuong, one of the country's most admired young writers.
Winfrey announced Tuesday that she has chosen Vuong's "The Emperor of Gladness," in which the Vietnamese American author tells of the bond between a suicidal teen and an elderly widow with dementia. Winfrey's video podcast interview with Vuong can be seen on her YouTube channel, among other outlets. The interview was held in Chicago at a Starbucks, which is partnering with Winfrey for the current edition of her book club.
"Ocean draws from his own personal experiences of being born in Vietnam, raised in a working-class family in Connecticut, and working as a fast-food server as inspiration for this story, which features an unlikely cast of truly unforgettable characters," Winfrey said in a statement. "This award-winning author and acclaimed poet has written in stunning prose, a heartfelt and powerful examination of those living on the fringes of society, and the unique challenges they face to survive and thrive."
Vuong, 36, has received numerous honors, including the T.S. Eliot Prize and Pushcart Prize for his poetry, a MacArthur Fellowship and a Whiting grant awarded to promising writers. His other books include the novel "On Earth We Were Briefly Gorgeous" and the poetry collections "Night Sky with Exit Wounds" and "Time Is a Mother."
In a statement Tuesday, he said that receiving "the call" from Winfrey was one of the highlights of his life, with a poignant echo of his childhood.
"Sitting in my mother's nail salon, I watched women see Oprah featuring an author on her show, which played each day in the salon, and literally rise from their seats with poise and confidence, saying they're gonna walk to the Barnes and Noble across the street and buy a book, suddenly armed with access to the discourse, and thereby in possession of the cultural center," he said.
"To think of my book being invited to join such a profound lineage is truly awe-inspiring. I only wish my mother were alive to see it. Among all the literary achievements in an author's life, this would be the one she truly recognizes." |
Associated Press News | 2025-05-13 10:27:59+00:00 | [
"Bangkok",
"Thailand government",
"Building collapses",
"Earthquakes",
"Thailand",
"Xin Ke Yuan Steel"
] | # Bangkok officials end search operation at the skyscraper that collapsed following an earthquake
May 13th, 2025 10:27 AM
---
BANGKOK (AP) — Thai authorities on Tuesday officially ended the search operation at the building under construction in the capital, Bangkok, that collapsed following an earthquake that killed dozens over a month ago.
The 7.7 magnitude quake on March 28 centered in Myanmar, more than 800 miles (1,200 kilometers) away, killed at least 96 people in Bangkok, mostly at the collapsed site. More than 3,000 were killed in Myanmar.
Eighty-nine bodies have been retrieved from the rubble while seven people remain unaccounted for at the site, officials said. They said they would continue to test hundreds of pieces of human remains to identify those still missing.
The collapse sparked questions about the enforcement of construction safety and corruption. The high-rise building, meant to be the new office of the State Audit Office, was the only building that suffered a total collapse that day.
The police on Tuesday said they are still investigating and will continue to collect evidence from the collapse site until the end of this month.
Authorities are probing several companies and individuals for any wrongdoing in relation to the collapse, including the state-run Chinese contractor, China Railway No. 10 Engineering Group. The investigation has led to the arrest of its Chinese executive in Thailand, identified as Zhang, and three Thai shareholders on suspicion of operating the business through the use of nominees.
Foreigners can operate a business in Thailand, but it must be a joint venture with a Thai partner, and they cannot own more than 49% to protect local competitiveness.
Another Thai-Chinese company, Xin Ke Yuan Steel, also came under scrutiny over the quality of the steel rods provided for the building. Industry Minister Akanat Promphan said two types of steel rods found at the collapse site did not pass safety standards and that Xin Ke Yuan supplied both. The company has denied any wrongdoing. |
Associated Press News | 2025-05-13 09:52:11+00:00 | [
"Syria",
"Iraq",
"Ahmad al-Sharaa",
"Baghdad",
"Bashar Assad",
"Abu Mohammad al-Golani",
"Iraq government",
"Arab League",
"Politics",
"Indictments",
"Al-Qaida",
"Rebellions and uprisings",
"Syria government",
"Terrorism",
"Islam"
] | # Syrian president will not attend Arab summit in Baghdad after invitation triggers divisions
By Ghaith Alsayed
May 13th, 2025 09:52 AM
---
DAMASCUS, Syria (AP) — Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa will not attend an Arab League summit in Iraq this week and the country's delegation will be headed by the foreign minister, the president's office said Tuesday.
A short statement released by the office of President Ahmad al-Sharaa did not give a reason why he will not attend the summit but an invitation by the Iraqi government last month trigged sharp political divisions in Iraq. The summit is scheduled to be held in Baghdad on Saturday.
Al-Sharaa and his interim government in Syria have been scrambling to establish ties with countries across the Middle East in a bid to ease skepticism about his former ties to al-Qaida and to convince Washington to lift crippling economic sanctions on the battered country.
Attending the Arab Summit would have been a major symbolic diplomatic victory for Damascus as well, as Al-Sharaa struggles to deal with opponents in the countries, largely from non-Sunni Muslim minority groups, as he tries to exert state authority across Syria.
Al-Sharaa took power after leading a lightning rebel offensive that unseated his predecessor, Bashar Assad, in December. Since then, he has positioned himself as a statesman aiming to unite and rebuild his country after nearly 14 years of civil war, but his past as a Sunni Islamist militant has left many — including Shiite groups in Iraq — wary.
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 in 2003 and still faces a warrant for his arrest on terrorism charges in Iraq.
During Syria's conflict that began in March 2011, several Iraqi Shiite militias fought alongside Assad's forces, making al-Sharaa a particularly sensitive figure for them. |
Associated Press News | 2025-05-13 05:43:34+00:00 | [
"Xi Jinping",
"South America",
"Donald Trump",
"China",
"Colombia",
"International trade",
"China government",
"Gustavo Petro",
"Shigeru Ishiba",
"Japan government",
"World Trade Organization",
"Government policy",
"Tariffs and global trade",
"Business",
"Politics"
] | # China seeks a united front with Latin America in countering Trump's trade war
By Simina Mistreanu
May 13th, 2025 05:43 AM
---
TAIPEI, Taiwan (AP) — China is moving to strengthen its alliances with other countries as a counterweight to President Donald Trump's trade war, presenting a united front with Latin American leaders a day after China and the U.S. agreed to a 90-day truce in their tariffs stalemate.
China's leaders have positioned the world's second-largest economy as a reliable trade and development partner, in contrast to the uncertainty and instability from Trump's tariff hikes and other policies.
On Monday, Beijing and Washington announced their breakthrough on tariffs after weekend talks in Geneva, Switzerland, where they agreed to cut sky-high import duties on both sides for 90 days to allow for negotiations.
Still, Beijing's ire over the trade war remains apparent. Speaking to officials from China and Latin America on Tuesday, Chinese leader Xi Jinping reiterated Beijing's stance that nobody wins a trade war and that "bullying or hegemonism only leads to self-isolation."
Having moved to defuse antagonisms with the U.S., Xi said China stands ready to "join hands" with Latin countries "in the face of seething undercurrents of pure political and bloc confrontation and the surging tide of unilateralism and protectionism."
"There are no winners in tariff wars or trade wars," Xi said, reiterating a phrase China has used repeatedly when referring to Trump's policies.
When Trump began raising tariffs on Chinese products during his first term in office, China retaliated by diversifying its purchases of key farm products, such as soybeans and beef, away from U.S. suppliers. Brazil and other Latin American countries have benefited from that strategy.
Also Tuesday, the head of the World Trade Organization appealed to Japan to fight disruptions to world commerce from Trump's fast-changing tariffs and other policies.
"Trade is facing very challenging times right now and it is quite difficult," Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, director-general of the Geneva-based WTO, told Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba while on a visit to Tokyo.
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.
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 crusaded for the more open markets 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.
The realities of Trump's global trade offensive overshadowed an initial burst of optimism over the China-U.S. deal among investors, as rallies in stocks and oil prices faded on Tuesday.
Speaking to the China-CELAC, or Community of Latin American and Caribbean States, Forum, Xi, the Chinese leader, announced plans to build closer ties with Latin America through political, economic, academic and security exchanges.
He promised to boost imports from the region, to encourage Chinese companies to increase their investments, and said Beijing plans to expand cooperation in clean energy, 5G telecommunications and artificial intelligence. He also announced a new 66 billion yuan ($9.2 billion) credit line to support Latin American and Caribbean financing.
China's trade with the region has been growing rapidly, exceeding $500 billion for the first time last year, as it imported more farm products such as soybeans and beef, energy resources such as crude oil, iron ore, and critical minerals.
Beijing's investments in the region through Xi's Belt and Road Initiative, or BRI, have included installing 5G networks and building ports and hydropower plants.
Colombian President Gustavo Petro announced Monday that his country would formally join the BRI – in a vote of confidence after several Chinese projects in Latin America hit snags in recent months.
In other pledges, Beijing plans to invite 300 members from Latin American political parties to China annually for the next three years and facilitate 3,500 government scholarships and various other types of exchanges.
Five Latin American countries will receive visa exemptions for travel to China, with more to follow, Xi said. It was not immediately clear which countries would become visa exempt.
___
Associated Press writer Mari Yamaguchi contributed from Tokyo. |
Associated Press News | 2025-05-13 11:14:01+00:00 | [
"Antonio Costa",
"Aleksandar Vucic",
"Serbia",
"Europe",
"Russia",
"European Union",
"Vladimir Putin",
"War and unrest",
"Business",
"Politics",
"European Council",
"Russia Ukraine war",
"Rail accidents"
] | # European Council president says Serbia's leader has vowed to stay on the EU path despite Russia trip
By Ivana Bzganovic
May 13th, 2025 11:14 AM
---
BELGRADE, Serbia (AP) — European Council President António Costa on Tuesday criticized Serbia populist president's trip to Russia's Victory Day ceremonies last week, but said that he received assurances that the troubled Balkan nation nonetheless will remain on the path toward European Union accession.
Costa said in Belgrade — at the start of his tour of six Western Balkan membership hopefuls — that "a lot of people asked me not to come" to Serbia. But he said that he decided to come, and that he wanted to "clarify" President Aleksandar Vucic's visit to Moscow last week.
Vucic, Costa said, "explained to me it was a moment to celebrate an event from the past."
"We cannot rewrite the history, and (we) fully understand that Serbia celebrates (its) liberation" by Soviet troops, Costa said, before referring to the Russia-Ukraine war. "But we cannot celebrate the liberation 80 years ago and don't condemn an invasion of another country today."
Now, Costa said, "we can reaffirm, and it's important to hear from him (Vucic) to publicly reaffirm, that he is fully committed with the European Union and with the accession path."
Vucic, a former extreme nationalist criticized at home and abroad over alleged increasingly authoritarian ways, has maintained close relations with both Russia and China while formally saying that he wants Serbia to join the EU.
Vucic has said his decision to attend Russian President Vladimir Putin's military parade marking the World War II victory over Nazi Germany, was part of efforts to maintain "traditional friendships" — Russia is a fellow Slavic and Orthodox Christian nation —while seeking EU entry.
Serbia, which relies almost fully on Russia for energy, has refused to join Western sanctions on Russia over the full-scale invasion of Ukraine and hasn't supported most EU statements condemning the aggression. Belgrade instead has backed a U.N. resolution criticizing Russia's attack.
Costa warned that "a clear condemnation of the Russian brutal invasion of Ukraine" is a key element of EU's security and foreign policy, and that Serbia must fully align in order to join the bloc.
Vucic said that he expected "reaction and attacks" over the Moscow trip at an upcoming European Political Community summit in Albania. He pledged that Serbia will soon pass media and anti-corruption laws needed to move forward in the accession process.
Serbia, he said, "sees itself now and in the future as on the EU path and as a member of the European Union."
Vucic also has been under pressure at home following six months of major anti-corruption protests that erupted after a train station tragedy in Serbia's north that killed 16 people and which many in the country blamed on graft in infrastructure construction.
A group of Serbian university students — who have been a key force behind the protests — were in Brussels this week after running a relay-style marathon there to draw EU attention to their struggle for justice and the rule of law that they say has been dismantled under Vucic's tight rule in the country.
Costa later also met with Serbia's opposition politicians, who said that they informed him about government repression and demanded the EU's clear support for protesting citizens. Politician Marinika Tepic said that Costa's meeting with Vucic could be viewed as EU support for him.
From Belgrade, Costa will travel later on Tuesday to Bosnia-Herzegovina where separatist policies of a Serb-run entity's president have revived ethnic tensions long after a 1992-95 war, and stalled pro-EU reforms.
Montenegro and Albania have been at the forefront of the membership path while Serbia, Bosnia, Kosovo and North Macedonia are lagging behind. The EU's willingness to accept new members has grown since the all-out war in Ukraine started on Feb. 24, 2022, fearing the conflict could fuel instability in the volatile Balkans. |
Associated Press News | 2025-05-13 12:40:12+00:00 | [
"Rory McIlroy",
"Golf",
"John Daly",
"Bryson DeChambeau",
"Xander Schauffele",
"Jordan Spieth",
"PGA Championship",
"Jeeno Thitikul",
"Joaquin Niemann",
"Justin Thomas",
"Fiona Xu",
"Y.E. Yang",
"Charles Schwab",
"Chisato Iwai",
"Billy Horschel",
"Takahiro Hataji",
"Arnold Palmer",
"David Duval",
"Jana Melichova",
"Jack Nicklaus",
"Missouri",
"Kansas City",
"Angel Jimenez",
"Bryson Nimmer",
"Doug Barron",
"Davis Love III",
"Kieran Vincent",
"Sports",
"Stewart Cink",
"Sepp Straka",
"Martin Couvra",
"Tiger Woods",
"Harry Higgs",
"Hank Lebioda",
"Vijay Singh",
"Steve Stricker",
"North Carolina Tar Heels"
] | # Golf gets 2 majors in the same week with PGA Championship and PGA Tour Champions major
By The Associated Press
May 13th, 2025 12:40 PM
---
## PGA of America
PGA CHAMPIONSHIP
Site: Charlotte, North Carolina.
Course: Quail Hollow Club. Yardage: 7,626. Par: 71.
Prize money: TBA ($18.5 million in 2024). Winner's share: TBA ($3.3 million in 2024).
Television (all times EDT): Thursday-Friday, 7 a.m. to noon (ESPN+), noon to 7 p.m. (ESPN); Saturday-Sunday, 8 a.m. to 10 a.m. (ESPN+), 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. (ESPN), 1 p.m. to 7 p.m. (CBS).
Defending champion: Xander Schauffele.
Last year: Schauffele made a 6-foot birdie putt on the last hole at Valhalla Golf Club to win by one shot over Bryson DeChambeau for his first major.
Last time at Quail Hollow: Justin Thomas won his first PGA Championship in 2017.
Notes: The second major of the year is held at Quail Hollow Club for the second time. Quail Hollow has held a PGA Tour event since 2003 except for when it held the PGA Championship (2017, 2025) and the Presidents Cup (2022). ... Masters champion Rory McIlroy is a four-time winner at Quail Hollow. The only other course where he has won four times is Emirates Golf Club for the Dubai Desert Classic. ... McIlroy will try to become only the fifth player since 1960 to win the first two legs of the Grand Slam. The others were Arnold Palmer, Jack Nicklaus, Tiger Woods and Jordan Spieth. ... Spieth lacks the PGA Championship for the career Grand Slam. This is his ninth try. ... The field features 99 of the top 100 players in the world. Missing is Billy Horschel, who is out with hip surgery. ... This is the second straight year for a major in North Carolina. Bryson DeChambeau won the U.S. Open at Pinehurst No. 2 last year.
Next year: Aronimink Golf Club.
Online: https://www.pgachampionship.com/
___
## PGA Tour Champions
REGIONS TRADITION
Site: Birmingham, Alabama.
Course: Greystone Golf & CC. Yardage: 7,249. Par: 72.
Prize money: $2.6 million. Winner's share: $390,000.
Television: Thursday-Friday, 3-6 p.m. (Golf Channel); Saturday-Sunday, 2-5 p.m. (Golf Channel).
Defending champion: Doug Barron.
Last tournament: Stewart Cink won the Insperity Invitational.
Charles Schwab Cup leader: Miguel Angel Jimenez.
Notes: This is the start of five majors for the PGA Tour Champions. ... In a peculiar move, the Regions Tradition is being held the same week as the PGA Championship. That has led to several past PGA champions skipping a major for which they are exempt for life. The list includes John Daly, Vijay Singh, Y.E. Yang and Charlotte native Davis Love III. ... David Duval was supposed to be the lead analyst for ESPN at the PGA Championship. Instead he is playing the PGA Tour Champions major. ... Steve Stricker is playing for the first time since the season opener in Hawaii in January. He has been dealing with neck and back pain. ... This is the first of consecutive weeks of majors for the PGA Tour Champions. Next week is the Senior PGA Championship at Congressional. ... This is the only senior major in which the winner does not get into a regular major of The Players Championship.
Next week: Senior PGA Championship.
Online: https://www.pgatour.com/pgatour-champions/
___
## Korn Ferry Tour
ADVENTHEALTH CHAMPIONSHIP
Site: Kansas City, Missouri.
Course: Blue Hills CC. Yardage: 7,383. Par: 72.
Prize money: $1 million. Winner's share: $180,000.
Television: None.
Previous winner: Harry Higgs.
Pointers leader: Hank Lebioda.
Last tournament: Bryson Nimmer won the Tulum Championship.
Next week: Visit Knoxville Open.
Online: https://www.pgatour.com/korn-ferry-tour
___
## PGA Tour
Last week: Sepp Straka won the Truist Championship.
Next week: Charles Schwab Challenge.
FedEx Cup leader: Rory McIlroy.
Online: https://www.pgatour.com/
___
## LPGA Tour
Last week: Jeeno Thitikul won the Mizuho Americas Open.
Next week: Mexico Riviera Maya Open.
Race to CME Globe leader: Jeeno Thitikul.
Online: https://www.lpga.com/
___
## European Tour
Last week: Martin Couvra won the Turkish Airlines Open.
Next week: Soudal Open.
Race to Dubai leader: Rory McIlroy.
Online: https://www.europeantour.com/dpworld-tour/
___
## LIV Golf League
Last tournament: Bryson DeChambeau won LIV Golf Korea.
Next tournament: LIV Golf Virginia on June 6-8.
Points leader: Joaquin Niemann.
Online: https://www.livgolf.com/
## Other tours
Epson Tour: Copper Rock Championship, Copper Rock GC, Hurricane, Utah. Defending champion: Fiona Xu. Online: https://www.epsontour.com/
Japan Golf Tour: Kansai Open, Hino GC, Shiga, Japan. Defending champion: Takahiro Hataji. Online: https://www.jgto.org/en/
Ladies European Tour: Dutch Ladies Open, Goyer Golf & CC, Eemnes, Netherlands. Defending champion: Jana Melichova. Online: https://ladieseuropeantour.com/
Sunshine Tour: Kit Kat Cash & Carry Pro-Am, Irene CC, Gauteng, South Africa. Defending champion: Kieran Vincent. Online: https://sunshinetour.com/
Japan LPGA: Sky RKB Ladies Classic, Fukuokaraizan GC, Fukuoka, Japan. Defending champion: Chisato Iwai. Online: https://www.lpga.or.jp/en/
Korea LPGA: Doosan Match Play, Ladena GC, Chuncheon, South Korea. Defending champion: Hyunkyung Park. Online: https://klpga.co.kr/web/
___
AP golf: https://apnews.com/hub/golf |
Associated Press News | 2025-05-13 12:16:25+00:00 | [
"Cricket",
"South Africa",
"Keshav Maharaj",
"Tristan Stubbs",
"Sports",
"David Bedingham",
"Tony de Zorzi",
"Ryan Rickelton",
"Aiden Markram",
"Kyle Verreynne",
"Marco Jansen"
] | # Rabada picked by South Africa for test cricket final after serving ban
May 13th, 2025 12:16 PM
---
JOHANNESBURG (AP) — Kagiso Rabada was picked by South Africa for the World Test Championship final against Australia next month after serving a one-month suspension for using a recreational drug.
The fast bowler has already been cleared to return to play and is back in the Gujarat Titans squad ahead of the restarting of the Indian Premier League on Saturday.
Rabada was banned for testing positive for a recreational drug during a domestic Twenty20 competition in South Africa in January.
The South African Institute for Drug-Free Sport said Rabada was eligible for a reduced one-month ban because he completed a substance-abuse treatment program. Rabada has said in a statement he is "deeply sorry" for his conduct.
When announcing the 15-man squad on Tuesday, South Africa said the group will assemble in England on May 31 and play a warm-up match against Zimbabwe from June 3-6, before heading to London ahead of the WTC final starting June 11.
The Proteas' pace attack will also include Lungi Ngidi, who returns to the test fold for the first time since October 2024 after injury problems.
__
Squad: Temba Bavuma (captain), David Bedingham, Corbin Bosch, Tony de Zorzi, Marco Jansen, Keshav Maharaj, Aiden Markram, Wiaan Mulder, Senuran Muthusamy, Lungi Ngidi, Dane Paterson, Kagiso Rabada, Ryan Rickelton, Tristan Stubbs, Kyle Verreynne.
___
AP cricket: https://apnews.com/hub/cricket |
Associated Press News | 2025-05-13 11:50:49+00:00 | [
"Donald Trump",
"New Jersey",
"Jack Ciattarelli",
"Phil Murphy",
"U.S. Republican Party",
"United States Senate",
"Jon Bramnick",
"Politics",
"Kim Guadagno",
"U.S. Democratic Party",
"Political endorsements",
"Bill Spadea",
"United States government",
"Elections"
] | # Trump backs Jack Ciattarelli in New Jersey's Republican primary for governor
May 13th, 2025 11:50 AM
---
TRENTON, N.J. (AP) — President Donald Trump endorsed Republican Jack Ciattarelli in New Jersey's GOP primary, saying he's gone "ALL IN" on the "Make America Great Again" agenda.
Trump's endorsement came Monday in a Truth Social post and gives Ciattarelli's campaign a boost as he competes against two other Trump supporters and a state senator who has been critical of the president.
The president's endorsement and Ciattarelli's gratitude to Trump in a social media post of his own reflect the president's influence in the party, even in Democratic-leaning New Jersey.
Trump's endorsement hinted at Ciattarelli's earlier criticism of Trump during his first run for the White House a decade ago, when he said Trump wasn't fit for the presidency.
"Jack, who after getting to know and understand MAGA, has gone ALL IN, and is now 100% (PLUS!)," Trump said in the Truth Social post.
Ciattarelli said in a post on X that he was "truly humbled and honored" by the endorsement.
"It's time to unite our party, win big in November, and make New Jersey affordable and safe again," he said.
Bill Spadea, a former radio host who's also running in the June 10 primary and has called for replicating the president's approach in New Jersey, suggested the president was backing Ciattarelli because some polling indicated he was in the lead.
"(Trump) endorsed a poll not a plan," he said on X. "We have the only plan and core principles to restore common sense to New Jersey government."
Trump's endorsement comes after he met earlier this year with Ciattarelli at his Bedminster, New Jersey, golf club.
Ciattarelli's campaign has said it sought the president's endorsement and pointed to his performance in the 2024 election in which the president flipped former blue counties red.
New Jersey has been reliably Democratic in U.S. presidential and Senate elections. But its odd-year gubernatorial contests have seesawed between Democrats and Republicans.
Democratic Gov. Phil Murphy, a two-term incumbent, cannot seek a third-straight term under state law. Democrats are also locked in competitive primary.
In addition to Ciattarelli and Spadea, former Englewood Cliffs Mayor Mario Kranjac and state Sen. Jon Bramnick are seeking their party's nomination.
Ciattarelli, 63, is an accountant and small business owner who served in the state Assembly and county office. He ran unsuccessfully for governor in the previous two cycles. In 2021, he came within a few percentage points of defeating Murphy. In 2017, he lost in the GOP primary to then-Lt. Gov. Kim Guadagno. |
Associated Press News | 2025-05-13 11:56:10+00:00 | [
"Kashmir",
"India government",
"India",
"New Delhi",
"War and unrest",
"South Asia",
"Associated Press",
"Military and defense"
] | # India's military says it killed 3 militants in a gunfight in disputed Kashmir
May 13th, 2025 11:56 AM
---
SRINAGAR, India (AP) — Three suspected militants were killed in a gunfight with government forces in Indian-controlled Kashmir, the Indian military said Tuesday.
It is the first reported gunbattle between Indian troops and militants in the region since last month's massacre that left 26 tourists dead, and which India has blamed on Pakistan. Islamabad has denied the charge.
India's military said in a statement soldiers acting on a tip carried out a "search and destroy" operation in the Keller area of the southern Shopian district early Tuesday, during which militants "opened heavy fire and a fierce firefight ensued," it said.
The army hasn't provided further details or casualties among soldiers, but stated that soldiers continued their search operation.
The Associated Press couldn't independently verify the incident.
The Himalayan territory is claimed in its entirety by both India and Pakistan. Militants in the Indian-controlled portion of Kashmir have been fighting New Delhi's rule since 1989. Many Muslim Kashmiris support the rebels' goal of uniting the territory, either under Pakistani rule or as an independent country. Tens of thousands of civilians, rebels and government forces have been killed in the conflict.
Before the April 22 gun massacre in the Kashmiri resort town of Pahalgam, the fighting had largely ebbed in the region's Kashmir Valley, the heartland of anti-India rebellion and mainly shifted to mountainous areas of Jammu in the last few years.
The massacre spiked tensions between the nuclear-armed rivals last week, leading to the worst military confrontation in decades and the death of dozens of people until a ceasefire was reached on May 10 after U.S mediation.
Since 2019, the territory has simmered in anger when New Delhi ended the region's semi-autonomy and drastically curbed dissent, civil liberties and media freedoms while intensifying counterinsurgency operations. |
Associated Press News | 2025-05-13 11:39:35+00:00 | [
"Antonio Guterres",
"United Nations",
"Donald Trump",
"Cyprus",
"South Sudan",
"Lebanon",
"Politics",
"Kosovo",
"Johann Wadephul",
"Democratic Republic of the Congo"
] | # UN chief pleads with countries to pay their share for peacekeeping, points to financial problems
May 13th, 2025 11:39 AM
---
BERLIN (AP) — U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres told countries that the world body's peacekeeping operation is "only as strong as member states' commitment to it" as he pleaded with them Tuesday to pay their share.
The United Nations' peackeeping department currently leads 11 operations, in countries including Congo, the Central African Republic, South Sudan, Lebanon, Cyprus and Kosovo. The budget for nine of those operations during the fiscal year that ends on June 30 totals $5.6 billion, 8.2% lower than a year earlier. Each of the U.N.'s 193 member countries is legally obliged to pay its share toward peacekeeping.
Guterres argued that, with a budget "representing a tiny fraction of global military spending — around one half of one per cent — U.N. Peacekeeping remains one of the most effective and cost-effective tools to build international peace and security."
"But it's only as strong as member states' commitment to it," he added at the opening of a two-day, German-hosted conference of ministers to discuss the future of peacekeeping. "Unfortunately, peacekeeping operations have been facing serious liquidity problems. It is absolutely essential that all member states respect their financial obligations, paying their contributions in full and on time."
Guterres didn't offer details of the problems, but acknowledged that "these are tough times for the financing of our work across the board."
More broadly, the U.N. has been scrambling to respond to funding cuts for aid operations from its biggest donor, the United States, under President Donald Trump's administration.
German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul said that his country, like many others, "is prepared to pledge additional resources" for peacekeeping. But he said there should also be an effort to make missions "more efficient and more focused" through clearer mandates, cutting back on bureaucracy and avoiding duplication.
___
This version corrects the figure in the second paragraph to billion instead of million. |
Associated Press News | 2025-05-12 20:36:15+00:00 | [
"Hip hop and rap",
"Megan Thee Stallion",
"Tory Lanez",
"Celebrity",
"Kylie Jenner",
"California",
"Shootings",
"Crime",
"Music",
"Legal proceedings",
"Prisons",
"Gun violence",
"Beyonce Knowles",
"Entertainment",
"Michel",
"Jay-Z",
"Cardi B"
] | # Rapper Tory Lanez attacked at California prison
By Andrew Dalton
May 12th, 2025 08:36 PM
---
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Rapper Tory Lanez was hospitalized after an attack Monday at a California prison where he's serving a 10-year sentence for shooting hip-hop star Megan Thee Stallion in the feet, authorities said.
Lanez, whose legal name is Daystar Peterson, was attacked at a housing unit at the California Correctional Institution in Tehachapi, at about 7:20 a.m., Pedro Calderon Michel, spokesman for the state Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, said in an email.
Michel did not specify how Lanez was attacked, but a message posted on the rapper's Instagram account Monday evening said Lanez was stabbed 14 times and both his lungs collapsed. The post said Lanez is breathing on his own.
"Despite being in pain, he is talking normally, in good spirits, and deeply thankful to God that he is pulling through," the post said, adding Lanez was stabbed in his back, torso, head and face.
Staff immediately gave Lanez medical aid and called 911, and he was taken to an outside hospital, Michel said. The prison's investigative unit and the Kern County District Attorney's Office are investigating, he said.
The prison is about 100 miles (160 kilometers) north of Los Angeles in the mountains of the Mojave Desert and houses about 1,700 medium- and maximum-security inmates.
In December 2022, Lanez was convicted of three felonies: assaul/t with a semiautomatic firearm; having a loaded, unregistered firearm in a vehicle and discharging a firearm with gross negligence.
Megan, whose legal name is Megan Pete, testified during the trial that in July 2020, after they left a party at Kylie Jenner's Hollywood Hills home, Lanez fired the gun at the back of her feet and shouted for her to dance as she walked away from an SUV in which they had been riding.
She had bullet fragments in both feet that had to be surgically removed. It wasn't until months after the incident that she publicly identified Lanez as the person who had fired the gun.
A judge rejected a motion for a new trial from Lanez's lawyers, who are appealing his conviction. They did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Megan recently alleged that Lanez was harassing her from prison through surrogates, and in January a judge issued a protective order through 2030 ordering him to stop any such harassment or any other contact.
The 32-year-old Canadian Lanez began releasing mixtapes in 2009 and saw a steady rise in popularity, moving on to major label albums, two of which reached the top 10 on Billboard's charts.
The case created a firestorm in the hip-hop community, churning up issues including the reluctance of Black victims to speak to police, gender politics in hip-hop, online toxicity, and the ramifications of misogynoir, a particular brand of misogyny Black women experience.
The often dramatic trial was packed with friends and family members of Lanez who felt he was a victim of both the justice system and the powerful people around Megan, who his managed by Jay-Z's Roc Nation.
When the verdict was announced, Lanez's father, Sonstar Peterson, jumped up and angrily denounced prosecutors and the system before he was dragged from the chaotic courtroom where many in the audience were shouting similar things. He later apologized to the judge.
Megan Thee Stallion, 30, was already a major rising star at the time of the shooting, and her music's popularity has soared since. She won a Grammy for best new artist in 2021, and she had No. 1 singles with "Savage," featuring Beyoncé, and as a guest on Cardi B's "WAP." |
Associated Press News | 2025-05-13 10:51:07+00:00 | [
"OpenAI Inc",
"Donald Trump",
"Artificial intelligence",
"China",
"Tokyo",
"Government policy",
"Finance",
"Finance Business",
"Earnings",
"SoftBank Corp.",
"Business",
"Yuri Kageyama",
"Technology",
"ByteDance Ltd.",
"Economic policy",
"SoftBank Group Corp."
] | # Japanese tech giant SoftBank records its first profit in 4 years
By Yuri Kageyama
May 13th, 2025 10:51 AM
---
TOKYO (AP) — Japanese technology company SoftBank Group posted its first profit in four years Tuesday, as it raked in gains from its investment portfolios.
SoftBank warned of major uncertainties ahead because of President Donald Trump's tariff policies, tensions between the U.S. and China, and other global conflicts.
Tokyo-based Softbank's profit for the fiscal year through March totaled 1.15 trillion yen ($7.8 billion), a reversal from the 227.6 billion yen loss it racked up the previous year.
Annual sales climbed 7% to 7.2 trillion yen ($49 billion).
SoftBank has a wide-ranging partnership with OpenAI, the U.S. artificial intelligence research organization behind ChatGPT. It said it remains focused on promoting technology related to artificial intelligence.
The company said it will continue to aggressively invest in new AI companies like Glean and Helion, both U.S. companies.
SoftBank also recently decided to acquire the total equity of Ampere, a U.S. cloud-and AI-focused semiconductor design company, for $6.5 billion. It expects to complete the transaction in the second half of this year.
Its investments include stakes in Chinese e-commerce giant Alibaba and T-Mobile, a European mobile communications outfit. Both gained value over the latest period.
Also helping its bottom line were strong results and royalties at Arm, a British semiconductor and software design company in which SoftBank is a major investor.
The company also logged gains from its SoftBank Vision Funds.
SoftBank invests in various companies, including ByteDance, the Chinese multinational that's behind TikTok, and PayPay, a popular Japanese mobile payment application.
SoftBank said it was planning an IPO for PayPay. Launched in 2018, PayPay is now used by more than 68 million people, according to SoftBank. Japan's population is about 125 million.
___
Yuri Kageyama is on Threads: https://www.threads.com/@yurikageyama |
Associated Press News | 2025-05-13 08:16:51+00:00 | [
"Donald Trump",
"Toshihiro Mibe",
"Hybrid vehicles",
"Japan",
"Economic policy",
"Government policy",
"Tokyo",
"Finance",
"Finance Business",
"Business",
"Honda Motor Co.",
"Ltd.",
"China",
"Mexico",
"Compensation and benefits",
"Yuri Kageyama",
"Auto industry",
"Nissan Motor Co.",
"Mitsubishi Motors Corp."
] | # Japan's Honda projects plummeting profits due to Trump's tariffs
By Yuri Kageyama
May 13th, 2025 08:16 AM
---
TOKYO (AP) — Honda's profit for the fiscal year through March slipped 24.5% from the previous year, as its vehicle sales in China dropped, and the Japanese automaker warned Tuesday that President Donald Trump's tariffs will worsen its earnings.
Tokyo-based Honda Motor Co., which dropped talks to integrate its business with Japanese rival Nissan Motor Corp. earlier this year, said its annual profit totaled 835.8 billion yen ($5.6 billion), down from 1.1 trillion yen in the previous fiscal year.
Annual sales edged up 6.2% to nearly 21.69 trillion yen ($147 billion).
Research and development costs hurt, despite Honda's record global motorcycle sales for the fiscal year, which topped 21 million motorcycles.
Hybrid vehicle sales also did well, especially in the U.S., and Honda's profitability per vehicle was also improving, according to the maker of the Accord sedan and CR-V sports-utility vehicle.
Executive Vice President Noriya Kaihara acknowledged that Trump's tariffs were likely to hurt, erasing 650 billion yen ($4.4 billion) from its operating profit for the fiscal year through March 2026. That's mainly because of U.S. tariffs on vehicles from Canada and Mexico. Honda's vehicle shipments from Japan to the U.S. are negligible.
Officials stressed major uncertainties remain, but said they felt it was important to give a realistic projection, no matter how pessimistic it might be.
Chief Executive Toshihiro Mibe said Honda will do its best to minimize the impact from tariffs. In the long term, Honda will transfer auto production to U.S. plants and rethink its investment plans. All decisions will be made "very carefully," Mibe told reporters.
He also said Honda was sticking to its plans to produce more electric vehicles.
Various automakers have said they are baffled by Trump's opposition to EVs and his tariffs, and some companies are trimming back their ambitious electrification plans.
Honda is projecting a 70% nose-dive in profit for the fiscal year through March 2026, at 250 billion yen ($1.7 billion), on 20.3 trillion yen ($137 billion) in sales, down 6%.
Honda and Nissan announced in December they were going to hold talks to set up a joint holding company. Mitsubishi Motors Corp., another Japanese automaker, had said it was considering joining that group. But the plans quickly unraveled, with Nissan saying it wanted out because it would be at a disadvantage.
Nissan, which has slipped into red ink lately, reports financial results later Tuesday.
___
Yuri Kageyama is on Threads: https://www.threads.com/@yurikageyama |
Associated Press News | 2025-05-13 09:48:28+00:00 | [
"United Kingdom",
"International agreements",
"United Kingdom government",
"Courts",
"Israel government",
"Finance",
"Finance Business",
"International",
"Benjamin Netanyahu",
"Charlotte Andrews-Briscoe",
"2024-2025 Mideast Wars",
"Israel-Hamas war",
"Sacha Deshmukh",
"Business"
] | # UK High Court hears challenge to British government's role arming Israel
By Sylvia Hui
May 13th, 2025 09:48 AM
---
LONDON (AP) — Human rights groups launched a court fight Tuesday challenging the U.K. government's decision to supply parts for F-35 fighter jets, saying they are being used by Israel in Gaza in violation of international law.
The legal challenge in the High Court alleges that the government is breaking domestic and international law and is complicit in atrocities against Palestinians by allowing essential components for the warplanes to be supplied to Israel.
"There's such clear evidence of the use of weapons parts from the U.K. being used in war crimes, including in genocide," Sacha Deshmukh, chief executive of Amnesty International UK, said at a rally outside the Royal Courts of Justice in London. "Until this case reaches its judgment, right now as we speak, there are significant human rights violations being delivered by British-made weapons and bombs."
The government said in September that it was suspending about 30 of 350 existing export licenses for equipment deemed to be for use in the conflict in Gaza because of a "clear risk" that the items could be used to "commit or facilitate a serious violation of international humanitarian law." Equipment included parts for helicopters and drones.
But an exemption was made for some licenses related to components of F-35 fighter jets, which have been linked to Israel's bombardment campaign in the Gaza Strip.
Rights groups argue that the United Kingdom shouldn't continue to export parts through what they call a "deliberate loophole" given the government's own assessment of Israel's compliance with international humanitarian law.
Palestinian human rights organization Al-Haq and the U.K.-based Global Legal Action Network, which brought the legal challenge, say the components are indirectly supplied to Israel through the global spare parts supply chain.
U.K. officials have argued that stopping the export of F-35 fighter jet components would endanger international peace and security.
Compared to major arms suppliers such as the U.S. and Germany, British firms sell a relatively small amount of weapons and components to Israel.
The Campaign Against Arms Trade nonprofit group estimates that the U.K. supplies about 15% of the components in the F-35 stealth combat aircraft, including its laser targeting system.
"British-made F-35s are dropping multi-ton bombs on the people of Gaza, which the U.N. secretary-general has described as a 'killing field,'" said Charlotte Andrews-Briscoe, a lawyer for the Global Legal Action Network.
"The U.K. government has expressly departed from its own domestic law in order to keep arming Israel. This decision is of continuing and catastrophic effect," she added.
The hearing is expected to last four days and a decision is expected at a later date.
Israel resumed its bombardment in Gaza in March, shattering a two-month ceasefire with Hamas. More than 52,800 people, more than half of them women and children, have been killed in Gaza, according to the territory's health ministry. The ministry's count doesn't differentiate between civilians and combatants. Israel says it has killed thousands of militants, without giving evidence.
The war began on Oct. 7, 2023, when Hamas militants attacked southern Israel, killing 1,200 people and taking 251 hostages.
In November, the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Hamas' military chief, accusing them of crimes against humanity in connection with the war in Gaza.
___
Brian Melley contributed to this report. |
Associated Press News | 2025-05-13 08:27:26+00:00 | [
"Donald Trump",
"United Kingdom",
"Emmanuel Macron",
"Diplomacy",
"Economic policy",
"France government",
"Politics",
"Government policy",
"Nicolas Sarkozy",
"Royalty",
"Carla Bruni",
"Queen Elizabeth II"
] | # Buckingham Palace says French President Macron has accepted invitation for state visit in July
By Danica Kirka
May 13th, 2025 08:27 AM
---
LONDON (AP) — French President Emmanuel Macron will make a state visit to the United Kingdom in July, as the two countries seek to bolster ties to counter Russian aggression and the economic fallout from U.S. President Donald Trump's aggressive trade policy.
Macron and his wife, Brigitte, will stay at Windsor Castle for the visit, which will take place from July 8 to July 10, Buckingham Palace said Tuesday.
The dates mean that Macron will likely beat Trump to London. Charles in February invited Trump to make an unprecedented second state visit to Britain, but a date hasn't yet been set.
Charles and Queen Camilla traveled to France in September 2023 in a visit that highlighted the historic ties between Britain and its closest European neighbor. The trip came after years of sometimes prickly relations strained by Britain's exit from the European Union and disagreements over the growing number of migrants crossing the English Channel on small boats.
Speaking to French lawmakers in the Senate chamber in Paris on the second day of that visit, Charles said the alliance between Britain and France was more important than ever as he recalled how they had worked together to defeat Nazi Germany.
Charles was a frequent visitor to France before becoming king, making 35 official visits to the country as heir to the throne.
The last time a French head of state made a state visit to Britain was in March 2008, when President Nicolas Sarkozy and his wife, Carla Bruni-Sarkozy, were the guests of Queen Elizabeth II.
State visits are ceremonial meetings between heads of state that are used to honor friendly nations and sometimes smooth relations between rivals. While the king formally issues the invitation for a state visit, he does so on the advice of the elected government.
State visits to Britain are particularly prized by some heads of state because they come with a full complement of royal pomp and circumstance, including military reviews, carriage rides and a glittering state banquet hosted by the monarch.
The events normally take place in and around Buckingham Palace in central London. But the Macrons will stay at Windsor Castle, to the west of the capital. Buckingham Palace is undergoing extensive remodeling. |
Associated Press News | 2025-05-14 10:00:06+00:00 | [
"Scottie Scheffler",
"Golf",
"PGA Championship",
"Xander Schauffele",
"Rory McIlroy",
"Virginia",
"Virginia Beach",
"Sports",
"Nick Taylor",
"Sahith Theegala"
] | # Rupe Taylor turns life around after a DWI. Now the golf pro is playing in the PGA Championship
By Doug Ferguson
May 14th, 2025 10:00 AM
---
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — Rupe Taylor had 10 days to contemplate his most improbable path to the PGA Championship, and that wasn't enough to prepare the golf professional when he arrived at Quail Hollow.
He walked 18 holes with a wedge and a putter to get comfortable. And then he stepped into the locker room and found himself face-to-face with Scottie Scheffler.
"I had to do a double take because I was like 'I can't believe this is happening,'" said Taylor, a 35-year-old whose "Play Better Golf Now" instruction business in Virginia is affiliated with Virginia Beach National. "He was so kind. He was authentic. I talked to him for a couple of minutes and he asked me about me."
It was only for a couple of minutes, not nearly enough time for Taylor to tell him about a life he feared he had squandered through alcohol until he woke up in a hospital room, his arms and legs tied to the bed and his mother sitting beside him with her head in her hands.
Taylor was 23, a graduate of the Professional Golf Management program at North Carolina State, working at a Virginia golf course. He had been drinking since high school — "Anything, anytime, any reason to drink," he said — until he was arrested for driving while intoxicated.
He had no memory of how he wound up in a hospital.
"I was completely incoherent," Taylor said. "I didn't know what happened, so the only thing I knew to ask her was if I killed someone."
There was relief to find out there was only minor damage to his car and another vehicle. And there was a second chance he couldn't afford to pass up.
He attended Alcoholic Anonymous meetings practically every day. He met a girl through a social media app, Baylee, who trusted the process and stayed by him on the road to recovery, to finding work in the golf business.
Taylor has been sober for 12 years now. They are married with an 18-month-old daughter, Noah. He worked at golf courses on Kiawah Island in South Carolina and back home in Virginia. That's when he decided to spend his working time giving lessons to a cross-section of people who wanted to get better, allowing more time with his wife and young daughter.
Yes, it's been a journey.
Taylor is among the 20 club professionals at the PGA Championship who will take on Quail Hollow alongside Scheffler and Rory McIlroy and defending champion Xander Schauffele. The strongest field of the majors has 99 of the top 100 players in the world ranking.
And the field includes Rupe Taylor, a recovering alcoholic and teaching professional who still can't believe he has his name plate in a locker room next to PGA Tour winners Nick Taylor and Sahith Theegala.
PGA professionals have come under scrutiny over the years for diluting a field at a major championship. They are among some 31,000 members of the PGA of America who work long hours giving lessons, folding shirts, organizing club competitions. This is their reward.
Taylor qualified at the PGA Professional Championship in Florida on April 30, making a double bogey on the 11th hole that made him sweat, recovering with consecutive birdies to easily finish in the top 20 to earn a spot in the field.
Scheffler recalls meeting Taylor on Sunday when he arrived.
"It's a lot of fun to have those guys in this tournament," Scheffler said. "I think the PGA pros do a lot for the game of golf, running tournaments all over the country, teaching people all over the country, and it's a huge organization, and they do a lot for our game."
Taylor mentioned being on Cloud 9 on more than one occasion, but actions speak louder than cliches. He showed up Monday at 7:30 a.m. in the rain and played 18 holes.
"Nothing is going to faze me," he said. "We have rain gear. We have umbrellas. I'm at the PGA Championship. I'm going to play."
It was his second time at the PGA Professional Championship, the first experience a decade ago when he was just starting to get his life back in order. That wasn't easy on its own. And then a year into sobriety, Taylor lost his grandfather to cancer. Ten days later, his father died. He had diabetes from a young age and wasn't in the best shape.
"He had low blood sugar, got into a car accident and I never go to speak to him again," Taylor said, his voice cracking slightly.
It was a devastating time in his life, and yet he never felt stronger.
"At that point, I had my sobriety in order and I think in some ways it helped me deal with the grief," he said. "A lot of what we discussed in AA is you can't let circumstances influence your desire to drink or give you an excuse.
"Without sobriety, I would have fallen into a deep depression and gotten into another bender."
His given name is Robert. Turns out he was playing Little League at age 10 and his coach had bad handwriting. He was called "Rupert," which became Rupe. And it stuck. It's a name worth noting this week, even if it likely won't be found on the leaderboard.
His expectations are minimal. Quail Hollow is a big course for anyone, much less a professional who spends more time giving lessons than honing his own game. Taylor at times wonders how good he could have become had he chosen a different path in golf.
Then again, he wonders how in the world he got from a hospital bed in a drunken state to teeing it up against Scheffler and McIlroy in the PGA Championship.
"I'm just going to do the best I can and have as much fun as I can," Taylor said. "At the end of the day, it doesn't matter what I do. I feel like I won already just by being here."
___
AP golf: https://apnews.com/hub/golf |
Associated Press News | 2025-05-14 09:48:37+00:00 | [
"James Cook",
"Australia",
"United Kingdom",
"Melbourne",
"Stephen Jolly",
"Politics",
"Brad Battin",
"Bill Lang",
"Sydney Cove",
"Indictments",
"International agreements"
] | # Australian local government removes often-vandalized monument to renowned British explorer
By Rod Mcguirk
May 14th, 2025 09:48 AM
---
MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) — An Australian local government has decided against repairing an often-vandalized monument to renowned British explorer James Cook because it would be destroyed again. But the mayor on Wednesday rejected accusations that the vandals have won.
Statues and monuments to the 18th century naval officer are common in Australia and are often defaced by opponents of Britain's settlement of the country without a treaty with its Indigenous people. In 1770, then Lt. Cook charted the Australian east coast where Sydney would become the first British colony on the continent.
The granite and bronze monument to the master navigator and cartographer in an inner-city Melbourne park was vandalized days after the anniversary of the first British settlers' arrival at Sydney Cove was commemorated on Jan. 26. Opponents of Australia Day celebrations denounce the public holiday as "Invasion Day." There are growing calls for the country to find a less divisive national day.
The monument in Melbourne's Edinburgh Gardens was snapped at its base and spray painted with the words "cook the colony."
## Local councilors vote unanimously against repairing monument
Mayor Stephen Jolly, head of the Yarra City Council, which is a municipality near the heart of Melbourne, said his fellow councilors had voted unanimously on Tuesday night against spending 15,000 Australian dollars ($9,700) on repairing the monument, which remains in storage.
Jolly said the decision to permanently remove the monument, which included an image of Cook's face cast in bronze, was about economics rather than taking a position in Australia's culture wars.
"It's about being economically rational. It's AU$15,000 a pop every time we have to repair it and it's persistently getting either demolished or vandalized or tagged," Jolly told Australian Broadcasting Corp.
"It's just a waste of ratepayers money. We can't afford to do that," Jolly added.
But Victoria state's Melbourne-based conservative opposition leader Brad Battin condemned removing such memorials as surrendering to vandals.
"We need to stand strong and remember the fact that this is part of our history," Battin told reporters.
"If you start to remove the history of our state and our country because of activists, then you're actually giving in to those that are campaigning against it," Battin added.
Jolly disagreed that his council had given the vandals what they wanted.
"No, I think they would've loved for us to put it back up and then they could've just tagged it again or destroyed it again and just had this ongoing sort of little war going on in Edinburgh Gardens," Jolly said.
"I think they're probably the most disappointed people that it's not going to be there anymore," Jolly added.
## Monument base remains attached to a traffic cone
The base of the monument remained at the entrance of the park on Wednesday with a traffic cone attached to warn cyclists, joggers and pedestrians of the trip hazard it presents. Someone has scrawled a smiling face and a torso on the cone in an apparent reference to the memorial that had once stood in its place.
Jolly said a local branch of the Captain Cook Society, an international group that celebrates the explorer, have offered to preserve the bronze plaques.
Melbourne-based society member Bill Lang said discussions were under way to find a short-term home for the monument, such as a museum.
Lang said the council's decision not to repair the monument was disheartening.
"It's very disappointing for every open-minded Australian that believes that there are lots of things that we can learn about and learn from our history that we should celebrate," Lang said. |
Associated Press News | 2025-05-14 04:10:51+00:00 | [
"Hiroki Totoki",
"Animation and comics",
"Movies",
"Comedy",
"Tokyo",
"Streaming media",
"Media and entertainment industry",
"Earnings",
"Travis Scott",
"Business",
"Martin Lawrence",
"Donald Trump",
"Technology",
"Japan",
"SZA",
"Entertainment",
"Beyonce Knowles",
"Yuri Kageyama",
"Sony Group Corp."
] | # Sony racks up record profit on robust performance for music, movies and games
By Yuri Kageyama
May 14th, 2025 04:10 AM
---
TOKYO (AP) — Japanese technology and entertainment company Sony logged an 18% rise in profit for the fiscal year through March on healthy results at its music and video-game operations.
Its chief executive, Hiroki Totoki, outlined the company's strategy for growth Wednesday, stressing that collaboration among Sony Corp.'s various segments, like animation and music, were crucial to deliver the "kando," or emotional engagement, that lies at the core of the company's vision and strength.
"Building on our momentum and results to date and working with a laser-like focus to realize our long-term Creative Entertainment Vision will be at the core of our corporate strategies moving forward," he told reporters.
Sony's movies division has strong offerings in the pipeline, including Spider-Man films and biopics about The Beatles, while animation remains a driver of growth centered around the popular anime streaming service Crunchyroll, Totoki said.
Tokyo-based Sony reported a record annual profit of 1.14 trillion yen ($7.8 billion), up from 970.6 billion yen in the previous fiscal year. Annual sales were virtually unchanged, inching down to 12.957 trillion yen ($88 billion) from 13.020 trillion yen.
One area that lagged among Sony's sprawling businesses was the financial segment, where revenue stalled. But its film division and its imaging and sensor solutions segment did well.
Sony officials said they were studying how to respond to President Donald Trump's tariffs, although that was a challenge because of uncertainties and constant changes. But they said the negative impact from U.S. trade policy will be kept to 10% of Sony's operating profit in the coming fiscal year by adjusting the allocation of shipments, among other measures.
Totoki stressed that Sony plans to leverage its content creating technology, like virtual reality and image sensors, to feed into its entertainment products, including working on immersive experiences. Sony also has powerful collaborative relations with various entertainment companies like Kadokawa, which includes publishing as well as films and animation, and Bandai Namco, a video game maker, he added.
Sony will emphasize the "diversity" of its workers, helping bring out people's creative potential, Totoki said.
Among the Sony movies that fared well at the box office for the fiscal year through March were "Venom: The Last Dance," featuring the Marvel Comics superhero, and "Bad Boys: Ride or Die," an action comedy, where Will Smith and Martin Lawrence return in their popular cop roles in the fourth installment in the series.
Sony, which makes the PlayStation console and game software played on that machine, also posted healthy results in the gaming business.
Its music operations, which also held up, include recordings, streaming services and music for games. The top-selling recorded music projects for the latest fiscal year globally was SZA's "SOS Deluxe: LANA," followed by Beyonce, Future & Metro Boomin and Travis Scott.
The top seller in its Japan music business was Kenshi Yonezu's "Lost Corner" album, followed by offerings from Stray Kids and Six Tones.
For the January-March quarter, Sony posted a 197.7 billion yen ($1.3 billion) profit, up 5% from 189 billion yen the same quarter in the previous fiscal year. Sales were 2.6 trillion yen ($17.7 billion), down 24% from 3.48 trillion yen.
Sony is forecasting a nearly 13% drop in profit for the fiscal year through March 2026, to 930 billion yen ($6.3 billion), on 11.7 trillion yen ($80 billion) sales, down 2.9% on-year.
Sony Group Corp. stocks, which fell in Tokyo morning trading, rebounded to finish 3.7% higher after its financial results were announced.
___
Yuri Kageyama is on Threads: https://www.threads.com/@yurikageyama |
Associated Press News | 2025-05-14 08:50:34+00:00 | [
"Oscar Piastri",
"Lando Norris",
"Franco Colapinto",
"Charles Leclerc",
"Pierre Gasly",
"Jack Doohan",
"Automobile racing",
"Miami",
"Italy",
"Formula One",
"Auto Racing",
"Sports",
"Roland Ratzenberger",
"Jack Brabham",
"Max Verstappen",
"Lewis Hamilton",
"Dino Ferrari",
"Formula One racing",
"Oliver Oakes"
] | # Formula 1: How to watch the Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix on TV and what to know
May 14th, 2025 08:50 AM
---
IMOLA, Italy (AP) — Here's a guide that tells you what you need to know about Sunday's Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix. It's the seventh round of the 2025 Formula 1 season.
## How to watch the Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix on TV
— In the U.S., on ESPN.
— Other countries are listed here.
## What is the Emilia-Romagna GP schedule?
— Friday: First and second practice sessions.
— Saturday: Third practice and qualifying.
— Sunday: Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix, 63 laps on the 4.91-kilometer (3.05-mile) Imola circuit. Starts at 9 a.m. ET (1300 GMT).
## Where is the Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix taking place?
The Imola circuit — officially the Autodromo Internazionale Enzo e Dino Ferrari — is a narrow, old-school circuit which is a favorite with many drivers. It's a venue with a history of tragedy after three-time F1 champion Ayrton Senna and Austrian driver Roland Ratzenberger were both killed during the 1994 race weekend. Italy is the only country other than the United States with more than one race on the 2025 F1 calendar. The Italian Grand Prix name belongs to Monza, which hosts in September, so this week's race is named after the Emilia-Romagna region. Imola is in the last year of its contract.
## What happened in the last race?
Oscar Piastri extended his standings lead with his third win in a row, taking victory at the Miami Grand Prix. That came after his teammate and title rival Lando Norris went head-to-head with defending champion Max Verstappen and ran off track. Norris had taken valuable points a day earlier by winning the sprint race.
## What do I need to know about F1
Get caught up:
— Oscar Piastri wins at Miami for 3rd straight F1 victory, 4th win of season for championship leader
— Franco Colapinto is back in F1 with Alpine after the team dropped Jack Doohan
— Alpine team principal Oliver Oakes' resignation came days after police charged brother
— Ferrari frustration mounts as Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc struggle at Miami Grand Prix
— Cadillac F1 makes its entrance as official team at Miami Grand Prix as questions swirl about lineup
## Key stats at Imola
6 — The win in Miami was the sixth of Piastri's career, taking him past teammate Norris' five career victories. It's Piastri's third season in F1, and Norris is in his seventh year.
4 — Piastri can become the first Australian to win four F1 races in a row since Jack Brabham in 1966.
2 — Franco Colapinto has been a mid-season replacement twice now in F1, first with Williams last year and now with Alpine, replacing Pierre Gasly. Just like in 2024, his first race of the year is in Italy.
## What they're saying
"I've got good momentum behind me and I'm extremely focused heading into this first race of the European swing of the season." — Oscar Piastri.
"I am very excited to be going into race week for the first time since December. I am very grateful for this opportunity and now I have to get up to speed and showcase what I am capable of doing in the car." — Franco Colapinto.
___
AP auto racing: https://apnews.com/hub/auto-racing |
Associated Press News | 2025-05-14 05:41:30.412000+00:00 | [
"JWD-evergreen"
] | # Meet the Mount Athos monks living at Simonos Petra monastery in northern Greece
By Costas Kantouris
May 14th, 2025 05:41 AM
---
Mount Athos, a verdant peninsula in northern Greece, has been a center of Christian Orthodox monasticism for more than 1,000 years.
The all-male autonomous community, known in Greek as Agion Oros, or Holy Mountain, is no stranger to non-Greeks. Of its 20 monasteries, one is Russian, one is Bulgarian and one is Serbian, and the presence of monks from other nations is not unusual.
But it is in one monastery — Simonos Petra — that the greatest range of nationalities reside.
Here is a look at four of Simonos Petra's monks, and how they view Mount Athos:
## Archimandrite Eliseos, 74: Greek
Abbot of Simonos Petra since 2000, Eliseos has been living in the monastery since 1973.
On Mount Athos: "Truly Mount Athos spiritually has no borders. It is a place, a center of Christian monasticism. Not just now, since a long time ago. And it has the name Agion Oros (Holy Mountain).
And indeed, spiritually we cannot say it has borders. And this is proven through its survival through the centuries, that Mount Athos … has a sacred mission to unite people in peaceful coexistence, where between them there will be true relationships, love and harmonious cooperation."
## Father Isaiah, 50: Chinese, born in Vietnam
Isaiah has been living in Simonos Petra since 2006, arriving there from an affiliated monastery in France as part of a spiritual quest.
On what brought him to Mount Athos: "It was in essence a deep searching of spiritual life, which is the answer for the meaning of life. And I have searched for that since my youth. Because I am a diaspora Chinese and I left Vietnam where I was born as a refugee and then we were accepted with my family in Switzerland and I grew up there.
And in that Swiss environment, I was trying to understand what I'm doing, where I'm going, what is the meaning of life. And in searching, I found some answers through virtue, and this virtue was connected with the face of Orthodoxy."
## Father Makarios, 73: French
Makarios has been living in Simonos Petra since 1979, after beginning a spiritual quest triggered by the 1968 student uprisings in Paris.
On what brought him to Mount Athos: "Initially it is the search for truth. I am of the generation of 1968 in Paris, where everyone was thinking of revolution, of political revolution. With some friends, we felt that the problem the young people had back then was not political, that it was spiritual, that our society had forgotten the meaning of tradition, of the holiness of God.
… I found in an intellectual search that in the end, fulfillment, the fulfilment of truth, is in Christianity, but in the initial Christianity, in the fathers of the Church, in the Apostles. And while searching, I found that this was not just a reference, a nostalgia of the past, but that it exists, it lives in the Orthodox Church."
## Father Serafeim, 46: Syrian-Lebanese
Serafeim has been living in Simonos Petra since 2010.
On what Mount Athos means to him: "The Holy Mountain is a place, I'd say, where you truly find spiritual peace. You see, monasticism has always sought peaceful places to find itself and thus to seek God. The Holy Mountain is primarily a place which for many centuries has kept this character."
___
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 | 2025-05-14 08:00:34+00:00 | [
"Migrant workers",
"Saudi Arabia",
"Labor",
"Donald Trump",
"Human Rights Watch",
"Qatar",
"Persian Gulf",
"Finance",
"Finance Business",
"Qatar government",
"Politics",
"United States government",
"Mohammad bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud",
"Business",
"James Lynch"
] | # Rights groups say migrant workers are dying on Saudi job sites as kingdom prepares for World Cup
By Gabe Levin
May 14th, 2025 08:00 AM
---
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Scores of laborers from countries including India, Bangladesh and Nepal have faced preventable deaths from electrocution, road accidents, falling from heights, and more while working in Saudi Arabia, according to a report Wednesday by the advocacy group Human Rights Watch.
Human Rights Watch and another rights group, FairSquare, released separate investigations Wednesday detailing preventable deaths of migrant workers from job-site accidents and work-related illnesses.
The reports accuse Saudi authorities of often misreporting such deaths and failing to investigate, preventing families from receiving compensation from the kingdom that they are entitled to and knowing how their loved ones died.
As Saudi Arabia pushes ahead with hundreds of billions of dollars in infrastructure and development initiatives — including the 2034 men's soccer World Cup and the futuristic city Neom — rights groups warn of thousands more avoidable deaths in the coming years.
In one case, Human Rights Watch said a Bangladeshi worker was electrocuted on the job. But his employer allegedly withheld the body, telling the family they would be compensated only if they agreed to a local burial.
Another family reported waiting nearly 15 years before they were compensated by the Saudi government.
"It's very urgent that the Saudi authorities and FIFA put in place basic labor rights protections," Minky Worden, Human Rights Watch's director of global initiatives, told The Associated Press, referring to soccer's world governing body.
Authorities in Saudi Arabia did not respond to a request for comment.
FairSquare, which looked into the deaths of 17 Nepali contractors in Saudi Arabia over the last 18 months, warned in its report that without accountability, "thousands of unexplained deaths" of low-paid foreign workers are likely to follow.
"In some cases, you have families being pursued by money lenders for the loans that their (dead) husband or father took out in order to migrate to the Gulf," said James Lynch, who co-directs FairSquare.
Saudi Arabia has long faced allegations of labor abuses and wage theft tied to its Vision 2030 project, a big-money effort to diversify its economy beyond dependence on oil.
FIFA shared with the AP a letter it sent Human Rights Watch last month defending the selection of Saudi Arabia as host of the 2034 World Cup.
The letter cited the Saudis' commitments to establishing "a workers' welfare system" and enhancing "country-wide labor protections including through a strengthened collaboration" with the United Nations' International Labor Organization.
The kingdom is not the only Gulf Arab state to be accused of abusing migrant laborers in the run-up to a World Cup. Rights groups also criticized Qatar, which hosted the competition in 2022, saying they tallied thousands of unexplained worker deaths.
But this time has the potential to be even worse for foreign workers, Worden said, noting that the 2034 World Cup has plans to require more stadiums and infrastructure with more teams competing.
Qatar established an oversight board called the Supreme Committee, which monitored FIFA construction sites and took reports of unsafe work conditions.
"There's no such committee like that in Saudi Arabia," Worden said, adding, "In the end, Qatar did have concrete policies like life insurance and heat protection. Those aren't in place now" in Saudi Arabia.
The details of the investigations from Human Rights Watch and FairSquare come a day after FIFA President Gianni Infantino joined U.S. President Donald Trump on his official visit to Saudi Arabia, where Trump met with Saudi Arabia's de facto ruler Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. |
Associated Press News | 2025-05-13 23:06:23+00:00 | [
"Agriculture",
"Des Moines",
"Argentina",
"Biochemistry",
"Future of food",
"JWD-evergreen",
"Business",
"Norman Borlaug",
"Science"
] | # Food grown with fewer chemicals? A Brazilian scientist wins $500,000 for showing the way
By Scott Mcfetridge
May 13th, 2025 11:06 PM
---
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — A Brazilian scientist who pushed back against chemical fertilizers and researched biologically based approaches to more robust food production has been honored with this year's World Food Prize, the organization announced Tuesday.
Microbiologist Mariangela Hungria's research helped her country become an agricultural powerhouse, an accomplishment that has now won her $500,000 from the Iowa-based World Food Prize Foundation. Hungria has been researching biological seed and soil treatments for 40 years, and has worked with Brazilian farmers to implement her findings.
"I still cannot believe it. Everybody said, my whole life, it's improbable, you are going the wrong way, just go to things like chemicals and so on. And then, I received the most important prize in the world of agriculture," Hungria said in an interview. "Sometimes I still think I'll wake up and see that it's not true."
Norman Borlaug, who received the Nobel Peace Prize in 1970 for his work to dramatically increase crop yields and reduce the threat of starvation in many countries, founded the World Food Prize. Since the first prize was handed out in 1987, 55 people have been honored.
Hungria said she grew up wanting to alleviate hunger. Early in her career, she decided to focus on a process called biological nitrogen fixation, in which soil bacteria could be used to promote plant growth. At that time, farmers in Brazil and around the world were reluctant to reduce their use of nitrogen fertilizers, which dramatically increase crop production but lead to greenhouse gas emissions and pollutes waterways.
Hungria studied how bacteria can interact with plant roots to naturally produce nitrogen. She then demonstrated her work on test plots and began working directly with farmers to convince them that they wouldn't have to sacrifice high crop yields if they switched to a biological process.
The work is credited for increasing yields of several crops, including wheat, corn and beans, but it has been especially affective on soybeans. Brazil has since become the world's largest soybean producer, surpassing the United States and Argentina.
Although Hungria's research could be applied on farms in other countries, soybean production in the U.S. is different than it is in Brazil; American farmers typically rotate crops on their land between growing corn and soybeans. Enough nitrate fertilizer applied to corn still remains in the soil when soybeans are planted that little or no fertilizer needs to be applied, Hungria said.
Brazilian agricultural companies have faced fierce criticism for clearing forested land to create farmland, largely to grow soybeans.
Much of that criticism is justified, Hungria said, but she added that her biological approach builds up the soil and makes further encroachment into forested areas less necessary.
"If you manage the crop well, the crop will enrich the soil with nitrogen. Soil health improves if you do the right things," she said.
Hungria will be awarded her prize at an annual October gathering in Des Moines, Iowa, of agricultural researchers and officials from around the world.
Gebisa Ejeta, chair of the World Food Prize Laureate Selection Committee, credited Hungria for her "extraordinary scientific achievements" that have transformed agriculture in South America.
"Her brilliant scientific work and her committed vision for advancing sustainable crop production to feed humanity with judicious use of chemical fertilizer inputs and biological amendments has gained her global recognition both at home and abroad," Ejeta said in a statement. |
Associated Press News | 2025-05-13 10:00:36+00:00 | [
"Financial services",
"Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation",
"Financial markets",
"Business",
"Lifestyle",
"Christine Benz",
"Stocks and bonds",
"Morningstar",
"Inc."
] | # The best places to park your short-term investments
By Christine Benz Of Morningstar
May 13th, 2025 10:00 AM
---
As you sift among the various options for your short-term investments, keep these key items on your dashboard: yield, guarantees, liquidity and your individual situation.
The short-term investments that promise the highest yields often come with at least some risk and/or constraints on your daily access to funds. It may be that you're just looking for the highest safe yield and don't care that much about liquidity. Or maybe having ready access to your funds is the name of the game.
Also think through whether you value an ironclad guarantee or are willing to go without in exchange for a potentially higher yield. Some cash instruments are fully FDIC-insured, while others are not. On the short list of FDIC-insured investments are checking and savings accounts, CDs, money market accounts (not to be confused with money market mutual funds), and online savings accounts.
## Certificates of deposit
CDs will typically offer the most compelling yields of all cash instruments, and they're also FDIC-insured.
Yet there are a couple of caveats. One is that minimum deposits for the highest-yielding CDs might be $25,000 or even higher. There's also a trade-off on the liquidity front: You'll usually pay a penalty if you need to crack into your holdings before the maturity date. The longer the term of the CD, the bigger the penalty for cashing out early.
## Online savings accounts
If you want daily liquidity, a decent yield, and FDIC protection, your best bet will tend to be a high-yield savings account through an online bank or a savings account through a credit union. The former offers FDIC protection, up to the limits, whereas credit union accounts are insured by another entity, the National Credit Union Administration.
## Money market mutual funds
Money market mutual funds also offer daily liquidity and the convenience of having those funds live side by side with your long-term investments. But money market fund yields are still generally below those of online savings accounts today. Additionally, money market mutual funds aren't FDIC-insured, though in practice most funds have done an excellent job of maintaining stable net asset values.
Don't confuse money market mutual funds with brokerage sweep accounts, though both are offered by investment providers. Interest rates on brokerage sweep accounts, which hold investors' cash that hasn't yet been invested, have ticked up a bit recently but are still well below other cash options.
## Stable-value funds
Stable-value funds are another example of an investment that offers an often-decent yield in exchange for not checking the liquidity and guarantee boxes.
Stable-value funds are only accessible inside of company retirement plans. They invest in bonds, so they're not FDIC-insured; to protect investors' principal, they employ insurance wrappers to help maintain a stable net asset value. Just bear in mind that stable-value funds carry drawbacks. Because you can only own such a fund within a 401(k), you'll pay taxes and penalties to withdraw your money before retirement unless you meet certain criteria. So don't think of a stable-value fund as an emergency fund unless you're already retired or close to it.
## Honorable mention: I Bonds
In contrast with the preceding investment types, I bonds are the only safe investment vehicles that will guarantee to make investors whole with respect to inflation. I bonds are Treasury bonds that pay a fixed rate of interest as well as another layer of interest that varies with the current inflation rate, as measured by the Consumer Price Index.
As attractive as that is, it comes with a few asterisks. If you redeem an I bond within five years of buying it, you'll forfeit three months' worth of interest. Purchase constraints are another drawback for large investors.
___
This article was provided to The Associated Press by Morningstar. For more personal finance content, go to https://www.morningstar.com/personal-finance
Christine Benz is the director of personal finance and retirement planning at Morningstar. |
Associated Press News | 2025-05-13 04:29:40+00:00 | [
"Rodrigo Duterte",
"Sara Duterte",
"Ferdinand Marcos Jr.",
"Philippines government",
"Legal proceedings",
"The Hague",
"Netherlands",
"Global elections",
"Jean Franco",
"Courts",
"International Criminal Court",
"Indictments",
"Elections",
"Politics",
"Impeachment"
] | # Detained Philippines ex-President Duterte wins mayoral race in his home city
By Teresa Cerojano
May 13th, 2025 04:29 AM
---
MANILA, Philippines (AP) — Former Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte was elected as mayor in his home city by a landslide, official results showed Tuesday, despite his detention by the International Criminal Court.
The Davao election board proclaimed Duterte won the race for Davao mayor, with the official tally showing that he garnered over 660,000 votes, or eight times as many as his closest rival. Elated supporters chanted "Duterte, Duterte" when the result was announced.
His youngest son, Sebastian, the incumbent mayor of Davao, was declared Davao vice mayor. His eldest son, Paolo, was reelected as a member of the House of Representatives, and two grandsons won in local races, an indication of the family's continued influence.
"Duterte landslide in Davao!" his youngest daughter Veronica posted on Facebook
Partial unofficial results showed at least five candidates backed by the Duterte family were also among those leading the race for 12 Senate positions, in a stronger-than-expected showing in Monday's midterm elections. Pre-election surveys had indicated only two of them would emerge victorious.
The results come as a boost for Duterte's daughter, Vice President Sara Duterte, ahead of an impeachment trial in the Senate in July over a raft of charges including alleged misuse of public funds and plotting to assassinate President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., his wife and the House speaker.
Sara Duterte is considered a strong contender for the 2028 presidential race. But if convicted by the Senate, she will lose her job and will be disqualified from holding public office forever. To be acquitted, she needs at least nine of the 24 senators to vote in her favor.
Results of the Senate race will be known in a week. Apart from the five Duterte-backed candidates, the others leading in the top 12 included five others endorsed by Marcos and two opposition candidates.
While the senate race outcome was encouraging for Sara Duterte, the jury is still out on how the impeachment trial will go for her, said Jean Franco, a political science professor from the University of the Philippines. If damning evidence were raised against her, Franco indicated it could hurt her chances of an acquittal.
The Senate race unofficial results also showed that support for Marcos, whose approval rating fell in April, is dwindling and could turn up surprises in the 2028 elections, Franco added.
In a statement, Marcos thanked Filipinos who voted, saying "our democracy has renewed itself — peacefully, orderly and with dignity."
"We may not have won every seat, but our work and mission continue," he added.
The impeachment and Rodrigo Duterte's arrest and transfer to the tribunal in The Hague came after Marcos and Sara Duterte's ties unraveled over political differences and their competing ambitions. Duterte supporters slammed Marcos's government for arresting and surrendering the former leader to a court whose jurisdiction his supporters dispute.
Nicknamed "the Punisher" and "Dirty Harry," Duterte served as Davao's mayor for two decades before becoming president. He has been in the custody of the International Criminal Court in The Hague, Netherlands, since March, awaiting trial for crimes against humanity over a brutal war on illegal drugs that left thousands of suspects dead during his 2016-2022 presidency.
Under Philippine law, candidates facing criminal charges, including those in detention, can run for office unless they have been convicted and have exhausted all appeals.
Sara Duterte had told reporters after voting Monday that she was in talks with her father's lawyers on how he could take his oath as mayor despite being behind bars. She had said the vice mayor would likely be the acting mayor. |
Associated Press News | 2025-05-13 04:15:39+00:00 | [
"California",
"Homelessness",
"Government budgets",
"Legislation",
"Carolyn Coleman",
"Daniel Lurie",
"Jay Joshua",
"Health",
"Matt Mahan",
"Politics",
"Alex Visotzky"
] | # What to know about California Gov. Gavin Newsom's move to ban encampments
By Janie Har
May 13th, 2025 04:15 AM
---
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — California's governor called upon the state's cities and counties to ban homeless encampments this week, even providing blueprint legislation for dismantling the tents lining streets, parks and waterways throughout much of the state.
Gov. Gavin Newsom, a Democrat, made homelessness a priority of his administration when he took office in 2019. It had previously been an issue primarily for mayors and other local officials, but Newsom pumped money into converting old motels into housing and launched other initiatives to tackle the issue.
Still, he has repeatedly called out cities and counties to do their part, and on Monday, he unveiled draft language that can be adopted by local governments to remove encampments. Here is what to know:
## What does the model ordinance say?
Newsom's model ordinance includes prohibitions on "persistent camping" in one location and encampments blocking sidewalks and other public spaces. It asks cities and counties to provide notice and make every reasonable effort to identify and offer shelter before clearing an encampment.
## What do local governments say?
Organizations representing California's cities and counties balked at the suggestion that they are to blame for street conditions. They say they need dedicated, sustained funding over multiple years for permanent projects instead of sporadic, one-time funding.
Carolyn Coleman, executive director and CEO of the League of California Cities, said that eight in 10 cities have policies to address encampments but they need money to address the root causes of homelessness, such as more housing.
The California State Association of Counties said the state has not provided as much money to address homelessness as it says it has and that half of the money has gone to housing developers.
## What do homeless advocates say?
Studies have shown that encampment bans and other punitive measures make it even harder for people to find stable housing and work, said Alex Visotzky with the National Alliance to End Homelessness.
People may lose critical documents or lose contact with a trusted case manager, forcing them to start all over again.
In Los Angeles, Jay Joshua watches over a small encampment in which he also lives. He says encampments can be a safe space for those living there.
## What are California cities doing about encampments?
Major cities with Democratic mayors have already started cracking down on encampments, saying they present a public health and safety hazard.
In San Francisco, new mayor Daniel Lurie vowed to clean up city sidewalks. In San Jose, Mayor Matt Mahan has proposed arrests if a person refuses shelter three times.
## Do cities and counties have to adopt it?
Newsom can't make cities and counties adopt an encampment ban.
But the proposed encampment legislation was paired with an announcement of $3.3 billion in grant money for facilities to treat mental health and substance abuse disorders, suggesting that he could condition state funding on compliance.
In 2022, he paused $1 billion in state money for local government, saying that their plans to reduce homelessness fell short of the acceptable. |
Associated Press News | 2025-05-13 08:29:29+00:00 | [
"Ivan Espinosa",
"Yokohama",
"Auto industry",
"Donald Trump",
"Japan",
"Labor",
"Japan government",
"China",
"Earnings",
"Yuri Kageyama",
"International trade",
"Business",
"Nissan Motor Co.",
"Ltd.",
"Jeremie Papin"
] | # Nissan slashes 15% of its global work force as the Japan automaker sinks into losses
By Yuri Kageyama
May 13th, 2025 08:29 AM
---
TOKYO (AP) — Nissan is slashing about 15% of its global work force, or about 20,000 employees, as the Japanese automaker reported a loss Tuesday for the fiscal year that just ended amid slipping vehicle sales in China and other nations, and towering restructuring costs.
Nissan Motor Corp. said it will reduce the number of its auto plants to 10 from 17, under what it called its recovery plan to carry out "decisive and bold actions to enhance performance and create a leaner, more resilient business that adapts quickly to market changes." It did not say which plants were being closed but confirmed the closures will include factories in Japan.
"We have a mountain to climb," its Chief Executive Ivan Espinosa told reporters, stressing the task will not be easy, requiring discipline and team work. "Starting today, we build the future for Nissan."
The job cuts to be done by March 2028 include the 9,000 head count reduction announced last year. Nissan also previously announced the scrapping of plans to build a battery plant in Japan.
Espinosa, who took the helm earlier this year, said the latest plans followed a careful review of operations, to align production with demand, including coming up with market and product strategies. Nissan will also leverage its partnerships such as the one with Renault SA of France in Europe and Dongfeng Nissan in China, he said.
The Yokohama-based automaker said U.S. President Donald Trump's tariffs on auto imports also hurt its results.
Nissan racked up a loss of 670.9 billion yen ($4.5 billion) for the fiscal year through March, down from a 426.6 billion yen profit recorded the previous fiscal year.
For the latest quarter through March, Nissan recorded red ink totaling 676 billion yen ($4.6 billion). It also said its recovery plan includes trying to reduce costs by 500 billion yen ($3.4 billion) compared to current costs.
"As new management, we are taking a prudent approach to reassess our targets and actively seek every possible opportunity to implement and ensure a robust recovery," Espinosa said.
"All employees are committed to working together as a team to implement this plan, with the goal of returning to profitability by fiscal year 2026," he said.
But Nissan Chief Financial Officer Jeremie Papin acknowledged the automaker faces serious challenges. Nissan did not give a profit projection for the fiscal year through March 2026, citing uncertainties.
___
Yuri Kageyama is on Threads: |
Associated Press News | 2025-05-13 08:08:32+00:00 | [
"Mike Hesson",
"Cricket",
"Gary Kirsten",
"New Zealand",
"Pakistan",
"Azhar Mahmood",
"Sports"
] | # Pakistan appoints Mike Hesson of New Zealand as white-ball head coach
May 13th, 2025 08:08 AM
---
ISLAMABAD (AP) — Pakistan appointed Mike Hesson of New Zealand as the head coach of its white-ball cricket team on Tuesday.
The position had been vacant since South African Gary Kirsten quit last year, with Jason Gillespie and Aaqib Javed `being appointed as interim coaches.
"Mike brings with him a wealth of international experience and a proven track record of developing competitive sides," Pakistan Cricket Board chairman Mohsin Naqvi said in a statement Tuesday. "We look forward to his expertise and leadership in shaping the future of Pakistan's white-ball cricket. Welcome to the team, Mike!"
Hesson had previously served as head coach of New Zealand and Kenya. He is also currently serving as head coach of Islamabad United, who are the defending champions of the Pakistan Super League.
Several former cricketers, including Azhar Mahmood, had applied for the job.
The PCB formed a four-member committee to select the new head coach, with Javed as one of the members. The PCB named Javed as the director of its High Performance Center in Lahore.
Pakistan is due to host Bangladesh for a five-match Twenty20 series later this month. However, the tour could be rescheduled after Pakistan announced that the PSL would resume from Saturday after the ceasefire between India and Pakistan, with the final now to be held on May 25.
___
AP cricket: https://apnews.com/hub/cricket |
Associated Press News | 2025-05-13 01:38:10+00:00 | [
"Senegal",
"Public health",
"Metals and mining",
"Poisoning",
"Mali",
"Guinea",
"Children",
"Womens health",
"AFRICA PULSE",
"Annika Hammerschlag",
"Climate and environment",
"Duke University-led",
"Health",
"Semiconductor manufacturing",
"Technology"
] | # Mercury fuels gold mining in Senegal. And it's poisoning the people who use it
By Annika Hammerschlag
May 13th, 2025 01:38 AM
---
KEDOUGOU, Senegal (AP) — The quickest way to separate gold from rock, Sadio Camara says, is with a drop of mercury. She empties a dime-sized packet of the silvery liquid into a plastic bucket of muddy sediment outside her home in southeastern Senegal. With bare hands and no mask, she swirls the mixture as her children look on.
"I know mercury isn't good for your health — that's why I don't drink the water it comes into contact with," she said. "I only process small amounts of gold, so there's no danger."
But even small-scale exposure can carry serious risks.
Across West Africa, mercury — a potent neurotoxin — remains the dominant method for extracting gold from ore in the region's booming informal mining sector, much of it illegal and unregulated. In Senegal's gold-rich Kedougou region, women like Camara use the metal regularly, often without protective gloves and masks, to make a living.
Mercury exposure can cause irreversible brain damage, developmental delays, tremors and loss of vision, hearing and coordination. Once released, it spreads easily through air, water and soil. Particularly after heavy rains, it contaminates rivers, poisons fish and accumulates up the food chain.
A 2018 Duke University-led study found mercury levels in soils, sediments and water near artisanal gold mining villages in southeastern Senegal that exceeded safety thresholds set by the World Health Organization and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency by 10 to 100 times.
In artisanal mining, mercury is prized for its ability to bind quickly and easily to gold. Miners mix the liquid metal into crushed ore, and the mixture is then heated — often over open flames — to evaporate the mercury and leave behind a lump of gold. The process is cheap, effective and dangerous.
"If it hurt right away, like a knife, people would stop. But the issue is that it takes years for the dangers to manifest," said Doudou Dramé, president of the Observatoire Territoriale du Secteur Extractif, an organization that advocates for safer conditions for gold miners in Kedougou. "People are dumping it directly into the river. They're burning it in the open, releasing toxic smoke into the air. It's extremely dangerous."
Artisanal and small-scale gold mining is the largest global source of mercury emissions, even more than the burning of coal, according to the UN Environment Programme. In Senegal alone, artisanal mines are estimated to release between 12 and 16 metric tons of mercury each year.
"Kedougou has rich land — very rich land," Dramé said. "Now mercury is everywhere. Our animals consume it, and it comes back to us. Even the soil is no longer fertile."
## For women, a life that puts them in mercury's way
Along the muddy banks of a rust-colored pond, dozens of women wade knee-deep as they rinse piles of sediment in search of gold. Children dart between mounds of earth while the runoff pools around their feet. With little access to clean water, many women spend long hours in local waterways to work, bathe their children, wash clothes and clean dishes.
"Women are much more exposed than men," said Modou Goumbala, the monitoring and evaluation manager at La Lumiere, an NGO that supports community development in southeastern Senegal.
That exposure can be especially dangerous for pregnant and nursing women. Mercury can cross the placenta, putting fetuses at risk of developmental delays and birth defects. Infants may also absorb the toxin through contaminated breast milk.
Inside her kitchen hut not far from the stream, Camara heats a nugget of mercury-laced sediment with a metal spoon over an open flame. The toxic metal evaporates and leaves behind a kernel of gold. There's no mask, no gloves — just the raw materials and her bare hands. Her children stand just a few feet away, watching and breathing the fumes.
Camara said she doesn't usually handle the burning herself; that task is typically left to men. But she and other women regularly mix and shape the mercury amalgam with no protection. One of her children suffers from frequent stomachaches, though she hasn't noticed any other symptoms. Still, the risks loom.
## Why take the risks? Because gold pays
"The easiest way to earn money today is gold mining," Camara said. "Subsistence agriculture will not provide you enough for food or other needs."
In Senegal, gold processors like Camara typically process between 5 and 10 grams of gold per month, earning the equivalent of $370 to $745 — more than double the national average salary of about $200.
Senegal ratified the Minamata Convention on Mercury in 2016, pledging to reduce mercury use and pollution. But the substance remains widely accessible. Most of the country's supply comes from Guinea, Mali, Burkina Faso and Ghana, with smaller amounts smuggled from dental clinics in Dakar, according to a 2022 report by the Institute for Security Studies.
In 2020, the government promised to build 400 mercury-free gold processing units. So far, only one has been constructed — in Bantaco, about 15 miles from Camara's home. The facility uses gravity to separate gold from ore, eliminating the need for mercury by relying on sluices and shaking tables.
During a recent visit, the rusting slab of metal sat unused beneath a corrugated roof.
"People used it for a while, but then they stopped, because one single unit can't cover an entire community," Goumbala said. "Naturally, those who were nearby could use it. But for those who are very far away, they can't afford to transport the ore all the way, process it and then go back. It's extra work. That's a problem."
Camara said she tried the unit, but in addition to being far away, it was less effective at isolating gold – some was lost in the process.
Repeated efforts to schedule an interview with Senegal's director of artisanal and small-scale mining were unsuccessful. The director later said the department had been suspended. He did not provide a reason.
Senegal swore in a new president in 2024, but residents say the problems remain.
"There's a new administration in place, but promises are still just promises," Goumbala said. He believes the lack of progress is due to limited funding.
In an effort to curb pollution, authorities temporarily suspended mining within 500 meters (1,640 feet)of the Faleme River, which cuts through Senegal's gold belt and forms part of the border with Mali.
But enforcement is weak as officials struggle to stem the influx of informal miners, many of whom arrive from neighboring countries. Critics say the measure barely scratches the surface of the problem.
"The solution is to install the gold processing units within the communities — at least one per village," Goumbala said.
Even so, he acknowledged the challenges: The machines are expensive, difficult to maintain and require replacement parts that are only available abroad.
There's also resistance among miners, who say mercury is more efficient and profitable.
"We need to convince communities that even if they make more money using mercury, in the end, they'll spend that profit on treating illnesses caused by it," Goumbala said. "The long-term consequences are far worse."
___
Follow Annika Hammerschlag on Instagram @ahammergram.
___
The Associated Press receives support from the Walton Family Foundation for coverage of water and environmental policy. The AP is solely responsible for all content. For all of AP's environmental coverage, visit https://apnews.com/hub/climate-and-environment |
Associated Press News | 2025-05-13 05:19:42+00:00 | [
"Nigeria",
"Agriculture",
"Africa",
"Nigeria government",
"Future of food",
"AFRICA PULSE",
"Climate and environment",
"World Food Programme",
"Business",
"Bola Tinubu",
"Daniel Obiora",
"Yusuf Isah Sokoto",
"Climate"
] | # Nigeria has a food security problem as water for crops is harder to find
By Dyepkazah Shibayan
May 13th, 2025 05:19 AM
---
KWALKWALAWA, Nigeria (AP) — After two decades of working his farm in northwestern Nigeria, Umaru Muazu now struggles to find water for his crops.
A murky puddle is all that remains of a river near his 5-hectare farm and those of others in this community in arid Sokoto state. Because the 62-year-old Muazu can't afford to dig a well to keep crops like millet and maize from withering, he might abandon farming.
"Before, with a small farm, you could get a lot," he said.
Climate change is challenging agriculture in Nigeria, Africa's most populous country. With long dry spells and extreme heat, water bodies are drying because the arid season is becoming longer than usual. The wet season, though it can dump excessive rain, is short.
It's fresh pain in a country where the World Food Program says 31 million people already face food insecurity. Efforts to recover from one climate shock are overlapped by the next, said WFP spokesperson Chi Lael.
The challenges faced by farmers in the north, who account for most of what Nigeria eats, are affecting food prices and availability in the booming coastal south that's home to the megacity of Lagos.
More than 80% of Nigeria's farmers are smallholder farmers, who account for 90% of the country's annual agricultural production. Some work their fields with little more than a piece of roughly carved wood and their bare hands.
Farmers are facing low yields because the government has failed to develop infrastructure like dams to help mitigate the effects of climate change, said Daniel Obiora, national president of the All Farmers Association of Nigeria.
There is little data available on the drying-up of smaller water bodies across the north. But farmers say the trend has been worsening.
In Adamawa state, water scarcity caused by higher temperatures and changing rain patterns has affected over 1,250 hectares (3,088 acres) of farmland, disrupting food supply and livelihoods, Nigeria's National Emergency Management Agency said last year.
Over-extraction of water and deforestation are other factors contributing to northern Nigeria's drying rivers, according to Abdulsamad Isah, co-founder of local Extension Africa nonprofit that often works with farmers.
Elsewhere in Sokoto state, Nasiru Bello tilled his farm to cultivate onions without assurance of a meaningful harvest. With nearby rivers and wells drying up, he has resorted to pumping groundwater for the farm that provides the sole income for his family of 26. But the cost of pumping amid soaring gas prices has become unbearable.
"The plants do not grow well as it did," he said.
Nigeria is forecast to become the world's third most populous nation by 2025, alongside the United States and after India and China.
With Nigeria's population expected to reach 400 million by 2050, the U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization has been encouraging climate-smart agriculture to help ensure food security, including drip irrigation, which delivers water slowly and directly to roots and helps conserve water, instead of traditional irrigation systems that flood entire fields.
"There should be more orientation for farmers about climate change," said Yusuf Isah Sokoto, director of the College of Environmental Science at Sokoto's Umaru Ali Shinkafi Polytechnic.
At least two-thirds of the trees in the state have been lost due to deforestation, contributing to rising temperatures, Sokoto said.
Data from the government-run statistics agency show that local agriculture contributed 22% of Nigeria's GDP in the second quarter of 2024, down from 25% in the previous quarter. While the trend has fluctuated in recent years, experts have said agricultural production still does not reflect growing government investment in the sector.
Household food imports, meanwhile, rose by 136% from 2023 to 2024, government statistics show.
The decreasing farm yields are being felt elsewhere in Nigeria, especially the south.
In Lagos, the price of several items grown in the north have nearly doubled in the last two years, partly due to decreasing supplies. A head of cabbage grown in the north is selling for 2,000 naira ($1.2), nearly double its price a year ago and more than five times the price in Sokoto.
Nigerian authorities acknowledge the problem. Many farmers who once harvested up to 10 tons are hardly able to get half that these days, agriculture minister Aliyu Abdullahi said earlier this year.
Nigeria's President Bola Tinubu and his government have touted agriculture as a means for economic prosperity. Shortly after he took office in May 2023, Tinubu's government declared a food security state of emergency and announced plans to activate 500,000 hectares of farmland in Nigeria's land banks, which are mostly in the north.
The land banks, however, are yet to be activated.
___
For more on Africa and development: https://apnews.com/hub/africa-pulse
The Associated Press receives financial support for global health and development coverage in Africa from the Gates Foundation. The 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 03:32:25+00:00 | [
"Yesenia Lara Gutirrez",
"Persian Gulf",
"Mexico",
"Claudia Sheinbaum",
"Mexico government",
"Political violence",
"Politics",
"Elections",
"Terrorism",
"Cruz Morales"
] | # Second mayoral candidate killed in Mexico's Veracruz state ahead of June 1 elections
By Iván Sánchez and Alba Alemán
May 13th, 2025 03:32 AM
---
TEXISTEPEC, Mexico (AP) — Gunmen killed a mayoral candidate from Mexico's governing party in the Gulf coast state of Veracruz and four others who accompanied her, the second such local candidate killing in the state ahead of the June 1 election, authorities confirmed Monday.
There were reports later Monday that two federal agents were killed in another part of the state.
The attack on candidate Yesenia Lara Gutiérrez of the Morena party occurred Sunday when she was leading a caravan of supporters through Texistepec. Three more people were wounded.
Veracruz Gov. Rocío Nahle, also of the Morena party of President Claudia Sheinbaum, said Monday that Lara Gutiérrez's daughter was among those killed.
Texistepec is a town of 20,000 southwest of the important petroleum industry port of Coatzacoalcos.
"No (elected) position is worth dying for," Nahle said in a press conference Monday, where she promised justice.
"All of the state's power will be present in coming days so that the elections are free and democratic," she said.
At a wake Monday in Texistepec, family and friends mourned Lara Gutiérrez and spoke about the fear the violence stirred around the election.
"We can't continue with the insecurity, we're tired of all of this, this is terrorism," said supporter Joaquín Fonseca. "There are five people dead, not one. We're living the worst of the terrorism."
Family friend Cruz Morales said the violence is so bad that "we're afraid to go into the fields, to go see our family in the evening, because we don't know what's going to happen to us on the way."
Lara Gutiérrez was the second mayoral candidate killed in Veracruz during the campaign. On April 29, the first official day of campaigning, gunmen killed Germán Anuar Valencia, also from the governing party at his campaign headquarters in Coxquihui in the northern part of Veracruz.
Nahle said that 57 local candidates had requested security offered by the state and federal government. It was not immediately clear if Lara Gutiérrez had.
Municipal elections are scheduled in Veracruz's 212 municipalities for June 1.
Local candidates are historically the most vulnerable to election violence as organized criminal groups seek to gain control of local governments.
Later Monday, local press reported that two federal agents and a third person were killed in an attack in the coastal city of Boca del Rio, Veracruz. An Associated Press photojournalist saw federal agents and soldiers maintaining a perimeter around the scene of the shooting.
Neither state nor federal authorities immediately responded to requests to confirm the toll.
___
Alemán reported from Xalapa, Mexico. |
Associated Press News | 2025-05-13 07:06:11+00:00 | [
"Volcanoes",
"Science"
] | # Philippine volcano briefly erupts, belching ash plume into the sky
May 13th, 2025 07:06 AM
---
MANILA, Philippines (AP) — A restive volcano in central Philippines briefly erupted Tuesday, spewing a 4.5-kilometer (2.8-mile) ash plume and debris into the sky as its rumblings were heard nearby.
The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology said a moderately explosive eruption occurred at the summit crater of Kanlaon Volcano before dawn, lasting five minutes based on seismic and infrasound data.
"The eruption generated a greyish voluminous plume that rose approximately 4.5 kilometers above the vent before drifting to the southwest," the institute's bulletin added.
Ash fell in at least nine villages southwest of the volcano on Negros island, but no injuries or damage was reported.
A level 3 alert -- out of a scale of five -- that was put in place during Kanlaon's eruption in December remained unchanged, with officials keeping a 6-kilometer (3.7-mile) danger zone off limits. The alert means the volcano is in a state of magmatic unrest, with increased chances of short-lived, moderately explosive eruptions that could generate volcanic hazards.
Kanlaon also briefly erupted in April. Its eruption in December prompted the evacuation of thousands of villagers to emergency shelters as the volcano continued showing signs of restiveness.
The 2,435-meter (7,988-foot) volcano is one of the country's 24 most active volcanoes. In 1996, three hikers were killed near the peak and several others were later rescued when Kanlaon erupted without warning, officials said then.
The Philippines is located in the so-called Pacific "Ring of Fire," a region prone to earthquakes and volcanic eruptions. The archipelago is also lashed by about 20 typhoons and storms a year, making it one of the world's most disaster-prone countries. |
Associated Press News | 2025-05-13 01:02:35+00:00 | [
"China",
"Migrant workers",
"Beijing",
"Hospitality and leisure industry",
"Labor",
"Lifestyle",
"Business",
"China government",
"Feng Yong"
] | # China's army of food delivery drivers get by with help from discount 'loving meals'
By Tian Macleod Ji
May 13th, 2025 01:02 AM
---
BEIJING (AP) — After the lunchtime rush, it's time for China's food delivery drivers to eat.
Liu Lijie, halfway through a 13-hour workday, parked his electric scooter in front of a restaurant in Beijing for his go-to choice, lamb noodle soup with a side of pickles, for 12 yuan ($1.65), a discount of 6 yuan off the regular price.
The reduced-price meal is part of a movement that offers free or discounted meals to people in need, no questions asked.
Known as "aixincan" (eye-sheen-zan), or "loving meals," they are available at some restaurants in major Chinese cities, home to large populations of migrant workers who come looking for jobs.
"There is a lot of pressure in life since I came to Beijing to work, so eating aixincan is both economical and practical," said the 40-year-old Liu, who arrived two years ago from nearby Shanxi province.
Eager to get back to earning money, he digs into his meal at a branch of the Yushiji restaurant chain without even stopping to remove his helmet, branded with the name of the popular Ele.me food delivery app.
The movement, also known as "suixincan" or "follow-the-heart meals," can be traced back to the early 2000s. It has been featured in China's government-run media and on social media, including posts in which influencers pose as hungry customers in need to highlight the generosity of the restaurants.
Luo Shuai, a driver for Meituan, China's largest food delivery service, learned of Yushiji's discounted meal initiative through colleagues and has since become a daily customer at the Beijing chain, which serves food from his native Henan province.
"It reminded me of my hometown," said the 27-year-old Luo, who moved to Beijing at the end of last year.
Among China's nearly 300 million migrant workers, an increasing preference for gig-based work such as delivery driving over factory work has emerged in recent years. There are now more than 200 million gig-economy workers, according to government data.
For a full-time driver, the average monthly pay at Meituan can reach more than $1,500. But only 11% of the app's drivers work full-time. Part-timers in the biggest cities, such as Beijing and Shanghai, averaged closer to $1,000 a month in 2024.
The existence of discounted meals reflects a shift in China's urban landscape, according to Xiang Biao, head of the Max Planck Institute for Social Anthropology in Germany.
Previously, migrant workers could carve out their own spaces by helping each other, he said, but those networks have disappeared with the erosion of informal restaurants in cities for hygiene and safety reasons.
"They will have to seek help from strangers," Xiang said.
The state-implemented cleanup since the late 2000s of "urban villages" — spaces where migrant workers would live that grew alongside urban development — has increased those pressures.
The stigma of asking for free food exists in all societies, Xiang said, though it may not be an issue for delivery drivers in China, as they are already socially marginalized.
Feng Yong, the 43-year-old manager of "Doornail Meat Pie" — so named because its food resembles the round wooden nail covers on classical Chinese doors — spends much of his day kneading, filling and wrapping the pies at the Muslim Chinese restaurant in Beijing.
He said the restaurant began serving aixincan to help people in need and inspire others to do the same. A Shandong province native who moved to the Chinese capital more than 20 years ago, Feng said he has a deep understanding of being an outsider struggling in a new city.
The key, he said, is to avoid any embarrassment for customers who are in need. Some hesitate at the entrance. The staff do what they can to help and don't inquire about a potential customer's circumstances.
"We don't refuse them anything, just as long as they're full," Feng said. |
Associated Press News | 2025-05-13 05:21:44+00:00 | [
"Anthony Edwards",
"Steve Kerr",
"Julius Randle",
"Gary Payton II",
"Golden State Warriors",
"Jonathan Kuminga",
"Stephen Curry",
"Draymond Green",
"Minnesota Timberwolves",
"NBA Playoffs",
"NBA",
"NBA basketball",
"Minneapolis",
"Jimmy Butler",
"Sports",
"Basketball"
] | # Warriors struggle again to stop Timberwolves stars Edwards and Randle
By Janie Mccauley
May 13th, 2025 05:21 AM
---
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Anthony Edwards shook both hands at his sides in celebration after knocking down his second consecutive 3-pointer over a 33-second span midway through the third quarter as the Minnesota Timberwolves took over and ran away from the Golden State Warriors.
No matter the matchup, Edwards is having his way with Golden State's defense. And Julius Randle, too.
Coach Steve Kerr keeps stressing how if the Warriors are going to win their playoff series against the T-Wolves it will be because of defense. That defense isn't getting it done, and the Warriors lost 117-110 on Monday night for a second straight home defeat at Chase Center.
They now face a 3-1 deficit in the best-of-seven Western Conference series and will try to stave off elimination heading back to Minneapolis for Game 5 on Wednesday.
"The mindset and the mood is still very high," Warriors forward Jonathan Kuminga said.
Edwards and Randle each shot 11 for 21 and they combined for 10 3-pointers as the Timberwolves went 16 of 34 from long range.
Randle routinely made it look easy going to the basket in Game 4, then Edwards lit up the scoreboard by scoring 11 points in a 17-0 third-quarter surge.
"I think we just panicked because they were making everything," Kuminga said. "We let our guard down."
That 1-2 punch is more than Golden State can handle, especially without an injured Stephen Curry on the floor keeping everything together. Jimmy Butler and Draymond Green can't do it all themselves.
Coming off a triple-double in a 102-97 Game 3 win, Randle had 31 points — 19 of those by halftime. He shot 10 of 23 for 24 points in Game 3 after scoring 18 and 24 the first two games.
Slowing Edwards was just as important for the Warriors, who held the dynamic guard to making five of 14 shots in the first half Monday two days after he went off for 36 points while making 13 of 28 shots with five 3-pointers.
But Edwards' 3 to beat the halftime buzzer Monday pulled Minnesota within 60-58 at the break and gave the Wolves momentum.
Kerr liked the energy of his defense and Gary Payton II's effort.
"It was a big shot. I thought the way we defended it, it was great. Gary was all over him," Kerr said. "Draymond came out to double and he hits a step-back 30-footer. There's not much you can do about that."
He split two defenders in the key for a floating jumper and three-point play at the 7:45 mark of the third quarter, then hit consecutive 3-pointers on his way to six made 3s.
Before the game, Kerr specifically mentioned Edwards and Randle.
"We've got to figure out a way to slow them down," he said, "especially late."
___
AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/NBA |
Associated Press News | 2025-05-13 04:56:15+00:00 | [
"Adin Hill",
"Vegas Golden Knights",
"Stuart Skinner",
"Edmonton Oilers",
"Connor McDavid",
"Zach Hyman",
"Calvin Pickard",
"Jack Eichel",
"Edmonton",
"Las Vegas",
"Stanley Cup",
"NHL",
"Adam Henrique",
"Stanley Cup Playoffs",
"Sports",
"NHL hockey",
"Connor Brown",
"Reilly Smith",
"Evander Kane",
"Kris Knoblauch"
] | # Henrique scores twice as the Oilers beat the Golden Knights 3-0 in Game 4 of playoff series
May 13th, 2025 04:56 AM
---
EDMONTON, Alberta (AP) — Adam Henrique had two goals, Stuart Skinner made 23 saves and the Edmonton Oilers beat the Vegas Golden Knights 3-0 on Monday night to take a 3-1 lead in their second-round NHL playoff series.
Evander Kane had a goal and an assist for Edmonton. Connor McDavid picked up an assist, extending his point streak to eight games.
The Oilers, who bounced back after allowing the winning goal Saturday night with just 0.4 seconds remaining, need one more win to advance. Game 5 is on Wednesday in Las Vegas.
"I just think everybody was dialed in (after a) huge disappointment from Game 3, the way we played and the way it ended," Oilers coach Kris Knoblauch said. "They knew they had to step it up tonight."
Skinner was once again in net for Edmonton after replacing backup Calvin Pickard, who had rattled off six consecutive wins before getting injured in Game 2. Skinner, who had a 5.36 goals-against average coming into the game, improved to 1-3 in the postseason.
"We just put on our work boots and our hard hats and went to work," Skinner said. "The way that we've competed over a number of games is pretty incredible. It's hard to do that and the way that we've been doing it on a consistent basis just shows a lot of pride in this group."
Adin Hill made 29 stops for the Golden Knights, who are one loss from being eliminated.
"Be better, that's sort of it," said Golden Knights forward Jack Eichel, who had his points streak halted at six games. "We go home and you're at home, Game 5, win a game and go from there. That's really all that matters at this point. Collectively as a group, I just think it needs to be better, cleaner and with more urgency."
Edmonton got off to a quick start. Connor Brown stole a puck behind the net and sent it out front to Henrique in the slot. He blasted a one-timer past Hill at 1:27 for his second goal of the playoffs.
The Oilers scored again with 6:57 left in the first. Zach Hyman wrestled a puck from behind the net to Henrique in front and he chipped it in, setting off a scrum after Kane bowled over Hill on the play.
It was Henrique's first multigoal playoff game since his rookie season in 2012.
Kane helped close it out when he elected to shoot on a 2-on-1, and it hit a defender's skate and deflected in 7:38 into the second. It was his fourth of the postseason.
The Oilers have won all eight of their Game 4s since 2023.
Vegas forward Reilly Smith pointed out the Golden Knights were down 2-1 to Minnesota in the first round before marching back with three straight wins to advance.
"I mean, we did it last series," he said, "so we have a lot of faith in this group and we'll just take it one at a time."
___
AP NHL playoffs: https://apnews.com/hub/stanley-cup and https://apnews.com/hub/nhl |
Associated Press News | 2025-05-13 02:34:27+00:00 | [
"Paul Skenes",
"Brandon Nimmo",
"Pete Alonso",
"Pittsburgh Pirates",
"Francisco Lindor",
"Juan Soto",
"New York Mets",
"Mitch Keller",
"Baseball",
"MLB",
"New York City Wire",
"David Bednar",
"MLB baseball",
"New York",
"David Peterson",
"Sports",
"Isiah Kiner-Falefa",
"Kodai Senga",
"Jeff McNeil",
"KeBryan Hayes",
"Bryan Reynolds",
"Joey Bart",
"Shohei Ohtani"
] | # Alonso pushes Mets past Pirates 4-3 after solid outing by Skenes
By Mike Fitzpatrick
May 13th, 2025 02:34 AM
---
NEW YORK (AP) — Pete Alonso hit a game-winning sacrifice fly in the ninth inning and the New York Mets took advantage of a costly error by shortstop Isiah Kiner-Falefa to beat the Pittsburgh Pirates 4-3 on Monday night.
Pirates ace Paul Skenes pitched out of trouble all night and exited after six innings with a chance to win. But the Mets scratched across two runs against Pittsburgh's bullpen in the seventh to take a 3-2 lead.
Juan Soto tied it with an RBI groundout, and speedy rookie Luisangel Acuña raced home from second when Alonso's groundball single trickled into shallow left field after glancing off the mitt of Gold Glove third baseman Ke'Bryan Hayes.
Mets left fielder Brandon Nimmo robbed Joey Bart of a leadoff homer in the eighth, but Pittsburgh evened it 3-all in the ninth after an error by star shortstop Francisco Lindor.
With the infield playing in, Hayes drove in the tying run when Acuña couldn't handle a grounder to third that was scored an infield single.
With one out in the bottom half, Kiner-Falefa let Lindor's grounder scoot under his glove just behind second base. Lindor dashed to third on Soto's single to right-center off David Bednar (0-4), then scored easily on Alonso's long flyout to right field.
Huascar Brazobán (2-0) allowed just an unearned run in the ninth.
Kiner-Falefa homered off Mets starter David Peterson in his first plate appearance since coming off the injured list.
New York tied it at 1 when Nimmo and Jeff McNeil doubled off Skenes in the fourth. Bryan Reynolds gave Pittsburgh a 2-1 lead with an RBI groundout in the seventh.
Skenes yielded one run and six hits in six innings, with six strikeouts and three walks.
## Key moment
After the Pirates tied it, Brazobán got Reynolds to ground into an inning-ending double play with runners at the corners in the ninth.
## Key stats
Pittsburgh failed to score more than four runs for the 18th straight game, setting a franchise record since at least 1901. ... Skenes hasn't permitted more than six hits in any of his 32 major league starts. That's the longest such streak to begin a career (excluding openers), according to OptaStats. Shohei Ohtani went 31 starts from 2018-21.
## Up next
Pirates RHP Mitch Keller (1-4, 4.40 ERA) faces RHP Kodai Senga (4-2, 1.16) in the middle game of the series Tuesday night.
___
AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb |
Associated Press News | 2025-05-12 23:11:09+00:00 | [
"Los Angeles Angels",
"Pittsburgh Pirates",
"New York Mets",
"Don Kelly",
"Alexander Canario",
"Paul Skenes",
"Francisco Lindor",
"Baseball",
"MLB",
"New York City Wire",
"Liover Peguero",
"MLB baseball",
"Sports",
"Oneil Cruz",
"Tommy Pham",
"Isiah Kiner-Falefa",
"David Bednar"
] | # Pirates OF Tommy Pham serves 1-game suspension; Cruz still out but Kiner-Falefa returns
By Mike Fitzpatrick
May 12th, 2025 11:11 PM
---
NEW YORK (AP) — Pittsburgh Pirates outfielder Tommy Pham served a one-game suspension Monday night against the New York Mets for conduct directed at Los Angeles Angels fans last month.
Pham was disciplined by Major League Baseball and fined an undisclosed amount on April 25 for "inappropriate actions toward" Angels fans during a game two days earlier. The penalty was upheld after his appeal went to a hearing, a Pirates spokesman said Monday.
The 37-year-old Pham reportedly made an obscene gesture to a fan who touched him while he was tracking down a ball in the left-field corner during a 3-0 win over the Angels.
The 12-year veteran is batting .176 with no homers, six RBIs and a .475 OPS in 34 games during his first season with the Pirates.
Pham, who played 79 games for the Mets in 2023, is a .331 career hitter with 10 home runs in 169 at-bats and 55 games at Citi Field.
In other news, Pirates center fielder Oneil Cruz sat out for the second consecutive game after leaving Saturday's 11-inning loss to Atlanta with lower back tightness.
"He's getting better. He's day to day. We'll see what his availability is tonight," manager Don Kelly said before the game.
Alexander Canario, acquired from the Mets for cash on March 31, started in center again.
Pittsburgh also reinstated shortstop Isiah Kiner-Falefa from the 10-day injured list. He batted sixth and had an eventful evening during a 4-3 loss to the Mets.
His first time up, Kiner-Falefa led off the second inning with his first home run since Aug. 17. He had been sidelined since May 1 with a right hamstring strain.
"You guys see it every time he's out there — the energy he brings, the defense, the contact ability, the way he can hit," Kelly said prior to the game. "He can do a lot of different things. He's a leader on the field for us, and it's good to have him back out there at short."
Kiner-Falefa started two double plays that helped Pirates ace Paul Skenes out of jams. But the shortstop also committed a costly error on Francisco Lindor's grounder up the middle in the ninth, leading to the winning run against reliever David Bednar.
"If it doesn't hit the base, I make that play easily," Kiner-Falefa said. "I just felt bad because it cost Bednar the loss. So that was obviously tough for me. But it hit the base there. Nothing I could have done about it."
The 30-year-old Kiner-Falefa began the night batting .280 with seven RBIs and a .663 OPS in 30 games this season.
In a corresponding move, infielder Liover Peguero was optioned to Triple-A Indianapolis following Sunday's 4-3 win over the Braves.
Peguero went 2 for 9 in four games with Pittsburgh after being called up May 2 from Indianapolis.
___
AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb |
Associated Press News | 2025-05-13 06:12:14+00:00 | [
"Scott Kiner",
"Pittsburgh Pirates",
"New York Mets",
"Baseball",
"Hawaii",
"MLB",
"New York City Wire",
"MLB baseball",
"Ohio",
"Sports",
"Nancy Chaffee",
"Mary McPherran Kiner",
"Isiah Kiner-Falefa",
"Ralph Kiner"
] | # Family ties: Kiner-Falefa homers after meeting his 2nd cousin for the 1st time, Ralph Kiner's son
By Jerry Beach
May 13th, 2025 06:12 AM
---
NEW YORK (AP) — Ever since he was a kid, Isiah Kiner-Falefa has heard all about the cousin who was a Hall of Fame slugger for the Pittsburgh Pirates years ago.
Now he finally knows kin from Ralph Kiner's side of the family.
In a touching rendezvous Monday at Citi Field, the 30-year-old shortstop greeted Scott Kiner — son of the former Pittsburgh outfielder — before Kiner-Falefa and the Pirates played the New York Mets.
Second cousins once removed, the two exchanged hugs and gifts in the Shannon Forde Press Conference Room. An emotional Kiner-Falefa, who grew up in Hawaii, said it was the first time he'd ever met anyone from Ralph Kiner's part of the clan.
"This is something that I've always dreamed about," Kiner-Falefa said.
Promoting a book he authored about his famous family, Scott Kiner traveled to New York City from his Ohio home for the occasion — and staffers from both teams helped facilitate the introduction.
"Kind of felt that was a bond that had to be established," Scott Kiner said.
After his playing career ended in 1955, Ralph Kiner spent 51 years as a beloved Mets broadcaster on television and radio. He hosted a popular postgame show called "Kiner's Korner," and Kiner-Falefa was 12 when he attended Ralph Kiner night at Shea Stadium on a 2007 trip to New York.
Two years later the Mets moved into Citi Field, where a marker honoring Ralph Kiner the announcer hangs alongside the team's retired numbers atop the stadium.
So it was fitting when Kiner-Falefa, reinstated from the injured list Monday after recovering from a right hamstring strain, was accompanied by the "Kiner's Korner" jingle as he stepped to the plate in the second inning.
Kiner-Falefa said that's a touch he often hears in opposing ballparks. This time, though, he launched a home run to left-center field in his first plate appearance since coming off the IL.
"After everything that we did today, for me to hit a homer right there, that was a huge moment for me. That was surreal," Kiner-Falefa said. "That was really special for me. Something I'll remember for the rest of my life, for sure."
The 382-foot drive was his first home run since Aug. 17 last season.
"I don't think I've hit a ball that hard all year," Kiner-Falefa said. "So I was like, man, I don't even know where that came from."
As for the Mets playing the "Kiner's Korner" theme for him?
"I know they're never going to do that again," he said with a grin.
Kiner-Falefa later made a costly error at shortstop in a 4-3 loss, but that hardly spoiled his special day.
Before the game, he presented an autographed Pirates jersey to Scott Kiner, who wrote "One Of A Kiner" about his parents, Ralph Kiner and tennis star Nancy Chaffee.
Scott Kiner then gave Kiner-Falefa a Ralph Kiner jersey and a charcoal painting of the six-time All-Star. He also showed Kiner-Falefa a portrait of Mary McPherran Kiner, who was born in Pennsylvania in 1850. She is Ralph Kiner's great-grandmother, Scott Kiner's great-great grandmother and Kiner-Falefa's great-great-great grandmother.
"So there is Pennsylvania Dutch in this guy," Scott Kiner said with a smile. "Not much. But he is Pennsylvania Dutch."
Kiner-Falefa's maternal grandfather went to college in Hawaii and remained there, where he had two daughters. Isiah Kiner-Falefa's mother and father never married, so their son took on both last names.
"It's actually a blessing because if they were married, I'd only have the Falefa," Kiner-Falefa said. "So I'm still able to have the Kiner and pass that on."
Kiner-Falefa's grandfather regaled him with stories of Ralph Kiner, who led the National League in home runs during each of his first seven seasons with the Pirates from 1946-52.
Proud of the family connection, Kiner-Falefa learned all about Ralph Kiner's baseball accomplishments long before breaking into the big leagues with the Texas Rangers in 2018.
But the Honolulu native hardly resembles the former slugger, who died at 91 in February 2014. So when Kiner-Falefa told others about it, he had a difficult time convincing them.
"Everybody thought I was lying," he said. "I would tell everybody and nobody ever believed me."
Maybe that's why Kiner-Falefa was so visibly moved as he stood alongside his cousin Scott for the first time.
"For me to not meet anybody on my grandfather's side, it kind of felt like something was kind of missing," Kiner-Falefa said. "To finally meet Scott is like, full circle. I'm a little emotional right now. This is incredible. Incredible moment that I never thought would happen."
And now that he plays for the Pirates, Kiner-Falefa said he often visits the statue of Ralph Kiner at PNC Park in Pittsburgh.
"I always look at the statue (and) the hands — try to get the power because that's something that's always been missing in my game," Kiner-Falefa said. "I think my cousin took all the power from me."
___
AP Baseball Writer Mike Fitzpatrick contributed.
___
AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb |
Associated Press News | 2025-05-13 05:15:45+00:00 | [
"Golden State Warriors",
"Minnesota Timberwolves",
"Stephen Curry",
"NBA Playoffs",
"Anthony Edwards",
"Julius Randle",
"Buddy Hield",
"Jonathan Kuminga",
"Draymond Green",
"NBA",
"Sports",
"Jaden McDaniels",
"Chris Finch",
"Jimmy Butler",
"NBA basketball"
] | # Edwards, Randle lead the way again as Timberwolves beat Warriors 117-110 for 3-1 playoff series lead
By Janie Mccauley
May 13th, 2025 05:15 AM
---
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Anthony Edwards let it fly from 30 feet just before the halftime buzzer and his 3-pointer provided some much-needed momentum that Minnesota took right into a commanding third quarter.
Edwards also spoke up to his team at halftime and Chris Finch credited that pep talk for setting the tone ahead of an impressive second half.
"At halftime, Coach came in and said we're playing like we already won the series pretty much, I don't really like that," Edwards said, adding, "I told them we've only got two wins."
Edwards scored 30 points, Julius Randle had 31 and the Timberwolves beat the Golden State Warriors 117-110 on Monday night for a 3-1 lead in their Western Conference playoff series.
Staying close at halftime was key.
"It was huge because it felt like one of those games where we were going to struggle to find a rhythm," Finch said. "I thought we might be down eight, 10 at halftime with the way that we had played. Fortunately, I thought his shot made it pretty much an even game and if we came out with the type of purpose that we needed to I felt we were going to be OK."
Now, it's back home to Minneapolis for the Wolves with a chance to clinch the best-of-seven Western Conference semifinal series in Game 5 on Wednesday night.
The Warriors will still be without Stephen Curry, who sat out his third game in a row and is scheduled to have his strained left hamstring re-evaluated that day.
"We're not going to Superman this thing," Draymond Green said. "If he's in a place where he can play, I'm sure he will."
Edwards made consecutive 3-pointers and scored 11 total points in a decisive 17-0 Minnesota run that put the Timberwolves ahead 85-68 late in the third. They led 97-77 going into the fourth and the Warriors couldn't catch up.
Edwards — coming off a 36-point performance in a Game 3 — hit that big shot that pulled Minnesota within 60-58 at the break. And the Wolves delivered in the second half again after also trailing by two points at halftime in a 102-97 victory in Game 3.
Jonathan Kuminga came off the bench to score 23 points and convert 11 of 12 free throws for the Warriors, following up his 30-point performance in Game 3 with another gem.
Jaden McDaniels added 10 points and 13 rebounds for Minnesota.
Buddy Hield went down briefly 4:17 before halftime after McDaniels grabbed at the guard's neck and pulled the back of his jersey. The play went to replay review as fans chanted "You can't do that!" but was deemed a common foul rather than a flagrant.
Golden State has now dropped three in a row since Curry hurt his leg early in Game 1 last Tuesday night.
The Warriors were slow getting their offense and 3-point shooting going in a 102-97 loss Saturday and it was much of the same this game.
Jimmy Butler and Green scored 14 points apiece and Hield 13.
Even without Curry, Finch's defensive game plan focused on keeping the Warriors from their dangerous 3-point flurries — and Golden State wound up 8 of 27 from deep.
___
AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/NBA |
Associated Press News | 2025-05-13 05:28:58+00:00 | [
"Cricket",
"Sam Konstas",
"Sports",
"Cameron Green",
"Josh Hazlewood",
"Alex Carey",
"Usman Khawaja",
"Mitchell Starc",
"Sri Lanka",
"Travis Head",
"Matt Kuhnemann",
"Pat Cummins",
"Australia",
"Scott Boland",
"Nathan Lyon",
"George Brent Bailey",
"Jr.",
"Steve Smith",
"Pakistan",
"Josh Inglis",
"India"
] | # Cummins and Green set to return for Australia in cricket's World Test Championship final
May 13th, 2025 05:28 AM
---
BRISBANE, Australia (AP) — Pace bowlers Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood and allrounder Cameron Green have been recalled from injury and young batter Sam Konstas has been retained in Australia's squad for the World Test Championship final against South Africa next month.
Australia is the defending WTC champion and finished the league stage with an away win over Sri Lanka after a home series victory against India.
"Those series capped a consistent performance across the two-year cycle and now presents us with the incredibly exciting opportunity to defend the World Test Championship," Australia's chief selector George Bailey said in a statement Tuesday. "It means a lot to the group to reach the final and they are very much looking forward to the challenge South Africa will present at Lord's."
The same squad will head to the Caribbean for a three-test series against the West Indies following the June 11-15 WTC final.
Green hasn't played international cricket since September because of back surgery, but the 25-year-old allrounder is making a graduated return and currently batting at county level in England.
Skipper Cummins missed the two-test series in Sri Lanka with an injured ankle and Hazlewood hasn't played a test since developing a side strain in November, early in the series against India.
Both veteran pacemen have been playing in the Indian Premier League, which was suspended last week because of the border tension between India and Pakistan but is set to resume this weekend.
"We are fortunate and looking forward to having Pat, Josh and Cam back in the squad," Bailey said.
Opening batter Konstas made an impressive debut against India with a half-century in the Boxing Day test in Melbourne but was dropped ahead of the subsequent tour to Sri Lanka.
___
Australia:
Pat Cummins (captain), Scott Boland, Alex Carey, Cameron Green, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Usman Khawaja, Sam Konstas, Matt Kuhnemann, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc, Beau Webster.
___
AP cricket: https://apnews.com/hub/cricket |
Associated Press News | 2025-05-12 17:13:16+00:00 | [
"Pope Leo XIV",
"Vatican City",
"Catholic Church",
"Gerhard Mueller",
"Conservatism",
"Papal conclave",
"Georg Gaenswein",
"Liberalism",
"Elections",
"George Weigel",
"Raymond Burke",
"Pope Francis",
"Religion",
"Pope Benedict XVI",
"Regina Caeli Latin"
] | # Conservatives see some optimism after election of Pope Leo XIV
By Nicole Winfield
May 12th, 2025 05:13 PM
---
VATICAN CITY (AP) — They went into last week's conclave vastly outnumbered and smarting after being sidelined by Pope Francis for 12 years.
And yet conservatives and traditionalist Catholics are cautiously optimistic over the historic election of Pope Leo XIV, hopeful that he will return doctrinal rigor to the papacy, even as progressives sense he will continue Francis' reformist agenda.
Cardinal Gerhard Mueller, a titan of the conservative bloc, said Monday he was very pleased with the election and expected that Leo would heal the divisions that escalated during Francis' pontificate. Mueller, who was fired by Francis as the Vatican's doctrinal chief, suggested as a first step that Leo should restore access to the old Latin Mass that his predecessor had greatly restricted.
"I am convinced that he will overcome these superfluous tensions (which were) damaging for the church," Mueller said in an interview with The Associated Press. "We cannot avoid all the conflicts, but we have to avoid the not necessary conflicts, the superfluous conflicts."
His sense of hope is significant, given that conservative cardinals went into the conclave at a numerical disadvantage. Francis appointed 108 of the 133 electors, including the former Cardinal Robert Prevost and other pastors in his image.
But in the secret dynamics of the conclave, the Augustinian missionary who spent most of his priestly life in Peru secured far more than the two-thirds majority needed on the fourth ballot in an exceptionally quick, 24-hour conclave. The speed and margin defied expectations, given that this was the largest, most geographically diverse conclave in history and the cardinals barely knew each other.
## A 'good impression' in the conclave
"I think it was a good impression of him to everybody, and in the end it was a great concordia, a great harmony," Mueller said. "There was no polemics, no fractionizing."
Speaking in an interview in his apartment library just off St. Peter's Square, Mueller said Francis' crackdown on traditionalists and the old Mass created unnecessary divisions that Leo knows he must heal.
Pope Benedict XVI had loosened restrictions on celebrations of the Latin Mass, which was used for centuries before the modernizing reforms of the 1960s Second Vatican Council, which allowed the liturgy to be celebrated in the vernacular. Francis reversed Benedict's signature liturgical legacy, saying the spread of the Latin Mass had created divisions in dioceses. But the crackdown had the effect of galvanizing Francis' conservative foes.
"We cannot absolutely condemn or forbid the legitimate right and form of the Latin liturgy," Mueller said. "According to his character, I think (Leo) is able to speak with people and to find a very good solution that is good for everybody."
## A pleasant surprise over the name 'Leo'
Mueller is not alone in his optimism.
Benedict's longtime secretary, Archbishop Georg Gaenswein, who also was fired by Francis and exiled from the Vatican, said he was pleasantly surprised by Leo's election and hopeful for the future.
In an interview with Corriere della Sera, Gaenswein said the new pontiff's choice of his name, referencing Pope Leo XIII, who led the church from 1878-1903, as well as Leo the Great and other popes, sent a signal that he would respect tradition, restore doctrinal clarity and pacify divisions.
"Pope Prevost gives me great hope," Gaenswein was quoted as saying.
In newspaper stories, social media posts, TV interviews and private conversations among friends, some of Francis' most vocal critics also are sounding cautiously optimistic, rejoicing over some of the smallest — but to them significant — gestures.
They liked that Leo read a written statement when he emerged from the conclave on the loggia of St. Peter's Basilica, rather than improvise. They liked that his first words referenced Jesus Christ. They loved that he decided to wear the formal red cape, or mozzetta, of the papacy, which they viewed as a show of respect for the office that Francis had eschewed.
Another plus: He sang the noontime Regina Caeli Latin prayer on Sunday, instead of reciting it.
Many point to a report in Corriere that one evening before the conclave began, Prevost was seen entering the apartment building of Cardinal Raymond Burke, another tradition-minded cardinal whom Francis fired as the Vatican's supreme court chief. Burke, who didn't respond to a request for comment, could have played the role of a "kingmaker" in the conclave, rallying conservative votes behind a particular candidate.
Mueller said he knew nothing about such a meeting and insisted he was unaware of behind-the-scenes pushing of Prevost. Such lobbying occurred when Jorge Mario Bergoglio had more progressive cardinals promoting his candidacy in 2005 and 2013.
Asked if he voted for Prevost, Mueller demurred.
"Oh, I cannot say. But I am content, no?" he replied.
And yet Prevost also pleased moderates, with many seeing in his first words a continuation of Francis' priorities to build bridges. The buzzwords signal to some a pope who reaches out to the LGBTQ+ community and people of other faiths. But to others, it is the literal meaning of "pontifex" and a sign of internal bridge-building to heal divisions.
"The pope, as successor of St. Peter, has to unite the church," Mueller said.
Mueller said he expected Leo would move into the papal apartments at the Apostolic Palace, which he said was the proper place for a pope. Francis chose to live in the Vatican's Domus Santa Marta hotel because he said he needed to be around people. But the decision had the practical effect of taking over the entire second floor of the hotel, reducing rooms for visiting priests.
## Both progressives and conservatives see what they want in Leo
Part of the dynamic at play in these early days of Leo's papacy is that it appears progressives and conservatives can see in Leo what they want. He has virtually no published history, and played his cards very close to his vest while in Rome as head of the Vatican's bishops office. He granted few interviews and shied away from the public appearances that fill Vatican cardinals' days after hours: book presentations, conferences and academic lectures.
George Weigel, the biographer of St. John Paul II and senior fellow at the Ethics and Public Policy Center, said Leo's doctrinal position should be self-evident: that "a man who spent a lot of his life in the Peruvian missions believes in the truth of the Gospel and the truth of the world."
As for the papal cape and stole, it means "we have a pope who understands the nature of the Petrine Office, which should not be bent to personal idiosyncrasies," Weigel said in an email.
___
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 05:38:04+00:00 | [
"Oswaldo Cabrera",
"Cody Bellinger",
"Emerson Hancock",
"New York Yankees",
"Seattle Mariners",
"Aaron Judge",
"New York",
"Baseball",
"Athlete injuries",
"MLB",
"New York City Wire",
"Trent Grisham",
"Cal Raleigh",
"Julio Rodriguez",
"Jorge Polanco",
"Sports",
"Paul Goldschmidt",
"MLB baseball",
"Austin Wells",
"Clarke Schmidt"
] | # Grisham hits 2 homers to lead Yankees past Mariners 11-5, New York's Cabrera leaves in ambulance
By Andrew Destin
May 13th, 2025 05:38 AM
---
SEATTLE (AP) — Trent Grisham hit a pair of home runs, including one during New York's six-run fifth inning, and the Yankees beat the Seattle Mariners 11-5 on Monday night.
The win was overshadowed by Yankees third baseman Oswaldo Cabrera needing to be taken off the field in an ambulance after he got hurt in the ninth inning.
Cabrera got hurt on an awkward slide when he scored on Aaron Judge's sacrifice fly. He appeared to injure his left leg when he reached back for the plate.
Grisham, in the midst of a resurgent start to the year after a down 2024 season, hit a solo shot in the third inning to put the Yankees on the board that was just out of the reach of leaping center fielder Julio Rodriguez. New York's offensive outburst in the fifth inning began with another homer by Grisham.
Paul Goldschmidt and Cody Bellinger hit back-to-back RBI singles off Emerson Hancock (1-2) before Austin Wells put the game out of reach with a three-run homer.
The Mariners, meanwhile, struggled to do much against Clarke Schmidt (1-1) outside of a pair of solo homers from Rodriguez and Jorge Polanco. Cal Raleigh added a two-run homer in the eighth.
The loss marked was Seattle's season-worst fourth in a row. The Athletics now trail the Mariners by 1 1/2 games in the AL West.
## Key moment
Though Wells fell behind in the count to Hancock in the fifth, he pounced on a changeup that caught too much of the plate for his eighth homer, which increased the Yankees' advantage to five runs.
## Key stat
Goldschmidt continued his road success with his fifth-inning single. The veteran first baseman has hit safely in each of his 20 games away from Yankee Stadium. In those contests, Goldschmidt has seven doubles, two home runs and 11 RBIs.
## Up next
Seattle RHP Bryan Woo (4-1, 3.25) starts Tuesday night. LHP Max Fried (6-0, 1.05) will start for the Yankees in the second game of the three-game set.
___
AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/MLB |
Associated Press News | 2025-05-12 22:49:28+00:00 | [
"Donald Trump",
"Gulf of Mexico",
"Middle East",
"Karoline Leavitt",
"Associated Press",
"Business",
"Retail and wholesale",
"Entertainment",
"Politics",
"Protests and demonstrations",
"News media"
] | # White House correspondents protest lack of wire reporters on Air Force One
By The Associated Press
May 12th, 2025 10:49 PM
---
The group representing White House journalists said Monday it was disturbed that the Trump administration barred any wire service news reporters from traveling with the president on Air Force One to the Middle East.
No reporters from The Associated Press, Bloomberg or Reuters were on the plane, where presidents often take questions from traveling members of the press.
"Their reports are distributed quickly to thousands of news outlets and millions of readers throughout the world every day, so all have equal access to coverage of the presidency," the White House Correspondents' Association said in a statement. "This change is a disservice to every American who deserves to know what their highest elected leader is up to, as quickly as possible."
The White House has been fighting in court with the AP, after the news service was blocked from covering smaller "pool" events when it decided not to change the name of the Gulf of Mexico to Gulf of America, as Trump had called for in an executive order.
In response to a ruling in that case, the White House instituted a new media policy that lumped the wire services in with print reporters in a rotation for space on Air Force One or Oval Office events. A Reuters reporter accompanied the president when he traveled to Pope Francis' funeral.
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt did not return messages seeking comment. |
Associated Press News | 2025-05-13 04:14:29+00:00 | [
"Sabrina Ionescu",
"Kelly Graves",
"WNBA",
"New York Liberty",
"Oregon Ducks",
"Sandy Brondello",
"Angel Reese",
"Natasha Cloud",
"Basketball",
"New York City Wire",
"Sports",
"Oregon",
"Eugene Mayor Kaarin Knudson",
"New York",
"Matthew Knight",
"Eugene",
"Caitlin Clark",
"WNBA basketball",
"Womens National Basketball Association"
] | # Liberty guard Sabrina Ionescu plays at Oregon for the first time as a pro in preseason game
By Anne M. Peterson
May 13th, 2025 04:14 AM
---
EUGENE, Ore. (AP) — Playing at Oregon's Matthew Knight Arena for the first time in five years, New York Liberty star Sabrina Ionescu drew a roar from the capacity crowd by proclaiming, "Go Ducks!"
Ionescu, a three-time WNBA All-Star, made the return trip to Eugene along with Liberty teammate and fellow former Oregon standout Nyara Sabally for a preseason game against the Toyota Antelopes of Japan.
It was the fourth time this preseason the WNBA has reunited college fans with their former stars. Caitlin Clark returned to Iowa, Angel Reese went back to LSU and a trio of former Notre Dame stars visited South Bend, Indiana.
Ionescu scored 25 points, including six 3-pointers, in the 84-61 victory over the Antelopes. Sabally had 7.
"This was just a thank you," Ionescu said. "This wasn't any kind of celebration for me. I think it was just me wanting to celebrate the University of Oregon and what they've done for me in my career."
The crowd gave Ionescu a standing ovation after she hit a 3-pointer from the midcourt logo with 6:03 left. She waved to the crowd and put her hand on her heart before going to the bench.
"It's great to be back home," Ionescu told the sellout crowd before the game.
Ionescu was a senior in 2020 for then-No. 2 Oregon when the season ended prematurely because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Oregon defeated No. 7 Stanford in the Pac-12 Tournament championship that year and the Ducks were expected to be among the top-seeds in the NCAA Tournament. Sabally was a redshirt freshman that year, but did not play because of an ACL injury.
Ionescu ended her college career as the NCAA's all-time triple-doubles leader, among both men and women, with 26. She was drafted No. 1 by the Liberty in the 2020 WNBA draft.
Eugene Mayor Kaarin Knudson declared Monday "Sabrina Ionescu Day" in honor of Ionescu, who won a WNBA title with the Liberty last year as well as a gold medal at the Paris Olympics.
"I'm glad they're getting their love," teammate Natasha Cloud said of Ionescu and Sabally. "They deserve it. Both of them have grown so much from being here, and obviously being able to win the (WNBA) championship last year, to come back here and celebrate with the fans."
The Liberty announced earlier Monday it exercised Sabally's fourth-year option, which will keep her with the team through the 2026 season.
Liberty owner Clara Wu Tsai and Oregon coach Kelly Graves were among those at the game.
"It is a really cool idea. The preseason has been going to a lot of the college campuses of their star players and Sabrina is a franchise player for us and has done wonderful things," Liberty coach Sandy Brondello said. "So it's great to come back where it all started."
Graves noted that if the opening rounds of NCAA Tournament had been played in 2020, Ionescu would have had at least one more game in Eugene to thank the fans.
"There would have been a bit of closure. She would have known, 'This is my last game at Matthew Knight Arena,' and she just never got that opportunity," Graves said. "So that's why I thought this was really cool to do."
The WNBA returns to Oregon next year, when an as-yet unnamed expansion team kicks off in Portland.
___
AP WNBA: https://apnews.com/hub/wnba-basketball |
Associated Press News | 2025-05-13 05:21:35+00:00 | [
"Jorge Soler",
"Los Angeles Angels",
"San Diego Padres",
"Yusei Kikuchi",
"Fernando Tatis Jr.",
"Alek Jacob",
"Baseball",
"San Diego",
"MLB",
"Robert Suarez",
"Brock Burke",
"Zach Neto",
"Sports",
"Matthew Lugo",
"Xander Bogaerts",
"Taylor Ward",
"Jos Soriano",
"Jackson Merrill",
"Kenley Jansen",
"MLB baseball",
"RHP Dylan Jos Soriano",
"Gavin Sheets"
] | # Taylor Ward's grand slam caps 6-run ninth inning as the Angels beat the Padres 9-5
May 13th, 2025 05:21 AM
---
SAN DIEGO (AP) — Taylor Ward hit a grand slam to cap a six-run ninth inning, and the Los Angeles Angels beat the San Diego Padres 9-5 on Monday night.
The Angels rallied against Robert Suarez, who had converted 18 consecutive save opportunities — including 15 this season. Alek Jacob replaced Suarez and struck out Jorge Soler before Ward delivered.
Suarez (0-1) yielded a one-out single before walking four straight batters, forcing in two runs. The right-hander allowed just one run in his first 18 appearances this year.
Zach Neto hit a two-run homer for Los Angeles in the third. But San Diego scored three runs in the bottom half.
Jackson Merrill hit an RBI single, and left-hander Yusei Kikuchi committed a throwing error on Xander Bogaerts' comebacker, bringing home two more runs. Gavin Sheets then singled to left but Matthew Lugo threw Bogaerts out at home.
San Diego star Fernando Tatis Jr. led off the fifth with his 10th homer, and a Bogaerts sacrifice fly made it 5-3 in the eighth.
Kikuchi allowed four runs — two earned — and seven hits in six innings. Brock Burke (4-0) pitched the eighth, and Kenley Jansen fanned two in a scoreless ninth.
King struck out eight in 5 2/3 innings. He was charged with three runs — two earned — and four hits.
It was San Diego's first home game this month after a 6-3 road trip.
## Key moment
Ward drove a 2-2 pitch deep to left for his fifth career grand slam.
## Key stat
Suarez had never walked more than two in a game and had just four in his first 17 2/3 innings.
## Up next
RHP José Soriano (2-4, 4.00 ERA) starts Tuesday for the Angels against RHP Dylan Cease (1-2, 4.91 ERA).
___
AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb |
Associated Press News | 2025-05-13 08:10:40+00:00 | [
"Senegal",
"Animals",
"Migration",
"Environmental science",
"Spain government",
"Climate and environment",
"Hunting and fishing",
"Politics",
"Karim Sall",
"Business",
"Climate"
] | # Foreign overfishing in Senegal fuels migration to Spain, a report finds
By Jack Thompson
May 13th, 2025 08:10 AM
---
DAKAR, Senegal (AP) — Overfishing by foreign vessels is decimating fish stocks in the West African country of Senegal, which is in turn fueling migration to Spain, according to a report released Tuesday.
The Environmental Justice Foundation, a London-based group specializing in environmental and human rights issues, said illegal overfishing and destructive practices by foreign vessels are responsible for increased irregular migration to Spain. It based its conclusions on interviews with fishermen in Spain and Senegal and its prior research on foreign overfishing.
The group found that 57% of fish stocks in Senegal are in a "state of collapse," with foreign vessels playing a significant role in declining numbers. Its analysis showed 43.7% of licensed vessels in Senegal are foreign-controlled, predominantly of Spanish and Chinese origin.
As fish populations dwindle, local fishermen are facing income loss, and many have turned to migration as a last resort. Fishing is an important economic sector in Senegal that employs 3% of the workforce.
Irregular migration to the Canary Islands almost doubled in 2024, according to the Spanish Interior Ministry, reaching 46,843. While exact figures aren't known due to a lack of information on departures from West Africa, Senegal is one of the top three nationalities of arrivals to the Spanish islands.
The Atlantic route from West Africa to the Canary Islands is one of the deadliest in the world. The Spanish migrant rights group Walking Borders estimates the victims were in the thousands last year.
Migrants and former fishermen in the Canary Islands told the Environmental Justice Foundation that the treacherous journey to Spain was a last resort, a way to provide for families when fishing in Senegal could no longer put food on the table.
"If I was able to gain enough money in fishing, I would never have come to Europe," said Memedou Racine Seck.
Local activists in Senegal have voiced their frustration with foreign overfishing and its contribution to the migration crisis. Karim Sall, President of AGIRE, a Senegalese organization operating in the Joal-Fadiouth marine protected area, condemned foreign nations for their role in the crisis.
"I get so angry when (foreign nations) complain about immigration because they are the real pirates and what they did is worse than clandestine immigration. It's theft, plundering our resources to feed their own inhabitants while we suffer," said Sall.
Industrial foreign fleets, many of which use bottom trawling techniques, are exacerbating the crisis. These vessels drag heavy nets across the seafloor, indiscriminately catching young fish and destroying marine ecosystems like seagrass and coral reefs, which are vital for fish reproduction. As a result, fish stocks are unable to recover, deepening the hardships of local fishing communities and eaters. Fish plays an important role in food security in Senegal, especially for protein consumption. Due to declining fish stocks, consumption per capita in Senegal has fallen from 29 kilograms per year to 17.8 kilograms per person.
The report also pointed to a lack of transparency in fishing licenses and inadequate government management of fisheries as contributing factors. Despite efforts by the Senegalese government to address the crisis, experts warn that without stricter regulations on industrial foreign fleets, the situation will worsen.
Migrant and former fisherman Souleymane Sady, who arrived in the Canary Islands in 2020, summed up the situation fishermen in Senegal face: "Since the government cannot regulate the boats and we cannot work normally, we choose to run away from the country to come for stability," he said.
____
Follow AP's Africa coverage at: https://apnews.com/hub/africa |
Associated Press News | 2025-05-13 05:11:00+00:00 | [
"Muhammad Yunus",
"Bangladesh",
"Sheikh Hasina",
"Bangladesh government",
"South Asia",
"Violence",
"Elections",
"Rebellions and uprisings",
"Politics",
"Protests and demonstrations"
] | # Bangladesh's interim government strips former ruling party of registration, barring it from polls
By Julhas Alam
May 13th, 2025 05:11 AM
---
DHAKA, Bangladesh (AP) — Bangladesh's Election Commission has cancelled the registration of the former ruling party of ousted Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, preventing it from participating in the next national election, which is expected to be held by June next year.
The decision on Monday came hours after the country's interim government headed by Nobel Peace Prize laureate Muhammad Yunus issued an official notification banning the Awami League party and its affiliated bodies from conducting activities online and elsewhere.
Monday's formal notification from the Ministry of Home Affairs was issued two days after the interim Cabinet decided to ban all activities of the party under the country's Anti-Terrorism Act until a special tribunal concludes a trial for the party and its leaders.
In the notification, the government said it outlawed all activities "including any kind of publication, media, online and social media" as well as "any kind of campaign, procession, meeting, gathering (or) conference until the trial of the leaders and activists … is completed."
It said the decision was effective immediately.
Separately, the Election Commission said Monday it would not allow the Hasina-led party to contest the next election. Political parties must be registered with the Election Commission to take part in elections.
A government adviser said Monday that anyone who posts comments online in support of the Awami League party would face arrest.
On Sunday, the Awami League accused the interim government of "stoking division" and trampling on "democratic norms" by banning its activities. It said in a statement that the ban "stoked division within society, strangled democratic norms, fueled ongoing pogrom against dissenters and strangled inclusivity, all undemocratic steps."
The Awami League is one of two major parties in Bangladesh, which has a fractious parliamentary democracy with a violent history of coups and political assassination.
Hasina, the daughter of Bangladesh's independence leader Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, fled the country on Aug. 5 last year and has been in exile in India since then along with many senior party colleagues and former Cabinet minsters and lawmakers. They have been accused of killing protesters during an uprising against Hasina's 15-year rule in July-August last year.
The United Nations human rights office said in a report in February that up to 1,400 people may have been killed during three weeks of anti-Hasina protests. But the Office of the U.N. High Commissioner of Human Rights recommended in a report to "refrain from political party bans that would undermine a return to a genuine multi-party democracy and effectively disenfranchise a large part of the Bangladeshi electorate."
The Awami League, which led a nine-month war against Pakistan for independence in 1971, has been under severe pressure since Hasina's ouster. Protesters have attacked and torched many of its offices including its headquarters in Dhaka. It accuses the interim government of sponsoring mobs to attack the homes and businesses of their activists and leaders. It said thousands of its supporters have been arrested across the country and that many have been killed.
Yunus has said the next election will likely be held either in December or in June next year. |
Associated Press News | 2025-05-13 05:06:25+00:00 | [
"Carlo Ancelotti",
"Real Madrid",
"Soccer",
"Paulo Roberto Falco",
"Brazil",
"FIFA World Cup",
"Gabriel Magalhes",
"Cafu",
"Matheus Cunha",
"Lucas Paquet",
"Sports",
"Luiz Felipe Scolari",
"Andreas Pereira",
"Marcus Vinicius",
"Eder Milito",
"Alisson Becker",
"Fernando Diniz"
] | # Brazil squad mired in trouble as time ticks for Ancelotti before the World Cup
By Mauricio Savarese
May 13th, 2025 05:06 AM
---
SAO PAULO (AP) — Carlo Ancelotti faces myriad problems as Brazil coach and only about a dozen games to deal with them before the World Cup if he wants to have a decent shot at the 2026 title.
The initial challenges will be solving the defensive woes, bolstering the midfield and fielding a lineup that won't be over-reliant on Neymar, who has been struggling with injuries.
Brazil's soccer confederation on Monday said the 65-year-old Italian will leave Real Madrid one year before the end of his contract and take over Brazil's national team on May 26, the day after the final round of the Spanish league. Details of the deal were not released.
"Ancelotti's impact goes beyond results; he is a strategist who turns teams into legends. Brazil, with its unique tradition, and Ancelotti, with his revolutionary vision, will make a partnership that will go down in history," CBF President Ednaldo Rodrigues said. "He is the greatest coach in history and, now, he will be in charge of the biggest national team on the planet."
Rodrigues' optimism doesn't entirely ring true for those who've watched Brazil over the last two years.
Ancelotti's first challenge will be reigniting belief in a squad sitting fourth in South American World Cup qualifying after a heavy 4-1 loss at archrival Argentina. After a series of poor performances Dorival Júnior was fired as coach, just like his predecessors Ramon Menezes and Fernando Diniz.
Ancelotti's tenure reportedly has already started in conversations with two key Brazil players of the previous World Cup campaigns: Neymar, still recovering at Santos following his ACL tear, and Manchester United midfielder Casemiro.
There's no standout successor to either player in the national setup. If Ancelotti wants to bring the pair of 33-year-old veterans back into the squad, he'll need gameplans to play with and without them.
## Creativity crisis
Brazil's creative midfield is also an issue, which has frustrated the team's several top strikers.
Lucas Paquetá, who seemed set to take that position in the starting line up, is facing charges by English soccer authorities amid allegations he had deliberately received cards during Premier League matches to influence betting markets. Paquetá denies any wrongdoing.
Other players tested in that role, including Madrid's Rodrygo, Fullham's Andreas Pereira, Flamengo's Gerson, haven't so far delivered performances to reassure fans. That lack of a high performing creative midfield has limited the scoring ability of strikers Vinicius Júnior, Raphinha, Matheus Cunha, and Endrick.
Brazil's defensive midfield is also expected to be an issue for Ancelotti — hence the call to veteran Casemiro, with whom he won several titles at Madrid. Newcastle's Bruno Guimarães and Joelinton were the latest attempt for a change.
There's other players who could take that role but no clear choices for Brazil. Ancelotti will have to go looking.
## Defensive collapse
Brazil's defensive woes are shocking compared with the six years under coach Tite, between 2016 and 2022. The Selecao has conceded 31 goals in 25 matches since Qatar. That is one more than in 81 matches under Tite. Even if the team's stars don't deliver, Ancelotti's performance will be judged by how he fixes Brazil's defense, as he has done in the clubs where he's worked.
Unlike Brazil's attacking force, which has several top players and some good options for the bench, the team's defense has lacked talent at right- and left-back for years. None of the players tested since 2022 have echoed Brazil's tradition in those positions of attacking players who also know how to block opponents.
A possible solution, which was used by Luiz Felipe Scolari in the 2002 World Cup for different reasons, would be for Ancelotti to pick three defenders and choose two wingers to play close to the team's midfield. But Brazil would also struggle to find three top defenders in good shape.
The current defensive duo of Marquinhos and Gabriel Magalhães has not inspired confidence, as numbers suggest, and Eder Militão, another Ancelotti favorite, is still returning from injury.
Even in goal there will be big decisions for Ancelotti to make.
Alisson held the position in the last two World Cups, when Brazil was eliminated in quarterfinals. As the new cycle began and the Liverpool goalkeeper was injured, Ederson took over. But then Ederson was injured and Alisson reclaimed his starting spot. As they competed for the starting place, both were injured and that resulted in Bento taking over against Argentina.
## History
And these are only the on-field problems that Ancelotti will have to deal with. Legal woes involving the CBF President, Ednaldo Rodrigues, could also be a distraction. Fans have little patience with poor performances and there's still a slight chance the team won't make it to the World Cup for the first time ever — the top six teams in South America will have direct berths.
TV Band commentator Galvao Bueno, often regarded as a spokesman for Brazil fans, said Ancelotti will need local help to navigate the challenges.
"Ancelotti will bring his assistants, but he has friends in Brazil; Cafu, Kaká and, above all, Paulo Roberto Falcão," Bueno said, referring to three former internationals who reportedly might join the coaching staff. "Ancelotti will take over the national team at moment in which the CBF is facing tremendous headwinds!"
That's not exactly new for Brazil.
If history means anything, Brazil has won only one of its five World Cup titles as the favorite going into the tournament — in 1962, as defending champion.
In 2001, one year before the team's last World Cup title, Scolari's Brazil lineup get knocked out in a Copa America by Honduras. Stars Ronaldo and Rivaldo were struggling with injuries. Pundits were highly critical of the 3-5-2 formation for the simple reason that Brazil hadn't won a trophy with such strategy.
Ancelotti might have to look at history for some inspiration, and maybe his phone book for some local friends who could help, before his actual work with Brazil begins.
___
AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer |
Associated Press News | 2025-05-13 03:39:13+00:00 | [
"Bruce Bochy",
"Corey Seager",
"Texas Rangers",
"Colorado Rockies",
"Kyle Farmer",
"Baseball",
"MLB",
"Chris Martin",
"MLB baseball",
"Sports",
"Josh Jung",
"Luke Jackson",
"Michael Toglia",
"Athlete injuries",
"Sean Bouchard",
"Ryan McMahon",
"Tyler Mahle",
"Matt Lucero",
"Jacob Webb",
"Brenton Doyle"
] | # Rangers closer Luke Jackson takes comebacker off pitching hand on his only pitch against Rockies
By Stephen Hawkins
May 13th, 2025 03:39 AM
---
ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Texas closer Luke Jackson took a 111-mph comeback liner off his pitching hand on the only pitch he threw after coming on in the ninth inning of the Rangers' 2-1 win over the Colorado Rockies on Monday night.
Rangers manager Bruce Bochy said X-rays were negative, but that the right hand "swelled up pretty good." He said a stint on the injured list was certainly a possibility, but that the Rangers would know more Tuesday.
Ryan McMahon was leading off the ninth when he hit the ball right back at Jackson. The ball struck the pitcher's hand and popped up in the air before falling to the ground on what became an infield single.
Jackson left the game almost immediately after Bochy and athletic trainer Matt Lucero came out of the dugout to check on the pitcher.
"We'll see how he responds. But that thing blew up right away, so do have some concern," Bochy said.
"I mean 60 feet away is not that far, especially when those guys can hit as hard as they can," said Rangers starter Tyler Mahle, who threw 6 1/3 innings for the win. "He was just out there trying to do what he does, and then something crappy like that happens. It just sucks."
Texas was again without shortstop Corey Seager, who was out of lineup for the fourth time in five games because of hamstring soreness. He homered twice Saturday in the only game he has played in that stretch.
Bochy had said before the game that there could be a pregame move with Seager, but nothing happened then. The two-time World Series MVP missed 10 games when on the IL with a right hamstring strain from April 23 until being reinstated May 3.
Asked after the game if there was any update on Seager, Bochy responded, "No, no. We'll know more tomorrow."
The comebacker that struck Jackson came an inning after Brenton Doyle's hard liner was snagged by Chris Martin, the 6-foot-8 Rangers reliever who was going down to a knee when he made the catch on the ball coming right back at him.
Jacob Webb replaced Jackson, who has eight saves in nine chances, and immediately got a fielder's choice out. The Rockies then loaded the bases on a single by Michael Toglia and a four-pitch walk to Sean Bouchard.
The game ended and Webb had his first save when Kyle Farmer hit a chopper to third baseman Josh Jung, who stepped on the bag and then threw across to first to complete a double play.
"That walk put him in a jam there," Bochy said. "He lost it there for four pitches, but then made a pitch when he had to to get the big double play."
___
AP MLB: https://apnews.com/MLB |
Associated Press News | 2025-05-13 04:31:20+00:00 | [
"Mixed martial arts",
"College sports",
"Pacific Tigers",
"New Zealand",
"Peter Murray",
"Sports",
"Patrice Evra"
] | # Professional Fighters League launches an MMA division in Australia and New Zealand
May 13th, 2025 04:31 AM
---
SYDNEY (AP) — The Professional Fighters League has launched a new international division in Australia and New Zealand to showcase mixed martial arts competitors in the Oceania region.
The PFL Pacific was launched in Sydney on Tuesday, expanding the league's reach into the southern hemisphere.
"It has been a priority of ours to bring the Professional Fighters League to Australia and the Pacific region," PFL chief executive Peter Murray said in a statement. "With the launch of PFL Pacific, we're also building a foundation for long-term growth and aiming to crown more Aussie champions than any other league over the next three years."
The PLF is partnering with the streaming service Stan and Australia's Nine Network in a broadcasting deal that covers subscription, pay-per-view and free-to-air TV.
The first PFL Pacific tournament will take place next year across four live events featuring regional fighters in single-elimination brackets and using the league's "win and advance" format.
The PFL Pacific launch was days after it emerged former France and Manchester United player Patrice Evra's PFL Europe debut scheduled for May 23 had been postponed.
The 43-year-old Evra, who retired from soccer in 2019, has been training in combat alongside MMA star Cédric Doumbé.
___
AP sports: https://apnews.com/sports |
Associated Press News | 2025-05-13 04:25:50+00:00 | [
"Willy Adames",
"Arizona Diamondbacks",
"San Francisco Giants",
"Robbie Ray",
"Christian Koss",
"Aaron Judge",
"Baseball",
"MLB",
"Jalen Beeks",
"Geraldo Perdomo",
"Brandon Pfaadt",
"Kyle Schwarber",
"San Francisco",
"MLB baseball",
"Sports",
"Justin Verlander",
"Luis Matos",
"Walter Johnson",
"Corbin Carroll",
"Merrill Kelly",
"Shelby Miller",
"Gus Weyhing"
] | # Corbin Carroll homers twice off Justin Verlander and the Diamondbacks beat the Giants 2-1
May 13th, 2025 04:25 AM
---
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Corbin Carroll hit two homers off Justin Verlander and the Arizona Diamondbacks beat the San Francisco Giants 2-1 on Monday night.
Carroll hit a 2-1 pitch from Verlander over the wall in left-center in the third. He went deep again — a 419-foot shot to center, his 13th of the season — on a 1-1 pitch leading off the fifth for a 2-0 lead.
The Giants got their lone run in the bottom half off Diamondbacks starter Merrill Kelly. Willy Adames led off with a double and scored on a two-out single to right by Christian Koss, who was thrown out by Carroll trying for a double.
Verlander (0-3) was pulled after allowing a leadoff single to Geraldo Perdomo in the seventh. He gave up nine hits.
Kelly (4-2) threw 103 pitches to get through seven innings. He gave up one run on eight hits with eight strikeouts. He's allowed two runs or fewer in seven of nine starts. Jalen Beeks pitched a scoreless eighth and Shelby Miller worked the ninth for his second save.
Carroll is one homer behind the Phillies' Kyle Schwarber and the Yankees' Aaron Judge for the major league lead.
San Francisco has lost four straight. The Giants were swept in three games at Minnesota before beginning this nine-game homestand.
## Key moment
The Giants had two on and one out in the seventh against Kelly, who then struck out Luis Matos and retired Koss on a popup.
## Key stats
Verlander struck out five. He's 10th on the career strikeout list and the active leader with 3,456. He needs 54 to pass Walter Johnson.
Verlander also leads active players with 262 wins. He needs three to pass Gus Weyhing (1887-1901) for 40th in major league history.
## Up next
Brandon Pfaadt (6-2, 3.28 ERA) will start Tuesday for Arizona against San Francisco's Robbie Ray (5-0, 2.84).
___
AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb |
Associated Press News | 2025-05-13 04:11:34+00:00 | [
"Donald Trump",
"Protests and demonstrations",
"Colleges and universities",
"Benjamin Netanyahu",
"Activism",
"District of Columbia",
"Associated Press",
"Colombia",
"Palestinian territories government",
"Politics",
"United States government",
"Israel government",
"Education",
"Israel"
] | # Things to know about pro-Palestinian campus protests this spring
By Collin Binkley
May 13th, 2025 04:11 AM
---
WASHINGTON (AP) — Campus activism has flared as the academic year winds down, with pro-Palestinian demonstrations leading to arrests at several colleges.
Compared with last spring, when more than 2,100 people were arrested in campus protests nationwide, the demonstrations have been smaller and more scattered.
But the stakes are also much higher. President Donald Trump's administration has been investigating dozens of colleges over their handling of protests, including allegations of antisemitism, and frozen federal grant money as leverage to press demands for new rules on activism.
Colleges, in turn, have been taking a harder line on discipline and enforcement, following new policies adopted to prevent tent encampments of the kind that stayed up for weeks last year on many campuses.
## What are protesters demanding?
More are pushing for the same goal that drove last year's protests — an end to university ties with Israel or companies that provide weapons or other support to Israel.
Protesters who took over a Columbia University library this month issued demands including divestment from "occupation, apartheid and genocide" and amnesty for students and workers targeted for discipline by the university. About 80 people were arrested at the protest, which also called for police and federal immigration officials to stay off campus.
A protest at the University of Washington days earlier demanded the school end ties with Boeing, a supplier to the Israeli Defense Forces. Activists wanted the school to return any Boeing donations and bar the company's employees from teaching at the school. Thirty people were arrested.
Other protests have sparked up at schools including Swarthmore College, Rutgers University, the University of California, Los Angeles and Brooklyn College.
## Tensions break out as the academic year ends
The timing of recent protests may owe to developments in the war itself and the approaching end of the school year, said Robert Cohen, a professor of history and social studies at New York University.
Cohen said activists may be energized by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's discussion of an escalation of the war, at a time many Palestinians already are at risk of starvation amid an Israeli blockade of food and other goods. "And the fact that it is the end of the semester — maybe it seems like the last chance they have to take a stance, to publicize this," he said.
Still, he sees the latest flare-up as a return to the kind of protests that campuses occasionally saw even before the Israel-Hamas war. As colleges have imposed stricter rules, many students may be unwilling to risk punishment, he said.
"Essentially, you have a small core of people, and the larger mass movement has been suppressed," he said of the latest activism. "These are small, scattered protests."
## The stakes are much higher this spring
Colleges navigating protests risk losing federal grants for research if their response runs afoul of the government.
The handling of last year's protests has been at the center of the Trump administration's fight with Columbia, Harvard and other universities.
Some schools have had money frozen for what the administration calls a failure to root out campus antisemitism. Federal officials have demanded tougher action against protesters, new limits on protests and other changes aimed at pro-Palestinian activism along with diversity, equity and inclusion policies.
After the University of Washington protest, a federal antisemitism task force said it was launching a review. It applauded quick action from police but said it expected campus leaders to "follow up with enforcement actions and policy changes that are clearly necessary to prevent these uprisings moving forward."
The stakes are also higher for international students as the federal government moves to deport students with ties to pro-Palestinian activism.
## Colleges are cracking down aggressively
After calling police to clear the library occupied by protesters last week, Columbia University suspended 65 students and barred 33 others from campus.
Columbia's response drew praise from the Trump administration's task force, which said it was encouraged by the university's "strong and resolute statement" condemning the protest.
Even before the latest protest, Columbia had agreed to other changes amid pressure from federal officials, including a ban on face masks used to conceal identities and the hiring of new public safety officers empowered to make arrests on campus.
The University of Washington protest also drew a swift response, with 21 students later suspended.
___
The Associated Press' education coverage receives financial support from multiple private foundations. AP is solely responsible for all content. Find AP's standards for working with philanthropies, a list of supporters and funded coverage areas at AP.org. |
Associated Press News | 2025-05-13 03:55:07+00:00 | [
"Sean Walker",
"Carolina Hurricanes",
"Taylor Hall",
"Washington Capitals",
"Jack Roslovic",
"Logan Thompson",
"Frederik Andersen",
"Spencer Carbery",
"Andrei Svechnikov",
"Alexander Ovechkin",
"Mikko Rantanen",
"Jakob Chychrun",
"DC Wire",
"Stanley Cup",
"NHL",
"Sports",
"Rasmus Sandin",
"Stanley Cup Playoffs",
"Matt Roy",
"Rod BrindAmour",
"NHL hockey"
] | # Timely 3rd-period goals from Hall, Walker keep Hurricanes in control of playoff win against Capitals
By Aaron Beard
May 13th, 2025 03:55 AM
---
RALEIGH, N..C. (AP) — The Carolina Hurricanes twice found their two-goal margin halved in the third period of their latest playoff game with the Washington Capitals.
Each time they found a prompt response.
And that pushed the Hurricanes within a win of the Eastern Conference final for the second time in three seasons.
Taylor Hall scored on a breakaway chance roughly three minutes after the Washington Capitals scored their first goal, then Sean Walker added one minutes after NHL all-time goals leader Alex Ovechkin struck with a 5-on-3 one-timer. Those kept the Hurricanes in control on the way to a 5-2 win Monday night, securing a 3-1 lead in the best-of-seven second-round series.
"We get an individual effort, and that's really what those were, good plays," Carolina coach Rod Brind'Amour said. "But burying it, finishing your chances at a crucial time in the game. ... Both of those goals were huge for us."
Both Hall and Walker finished with two points, with Walker getting the second assist on Hall's score and Hall returning the favor by springing Walker's surge up the ice on the way to the first career postseason goal. But the timing of the goals stood out, with each blunting the momentum of a Washington team that had been shutout for five straight periods going back to Saturday's 4-0 loss in Game 3.
Carolina carried a 2-0 lead into the third before Jakob Chychrun beat Frederik Andersen on a feed from Matt Roy after Roy had denied Carolina's chance to clear the zone. That score came at the 5:18 mark of the third to add a jolt of tension rippling through the Lenovo Center after Carolina had kept a firm grip on the game to that point.
But Hall — acquired in January in the blockbuster deal that brought in Mikko Rantanen as the headliner — made a veteran read to blunt that momentum.
After being knocked to the ice in the offensive zone, Hall was getting up as the Capitals pushed the puck toward the other end. But as Hall got to center ice, he was completely alone — Washington coach Spencer Carbery said the defense lost track of Hall behind the forecheck and were too deep in the zone — and the Hurricanes were on the verge of collecting the puck as it went around the wall.
So Hall turned in back toward the blue line, straddling it long enough to stay onside until Jack Roslovic's long pass arrived to spring the breakaway chance.
"Yeah, everyone's asking me if I was cheating for offense," Hall said, adding; "I thought it was just something to try."
Hall skated in and beat Logan Thompson to the glove side at the 8:24 mark, pushing the margin back to 3-1.
"It's a read, we had possession of the puck," Brind'Amour said. "So that's actually a good play by him."
The Capitals again kept the pressure on with Ovechkin's blast past Andersen on the two-man advantage at the 12:14 mark, dampening the rowdy zeal in Carolina's home arena. But that's when Hall and Walker teamed up for the goal that would reassert control.
It started on a puck battle and the unusual sight of Washington's Rasmus Sandin skating in to get the puck from Walker, only to get the blade of his stick stuck in a gap along the boards. Walker got to his feet as Hall collected the puck, then flipped a pass to Walker as he charged up the left side.
Walker hesitated to cut inside Roslovic toward the slot and beat Thompson at the 16:45 mark, pushing the lead back to 4-2 in what became a back-breaking score.
"I feel like they were backchecking really hard, so I kind of just read that," Walker said. "Tried to be patient. Once I stepped inside, I felt like I had a good lane so I shot it, and just happy it went in."
Andrei Svechnikov added the empty-net clincher less than a minute later to deny Washington's bid to retake home-ice advantage, the capper to Carolina's steady response amid growing third-period danger.
"I think that's something that's really important, especially this time of year," Walker said. "You've got to answer when teams are making their push."
___
AP NHL playoffs: https://apnews.com/hub/stanley-cup and https://apnews.com/hub/nhl |
Associated Press News | 2025-05-12 20:30:30+00:00 | [
"Donald Trump",
"Benjamin Netanyahu",
"Iran",
"Marco Rubio",
"Narendra Modi",
"Vladimir Putin",
"Steve Witkoff",
"Bashar Assad",
"District of Columbia",
"Syria",
"Damascus",
"Middle East",
"Syria government",
"United States government",
"Mohammad bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud",
"Terrorism",
"Edan Alexander",
"Kaja Kallas",
"Hamas",
"Russia Ukraine war",
"Iran government",
"Ahmed Al-Sharaa",
"Abbas Araghchi",
"War and unrest",
"Diplomacy",
"Politics",
"Recep Tayyip Erdogan",
"Volodymyr Zelenskyy",
"India government"
] | # Trump starts his foreign trip with a crush of problems — and outsized certainty he has the answers
By Aamer Madhani and Darlene Superville
May 12th, 2025 08:30 PM
---
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump set out on a three-nation visit to the Middle East on Monday, a trip he had originally intended to use to focus on his efforts to press wealthy Gulf nations to pour billions in new investment into the United States.
But now Trump finds himself navigating a series of geopolitical crises — and searching for glimmers of hope in the deep well of global turmoil — that are casting greater import on the first extended overseas trip of his second term.
"This world is a lot safer today than it was a week ago," Trump crowed to reporters as he sized up the foreign policy challenges he's facing as he heads to Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates. "And a lot safer than it was six months ago."
The president was brimming with an overabundance of confidence about some of the world's most intractable problems, from tensions in South Asia to the future of sanctions in Syria to the war in Ukraine.
But behind closed doors, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Qatar Emir Sheikh Tamim al-Thani, and Emirati President Mohammed bin Zayed will be looking to get a read on how Trump intends to push ahead on resolving the war in Gaza, dealing with Iran's rapidly progressing nuclear program and addressing India-Pakistan tensions.
And after weeks of threats and cajoling, it remains to be seen if Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy will listen to Trump, who is demanding they meet in Istanbul this week to discuss ending Russia's war on Ukraine.
Trump, for his part, projected confidence that the meeting will happen and even seemed somewhat optimistic that the end to the conflict is near. He floated the idea of making a detour from his itinerary to visit Turkey if he thinks his presence would be constructive.
"I was thinking about flying over. I don't know where I am going be on Thursday," Trump said. "I've got so many meetings. … There's a possibility there, I guess, if I think things can happen."
But Ukraine's allies remained deeply skeptical Monday about prospects for talks and whether Putin was serious about peace.
"If there is no ceasefire, there cannot be talks under fire," European Union commission vice president Kaja Kallas told reporters at a meeting on Ukraine in London. "We want to see that Russia also wants peace. It takes two to want peace, it takes only one to want war, and we see that Russia clearly wants war."
## Trump sees opening in Gaza
Just as Trump was preparing to depart Washington for the Saudi capital of Riyadh, the last living American hostage in Gaza, Edan Alexander, was released.
Trump and administration officials framed the moment — a goodwill gesture toward Trump by Hamas — as a chance to get foundering peace negotiations between Israel and Hamas back on track.
"This was a step taken in good faith towards the United States and the efforts of the mediators — Qatar and Egypt — to put an end to this very brutal war and return ALL living hostages and remains to their loved one," Trump posted on social media after Hamas extended the offer Sunday. "Hopefully this is the first of those final steps necessary to end this brutal conflict."
While Trump pumped up Alexander's release as a potential turning point, Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was far more subdued. Israel, notably, has not stepped back from plans to expand its war in Gaza.
Netanyahu's office, in a statement Monday, underscored it had "not committed to a ceasefire of any kind or the release of terrorists" in exchange for Alexander.
"The negotiations will continue under fire, during preparations for an intensification of the fighting," the prime minister's office statement said.
## Trump takes a different tone on Syria
As he prepared to leave Washington, Trump also said he's weighing removing sanctions on the Syrian government. It's an issue that's top of mind for the three Gulf leaders, who have rallied behind the new government in Damascus and will want Trump to follow through.
"We may want to take them off of Syria, because we want to give them a fresh start," said Trump, adding that Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has urged him to do so.
The comments marked a striking change in tone from Trump, who has been deeply skeptical of Syrian President Ahmed Al-Sharaa.
Al-Sharaa took power after his Islamist group, Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), led an offensive that toppled former President Bashar Assad in December.
The Trump administration has yet to formally recognize the new Syrian government. Sanctions imposed on Damascus under Assad also remain in place.
## Cajoling India and Pakistan with trade
Trump also took credit for his administration keeping India and Pakistan from returning to a state of all-out war amid the deadliest fighting in six years between the nuclear-armed neighbors.
The president said he and aides were ultimately able to talk sense to India and Pakistan's leadership and guide them away from further escalation by dangling carrots, while also threatening both nations with sticks.
"I said, 'Come on, we're going to do a lot of trade with you guys,'" Trump said. "'If you stop it, we'll do trade. If you don't stop it, we're not going to do any trade.' People never use trade the way I used it."
The situation remains tenuous. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi said Monday that his country has only "paused" its military action and will "retaliate on its own terms" if there is any future terror attack on the country.
## Big differences remain in Iran nuclear talks
The president will arrive in the region after his special envoy, Steve Witkoff, held the fourth round of nuclear talks Sunday in Oman with Iran's foreign minister, Abbas Araghchi.
As the talks continue, the Trump administration has sent mixed messages about what nuclear work Iran would be allowed to do under a potential deal.
Senior administration officials, including Secretary of State Marco Rubio, have said that Tehran would be required to import enriched material to run nuclear reactors for civilian purposes. Trump, however, said last week that his administration hasn't made a decision on the issue.
It's also unclear if Trump will insist that Tehran give up support of Hamas in Gaza, Hezbollah in Lebanon and Houthi militants in Yemen as part of any nuclear deal.
Whatever his negotiating frame may be, Trump seemed confident that Iran is engaging rationally, and that he will cement a deal soon.
"You can't have a nuclear weapon," Trump said of his demand for Iran. "But I think that they are talking intelligently."
However, the two sides still appear a long way from any deal, even as time passes on a two-month deadline imposed by Trump.
___
Madhani reported from Dubai, United Arab Emirates. AP writer Jill Lawless contributed from London. |
Associated Press News | 2025-05-13 03:36:52+00:00 | [
"Irene Guerrero",
"Scarlett Camberos",
"Soccer",
"Womens sports",
"Womens soccer",
"Mexico",
"Sports",
"Mexico City"
] | # Pachuca beats America on aggregate to capture its first Liga MX Femenil title
May 13th, 2025 03:36 AM
---
MEXICO CITY (AP) — Pachuca won its first Liga MX Femenil Apertura championship 3-2 on aggregate over America despite a 2-0 loss in the return leg on Monday.
Irene Guerrero, a midfielder who plays for Spain's national team, and striker Scarlett Camberos scored goals for America but it wasn't quite enough for the Aguilas to overcome a 3-0 deficit from the first leg of the final series.
Pachuca had lost in its three previous appearances in finals series, in the Apertura 17 and the Clausura 2022 and '23 tournaments.
"It was fundamental to have won at home. We did not come here to defend the lead, but America played great and pushed us," said Pachuca's goalkeeper Esthefanny Barreras, who was voted the Player of the Match. "It's a nice and historic moment to win the first title for us."
The women's professional league in Mexico played its first season in 2017 a nd it has kept growing in popularity.
America was trying to capture its third title. The Mexico City based team has lost four of the last six finals series.
___
AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer |
Associated Press News | 2025-05-13 03:18:45+00:00 | [
"Jonathan India",
"Houston Astros",
"Bobby Witt Jr.",
"Kansas City Royals",
"Jose Altuve",
"Ryan Gusto",
"Baseball",
"MLB",
"Sports",
"Kansas City",
"Framber Valdez",
"Kyle Isbel",
"Kris Bubic",
"MLB baseball",
"Yainer Diaz",
"Vinnie Pasquantino",
"Drew Waters",
"Michael Massey",
"Carlos Estevez",
"Christian Walker",
"Michael Wacha",
"Zach Dezenzo",
"Isaac Paredes",
"Jeremy Pea",
"Jake Meyers"
] | # Witt and India each drive in 2 runs as the Royals beat the Astros 7-5
May 13th, 2025 03:18 AM
---
HOUSTON (AP) — Bobby Witt Jr. and Jonathan India each drove in two runs to help Michael Wacha and the Kansas City Royals beat the Houston Astros 7-5 on Monday night.
Michael Massey homered as Kansas City improved to 8-2 in its last 10 games. India finished with three hits, and Witt, Vinnie Pasquantino and Kyle Isbel each had two.
Wacha (3-4) allowed two runs and eight hits in 6 1/3 innings. Carlos Estévez got three outs for his 12th save.
Massey sparked Kansas City's four-run second with a leadoff drive against rookie Ryan Gusto (3-2) for his second homer. India hit a two-out RBI single and scored on Witt's first triple of the season. Pasquantino added a run-scoring single.
The Royals added three more in the third. Drew Waters and India each hit an RBI single, and Witt drove in Waters with a sacrifice fly.
Jake Meyers had two hits and scored two runs for Houston, which had won three of four.
Zach Dezenzo hit an RBI double in the seventh for the Astros, and Jeremy Peña added a sacrifice fly. Meyers' RBI single helped his team close to 7-5 in the eighth.
Gusto allowed seven hits and walked three in 2 1/3 innings.
## Key moment
Jose Altuve hit a leadoff single in the ninth for Houston. But Isaac Paredes flied out, Christian Walker struck out and Yainer Diaz flied out.
## Key stat
Wacha entered with the least run support among starters at 1.79 runs per game. The Royals had not scored more than two runs with him on the mound in any of his eight starts.
## Up next
LHP Kris Bubic (4-2, 1.69 ERA) starts on Tuesday for the Royals against LHP Framber Valdez (2-4, 3.94 ERA).
___
AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb |
Associated Press News | 2025-05-12 16:17:30+00:00 | [
"Donald Trump",
"New Jersey",
"Edan Alexander",
"Hamas",
"2024-2025 Mideast Wars",
"Hostage situations",
"Israel-Hamas war",
"Gaza",
"Israel",
"War and unrest",
"Israel government",
"Gaza Strip",
"Middle East",
"Alexanders",
"Inc.",
"International agreements",
"Adam Boehler",
"Prisoner exchange",
"Religion"
] | # Who is Edan Alexander, the Israeli-American hostage released by Hamas?
By Julia Frankel and Melanie Lidman
May 12th, 2025 04:17 PM
---
JERUSALEM (AP) — Edan Alexander was 19 when Hamas militants stormed the Israeli military base where the American-Israeli from New Jersey was a soldier and dragged him into the Gaza Strip.
Hamas released Alexander, the last living American hostage in Gaza, on Monday ahead of President Donald Trump's visit to the region this week. The militant group called it a goodwill gesture aimed at reviving mediated efforts to end the 19-month war.
Alexander was among 251 people taken hostage in Hamas' Oct. 7, 2023, attack that ignited the war. Fifty-eight remain in Gaza. Around a third are believed to be alive. Most of the rest were released in ceasefire agreements or other deals.
After Hamas announced on Sunday he would be released, Alexander's family said it "received the greatest gift imaginable — news that our beautiful son Edan is returning home after 583 days in captivity in Gaza."
Alexander's parents flew to Israel on Monday. Trump's hostage negotiator, Adam Boehler, posted a picture on social media showing Alexander's mother, Yael, aboard the flight.
A native of Tenafly, a suburb of New York City, Edan Alexander moved to Israel in 2022 after high school and enlisted in the military. Hamas militants seized him from his military base after he volunteered to stay there over the Jewish Sabbath.
In a video Hamas released of Alexander over Thanksgiving weekend in November 2024, he cried and pleaded for help. Though the video was difficult to watch, his family said, it came as a relief to see he was alive.
Hostages freed since then have given the family more news, his father said. Some said Alexander had lost a lot of weight. Others said he'd been an advocate for fellow hostages, standing up for captive Thai workers and telling their captors that the workers weren't involved in the conflict and should be freed.
Alexander, like other male soldiers held in Gaza, was not included among hostages released during a ceasefire earlier this year. Hamas released 25 Israeli hostages and the bodies of eight others in January and February in return for nearly 1,800 Palestinian prisoners. The sight of some emaciated hostages among those freed brought fresh despair to families whose loved ones remained in Gaza.
Hamas has said it will only release the remaining hostages in exchange for a lasting ceasefire and an Israeli withdrawal from Gaza, along with the release of more Palestinian prisoners. Israel has rejected those terms, saying it will continue the war until all the hostages are freed and Hamas is defeated.
Hamas said in March it would release Alexander and the bodies of four other hostages if Israel recommitted to the stalled ceasefire agreement. Alexander's father, Adi, said at the time he was speaking with Trump's hostage negotiators almost daily, pressing for his son's release.
Days later, Israel shattered the truce with a surprise bombardment that killed hundreds of Palestinians. Israel called the renewed bombardment a tactic to pressure Hamas to negotiate different ceasefire terms. Hamas said the offensive puts remaining hostages at risk.
In April, Hamas published another video of Alexander in which he spoke from a dark room. His family believes he has been held in Hamas' vast tunnel network.
Days later, Hamas said it had lost contact with the militants holding Alexander after an Israeli airstrike targeted their location. Israeli officials have not commented on the claim.
The Alexander family Monday urged the Israeli government to continue efforts to free all the hostages — a plea that other families have echoed since the Hamas announcement on Sunday.
"Please don't stop," Alexander's family said. "We hope our son's release begins negotiations for all 58 remaining hostages, ending this nightmare for them and their families."
___
Lidman reported from Tel Aviv, Israel. Associated Press writer Sam Mednick in Tel Aviv contributed.
___
Follow AP's war coverage at https://apnews.com/hub/israel-hamas-war |
Associated Press News | 2025-05-12 21:35:32+00:00 | [
"Sarah Jessica Parker",
"Michelle Obama",
"Kate Middleton",
"Nonfiction",
"Cindi Leive",
"Fashion",
"Children",
"Books and literature",
"New York",
"Asia",
"Asia Pacific",
"New York City Wire",
"Design",
"Race and ethnicity",
"Nepal",
"Donna Karan",
"Cynthia Rowley",
"Entertainment",
"Lifestyle",
"Bill Blass",
"Prabal Gurung",
"George Floyd",
"Bibhu Mohapatra",
"Race and Ethnicity"
] | # Prabal Gurung reflects on resilience and runway success in new memoir
By Brooke Lefferts
May 12th, 2025 09:35 PM
---
NEW YORK (AP) — Designer Prabal Gurung has always been a storyteller. First, it was through the colorful, Nepal-inspired designs that helped him find early success in the cutthroat fashion world. Now, he's sharing his life story in words with his bold new memoir, "Walk Like A Girl."
The book, out Tuesday from Penguin Random House, traces his South Asian roots — born in Singapore, he grew up in Nepal and spent time in India — and difficult childhood. He would eventually move to New York to study at the Parsons School of Design, interning for Donna Karan and later working for Cynthia Rowley and Bill Blass. He started his own label in 2009, and has dressed celebrities including Michelle Obama, Kate Middleton, Zoe Saldaña and Sarah Jessica Parker.
Gurung, 46, says processing his childhood experiences with an abusive father at home and bullies and predators at school in order to write and record the book was the hardest thing he's ever done.
"I really hadn't told too many people, not even my close friends. To relive that part and to write it down … it was harrowing, I won't lie," Gurung told The Associated Press.
"It really brought back so many memories and … it's less of an anger. It's more like the injustice of the situation. More than anything else, I just wanted to go back to that kid and like, give him a hug … and just be like, 'You're gonna be OK,'" Gurung said, choking back tears.
## From Nepal to New York
Despite being teased and struggling academically, Gurung always thought he was destined for a bigger life: "I don't know, I just had it in me. I think it was survival also a lot of times."
One bright light that kept him going was the unwavering love and support of his mother, Durga Rana. She's the hero of the book, encouraging him to follow his passions and find joy wherever possible, even though his interest in fashion and experimentation with makeup and feminine clothing was highly unconventional in Nepal at the time.
Surviving a marriage with an unfaithful, abusive husband, she essentially raised three young children on her own. Rana developed several successful businesses and eventually got into politics, telling her kids to use their platforms to make an impact.
"She's a blueprint of my strength. Watching her carry the weight of the world with such elegance, you know, was really inspiring," Gurung said. "The way she built the world around us, unbowed, unapologetic, was, I would say, my first lesson in resilience."
## A deep love of women
The book's title and cover are a purposeful nod to the designer's love of women. "Walk Like a Girl" was something kids said to tease him at school.
"I just didn't understand it as an insult in the beginning because I think 'Great, I'm like my mother, my sister, all these women.' 'Wonder Woman' was my favorite action hero, and 'Charlie's Angels,'" Gurung said.
He decided to reclaim the phrase and chose his strength pose for the cover in honor of Rosie the Riveter and other "iconic, feminist women."
Cindi Leive, the former editor-in-chief of Glamour and Self magazines, championed Gurung early on because of his authenticity on and off the runway.
"It became clear to me that he was incredibly interested not just in fashion as fashion, but in the women who would wear the clothes," Leive told the AP. "I also noticed that every time I would have a conversation with him, he would end up talking about his mom."
Gurung couldn't wait to get to the U.S.; he felt immediately at home in New York, a place he sees as the best culmination of people, cultures and creative freedom, he writes. But he was surprised and disappointed by the general lack of diversity on runways and at social events.
"My recollection is he was one of the first to use models who more closely resembled the diversity of people that you actually see in America … in size, race and everything else," Leive said.
Gurung's runway casting was only part of his commitment to inclusion. Now a Met Gala mainstay, Gurung uses his platform to speak out about injustice and women's rights issues, which, at the beginning of his career was not a popular stance, leaving him feeling "like a lone ranger." He recalled the emails and messages he used to get saying, "Oh, stay in your lane, you're a fashion designer ... not a politician."
"He was very open about his support for issues that mattered to women, long before it was a thing. Eventually, I think, every designer had some, you know, slogan T-shirt proclaiming their support of women's causes. He did it before anybody, but it went way deeper than the T-shirt," Leive said.
"I'll never forget when Cindi Leive at a dinner said to me — right after George Floyd's murder and all of that stuff that happened, the Black Lives Matter movement," Gurung said. "She pulled me aside, she said, 'How does it feel now … to see the world catching up to you? You've been at it for such a long time.' I didn't even think about it."
## Authenticity, on and off the runway
Part of Gurung's story is being a proud immigrant, and his connection to his Nepali roots come through in his designs. Indian-born American designer Bibhu Mohapatra has been friends with Gurung since they were both starting out, bonding over their South Asian roots. He says Gurung is "naturally curious" and has always been a great storyteller.
"Whether he's doing a jewelry collection, whether it's a piece of clothing or a whole collection, it's always sort of backed by receipts of his experiences that are his tools of telling a story … whether about craft, whether it's about color, whether it's about his heritage, or simply people in his life, the designer said. "You believe it because it comes from a very authentic place."
Mohapatra also admires Gurung's "naturally rebellious streak" and his courage to speak out for causes he values.
"He's brave to be the first one or join the force with people who are starting a movement," the designer said.
Mohapatra also suggests Gurung's spiritual side and roots add to his work and his ability to empathize: "There is an aspect of slowing down, really attention to the core and looking back at the path and … there is a bit more spirituality woven into the daily lives of people of Nepal."
Gurung says he hopes the book resonates with readers and encourages them to share their own stories.
"I want people to really understand that their existence, their story is worthy of being told, that they don't have to hide themselves, they're no longer invisible," he said. "I know I'm on the cover, it's my name and my story, but it really is a story about, for, and of so many people." |
Associated Press News | 2025-05-13 02:00:22+00:00 | [
"Sean Walker",
"Taylor Hall",
"Andrei Svechnikov",
"Carolina Hurricanes",
"Washington Capitals",
"Jakob Chychrun",
"Alexander Ovechkin",
"Logan Thompson",
"Shayne Gostisbehere",
"Spencer Carbery",
"Seth Jarvis",
"Connor McMichael",
"Jack Roslovic",
"Aliaksei Protas",
"Frederik Andersen",
"DC Wire",
"Stanley Cup",
"NHL",
"Stanley Cup Playoffs",
"Sports",
"Rasmus Sandin",
"NHL hockey",
"Rod BrindAmour"
] | # Walker, Svechnikov score late as Hurricanes push Capitals to brink of elimination in 5-2 win
By Aaron Beard
May 13th, 2025 02:00 AM
---
RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — Sean Walker cut to the middle of the ice and beat Logan Thompson for a critical late goal, then Andrei Svechnikov followed with an empty-net clincher to help the Carolina Hurricanes beat the Washington Capitals 5-2 on Monday night and take a 3-1 lead in their second-round playoff series.
Carolina improved to 5-0 at home in the playoffs and can clinch a second trip to the Eastern Conference final in three years by winning Game 5 in Washington on Thursday.
"If I'm just honest with how I feel about it, I thought our first two games (on the road) might've been better than some of these games — just the chances we've given up, a little too much here for me," Hurricanes coach Rod Brind'Amour said. "But obviously at this time of year, it's about results. I like where we're at, that's for sure."
Walker's score was a big one, coming after the Capitals had pulled to within 3-2 on Alex Ovechkin's one-timer blast on a 5-on-3 power play with about eight minutes left. It started on a puck battle and the unusual sight of Washington's Rasmus Sandin skating in only to get the blade of his stick stuck in a gap along the boards, allowing Taylor Hall to collect the puck and flip a pass to the surging Walker up the left side.
Walker hesitated to cut behind Jack Roslovic and score at the 16:45 mark to push the lead back to 4-2, marking his first career postseason goal.
Svechnikov followed with his seventh postseason goal shortly after the Capitals pulled Thompson, the capper after Carolina twice led by two goals but had to hold on through the final 10 minutes.
"I think as a whole, we kind of kept our composure," Walker said. "Didn't really panic, just stuck to our systems."
Hall, Seth Jarvis and Shayne Gostisbehere also scored for the Hurricanes, while Frederik Andersen carried a shutout into the third before finishing with 19 saves.
Just as importantly, the Hurricanes twice responded as the Capitals inched within a goal in the third. Hall's score on a 1-on-1 chance came less than three minutes after Jakob Chychrun had brought the Capitals to within 2-1, sprung on a long pass from Roslovic after he was slow coming back and Washington's defense lost track of him.
Walker's score came about 4 1/2 minutes after Ovechkin's goal.
Ovechkin's blast got the NHL's career goals leader on the scoresheet for the first time this series. Thompson finished with 32 saves.
"We're giving ourselves some opportunities, we're just not executing, making the play, whatever you want to call it," Washington coach Spencer Carbery said. "And making some mistakes — and they're capitalizing."
To that point, the Eastern Conference's top seed got a quick start after a Game 3 shutout, starting with Connor McMichael getting a 1-on-1 chance on Andersen in the opening minute. Aliaksei Protas followed by ringing the right post shortly after.
Washington also managed just one shot on goal during a 4-minute power play, the first 3 1/2 minutes of those coming to close the first period.
"Their penalty kill is excellent, best in the league, has been for the last, whatever, five years call it," Carbery said. "But it can't look like that. It cannot look like that."
___
AP NHL playoffs: https://apnews.com/hub/stanley-cup and https://apnews.com/hub/nhl |
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