In late February, David Ellison’s Paramount Skydance reached a deal valued at $111 billion to acquire Warner Bros. Discovery, which has been at the center of many discussions at the trade show and convention about what the implications might be for the depleted exhibition business.

No one mentioned Paramount at the over two-hour Warner Bros. presentation on Tuesday, but several of the filmmakers who made appearances were among the thousands who signed an open letter opposing the merger, including Denis Villeneuve and J.J. Abrams. In fact, the only studio to reference it at all was Amazon MGM, itself the product of an $8.5 billion merger, and it was in an irreverent promo for the “Spaceballs” sequel.

James Cameron, who co-directed Paramount’s upcoming concert film “Billie Eilish — Hit Me Hard and Soft: The Tour (Live in 3D),” is one of the few filmmakers who has said he supports the deal and is unbothered by the prospect of a Paramount-owned Warner Bros. In an interview with The Associated Press last week, Cameron praised Ellison as a “natural born storyteller” who “really cares about movies.”

“He’s the right man for the job to run a major studio, and now it looks like he’s going to have two of them, you know, swept under his leadership, which doesn’t bother me at all,” Cameron said.

Paramount, which closed its own $8 billion merger with Skydance just months ago, promised that it would release 15 movies in theaters in 2026, and Ellison has said that goal is 30 theatrical releases a year for a combined Warner Bros. and Paramount. The deal awaits a shareholder vote later this month and government regulatory approval at the state and federal level. The U.S. Justice Department still needs to weigh in on the blockbuster combination that could give Paramount pricing power over movies and other offerings, potentially hurting customers.

In documents filed to the Securities and Exchange Commission, Paramount said, “Our priority is to build a vibrant, healthy business and industry — one that supports Hollywood and creative, benefits consumers, encourages competition, and strengthens the overall job market.”

They’ve also said they would look for ways to save some $6 billion through job cuts in “duplicative operations.”

Executives at Paramount have argued that merging with Warner will allow it to compete with bigger rivals particularly in the streaming space and bring larger content libraries for its customers. The 102-year-old Warner Bros. has a film library that includes “Harry Potter,” “Superman” and “Barbie.”

On Wednesday, Democratic Sen. Cory Booker held a spotlight hearing in Washington, D.C., on the potential anticompetitive impact of the consolidation of two of Hollywood’s big five studios into one.

Actor Mark Ruffalo, who has been one of the most outspoken critics of the merger said, “tens of thousands of workers will be left poorer, along with the audiences we serve.”

David Borenstein, who just won an Oscar for his documentary “Mr. Nobody Against Putin,” noted that it could further erode access to documentary filmmaking, “because a small number of distributors have consolidated power and decided to feed audiences a narrow and politically safe diet of content.” While neither Paramount Studios nor Warner Bros. are particularly well-known for their non-fiction releases, WBD companies CNN and HBO are.

At CinemaCon, however, Paramount may just stick to the upcoming releases. The studio has already had a hit this year in “Scream 7,” which has made over $212 million worldwide.

Celebrity deaths — including Chadwick Boseman in 2020 and James Van Der Beek earlier this year — have highlighted the increase in colorectal cancer deaths among younger adults, but the new paper was called the first to parse which people are most affected by the alarming rise.

The researchers found that over the last 30 years, the rise in colorectal cancer deaths in young adults occurred almost entirely among people without a four-year college degree.

Of course, getting a college degree doesn't protect you from getting colon cancer. Rather, experts say it's a marker for other issues: People without degrees tend to earn less money, have poorer diets, exercise less and get less medical care.

It’s not totally unexpected that the death risk is concentrated in the less advantaged, but the paper published Thursday in JAMA Oncology is the first national study to actually show the connection, said Dr. Paolo Boffetta, a researcher at Stony Brook Cancer Center in New York who wasn’t involved in the work.

American Cancer Society researchers used government data on more than 101,000 younger adults, ages 25 to 49, who died of colorectal cancer from 1994 through 2023.

Overall, the colorectal cancer death rate rose from about 3 per 100,000 in that age group to about 4 per 100,000. But for people who only made it through high school, the rate rose from 4 to 5.2 per 100,000, while the rate for people with at least a bachelor's degrees did not change from 2.7 per 100,000.

Ahmedin Jemal, the study’s first author, said the findings underscore the need for public awareness about colorectal cancer and for younger adults to heed screening recommendations. Symptoms can include blood in stool or rectal bleeding; changes in bowel habits, such as diarrhea, constipation or narrowing of stool that lasts more than a few days; unintended weight loss; and cramps or abdominal pain.

The American Cancer Society estimates that more than 158,000 cases of colorectal cancer will be diagnosed in the U.S. this year. Overall, it’s the nation’s second leading cancer killer, behind lung cancer, and is expected to claim more than 55,000 in 2026.

The number of deaths for adults younger than 50 is around 7% of the total — about 3,900. Earlier this year, cancer society researchers reported that colorectal cancer mortality in Americans under 50 had increased by 1.1% a year since 2005, making it now the deadliest cancer in that age group.

Scientists don't know what's behind that increase. But they note risk factors include obesity, lack of physical activity, a diet high in red or processed meat and low in fruits and vegetables, and a family history of colorectal cancer. The American Cancer Society changed its screening guidelines in 2021, lowering the age U.S. adults should start getting screened from 50 to 45.

Why did the researchers behind Thursday's study look at education level and not other factors?

Death certificates don’t detail how much money a person had, or most other aspects of their life. But they do note how much schooling someone completed. And other research has found that data often aligns with statistics about income, health insurance, physical activity and chronic disease. So education serves as a proxy, but can't speak to other factors, like whether the person had health insurance.

“The focus on education is really (due to) something which was available in the data,” Boffetta observed.

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The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Department of Science Education and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The AP is solely responsible for all content.

According to the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office, the department’s Major Crimes Unit detectives, along with investigators from Florida Department of Law Enforcement and the Monroe County Medical Examiner Office identified the remains of a previously unidentified Black man who was found on May 4, 1988 off County Road 905 in north Key Largo.

Deputies said the remains have been confirmed as Alfonso James Spikes, 61, of Miami.

According to authorities, Spikes is believed to have last been seen in April 1988 in Miami after leaving his home to meet with someone, though deputies said they do not know who that person was nor do they know the circumstances of how Spikes ended up in the Keys.

Deputies said his body was found covered in trash and wrapped in several bedsheets, with his shirt pulled forward over his head.

The Monroe County Medical Examiner said the body was in “advanced decomposition with partial skeletonization” and ruled the cause and manner of death as undetermined, but a “probable homicide.”

According to authorities, DNA samples submitted in 2023 and 2025 led to the March 2026 discovery that the sample confirmed the identity of Spikes.

Anyone with information on this open investigation is urged to contact the MCSO Major Crimes Unit at 305-289-2410.

Luna, who weighs about 34 pounds, is described as sweet and affectionate once she warms up to new people. Shelter officials say she can be a bit nervous at first but quickly becomes a cuddly companion who enjoys pets and snuggling.

“She’s a little shy in the beginning, but once she gets to know you, she really loves attention and being close,” said HSBC’s Cherie Wachter.

Wachter said Luna is potty trained and does well with children ages 10 and older. Her compatibility with cats is unknown.

While her exact breed is unclear, staff say she may be a mix and jokingly refer to her as a “petite basset griffon” type, though a DNA test would be needed to confirm.

In addition to adoptions, the shelter is hosting a plant sale fundraiser Saturday from 10:30 a.m. to 2 p.m., followed by its Paws Gala event next weekend.

All day long, she'd labored to understand when to speak up or stay silent in meetings. She replayed conversations in her head, worrying she'd misunderstood or said the wrong thing. Noisy environments distressed her. She watched her peers receive promotions when she didn't.

“I would come home burnt-out, anxious," Pilatzke said of her days working as an insurance claim specialist. "That just kept going, week after week, day after day.”

Her communication difficulties, sensitivity to noise and other problems at work began to make sense following her diagnosis, she said.

Pilatzke, 36, now spends her days teaching employers how to make workplaces more accommodating for people on the autism spectrum. She works as an inclusion specialist at Specialisterne Canada, a nonprofit that helps organizations to better support employee neurodiversity.

She also reframed the way she thinks about traits often associated with autism, viewing her ability to focus intensely and provide honest, direct feedback as strengths.

Below are some ways to make meetings and other work rituals more accessible for autistic people, according to several adults with autism and neurodiversity experts.

It begins with understanding

Autism spectrum disorder is a developmental disorder that affects about 1 in 45 adults in the U.S., according to Autism Speaks, a nonprofit organization that supports autistic people and their families by funding research, providing resources and doing advocacy work.

It presents in a variety of ways but can create challenges with social skills, speech and nonverbal communication. Some common characteristics include repetitive behaviors and sensitivity to noise.

“Start by learning about different communication styles and being open-minded,” Subodh Garg, who appeared in the first season of the Netflix reality TV show “Love on the Spectrum,” said. “Inclusion begins with giving people a chance and making space for diverse ways of thinking and working. Employers can start with small intentional steps.”

Garg works part-time at a Southern California deli, where he handles invoices and restocks pastries. He also is studying to earn a bachelors degree and is a “champion of change” advocate at Autism Speaks.

Employers may have preconceived ideas about what autism means, when “the reality is, it is a massive spectrum,” said Rita Ramakrishnan, who is autistic and founded a consulting company that provides leadership coaching for neurodivergent executives. “There’s a community of people with much higher support needs, and then there are folks who are twice exceptional or otherwise extraordinarily high functioning. Their support needs are not as high, and their production capabilities are different. But they’re all valid autistic experiences.”

Organizations should consult autistic employees when crafting policies that are designed to make workplaces more inclusive, Ramakrishnan said.

“No one’s expecting you to be an expert in this, but we are expecting a level of curiosity, not judgment, and we would love the ability to have a conversation around our needs,” she said. “It doesn’t mean you have to accommodate all of them or redesign for all of them, but at least listening is the first step.”

Making meetings more accessible

Face-to-face communication can be difficult for some people with autism, so having the ability to participate in meetings online or through writing can be helpful, experts said.

“Changing the expectations for social engagement during a meeting is really important,” Ramakrishnan said. “In a neurotypical normative situation, things like eye contact are highly prized. I trust someone who makes eye contact with me. But for an autistic person, that is a scary thing.”

Making camera use optional during virtual meetings is a useful accommodation since said people with autism often feel pressure to “mask” their natural behaviors by mimicking the facial expressions of neurotypical colleagues, Pilatzke said.

“Things like that can actually cause a lot of anxiety for individuals that are neurodivergent,” she said. “So having that pressure removed can be helpful.”

Some people with autism find it’s easier to focus during virtual or in-person meetings when they’re doodling or walking around, said Natalie Longmire, a professor of organizational behavior at Tulane University’s Freeman School of Business. Managers can make it explicit that those behaviors are accepted, she said.

Employees also can seek and normalize these types of accommodations by saying something like, “Hey if I get up and walk around, I’m doing that so I can be more engaged in what you’re saying,” Longmire suggested.

Share agendas in advance

Keith Wargo, president & CEO of Autism Speaks, said that before holding meetings, his organization sends out agendas broken into five-minute chunks. “Having that kind of structure, it’s good practice for everyone,” he said.

Allowing written input before and after meetings — and not prioritizing only what is spoken out loud during the allotted time — enables organizations to honor and take advantage of autistic individuals’ contributions, Ramakrishnan said.

“Be explicit about, for each agenda item, is this a discussion? Is this a brainstorm? Are we making a decision here?” Ramakrishnan added. “That gives an autistic person the chance to prepare what they need to."

“These are the folks that are going to come up with the ideas that nobody else thinks about,” she added.

Enable various modes of communication

Have multiple lanes available to participate in meetings, such as chat windows for attendees to type their contributions, said Abigayle Jayroe, senior vice president for strategic operations at NEXT for Autism. “There may be people who just don’t feel comfortable speaking,” Jayroe said. Turning on captions can help people who prefer to process information by reading, she added.

Normalizing the use of noise-canceling headphones and written communication can help, experts say. To reduce feelings of sensory overwhelm, an autistic participant could try saying, “I might ask a question over chat instead of raising my hand because it’s easier for me,” Longmire said.

Garg, who was diagnosed with autism when he was 3 years old, said he was non-verbal early on but learned over time how to communicate and connect with other people.

“One of the biggest challenges has been interviews because they focus a lot on social skills instead of the actual work,” he said. “Sometimes people misunderstand my communication style or underestimate what I can do. Even small things like clear instructions or written feedback really help me do my best.”

Encouraging naysayers

An issue some autistic people encounter at work or in social situations is having their tendency to speak in a forthright way misinterpreted as callousness, Ramakrishnan said. Colleagues can be explicit about whether it’s OK to be direct or whether they need to soften the language, she said.

In Pilatzke's view, many autistic people possess a strong sense of right and wrong, and feel a need to speak up when they perceive injustices. “I describe myself as a blunt person. I’m very honest. I’m going to say what I think,” she added.

Organizations can benefit from staffers' frankness by building a culture where everyone isn't expected to agree. Have a designated naysayer or devil’s advocate in brainstorming meetings, Jayroe suggested.

“The best ideas are built off of poking holes in what everyone agrees on. So it lays the groundwork longer term for a company to have their employees feel comfortable raising red flags or building on ideas," she said.

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Share your stories and questions about workplace wellness at cbussewitz@ap.org. Follow AP’s Be Well coverage, focusing on wellness, fitness, diet and mental health at https://apnews.com/hub/be-well

Thirteen vessels have turned around rather than confront a naval blockade that began earlier this week, Gen. Dan Caine, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, told reporters at the Pentagon.

Some Iran-linked or sanctioned vessels that have left the Persian Gulf through the Strait of Hormuz, the crucial waterway for energy shipments, have appeared to halt their movements, turn off their radio transponders or head back toward Iran's coast, shipping data firms say.

Vessels that approach the blockade, which is being enforced in Iran’s territorial seas and international waters and not in the Strait of Hormuz, are given a warning, Caine said.

“Any ship that would cross the blockade would result in our sailors executing pre-planned tactics designed to bring the force to that ship — if need be, board the ship and take her over,” he said.

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said “less than 10% of America’s naval power” is being used to enforce the blockade. The Navy has 16 warships — 11 destroyers, three amphibious assault ships, an aircraft carrier, and a littoral combat ship — in the Middle East out of a battle force of roughly 300 total warships.

Also supporting the blockade are refueling ships as well as surveillance, reconnaissance and intelligence operations designed to give the Navy the latest information on the vessels it is encountering.

Restricting Iran's sea access is a global effort, Caine said, and U.S. military assets in other parts of the world, including in the Pacific, would pursue vessels illegally shipping Iranian oil or trying to provide material support to Tehran.

Caine noted the congestion of the area around the blockade, likening it to a crowded parking lot and U.S. destroyers to high-powered sports cars.

“There is a lot out there," Caine said. "It is like driving a sports car through a supermarket parking lot on a payday weekend, with thousands of kids in that parking lot, as you attempt to maneuver through there to get to that ship that would attempt to run that blockade.”

Weighing a mere 673 grams (1.4 pounds), Yuji represents the most recent case of assisted rearing at the Guadalajara Zoo in western Mexico.

The story of Yuji has captured the attention of the Mexican public, drawing parallels to Punch, the Japanese macaque that went viral on social media after growing up clinging to a stuffed orangutan following his mother’s rejection.

Unlike Punch, Yuji has not yet had physical contact with other members of his species; he spends most of his time inside a monkey crate at the Guadalajara Zoo’s Comprehensive Center for Animal Medicine and Welfare, CIMBA, where he is under the care of 12 veterinarians and biologists.

No date has been set for Yuji’s transfer to a habitat shared by 12 other adult patas monkeys and three other infants. That will depend on when he is weaned from a milk-only diet and starts an adult diet complete with fruits and vegetables, said veterinarian Iván Reynoso Ruiz, head of the primate section at the Guadalajara Zoo. That could happen when Yuji is around 6 months old, he said.

Just hours after giving birth on March 3, Kamaria began exhibiting irregular behavior. She struggled to hold her firstborn correctly, leaving the infant unable to secure a grip on its mother.

After noticing a problem, keepers separated the mother from her newborn, who weighed just 443 grams (less than a pound) and required immediate placement in an incubator at CIMBA to stabilize his temperature and safeguard his health, Reynoso Ruiz said.

This was the start of the infant's assisted rearing, a process often used by zoos to protect the health and development of at-risk offspring. A caregiver named him Yuji after a popular Japanese manga character.

During his first few weeks, Yuji was under round-the-clock supervision and was bottle-fed fortified milk.

From the start, Yuji was given a stuffed animal for comfort. Reynoso Ruiz explained that the toy fulfills the role of a mother by serving as his primary source of security. To maintain hygiene, staff rotate the original stuffed dog with two other toys — a bear and a monkey — to ensure he always has a clean companion.

To stimulate his development, caregivers outfitted Yuji’s crate with a small hammock and ropes. As he began gaining weight and sleeping for longer intervals, his team adjusted his feeding schedule. Yuji now receives the first of his four daily bottles at 7:00 a.m.

While the stories of Punch and Yuji have been popular on social media, some animal rights advocates oppose the practice of assisted rearing.

Diana Valencia, an animal rights activist, argues that there is no substitute for a natural habitat, and that animals “have the right to be born, grow, develop, and die where they belong.”

Responding to these criticisms, the Guadalajara Zoo’s primate expert emphasized that modern zoos provide a unique opportunity to protect species from global threats. He said the intervention was a matter of life or death, and that Yuji likely would have perished in the wild without a “second chance” at survival.

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Follow AP’s coverage of Latin America and the Caribbean at https://apnews.com/hub/latin-america

Robert Brito, who works for Hollywood Fire Rescue, was battling the blaze at a beachfront building last October when he realized his captain was running out of oxygen.

With visibility near zero, authorities said Brito used his own breathing apparatus to supply air to his captain, allowing both men to continue breathing and safely evacuate the building.

“At this point with no visibility, just pull it out, kind of reach for his and make the connection, and now at this point, he starts breathing off my bottle,” Brito said.

HFR Chief Jeffrey Levy said Brito’s actions highlight the importance of preparation and teamwork on the fireground.

“If you look at a lot of these tragic events that happen on these fires, it comes from lack of training and lack of communication. Everything worked out on this event,” he said.

Brito was honored Tuesday with the Service Above Self Award from the Rotary Club of Hollywood.

Los investigadores identificaron a los sospechosos en documentos de arresto como Kishawn Zell Walker Perkins, de 29 años, y Armon Christopher Jiles, de 26.

Agentes de la Oficina del Sheriff de Miami-Dade indicaron que el primer incidente ocurrió el 13 de febrero en una sucursal de Chase ubicada en 18800 NW 56th Ct., cerca del límite con Miami Gardens.

Según los investigadores, video de vigilancia mostró a los sospechosos dentro de un Nissan Sentra color vino en el estacionamiento del banco mientras un cliente salía con una bolsa azul de dinero.

El informe señala que la víctima entró a su vehículo, colocó la bolsa en el asiento del pasajero y se retiró.

Las autoridades dijeron que los sospechosos salieron del estacionamiento segundos antes y siguieron a la víctima hasta una comunidad cerrada, entrando detrás de él sin inconvenientes.

Después de que la víctima entró a su casa, indicaron que el conductor, Walker Perkins, se detuvo frente a la vivienda mientras el pasajero, Jiles, se bajó, corrió hacia el vehículo de la víctima, abrió la puerta del conductor y sustrajo objetos antes de huir.

Los agentes dijeron que el segundo incidente ocurrió el 27 de marzo en otro banco Chase, ubicado en 8784 SW 72nd St., en el área de Dadeland, e involucró a una víctima de edad avanzada.

Las autoridades indicaron que esa víctima acababa de realizar una transacción en el banco y fue seguida hasta su hogar por un Nissan Sentra rojo.

Los investigadores determinaron que los sospechosos vigilaban a la víctima en el banco y lo seleccionaron tras notar que llevaba una riñonera, lo que sugería que había retirado dinero.

Cuando la víctima llegó a su complejo de apartamentos, los agentes dijeron que Jiles se bajó del vehículo y se le acercó en el estacionamiento. Indicaron que le arrebató la riñonera por la fuerza y, durante el forcejeo, la víctima cayó hacia atrás.

Tras tomar la riñonera, dijeron que Jiles golpeó a la víctima en la cabeza con la misma, causándole una laceración, antes de huir en un vehículo conducido por Walker Perkins.

El informe indica que la víctima sufrió una lesión en la cabeza, así como abrasiones en la rodilla y el codo, y fue trasladada a un hospital para recibir tratamiento. Las autoridades señalaron que sus lesiones podrían resultar en “desfiguración permanente”.

Los detectives indicaron que finalmente vincularon a los sospechosos con ambos incidentes mediante videos de vigilancia, las características distintivas del vehículo y su matrícula, así como registros de teléfonos celulares que los ubicaban cerca de las escenas.

Los investigadores también señalaron que observaron a la pareja visitando múltiples bancos en los días posteriores al robo, aparentemente en busca de más víctimas.

Ambos hombres fueron arrestados el martes y llevados a la unidad de robos de la MDSO, donde invocaron su derecho a guardar silencio.

Registros carcelarios muestran que ambos enfrentan un cargo de robo de vehículo desocupado en el caso de febrero y robo a mano armada con arma y agresión agravada contra una persona mayor en el caso de marzo.

Ambos permanecen detenidos en el Centro Correccional Turner Guilford Knight. Hasta la tarde del miércoles, la fianza de Walker Perkins no había sido fijada, mientras que Jiles permanece sin derecho a fianza.

Los agentes no indicaron qué objetos o cuánto dinero, si alguno, lograron obtener los sospechosos en los incidentes.

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Officers responded around 9 p.m. to the 2500 block of Northwest 21st Street after receiving reports of a possible shooting. When they arrived, they found two adults suffering from gunshot wounds.

Fort Lauderdale Fire Rescue transported both victims to Broward Health Medical Center with life-threatening injuries.

Officials said crews administered whole blood while on the way to the hospital.

Detectives are on scene, and the investigation remains active.

Los agentes respondieron alrededor de las 9 p.m. a la cuadra 2500 de Northwest 21st Street tras recibir reportes de un posible tiroteo. Al llegar, encontraron a dos adultos con heridas de bala.

Fort Lauderdale Fire Rescue trasladó a ambas víctimas al Broward Health Medical Center con lesiones que ponen en peligro sus vidas.

Las autoridades indicaron que los equipos administraron sangre total mientras eran transportados al hospital.

Detectives permanecen en la escena y la investigación continúa activa.

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The video shows the man running along a road, seemingly evading police before officers in Zionsville take him down and cuff him.

Jose Elias Barrozo-Espinosa, 38, also known as Fabian Eliseo Llancavil Nahuel, was arrested late last month.

According to Broward Sheriff’s Office deputies, the Chilean national left blood behind at the Weston scene on Nov. 8, proving crucial to identifying him.

According to an arrest warrant, at the Weston home, “unknown suspects” shattered a master bedroom window and got in, stealing a safe containing roughly $500,000 in gold and jewelry.

DNA evidence taken from blood left on a shade near the shattered window and on the floor came back to Barrozo-Espinosa.

An Indianapolis news outlet reports that Barrozo-Espinosa also has a warrant out of Texas and that the case is linked to “similar cases of South American gangs targeting suburban homes.”

Several other Chilean nationals have been accused of burglarizing homes nationwide, including those belonging to professional athletes.

The BSO arrest warrant doesn’t identify the homeowner, whose address was redacted.

As of Thursday, Barrozo-Espinosa remained in jail on an immigration hold.

El video muestra al hombre corriendo por una carretera, aparentemente evadiendo a la policía, antes de que agentes en Zionsville lo derriben y lo esposen.

Jose Elias Barrozo-Espinosa, de 38 años, también conocido como Fabian Eliseo Llancavil Nahuel, fue arrestado a finales del mes pasado.

Según agentes de la Oficina del Sheriff de Broward, el ciudadano chileno dejó rastros de sangre en la escena en Weston el 8 de noviembre, lo que resultó clave para identificarlo.

De acuerdo con una orden de arresto, en la vivienda de Weston, “sospechosos desconocidos” rompieron una ventana del dormitorio principal para ingresar y robar una caja fuerte que contenía aproximadamente $500,000 USD en oro y joyas.

Evidencia de ADN obtenida de la sangre dejada en una persiana cerca de la ventana rota y en el suelo coincidió con Barrozo-Espinosa.

Un medio de noticias de Indianápolis informó que Barrozo-Espinosa también tiene una orden de arresto en Texas y que el caso está vinculado a “casos similares de pandillas sudamericanas que atacan viviendas en zonas suburbanas”.

Varios otros ciudadanos chilenos han sido acusados de robar viviendas en todo el país, incluyendo las de atletas profesionales.

La orden de arresto de la BSO no identifica al propietario de la vivienda, cuya dirección fue censurada.

Hasta el jueves, Barrozo-Espinosa permanecía en la cárcel bajo una retención migratoria.

We could see a stray shower or two to cool us down, but the majority of the weekend will be dry. There’s a higher chance of showers on Monday as a weak front moves our way. This front will also bring highs back below average, to around 80° on Tuesday.

It's still jazzing up iceberg and romaine. But ranch now competes with the likes of ketchup and other condiments, a creamy dip for everything from hot wings and fried pickles to — perhaps most controversially — pizza.

It's ubiquitous, a versatile staple of American foodways easily found in grocery stores, recipes and on menus. There are entire cookbooks and a restaurant dedicated to the flavor.

Beloved and maligned, ranch also turns up in the country's cultural intangibles. Writers have labeled it the “Great American Condiment,” and less flatteringly, “extravagant and trashy.” It carries a nostalgia, said Nick Higgins, an executive for Hidden Valley Ranch's parent company, which taps into that sentimentalism and fosters the ranch fandom.

The viral food fights their product inspires? They embrace those, too. “We love it," he said. “It's one of the things we can debate as people and it's OK.”

How ranch got to that mountaintop is an American story, a difficult feat that evokes the country's entrepreneurial spirit.

“What started out almost as a lark became a multimillion-dollar industry,” the late Steve Henson explained in a Los Angeles Times piece about his famous dressing and Hidden Valley Ranch, the mail-order business he launched in the 1950s and sold to The Clorox Company two decades later.

As a plumbing contractor in Alaska, Henson first served it to workers. His herbs, spices, buttermilk and mayo concoction then became such a hit with guests at Hidden Valley, the dude ranch he and his wife opened in California, that he sold it as a DIY dry mix. Eventually, Clorox bottled a shelf-stable version, and competitors like Ken's, Kraft Foods and Wish-Bone joined in.

Debbie Wilson Potts loves ranch. Her family owns Cold Spring Tavern in California, the first to serve Henson's dressing outside of his dude ranch. Her late aunt, who knew Henson, once described her first taste: “It took off in my mouth like a freight train.”

It also took off across America. In his book “American Cuisine and How It Got This Way," Paul Freedman lists ranch dressing alongside sushi, arugula and other food fads and fashions of the 1980s, the same decade that gave the country Cool Ranch Doritos. After 40 years of popularity, ranch, he said, is likely here to stay.

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As AP’s religion news editor, Holly Meyer has years of experience documenting faith in American life. This story is part of a recurring series, “American Objects,” marking the 250th anniversary of the United States. For more stories on the anniversary, click here.

The quintessential American toy started in 1902 as just clothing scraps and sawdust stitched together by Morris and Rose Michtom, Jewish candy store owners in Brooklyn.

“Nothing says childhood better than a teddy bear,” says Michael Kimmel, author of “Playmakers: The Jewish Entrepreneurs Who Created the Toy Industry in America” and Morris Michtom's great-great-nephew. “It’s an utterly genderless toy. It is embraced by both boys and girls.”

The teddy bear's origin story actually starts earlier that year. President Theodore Roosevelt had refused to shoot a tied-up black bear during a hunting trip. Cartoonist Clifford Berryman published a political cartoon depicting Roosevelt's decision that caught the Michtoms' eyes. They were inspired to fashion a toy that went on to be called “Teddy's Bear” as a nod to the president and his nickname.

And a fad was born.

After selling a few, the Michtoms received more orders. Copycats emerged. The teddy bear was widely considered the first stuffed toy that wasn't a rag or porcelain doll, Kimmel said. It was affordable, comforting and kid-size. Some preachers actually worried the playful plushies would somehow corrupt young girls and extinguish their desire to be a mother.

Over the decades, the teddy bear became an icon. Elvis Presley crooned about being someone's “lovin' teddy bear.” An original Michtom-crafted teddy bear retains a place of honor in the Smithsonian National Museum of American History. And, of course, being a “teddy bear” has come to mean someone who is, in general, sweet and cuddly.

Says Kimmel: “There are people who, when they finally move out of the house and go to college or get married, that’s the one thing that they just can’t part with because it connects them to that innocent childhood.”

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Part of a recurring series, “American Objects,” marking the 250th anniversary of the United States. For more stories on the anniversary, click here.

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It happened Sunday around 11:30 p.m. near the main stage of the event off Northeast 62nd Street and Second Avenue.

Authorities said three people were shot and rushed to Jackson Memorial Hospital.

Two of the victims are recovering, but 23-year-old Kitchner Cyrlle did not survive.

In an online post, family members identified one of the victim as Crylle’s cousin, saying that he underwent surgery on his stomach.

Police are still actively searching for the shooter.

Anyone with information is urged to contact Miami police or Miami-Dade Crime Stoppers at 305-471-TIPS.

Loved ones of the victim created a GoFundMe page to help the family with expenses, and it can be found by clicking here.

But it’s also notable because it’s an outlier. It is a tree with a majestic presence that dwarfs the common maples and pines nearby — a living reminder of how much old-growth forest has been lost.

In the eastern United States, that rare sense of awe was once supplied in bulk by the American chestnut.

Its presence stunned: mature trees rose above the hardwood canopy supported by trunks wider than a person is tall. It was a centerpiece of the ecosystem, producing so many chestnuts that it boosted the numbers of turkeys, bears and deer that, in turn, spread the trees’ seeds. American chestnut’s straight grain was useful in furniture and it made fenceposts that encircled farms and shrugged off pests and wear.

There were billions of them at the turn of the 20th century, their abundant fruit moved by railcar to cities for sale on street corners. We still sing about them during the holidays.

And then they started dying.

It was disease that forever changed the American landscape. A deadly airborne fungal blight coupled with a lethal root rot that killed them by the millions. By the 1950s, the tree was functionally extinct.

That was long enough ago that few remember what it was like to live among them. But what they once offered isn’t forgotten. Their size still impresses in old photos. Associations are dedicated to their story. And to bringing them back.

Another type of chestnut, the Chinese chestnut, had been introduced to the United States for its valuable nuts. It doesn’t grow as tall, but it can resist disease.

Arborists have tried to breed the advantageous, disease-resistant attributes into the American chestnut. That has turned out to be tremendously hard. Simple breeding techniques don’t work well, and recent efforts to sequence the DNA of the trees reveals why — their desirable traits are scattered across multiple spots along their genome.

But the DNA sequence also provides a map to breed trees that are more likely to survive.

Researchers hope in the coming decades, there will be enough healthy trees for the species to not need humans, to once again rely on the meanderings of bears and forgetfulness of squirrels.

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This story is part of a recurring series, “American Objects,” marking the 250th anniversary of the United States. For more stories on the anniversary, click here. 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 here.

Ocurrió el domingo alrededor de las 11:30 p.m. cerca del escenario principal del evento, en Northeast 62nd Street y Second Avenue.

Las autoridades informaron que tres personas fueron baleadas y trasladadas de urgencia al hospital Jackson Memorial.

Dos de las víctimas se están recuperando, pero Kitchner Cyrlle, de 23 años, no sobrevivió.

En una publicación en línea, familiares identificaron a una de las víctimas como primo de Cyrlle, indicando que fue sometido a una cirugía en el estómago.

La policía continúa buscando activamente al tirador.

Se insta a cualquier persona con información a comunicarse con la policía de Miami o con Miami-Dade Crime Stoppers al 305-471-TIPS.

Los seres queridos de la víctima crearon una página en GoFundMe para ayudar a la familia con los gastos, la cual puede encontrarse haciendo clic aquí.

Local 10 estuvo en el Centro Correccional Turner Guilford Knight de Miami-Dade cuando fue recibida afuera de la cárcel por amigas y compañeras del elenco Alexia Nepola y Adriana de Moura.

Hochstein se dirigió brevemente a sus seguidores, diciendo “Los quiero mucho a todos. Amo a todos mis fans” y enviándoles buenos deseos, pero no comentó directamente sobre las acusaciones.

Su abogada, Jayne Weintraub, dijo “No estamos hablando de grabaciones”, y agregó que el caso ha “iniciado el proceso” y que espera que “se resuelva muy pronto”.

Page Six publicó fotos de la estrella de reality sonriendo al llegar al TGK la mañana del miércoles, acompañada por Weintraub.

Los registros de la cárcel en línea muestran que tenía una orden de arresto en su contra y una fianza de $5,000 USD.

Un documento judicial del 19 de marzo obtenido inicialmente por Local 10 News indica que Hochstein y su ex novio, Jody Glidden, de 52 años, enfrentan cada uno un cargo por interceptación de comunicaciones por cable, orales o electrónicas.

Una descripción de los cargos indica que entre el 12 y el 31 de marzo de 2023, ambos “ilegal e intencionalmente” interceptaron, intentaron interceptar o intentaron que otra persona interceptara “declaraciones orales de Leonard Hochstein y de las personas con las que él hablaba”.

Según la orden de arresto de Lisa Hochstein, ella y Glidden colocaron un dispositivo de grabación en el piso del asiento del conductor del Mercedes-Maybach GLS 600 SUV plateado modelo 2023 del doctor Leonard “Lenny” Hochstein, luego de que la estrella de reality le pidiera prestado el vehículo porque estaba considerando comprar uno propio.

Lenny Hochstein, un destacado cirujano plástico del sur de Florida, dijo a los detectives en mayo de 2023 que informó de inmediato a su abogado tras descubrir el dispositivo y que el abogado luego contrató a un investigador privado para examinarlo, según la orden.

De acuerdo con la orden, se recuperaron un total de 98 grabaciones del dispositivo, incluyendo una conversación entre Lisa Hochstein y Glidden mientras el dispositivo era “colocado a la fuerza en su lugar”.

Además de conversaciones entre Lenny Hochstein y otras personas con las que hablaba mientras estaba en su vehículo, un detective recuperó grabaciones eliminadas del dispositivo, incluyendo una grabación de Lisa Hochstein y Glidden participando en “actividades íntimas”, según la orden.

Los registros muestran que Glidden fue puesto bajo custodia el sábado. Desde entonces ha sido liberado de la cárcel.

El divorcio de Lisa y Lenny Hochstein se finalizó en noviembre de 2024. Comparten dos hijos.

Weintraub, abogada defensora de Lisa Hochstein, y los abogados Howard Srebnick y Frank Gaviria, defensa de Glidden, emitieron un comunicado conjunto a Local 10 News el lunes por la tarde en el que señalaron: “Este asunto forma parte de un proceso de divorcio contencioso y no corresponde a la corte penal”.

La audiencia de lectura de cargos de Glidden está programada para el jueves, mientras que la de Lisa Hochstein está fijada para el 20 de abril.

Los registros de la cárcel en línea muestran que Jammiah Catera Broomfield, de 28 años, fue ingresada el martes en el Centro de Detención Paul Rein enfrentando múltiples cargos, incluyendo tráfico de metanfetamina, conducir con licencia suspendida o revocada, resistirse a un agente sin violencia y violación de libertad condicional.

Broomfield es cantante y compositora.

Previamente había sido acusada de hurto mayor y se encontraba en libertad bajo fianza, en espera de juicio antes de su arresto el martes.

La Policía de Fort Lauderdale informó que intentaron detener a Broomfield el martes, al reconocer su vehículo como uno que previamente había huido de detectives.

Según el informe de arresto, Broomfield conducía de manera errática mientras intentaba evadir a la policía, y finalmente salió del vehículo y huyó a pie.

Sin embargo, los detectives la alcanzaron en Northwest 25th Way, al otro lado de la calle de la escuela secundaria Dillard, y la pusieron bajo custodia.

Según los registros de la cárcel en línea, Broomfield permanece detenida debido a una orden pendiente del condado Palm Beach.

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Deputies said the suspect, Terrell Rashard Robbins, was arrested in connection with the attack, which happened around 11:30 p.m. Monday near the 1900 block of Northwest 77th Street.

They said Robbins, 33, arrived at the victim’s home, got out of his vehicle with a knife in his right hand, and stabbed the victim repeatedly.

Miami-Dade Fire Rescue transported the victim to Jackson Memorial Hospital’s Ryder Trauma Center with about 11 puncture wounds and an abrasion, according to Robbins’ arrest report.

The report states that the victim suffered lacerations to the left jaw, shoulders, biceps, chest, back and buttocks, requiring stitches and staples.

During the altercation, deputies said the victim bit Robbins on his right hand, injuring his pinky.

They said Robbins was taken to North Shore Medical Center and was expected to be transferred to Jackson Memorial Hospital due to the extent of his injury. At one point, investigators said they considered Robbins a victim as well.

In a statement around 2:04 a.m., deputies said Robbins told them that he went to the victim’s home to discuss a prior incident.

They said Robbins claimed that while approaching Northwest 77th Street and Northwest 19th Avenue, two masked men exited a khaki-colored sedan and attacked both him and the victim before fleeing.

However, in a statement given about an hour later, the victim said Robbins arrived unannounced and began arguing over issues involving the victim’s daughter, who shares a child with Robbins, according to the report.

The report states that the victim told investigators Robbins became upset about his involvement in their affairs and began stabbing him. Authorities said the victim claimed he bit Robbins in self-defense.

After initially refusing to speak with detectives following a Miranda warning, deputies said Robbins later requested to speak with investigators and agreed to give a statement.

Robbins said he confronted the victim over an incident from several years ago and “felt threatened” after believing the victim had been watching him and driving past his home on multiple occasions, according to the report.

The report states that Robbins told investigators the confrontation turned physical, and he pulled a knife from his pocket and stabbed the victim multiple times. He also said the victim asked him to stay and call police after the attack, according to investigators.

Deputies said shortly after the victim was stabbed, he was then struck by a vehicle whose driver remained at the scene.

MDSO told Local 10 News the victim suffered non-life-threatening injuries and is expected to be released from the hospital Wednesday.

Jail records show Robbins is facing one count of attempted second-degree murder with a deadly weapon.

As of Wednesday, Robbins was being held at the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center, where his bond was listed as “to be set.”

Robbins’ mugshot wasn’t immediately available.

Los Angeles' 2025 spending included records for payroll at $345.3 million and tax of $169.4 million for a total of $514.6 million. Despite several contracts discounted to reflect deferred payments, the Dodgers' total was seven times the $68.7 million payroll of the Miami Marlins, the lowest-spending team, and more than the payrolls of the bottom six clubs combined.

Spending by the Dodgers last year topped the previous high of $430.4 million by the 2024 New York Mets — and Los Angeles' total didn't include the $6.5 million signing bonus given pitcher Roki Sasaki as part of a minor league contract.

The Mets and Dodgers combined to spend $948.3 million. The ratio of the five highest spenders to the five lowest increased from 3.6 in 2021 to a record-high 4.7 last year.

The Dodgers in 2025 ended the Mets' three-year streak as the top payroll, boosted by $8.5 million in earned bonuses by retiring ace Clayton Kershaw.

Los Angeles' total would have been about $71 million higher but for the use of deferred money for seven players that resulted in discounting for their payroll calculations. Shohei Ohtani counts at $28.2 million because $68 million of his $70 million salary last year isn't due until 2035.

The Mets finished second in payroll at $342.1 million and with tax had a total spend of $433.7 million.

In the first five seasons after owner Steve Cohen bought the team, the Mets spent $1.44 billion without winning a title: $1.11 billion in payroll and $320 million in tax.

Both the Mets and Dodgers exceeded the previous record-high payroll set by the 2024 Mets at $333.3 million.

Lois Angeles is projected as of MLB’s opening-day figures to lead in 2026 spending with a $323.3 million payroll for its 40-man roster and a $163.7 million tax for a $487.1 million total. The Mets began with a record payroll at $358.4 million and have a projected tax of $124.1 million for a $482.5 million spend.

Cleveland has the lowest opening day 40-man payroll this year at $75.5 million.

Total spending, based on regular payrolls, rose 3.1% to $5.32 billion last year from $5.16 billion in 2024 and has increased 31.3% in four seasons under the current labor contract from $4.05 billion in 2021.

Those figures do not include the $50 million annual pre-arbitration bonus pool that began in the 2022 collective bargaining agreement or allocations for benefits, which are included in MLB's luxury tax payrolls.

Among luxury tax payrolls, eight teams began 2026 over the $244 million tax threshold. The Dodgers ($415.2 million), Mets ($379.2 million) and New York Yankees ($339.6 million) were followed by Toronto ($319.5 million), Philadelphia ($315.2 million), Boston ($263.7 million), San Diego ($260.1 million) and Atlanta ($247.9 million).

The Chicago Cubs started $25,000 under and Detroit $2.5 million below. Payrolls increase and decrease during the season due to trades and roster moves.

The Yankees finished 2025 with the third-highest regular payroll at $301.5 million, followed by Philadelphia ($291.9 million), AL champion Toronto ($253.1 million), Houston ($236.4 million) and Texas ($229.9 million).

Four of the top five spenders reached the playoffs, except the Mets, along with teams whose payrolls ranked ninth, 10th, 12th, 15th, 17th, 22nd, 23rd and 25th.

The Dodgers boosted payroll the most in 2025 at $74.4 million. Other teams with big 2025 increases were Detroit ($61.9 million), Baltimore ($60.2 million to $165.6 million), San Diego ($45.6 million to $217.6 million), Philadelphia ($42.8 million) and Toronto ($34.7 million).

Fifteen teams cut payroll from 2024 to 2025, led by the Chicago White Sox (by $66.1 million to $87.9 million), St. Louis ($39.3 million to $139.1 million), Miami ($29.4 million to $68.8 million) and San Francisco (by $28 million to $182.9 million). The Cardinals have further slashed payroll to $102.3 million on opening day this year, and that includes about $47.4 million attributable to trades involving three players no longer with the Cardinals: Nolan Arenado, Sonny Gray and Willson Contreras.

The Yankees cut payroll by $9.4 million from 2024 to 2025 and have raised it to $302.8 million this year.

Eleven teams topped $200 million in 2025, matching the record set in 2023. Five teams were below $100 million, one more than the record-low in 2024.

Regular payrolls for last year are based on 2025 salaries, earned bonuses and prorated shares of signing bonuses and non-cash compensation for 40-man rosters. Deferred salaries and bonus payments are discounted to present-day values, and termination pay, option buyouts and cash transactions among clubs are accounted for.

MLB calculated the average salary as of Aug. 31, the last day before active rosters expanded to 26, at $4,611,595. The players' association, using a slightly different methodology, arrived at $4,721,393,

Luxury tax is based on payrolls with average annual values that include benefits and the pre-arbitration bonus pool. The players' association doesn't think tax payments should be used in measuring disparity because half the tax money goes to a commissioner’s discretionary fund distributed among teams eligible to receive revenue-sharing money which have grown their non-media local revenue.

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

The number of Americans applying for jobless aid for the week ending April 11 fell by 11,000 to 207,000 from the previous week’s 218,000, the Labor Department reported Thursday. That’s less than the 217,000 new applications analysts surveyed by the data firm FactSet were expecting but within the range of the past several years.

Filings for unemployment benefits are considered representative of U.S. layoffs and are close to a real-time indicator of the health of the job market.

The Iran war, now in its seventh week, has injected a large degree of uncertainty about how it will affect the U.S. and global economies even as Iran and the U.S. agreed to a ceasefire last week.

U.S. financial markets have rebounded in recent weeks and oil prices have settled in around $92 per barrel, better than last week’s $112 but still 37% higher than before the war began. Gas prices also remain elevated, saddling businesses and consumers with higher costs.

The largest monthly jump in gas prices in six decades sent consumer prices up 3.3% in March from a year earlier, the Labor Department said Friday. That’s up sharply from just 2.4% in February and the biggest yearly increase since May 2024. On a monthly basis, prices rose 0.9% in March from February, the largest such increase in nearly four years.

This comes at a time when U.S. inflation was already above the Federal Reserve’s 2% target, further diminishing the chances of an interest rate cut by central bank officials any time soon.

Fed officials voted to raise the rate three times to close 2025 out of concern for a weakening job market but have held off lowering rates further this year.

The Labor Department reported earlier this month that U.S. employers added an unexpectedly strong 178,000 new jobs in March, nudging the unemployment rate back down to 4.3%. That followed a surprisingly large loss of 92,000 jobs in February. Revisions also have trimmed 69,000 jobs from December and January payrolls, a sign that the labor market remains under strain.

A number of high-profile companies have cut jobs recently, including Morgan Stanley,Block, UPSand Amazon.

Weekly jobless aid applications have stabilized in a range mostly between 200,000 and 250,000 since the U.S. economy emerged from the pandemic recession. However, hiring began slowing about two years ago and tapered further in 2025 due to President Donald Trump’s erratic tariff rollouts, his purge of the federal workforce and the lingering effects of high interest rates meant to control inflation.

Employers added fewer than 200,000 jobs last year, compared with about 1.5 million in 2024, according to the data firm FactSet.

The American labor market appears stuck in what economists call a “low-hire, low-fire” state that has kept the unemployment rate historically low, but has left those out of work struggling to find a new job.

The Labor Department’s report Thursday showed that the four-week moving average of jobless claims, which evens out some of the weekly volatility, rose by 500 to 209,750.

The total number of Americans filing for unemployment benefits for the previous week ending April 4 rose by 31,000 to 1.82 million, in line with analyst forecasts.

Joseph Isaac McCann, 45, was questioned by police on Monday, four days after his partner, Ashly Robinson, better known online as Ashlee Jenae, was found dead in her room.

The Deputy Director of Investigations in Zanzibar, Zuberi Chembera, refused to comment on Thursday, saying that investigations were ongoing.

Police said witness accounts indicate that the couple arrived at Zuri Hotel in Zanzibar on April 4 and had been quarreling frequently until the night of April 8, when hotel management separated them and asked McCann to move to a separate villa about a 10-minute walk away.

A few hours later, a hotel worker found Robinson, who is based in Miami, unresponsive in a closet, with a belt around her neck, police said. She was taken to a hospital, where she died the following day.

Her family told CBS News that McCann called them and said something had happened, but the hotel management later called to inform them that their daughter had died. The parents said they are seeking transparency.

The France captain and the Champions League's greatest club are still waiting for that win.

Meanwhile, PSG lifted the Champions League trophy right after his departure and is back in the semifinals this season.

Mbappé's latest hopes of breaking through with his first European title ended with Madrid's elimination by Bayern Munich in Wednesday's quarterfinals.

Madrid is on the brink of going a second straight season without a major trophy since adding Mbappé in one of the most high-profile signings ever.

The club's only triumphs with Mbappé came in the UEFA Super Cup and the Intercontinental Cup, both in 2024. Madrid hasn't won a title in Spain since the forward arrived.

The only remaining chance for a trophy this season is in La Liga but Madrid trails leader Barcelona by nine points with seven rounds left.

Mbappé has received some criticism from fans despite his goals, and the pressure on him is expected to only increase after yet another failure in the Champions League.

Here's a look at how Madrid and Mbappé have fared during this rare trophyless run:

Champions League

In his first attempt to win the Champions League with Madrid in 2024-25, a Mbappé getting used to his new team scored seven goals, six fewer than the top scorers. The defending champion at the time, Madrid was eliminated by Arsenal in the quarterfinals.

This season, a much more settle Mbappé has left the quarterfinals again but as the leading scorer with 15, two shy of Cristiano's Ronaldo record of 17 in a single season. Mbappé scored on Wednesday in the 4-3 loss at Bayern Munich.

Spanish league

In his debut in the league in 2024-25, Mbappé was the league top scorer with 31, four more than Barcelona's Robert Lewandowski, his closest competitor. But Madrid finished four points behind the Catalan club in the standings.

Mbappé is the league leading marksman again this season with 23, two more than Vedad Muriqi of Mallorca. Madrid had been keeping pace with Barcelona but it didn't win its last matches and has lost ground.

Copa del Rey

Last year, Madrid got past Real Sociedad in the semifinals but lost to Barcelona 3-2 in the final, where Mbappé scored. This season, Madrid was shocked by second-division Albacete in the round of 16, with the elimination coming just after the team dumped coach Xabi Alonso for Álvaro Arbeloa.

Spanish Super Cup

Mbappé scored in the 2025 final but Madrid was routed 5-2 by Barcelona. The Catalan rival beat Mbappé's Madrid again (3-2) in the final this season.

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

No U.S. personnel were harmed, the U.S. Southern Command said in a social media post.

Several such strikes have been announced in recent days as the Trump administration continues its aggressive anti-cartel actions in international waters. At least 178 people have been killed in the strikes since the effort began in early September, months before the U.S. raid in January that captured then-Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro.

The Southern Command described the attack Wednesday as a “lethal kinetic strike on a vessel operated by a Designated Terrorist Organization." It said the vessel was transiting along "known narco-trafficking routes in the Eastern Pacific.

The announcement did not name the organization or the three men killed in the strike or offer a more precise location. Nor did it provide evidence of the men's ties to drug trafficking.

Yutaka Matsushige, the actor who plays main character Goro Inogashira, expected the show to end quietly in a short time. It didn't. “Kodoku no Gurume,” the show's title in Japanese, steadily gained popularity across Japan and beyond and just began its 11th season this month.

Based on a popular comic by writer Masayuki Kusumi and artist Jiro Taniguchi, “The Solitary Gourmet” last year became a film directed and written by Matsushige, who also stars in the big screen version.

“The drama is about a man just eating food," Matsushige said during a news conference in Tokyo on Thursday marking the start of the latest season. "But the simple notion of 'delicious' can go beyond the differences of language or ethnicity, something everyone can easily relate to."

The show has become a phenomenon across Asia and Matsushige has acquired a huge fan base in South Korea, Taiwan and China. After filming the movie in Japan, South Korea and Paris, he hopes to share the drama with people around the world.

Each episode starts with Inogashira visiting a client, such as a downtown mom-and-pop store. When he finishes working, he suddenly feels hungry and looks for a local restaurant. His eating scenes are documentary style, with his inner monologue describing his happiness and sense of freedom in searching out and finding places that appeal to him and serve good food.

“To me, eating is about telling a story,” Matsushige said, adding that his job as an actor is to show the story behind the eatery, highlighting the dishes and how they taste. “What I intend to do in this drama is to show the audience to watch, imagine and enjoy.”

At a time of global friction, the simple act of eating can help understanding between countries, said Matsushige, who is developing ideas for future projects outside Japan.

Asked who would be a good candidate to play his character in a Hollywood remake, Matsushige suggested Nicolas Cage based on his appearance, which he said is closer to the original manga comic than his.

Joking with the audience, he added, "George Clooney could also be a good candidate."

The total amount is up 5.3 million euros from last year. Play begins on Sunday, May 24 at Roland Garros in western Paris.

Men's and women's singles champions each receive 2.8 million euros and the runners-up 1.4 million euros. Semifinalists earn 750,000 euros and first round losers get 87,000 euros.

Men's and women's doubles winners pocket 600,000 euros and the mixed doubles champions get 122,000 euros.

Last year, Carlos Alcaraz staged an epic comeback to beat Jannik Sinner in a five-set final and Coco Gauff defeated Aryna Sabalenka for the women's title.

There will be an opening ceremony before the men’s and women’s finals, lasting about six minutes, with French choreographer Benjamin Millepied in charge of the program.

Also for the first time, players can wear data-collecting portable devices on court in order to gain information on their physical performances, tournament director Amélie Mauresmo said at a news conference on Thursday.

Privacy for players

Mauresmo repeated the importance of privacy for players — an issue raised by Iga Swiatek and Gauff at this year's Australian Open.

Gauff's racket-smashing away from the court went viral. Swiatek said the seemingly limitless access-all-areas cameras that track players made them feel they were being watched like “animals in the zoo.”

Without mentioning the Australian Open itself, Mauresmo said tennis should “maintain respect for privacy” and have a secluded space.

“Players need a private area, something which will not change,” she said. “No cam access (there).”

Upholding traditions

This year, a local amateur beat Sinner and went on to become a millionaire in Australian dollars after winning the newly invented 1 Point Slam at the Australian Open.

Don't expect it at the French Open.

“Our ambition is not to repeat everything that's done elsewhere," Mauresmo said. "This is not something that corresponds to us, to the image of Roland Garros."

The French Open is also unflinching on the electronic line-calling adopted by Wimbledon and most big tennis tournaments; instead remaining committed to human line judges.

“They are not 100% reliable,” Mauresmo said, "but our decision was to stick to our way.”

However, Mauresmo was open to women playing five-set matches like their male counterparts.

“You can't change a format overnight to go from best of three to best of five. But if we think about it, would it be only the semifinal, the final, or for all matches?" the former Wimbledon champion asked. “This could be a win-win situation but we have to talk about this with the women players.”

The former women's No. 1 would have wanted to.

“As a player when I did the Masters final (in 2005) they had just stopped this,” Mauresmo said. "I would have wanted to do the final in best of five. So maybe one day, you never know.”

Mauresmo was also asked about scheduling for evening matches.

“We will talk about scheduling when the time comes,” she said without going into details. “Nothing is closed and nothing is set in stone, it depends on the draws and the lineups.”

Last year there were a lack of women’s matches during the night sessions.

On the final Saturday there has been one change: The men’s doubles final will be played before the women’s singles final and not afterward.

Entertaining fans

There will be a Jardin des Chefs — a chefs' garden — for fans to sample French gastronomy in an area next to Court Simonne-Mathieu. A small army of 13 French chefs will work daily, three on duty each day.

The famed Concorde Square — with its iconic Egyptian Obelisk — will again show matches on a big screen for free during the second week from June 3-7.

The tournament will pay tribute to French veteran Gaël Monfils and 2015 champion Stan Wawrinka, who are retiring at the end of the season.

Clay is the way

The French Open is synonymous with clay the way Wimbledon is with grass.

Keen to build on that identity, French Tennis Federation director Gilles Moretton said there will be a strong investment in building more clay courts, real or synthetic.

Clay courts currently make up only 13% of courts in France. ___

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

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According to the outlet, the 20-year-old influencer, whose real name is Braden Peters, was taken to an emergency room after his livestream was abruptly cut off.

Local 10 is working to obtain that livestream video, but in it, Peters is apparently seen speaking with a young woman at a bar in Miami while appearing to be under the influence.

It was not immediately clear which substance or substances Peters may have consumed prior to the alleged overdose.

Miami police confirmed to Local 10 that they were called to assist Miami Fire Rescue at 8:46 p.m., however the complainant was already gone when they arrived.

MFR officials said the individual, who they did not name, was “possibly rushed away in a vehicle” before they were able to make contact with him.

Peters appears to have been released from the hospital as he took to X Wednesday morning to talk about the ordeal.

“Just got home, that was brutal,” he wrote. “All of the substances are just a cope trying to feel neurotypical while being in public, but obviously that isn’t a real solution. The worst part of tonight was my face descending from the life support mask.”

TMZ reports reports that Peters was determined to show up at Miami Beach’s first streaming nightclub, Bacara Club, where tables are reportedly selling for thousands of dollars.

“I hope that that will be a wake up call for him,” said CC Walknine, who is associated with the Bacara Club.

The space encourages influencers to livestream, solving issues where streamers are being banned from conventional venues.

About two weeks ago, Peters was arrested by police in Fort Lauderdale on a warrant out of Osceola County for misdemeanor battery and conspiracy to commit battery.

Trump said on social media that the arch “will be the GREATEST and MOST BEAUTIFUL Triumphal Arch, anywhere in the World” and a "wonderful addition to the Washington D.C. area for all Americans to enjoy for many decades to come!”

Also on the agenda for the monthly meeting of the U.S. Commission of Fine Arts, whose seven members were appointed by the Republican president, is his plan to paint the gray granite exterior of the Eisenhower Executive Office Building next to the White House white.

A third White House-related project, construction of an underground center to conduct security screenings of tourists and other guests, is also up for consideration.

Commissioners are scheduled to review design plans for all three projects. They will be reviewing the arch and the paint job for the first time. The White House visitors' center was discussed at the March meeting. It was unclear if the commission would approve any of the projects on Thursday.

A separate oversight panel, the National Capital Planning Commission, opened its consideration of the visitors' center last month. It should receive Trump's arch design soon for consideration and an approval vote.

Triumphal Arch

The arch would stand 250 feet tall (76 meters) from its base to a torch held aloft by a Lady Liberty-like figure atop the structure. The figure would be flanked up top by two eagles and guarded at the base by four lions — all gilded. The phrases “One Nation Under God” and “Liberty and Justice for All" would be inscribed in gold lettering atop either side of the monument.

The arch would be built on a human-made island managed by the National Park Service on the Virginia side of the Potomac River at the end of Memorial Bridge from the Lincoln Memorial in Washington. The arch would dwarf the Lincoln Memorial, which stands at 99 feet (30 meters) tall, and be close to half the height of the capital's iconic obelisk, the Washington Monument (about 555 feet or 169 meters).

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said Wednesday that the 250-foot height will honor America's 250 years of existence.

But it's already the subject of litigation. A group of veterans and a historian have sued in federal court to block construction on the grounds that the arch will disrupt the sightline between the Lincoln Memorial and Arlington House at Arlington National Cemetery, among other reasons.

Underground screening center for White House visitors

The U.S. Secret Service, Interior Department, National Park Service, and the Executive Office of the President want to start construction in August on a 33,000-square-foot (3,066-square-meter) center to screen tourists and other visitors to the White House.

It would be built beneath Sherman Park, federal land southwest of the White House, to provide a more secure place to screen those going on White House tours or attending events. The new facility would have seven lanes to ease processing and reduce wait times.

Officials want it operating by July 2028, six months before Trump’s term ends.

Eisenhower Executive Office Building paint job

Trump said the Executive Office Building is beautiful, but he doesn't like its gray exterior.

“It’s one of the most beautiful buildings anywhere in Washington," Trump said in August. “I think it’s just incredible, but you have to get past the color because the stone they used was a really bad color.”

Two proposals were given to the commission: Cover the entire building in bright white or paint most of it white while leaving untouched the granite on the exposed basement and subbasement.

In written materials, the White House said the building has been largely neglected since its construction. It said the building's color, design and massing do not “align visually with the surrounding architecture” and lack ”any symbolic cohesion with the White House.”

The paint job is also the subject of litigation in federal court.

The building sits across a driveway from the West Wing. It was completed in 1888 after 17 years of construction, and its granite, slate, and cast iron exterior makes it one of America’s best examples of the French Second Empire style of architecture.

It originally housed the State, War and Navy departments, and currently houses offices for the vice president and the National Security Council, among others.

The building is a National Historic Landmark and is also listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

The bill expected for a vote Thursday would require the Trump administration to extend for three years Temporary Protected Status for Haiti, which would allow hundreds of thousands of qualifying immigrants to remain in the U.S. without fear of deportation. House Democrats forced the bill forward Wednesday, joined by a small number of Republicans, over the objections of House Speaker Mike Johnson and GOP leadership.

Trump’s attempt to end the status for Haiti, Venezuela, Syria, and other nations in crisis "is cruel, unlawful, & life-threatening,” said Rep. Ayanna Pressley, D-Mass., on social media. She is co-chair of the House Haiti Caucus and represents one of the largest Haitian communities in the country.

The congresswoman said deporting people back to Haiti would be a “death sentence” in a country ravaged by natural disaster and gang violence.

"This is common-sense policy that will save lives," she said during Wednesday's floor debate. "Congress can help. Congress can do the right thing."

Congress races ahead of Supreme Court action

The outcome is the latest effort by House Democrats to maneuver past the Republican majority using a so-called discharge petition — once a rare tool that is being increasingly wielded to form bipartisan coalitions.

The effort to help the immigrants from Haiti comes as President Donald Trump's administration is working to end Temporary Protected Status for several groups of immigrants, exposing them to the possibility of deportation.

In a matter of days, the Supreme Court is prepared to consider a fast-track case that would end the protected status for Haitian and Syrian immigrants in a challenge that is widely seen as threatening the broader program. The Trump administration filed emergency appeals after lower courts stopped the immediate end of the program for 350,000 people from Haiti and 6,000 people from Syria.

It's part of the administration's efforts to strip certain immigrant groups of legal status as the White House works to fulfill Trump's campaign promise of conducting the largest mass deportation operation in history. Some 1.3 million people fleeing countries around the world have been granted temporary protected status.

Protections for Haitians were first granted in 2010 after a devastating earthquake that has displaced more than 1 million people, according to court documents. The protections have been extended multiple times as the country has experienced violence and upheaval.

The conservative-majority court has sided with the Trump administration on the issue before and allowed the end of temporary legal status for a total of 600,000 people from Venezuela while lawsuits play out, leaving them to face potential deportation.

Trump has described migrants from poorer countries in vulgar terms, and he has falsely accused Haitian migrants in Ohio of eating their neighbors’ cats and dogs.

Rep. Laura Gillen, D-N.Y., whose district includes Long Island's Haitian community, said she promised constituents she would work to protect their status and introduced the legislation as soon as she took office last year.

“It's cruel to expect Haitians to be forced to return to these deadly, dangerous conditions,” she told a press conference. “Human lives are at risk.”

Rep. Yvette Clarke, D-N.Y., said the hundreds of thousands of Haitian status holders in the U.S. have become an inseparable part of the fabric of the nation.

“They have built businesses, built families, built up their communities," she said during debate. She hoped the House action would become a “blaring beacon” against the Trump administration's deportation policies.

Once rare, a discharge petition is becoming a powerful tool to force votes

The discharge petition process forces the bill to the House floor for consideration. It is the same tool bipartisan lawmakers used to pass legislation that required the Justice Department to release the files of the sex trafficking investigation of Jeffrey Epstein.

A discharge resolution needs majority support in the House, where Republicans hold slim control and are typically able to swat back such efforts from Democrats. But increasingly Democrats have pulled a few Republicans to their side.

Pressley's effort won support from four Republicans on the initial petition, and several more on Wednesday's vote to consider the measure.

If the bill is approved in the House, the measure would next go to the Senate, where the outcome is uncertain.

Gallup's latest data shows that 42% of men in the U.S. ages 18-29 said religion is very important to them, a notable increase from 28% in 2022-2023. Over the same time, young women's attachment to religion has stayed low, at about 30%.

This marks the first time young men have overtaken women by a big margin on this measure, which goes back to 2000. Gallup reports aggregate findings every two years to ensure the estimates are stable.

Several decades ago, young women were much more attached to religion than young men, but that's shifted over the years. More recently, young men and women's religiosity was roughly similar. The new increase in young men's religiosity also in contrast to the minimal change seen since 2022-2023 among older men and women.

The gender gap reversal is only happening among adults under 30, according to Gallup's data. Among adults aged 30 and older, women remain more religious than men.

Republican young men grow more religious

Much of the growth in religiosity is happening among young Republicans. The data shows that since 2022-2023, religious attendance has increased among Republican young men and women compared to Democratic men and women. The percentage of young Republican men who attend church, synagogue, mosque or temple at least weekly has been rising since 2019, while young Democratic men's attendance has largely fallen.

There's a similar pattern among women. Now, only about one-quarter of Democratic women under 30 attend church at least monthly, compared to about 6 in 10 young Republican women.

Political scientist Ryan Burge of Washington University in St. Louis, a leading researcher into religious trends and a longtime pastor in the American Baptist Church, said to see the gender gap with religion reversed in Gen Z adults “represents a seismic change in society and the future of the church.”

“It could change the way children are raised,” he said, which could affect the future of the country’s religious landscape if more men are raising religious children.

Burge says young men are more drawn to religion now because it is a space where they feel more accepted in a world where other institutions are “less interested in white men compared to women and people of color.”

“It's the only place where you don't have to apologize for being a white man,” he said. “American religion is very white male dominated and young men are drawn to institutions that elevate them and give them influence and power.”

Young men and women diverge on moral questions

Other surveys suggest that young men also diverge from young women on some important moral questions.

Pew Research Center surveys conducted in March 2025 found about 4 in 10 men under 30 say divorce is morally wrong, compared to only about 2 in 10 young women. Even more men under 30, about half, say abortion is morally wrong, compared to only about one-third of women the same age. Young men are also likelier than young women to say homosexuality is morally wrong, although both groups are substantially less likely than older men and women to hold this view.

While young men stand out on the morality of divorce — only about 2 in 10 men or women under 65 say this is morally wrong — young women are less likely than other men and women to see abortion as morally wrong.

Other Gallup surveys have found that young women are more likely to identify as politically liberal than in the past. This shift is also happening at a time when women are becoming increasingly averse to religion, Burge said.

“Women are viewing religion as patriarchal,” he said. “Abortion is illegal in many states because of Christianity and young women tend to be progressive on issues such as abortion and LGBTQ rights. It feels repressive to them.”

Still, some young women continue to embrace male-led faiths.

Rabbi says people are seeking belonging in dark times

Rabbi Nicole Guzik serves as co-senior rabbi with her husband Erez Sherman at Sinai Temple in Los Angeles, which follows the values of Conservative Judaism. She said membership at her 5,000-strong congregation has seen a steady, significant increase since after the pandemic and Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack on Israel.

Guzik hasn’t seen a gender gap in her congregation with regard to religiosity or attendance, but said she is happy to hear more people are giving importance to religion because “faith has a role to play in shaping people’s identities, especially in an increasingly dark and polarized world.”

“It’s about being in a place of belonging and inspiration,” she said. “People are seeking something right now. There’s a crisis of loneliness and mental health. Social media and AI are not helping. I’m glad that religious institutions are able to provide some semblance of light in these times.”

Overall decline in religiosity may be slowing

Gallup senior scientist Frank Newport, who has studied the gender gap in religiosity over decades, said another important finding is that church attendance is more or less the same for both genders.

“One of the dominant trends we’ve observed in recent years has been a decline in religiosity among Americans,” he said. “Now, in young people, we’re seeing that decline beginning to stop. That’s pretty significant.”

But while age doesn't have a major impact when it comes to church attendance for men, young women are much less likely than older women to attend church at least once a month, the poll found.

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The Gallup results are based on two-year averages from their monthly live telephone surveys that are conducted among approximately 1,000 U.S. adults. The 2024 to 2025 results for the question about the importance of religion are based on 4,015 U.S. adults, including 295 men aged 18 to 29 and 145 women aged 18 to 29. The margin of error for young men is ±7 percentage points for young men and ±10 percentage points for young women on that question.

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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.

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AP polling editor Amelia Thomson-DeVeaux contributed.

IEA Executive Director Fatih Birol painted a sobering picture of the global repercussions of what he called “the largest energy crisis we have ever faced,” stemming from the pinch-off of oil, gas and other vital supplies through the Strait of Hormuz.

“In the past there was a group called ‘Dire Straits.’ It’s a dire strait now, and it is going to have major implications for the global economy. And the longer it goes, the worse it will be for the economic growth and inflation around the world,” he told The Associated Press.

The impact will be “higher petrol (gasoline) prices, higher gas prices, high electricity prices,” said Birol, speaking in his Paris office looking out over the Eiffel Tower.

Economic pain will be felt unevenly and “the countries who will suffer the most will not be those whose voice are heard a lot. It will be mainly the developing countries. Poorer countries in Asia, in Africa and in Latin America,” said the Turkish economist and energy expert who has led the IEA since 2015.

But without a settlement of the Iran war that permanently reopens the Strait of Hormuz, “Everybody is going to suffer,” he added.

“Some countries may be richer than the others. Some countries may have more energy than the others, but no country, no country is immune to this crisis,” he said.

'Slow growth or even recession'

Nearly 20% of the world’s traded oil passes through the Strait of Hormuz in peacetime. Birol warned that not reopening the waterway within weeks could compound the repercussions for global energy supplies.

“In Europe, we have maybe six weeks or so (of) jet fuel left,” he said. “If we are not able to open the Strait of Hormuz ... I can tell you soon we will hear the news that some of the flights from city A to city B might be canceled as a result of lack of jet fuel.”

He added: “Many government leaders tell me that if Hormuz is not open until (the) end of May, many countries — starting from the weaker economies — are going to face huge challenges, and this will go from the high inflation numbers to coming close to slow growth or even to recession in some cases.”

Birol spoke out against the so-called “toll booth” system that Iran has applied to some ships, letting them travel through the strait for a fee. He said allowing that to become more permanent would run the risk of setting a precedent that could then be applied to other waterways, including the vital Malacca Strait in Asia.

“If we change it once, it may be difficult to get it back,” he said. “It will be difficult to have a toll system here, applied here, but not there.”

“I would like to see that the oil flows unconditionally from the point A to point B,” he said.

Damage for Persian Gulf energy facilities

More than 110 oil-laden tankers and over 15 carriers loaded with liquefied natural gas are waiting in the Persian Gulf and could help ease the energy crisis if they could escape through the Strait of Hormuz to world markets, Birol said, adding: “But it is not enough.”

Even with a peace deal, war-damage to energy facilities means it could be many months before pre-conflict levels of production are restored, he said.

“Over 80 key assets in the region have been damaged. And out of these 80, more than one third are severely or very severely damaged,” he said.

“It will be extremely optimistic to believe that it will very quick,” Birol said. “It will take gradually, gradually, up to two years to come back where we were before the war.”

‘Dark shadow’ of geopolitics

Birol said it is incomprehensible that “a couple of hundred men with guns” — apparently referring to Iranian forces — are able to hold hostage the global economy. He said his Paris-based agency, which advises governments on energy policy and helped coordinate a record release of emergency oil reserves earlier in the crisis, has warned for years about the critical importance of the Strait of Hormuz.

The global shock could spur the embrace of other energy technologies, including nuclear power, and “will reshape the global energy map for the next years to come,” he said.

On his office shelves, Birol has a couple of soccer balls — he's a devoted supporter of the Turkish club Galatasaray — and other memorabilia, including a photo of his late father playing soccer, and reams of books. One in particular stood out for its timely title: Oil, Power and War.

“Energy and geopolitics have been always interwoven,” Birol said. “But I have never, ever seen ... such a dark and long shadow of geopolitics."

He added: " Unfortunately, energy is at the heart of many conflicts which, again, makes me, as an energy person, rather sad, to be honest.”

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Officers with the Coral Springs Police Department said they took Wesley Henrique Ferreira Ramos Pereira into custody on Thursday outside of Coral Park Elementary School, located at 8401 Westview Drive.

According to police, detectives with CSPD’s Strategic Enforcement Team were helping the Broward Sheriff’s Office in surveilling Ferreira Ramos Pereira, who was wanted by BSO for three counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, as well as a charge of culpable negligence.

Investigators said they tracked Ferreira Ramos Pereira to the school, where he was subcontracted to work as a painter and help paint the walls of classrooms, inside the school.

Several detectives surrounded Ferreira Ramos Pereira as he walked to his car outside the school, but when police said he refused to get on the ground, a K9 unit was deployed to assist in taking Ferreira Ramos Pereira into custody.

He did not appear in the online Broward jail database on Wednesday.

Revenue jumped 8.5% to $19.44 billion in the January-March period compared to the same period a year ago, the Purchase, New York, company said Thursday. That handily beat Wall Street’s forecast of $18.95 billion, according to analysts polled by FactSet.

“The consumer is coming back multiple times to our brands, responding to our holistic value plus execution, plus advertising, plus innovation strategy,” PepsiCo CEO Ramon Laguarta said Thursday during a conference call with investors.

PepsiCo leaned heavily into price increases to combat inflation in the aftermath of the COVID pandemic. The company hiked prices by double-digit percentages for eight straight quarters in 2022 and 2023 before settling into more moderate price increases.

That took a toll on sales. Consumers stopped buying Frito-Lay snacks or shifted to cheaper store brands. PepsiCo's market value has fallen by more than $40 billion from 2023.

PepsiCo began cutting prices on value brands like Chester's and Santitas last spring to win back exasperated customers. Then, last September, activist investor Elliott Investment Management took a $4 billion stake in the company and began pressing for further price cuts and other changes. PepsiCo agreed to accelerate its price cuts late last year.

In February, ahead of the Super Bowl, PepsiCo slashed U.S. prices on Lay’s, Doritos, Cheetos and Tostitos chips by up to 15%. At a Michigan Walmart on Thursday, a 9.25-ounce bag of Doritos was advertising a price rollback to $3.97, down from $4.48.

PepsiCo said new products like Cheetos NKD and Doritos NKD, which have no artificial ingredients, and snacks with trendy ingredients, like Smartfood FiberPop and Doritos Protein, are also attracting shoppers, both in the U.S. and internationally.

On the beverage side, PepsiCo is seeing new customers thanks to its recent acquisition of Poppi, a gut health soda, and a new lower-sugar version of Gatorade that has no artificial ingredients. On Thursday, PepsiCo announced that it will shift Gatorade's packaging and marketing to focus more on hydration for general consumers and less on athletes.

“So two types of consumers are coming into the category, because both of a stronger core and also innovation,” Laguarta said. “And I think we’re going to continue to play both levers.”

Net income rose 27% to $2.33 billion for the quarter. Adjusted for one-time items, the company earned $1.61 per share. That also beat Wall Street’s forecast of $1.54 per share.

PepsiCo shares rose 2% in morning trading.

Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Corp., a key supplier for Apple and Nvidia and the largest contract chipmaker in the world, reported a record net quarterly profit of 572.5 billion new Taiwan dollars ($18.1 billion) for the first three months of the year, better than analysts had expected.

Profit for the quarter was 58.3% higher compared to the 361.6 billion new Taiwan dollars ($11.5 billion) booked the same period a year earlier. It was also 13.2% higher compared with the previous quarter in October-December.

Revenue increased 8.4% in the January-March period from the previous three months to $35.9 billion, the company said. For the current April-June quarter, TSMC expected revenue to further grow to between $39 billion and $40.2 billion.

As AI-related demand continues to surge, TSMC has been expanding chip fabrication plants in the U.S., Japan and Taiwan, with a focus on making more advanced 3-nanometer semiconductors that are used in smartphones and AI products.

“AI-related demand continues to be extremely robust,” C.C. Wei, TSMC’s CEO and chairman, told an earnings conference on Thursday. “Our conviction in the multi-year AI megatrend remains high, and we believe the demand for semiconductors will continue to be very fundamental.”

TSMC also warned of potential impacts from the Iran war, which has not only pushed up global supply chain costs but is also disrupting the world’s supply of chemicals and gas such as helium essential for chipmaking.

Wendell Huang, TSMC’s chief financial officer, said while rising costs stemming from the Iran war could weigh on profitability, the company has “prepared safety stock inventory on hand” including for helium and is not expecting “any near-term impact" on operations.

TSMC has pledged huge investments in expanding its manufacturing capacity in Taiwan and abroad, including $165 billion of commitments in building plants in Arizona. The company said Thursday its capital spending for the next three years will be “significantly higher” than the past three years as it ramps up capacity to meet customers’ growing demand.

The chipmaker had earlier announced plans to raise its capital expenditure budget to $52 billion-$56 billion for this year from about $40 billion in 2025. It said Thursday it now expects capital spending in 2026 to be toward the higher end of that.

He was released on appeal, which will be heard at a later date.

If the verdict and sentence are upheld, Malema will be disqualified as a lawmaker. South African law bars anyone from serving in Parliament if they have been convicted of an offense and sentenced to more than 12 months in prison without the option of a fine.

Malema was convicted in October on five counts, including unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition, discharge of a firearm in a built-up area and reckless endangerment.

Malema addressed hundreds of his party supporters, popularly known as “fighters," many of whom traveled from various provinces to attend the sentencing. Clad in their red party regalia, they chanted and sang before and after the sentence was delivered.

A defiant Malema criticized the magistrate, claiming she was biased against him throughout the case. “We were tried by a magistrate who doesn't read, who uses emotions, who speaks politics. We are done with her, we are going to a higher court,” he said.

The fiery lawmaker, who leads the leftist Economic Freedom Fighters party, was charged alongside his bodyguard Anton Snyman, after the video of the incident went viral. Snyman was found not guilty.

Delivering the sentence, Magistrate Twanet Olivier said she considered the magnitude of the offense when she determined his sentence. “We hear daily, or weekly, of children playing in the front yards, in the street, who are caught in crossfire, random shots fired, killing people. It’s just the first time that we hear, it’s being called celebratory shots,” Olivier said.

During his trial and sentencing, Malema said that the charges against him were politically motivated as they were brought by Afriforum, a lobby group for the white Afrikaner minority group that has been at odds with Malema for years.

Olivier said the sentence and verdict was based solely on his actions on the day.

Malema, whose party is the fourth-biggest in the country, is a divisive figure, mainly because of his party policies, which include the expropriation of white-owned land without compensation and the nationalization of mines and banks.

He appeared in a video shown by U.S. President Donald Trump during a tense meeting with South Africa President Cyril Ramaphosa last year, where he was singing a controversial anti-apartheid song that has been interpreted by some as calling for violence against Afrikaners.

The whale, which has been nicknamed Timmy by local media, is lying in shallow waters near the eastern German town of Wismar and has barely moved for days. Many fear it may soon die.

Timmy was first spotted swimming in the region on March 3. It is not clear why the whale swam into the Baltic Sea, which is far from its natural habitat. Some experts say the animal may have lost its way while swimming after a shoal of herring or during migration.

The animal faces long odds in finding its way back out into the North Sea, a journey of several hundred kilometers (miles), and then to the Atlantic Ocean.

Previous rescue efforts have failed

Attempts to refloat the mammal with the help of police boats, excavators and inflatable boats had temporarily freed it. But the whale, which measures 12 to 15 meters (39 to 49 feet) long, never found its way back to the North Sea and was stranded again while becoming weaker and sicker.

Local media have started days-long livestreams to feed the outsized public atttention on the fate of the whale, which is lying in shallow waters and only breathing slowly and heavily. Online newspapers have pushed alerts with the smallest developments about Timmy's health including updates on its bad skin condition, which is related to the Baltic Sea's low salt content.

Activists have staged protests on the beach in Wismar calling for the animal's liberation, while influencers have debated whether the best way to help the animal was to let it die in peace or keep trying to assist its return to the Atlantic Ocean.

Timmy getting police protection and expert assistance

Interest in the whale has been so strong that police had put up a 500-meter (1,640 foot) protection zone to keep curious bystanders from getting too close and stressing the stranded whale even more.

Despite these efforts, a 67-year-old woman jumped off a boat on the weekend trying to get close to the whale before she was stopped.

Experts have come up with a sophisticated plan to use air cushions to lift the animal onto a tarp, which will be secured to two pontoons and attached to a tugboat.

State officials have approved a private initiative to transport the whale back to the North Sea and possibly further to the Atlantic. If everything goes according to plan, the tugboat carrying Timmy will have left the Baltic Sea by Friday.

“He’s not active, and he’s certainly not agile, but he shows that there’s still life in him,” Till Backhaus, the environment minister of the state of Mecklenburg-Pomerania, where Wismar is located, said Wednesday as he announced the new rescue plan. “He’s definitely suffered serious damage, that’s for sure.”

The jet power from this relatively close black hole-star system is equivalent to 10,000 suns, an international research team reported Thursday. They also tracked the jet speed: roughly 355 million mph (540 million kph) — half the speed of light.

Located 7,200 light-years away, Cygnus X-1 features not only a black hole — the first one ever identified more than a half-century ago — but a blue supergiant star, its constant companion. A light-year is nearly 6 trillion miles (9.7 trillion kilometers).

The University of Oxford’s Steve Prabu and his team based their findings on 18 years of high-resolution radio imaging obtained by a global telescope network. He conducted the research while still at Australia’s Curtin University, which led the study published in Nature Astronomy.

Prabu and his colleagues were able to measure the swift power of these “dancing jets” as he calls them, as they were pushed in opposite directions by the star’s wind. The group based its calculations on how much the jets were bent by the stellar wind as well as computer modeling.

Until now, a black hole’s jet power had to be averaged over tens of thousands of years, the researchers said.

Prabu said a key finding is that 10% of all the energy released as matter falls toward the black hole is carried away by the jets.

On the skimpy side as black holes go, the one in Cygnus X-1 is continually pulling gases from its stellar playmate as they orbit one another. Discovered in the 1960s, the binary system is located in our Milky Way’s Cygnus, or swan, constellation.

The supergiant star feeds material to the black hole, giving it “something to ‘eat’ and launch as jets,” Prabu said in an email.

These jets can help scientists better understand how black holes help shape galaxies and other cosmic structures through large-scale shocks and turbulence.

Prabu plans to apply similar techniques to other black holes. “It would be exciting to measure jet power in many more systems,” he said.

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The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Department of Science Education and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The AP is solely responsible for all content.

The honor was bestowed by the Roosevelt Foundation that was created in 1982 to present awards honoring the Four Freedoms outlined by U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt in his 1941 State of the Union address — freedom of speech and expression, freedom of worship, freedom from want, and freedom from fear.

“We pay the highest tribute to the unwavering courage and enduring perseverance of the Ukrainian people and to the steadfast and resolute leadership of their president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy,” Hugo de Jonge, chair of the foundation, said Thursday.

Dutch Prime Minister Rob Jetten paid tribute to Zelenskyy at the ceremony, saying, “It speaks volumes that you only agreed to accept this award if you could do so on behalf of all the people of Ukraine.”

After receiving a standing ovation, Zelenskyy asked for a moment of silence for the victims of a deadly overnight barrage by Russia that killed at least 16 people and wounded many more.

“Dozens of people have been injured and, sadly, so sadly, there are also lives lost in Odesa, Kyiv, Dnipro. Just ordinary people, children, civilians, killed by Russian madness,” he said, as he called for those responsible for war crimes in Ukraine to be held accountable under international law.

“Do not let Russia go unpunished," he said.

Previous winners of the international award include Nelson Mandela, the Dalai Lama, Germany's former Chancellor Angela Merkel, and organizations including the United Nations and the International Committee of the Red Cross.

French rape survivor Gisèle Pelicot was receiving the Freedom from Fear Award; the Committee to Protect Journalists received the Freedom of Speech Award; Isidora Uribe Silva from Chile, who has cerebral palsy, earned the Freedom from Want Award for her years of campaigning for inclusion, equal human rights, and gender equality.

The winner of the Freedom of Worship Award was not announced publicly by the foundation, citing security concerns.

After the ceremony, Zelenskyy was meeting with Jetten. The Netherlands has been a strong supporter of Ukraine since the Russian invasion, including providing Patriot missiles and fighter jets. On Wednesday, Defense Minister Dilan Yeşilgöz-Zegerius announced that the Netherlands was spending 248 million euros ($292 million) on drones for the Ukrainian military.

With no plans announced for further U.S.-mediated talks with Russia, Zelenskyy had already visited three European capitals in 48 hours this week to try to secure promises of further military and financial support from Germany and Norway and Italy. Germany and Ukraine agreed a defense package valued at 4 billion euros ($4.7 billion), and Norway has pledged 9 billion euros in assistance, Ukrainian officials said.

The Four Freedoms awards are presented in the New Church in Middelburg, in the province of Zeeland, where Roosevelt's ancestors hail from.

The activists, all of whom were Kazakh nationals, protested near the border with China in November, burning Chinese flags and portraits of Chinese leader Xi Jinping and calling for the release of a Kazakh citizen detained in Xinjiang last year.

Eleven activists were sentenced to five years in prison for “inciting discord,” while the other eight were given restrictions on their movement. Shinquat Baizhan, a lawyer representing the activists, confirmed the sentences, which were also reported in local media.

Though Kazakhs speaking out against China’s policies in Xinjiang have long faced pressure, advocacy groups say this is the first time such a large group of Xinjiang activists has been imprisoned in the country.

“This is unprecedented,” said Yalkun Uluyol, China researcher at Human Rights Watch. “It signals that Kazakhstan is willing to sacrifice freedom of its people to maintain good relations with Beijing.”

The Chinese government launched a brutal crackdown in Xinjiang starting in 2017, sweeping a million or more Uyghurs, Kazakhs, and other predominantly Muslim ethnicities into prisons and internment camps. Though many have since been released, the region remains under tight control, with strict limitations on religious and cultural practices.

Xinjiang has long been a touchy issue in neighboring Kazakhstan, a Central Asian country of 20 million people that relies on China as a major trading partner. The Kazakh government opened criminal investigations targeting the protesters after receiving a diplomatic note from the Chinese consulate in Almaty, Kazakhstan’s largest city, Uluyol said.

The note, which The Associated Press obtained and reviewed, called the protest “an open provocation against the national dignity of the People’s Republic of China and an insult to the Chinese Communist Party and the Chinese people.”

In a statement, the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs called the sentencing an “internal affair” and praised Kazakhstan as a “friendly neighbor” that is “familiar with China’s policies on governing Xinjiang."

The Kazakh Ministry of Foreign Affairs did not respond to a request for comment.

The protesters were members of Atajurt, an organization that advocates for the rights of Chinese-born Kazakhs facing repression in China. Xinjiang is home to over a million ethnic Kazakhs, thousands of whom were detained and many more who face restrictions on their movement to this day.

Atajurt has long faced pressure from the Kazakh government, an authoritarian state with little tolerance for dissent. Authorities arrested Atajurt’s founder Serikzhan Bilash in 2019, releasing him into exile after extracting a promise not to engage in political activities.

But the Kazakh government remained tolerant of the organization’s activities to a certain extent, mindful of widespread sympathy in Kazakhstan toward the Chinese-born Kazakh population,

That appears to have changed, Uluyol said, as Kazakhstan has edged closer to China and authorities in Kazakhstan show less tolerance for groups protesting Beijing's policies.

Bilash, Atajurt’s founder, says the arrests would have widespread ramifications. The group's work included providing financial support for the relatives of people who were detained in Xinjiang, writing letters supporting them to embassies and the United Nations, and taping hundreds of testimonies by people looking for missing loved ones.

“The world will lose more than just a human rights organization; it will lose the biggest window into the humanitarian disaster in neighboring Xinjiang,” said Bilash, who is now living in exile in the United States.

Villa won the opening leg 3-1 in Italy with Ollie Watkins netting twice on the way to its eighth straight victory in the competition.

The English club is in a European quarterfinal for the third straight year and is on course to secure a Champions League spot next season while sitting fourth in the Premier League.

Bologna has won its last five away Europa matches since it lost to Villa in the opening game of the league phase.

The two also met in last years Champions League with Villa winning 2-0.

Villa coach Unai Emery said he respects Bologna.

“We must be focused 100%,” Emery said. He is the most successful coach in the competition after four titles with Sevilla and Villarreal.

Another Premier League club, Nottingham Forest, needs a win against Porto at the City Ground to advance in its return to European competitions after 30 years.

In a tie of two two-time European champions, they settled for a 1-1 draw at Porto.

Also, Freiburg travels to Celta Vigo with a healthy 3-0 advantage and Real Betis hosts Braga after drawing the first leg 1-1.

In the Conference League, Crystal Palace defends a 3-0 lead at two-time runner-up Fiorentina.

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

Leo traveled to the western Cameroon city of Bamenda, where jubilant crowds clogged the roads, blowing horns and dancing. They were overjoyed that a pope had come so far to see them and put a global spotlight on the violence that has traumatized this region for nearly a decade.

Leo presided over a peace meeting involving a Mankon traditional chief, a Presbyterian moderator, an imam and a Catholic nun. The aim was to highlight the interfaith movement that has been seeking to end the conflict and care for its many victims.

In his remarks in the St. Joseph Cathedral, on land donated by the Mankon, Leo praised the peace movement and warned against allowing religion to enter conflicts. It's a theme he has been echoing amid the U.S.-Israeli war in Iran and the religious justifications for it by U.S. officials.

“Blessed are the peacemakers!” he said. “But woe to those who manipulate religion and the very name of God for their own military, economic and political gain, dragging that which is sacred into darkness and filth.”

He called for a “decisive change of course” that leads away from conflict and the exploitation of the land for military or economic gain.

“The world is being ravaged by a handful of tyrants, yet it is held together by a multitude of supportive brothers and sisters!” he said.

Leo's comments were directed at Cameroon's separatist conflict. But Vatican officials have made clear that on this trip, he is preaching the Gospel message of peace that surpasses borders and continents, and is meant for all those responsible for the wars and exploitation ravaging Earth.

Leo said Bamenda was a model for the rest of the world. “Bamenda, today you are the city on the hill, resplendent in the eyes of all!” Leo said in English, using a phrase often understood as referring to American exceptionalism.

It wasn’t immediately clear if any of Cameroon's separatist fighters, who announced a three-day pause in fighting to allow the pope safe passage to Bamenda, attended.

A conflict rooted in colonial history

The conflict in Cameroon’s two Anglophone regions is rooted in Cameroon’s colonial history, when the country was divided between France and Britain after World War I. English-speaking regions later joined French Cameroon in a 1961 U.N.-backed vote, but separatists say they have since been politically and economically marginalized.

In 2017, English-speaking separatists launched a rebellion with the stated goal of breaking away from the French-speaking majority and establishing an independent state. The conflict has killed more than 6,000 people and displaced over 600,000 others, according to the International Crisis Group.

Leo arrived to a raucous welcome in Bamenda, where blasting music from loudspeakers gave the event a concert-like vibe.

“We are so overjoyed, so overwhelmed,” said Felicity Cali, a Catholic student. “Say thank you, God, for this extraordinary day and for making us be alive to see this day.”

Leo kept up the theme in his homily before an estimated 20,000 people who gathered for his afternoon Mass at Bamenda’s airfield, where they went wild when he looped around the crowd in his covered popemobile. Leo pointed to the “moral, social and political corruption,” that afflicts Cameroon, stifling its development.

Added to these internal problems of conflict and corruption “is the damage caused from outside, by those who, in the name of profit, continue to lay their hands on the African continent to exploit and plunder it,” he said.

It was a cry that echoed the words of Pope Francis when he traveled to Congo in 2023. “Hands off Africa!” he exhorted the foreign interests plundering the continent.

Cameroon's separatist movement is believed to be backed by several actors abroad. In December, a federal jury in U.S. convicted two individuals for conspiracy to provide funds and equipment to the separatist fighters. Belgian authorities in March also announced they had arrested four people as part of investigations into Belgian residents suspected of being among the separatist leaders and raising money for them there.

“Those who rob your land of its resources generally invest much of the profit in weapons, thus perpetuating an endless cycle of destabilization and death,” Leo said. “It is a world turned upside down, an exploitation of God’s creation that must be denounced and rejected by every honest conscience.”

Cameroon sits atop significant reserves of oil, natural gas, cobalt, bauxite, iron ore, gold and diamonds, making resource extraction one of the pillars of its economy.

While French and English companies have long dominated the extraction industry in Cameroon, Chinese companies have established a significant presence in recent years, particularly in the gold mining regions of the east.

Though the number of deadly attacks by separatists has decreased in recent years, the conflict shows no sign of resolution. Peace talks with international mediators have stalled, with both sides accusing each other of acting in bad faith.

Morine Ngum, a mother of three whose husband was shot dead in 2022 by Cameroonian soldiers while fighting as a separatist, expressed doubt that the pope’s visit and peace meeting would lead to meaningful change. She said any real progress must begin with those in power.

“Nothing is going to change,” said Ngum, 30. “This conflict has turned my children into orphans and me into a widow. Many families have been rendered homeless.”

Testimony to pope about the toll of the conflict

The archbishop of Bamenda, Andrew Nkea Fuanya, told Leo that the people there had suffered from “a situation they did not create,” losing their livelihoods, homes and education: Children were not allowed to go to school for years.

“Most Holy Father, today that your feet are standing on the soil of Bamenda that has drunk the blood of many of our children,” he said.

The Right Rev. Fonki Samuel Forba, emeritus moderator of the Presbyterian church in Cameroon, said the Vatican had joined other faith groups in trying to bring the separatists to the negotiating table with the government, and meeting with their supporters abroad.

Biya’s government has been accused of shunning dialogue with the separatists.

“There is a proverb in Africa that ‘When two elephants fight, it is the grass that suffers,’” Forba said.

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Akua reported from Yaounde, Cameroon. Associated Press writer Chinedu Asadu in Abuja, Nigeria, contributed to this report.

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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.

Russia launched nearly 700 drones and dozens of ballistic and cruise missiles, primarily targeting civilians, in its biggest aerial barrage in almost two weeks, authorities said.

Tetiana Sokol, a 54-year-old resident of Kyiv, said two missiles hit near her home and she took cover with her dog in the hallway as flashes lit up the night and windows shattered from the blast wave.

“On the third attack everything broke, everything flew, we were shocked, we didn’t know where to run. I grabbed whatever came to hand and ran away with the dog,” she told The Associated Press. “I still can’t find the cats in the house, they climbed out somewhere, I don’t even know. No windows, nothing, the dog is still walking around in stress.”

Moscow's forces have hit civilian areas almost daily since its all-out invasion of its neighbor more than four years ago, with the regular assaults occasionally punctuated by massive attacks. More than 15,000 Ukrainian civilians have died in the strikes, the United Nations says.

The Russian Defense Ministry said the operation was launched “in retaliation” for Ukrainian strikes deep inside Russia, where long-range drones and missiles have hit Russian oil refineries and war-related manufacturing plants. The Russian barrage was aimed at facilities associated with the Ukrainian armed forces, the Defense Ministry claimed.

European Council President António Costa described it as “yet another horrendous attack” while people slept in their homes.

Zelenskyy on a mission to improve air defenses

The latest bombardment came in the wake of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's 48-hour trip this week to Germany, Norway and Italy in an urgent search for more air defense systems that can stop Russian missiles.

Ukraine has developed a significant domestic arms industry, especially in the production of drones and missiles, but it can’t yet match the sophistication of U.S. Patriot air defense systems. Ukraine’s top diplomatic priority is securing allies’ help to buy and build more and better air defenses, Zelenskyy said this week.

Yuriy Ihnat, the head of communications for the Ukrainian air force, said the Russian attack made extensive use of ballistic missiles, which only Patriot systems can reliably shoot down.

“We desperately need more missiles for the Patriot systems," Ihnat told Ukraine’s private TV channel 1+1.

Cash-strapped Ukraine also needs the speedy disbursement of a promised loan from the European Union of 90 billion euros ($106 billion) that has been blocked by Hungary.

Ukraine fears the Iran war is burning through stockpiles of the advanced American-made air defense systems it needs, and has argued against a U.S. temporary waiver on Russian oil sanctions that Kyiv says is helping finance the Kremlin's war effort.

“Another night has proven that Russia does not deserve any easing of global policy or lifting of sanctions,” Zelenskyy said on X.

He thanked Germany, Norway and Italy for new agreements this week on supporting Ukraine's air defense. Officials are also working with the Netherlands on additional supplies, he said.

At the same time, he noted that some partner countries haven't followed through on pledges of military support.

“I have instructed the Commander of the Air Force to contact those partners who earlier committed to providing missiles for Patriot and other systems,” Zelenskyy said.

Other areas of Ukraine and Russia were also hit

The bombardment was the biggest in weeks. Last month, Russia fired 948 drones and 34 missiles in the space of 24 hours in the largest assault of the war on civilian areas.

At least four people were killed overnight in Kyiv, including a 12-year-old, with more than 50 others injured, according to authorities. Officials said the attack damaged 17 apartment buildings, 10 private homes, as well as a hotel, office center, car dealership, gas station and a shopping mall in the capital.

Nine people were killed and 23 injured in the southern port city of Odesa, three women were killed and around three dozen injured in the central Dnipro region, and one person was killed in Zaporizhzhia in the south.

“Such attacks cannot be normalized. These are war crimes that must be stopped and their perpetrators held to account,” Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha said on X.

Ukraine’s air force said air defenses shot down or disabled 667 out of 703 incoming targets, including 636 Shahed-type drones and other uncrewed aerial vehicles.

It said 20 strike drones and 12 missiles hit 26 locations.

Meanwhile in Russia, Krasnodar regional Gov. Veniamin Kondratyev reported that a 14-year-old girl and a woman were killed in Ukrainian strikes in the Black Sea port of Tuapse.

He said that attacks damaged six apartment buildings, 24 private houses and three schools. Drone fragments also fell near Tuapse.

Russia’s Defense Ministry said that its air defenses downed 207 Ukrainian drones overnight.

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Follow AP’s coverage of the war in Ukraine at https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine

If passed, the bill would fast-track a 2023 law mandating 33% reservation for women in Parliament and state legislatures. It would be one of the most consequential shifts in political representation since India’s independence and potentially widen female participation in a system where women remain underrepresented.

The quota, however, is linked to a controversial separate bill to change voting boundaries, a process that could increase the number of seats in the lower house from 543 to about 850.

While there appears to be a broad bipartisan support for putting more women into Parliament, opposition parties have raised concerns over changing voting boundaries, warning it could tilt the political balance in favor of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party.

The bills are being taken up during a three-day special session of Parliament and will require a two-thirds majority in both houses to pass. Modi’s ruling National Democratic Alliance holds 293 seats in Parliament, while a two-thirds majority would require 360 seats.

Women’s representation will close gender gap

Several Asian countries, including India’s neighbors like Nepal and Bangladesh, have similar quotas for women in national legislatures. India already mandates that one-third of seats be set aside for women in local governance bodies, but women currently hold only about 14% of seats in the lower house of Parliament.

The quota could bring hundreds more women into legislative politics, which supporters say could redirect policy attention toward women’s health, education and gender-based violence. It is unclear how seats would be allocated to women in an expanded Parliament.

Ranjana Kumari, a women’s rights advocate, said the move would make India’s “democracy truly representative” and force political parties to field more female candidates.

“(The) door is little open. Women will enter and fill the room slowly,” Kumari said.

For many young Indian women, the change also carries symbolic weight.

Pranita Gupta, a 23-year-old law graduate, said it will instill “a sense of confidence that we can participate in politics and we can be part of Parliament not only as an exception but as well as a norm.”

Redrawing of electoral boundaries sparks concerns

The rollout of the quota is tied to a population-based redrawing of voting boundaries using data from the last completed census in 2011. While the timeline for this process remains unclear, the proposal has already triggered political debate.

Opposition parties warn that basing constituencies on population could shift political power toward faster-growing northern states, while diminishing the parliamentary representation, seat share and overall influence of southern regions. They also argue it could benefit Modi’s party, which has strong support in the northern states.

India’s Constitution mandates that parliamentary seats be allocated by population and revised after each census. However, boundaries have not been redrawn since the 1971 census, as successive governments delayed the process over concerns about uneven population growth.

Leaders in southern states, where birthrates have declined more sharply, say a population-based delimitation exercise could increase seats in the north and disadvantage southern regions that have slowed population growth and built stronger economies.

Political backlash mounts as opposition warns of protests

Modi’s party has pushed back on the criticism of the bill and said it would implement a uniform 50% increase in seats across all states, maintaining proportional representation nationwide. However, the draft legislation does not explicitly spell this out.

Speaking in Parliament, Modi said the legislation is “not discriminatory” and “will not do injustice to anyone.”

But early opposition surfaced Thursday, as Tamil Nadu chief minister M.K. Stalin burned a copy of the bill and raised a black flag in protest. He urged people across the state to do the same.

Some leaders from southern states also turned up in Parliament dressed in black as a mark of protest.

India’s opposition leader Rahul Gandhi alleged the exercise could be used to “gerrymander” parliamentary constituencies in favor of Modi’s party ahead of the 2029 national elections.

“Delimitation should be based on a transparent policy framework, developed after wide consultations with a consensus,” he wrote Wednesday on X.

In the fourth quarter of an elimination game, Draymond Green bodied up to Kawhi Leonard and utterly shut down one of the greatest scorers of their generation.

Curry and Green have already done it all and won it all during their 14 years and four championships together. The Golden State Warriors ' visit to the Los Angeles Clippers on Wednesday night was merely a play-in game for the right to travel to Phoenix after a trying regular season that ended with Golden State sitting eight games below .500 and in 10th place in the Western Conference.

And yet both the style and substance of this 126-121 comeback victory indelibly evoked the brilliance of the Warriors' golden era.

The few remaining men who have been around for the whole ride were thrilled to travel back in time.

“For one night, we’re us. We’re champions again,” coach Steve Kerr said. “And I know that may sound crazy to everybody out there. It’s a play-in game. I don’t care. Just absolutely beautiful to watch.”

Curry put it even more simply: “That’s what you live for right there."

Golden State overcame a 13-point deficit in the fourth quarter behind Curry, who scored 27 points in a dominant second half. While he took care of the offense, Green took the defensive lead with a smothering effort against Leonard, who couldn't score in the fourth quarter until the Clippers were cooked.

The Warriors also got stellar contributions from two newcomers. Kristaps Porzingis had 20 points, five rebounds and five assists with an exciting series of big plays — and 39-year-old Al Horford shocked the entire arena when he hit four 3-pointers in the fourth quarter of just his third game since missing a month with a strained right calf.

Curry broke a tie with his final 3-pointer, falling into the front row of Clippers fans while the ball pierced the net with 50 seconds left. The superstar was playing just his fifth game since returning from a 27-game absence with a knee injury, and he demonstrated exactly why he rejected any notion that he should shut himself down for the summer.

“This is what you work all year for, all summer, offseason,” Curry said. “We’re not guaranteed a (playoff) series yet, but these nights make everything worth it, because you feel the anxiety of having to perform when the lights are bright, do-or-die game. ... Considering how our season has gone, all the injuries and all that, for us to play the way we did tonight was special.”

Green didn’t score in the fourth quarter, but the Warriors credited their defensive stopper for stifling Leonard, whose play for Toronto in the 2019 NBA Finals is still painful in the minds of Golden State fans.

With Green hounding his every move, Leonard got only two shots in the fourth quarter. Leonard finished with 21 points while having a fraction of his usual impact on Clippers games.

Leonard called Green a “Hall of Fame defender. It was hard to even get shots up.”

Green thought the Warriors could be a title contender going into this season, but it didn't happen. Jimmy Butler went down for the season in January, Moses Moody was sidelined in March, and Golden State finished the regular season on a 5-15 skid to its worst record in a full regular season since 2012.

But after knocking off Los Angeles, Golden State is one win away from making the playoffs anyway. Even for the Warriors who have already won everything, the chance to do the improbable is irresistible.

“I know we’re not satisfied,” Curry said. “We want to go to Phoenix and guarantee a playoff series against OKC. That’s the next goal, but for us to lock in on just 48 minutes, figure out how to get a win, knowing that the game was not going to be perfect, we were all pretty committed to that. The eight guys that got on the floor all had a part in making it happen.”

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

Marles released the latest two-year update of Australia’s defense strategy and said an additional 53 billion Australian dollars ($38 billion) in spending on defense was planned over the next decade.

Australia’s defense budget would grow from 2.8% of GDP this year to 3% by 2033 as “Australia faces its most complex and threatening strategic circumstances since the end of World War II,” Marles said.

Asked how much more complex and threatening Australia’s circumstances were since the United States and Israel attacked Iran in February, Marles told reporters: “I don’t think anyone could honestly answer that question.”

“It greatly complicates the global strategic landscape,” Marles said. “The world feels less safe.”

“Having said that, we do very much support the strategic objective of denying Iran a deployable nuclear weapon,” Marles added.

The latest strategy expands the military's adoption of autonomous and uncrewed systems on land, sea and air, including the Australian-developed Ghost Bat uncrewed jet aircraft and Ghost Shark underwater drone.

The strategy also expands the military's long-range strike capabilities and accelerates the introduction of intergrated air and missile defense systems.

Marles said his government’s decision to increase defense spending to 3% of GDP was not a response to pressure from U.S. President Donald Trump’s administration.

The Pentagon released its own National Defense Strategy in January that chastised U.S. allies to take control of their own security.

The Australian government was making its own resourcing decisions, Marles said.

“What that has yielded to date is, under our government, the biggest peacetime increase in defense spending that our nation has seen,” Marles said.

The latest spending strategy would focus on Australian self-reliance, which should not be confused with military self-sufficiency, Marles said.

“This is not about jettisoning alliance relationships. To the contrary, alliances, especially with the United States, will always be fundamental to Australia’s defense,” Marles said.

Australia’s largest-ever defense investment is expected to be a fleet of at least eight submarines powered by U.S. nuclear technology provided through the AUKUS partnership with the United States and Britain.

Australia expects the subs would cost between AU$268 billion ($193 billion) and AU$368 billion ($264 billion) over three decades.

“With Hollywood studios merging willy nilly like middle aged couples at a swingers party, Amazon acquired MGM and opened the vault,” a voiceover said in the “Spaceballs” sizzle reel, with the image on the screen showing Warner Bros. and Paramount, making Amazon MGM the only studio to publicly reference the pending acqusition at the conference so far.

Mel Brooks, in a video message, announced the title, “Spaceballs: The New One."

"It's just like the old one, but it's newer," Brooks said.

He explained that it was not called “Spaceballs: The Search for More Money” because, he said, he found the money. It was in his basement. Also, he said, he couldn't be at Caesar's Palace with everyone because he was seeing Phish at the Sphere.

Moranis's appearance on stage evoked a big reaction from the crowd, but he only got a few words out — part of the bit was that everyone would keep interrupting him, and they stuck to it. The film is expected in theaters next year.

“Spaceballs” was just one part of the big Amazon MGM Studios presentation to theater owners, which also included first looks at Peter Farrelly’s Sylvester Stallone biopic “I Play Rocky” and Michael B. Jordan's “The Thomas Crown Affair."

The newly minted best actor Oscar winner for his dual performance in “Sinners,” Jordan directs and stars in the romantic art heist, alongside Adria Arjona. Jon Batiste also played a bit of the score he’s composing for the film.

“I’ve been daydreaming about making this movie for years,” said Jordan.

He watched the 1999 version when he was 12 and said “It left a very big impression on me.”

For his version, he said, he wanted to bring the style, sophistication and rebellion he loved in both of the previous versions, but also to make his character “someone you can root for.”

Amazon MGM Studios was received warmly by the exhibitors in the audience on the heels of their biggest theatrical release so far, and their promise to release 15 movies a year by 2027. “Project Hail Mary” continues to do big business, with over $515 million in global box office earnings. It was so popular that it will be returning to IMAX theaters for one week starting Friday.

Filmmakers Phil Lord and Chris Miller even made a surprise appearance, with Ryan Gosling, to thank the exhibitors for playing the film in their theaters.

“This movie is now the biggest original movie of the year because you believed in it,” Miller said.

The studio previewed their summer He-Man movie “Masters of the Universe,” starring Nicholas Galitzine, and the family film “The Sheep Detectives,” also with Galitzine, Hugh Jackman and Nicholas Braun. Pete Davidson also showed up with David Leitch for their gonzo action pic “How to Rob a Bank.”

“This movie is totally (expective) insane,” Davidson said.

Later, they showed first looks at Henry Cavill in “Highlander” and Anne Hathaway and Dakota Johnson in the adaptation of the Colleen Hoover psychological thriller “Verity.”

One franchise that did not have any news to share was James Bond. Amazon paid $8.45 billion for MGM in 2021, at least in part because of the allure of 007. Just last year the joint studio announced it had taken the creative reins of the franchise after decades of family control with longtime Bond custodians Michael G. Wilson and Barbara Broccoli agreeing to step back. They also hired Denis Villeneuve to direct the first film of the new era, with Amy Pascal and David Heyman producing.

But precious little is known about their plans for the next Bond movie beyond that, including who might play the dapper agent.

Courtenay Valenti, Amazon MGM’s head of film, said “we’re taking time to do this with care and deep respect.”

But during Leo’s epic four-nation trip to Africa, being inside the Vatican “bubble” has been an almost surreal experience, as an unprecedented back-and-forth plays out between U.S. President Donald Trump and history’s first American pope.

Every morning this week, waking up to developments in Washington from the evening before, the questions have abounded: Will Leo bite? How will he address the latest criticism, if at all, while focusing on the Africa program he has planned?

That was certainly the case on Wednesday, as Leo, the Vatican delegation and a pool of around 70 accredited reporters boarded the ITA Airways charter for the second leg of Leo’s 11-day odyssey — the flight from Algiers, Algeria to Yaounde, Cameroon.

Much to the reporters’ delight, Leo had responded head-on to Trump at the start of the trip when he gamely came to the back of the plane and greeted journalists traveling April 13 from Rome to Algiers. He responded to those who asked him about Trump’s Truth Social post a day earlier, in which the U.S. president had accused him of being soft on crime, cozy with the left and owed his papacy to Trump.

Trump was responding to Leo’s calls for peace, in reference to the Iran war, and comments that Trump’s threat to annihilate Iranian civilization were “truly unacceptable.”

Stopping to chat as he made his way from row to row that first day, Leo had told journalists that he was merely preaching the Gospel when he called for peace and criticized war, and that he didn’t fear the Trump administration.

A comment about peace

On Tuesday, on the short flight from Algiers to Annaba, the ancient city of Hippo, Leo stayed in the front of the plane where the Vatican delegation sits, dashing the Vatican pool's hopes for another Trump vs. Leo news cycle.

On Wednesday, with a five-hour flight ahead of us to Cameroon, excitement grew in economy class when Vatican personnel came to the back of the plane, readied the microphone and did sound checks to make sure the whole cabin could hear.

Emerging from behind the curtain, Leo didn’t take questions from reporters and kept his remarks focused on his just-concluded visit to Algeria, where he honored the legacy of his spiritual inspiration, St. Augustine of Hippo.

In brief remarks standing at the front of the cabin, Leo didn’t refer to war or Trump. But he spoke in terms that could suggest the latest overnight lobs from Washington certainly hadn't gone unnoticed. Perhaps tellingly, he spoke exclusively in English.

Trump had kept up the criticism on Truth Social, while U.S. Vice President JD Vance, a Catholic convert, said that Leo should “be careful” when speaking about theology.

For starters, Leo noted the sign of “goodness,” “generosity,” and “respect” that the Algerian government showed him in welcoming him on the first-ever papal visit. He said that the Algerian honors had included a full military aerial escort of the papal plane through Algerian airspace.

He also recalled his visit to the Great Mosque in Algiers, which he said was a significant way to show that “although we have different beliefs, we have different ways of worshipping, we have different ways of living, we can live together in peace.”

He said that St. Augustine’s message of searching for God, searching for truth, building bridges and seeking unity and community “is something which the world needs to hear today and that together we can continue to offer in our witness as we continue on this apostolic voyage.”

A papal press pool

Like other heads of state, the pope travels internationally with both his own media team as well as a group of external news organizations that pay, oftentimes handsomely, to have their reporters travel aboard the papal plane and have special access to cover his events. The Associated Press is always on the plane, paying for as many as four journalists per trip.

Being inside the Vatican bubble has journalistic advantages and disadvantages. You get the best access and are traveling under the Vatican’s security umbrella, meaning there’s little or no hassle from local security organizers. The Vatican facilitates visas and local SIM cards in advance, and arranges hotels and local transportation, allowing reporters to focus on the news rather than logistics.

Journalists in the bubble get the pope’s speeches ahead of time and have occasional access to delegation members, as well as other information in real time from the Vatican spokesman.

But the real reason news organizations choose to spend thousands of dollars per journalist, per trip, to be on the papal plane is to be on hand for the pope’s news conferences. The only time a pope holds such briefings with journalists is at an altitude of 35,000 feet (around 10,000 meters)

Who could forget Pope Francis’ famous line on his maiden trip as pope, in 2013 to Rio de Janeiro, when he uttered the line “Who am I to judge,” when he was asked about a purportedly gay priest.

The downside of being in the Vatican bubble is obvious for many of the same reasons it’s helpful: You are removed from local reality, whether in Algeria or Alaska, and rarely have time to do the type of on-the-ground reporting that makes a news report balanced.

Those news organizations that have the resources have teams on the ground producing such content, or journalists within the bubble break away to do their own reporting, so that the end result is a healthy combination of official Vatican information and local input.

But when the real drama involving the pope is occurring thousands of miles and time zones away, being in the Vatican bubble is a somewhat jarring experience. The news everyone wants to know isn’t necessarily what the pope has on his agenda.

But on this trip, the first by an American pope to Africa, being in the Vatican bubble certainly had its advantages. The next stop is Angola. Who knows what Leo will have to say.

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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.

The meeting comes as President Donald Trump announced the leaders of Israel and Lebanon will speak later on Thursday about halting the fighting between them. It was not clear what leaders Trump was referring to.

The U.S. naval blockade of Iranian ports continued as U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said the Trump administration would ramp up economic pain on Iran with new economic sanctions on countries doing business with it, calling the move the “financial equivalent” of a bombing campaign.

The White House said any further talks with Iran would likely take place in the Pakistani capital of Islamabad, though no decision had been made on whether to resume negotiations. Pakistan has emerged as a key mediator after it hosted direct talks between the U.S. and Iran in Islamabad.

In a development in the war's other front, Trump wrote late Wednesday on Truth Social that leaders from Israel and Lebanon would speak the next day in a renewed effort to broker a ceasefire after the countries’ first direct talks in decades ended the previous day in Washington without a deal.

Here is the latest:

Trump calls Lebanese president in ongoing diplomatic scramble over war between Israel and Hezbollah

The office of Lebanon’s President Joseph Aoun said President Trump was thanked by the Lebanese head of state to reach a ceasefire in the devastating war.

Aoun earlier spoke to U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio where he refused to have a direct call with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and has insisted on achieving a ceasefire ahead of continued direct talks. Israel hasn’t made a decision regarding a ceasefire.

The statement said Trump stressed “his commitment to fulfilling the Lebanese request for a ceasefire as soon as possible.”

Neither the State Department nor the White House immediately issue a statement on the calls with the Lebanese president.

More on why Lebanese President Joseph Aoun declined to talk with Israel’s Benjamin Netanyahu

A second Lebanese official said Aoun explained to U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio that direct talks with Netanyahu at this point would be inappropriate given the ongoing airstrikes and destruction in Lebanon and the lack of a ceasefire in place.

The official also spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the situation.

— Kareem Chehayeb

Fuel costs and labor strife lead Lufthansa to shut down CityLine feeder airline

Lufthansa said Thursday that labor disputes and high fuel prices are forcing it to immediately shut down its feeder airline CityLine earlier than planned and take its 27 older, less fuel efficient planes out of service. The decision accelerates a shutdown that had been expected for next year.

CityLine’s primary role was bringing passengers to Lufthansa’s mid- and long-haul hubs in Frankfurt and Munich, Germany. Fuel prices have soared since the outbreak of the Iran war in February and the blocking by Iran of the Strait of Hormuz, a key passage way for crude oil and fuel products from Persian Gulf producers.

CityLine will halt operations Saturday.

Houthi leader in Yemen blames the US in Iran talks

Abdul Malik al-Houthi, leader of the Iran-backed Yemeni rebel group, said that in negotiations with Iran, the U.S. is making “impossible demands for any independent country to accept.”

During a video speech Thursday, he said the ongoing two-week ceasefire was a result of “failures” by the U.S. and Israel to achieve their goals in the Iran war.

“If negotiations succeed, it will either result in a longer period of stability or an end to the aggression,” he said, adding that the U.S. entered negotiations based on their own terms built on “arrogance and pride.”

Death toll of Lebanese killed in Israeli strikes increases to 2,196

Lebanon’s Health Ministry says that among the killed are 260 women and 172 children since the latest war between Israel and Hezbollah began March 2. Another 7,185 have been wounded.

Israel’s latest military escalation started after Hezbollah fired rockets towards northern Israel in solidarity with its key ally and patron Iran.

Lebanon and Israel started direct talks Tuesday, the first of their kind since 1993. Lebanon hopes those talks can end the war.

Pakistan says second round of US-Iran talks not yet scheduled

“There are no dates yet,” Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson Tahir Andrabi told reporters Thursday.

“We will announce the timing of these talks as and when it is decided,” he said, urging the media to avoid speculation.

Andrabi said Pakistan’s role as a mediator and facilitator did not end when the first round of talks concluded over the weekend.

“It continued,” he said.

He said Pakistan’s army chief, Field Marshal Asim Munir, is visiting Iran with a delegation, while Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif is also traveling to regional countries to promote peace.

“We will continue to advocate for peace, prosperity and stability,” he said.

Asked about the first round of talks, Andrabi said there was “certainly not a major breakthrough in terms of any concrete document emanating from these talks, but there was no breakdown as well.”

‘Difficult days and weeks’ for sailors trapped on ships unable to travel through Strait of Hormuz

Germany’s largest shipping company Hapag-Lloyd says it’s feeling the impact of the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz as 150 sailors are trapped there on six of its vessels.

“Five and a half weeks in a war zone — that’s something relatively new. And of course, these are difficult days and weeks for our colleagues,” Hapag Lloyd spokesperson Nils Haupt told The Associated Press.

“We’ve been able to rotate some of them in the meantime, but you can easily imagine that after such a long time, monotony naturally sets in on board and the most important thing now in this situation is to maintain that team spirit,” he added.

Hapag-Lloyd is in contact with the captains and crews at least once a day asking how the crew is doing and what they can do to help.

It’s helpful, Haupt says, that thanks to modern satellite technology, the sailors are able to keep up communication with their families.

Pentagon urges Iran to make a deal

U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth told reporters at the Pentagon that “ultimately, they need to come to the table and make a deal.”

He said the U.S. will ensure Iran never has a nuclear weapon.

“We’d prefer to do it the nice way through a deal led by our great vice president and negotiating team. Or we can do it the hard way,” Hegseth said.

Iran has repeatedly insisted that it doesn’t seek a nuclear weapon and that its program is for peaceful purposes.

Later in the news briefing, Hegseth said to Iran’s government: “I pray you choose a deal, which is within your grasp for the betterment of your people and for the betterment of the world.”

Lebanese President Joseph Aoun has refused to speak to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu

That’s according to a government official familiar with the developments.

The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity in line with regulations, said the remarks were made during a call with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and that Washington was “understanding of Lebanon’s position.”

Aoun’s office acknowledged a call with Rubio in a public statement, but did not mention the possibility of talks with Netanyahu. Netanyahu’s office did not do so either.

— Kareem Chehayeb

Israeli defense minister says Iran faces a stark choice

The minister, Israel Katz, warned Tehran it could opt “between a bridge to the future and an abyss of isolation and destruction.”

If Iran chooses the latter, it will “quickly discover that the targets we have not yet struck until now are even more painful than what we have already struck.”

Katz sought to frame Israel’s campaign against the militant group Hezbollah in Lebanon as part of a wider confrontation with Iran.

He was speaking at a memorial ceremony at the ministry Thursday.

Europe has ‘maybe six weeks’ of jet fuel left, energy agency head tells the AP

Europe has “maybe six weeks or so (of) jet fuel left,” the head of the International Energy Agency said Thursday in a wide-ranging Associated Press interview, warning of possible flight cancellations “soon” if oil supplies remain blocked by the Iran war.

IEA Executive Director Fatih Birol painted a sobering picture of the global repercussions of what he called “the largest energy crisis we have ever faced,” stemming from the pinch-off of oil, gas and other vital supplies through the Strait of Hormuz.

“In the past there was a group called ‘Dire Straits.’ It’s a dire strait now, and it is going to have major implications for the global economy. And the longer it goes, the worse it will be for the economic growth and inflation around the world,” he said.

The impact will be “higher petrol (gasoline) prices, higher gas prices, high electricity prices,” Birol told the AP, speaking in his Paris office looking out over the Eiffel Tower.

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Caine says the US will pursue Iranian ships broadly

Speaking at the Pentagon, he said U.S. forces “will actively pursue any Iranian flagged vessel or any vessel attempting to provide material support to Iran” — anywhere in the world.

He issued a clear warning to any targeted vessel attempting to circumvent a U.S. blockade: “Turn around or prepare to be boarded. ... We will use force.”

Caine described the effort as a “blockade of Iran’s ports and coastline” with enforcement “inside Iran’s territorial seas and in international waters.” He noted that U.S. forces in other areas of the world, including the Pacific, also would pursue vessels tied to Iran.

The blockade “applies to all ships, regardless of nationality, heading into or from Iranian ports” and includes “dark fleet vessels carrying Iranian oil.” He defined those as “vessels or those illicit or illegal ships evading international regulations, sanctions or insurance requirements.”

Joint Chiefs chairman says no ships boarded yet under blockade of Iranian ports

Gen. Dan Caine says more than 10,000 sailors, marines and airmen using ships, planes and helicopters are working to enforce the blockade.

Any vessel that approaches the blockade is first warned to turn around or be boarded. Warning shots and other escalatory tactics could also be used, Caine said.

Caine says that so far no ships have had to be boarded.

“Thirteen ships have made the wise choice of turning around,” he said.

Joint Chiefs chairman likens Iran blockade to supermarket parking lot

President Trump’s top military advisor described Navy warships maintaining the blockade against Iran “like driving a sports car through a supermarket parking lot on a pay day weekend.”

Gen. Dan Kaine, the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, went on to say these maneuvers are being performed “with thousands of kids in that parking lot” as they position themselves to get to ships that would attempt to run that blockade.

Hegseth says Americans ‘see the success’ in Iran, but polling reflects concern

The defense secretary touted public support for the war during remarks at the Pentagon on Thursday, contrasting that with what he said was an overly critical press.

“They see the success. They see the reality. And they don’t demand perfection,” Hegseth said of the public, after criticizing the press.

“You only seek the negative,” Hegseth said of the press.

Hegseth is overstating public support for the conflict. A recent AP-NORC poll shows nearly 60% of Americans say U.S. military action in Iran has been excessive. Meanwhile, 45% are “extremely” or “very” concerned about being able to afford gas in the next few months.

US Navy is using a fraction of its total power to enforce Iran blockade, defense secretary says

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said the U.S. navy is employing “less than 10% of America’s naval power” to enforce the blockade against Iran during a briefing Thursday.

“The math is clear. We’re using 10% of the world’s most powerful navy, and you have 0% of your Navy,” Hegseth said.

The Navy currently has 16 warships, including 11 destroyers, three amphibious assault ships, an aircraft carrier, and a littoral combat ship in the Middle East out of a battle force of roughly 300 total warships.

US defense secretary says Iran is moving military assets but not replenishing

At the Pentagon, U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth told reporters Iran is moving around its assets but is unable to replenish its military power almost seven weeks into the war.

The secretary pressed that idea repeatedly in the opening minutes of his morning briefing.

“You can move things around, but you can’t actually rebuild,” Hegseth said, speaking directly to Tehran’s leaders and telling them they no longer have a viable defense industry.

“As you expose yourself with your movement to our watchful eye, we are locked and loaded on your critical dual use infrastructure, on your remaining power generation and on your energy industry,” Hegseth said, telling Iran the war “is not a fair fight” given U.S. power.

Lebanese president says Rubio affirmed efforts to reach a ceasefire

The office of Lebanese President Joseph Aoun said he spoke to U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio ahead of anticipated direct talks with Israel.

Lebanon has insisted on a ceasefire to stop the fighting between Israel and the Hezbollah militant group before engaging in direct talks. Its top political leaders have vowed to commit to disarming the group.

The president’s office said that during Thursday’s call, Rubio “affirmed his continued efforts to reach a ceasefire as a prelude to establishing peace, security, and stability in Lebanon.”

Washington has not publicly stated its support of a ceasefire in Lebanon as a precondition, and the Israeli government has framed the prospective meeting as peace talks with a focus on disarming Hezbollah.

Aoun’s office made no mention of speaking to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Iranian parliament leader stresses importance of Lebanon ceasefire

Iranian website NourNews has reported that Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf, the powerful speaker of Iran’s parliament, stressed the importance of a ceasefire in Lebanon when he spoke with his Lebanese counterpart Nabih Berri by phone.

The report by the site, which has close contacts with Iranian security officials, said Qalibaf emphasized that Iranian authorities were closely monitoring developments in Lebanon and pushing for a permanent ceasefire in the Mideast war.

“A ceasefire in Lebanon is as important to us as a ceasefire in Iran,” he reportedly said.

Israeli forces destroy bridge in southern Lebanon, report says

Lebanon’s state-run National News Agency has reported that the Israeli military struck and entirely destroyed the Qasmiyeh Bridge over the Litani River in southern Lebanon.

The Israeli military said it did not strike the bridge but “struck adjacent to it.”

Stocks rise as hopes grow for more US-Iran talks

Shares around the world rose as investors grew optimistic of a ceasefire extension in the Iran war.

In Europe, Britain’s FTSE 100, France’s CAC 40 and Germany’s DAX were all up by around 0.5%.

In Asia, Tokyo’s Nikkei 225 closed 2.4% while Hong Kong’s Hang Seng rose 1.7% to 26,394.26. The Shanghai Composite index ended 0.7% higher.

Israeli warplanes strike southern Lebanon

Israeli warplanes have unleashed an intense barrage of strikes on the southern town of Nabatiyeh, sending giant plumes of black smoke billowing over the regional hub of southern Lebanon.

Lebanon’s state-run National News Agency said the attacks Thursday hit near the town’s industrial zone and outside a supermarket along Nabih Berri Avenue, a main thoroughfare lined with shops and residential buildings. The strikes, among the heaviest in the area since the start of the war, also hit several surrounding suburbs.

Israel has intensified its aerial bombardment of southern Lebanon in recent days as it seeks to extend security control into Lebanese territory in its war with Iran-backed Hezbollah. The Israeli military on Wednesday targeted three teams of medics from Nabatiyeh in successive strikes as they were working to administer aid to civilians and rescue each other, killing four medical workers and wounding six others.

International journalists appeal to Israeli Supreme Court for Gaza access

The Foreign Press Association in Israel has asked the court to expedite a decision on allowing the international media to enter Gaza independently.

Israel has banned foreign journalists from entering Gaza independently since Hamas’ Oct. 7, 2023 attack. The FPA filed a petition seeking entry in September 2024, but the Israeli government has repeatedly delayed the proceedings.

“The never-ending delays have made a mockery of the legal process,” said the FPA’s chairwoman, Tania Kraemer. “It is time for the justices to put an end to this once and for all.”

The FPA represents dozens of international news outlets, including The Associated Press.

Israeli military says it finds weapons cache in Lebanese school

The army says it found more than 130 weapons, including automatic rifles and pistols in Bint Jbeil, the focus of a new offensive in southern Lebanon.

Israel accuses Hezbollah of operating in civilian buildings.

Iranian parliament speaker meets Pakistan’s army chief

Iran’s state television says on its Telegram channel that Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf has met with Gen. Asim Munir, the head of Pakistan’s army.

The TV network didn’t immediately provide further details. Munir arrived in Iran on Wednesday.

Israeli strike kills 2 Palestinians in northern Gaza, health officials say

An Israeli drone strike killed two brothers in northern Gaza’s area of Beit Lahiya on Thursday, according to health officials at Shifa hospital, where the casualties arrived.

The Israeli military did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The two brothers were killed near their house close to the “Yellow Line”, which was drawn in the ceasefire agreement and divides the Israeli-held majority of Gaza from the rest of the territory.

Palestinians in Gaza have reported that the Israeli strikes have been intensifying over the past few days. Deadly Israeli strikes have become a near-daily threat in Gaza, where more than 750 Palestinians have been killed by Israel despite a ceasefire with Hamas since October, according to figures from the Hamas-run Gaza Health Ministry.

Dalton Rushing, who replaced Ohtani as designated hitter, hit his first career grand slam off Mets closer Devin Williams in the eighth. Kyle Tucker added a two-out solo shot — his first at home as a Dodger — off Austin Warren, making it 8-1.

Ohtani (2-0) had tossed 33 consecutive innings without an earned run before MJ Melendez's RBI double in the fifth trimmed New York's deficit to 2-1. It was his first earned run allowed since Aug. 27 against Cincinnati.

Ohtani wasn't in the batting lineup during a mound start for the first time since May 28, 2021, with the Los Angeles Angels. Manager Dave Roberts said it was because Ohtani was still sore after getting hit in the back of his right shoulder by Mets pitcher David Peterson on Monday.

Ohtani's strikeouts were a season high by a Dodgers pitcher. He twice fanned Francisco Lindor in a battle of All-Stars. The second time, Lindor laughed as Ohtani blew a 99 mph fastball past him on his 11th and last pitch to end the third. Ohtani smiled wryly.

Ohtani walked two on 95 pitches, 63 for strikes. He struck out the side in the sixth to end his outing. Ohtani had 22 swing and misses, his most with the Dodgers.

The Dodgers (14-4) swept the Mets at home for the first time since June 19-22, 2017. Along with sweeps of Arizona and Washington, the Dodgers are 9-0 against National League opponents this season.

The Dodgers led 2-0 on Hyeseong Kim's two-run homer off Mets starter Clay Holmes (2-2) in the second. Teoscar Hernández added an opposite field solo shot leading off the sixth against reliever Tobias Myers.

The Mets managed five hits playing their 11th game without injured slugger Juan Soto (calf). They were outscored 14-4 in the series.

Melendez was the only Met with any success against Ohtani, going 2-for-2 with a pair of doubles after being called up from Triple-A Wednesday.

The Dodgers improved to 18-4 on Jackie Robinson Day — best mark in the majors — since MLB first declared a special day in 2004 for the player who broke baseball's color barrier in 1947 with Brooklyn.

Up next

Mets RHP Kodai Senga (0-2, 7.07 ERA) starts Friday against Chicago Cubs RHP Edward Cabrera (1-0, 1.62). Also Friday, Dodgers RHP Tyler Glasnow (1-0, 4.00) starts at Colorado against Rockies RHP Tomoyuki Sugano (1-0, 2.16).

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

Curry's seventh 3-pointer broke a tie with 50.4 seconds to play for the 10th-seeded Warriors, who erased a 13-point deficit in the fourth quarter.

Golden State finished on a 16-6 run and held Kawhi Leonard scoreless in the fourth until the final 16 seconds.

After this time-defying rally, Curry, Draymond Green and the postseason-tested Warriors are one game from another playoff berth despite going 37-45 in the regular season and losing Jimmy Butler for the season in January.

The Warriors will travel to face Phoenix on Friday, with the winner moving on to face defending champion Oklahoma City in the first round.

Leonard scored 21 points for the Clippers, who missed the playoffs for the first time since 2022 and only the third time during their streak of 15 consecutive winning seasons. Bennedict Mathurin led Los Angeles with 23 points and Darius Garland had 21 points and eight assists while battling foul trouble.

The Clippers led 98-85 with 9:53 to play, but the 38-year-old Curry led Golden State's furious comeback alongside Kristaps Porzingis, who scored 20 points, and the 39-year-old Horford.

Golden State got a classic second-half barrage from Curry, who returned only five games ago from a 27-game absence with a knee injury. He scored 16 points in a six-minute span of the third quarter to keep the Warriors in it while the Clippers nearly pulled away.

After Horford hit three 3-pointers down the stretch in the fourth quarter, Gui Santos’ layup with 2:45 to play trimmed the Clips’ lead to 115-114. Horford’s fourth 3-pointer put the Warriors up 117-115 with 2:12 left.

The Clippers rallied from a chaotic 6-21 start to finish 42-40 in this once-woebegone franchise's 15th consecutive winning season — the NBA's longest active streak. But two late-season losses to Portland dropped Los Angeles to the No. 9 seed, requiring the Clips to get two play-in victories instead of one to make the playoffs.

After managing just eight points on 2-for-9 shooting in the first half, Curry scored 16 points and hit three 3-pointers in six electrifying minutes of the third quarter.

Referee Ben Taylor left shortly after halftime with an injury. He was replaced by alternate referee Sean Corbin.

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

El enternecedor monito de apenas 673 gramos es el caso más reciente de crianza asistida en el zoológico de Guadalajara, en el occidente de México. Ahora las miradas de miles de mexicanos se centran en Yuji, quien ha desatado las comparaciones con el popular Punch, un macaco japonés que se viralizó en redes sociales después de crecer aferrado a su orangután de peluche ante el rechazo de su madre.

A diferencia de Punch, Yuji aún no ha tenido contacto físico con otros miembros de su especie y pasa la mayor parte del tiempo dentro de una transportadora en el Centro de Integral de Medicina y Bienestar Animal (CIMBA) del zoológico de Guadalajara, donde está bajo el cuidado de 12 veterinarios y biólogos.

Aún no se define la fecha en que Yuji será trasladado al hábitat en donde viven otros 12 monos patas adultos y tres crías. Su llegada dependerá del momento en que deje de alimentarse por completo de leche y cambie su dieta a la de un mono adulto, con todo y frutas y verduras, afirmó el veterinario Iván Reynoso Ruiz, encargado del área de primates del zoológico de Guadalajara, Ese proceso podría darse cuando Yuji tenga unos seis meses de edad, agregó.

El mono patas (erythrocebus patas) es una especie de macaco de tamaño medio y originario de África. Es identificado como el primate más rápido del mundo sobre tierra firme y puede alcanzar velocidades de hasta 55 kilómetros por hora.

Supervivencia temprana

Kamaria comenzó a mostrar un comportamiento irregular apenas horas después de dar a luz el pasado 3 de marzo. Sostenía de forma inadecuada a su primera cría, la cual también tenía dificultades para aferrarse a su madre.

La situación no pasó desapercibida para sus cuidadores, quienes decidieron separar a la madre de su cría. Con apenas 443 gramos de peso al nacer, Yuji fue colocado en una incubadora en el CIMBA para mantenerlo a una temperatura adecuada y garantizar su supervivencia, relató Reynoso Ruiz.

Fue así como el mono bebé, a quien uno de sus cuidadores bautizó como Yuji —el nombre del protagonista de una popular manga y anime japonesa— entró en un proceso de crianza asistida que suele utilizarse en zoológicos y reservas de vida silvestre para garantizar el bienestar y el desarrollo físico y comportamental de crías en riesgo.

¿Cómo es el cuidado de un mono bebé?

Durante sus primeras semanas, Yuji recibía un biberón con leche adicionada con proteínas mientras permanecía en vigilancia las 24 horas del día.

Como parte de los cuidados, al pequeño primate recibió desde un primer momento un peluche que, según explicó Reynoso Ruiz, “sustituyó toda esa función que era de la madre” y “representa su seguridad”. Además del peluche del perro, Yuji tiene otros dos juguetes, uno en forma de oso y otro en forma de mono, que son alternados para permitir su higiene.

Para estimular su desarrollo, sus cuidadores instalaron una pequeña hamaca y unas cuerdas dentro de su transportadora.

Conforme Yuji dormía cada vez más horas seguidas y ganaba algo de peso, también se extendieron sus horarios de alimentación. Ahora yuji recibe el primero de sus cuatro biberones a las 7 de la mañana, y el último a las 7 de la noche, poco antes de dormir abrazado de su peluche.

A media mañana es colocado en su transportadora y se le lleva a un área cercana al hábitat de los primates, para que los monos adultos lo vayan conociendo y el se vaya adaptando a lo que será su futuro hogar.

La crianza asistida y sus detractores

Aunque los casos de Punch y Yuji han generado reacciones favorables en redes sociales, algunos defensores de los derechos de los animales se han manifestado en contra de que se mantenga la práctica de la crianza asistida en los zoológicos.

“No hay como que vivan en su hábitat natural. Ellos tienen derecho a nacer, crecer, desarrollarse y morir en donde les corresponde”, afirmó la activista mexicana Diana Valencia, directora y fundadora de la asociación local Abriendo Jaulas y Abriendo Mentes, al plantear que aunque la crianza asistida garantiza la atención de las crías, “están cuidados por un humano, lo que no tendría que ser así”.

Ante las posiciones en contra, el encargado del área de primates del zoológico de Guadalajara expresó que los santuarios y zoológicos actualmente representan una oportunidad única para salvar a muchas especies que están en riesgo por el cambio climático y la caza furtiva. Admitió, además, que si Yuji hubiera nacido en estado silvestre probablemente “no habría tenido una segunda oportunidad”.

Embiid had been absent since his emergency appendectomy last week and the Sixers thought it would lift his spirits if he was part of their playoff push. Unsure of his answer hours ahead of tipoff Wednesday night against Orlando, Embiid surprised his teammates by walking into the locker room about an hour before the game. He provided an emotional boost to Maxey and the Sixers just by showing up.

“I gave him a big hug,” Maxey said. “I was glad to see him.”

Maxey took over in the fourth quarter, much the way Embiid did in so many crucial games over the years.

Maxey scored 31 points, and V.J. Edgecombe added 19 points and 11 rebounds in the Sixers' 109-97 win over the Magic that gave Philadelphia the No. 7 seed in the Eastern Conference playoffs.

The Sixers begin their first-round series Sunday at Boston.

Maxey, named an All-Star starter for the first time in his career, scored seven straight points late in the fourth to help the Sixers put away the Magic.

“It was just me deciding I wanted to be aggressive,” Maxey said. “I had some really good looks that I missed early in the third, that I made in the first half. So I was just really confident I was going to make some shots.”

Maxey — the Sixers' career 3-point leader — hit three 3s and made 11 of 25 shots as the Sixers made the playoffs a year after they went 24-58.

“He's been doing a bit of that lately as far as understanding we need kind of his greatness at the right time,” coach Nick Nurse said.

The Sixers had leaned on Embiid's greatness over the years — but also came to understand that playing without the oft-injured former MVP is part of the deal in Philadelphia.

The team hasn't given a timetable for Embiid's return from his appendectomy. The two-time scoring champion sat in on a video session Wednesday and watched the game from the bench.

Maxey is going to need to excel for the Sixers to have a shot against the Celtics.

Sixers fans chanted “We want Boston!” in the waning moments, but it might be best to pay heed to series history — the 76ers have lost their last six playoff series against the Celtics. Philadelphia last topped Boston in a series in 1982.

That's a worry for the next practice. Maxey walked off the court to a roaring crowd — including Allen Iverson — and teammates swarmed him to show their appreciation.

“I promised some guys we were going to get in the playoffs,” Maxey said.

One bright spot out of last season's dismal finish was getting the No. 3 pick in the draft. The Sixers — who drafted a string of busts during their lengthy rebuild — appear to have made a wise move by selecting Edgecombe out of Baylor.

The 20-year-old opened the season with 34 points against Boston, the third-most points for an NBA player in his first game. He was just as impressive in his first play-in game with 19 points and 11 rebounds.

Edgecombe was whistled for taunting after a dunk in the third quarter and officials had to separate the teams.

“I was tweaking a little bit tonight,” Edgecombe said. “I guess it happens when you let a kid play such a high-intensity game. I was out there having fun. If I've got to play wild for us to win, I'll play wild.”

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

The S&P 500 edged down by 0.1%, a day after topping its prior all-time high set in January for its 10th gain in 11 days. The Dow Jones Industrial Average was down 66 points, or 0.1% after the first half-hour of trading, and the Nasdaq composite was 0.3% lower.

Stocks have leaped more than 10% since hitting a low in late March, driven by hopes for an end to the war or something that could avert a worst-case scenario for the global economy. Now, the wait is on to see if such hopes were prescient or just wishful thinking.

Pakistan’s army chief is set to meet with Iranian officials in Tehran Thursday in a bid to ease tensions in the Middle East and arrange a second round of negotiations between the United States and Iran after almost seven weeks of war.

Oil prices climbed, showing that caution still remains in financial markets. The price for a barrel of Brent crude oil, the international standard, rose 3.1% to $97.83. It’s gone from roughly $70 before the war to as high as $119 at times on uncertainty about how long the war will keep oil stuck in the Persian Gulf area and away from customers.

“The key upside risk for the market is that peace talks between the US and Iran break down,” ING Bank strategists Warren Patterson and Ewa Manthey wrote Thursday. “This isn’t an unrealistic scenario, given that US and Iranian demands remain fairly wide apart.”

In the meantime, big U.S. companies are continuing to deliver growth in profits for the start of 2026 that’s even better than analysts expected. Such growth is the lifeblood of the stock market, whose level tends to follow the track of corporate profits over the long term.

J.B. Hunt Transport Services rose 5.7%, and Marsh & McLennan climbed 3.4% after both delivered stronger results than expected.

PepsiCo likewise reported better results than expected and rose 2.1%. Customers bought more snacks during the quarter, after the company said in February it would cut prices on Lay’s, Doritos, Cheetos and Tostitos chips to win back people frustrated by high prices.

Technology stocks also broadly got some support after Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., an industry heavyweight, reported stronger revenue and profit for the start of 2026 than analysts expected. TSMC’s Chief Financial Officer Wendell Huang said the company expects strong demand to continue into the spring.

On the losing end of Wall Street was Abbott, which fell 4.4% even though it reported slightly better results than analysts expected. The health care company cut its forecast for profit over the full year, mostly because of its purchase of cancer-screening company Exact Sciences.

Allbirds slumped 28.7%, but that gave back only a portion of its 582% surge from the day before. The company formerly known for sneakers is pivoting to the artificial-intelligence industry and hopes to rent out the use of high-powered AI chips as a service.

In stock markets abroad, indexes climbed across much of Europe and Asia. Japan’s Nikkei 225 jumped 2.4%, South Korea’s Kospi rallied 2.2% and Hong Kong’s Hang Seng rose 1.7% for some of the world’s larger moves.

China on Thursday reported 5% economic growth for the January-March quarter, an acceleration from the previous quarter. While economists say China has largely shrugged off the initial impacts of the Iran war, some are warning its massive export engine could be hit more significantly in the coming months on slower global economic growth.

In the bond market Treasury yields eased a bit after a report showed fewer U.S. workers applied for unemployment benefits last week.

The yield on the 10-year Treasury edged down to 4.28% from 4.29% late Wednesday.

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

It was unclear whether the frantic diplomacy could lead to a lasting deal as the two-week ceasefire passes the halfway mark. The Iran war has killed thousands of people and upended global markets by disrupting the flow of oil.

Iranian state television did not provide details on the meeting between Pakistani Army Gen. Asim Munir and Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf, who has emerged as his country’s chief negotiator.

There was no immediate comment from Pakistan, which has become a key mediator after hosting direct talks between the U.S. and Iran that authorities said helped narrow differences between the sides. Mediators are seeking a new round before the ceasefire expires next week.

The White House said any further talks regarding Iran would likely take place in the Pakistani capital of Islamabad, though no decision had been made on whether to resume negotiations. The fragile ceasefire is holding despite a U.S. naval blockade of Iranian ports and Iranian counter-threats to target regional ports across the Red Sea.

The war has jolted markets and rattled the global economy as shipping has been cut off and airstrikes have torn through military and civilian infrastructure across the region. Oil prices have fallen amid hopes for an end to fighting, and U.S. stocks on Wednesday surpassed records set in January.

Lebanese president refuses to speak with Israeli PM

Despite the fragile ceasefire with Iran, fighting has continued in Lebanon between Israel and the Iran-backed militant group Hezbollah.

U.S. President Donald Trump had announced that the leaders of Israel and Lebanon would speak about halting the fighting. If that were to occur, it would be the first direct conversation between the leaders of the two countries in more than 30 years.

But Lebanese President Joseph Aoun refused Thursday to speak to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, a government official familiar with the developments told The Associated Press.

The government official, who spoke on condition of anonymity in line with regulations, said the remarks were made during a call with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and that Washington “understands Lebanon’s position.”

Aoun’s office acknowledged a call with Rubio, but did not mention the possibility of talks with Netanyahu. Netanyahu’s office did not do so either.

Lebanon and Israel held their first direct diplomatic talks in decades Tuesday in Washington following more than a month of war between Israel and Hezbollah. Lebanon has insisted on a ceasefire to stop the fighting between Israel and Hezbollah before engaging in direct talks, while vowing to commit to disarming the group.

Washington has not publicly stated its support of a ceasefire as a precondition, and the Israeli government has framed the talks as peace negotiations with a focus on disarming Hezbollah.

Israel and Hezbollah continued exchanging fire across the border, with Hezbollah targeting towns in northern Israel with rockets and drones. Israeli fire against southern Lebanon intensified, especially around the cities of Tyre, Nabatieh and the strategic town of Bint Jbeil near the border with Israel.

Israel and Lebanon have technically been at war since Israel was established in 1948, and Lebanon remains deeply divided over diplomatic engagement with Israel.

Israeli troops have pushed deeper into southern Lebanon to create what officials have called a “security zone,” which Netanyahu has said will extend at least 8 to 10 kilometers (5 to 6 miles) into Lebanon.

Officials say US and Iran are making progress

Even as the U.S. blockade on Iranian ports and renewed Iranian threats strained the ceasefire agreement, regional officials reported progress, telling The Associated Press the United States and Iran had an “in-principle agreement” to extend it to allow for more diplomacy. They spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive negotiations.

But tensions simmered.

The commander of Iran’s joint military command, Ali Abdollahi, threatened to halt trade in the region if the U.S. does not lift its naval blockade, and a newly appointed military adviser to Iranian Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei said he does not support extending the ceasefire.

Mediators seek compromise on sticking points

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

Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmail Baghaei said Iran is open to discussing the type and level of its uranium enrichment, but his country “based on its needs, must be able to continue enrichment,” Iranian state media reported.

The Pentagon urged Iran to make a deal, with U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth telling reporters at the Pentagon that “ultimately, they need to come to the table.”

He said the U.S. will ensure that Iran never has a nuclear weapon.

“We’d prefer to do it the nice way through a deal led by our great vice president and negotiating team. Or we can do it the hard way,” Hegseth said.

Iran has repeatedly insisted that it does not seek a nuclear weapon and that its nuclear program is for peaceful proposes.

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

U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said the Trump administration would ramp up economic pain on Iran with new economic sanctions on countries doing business with it, calling the move the “financial equivalent” of a bombing campaign.

Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif met with Qatar’s emir, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, during a visit to Doha, his office said, as part of a regional visit aimed at discussions on the ongoing U.S.-Iran peace process.

China calls for Strait of Hormuz to reopen

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said the window of peace was opening during a phone call with his Iranian counterpart, according to a statement from the Chinese Foreign Ministry.

Wang told Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi that the situation has reached a critical juncture, and said Iran’s sovereignty, security and legitimate rights should be respected, while freedom of navigation and safety through the Strait of Hormuz should be ensured.

Since the war began, Iran has curtailed maritime traffic through the strait, which a fifth of global oil transited through in peacetime. Tehran’s effective closure of the strait sent oil prices skyrocketing, raising the cost of fuel, food and other basic goods far beyond the Middle East, and the U.S. has responded with a blockade on Iranian shipping.

U.S. Central Command said Wednesday that no ships had made it past the blockade since it was imposed two days earlier, while 13 merchant vessels complied with direction from U.S. forces to turn around and reenter Iranian waters.

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Lidman reported from Tel Aviv, Israel and Chehayeb reported from Beirut. Associated Press writer Munir Ahmed in Islamabad, Elena Becatoros in Athens, Greece and Ben Finley in Washington contributed to this report.

In the first three months of the year, Texas Democratic Senate candidate James Talarico’s campaign said he brought in $27 million, while vulnerable incumbent Sen. Jon Ossoff of Georgia said he raised $14 million. Former North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper’s campaign said he’ll report $13.8 million and former Sen. Sherrod Brown will report $12.5 million in his comeback bid in Ohio.

The money will help Democrats make their case to voters and counter Republican attacks, but it doesn’t change the fundamental fact that control of the Senate will be decided in territory that favors Republicans. Except for Maine, where Democrats Graham Platner and Janet Mills are still battling for the party's nomination to challenge Republican Sen. Susan Collins, all of the top battleground races are in states President Donald Trump won in 2024.

While Democrats touted their totals, they offer only a snapshot of overall fundraising, as campaigns had until the end of the day Wednesday to file with the Federal Election Commission.

Republicans lagged

In races where Republicans had reported their fundraising by Tuesday evening, Democrats were far outpacing them.

In Texas, incumbent Sen. Jon Cornyn and state Attorney General Ken Paxton — who are locked in a bitter runoff for the GOP nomination — raised $2.5 million combined, less than 10% of Talarico's revenue for the quarter. Two of the three main Republicans in Georgia — Derek Dooley and Buddy Carter — combined for about $1.1 million. The third, Mike Collins, had not yet reported his fundraising as of Wednesday evening.

Former Republican National Committee Chair Michael Whatley raised $2.1 million in North Carolina and Sen. Jon Husted raised $2.9 million in Ohio.

Collins, a top target for Democrats, raised $3.1 million in Maine. Mills, the governor who is preferred by much of the Democratic establishment, said she’ll report raising $2.6 million, while Platner, an oyster farmer backed by progressive leaders including Sen. Bernie Sanders, said he raised $4 million.

In Alaska, Democratic former Rep. Mary Peltola said she'll report raising $8.9 million, compared with $1.7 million for Republican Sen. Dan Sullivan.

Money isn't everything

Republicans said flush coffers don't guarantee victory.

Retiring Republican Sen. Thom Tillis of North Carolina pointed out that his opponent in 2020 also celebrated successful fundraising quarters but didn't win.

Democrats Beto O'Rourke in 2018 in Texas and Jaime Harrison in 2020 in South Carolina shattered fundraising records and still lost to their Republican rivals.

"We don’t have to outraise them," Tillis said. "We just got to out run them.”

There's an imbalance in Republicans' favor at the national committee level. The Republican National Committee reported roughly $109 million cash on hand in its most recent FEC filing, compared with roughly $16 million for their Democratic counterpart, plus Democrats are carrying about $17 million in debt.

Waiting in the wings for Republicans is a super political action committee tied to Trump — MAGA Inc. — which has more than $300 million cash on hand, according to the FEC.

The rosy first-quarter contributions carry some advantages for Democrats, namely the ability to buy limited advertising slots ahead of the election to get on the air early and make an impression with voters. Candidates also get favorable rates for television ads so their money goes further than independent expenditures by outside groups, though that advantage is eroding as ad spending increasingly shifts toward digital streaming.

“Winning in Texas will require unprecedented resources,” Talarico campaign manager Seth Krasne said in a statement. “This grassroots fundraising haul puts our movement in a strong position to spread our message in some of the most expensive media markets in the country.”

Talarico will face the winner of the GOP runoff on May 26 between Cornyn and Paxton.

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Associated Press writer Joey Cappelletti in Washington contributed to this report.

Workers who earn tips and overtime are seeing bigger returns this tax season, but those savings and others resulting from the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act” that Trump signed last year have been eaten away by higher gas pricesdriven by the Iran war.

The president’s rare trip out West comes as Trump faces growing political pressure to wrap up the war and focus on a message that helps his party as they try to defend their congressional majorities in November’s midterm elections.

On Friday, Trump will hold an event in Phoenix with conservative political group Turning Point USA. But his first stop is in Las Vegas where he will hold a roundtable with several police officers who have benefited from new tax breaks on overtime, along with a barber and a casino pit supervisor, who got to claim the new tax breaks on tips.

The Treasury Department said Wednesday that the average tax refund this year has been over $3,400, up about $340 from a year ago.

Vegas, once known for affordable living, feels economic pain

Trump has said he first conceived of his “no tax on tips” in Las Vegas, a city where entertainment is the financial lifeblood and many workers depend on gratuities from visitors.

But it’s also a city of commuters, including the tipped workers who drive to their jobs at glitzy casinos. Gasoline is averaging $5 a gallon in Las Vegas, up 28% from a year ago, according to AAA.

Nicholas Delaney, an airline attendant who lives in the Las Vegas suburb of Henderson and said he did not vote for the president in 2024, said he thinks Trump is doing a “terrible” job when it comes to the cost of living. He thought the tax break for tips was a good policy, but is concerned about the cost of groceries and gas.

“I gotta spend over $100 for a full tank of gas, 13 gallons? Crazy,” Delaney said.

Paula Goodman, a bartender in a Henderson casino, said the cost of living is her biggest concern right now, adding that she spends more than $400 a week on groceries for her family.

But Goodman, who voted for the president, said she thought he is “doing a pretty good damn job,” and doesn’t blame him for high gas prices, which she portrayed as just a fluctuation. As a bartender, she said she personally appreciated the tax savings on tips she brings home.

“Every little penny nowadays is, like, huge,” she said. “You’ve seen diesel, right? $6.11.”

Tax refunds are offset by gas prices

The White House said Trump is focused on tax cuts, deregulation and boosting U.S. energy production to drive down prices, and describes high gas prices as a temporary disruption from the war in Iran.

“Tens of millions of Americans are benefiting this tax season from the president’s signature provisions” in the tax law, said White House spokesman Kush Desai, saying that shows “how the administration hasn’t lost focus on delivering on our affordability agenda at home.”

Even so, the conflict has made things less affordable. The Bank of America Institute looked at its deposit and spending data and in a Tuesday analysis concluded that “the average increase in tax refunds could cover the average increase in gasoline spending for at least five months.”

Kathy Bostjancic, chief economist at Nationwide, the insurance and financial services company, said last week in an analysis that “the steep rise in gasoline prices looks likely to completely offset the increased tax funds windfall with households,” stressing that the money back would likely prevent a sharper drop in consumer spending.

Trump's economic message focusing on the tax breaks has also been drowned out this week by distractions from the president himself, who angered even some of his own supporters when he got into a public fight with the pope and posted a now-deleted image on social media depicting himself as Jesus.

GOP strategist Ron Bonjean said among Republicans, “the frustration and concern is growing every week about whether or not we will be able to hold onto the House this November.”

It takes a lot of repetition for a message like promoting the tax bill to break through to voters, but Trump’s tendency to drift into other subjects can dilute that, Bonjean said. Trump, who has at times dismissed affordability concerns as “a hoax,” and “con job” from Democrats, has to acknowledge the economic realities people are facing now if he wants to help his party this November, Bonjean said.

“He absolutely has to talk about his plan to bring down high gasoline costs, or else he’s lost his own message. It won’t be credible just to talk about no taxes on tips,” Bonjean said.

When will gas prices come down?

While the president has said he thinks the war with Iran will end soon, a deal to resolve it has not yet emerged, with the U.S. and Iran still proffering stances that are far apart.

Trump on Sunday said in a Fox News Channel interview that gas prices “could be the same or maybe a little bit higher” by the November midterms.

By Wednesday, in another Fox News interview, Trump walked back that comment. “I think they'll be much lower” before the election, on the assumption the war will be long over.

“When that’s settled, gas prices are going to go down tremendously,” Trump said.

Hours later at the White House, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent was less rosy, predicting that gas prices will fall sometime this summer, depending on how the negotiations with Iran go.

“I’m optimistic that sometime between June 20th and September 20th, that we can have $3 gas again,” Bessent told reporters.

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Price reported from Washington. Associated Press writer Josh Boak in Washington contributed to this report.

El único hospital de Saipán, una de las islas del archipiélago, sufrió graves inundaciones, además de que se recibieron reportes de grandes complejos turísticos que perdieron sus generadores de respaldo, señaló Ed Propst, un exlegislador que trabaja en la oficina del gobernador.

“Las condiciones son bastante malas en estos momentos”, declaró Propst, añadiendo que los residentes se preparaban para un largo periodo sin luz ni agua.

Las autoridades apenas comenzaban a evaluar los daños que dejó el paso del supertifón Sinlaku. La tormenta golpeó las islas el martes por la noche y mantuvo su azote con fuertes vientos e intensas lluvias por varias horas el miércoles, volcando autos, derribando postes de servicios públicos y desprendiendo techos de lámina. Hasta el momento no se han reportado muertes.

No había servicio de luz y agua y muchos caminos quedaron intransitables en Saipán y Tinian, islas de la Mancomunidad de las Islas Marianas del Norte, un territorio de Estados Unidos donde viven unas 45.000 personas, indicaron funcionarios.

“Todavía tenemos una orden de resguardo, por lo que los equipos de primera respuesta no han podido realizar una evaluación completa de los daños”, señaló Bernard Villagomez, funcionario de información pública de la Oficina de Seguridad Nacional y Gestión de Emergencias del territorio, en un mensaje de texto a The Associated Press.

La Agencia Federal para el Manejo de Emergencias de Estados Unidos (FEMA por sus iniciales en inglés) tiene planeado enviar a personal y suministros adicionales a la región.

La tormenta también azotó Guam, otro territorio de Estados Unidos y sede de varias bases militares, con vientos de fuerza tropical.

El tifón —el ciclón tropical de mayor intensidad en lo que va del año— registraba vientos máximos sostenidos de hasta 241 km/h (150 mph) al momento de tocar tierra en las islas, informó el Servicio Meteorológico Nacional.

La enorme tormenta aún tenía vientos de 201 km/h (125 mph) a última hora del miércoles, a medida que desplazaba hacia el norte de las islas de Saipán, Tinian y Rota, indicó el servicio meteorológico. Se tiene previsto que el meteoro se desvíe hacia una serie de islas volcánicas poco pobladas en el extremo norte de las Marianas.

El vórtice de la tormenta se encontraba el jueves a unos 274 kilómetros (170 millas) al noroeste de Saipán. Muchos sensores en la isla estaban fuera de servicio, pero el servicio meteorológico estimó vientos de entre 97 y 113 km/h (60 y 70 mph).

Los vientos crearon condiciones peligrosas en el exterior, pero algunas tiendas de Tinian abrieron el jueves y la población aprovechó para comprar suministros, señaló el residente Mathew Masga.

“Mientras conducía por la zona, vi varias casas de madera y con partes de concreto con los techos dañados debido al paso del tifón", dijo a la AP en un mensaje por Facebook. "Cabe destacar que se cayeron muchos de nuestros postes y líneas eléctricas”.

Imágenes tomadas desde Saipán y Tinian mostraban terrenos residenciales cubiertos de escombros y árboles destrozados. Los vientos aplastaron las gradas metálicas de un campo deportivo.

El residente Dong Min Lee grabó un video de un auto que estaba encima de otros dos en el estacionamiento del edificio residencial donde vive. Los vientos arrancaron parte de la barandilla de su balcón.

La Cruz Roja Estadounidense y sus socios resguardaron a más de 1.000 residentes en Guam y las Marianas del Norte, informó la portavoz de la agencia, Stephanie Fox.

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Los periodistas de The Associated Press Audrey McAvoy, en Honolulu, y Gabriela Aoun Angueira, en San Diego, contribuyeron con este despacho.

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Esta historia fue traducida del inglés por un editor de AP con la ayuda de una herramienta de inteligencia artificial generativa.

One can find it in the country’s name — the UNITED States of America — and in the sentiment of the motto written in Latin on its coins and one-dollar bills: E Pluribus Unum, or “out of many, one.”

The effort has been optimistic and unrealistic, successful and a failure, enduring as an American ideal during moments when citizens struggled — and struggle today — to practice it.

How has the notion of unity in American society evolved in 250 years and more? What does it mean — and what doesn't it mean, particularly in fraught and troubled moments? “It's a question,” says one scholar, “that every society has to answer.”

I. The beginnings of these ‘United’ States

From the milestone moment of the nation’s beginning, the founders emphasized that unity would be a vital component of the new country, where government would be based not on a king and monarchy as in Europe but instead, as the Declaration says, “on the consent of the governed.”

“It is of infinite moment that you should properly estimate the immense value of your national union to your collective and individual happiness; that you should cherish a cordial, habitual, and immovable attachment to it … indignantly frowning upon the first dawning of every attempt to alienate any portion of our country from the rest,” George Washington said as he stepped down from two terms as the first American president.

At the start of the experiment, the fabric of a nation first stitched together from 13 original colonies, defining what unity meant was far from settled.

Even as the founders spoke of high-minded ideals, they put limits on who they allowed to take part, who had rights and freedom and who didn't. All these years later, determining the meaning of unity can still be a challenge. Do we interpret that Latin motto to mean a blending of different perspectives to create a country that is greater than the sum of its parts, or does it mean there can only be one, that unity requires sameness?

Either way, here’s the thing about aspirations, as anyone who’s ever quit on a New Year’s resolution can tell you: They don’t turn into reality without effort and commitment, or come out of just a sole moment, no matter how singular.

Our individual lives are built not just from the milestones but from the everydays in between. How could the life of a nation be any different?

II. Aspiration vs. reality

Even as unity has stood among the ideals, the on-the-ground experience of life in America for the last 2½ centuries has reflected the reality that in this created nation, there’s never been just ONE America, where everyone lived in the same way or had the same access to power and prosperity.

It wasn't there at the country's inception. And in the moment the U.S. is living now, it certainly isn't either.

“I think the United State has had a more volatile history in terms of how it deals with questions of inclusion and exclusion, how it draws the line and polices the line of who’s in and who’s out,” says Daniel Immerwahr, a professor of history at Northwestern University.

“It’s a question that every society has to answer … who’s on the inside, who’s on the outside,” he says. “I would say that what’s interesting about the United States in this regard is how changeable and nonobvious some of the answers to those questions are.”

Sometimes the differences have been straightforward — like geography (rural vs. urban, plains vs. mountains) and climate (heat vs. snow, wildfires vs. flooding). Sometimes they were, and remain, cultural — people from different countries of origin, newcomers vs. generations deep, speaking different languages, following different denominations of Christianity or other religions entirely. And of course, the differences have been economic; rich and poor have always lived differently.

But sometimes, the differences have been travesties — like enslaved Africans and their American-born descendants, forced to live under the lash as they worked in the fields and elsewhere for the benefit of white owners. Even after slavery was outlawed, they were subject to discrimination and worse under racism that was legalized in systemic ways into the 20th century and that echoes still.

The Indigenous tribes whose populations were decimated by death and disease as the American experiment moved westward and newly arrived settlers hankered after their tribal lands, and whose cultures were stripped from generations as the U.S. government tried to force “unity” through brutal efforts at assimilation.

Communities of people barred from possibility because of gender, sexual orientation or other characteristics.

There have also been persistent efforts across eras to create a country where the opportunities available to some — say, voting, economic growth, or access to education — would be made available to all. That came gradually through protest movements, legal action, and callbacks to those same American founding ideals and aspirations of unity and equality.

“It provided a language for the groups that were challenging these exclusions to draw on … invoking the ideals of the Revolution and the Declaration and saying, ‘Look, this is what the nation is supposed to be about,’” says Eileen Cheng, a professor of history at Sarah Lawrence College. “They could challenge the system and yet claim that they were being the true Americans.”

III. What could ‘unity’ even look like?

One of the things about ideals, though, is that they can be somewhat abstract.

What does it mean for a country to be ‘united'? Does unity mean uniform? Is it, to borrow a reference from one of satirist Terry Pratchett's books, that people are on the same side, or can they be on “different sides that happen to be side by side.” Is unity overall even a good thing in the context of a raucous democracy?

A look around the globe and through the history books shows there's no single answer. There have been countries with a single official language, others that have recognized multiple languages, and some, like the United States, that for generations have never officially designated any. At times, countries have chosen official religions. Nations have different standards and processes for naturalizing new citizens.

“There are always tensions between the unity and the separateness,” said Paul Wachtel, a psychology professor at the City College of New York. “There’s no society that is just one or just the other … what’s really most essential is that we learn how to negotiate those tensions.”

The United States experienced that firsthand in its infancy. The Constitution we live under is the second attempt at a framework for government. The first, the Articles of Confederation, kept the federal government weaker and the individual states stronger. It quickly became clear that having such a weak central government — i.e., less unity — wasn't effective for the new country, leading to the Constitution.

For some countries, like many in Europe, those negotiations have taken place under the weight of centuries of history and geography, and other established backdrops like the existing form of government, which impacted the direction they decided to go. The U.S., from the founders' perspective, was a new entity.

“What it is to be of the United States is to adhere to a set of principles rather than to have a certain kind of lineage,” Immerwahr says. “Sometimes that makes the United States remarkably open, and then sometimes that gets the leaders of the United States in all kinds of weird contradictions as they try to explain why they’re doing some forms of inclusion and not others.”

The United States has a decidedly mixed history when it comes to dealing with those tensions. Things have fluctuated.

Take migration, for example. There have been eras when the influx of people coming to these shores was seemingly a never-ending stream, but also times when much of the world was barred. In politics, the idea that there would be different factions represented by different parties was loathed by some, even as it became embedded in the political culture. Groups that were once looked down on are later brought into the fold, and vice versa.

“What have we learned over the last 250 years is that things change,” says Cindy Kam, professor of political science at Vanderbilt University. “We are inclined to be social animals, but what those groups are is culturally constructed. So political elites, social elites, cultural elites, they do that work in identifying what the groups are, who is part of ‘us’ and who is a part of the ‘other.'”

By no means is it settled; if anything, the demographic, technological, economic and other changes of the last several decades are making discussions about unity more relevant than ever. In recent years, Americans have lived in a country where polarization is rampant, and serious — sometimes dire — questions abound over what the future holds. That's probably more in line with the country's beginnings than people realize.

“This polarization, people talk about it like it’s a new thing. But I think it’s really a return back to the way that we were at the beginning of the country,” Cheng says. “It’s not like this kind of linear development where we’re growing more and more accepting of difference. I think it’s up and down.”

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This story is part of an Associated Press package looking at the United States at age 250. For more stories, click here.

For a host of reasons, Hatzenbuhler and other ranchers across the country are reluctant to grow the national herd — now its smallest in more than 75 years — and until they do so, demand will outweigh supply, and beef prices will likely remain high.

Adding cattle makes sense for some ranchers, but others are struggling to stay afloat with the cattle they have, Hatzenbuhler said.

“They’re good times, and they’re bad times,” she said. “It’s a combination of both.”

Why is the beef herd so small?

Hatzenbuhler will make her choices as cows give birth to about 700 calves this spring on her family's Diamond J Angus ranch on more than 2,000 wind-swept acres near Mandan, North Dakota. Does she opt to increase her herd, or does she offset the new arrivals by selling an equal number of cattle to be slaughtered?

The national herd size isn't the only factor that determines what beef costs at the grocery store. Still, the dwindling number of cattle is a key reason the average price of all uncooked ground beef in the U.S. was $6.86 per pound in March, 3 cents off the record high set in February, according to federal statistics. That price in March is up nearly 48% from March 2021.

The U.S. cattle herd reached a high of 132 million head in 1975, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, and that figure has gradually fallen to 86 million this year.

Thanks to changes in cattle genetics and feeding techniques, ranchers now produce far more meat from each animal, so despite the much smaller herd, the country's beef production hit a record 28.4 billion pounds in 2022, said Tim Petry, a North Dakota State University livestock marketing specialist. About 26 billion pounds of beef are expected in 2026.

About 2.5 billion pounds of beef were exported to other countries in 2025, and the tight remaining supply, along with the high demand, has caused record prices.

Ranchers acknowledge the higher prices, but they face plenty of challenges weighing against growing herds, especially from drought.

Drought limits land for grazing

Dry conditions have persisted across much of cattle country, with about 63% of the U.S. cattle herd in drought areas, according to the USDA. Some areas have also seen giant wildfires that left no grass for grazing.

“You’ve got to have rain. You’ve got to have grass to keep cows on because they’re out on pastures for over half the year, and so that’s been the dilemma, is we had forced liquidation of cows,” Petry said.

This time of year, as calves arrive, ranchers decide whether to retain young cows called heifers and calves for breeding herds, and a big factor is pasture conditions, said Bernt Nelson, an American Farm Bureau Federation economist.

Feed is the highest cost for ranchers, and due to drought in spots like Texas and Oklahoma, they have had to truck in supplies from elsewhere. Those extra costs make it hard to increase a herd.

“When these pasture conditions deteriorate, and water becomes an issue, some of these states have to go as far as to haul hay, haul water from other regions of the country that have grass and easy access to water, and that adds a significant cost to operations,” Nelson said.

Even if ranchers opted to raise more cattle, it takes 15 to 24 months for a calf to mature before it can be slaughtered.

Role of meat processors in beef prices

Ranchers often blame the concentrated meat processing systems — primarily driven by four companies — for high beef prices, but the picture is complicated.

In a statement and market updates, the Meat Institute, a meat processors trade group, noted that retailers and food service companies, not packers, set prices for consumers. And the organization said livestock producers were “earning record profits” while packers were losing money.

The Meat Institute also argued that the concentration ratio hasn’t “changed appreciably” over the past 30 years.

“Rhetoric about beef industry concentration implies that consolidation in the beef packing sector is ongoing and that market power is becoming increasingly concentrated. That is not the case,” the group said.

John Robinson, a spokesman for the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association, said he sees many reasons for high prices, and in some cases, meat processors are responsible, but that “it’s far more complicated than most people will give it credit for.”

A pest forces border closure

Another driver of high prices is the closure of the U.S.-Mexico border to livestock imports to slow the spread of a flesh-eating parasite called the New World screwworm. The closures that began in late 2024 have stopped about 1 million cattle from being hauled from Mexico into the U.S., said Warren Rusche, an extension feedlot specialist at South Dakota State University.

The border closure particularly affects cattle feedlots and ranchers who graze cattle in the southern plains.

President Donald Trump has called for increased beef imports from Argentina, but the country's expanded quota would be only a tiny percentage of U.S. beef production, Rusche said.

Are ranchers getting rich?

Hatzenbuhler, the North Dakota rancher, isn't getting rich, but for ranchers who own their land and equipment, she said it's a good time to raise cattle. It's not as good for people looking to break into the business, given the high cost of everything from equipment to fertilizer and the difficulty of finding workers.

“If you’re a young guy and want to get in, it’s probably not the time to do it, but if you’re kind of established and been doing this for a while, you’re doing good,” she said.

California rancher Mike Williams said he wouldn't discourage someone from getting into ranching but would caution them, “don't get too far upside down.”

“I would say that we're finally maybe getting a fair price,” Williams said. “I think people are starting to realize the value of beef, and they're finding that they're willing to pay maybe a little more than they have in the past for the quality of the product that they're getting."

The event featured a “ladies vs. gents” matchup, with top-ranked pickleball player Anna Leigh Waters and tennis pro Genie Bouchard teaming up against legends Andre Agassi, who returned to defend his title, and James Blake.

The massive countywide cleanup is now in its 44th year, arriving at a critical time for Biscayne Bay, which is at a dangerous tipping point.

“Don’t forget, water is life. Wooo!” Miami-Dade Mayor Daniella Levine Cava said.

Across 33 sites in Miami-Dade County, more than 3,000 volunteers stepped up to do their part to help save the bay.

“It matters a lot. It’s our community, it’s our Earth,” said Laura Gagliardo, a volunteer with Blackstone.

Baynanza 2026 spans shorelines across local waterways and even inland areas, tackling the wave of litter that ultimately ends up in the bay and ocean.

“Beautiful bay. Lot of garbage. I don’t know who can do this to this beautiful place,” said Miami Beach volunteer Marina Spisiak.

At a site along the north shore of the Julia Tuttle Causeway off Miami Beach, organized by VolunteerCleanup.org, volunteers were shocked to find the area covered in trash.

“It’s just very sad that we have become so irresponsible and so unaware, thinking that’s not going to affect us,” said volunteer Maria Rovzar.

Much of the debris comes not only from careless visitors, but from trash carried into the bay itself -- pounds of litter flowing in from across Miami-Dade.

Eighty percent of all marine debris comes from land-based sources. That means every plastic bag, every plastic water bottle, plastic cup, Styrofoam container that gets thrown out a car window or litter on the street -- every time it rains, that gets washed into our storm drain system, into our canals, and into Biscayne Bay.

State Sen. Ileana Garcia was also at the Julia Tuttle cleanup, turning words into action after sponsoring legislation aimed at tackling Florida’s growing marine debris problem.

“I think that the time has come where we’re finally aware that we need to do this,” Garcia said.

Garcia said momentum is building in Tallahassee.

“The tide is changing in Tallahassee. I think they’re very much aware that it’s actually cheaper to take care of the resources versus having to clean up after it’s broken,” she said.

Despite that momentum, the bill died in committee when the legislative session ended. Garcia said she plans to bring it back next year. Advocates remain hopeful.

“I think the appetite is growing. It’s not there yet, but what we’re doing is bringing elected officials out on cleanups so they can see this problem firsthand,” said Dave Doebler, co-founder of VolunteerCleanup.org. “Once they do, they immediately want to be part of the solution.”

Biscayne Bay is a major economic engine for Miami-Dade, supporting industries from fishing to cruising.

“Every year, the bay produces over $64 billion in annual economic revenue, and we really want to make sure that we have a safe bay to protect the fishing industry, the cruising industry and everyone who relies on a healthy bay,” said Loren Parra, director of the county’s Department of Environmental Resources Management.

Right now, the bay faces threats from nutrient pollution caused by sewage breaks, leaking septic tanks, fertilizer runoff and dirty stormwater. Reducing marine debris is key to restoring its health at a time when it is nearing a tipping point.

“In order to solve the problem, it’s going to take actions by individuals, businesses and government,” Doebler said.

“It makes a difference, even if it’s for one hour,” said volunteer Nelly Hernandez.

“We just want to do our part and come out here and clean. Does it make a difference? Hopefully, yeah. Hopefully we can inspire other people to come out here and take care of our Mother Earth,” said volunteer Ryan Oswald.

County officials said volunteers collected more than 20,000 pounds of marine debris and trash, including microplastics. The trashiest sites included the Julia Tuttle Causeway, where about 2,000 pounds were removed, and Biscayne National Park, where volunteers picked up 1,700 pounds.

Kast, del derechista Partido Republicano que llegó a la presidencia apenas en marzo con la promesa de encabezar un gobierno enfocado en la seguridad y la economía, buscará dinamizar la actividad económica mediante un paquete de 40 medidas que enviará al Congreso en los próximos días.

“Queremos más empleo, más progreso económico y social, y más seguridad para que los chilenos puedan recuperar la esperanza”, dijo el mandatario al inicio de su primer discurso en cadena nacional.

“Tenemos un solo objetivo, que Chile sea un país donde el trabajo honesto alcance para vivir bien”, dijo Kast. “Una nación donde quien quiera emprender no encuentre obstáculos sino oportunidades y donde el Estado cumple sus funciones con eficiencia”.

Entre las iniciativas principales, Kast apunta a recuperar la confianza del sector privado con una propuesta para reducir el impuesto corporativo del 27% al 23%, una medida que ya enfrenta el rechazo de la oposición. Además, el gobierno busca implementar un crédito para las empresas que paguen salarios a trabajadores más vulnerables, iniciativa que ayudaría a las compañías de todos los tamaños a reducir costos de contratación.

“Todos necesitan lo mismo: un Estado que no los trabe, una carga tributaria que no los asfixie y un marco legal que les dé certeza para crecer y dar más empleo”, dijo Kast.

Kast, de 60 años, hizo campaña con la promesa de impulsar a la economía mediante el fomento de la inversión privada, la reducción de obstáculos regulatorios y el fortalecimiento de sectores estratégicos como la minería, la energía y la infraestructura.

Sin embargo, el conflicto en Oriente Medio ha complicado sus planes. El gobierno anunció en marzo un fuerte aumento en los precios de los combustibles en un país que depende enormemente de las importaciones de petróleo. El incremento disparó la inflación mensual al 1%, su mayor variación desde enero de 2025.

El mandatario también propuso eliminar el impuesto sobre la compra de viviendas nuevas durante 12 meses para facilitar el acceso a la vivienda propia. El plan contempla eximir a los propietarios mayores de 65 años de la obligación de pagar contribuciones sobre su primera vivienda.

El paquete económico también incluye asistencia para las víctimas de los incendios de enero pasado en las regiones de Ñuble y Biobío, que dejaron 23 muertos, destruyeron más de 1.000 viviendas y obligaron a decenas de miles de personas a evacuar.

“Sé que habrá voces que digan que este proyecto favorece a los que más tienen. Esa objeción no resiste los datos. El empleo lo puede crear cualquier empresa que tenga condiciones para crecer: el almacén de barrio, la empresa familiar, la compañía mediana, la gran industria”, dijo Kast al final de su discurso. “El crecimiento económico no es un beneficio para unos pocos”.

The Sixers moved on to a first-round series that begins Sunday at Boston.

Desmond Bane and the Magic aren't done yet. They will host Charlotte on Friday night, with the winner earning the No. 8 seed in the East and a first-round matchup with Detroit.

The Hornets held on to beat Miami 127-126 when Miles Bridges blocked Davion Mitchell’s attempt at a winning layup at the buzzer. Charlotte’s LeMelo Ball will play, although he was fined $35,000 for what the league said was an uncalled flagrant foul when he tripped Bam Adebayo, causing a back injury that forced the Miami star out of the game.

Embiid had an emergency appendectomy last week in Houston. While the 76ers haven’t given a timetable for his return, the two-time scoring champion returned to the team on Wednesday, surprising teammates in the locker room and watching the game from the bench.

Maxey, named an Eastern Conference All-Star starter for the first time in his career, scored seven straight points late in the fourth to give the Sixers some breathing room against a Magic team that wasted a chance to play this game at home with a late collapse in a loss to the Celtics in the season finale.

Bane, who averaged 20.1 points and played all 82 games, carried Orlando's offense with 34 points. He hit a 3 that moved Orlando within two and Anthony Black hit a 3 that pulled the Magic to 87-86.

Maxey had a bit more help down the stretch.

Andre Drummond filled the void left by Embiid with 14 points and 10 rebounds off the bench. Kelly Oubre Jr. scored 19 points and Paul George had 16.

George, who served a 25-game suspension this season for flunking a drug test, hit a fadeaway jumper in the third quarter that stretched the lead to seven and prompted an Orlando timeout. He later popped the ball free and dumped it to Edgecombe, who dunked on — and got in the face of — Jalen Suggs for a 73-62 lead.

Edgecombe, the No. 3 overall pick in last year's draft, was whistled for taunting and officials had to separate the teams. Oubre waved his arms toward a roaring crowd and the Sixers seemed primed to build some separation.

Up next

Game 2 is Tuesday in Boston, and the Sixers return home for Game 3 on April 24.

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

The change was passed last month by the Legislative Assembly, which is controlled by Bukele's party, and would apply to people convicted of committing or acting as an accomplice to crimes including homicide, femicide, rape and gang membership. The measure was pushed forward by Bukele's cabinet.

Previously, the maximum sentence in El Salvador was 60 years for adults and less for youths. The reforms slated to take effect April 26 would create new criminal courts to try cases. They also stipulate a mandatory review of life terms decades into the sentences, depending on the age of the convict and the gravity of their crimes.

Critics say the reforms are just the latest harsh move by Bukele more than four years into his war on gangs.

Following a burst of gang violence in 2022, Bukele announced a then-temporary state of emergency, which has become the new normal in the Central American nation as it's been extended for years. He suspended constitutional rights and locked up more than 1% of El Salvador's population, often on vague charges with little evidence. Prisoners are often judged in mass trials and lawyers regularly lose track of where their clients are.

In one mass trial last year, alleged gang members were handed sentences of hundreds of years.

Officials in Bukele’s government have previously vowed that gang members detained “will never return” to the streets.

Under the crackdown, Bukele's government has detained around 91,650 people in El Salvador. Bukele has said that less than 10% of those people have been released.

It's fueled accusations of human rights abuses and arbitrary detention, but also sharply dipped homicide rates in a country long terrorized by gangs, handing Bukele soaring popularity levels.

The right-wing ally of U.S. President Donald Trump has been fiercely criticized for weakening checks and balances and undermining El Salvador's fragile democracy.

The sentencing changes are the latest in a slew of constitutional reforms jammed through by Bukele and his allies. Last year, the government pushed through one of its most contentious reforms that would eliminate presidential term limits, paving the way for Bukele to remain in power indefinitely.

Emboldened by Bukele’s alliance with U.S. President Donald Trump, the government has also gone after its enemies, detaining critics and activists, and increasingly forcing journalists and opposition voices to choose between exile or prison.

Human rights organizations have documented cases of arbitrary detentions for years, and one of them even filed a complaint before the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights, stating that the vast majority of those imprisoned under the state of emergency were detained arbitrarily, something the leader denies.

The league said Ball made “unnecessary and reckless contact” with Adebayo on Tuesday night. Ball was fined $60,000 for the foul and for using profanity in an interview, but he remains eligible to play in the Hornets' elimination game Friday against Orlando.

The flagrant foul from Tuesday’s game, if called in real time, would have resulted in Miami being awarded two free throws and possession of the ball. The Heat wound up losing 127-126 in overtime, ending their season.

The NBA said a flagrant foul, penalty two, was merited. If that had been called, Ball would have been ejected.

Adebayo was hurt early in the second quarter and did not return, leaving Miami without its best player. Ball made the decisive layup for the Hornets in overtime.

While he lauded the way Charlotte played, Miami coach Erik Spoelstra said he felt Ball should have been ejected and wondered how officials Zach Zarba, Curtis Blair and Gediminas Petraitis all missed the incident.

“I don’t think that belongs in the game, tripping guys, shenanigans,” Spoelstra said. “Curtis was there. It’s his responsibility to see that. And if it’s not his responsibility, then Zach’s got to see it. Somebody’s got to see that. He should have been thrown out of the game for that. I don’t know him from anyone. There’s no place in the game for that.”

Per NBA rules, the Heat could not challenge the ruling on the play because no foul was called. Play continued, leaving no opportunity for a replay review.

“The play wasn’t whistled in real time,” Zarba told a pool reporter. “Play continued with a fast break. And because play wasn’t stopped immediately, and there was no whistle on the play, the window to review the play was closed.”

Ball was fined $35,000 for the foul on Adebayo. He was fined $25,000 for using profanity in an on-court postgame interview. The league did not publicly address a separate incident where Ball struck Charlotte’s mascot during the postgame celebration.

Tuesday's play was reminiscent of one during a game at Miami in January 2024, when Ball grabbed at Adebayo’s leg as the Heat center was running to the other end of the court. Adebayo stumbled but did not fall.

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

The January-March data released by the government, covering a period during which the Iran war began, was better than what economists expected and was up from the 4.5% growth seen in the October-December quarter.

On a quarter-on-quarter basis, China's economy grew 1.3% in the first three months from the final quarter of last year, the fastest pace in a year.

Economists expect China, the world's second largest economy, to be able to weather short-term impacts from the Iran war, now in its seventh week. The war is pushing energy prices higher, worsening inflation and impacting global economic growth. But longer term, areas including global demand for Chinese exports could take a hit.

The International Monetary Fund this week trimmed its economic growth estimates for China to a 4.4% expansion for 2026 as it lowered its global growth forecasts over Iran war shocks. Chinese leaders last month set an economic growth target of 4.5% to 5% for this year, the slowest since 1991.

“China can likely weather short term disruptions, but a protracted war and higher for longer energy prices would likely start to bite into growth by the second half of the year,” said Lynn Song, chief economist for Greater China at Dutch bank ING.

Also on Thursday, government data showed industrial output in China rose 5.7% in March year-on-year, better than market expectations, as global demand for Chinese exports of electronic equipments, autos, semiconductors and robotics remained strong.

Retail sales were up 1.7% from a year earlier, worse-than-estimates and slower than the 2.8% growth in January and February, reflecting sluggish domestic demand for consumer goods.

A years-long real estate sector slump in China has dragged consumer and investor confidence, but the country managed to achieve its targeted “around 5%” growth last year, powered by robust exports that drove its trade surplus to a record nearly $1.2 trillion despite U.S. President Donald Trump’s higher tariffs.

China's exports will continue to be key in propelling its economy this year, economists believe, but reliance on export growth could now increasingly become a problem.

"The lack of a speedy resolution to the Iran war is likely to dent global growth, which will negatively impact other economies’ ability to absorb Chinese exports,” said Eswar Prasad, a professor of economics and trade policy at Cornell University.

“At a time when all countries are trying to protect their firms, households and economies from the fallout of the Iran war, the appetite for Chinese imports is clearly shrinking,” he explained.

On Tuesday, China reported its exports grew 2.5% in March from a year ago, significantly slowing from the previous two months although some analysts partly attributed that to seasonal distortions.

China could likely still attain its full year economic growth target of 4.5% to 5% for 2026 through policy stimulus measures, economists say, but there are other concerns.

A boost in public sector investment, Prasad said, would stabilize headline growth but, unless household demand strengthens significantly, could intensify underlying deflationary pressures and increase the economy’s reliance on exports down the line.

He says he lost it hours later, literally.

The 35-year-old from New Zealand defeated Jiri Prochazka in the main event at UFC 327 by knockout this weekend in Miami to become the new champion of the light heavyweight division. He told Fox Sports Australia on Monday that he misplaced his golden title belt while celebrating his victory.

“I’ve lost the belt, bro,” Ulberg told Fox Sports. “Initially after winning, the plan was to not have a drink. But you know how these things go, right? First, someone gives you a champagne to celebrate. Then one thing leads to another and you’re doing shots.”

His knee injury could to keep him sidelined for a year, meaning he will have to give up his champion status anyway, with UCF holding an interim title fight to take his place.

But Ulberg said he's fairly confident his belt will be found before he heads to Las Vegas to get further evaluation from doctors there on his knee. He then plans to spent time at the UFC Performance Institute before returning to New Zealand to be with family.

“I didn’t want to be carrying the belt around so I think it’s still there at the apartment somewhere. One of the boys probably has it in bed with him," Ulberg said.

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AP MMA: https://apnews.com/hub/mixed-martial-arts

The memo, a copy of which was sent to The Associated Press, followed a long day of reports suggesting Saudi Arabia’s sovereign wealth fund was on the verge of cutting its financial backing of the upstart league.

The newsletter Money in Sport reported in February that LIV Golf already had spent $5.3 billion and was projected to surpass $6 billion by the end of the year.

“I want to be crystal clear: Our season continues exactly as planned, uninterrupted and at full throttle,” O'Neil said. “While the media landscape is often filled with speculation, our reality is defined by the work we do on the grass. We are heading into the heart of our 2026 schedule with the full energy of an organization that is bigger, louder, and more influential than ever before.”

Left unclear was how long the funding would last for LIV Golf, which launched in June 2022 by paying roughly $1 billion in signing bonuses to some of the PGA Tour's biggest names, such as Bryson DeChambeau, Brooks Koepka, Phil Mickelson, Dustin Johnson and Jon Rahm.

Prize money for individuals and the 13 teams was raised to $30 million this year.

Koepka since has left LIV and was allowed to rejoin the PGA Tour this year with stipulations. Patrick Reed also left LIV and is playing a European tour schedule this year. He is virtually certain to be eligible to return to the PGA Tour in 2027 through the European tour points race.

Questions about LIV's future funding were raised as the Public Investment Fund of Saudi Arabia revealed a new five-year investment strategy.

“The 2026-30 strategy marks a natural evolution as PIF moves from a period of rapid growth and acceleration to a new phase of sustained value creation, with a strengthened focus on maximizing impact, raising the efficiency of investments, and applying the highest standards of governance, transparency and institutional excellence,” the PIF said in a release.

The plan was developed before the U.S.-Israel war against Iran. Yasir Al-Rumayyan, the PIF governor who loves golf and was behind LIV Golf, told the London-based Financial Times, “Of course the war would add more pressure to reposition some priorities.”

LIV players at Chapultepec Golf Club for LIV Golf Mexico that starts Thursday did not have answers as speculation ran rampant throughout the day.

One player said Al-Rumayyan met with players the first week of March in Hong Kong and said funding for LIV was set through 2032. The player spoke on condition of anonymity because the meeting was private. The player also said O’Neil arrived in Mexico City Wednesday and was to meet with the players.

LIV Golf promoted the Mexico event Wednesday evening on social media with the message, “Slow news day? We are ON.”

LIV has played five events this year, in Saudi Arabia, Australia, Hong Kong, Singapore and South Africa. It celebrated an inspirational victory at its biggest event in Australia when Anthony Kim won after the American had been away for 12 years while battling drug and alcohol addiction.

DeChambeau won the last two events in playoffs, and this week tries to become the first LIV player to win three in a row. DeChambeau, a two-time U.S. Open champion, missed the cut in the Masters last week.

LIV's focus has been on a global reach, with its first U.S. tournament not scheduled until May 7-10 at Trump National in northern Virginia.

“The life of a startup movement is often defined by these moments of pressure,” O'Neil said. “We signed up for this because we believe in disrupting the status quo. We have faced headwinds since the jump, and we’ve answered every time with resilience and grace. Now, we answer by doing what we do best: putting on the most compelling show in sports.”

He ended his note to the staff by saying, “We are pioneers, and while the road isn’t always smooth, the destination is worth every mile. Let’s go out and show the world why LIV Golf is the future of the game.”

LIV is in the second year of a Fox Sports television deal, with network putting it on various platforms like FS1. The opening round of the Mexico event has three hours on the Fox Sports app. The previous two years, its U.S. broadcast partner was the CW.

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

The detailed report from Human Rights Watch said the heightened pressure was part of a decade-old campaign to ensure that religious denominations and independent churches are loyal to the officially atheist Communist Party, a claim the Chinese government rejected, saying the group is “consistently biased against China.”

China’s Catholics have been divided between an official, state-controlled church that didn’t recognize papal authority and an underground church that remained loyal to Rome through decades of persecution.

Pope Francis, in 2018, sought to ease Vatican-China tensions with a deal giving the state-controlled church a say in naming bishops — a task traditionally exclusive to the pope.

Despite that deal, “Catholics in China face escalating repression that violates their religious freedoms,” said Yalkun Uluyol, a China researcher at Human Rights Watch. “Pope Leo XIV should urgently review the agreement and press Beijing to end the persecution and intimidation of underground churches, clergy, and worshippers.”

The Vatican spokesman, Matteo Bruni, didn’t immediately respond Wednesday when asked to comment on the report.

In a statement sent to The Associated Press, the Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson's Office said Human Rights Watch “fabricates all manner of lies and rumors, and lacks any credibility whatsoever.” It added that the government “oversees religious affairs in accordance with the law and protects citizens’ freedom of religious belief and normal religious activities.”

Human Rights Watch said its researchers are not allowed into China. It said its report is based on input from people outside China “who had firsthand knowledge of Catholic life in China,” as well as experts on religious freedom and Catholicism in China.

Under the 2018 agreement, Beijing proposes candidates for bishop that the pope can then veto, though the agreement’s full text has never been made public.

Last June, a month after becoming pope, Leo made his first appointment of a Chinese bishop under the agreement. And in a subsequent interview, Leo specified that he would continue with the agreement “in the short term.”

“I’m also in ongoing dialogue with a number of people, Chinese, on both sides of some of the issues that are there,” Leo said. “ It’s a very difficult situation. In the long term, I don’t pretend to say this is what I will and will not do, but after two months, I’ve already begun having discussions at several levels on that topic.”

Since 2018, according to Human Rights Watch, Chinese authorities have pressured underground Catholic communities to join the state-controlled Chinese Catholic Patriotic Association "by arbitrarily detaining, forcibly disappearing ... and subjecting underground Catholic bishops and priests to house arrest.”

The report described some of those actions, attributed to people who had left China and who were not named in the report.

The government has also intensified ideological control, surveillance, restrictions on religious activities, and foreign ties in official churches, according to Human Rights Watch. It said that regulations adopted in December subject foreign travel by Catholic clergy to state approval.

The Chinese government officially recognizes five religions — Buddhism, Taoism, Catholicism, Protestantism and Islam — and tightly supervises them.

In 2016, President Xi Jinping said he would “Sinicize” the country's religions — increasing oversight and ideological control in a bid to align religious practice with the Communist Party’s ideology and leadership.

Since then, Human Rights Watch asserted, the authorities have demolished hundreds of church buildings or the crosses atop them, prevented adherents from gathering in unofficial churches, restricted access to the Bible, and confiscated religious materials not authorized by the government.

The Sinicization campaign has also meant severe repression of Tibetan Buddhism and Islam , Human Rights Watch said.

In October, a pastor of a prominent underground Christian church was detained, according to his daughter, a church pastor and a group that monitors religion in China.

They said Pastor Ezra Jin Mingri of the Zion Church was detained at his home in Guangxi province, along with dozens of other church leaders across China.

Zion Church is among the largest so-called underground or house churches that are unregistered with the Chinese authorities. They defy government restrictions requiring believers to worship only in registered congregations.

Last month, ChinaAid — a U.S.-based group advocating for religious freedom in China — urged U.S. President Donald Trump to demand Mingri’s release ahead of his planned meeting with Xi in May.

“The Chinese Communist Party has escalated its systematic campaign to eradicate independent religious life,” said Bob Fu, ChinaAid’s president. “The United States must respond with consequences — not just concern.”

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AP Vatican correspondent Nicole Winfield in Yaounde, Cameroon, and E. Eduardo Castillo, in Beijing, contributed to this report.

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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.

It was a pretty big deal to Carano, too. The $120,000 she said she got to headline against Cris “Cyborg” Justino in 2009 in her last bout was quite a jump from the $1,000 she said she earned from her first.

The two pioneers will earn significantly more when they end their lengthy layoffs to face each other May 16 at Intuit Dome in Inglewood, California. But Carano said Wednesday the opportunity for her meant far more than a paycheck.

This is the chance for the fighter-turned-actor to write an ending to her MMA journey, and for that she thanked Rousey.

“It's so crazy being here and having Ronda Rousey acknowledge what I did and most people would've written me off,” Carano said, appearing to get choked up. “I would have disappeared in history had she not wanted to fight me. So now people are like, she was a fighter, not just an actress.”

Indeed, and one of the most accomplished ones in her sport at one time. Carano (7-1) was a network draw in MMA's early days and fought in the first Nevada-sanctioned bout between women in 2006. But that wasn't giving her a good living, with Carano saying she also had to appear on “American Gladiators” on the side to help make ends meet.

Pay eventually wasn't a problem for Rousey, who went on to become one of the biggest superstars — male or female — in MMA. Nakisa Bidarian, the former UFC executive who co-founded Most Valuable Promotions with Jake Paul, said Rousey (12-2), who won the UFC’s first-ever women’s bout in 2013, had become the highest-paid female athlete in the world by 2015.

Now she wants other fighters to cash in, in ways that many never could in UFC. Rousey revealed during the press conference Wednesday that every fighter on the card that will stream on Netflix will earn a minimum of $40,000. That could clearly entice other mixed martial artists to Paul’s promotion by paying more than most fighters would ever get from the UFC.

“I want to do everything I can to help everybody else out in every way and that goes for people even at the bottom of the card that have very small records,” Rousey said. “They are important in making MMA more of a viable career path.”

It's unknown how much Carano and Rousey will make next month. But whatever it is will be far more than Carano, who turns 44 on Thursday, thought she'd ever make again in the sport. After leaving MMA after the loss to Justino, she appeared in several films and became a cast member of Disney’s “The Mandalorian.”

She faced mental and physical challenges in the years after fighting, gaining weight that is clearly gone as she prepares for five rounds at the 145-pound limit again. She said now it doesn't even feel like her last fight was so long ago.

It was Rousey who proposed they fight in 2024 and sought to work with MVP, having been impressed with its promotions when Paul fought Mike Tyson, and Amanda Serrano boxed Katie Taylor in some of the biggest women's boxing matches ever.

She noticed during the buildup how much fans had missed Tyson, the dominant heavyweight boxing force in the 1980s and '90s, and figured maybe they would feel the same way about the two MMA trailblazers.

“I knew that me and Gina bring something to the table that people miss,” Rousey said.

Rousey and Carano shared a lengthy embrace after the traditional face-off to end press conferences, in appreciation of what they had done before and what they are now doing together.

While Rousey knew all about her career, Carano said even some of her neighbors didn't.

“I'm like, YouTube me,” Carano said with a laugh. “I swear I'm on there.”

In a month she'll be on Netflix, where more than 300 million viewers can watch with their subscriptions a card that also includes MMA stars such as former UFC heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou and Nate Diaz.

If MVP's first MMA promotion after four years of boxing is successful, more fighters will have the opportunities to make the kind of money Rousey believes they deserve when they enter her sport.

“It shouldn't be such a gamble,” she said.

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AP MMA: https://apnews.com/hub/mixed-martial-arts

In recent months, 20-somethings around the world have taken over social media with posts enthusing about how they’re embracing Chinese ways of life. Videos proclaiming users are “Chinamaxxing,” or “in a very Chinese time of their lives” — namely by drinking hot water with boiled goji berries, eating dumplings or wearing slippers in the house, or flying to China and gushing about its modern infrastructure — are racking up millions of views.

Along with its economic and geopolitical rise, China’s government has tried for years to push its soft power on the global stage. But those official efforts never came close to the success the “becoming Chinese” meme is enjoying now.

Even senior Chinese diplomats have noted the trend. Xie Feng, the Chinese ambassador to the U.S., referenced the internet craze recently as he promoted a new visa-free transit policy and urged more Americans to “experience for yourselves a real, dynamic and panoramic China.”

The TikTok trend is the latest example of how Chinese products and consumables are enjoying a cultural cachet they’ve never had before globally. From movies to music, Labubu toys and even ordinary habits like drinking hot water, Chinese things are now seen by many as cool.

“China is gaining real soft power, and you can see it most clearly in how Chinese culture and ‘Chineseness’ are becoming familiar, repeatable, and globally consumable in everyday life,” said Shaoyu Yuan, a professor at the New York University School of Professional Studies’ Center for Global Affairs.

“That legitimacy,” Yuan said, “is earned through taste, utility, and entertainment.”

That soft power rise is enabled by China's development in many industries: From manufacturing, where it holds a record $1.2 trillion trade surplus with the rest of the world, to social media, where it developed the addictive algorithms that made TikTok, to its own consumer culture, where homegrown names compete head to head with global brands.

Mixed feelings among Chinese Americans

Sherry Zhu, a 23-year-old from New Jersey, posted a couple of videos last year joking about how if you liked noodles and hotpot and wore slippers at home you were Chinese. One of her videos was shared almost a million times in December, and other TikTokers quickly caught on with the “becoming Chinese” meme.

But the trend has also raised thornier questions. For many Chinese people who have long faced discrimination in the West, the internet’s fascination with Chinese culture seems to be the latest form of cultural appropriation.

“Appreciation does not erase the racism that many Chinese people grew up with,” said Elise Zeng, 28, from Brooklyn, New York. A video she posted critiquing the social media phenomenon was liked by more than 36,000 people.

She recalls how during the COVID-19 pandemic she was afraid for her parents stepping out of the house because they heard about people getting attacked just walking down the street. At the time, many Asians reported being assaulted or verbally abused by people who blamed East Asians for the spread of the virus.

“Those experiences don’t just disappear because Chinese culture is suddenly cool and trendy,” she said.

Zhu acknowledged that she, too, has experienced bullying based on her identity, but said she was proud of her Chinese heritage. “I believe that visibility and cultural sharing can reduce misunderstanding over time,” she said.

China’s success in soft power has been building

The meme is riding on a broader embrace of Chinese popular culture that’s been building globally.

The frenzy over Labubus, the fuzzy ugly-cute dolls carried by the likes of Rihanna and other top celebrities, reached a peak last spring and summer, bringing a 300% rise in annual profit for Chinese parent company PopMart.

Several other cultural exports with more distinctly Chinese attributes have also found global success. On TikTok, the Chinese rapper known as Skaii isyourgod or “Lanlao” has gained fans around the world — even though he raps in Cantonese and with a thick regional accent, which many people in China wouldn’t understand either.

But that didn’t matter. Skaii isyourgod’s single “Blueprint Supreme” went viral last summer in China and abroad, amassing billions of views on TikTok globally.

Last year “Ne Zha 2,” the animated blockbuster about a young god from a popular Chinese children’s tale, became the highest grossing animated film of all time even before its release in North America.

Another success, the big budget video game “Black Myth: Wukong,” was similarly based on a story familiar to many Chinese kids about an adventurous monkey hero. The game broke the record for most-played single-player game on Steam when 2.4 million people played it simultaneously after its release.

More recently, Chinese digital maps like Amap have gone viral on social media over standard ones like Apple or Google for their level of detail, such as the ability to inform users if they will be in the shade versus the sun.

Soft power goes beyond official narratives

Xi has long pushed for his government to promote Chinese soft power abroad, calling on officials to “tell China’s story well” since 2013.

They have attempted to do so with ambitious projects like the multibillion-dollar Belt and Road initiative — a plan to build Chinese-funded infrastructure across the world — and investing in hundreds of Confucius Institutes.

But many Confucius Institutes, meant to be Beijing-funded centers teaching Chinese language and culture, have shut down in the West over concerns they were fronts for spying and propaganda, while the Belt and Road Initiative has been criticized as a debt trap by Western countries.

China’s ascending hard power has been well documented. It is the dominant manufacturer in the green energy sector, most visibly with its electric vehicles, but also across solar energy. It has the world’s second-largest military, behind the U.S. It is a manufacturing powerhouse, and its exports have swept the world.

Soft power, in contrast, is harder to quantify — or manufacture. China’s government has been eager to capitalize on the latest social media trend and throw state support behind cultural moments after they’ve broken out.

Global Times, a state-owned tabloid, claimed that the popularity of the “becoming Chinese” meme is linked to the success of “China’s social development.”

But the more officials vocally claim such successes and frame them as part of the “China story,” the more it may be received with skepticism, said Yuan, the professor.

“Cultural influence travels farther when it is chosen rather than announced,” he said.

Several replacement officials have completed hiring steps including background checks and will soon progress to undergoing physical exams, per a memo sent to teams on Wednesday that was obtained by The Associated Press. Training sessions with NFL officiating supervisors would then begin as early as next month.

The league has undertaken these steps because negotiations with the referees’ union have been unsuccessful, two people with knowledge of the discussions told The Associated Press last month. Both people spoke on condition of anonymity because the conversations are private.

The NFL's collective bargaining agreement with the NFL Referees Association is set to expire on May 31.

NFL senior vice president of officiating Perry Fewell informed head coaches and general managers in the memo that teams will receive further information in the coming weeks about when replacement refs would be able to work offseason workout programs and minicamps, which begin in June.

The league and the union have been negotiating a new collective bargaining agreement since the summer of 2024.

“The league remains committed to reaching a fair and reasonable agreement with the NFLRA but will be prepared in the event the NFLRA permits the current agreement to expire,” Fewell said in the memo.

The NFL has increased its offer to a 6.45% annual growth rate in compensation over a six-year labor deal, but the NFLRA wants 10% plus $2.5 million for marketing fees, the two AP sources said last month.

NFLRA executive director Scott Green told the AP “those numbers are not accurate.” He said negotiations with the league are similar to 2012 when a stalemate resulted in a 110-day lockout and replacement referees were used. ___

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

The two resolutions to block U.S. sales of bulldozers and bombs to Israel were opposed by all Republicans and rejected 40-59 and 36-63. But Sanders has repeatedly forced votes on the issue to put pressure on his colleagues — both Democrats and Republicans — to oppose Netanyahu’s regime.

Similar resolutions forced by Sanders in 2024 and 2025 were also rejected, but the number of Democrats voting with the Vermont Independent has more than doubled in less than two years amid Israeli campaigns in Gaza, Iran and Lebanon and a stepped-up campaign by party activists who have increasingly seen support for Israel as a litmus test for support.

“It’s clear that Democrats are beginning to listen to the average American who is sick and tired of spending billions of dollars to support Netanyahu’s horrific wars when people in this country can’t afford housing or health care,” Sanders said after the vote.

Arizona Sen. Mark Kelly, D-Ariz., voted in support of the two resolutions after opposing some of Sanders’ previous efforts. In a speech just before the vote, Kelly said that “the reckless decisions being made by Prime Minister Netanyahu and President Trump” led him to his decision, which he said he did not take lightly.

“Under Prime Minister Netanyahu’s government, we’ve seen an expanded war in Lebanon that is putting innocent Lebanese civilians at risk, and ongoing violence against Palestinians and their homes being demolished in the West Bank,” Kelly said. “All of this has undermined the path forward for peace.”

Among the Democrats voting against the resolutions were Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand. Nearly 100 protesters were arrested during a demonstration on Monday calling on the two New York senators to vote in favor of Sanders' two measures.

Led by the antiwar group Jewish Voice for Peace, the crowd of hundreds initially attempted to stage a sit-in inside the senators' offices as they said they were abetting Israel’s intensifying attacks in Lebanon and the U.S.-Israeli war on Iran. But they were blocked and many of the protesters were arrested.

“The majority of Americans and New Yorkers want a resolution to what the Israeli government is doing,” said the group’s communications director, Sonya Meyerson-Knox.

Democrats supported a resolution earlier on Wednesday to halt Trump's war in Iran, though that was also rejected, 47-52. Democratic Sen. Chris Coons, a Democrat who voted against Sanders' Israel resolutions, said he voted to end the Iran war but did not want to abandon Israel.

“My votes should be taken neither as an endorsement of the actions of the Netanyahu government nor as an abandonment of the state of Israel, the Jewish people, or the US-Israel relationship,” Coons said in a statement after the vote.

Republicans said the vote could hurt U.S. efforts in the Iran war.

Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Jim Risch, R-Idaho, said the resolutions could embolden Iran and “send the message that the U.S. is prepared to leave our ally Israel vulnerable.”

“They will not help the United States of America,” Risch said ahead of the vote.

The California Supreme Court on Wednesday ordered John Eastman disbarred and his name stricken from the state roll of attorneys. It caps a yearslong effort by the state bar to strip Eastman of his law license after he developed a legal strategy to have then-Vice President Mike Pence interfere with the certification of Joe Biden’s presidential victory.

A judge for the State Bar Court of California in 2024 recommended that he lose his California law license. Eastman argued he was being punished for simply giving legal advice.

George Cardona, chief trial counsel for the State Bar of California, said Wednesday's decision follows clear evidence that Eastman "advanced false claims about the 2020 presidential election to mislead courts, public officials, and the American public.”

“The Court’s order underscores that Mr. Eastman’s misconduct was incompatible with the standards of integrity required of every California attorney,” he said.

Eastman’s attorney, Randall Miller, said the decision “raises pivotal constitutional concerns” and that they plan to seek review in the U.S. Supreme Court.

The ruling, he said in a statement, “departs from long-standing United States Supreme Court precedent protecting First Amendment rights, especially in the attorney discipline context.”

The States United Democracy Center, which filed an early ethics complaint against Eastman, cheered the decision.

“His unethical actions have had real, lasting consequences for our democracy,” Christine P. Sun, a senior vice president for the nonprofit, said in a statement.

Eastman was a close adviser to Trump in the run-up to the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol. He wrote a memo laying out a plan for Pence to reject legitimate electoral votes for Biden while presiding over the joint session of Congress on Jan. 6 in order to keep Trump in the White House.

Prosecutors looking to strip Eastman of his law license had depicted him as fabricating a baseless theory and making false claims of fraud in hopes of overturning the results of the election.

An attorney for Eastman had countered that his client wasn't trying to steal the election but was considering ways to delay electoral vote counting so states could investigate allegations of voting improprieties. Trump’s claims of fraud were roundly rejected by courts, including by judges Trump appointed.

Eastman has also faced criminal charges in Georgia in the case accusing Trump and 18 allies of conspiring to overturn the Republican’s loss in the state. The case was dismissed in November.

Earlier that month, Trump had pardoned Eastman and many others accused of backing the Republican’s efforts to overturn the 2020 election. The pardon only applies to federal crimes.

Eastman had served as a law clerk for U.S. Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas and as dean of Chapman University law school in Southern California from 2007 to 2010. He was a professor at the school when he retired in 2021 after more than 160 faculty members signed a letter calling for the university to take action against him.

The California State Bar is a regulatory agency and the only court system in the U.S. that is dedicated to attorney discipline.

His 22 swing and misses against the New York Mets were a career high with the Dodgers. He struck out the side in the sixth inning on 14 pitches in the Dodgers' 8-2 victory. The right-hander allowed one run and two hits in six innings.

“It was really good to watch him just focus on one thing,” manager Dave Roberts said. “Just channeling all that energy into pitching was helpful. The last couple outings I felt he was fighting himself a little bit at times, but tonight he was unusually good.”

It was the first time since May 28, 2021, with the Los Angeles Angels that Ohtani has not been in the batting lineup during a mound start.

“In between innings felt a little longer than normal. That was really the only difference,” Ohtani said through a translator. “I had pretty productive time being able to spend time on the game-planning side of things.”

Ohtani is still sore from being struck on the back of his right shoulder by a pitch from the New York Mets' David Peterson on Monday. The Japanese superstar let out a howl, but stayed in the game.

“If it weren’t for the hit by pitch, he would’ve been DHing and pitching tonight,” Roberts said before the game. “But I do think that just to be able to pitch and focus on that will be a benefit for the mind and the body, and hopefully, we’re just in a little moment of fatigue and we can get past it.”

Ohtani didn't ice his shoulder after the game, which Roberts said was a good sign.

Roberts said Ohtani has felt progressively better since Monday. But the training staff, coaches and Roberts felt it was better for him not to hit in the series finale, although Ohtani was initially surprised to hear the decision.

“Because I’ve never asked him to pitch and not hit,” Roberts said. “I think that he understands that I’m making a decision that’s best for the player, for him, and for the team.”

Ohtani is 0 for 7 at the plate since getting hit.

His career-best on-base streak reached 48 games after he was intentionally walked in the eighth inning Tuesday. It's the fourth-longest streak in franchise history.

Roberts expects Ohtani to be back hitting and pitching in his next start, although he said he would consider giving Ohtani a hitting break again on a night when he's pitching at some point in the future.

“It's got to make sense to not have your best hitter not in the lineup,” Roberts said. “Then the question is when he does hit, on days that he pitches, where’s the best for him to hit in the order? I think there’s fair arguments to both, to moving him down a little bit, give him a breather, let him get into the game. But I’m not prepared to make that decision quite yet. But it is something that I’m mindful of it.”

Dalton Rushing replaced Ohtani at designated hitter, and blasted a grand slam in the eighth inning.

“I'm not getting used to it,” Rushing said, chuckling. “He told me to hit a homer for him. I guess it worked out in the end.”

Asked if he would be a one-way player again, Ohtani smiled and said, “Yeah, totally. We have a really good DH hit today, so I’m very open to that.”

On the mound, Ohtani had his streak of 28 2/3 innings without allowing an earned run snapped on MJ Melendez's RBI double in the fifth.

“Just added a little more intensity after they scored a run,” Ohtani said. “But overall it felt really nice and easy and loose throughout the whole outing. So I think that’s the reason why I threw a little harder.”

Roberts noticed Ohtani dig deeper after giving up a second double to Melendez.

“It was 98 all night, some 99s and then in the fifth inning reaches back for 100,” Roberts said. “That's nice.”

Ohtani made his Dodgers pitching debut last season, going 1-1 with a 2.87 ERA and 62 strikeouts in 47 innings over 14 starts. His four-seam fastball averaged a career-best 98.4 mph last year.

Ohtani owns the longest on-base streak by a Japanese-born player at 48 games, surpassing Hall of Famer Ichiro Suzuki, who reached in 43 straight games in 2009.

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

The White Sox said Gerald Chaney, a longtime anthem performer, was “doing well” while continuing to be evaluated. He collapsed while performing “Lift Every Voice and Sing," and the team said he was alert before leaving Rate Field.

Chaney was a few words into the hymn considered the Black national anthem when he stopped. He started again and collapsed.

“I'm really glad to hear that he is doing well,” White Sox manager Will Venable said after his team's 8-3 loss. “But obviously a scary moment. I think everyone did a great job in responding and did the best to make sure he's all right. Really good news to hear that he is all right. That's the most important thing, obviously.”

Emergency medical technicians tended to Chaney for several minutes before he was loaded onto a gurney and taken from the field. The teams watched from their dugouts.

Chaney was also scheduled to sing “The Star Spangled Banner” after performing “Lift Every Voice and Sing.” The start of the game was delayed 12 minutes.

“The entire White Sox family is sending love to Gerald and his family for a full and speedy recovery,” the team said in a statement.

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

“‘The Odyssey’ is a story that has fascinated generation after generation for 3,000 years,” Nolan said from the stage. “It’s not a story, it’s the story.”

He introduced an extended clip from the film showing the arrival of the Trojan Horse and the intense nighttime infiltration of the city of Troy. Or, as Jon Bernthal’s Menelaus calls it, “the story of the horse.”

“The Odyssey” is the first motion picture shot entirely on IMAX film, thanks to the development of new cameras that aren’t quite so noisy, fulfilling a dream Nolan said he's had since he was 16.

The film boasts a massive ensemble with Anne Hathaway playing Odysseus’s wife Penelope, Tom Holland as their son Telemachus, Zendaya as the goddess Athena and Robert Pattinson as Antinous, one of Penelope’s suitors. Nolan said it would be quicker to say who isn’t in “The Odyssey,” his first feature since “Oppenheimer,” which won best picture and best director at the Oscars in 2024.

“It’s always been a film, first and foremost, about this idea of family, this idea of homecoming,” Nolan said, adding that it is almost done.

The footage was shown as part of the Universal Pictures presentation to exhibitors where the studio also has a new “Minions” movie and Steven Spielberg’s original science fiction film “Disclosure Day" coming to theaters this summer.

“I’m just really glad not to be following Steven Spielberg,” Nolan said.

Later, Spielberg, like Nolan, got a rousing, retrospective montage of his films and a big standing ovation from the audience as well. For Spielberg’s first visit to the convention, the Motion Picture Association even gave him an award. Colman Domingo, who co-stars in “Disclosure Day,” led a discussion with Spielberg about his 35th feature, which opens on June 12.

Spielberg said he’s always been fascinated by what’s happening in the sky, and, particularly, the UFO phenomenon. And 50 years after “Close Encounters of the Third Kind,” he said he's convinced that there’s more truth to it than fiction. The movie, which also stars Emily Blunt and Josh O'Connor, has been kept quite secretive. Spielberg said he was adamant about not spoiling the third act.

"All I can say is it's an experience," Spielberg said. “And all you need to get from the beginning to the end is a seat belt.”

He also spoke about the industry at large and the importance of giving the audience original stories.

“That is what’s going to keep this business alive,” Spielberg said.

Snoop Dogg kicked off the presentation performing “Drop It Like It’s Hot” and announcing that he’s partnered with Universal “to finally tell my story.” Craig Brewer will direct and it’s aiming to be in theaters next year.

“My movie will be rated R, you can believe that,” he said. “So kids, get your parents’ permission.”

Universal currently has the year’s biggest box-office hit in theaters with “The Super Mario Galaxy Movie,” which has only been out for 15 days and has already made over $631 million worldwide. It is on its way to being the year’s first billion dollar movie, said Donna Langley, the NBC Universal Entertainment chairperson. Last month the studio also pledged to extend the exclusive theatrical window for all its movies to 45 days starting in 2027.

“We’ve always been a theatrical first studio,” Langley said.

For decades the standard exclusive window was 90 days in theaters, but the pandemic and the rise of streaming led to drastic shifts from all the major studios. Universal experimented with 17-day windows during the pandemic era, as well as some day-and-date releases, but for its biggest movies they had already settled into the 45-day model.

It’s an important guarantee for theater owners and operators with the box office still at a 20% deficit from its pre-pandemic highs. Disney, by contrast, has a 60-day window, the longest in the industry but still quite depleted from the old 90-day norm.

“Audiences will find what they want to watch whether they’re big or small,” Spielberg said. “But studios need to help us by expanding their exclusive windows like Donna Langley just did.”

He added: “But today I’ve got to be greedy: Do I hear 60 days? ... We can all make it happen; we have to insist on making it happen."

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Local 10 was at Miami-Dade’s Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center when she was greeted outside the jail by friends and castmates Alexia Nepola and Adriana de Moura.

Hochstein briefly addressed supporters, saying, “I just love them all. I love all my fans” and sending them well wishes, but did not directly comment on the allegations.

Her attorney, Jayne Weintraub, said, “We’re not talking about recordings,” adding that the case has “started the process” and that she hopes it “will be resolved very soon.”

Page Six published photos of the reality star smiling as she arrived at TGK late Wednesday morning, accompanied by Weintraub.

Online jail records show she had a warrant out for her arrest and a bond of $5,000.

A March 19 court filing first obtained by Local 10 News states that Hochstein and her ex-boyfriend, Jody Glidden, 52, are each facing one count of interception of wire, oral, or electronic communications.

A description of the charges states that between March 12 and March 31, 2023, the two “unlawfully and intentionally” intercepted, tried to intercept, or tried to have someone else intercept “oral statements by Leonard Hochstein and those Leonard Hochstein spoke with.”

According to Lisa Hochstein’s arrest warrant, she and Glidden planted a recording device in the driver’s seat floorboard of Dr. Leonard “Lenny” Hochstein’s silver 2023 Mercedes-Maybach GLS 600 SUV after the reality star asked if she could borrow the vehicle because she was thinking of purchasing one of her own.

Lenny Hochstein, a prominent plastic surgeon in South Florida, told detectives in May 2023 that he immediately informed his attorney after discovering the device and the attorney then hired a private investigator to examine it, the warrant states.

According to the warrant, a total of 98 recordings were recovered from the device, including a conversation between Lisa Hochstein and Glidden as the device was being “wrestled into place.”

In addition to conversations between Lenny Hochstein and others he spoke to while in his vehicle, a detective recovered deleted recordings from the device, including a recording of Lisa Hochstein and Glidden engaged in “intimate activities,” the warrant states.

Records show Glidden was taken into custody Saturday. He has since been released from jail.

Lisa and Lenny Hochstein’s divorce was finalized in November 2024. They share two children.

Weintraub, Lisa Hochstein’s defense counsel, and attorneys Howard Srebnick and Frank Gaviria, Glidden’s defense counsel, released a joint statement to Local 10 News on Monday afternoon saying, “This matter is part of a contentious divorce proceeding and does not belong in criminal court.”

Glidden’s arraignment is scheduled for Thursday, while Lisa Hochstein is set to be arraigned on April 20.

Wasserman put his talent agency up for sale in February, shortly after the release of documents from the Jeffrey Epstein investigation that included flirtatious emails between Wasserman and Epstein's confidant, Ghislaine Maxwell, from more than 20 years ago.

USOPC chair Gene Sykes said the federation's board of directors discussed the issue at its quarterly meeting Wednesday and that “we take the concern seriously.” There has been no move to remove Wasserman from his role in leading the Olympic effort. Decisions about Wasserman's future are up to LA's board, not the USOPC's.

LA organizers said they had no comment about the USOPC meeting.

The LA committee previously said it investigated Wasserman's relationship with Maxwell, found the relationship “did not go beyond what has already been publicly documented” in the Epstein files and concluded he “should continue to lead LA28 and deliver a safe and successful Games.”

In 2021, Maxwell was convicted on five counts of sex trafficking and abuse of minors. She is serving a 20-year prison sentence. Epstein killed himself in a New York jail cell in August 2019, a month after being indicted on federal sex-trafficking charges.

Though the LA board would make any decision, the USOPC's opinion would likely carry some weight in any discussion. There is crossover between the two; USOPC CEO Sarah Hirshland and members David Haggerty and Anita DeFrantz are on the LA board.

“We’re stewards of the Olympic and Paralympic movement in the United States, and we’re committed to upholding and consistently demonstrating its values,” Sykes said.

He then shifted to discussing progress LA has made involving public support and corporate interest.

“I think (that's) very encouraging,” Sykes said. “The ongoing committee is executing effectively and we’re very happy to work with them.”

Prices of LA28 tickets raise eyebrows; more inexpensive seats will be available

Tickets for the 2028 Olympics went on sale earlier this month, and though organizers have touted more than 1 million for sale for $28, there were none close to that price on its website Wednesday.

The cheapest tickets left among the first major release of tickets, for which people who register are given dedicated time slots to purchase up to 12 seats, were in the $170 range for field hockey preliminaries. The cheapest tickets for an evening of medal events on a night at track and field were $1,100.

In an interview last week with The Associated Press, LA executive Allison Katz-Mayfield acknowledged the wide range of pricing and said cheaper tickets would be released later.

“It goes back to our ethos that we want to ensure there's something for everyone, whether it's someone who just wants to get in the door and experience the Games or someone who has a very specific sport or session and they want to sit in the absolute best seat,” she said. “We tried to approach our inventory mix to replicate that and replicate what we saw in terms of demand from the research we did.”

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

But he made his name in London — though few traces of him remain in the British capital.

A newly discovered 17th-century map sheds new light on the Bard’s London life, pinpointing for the first time the exact location of the only home Shakespeare bought in the city, and where he may have worked on his final plays.

Shakespeare scholar Lucy Munro, who found the document, said that it supplies “extra bits of the jigsaw puzzle” of Shakespeare's life. And as with so many discoveries, it was partly due to luck.

“I came across it in the London Archives when I was looking for other things," Munro said.

New evidence of the building's location

Historians have long known that Shakespeare bought property in 1613 near the Blackfriars Theatre, but the exact location was a mystery. A plaque on a 19th-century building records only that the playwright had lodgings “near this site.”

A plan of the Blackfriars precinct found by Munro and disclosed Thursday by King's College London shows in detail Shakespeare’s house, a substantial L-shaped dwelling carved from a former medieval monastery, including its gatehouse.

The 13th-century Dominican friary had been redeveloped for more secular uses after the dissolution of the monasteries by King Henry VIII in the mid-16th century. The precinct included the Blackfriars playhouse, which Shakespeare part-owned.

Munro, professor of Shakespeare and early modern literature at King’s College London, said it was a desirable area moving slightly down-market – due to people like Shakespeare, who was affluent but associated with the slightly déclassé world of the stage.

“After the dissolution of the monasteries, a lot of the nobility, quite high-ranking courtiers, court officials are living in the Blackfriars,” Munro said. By the time Shakespeare bought his property, “there are still a lot of important people living there, people who make protests against the playhouses at various points, because they see the playhouses as a bit of a public nuisance.”

Shakespeare used the profits of his plays to build a fine family house, now demolished, in Stratford, about 100 miles (160 kilometers) northwest of London. He died there in 1616 at the age of 52.

It’s not certain whether Shakespeare lived in his London property or just rented it out. But Munro said that the size of the house and its location a five-minute walk from the Blackfriars Theatre suggest he may have spent more time in London toward the end of his life than is widely assumed. She said that he may have worked here on his final plays, “Henry VIII” and “The Two Noble Kinsmen,” both co-written with John Fletcher.

Will Tosh, director of education at Shakespeare’s Globe — a reconstruction of the open-air Elizabethan playhouse where many of the Bard’s plays were first performed — said that Munro’s discovery provides a “dazzling new sense of Shakespeare the London writer. She’s helped us to understand how much the city meant to our greatest ever dramatist, as a professional and personal home.”

Destroyed in the Great Fire

Shakespeare left the property to his daughter Susanna, and it remained in the family for another half-century. Munro also found two archival documents detailing its sale by the playwright’s granddaughter Elizabeth Hall Nash Barnard in 1665. A year later, the building burned to the ground in the Great Fire of London, which destroyed much of the medieval city.

Only a few remnants of Shakespeare’s London remain in the area, now part of the city's financial district, including a fragment of wall from the medieval friary. Nearby, the name Playhouse Yard is a reminder that a theater once stood here.

And visitors can have a pint in the Cockpit pub across the street from the site of Shakespeare’s house. The 1600s map shows it as a building called the Sign of the Cock, likely a tavern. It’s not difficult to imagine Shakespeare and his colleagues carousing there.

“There are certainly complaints in the period about the playhouses leading to the opening of more and more drinking houses — ‘houses for tippling,’ as they call them in one of the documents I was looking at,” Munro said.

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent told reporters at a White House briefing Wednesday that the U.S. plans to ramp up economic pain on Iran, and said the new moves will be the “financial equivalent” of a bombing campaign.

The threat of secondary economic sanctions on countries doing business with people, firms, and ships under Iranian control — including allies like the United Arab Emirates and competitors like China — represents an escalation of sanctions that the U.S. is already employing.

Bessent said the administration has “told companies, we have told countries that if you are buying Iranian oil, that if Iranian money is sitting in your banks, we are now willing to apply secondary sanctions, which is a very stern measure. And the Iranians should know that this is going to be the financial equivalent of what we saw in the kinetic activities.”

The Treasury Department warns China, Hong Kong, the UAE and Oman

The warning comes the day after the Treasury Department sent a letter to financial institutions in China, Hong Kong, the UAE, and Oman, threatening to levy secondary sanctions for doing business with Iran, and accusing those countries of allowing Iranian illicit activities to flow through their financial institutions.

It’s part of an economic playbook that President Donald Trump still can use to pressure Iran to accept U.S. proposals to limit its nuclear ambitions, a person familiar with the administration’s thinking told The Associated Press. The person spoke on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss private discussions on the record.

Privately, the argument being made to Trump is that the Iranians think they can weather the storm — but if they cannot pay their loyalists, that could pressure Iran to the table.

And some in the administration believe there are still more economic targets that can be hit that would put the economic hurt on Iran, including bonyads, the charitable trusts that account for a significant percentage of the Iranian economy.

Bessent told reporters that two Chinese banks have received warnings about handling Iranian money. Trump is preparing to visit Beijing next month for talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping.

Bessent also said that Iran’s Gulf neighbors are now willing to look at freezing Iranian money in their banks because of Iran’s aggression during the war.

More sanctions could be ineffective or risk blowback, say experts and lawmakers

Still, Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren, the top Democrat on the Banking Committee, argued that any new economic sanctions would be effectively offset by the financial windfall that Iran was seeing in the aftermath of the war.

“Instead of circumstances where we can keep sanctions on Iran and constrict their economy, the blockade in the Strait of Hormuz — combined with the sharply rising price of oil — has helped Iran’s economy,” Warren said, adding, “What Secretary Bessent is trying to do is mop up the mess that Donald Trump has created by initiating this war.”

Daniel Pickard, a sanctions attorney, said imposing secondary sanctions could result in “diplomatic and economic blowback” from allies that could hurt efforts to build coalitions against Tehran.

“A lot of our trading partners have been outspoken in regard to their opposition to the conflict in Iran,” Pickard said. “Most economic sanctions professionals would agree that when you get more people on the team, the chances of your economic sanctions being effective or greater.”

On Wednesday, the U.S. imposed sanctions on an oil smuggling network connected to the deceased senior Iranian security official Ali Shamkhani, who was a close adviser to the former Supreme Leader of Iran. Sanctions include dozens of individuals, companies, and vessels involved in secretly transporting and selling Iranian and Russian oil through front companies, many of which are in the UAE.

“Treasury will continue to cut off Iran’s illicit smuggling and terror proxy networks,” Bessent said in a statement. ”Financial institutions should be on notice that Treasury will leverage all tools and authorities, including secondary sanctions, against those that continue to support Tehran’s terrorist activities.

The administration believes the momentum has shifted

Trump administration officials have also signaled growing confidence that the ceasefire and a blockade of shipments from Iranian ports in the Strait of Hormuz have shifted momentum in Trump’s favor.

Iran has endured tens of billions of dollars in damage during the bombardment to the country’s infrastructure — including setbacks to its oil industry, the heart of its fragile and long-isolated economy — that could take years to repair.

Vice President JD Vance on Tuesday said Trump “doesn’t want to make, like, a small deal. He wants to make the grand bargain.”

“That’s the trade that he’s offering,” Vance said. “If you guys commit to not having a nuclear weapon, we are going to make Iran thrive.”

The president’s deputy chief of staff, Stephen Miller, offered a more caustic assessment of the moment, suggesting that Trump had “played the checkmate move” on Iran by implementing the blockage in the strait.

“If Iran chooses the path of a deal that’s great for the world, that’s great for everybody. If Iran chooses the path of economic strangulation by blockade, then the world will pass Iran by,” Miller said in a Fox News appearance Tuesday evening. “New energy routes will be established. New supply chains will be established. Other nations throughout the region — throughout the world, and especially America — will power the world and Iran will become a footnote.”

Some Republicans are skeptical that more sanctions will work

Some Republicans believe that any tactic to exert more pressure on Tehran is worth trying.

“I would support anything,” said Sen. Thom Tillis, R-N.C. “If the administration came up with the ideas, I would support all of the above. More pressure, the better.”

Others were skeptical, noting that Tehran was already facing a litany of economic penalties that had little impact on its behavior.

“I’m not sure if it’s sanctions that’ll do it. I think we’re putting some pretty heavy sanctions on right now,” said Sen. Mike Rounds, R-S.D., a member of the Banking and Armed Services Committees. “I personally am just not optimistic that we actually can fix this thing without a regime change.”

Trita Parsi, executive vice president of the Quincy Institute, a think tank that has been critical of Trump’s decision to launch the war, says that Trump had been “politically cornered and strategically constrained” before he announced the ceasefire. But now, Parsi argues, Trump may have altered the difficult dynamic and created a situation where “Iran now appears to need an agreement more than the United States does.”

“The window now open offers Tehran a chance to convert battlefield leverage into lasting strategic gain,” Parsi wrote in a new analysis. ”To let it close would mean forfeiting not just incremental progress, but the possibility of reshaping its economic and geopolitical position. By contrast, the United States, having already secured a tenuous exit ramp through the ceasefire, has less at stake in the short term.”

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Kishawn Zell Walker Perkins, 29, and Armon Christopher Jiles, 26, were arrested and face charges including armed robbery and aggravated battery on an elderly person in one case, and burglary of an unoccupied conveyance in another, according to the Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office.

Detectives said the first incident occurred Feb. 13 at a Chase bank branch on Northwest 56th Court near the Miami Gardens area.

The report states that surveillance video showed the suspects inside a burgundy Nissan Sentra as a customer left the bank carrying a blue money bag.

Investigators said the suspects followed the victim home and later stole items from his vehicle after he entered his residence.

They said the second case happened on March 27 at a Chase Bank on Southwest 72nd Street in the Dadeland area and involved 79-year-old Pedro Parrado.

Local 10 spoke with Parrado, who described being attacked outside his home after withdrawing cash from the bank.

He said, “I didn’t see the guy coming.”

Parrado said the assault happened after he made several stops following the bank visit.

“Someone grabbed me from behind on the strap of my fanny pack that I had, pulled me to the ground,” he said. “I yelled for help but no one was around at the time.”

Investigators said the suspects had been surveilling customers at the bank and followed Parrado after noticing he was carrying a fanny pack, which suggested he had withdrawn cash.

Parrado described the tactic, saying, “Bank jugging happens when criminals watch customers at banks waiting for someone to withdraw cash.”

Parrado said the suspects waited for the right moment to strike.

“They waited until i got here and there was nobody around to make the assault,” he said.

Parrado suffered injuries including a head laceration and abrasions to his knees and elbow after being struck during the struggle, authorities said.

He said the experience left him shaken but also carrying a warning for others.

“If you are aware of your surroundings you can prevent something like this from happening,” he said.

Investigators said surveillance video, vehicle tracking, and cellphone records helped link Walker Perkins and Jiles to both incidents. They also alleged the pair visited multiple banks in the days after the March robbery, appearing to look for additional targets.

Records show both men were taken into custody Tuesday and booked into the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center. They remain held without bond as of Wednesday evening.

Deputies did not say what items or how much cash, if any, the suspects obtained in either incident.

The fire, which started on Monday, prompted evacuations that were lifted at noon on Wednesday. Shortly after 4:15 p.m., FFS reported that 70% of the fire had been contained.

Firefighters with the North Collier Fire Control & Rescue District and the Greater Naples Fire Rescue District, deputies with the Collier County Sheriff’s Office, and troopers with the Florida Highway Patrol were also assisting FFS.

Location

But he said Wednesday that his body is as strong as it's been since he had what school officials said was a minor procedure in January.

“I feel 100 percent right now. We're kind of taking it slow, but if we had a game today I'd be playing,” Manning said. “Obviously when you're not out there, you're kind of antsy. It was hard the first few weeks just not being able to do anything. Now I get to do a little bit more.”

Manning is coming off his first season as the Longhorns' full-time starter. The nephew of Peyton and Eli Manning passed for 3,163 yards and 26 touchdowns and ran for 10 TDs in 2025.

While he waits to do more on the field, he’s been focused on mental reps, footwork drills and getting to know some of his new teammates.

“It’s been different, but it’s been good,” Manning said. “It’s honestly been unique for me getting a bunch of mental reps and kind of being off to the side. But I’ve gotten to spend a lot of time with these new guys — freshmen, transfers — and guys coming back. So, it’s been fun.”

Texas was the preseason No. 1 and finished ranked No. 12. The Longhorns missed the College Football Playoff and finished 10-3 with a Citrus Bowl win over Michigan that included Manning’s 60-yard, game-sealing touchdown run.

Manning described the season as a roller coaster.

“I think I could have had more fun. The first half of the season, I was (ticked),” Manning said. “I wasn’t playing well and it wasn’t fun for me. And then I kind of sort of said ‘screw it’ and had a little more fun and started winning some games.”

Now he said he's concentrated on being the best version of himself going forward. He plans to leave the evaluations of how much he's improved to others.

“I think I'm just trying to get better every day,” Manning said. “That's not for me to judge, really.”

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Broward prosecutors say they had asked the judge to sentence Lori St. Thomas, the former principal at St. Coleman Catholic School in Pompano Beach, to five years in state prison followed by 20 years of probation and a $121,548 restitution payment.

Instead, a judge chose to give her 10 years of probation and to pay the restitution.

Jurors found St. Thomas, 62, of Coral Springs, guilty of organized scheme to defraud on March 3.

Authorities said she used an unauthorized bank account to deposit extra direct payments for herself and also transferred nonapproved credits into a personal pension fund from 2016 to 2024, the year in which the Archdiocese of Miami fired her.

In a downward departure memorandum, defense attorneys argued that St. Thomas committed “a non-violent crime for which the need for restitution outweighs the need for imprisonment.”

Attorneys also said she had additional mitigating circumstances that should spare her from prison.

Attorneys said those include the fact that “she requires treatment for certain mental health issues that are not readily available to her in either the Florida State Prison system or the Broward County Jail.”

They said St. Thomas also “maintains strong family and community ties, is actively engaged in her community and contributes meaningful value to it,” saying it was “evident” in “testimony and letters” presented to the judge.

“She has dedicated her life to service of others; first as a nurse, and then as an educator and leader for children in the Catholic faith,” the memorandum reads. “The outpouring of support she is receiving demonstrates that she provides invaluable contributions, value, skills, time, support, and expertise. Accordingly, the character and attitude of (St. Thomas) indicate that she is unlikely to commit another crime, and that she has responded affirmatively to non-custodial treatment.”

Records show that defense attorneys had unsuccessfully asked the judge for an acquittal or new trial.

On Wednesday, a group of Florida Democrats held a news conference to denounce Florida Republicans’ push for a political redistricting plan.

Nikki Fried, the chair of the Florida Democratic Party, said Republicans are determined to manipulate midterm control of the House.

“Republicans are too busy rigging the rules to help themselves,” Fried said. “This illegal partisan redistricting scheme to rig the maps is simply about placating Donald Trump and protecting GOP power.”

The Florida Constitution bans redistricting for partisan gain.

“The excuses keep shifting as to why this is happening,” Florida Sen. Carlos Guillermo Smith said. “First, it’s, ‘Oh well, we have to respond to a Supreme Court ruling that never came.’ Then it was, ‘we have to redraw the maps because we’ve seen population changes.’”

Florida Rep. Christine Hunschofsky also questioned the motive.

“We have no data on which to support redrawing any maps,” Hunschofsky said.

U.S. Rep. Byron Donalds, who raised more than $22 million for the Florida governor’s race, supports mid-decade redistricting.

The political maps are redrawn every decade after the U.S. Census, but after President Donald Trump pushed for mid-decade redistricting in Texas last year.

“You have California and Virginia responding to Texas, and we’ve been watching all of this kind of happen in Florida, and because of what now has been done in Virginia , now Florida needs to respond,” Donalds said.

Virginia voters decide on Tuesday on a Democratic redistricting plan. In Florida, the current map includes 20 Republicans and eight Democrats

DeSantis said the special session on mid-decade redistricting may not start on April 20.

“The reason they are hedging is because they need more time to find new excuses to make what’s happening look less illegal,” Smith said.

And unfortunately, the Panthers will not complete the three-peat, something that hasn’t been done since the New York Islanders won four straight Stanley Cups from 1980 to 1983.

An injury-plagued season comes to a close Wednesday against the Detroit Red Wings at Amerant Bank Arena, marking the Panthers’ first non-playoff season of the Paul Maurice era and their first since 2018–19.

“Not the year that anybody wanted individually or collectively, but there’s a lot we can learn from this year,” forward Matthew Tkachuk said Wednesday after morning skate.

Already without Tkachuk and Tomas Nosek to start the season, the Panthers first lost Aleksander Barkov, who missed the entire year after tearing the ACL and MCL in his right knee on the first day of training camp in September.

The list grew substantially.

Throughout the season, the Panthers were without several key contributors from their back-to-back Stanley Cup championship teams, including Sam Bennett (lower-body injury), Carter Verhaeghe (lower-body injury), Aaron Ekblad (finger), Jonah Gadjovich (upper-body injury), and Seth Jones (foot), among others.

Regardless of Wednesday’s result, the Panthers will finish with their lowest point total under Maurice - and their lowest since closing the 2020-21 campaign with 79.

The offseason will mean extra rest for a team that has played into June four seasons in a row, but it will also require making important decisions on players hitting the open market.

When the Panthers take the ice in October to begin the 2026–27 season, most of their core players will be there: Barkov, Tkachuk, Reinhart, Bennett, Verhaeghe, Marchand, and others under contract for the foreseeable future.

But once the offseason begins, Florida will not have a starting goaltender locked in for 2026–27.

That means both Sergei Bobrovsky and Daniil Tarasov, who is starting the season finale, will be unrestricted free agents.

If a player is an unrestricted free agent, they can sign with any team once their contract expires. Their current team has no right to match offers or receive compensation in most cases.

A restricted free agent, on the other hand, means the player’s current team retains negotiation rights.

If another team offers a contract, the original team can match the offer to keep the player. If they don’t match, they may receive draft compensation.

The Panthers have several restricted free agents they must address: Mackie Samoskevich, Wilmer Skoog, Mikulas Hovorka, Tobias Bjornfot, Donovan Sebrango and Michael Benning.

Bobrovsky has been very open with the media, saying he loves the Panthers, feels blessed to be the starting goaltender, and would like to remain in Florida.

In the few times president of hockey operations/general manager Bill Zito has spoken to reporters, he has emphasized how much Bobrovsky means to the organization.

“That’s just something we’ll sort out after the season,” Zito said. “I’d like to keep him. I hope we can. We’ll see what happens.”

Florida is set to enter the long offseason with a projected salary cap space of $13,812,500 for next season, according to PuckPedia.

He says he’s baffled that a program with deep roots in the region -- one that has sheltered tens of thousands of unaccompanied minors since the 1960s, including 14,000 Cuban children during Operation Pedro Pan -- is now being forced to shut down.

The Trump administration confirmed to Local 10 News it is cutting $11 million in funding for the Catholic Charities program that cares for and shelters migrant children who arrive in the U.S. alone.

The Archdiocese of Miami currently houses dozens of those children in South Florida.

“This program that he just cut was the same program that helped the Cubans when we arrived in this country in 1960,” said Sylvia Muñoz.

For Muñoz, a devout Catholic and volunteer with immigrant families, the issue is personal.

“I do because I came like that. I came in 1961,” she said.

“You were an unaccompanied minor. I was an unaccompanied minor. I flew from La Havana to Miami by myself. I had just turned 14 years old.”

“Two months after my 14th birthday when I came by myself -- I still remember it as a trauma.”

The Department of Health and Human Services defended the funding cut, telling Local 10 News the number of unaccompanied children is significantly lower -- about 1,900 compared to a peak of 22,000 during the Biden administration.

Officials added the move is part of a broader effort to close and consolidate unused facilities, as the Trump administration continues efforts to stop illegal entry and the smuggling and trafficking of unaccompanied children.

“The administration is really taking it way too far,” said Tessa Petit of the Florida Immigrant Coalition.

Petit said she’s concerned about what happens next, even with fewer children in the system.

“Where are they going to be? Where are they going to go? The foster care system is not set for them,” she said.

The funding cut comes amid an ongoing feud between the president and the pope, as well as backlash over an AI-generated image that offended many Christians who believed it portrayed the president as Jesus -- something Trump denies.

Archbishop Thomas Wenski has planned a press conference for Thursday, where more details are expected on what will happen to the dozens of children currently in the charity’s care.

The announcement Thursday comes a day after the state Supreme Court allowed the redistricting question to go to voters for an April 21 election. Early voting begins Friday.

It’s the second time Obama has agreed to stump for a Democratic effort that asks voters to temporarily set aside an independent redistricting process in favor of partisan maps as a way to counter President Donald Trump’s push for congressional gerrymandering in Republican-controlled states. California voters approved a similar measure last fall as a counterpoint to Republicans’ unusual mid-cycle redistricting that began in Texas.

In a video shared with The Associated Press ahead of its release, Obama asks Virginians to support the voter referendum on the redrawn maps. He said it will make sure “your voting power is not diminished by what Republicans are doing in other states.”

“This amendment gives you the power to level the playing field in the midterms this fall,” Obama says in the video, released by Virginians for Fair Elections. “And voters will have the final say over what the maps look like.”

In February, Virginia Democrats released a new congressional map aimed at giving their party four more seats. The Democratic-led legislature passed the proposed map, and Democratic Gov. Abigail Spanberger signed the document into law.

The map goes into effect only if it’s backed by voters and the state Supreme Court.

And, Obama goes on to point out, it’s a temporary construct, as was the measure put before California voters. After the next census in 2030, he notes, “Virginia will go back to a system that lets a bipartisan redistricting commission redraw the maps.”

Court challenges continue

The situation in Virginia has been evolving swiftly, and there are no guarantees the new map will take effect this year even if it’s approved by voters.

Wednesday’s ruling by the Virginia Supreme Court was the second time it has decided that the new map could go before voters while the justices review legal challenges to the effort. The court still has not ruled on whether the mid-decade redistricting plan and voter referendum are legal, indicating that the April vote could be all for nothing if it upholds a lower-court ruling blocking the effort.

Democratic lawmakers in Virginia have sought to portray their redistricting plan as a response to Trump’s push for Republican states to redraw their maps in an attempt to maintain a GOP majority in the House of Representatives. Republicans describe it as a way for liberals in northern Virginia to commandeer congressional districts in the rest of the state.

Virginia is currently represented in the U.S. House by six Democrats and five Republicans who ran in districts imposed by a court after a bipartisan legislative commission failed to agree on a map after the 2020 census.

Obama has made redistricting a priority

Redistricting has evolved into a signature issue for Obama.

He has called attention to the issue since leaving office in 2017 and helped raise money for the National Democratic Redistricting Committee and its affiliates, one of which has filed and supported litigation in several states over GOP-drawn districts. That group is headed by Eric Holder, who served as Obama’s attorney general.

Obama was a vocal supporter of the Democratic redistricting ballot measure last year in California and appeared in ads supporting Proposition 50, which the U.S. Supreme Court upheld last month.

Speaking at an NDRC fundraiser at the time, Obama said partisan gerrymandering was not his “preference.” But, he added, if Democrats “don’t respond effectively, then this White House and Republican-controlled state governments all across the country, they will not stop, because they do not appear to believe in this idea of an inclusive, expansive democracy.”

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Associated Press writer Olivia Diaz in Richmond, Va., contributed to this report.

Miam-Dade and Broward counties can expect partly cloudy skies Wednesday night along with east winds, sustained around 10 mph. Temperatures are forecast to drop to near 70°F overnight.

Thursday will feature ample sunshine and east-northeast winds, sustained 10 mph with gusts to 15 mph. Humidity levels will stay comfortable as temperatures climb to the low 80s. Rain chance remains near 0%.

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The incident, involving a hockey mask, a pair of scissors and an unwanted haircut, happened at VIP Gentlemen’s Club at 1221 Duval St., according to Key West police.

An arrest report states that Jeffrey Marshall Carroll, 44, of Columbia, Tennessee, “had caused issues” earlier “before leaving.”

The report states that Carroll had come in at around 6:20 that evening “for a dance session,” told one stripper “he didn’t want her services,” and then had a session with the eventual victim before leaving about 25 minutes later.

Police said Carroll then returned “shirtless with grey shorts, an orange hat, and wearing a hockey-style mask,” at around 10:10 p.m. Authorities said the stripper he rejected had been sitting on the club’s front porch and “began to take videos for her safety since he was blocking her way back into the establishment.”

The victim opened the door to have her co-worker come back inside, the report states.

Police said security footage then showed Carroll “grabbing (the victim) by her hair, appearing to pull a pair of scissors out of his back pocket, cutting (her) hair, then running out of the establishment with the scissors still in his hand.”

Authorities said the victim’s co-worker called police after hearing her screaming, believing she was seriously hurt. She wasn’t, according to the report, but “was obviously shaken up and emotional due to what had occurred.”

The report states that the victim told police that Carroll “had previously said, ‘I’m gonna take your life,’ before he left the property.”

Authorities said the strip club had a copy of Carroll’s license and officers found him in the area of Louisa and Simonton streets.

Police said Carroll refused to speak with officers. They said they also found “an amphetamine pill in his possession without the proper container” and the pair of black scissors.

The report indicates that he appeared to be under the influence of alcohol and drugs at the time.

Officers arrested Carroll on felony charges of aggravated battery with a deadly weapon, aggravated assault with the intent to commit a felony and possession of a controlled substance.

Records show Carroll was being held in the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office Key West jail facility with no listed bond. MCSO records list an April 23 arraignment date.

Friar and other company executives are banking OpenAI's future on more of the latter as it shifts its focus to business-oriented products while shedding some of its consumer offerings as a pathway to profitability.

OpenAI says it will introduce a new artificial intelligence model for “high-value professional work” as the company faces heightened competition with rival Anthropic in attracting corporate customers to adopt AI assistants in their workplaces.

“You’ll see a new model coming from us in short order. We feel very excited about it,” Friar said in an interview with The Associated Press.

OpenAI boasts of more than 900 million weekly users of its core ChatGPT product, and Friar said about 95% of them “don't pay anything” for the popular chatbot. But while all those interactions build habits and reliance, they also strain the costly computing resources needed to power the company's AI systems and highlight the need for big business customers to help pay the bills.

OpenAI, valued at $852 billion, and Anthropic, valued at $380 billion, both lose more money than they make, putting the privately-owned San Francisco-based AI research laboratories in a fierce competition to generate more revenue as they race toward becoming publicly traded on Wall Street.

A push to improve performance and sales of OpenAI's business-oriented products — already Anthropic's bread and butter — has driven OpenAI to abandon some consumer initiatives, like the AI video generator app Sora.

“I think it was a little heartbreaking, but we’re like, OK, it’s not the main event right now," Friar said. "We need to make sure that our new model that’s coming has enough compute.”

Codenamed Spud, OpenAI says its “smartest model yet” offers “stronger reasoning, better understanding of intent and dependencies, better follow-through and more reliable output in production.” It's part of OpenAI's answer to Anthropic's new Claude Mythos, which Anthropic claims is so “strikingly capable” that it is limiting its use to select customers because of its apparent ability to surpass human cybersecurity experts in finding or exploiting computer vulnerabilities.

Friar, the former CEO of neighborhood social platform Nextdoor, said business customers accounted for about 20% of OpenAI’s revenue when she was hired in 2024 as chief financial officer. She said it’s now 40% and expected to account for half of OpenAI’s sales by the end of the year.

It's a sharp turnaround from late last year, when OpenAI co-founder and CEO Sam Altman was promoting a now-shuttered Sora partnership with Disney, launching a plan to sell ads on ChatGPT and floating the idea of letting ChatGPT engage in erotica with paid adult users.

Altman said on the “Mostly Human” podcast earlier this month that a sharper focus was needed — and Friar agrees.

“Tech companies, when they’re growing, it’s just this natural thing that happens. There’s so many cool things you could do,” she said, adding that companies can end up doing “really badly” if they do too many things, while "great companies are very good at, in a reasonable period of time, kind of doing that winnowing down and refocusing and it’s super painful.”

Signaling that shift was the hiring three months ago of Slack CEO Denise Dresser to be OpenAI's first chief revenue officer.

Dresser said in a recent AP interview that she has been laser-focused on meeting with corporate leaders and positioning OpenAI as the go-to platform for workplaces employing AI agents to automate a variety of computer-based job tasks.

“It’s really clear to me that companies are past the experimentation phase and they’re into using AI to do real work,” Dresser said. “Leaders at companies are recognizing that AI is probably the most consequential shift of their lifetime.”

But those leaders also have a choice, namely Anthropic's Claude that has become widely used by software professionals. Founded in 2021 by a group of ex-OpenAI leaders who said they wanted to prioritize AI safety, Anthropic has positioned itself as the more responsible AI vendor. The distinction drew attention when President Donald Trump's administration punished the startup after a contract dispute over AI use in the military, and Altman used the opportunity to cement OpenAI's own deal with the Pentagon.

Consumer interest in Anthropic surged and the company said its annualized revenues hit $30 billion, a higher number than what OpenAI has reported, though they measure it differently. Friar and Dresser declined to reveal OpenAI's latest sales but both have suggested that Anthropic's number is inflated because it doesn't account for revenue it must share with cloud computing providers Amazon and Google.

Even so, it remains a tight competition that's also tied to the health of the stock market and the future of the economy.

“They’re likely quite close,” said Luke Emberson, a researcher at nonprofit institute Epoch AI. "Certainly the trends show Anthropic is growing much faster than OpenAI. If that continues, they’re likely to cross soon.”

The urgency led Dresser to send a memo to OpenAI employees on Sunday, first reported by The Verge, that asserted that Anthropic's coding focus “gave them an early wedge” but expressing confidence that OpenAI has the “real structural advantage” as AI usage expands beyond software developers and OpenAI builds enough computing capacity to operate its AI systems.

“Their story is built on fear, restriction, and the idea that a small group of elites should control AI," Dresser's memo said of Anthropic. “Our positive message will win over time: build powerful systems, put in the right safeguards, expand access, and help people do more.”

But for skeptics of the financial viability of AI products like ChatGPT and Claude, the trajectory of both money-losing companies is alarming as smaller startups increasingly become dependent on their AI tools. Anthropic has already imposed rate limits on heavy users, forcing some to wait for hours to use Claude, and both companies have set up service tiers that reward premium payers, said author and AI critic Ed Zitron.

“It’s what I call the subprime AI crisis,” Zitron said. “People built their lives and they built their businesses on top of these companies that, as they try and save money, will start turning the screws.”

One thing that both AI leaders and critics agree on is that it is an expensive technology, though whether it is worth the cost in electricity-hungry AI computers remains to be seen.

“People will say, well, ‘Once they go public, they’re safe.’ That’s not true,” Zitron said. “Public companies can and will die, especially ones that are dependent on $100 billion to $200 billion every year or so, just to keep breathing.”

The state’s settlement with Arizona Public Service, which previously prohibited shutoffs because of nonpayment between June 1 and Oct. 15, also called for the utility to pay $2.7 million that will be deposited into a state consumer protection fund and another $3.4 million to improve a program that lets customers designate family members or friends as emergency contacts who can receive notices in a bid to help prevent shutoffs, including sending text messages to inform customers of delinquent bills and disconnection notices.

Mayes’ office said the lawsuit grew out of concerns about disconnection practices during extreme heat, including the death of Katherine Korman at her Sun City West home.

Her service was cut off in mid-May 2024 because of nonpayment on a day when the daily high temperature in her area reached about 99 degrees Fahrenheit (37 degrees Celsius). She was found dead six days after her power was disconnected.

APS said it made 10 attempts to contact Korman by phone, email, door hanger and monthly bills to let her know the status of her bill and offer help. The utility said regulators who examined the case determined APS had followed the rules on customer outreach and disconnection.

“No Arizonan should be at risk because they cannot afford their electric bill,” Mayes said in a statement. “This settlement ensures that APS will no longer disconnect power based on the date on the calendar alone – if temperatures are dangerous, the power stays on.”

APS, which didn’t acknowledge any wrongdoing as part of the settlement, said in a statement that it already met or exceeded state laws and regulations in its disconnection policies and customer communications. “Our entire team at APS prioritizes customer safety and cares deeply about the well-being of our customers and community,” the utility said. The agreement specifies the payments from the settlement must come APS shareholder funds and that they can't be recovered through future rate cases or surcharges.

“If APS wants to spend additional shareholder funds, it is free to do so," Douglas Clark, executive director of the Arizona Corporation Commission, said in a statement. "The consent agreement makes it clear that this payment is outside the regulatory framework and will not be passed on to ratepayers.”

Maricopa County, which includes the city of Phoenix, confirmed 430 heat-related deaths last year, a decrease from 608 in 2024 and 645 in 2023. The county’s first confirmed heat-related death in 2026 was announced last week.