El personal de Miami Fire Rescue declaró muerto a Jaheim Pierre, de 23 años, en un apartamento el sábado por la tarde, en 5329 NW 17 Ave., según los registros.

Tras el tiroteo, Antwan Carter se dirigió a un oficial de policía y dijo: “Fui yo; tengo el arma”, según un informe policial.

Carter entregó una pistola Glock 43 de 9mm que llevaba en el bolsillo derecho, de acuerdo con el informe.

Una mujer con los pies y la ropa “cubiertos de sangre” se acercó a un oficial y dijo que el tirador era su novio de cuatro años y que los dos heridos eran sus hermanos, según el informe policial.

La mujer dijo que sus hermanos estaban preocupados por ella como posible víctima de violencia doméstica, que se presentaron en su apartamento, y que se produjo una discusión y una pelea, según la policía.

Carter dijo que salió del apartamento, regresó y disparó contra ambos hermanos, según la policía. El personal de rescate encontró a Gianni Pierre, de 28 años, sangrando junto a un sofá, y a Jaheim Pierre, de 23 años, sangrando dentro de un clóset.

El personal de rescate trasladó de urgencia a Gianni Pierre al Centro de Trauma Ryder del Jackson Memorial Hospital, donde un médico lo declaró muerto.

Carter enfrenta dos cargos de asesinato en primer grado.

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On Monday, the Homestead Police Department announced the arrest of Michael Alvarez, a teacher at First United Methodist Christian School, located at 622 N. Krome Avenue.

According to authorities, officers responded to the school Monday after receiving reports of a battery.

Officers met with the parents of a student who said their child’s mouth had been taped shut by a teacher following a disagreement, authorities said.

Following an investigation by Homestead police detectives, Alvarez was arrested and is facing a charge of simple battery.

He was taken to the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center, where he remained as of Monday night on a $1,000 bond.

El lunes, el Departamento de Policía de Homestead anunció el arresto de Michael Alvarez, maestro en First United Methodist Christian School, ubicada en 622 N. Krome Avenue.

Según las autoridades, los agentes acudieron a la escuela el lunes tras recibir reportes de una agresión.

Los agentes se reunieron con los padres de un estudiante, quienes dijeron que la boca de su hijo fue sellada con cinta por un maestro tras un desacuerdo, indicaron las autoridades.

Tras una investigación de detectives de la Policía de Homestead, Alvarez fue arrestado y enfrenta un cargo de agresión simple.

Fue llevado al Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center, donde permanecía hasta la noche del lunes con una fianza de $1,000 USD.

Ese hallazgo surge tras una confrontación captada en video dentro de un parque público, que ahora está generando preguntas más amplias sobre cómo se ejerce la autoridad policial en público sin un requisito claro de identificación.

El video, que ha atraído atención nacional, muestra al investigador de Local 10 News Jeff Weinsier intentando cuestionar a la alcaldesa de Miami-Dade, Daniella Levine Cava, durante un evento público cuando un hombre vestido de civil interviene, le ordena retroceder y hace contacto físico.

Weinsier intentaba cuestionar a la alcaldesa sobre millones de dólares de los contribuyentes gastados en autobuses de tránsito eléctricos que luego fueron retirados de servicio. Local 10 News contactó a Levine Cava múltiples veces solicitando una entrevista, pero su equipo de comunicaciones declinó.

“No me empujes… no me empujes”, se escucha decir a Weinsier en el video.

El hombre, que no estaba visiblemente identificado como agente del orden, responde: “Necesitas retroceder”, y luego preguntó: “¿Quieres ir a la cárcel?”

El encuentro llevó a Local 10 News a preguntar a la Oficina del Sheriff de Miami-Dade qué políticas o procedimientos requieren que un agente de civil se identifique antes de emitir órdenes o usar la fuerza.

La Oficina del Sheriff confirmó que no tiene una política, procedimiento o protocolo operativo estándar específico que regule esa situación.

El agente involucrado fue identificado posteriormente como Lester Aguilar, quien forma parte del equipo de seguridad de la alcaldesa en un rol especializado de sargento de armas. En una respuesta por escrito, la Oficina del Sheriff dijo que el agente estaba “operando en una capacidad de protección especializada” y que quienes están asignados a ese rol “a menudo deben operar de manera discreta que no lo identifique de forma prominente como agente del orden”. La agencia dijo que ese enfoque “es intencional y necesario” en entornos públicos dinámicos.

A pesar de esa explicación, el agente sigue siendo un oficial juramentado con autoridad para detener o arrestar. La Oficina del Sheriff no señaló ninguna política escrita que describa cuándo o cómo esa autoridad debe ser claramente identificada ante el público.

Local 10 News compartió el video y los hallazgos con Andrew Scott, doctor en justicia penal, ex jefe de policía y consultor nacional en prácticas policiales.

“El agente debió haberse identificado de inmediato”, dijo Scott.

Scott señaló que la falta de identificación puede crear rápidamente conflictos innecesarios.

“No tiene sentido que este conflicto innecesario haya ocurrido… particularmente cuando el agente no se identifica”, dijo.

Advirtió que situaciones como esta pueden escalar.

“Podrías terminar siendo empujado… puesto en esposas o peor”, dijo.

Scott indicó que el problema no es solo lo que ocurrió en este caso, sino la ausencia de reglas claras que lo regulen.

“Si esas acciones… no estaban sustentadas por una política escrita… eso sí crea un problema”, dijo.

Dijo que le sorprendía que esa guía no exista.

“Me sorprende… que no esté específicamente delineado en la política”, dijo. “Se requiere que los agentes del orden se identifiquen… particularmente si no llevan uniforme evidente”.

Scott también dijo que no vio nada inapropiado en la conducta de Weinsier.

“Lo único que hiciste fue hacerle preguntas”, dijo. “No vi nada de tu parte que creara un problema o una amenaza”.

Añadió que el agente no estaba operando de manera encubierta.

“No estaba profundamente encubierto”, dijo Scott. “Solo estaba trabajando en un equipo de seguridad y debió haberse identificado”.

Scott dijo que la situación resalta una brecha que podría abordarse con una guía escrita clara.

“Todo esto podría haberse evitado si hubiera protocolos adecuados”, dijo. “Lo veo como una solución sencilla… solo hay que ajustar la política”.

Agregó: “Tiene sentido aclarar las cosas por escrito y capacitar a sus miembros”.

También señaló que las expectativas deben definirse claramente sobre cómo los equipos de seguridad interactúan con los medios.

“Debe haber algo claro… para entender cuáles son las acciones y qué es apropiado”, dijo.

Tras el informe original, otra periodista dijo a Local 10 News que experimentó una situación similar con un agente de civil, lo que genera preocupaciones más amplias sobre cómo el público puede saber cuándo alguien que da órdenes es un agente del orden.

Local 10 News solicitó una entrevista con la sheriff Rosie Cordero-Stutz para discutir si deberían implementarse políticas más claras. La solicitud fue rechazada. La Oficina del Sheriff dijo que la sheriff no estaba disponible y añadió que continúa revisando sus prácticas y permanece abierta a considerar mejoras cuando sea apropiado.

Local 10 News también contactó a la Asociación Benevolente de la Policía de Miami-Dade, que representa a los agentes. El sindicato declinó participar.

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That finding comes after a confrontation captured on video inside a public park, which is now raising broader questions about how law enforcement authority is exercised in public without a clear requirement for identification.

The video, which has drawn national attention, shows Local 10 News investigator Jeff Weinsier attempting to question Miami-Dade Mayor Daniella Levine Cava during a public event when a man in plain clothes steps in, orders him back and makes physical contact.

Weinsier was trying to question the mayor about millions of taxpayer dollars being spent on electric transit buses that were later taken out of service. Local 10 News reached out to Levine Cava multiple times requesting an interview, but her communications staff declined.

“Don’t push me… don’t push me,” Weinsier is heard saying in the video.

The man, who was not visibly identified as law enforcement, responds, “You need to back away,” and later asked, “You want to go to jail?”

The encounter prompted Local 10 News to ask the Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office what policies or procedures require a plainclothes deputy to identify themselves before issuing commands or using force.

The Sheriff’s Office confirmed it does not have a specific policy, procedure or standard operating protocol that governs that situation.

The deputy involved was later identified as Lester Aguilar, who is part of the mayor’s security detail in a specialized Sergeant-at-Arms role. In a written response, the Sheriff’s Office said the deputy was “operating in a specialized protective capacity” and that those assigned to that role “must often operate in a low-profile manner that does not prominently identify him as law enforcement.” The agency said that approach “is intentional and necessary” in dynamic public settings.

Despite that explanation, the deputy is still a sworn law enforcement officer with the authority to detain or arrest. The Sheriff’s Office did not point to any written policy outlining when or how that authority must be clearly identified to the public.

Local 10 News shared the video and findings with Andrew Scott, a doctor of criminal justice, former police chief and national consultant on police practices.

“The officer should have immediately identified himself,” Scott said.

Scott said the lack of identification can quickly create unnecessary conflict.

“It doesn’t make sense that this unnecessary conflict occurred… particularly when the officer doesn’t identify himself,” he said.

He warned that situations like this can escalate.

“You could wind up being pushed down… placed in handcuffs or worse,” he said.

Scott said the issue is not only what happened in this case but the absence of clear rules governing it.

“If those actions… were not predicated by a written policy… that does create a problem,” he said.

He said he was surprised such guidance does not already exist.

“I’m surprised… it’s not specifically delineated in policy,” he said. “Law enforcement officers are required to identify themselves… particularly if they’re not in obvious police garb.”

Scott also said he saw nothing inappropriate in Weinsier’s conduct.

“The only thing you did was ask her questions,” he said. “I didn’t see anything on your part that created an issue or a threat.”

He added that the deputy was not operating in a covert or undercover capacity.

“He was not in deep undercover,” Scott said. “He was just working in security detail and should have been identified.”

Scott said the situation highlights a gap that could be addressed with clear written guidance.

“This whole thing could have been avoided if there were appropriate protocols,” he said. “I see it as an easy fix… you just augment the policy.”

He added, “It makes sense to clarify things in writing and to train its members.”

He also said expectations should be clearly defined for how security details interact with the media.

“There needs to be something clear… to understand what the actions are and what’s appropriate,” he said.

Following the original report, another journalist told Local 10 News she experienced a similar situation involving a plainclothes officer, raising broader concerns about how members of the public are expected to know when someone giving orders is law enforcement.

Local 10 News requested an interview with Sheriff Rosie Cordero-Stutz to discuss whether clearer policies should be implemented. The request was declined. The Sheriff’s Office said the sheriff was not available and added it continues to review its practices and remains open to considering enhancements where appropriate.

Local 10 News also contacted the Miami-Dade Police Benevolent Association, which represents deputies. The union declined to participate.

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John Andrew Spillman, 33, of Marble Falls, Texas, is accused of indecent exposure.

According to an arrest report, MDSO deputies responded to the DoubleTree hotel, located at 711 NW 72nd Ave., just after midnight in reference to a naked man in the hallway on one of the floors of the hotel.

When deputies arrived in the hallway, they saw Spillman masturbating, authorities said.

According to the report, Spillman was taken into custody before the victim exited her room and told deputies that she was downstairs in the hotel lobby before Spillman followed her upstairs.

She said she immediately entered her room when she got to her floor and then saw Spillman masturbating next to her room.

A spokesperson for the U.S. Secret Service confirmed to Local 10 News that Spillman is a Secret Service officer based in Washington, D.C., but he was working in Miami at the time of his arrest “as part of a detail that provided exterior security screening for an event.”

His assignment had concluded the day prior and he was off-duty at the time of his arrest, officials said.

According to the spokesperson, after his arrest, Spillman was immediately placed on administrative leave, pending the outcome of the criminal case and an internal review.

Secret Service Chief of Police Richard MacAuley released a statement to Local 10 News which read:

“We are aware of the arrest of an off-duty Secret Service officer by the Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office. The alleged conduct is unacceptable and stands in stark contrast to the professionalism and integrity that I demand of our personnel. This agency takes these matters with the utmost seriousness; consequently, the individual has been placed on administrative leave pending the results of this criminal matter and a complete and thorough internal investigation.”

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According to Hollywood Fire Rescue officials, the fire was reported at 3:36 a.m. at a home in the 6700 block of Harding Street.

Firefighters said the home was vacant at the time and no injuries were reported.

Steven Llerena, who lives next door, told Local 10 News that he and his family did whatever they could to stop the flames from reaching their home.

“It was crazy because I walked outside and the fire wasn’t that big yet, but something exploded and it started getting bigger and bigger, and then me and my dad were trying to wet the whole backyard, everything, to make sure that our house didn’t catch fire,” he said.

His mother, Daire Llerena, got emotional once everything was settled and they were alright on the other side.

“Everything is past now and I suppose I feel better because I see my house and it’s safe – it’s amazing, it’s a miracle,” she said.

Según funcionarios de Hollywood Fire Rescue, el incendio fue reportado a las 3:36 a.m. en una casa en la cuadra 6700 de Harding Street.

Los bomberos dijeron que la vivienda estaba vacía en ese momento y no se reportaron heridos.

Steven Llerena, quien vive al lado, dijo a Local 10 News que él y su familia hicieron todo lo posible para evitar que las llamas alcanzaran su casa.

“Fue una locura porque salí y el fuego aún no era tan grande, pero algo explotó y comenzó a crecer y crecer, y luego mi papá y yo estábamos tratando de mojar todo el patio trasero, todo, para asegurarnos de que nuestra casa no se incendiara”, dijo.

Su madre, Daire Llerena, se mostró emocionada una vez que todo se calmó y estaban a salvo.

“Todo ya pasó y supongo que me siento mejor porque veo mi casa y está segura, es increíble, es un milagro”, dijo.

John Andrew Spillman está acusado de exposición indecente.

Según un informe de arresto, agentes de MDSO respondieron al hotel DoubleTree, ubicado en 711 NW 72nd Ave., poco después de la medianoche en referencia a un hombre desnudo en el pasillo de uno de los pisos del hotel.

Cuando los agentes llegaron al pasillo, vieron a Spillman masturbándose, dijeron las autoridades.

Según el informe, Spillman fue detenido antes de que la víctima saliera de su habitación y le dijera a los agentes que ella estaba abajo en el lobby del hotel antes de que Spillman la siguiera.

Ella dijo que entró de inmediato a su habitación cuando llegó a su piso y luego vio a Spillman masturbándose junto a su habitación.

Un portavoz del Servicio Secreto de Estados Unidos confirmó a Local 10 News que Spillman es un agente del Servicio Secreto con base en Washington, D.C., pero que estaba trabajando en Miami al momento de su arresto “como parte de un operativo que brindaba seguridad exterior para un evento”.

Su asignación había concluido el día anterior y estaba fuera de servicio al momento de su arresto, dijeron las autoridades.

Según el portavoz, después de su arresto, Spillman fue puesto de inmediato en licencia administrativa, en espera del resultado del caso penal y de una revisión interna.

El jefe de policía del Servicio Secreto, Richard MacAuley, emitió un comunicado a Local 10 News que decía:

“Estamos al tanto del arresto de un agente del Servicio Secreto fuera de servicio por parte de la Oficina del Sheriff de Miami-Dade. La conducta alegada es inaceptable y contrasta marcadamente con el profesionalismo e integridad que exijo de nuestro personal. Esta agencia toma estos asuntos con la mayor seriedad; en consecuencia, el individuo ha sido puesto en licencia administrativa en espera de los resultados de este asunto penal y de una investigación interna completa y exhaustiva.”

Se llevará a cabo el sábado y domingo a lo largo de la costa en Fort Lauderdale Beach.

Los protagonistas principales son los Thunderbirds de la Fuerza Aérea de Estados Unidos.

Llegaron el lunes antes del espectáculo aéreo anual.

Jason Carter de Local 10 conversó con los Thunderbirds y su reportaje se puede ver en la parte superior de esta página.

Kimes, whose hiring was announced Tuesday, becomes the first celebrity host for the bee since LeVar Burton in 2022. That was the year Scripps took over the broadcast from ESPN, its longtime TV home, and began airing it on ION and Bounce, both of which are owned by the Cincinnati-based media company.

Scripps has also brought in a new production team for the broadcast, led by Michael Davies — currently the executive producer of “Jeopardy!” — as it seeks to reverse a decline in ratings.

This year's bee runs from May 26-28 at a new venue, Constitution Hall in downtown Washington, with 247 spellers competing for a trophy and more than $50,000 in cash and prizes.

“My goal in this is to give it the big-game feel,” Kimes told The Associated Press in an interview ahead of the announcement. “Any event that requires skill and knowledge and preparation can have that feel if it's presented with enough care and pride on television.”

Davies, whose credits also include “Who Wants to Be a Millionaire,” “Reading Rainbow” and “Good Morning Football,” shares Kimes' appreciation for the bee, and he told AP his goal is to “make it bigger and make it more famous.”

“We really need to focus the entire broadcast and everything we're doing around the stakes of the competition and the incredible winning moment, the winning word that happens at the end of the final,” he said.

A Yale-educated journalist, the 40-year-old Kimes is known for using extensive research and study of game video to explain the strengths and weaknesses of NFL players and coaches. She said her preparation for the bee has been similar.

“It honestly does feel a little bit like watching game tape because I really think these kids are elite competitors, not just in terms of being the best of the best, but you can see all of the work that they so clearly put in,” Kimes said. “The way they get to the right answer is fascinating to me and the more you watch, the more you see the way their brains work. I see a lot of similarities to what I do with football, and I'm so pumped to be a part of this.”

Although she never competed on the national stage, Kimes has a history in spelling, winning bees at the school level in the second, third and fifth grades.

Spellers qualify for the National Spelling Bee by winning regional bees around the country and are eligible to compete through the eighth grade. Even the most gifted kids, many of whom study and train year-round under the tutelage of paid coaches, often get only one or two chances to win the most prestigious spelling competition in the English language before they age out.

Over the last few years, Scripps has relied mostly on former spellers as on-air hosts and commentators. Longtime analyst Paul Loeffler, a sports broadcaster, former speller and the brother of bee executive director Corrie Loeffler, will return in that role.

While Scripps touted bigger potential audiences from its move to ION, which is available in more households than ESPN, ratings have been stagnant and dipped slightly over the past two years, according to Nielsen data. The combined audience for the primetime finals on ION and Bounce was 609,000 in 2022, 641,000 in 2023, 461,000 in 2024 and 488,000 last year.

The bee drew over 1 million viewers on ESPN in 2012. The finals of the last three pre-pandemic bees on ESPN had viewership of 606,000 (2017), 550,000 (2018) and 559,000 (2019).

___

Ben Nuckols has covered the Scripps National Spelling Bee since 2012. Follow him at https://x.com/APBenNuckols

What was once considered a pastime passed down through generations is now having a distinctly modern revival, fueled by social media, celebrity fascination and a booming local appetite for in-person connection.

Mahjong clubs are popping up across South Florida and Mahjong Club Miami is hosting packed lessons weekly and social play events.

The club started with something much smaller: a small group of friends playing for fun. The group of five met weekly, rotating home to home for intimate Mahjong meetups until word spread too far.

“People wanted to come play with us at our house,” said co-founder Gabriela Leon. “So it started to become bigger and bigger and bigger until one day we were like, ‘No wait, we cannot invite more people here. We cannot.’”

Leon said her own curiosity about mahjong was sparked years ago by a memorable pop culture moment - the dramatic closing scene of the 2018 film “Crazy Rich Asians,” in which the game takes center stage.

She learned to play, taught her friends, and before long, the small home gatherings turned into something much larger.

By way of word-of-mouth and social media, the friends became instructors, attracting newcomers from across South Florida who wanted to learn the game and join the growing community surrounding it.

“We’re not on our phones,” Leon said. “We’re just connecting with the people we are with, so it’s about community.”

We attended the Mahjong Club Miami event at Ironside Cafe Bistro, which has become a major south Florida hub for social gatherings of all kinds — from chess clubs and game nights to public market socials. You can check them out on Instagram by clicking here.

Mahjong blends memory, strategy and speed — often described by enthusiasts as a mix of chess, poker, dominoes and rummy.

But for many players, the draw goes beyond the tiles.

As mahjong clubs, themed events and beginner lessons continue multiplying nationwide, the game has become both social outlet and status symbol — equal parts tradition, competition and conversation starter.

In South Florida, that means one thing is clear: The oldest game in the room may just be the newest obsession.

To submit an idea for What Connects Us, email whatconnectsus@wplg.com.

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said the forces prefer a peaceful effort to “guide” the more than 22,500 mariners stuck on more than 1,550 vessels out of the Persian Gulf, but are ready if needs change. “This is a temporary mission for us,” Hegseth said. “We expect the world to step up.” Iran has denounced the move as a ceasefire violation.

It is unclear what will follow. The U.S. Central Command said Iran earlier launched multiple cruise missiles, drones and small boats at civilian ships under the U.S. military’s protection, and that U.S. helicopters sank six small boats involved in the attacks. It denied Iranian reports that American vessels had been struck.

Trump Secretary of State Marco Rubio will travel to Rome and Vatican City this week in a bid to ease rising tensions between President Donald Trump and Pope Leo XIV, Trump has lashed out at the pope again, misrepresenting the pontiff’s laments about the Iran war and accusing him of “endangering a lot of Catholics.”

Here is the latest:

Analyst: the situation around the Strait of Hormuz remains highly uncertain

That’s because Iran still clearly intends to attack ships that try to transit without going through the Iran-approved route near the Iranian coastline, said Torbjorn Soltvedt, principal Middle East analyst at risk intelligence company Verisk Maplecroft.

“This initiative alone isn’t something that looks like it’s going to open the Strait of Hormuz,” he said. Shipping and insurance companies “still have to wait and see how this plays out.”

Taking the northern route involves going through vetting by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, and payment, in at least some cases. The U.S.-guided “Project Freedom” route goes through territorial waters of Oman to the south.

Reopening the strait “can really only be done through either an agreement between the United States or Iran,” or if the U.S. significantly diminishes Iran’s ability to attack using drones, missiles and small boats, he said.

French president says Iranian president asked to talk

“I will be speaking with the Iranian president shortly at his request,” Emmanuel Macron said Tuesday.

″France has maintained a consistent position from the start. We call for the cessation of all hostilities, the return to diplomatic negotiations, and respect for all countries in the region,” Macron said. “Tthe only possible option is the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz ... and the absence of any tolls or coercive measures.”

“Any unilateral escalation against tankers, container ships, or third countries is a mistake that fuels war and leads to escalation,” Macron said.

Hegseth says Iranians still had ‘will’ to develop nukes

After the bombing of nuclear sites last summer, Hegseth says U.S. forces participated in new strikes this year alongside Israel because the Iranians’ “will was still there to seek a nuclear bomb.”

The secretary was asked about intelligence reports showing that, despite the initial bombing in Operation Midnight Hammer, the timeline for Iranian nuclear weapon development remained at 9 to 12 months.

“The obliteration of those facilities set back their program,” Hegseth said. “Hopefully Iran chooses a deal that they give up those ambitions, give up those capabilities.”

Hegseth also says ceasefire is not over

The defense secretary confirmed that the ceasefire remains in effect despite some Iran strikes and the ongoing U.S. blockade.

“No, the ceasefire is not over,” Hegseth said, reaffirming Caine’s earlier statements.

Caine lays out US forces manning Strait of Hormuz

Saying that more than 100 U.S. military aircraft are patrolling the skies “24 hours a day,” Gen. Dan Caine said Tuesday marked a “quieter” period in the Strait.

Caine added that there were 22,500 mariners on more than 1,550 vessels in the Persian Gulf, unable to transit.

He went on to commend the troops of the 82nd Airborne Division, who he said were using “next generation tactical networks” to “seamlessly synchronize” efforts in support of military activity.

Joint Chiefs Chairman says Iran attacks do not necessarily mean they violated ceasefire

Dan Caine told reporters at the Pentagon on Tuesday that Iran’s recent acts of aggression are below the threshold of “major combat operations.”

That means Tehran, in the Trump administration’s view, has not violated the tenuous ceasefire between the U.S. and Iran.

“Since the ceasefire was announced, Iran has fired at commercial vessels nine times and seized two container ships, and they’ve attacked U.S. forces more than 10 times – all below the threshold of restarting major combat operations at this point,” Caine said.

The administration has cited the ceasefire in asserting that the president does not have to give a formal update to Congress on the war under the War Powers Resolution. That law typically requires presidential updates on war activities 60 days after beginning military action.

Defense secretary says US forces remain ‘locked and loaded’ to safeguard Strait of Hormuz

Pete Hegseth said in a Pentagon briefing Tuesday that U.S. military forces would prefer the new effort to “guide” stranded ships through the Strait of Hormuz to be peaceful — but are ready if needs change.

“This is a temporary mission for us,” Hegseth said, adding that the intent remains to hand control of the strait back to countries that need the waterway “a lot more than we do. … We expect the world to step up.”

Iran has denounced the move as a ceasefire violation.

Trump says Pope Leo is ‘endangering Catholics’

Trump is renewing his criticism of Pope Leo XIV even as Rubio prepares to visit Vatican City, ostensibly to ease tensions between Washington and the Holy See.

The president misrepresented the pontiff’s laments about the Iran war in an interview with conservative commentator Hugh Hewitt, while saying Leo is aiding Tehran and making the world less safe.

“The pope would rather talk about the fact that it’s OK for Iran to have a nuclear weapon,” Trump said. “And I don’t think that’s very good. I think he’s endangering a lot of Catholics and a lot of people.”

Leo has not said Iran should obtain nuclear weapons. He’s called for more peace talks, criticized war generally and lambasted Trump’s specific threats of mass civilian strikes.

The pope also has emphasized that he’s reflecting biblical and church teachings, not speaking as a political rival to Trump.

Rubio plans to visit the Vatican this week as tensions between Trump and the pope rise

Pope Leo XIV holds his weekly general audience in St. Peter’s Square at The Vatican, Wednesday, Wednesday, April 29, 2026. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino)

Secretary of State Marco Rubio will travel to Rome and Vatican City this week in a bid to ease rising tensions between Trump and Pope Leo XIV over U.S. policies, particularly the Iran war.

The State Department said Monday that Rubio, a Catholic who with this trip will have visited Italy or the Vatican at least three times as the Republican president’s top diplomat, would be in Italy on Thursday and Friday. The Vatican announced that Rubio would meet with Leo, the first American pontiff, on Thursday.

“Secretary Rubio will meet with Holy See leadership to discuss the situation in the Middle East and mutual interests in the Western Hemisphere,” the department said. “Meetings with Italian counterparts will be focused on shared security interests and strategic alignment.”

The trip comes as Trump has criticized Leo for his stances on the Middle East and elsewhere and as the president has drawn pushback for posting a social media image likening himself to Jesus Christ.

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Negotiations make little progress

Iran’s latest proposal for ending the war calls for the U.S. to lift sanctions, end the blockade, withdraw forces from the region and cease all hostilities including Israel’s operations in Lebanon, according to the semiofficial Nour News and Tasnim agencies, which have close ties to Iran’s security apparatus.

Iranian officials over the weekend said they were reviewing the U.S. response. Tehran has claimed its proposal does not include its nuclear program and enriched uranium, long a driving force in tensions with the U.S. and Israel.

Iran wants other issues resolved within 30 days and aims to end the war rather than extend the ceasefire. Trump expressed doubt over the weekend that the proposal would lead to a deal.

Strait of Hormuz closure has far-reaching consequences

The disruption of the waterway has squeezed countries in Europe and Asia that depend on Persian Gulf oil and gas, raising prices far beyond the region.

The U.S., meanwhile, has enforced a naval blockade on Iranian ports since April 13, telling at least 49 commercial ships to turn back, according to its Central Command. It has also warned shipping companies that they could face sanctions if they pay Iran for transit of the strait.

The blockade has deprived Tehran of the oil revenue it needs to shore up its ailing economy. U.S. officials have expressed hope the blockade will force Iran to make concessions in talks on its disputed nuclear program and other longstanding issues.

The UAE bore the brunt of Iran’s retaliation

The United Arab Emirates’ Defense Ministry said its air defenses had engaged 15 missiles and four drones fired by Iran. Authorities in the eastern emirate of Fujairah said one drone sparked a fire at a key oil facility, wounding three Indian nationals. The British military reported two cargo vessels ablaze off the UAE.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday condemned the attacks, calling the targeting of civilians and infrastructure “unacceptable.” On X, Modi said India stands in “firm solidarity” with the UAE, and stressed the need for safe and uninterrupted shipping through the Strait of Hormuz.

Tehran did not confirm or deny the attacks but Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi early Tuesday said on X that both the U.S. and the UAE “should be wary of being dragged back into quagmire.”

Pakistan and Saudi Arabia condemned the strikes against the UAE. The Saudi condemnation came despite increasingly strained relations between it and the UAE.

Trump vows to reopen the strait

U.S. President Donald Trump on Sunday warned that Iranian efforts to halt passage through the strait “will, unfortunately, have to be dealt with forcefully.”

He said the U.S. effort, “Project Freedom,” was intended to aid tens of thousands of stranded seafarers on hundreds of ships stuck in the Persian Gulf since the war began.

The U.S.-led Joint Maritime Information Center advised ships on Monday to cross the strait in Oman’s waters, saying it had set up an “enhanced security area.”

Iran accuses US of ceasefire violation

Iran has called the new U.S. effort a violation of the fragile ceasefire that has held for more than three weeks.

In a post on X on Tuesday, Qalibaf accused Washington of undermining shipping security in the Strait of Hormuz, and warned that a “new equation” there is taking shape.

He signaled that Iran has yet to fully respond to the U.S. attempt to reopen the waterway, saying: “We know full well that the continuation of the status quo is intolerable for America; while we have not even begun yet.”

His statement did not mention negotiations with the U.S. that are now in the form of passing messages via Pakistan.

US attempt to open the Strait of Hormuz tests Iran war’s fragile ceasefire

The Iran war risked reigniting after the U.S. tried to force open the Strait of Hormuz for commercial shipping, though a ceasefire seemed to be holding Tuesday even after the United Arab Emirates said Iran fired missiles and drones at it.

Iran’s powerful parliamentary speaker and chief negotiator, Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf, accused the U.S. of undermining regional security with the effort to end Iran’s stranglehold on the strait and warned that Tehran will respond.

The U.S. military said two American-flagged merchant ships successfully transited the strait on Monday, the first day of the effort, and that it fired on Iranian forces, sinking six small boats that were targeting vessels.

Disputing Washington’s claim of sinking six boats, an Iranian military commander said two small civilian cargo boats were hit on Monday, killing five civilians, Iran’s state TV reported.

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The Trump administration’s campaign of blowing up alleged drug-trafficking vessels in Latin American waters has persisted since early September and killed at least 188 people in total. Other strikes have taken place in the eastern Pacific Ocean.

Despite the Iran war, the series of strikes have ramped up again in recent weeks, showing that the administration’s aggressive measures to stop what it calls “narcoterrorism” in the Western Hemisphere are not letting up. The military has not provided evidence that any of the vessels were carrying drugs.

The attacks began as the U.S. built up its largest military presence in the region in generations and came months ahead of the raid in January that captured then-Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro. He was brought to New York to face drug trafficking charges and has pleaded not guilty.

In the latest attack Monday, U.S. Southern Command repeated previous statements by saying it had targeted the alleged drug traffickers along known smuggling routes. It posted a video on X showing a boat moving along the water before a massive explosion engulfs the vessel in flames.

President Donald Trump has said the U.S. is in “armed conflict” with cartels in Latin America and has justified the attacks as a necessary escalation to stem the flow of drugs into the United States and fatal overdoses claiming American lives. But his administration has offered little evidence to support its claims of killing “narcoterrorists.”

Critics, meanwhile, have questioned the overall legality of the boat strikes.

Giuliani, 81, remains in critical but stable condition at a Florida hospital and is being monitored as a precautionary measure, spokesperson Ted Goodman said.

Goodman said Giuliani’s condition was exacerbated by restrictive airway disease attributed to his exposure to dust and toxins from the Sept. 11, 2001, attack on the World Trade Center.

Giuliani’s hospitalization, near Palm Beach, Florida, came after he was heard coughing Friday on his nightly online talk show and hoarsely told viewers that his voice was “a little under the weather.”

“This condition adds complications to any respiratory illness, and the virus quickly overwhelmed his body, requiring mechanical ventilation to maintain adequate oxygen and stabilize his condition,” Goodman said in a statement.

He described Giuliani as “the ultimate fighter” and said, “he is winning this battle.”

Giuliani’s family and primary medical provider are by his side, Goodman added. He said the former mayor’s family thanked well-wishers for an “outpouring of love and support.”

Among them: President Donald Trump, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and two of Giuliani’s successors, former Mayor Eric Adams and current Mayor Zohran Mamdani.

“The mayor believes in the power of prayer, and we are feeling that strength today,” Goodman said.

Giuliani’s eight years as mayor of the nation’s largest city was punctuated by the 9/11 attack just months before he left office. He was celebrated as “America’s mayor” for his leadership, knighted by Queen Elizabeth II and named Time magazine’s Person of the Year.

Giuliani, a Republican, later unsuccessfully ran for president and was an adviser to Trump, spearheading his efforts to stay in office after his 2020 election loss.

Last year, Trump said he was awarding Giuliani the Presidential Medal of Freedom.

Giuliani coughed as he began his nightly online show “America’s Mayor Live” on Friday. As he spoke, he sounded more raspy than usual. Before launching into a commentary on the Iran war, he remarked: “My voice is a little under the weather, so I won’t be able to speak as loudly as I usually do, but I’ll get closer to the microphone.”

In a post on his Truth Social platform, Trump called Giuliani “a True Warrior, and the Best Mayor in the History of New York City, BY FAR.”

“What a tragedy that he was treated so badly by the Radical Left Lunatics, Democrats ALL — AND HE WAS RIGHT ABOUT EVERYTHING!" Trump wrote Sunday. “They cheated on the Elections, fabricated hundreds of stories, did anything possible to destroy our Nation, and now, look at Rudy. So sad!”

As Trump’s personal attorney and adviser, Giuliani became a vocal proponent of the president’s allegations of fraud in the 2020 election, which was won by Democrat Joe Biden. Trump and his backers lost dozens of lawsuits claiming fraud, and numerous recounts, reviews and audits of the election results turned up no signs of significant wrongdoing or error.

Two former Georgia election workers later won a $148 million defamation judgment against Giuliani. As they sought to collect the judgment, the former federal prosecutor was found in contempt of court and faced a trial this winter over the ownership of some of his assets.

Giuliani ultimately struck a deal that let him keep his homes and various belongings, including prized World Series rings, in exchange for unspecified compensation and a promise to stop speaking ill of the ex-election workers.

Giuliani was previously hospitalized last September after suffering a fractured vertebra and other injuries in a car crash in New Hampshire.

A native New Yorker, Giuliani was elected mayor in 1993 after serving as one of the nation’s highest-profile federal prosecutors, taking on mobsters and crooked Wall Street traders.

He ran for the U.S. Senate in 2000 but abandoned his race against Hillary Rodham Clinton after being diagnosed with prostate cancer.

In 2007, Giuliani ran for president. Buoyed by his post-9/11 popularity, he started as the front-runner for the Republican nomination. But that was short-lived. He withdrew from the race after struggling in the primaries amid GOP concerns about his past support for abortion rights, gay rights and gun control, and questions about his personal life and business ties to the Middle East.

He toyed with running for other offices before pivoting to political commentary.

In 2016, Trump leaned on Giuliani’s political acumen and loyalty and put him to work as a surrogate leading attacks on Clinton, his Democratic rival. After Trump won, Giuliani continued as his attack dog, even traveling to Ukraine to seek damaging information about Biden’s son Hunter.

The comments by Zambia’s foreign affairs minister, Mulambo Haimbe, on Monday brought into the open simmering tensions over President Donald Trump’s “America First” strategy, which is reshaping aid to Africa into transactional agreements.

Some African leaders and health experts have criticized the new U.S. stance and its demands for sensitive health data in exchange for badly needed support for health systems strained by the Trump administration's dismantling of foreign aid. Some say they would not receive access to health innovations like vaccines in return.

The U.S. is also seeking to challenge China, a dominant player in Zambia and much of Africa, whose minerals are critical to the green energy transition, including inputs for solar panels, electric vehicle batteries and energy storage systems.

Zambia says talks stalled over data-sharing demands

In a statement, Haimbe described the accusations of Zambian graft and negotiation inertia by outgoing U.S. ambassador Michael Gonzales as “mischievous” and “deeply regrettable, undiplomatic and inconsistent with the spirit of mutual respect.”

Haimbe also accused the U.S. of tying access to critical minerals to the conclusion of the health deal, which Gonzales earlier dismissed as “alarmist allegations” that he called “disgusting” and “absolutely and patently false.”

Negotiations have continued for months to conclude the deal, one of dozens the Trump administration is pursuing in some of the world's most aid-dependent countries.

Gonzales in late April said Zambian leaders had “abdicated their responsibilities, letting the United States pay for healthcare while officials diverted government funds to their own pockets.” He said Zambian authorities had “ignored” U.S. overtures to conclude a new deal.

But Haimbe said negotiations had stalled over “unacceptable” data-sharing demands “in violation of our citizens’ right to privacy” and “the insistence on preferential treatment of U.S companies over Zambia’s critical minerals.”

Zambia "takes the view, first and foremost, that Zambians must have a say on how her critical minerals are used, and second that no one strategic partner is to be treated preferentially to others,” he said.

The U.S. Embassy did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

US says its approach aims to reduce donor dependency

The U.S. approach replaces decades of engagement anchored in the now-dismantled United States Agency for International Development and the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief, or PEPFAR.

In their place, U.S. officials are negotiating country-by-country agreements that recast aid as a transaction, tying funding to conditions including commercial provisions, domestic financing commitments, disease surveillance, pathogen sharing and even religion.

Since late last year, the U.S has signed agreements with about 30 countries, many in Africa. Washington says the approach is meant to reduce donor dependency, promote local ownership and safeguard American interests, including against an aggressive China that dominates trade in Africa but contributes less aid.

There has been pushback.

Ghana last week said it had rejected a proposed deal over provisions granting broad access to sensitive health data without safeguards. Zimbabwe walked away from a $367 million package over similar concerns. In Kenya, a $2.5 billion agreement signed in December has been put on hold after a court challenge arguing it violates data protection laws.

In Lesotho, draft U.S. proposals sought 25 years of access to health data and biological samples before local officials secured a shorter five-year deal.

Health experts say data would largely flow one way

Critics say the data-sharing demands tilt toward U.S. interests and warn the information-sharing would largely go in just one direction: toward Washington.

The new agreements aim to ensure the flow of disease surveillance data and biological samples, but through bilateral channels, after the U.S withdrew from the World Health Organization in January, said Asia Russell, executive director of advocacy group Health GAP.

Countries currently report disease outbreaks primarily through the WHO, which coordinates responses and is negotiating new frameworks on pathogen-sharing and equitable access to vaccines.

The U.S, now outside those talks, is pursuing direct access instead.

“They (the U.S.) want to understand what’s actually happening,” said Jen Kates, a senior vice president at the Washington-based non-profit KFF. “But they are trying to do it in a very different way.”

Health advocates say this risks creating a parallel global health system. In Zimbabwe, a government spokesperson in February said the government terminated negotiations because the U.S. was not offering a “corresponding guarantee of access to any medical innovations — such as vaccines, diagnostics, or treatments — that might result from that shared data.”

“That raises serious concerns about who benefits,” said Atilla Kisla of the Southern Africa Litigation Center.

Advocates point to the harsh experience of the COVID-19 pandemic, when African countries contributed data and samples but were largely last in line for vaccines.

Experts warn against health as a ‘bargaining chip’

The agreements with the U.S. are drawing criticism for closed-door negotiations and limited public scrutiny.

“Secrecy is at the center of this. That puts accountability for results at risk,” said Health GAP's Russell. “It’s impossible to evaluate these deals properly without seeing the full terms. Part of what made PEPFAR successful was transparency. Now that’s been taken away.”

The deals also come with tighter financial conditions. Many include reduced funding compared to previous levels of U.S. assistance, while requiring countries to increase domestic health spending, with aid at risk if targets are not met.

“These are going to be very heavy lifts,” said KFF’s Kates. “Countries are already under strain.”

Critics say some agreements also advance U.S. commercial and political interests, blurring the line between aid and transactional diplomacy.

“When health becomes a bargaining chip, everyone becomes less safe,” Russell warned.

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Keketso Phakela in Maseru, Lesotho, contributed to this report.

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For more on Africa and development: https://apnews.com/hub/africa-pulse

The Associated Press receives financial support for global health and development coverage in Africa from the Gates Foundation. The AP is solely responsible for all content. Find AP’s standards for working with philanthropies, a list of supporters and funded coverage areas at AP.org.

“In a very classist country, Oprah's club was one of the very first things that said books are for everyone. It was a powerful thing,” the 49-year-old author told The Associated Press during a recent interview at a hotel lounge in downtown Manhattan.

Stuart has since ascended high into a culture he once thought wanted no part of him. Best known for “Shuggie Bain,” he's a bestseller, winner of the Booker Prize and Dayton Literary Peace Prize and he has seen his novels translated into dozens of languages. A few months ago, he found himself in unexpected conversation with the celebrity who had helped inspire him to read: Stuart was the recipient of what people refer to as “the call,” when Winfrey notifies an author that she has chosen their work for her club.

On Tuesday, Winfrey announced the selection of Stuart's “John of John.” Published this week, it's his third novel, and returns to the country and themes of “Shuggie Bain” and its successor, “Young Mungo.” The setting is an isolated community in the Outer Hebrides of Scotland, where art school student John-Calum “Cal” MacLeod returns from Edinburgh to live with his troubled father and beloved, but ailing grandmother. He re-encounters the conflicts that helped convince him he needed to leave: Catholics vs. Protestants, parents vs. children, traditional gender roles vs. the forbidden and sometimes dangerous love between men.

“I felt transported,” Winfrey said in a statement Tuesday. “I could feel every aspect of this remote community where tradition and judgment quietly shaped everyone’s life. Douglas Stuart brilliantly weaved a layered, compelling and yet so intimate a story of identity, what it means to belong, and the courage to claim your own truth.”

Stuart's book club interview can be seen on Winfrey's YouTube channel and other podcast outlets.

A sense of perspective

A longtime New Yorker, Stuart knows he's upholding a tradition of artists who leave their place of birth, but revisit it in their minds long after. Like Cal, he is an art school graduate who needed more space than his hometown could offer. But Stuart has otherwise proved more fortunate. While Cal struggles to support himself, Stuart had a long and successful career in design before finding even greater success as a novelist. He draws upon firsthand memories in “John of John” but also upon the perspective gained from setting abroad.

“I love the Salman Rushdie quote that you cannot see a painting until you’re outside the frame,” he said. “Leaving filled me with a huge homesickness, but it also gave me the ability to see things from a distance. I was able to understand that I wasn't the only person with pain in my life. All the people around me were also carrying pain.

Stuart, born in 1976, was raised by a single mother who died from alcoholism and poverty when he was 16, a tragedy revisited in “Shuggie Bain.” Discouraged by teachers to pursue a literary career, he attended the Scottish College of Textiles (now Heriot-Watt University) and received a master’s degree from the Royal College of Art in London. He moved to New York in his mid-20s and within a few years had risen to senior director of design at Banana Republic. He was a great success to those who knew him, but not to himself. By age 30, he was quietly carving out a new path.

A fateful party

Like so many of his peers, he became a writer because he had to. His week was mostly filled by his job at Banana Republic, but the story which became “Shuggie Bain” so compelled him that for a decade, he devoted much of his free time to it, recalling the “joy” of having even moments to think and reflect. He had no real publishing connections, but he did have the luck of a well-placed neighbor — Tina Pohlman, an industry veteran who has worked as an editor, agent and consultant. She and Stuart lived in the same building in Greenwich Village and met during a holiday party. Both remember Stuart telling her that he had written a book and was hoping she would look at it, the kind of request Pohlman rarely wanted to hear.

“I was immediately filled with dread,” Pohlman says. “Anytime that anyone at a party tells you they have a novel, it's tricky. You have to be polite. I told him I would look at it, but that it will take a long time. I guess I was trying to make it as difficult for him as possible.”

But Pohlman decided to give the manuscript a quick look, loved it from the opening page and helped Stuart find an agent. After dozens of publishers turned him down, some, apparently believing that the public wasn't ready for the occasional passage of local dialect, Grove Atlantic vice president-deputy publisher Peter Blackstock signed it up. “Maybe because I’m from England, or maybe it’s also because I'm gay, it resonated with me,” Blackstock told the AP.

“Shuggie Bain” was released on the eve of the pandemic in 2020 and steadily gained attention even as bookstores worldwide were shut down. By the fall, his novel was a finalist for the National Book Award and winner of the Booker, an unusual achievement for a debut novel. It has since sold more than a million copies worldwide and helped convince Stuart that he could no longer regard himself as an outsider,

Stuart's imagination often resides in Scotland, but he calls himself an American and feels very much a part of his adopted country, living in the Greenwich Village with his husband, Michael Cary. While long past the illusion that the U.S. has been spared the class system of the United Kingdom, he still finds a spirit of optimism and possibility.

“I love the feeling that success is not being something to be ashamed of,” he says. “I love that I got to start over here. Nobody knew who I was. Nobody knew where I came from. I got to completely reinvent myself.”

When it comes to humans, kids and adults go crazy watching the jets and the military formations, but it’s our pets that are driven crazy by the extra loud and scary sounds.

One of those pets is 6-year-old Bentley.

“He’s just the sweetest thing,” said owner Genine Blue. “He’s always been a really good dog, very personable, loves people.”

But the 70-pound goldendoodle does not like loud noises.

“Thunder, lightning, anything loud, car backfires, fireworks, any of that, he started like getting scared, shaking, you know hiding,” said Blue.

The Blue family lives in a high-rise on Las Olas Boulevard in Fort Lauderdale.

The whole family loves time outside on the balcony, which has a stunning view.

“Last year, we ended up going away for the weekend and taking him with us because we didn’t want to have to deal with all the planes from the air show,” said Blue.

Dr. Sagen Woolery, the medical director at Blue Pearl Pet Hospital in Fort Lauderdale, has seen a huge increase in pet medical issues due to fireworks and sonic booms.

“The issue is not necessarily the sound itself, it’s the fear and the panic that the sound puts into animals, both pets and wildlife,” she said. “The most common things that were seeing here in the emergency room are things like animals that have been hit by a car because they panicked and they ran into traffic, we’re seeing animals that have some cardiac problems, we’re seeing animals go into seizures.”

And if the air show is loud for you, imagine how your dog feels.

A pup’s hearing is four times more sensitive than a human’s, and let’s not forget, there are usually a few days of the pilot’s practicing and then a few more days of the show event itself.

Pet anxiety can go as high as those planes.

“That stress is cumulative, so a one-time firework is going to be stressful for an animal, but five days of fireworks or sonic booms is exceedingly stressful, particularly in geriatric animals too,” said Woolery.

Some helpful tips to help keep your furry friends safe in these situations is to give your pet added comfort by swaddling them in a tight sweater or a T-shirt, which gives added security. Soft music always helps too.

And when those noises get way too loud, your best bet is to put your pets in a dark, quiet, windowless room, and if all else fails, call your vet for a prescription.

“While this is really fun for all of us to see and witness and we all enjoy celebrating, it’s not fun for animals,” said Woolery. “They don’t understand and it’s not an enjoyable experience for them.”

They came by bus to Loxahatchee’s Big Dog Ranch Rescue to start a new journey with a new purpose.

“In total, over 1,500 dogs have been rescued, and they’re all finding themselves to new rescues and shelters,” said Big Dog Ranch Rescue VP of Development Evan Nader.

In a violent clash in Wisconsin earlier this spring, animal welfare activists from across the country made their way to Ridglan Farms.

The beagle breeding and research facility was facing charges of felony animal mistreatment and gave up its state breeding license to avoid prosecution.

Local 10 News spoke to one activist from Miami in April who traveled to Wisconsin with the mission of saving the dogs.

“We looked at it as doing what needed to be done to save dogs that are criminally abused,” said Ella Magers.

Since March, protesters were tear gassed, pepper sprayed and arrested by Wisconsin law enforcement while trying to get the dogs out.

Big Dog Ranch Rescue and the Center for a Humane Economy negotiated a confidential agreement to buy the 1,500 dogs from Ridglan Farms.

“Every day at Big Dog Ranch Rescue, we conduct life-saving work,” said Nader. “We are America’s largest cage-free, no-kill rescue. But I think this rescue mission is probably one of our most special, one of the biggest in American history as well.”

The first 200 dogs were taken from the facility last Friday and more are scheduled to come to Big Dog Ranch Rescue and to other rescues soon.

“If you’re interested in adopting, you can go to our website, BDRR.org,” said Nader. “They’re about two to three weeks before they’re available for adoption.”

The Boater Safety and Bay Education Taskforce on Monday wrapped up a lengthy look at some of the issues that contribute to fatal boating accidents in the county.

“We need safety education, rules and regulation regarding our waterways,” said Miami-Dade State Attorney Katherine Fernandez Rundle. “And the goal of this taskforce has been to not see so many tragedies that we’ve seen just in the last couple of years.”

Lucy Fernandez was a victim in one of those incidents on Labor Day weekend in 2022.

Her father, Andy Fernandez, now chairs the taskforce along with a number of other county leaders.

The group highlighted a need for increased boater education, better legislation and waterway management to focus on.

“What we’re trying to do is expand boater education requirements, to see how we could expand it here at the local level where more boat operators are required to obtain more boater education requirements,” said Fernandez. “We want to help obtain more funding for law enforcement.”

A final report stated “a persistent and alarming trend is the lack of formal training among vessel operators.”

As a result, the taskforce is now pushing mandatory training for operators and passengers and increased accountability through law enforcement efforts to deter unsafe and impaired boating.

In addition, they are pushing for new legislation to close regulatory gaps for long-term improvements and a sharp improvement in waterway management to shore up navigational guides and traffic patterns.

“Some of those signs are old, they’re faded,” said DERM Director Loren Parra. “We can’t ask people to follow the rules if they can’t see them, so we want to make sure we’re doing that, of course working with all of our different municipalities to strengthen all of our marine patrol.”

The information has officially been submitted to the county, and the next steps will be for county leaders to work to implement the recommendations as policy.

The MV Hondius, a Dutch ship on a weekslong polar cruise from Argentina to Antarctica and several isolated islands in the South Atlantic, has been waiting for help after authorities on the island of Cape Verde, off the West African coast, refused to allow passengers to disembark due to public health concerns.

Footage showed the ship's decks mostly deserted, with only a few people wearing medical masks moving about. Common halls were empty as passengers were isolated in their cabins. At least five people with full protective gear, white overalls, boots and face masks, were seen disembarking from the ship into a small vessel.

The World Health Organization said Monday passengers were asked to stay in their cabins and “limit their risk while disinfection and other measures are being taken.”

Evacuation plans remain to be seen

Authorities in Cape Verde sent teams of doctors, surgeons, nurses and laboratory specialists to provide the vessel with medical support.

Officials in Cape Verde’s capital of Praia, a city of less than 200,000 people, said they have stepped up safety protocols, particularly near the port, as a precautionary measure against the rodent-borne illness that WHO says may be transmitted between people, though that is rare.

It remains unclear when the sick people on board would be evacuated. The WHO said late Monday they would soon be evacuated to the Netherlands for medical care.

The ship’s Netherlands-based operator, Oceanwide Expeditions, said it would consider moving the vessel to one of the Spanish islands, Tenerife or the port of Las Palmas, if it can’t evacuate passengers to Cape Verde.

Dr. Maria Van Kerkhove, the WHO's director of epidemic and pandemic preparedness, told reporters in Geneva on Tuesday that the plan for now is for the ship “to continue on to the Canary Islands.”

“We’re working with Spanish authorities, who will welcome the ship,” Kerkhove said.

She also stressed there are no other people with symptoms on board and that “once the two sick individuals on board are medically evacuated, then the ship can move.” Earlier, authorities in Cape Verde said three individuals on the ship reported mild symptoms.

However, the Spanish health ministry said in a statement Tuesday it was “conducting close monitoring, together with the World Health Organization and other involved countries, of the situation on the ship ... (and) the most appropriate port of call will be decided. Until then, the Ministry of Health will not adopt any decision, as we have informed the World Health Organization.”

Meanwhile, Oceanwide Expeditions said in a statement late Monday the atmosphere on board “remains calm, with passengers generally composed” and that the response plan implemented on board was at the highest level, 3, and includes isolation measures, hygiene protocols and medical monitoring.

The situation is under careful monitoring

The ship left Ushuaia in southern Argentina on April 1, according to Argentine provincial authorities.

Although health officials in Ushuaia have said they confirmed no passengers had hantavirus symptoms when the ship departed, symptoms can appear up to eight weeks after exposure, Juan Facundo Petrina, director of epidemiology for Tierra del Fuego province, told the AP in an interview from Ushuaia.

The WHO said Monday night that, as of then, no new people on the ship had shown symptoms of the virus, but the situation is being “carefully monitored” for further developments.

“The outbreak is being managed through coordinated international response, and includes in-depth investigations, case isolation and care, medical evacuation and laboratory investigations,” the WHO has also said.

Cape Verde’s National Director of Health Angela Gomes told the state-run Radiotelevisao Caboverdiana radio that authorities are focused on guaranteeing “the maximum level of safety” for the local population.

"And for this reason, all assistance is being provided with personal protective equipment, with maximum protection, both to our medical team but also to the entire team that assists the medical team in transporting it to the vessel,” said Gomes.

Gates and a lock on the front of the former temple in the Whitechapel area of east London had minor damage, but no one was injured, Metropolitan Police said.

The incident is the latest attack since four ambulances owned by a Jewish charity were torched in March. Since then, a synagogue was firebombed and other Jewish sites have been targeted in attempted arsons. Last week, two Jewish men were stabbed in what police have called an act of terror.

“It is part of a pattern of rising antisemitism that has left our Jewish communities feeling frightened, angry, and asking whether this country, their home, is safe for them,” Starmer told community leaders. “These disgusting attacks are being made against British Jews. But, make no mistake, this crisis — it is a crisis for all of us.”

The number of antisemitic incidents reported across the U.K. has soared since the attack by Hamas-led militants on southern Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, and the subsequent war in Gaza, according to the Community Security Trust charity. The group recorded 3,700 incidents in 2025, up from 1,662 in 2022.

The wave of recent attacks have come since the Feb. 28 start of the Iran war and police are looking into whether they are the work of Iranian proxies.

A pro-Iran group calling itself Harakat Ashab al-Yamin al-Islamia — or Islamic Movement of the Companions of the Right — has claimed responsibility for several of the attacks. It has also admitted being behind incidents in recent months at places of worship, business and financial institutions across Europe, all of which appear to be linked to Jewish or Israeli interests.

“One of the lines of inquiry is whether a foreign state has been behind some of these incidents,” Starmer said. “Our message to Iran, or to any other country that might seek to foment violence, hatred or division in society, is that it will not be tolerated.”

Starmer promised to take action to tackle antisemitism, including requiring universities to publish the scale of the problem and take steps to stop it. Arts funding will be withdrawn from anyone promoting antisemitism.

Britain raised its terror threat level from substantial to severe — the second-highest on a five-point scale — after the stabbings. The rating means intelligence agencies consider an attack highly likely in the next six months.

The change was not solely due to the knifings but also “from Islamist and extreme right-wing terrorist threat from individuals and small groups based in the U.K,” the government said.

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According to an arrest report from MDSO, Brian Pfeiffer, 50, and his wife, who have one child in common, were involved in a verbal dispute overnight inside their home when Pfeiffer became enraged.

Noon report:

Deputies said he grabbed his wife’s wrist, “forcibly ripped” her cellphone from her hand, and then continued to argue with her before placing her phone on the kitchen counter and leaving their home.

According to the report, Pfeiffer returned home during the investigation and was detained.

He was transported to the MDSO Robbery Bureau for a formal interview, where he denied any wrongdoing and “provided a self-serving statement,” the report stated.

Pfeiffer was arrested on a strongarm robbery charge.

MDSO confirmed Pfeiffer is a lieutenant with the agency, who was hired in May 1999.

He is currently relieved of duty with pay.

Pfeiffer was released from the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center late Tuesday afternoon after posting bond.

“I am disappointed to learn that two of my deputies were arrested in separate domestic related incidents. Our deputies are held to the highest standards, and I expect more responsible behavior!” Sheriff Rosie Cordero-Stutz said in a statement. “Domestic violence has no place in our community, and seeking help is a sign of strength. Help is available, you are not alone!”

Jamila Adams, who goes by “Mila,” testified Monday that Diggs slapped her and choked her during a dispute in December, leaving her struggling to breathe. Diggs’ attorney told jurors the attack never happened.

Adams told jurors that Diggs “smacked me with an open hand” before wrapping his arm around her neck. She described what she called a “complicated” employment dynamic, saying their relationship had previously been sexual, although not at the time of the alleged assault. She lived in his home, preparing meals and snacks, and had known Diggs for more than four years at the time she alleges that he attacked her.

Defense attorney Andrew Kettlewell said there was no evidence of an assault, noting that no one else in the house reported seeing or hearing anything unusual and that there were no medical records, photos or video documenting injuries. He also suggested Adams had a financial motive, telling jurors they would hear evidence she sought money from Diggs after reporting the incident.

Prosecutors say the case centers on what happened on Dec. 2, when they allege Diggs entered Adams’ bedroom, slapped her and put her in a headlock that made it difficult to breathe.

Diggs, 33, has pleaded not guilty to a felony strangulation charge and a misdemeanor assault and battery charge. A jury was seated Monday in Norfolk County District Court in Dedham.

“The Lost Boys,” an adaptation of a 1987 teen movie vampire thriller, and “Schmigadoon!,” an adaptation of an Apple TV series that gently mocks Broadway musicals, were followed by a revival of “Ragtime,” a big, soaring musical celebrating early 20th-century America, with 11 nominations, and “Death of a Salesman,” Arthur Miller’s masterpiece that looks at the unraveling of the American Dream, starring Nathan Lane, which nabbed nine nods.

Twenty-four shows got at least one nomination across the 26 Tony categories, including “Cats: The Jellicle Ball,” which reimagines the 1980s classic feline musical into a celebration of queer ballroom culture, and a revival of “Chess,” the Cold War-set love triangle between two chess grand masters and the woman who loved both.

The best new musical crown will be between “The Lost Boys,” “Schmigadoon!,” “Titanique,” a camp musical comedy that reimagines the 1997 megahit movie “Titanic,” and “Two Strangers (Carry a Cake Across New York),” an opposites-attract rom-com set during a New York City weekend.

The best new play nominees are the John Lithgow-led “Giant,” which explores accusations of antisemitism against children’s author Roald Dahl; “Liberation,” about a consciousness-raising women’s group in 1970s Ohio that won the Pulitzer Prize for drama on Monday; “The Balusters,” a wry comedy about a small-town neighborhood association that descends into chaos over whether to install a stop sign; and “Little Bear Ridge Road,” about a struggling writer who returns to his rural hometown to settle his dead father’s estate.

“The Fear of 13,” the true story of a man who spent more than two decades on death row, didn't get any acting nods, despite starring Adrien Brody and Tessa Thompson in their Broadway debut. Lea Michele will still be seeking her first Tony nomination after having missed out for her work on “Chess.”

Squibb is now the oldest Tony-nominated actor in history, besting the record set by Lois Smith, who was 89 when she was nominated in 2020 for “The Inheritance.” Squibb's Broadway resume reaches back to a stint in the original production of “Gypsy” in 1960 with Ethel Merman.

Burstein becomes the most-nominated male actor in Tony history with nine nods after his work in “Marjorie Prime,” beating the record set by Jason Robards. Kelli O’Hara got her ninth career nomination for a revival of the comedy “Fallen Angels,” tying her with Rosemary Harris for third on the all-time acting nominations list.

A trio of actors from the hit TV series “The Bear” struck out in their Broadway debuts this season — Ayo Edebiri in a revival of “Proof” and Jon Bernthal and Ebon Moss-Bachrach who both appeared in “Dog Day Afternoon,” an adaptation of Sidney Lumet’s 1975 bank robbing drama. Daniel Radcliffe secured a nomination for “Every Brilliant Thing,” a one-person show that explores the antidotes to depression.

The best play revival category is stacked with well-received work: “Every Brilliant Thing”; “Death of a Salesman”; “Oedipus,” a modern retelling of Sophocles’ classic tragedy set on election night in a modern campaign office; “Becky Shaw,” Gina Gionfriddo’s dark comedy about a newlywed couple who decide to play matchmaker; and “Fallen Angels,” Noël Coward’s alcohol-fueled competition between two upper-crust ladies over the attention of a former lover.

Lithgow, who has two Tonys already, will get his third if he beats leading actor in a play nominees Lane, Radcliffe, Mark Strong in “Oedipus” and Will Harrison from “Punch,” which looks at restorative justice following the death of a man from a physical punch.

Rose Byrne, the “If I Had Legs I’d Kick You” star who plays one of those upper-crust ladies in “Fallen Angels,” secured a nomination for best actress in a play, becoming the 22nd actor in history to be Oscar- and Tony-nominated in the same year. Her co-star, Kelli O’Hara, also secured a nod, as did Lesley Manville for “Oedipus,” Susannah Flood for “Liberation” and Carrie Coon for her work in her husband Tracy Letts' play “Bug.”

Best actor in a musical nominees include Joshua Henry and Brandon Uranowitz, both from “Ragtime,” Sam Tutty in “Two Strangers,” Nicholas Christopher in “Chess” and Luke Evans from “The Rocky Horror Show.”

On the women’s side, the nominees are: Caissie Levy from “Ragtime,” Marla Mindelle for “Titanique,” Christiani Pitts from “Two Strangers,” Sara Chase from “Schmigadoon!” and Stephanie Hsu in “The Rocky Horror Show.”

Others who missed out this year include Bobby Cannavale, Byrne's partner, who starred in a revival of “Art” with Neil Patrick Harris and James Corden that was snubbed by the nominators. “Bill & Ted” stars Keanu Reeves and Alex Winters reuniting for a revival of “Waiting for Godot,” were also left off, although Brandon J. Dirden was nominated for a featured role.

The Tony Awards will be handed out June 7 at Radio City Music Hall during a telecast hosted by Pink. The awards will air live on CBS and stream on Paramount+.

Last year’s show — hosted by “Wicked” star Cynthia Erivo — drew 4.85 million viewers to CBS, its largest broadcast audience in six years, according to Nielsen.

The joint effort was launched April 28 when the leftist Social Democratic Party, or PSD, which withdrew from the coalition in late April, and the hard-right opposition Alliance for the Unity of Romanians party, or AUR, submitted the motion to Parliament.

After a parliamentary debate, 281 lawmakers voted in favor and four voted against the motion. Lawmakers from Bolojan’s center-right National Liberal Party, or PNL, and coalition partners Save Romania Union party and the small ethnic Hungarian UDMR party did not cast votes.

Bolojan called the motion “cynical and artificial” and said before the vote that it “seems to be written by people who were not in government every day and did not participate in all the decisions.”

“It is cynical, because it does not take into account the context in which we find ourselves,” he said. “I assumed the position of prime minister, being aware that it comes with enormous pressure and that I would not receive applause from the citizens. But I chose to do what was urgent and necessary for our country.”

Romania has faced a long period of instability after a presidential election was annulled in December 2024, and the country is grappling with one of the highest budget deficits in the EU, rampant inflation and a technical recession.

In June, when the coalition was voted in, it pledged pledged to make reducing the budget deficit a top priority. The PSD often found itself at loggerheads with Bolojan over some of the austerity measures, which included tax hikes, public sector wage and pension freezes, and cutting public spending and public administration jobs.

PSD President Sorin Grindeanu said Bolojan should appoint an interim prime minister due to the margin of support, adding that he expects Romanian President Nicusor Dan to consult PSD.

“I would like us to quickly find a solution … together with the other parties and move forward,” Grindeanu said. “PSD is willing to quickly find a solution. All options are open.”

PNL Secretary General Dan Motreanu wrote in a social media post that PSD and AUR “have a duty to take over the government, to come up with a prime minister proposal and a clear program,” accusing the two parties of “playing political theatre.”

“You cannot overthrow a government and then run away from accountability,” Motreanu said. “In the economy, any signal of political chaos quickly translates into real costs to people.”

PSD last week said Bolojan “failed to implement any genuine reform” in his 10 months leading the government, and said Romania needs a leader who is “capable of collaboration.”

Bolojan said that he took tough but necessary fiscal measures that effectively “regained the trust of the markets in the Romanian government.”

The PSD would be needed to form a pro-European parliamentary majority. The party has previously ruled out entering a government with AUR. George Simion, the AUR leader, said Tuesday that voters had “supported and wanted water, food, energy,” but had “received taxes, war and poverty.”

“We assume the future of this country, a future government and restore the hope of the Romanians,” he said. “Romania must go back to the vote of the Romanians.”

Cristian Andrei, a Bucharest-based political consultant, said the crisis will likely lead to a stalemate, since “no one has a majority, or a coalition, and it will take the president ... weeks to find such a majority and name a new prime minister, prolonging the indecision.”

“At this moment, there are two tentative options for a new Cabinet, both difficult to achieve; either a reshuffled coalition, without Bolojan, in the same formation ... or a minority Cabinet, rather led by PSD and satellites from populist parties, like AUR, or other small groups,” he said. “A PSD-AUR official Cabinet is not a possibility today because the president will not endorse it.”

The prime ministerial position was set to be rotated in 2027 from Bolojan to a PSD premier as part of a power-sharing agreement. A general election is scheduled for 2028.

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McGrath reported from Leamington Spa, England.

Iran’s powerful parliamentary speaker and chief negotiator, Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf, accused the U.S. of undermining regional security with the effort to end Iran’s stranglehold on the strait and warned that Tehran will respond.

The U.S. military said two American-flagged merchant ships successfully transited the strait on Monday, the first day of the effort, and that it fired on Iranian forces, sinking six small boats that were targeting vessels.

Disputing Washington’s claim of sinking six boats, an Iranian military commander said two small civilian cargo boats were hit on Monday, killing five civilians, Iran’s state TV reported.

Ship tracking data showed a Panamanian-flagged crude oil tanker heading toward the center of the strait Tuesday morning after leaving an anchorage in the Persian Gulf, though it was unclear if it would try to pass through. The tanker had a stated destination of Singapore, according to the MarineTraffic ship tracking site.

Iran’s effective closure of the strait, through which about a fifth of the world’s trade in oil and natural gas typically passes, along with fertilizer and other petroleum-derived products, has sent fuel prices skyrocketing, rattled the global economy and proved a major strategic advantage in negotiations to end the war. Breaking that grip would deny Tehran a major source of leverage.

But such efforts risk reigniting the full-scale fighting that erupted when the U.S. and Israel attacked Iran on Feb. 28, prompting it to close the strait.

Iran accuses US of ceasefire violation

Iran has called the new U.S. effort a violation of the fragile ceasefire that has held for more than three weeks.

In a post on X on Tuesday, Qalibaf accused Washington of undermining shipping security in the Strait of Hormuz, and warned that a “new equation” there is taking shape.

He signaled that Iran has yet to fully respond to the U.S. attempt to reopen the waterway, saying: “We know full well that the continuation of the status quo is intolerable for America; while we have not even begun yet.”

His statement did not mention negotiations with the U.S. that are now in the form of passing messages via Pakistan.

Trump vows to reopen the strait

U.S. President Donald Trump on Sunday warned that Iranian efforts to halt passage through the strait “will, unfortunately, have to be dealt with forcefully.”

He said the U.S. effort, “Project Freedom,” was intended to aid tens of thousands of stranded seafarers on hundreds of ships stuck in the Persian Gulf since the war began.

The U.S.-led Joint Maritime Information Center advised ships on Monday to cross the strait in Oman’s waters, saying it had set up an “enhanced security area.”

But shippers remained wary.

The UAE bore the brunt of Iran’s retaliation

The United Arab Emirates' Defense Ministry said its air defenses had engaged 15 missiles and four drones fired by Iran. Authorities in the eastern emirate of Fujairah said one drone sparked a fire at a key oil facility, wounding three Indian nationals. The British military reported two cargo vessels ablaze off the UAE.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday condemned the attacks, calling the targeting of civilians and infrastructure “unacceptable.” On X, Modi said India stands in “firm solidarity” with the UAE, and stressed the need for safe and uninterrupted shipping through the Strait of Hormuz.

Tehran did not confirm or deny the attacks but Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi early Tuesday said on X that both the U.S. and the UAE “should be wary of being dragged back into quagmire.”

Pakistan and Saudi Arabia condemned the strikes against the UAE. The Saudi condemnation came despite increasingly strained relations between it and the UAE.

Strait of Hormuz closure has far-reaching consequences

The disruption of the waterway has squeezed countries in Europe and Asia that depend on Persian Gulf oil and gas, raising prices far beyond the region.

The U.S. meanwhile has enforced a naval blockade on Iranian ports since April 13, telling at least 49 commercial ships to turn back, according to its Central Command. It also has warned shipping companies they could face sanctions if they pay Iran for transit of the strait.

The blockade has deprived Tehran of oil revenue it needs to shore up its ailing economy. U.S. officials have expressed hope the blockade will force Iran to make concessions in talks on its disputed nuclear program and other longstanding issues.

Negotiations make little progress

Iran’s latest proposal for ending the war calls for the U.S. to lift sanctions, end the blockade, withdraw forces from the region and cease all hostilities including Israel’s operations in Lebanon, according to the semiofficial Nour News and Tasnim agencies, which have close ties to Iran’s security apparatus.

Iranian officials over the weekend said they were reviewing the U.S. response. Tehran has claimed its proposal does not include its nuclear program and enriched uranium, long a driving force in tensions with the U.S. and Israel.

Iran wants other issues resolved within 30 days and aims to end the war rather than extend the ceasefire. Trump expressed doubt over the weekend that the proposal would lead to a deal.

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Becatoros reported from Athens, Greece. Sally Abou AlJoud in Beirut, Lebanon and Sheikh Saaliq in New Delhi contributed to this report.

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy rebuked Moscow for what he said was its “utter cynicism” in launching the attacks after Russia announced a unilateral ceasefire over two days later this week while it marks the 81st anniversary of the defeat of Nazi Germany in World War II.

“Russia could cease fire at any moment, and this would stop the war and our responses,” Zelenskyy said in a post on X. “Peace is needed, and real steps are needed to achieve it. Ukraine will act in kind.”

The proposal to stop fighting follows a familiar pattern of Russia declaring short unilateral ceasefires during the war timed to various holidays, most recently Orthodox Easter. Those suspensions of combat don't produce any tangible results amid deep mistrust between Moscow and Kyiv more than four years after Russia launched an all-out invasion of its neighbor. U.S.-led diplomatic efforts to stop the war have come to nothing.

The Russian Defense Ministry declared a unilateral ceasefire in Ukraine for Friday and Saturday, but said that it would strike back at the country, if it tries to disrupt the festivities on Victory Day, which Russia marks annually on May 9.

Zelenskyy replied that Ukraine would observe a ceasefire beginning at the end of Tuesday and would respond in kind to Russia’s actions from that moment on. He didn't put an end date on the move.

Ukrainian leader expands Gulf cooperation

Zelenskyy was in Bahrain on Tuesday where he met with King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, proposing a bilateral drone defense partnership amid the Iran war.

The Ukrainian leader said that he offered to share Ukraine’s air defense expertise with Bahrain, drawing a parallel between Iranian attacks on Gulf states and Russia’s daily aerial strikes on Ukrainian territory, which often use Shahed drones initially developed by Iran.

Zelenskyy said last month that Ukrainian officials are helping Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Kuwait and Jordan with drone expertise and air defense.

Ukraine's power grid targeted again

Russian forces fired 11 Iskander-M ballistic missiles and 164 strike drones at Ukraine overnight from Monday to Tuesday, including a jet-powered Shahed drone variant, the Ukrainian Air Force said.

Air defense units stopped 149 drones and one missile, but others got through, it said. Two ballistic missiles failed to reach their targets, the air force said without elaborating.

Russia has repeatedly hammered Ukraine’s energy infrastructure during the war, which began on Feb. 24, 2022. It hit natural gas production facilities in Ukraine’s central Poltava and northeastern Kharkiv regions, state energy company Naftogaz Group said.

Since the start of the year, Naftogaz facilities have come under attack 107 times, the company said.

Zelenskyy said that the Poltava attack was “especially vile,” because Russia launched a second missile at the same target when emergency rescuers were working at the scene.

Ukrainian Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko said that Russia’s main targets were energy facilities, oil and gas infrastructure, railways and industrial sites, although the attacks also damaged homes, businesses and the transportation network.

Russia’s ceasefire proposals “remain only statements,” Svyrydenko said.

Russian territory hit by Ukrainian cruise missiles

Ukraine also kept up the pace of its long-range attacks on Russian rear areas, apparently aiming at more oil facilities in an effort to further disrupt Moscow's war economy.

Russia’s Defense Ministry said that its forces destroyed 289 Ukrainian drones overnight in 18 Russian regions. Drones were also intercepted over the occupied Crimean Peninsula, which Russia annexed from Ukraine in 2014, and over the Azov Sea, it said.

During the night, Ukraine launched its F-5 Flamingo cruise missiles at targets, including military-industrial complex facilities in Cheboksary, located more than 1,500 kilometers (900 miles) away, Zelenskyy said.

The plant supplied navigation components for the Russian navy, the missile industry, aviation and armored vehicles, he said.

The regional health ministry said that a Ukrainian drone attack wounded three people in the city of Cheboksary.

Ukrainian drones also attacked the Kirishi oil refinery in the Leningrad region close to St. Petersburg, sparking a blaze in the town’s industrial zone, local Gov. Alexander Drozdenko said.

Drozdenko said on social media that 29 Ukrainian drones had been shot down during the attack. No casualties were reported.

Ground robot operations

Ukraine doubled its midrange strikes on Russia in April compared with March and quadrupled them compared with February, according to a monthly battlefield report from Ukrainian Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov published Tuesday.

The midrange attacks were focused on enemy warehouses, command posts, air defense systems and supply lines up to about 100 miles (160 kilometers) behind the front line.

Also, Ukrainian ground robots completed 10,281 resupply and evacuation missions in April, an average of almost 343 per day, according to Fedorov.

It wasn't possible to independently confirm the claims.

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

This might have been the most movement by All-Stars during an offseason in WNBA history. Not that it comes as a huge surprise. More than 80% of the players in the league were free agents after last season, knowing a huge pay day awaited with the new collective bargaining agreement that was signed in March.

With the money about the same, moving closer to home was one factor in players' decisions.

Ogwumike returns to Los Angeles

The 2016 MVP has long considered Los Angeles home after getting drafted No. 1 by the Sparks in 2012. She helped the franchise win a championship in 2016. The 10-time All-Star left the Sparks for Seattle in 2024 and spent two seasons with the Storm before returning to L.A.

The Sparks are trying to get back to the top of the league.

“It was always see you later, now I’ll see you soon…” Ogwumike wrote on social media when announcing her decision to return to Los Angeles.

Ogwumike joins a strong core in Los Angeles, including Kelsey Plum, Ariel Atkins, Dearica Hamby and Cameron Brink.

Diggins gets fresh start close to home in Chicago

Diggins grew up in South Bend, Indiana — a 90-minute drive from Chicago. The six-time All-WNBA player and seven-time All-Star is still looking for her first championship in the league and may be hard-pressed to get it in the Windy City. The 35-year-old guard spent the last two seasons in Seattle.

She'll provide veteran leadership for the Sky and eventually pair in the backcourt with Courtney Vandersloot, who is recovering from an ACL injury.

Griner moves to Connecticut with eye on Houston

The No. 1 pick in the 2013 draft will be playing for her third team in three seasons. Griner spent the first 12 years of her career in Phoenix, which selected her with the top pick. She moved on to Atlanta last season and now is in Connecticut. The Sun will be moving to Griner's hometown of Houston next season.

Griner, a 10-time All-Star, was excited for the chance to be a veteran leader for the Sun before eventually getting to play back home in Houston next year.

“Coming here for the one year with hopes of next year being in Houston and having that opportunity to potentially play in front of my family, play at home, it means a lot to me, means a whole lot to me,” Griner told The Associated Press.

Sabally lands in New York, gets ‘closer to my own home’

Sabally was born in New York, so joining the Liberty was a homecoming for her. Her family moved to Germany when she was young. Being on the East Coast makes it easier for the German star to get to Europe than it was while playing in Phoenix. It also puts her in a time zone that is more friendly for talking to her family in Germany.

“Phoenix was very far away from home for me as an international player. Like, nine-hour time difference. I could only talk to my little brothers before practice,” Sabally said. “So I think it was a personal decision just to get closer to my own home.”

The three-time All-Star played with Sabrina Ionescu in college at Oregon. Their senior season was cut short by the COVID-19 pandemic, but now the duo will try to win a WNBA championship together with the Liberty.

Fresh start for Reese with the Dream

Atlanta acquired Reese from the Sky on April 6 for draft picks. One of the WNBA’s most recognizable stars, Reese led the league in rebounds in each of her two seasons with the Sky. The Dream hope she's the missing piece that can get them back to the WNBA Finals for the first time since 2013.

“I am not satisfied with what I am as a player and I felt like being around these kinds of players would help me be better," said Reese, who added she is happy to be with an organization “that really cared” about its players.

“I can help them in different ways to ... win, and that’s all I ever wanted,” Reese said. “I don’t care about anything else. ... I want to win.”

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AP WNBA: https://apnews.com/hub/wnba-basketball

“It’s … BIG,” the Olympic skater finally said with a grin.

But what Liu, dressed in a blood-red custom Louis Vuitton gown with a full skirt and huge ruffles, couldn’t quite get was how big SHE had become. Even at a party full of very, very famous people, everyone wanted to greet her.

Some Met Gala guests have been famous for many years. Others have achieved fame with dizzying speed. For Liu, all it took was a gold-medal performance that charmed the whole world.

“Everybody recognizes me!” she said, with genuine surprise, of the crowd packed into the airy Charles Engelhard Court at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. “It’s crazy. Imagine that overnight, suddenly everyone knows who you are!”

And then America’s skating sweetheart was off, soon to be spotted laughing with Connor Storrie of “Heated Rivalry,” another star of the night who also arrived from an ice rink.

Some more scenes from inside the Met Gala:

Under a full moon, the strains of harp music

After guests made their way up the carpeted steps to the museum, they entered into the Great Hall, which had been transformed into “a Northern Italian garden,” in the museum’s words. There was a huge moon hanging and swaying from the ceiling, and below it a floral centerpiece surrounded by cypress branches.

A half dozen harpists serenaded the guests, who waited to shake the hands of the gala co-chairs — Nicole Kidman, Venus Williams, Vogue’s Anna Wintour, and honorary chair Lauren Sánchez Bezos — but not, for now, the late-arriving Beyoncé.

The receiving line was a long wait, reported Sarah Paulson.

“I waited 45 minutes,” the actor said, explaining why she hadn’t made it yet to the Conde M. Nast Galleries to see the fashion exhibit, “Costume Art,” which examines the dressed body through centuries of art history. Her feet hurt. “You could cut my legs off at the ankle,” she said.

Lobster crostini and tomato-mozzarella pillows

As the Engelhard court gradually filled, guests milled about snacking on lobster crostini or tomato and mozzarella “pillows.”

Zoë Kravitz, who headed the host committee, greeted Storrie — did we mention he was a top attraction? — and complimented him on his work. Bradley Cooper and Gigi Hadid sat quietly chatting on the sidelines, hand in hand.

Near them, Hugh Jackman and Sutton Foster did the same. Jackman stood up when skier Lindsey Vonn came by, giving her a hug. Vonn, who suffered a traumatic leg injury at the Winter Olympics, used only a cane and sparkled in a Thom Browne gown.

Billionaires, he’s seen ‘em before

Ever since Amazon founder Jeff Bezos and wife Lauren Sánchez Bezos had been announced as honorary chairs, there had been anti-billionaire backlash in liberal New York City. Mayor Zohran Mamdani said he would not come. A group called Everyone Hates Elon — a reference to Musk — had plastered posters at bus stops, like one on the East Side saying “Dress code: Willful ignorance,” and on subways.

The Rev. Al Sharpton, though, had a different take. He'd attended a few Met Galas, and said billionaires were nothing new.

“There have always been billionaires here,” Sharpton said. “I may not agree with everything Bezos does, but do I abandon Beyoncé and Venus Williams?” He also praised Wintour for paying attention to diversity. “I opted to come.”

He said the gala “brings a cultured meeting space” for people who haven't yet met.

A date night for Jon Batiste

At previous galas, Jon Batiste has performed, sometimes leading a musical band with his melodica to get crowds to head to dinner. This time around, he had no gala responsibilities — and he was happy.

After all, he said, “it’s date night” with his wife, Suleika Jaouad. “A night in the museum,” he quipped. The couple were dinner guests of Wintour herself.

Batiste wore a look by Eli Russell Linnetz that he said echoed the work of late Black portraitist Barkley L. Hendricks — a long white coat and white ensemble underneath. Hendricks often juxtaposed Black skin with white clothes, Batiste noted. Jaouad wore a sumptuous Christian Siriano gown.

Progress in the fight for diversity

Sinéad Burke, the Irish disability activist, said that when she was first approached to be on the host committee, “I said no.”

Unless, she says she told organizers, they made the gala fully accessible.

They did, Burke says, arranging for a step-free entrance for guests who need it, south of the main entrance.

Burke ended up working closely with the museum for 18 months before the gala. She made sure there was room for disabled press to cover the gala carpet. She and her organization, Tilting the Lens, also helped train guides who will assist the public when they view “Costume Art,” which has a large section on the disabled body.

And Burke herself, who was born with dwarfism, agreed to pose for a custom mannequin; two outfits are displayed on mannequins created in her image.

“I’m proud of the small moments,” she said.

But a step backward, elsewhere

Model Lauren Wasser, also on the host committee, attended in a custom Prabal Gurung ensemble all in gold, including her trademark gold prosthetic legs.

She said she was glad the museum was shining a light on diversity in body types. But she cautioned that in the outside world, things are looking bleaker. (Research has found that designers are starting to turn away from using plus-size models, for example.)

“I want to see it in real life, too,” Wasser said of such diversity. “We had a moment. But we’ve taken a step back.”

Wearing silver, feeling golden

The songwriter who won an Oscar for “Golden” from “KPop Demon Hunters” was wearing, well, silver. But she said she was feeling golden.

In fact, EJAE, part of the team that won best original song for the impossibly catchy tune, said she was trying to channel a specific lyric with her gown, a Swarovski number dripping with crystals.

“I’m done hidin’, now I’m shinin’ like I’m born to be,” the song goes.

“I wanted to literally be shining,” EJAE said. Mission accomplished.

Sarah Paulson has the Met’s secrets — remember?

This wasn’t the first rodeo for Paulson. In fact in was her sixth Met Gala, she said.

But Paulson has more after-hours experience at the Met. She shot the movie “Ocean’s 8” there, a film about a heist during … the Met Gala.

“I spent a lot of time here — I know the secrets,” Paulson said. “They should watch out!”

Asked if six Met Galas got a little tiresome, Paulson said they did not.

“You can’t really believe the people here and the oxygen you’re sharing,” the actor said. “People from all the great talents of the world.”

Rihanna and A$AP Rocky are Heidi Klum fans

Dinner was under way. Beyoncé had arrived, with Jay-Z and Blue Ivy.

But the assembled media on the carpet and various staffers in the museum lobby weren’t breaking for the night. There was one more big arrival to come. Yes, Rihanna.

When she and partner A$AP Rocky arrived in the Great Hall, they stopped for photos quickly and then headed toward the Temple of Dendur for dinner. But then they ran into Heidi Klum, who knows her way around a costume, virtually unrecognizable as a marble statue.

The couple spent 10 minutes or so laughing with Klum and complimenting her.

“This is the coolest outfit tonight, ain’t gonna lie,” A$AP Rocky noted.

“Oh my god, I can’t stand you!” Rihanna said admiringly.

“How much did they pay you to just stand here for the rest of the night?” the singer asked the statue. They all laughed.

“I think it’d be a nice little tip of the cap to John and what he meant — so much to this franchise and this fan base. I think it would be pretty cool,” Judge said after the Yankees routed Baltimore 12-1 on Monday night to complete a four-game sweep on the day of their famous broadcaster's death.

Following the final out, Sterling's familiar call that punctuated Yankees wins was played over the ballpark’s public-address system.

After a pregame tribute to Sterling, who died at age 87, Judge put New York ahead in the first inning with his major league-leading 14th homer and added a two-run single in the eighth for a four-RBI night.

Sterling called games on radio broadcasts from 1989 to 2024. As Judge circled the bases after his two-run drive off Shane Baz, he thought of the home run call Sterling coined for him: “A Judgian blast! All rise! Here comes the Judge!”

“Definitely seeing that tribute hit home because he loved the Yankees,” Judge said. “He loved this team. He loved this franchise. He loved the fans. He loved everybody he talked to on a nightly basis. So to do that there in the first, just kind of was chuckling around the bases thinking what he was probably saying.”

Yankees manager Aaron Boone revealed before the game he's been paying tribute to Sterling in the dugout for a couple of years by yelling “Ballgame over! Yankees win! Theee Yankees win!” before starting handshakes.

This time, fans also bellowed along as the PA system sounded Sterling's baritone at raised decibels.

“It drowned me out a little bit, happily,” Boone said.

Like Judge, he hopes Sterling's voice at the end becomes routine.

”Yeah, I'd love it," the manager said. “Right on into Frank.”

Judge leads the majors with six first-inning homers this year and has 91 in his career, trailing only Babe Ruth’s 126 and Mickey Mantle’s 103 among Yankees. The home run was Judge’s 53rd in 124 games against the Orioles.

“It’s a pretty good advantage to have that guy coming up in the first inning for you,” Boone said.

Judge, who was tied for the major league home run lead by Munetaka Murakami of the Chicago White Sox later Monday, is batting .272 with 27 RBIs.

Coming off his first batting title last season, when his average was .427 through April, Judge slumped early this year and was hitting .212 with three homers and seven RBIs after his first 14 games. Since then, the three-time AL MVP is batting .329 with 11 homers and 20 RBIs in 21 games.

“Even if I’m hitting .400 in April, I’m tinkering with something new every single day. It could be something subtle with hands or feet, the sights, approach," Judge said. “When you stink, you’re trying to get better. When you’re doing well, you're also trying to get better.”

Like all Yankees, Judge had a cap with Sterling's “JS” initials stitched onto the back. At the behest of the Yankees front office, a Bronx vendor quickly sewed the tribute.

“I thought it was a nice little touch for John,” Judge said.

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

The EU-Armenia summit in Yerevan follows the eighth gathering of the European Political Community, or EPC, which brought dozens of European leaders to the Armenian capital on Monday to address European defense issues and the Iran war.

Meanwhile, Tuesday's bilateral meeting saw Armenia and the EU sign a connectivity partnership to strengthen economic ties and deepen security cooperation.

The two events underscore how Armenia is seeking to turn westward and shed Russia's influence. Armenia’s relations with Moscow, its longtime sponsor and ally, have grown increasingly strained since 2023, when neighboring Azerbaijan fully reclaimed the Karabakh region and ended the decadeslong rule by ethnic Armenian separatists.

Armenian authorities accused Russian peacekeepers who were deployed to the region of failing to stop Azerbaijan’s onslaught. Moscow, busy with the war in Ukraine, rejected the accusations, arguing that its troops didn’t have a mandate to intervene.

The war was “a belated demonstration that Russia is dangerously unreliable as a partner,” Richard Giragosian, director of the Regional Studies Center in Yerevan, told The Associated Press.

Pursuing ties with Europe

Since then, the government of Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has pursued closer ties with the West, a move welcomed by the 27-nation EU.

The opening ceremony of the EU-Armenia summit on Tuesday saw European Council President António Costa walk the red carpet side by side with Pashinyan and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, while a military band played in front of Armenian and EU flags.

In her opening statement, von der Leyen said that Europe was ready to aid Armenia in becoming a regional hub for global trade routes, including the building of physical infrastructure.

“We’re ready to invest in the local energy production and the energy links across the Black Sea, and we are ready to connect your booming digital scene to Europe’s digital market and turn Armenia’s position at the heart of this region into a motor of growth,” she said.

The new EU-Armenia connectivity partnership will focus on strengthening transportation, energy and digital links. Meanwhile, EU investments in Armenia are expected to reach 2.5 billion euros ($2.9 billion) under its global gateway infrastructure program, both sides said in a joint statement.

“Today’s EU-Armenia summit sends a clear signal of the EU’s firm commitment to deepen our relations with Armenia, and to strengthen cooperation across many new areas,” Costa said. “Bringing Armenia and its people closer to the European Union.”

Symbolic moves

The EU, rather than the United States, has stepped into the vacuum left by Russia, Giragosian said.

“EU engagement is much more prudent and much more productive than the U.S. becoming involved, simply because European engagement is less provocative to Russia over the longer term,” he said.

In 2025, Armenia's parliament passed a law formally declaring the country’s intention to seek EU membership.

However, Giragosian described Tuesday’s summit as “a focus on deepening the preexisting relationship” rather than a step toward candidacy, referencing the Comprehensive and Enhanced Partnership Agreement that has governed EU-Armenia ties since fully taking effect in 2021.

“The symbolic significance is much greater as a message to Russia,” he said.

Armenia has also taken other symbolic steps. It joined the International Criminal Court in 2023, a move that Moscow condemned as an “unfriendly step.” The court has issued an arrest warrant for Russian President Vladimir Putin, accusing him of personal responsibility for the abductions of children from Ukraine.

Armenia also froze its participation in the Moscow-led Collective Security Treaty Organization in 2024.

However, Armenia remains a member of the Russia-led Eurasian Economic Union, or EEU, a single market allowing the free movement of goods, capital and labor. The organization also includes Belarus, Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan — and Putin has made the trade-offs plain.

Speaking at talks with Pashinyan in Moscow earlier this year, Putin warned that Armenia couldn't simultaneously belong to both the EEU and the EU, noting that Yerevan currently receives Russian natural gas at prices far below European market rates. Pashinyan acknowledged the incompatibility, but said that Armenia could, for now, combine EEU membership with deepening EU cooperation.

Pashinyan, who has been in office since 2018 and faces a parliamentary election in June, stands to benefit politically from the international profile of the European meetings. Giragosian said that Pashinyan's government is likely to be reelected largely by default, with the opposition unable to offer a credible alternative program.

But Giragosian warned against framing Armenia’s foreign policy as purely a pivot from Russia to the West.

“Armenia is also pivoting beyond the black and white zero-sum game paradigm,” he said, pointing to significant diplomatic investment in Asia, including with Japan, South Korea and China. “This is not about replacing Russia with the West. This is much more innovative, much more sophisticated.”

Heightened tensions

The summit also comes at a moment of diplomatic strains between Azerbaijan and the EU. Azerbaijan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs summoned the EU ambassador last week to protest a European Parliament resolution demanding the release of Armenian prisoners of war and criticizing the treatment of Armenians in Karabakh. Lawmakers in Azerbaijan subsequently voted to suspend all cooperation with the European Parliament.

Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev, who addressed the EPC conference via video link, accused the European Parliament and the Parliamentary Assembly for the Council of Europe, or PACE, of “double standards” for placing sanctions on Azerbaijan's delegation.

There were also protests outside the EPC summit venue, which was surrounded by tight security. Demonstrators held photos of Armenian prisoners being held in Azerbaijan.

Opposition leader Aram Sargsyan, head of the Democratic Party of Armenia, told the Armenian Press Agency that the European officials were voicing support for Pashinyan before the election and have “forgotten about the Armenians in prison in Azerbaijan.”

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Elise Morton reported from London. Avet Demourian in Yerevan, and Katie Marie Davies in Manchester, England, contributed to this report.

The teams notified the league on the injury reports they turned in on Monday.

Doncic was injured in Oklahoma City about a month ago and hasn’t played since. The league scoring champion averaged 33.5 points, 7.7 rebounds and 8.3 assists in the regular season.

Lakers coach JJ Redick hadn't said if or when Doncic could return from an injury that sometimes requires two months of recovery. Doncic shot 3-pointers with his teammates Monday while they wrapped up a workout before their flight to Oklahoma City.

Williams, a 2025 All-Star, missed the last two games of the first-round series against Phoenix with a left hamstring injury. Thunder coach Mark Daigneault did not declare him ready for a return, saying Monday only that Williams is progressing.

Williams averaged 17.1 points, 4.6 rebounds and 5.5 assists in an injury-plagued regular season. He averaged 20.5 points on 61.5% shooting from the field through Oklahoma City's first two playoff games before the injury during the third quarter of Game 2. Ajay Mitchell entered the starting lineup and helped the Thunder sweep the series.

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AP Sports Writer Greg Beacham in Los Angeles contributed to this report.

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

The beginning of it anyway, when they were run off the floor in Game 1.

The 76ers made a huge comeback after that blowout to win the series and they will have to play from behind again in the Eastern Conference semifinals after the New York Knicks routed them 137-98 on Monday night.

“Same as last series. They don’t get any extra points for going up big tonight,” 76ers veteran Paul George said. “We’ll be ready for Game 2.”

Joel Embiid and the 76ers appeared on fumes while playing just two nights after winning Game 7 in Boston to complete the NBA's 14th comeback from a 3-1 deficit. Coach Nick Nurse said before the game he didn't know what effect the short turnaround would have, saying sometimes it's better when a team is winning to just keep on playing.

But it didn't take long to see that wasn't the case.

“You can’t make excuses, that’s for sure,” Nurse said. “We knew it might be difficult, but you’re never going to go into the game and say this is going to happen. You've got to see it play out.”

The 76ers narrowly avoided the worst playoff loss in their franchise history, when they fell 121-81 to Boston in 1982. They came back to win that series, so perhaps that's a good omen on a bad night.

This comeback against the Celtics looked improbable after the Sixers lost Game 1 by 32 points, then lost by 32 again in Game 4, when Embiid returned after a late-season appendectomy.

So they know they can dig themselves out of holes. And the Knicks didn't need long to throw them into one.

The Knicks led 74-51 at halftime after shooting 65.9% from the floor and the only good thing was the game was so out of hand that Nurse was able to give his overworked starters some extra rest.

“Coming from the series we had and the physicality we displayed, I would like to think that maybe guys were tired,” Embiid said. “But it’s not an excuse, though. On to Game 2.”

Embiid played only 24 minutes, shooting 3 for 11 for his 14 points. Tyrese Maxey, who averaged 26.9 points in the first round, didn't even have a basket until five minutes into the second quarter and finished with 13 points on 3-for-9 shooting.

Their diminished offensive production wasn't the only problem. The Knicks took advantage of Embiid's limited mobility to repeatedly find open shots and ran whenever they could, with a 16-3 advantage in fast-break points.

“Yeah, we had breakdowns tonight, but they also shot the (heck) out of the ball,” George said. “They were hot.”

George wouldn't use fatigue as an excuse, but acknowledged that the 76ers did face what he called a mental rollercoaster.

“You go from a Game 7 and then one day off and then you’re right back into a matchup,” he said. “There was some carryover of us trying to get up and get prepared for this next matchup, but we should have came out and did a better job.”

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

Game 2 in the best-of-seven Western Conference series is Wednesday night in Las Vegas.

Barbashev took advantage after officials did not call icing, which didn't sit well with Ducks coach Joel Quenneville. It was Barbashev's pass from behind the red line to teammate Jack Eichel, who was battling Anaheim's Jackson LaCombe for the puck, that linesman Bevan Mills waved off for icing.

Officials declined to comment to a pool reporter.

“Clearly, I disagreed with the call,” said Quenneville, who said he did not receive an explanation from the officials. “Their guy stopped skating, which really made me annoyed.”

Golden Knights coach John Tortorella said he couldn't see the play from his spot behind the bench. Barbashev kept skating once no call was made as Ducks players appeared to slow up.

“I tried to put the puck deep and I thought I saw Jack on the far side going deep and I thought for a second he (beat LaCombe) and that's why they waved it off,” Barbashev said. “Jack put pressure on him, they turned it over and Pav made a great play.”

Vegas' Brett Howden extended his goal streak to a career-best four games, his fifth during that span. Mitch Marner, who assisted on Howden's goal early in the second period, added a 162-foot empty-net goal with 6 seconds left, and Carter Hart stopped 33 shots for the Golden Knights.

Mikael Granlund scored for Anaheim, and Lukas Dostal made 19 saves.

The Golden Knights prevailed despite being outshot 34-22.

“They were the better team tonight,” Tortorella said. “I thought as the game went on, we started finding our game, but we couldn't find it completely. ... It's a find-a-way league. We found a way to win, and I'm certainly not going to apologize for the win.”

Vegas’ penalty kill continued to shine, extending its stretch to 14 straight without giving up a goal by keeping the Ducks off the scoreboard on four chances. Anaheim converted 8 of 16 power plays in the first round against Edmonton. The Golden Knights are 19 of 20 on penalty kills.

Golden Knights center William Karlsson, out since sustaining a lower-body injury Nov. 8 against the Ducks, returned to the lineup. The crowd roared when Karlsson was shown on the video board after taking the ice less than three minutes into the game.

The Ducks dominated the early action, outshooting Vegas 11-6 in the first period and then controlling the puck to open the second. But the Golden Knights scored first with their first shot on goal in the second when Marner made a pinpoint pass from the right circle to Howden, who scored easily from the left side of the net.

It didn’t appear the lead would last long when Ducks top-line center Leo Carlsson made a dazzling spin move to set up LaCombe with an an open net. LaCombe, however, inexplicably passed up the shot for a pass, and the Golden Knights avoided what appeared would be a sure Ducks goal.

Just as time was starting to run out on the Ducks in the third, they didn’t waste their next opportunity. LaCombe made up for his previous gaffe by walking in on Hart before delivering a pass to Granlund, who was open in the right circle and scored at 13:57.

The tie didn’t last long, with Dorofeyev passing to Barbashev to put the Golden Knights ahead 2-1 just 65 seconds later.

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AP NHL playoffs: https://apnews.com/hub/stanley-cup and https://apnews.com/hub/nhl

Edwards was expected to miss at least the first two games of the series after suffering a bone bruise and hyperextending his left knee on April 25 during Game 4 of Minnesota’s opening-round series against Denver. But he had 11 points in the fourth quarter as Minnesota held on to hand San Antonio only its second loss in its last 17 series openers at home.

“Nobody expected him to play,” Timberwolves veteran Mike Conley said. “It was just his level of commitment to the game. Not just to the game, but to his teammates. It showed a lot.”

Wembanyama had 11 points and 15 rebounds and set an NBA postseason record with 12 blocks. He's the third player to get a triple-double in the playoffs including blocks since the league began tracking blocks in 1973-74.

San Antonio cut the deficit to 104-102 on a steal by Devin Vassell and layup by Dylan Harper with 31 seconds remaining. Following a miss by Minnesota's Julius Randle, Julian Champagnie couldn't connect on a 3-pointer at the buzzer.

“We have to be better,” Wembanyama said. “It shows up on the stat sheet. We need to figure out before 48 hours what we can do better and I’ve got no doubt that we will. I trust us.”

Randle finished with 21 points and 10 rebounds for the Timberwolves. Harper scored 18 points and Champagnie and Stephon Castle had 17 each for the Spurs.

Edwards worked diligently to return for Minnesota with guards Donte DiVincenzo (torn right Achilles tendon) and Ayo Dosunmu (right calf soreness) out with injuries.

“I know for a fact, just me being out there, it calms everybody down," Edwards said. “Not saying there’s any pressure on any of my teammates, but it takes pressure off of everybody just knowing that I’m out there, I’m available to play, yeah. And just doing what I do best, just trying to put the ball in the hoop.”

After draining a stepback 3-pointer early in the game, Edwards looked toward the Spurs bench and screamed: “I’m back! I’m back!”

He definitely was.

Edwards did not start, entering the game with 6:53 remaining in the first quarter and the Timberwolves trailing 11-8. He finished 8 for 13 in 25 minutes.

Game 2 is Wednesday in San Antonio.

Wembanyama had seven blocks in the first half. The NBA Defensive Player of the Year opened the game by blocking a pair of driving layups from Terrence Shannon Jr. on consecutive possessions. Two minutes later, he blocked Gobert’s driving layup just under the rim.

Wembanyama finished 5 for 17 from the field.

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

THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. AP’s earlier story follows below.

Wall Street rebounded and oil prices retreated early Tuesday despite an exchange of fire between the U.S. and Iran near the Strait of Hormuz.

Futures for the S&P 500 rose 0.3%, while futures for the Dow Jones Industrial Average inched up 0.1%. Nasdaq futures climbed 0.5%.

Tensions in the Middle East escalated when the United Arab Emirates, a U.S. ally, said it came under attack from Iran for the first time since the ceasefire last month.

The fragile ceasefire between the U.S. and Iran was tested after the U.S. military said it had sank six Iranian small boats targeting civilian ships, while two U.S.-flagged ships successfully passed through the Strait of Hormuz as part of U.S. President Donald Trump’s “Project Freedom” plan under which the United States attempts to guide stranded ships through the strait.

The key waterway for oil and gas transport remains largely closed despite repeated demands from the U.S. for Iran to reopen the strait and as the United States imposed a sea blockade on Iranian ports.

“We are seeing the first signs of the ceasefire between the U.S. and Iran breaking down amid a re-escalation in the Persian Gulf,” ING Bank analysts Warren Patterson and Ewa Manthey wrote in a note Tuesday.

“Continuation of ‘Project Freedom’ risks further escalation,” they wrote. “Any relief from stranded vessels making their way through the Strait will be temporary, with very few inbound vessels moving into the Persian Gulf.”

Oil prices came back down slightly after surging on Monday.

Brent crude, the international standard, fell $1.14 to $113.30 per barrel. Before the war began in late February, it was trading near $70. Benchmark U.S. crude slipped $1.84 to $104.58 per barrel.

Outside of the war, markets are focused on the U.S. earnings season.

Pinterest soared 17.5% after the online bulletin board topped Wall Street's first-quarter sales and profit targets as its active monthly users jumped 11% to 631 million. It was the tenth straight quarter of double-digit user growth for the San Francisco company.

Budweiser maker Anheuser-Busch Inbev also topped analyst sales and profit forecasts on strong beer sales. Its shares jumped more than 6% in premarket.

Coinbase jumped 3.6% after the cryptocurrency trading platform said in a regulatory filing that it was letting go of 700 employees, about 14% of its workforce.

Elsewhere, in Europe at midday, Britain's FTSE 100 fell 1.2%, France's CAC 40 was up 0.5%, and Germany's DAX gained 1.2%.

Asian regional trading was thin, with markets in Japan, South Korea and mainland China closed for holidays.

Hong Kong’s Hang Seng fell 0.8% to 25,898.61, while Taiwan’s Taiex gained 0.2%.

Australia’s S&P/ASX 200 lost 0.2% to 8,680.50 after the central bank raised its benchmark interest rate to 4.35%, saying conflict in the Middle East had sharply increased fuel and commodity prices that were already adding to inflation. The cash rate hike on Tuesday was the Reserve Bank of Australia’s third quarter percentage point rise this year.

The bank said Australia’s inflation for the year through March was 4.6%. The bank manipulates interest rates to steer inflation toward a target band of 2% to 3%.

India's Sensex lost 0.4%.

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Associated Press writer Rod McGuirk contributed.

In neighboring Ohio, primaries for U.S. Senate and governor will lock in the candidates for two major races with national implications.

And in Michigan, voters in a bellwether district will fill a vacancy in the state Senate, a race with implications for the balance of power in a battleground state.

Here's what to watch for.

How strong is Trump's grip on the Republican Party?

Trump is taking aim at seven Republican state senators in Indiana who opposed his plan to redraw congressional district boundaries to help the party gain seats in the U.S. House.

Groups allied with the president have spent millions on advertising, an extraordinary flood of cash and attention into races that are typically low profile.

The races are a test of Trump's enduring grip over his party as Republicans grow increasingly anxious about the midterm elections in November.

The results will signal to Republicans everywhere about how big a price they'll pay with their voters if they distance themselves from Trump even as his popularity fades. And it will show the president whether he can still credibly threaten consequences for Republicans who cross him.

The Trump-targeted state senators all represent districts he carried in 2024, mostly by 20 percentage points or more.

The key races to watch are districts 1, 11, 19, 21, 23, 38 and 41.

Ohio races get started in earnest

The state's primary is the wind up to the big show. Although Ohio has become increasingly conservative, Democrats believe their path back to a U.S. Senate majority runs through the state.

They're putting their hopes behind former Sen. Sherrod Brown, who lost Ohio's other Senate seat to Bernie Moreno in 2024.

He's expected to face off with Republican Sen. Jon Husted, who was appointed last year to fill the vacancy created when JD Vance became vice president.

The race is a special election to fill the last two years of Vance's term.

In the campaign for governor, Republican Vivek Ramaswamy has parlayed his national name recognition, tech industry connections and alliance with Trump into a record fundraising haul. He's largely ignoring Republican rival Casey Putsch, focusing his rallies and television ads on the general election.

An engineer and vehicle designer who calls himself “The Car Guy,” Putsch has attracted fans with provocative YouTube videos that troll Ramaswamy and criticize national Republicans over their handling of the Epstein files, positions on energy-guzzling data centers and support for Israel.

Amy Acton, Ohio's former public health director, is running unopposed for the Democratic nomination. She played a key role in the state's response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Will Democrats sweep another special election?

The special election for a state Senate seat in central Michigan carries outsized importance.

It's another test of enthusiasm in a series of special elections that have swung almost universally toward Democrats since Trump returned to the White House. It also could affect the balance of power in the Michigan State Capitol. A Democratic victory would give the party a firm majority in the state Senate, while a Republican win would deadlock the chamber in a 19-19 tie.

The district is closely matched. Democrat Kamala Harris beat Trump there by less than 1 point in the 2024 presidential election.

The seat has been vacant for more than a year, since Democrat Kristen McDonald Rivet resigned to take a seat in Congress.

Democrats are showing surprising strength in special elections and off-year contests across the country, winning races in unexpected places and significantly narrowing the gap, even when they fall short.

There's no guarantee the trend will continue through the midterms, when turnout will be much higher, but it has nonetheless energized Democrats and spooked Republicans worried about keeping their congressional majorities.

She is among a number of Mexican American business owners who've become more vocal about also honoring Mexican history and the significance of the holiday, as a way to combat anti-immigrant sentiments amid heightened immigration enforcement efforts that have targeted Latino communities.

Mendoza, owner of Cuernavaca’s Grill in Los Angeles, said she prefers a celebration that reflects “everything that as a community we’re enduring today.” So, Mendoza will host Cinco de Mayo festivities at her restaurant that, along with traditional mariachi and Mexican cuisine, will include a nod to Mexican perseverance over the French in the Battle of Puebla over 160 years ago.

“Just looking at how much they did with very little resources,” she said. “It just showed resilience. So, on Cinco de Mayo we always make it a testament of our resilience.”

Restaurants owners aren't the first Latino community leaders to reclaim Cinco de Mayo in the U.S. — moving away from a flattening of Mexican culture toward highlighting history and community. This year, the celebrations are noticeably embracing traditional Mexican culture and focused on preservation, said Sehila Mota Casper, director of Latinos in Heritage Conservation.

“These are just incredible moments of educating and knowledge sharing,” Mota Casper said. “The more we educate, the more knowledge we share, the better a community and people we become.”

Restaurants emphasize authenticity over tequila shots

Hispanic-owned firms accounted for 8.4% of 5.9 million U.S. employers in 2024, according to the Census Bureau's annual survey of businesses. They also were approximately 18% of all restaurant businesses in the United States last month, according to the National Restaurant Association, which uses census data.

U.S. revelers hoping to crowd restaurants and toss back shots of tequila may find more wholesome and intentionally planned offerings, said Raul Luis, who owns the Birrieria Chalio Mexican Restaurant, with locations in Los Angeles and Fort Worth, Texas. On Cinco de Mayo, he wants his customers to eat and drink the types of “guisados” — traditional Mexican braises or stews served as taco filling — that one would eat when invited into a Mexican family's home.

Well-made, traditional cooking will keep customers coming back, even if they aren’t Hispanic, Luis said.

“It’s the ultimate opportunity for restaurants to take advantage of that moment and bring them in and entice them to authentic Mexican food,” Luis said.

What Cinco de Mayo celebrates

Cinco de Mayo marks the anniversary of the 1862 victory by Mexican troops over invading French forces at the Battle of Puebla. The triumph over much larger French troops who were better-equipped was an enormous emotional boost for Mexican soldiers led by Gen. Ignacio Zaragoza.

In Mexico, historical reenactments are held annually in the central city of Puebla to commemorate the victory. Participants dress as Mexican and French troops and as Zacapoaxtlas — the Indigenous and farmer contingent that helped Mexican troops win.

In the U.S., May 5 is seen as a day to celebrate Mexican American culture, stretching back to the 1800s in California. Festivities typically include parades, street food, block parties, mariachi competitions and baile.

Folklórico, or folkloric ballet, features whirling dancers in bright, ruffled dresses and their hair tied with shiny ribbons.

The day often is mistaken for Mexican Independence Day, which is on Sept. 16.

Latino activists and scholars say that disconnect in the U.S. is bolstered by the hazy history of Cinco de Mayo and marketing that plays on stereotypes that include fake, droopy mustaches and gigantic, colorful sombreros.

A testament to Mexican resilience

Since returning to the White House in 2025, President Donald Trump has continued to label Mexican immigrants as criminals and gang members, and Latino communities have been a target of his hard-line immigration tactics. Memes shared from official White House social media accounts perpetuate negative stereotypes about Latinos, while a federally led English-only initiative and ban on diversity, equity and inclusion programs all seem to target communities of color.

All together, it's generated a great deal of fear in Latino communities.

Mendoza, the Los Angeles restaurant owner, said it’s also been a hard time for the restaurant industry because of rising costs. But in spite of it all, Cuernavaca’s Grill will be celebrating its 20th anniversary this year.

As part of the restaurant's Cinco de Mayo festivities, she'll invite customers to contribute to a food and toy drive meant to support those who are struggling in the current climate.

“This is a testament of our resilience,” Mendoza said. “It’s a testament of our hard work. It is pride to our community and everything that we’ve accomplished.”

Twenty-one Republican senators voted against redistricting in December, including eight running for reelection this year. Trump has endorsed primary challengers against seven, and the president's allies have spent millions of dollars on races that rarely get much attention from Washington.

It's become a costly and unprecedented intraparty battle that has exacerbated tensions among Republicans ahead of the November midterm elections that will determine control of Congress.

Indiana Lt. Gov. Micah Beckwith said the primary is about how far the party will go to get an edge over Democrats — a contest between “the Republicans who tend to want to avoid the fight and the Republicans who feel like we need to fight."

“So the only question is, ‘Will you fight or will you get trampled by the other side?’” said Beckwith, who is supporting the Trump-backed challengers.

Indiana rejected Trump on redistricting

Trump began leaning on Republican-led states last year to redraw their congressional maps to make it easier for his party to hold its thin majority in the U.S. House. Although redistricting is normally done once a decade, after a new census, Trump wanted to abandon tradition to gain a political edge.

Texas was the first to follow through, and the White House pressured Indiana to go along too. Vice President JD Vance met with state politicians in Washington and Indianapolis, and Trump weighed in by conference call.

However, Indiana senators rebuffed the effort, one of the president's first significant political defeats of his second term.

The redistricting fight divided Republicans in Indiana, a state Trump won three times by no less than 16 points. Republican Gov. Mike Braun, U.S. Sen. Jim Banks and organizations such as Turning Point Action have worked alongside Trump to unseat the incumbents.

Jim Bopp, a prominent Indiana attorney who leads a political action committee aligned with Braun, predicted that Trump’s support will carry the day for the challengers.

“Republican voters overwhelmingly support Trump, and when they find out Trump has endorsed a particular Senate candidate, they swing their support behind them,” he said.

Indiana opposition came from constituents, former governor

Opposition to the effort came from anti-Trump Republicans and those wary of the president reaching so deeply into state decision-making. Former Republican Gov. Mitch Daniels, who had stepped away from politics after leaving the governorship in 2015, reemerged to help raise money for targeted incumbents.

The senators who broke with Trump said they were listening to constituents who were overwhelmingly against his redistricting plan. Some said they didn’t like Trump's aggressive tone in pushing the plan.

“We hate to be told what to do,” said Mike Murphy, a former Republican state representative. “We’re very independent-thinking people. So when Donald Trump and his goons come in and try to tell us that we need to redistrict to help his political future, that’s the worst thing you can do.”

He said Trump and those spending big money to take out the incumbents don’t understand Indiana politics.

“There’s just so many misjudgments on people’s part because they tend to fly at the 50,000-foot level, and they don’t go to the barbecues and the church fish fries and the things that make Indiana politics,” Murphy said.

Bopp, who supports the Trump-backed challengers, said the primary is a chance for Indiana Republicans to express how important it is to redraw the congressional lines there.

“It’s not a matter of Trump’s power,” Bopp said. “It’s about Republican primary voters who support his agenda and don’t want a Democratic House that will be hugely destructive to the Trump presidency and the country.”

Vance, who is seen as one of the GOP’s strongest potential candidates for president in 2028, is making the trip to campaign on behalf of Republican Rep. Zach Nunn, who faces a competitive race to keep his Des Moines-area seat in the November midterms.

The vice president, a former U.S. senator who represented Ohio, departed Washington accompanied by his son Vivek. He will first stop in Cincinnati to vote in Ohio's primary elections, followed by an appearance in Oklahoma City to hold a fundraiser in his role as finance chair of the Republican National Committee.

But the visit to Iowa offers Vance an opportunity to test his reception before Iowa’s voters, whose leadoff caucuses give them an outsized role in determining the next presidential nominee. Campaigning for a local congressman in his role as the sitting vice president gives him an opening chance to make an impression on Iowa Republicans, seasoned evaluators of those who seek the nation’s highest office before the campaign begins in earnest.

Vance’s appearance comes days after Texas Sen. Ted Cruz, who is also considered a possible 2028 candidate, spoke to a group of evangelical Christians who are influential in Iowa’s GOP contest.

Des Moines-based Jimmy Centers, a Republican political consultant, said the 2028 contest is “light-years away” but said the Republicans who hear Vance speak on Tuesday will be evaluating how he might measure up in an election for the White House.

“I certainly think, as of right now, Vice President Vance would probably be a straw-poll winner of Iowa Republicans for 2028. But I don’t think anyone is saying, ‘We won’t consider anybody else,’” Centers said.

Vance's visit comes as higher prices for gas and fertilizer hit Iowans

Vance, who has not said whether he will run for the presidency in 2028, is scheduled to appear with Nunn at a manufacturing facility in Des Moines. His office did not comment on the trip's impact on Vance's political future.

The vice president’s visit follows a trip President Donald Trump made in January to tout the administration’s tax cuts, part of a string of stops they’re making this year on economic issues before midterm elections that will determine control of Congress.

But Vance’s visit comes when his own political prospects — and the message he’s expected to deliver on the economy — have been complicated by the war in Iran.

The vice president, who has long been skeptical of foreign military interventions, has seemed a reluctant defender of the 9-week-old war, for which Trump has struggled to find an off-ramp. Iowans, like much of the rest of the country, are grappling with higher gas prices because of the conflict. But the state’s farmers are also feeling the pinch of high fertilizer costs from the war and have been hurt by tariffs Trump has imposed.

While Iowa’s farmers have steadfastly supported the president, they have been looking to the White House for assurances that the current troubles won’t last.

Vance’s visit to Iowa was originally scheduled for last week, but the timing shifted because the House moved to pass a sweeping farm bill that Nunn was due to vote on.

The vice president also had been slated to appear last week at an Iowa State University event with Turning Point USA, but the organization said it was not able to reschedule the event with the university until the fall.

It's ‘awfully, awfully early’ in the road to 2028

Kim Schmett, a longtime Iowa GOP activist, said the presidential cycle starts “deceptively slow.”

Republican figures testing the waters often drop by the Westside Conservative Club, which Schmett hosts, but he said it's still too far out from the caucuses, which are typically held in January of the presidential election year.

He said Trump’s Make America Great Again political movement “is very alive and going here” in Iowa, which would benefit Vance — as well as Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who is also thought to be a potential candidate.

“I think there’s going to be a lot of MAGA support,” he said. “And Vice President Vance and Marco Rubio seem to be the recipients of where that is going at the moment.”

But Schmett cautioned, “it’s awfully, awfully early in the process.”

On the Democratic side, at least half a dozen presidential prospects have been making visits to the states with the earliest presidential primary contests, including recent visits to Iowa by former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg and Michigan U.S. Sen. Elissa Slotkin.

Meanwhile, potential Republican presidential candidates “are treading very lightly,” said GOP strategist Alex Conant, who worked on Rubio’s 2016 presidential campaign.

“I think Republicans are going to be very reluctant to get in Trump’s way until Trump gives the green light for the campaign to start,” Conant said.

That means much of the groundwork to meet with donors or activists or recruit political staffers might happen slowly and subtly – for now.

After the midterms? Conant said: “It’ll be irresistible.”

___

Price reported from Washington.

Industrial-leaning synth-pop strains might seem incongruous with such a vista, but it was the alternative rock band's homage to Route 66 that seduced David J. Schwartz. With camera in hand he has made 42 trips over two decades along the celebrated highway, qualifying himself for the job of creating postage stamps commemorating the Mother Road's centennial.

The U.S. Postal Service on Tuesday is releasing eight stamps marking significant parts of the road in each of the states it traverses, passing by vintage diners, gas stations and motels — many since preserved or restored — along with breathtaking vistas and wide horizons of the open road.

Route 66 is paved with history, from its early days as an escape from the Dust Bowl and the Great Depression, through serving as a vital supply route during World War II, to its mid-century role as an antidote for wanderlust. A symbol of freedom and mobility, it has evolved into a time capsule of Americana, steeped in nostalgia and neon.

‘Road trips, big cars, neon signs’

As teenagers in 1988, Schwartz and his best friend had planned a road trip after girlfriends introduced them to Depeche Mode, where they discovered a cover of Bobby Troup's 1946 pop standard, “(Get Your Kicks on) Route 66.” Schwartz's mother nixed his participation, delaying his first taste of the open road until 2004.

To Schwartz, the road — stretching 2,448 miles (3,940 kilometers) — represents a significant piece of a newly mobile 20th century America, from its debut in 1926 to its decommissioning in 1985: “Road trips, big cars, neon signs.” Though retired from the federal highway system, vast stretches of the route are still in use and a favorite of road warriors and tourists to this day.

“So much to explore. You start here in Illinois on 66 and you’re cruising through prairie land,” Schwartz said during a recent interview in Springfield. “By the time you get out west, you're in the desert or you’re in mountains through hairpin turns. It’s just an incredible journey and you just get such a beautiful slice of America going through it.”

Tired of retail management, Schwartz went back to school to study photography and had the idea of Route 66 stamps as early as a decade ago. He was tapped for the project in 2023. He recalls thinking, “Here is my moment to bring Route 66 to the masses.”

Greg Breeding, a USPS art director for stamp design, was working on a graphic showing a map of the road when he discovered Schwartz’s photos. They were beautifully photographed, not commercial and slick.

“They’re as if you were there,” he said, “which makes them especially useful for stamps.”

The USPS plate contains 16 stamps, two of each one representing Route 66 host states. A ninth photo serves as selvage, or the image surrounding the block. It's the scene of that empty Arizona highway, shot in 2023 near Seligman, Arizona, when Schwartz and his high school friend finally took that trip 35 years in the making.

‘Feel the land as you’re traveling'

But a road is a road, isn't it? Why can't a traveler get the same view standing on one of the interstate highways that ultimately bypassed Route 66?

“You'd probably get run over,” Schwartz said dryly.

“Interstates are designed to move traffic quickly. They cut through the sides of mountains, they do not follow the contour of the land ...,” he added. “On Route 66, you’re actually part of the landscape as you move through it. You feel the land as you’re traveling.”

Breeding and Schwartz steered clear of the fabled highway’s most popular spots, not only because those are tougher to get permission to use, but also because they wanted to give people a “fresh look,” Breeding said. The stamps are devoid of people, he said, in part to create a sense of allure rather tourist trap vibes.

To that end, the blocks capture both the continuing commerce and the roadside relics that hint at their former vibrancy. Take for example the Conoco Tower Station and U-Drop Inn in Shamrock, Texas, a neon-adorned Art Deco beauty whose luminous lights come alive at dusk.

In Yucca, Arizona, Schwartz photographed the dilapidated “Motel” sign in the relentless noonday sun, revealing desert desolation but also “the enduring pulse of the open road.”

Among his favorites is the Illinois entry, a friend's 1929 Model A Ford rumbling down the only remaining section of Route 66 composed of hand-laid brick in Auburn, just south of Springfield. The goal? Create an image that would make viewers feel as if they were there for the birth of Route 66.

“We wanted to show it to be colorful. We wanted to show the quirkiness. We wanted to show the age,” Breeding said. “It’s like a sort of show, the idea that Route 66 is a living history of the United States, from the past to the present.”

Schwartz said he's amazed that the stamps boasting his work will “travel all over the United States and end up in people's mailboxes.”

He added: “I hope they really inspire people to get out there and travel the road and support the Mom and Pop businesses and keep Route 66 alive for another 100 years.”

Friday’s ruling from a federal appeals court restricted mail access to mifepristone prescriptions, one of the most common abortion methods around the country, in the biggest shift to federal abortion policy since the Supreme Court’s 2022 decision allowing states to enforce abortion bans.

The Supreme Court then temporarily restored broad access to the drug on Monday while it further considers the case, setting the stage for a potential decision that could have wide-ranging consequences for patients and providers.

It’s too early to say whether the latest rulings will affect the outcome of races this year, when issues around affordability are expected to take top billing for voters. But advocates on both sides of the issue are hoping it will sway voters their way.

Some abortion rights groups already are strategizing ways to reach voters they think may be more motivated to turn out for Democrats because of the possibility of further restrictions. Meanwhile, abortion opponents who say the GOP-led federal government hasn’t done enough to ban the pills are warning their typically loyal Republican voters could sit out future elections, with a leading anti-abortion advocate calling it “a five-alarm crisis” for the GOP.

Democrats say the abortion issue presents an opportunity

After the overturning of Roe v. Wade in 2022, several states voted to enshrine abortion rights into their own constitutions, driving historic turnout that sometimes contributed to Democratic wins elsewhere on the ballot.

But Democratic pollster Celinda Lake believes the issue had lost some of its potency among voters, not because Democrats don’t care, but because they have a sense that the “damage has been done.”

Though Friday’s ruling has been temporarily halted, it reminded voters that their access to abortion medication through telehealth isn’t guaranteed, even in states where abortion rights are, Lake said. That created a tremendous but “horrific” opportunity to tell voters what could be at stake in this year’s midterms, she said.

Mini Timmaraju, president and CEO of the abortion rights group Reproductive Freedom for All, said outreach to voters about the volatility of abortion access will be part of her group’s strategy in the midterms. That includes contacting voters who supported Trump but also abortion rights in their state elections in 2024.

“The only way for us to really stop this back and forth is to have abortion access be legal in all 50 states,” she said. “The only way we do that is through federal legislation, which makes the midterm elections even more urgent.”

Republicans face fracturing over abortion politics

The Republican coalition, meanwhile, is contending with an increasingly agitated right flank of abortion opponents who expected Trump to fulfill his promise to be the “most pro-life president in history” but say they haven’t seen it yet.

Most urgently at issue is a Food and Drug Administration safety review of mifepristone that anti-abortion groups hope will result in further restrictions, including blocking its prescribing via telehealth platforms. Anti-abortion groups have urged FDA commissioner Dr. Marty Makary to complete the review sooner, while the administration says it “is taking care to do this study properly and in the right way.”

On Monday, the anti-abortion group SBA Pro-Life America further ratcheted up its messaging, calling for Makary's firing over the issue.

“This is a five-alarm crisis for the pro-life movement and for the GOP,” the group's president Marjorie Dannenfelser said in a statement. “The GOP cannot win without its base and simply will not get the enthusiasm that drives turnout without leadership from the top.”

Trump, whose first-term nominations set the stage for the Supreme Court that voted to overturn Roe, has taken some steps that abortion opponents have cheered, including an effort to withhold funds from Planned Parenthood and launching investigations into states that require state-regulated health insurance plans to cover abortion.

But he has also often sought to steer clear of the abortion issue, saying he thinks it should be left to the states. The president publicly supported abortion rights until he entered politics in 2015, and his wife, Melania Trump, announced her broad support for abortion rights in 2024.

Abortion opponents say they have no plans to let Trump avoid the issue for the remainder of his term. Marc Wheat, general counsel at former Vice President Mike Pence’s political advocacy group Advancing American Freedom, said his group will increase pressure on the administration. That will include urging the FDA to speedily release documents about mifepristone that it owes the group through a lawsuit.

“President Trump thinks that pro-life is a loser,” Wheat said. “He might see that the pro-lifers may not turn out in the numbers that he needs.”

Americans largely oppose a nationwide ban on mifepristone

Even as Trump and the Republican-led Congress face mounting pressure from the right to restrict access to medication abortion, Republicans around the country are far from united in taking that position.

About two-thirds of Americans opposed nationwide bans on mifepristone, according to a KFF poll conducted late last year. Most Democrats and independents objected to such bans, while Republicans were more split.

Americans’ overall opinions on abortion remain complex, with about two-thirds of U.S. adults saying abortion should be legal in all or most cases, according to AP-NORC polling. Relatively few think abortion should be illegal in all cases.

At least one abortion opponent, Americans United for Life CEO John Mize, said he is focused on incremental victories over the sweeping changes that some of his allies are calling for. While he wishes the FDA would move faster on its safety review, he recognizes that not all Americans are in the same place that he is.

“I think there is advancement being made in a positive direction,” he said. “While it might not meet the pace that many in the pro-life movement want to see, I think it meets the acceptable place of where we're at culturally."

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Associated Press writer Linley Sanders in Washington contributed to this report.

International Youth Service, the agency that matched us up 40 years ago, has long since folded, but other pen pal programs have survived — or even began during — the internet age. And even though New Zealand's postal system has reduced home delivery days, Denmark has stopped delivering letters altogether and Canada is moving in that direction, some see signs of a letter-writing resurgence.

“The hunger is there,” said Rachel Syme, a writer for The New Yorker magazine who created a pen pal program during the COVID-19 pandemic and later published a book encouraging others to take up handwritten correspondence.

More than 15,000 people signed up for Syme’s Penpalooza project in 2020, and she still gets hundreds of takers when she coordinates a new round of matchmaking every few months. She also gets requests for pen pals at book signings for “Syme’s Letter Writer – A Guide to Modern Correspondence,” and the stationery stores she frequents in New York City are always crowded with customers.

“People are very interested in physical, analog things right now,” she said. “I think it really has an appeal especially to a younger generation who grew up with a phone glued to their hand, to do something that’s more tactile, slower, more intentional, more mindful, but also just disconnected from the internet in every way.”

“Yours (hopefully)”

I was still 10 years away from connecting to the internet when I opened my first aerogramme from New Zealand, a sheet of pale blue paper that served as both writing surface and envelope adorned with a 45-cent stamp. That missive ended with a formal “Yours (hopefully) Molly Nunns,” but within a year, she was signing off with “Lots and lots of love” or “Your friend forever.”

In letter after letter, Molly drew little hearts on the tails of y’s in both of our first names, asked for updates on my middle school crushes and shared stories about her classmates and family. I could clearly picture her life, though it was hard in snowy New Hampshire to imagine celebrating Christmas during the summer.

“I am thinking of you heaps and I wonder what you are doing because you’re a SUPER pen friend and I hope that we never stop writing to each other and that one day we will get to meet each other,” she wrote in early 1986.

Julie Delbridge, 65, fostered similar friendships after joining International Pen Friends as a teenager in 1979. Writing to pen pals in more than a dozen countries from her home in Australia was such a positive experience that she began working for the organization as an adult and took over as its president in 2001. While she loved sharing photos, postcards and treats with her pen friends, it also was a therapeutic experience at a time when her parents were going through a bitter divorce.

“It was a pastime that I totally immersed myself into in a positive way and gained a lot of enjoyment from,” she said. “There was an abundance of non-judgmental friendship, fun and different perspectives.”

Over its 59-year history, IPF has provided pen pals to more than 2 million people ages 8 to 80+, she said. Membership peaked in the late 1990s but surged again during the pandemic, and this year, there’s been an increase in people ages 21-26 joining.

Pen pals in the classroom

In 2021, the U.S. Postal Service sent cards and envelopes to 25,000 elementary school classrooms for a pen pal project, but older students also are putting pen to paper.

In Texas, a group of medical students created an anonymous pen pal program to promote peer support and personal reflection. At Villanova University, professor Kamran Javadizadeh requires students to send letters to each other as part of a literature class called “Letters, Texts, Twitter” that examines different forms of epistolary communication in literature.

“I make them put pieces of paper in envelopes and take them to the post office and send them to each other even though they could just as easily hand it to the person in class,” he said. “Something is lost when you have instantaneous communication. So I’m interested in the relationship between synchronous kinds of intimacy and asynchronous forms of intimacy.”

Gordon Alley-Young, dean of communications at New York’s Kingsborough Community College, believes letters are like vinyl records — they’re coming back into fashion as young people explore a tangible medium from the past. He has both studied the history of letter writing and used it to teach students empathy.

In an interpersonal communication class, he noticed that students analyzing case studies about relationship problems offered matter-of-fact, almost insensitive diagnoses. But when he re-wrote the case studies in the form of letters from friends and had students respond in kind, they began sharing their own feelings and offering more open-ended advice.

“We really want students to connect to what they’re looking at,” he said. “And letter writing encourages that.”

Pen pals in the digital age

An app called Slowly seeks to combine modern technology with the old-fashioned anticipation inherent to the pen pal relationship. Users send messages digitally, but delivery is delayed from an hour to several days to mimic snail mail.

“This delay naturally encourages longer, more thoughtful messages because you wouldn’t just say ‘hi’ if you know you have to wait days for a reply,” said cofounder JoJo Chan.

Since 2017, the app has gained 10 million users in more than 160 countries, most in their 20s and 30s. One user said he was curious about pen pals after hearing about them from his grandparents, Chan said.

“Slowly offers a convenient way and a modern way for them to try that experience,” she said.

Syme, however, is all about the tangible aspects of letter writing. Her book includes advice on paper and pens plus all kinds of goodies that can be tucked into envelopes.

“There is joy to be had once you fully embrace the medium’s outdated extravagance,” she writes.

But letter writing, she said in an interview, is like a swimming pool, both shiny and deep. The frippery and embellishments don’t matter in comparison to what you actually put on the page.

“That’s where I think it can get very real, very quickly,” she said.

A special connection

Molly and I had been writing for 15 years by the time we met in person, spending a day together in New York when she toured the U.S. in May 2000. We crossed paths in London a few years later, and in 2018, she and her family visited New Hampshire.

“Who would have thought when we started writing in 1985 that one day you’d be sitting here? It’s quite amazing,” she said during my recent visit. “We’ll always have a special connection, I’m sure.”

In addition to the sunglasses, I also gave Molly a bound book of 200 pages of her letters that I scanned and printed. At age 13, I never could have imagined that someday I’d have searchable PDFs of our teenage scribblings that could be summarized in 10 seconds by artificial intelligence. But what amazes me more is the depth of the connection I felt during our tearful airport goodbye.

We will for sure meet again. Until then, lots and lots of love, Holly.

The latest state to jump on the redistricting bandwagon is Tennessee, where a special legislative session is to begin Tuesday, a day after a similar session kicked off in Alabama. In Louisiana, lawmakers are making plans for new U.S. House districts after the Supreme Court last week struck down the state's current map.

The high court’s ruling said Louisiana relied too heavily on race when creating a second Black-majority House district as it attempted to comply with the Voting Rights Act. The ruling significantly altered a decades-old understanding of the law and provided grounds for Republicans in various states to try to eliminate majority-Black districts that have elected Democrats.

Its impact on congressional representation, specifically for Black Americans, is threatening to undo decades of progress to ensure minority voting rights.

President Donald Trump has been encouraging more states to join in redistricting as Republicans seek to hold on to their narrow House majority in this year’s elections.

Alabama special session draws protests

Several hundred people protested on Monday shortly before Alabama's special session began, including some carrying signs declaring “No new map” and “We fight back! Black Voters Matter.”

Opponents of the redistricting session gathered across the street from the historic Alabama Capitol, where the Confederacy was formed in 1861 and where the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. addressed a crowd of thousands after the 1965 Selma-to-Montgomery voting rights march.

“Much blood, sweat and tears was shed in an effort for us to gain the right to vote,” said Sheyann Webb-Christburg, who as a child participated in the 1965 Bloody Sunday voting rights march in Selma. “In 2026, there are still people who are still not exercising that right to vote, and we are still fighting today, even in an effort to keep our right to vote.”

Republican Gov. Kay Ivey called legislators into a special session to consider contingency plans for special primary elections in hopes the U.S. Supreme Court will let Alabama switch congressional maps ahead of the November midterms.

A three-judge federal panel previously ordered Alabama to use a court-selected map — with a second district that has a substantial number of Black voters — until a new map is drafted after the 2030 Census. Alabama appealed that decision and has asked the court, in light of the Louisiana ruling, to let it revert to a 2023 map drawn by Republican state lawmakers. That map could give Republicans a better chance of winning at least one of the two seats currently held by Black Democratic lawmakers.

“This is the voice of the people,” Alabama House Speaker Nathaniel Ledbetter said while promoting the Republican plan. “We had three judges determine how five million people were supposed to vote, and I don’t think that’s the way.”

At a town hall held by a pro-Democratic group, Doug Jones, a former U.S. senator who is running for governor as a Democrat, said Alabama was “ground zero for voting rights, and we are going to be ground zero to make sure we retain those voting rights.”

Tennessee plan targets Memphis district

Republican Gov. Bill Lee called Tennessee lawmakers into a special session to consider a plan that could break up the state’s lone Democratic-held U.S. House district, centered on the majority-Black city of Memphis. The move comes after pressure from Trump.

The candidate qualifying period in Tennessee ended in March, and the primary election is scheduled for Aug. 6. Lee had said.

Clergy members concerned about plans to split Memphis’ congressional district came together Monday to denounce the move.

“This latest attempt at redistricting is not just about lines on a map. It is about misrepresentation,” said the Rev. Earle Fisher, a pastor at the Abyssinian Missionary Baptist Church and the founder of Up the Vote 901, referring to the Memphis area code. “It’s about whether the voices of Black people in this state will be heard or hidden.”

Advocates urge Louisiana voters to cast ballots

After last week’s Supreme Court decision, Louisiana moved quickly to delay its May 16 congressional primary to allow time for lawmakers to approve new U.S. House districts.

Louisiana state Sen. Caleb Kleinpeter, a Republican who chairs a Senate committee tasked with redistricting, told The Associated Press that his committee plans to hold a public hearing Friday on congressional redistricting. Kleinpeter said lawmakers are still weighing their options, including bills that would eliminate one or both of the state’s two majority-Black Congressional districts

Democrats and civil rights groups have filed several lawsuits challenging the suspension of the state's congressional primary, including another filed Monday in federal court. They are encouraging people in Louisiana — where early voting already is underway — to go ahead and cast votes in the congressional primaries in case courts later allow them to be counted.

A national redistricting battle expands

Legislative voting districts typically are redrawn only once a decade, after a census, to account for population changes. But Trump urged Texas Republicans last year to redraw U.S. House districts to give the party an advantage. Democrats in California responded by doing the same, and then other states joined in.

Florida became the eighth state to enact new House districts ahead of the midterm elections when Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis announced on Monday he had signed a redrawn map passed by the GOP-controlled Legislature. It could help Republicans win as many as four additional House seats. The new map was immediately challenged in court as a partisan gerrymander that violates a Florida constitutional provision against drawing districts that favor one political party over another.

All told, Republicans think they could gain as many as 13 seats from new congressional districts in five states, while Democrats think they could pick up as many as 10 seats from new districts adopted in three states. The newly proposed redistricting in Southern states could add to the Republicans’ tally.

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Chandler reported from Montgomery, Alabama, and Lieb from Jefferson City, Missouri. Associated Press writers Jack Brook in New Orleans and Nicholas Riccardi in Denver contributed to this report.

La mayoría de los periodistas indicaron que pudieron entrar a la Casa Rosada por primera vez desde el 23 de abril. Pero las autoridades negaron el ingreso a dos canales de televisión acreditados sin dar explicaciones, e introdujeron nuevas restricciones al movimiento físico de los reporteros dentro de la residencia de gobierno, al cerrar pasillos e instalar vidrios esmerilados en las ventanas.

El cierre el mes pasado de la sala de prensa, utilizada durante décadas por reporteros acreditados para cubrir las actividades del presidente, se sumó a una lista de ataques y represalias contra organizaciones de noticias por parte de Milei, cuya hostilidad hacia la prensa refleja el enfoque agresivo de su aliado y poderoso partidario, el presidente estadounidense Donald Trump.

Los periodistas y sus defensores reprocharon la medida por considerarla un ataque a la libertad de prensa en Argentina. Las condenas llegaron desde cámaras empresariales, la Iglesia católica y políticos de diversas tendencias.

El gobierno de Milei se defiende

El jefe de Gabinete de Milei, Manuel Adorni, respondió a los críticos en una inusual conferencia de prensa el lunes.

En declaraciones a los reporteros, dijo que el gobierno está totalmente a favor de la libertad de expresión, pero no va a permitir que se cometan actos que pongan en riesgo la seguridad nacional a espaldas del mismo.

Las autoridades justificaron las restricciones para los aproximadamente 60 integrantes del cuerpo de prensa de la Casa Rosada como una medida de seguridad necesaria, luego de acusar de espionaje a un canal local de televisión por usar gafas inteligentes para videograbar partes de la sede sin autorización.

El canal, Todo Noticias, sostiene que recibió permiso oficial para captar las imágenes, y que las tomas de pasillos y espacios de reunión emitidas en el segmento televisivo han estado accesibles al público desde hace tiempo.

Al ser consultado sobre por qué a colegas de Todo Noticias y de Canal 13, otra cadena líder, se les seguía impidiendo ingresar a la Casa Rosada el lunes, Adorni respondió que no estaba al tanto del tema y que no debería haber ninguna limitación.

Sobre las nuevas restricciones —que incluyeron controles de seguridad exhaustivos en la entrada, barreras levantadas apresuradamente que bloqueaban escaleras y pasillos, vidrios esmerilados que impedían ver el balcón, y la exigencia de que los periodistas entreguen sus credenciales de prensa a las autoridades al salir del edificio—, Adorni señaló que el gobierno simplemente está haciendo cumplir las normas.

Los periodistas en Argentina enfrentan hostilidad del gobierno

Durante los últimos dos años, la posición de Argentina se ha desplomado en un índice de libertad de prensa elaborado por Reporteros Sin Fronteras, informó la organización no gubernamental la semana pasada. Cayó del puesto 66 al 98, entre los mayores descensos de cualquier país de Sudamérica.

En un informe publicado la semana pasada, el grupo indicó que había registrado un “aumento de la hostilidad del gobierno hacia la prensa y de la presión sobre ella” por parte de los más fervientes partidarios latinoamericanos de Trump: Milei y el presidente de El Salvador, Nayib Bukele.

“Los insultos, la difamación y las amenazas desde el gobierno de Javier Milei hacia periodistas y medios críticos de su gobierno se han vuelto habituales desde que asumió el cargo”, añadió.

En conflicto con la prensa en un grado no visto desde el restablecimiento de la democracia argentina en 1983, Milei ha intensificado sus ataques contra los medios en las últimas semanas, mientras flaquean sus emblemáticas campañas contra la corrupción y la inflación.

El lunes por la noche recurrió a las redes sociales para fustigar a quienes acusan al gobierno de censura y de violaciones a la libertad de expresión.

En “un mercado verdaderamente libre”, manifestó el mandatario, “sería la propia sociedad la que se encargaría de limpiar el sistema mandando a la quiebra a aquellos medios que publican falsedades, operaciones e injurias de manera constante”.

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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.

The Knicks became the first team in NBA history to win three straight postseason games by at least 25 points, continuing a wave that began midway through the first round against Atlanta by shooting 63% from the field and leading by 40 points.

“We’re playing well, but it doesn’t mean anything if we can’t find a way to get three more wins,” Knicks center Karl-Anthony Towns said. “So, we've just got to stick to the task at hand.”

OG Anunoby added 18 points on 7-for-8 shooting, while Towns and Mikal Bridges both had 17, with Towns adding six rebounds and six assists in just 20 minutes.

After trailing 2-1 against Atlanta, the Knicks have won four straight games by a total of 135 points. They are the first team since detailed play-by-play began in 1996-97 to lead three straight playoff games by at least 30 points, according to Sportradar.

Brunson said the Knicks' focus and attention to detail have been better since they fell behind.

“Yes, it’s turned into obviously big wins, but those attention to detail things are going to help us in the close ones as well,” Brunson said.

Game 2 is Wednesday night before the series shifts to Philadelphia — with Joel Embiid already pleading with 76ers fans not to sell their tickets to Knicks fans when it does.

But the 76ers didn't exactly give their fans much reason to want to keep them Monday.

Paul George scored 17 points for Philadelphia. Embiid shot just 3 for 11 for his 14 points and Tyrese Maxey had just 13, not making his first basket until five minutes into the second quarter.

The 76ers had just one full day off after winning in Boston on Saturday night to complete the NBA's 14th comeback from a 3-1 deficit. But they looked more like the team that lost twice by 32 points in the first four games to fall into that deficit.

The Knicks had a much easier first round — and finished it with one of the easiest games in NBA playoff history. They crushed Atlanta 140-89 on Thursday in Game 6, setting a postseason record by building a 47-point halftime lead.

There were long stretches Monday that looked similar.

“They were obviously picking us apart, moving a lot better than we were,” 76ers coach Nick Nurse said.

The Knicks scored eight straight points midway through the second quarter to extend a 10-point lead to 57-39, and Brunson scored their final 11 points, capped by a 3-pointer with 0.3 seconds remaining, to make it 74-51 at halftime.

Towns' 3-pointer made it 90-60 about five minutes into the second half and it was mostly reserves from there. Brunson played only 31 minutes, perhaps the only reason he didn't reach 40 points for a fourth straight playoff game against the 76ers.

He averaged 35.5 points in a first-round series against the 76ers in 2024 and closed it with three straight 40-point games, including a franchise playoff-record 47 in Game 4.

The 76ers still haven't figured out a way to stop him.

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

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They were also among the dozens who put on their Spirit Airlines uniforms to march outside of the company headquarters on Monday in Dania Beach.

“It wasn’t until midnight on Friday night that we learned,” De León said. “When we see the board with no flights for the next day — that we were done for that day.”

Related link: Association of Flight Attendants offers help

There had been hope of a government bailout. On April 23, at the White House, a reporter asked President Donald Trump if his administration had plans to buy “a stake” in Spirit Airlines. Trump said it was under consideration.

“We have 18,000 people that live in this country that are great people and great employees,” Trump said. “We are thinking about doing it ... I’d love to be able to save those jobs. I’d love to be able to save an airline.”

Related document: Airlines For America plan

The $500 million government bailout proposal failed. Dave Davis, the Spirit Airlines chief executive officer, told The Wall Street Journal that the Iran war’s surging energy prices caused the plan to fail.

“We didn’t intentionally sell any tickets thinking we weren’t going to be here,” Davis told The WSJ. “We thought we were going to get the liquidity we needed.”

Spirit Airlines flights were grounded by 3 a.m. on Saturday.

American Airlines and JetBlue Airways were working to help Spirit Airlines pilots and flight attendants who may have been stranded during the shutdown.

De León said she and other employees weren’t expecting any of it.

“We started asking via e-mail, via text, phone calls, and they kept on saying, ‘There’s nothing wrong. Pay no mind. It’s just rumors. We’re fine. We’re going to be fine.’ And so, you know, you trust what management tells you,” De León said.

Related link: Spirit Airlines launches restructuring page

Soon after, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy held a news conference at Newark Liberty International Airport in New Jersey.

“There’s a demand for aviation workers. So, even American and United have drafted or crafted microsites for Spirit employees to potentially jump the line, jump the queue, and get preferential treatment in the application process for the many airlines that are now hiring, whether it’s pilots, flight attendants, baggage workers or even those who have worked in the call centers. You can go to the individual websites to see what’s offered by each of the individual airlines,” Duffy said.

Trump and Duffy criticized former President Joe Biden’s administration for blocking the $3.8 billion sale of Spirit Airlines to JetBlue in 2024.

Related story: Spirit Airlines asks guests not to go to the airport, or expect rebookings

As the industry faces the fuel crunch from the war in Iran, Roman said anguish prevailed.

“There’s a lot of people that are going to struggle, and there’s no way around that,” Roman said. “There’s just not enough jobs in this industry for the type of work that we do.”

Spirit Airlines employees’ health insurance was cut off on Saturday.

“This is not like any other industry. You do not take your work experience with you. You start right back at the bottom, so if you’ve been here 30 years, it means nothing,” Roman said. “Myself: 10 and a half years, it means nothing. You start right back at the bottom with the lowest pay, lowest seniority.”

Dahlia Fountain spent the last decade flying the skies with Spirit.

“It never felt like work, not once, even when we had delays upon delays, it just felt exciting,” said Fountain.

She says she and other flight attendants learned Spirit was shutting down just like everyone else.

“Then we saw on the news, that before 3 a.m. Spirit will shut down, and we’re like, really?” she said.

Resources

• American Airlines launches “Supporting Spirit” career page
• United Airlines launches program to prioritize former Spirit Airlines employees when hiring. Here is the career page >
• Southwest Airlines was recruiting on this page.
• JetBlue announced an extension of the “jumpseat agreement for the next two weeks, subject to space availability and limited to cabin seating” for those who were stranded while working for Spirit Airlines, and also announced “preferential employment interviews.”
• For more information about help from the Association of Flight Attendants, call 1-800-385-3920
• To file an unemployment benefits claim in Florida, call 1-800-204-2418 or visit this page.
• Find your local food bank, on this Feeding America page

Related social media

pic.twitter.com/Wz3ilRHD2z

— Spirit Airlines (@SpiritAirlines) May 2, 2026

GoFundMe Pages

Standing with Us in Tough Times organized by William Roman

Apoyo a Empleados de Spirit organized by Milagros De Leon

Hall took a short feed from Sean Walker and carried the puck in on the left side before being knocked to his knees near the top of the crease. But Hall hopped up as Jackson Blake battled for the loose puck, corralled it and beat Vladar to cap a night that saw the Hurricanes fall behind 2-0 quickly for their first deficit of the postseason.

Afterward, Hall said he didn't even realize he had fallen down until he watched a replay afterward.

“When you score in overtime, it seems like parts of your memory kind of go,” Hall said, adding later: “I was in another time zone there for a second.”

The series shifts to Philadelphia for Thursday’s Game 3.

Seth Jarvis had the third-period goal that forced overtime for Carolina, while Nikolaj Ehlers also scored. Frederik Andersen finished with 34 saves to help the Hurricanes improve to 6-0 in the postseason.

Still, this one was anything but easy compared to the smothering first-period that paved the way to a 3-0 win in Monday's Game 1. Flyers coach Rick Tocchet had talked about the need for his players to react quicker against Carolina's aggression and speed, and carry the puck more into the tough areas of the ice.

The Flyers did that early, with Jamie Drysdale and Sean Couturier scoring in a 39-second span of the first period for the Flyers. And they outshot Carolina 15-8 in the overtime in a much more assertive showing, but the Flyers couldn't beat Andersen again after that flurry in the first 5 minutes.

Vladar had 40 saves, including twice stopping Carolina's Eric Robinson on second-period breakaways. He also got a timely bit of help in that period from Travis Sanheim, who cleared a loose puck that had slipped behind Vladar in the crease to deny Carolina a tying score.

Tocchet felt more energy from his Flyers — in their first postseason since 2020 — in the aftermath of the Game 1 loss.

“I thought the young guys competed,” he said. “I'm really proud of these guys. They just made the play at the end, that's it.”

Ehlers' one-timer on the power play got Carolina on the board in the first. Then Ehlers fed a trailing Jarvis to beat Vladar from the right side midway through the third period, ultimately forcing OT.

It was a penalty-filled night with the teams combining to go 2 for 13 with the man advantage, which derailed either team from getting in much of a 5-on-5 rhythm and leaving Vladar and Andersen to come up with big stops the entire night.

“Goaltending was not the issue tonight for any team,” Carolina coach Rod Brind'Amour said.

Philadelphia played a second straight game without regular-season goals leader Owen Tippett due to an undisclosed injury, while Carolina defenseman Alexander Nikishin took warmups but didn't play as he continues his recovery from a concussion suffered in the clinching game of the first-round sweep of Ottawa.

___

AP NHL playoffs: https://apnews.com/hub/stanley-cup and https://apnews.com/hub/nhl

The costars turned courtroom adversaries settled the civil case two weeks before they were to go to trial in New York on Lively’s claims that Baldoni conspired with publicists to preemptively destroy her reputation after she privately accused him of sexually harassing her on the movie set.

“Raising awareness, and making a meaningful impact in the lives of domestic violence survivors — and all survivors — is a goal that we stand behind," Lively and Baldoni said in a joint statement issued through their lawyers.

“It is our sincere hope that this brings closure and allows all involved to move forward constructively and in peace, including a respectful environment online.”

The terms of the settlement were not disclosed.

Lively, 38, sued Baldoni, 42, and his production company, Wayfarer Studios, at the end of 2024. Weeks later, Baldoni sued Lively, accusing her, her husband — “Deadpool” actor Ryan Reynolds — and their publicist of defamation and extortion.

Baldoni, who directed the dark romantic drama and starred in it with Lively, had denied harassing her or orchestrating a smear campaign. He’d claimed the complaints about his behavior were made up by Lively as part of an effort to seize creative control of the movie.

Monday’s settlement came after a federal judge in Manhattan tossed some of each actors’ claims.

Last June, Judge Lewis J. Liman dismissed Baldoni’s defamation and extortion lawsuit. In April, he threw out Lively’s sexual harassment claims, ruling that she couldn’t pursue them under federal law because she was an independent contractor rather than an employee on the movie set.

In their joint statement, the parties said they recognize that Lively’s concerns “deserved to be heard” and that they ”remain firmly committed to workplaces free of improprieties and unproductive environments."

The trial, now no longer necessary, had been scheduled to begin with jury selection on May 18.

“It Ends With Us,” an adaptation of Colleen Hoover’s bestselling 2016 novel about a relationship devolving into domestic violence, was released in August 2024 and exceeded box office expectations despite criticism that it glorified abuse. Lively and Baldoni’s fractious falling out took attention away from the film, overshadowing its message and success.

“The end product — the movie ‘It Ends With Us’ — is a source of pride to all of us who worked to bring it to life,” Lively and Baldoni said in their statement.

Lively said in her lawsuit that during filming, Baldoni made inappropriate comments about her appearance, violated physical boundaries while filming a love scene, and pushed for nudity — against Lively’s wishes — during a scene in which her character was giving birth.

Baldoni denied doing anything outside the realm of the normal creative process of making a movie.

The judge, in the decision tossing out the sexual harassment claims, acknowledged the complexity of the matter, noting that creative artists “must have some amount of space to experiment within the bounds of an agreed script without fear of being held liable for sexual harassment.”

The trial was to focus on Lively’s claim that Baldoni and the studio retaliated against her sexual harassment complaints by hiring publicists to turn the public against her. Her lawyers said that campaign including hiring a “digital army” to post bogus negative content about Lively on social media platforms, and feeding “manufactured content to unwitting reporters.”

The lawsuit said the purpose was to “retaliate against Ms. Lively by battering her image, harming her businesses, and causing her family severe emotional harm.”

Baldoni’s lawyers have claimed it was Lively who was strategically manipulating Baldoni’s public image, partly by leveraging help from her famous friends.

Lively appeared in the 2005 film “The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants” and the TV series “Gossip Girl” from 2007 to 2012 before starring in films including “The Town” and “The Shallows.”

Baldoni starred in the TV comedy “Jane the Virgin,” directed the 2019 film “Five Feet Apart” and wrote “Man Enough,” a book challenging traditional notions of masculinity.

Miami Fire Rescue personnel declared Jaheim Pierre, 23, dead at an apartment on Saturday afternoon, at 5329 NW 17 Ave., records show.

After the shooting, Antwan Carter turned to a police officer and said, “I am the one; I have the firearm,” according to a police report.

Carter surrendered a 9mm, Glock 43, firearm from his right pocket, according to the police report.

A woman with her feet and clothing ”covered in blood” approached a police officer and said the shooter was her boyfriend of four years, and the two shot were her brothers, according to a police report.

The woman said her brothers had been concerned about her being the victim of domestic violence, showed up at her apartment, and there was an argument and a fight, according to police.

Carter said he left the apartment, returned, and shot both brothers, according to police. Fire rescue personnel found Gianni Pierre, 28, bleeding next to a couch, and Jaheim Pierre, 23, bleeding in the closet

Fire rescue personnel rushed Gianni Pierre, 28, to Jackson Memorial Hospital’s Ryder Trauma Center, where a doctor pronounced him dead.

Carter faced two counts of first-degree murder.

The blast occurred at a fireworks plant in the city of Changsha in Hunan province on Monday afternoon, China’s official news agency Xinhua said.

State media China Daily said that the plant was operated by the Huasheng Fireworks Manufacturing and Display Co. in the Changsha-administered, county-level city of Liuyang, a prominent fireworks powerhouse in the country.

Changsha mayor Chen Bozhang said at a media briefing that a search and rescue operation at the scene largely has been completed, but verification of the casualties and identification of the victims was still underway.

Chen said that the local government expressed condolences for the victims and apologized to society, including the families and injured people.

“We feel extremely pained and deeply remorseful,” he said.

Ding Weiming, the Changsha Emergency Management Bureau's party secretary, said that the site had a large amount of products or semifinished products catching fire, causing continuous, sporadic blasts.

Large quantities of gunpowder stored in the warehouse area also threatened the safety of rescue teams, while the collapse of walls, columns and the roof in the factory area created ruins, with people trapped and routes blocked, he said.

All fireworks and firecracker manufacturers in Liuyang have been ordered to halt production, local media reported said.

Aerial footage from state broadcaster CCTV on Tuesday showed white smoke billowing in certain areas of the site, with facilities collapsed or damaged.

Hundreds of rescuers were deployed to the scene and residents in danger zones were evacuated by authorities, citing high risks from two black powder warehouses near the explosion site, the Xinhua report said.

Authorities were investigating the cause of the blast and police have detained the person in charge of the company, Xinhua said.

Chinese President Xi Jinping urged “all-out efforts” to search for people who are still unaccounted for and to save the injured. He called on authorities to investigate the cause swiftly and pursue serious accountability, the report said. Xi also ordered effective risk screening and hazard control in key industries and the strengthening of public safety management.

To prevent other accidents during the operation, rescuers adopted measures such as spraying and humidification to eliminate potential hazards.

They also deployed several robots to help with the search and rescue operation.

Liuyang has a long history of fireworks production. The Guinness World Records organization said that the first accurately documented firework, the Chinese firecracker, was attributed to Li Tian, a monk who lived near Liuyang during China’s Tang dynasty dating to around 618 to 907 C.E.

Li discovered that putting gunpowder in enclosed hollow bamboo stems created loud explosions and bound crackers together to create the traditional new year firecrackers to drive out evil spirits, Guinness said.

In February, China reported two deadly explosions at fireworks shops around the Lunar New Year period.

___

Leung reported from Hong Kong. Olivia Zhang contributed to this report.

Hernandez said she joined the airline when she was 19 years old. A few years ago, she suffered a traumatic brain injury during a car crash, and she credits the company for helping her to recover.

“We have become like family. I am going to miss it so much,” Hernandez said. “I am really sad about it.”

After a $500 million government bailout proposal failed, Spirit Airlines flights were grounded by 3 a.m. on Saturday. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy announced the airline’s shutdown hours later.

“We are looking for help,” Bryce said. “I really love the job, and I enjoy doing it ... We went to work one day, and then we were out of work the next.”

CareerSource Broward offers services such as job placement and career coaching at three centers at 4941 Coconut Creek Parkway, 2550 West Oakland Park Boulevard, and 7550 Davie Road Extension in Hollywood.

Related link: Association of Flight Attendants offers help

Without much warning, Spirit Airlines employees’ health insurance was cut off on Saturday. A few dozen employees marched on Monday morning outside of the airline’s headquarters in Dania Beach.

There had been hope of a government bailout. On April 23, at the White House, a reporter asked President Donald Trump if his administration had plans to buy “a stake” in Spirit Airlines. Trump said it was under consideration.

“We have 18,000 people that live in this country that are great people and great employees,” Trump said. “We are thinking about doing it ... I’d love to be able to save those jobs. I’d love to be able to save an airline.”

Related document: Airlines For America plan

Dave Davis, the Spirit Airlines chief executive officer, told The Wall Street Journal that the Iran war’s surging energy prices caused the plan to fail.

“We didn’t intentionally sell any tickets thinking we weren’t going to be here,” Davis told The WSJ. “We thought we were going to get the liquidity we needed.”

American Airlines and JetBlue Airways were working to help Spirit Airlines pilots and flight attendants who may have been stranded during the shutdown.

Related link: Spirit Airlines launches restructuring page

“There’s a demand for aviation workers. So, even American and United have drafted or crafted microsites for Spirit employees to potentially jump the line, jump the queue, and get preferential treatment in the application process for the many airlines that are now hiring, whether it’s pilots, flight attendants, baggage workers or even those who have worked in the call centers. You can go to the individual websites to see what’s offered by each of the individual airlines,” Duffy said.

Trump and Duffy criticized former President Joe Biden’s administration for blocking the $3.8 billion sale of Spirit Airlines to JetBlue in 2024, which they say could have prevented the failure.

Related stories

• Jobless former Spirit Airlines employees march in Dania Beach
• Spirit Airlines asks guests not to go to the airport, or expect rebookings

Resources

• American Airlines launches “Supporting Spirit” career page
• United Airlines launches program to prioritize former Spirit Airlines employees when hiring. Here is the career page >
• Southwest Airlines was recruiting on this page.
• JetBlue announced an extension of the “jumpseat agreement for the next two weeks, subject to space availability and limited to cabin seating” for those who were stranded while working for Spirit Airlines, and also announced “preferential employment interviews.”
• For more information about help from the Association of Flight Attendants, call 1-800-385-3920
• Career Source Broward runs three career centers with services to help job seekers. The centers also use the Employ Florida resources.
• To file an unemployment benefits claim in Florida, call 1-800-204-2418 or visit this page.
• Find your local food bank, on this Feeding America page

Related social media

pic.twitter.com/Wz3ilRHD2z

— Spirit Airlines (@SpiritAirlines) May 2, 2026

Instead, the struggling discount carrier — that has twice filed for bankruptcy — announced that they will “automatically process refunds” for flights purchased through Spirit with a credit or debit card.

Related link: Information for guests

A few travelers were still having to adapt on Monday at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport. And so was JetBlue.

On Monday, JetBlue announced 11 new destinations out of FLL, including Barranquilla and Cali, Colombia^; Baltimore; and Charlotte, North Carolina.

“We’re stepping up for Fort Lauderdale to ensure the availability of air service in this market,” Marty St. George, JetBlue’s president, said in a statement.

JetBlue was also offering Spirit Airlines Free Spirit Silver and Gold members a TrueBlue Mosaic program status match.

On Monday, at FLL, Howard Musgrove said he was in Mississippi and looking forward to his cruise adventure out of South Florida when he learned that his flight was canceled.

Musgrove said Spirit Airlines refunded him directly.

“I had to start scrambling to find another ride,” Musgrove said.

Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy announced Spirit Airlines had ceased operations at 3 a.m. on Saturday, during a news conference at Newark Liberty International Airport.

Related document: Airlines For America plan

“Spirit does not have airplanes in the air flying as of this morning. Also, their call centers are closed, and they don’t have staff at ticket counters,” Duff said. “So, if you have a flight scheduled with Spirit Airlines, don’t show up at the airport. There will be no one here to assist you.”

Duff said United Airlines, Delta, and JetBlue were capping ticket prices for Spirit Airlines customers.

“You have to go to their websites to take advantage of these special offers,” Duff said.

Related stories

• While still wearing Spirit Airlines uniforms, job seekers start asking for help
• Jobless former Spirit Airlines employees march in Dania Beach

Golden State Wind was a floating offshore wind project proposed off California’s central coast. The California Energy Commission said Monday it issued an administrative subpoena to Golden State Wind.

The commission said it is seeking documents and information about the company's recent agreement with the Department of Interior to accept a payout in exchange for voluntarily abandoning its offshore wind lease.

“The Trump administration is recklessly spending billions of taxpayer dollars on backroom deals that would turn back the clock on innovation,” CEC Chair David Hochschild said in a statement. “Californians deserve immediate answers about the nature of this payout. Taxpayer dollars should be used to build a sustainable energy future, not to pay to make projects disappear.”

The Trump administration is spending nearly $2 billion to get energy companies to walk away from U.S. offshore wind projects. Interior Secretary Doug Burgum said companies were sold a product that was only viable when propped up by massive taxpayer subsidies when they bid for these offshore wind leases in 2022, under former President Joe Biden.

The Republican administration adopted this strategy after federal courts thwarted President Donald Trump’s efforts to stop offshore wind development through executive action. Three agreements have been announced.

Under the first deal, made public in March, French company TotalEnergies is getting $1 billion — essentially a refund of its leases for offshore wind projects off North Carolina and New York — if it invests the money in fossil fuel projects instead. In the latest deals announced last week, the administration said Golden State Wind and Bluepoint Wind agreed to end their leases in exchange for reimbursements totaling nearly $900 million, provided they invest equally in fossil fuels.

Both Golden State and Bluepoint are co-owned by Ocean Winds, a joint venture of EDP Renewables and French energy giant Engie. Bluepoint Wind was an offshore wind project in the early stages of development off the coasts of New Jersey and New York.

When asked about the subpoena Monday, Ocean Winds said it does not comment on open or potential litigation.

This investigation sets the stage for legal action from California to safeguard renewable energy, as well as the thousands of jobs and millions of dollars of investment the state was counting on, said Eddie Ahn, executive director of Brightline Defense, an environmental justice nonprofit working to advance offshore wind in California.

A letter from California Attorney General Rob Bonta’s office to Golden State Wind says the state anticipates potential litigation involving the federal government and parties to lease buyouts impacting California’s energy needs and offshore wind programs. California has invested about $100 million to support offshore wind development in order to accelerate the state's transition to clean energy and address climate change.

Democrats in Congress are investigating, too. U.S. Reps. Jared Huffman of California, the top Democrat on the House Natural Resources Committee, and Jamie Raskin, the ranking Democrat on the House Judiciary Committee, are demanding information about TotalEnergies agreement.

___

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

Funcionarios del gobierno, incluido el presidente Miguel Díaz-Canel, se reunieron el fin de semana frente a las viviendas asignadas a dos madres solteras: una había pasado más de una docena de años viviendo en un albergue y la otra residía en una sola habitación con dos hijos adolescentes, según medios estatales.

Los medios informaron que cuadrillas construyeron las viviendas en un mes con material excedente de proyectos de inversión turística, tecnologías desarrolladas por las Fuerzas Armadas Revolucionarias de Cuba y contenedores utilizados previamente para importar desde China piezas para parques de paneles solares.

Funcionarios indicaron el sábado que Cuba tiene un déficit habitacional de más de 800.000 viviendas. En La Habana es donde la necesidad es más apremiante.

Incapaz de escapar de una vivienda que se derrumba

Yurieska Artunet Martí, una esteticista de 29 años que vive en la parte histórica de La Habana, se vio obligada a mudarse de su último apartamento porque se desintegró. Sigue viviendo en el mismo piso y en el mismo edificio, pero en la parte trasera, que todavía está en pie.

“Aquí todo el mundo de La Habana vive con miedo”, comentó mientras miraba hacia su techo podrido y las paredes que se desmoronan. Allí se refugian Artunet Martí, que tiene cuatro meses de embarazo, y sus tres hijos, de 7 meses, 1 año y 5 años.

El yeso de la pared cae sobre su cama mientras duermen, contó.

Artunet Martí no puede permitirse vivir en otro lugar. Hace dos meses se vio obligada a cerrar el negocio de belleza que llevaba desde su casa, donde los clientes tenían que subir escalones erosionados, esquivar madera astillada y evitar un enorme hueco donde alguna vez operó un ascensor.

“La gente por la condición del edificio no venía”, expresó.

Se sabe que las viviendas de La Habana Vieja, ampliamente admiradas y que abarcan estilos desde el colonial español hasta el barroco cubano, a veces se vienen abajo, especialmente después de lluvias intensas, y en ocasiones los ocupantes mueren.

Según datos gubernamentales de 2020, la isla, con casi 10 millones de habitantes, tenía 3,9 millones de viviendas, de las cuales casi el 40% se encontraba en condiciones regulares o malas. La falta de mantenimiento, una profunda crisis económica y las inclemencias del tiempo son las principales causas.

Ya nadie vive en los pisos superiores del edificio de Artunet Martí; todos fueron evacuados y trasladados a albergues por su seguridad.

“¿Qué vamos a hacer?”, expresó. “Sabemos que estamos en peligro, pero bueno, tenemos que aceptar la realidad”.

El miedo se apodera de los residentes de La Habana

En otra zona de La Habana histórica, Carlos Sablón, de 60 años, recordó cómo una parte del tercer piso de su edificio se derrumbó por la noche. Sablón estaba viendo televisión en ese momento, pero supo lo que había ocurrido.

“Está bastante dañada por el tiempo”, dijo sobre la infraestructura del edificio mientras miraba desde la ventana de su segundo piso hacia un patio diminuto y en ruinas.

No había nadie en el tercer piso cuando ocurrió el derrumbe, pero los bomberos evacuaron a todos los demás. Sin poder permitirse vivir en otro lugar, Sablón, ingeniero de profesión, regresó a su apartamento. No estaba dañado, así que conectó la electricidad y el agua para él y un puñado de otros residentes que se quedaron.

“Siempre va a haber temor”, reconoció, y lamentó que nadie garantice la seguridad de las viviendas en La Habana.

“Este es al que más le tengo miedo”, expresó Sablón sobre su edificio de apartamentos, que cree que seguirá desplomándose. “Ojalá que no sea cuando esté pasando una persona”.

A varias cuadras de Sablón vive Magalys Caro, de 63 años. Está confinada a una sola habitación, una cocina improvisada y un baño en la parte delantera de su edificio. Antes albergaba a una empresa que le permitió mudarse allí cuando su vivienda de al lado se desintegró durante un huracán.

Pero el edificio donde ahora vive representa una amenaza.

“Para atrás se ha caído”, señaló Caro mientras apuntaba a una amplia zona al aire libre detrás de ella.

“Llevo como 10 años viviendo aquí en estas malas condiciones”, agregó. “No se resuelve nada. (El organismo responsable de la) vivienda no hace nada”.

Un impulso para que haya más viviendas modulares

En el acto del sábado para presentar las dos primeras viviendas modulares de La Habana, el primer ministro cubano, Manuel Marrero Cruz, reconoció que el programa de convertir contenedores de envío en viviendas podría ir más rápido de lo que lo hace.

“No va a la velocidad que se quiere”, admitió.

Delilah Díaz Fernández, directora general de Vivienda del Ministerio de la Construcción, indicó que se han aprobado más de 2.000 contenedores destinados a convertirse en viviendas, y que unos 700 están siendo transformados actualmente.

“El programa… es toda una potencialidad y llegó para quedarse”, señaló, y agregó que, a medida que lleguen nuevos contenedores, se tomarán en cuenta para su eventual uso habitacional.

Díaz Fernández dijo que los principales beneficiarios del programa incluirán a personas que perdieron sus viviendas por fenómenos meteorológicos extremos o por derrumbes estructurales.

___

Esta historia fue traducida del inglés por un editor de AP con la ayuda de una herramienta de inteligencia artificial generativa.

The Timberwolves guard made an unexpected return 10 days after hyperextending his left knee, leading Minnesota to a 104-102 victory Monday night in Game 1 of the Western Conference semifinals.

After hitting his first 3-pointer with 1:27 remaining in the first quarter, Edwards turned to the Spurs bench and screamed: “I’m back! I’m back!”

They were already fully aware.

The four-time All-Star had 18 points, including 11 in the final quarter as the Timberwolves held on to hand the Spurs just the second loss in their past 17 series openers at home.

“That’s kind of who he is,” San Antonio guard Dylan Harper said. “Superstar in this league. He’s going to come back and have games like that even though he hasn’t played for a little bit.”

Edwards, who averaged 36.7 points, 4.0 assists and 3.0 rebounds in three games against the Spurs this season, has stated previously that he enjoys competing against San Antonio star Victor Wembanyama.

They had another duel in Game 1.

Wembanyama had 11 points, 15 rebounds and set an NBA postseason record with 12 blocked shots.

“I don’t think me coming back was because of nothing they got going on,” Edwards said. “It was more so I want to be out there with my brothers. Yeah, just that simple.”

Edwards was expected to miss at least the first two games of the series in San Antonio, but the 6-foot-4 guard expedited his rehabilitation to play in the opener. He was cleared to play 90 minutes before the scheduled tipoff Monday night when Minnesota coach Chris Finch simply said: “He's in.”

“He loves to play the game,” Finch said. “We dodged a bullet when it happened. He’s done an incredible job. Our medical staff has done an unbelievable job of getting him to this point. And he was super motivated by the fact that we were able to get that first series. I think that was kind of a little bit of an inspiration for him, too, just gave him something to work towards.”

Edwards suffered a bone bruise, in addition to hyperextending his left knee, on April 25 during Game 4 of Minnesota’s opening-round series against Denver.

“I think I got the best physical therapist in the world with David Hines," Edwards said of the Timberwolves' vice president of medical operations and performance. "So, just trusting him and working through all the pain that I felt throughout the first two days, three days, and just getting in the pool, running on it. Band work. Just a lot of resistance. So, yeah, he got me right.”

Edwards did not start, but played 25 minutes off the bench, including 9:52 in the final quarter.

“Everybody in the arena is against us,” Edwards said. “Yeah, I think that’s the best thing about it. You start on the road, everybody got on pink, blue, and whatever color shirts there is, chanting ‘Go Spurs Go,’ and doing all that. I’m with Minnesota. I got Minnesota back at all times.

“I’m out there with my brothers and we’re going to war.”

It was uncertain if Edwards will start Game 2 on Wednesday or if his minutes restriction will be lifted, but he is ready regardless.

“I felt great,” Edwards said. “I don’t think I’m limited at all. And just whatever coach needs from me.”

Edwards averaged 28.8 points, 5.0 rebounds and 3.7 assists in 61 games during the regular season. He averaged 36.7 points, 4.0 assists, 3.0 rebounds in three games against San Antonio this season.

“We figured he would want to play,” Spurs forward Julian Champagnie said. “So, we went over him as if he was playing. There was no difference in the strategy. There was no difference in what we were trying to do. This is what he wants to do. This is what we’re going to do to counter it. May the best man win. That’s just what it was. We’ll just go back to the drawing board.”

The Timberwolves were 2-1 against the Spurs during the regular season.

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

The NCAA Baseball Rules Committee on Monday approved the Southeastern Conference's request to implement a challenge system for balls and strikes for each game of the 2026 SEC Tournament. It will be similar to the system used in Major League Baseball.

Teams can challenge an umpire’s strike or ball call via an automated ball tracking system that monitors the exact location of each pitch, relative to the specific batter’s zone.

“The introduction of this challenge system at the SEC Tournament reflects our continued commitment to innovation,” Commissioner Greg Sankey said. “This addition represents a continued step forward for our game, aligns more closely with the professional level and supports the development of our student-athletes as they prepare for success at the next level.”

Each team will have three challenges to start the game. If a challenge is successful, the team will retain the challenge. If the original call is confirmed, the team will lose the challenge.

Upon a challenge, the pitch location will be compared against the electronic strike zone. The result will then be displayed on the stadium videoboard and broadcast.

The SEC baseball tournament will be played May 19-24 in Hoover, Alabama.

The Automatic Ball-Strike system would be allowed for other conference tournaments if a conference wanted to use it and followed the same protocols as the SEC.

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AP college sports: https://apnews.com/hub/college-sports

Legislative voting districts typically are redrawn based on census data after the start of each decade. But an unusual spate of mid-decade redistricting broke out after President Donald Trump urged Texas Republicans last year to reshape U.S. House districts to give the party an edge in the midterm elections. Democrats in California countered with their own political gerrymandering. More states followed.

Eight states have already adopted new House maps, and several more are considering it. So far, Republicans believe they could win up to 13 additional seats from new districts in Texas, Florida, Missouri, North Carolina and Ohio. Democrats, meanwhile, think they could gain up to 10 seats from new districts in California, Utah and Virginia.

But those tallies presume past voting patterns hold in November. Historically, the president’s party tends to lose seats in the midterms. Democrats need to gain just a few seats in November to wrest control of the House from Republicans, which would give them greater power to oppose Trump.

Where new House districts are proposed

Lawmakers in at least three states are meeting to consider plans for new U.S. House maps.

Louisiana

Current map: two Democrats, four Republicans

New map: Republican Gov. Jeff Landry has postponed the May 16 congressional primary to allow lawmakers to revise U.S. House districts in response to an April 29 Supreme Court ruling striking down a majority Black congressional district.

Challenges: Several lawsuits have been filed in federal and state court asserting that Landry lacked authority to suspend the primary elections.

Alabama

Current map: two Democrats, five Republicans

New map: Republican state officials hope to revert to a U.S. House map passed in 2023 — but not previously used — that could help Republicans win an additional seat.

Challenges: The current map was imposed under a court order and is supposed to be used until after the 2030 census. State officials have asked the U.S. Supreme Court to set aside that order in light of its ruling in the Louisiana redistricting case.

Tennessee

Current map: one Democrat, eight Republicans

New Map: Republican Gov. Bill Lee has called lawmakers into special session to consider a new U.S. House map that could carve up a Black-majority district in Memphis and improve Republican chances of winning an additional seat.

Challenges: The candidate qualifying period already has ended for the primaries, which are scheduled for Aug. 6.

Where new House districts were approved

New U.S. House districts have passed in eight states since last summer. Six took up redistricting voluntarily, one was required to by its state constitution and another did so under court order.

Texas

Current map: 13 Democrats, 25 Republicans

New map: Republican Gov. Greg Abbott signed a revised House map into law last August that could help Republicans win five additional seats.

Challenges: The U.S. Supreme Court in December cleared the way for the new districts to be used in this year’s elections. It has since overturned a lower-court ruling that blocked the new map because it was “racially gerrymandered.”

California

Current map: 43 Democrats, nine Republicans

New map: Voters in November approved revised House districts drawn by the Democratic-led Legislature that could help Democrats win five additional seats.

Challenges: The U.S. Supreme Court in February allowed the new districts to be used in this year’s elections. It denied an appeal from Republicans and the Department of Justice, which claimed the districts impermissibly favor Hispanic voters.

Missouri

Current map: two Democrats, six Republicans

New map: Republican Gov. Mike Kehoe signed a revised House map into law last September that could help Republicans win an additional seat.

Challenges: A Cole County judge ruled the new map is in effect as election officials work to determine whether a referendum petition seeking a statewide vote complies with constitutional criteria and contains enough valid petition signatures. The Missouri Supreme Court rejected a lawsuit claiming mid-decade redistricting is illegal. It’s scheduled to hear arguments in May on claims the new districts violate compactness requirements and should be placed on hold pending the potential referendum.

North Carolina

Current map: four Democrats, 10 Republicans

New map: The Republican-led General Assembly gave final approval in October to revised districts that could help Republicans win an additional seat.

Challenges: A federal court panel in November denied a request to block the revised districts from being used in the midterm elections.

Ohio

Current map: five Democrats, 10 Republicans

New map: A bipartisan panel composed primarily of Republicans voted in October to approve revised House districts that improve Republicans’ chances of winning two additional seats.

Challenges: None. The state constitution required new districts before the 2026 election, because Republicans had approved the prior map without sufficient Democratic support after the last census.

Utah

Current map: no Democrats, four Republicans

New map: A judge in November imposed revised House districts that could help Democrats win a seat. The court ruled that lawmakers had circumvented anti-gerrymandering standards passed by voters when adopting the prior map.

Challenges: A federal court panel and the state Supreme Court, in February, each rejected Republican challenges to the judicial map selection.

Virginia

Current map: six Democrats, five Republicans

New map: Voters approved a constitutional amendment on April 21 authorizing new U.S. House districts backed by Democrats that could help the party win up to four additional seats.

Challenges: The state Supreme Court allowed the referendum to proceed, but it has yet to rule whether the effort is legal. The court is considering an appeal of a Tazewell County judge’s ruling that the amendment is invalid because lawmakers violated procedural requirements.

Florida

Current map: eight Democrats, 20 Republicans

New map: Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis announced on May 4 that he had signed revised U.S. House districts that improve the GOP’s chances of winning four additional seats.

Challenges: A court challenge contends the new map violates a state constitution provision prohibiting districts from being drawn with intent to favor or disfavor a political party.

On Thursday, a property manager at Bijou Bay Harbor, at 9521 East Bay Harbor Drive, reported finding “a safe that had been forced,” according to a police report.

It belonged to a property owner who lived outside of the U.S., according to police.

On Friday, a detective found surveillance video showing Daniel Lopez getting off the elevator on the same floor of the apartment on Tuesday, according to police.

Lopez told the detective that he was working the front desk overnight when someone called for help, so he “signed out the unit keys from the building’s secured key box,” according to police.

Lopez “was not able to explain what he saw or did when entering ... could not advise who this caller was or provide a phone number ... did not notify his supervisors or anyone else,” according to the police report.

Police officers arrested Lopez on Friday at the Bay Harbor Islands Police Department, and corrections booked him at the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center near Doral. He faced a second-degree felony charge of burglary of an unoccupied dwelling.

Fire rescue personnel responded to the crash along the northbound lanes on South Pine Island Road, near 51st Street.

Police officers temporarily closed South Pine Island Road in both directions.

Local 10 News Assignment Editor Mercedes Cevallos and Carson Merlo contributed to this report.

Related social media

Avoid the area of the 5100 block of Pine Island Rd, both northbound and southbound lanes are shutdown due to a traffic crash. pic.twitter.com/8s6TtQL3hc

— Davie Police Dept. (@DaviePolice) May 4, 2026

Related location

En un comunicado que apareció como portada del periódico el domingo, la junta directiva indicó que los miembros afectados se enteraron por primera vez de que les habían retirado sus visas para ingresar a Estados Unidos a través de reportes en medios partidarios del gobierno.

Desde hace tiempo, La Nación ha sido una piedra en el zapato del presidente saliente de Costa Rica, Rodrigo Chaves, de tendencia conservadora y estrecho aliado del presidente estadounidense Donald Trump, que ha aceptado recibir hasta 100 deportados de terceros países al mes como parte de los empeños del gobierno de Trump por intensificar las deportaciones.

El periódico, al que Chaves ha fustigado desde que publicó denuncias de que cometió acoso sexual durante su campaña presidencial de 2022, señaló que Washington no dio ninguna razón para las revocaciones de visas.

El Departamento de Estado estadounidense no respondió a una solicitud de comentarios.

El periódico expresó su respeto a la decisión de Estados Unidos para regular la inmigración.

“Sin embargo, resulta inédito en la historia reciente de Costa Rica que se revoque la visa a miembros de la Junta Directiva de un periódico generalista e independiente. Hasta el momento, ninguno de nuestros miembros ha recibido explicación oficial alguna sobre los fundamentos de estas decisiones”, declaró en un comunicado.

La medida pareció marcar el caso más reciente en que el gobierno de Trump recurre a restricciones migratorias para castigar a sus adversarios políticos. Fue recibida con duras críticas por parte de la oposición política y de organizaciones de defensa de la libertad de prensa en Costa Rica, que exigieron que las autoridades costarricenses y estadounidenses den una explicación de lo ocurrido.

“Si esta decisión se basa en su posición crítica frente a este gobierno sería una señal preocupante más para nuestro sistema democrático", expresaron las organizaciones en un comunicado, y añadieron que el no proporcionar información transparente "constituiría una forma de complicidad inaceptable”.

Mauricio Herrera, periodista y exministro de Comunicación de Costa Rica de 2015 a 2018, fue más allá. En declaraciones a The Associated Press, sostuvo que “no hay duda de que la cancelación de las visas a su junta directiva es en respuesta a una petición del gobierno costarricense".

“La sanción intenta intimidar a quienes se atreven a disentir y ejercer su libertad de expresión”, agregó.

En Costa Rica se han cancelado las visas de una serie de figuras de alto perfil, en medio de acusaciones al gobierno de Chaves —de estilo agresivo— de erosionar las normas democráticas.

El año pasado, Estados Unidos revocó la visa del expresidente costarricense Óscar Arias, ganador del Premio Nobel de la Paz y crítico abierto de Trump, así como la de su hermano, Rodrigo Arias, entonces presidente legislativo, quien dijo que creía que la decisión de Estados Unidos se tomó a solicitud de Chaves.

En meses recientes, legisladores de oposición —tales como Francisco Nicolás, del centrista Partido Liberación Nacional, y la independiente Cynthia Córdoba, ambos duros críticos de Chaves— también sufrieron la cancelación de sus visas para ingresar a Estados Unidos, al igual que Fernando Cruz, magistrado de la Sala Constitucional y defensor de los derechos de los migrantes, quien el mes pasado no pudo viajar a territorio estadounidense para recibir un premio de la Facultad de Derecho de la Universidad Northwestern.

Chaves, que ha cooperado ampliamente con el gobierno de Trump para recibir deportados de otros países y extraditar a presuntos narcotraficantes a Estados Unidos, dejará el cargo el viernes y entregará el poder a su sucesora, la presidenta electa Laura Fernández.

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La periodista de The Associated Press Isabel Debre contribuyó a este despacho desde Buenos Aires.

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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.

Esta decisión "ratifica la apertura del gobierno de avanzar hacia mecanismos de cooperación bilateral en materia de seguridad”, indicó el gobierno en un comunicado. Añadió que con ello se promueve “una mayor articulación entre ambos países y fortaleciendo el desarrollo de la zona fronteriza”. La disposición entrará en vigencia desde el 1 de junio.

The Associated Press pidió a la Cancillería y a la Presidencia más detalles de los motivos para esta decisión, pero no obtuvo una respuesta de inmediato.

Desde hace cuatro días Ecuador elevó al 100% el arancel a los productos colombianos en medio de una guerra comercial binacional desde inicios de año, cuando el gobierno de Noboa impuso aranceles del 30% que luego subió al 50% a las importaciones colombianas.

Las autoridades de Ecuador acusan a sus pares de Colombia de no custodiar la zona limítrofe, de provocar una balanza comercial negativa en cerca de 1.000 millones y de vender a precio excesivo la energía eléctrica. En respuesta, Colombia impuso tasas escalonadas, hasta de un 75%, a los bienes ecuatorianos.

Pero la tensión rebasó el ámbito comercial y se acrecentó en el plano político con roces entre Noboa y su homólogo Gustavo Petro, lo que causó además el llamado a consultas de los respectivos embajadores.

Noboa, un conservador millonario, y Petro — primer presidente de izquierda en Colombia — han lanzado mutuas acusaciones.

El jefe de estado ecuatoriano señaló a Petro, sin exponer pruebas, de tener presuntos nexos con grupos políticos relacionados al líder narcotraficante alias “Fito”, extraditado a Estados Unidos, lo cual fue negado por el gobernante colombiano que acusó a Ecuador de estar pasando al fascismo por supuestos casos de tortura.

La tensión en la relación bilateral también se agudizó luego de que Petro ha insistido en llamar “preso político” al exvicepresidente ecuatoriano Jorge Glas, quien cumple prisión por casos de corrupción y al que concedió nacionalidad colombiana. Noboa rechazó el calificativo que, dijo, atenta contra la soberanía del país.

“When I walked into the locker room afterward with the coaches, you are just shaking your head, thinking five more seconds, you couldn’t keep it in for five more seconds,” Auriemma said in his first news conference since then.

“You just feel dumb for the way that it played out,” he added. “We are all human and we all do dumb (stuff).”

Auriemma sparked a firestorm of criticism after he went over to Staley in the final seconds of South Carolina’s 62-48 victory at the Final Four in Phoenix and appeared to chastise her.

Coaches from both teams had to separate them. When the game finally ended, Auriemma walked off the court to the locker room without going back to shake hands with anyone from South Carolina.

Auriemma said the exchange was about the lack of a traditional pregame handshake between the coaches. He later apologized with a written statement.

“I didn’t see a lot of it, but that is to be expected,” Auriemma said of the backlash. “I think maybe some of it was warranted and some of it was people have been lying in the weeds waiting for that moment. It doesn’t matter what you’ve done for the game; it is what you just did.

"Unfortunately, that is the world that we live in today and it usually is one-sided. The people who understood what it was all about in a different light, they are not going to go on the air and say it. They are not going to write about it because now they are going against a major internet or media frenzy; they are not going to do that. I brought the criticism on myself. I didn’t bring the (stuff) that came after it on myself.”

Auriemma compared the backlash to what might have happened if social media had been around in 1998, when he arranged for an injured Nykesha Sales to make a basket so she could set the program’s career scoring record.

“Immediately, it was the worst thing to ever happen to the game of basketball and to sports in general,” Auriemma said.

“These things that happen, you take them all with a grain of salt, understand them. I did what I did, I apologized for it and I moved on.”

His focus now is on the 2026-27 season. Despite the loss of two starters, including WNBA No. 1 overall pick Azzi Fudd, the Huskies figure to be one of the top title contenders again.

Transfers Serah Williams and Kayleigh Heckel played pivotal roles for the 38-1 UConn team in the 2025-26 season. He opted not to add any transfers and rely on the returning players, led by national player of the year Sarah Strong and two incoming freshmen.

“People have to get better,” Auriemma said. “You want your players to get better and improve from one year to the next. Blanca (Quinonez) going from playing 17 minutes a night to playing 27-30 minutes a night, I think changes the dynamic of the team. Sarah (Strong) probably getting more touches, probably playing 30 minutes per game.

Auriemma said that Strong has declined opportunities to play for USA Basketball this offseason to recover from inflammation in her leg that kept her out of most practices during the postseason.

“The new kids that are coming in are going to give us a little bit of a different look than we had. We have really good guards on our team but none of them are exactly what Jovana (Popovic) is; our big kids are going to get better. Olivia (Vukosa) is a little different than what we have right now. We will look a little different, but the core of the team is back.”

UConn also brings back Morgan Cheli, who played at least 15 minutes nine times as a freshman before missing all of last season with an ankle injury.

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Florida’s Republican-controlled legislature announced the redistricting map had passed on Wednesday. DeSantis announced he had signed it on X:

“Signed, sealed, and delivered,” one sign with his signature read. The next said, “Promise made, promise kept.”

A lawsuit against it quickly followed. Politico reported that Equal Ground Education Fund, a civil rights group, and 19 Florida voters asked a state judge to block the new map.

Related document: The 71-page complaint

“The 2026 plan is, by traditional measures of partisan gerrymandering, one of the most extreme gerrymanders in American history,” the attorneys wrote in the 71-page lawsuit. “Statistics like this do not occur by accident. They are the product of deliberate choices, made by professionals with sophisticated tools and a clear partisan goal: to pack and crack Democratic voters with surgical precision and deprive Florida voters of a fair map guaranteed to them by the Florida Constitution.”

The new map changed five key districts for Democrats, including U.S. Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz, who represents the 25th congressional district.

President Donald Trump pushed for redistricting before the midterms.

Interactive graphic

Related stories

• Florida Republicans’ new congressional map forces Democrats to change midterm elections plans
• Florida Republicans slice and dice congressional districts: How a new map could cost Democrats seats
• Redistricting battle intensifies in states after US Supreme Court ruling on Voting Rights Act
• Redistricting war accelerates winner-take-all political combat that’s straining American democracy

The revelation, if true, could have a big impact on an upcoming retrial.

Veteran Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office Detective Juan Segovia was the lead investigator probing the 2006 murder of Bryan Pata, 22, and was a star witness for prosecutors in the trial of Rashaun Jones, who was arrested 15 years after the killing.

Jurors deadlocked ― leading to a mistrial ― and Jones, 40, is now set for a May 18 retrial.

Attorneys for Jones said they discovered that Segovia was behind an anonymous Instagram account ― using the handle “balanceof_justice” ― and was using it to post comments about the case, mainly on videos posted by Local 10 News.

A court filing states that comments posted on Local 10 clips included one that said a witness was “lying” and another that said, “I’ve watched a lot of the trial, he’s guilty as sin.”

Defense attorneys presented evidence from an “open-source intelligence investigation” conducted by an outside firm suggesting the account, which made prejudicial comments about Jones and a witness, could be traced to Segovia through his phone number, email and IP address.

They said the account also follows Segovia’s spouse and longtime police partner, as well as many others in the South Florida law enforcement and legal community.

Attorneys allege that the comments show that Segovia was violating a court order declaring “that witnesses are prevented from tailoring their testimony to match or contradict other witness testimony” and that it proves that Segovia “was watching the trial proceedings and witness testimony.”

Read the court filing:

Judge Cristina Miranda granted a motion Monday that prevents him from deleting the account or any comments.

Local 10 News has not been able to independently view or verify the report.

There are now a number of questions surrounding Segovia and the upcoming retrial, including whether the longtime lawman will be held in contempt, what will become of the case itself and whether jurors in the next trial will hear about his alleged social media comments ― including whether they will be used to impeach him.

Defense attorneys could use the comment to deeply discredit the believability of a major state witness.

Local 10 News contacted Segovia, who is also a member of the Miami Dade College Board of Trustees, seeking comment. We were still waiting to hear back as of Monday afternoon.

Besides commenting on the trial, Jones’ defense attorneys included an Instagram comment in their filing that they said was of Segovia hyping up his own appointment to the MDC board.

On an MDSO post announcing Segovia’s swearing-in, they said “balanceof_justice” posted a comment calling MDSO “impressive.”

Officials with the Miami-Dade State Attorney’s Office said in an email that it would be inappropriate for them to comment on the ongoing case and prosecution.

Fisher died on Saturday surrounded by her family, a Gap spokesperson confirmed on Monday. The San Francisco-based company did not specify a cause of death.

The couple co-founded The Gap after a frustrating shopping experience when Don Fisher couldn’t find a pair of jeans that fit, according to the retailer. The Fishers opened one small store on Ocean Avenue in San Francisco. Initially men’s Levi’s jeans and record tapes were the only items for sale. But the brand became the foundation for a global retail empire and reshaped American fashion with a focus on simple casual looks from khakis and jeans to T-shirts and sweater sets.

The chain eventually expanded to other nameplates — Banana Republic and Old Navy — and now generates more than $15 billion in sales globally.

Fisher was the company’s fashion merchandiser for nearly four decades, while her husband focused on the business side. The company said that she came up with the company’s name, specifically to bridge the “generation gap” between parents and children. Don Fisher died in 2009.

“There is simply no equal to Doris Fisher,” Gap's CEO and President Richard Dickson said in a statement issued Monday. “In Gap-speak, she was a true original. Doris was a full partner in Gap Inc.’s founding and a path-breaking entrepreneur at a time when that was highly unusual for women. She understood firsthand the value of self-expression, diversity, and inclusion.”

Dickson, who has been spearheading a turnaround after several years of a sales malaise, also said that Doris Fisher “worked tirelessly to ensure that Gap Inc. always did more than sell clothes.” Gap hired Dickson in July 2023.

Gap noted that Doris Fisher’s influence extended beyond merchandising and store design. She helped shape the cultural tone of Gap advertising and product development, while maintaining a “steadfast” presence in the company’s expansion and pushing the company to focus on the customer's needs. Gap went public in 1976.

The Fishers also were involved in philanthropic endeavors. The couple amassed one of the largest private collections of modern and contemporary art in the country, Gap said. In 2009, the family pledged more than 1,100 works to the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, one of the largest gifts of its kind.

Doris Fisher was also an advocate of educational opportunities for disadvantaged students. She served on the board of Knowledge Is Power Program, known as KIPP, a network of high-performing charter schools aimed at creating opportunity for underserved students.

Born in San Francisco in 1931, Doris Feigenbaum grew up in a family “steeped in values of enterprise, culture, and community service,” according to Gap. She graduated from Stanford University in 1953, where she studied economics.

She is survived by her three sons — Robert, William, and John — all of whom have carried forward the family’s business and philanthropic commitments with San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, KIPP, Stanford University, The Boys & Girls Club of San Francisco, the San Francisco Symphony, and The Gap Foundation.

She is also survived by 10 grandchildren and 13 great grandchildren, the company said.

Torre's show — which has three episodes each week — has reported on several major stories since its debut in 2023. Topics include Jeffrey Epstein and his ties to Harvard, Madison Square Garden’s use of facial recognition software at games and team collusion in the NFL.

“We are honored to have been named the winner of the 2026 Pulitzer Prize in Audio Reporting!” the podcast’s official X account posted.

Last September, a report by Torre alleged that the Clippers violated NBA salary cap rules involving a $28 million endorsement contract between Leonard and the now-bankrupt California-based sustainability services company called Aspiration Fund Adviser LLC. The report led to an ongoing NBA investigation.

The Pulitzer judges called the project a “pioneering and entertaining form of live podcast journalism.”

Leonard has denied any wrongdoing, saying he didn’t receive all of the money he was owed from the company.

The Clippers have strongly denied that any rules were broken and said they welcomed the league’s investigation, which is being run by an outside firm.

Clippers owner Steve Ballmer made a $50 million investment in Aspiration, and the company and the team announced a $300 million partnership in September 2021. That was about a month after Leonard signed a four-year, $176 million extension with the Clippers.

The team ended its relationship with Aspiration after two years, saying the contract was in default. Aspiration’s co-founder, Joseph Sanberg, agreed to plead guilty in August after facing federal charges of wire fraud. Prosecutors said he defrauded investors and lenders out of $248 million, adding that “Aspiration’s financial statements were inaccurate and reflected much higher revenue than the company in fact received.”

Torre's podcast is produced by Meadowlark Media and licensed by The Athletic, which is owned by The New York Times Company. The 40-year-old Torre also has worked for Sports Illustrated and ESPN.

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

Tuesday will bring a mix of sun and clouds with the chance for a few showers or a spotty thunderstorm. Temperatures are forecast to reach the mid-80s - that is seasonable.

Details regarding the value and length of the extension were not released by the Pistons when they announced the deal on Monday.

The Pistons have gone 104-60 in regular-season games under Bickerstaff and made two playoff appearances since he took over for Monty Williams at the start of the 2024-25 season.

Detroit lost in the first round a year ago. This season, the Pistons had the best record in the Eastern Conference at 60-22 and on Sunday defeated Orlando 116-94 to close out a playoff series victory for the first time since 2008.

In the fall of 2024, Bickerstaff took over a Pistons franchise that had posted the NBA's worst record in each of the previous two seasons, including a 14-68 record in 2023-24.

Before Bickerstaff arrived, Detroit finished with the worst record in the NBA in consecutive seasons.

Detroit opens a second-round playoff series at home on Tuesday night against the Cleveland Cavaliers — a team Bickerstaff coached from the end of the 2019-2020 season through the 2023-24 campaign.

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

It will take place on Saturday and Sunday along the coast in Fort Lauderdale Beach.

The headliners are the U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds.

They arrived on Monday ahead of the annual spectacular show in the sky.

Local 10’s Jason Carter caught up with the Thunderbirds and his report can be seen at the top of this page.

Brockman, who also said he did not personally invest any money in OpenAI, was testifying Monday in the trial that centers on the company's 2015 founding as a nonprofit startup primarily funded by Elon Musk before evolving into a capitalistic venture now valued at $852 billion.

Brockman's disclosure would put him on the Forbes list of the world's richest people, with wealth comparable to Melinda French Gates.

The civil lawsuit accuses Altman and Brockman of double-crossing Musk by straying from the San Francisco company’s founding mission to be an altruistic steward of a revolutionary technology. The lawsuit alleges they shifted into a moneymaking mode behind Musk's back.

Late Sunday, OpenAI lawyers tried to admit as evidence a text message Musk sent to Brockman two days before the trial began. According to a court filing — which did not include the actual text exchange — Musk sent a message to Brockman to gauge interest in settlement.

When Brockman replied that both sides should drop their respective claims, Musk shot back, according to the filing, “By the end of this week, you and Sam will be the most hated men in America. If you insist, so it will be."

Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers, who is overseeing the trial, did not admit the text exchange as evidence.

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According to police, it happened at approximately 6:20 p.m. Sunday in the area of Northwest 187th Street and 44th Avenue.

Police said the victim was meeting with a teen to sell a watch, but the teen pulled out a gun and tried to take the item instead.

According to police, the victim then pushed the suspect and fired one shot, striking the teen in the hand.

Miami-Dade Fire Rescue personnel responded to the scene and airlifted the suspect to HCA Florida Aventura Hospital in stable condition.

Police said it’s unclear who owns the gun that was fired.

The suspect’s identity has not yet been released, however police confirmed Monday that he will transferred to jail once he is released from the hospital.

The Pulitzer board recognized AP journalists Dake Kang, Garance Burke, Byron Tau and Aniruddha Ghosal, along with contributor and independent journalist Yael Grauer, for what it called “an astonishing global investigation into state-of-the-art tools of mass surveillance” that also included a story about the expansion of license plate surveillance of drivers in United States by the U.S. Border Patrol.

AP Senior Vice President and Executive Editor Julie Pace said “this complex and difficult reporting, done by journalists across several continents, embodies the true spirit of the AP: leveraging our global footprint and deep expertise to tell important, impactful stories. It comes at a critical time when the immense and growing power of U.S. tech companies — and their increasingly complex relationship with governments — is in the spotlight and of immense public interest.”

The AP's investigation spanned three years, thousands of pages of documents and numerous interviews. It found that the foundations of the system used by the Chinese government to monitor and police its citizens over recent decades was laid down with the help of American companies. Some of the companies went so far as to use their tech's surveillance capabilities as a selling point.

“This was sweeping and deeply impactful reporting, the kind of work that highlights the unique strengths of AP’s global, multiformat newsroom,” Pace said in an email to staffers. She is among the Pulitzer Board’s new members.

Other stories included a look at how across presidential administrations, the U.S. government allowed tech companies and China to skirt regulations intended to bar that country from access to certain materials like advanced computer chips.

A piece looking at surveillance in the United States found that the Border Patrol was secretively using an intelligence program that used license plate information to track drivers' travel patterns, and not just for border crossings. Drivers whose patterns were deemed suspicious by an algorithm could then find themselves stopped and even arrested.

The AP highlighted the difficulty of undertaking the project, and said in its statement that journalists dealt with harassment and off-the-record pushes to keep the project from publishing.

The visually compelling project included multiple photographic and video elements, with notable contributions from AP photographer David Goldman and visual journalists Marshall Ritzel and Serginho Roosblad.

Other contributors included Michael Biesecker and Sam Mednick on a story that focused on how U.S. tech giants quietly empowered Israel to track and kill many more alleged militants more quickly in Gaza and Lebanon through a sharp spike in artificial intelligence and computing services. And it fueled fears that these tools contributed to the deaths of innocent people.

Global investigations editors Mary Rajkumar and Jeannie Ohm led and edited the “Made in America, Watched Worldwide” project. Investigative editor Tom Berman also contributed.

While an agreement was announced Saturday, it still must be approved by the board of the Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists, then ratified by a member vote. If both those things happen — as they're expected to — the industry will avoid a repeat of the 2023 actor and writer strikes that seriously shook the entertainment industry. This year's negotiations were drama-free, and more strikes never really appeared to be in the cards.

The tentative deal was announced in a joint statement from SAG-AFTRA and the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers, which represents a coalition of Hollywood's major studios, streamers and production companies.

The statement said no details would be made public until the union's board has had a chance to review them.

A person familiar with the negotiations told The Associated Press that the agreement was for a four-year contract instead of the long-standard three. The person spoke on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak publicly.

The union's main priorities going into talks included bolstering protections against the use of artificial intelligence creating synthetic performers or recreating likenesses of real actors. Also on the actors' agenda was securing improved long-term payments for re-aired shows, known in the industry as residuals.

In an interview with the AP shortly before talks began, actor and SAG-AFTRA President Sean Astin said the union had to fight to protect the gains made in the strike.

“There is no going back,” he said.

Astin said the studios were “sending signals of wanting stability, of wanting to work as partners.”

The studios also appeared cautiously optimistic that a fair deal would be reached.

It took about six weeks of talks for the two sides to reach the agreement. The negotiations began Feb. 9 but were interrupted while studios took a break from the actors' talks to negotiate with writers, who also reached a four-year agreement instead of their usual three-year deal.

The current SAG-AFTRA contract is set to expire June 30. Even in years without strikes, negotiations often come up to the brink or even go past the deadline.

With the actor talks completed, AMPTP negotiators are free to begin contract talks with the Directors Guild, the first under new president Christopher Nolan. Those are set to begin May 11.

The incident happened on Thursday at St. Malachy Catholic School, located at 7595 NW 61st St., according to the Broward Sheriff’s Office.

Authorities said CCTV footage showed Yakine Jones, 26, jumping the fences as “several students ran away from (him).”

Deputies said the students were “clearly in fear” of Jones.

According to a BSO arrest report, the video showed Jones trying to conceal himself behind a wall. Then, deputies said a 7-year-old girl came up to him and the “two appeared to have a conversation.”

In the report, BSO Deputy Steven Lees described a disturbing interaction caught on camera.

“As Jones was speaking with the (girl), he lifted his shirt slightly and touched (his) upper pubic area,” the deputy wrote. “The outline of Jones’ penis was visible through the material of his green basketball shorts and he had a visible erection.”

Authorities said a staff member then confronted him and he ran away.

The girl “was too frightened to recall what Jones said to her on the playground,” the report states.

Deputies said they were able to identify him through the footage and his license plate and on Friday, they arrested Jones on charges of child enticement, burglary, criminal mischief and disturbing a school function.

They noted in their report that Jones, then living in Plantation, had been arrested by that city’s police force “for soliciting sex with a minor” in 2022.

Broward court records show the case was later dropped, however.

As of Monday afternoon, records show he was being held at the BSO Main Jail on a $36,000 bond.

“The good news is I'm responding really well to meds and treatments and I'm improving every day,” the 80-year-old country superstar said in a short video posted to her official Instagram account. “Now the bad news is, it's going to take me a little while before I'm up to stage-performance level because some of the meds and treatments make me a lit bit swimmy headed, as my grandma used to say.”

“And of course, I can’t be dizzy carrying around banjos, guitars, and such on five-inch heels — and you know that I’m going to be wearing them,” she joked. “Not to mention, all those heavy rhinestone outfits, the big hair, my big … uh, personality. Lord, those — that would make anybody swimmy headed!”

She didn’t share too many details about her health but clarified that she’s always “had problems with my kidney stones,” and that her immune system and digestive system “got all out of whack over the past couple three years and they’re working real hard on rebuilding and strengthening those.”

She also clarified that her doctors have assured her “that everything I have is treatable, so I'm going with that.”

She said that she is still working on opening her museum and hotel in Nashville as well as her forthcoming Broadway musical, “Dolly: A True Original Musical,” opening in New York later this year.

Parton's previous health challenges

In September, Parton announced her first Las Vegas residency in 32 years was going to be postponed due to “health challenges.” She was scheduled to perform six shows at The Colosseum at Caesars Palace for “Dolly: Live in Las Vegas” in December, overlapping with the National Finals Rodeo. Her dates were moved to this September, before being canceled on Monday.

“Don’t worry about me quittin’ the business because God hasn’t said anything about stopping yet,” she said at the time of the postponement. “But I believe he is telling me to slow down right now so I can be ready for more big adventures with all of you.”

Last September, Parton also was unable to attend the announcement of a new ride at her Tennessee theme park Dollywood due to health issues. “I had a kidney stone that was causing me a lot of problems, turned out it’d given me an infection, and the doctor said, ‘You don’t need to be traveling right this minute, so you need a few days to get better,’” Parton said in a video announcement at the time.

The following month, Parton posted a video to social media joking that she “ain’t dead yet,” following public speculation about her health.

“There are just a lot of rumors flying around. But I figured if you heard it from me, you’d know that I was OK,” she said in a two-minute video posted on Instagram. “I’m not ready to die yet. I don’t think God is through with me. And I ain’t done working.”

Parton performs on occasion but hasn’t toured since her “Pure & Simple Tour” ended in 2016.

A representative directed The Associated Press' back to Parton's video message when asked for comment.

Secret Service Deputy Director Matt Quinn said plainclothes agents spotted the man around 3:30 p.m. in the area near the White House complex and saw the imprint of the weapon on him. The agents followed him briefly and contacted the uniformed officers.

The unidentified man attempted to flee when uniformed officers with the Secret Service approached him. Quinn said the man fired at the officers, who returned fire.

The alleged gunman was transported to a local hospital. Quinn said he had no information on the suspect's condition.

Quinn said emergency personnel also transported a minor who was shot but not seriously injured. Quinn said he could not say definitively that the bystander, who also was taken to a hospital, was struck by shots from the suspect's gun. “We’ll let the doctors figure that out,” he said, though he noted that “investigators believe he was struck by the suspect.”

Quinn said the Washington, D.C., police would investigate the officer-involved shooting.

The Secret Service encouraged people to avoid the area as emergency crews responded to the shooting not far from the White House, where President Donald Trump was holding a small business event.

The White House was briefly locked down as authorities investigated the incident. The Secret Service ushered journalists who were outside into the briefing room, and Trump continued his event without interruption.

The incident drew a large police presence, coming just over a week after a gunman tried to storm the White House Correspondents’ Association dinner with guns and knives. Cole Tomas Allen has been charged in that incident, in which a Secret Service officer was shot, although he was wearing body armor and was not seriously injured.

Quinn said it was not known yet whether the Monday incident was related to Trump. “I’m not going to guess on that,” Quinn said. “Whether or not it was directed to the president or not, I don’t know, but we will find out.”

U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration agents tracked the cocaine from Colombia to “high-end fishing vessels” that had been traveling from the Dominican Republic to Miami, records show.

The case also included a search warrant that netted 536 kilos of that cocaine, $3.1 million in cash, and 14 weapons at an apartment in Miami’s Midtown neighborhood, records show.

Daniel “Mickey” Hernandez, Frank Gonzalez, Alexander “Al Biggs” Walker, Jose “Lil Cuz” Diaz, and Humberto “Kiki” Moreno each faced a charge of conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance.

Hernandez, 38, who Investigators identified as a key distributor, and Diaz, also known as “Pri,” 33, also face charges over distribution offenses.

Walker, 50, and Gonzalez, 45, also faced charges for possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance, possession of firearms in furtherance of drug trafficking, and possession of firearms and ammunition as convicted felons.

According to the Florida Department of Corrections, Walker was last released from prison on Nov. 20, 2022. He had been sentenced to 7 years in prison in 2018 for cocaine trafficking in 2012 and 2016.

El secretario de Seguridad, Omar García Harfuch, dijo que Rocha no la pidió, pero que se tomó la decisión después de hacer una evaluación de su situación. Indicó que no había "ningún indicio, ni ningún dato de que pueda ser atacado o siquiera de que tenga alguna amenaza”. No ofreció más detalles sobre la medida.

“Hasta donde tengo entendido sigue aquí en Sinaloa”, agregó desde la capital del estado, Culiacán, adonde viajó con los secretarios de Defensa y Marina para reunirse con la recién nombrada gobernadora interina, la también oficialista Yeraldine Bonilla, y garantizar la coordinación con ella.

La acusación estadounidense desató un terremoto en México porque Rocha, de 76 años, es un político del mismo partido de Sheinbaum, muy cercano al expresidente Andrés Manuel López Obrador, pero también por la delicada situación en la que quedó la mandataria entre apoyar a su partido o satisfacer las demandas de la administración de Donald Trump, cada vez más ansiosa por intervenir militarmente contra los cárteles.

Además, la acusación llegó en medio de la polémica por la muerte de dos agentes de la CIA en el norte del país que participaban en un operativo antidroga sin el consentimiento del gobierno federal, un tema sobre el que la fiscalía federal anunció el lunes que fueron citadas cerca de 50 personas que participaron en la acción.

En el caso de Sinaloa, el gobierno mexicano insiste en que no hay pruebas suficientes ni “urgencia” para detener provisionalmente con fines de extradición ni a Rocha y a los otros acusados, tal y como pidió Estados Unidos. México argumenta que no les han presentado evidencias que lo justifiquen.

Los fiscales de Nueva York acusan a Rocha y a otros nueve funcionarios y ex funcionarios de ayudar al Cártel de Sinaloa a introducir fentanilo, heroína, cocaína y metanfetamina desde México a Estados Unidos. Además señalaron que el gobernador con licencia recibió apoyo de los hijos de Joaquín “El Chapo” Guzmán para ganar las elecciones que le llevaron al poder en 2021. Rocha negó todos los cargos.

“Nosotros no cubrimos a nadie pero, por favor, pruebas”, dijo Sheinbaum el lunes durante su conferencia matutina. “La presidenta no agacha la cabeza... va a defender la soberanía por encima de todo y que también vamos a actuar con justicia”, afirmó.

Desde que Sheinbaum llegó al poder se han incrementado las detenciones de importantes líderes criminales así como los decomisos de droga sobre todo en Sinaloa y, según García Harfuch, “nunca hemos tenido una obstrucción por parte de algún funcionario del gobierno del estado” para realizar tales acciones.

Violencia no cesa

Culiacán recibió al gabinete de seguridad federal con controles militares en muchos puntos de la ciudad que detenían a todo tipo de vehículos que se volvieron más visible en los últimos días y en medio de la violencia que azota al estado desde septiembre de 2024 cuando después de la detención de dos líderes del Cártel de Sinaloa la organización criminal inició una sangrienta guerra interna.

En estos momentos hay más de 13.000 militares desplegados por todo el estado, entre ellos más de 2.700 miembros de las fuerzas especiales de distintas corporaciones tanto policiales como del Ejército y la Marina.

El relevo en la gubernatura no cambió nada en la ciudad. Entre el 30 de abril y el 3 de mayo al menos 25 asesinatos fueron reportados en la ciudad, entre los que se cuentan el de un líder sindical y el ataque en un centro comercial de Culiacán.

García Harfuch dijo que no se ha detectado un incremento de la violencia en los últimos días aunque garantizó que el gobierno federal “no se va a retirar” y que seguirá trabajando por la seguridad del estado “reforzando las acciones que haya que reforzar y corrigiendo lo que se tenga que corregir”.

Winners announced Monday include two books rooted in the country's founding. Jill Lepore's “We the People: A History of the U.S. Constitution” won for history, and Amanda Vaill's “Pride and Pleasure: The Schuyler Sisters in an Age of Revolution” was the winner for biography. Yiyun Li’s “Things in Nature Merely Grow,” her blunt account of the suicides of her two sons, was cited for memoir-autobiography. “There is No Place for Us: Working and Homeless in America,” by Brian Goldstone, won for general nonfiction.

The poetry prize went to Juliana Spahr's “Ars Poeticas,” and the music award was given to Gabriela Lena Frank for “Picaflor: A Future Myth,” a symphonic work inspired by Andean legend and California wildfires.

The 50-year-old Kraus has had a diverse and prolific career quite unlike the average Pulitzer fiction winner. He has written horror, science fiction, graphic novels and books for kids. He has collaborated with filmmakers George Romero and Guillermo del Toro, whose Oscar-winning “The Shape of Water” was conceived with Kraus' help. He has received numerous prizes over the years, including the Bram Stoker Award for horror, but had never imagined he'd win a Pulitzer. When he began receiving texts Monday — that included such messages as “Wow!” — he worried that he had somehow gotten himself in trouble.

Pulitzer officials praised “Angel Down” as “a stylistic tour-de-force that blends such genres as allegory, magical realism, and science fiction into a cohesive whole, told in a single sentence.” Kraus said that he at first used a conventional narrative but found that abandoning traditional punctuation better suited a story of war that seemingly had no end.

“It's like you have the feeling of being locked into the book forever,” he told The Associated Press during a telephone interview.

Wohl’s memory play collects second-wave feminists from all walks of life as they tackle misogyny, internalized homophobia, domestic abuse and gender roles. The play navigates between past and present, and six of the actors disrobe for the Act 2 opening scene. The win comes a day before the Tony Award nominations, when “Liberation” is expected to be named in the best new play category.

Lepore is a New Yorker staff writer and Harvard University professor whose Pulitzer helps confirm her as one of the country's most prominent historians. Her previous honors include the Bancroft Prize for “The Name of War” and the Anisfield-Wolf Book Award for “New York Burning.” In 2023, she contributed an introduction to Paul McCartney's book of Beatles photos, “1964: Eyes of the Storm.”

Goldstone is a journalist whose work has appeared in The New York Times, The New Republic and other publications. Spahr is a poet, critic and editor whose prize-winning collection is a statement of poetry's vitality during the darkest times, and Frank is a Grammy-nominated artist known for combining influences ranging from Latin American folklore to Western classical music.

___

Associated Press Entertainment Writer Mark Kennedy contributed.

A spokesperson for the Secret Service said that Alexis Mario Nordelo, 32, of northwest Miami-Dade, went up to a security screening area, “became disruptive and failed to comply with lawful orders.”

Authorities said he then “made physical contact with a member of the Secret Service,” leading Doral police to arrest him on misdemeanor disorderly conduct and resisting arrest charges.

“The President was not on site at the time of the incident,” the Secret Service spokesperson said. “At no point did this situation impact the established security posture for the President’s visit to Trump Doral National Golf Club by (the) Secret Service.”

A Doral Police Department report indicates that officers believed Nordelo was under the influence of alcohol at the time.

Records show he was released from jail the following morning after posting a $1,000 bond.

In a year when several prize-winning projects zoomed in on the Trump presidency, the Post's coverage illuminated the administration's fast-moving, sometimes opaque drive to reshape the national government and what the cuts and changes meant for individual Americans.

The Miami Herald’s Julie K. Brown was given a special citation for her reporting, nearly a decade ago, that drew attention to Jeffrey Epstein ’s abuses. The New York Times won three of the coveted prizes, the Post and Reuters each won two, and less widely known outlets ranging from The Connecticut Mirror to the podcast “Pablo Torre Finds Out” also were recognized in a challenging year for American journalism.

“This is always a day of celebration in our communities, but perhaps never more so than today as we face tremendous political and economic pressures,” prize administrator Marjorie Miller said in a livestream announcement.

In the last few months, the Post cut a third of its staff, CBS News announced it would shutter its nearly century-old radio service, The AP offered buyouts to over 120 journalists and some regional newspapers also publicly struggled. CBS parent Paramount’s acquisition of CNN has raised questions about what’s next for those networks. Meanwhile, President Donald Trump continued to bash, and sometimes sue, outlets whose coverage he finds objectionable.

‘Sweeping and deeply impactful reporting’

Spanning three years, thousands of pages of documents and numerous interviews, the AP project found that American companies help lay the foundations of the Chinese government’s system for monitoring and policing its citizens.

“This was sweeping and deeply impactful reporting, the kind of work that highlights the unique strengths of AP’s global, multiformat newsroom,” executive editor Julie Pace said in an email to staffers. She is among the Pulitzer Board's new members.

Some of The Washington Post's winning work was by reporter Hannah Natanson, whose home was searched and devices were seized in what federal authorities say was an investigation into a Pentagon contractor’s handling of classified documents. The Post says the seizure violated the First Amendment.

Two winning entries focused on Trump's pulverizing approach to norms and constraints. Reuters, which won for national reporting, looked at how Trump has used the federal government and his supporters’ influence to expand presidential authority and target foes, the award judges noted. The Times took the investigative reporting prize for exploring the Republican president’s boundary-pushing approach to the notion of conflicts of interest.

Joseph Kahn, executive editor of the Times, said its reporters have been threatened over their work. “We have not, and will not” bow to the pressure, he said in a statement.

Reuters' reporting on scam ads, AI chatbots and the social media giant Meta — which owns Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp — won the beat reporting prize, last given two decades ago.

Reuters' wins spotlighted "fearless, deeply reported, original work that holds powerful institutions to account,” editor-in-chief Alessandra Galloni said in a statement.

Visual journalism honors included a graphic novel

The prize for breaking news went to The Minnesota Star Tribune’s coverage of last year’s deadly mass shooting during Mass at a Minneapolis Catholic school. Judges praised the thoroughness and compassion of the newspaper’s reporting on a scene of carnage in its hometown.

“To me, it’s really a moment to appreciate the power of local journalism,” Kathleen Hennessey, the Star Tribune's editor and senior vice president, said in an interview. One Tribune reporter who lives in the neighborhood heard the gunshots and called 911 before running to the scene, she noted; an editor at the paper has children who attend the school.

“It feels really gratifying to be recognized, but for this newsroom, this is also just still a really painful event,” Hennessey said.

The San Francisco Chronicle received the award for explanatory reporting, which means work that makes a complex topic comprehensible to everyday readers and viewers. The Chronicle's series laid out how insurers, aided by algorithmic tools, undervalued and denied rebuilding claims for fire-destroyed homes, the judges said.

In visual journalism, The Times got a breaking news photography award for depicting devastation and starvation in Gaza resulting from Israel's war in the territory. The Post won the feature photography prize, for a visual essay on a family welcoming a firstborn as the child’s father grappled with terminal cancer. The award for illustrated reporting and commentary — a category that includes editorial cartoons and more — went to Bloomberg for a graphic novel about online scams that threaten “digital arrest.”

In a statement, Bloomberg Editor-in-Chief John Micklethwait called it "deeply reported public service journalism, published in an inventive format.”

While several prizes reflected the year’s biggest news stories, others highlighted work that wasn’t pushed to everyone’s phones.

One of two local reporting awards went to The Connecticut Mirror and ProPublica for a series on how towing companies profited off Connecticut laws, at the expense of poor car owners; the state soon changed the laws. The Chicago Tribune also was honored for its coverage of the Trump administration’s intense immigration crackdown in the Windy City.

A 'pioneering' live podcast investigation

Texas Monthly won the feature writing award for an editor's first-person story of flooding that killed his toddler nephew and swept his home away. Also in Texas, The Dallas Morning News' architecture critic won the criticism award; judges praised Mark Lamster's wit and expertise. The New York Times' M. Gessen won the opinion writing award for essays on authoritarianism.

The audio award went to “Pablo Torre Finds Out” for probing financial arrangements between Los Angeles Clippers superstar Kawhi Leonard and an environmental startup in which the team owner invested. The judges called the project a “pioneering and entertaining form of live podcast journalism.” It's produced by Meadowlark Media and licensed by the New York Times Co.-owned sports site The Athletic.

The Pulitzer announcement — usually followed by a dinner later in the year — came little more than a week after an armed man rushed a security checkpoint and exchanged gunfire with Secret Service agents outside another big event for U.S. journalists, the White House Correspondents’ Association dinner in Washington. The man is now charged with trying to assassinate Trump, who was attending the event for his first time as president.

Separately, Monday’s awards also honored books, music and theater.

The prizes were established in newspaper publisher Joseph Pulitzer’s will and were first awarded in 1917. Winners receive $15,000, and the public service award carries a gold medal. Decisions are made by the Pulitzer Board, based at Columbia University in New York.

___

Associated Press writer Sarah Raza contributed from Canton, Michigan.

State Farm violated the law hundreds of times in a sampling of 220 cases, Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara said. The maximum penalty amount allowed by law would be around $4 million if State Farm is found to be “willful” in violating state law. Regulators may also temporarily suspend the company's license, effectively prohibiting the state's largest home insurer from writing new policies for a year in California.

The two fires were devastating — they led to the deaths of 31 people and destroyed more than 16,000 structures.

State Farm said in a statement it rejected any suggestions it “engaged in a general practice of mishandling or intentionally underpaying wildfire claims" and called the state's insurance market “dysfunctional.” The company said it has paid out more than $5.7 billion on 13,700 auto and home insurance claims related to the fires.

“The threat to suspend State Farm General’s ability to serve customers over primarily administrative and procedural errors is a reckless, politically motivated attack that could ultimately cripple California’s homeowners insurance market," the statement said.

The legal action comes as California struggles with an ongoing insurance crisis, where companies are boosting rates, limiting coverage or pulling out completely from regions susceptible to wildfires and other natural disasters. In 2023, several major insurance companies, including State Farm, either paused or restricted new coverage in the state. They said they can’t truly price the risk on properties as wildfires become more common and destructive due to climate change.

The state now gives insurers more latitude to raise premiums in exchange for issuing more policies in high-risk areas. That includes regulations allowing insurers to consider climate change when setting their prices and allowing them to pass on the costs of reinsurance to California consumers.

Lara last year also approved State Farm's request to raise premiums by 17% for homeowners to help the company avoid a financial crisis after the LA fires. State Farm also agreed to not cancel any new polices this year in an agreement with the department and a consumer group in March.

Lara launched the investigation last June after survivors of the Palisades and Eaton fires said that State Farm was delaying and mishandling claims regarding damage to their homes and possible contamination from smoke.

“Our investigation found that State Farm delayed, underpaid, and buried policyholders in red tape at the worst moment of their lives. That is unacceptable, and we are taking decisive action to hold them accountable,” Lara said in a statement.

The department looked at 220 random claims filed to State Farm and found roughly 400 violations. They included underpayment and slow or inadequate claim processing. State Farm handled about one third of all residential claims filed after the fires, state officials said. The department said thousands of people might be affected by the unlawful behaviors.

In one case, State Farm waited nearly three months before starting to investigate a claim, according to the state. In another, the company delayed paying a customer for months while internally acknowledging the payment should have been approved. The company also caused confusion for a customer after assigning a dozen claim adjusters to the case within four months.

State Farm also illegally denied payments for hygienic testing for toxins in smoke damage claims, the legal filings said.

State Farm is the second insurer to face legal actions from the state over its handling of LA fire claims. The department is also seeking remedies against the FAIR Plan for denying smoke damage claims. The plan is an insurance pool that all the major private insurers pay into, and the plan then issues policies to people who can’t get private insurance because their properties are deemed too risky to insure.

Según la policía, el hecho ocurrió aproximadamente a las 6:20 p.m. del domingo en el área de Northwest 187th Street y 44th Avenue.

La policía indicó que la víctima se había citado con un adolescente para venderle un reloj, pero el joven sacó un arma y trató de arrebatárselo.

Según la policía, la víctima empujó entonces al sospechoso y disparó un tiro, alcanzando al adolescente en la mano.

El personal de Miami-Dade Fire Rescue respondió al lugar y trasladó al sospechoso en helicóptero al HCA Florida Aventura Hospital en estado estable.

La identidad del sospechoso aún no ha sido divulgada.

Según el informe de arresto, el incidente ocurrió el martes pasado en el área de Southwest Eighth Street y 87th Avenue.

Los detectives dijeron que Roxana Castaneda, de Miami, siguió el vehículo de la víctima por varias cuadras antes de que ambos se detuvieran en un semáforo.

Castaneda salió entonces de su vehículo, golpeó el capó del auto de la víctima, causando una pequeña abolladura, y luego metió el brazo por la ventana delantera del pasajero y golpeó la mano del conductor, según las autoridades.

Los detectives dijeron que luego huyó del lugar.

Según el informe, la víctima, que no resultó herida, grabó la mayor parte del incidente con su teléfono celular. Su vehículo sufrió daños por aproximadamente $300.

De acuerdo con el informe, Castaneda, quien es técnica de uñas, fue arrestada el viernes en Baby Nail Bar, ubicado en 1305 SW 107th Ave.

El informe indica que mientras era transportada a la Estación Midwest, preguntó de qué se le acusaba y luego dijo: “¿Es porque metí la mano en el carro? Quería agarrar su teléfono. Si no hubiera intentado agarrar su teléfono, ¿habría pasado todo esto?”

Una vez en la estación, invocó su derecho a guardar silencio y se negó a dar una declaración, dijeron los detectives.

Castaneda enfrenta cargos de allanamiento con agresión o batería y daños criminales a la propiedad.

Hasta el lunes por la mañana, Castaneda permanecía detenida en el Centro Correccional Turner Guilford Knight con una fianza de $150.

Leer en español

According to an arrest report, the incident happened last Tuesday in the area of Southwest Eighth Street and 87^th Avenue.

Deputies said Roxana Castaneda, of Miami, followed the victim’s vehicle for several blocks before they both stopped at a traffic light.

Castaneda then exited her vehicle, struck the hood of the victim’s car, causing a small dent, and then reached into the victim’s vehicle through his front passenger-side window and struck his hand, authorities said.

Deputies said she then fled the scene.

According to the report, the victim, who was not injured, recorded most of the incident with his cellphone.

His vehicle sustained about $300 in damage, authorities said.

According to the report, Castaneda, who is a nail technician, was arrested Friday at the Baby Nail Bar, located at 1305 SW 107^th Ave.

The report states that as she was being transported to the Midwest Station, she asked what she was being charged with and then said, “Is it because I reached into the car? I reached out for his phone. If I would have not reached for his phone, would all of this have happened?”

Once at the station, she invoked her right to remain silent and refused to provide a statement, deputies said.

Castaneda faces charges of burglary with assault or battery and criminal mischief.

As of Monday morning, Castaneda remained held at the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center on a $150 bond.

Leer en español

According to court documents obtained by Local 10 News on Monday, Davie police responded to the trailer of Buech E Allen Michael Carter, 42, in the 13400 block of Southwest Seventh Court on Thursday after a nearby resident alerted them to the tethered dog.

The neighbor said she hadn’t “seen the dog’s owner for two days,” an arrest report states. According to police, the neighbor said that she had checked on the dog multiple times and never saw food or water.

Police said she told them that the dog had a “small, empty silver bowl within reach that it constantly pawed at” and said she “noticed the dog seemed distressed and was panting since it had no shade from the heat.”

In the report, Davie Police Department Officer Erinn Sarandria wrote that she saw the blue heeler mix outside, tethered with a rope “clipped to a silver choke chain around the dog`s neck.”

“The concrete within the circumference of the dog’s range of motion was covered in urine and feces,” she wrote. “A small silver bowl was within reach but was overturned and empty. I provided the dog a bottle of water, which he finished immediately. From where the dog was tethered, he had no shelter from the elements and was completely exposed.”

Police said they determined that Carter was the tenant of the mobile home and that he “had been previously investigated for a similar animal neglect issue in 2024 involving another dog left tethered in the same manner, also without access to food and water” and received several citations.

Sarandria wrote that as she investigated the situation, Carter came by.

“He said someone was supposed to come by and give the dog ‘Kai’ food and water and put him back inside. He said Kai does not usually stay outside,” she wrote. “However, when I asked him to provide me the contact information for the person who was supposed to be checking on Kai, he refused. I eventually convinced him to provide me her contact information so I could confirm his version of events but the call went straight to voicemail.”

Sarandria wrote that when she asked him about the previous case, “he simply said that dog was not his.”

She concluded that Carter “continues to have no regard for the health and safety of dogs under his care and control” and arrested him on two charges, a felony and a misdemeanor, related to animal cruelty and neglect.

As of Monday, he remained in the Broward Main Jail on a $6,000 bond.

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Inspection records show Iron Sushi had multiple extended closure periods since July 2025, in which the restaurant was shut down and kept closed through repeated failed re-inspections before being allowed to reopen.

Before that, the restaurant logged nine routine inspections marked “follow-up required” dating back to 2023, pointing to a history of ongoing issues.

All the places mentioned were allowed to re-open following an ordered cleanup and re-inspection.

**TIJUANA FLATS

6204 WEST SAMPLE ROAD

CORAL SPRINGS

ORDERED SHUT 4/30

6 VIOLATIONS

“Roach activity present as evidenced by live roaches found. Observed 1 live roach in between wall and three compartment sink in ware washing area in kitchen. Operator removed cleaned and sanitized Observed approximately 5 live roaches behind/on back of fire extinguisher sign on wall in ware washing area in kitchen. Operator removed sign and discarded, cleaned and sanitized. Observed 2 live roaches on corn hole game board locating in dining room. Operator removed from establishment. Observed 1 live roach on base board behind corn hole board located in dining room. Operator removed. Observed 1 live roach on ground under rack holding buckets of chips on cook line in kitchen.”

“Dead roaches on premises. Observed approximately 20 dead roaches behind/on back of fire extinguisher sign on wall in ware washing area in kitchen. Operator removed and discarded sign, cleaned snd sanitized wall. Observed 1 dead roach on ground outside of walk in cooler in kitchen Observed 1 dead roach on ground behind corn hole board located in dining room.”

**IRON SUSHI

9030 SW 72ND PL.

DADELAND

INSPECTION BASED ON COMPLAINT

ORDERED SHUT 4/28

10 VIOLATIONS FOUND

ALSO ORDERED SHUT FROM 11/17/25-11/24/25(ROACH ISSUE)

ORDERED SHUT 11/4/25 (ROACH ISSUE)

ORDERED SHUT 9/29/25 (ROACH ISSUE)

ORDERED SHUT 7/28/25-8/1/25 (ROACH ISSUE)

“Live, small flying insects found. Observed 3 live flies on wall next to cook line in kitchen area. Observed 3 live flies on dry food and dish rack next to reach in cooler on cook line in kitchen area. Observed 2 live flies on wall in dining area. Observed 3 live flies above front counter where miso soup and utensils and plates are held, near air vent. Observed 8 live flies on wall and extension cord at kitchen area entry.”

“Interior of refrigerator or freezer in disrepair/has exposed insulation. Observed at ice machine in kitchen area. Repeat Violation.”

“Ceiling/ceiling tiles/vents soiled with accumulated food debris, grease, dust, or mold-like substance. Observed in kitchen and front counter.”

“Raw animal food stored over/not properly separated from ready-to-eat food. Observed raw salmon stored above edamame in cooler next to cook line.”

“No soap provided at handwash sink. Observed no soap at hand sink in kitchen.” Repeat Violation."

**LA JATO RESTAURANT

3970 WEST 16TH AVE.

HIALEAH

ORDERED SHUT 4/28

20 VIOLATIONS FOUND

“Roach activity present as evidenced by live roaches found. Observed approximately 1 live roach crawling on top of cut red onions inside container and on top of cut tomatoes inside container at reach in cooler next to stove at kitchen area. Also observed approximately 1 live roach on the floor in front of three compartment sink at kitchen area.”

“Dead roaches on premises. Observed approximately 1 dead roach under reach in cooler next to stove at kitchen area. Also observed approximately 1 dead roach under three compartment sink at kitchen area. Also observed approximately 1 dead roach on top of metal tray inside three compartment sink at kitchen area.”

“Pesticide/insecticide labeled for household use only present in establishment. Observed bottle of roaches pesticide stored inside container next to kitchen back door.”

“Accumulation of black/green mold-like substance in the interior of the ice machine/bin. Observed ice machine interior soiled with black mold like substance at front counter.”

“Food-contact surface soiled with food debris, mold-like substance or slime. Observed can opener blade soiled under preparation table at kitchen area.”

“Ceiling/ceiling tile shows damage or is in disrepair. Observed ceiling tiles with water damage at kitchen area. Observed hole on ceiling tile at kitchen entrance. Repeat Violation.”

“Stop Sale issued on time/temperature control for safety food due to temperature abuse. Observed Minced ginger (65F - Cold Holding); Sliced tomatoes (68F - Cold Holding); Raw beef (68F - Cold Holding); Raw Shrimp (63F - Cold Holding) inside reach in cooler next to stove at kitchen area. As per employee for more than 24 hours. Also observed Boiled egg (45F - Cold Holding); Cut tomatoes (46F - Cold Holding) inside reach in cooler next to three compartment sink at kitchen area. As per employee for more than 24 hours.”

“Time/temperature control for safety food cold held at greater than 41 degrees Fahrenheit. Observed Minced ginger (65F - Cold Holding); Sliced tomatoes (68F - Cold Holding); Raw beef (68F - Cold Holding); Raw Shrimp (63F - Cold Holding) inside reach in cooler next to stove at kitchen area. As per employee for more than 24 hours. Also observed Boiled egg (45F - Cold Holding); Cut tomatoes (46F - Cold Holding) inside reach in cooler next to three compartment sink at kitchen area. As per employee for more than 24 hours.”

**LOS CATRACHOS

755 WEST FLAGLER ST.

MIAMI

ORDERED SHUT 4/29

14 VIOLATONS FOUND

“Live, small flying insects found. Observed approximately 30 plus flies landing on clean food equipment in the kitchen area and flying around food preparation area in the kitchen.”

“Ceiling not smooth, nonabsorbent and easily cleanable in food preparation, food storage, or ware washing areas. Observed at front counter. Repeat Violation.”

“Food-contact surfaces not sanitized after cleaning, before use. Do not use equipment/utensils not properly sanitized. Observed employee was not sanitizing utensils properly. Employee was coached how to sanitize utensils.”

“Employee handled soiled equipment or utensils and then engaged in food preparation, handled clean equipment or utensils, or touched unwrapped single-service items without washing hands. Observed employee handled dirty dishes to the 3 compartment area and then handled clean equipment without washing hands.”

“Handwash sink used for purposes other than handwashing. Observed a bowl and scrub stored inside the hand wash sink at the front counter. Repeat Violation.”

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Investigators said Axel Jordany Martinez-Morales, 21, had been “involved in a dating relationship on and off” with the girl since December.

According to the Homestead Police Department, the girl had been reported missing on April 19 and officers found her hidden in the laundry room at his home in the 100 block of Northeast Ninth Court.

An HPD report states that the girl told investigators that she met Martinez-Morales “through a classmate” when he was 20 and she was 13 and they began dating after she turned 14.

Police arrested Martinez-Morales on charges of lewd and lascivious molestation and interference with custody on April 24.

Investigators said the teen later had a positive pregnancy test and “tested positive for a sexually transmitted infection.”

Investigators said Martinez-Morales harbored her at his home knowing that she was a runaway but said he denied engaging in sexual activity with her. They said he “admitted to concealing her in the (laundry) room to let her sleep because he didn’t want issues with his family for bringing her into the home.”

Authorities said they took a saliva sample from him and slapped him with additional charges on Friday. Those new charges include 11 additional felonies: 10 counts of lewd and lascivious battery and one count of impregnating a child.

The Guatemalan national also faces a misdemeanor charge of sheltering an unmarried minor.

As of Monday, Martinez-Morales remained in the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center on a $90,500 bond.

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They held a news conference Monday outside of FIFA’s host committee headquarters in Coral Gables.

Activists called for a moratorium on immigration enforcement during the games and related events.

“We think it’s a very rational ask,” Thomas Kennedy, with the Florida Immigrant Coalition, said.

The news conference doubled as a travel advisory and warning for visitors coming to Miami for the games. The local advocates say some people may not be safe and could be illegally detained for simply being here trying to enjoy the games or working the event.

Advocates say they’re not calling for panic ― but preparation. They say once the crowds and the cameras arrive for the games, it may be too late for a warning.

Yareliz Mendez, with the American Friends Service Committee, advised attendees to know their rights.

“Like, for example, the right to remain silent, the right to speak to an attorney, the right to talk with your consulate,” Mendez said. “Those are some of the things that we’re encouraging people to go ahead and do. Connect with your consulate before you come.”

Local 10 went to the FIFA offices seeking comment. Nobody answered when we knocked at the door. A phone call to World Cup organizers also wasn’t returned.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in response said his country would observe a truce beginning at 12 a.m. on Wednesday and respond in kind to Russia's actions from that moment on. He did not put an end date on the truce.

The announcements on Monday come as Russia prepares to celebrate its most important secular holiday with a traditional military parade on Moscow's Red Square pared down due to what officials say are concerns over possible Ukrainian attacks. Ukraine has been launching drone attacks deep inside Russia to counter its more than 4-year-old invasion.

They also follow a familiar pattern of previous attempts to secure ceasefires — most recently around Orthodox Easter — that had little to no impact.

The Defense Ministry said if Ukraine attempts to disrupt Saturday's celebrations, Russia will carry out a “massive missile strike on the center of Kyiv.” It warned the civilian population there and employees of foreign diplomatic missions of "the need to leave the city promptly.”

Zelenskyy responded by saying that while Kyiv has not received any official requests for a truce, in the time left until midnight on Wednesday “it is realistic to ensure” that a ceasefire takes effect. He urged the Kremlin “to take real steps to end their war, especially since Russia’s Defense Ministry believes it cannot hold a parade in Moscow without Ukraine’s goodwill.”

For years, the Kremlin has used the pomp-filled Victory Day parade to showcase its military might and global clout, and it has been a source of patriotic pride.

But this year, the parade in the Russian capital will take place without tanks, missiles and other military equipment for the first time in nearly two decades. Some of the smaller parades that are held elsewhere across the country have also been pared down or even canceled for security reasons.

Speaking at a summit with European leaders in Armenia on Monday, Zelenskyy said that the Russian authorities “fear drones may buzz over Red Square” on May 9. “This is telling. It shows they are not strong now, so we must keep up the pressure through sanctions on them,” he said.

World War II remains a rare point of consensus in Russia's divisive history under Communist rule. The Soviet Union lost 27 million people in what it called the Great Patriotic War in 1941-45, an enormous sacrifice that left a deep scar in the national psyche.

Russian President Vladimir Putin, who has ruled Russia for over 25 years, has turned Victory Day into a key pillar of his tenure and has tried to use it to justify the war in Ukraine.

Last year’s parade on the 80th anniversary drew the most global leaders to Moscow in a decade, including high-profile guests like Chinese President Xi Jinping, Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and Slovakia’s Prime Minister Robert Fico.

Fico will attend the parade this year, as well.

Putin had declared a unilateral 72-hour ceasefire starting May 7, 2025, and authorities blocked cellphone internet in Moscow for several days to avert Ukrainian drone attacks.

Last week, Putin floated the idea of a ceasefire for Victory Day this year, too, in a phone conversation with U.S. President Donald Trump.

Russian media reported Monday that the country's cellphone operators have begun to warn their customers of cellphone internet restrictions in Moscow and St. Petersburg in the coming days.

Detroit Tigers manager A.J. Hinch told reporters that the left-hander felt discomfort in his elbow on Sunday, less than a week after an injury scare against the Atlanta Braves. The 29-year-old — set to become a free agent next offseason — underwent tests that showed the loose bodies. The surgery hadn't yet been scheduled.

There is no immediate timetable for his return, though similar injuries usually require a two-to-three month recovery period. The phrase “loose bodies” often refers to pieces of bone or cartilage that break off and float in the joint space, though the specifics of Skubal's case are unclear.

“From my understanding, you just go take it out,” Skubal told MLB.com. “I think length of the rehab is probably just getting your spring training buildup up again, getting your volume up. But the procedure itself I think is pretty simple as far as what I’ve been explained.”

Skubal pitched for the U.S. in the World Baseball Classic this spring but was careful with his workload, throwing in just one game before returning to spring training with the Tigers. He won a record salary arbitration case in February and is being paid $32 million this season, far exceeding the team's $19 million offer.

Skubal has a 3-2 record with a 2.70 ERA over seven starts this season, striking out 45 over 43 1/3 innings. The Tigers are currently tied for first place in the AL Central with an 18-17 record.

Skubal initially felt pain in his elbow last week against the Braves but stayed in the game. He rubbed his left arm after a 2-2 pitch to Matt Olson, drawing a visit from the trainer and Hinch. Skubal threw one warmup pitch, decided he was OK and struck out the side to end his night.

He allowed five hits, fanned seven and didn’t walk anyone.

The two-time All-Star won the AL Cy Young award in each of the last two seasons. He had an 18-4 record with a 2.39 ERA and 228 strikeouts in 2024 and was 13-6 with a 2.21 ERA and 241 strikeouts last year.

He's also been effective in the postseason with a 2-1 record, 2.04 ERA and 56 strikeouts over six starts.

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

“A major catastrophe was avoided by feet,” said safety expert Steve Arroyo, who landed on that same short runway many times during his career at United. “Had it been another five feet lower, eight feet, I mean, no more than 10 feet, that plane would have been all over the New Jersey Turnpike.”

The driver of the bakery delivery truck was treated at a hospital for minor injuries, and the Boeing 767 flying in from Venice, Italy, with 231 people aboard was able to land safely. No one on the plane was hurt. Air traffic control audio suggests the incident may have created a hole in the side of the plane, but the airline and the National Transportation Safety Board haven't confirmed that.

The NTSB said Monday afternoon that it has reclassified the incident as an accident because of the extent of the damage to the plane, but it didn't provide any details.

Planes fly low when landing

Anyone who drives that section of Interstate 95 near the airport is likely used to seeing planes coming in low and crossing over all the lanes of traffic as the planes get ready to land, but never this low.

Dashboard camera video from inside the truck showed the driver singing happily to himself, then glancing out his window with a slight look of concern as the sound of the jet's whining engines begins on the recording.

A moment later, part of the plane zooms into view out the driver's side window. The video also shows the moment of impact. Typically, semitrucks are 13.5 feet (4.1 meters) tall, so the plane was quite low.

Chuck Paterakis, the vice president of the bakery company H&S Family of Bakeries, said the company is “relieved that everyone is safe, as that is our top priority.” The bakery is cooperating with investigators.

The pilots’ damage report wasn’t recorded because the crew opted to call the tower on the phone after landing instead of broadcasting the details over the radio.

But air traffic control audio posted by ATC.com revealed a discussion between an air traffic controller and a ground vehicle more than half an hour after the incident. “They felt something over the threshold and there's a hole in the side of the airplane,” the controller said.

Witnesses were alarmed by the sight

Patrick Oyulu, of Edison, New Jersey, was among those on the turnpike when the plane struck the truck. He posted a short video showing the aftermath of the collision as the huge plane barely cleared the road and landed on the runway.

“The plane seemed to come in almost directly over the highway,” Oyulu recounted in a message to The Associated Press. He said the truck appeared to swerve sharply and smoke could be seen coming from it after the aircraft apparently made contact.

“I never expected a plane that low, and never expected I would see the undercarriage of a plane of that magnitude bearing overhead, with such noise and gust of wind,” Oyulu said.

Investigation will look at variety of factors

NTSB investigators arrived on scene on Monday to interview the flight crew and begin working to figure out how and why this happened. But the NTSB may not offer many details about what happened until it publishes its preliminary report roughly a month from now. The agency does not plan any news conferences on this accident.

Runway 29, where the plane landed, is the shortest runway at the airport at 6,726 feet (2,050 meters), and it is generally only used when there are strong winds like there were on Sunday afternoon. The other two Newark runways are 11,000 feet (3,353 meters) long. An air traffic controller told pilots at the time that the winds were gusting up to 31 mph (50 kph).

Arroyo said that investigators will definitely look at how well the United crew planned for the contingency that they would have to land on Runway 29 and exactly what data they had entered into their flight control system and navigational aids in the cockpit. He said those systems can help keep pilots on track in the glidepath before they have to take the controls and complete the landing visually.

“It’s one of the most challenging approaches in the world,” Arroyo said. “The margin of error is extremely low.”

Jeff Guzzetti, a former crash investigator for the NTSB and the Federal Aviation Administration, said investigators will likely also look at whether fatigue could have been a factor after the long flight from Italy.

The NTSB directed United to preserve the cockpit voice and flight data recorders for investigators to examine. The airline said the pilots have been put on leave while the accident is investigated.

In 1985, Delta Flight 191 was coming in to land at Dallas Fort Worth International Airport when a microburst of wind during a thunderstorm sent the plane down into the ground, striking a vehicle. The plane then plowed into airport water tanks. A total of 137 people died in that crash, including the vehicle's driver.

___

Associated Press reporter Philip Marcelo contributed to this report from New York.

Los investigadores dijeron que Axel Jordany Martinez-Morales, de 21 años, había tenido “una relación sentimental intermitente” con la menor desde diciembre.

Según el Departamento de Policía de Homestead, la niña había sido reportada como desaparecida el 19 de abril y los oficiales la encontraron escondida en el cuarto de lavandería de su casa en el bloque 100 de Northeast Ninth Court.

Un informe de la policía indica que la menor dijo a los investigadores que conoció a Martinez-Morales “a través de un compañero de clase” cuando él tenía 20 años y ella 13, y que comenzaron a salir después de que ella cumplió 14.

La policía arrestó a Martinez-Morales el 24 de abril por cargos de abuso lascivo y lujurioso e interferencia con la custodia.

Los investigadores dijeron que posteriormente la adolescente dio positivo en una prueba de embarazo y “dio positivo en una infección de transmisión sexual.”

Los investigadores dijeron que Martinez-Morales la albergó en su casa sabiendo que era una menor fugada, pero negó haber tenido actividad sexual con ella. Dijeron que “admitió haberla escondido en el cuarto de lavandería para que durmiera porque no quería problemas con su familia por haberla llevado a la casa.”

Las autoridades tomaron una muestra de saliva y le imputaron cargos adicionales el viernes. Esos nuevos cargos incluyen 11 delitos graves adicionales: 10 cuentas de batería lasciva y lujuriosa y un cargo de embarazar a una menor.

El ciudadano guatemalteco también enfrenta un cargo de delito menor por albergar a una menor soltera.

Hasta el lunes, Martinez-Morales permanecía en el Centro Correccional Turner Guilford Knight con una fianza de $90,500.

El lunes celebraron una conferencia de prensa frente a la sede del comité anfitrión de la FIFA en Coral Gables.

Los activistas pidieron una moratoria en los operativos migratorios durante los juegos y eventos relacionados.

“Creemos que es una petición muy razonable”, dijo Thomas Kennedy, de la Coalición de Inmigrantes de Florida.

La conferencia de prensa sirvió también como advertencia de viaje para los visitantes que vendrán a Miami para los juegos. Los defensores locales dicen que algunas personas podrían no estar seguras y podrían ser detenidas ilegalmente simplemente por estar aquí disfrutando de los partidos o trabajando en el evento.

Los activistas dicen que no llaman al pánico, sino a la preparación. Señalan que una vez que lleguen las multitudes y las cámaras para los juegos, podría ser demasiado tarde para advertir.

Yareliz Mendez, del Comité de Servicio de los Amigos Americanos, aconsejó a los asistentes conocer sus derechos.

“Como, por ejemplo, el derecho a guardar silencio, el derecho a hablar con un abogado, el derecho a comunicarse con su consulado”, dijo Mendez. “Esas son algunas de las cosas que estamos animando a la gente a hacer. Conéctese con su consulado antes de venir.”

Local 10 fue a las oficinas de la FIFA en busca de comentarios. Nadie respondió cuando tocamos la puerta. Una llamada telefónica a los organizadores del Mundial tampoco fue devuelta.

Según el informe de arresto, el incidente fue reportado poco antes de las 6 p.m. del sábado en Brownsville Transit Village, ubicado en 5185 NW 29th Ave.

Los detectives respondieron al edificio tras recibir una queja de que los objetos en caída casi golpearon a peatones y vehículos estacionados.

Al llegar, los detectives encontraron múltiples objetos del hogar en el suelo, así como una antena de AT&T dañada fijada al exterior del edificio.

Según el informe, los detectives fueron al apartamento de Rafael Jorge Gonzalez-Sintes, quien espontáneamente declaró que había lanzado un objeto desde su balcón.

El detective que realizó el arresto señaló en el informe que un compañero había respondido a un incidente similar con Gonzalez-Sintes aproximadamente dos semanas antes, cuando presuntamente amenazó con lanzar objetos desde el balcón. Tras ese incidente, fue detenido bajo la Ley Baker de Florida.

Las autoridades confirmaron que Gonzalez-Sintes fue arrestado en este último incidente por cargos de lanzar un proyectil peligroso, negligencia culpable, daños criminales a la propiedad y conducta desordenada.