“El virus analizado corresponde a los virus ya conocidos y vigilados en Sudamérica”, informó el viernes en X la ministra de Salud, Stéphanie Rist. Añadió que, “en esta etapa, ningún elemento sugiere la aparición” de una forma del virus que pudiera ser más transmisible o más peligrosa.

El Instituto Pasteur indicó que el análisis genómico confirmó que el virus hallado en la pasajera francesa coincidía con el detectado en otros casos de hantavirus a bordo del barco y se parecía estrechamente a muestras conocidas del virus Andes que circulan en Sudamérica.

“Este trabajo de secuenciación nos permite comprender mejor el virus y garantizar una estrecha vigilancia sanitaria”, indicó Rist. Agregó que los datos se compartirían con la comunidad científica internacional.

El instituto explicó que los virus detectados en pacientes del barco eran idénticos entre sí y aproximadamente un 97% similares a algunos virus Andes que circulan en Sudamérica, incluidos los identificados en roedores. Jean-Claude Manuguerra, quien dirige la unidad de Medio Ambiente y Riesgo Infeccioso del instituto Pasteur, dijo que la variación restante parecía reflejar una variación viral natural y no parecía afectar las características del virus detectado entre los viajeros.

La mujer francesa era pasajera del MV Hondius y está recibiendo tratamiento en París. Las autoridades del país habían dicho previamente que se encontraba en estado grave.

El instituto francés indicó que las investigaciones virológicas continuaban con las autoridades sanitarias francesas y socios internacionales.

Leer en español

Authorities said the FBI notified the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office of David Patrick Williams’ threat and deputies went to his home on Fourth Avenue just before 9:45 p.m. Friday to speak with him.

Deputies said Williams, 54, told them “he was not going to open the door” before opening it “tensing his body, and pulling away” from them.

According to MCSO, Williams grabbed one of the agency’s sergeants “by the throat.”

Nobody involved was seriously hurt, MCSO spokesperson Adam Linhardt said. Williams, he said, later admitted to making the call.

Williams faces charges of battery on a law enforcement officer, resisting arrest and making threats to kill a law enforcement officer.

Jail information wasn’t immediately available on the MCSO website Saturday. Records show he’s scheduled to be arraigned in a Florida Keys courtroom on May 27.

Las autoridades dijeron que el FBI notificó a la Oficina del Sheriff del Condado Monroe sobre la amenaza de David Patrick Williams y que los agentes acudieron a su casa en Fourth Avenue poco antes de las 9:45 p.m. del viernes para hablar con él.

Los agentes dijeron que Williams, de 54 años, les indicó que “no iba a abrir la puerta” antes de abrirla “tensando su cuerpo y alejándose” de ellos.

Según la MCSO, Williams agarró “por el cuello” a uno de los sargentos de la agencia.

Ninguna de las personas involucradas resultó gravemente herida, dijo el portavoz de la MCSO, Adam Linhardt. Williams, agregó, posteriormente admitió haber realizado la llamada.

Williams enfrenta cargos por agresión a un agente del orden público, resistirse al arresto y hacer amenazas de muerte contra un agente del orden público.

La información carcelaria no estaba disponible de inmediato el sábado en el sitio web de la MCSO. Los registros muestran que tiene programada una audiencia de lectura de cargos en un tribunal de los Cayos de Florida el 27 de mayo.

“The analyzed virus corresponds to the viruses already known and monitored in South America,” Health Minister Stéphanie Rist said Friday on X. “At this stage, no element suggests the emergence” of a form of the virus that could be more transmissible or more dangerous, she said.

Pasteur said genomic analysis confirmed that the virus found in the French passenger matched the virus detected in other cases aboard the ship and closely resembled known Andes virus samples circulating in South America.

“This sequencing work allows us to better understand the virus and to ensure close health monitoring,” Rist said. She added that the data would be shared with the international scientific community.

Pasteur said the viruses detected in patients from the ship were identical to each other and about 97% similar to some Andes viruses circulating in South America, including those identified in rodents. Jean-Claude Manuguerra, who heads Pasteur’s Environment and Infectious Risk unit, said the remaining variation appeared to reflect natural viral variation and did not seem to affect the characteristics of the virus detected among travelers.

The French passenger tested positive after traveling aboard the MV Hondius and has been treated in Paris. French authorities previously said she was in serious condition.

The outbreak on the ship has reached 11 cases, nine of which have been confirmed. Three people on the cruise died, including a Dutch couple who health officials believe were the first exposed to the virus while visiting South America.

A memorial of flowers dedicated to Andrew Cross was left outside of the Morrill Volunteer Fire Department. First responders and other community members lined a highway and local roads Saturday to honor Cross as his remains were escorted about 46 miles (74 kilometers) east from Augusta to a funeral home in Belfast, Maine. The procession was routed to pass through Morrill to allow residents to pay their respects, the fire department said on Facebook.

Roughly two dozen fire departments had responded to the massive flames that tore through a silo at Robbins Lumber in a rural area, according to the state fire marshal's office.

MaineHealth Maine Medical Center in Portland, which has a Level 1 trauma designation, said Friday it was treating 10 patients who were transferred from local hospitals. Northern Light Eastern Maine Medical Center in Bangor had been treating one patient who was in critical condition but that patient was transferred to another facility, a spokesperson said in an email.

The cause of the fire remains under investigation. Robbins Lumber’s website describes the company as a “high-tech lumber manufacturer” that has been in existence since 1881 and family-owned for five generations. The mill in Searsmont, a town of about 1,500 people about 95 miles (150 kilometers) from Portland, will not be operating in the near future.

Christian Halsted, a family spokesperson, said the fire was a “hugely devastating day for the family” and they were cooperating with authorities on the investigation.

Lumber and wood products are a critical and historic industry in Maine. The Maine Forest Products Council said it contributed more than $8 billion to the state's economy in 2024 and provides about 29,000 jobs.

Previously a somewhat rowdy event with throngs of fans and live music on the infield, the second race of the Triple Crown is being contested in a more subdued atmosphere this year at Laurel. That's because Pimlico in Baltimore is being rebuilt.

Laurel has a rich horse racing history, but its future is in doubt — it may be converted into a training facility. Attendance for Saturday's race has been capped at 4,800.

There's no possibility of a Triple Crown this year because Kentucky Derby winner Golden Tempo isn't running in the Preakness. Instead the morning-line favorite was Iron Honor at 9-2.

The race appears to be wide open, with Taj Mahal (5-1), Chip Honcho (5-1), Incredibolt (5-1) and Ocelli (6-1) also among the top picks in the 14-horse field. Ocelli finished third in the Derby as a 70-1 long shot, and Incredibolt was sixth. Robusta was 14th in the Derby and is a 30-1 shot in the Preakness.

Great White is a 15-1 shot after being scratched moments before the start of the Derby.

Taj Mahal, with trainer Brittany Russell, is a bit of a hometown favorite. He's won all three of his races, and all were at Laurel.

The Preakness is set to air on NBC and Peacock, with post time scheduled for 7:01 p.m. EDT.

___

AP horse racing: https://apnews.com/hub/horse-racing

McIlroy won the Masters and is trying to join Ben Hogan (1953), Arnold Palmer (1960), Jack Nicklaus (1972), Tiger Woods (2002) and Jordan Spieth (2015) as the only golfers to win the first two majors of the year in the modern rotation.

He started Round 3 five strokes behind leaders Alex Smalley and Maverick McNealy, who were set to tee off in the afternoon.

McIlroy, winner of the 2012 and 2014 PGA Championships, took advantage of his early start on moving day and cracked the top 10.

Two long days at Aronimink produced the highest 36-hole score to par to lead the PGA Championship in 14 years. The 15 players separated by two shots made it the biggest logjam going into a weekend at a major since 2002.

The difference between first and worst among 82 players who made the cut was only eight shots, unusually tight for any tournament, much less a major.

“I think a bunched leaderboard like this, I think it’s a sign of not a great setup,” McIlroy said on Friday. “I think when it’s as bunched as it is, because it hasn’t really enabled anyone to separate themselves.”

Sure enough, low scores dominated on Saturday.

Justin Rose, Chris Kirk and Michael Kim took off about as fast as the horses scheduled to race later at the Preakness.

Kim makes most of cutline magic

Kim made the most of his new life at the PGA Championship and shot a 5-under 30 on the front nine Saturday, using the strength of six birdies to get off to a terrific start to the third round.

Kim, who has never finished better than 17th in any major, was outside the cutline in Round 2 until he chipped in for eagle on his final shot to extend his weekend.

Kim made more birdies on the front nine Saturday than he did in the first two rounds combined. He opened with three straight birdies before a bogey on four.

Kim nearly holed out from the rough on the seventh and finished with his sixth birdie in the first seven holes. He put the move in moving day, jumping from 93rd after one round to 53rd after the second to ninth through the first nine holes.

Kim's blistering start was an early sign that low scores might allow more golfers to zip into contention in an already crowded leaderboard.

There was some serious cash at stake, as well as the prestige of winning a major.

The PGA Championship raised its total prize fund this year to $20.5 million, a $1.5 million increase from last year but still third among the three American majors.

The winner’s share will be $3,690,000.

___

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

A week later, Cabrera picks through the charred scraps of her life, salvaging pots, woven cloths and a small wooden cross. She knows that it's the last time she'll return to her home of 60 years.

“Oh God, why have you abandoned me,” she said through heartbroken sobs, wandering past burned ashes of what was once her mattress in a small room with a collapsed roof and a melted refrigerator just through the door. “How are we going to rebuild? We don’t have money, we don’t have anything.”

She joined a growing number of people displaced in conflict-torn regions of Mexico forced to flee their homes. Experts have described the phenomenon as an invisible crisis with long-term humanitarian consequences — there are few official figures on the number of displaced people, who have almost no resources to turn to once violence forces them to leave.

‘We can’t live here anymore’

Cabrera fled her small town Friday after years of mounting cartel violence in Tula. This town of around 200 native Náhuatl people is among many in the central state of Guerrero ravaged by decades of fracturing rival criminal groups warring for territorial control.

Last week, a group known as Los Ardillos attacked her town and a handful of others with drone-fired explosives, opened fire on local community police forces, killed livestock and burned homes like Cabrera’s to an undistinguishable crisp.

Cabrera carefully handed bags of belongings to soldiers escorting a small group of families returning home to gather their things. She prayed as armed men in camouflage loaded her possessions into the back of a truck. As she wandered through her garden for the last time, she begged forgiveness from the dogs and chickens she was forced to leave behind.

“We don’t want to abandon them,” she said. “But we suffered through everything. We can’t live here anymore.”

Scattering across Mexico

A local human rights group, Indigenous and People’s Council of Guerrero-Emiliano Zapata, or CIPOG-EZ, estimated that at least 800 people, including children and the elderly, were forcibly displaced along with Cabrera, and three community police officers — groups often formed to protect themselves in the wake of state absence — fighting back against the mafia were killed.

The official numbers are far lower: Mexico’s government said Tuesday that only 120 people were forced to flee and confirmed no deaths. One community leader sleeping at the basketball court on Friday told a local government official that in their town alone they estimated around 280 people had been forced to flee.

Some families ran into the mountains, not looking back. Hundreds sought shelter under a local basketball court, hoping that it might be safe to eventually return home. Others — some wounded by gunfire — boarded cars, buses and trucks, scattering to different regions of Mexico.

Videos published on social media this week show groups of crying women and children pleading for help.

The images pushed the government to deploy 1,200 military and police officers to the region. Officials say they have provided aid to those displaced, largely contained the violence, established a “safe corridor” for humanitarian aid to enter and paved the way toward defusing the region’s convoluted conflict.

“What we do not want is a confrontation that would affect the civilian population. Above all, we must preserve people’s lives,” Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum said at a news conference last week.

An invisible crisis

Critics say that it was the latest example of government inaction and efforts to downplay the depth of the displacement crisis in Mexico. Unlike Colombia, Mexico doesn’t have a comprehensive registry of displaced people. Government figures are often cited as being insufficient by entities like the U.N. refugee agency, human rights groups and researchers documenting the crisis.

A 2025 government National Survey of Victimization and Public Security Perception estimated that nearly 250,000 households were forced to flee their homes in 2024 alone to protect themselves from crime.

Between 2024 and 2025, the Ibero-American University documented at least 44,695 people who had fled their homes to other parts of Mexico. Many more migrate to the U.S.

In a May report, the university noted that forced displacements are on the rise in Mexico at a time when Sheinbaum’s government has sought to highlight security gains — like sharp dips in homicides — in an effort to offset threats by the Trump administration to take military action on Mexican cartels.

“There’s no more life in these communities,” said Prisco Rodríguez, a local representative for CIPOG-EZ. “The government says people have already returned to their houses, but there’s no one here. People don’t say where they’re going out of fear ... and the majority never appear.”

Cabrera and her husband, 75-year-old Alejandro Venancio Bruno, were scrambling to figure out where they would go. Cabrera said that her children plead with her to come live with them in Mexico City, around 350 kilometers (220 miles) from their home, or the state of Queretaro, and rebuild their lives elsewhere.

But Venancio said that he’s spent his life working his land, and without money, a home or his most valuable possessions — his goats — any other life outside of Tula seems unfathomable.

“It’s like starting from zero,” he said.

Leer en español

The event was held at the Walmart at 401 E. Sheridan St. in Dania Beach. It aims to make the U.S. a no-kill country by encouraging adoption over purchasing.

The chain partnered with Best Friends Animal Society to put on it and other similar events across the country.

Potential pet parents can visit the store until 1 p.m. Saturday.

Watch the video above to learn more.

El evento ha llevado a cabo en el Walmart ubicado en el 401 E. Sheridan St. en Dania Beach. Su objetivo es convertir a Estados Unidos en un país donde no se sacrifiquen animales, fomentando la adopción en lugar de la compra.

La cadena se asoció con Best Friends Animal Society para realizar este y otros eventos similares en todo el país.

Las personas interesadas en adoptar una mascota pueden visitar la tienda hasta la 1 p.m. del sábado.

Vea el video de arriba para conocer más.

Top-ranked Sinner is one victory away from becoming only the second man after Novak Djokovic to win all nine Masters 1000 titles. Djokovic has won each Masters tournament at least twice.

Sinner led 4-2 in the third set when the match was suspended late Friday. The Italian finished off the match in 15 minutes on Saturday, sealing it on his third match point after Medvedev fended off two on his serve.

“It was a very different challenge and a tough challenge,” Sinner said. “Usually, during the night, I don’t struggle to sleep but this time it was not easy.

"You are in the third set, nearly done, but you still have to show up again and you never know what is happening. It is like the start of the match as there are nerves again. I am very happy with how I handled this situation and that I am back in the final.”

Earlier Friday on the red clay of the Foro Italico, Ruud routed home player Luciano Darderi 6-1, 6-1.

Coco Gauff plays Elina Svitolina in the women’s final later Saturday.

The men’s final is scheduled for Sunday.

Sinner is also attempting to become the first Italian man to raise the Rome trophy since Adriano Panatta in 1976. Panatta will present the trophy on Sunday, with Italian President Sergio Mattarella also slated to attend the men's final.

Sinner appeared exhausted

After winning the first set easily on Friday, Sinner appeared fatigued as Medvedev stepped up his game and started running him around the court with drop shots and groundstrokes to the corners.

After several points Sinner bent over in apparent exhaustion and leaned on his racket for support. Sinner had his right thigh treated by a trainer midway through the second set.

Sinner came back from a 3-0 deficit only to be broken again in the 12th game and concede the set to Medvedev.

A bad bounce helped Sinner break Medvedev early in the third and take control for good.

Sinner 4-0 against Ruud

Sinner has won all four of his career meetings with Ruud without dropping a set — including a 6-0, 6-1 rout in the Rome quarterfinals last year.

“Jannik is chasing history,” Ruud said. “I have to be the guy to try to stop him, and it will not be easy playing here in his home country. ... Last year, he really (routed me) here on the same court, so of course I’m looking for revenge. But at the same time I realize that he’s an incredible player and a unique talent.”

Sinner lost last year’s final to Carlos Alcaraz, who is sidelined due to a right wrist injury. Jasmine Paolini in 2025 became the first Italian woman to raise the trophy in 40 years.

Sinner hasn’t lost since Feb. 19 in the Qatar Open quarterfinals. He has won 28 straight matches and a record five successive Masters titles. He could become the second man to win all three Masters tournaments on clay — including Monte Carlo and Madrid — in the same season after Rafael Nadal in 2010.

Sinner has won 10 of his last 11 meetings with Medvedev.

After Rome for Sinner is the French Open, the only Grand Slam event he hasn’t won. The titleholder, Alcaraz, will also miss it.

___

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

Trump anunció la operación conjunta en el país más poblado de África en una publicación en redes sociales a última hora de la noche, en la que ofreció pocos detalles. Manifestó que Abu Bakr al-Mainuki era el segundo al mando de Estado Islámico a nivel mundial y que “creía que podía esconderse en África, pero no sabía que teníamos fuentes que nos mantenían informados sobre lo que estaba haciendo”.

Al-Mainuki era considerado la figura clave en la organización y las finanzas de EI, y había estado planeando ataques contra Estados Unidos y sus intereses, según un funcionario que habló bajo condición de anonimato porque no estaba autorizado a compartir información sensible.

El presidente de Nigeria, Bola Tinubu, confirmó la operación y dijo que Al-Mainuki fue abatido junto con “varios de sus lugartenientes, durante un ataque contra su complejo en la cuenca del lago Chad”.

Según el portavoz del grupo de trabajo militar nigeriano que llevó a cabo el operativo, fue una “operación aérea-terrestre de precisión altamente compleja” y se realizó durante tres horas de oscuridad a primera hora del sábado, sin bajas ni pérdida de material.

“Su eliminación representa el resultado antiterrorista más trascendental” en la región desde el inicio de la operación en 2015, dijo el vocero, Sani Uba, en un comunicado.

Nacido en la provincia nigeriana de Borno en 1982, al-Mainuki asumió el mando de la rama de EI en África Occidental después de que el anterior líder del grupo en la región, Mamman Nur, fuera abatido en 2018, de acuerdo con el Counter Extremism Project, que monitorea a grupos insurgentes.

Al-Mainuki tenía su base en la zona del Sahel, indicó el grupo de monitoreo, y añadió que se cree que combatió en Libia cuando la milicia radical estaba activa en el país del norte de África hace más de una década. Estados Unidos lo sancionó en 2023.

Dudas sobre el estatus de Al-Mainuki en EI

En su anuncio en redes sociales, Trump indicó que Al-Mainuki era el “segundo al mando a nivel mundial”, escondido en África, una afirmación que, según analistas, no es acertada. En un comunicado, el ejército nigeriano apuntó también que la inteligencia muestra que a principios de año, Al-Mainuki podría haber sido “elevado al puesto de jefe de la Dirección General de Estados, colocándolo como el segundo en la jerarquía global de ISIS”.

No hay forma de verificar de manera independiente su posición dentro de EI. Sostienen que Al-Mainuki era el adjunto de Abu Musab al-Barnawi, el líder de Estado Islámico-Provincia de África Occidental (ISWAP, por sus siglas en inglés), cuya muerte se reportó en 2021. Se le considera uno de los principales impulsores de la formación tras su ruptura con Boko Haram en 2016.

“Si se confirma, la muerte de Al-Mainuki es significativa porque es la primera vez que una agencia de seguridad ha abatido a alguien tan alto en el escalafón de ISWAP”, dijo Malik Samuel, investigador principal de Good Governance Africa, especializado en grupos insurgentes en Nigeria.

“La posibilidad de causar caos dentro del grupo también está ahí porque la operación debió haberse llevado a cabo en el corazón de la base fortificada de ISWAP, a la que es muy difícil acceder”, agregó.

En diciembre, Trump ordenó a las fuerzas estadounidenses que lanzaran ataques contra Estado Islámico en Nigeria, aunque entonces difundió pocos detalles sobre el impacto.

EEUU y Nigeria intensifican operaciones conjuntas

El ejército nigeriano dijo que la operación fue resultado de la “reciente asociación Estados Unidos-Nigeria y los esfuerzos de intercambio de inteligencia”. Samalia Uba, el portavoz militar, afirmó en un comunicado que la operación también ha “desarticulado una red terrorista violenta que ponía en peligro a Nigeria y a la región más amplia de África Occidental”.

Nigeria ha estado combatiendo a múltiples grupos armados, incluidos al menos dos afiliados a EI, mientras enfrenta una crisis de seguridad con múltiples frentes. Grupos afiliados a Estado Islámico en África están entre las milicias más activas del continente tras el colapso del califato de EI en Siria e Irak en 2017.

En febrero, Estados Unidos envió tropas a la nación de África Occidental para asesorar a su ejército, y en marzo desplegó drones allí después de que Trump alegó que los cristianos están siendo atacados en la crisis de seguridad en Nigeria.

La operación del viernes por la noche fue el último episodio de una serie de misiones encubiertas en el extranjero anunciadas por Trump este año, que comenzó con la impactante redada nocturna de enero para capturar y sacar del poder al entonces líder de Venezuela, Nicolás Maduro, y trasladarlo rápidamente a Estados Unidos, seguida casi dos meses después por los ataques que dieron comienzo a la guerra con Irán.

Leer en español

“We were attacked by Cuban MiGs while on a mission to find survivors,” Basulto said.

The family says the audio clip documents the Cuban leader’s order to open fire on the humanitarian group’s planes in 1996.

“You got me, yes on the left side,” one pilot says in archived audio.

The group had been flying over the Florida Straits searching for Cubans fleeing the island by sea.

“When the MiGs attacked, I saw through the right window of the plane,” Basulto recalled.

“Get out of there,” another voice says in archive audio.

“Black smoke,” Basulto said.

Four people were killed.

“We were brothers, so we suffered in the family,” Basulto said.

The Associated Press is now reporting that the United States may be seeking to indict 94-year-old Castro in connection with the deadly shootdown.

“It was about time. It’s 30 years,” Basulto said. “U.S. citizens flying U.S. planes were shot down by the Cuban government on the orders of Raúl Castro, and to this day justice has been delayed, therefore justice has been denied.”

“If it does happen, it is an act of justice, a necessary justice,” said Orlando Gutiérrez-Boronat. “The possibility the regime is brought to justice is a godsend.”

“They savagely massacred these four young men,” Gutiérrez-Boronat said. “They were my good friends, my brothers. I think of them daily because they were good men dedicated to saving human lives, and they were horribly massacred on that day in February 1996.”

Gutiérrez-Boronat, secretary general of the Assembly of the Cuban Resistance, joined by Zoom from Honduras, where he said members have been meeting with high-ranking government officials to build Latin American consensus on freedom for Cuba.

“The consensus should be that fundamental political change takes place in Cuba, that the dictatorship ends, that political prisoners are released, that repression stops, that a provisional government can establish a timetable for true elections, that the Cuban economy can be deregulated, and Cubans can be the owners of their own work,” he said. “That is the essence of what we are trying to achieve.”

“In the past few weeks, we have met with the presidents of Chile and Paraguay, the vice president of Costa Rica, and now we are in Honduras,” Gutiérrez-Boronat said.

“It is an initiative of the Cuban democratic forces to bring about true change in Cuba, and of course, we are in fluid communication with the U.S. State Department,” he added.

The pending indictment comes as the United States continues its maximum pressure campaign on Cuba.

“I don’t know what the specific conversations with the director of the CIA were, but we have been very clear what a future of freedom and security can look like,” said Rosa María Payá. “And in that future, the Castro family is not in power.”

Payá, a Cuban human rights and democracy activist, said she is more hopeful than ever that regime change is nearing and is formalizing a roadmap to transition the island from dictatorship to democracy.

“At the beginning of March this year, we launched the ‘Freedom Accord,’ which gathers the main democratic forces on the island and in exile behind a transition plan in phases,” Payá said. “Liberation, but also stabilization, reconstruction and finally democratization.”

“Fuimos atacados por MiGs cubanos mientras estábamos en una misión para encontrar sobrevivientes”, dijo Basulto.

La familia dice que el audio documenta la orden del líder cubano de abrir fuego contra los aviones del grupo humanitario en 1996.

“Me dieron, sí, en el lado izquierdo”, dice un piloto en el audio archivado.

El grupo sobrevolaba el estrecho de Florida buscando cubanos que huían de la isla por mar.

“Cuando los MiGs atacaron, vi por la ventana derecha del avión”, recordó Basulto.

“Salgan de ahí”, dice otra voz en el audio archivado.

“Humo negro”, dijo Basulto.

Cuatro personas murieron.

“Éramos hermanos, así que sufrimos como familia”, dijo Basulto.

The Associated Press informó ahora que Estados Unidos podría estar buscando acusar al ex presidente cubano de 94 años en relación con el mortal derribo.

“Ya era hora. Han pasado 30 años”, dijo Basulto. “Ciudadanos estadounidenses volando aviones estadounidenses fueron derribados por el gobierno cubano bajo órdenes de Raúl Castro, y hasta el día de hoy la justicia se ha retrasado, por lo tanto, se ha negado”.

“Si sucede, es un acto de justicia, una justicia necesaria”, dijo Orlando Gutiérrez-Boronat. “La posibilidad de que el régimen enfrente la justicia es una bendición”.

“Masacraron salvajemente a estos cuatro jóvenes”, dijo Gutiérrez-Boronat. “Eran mis buenos amigos, mis hermanos. Pienso en ellos todos los días porque eran buenos hombres dedicados a salvar vidas humanas, y fueron horriblemente masacrados aquel día de febrero de 1996”.

Gutiérrez-Boronat, secretario general de la Asamblea de la Resistencia Cubana, participó por Zoom desde Honduras, donde dijo que miembros del grupo se han reunido con altos funcionarios gubernamentales para construir un consenso latinoamericano sobre la libertad para Cuba.

“El consenso debe ser que ocurra un cambio político fundamental en Cuba, que termine la dictadura, que se liberen los presos políticos, que cese la represión, que un gobierno provisional pueda establecer un calendario para elecciones verdaderas, que la economía cubana pueda ser desregulada y que los cubanos puedan ser dueños de su propio trabajo”, dijo. “Esa es la esencia de lo que estamos tratando de lograr”.

“En las últimas semanas, nos hemos reunido con los presidentes de Chile y Paraguay, la vicepresidenta de Costa Rica y ahora estamos en Honduras”, dijo Gutiérrez-Boronat.

“Es una iniciativa de las fuerzas democráticas cubanas para lograr un cambio verdadero en Cuba y, por supuesto, estamos en comunicación constante con el Departamento de Estado de Estados Unidos”, agregó.

La posible acusación ocurre mientras Estados Unidos continúa su campaña de máxima presión contra Cuba.

“No sé cuáles fueron las conversaciones específicas con el director de la CIA, pero hemos dejado muy claro cómo puede lucir un futuro de libertad y seguridad”, dijo Rosa María Payá. “Y en ese futuro, la familia Castro no está en el poder”.

Payá, activista cubana por los derechos humanos y la democracia, dijo que tiene más esperanza que nunca de que un cambio de régimen esté cerca y está formalizando una hoja de ruta para la transición de la isla de una dictadura a una democracia.

“A principios de marzo de este año lanzamos el ‘Acuerdo por la Libertad’, que reúne a las principales fuerzas democráticas dentro y fuera de la isla detrás de un plan de transición por fases”, dijo Payá. “Liberación, pero también estabilización, reconstrucción y finalmente democratización”.

Leer en español

Local 10 spoke with Kevin Guthrie, executive director of the Florida Division of Emergency Management, who said any decision to close the facility would come from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security — and no such directive has been issued.

“I literally got a communication today, kind of back channel if you will, for through some of my staff at FEMA that there is an initial check coming out,” Guthrie said.

Guthrie said Florida has requested about $390 million so far in federal reimbursement tied to the facility’s operations, which he compared to the same process used for disaster recovery funding such as hurricanes. He said those requests must still be vetted and verified.

He also confirmed the facility costs about $1 million per day to operate, but said he expects federal reimbursement to eventually cover the expenses.

“We always said it was going to be temporary,” said Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis. “They’ve never told us they don’t want it anymore.”

According to Guthrie, Florida has not been given a timeline for any potential closure and continues to operate under existing agreements. He said the current arrangement could last one to two years depending on federal needs.

“This is potentially going to be a two-year option, or maybe even longer depending on the needs of the federal government,” he said.

Officials say the facility, which opened July 1 of last year, currently holds about 1,500 detainees. The overall FEMA-related contract tied to its operations totals about $608 million.

Local 10 habló con Kevin Guthrie, director ejecutivo de la División de Manejo de Emergencias de Florida, quien dijo que cualquier decisión de cerrar la instalación vendría del Departamento de Seguridad Nacional de Estados Unidos y que no se ha emitido ninguna directiva de ese tipo.

“Literalmente recibí hoy una comunicación, algo extraoficial si se quiere, a través de parte de mi personal en FEMA, de que viene un cheque inicial”, dijo Guthrie.

Guthrie dijo que Florida ha solicitado hasta ahora alrededor de $390 millones USD en reembolsos federales relacionados con las operaciones de la instalación, lo que comparó con el mismo proceso utilizado para fondos de recuperación por desastres como huracanes. Dijo que esas solicitudes aún deben ser evaluadas y verificadas.

También confirmó que operar la instalación cuesta alrededor de $1 millón USD por día, pero dijo que espera que el reembolso federal eventualmente cubra los gastos.

“Siempre dijimos que iba a ser temporal”, dijo el gobernador de Florida, Ron DeSantis. “Nunca nos han dicho que ya no lo quieren”.

Según Guthrie, Florida no ha recibido un cronograma para un posible cierre y continúa operando bajo los acuerdos existentes. Dijo que el arreglo actual podría durar entre uno y dos años dependiendo de las necesidades federales.

“Esto potencialmente será una opción de dos años, o incluso más tiempo dependiendo de las necesidades del gobierno federal”, dijo.

Los funcionarios dijeron que la instalación, que abrió el 1 de julio del año pasado, actualmente alberga a unas 1,500 personas detenidas. El contrato total relacionado con FEMA para sus operaciones asciende a aproximadamente $608 millones USD.

Leer en español

She’s described as a calm, but playful dog who has some breed-related medical issues.

For more information about Mocha and the pets available at 2070 Griffin Road, visit this page, or call 954-989-3977 to make an appointment.

La describen como una perra tranquila, pero juguetona, que tiene algunos problemas médicos relacionados con su raza.

Para más información sobre Mocha y las mascotas disponibles en el 2070 de Griffin Road, visite esta página o llame al 954-989-3977 para hacer una cita.

Leer en español

Protests have erupted in Havana as rolling blackouts continue to cripple the island. Fuel is also becoming nearly impossible to find at state-run gas stations, leading to growing desperation for many residents.

“I’m looking for information at CUPET (Cuba’s state-run oil company), but they haven’t given me any information. Nothing has come out,” said Havana resident Mirko Cejas, referring to CUPET.

Cejas said his young son is sick, and he has been searching for gasoline to keep a generator running.

The fuel shortage has left many Cubans unable to use their cars after President Donald Trump threatened tariffs on countries exporting fuel to Cuba.

In Miami’s Little Havana neighborhood, Cuban exiles say now is the time for change in Cuba.

“For me it’s a little frustrating,” a protester said. “I think this thing is taking too long.”

Meanwhile, residents in Havana are reportedly rejecting a U.S. plan to indict former Cuban President Raúl Castro in connection with the 1996 shootdown of planes operated by the humanitarian group Brothers to the Rescue, which killed four people.

The incident was condemned internationally.

“If it does happen, it is an act of justice,” said Orlando Gutiérrez-Boronat.

“They savagely massacred these four young men,” Gutiérrez-Boronat said.

Back in Little Havana, there are also growing concerns about conditions inside Cuba, especially as the island’s health care system faces severe shortages and delays.

“More than 32,000 pregnant women face increased risks due to reduced access to diagnostic services, as well as limited transport for obstetric emergencies,” said Altaf Musani of the World Health Organization.

“Estoy buscando información en CUPET (la empresa estatal de petróleo de Cuba), pero no me han dado ninguna información. No ha salido nada”, dijo el residente habanero Mirko Cejas, en referencia a CUPET.

Cejas dijo que su hijo pequeño está enfermo y que ha estado buscando gasolina para mantener funcionando un generador.

La escasez de combustible ha dejado a muchos cubanos sin poder usar sus autos después de que el presidente Donald Trump amenazó con imponer aranceles a países que exportan combustible a Cuba.

En el vecindario de Little Havana en Miami, exiliados cubanos dicen que ahora es el momento de un cambio en Cuba.

“Para mí es un poco frustrante”, dijo un manifestante. “Creo que esto está tomando demasiado tiempo”.

Mientras tanto, residentes en La Habana supuestamente están rechazando un plan de Estados Unidos para acusar al ex presidente cubano Raúl Castro en relación con el derribo en 1996 de aviones operados por el grupo humanitario Hermanos al Rescate, que dejó cuatro personas muertas.

El incidente fue condenado internacionalmente.

“Si sucede, es un acto de justicia”, dijo Orlando Gutiérrez-Boronat.

“Masacraron salvajemente a estos cuatro jóvenes”, dijo Gutiérrez-Boronat.

De regreso en Little Havana, también hay crecientes preocupaciones sobre las condiciones dentro de Cuba, especialmente mientras el sistema de salud de la isla enfrenta severas carencias y retrasos.

“Más de 32,000 mujeres embarazadas enfrentan mayores riesgos debido a la reducción del acceso a servicios de diagnóstico, así como al transporte limitado para emergencias obstétricas”, dijo Altaf Musani, de la Organización Mundial de la Salud.

Leer en español

“I had heard the sound of a pop,” said witness Cathy Byers, who was staying at the resort. “It sounded like it was just outside our room.”

“It was like a snapping pop,” witness Mark Terry testified.

“I heard a pop and then a flash,” said Tom Kinsloe, who lives across from the resort. “It sounded different than fireworks.”

Prosecutors say the shooting took Randazzo’s life nearly seven years ago.

“I found an unresponsive male laying face down,” testified Broward Sheriff’s Office Deputy Lawrence Klkrman.

Randazzo’s body was found near the Southern Seas Resort in Lauderdale-by-the-Sea in October 2019.

“Our door was taped off,” Byers testified. “We looked out the window to see what was going on. When we couldn’t get the door open, that’s when we saw the body.”

The 39-year-old firefighter was found without shoes. Investigators believe that’s because prosecutors say Torrey Holston and Jose Romero were robbing Randazzo after shooting him in the back of the head, taking his iPhone, sneakers, wallet and keys.

Jurors also reviewed surveillance footage recovered by Broward investigators showing Randazzo arriving at and later leaving a nearby bar the night he was killed. The footage captured what prosecutors described as his final steps toward the resort.

“Could this have been a self-inflicted gunshot wound?” a prosecutor asked the medical examiner.

“No, it’s in the back of the head,” testified medical examiner Gertrude Juste.

Video shown in court also captured the then-19- and 20-year-old defendants at a nearby gas station before traveling what prosecutors say was the same route as Randazzo.

“The cause of death was a gunshot wound,” Juste testified.

Both men are charged with first-degree murder, robbery with a deadly weapon and conspiracy.

A third suspect has already pleaded guilty to accessory after the fact.

Day three of the trial resumes Monday.

“Escuché un sonido como una explosión”, dijo la testigo Cathy Byers, quien se hospedaba en el resort. “Sonó como si hubiera sido justo afuera de nuestra habitación”.

“Fue como un chasquido”, testificó el testigo Mark Terry.

“Escuché una explosión y luego un destello”, dijo Tom Kinsloe, quien vive frente al resort. “Sonó diferente a fuegos artificiales”.

Los fiscales dicen que la balacera cobró la vida de Randazzo hace casi siete años.

“Encontré a un hombre inconsciente acostado boca abajo”, testificó el agente de la Oficina del Sheriff de Broward, Lawrence Klkrman.

El cuerpo de Randazzo fue encontrado cerca del Southern Seas Resort en Lauderdale-by-the-Sea en octubre de 2019.

“Nuestra puerta estaba acordonada”, testificó Byers. “Miramos por la ventana para ver qué estaba pasando. Cuando no pudimos abrir la puerta, fue cuando vimos el cuerpo”.

El bombero de 39 años fue encontrado sin zapatos. Los investigadores creen que eso se debe a que, según los fiscales, Torrey Holston y Jose Romero estaban robando a Randazzo después de dispararle en la parte posterior de la cabeza, llevándose su iPhone, tenis, billetera y llaves.

Los miembros del jurado también revisaron imágenes de vigilancia recuperadas por investigadores de Broward que muestran a Randazzo llegando y luego saliendo de un bar cercano la noche en que fue asesinado. Las imágenes captaron lo que los fiscales describieron como sus últimos pasos hacia el resort.

“¿Pudo haber sido una herida de bala autoinfligida?”, preguntó un fiscal a la médica forense.

“No, está en la parte posterior de la cabeza”, testificó la médica forense Gertrude Juste.

El video mostrado en la corte también captó a los acusados, que entonces tenían 19 y 20 años, en una gasolinera cercana antes de recorrer lo que los fiscales aseguran fue la misma ruta que tomó Randazzo.

“La causa de muerte fue una herida de bala”, testificó Juste.

Ambos hombres enfrentan cargos de asesinato en primer grado, robo con arma mortal y conspiración.

Un tercer sospechoso ya se declaró culpable de complicidad después del hecho.

El tercer día del juicio continuará el lunes.

Leer en español

She turned 9 months old on Friday.

Since Sunday, she has been at Broward Health Medical Center fighting for her life.

“She took head trauma, swelling of the brain with the head, and now, you know, her hard stuff on her having difficulties because her brain is not sending the signal,” Guzman said.

On Mother’s Day, the family was among the five vehicles involved in a deadly crash on I-75 near Weston. They were on their way to Guzman’s mother’s house, but never made it.

Villarruel’s mother and aunt died at the scene.

“It was as if I had two moms,” Villarruel said in Spanish.

Investigators arrested Cira Quinones-Lewis, a driver in another vehicle involved in the crash. She remains in ICE custody on an immigration hold and is charged with driving while her license was suspended.

“We would like justice. We don’t know much about what’s going on. We would like some justice,” Guzman said.

The family says photos and videos taken about 30 minutes before the crash are now all Villarruel has left to remember her mother and aunt.

“They were exceptional women,” Villarruel said. “My aunt was a teacher in Ecuador. She loved the kids. These last few weeks I spent with them, we were very happy with them. They played with my baby a lot. My mom, the same.”

While the family waits for answers and for the investigation to continue, their focus remains on Nina.

“Just prayers. We can’t do nothing about the deceased, but we need all the prayers for the baby, for Nina,” Guzman said. “We need her. We need a miracle. My baby is very critical.”

Villarruel said Nina remains in very critical condition.

The tragedy has been even more difficult for the family because Villarruel’s mother and aunt had been visiting for a month to help care for Nina while Villarruel recovered from thyroid cancer surgery.

The family has started a GoFundMe to help cover funeral costs and Nina’s medical expenses.

La bebé cumplió 9 meses el viernes.

Desde el domingo, permanece en Broward Health Medical Center luchando por su vida.

“Sufrió trauma en la cabeza, inflamación cerebral y ahora, ya sabes, tiene complicaciones porque su cerebro no está enviando las señales”, dijo Guzmán.

En el Día de las Madres, la familia estaba entre los cinco vehículos involucrados en un mortal accidente en la I-75 cerca de Weston. Se dirigían a la casa de la madre de Guzmán, pero nunca llegaron.

La madre y la tía de Villarruel murieron en la escena.

“Era como si tuviera dos mamás”, dijo Villarruel en español.

Los investigadores arrestaron a Cira Quinones-Lewis, conductora de otro vehículo involucrado en el accidente. Permanece bajo custodia de ICE debido a una retención migratoria y enfrenta cargos por conducir con la licencia suspendida.

“Nos gustaría justicia. No sabemos mucho sobre lo que está pasando. Nos gustaría algo de justicia”, dijo Guzmán.

La familia dice que las fotos y videos tomados unos 30 minutos antes del accidente son ahora todo lo que le queda a Villarruel para recordar a su madre y a su tía.

“Eran mujeres excepcionales”, dijo Villarruel. “Mi tía era maestra en Ecuador. Amaba a los niños. Estas últimas semanas que pasé con ellas, fuimos muy felices con ellas. Jugaban mucho con mi bebé. Mi mamá igual”.

Mientras la familia espera respuestas y que continúe la investigación, su enfoque sigue siendo Nina.

“Solo oraciones. No podemos hacer nada por las fallecidas, pero necesitamos todas las oraciones para la bebé, para Nina”, dijo Guzmán. “La necesitamos. Necesitamos un milagro. Mi bebé está en estado muy crítico”.

Villarruel dijo que Nina permanece en condición muy crítica.

La tragedia ha sido aún más difícil para la familia porque la madre y la tía de Villarruel habían estado de visita durante un mes para ayudar a cuidar a Nina mientras Villarruel se recuperaba de una cirugía por cáncer de tiroides.

La familia inició una campaña en GoFundMe para ayudar a cubrir los gastos funerarios y los gastos médicos de Nina.

Cisternas varadas por varios días y camiones con alimentos y carga de exportación comenzaron a avanzar en medio de piedras y escombros que eran despejadas y avanzaban según imágenes difundidas por las redes de televisión. Algunos manifestantes resistían el avance de las fuerzas del orden y lanzaban piedras y explosivos caseros.

Más de 3.500 efectivos comenzaron a avanzar sin armas de fuego y más como una fuerza disuasiva en los principales ingresos a esta ciudad “para posibilitar el suministro de alimentos”. La policía lleva equipos antimotines y tiene el apoyo de las fuerzas armadas que “no usarán armas letales” para evitar posible bajas, declaró a los medios el viceministro de Régimen Interior, Hernán Paredes. “Estamos abriendo un corredor humanitario”, señalo el comandante de la Policía, Mirko Sokol.

Dos semanas de cortes liderados por la Central Obrera Boliviana (COB), los sindicatos campesinos y los mineros dejaron a La Paz con mercados desabastecidos y hospitales sin reservas de oxígeno y precios elevados de los alimentos. Tres personas fallecieron por falta de auxilio médico, según el gobierno.

Sobre el final de la semana, las protestas se tornaron violentas y varios sectores comenzaron a pedir la renuncia del mandatario, que no tiene mayoría en el Legislativo ni un partido fuerte que lo respalde. El gobierno acusa a partidarios del expresidente Evo Morales (2006-2019) de estar detrás de las manifestaciones que “buscan desestabilizar” al gobierno, dijo el vocero José Luis Gálvez.

“Los que están buscando destrozar la democracia irán a la cárcel”, advirtió el mandatario la víspera. Sectores empresariales y gremios han reclamado acciones al gobierno para garantizar el libre tránsito. Más de 5.000 camiones y vehículos estaban atrapados en las carreteras en todo el país, según los gremios.

Leer en español

It’s the sixth year the walk has taken place. Organizers held the event at loanDepot Park in Miami’s Little Havana neighborhood.

The event aims to reduce the stigma around mental health by bringing together the community.

Mayors Eileen Higgins and Daniella Levine Cava, of the city and county respectively, were there.

So too was Miami Heat forward Keshad Johnson.

Visit the NAMI website for more information on the event.

Es el sexto año en que se realiza la caminata. Los organizadores llevaron a cabo el evento en loanDepot Park, en el vecindario de Little Havana en Miami.

El evento busca reducir el estigma en torno a la salud mental al reunir a la comunidad.

Las alcaldesas Eileen Higgins y Daniella Levine Cava, de la ciudad y el condado respectivamente, estuvieron presentes.

También asistió el ala del Miami Heat, Keshad Johnson.

Visite el sitio web de NAMI para más información sobre el evento.

Leer en español

The incident happened at around 5:40 p.m. on May 8 in the area of Booker T. Washington Boulevard and Southwest 147th Street.

Deputies included a photo of the suspect in a news release Friday night.

Anyone with information is asked to call Miami-Dade Crime Stoppers at 305-471-8477.

El incidente ocurrió alrededor de las 5:40 p.m. del 8 de mayo en el área de Booker T. Washington Boulevard y Southwest 147th Street.

Los agentes incluyeron una foto del sospechoso en un comunicado de prensa emitido el viernes por la noche.

Cualquier persona con información debe llamar a Miami-Dade Crime Stoppers al 305-471-8477.

Trump made the comment in a Fox News interview with Bret Baier that aired right after the U.S. president wrapped up a high-stakes visit to China on Friday.

China sees Taiwan as a breakaway province, to be retaken by force if necessary. The U.S., like all countries that have formal ties with Beijing, doesn’t recognize Taiwan as a country but has been the island’s strongest backer and arms supplier.

Trump is now suggesting that is open to negotiation.

Asked if he would approve a $14 billion arms package to Taiwan that has been held up for months, Trump said that’s up to China.

“I’m holding that in abeyance and it depends on China,” he said. “It’s a very good negotiating chip for us, frankly. It’s a lot of weapons.”

The U.S. is bound by its own laws to provide Taiwan with the means to defend itself and sees all threats to the island as a matter of grave concern.

By conditioning U.S. arms sales to Taiwan on his negotiations with China, Trump may play into one the island’s “nightmare scenarios,” said William Yang, a Northeast Asia senior analyst for International Crisis Group: that Taiwan, instead of being at the negotiating table, is on the menu.

Although Trump didn’t say specifically what he would want from China in return for denying Taiwan the weapons, he has been pressing Beijing to buy more American goods and to help put pressure on Iran.

Trump and the U.S. Congress already approved in December a separate $11 billion arms sales package to Taiwan. Beijing reacted furiously by staging live fire drills around the island.

China warned of ‘clashes and even conflicts’ over Taiwan

China has framed Taiwan as “the most important issue in China-U.S. relations” during Chinese President Xi Jinping’s recent summit with Trump. The visit is to be followed next week by a trip by Russian President Vladimir Putin to Beijing.

In one of his strongest statements to date, Xi on Thursday warned Trump of “clashes and even conflicts” if the issue of Taiwan is not handled properly.

Taiwan’s presidential office on Saturday sought to smooth over the tensions by highlighting “that the consistent U.S. policy and position toward Taiwan remain unchanged.”

“The Republic of China is a sovereign, independent, democratic country; this is self-evident, and Beijing’s claims are therefore without merit,” said Presidential Office Spokesperson Karen Kuo, referring to Taiwan’s official name. She added that the island remains grateful to Trump for his support and stressed that U.S. arms sales to Taiwan are stipulated by law.

Trump wants Taiwan’s microchip makers to move to the U.S.

Another statement that raised concerns on the island was Trump’s call for Taiwan’s microchip sector — the world’s largest and most advanced — to pick up and move to the U.S.

“I’d like to see everybody making chips over in Taiwan come into America,” Trump told Fox News, describing such a move as “the greatest thing you can do.”

Trump has long pressed Taiwanese chipmakers, which produce more than 90% of the world’s most advanced chips, which are used for artificial intelligence, smartphones and military equipment, to base some of their production in the U.S.

Taiwan’s leading chipmaker, TSMC, has committed an investment of $165 billion in a mega-campus in Arizona. The island’s government, in a sweeping trade agreement with the U.S. earlier this year, pledged $250 billion in investment in the U.S. microchip sector, which included TSMC’s previous commitment.

Trump also reiterated older accusations that Taiwan “stole” its chipmaking sector from the U.S. decades ago.

Trump seems to embrace Xi’s narrative on Taiwan

While Trump during his summit with Xi did not alter U.S. policy wording on Taiwan — which many observers had feared he would — he did seem to adopt some of the Chinese president’s own narrative about the island’s government.

Beijing has branded Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te as a “Taiwan independence diehard,” and warned that he would bring war and destruction to the island.

Trump and other top U.S. officials don’t usually communicate with Taiwanese leaders but have shown support in the past for example by allowing former Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen to transit on U.S. soil en route to visiting Latin American countries. Lai, who is about to reach his presidency’s two-year mark, has yet to set foot on the U.S. mainland, and some observers have interpreted that as a rollback of support by the Trump administration.

In his interview with Fox News, Trump stressed that he didn’t want to see a change of status quo between Taiwan and Beijing. “But they have somebody there now that wants to go independent,” he said, likely referring to Lai.

“They’re going independent because they want to get into a war and they figure they have the United States behind them.” He added that he is not looking to fight a war thousands of miles away.

Trump’s worrying statements about Taiwan may be another instance of “his transactional rhetoric being turned up to the max,” said Wen-Ti Sung, a fellow with the Atlantic Council. “What matters more is the substance, which Taiwan is holding its collective breath for.”

The winner's share will be $3,690,000.

The Masters raised its total purse to $22.5 million this year, the highest payout of golf's four majors and a $1.5 million increase from the previous year. The U.S. Open next month and the British Open in July — typically the smallest of major purses — have not announced their plans.

The U.S. Open had a $21.5 million purse last year, and the British Open purse was at $17 million.

Prize money in golf began spiking when Saudi-funded LIV Golf launched in 2022 with its $20 million purses and $4 million payouts. The PGA Tour now has eight “signature” events with a $20 million purse that pays $3.6 million to the winner ($4 million in three such tournaments).

The Players Championship had a $25 million purse, and the PGA Tour last year decided the FedEx Cup finale at the Tour Championship would count as official money instead of a bonus, making it a $40M prize fund.

Terry Clark, the new CEO of the PGA of America, was asked earlier this week about staying competitive with the other majors while being fiscally responsible. He offered little along those lines except to say, “It’s not always in comparison to all of those. It’s what are the factors that make sense. We do look at it as an annual focus around how do we get at competitive purses.”

The player finishing last among the 82 players who made the cut will get $23,900. The 74 players who missed the cut, including 19 club professionals, were paid $4,300.

The PGA Championship is at Aronimink for the first time since 1962, when the total prize fund was $69,400 and Gary Player won $13,000. It also was the third-highest purse among majors then.

___

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

The conflicting advice is at least partly because guidelines for breast cancer screening are designed for women at average risk and with no possible cancer symptoms. But breast cancer is so common that it is hard to know who is really “average” and how to balance the pros and cons of screening.

"Breast cancer is not one disease,” said Dr. Laura Esserman of the University of California, San Francisco. “So how in the world does it make sense to screen everybody the same when everyone doesn't have the same risk?”

Esserman is leading research to better understand the nuances of who is at low or high risk or somewhere in between and eventually offer more tailored screening advice.

More than 320,000 women in the U.S. will be diagnosed with breast cancer this year, according to the American Cancer Society. Death rates have been dropping for decades, thanks largely to better treatments. But it is still the second-most common cause of cancer death in U.S. women -- and diagnoses are inching up.

For now, here are some things to know.

When to get a mammogram

The newest guidance comes from the American College of Physicians, which recommends that average-risk women ages 50 to 74 get an every-other-year mammogram. For those 40 to 49, the guideline says to discuss pros and cons with a doctor and if they choose screening, to go every other year.

That advice, issued last month, was a surprise. Most other U.S. health groups have urged women to start earlier, in their 40s. The influential U.S. Preventive Services Task Force recently switched its guidance to start every-other-year mammograms at age 40 instead of 50.

The American Cancer Society has long recommended yearly mammograms for 45- to 54-year-olds -– but says they can choose to start at 40. For those age 55 and older, the cancer society says women can switch to every other year or choose to keep going for yearly checks.

The new American College of Physicians guidelines also say doctors can ask if women 75 or older wish to stop routine screening. In contrast, the cancer society says there is no reason to stop if they are still healthy.

Why don’t experts agree?

The higher a woman’s risk of eventually developing breast cancer, the more benefit she will derive from more frequent screenings. But beyond some well-known factors like the cancer-causing BRCA1 or BRCA2 genes, it is hard for women to know their true risk. Age has long been a proxy because the risk of breast cancer rises as women get older.

Mammograms aren’t perfect. Sometimes they miss cancer or an aggressive tumor pops up after a routine mammogram. But guidelines seek to balance the benefits of catching cancer early with possible harms, such as stress and pain from investigating suspicious spots that don't turn out to be cancerous.

“We’re not saying there’s no benefit” from mammograms in the 40s, cautioned Dr. Carolyn Crandall of the University of California, Los Angeles, who chaired the American College of Physicians report. But “there’s a narrower balance between the benefits you could get and the harms in 40- to 49-year-olds.”

The American Cancer Society recommends starting yearly mammograms at 45 because it found breast cancer incidence in 45- to 49-year-olds was higher than in the early 40s – more like what 50- to 54-year-olds experience, said public health researcher Robert Smith, the society’s expert on early cancer detection.

What is missing is a way to tell if someone is more likely to develop an aggressive breast cancer or a slow-growing one, Smith noted.

How dense breasts affect mammogram advice

Nearly half of women over 40 have dense breast tissue, which can make it harder to spot a tumor on a mammogram and can slightly increase the risk of developing cancer.

After a mammogram, women are notified about their breast density. Many experts say it is not yet clear if women with dense breasts would benefit from adding ultrasounds or MRIs to their screening. But the new American College of Physicians guidance advises considering 3D mammography – what doctors call digital breast tomosynthesis or DBT.

What’s next for breast cancer screening

In the future, adding a gene test — one that looks at more than just those well-known BRCA genes — along with broader risk factors may help refine women’s optimal mammogram schedule.

A recent study of nearly 46,000 women, called the WISDOM trial, used age, genetic testing, lifestyle, health history and breast density to classify women as low, average, elevated or high risk. That risk level determined if they waited to start mammograms at 50, went every other year or every year – and the highest-risk group was told to screen twice a year, once with a mammogram and again with an MRI scan. Risk-based scans were compared to standard yearly mammograms.

Risk-based screening worked as well as yearly screening, Esserman's team reported in the medical journal JAMA. One surprise: About 30% of women whose gene testing indicated increased risk didn't report relatives with breast cancer. While more research is underway, Esserman hopes the early findings will start influencing guidelines soon.

Also in the pipeline are AI tools being crafted to assess a woman’s risk of developing breast cancer in the next few years based on clues in her mammogram, another possible way to identify who might qualify for more or less frequent screening.

For now, women can talk with their doctors about close relatives who have had cancer, their own overall health and other risk factors such as whether they have had children and at what age.

Whatever mammogram age and interval they choose, the best advice is to stick with it, the cancer society's Smith said: “Breast screening works best when it’s done regularly.”

___

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

Consumer inflation in the United States increased to 3.8% annually in April, higher than what he inherited as the Iran war and the Republican president’s own tariffs have pushed up prices. Inflation is now outpacing wage gains and effectively making workers poorer. The Cleveland Federal Reserve estimates that annual inflation could reach 4.2% in May as the war has kept oil and gasoline prices high.

Trump’s time with Chinese leader Xi Jinping appears unlikely to help the U.S. economy much, despite Trump's claims of coming trade deals. The trip occurred as many people are voting in primaries leading into the November general election while having to absorb the rising costs of gasoline, groceries, utility bills, jewelry, women’s clothing, airplane tickets and delivery services. Democrats see the moment as a political opportunity.

“He’s returning to a dumpster fire,” said Lindsay Owens, executive director of Groundwork Collaborative, a liberal think tank focused on economic issues. “The president will not have the faith and confidence of the American people — the economy is their top issue and the president is saying, ‘You’re on your own.’”

The president’s trip to Beijing and his recent comments that indicated a tone-deafness to voters' concerns about rising prices have suggested his focus is not on the American public and have undermined Republicans who had intended to campaign on last year’s tax cuts as helping families.

Trump described the trip as a victory, saying on social media that Xi “congratulated me on so many tremendous successes," as the U.S. president has praised their relationship.

Trump told reporters that Boeing would be selling 200 aircraft — and maybe even 750 “if they do a good job” — to the Chinese. He said American farmers would be “very happy” because China would be "buying billions of dollars of soybeans.”

"We had an amazing time," Trump said as he flew home on Air Force One, and told Fox News' Bret Baier in an interview that gasoline prices were just some “short-term pain” and would “drop like a rock” once the war ends.

Inflationary pain is not a factor in how T

rump handles Iran

Trump departed from the White House for China by saying the negotiations over the Iran war depended on stopping Tehran from developing nuclear weapons. “I don’t think about Americans’ financial situation. I don’t think about anybody. I think about one thing: We cannot let Iran have a nuclear weapon,” Trump said.

That remark prompted blowback because it suggested to some that Trump cared more about challenging Iran than fighting inflation at home. Trump defended his words, telling Fox News: “That’s a perfect statement. I’d make it again.”

The White House has since stressed that Trump is focused on inflation.

Asked later about the president's words, Vice President JD Vance said there had been a “misrepresentation” of the remarks. White House spokesman Kush Desai said the “administration remains laser-focused on delivering growth and affordability on the homefront" while indicating actions would be taken on grocery prices.

But as Trump appeared alongside Xi, new reports back home showed inflation rising for businesses and interest rates climbing on U.S. government debt.

His comments that Boeing would sell 200 jets to China caused the company’s stock price to fall because investors had expected a larger number. There was little concrete information offered about any trade agreements reached during the summit, including Chinese purchases of U.S. exports such as liquefied natural gas and beef.

“Foreign policy wins can matter politically, but only if voters feel stability and affordability in their daily lives,” said Brittany Martinez, a former Republican congressional aide who is the executive director of Principles First, a center-right advocacy group focused on democracy issues.

“Midterms are almost always a referendum on cost of living and public frustration, and Republicans are not immune from the same inflation and affordability pressures that hurt Democrats in recent cycles,” she added.

Democrats see Trump as vulnerable

Democratic lawmakers are seizing on Trump’s comments before his trip as proof of his indifference to lowering costs. There is potential staying power of his remarks as Americans head into Memorial Day weekend facing rising prices for the hamburgers and hot dogs to be grilled.

“What Americans do not see is any sympathy, any support, or any plan from Trump and congressional Republicans to lower costs – in fact, they see the opposite,” Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer of New York said Thursday.

Vance faulted the Biden administration for the inflation problem even though the inflation rate is now higher than it was when Trump returned to the White House in January 2025 with a specific mandate to fix it.

“The inflation number last month was not great,” Vance said Wednesday, but he then stressed, "We’re not seeing anything like what we saw under the Biden administration.”

Inflation peaked at 9.1% in June 2022 under Biden, a Democrat. By the time Trump took the oath of office, it was a far more modest 3%.

Trump's inflation challenge could get harder

The data tells a different story as higher inflation is spreading into the cost of servicing the national debt.

Over the past week, the interest rate charged on 10-year U.S. government debt jumped from 4.36% to 4.6%, an increase that implies higher costs for auto loans and mortgages.

“My fear is that the layers of supply shocks that are affecting the U.S. economy will only further feed into inflationary pressures,” said Gregory Daco, chief economist at EY-Parthenon.

Daco noted that last year’s tariff increases were now translating into higher clothing prices. With the Supreme Court ruling against Trump’s ability to impose tariffs by declaring an economic emergency, his administration is preparing a new set of import taxes for this summer.

Daco stressed that there have been a series of supply shocks. First, tariffs cut into the supply of imports. In addition, Trump’s immigration crackdown cut into the supply of foreign-born workers. Now, the effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz has cut off the vital waterway used to ship 20% of global oil supplies.

“We’re seeing an erosion of growth,” Daco said.

Speaking like a coach who knows his days are numbered, Arbeloa told reporters in Madrid on Saturday that “if he (Mourinho) is the one who is here next season, I will be happy to see him back home.”

Arbeloa played for Madrid when Mourinho was in charge from 2010-2013, a tumultuous time in which Madrid won Spanish league and Copa del Rey titles but was overshadowed by Pep Guardiola’s great Barcelona side. Mourinho's abrasive attitude to opponents like Guardiola as well as some of his own players turned off many in Spain. He also had his faithful backers, like Arbeloa and some hardcore fans.

The Madrid sports papers are rife with rumors that Mourinho is the leading candidate to replace Arbeloa, who was always seen as an interim coach after he was promoted from the club’s reserve team midseason to fill in for the fired Xabi Alonso.

Second-place Madrid has two more Spanish league games to play this campaign, which it will finish without a major title. It visits Sevilla on Sunday and concludes the season at home against Athletic Bilbao on May 23.

The 15-time European Cup winners have been embarrassed in recent weeks by series of unseemly events. There was a fight between players, and a loss at Barcelona that allowed its fierce rival to clinch the league title. Kylian Mbappé was also jeered by fans, while the star striker called out Arbeloa publicly for not playing him more.

Club president Florentino Pérez added to the sense of a club in crisis by giving a press conference to announce he would call early elections, which he is expected to win, while blasting the media for what he considered a campaign to force him to quit.

Pérez is expected to make a coaching change soon, and it is understandable that he believes Mourinho’s strong personality is what the squad needs.

Mourinho, who led Porto and Inter Milan to Champions League titles in 2004 and 2010, is finishing his season with Benfica this weekend. The 63-year-old coach said on Friday that he had received an offer from the Lisbon-based club to continue, but that he will decide his future in the coming days.

When asked what he thought about Mourinho’s possible return, Arbeloa reiterated similar praise he has lavished on Mourinho on other occasions.

“For me as a player, and above all as a Madrid supporter, I feel and think that he is the number one,” Arbeloa said.

___

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

The railroad, which serves New York City and its eastern suburbs, ceased operations just after midnight after five unions representing about half its workforce walked off the job.

The unions and the Metropolitan Transportation Authority, the public agency that runs the railroad, have been negotiating for months on a new contract, with talks stalled over the question of workers' salaries and healthcare premiums. President Donald Trump’s administration tried to broker a deal, but the unions were legally allowed to strike starting at 12:01 a.m. Saturday.

Kevin Sexton, national vice president of the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen, said no new negotiations have been scheduled.

“We’re far apart at this point,” Sexton said early Saturday. “We are truly sorry that we are in this situation.”

MTA Chairman Janno Lieber said the agency “gave the union everything they said they wanted in terms of pay” and that to him it was apparent the unions always intended to walk out.

The walkout, the first for the LIRR since a two-day strike in 1994, promises to cause headaches for sports fans planning to see the Yankees and Mets battle this weekend or to watch the Knicks’ playoff run at Madison Square Garden, which is located directly above the railroad’s Penn Station hub in Manhattan.

The railroad’s Manhattan hub, Penn Station, was devoid of its usual weekend bustle on Saturday afternoon. Only a few dozen people were seen traversing the main concourse, many dragging rolling luggage from departing or arriving Amtrak trains, which aren’t affected by the strike.

Departure boards normally showing upcoming trains by destination instead listed ghost trains marked “No Passengers.” A few signs affixed to customer service windows explained that the railroad was shut down because of a strike.

Access to platforms was blocked off with bicycle-rack style barricades and roll-down gates as MTA police officers stood sentry, directing people to alternative transportation.

If the shutdown continues into the work week, the roughly 250,000 people who ride the system to and from work each weekday will be forced to find other routes to the city from its Long Island suburbs. For many, that likely means navigating the region’s notoriously congested roads.

Gov. Kathy Hochul, a Democrat, blamed the Trump administration for cutting mediation short and pushing the negotiations toward a strike. Trump, a Republican, responded on his Truth Social platform on Saturday that he had nothing to do with the strike and “never even heard about it until this morning.”

“No, Kathy, it’s your fault, and now looking over the facts, you should not have allowed this to happen,” Trump wrote, renewing his endorsement of Long Island politician Bruce Blakeman, who's challenging Hochul’s reelection bid. “If you can’t solve it, let me know, and I’ll show you how to properly get things done.”

Hochul urged Long Islanders to work from home if possible. The MTA has said it will provide limited shuttle buses to New York City subway stations, but that contingency plan wasn't envisioned to handle all the riders the system normally carries on a workday.

And while remote work options greatly expanded during the COVID-19 pandemic, many workers still need to show up in person, said Lisa Daglian, executive director of the Permanent Citizens Advisory Committee to the MTA, a commuter advocacy group.

“You work in construction, you work in the healthcare industry, you work at a school or you’re about to graduate from school, that’s not always possible,” she said of telecommuting. “People need to get where they need to go.”

The MTA has said the unions’ initial demands to raise salaries and lower healthcare premiums would have led to fare increases and impacted contract negotiations with other unionized workers.

The unions, which represent locomotive engineers, machinists, signalmen and other train workers, have said more substantial raises were warranted to help workers keep up with inflation and rising living costs.

Duane O’Connor, who was picketing on Saturday morning at Penn Station, said that while he regrets the impact on commuters, workers are simply asking for fair wages.

“I feel terrible. Terrible. This is going to hurt. This is going to hurt the island, this is going to hurt the city ... All we are asking for is fair wages. Record inflation the last few years. Our contract goes back three years, it’s not going forward, so we went through those record inflationary years and they’re trying to lowball us,” he said.

Some riders, while sympathetic to the union’s affordability concerns, worry they’ll bear the brunt of any pay raises.

If the unions get the pay increases they are looking for, "it will come at the expense of our riders who will see next year’s 4% fare increase doubled to 8%,” Gerard Bringmann, chair of the LIRR Commuter Council, a rider advocacy group, said in a statement. “Like the union workers, we too are burdened by the increase in the cost of living here on Long Island.”

With Hochul running for reelection, the pressure might be on the MTA to strike a deal to end the shutdown, said William Dwyer, a labor relations expert at Rutgers University in New Jersey, where commuter rail workers staged a three-day strike last year.

“She’s up for reelection, and Long Island is a critical vote for her,” he said. “So if there’s a significant fare hike, that does not bode well for her on Election Day.”

___

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

Meanwhile, Associated Press journalists in Ituri’s capital, Bunia, interviewed locals who recounted their fears and constant burials.

“Every day, people are dying ... and this has been going on for about a week. In a single day, we bury two, three, or even more people,” said Jean Marc Asimwe, a resident of Bunia. “At this point, we don’t really know what kind of disease it is,” said Asimwe.

Congolese Health Minister Samuel-Roger Kamba said late Friday that there have been eight laboratory-confirmed cases, among them four deaths.

Test results confirmed the Bundibugyo virus, a variant of the disease that has been less prominent in Congo’s past outbreaks. This is Congo’s 17th outbreak since Ebola first emerged in the country in 1976.

Ebola is highly contagious and can be contracted through bodily fluids such as vomit, blood, or semen. The disease it causes is rare, but severe and often fatal.

The suspected index case in the latest outbreak is a nurse who died at a hospital in Bunia, Kamba said. He said the case dates back three weeks to April 24.

He did not say whether samples from the nurse were tested, but said the person presented symptoms suggestive of Ebola.

The outbreak has spread to neighboring Uganda

Uganda confirmed Friday an Ebola case that authorities said was “imported” from Congo. The person died at the Kibuli Muslim Hospital in Uganda’s capital, Kampala, on May 14.

The Africa Centres for Disease Control ​and Prevention had said it is concerned about the risk of further spread due to the proximity of affected areas to Uganda and South Sudan.

The body of the patient who died in Kampala was later taken back to Congo and no other local case has been confirmed, Uganda’s Health Ministry said.

On Saturday, people were being screened at the entrance of the Kibuli Muslim Hospital.

Ismail Kigongo, who resides in Kampala, said the new outbreak reminded him of his father, whom he lost during the COVID-19 pandemic. “I really get scared because I remember burying my father without looking at his body,” he said.

Kenya, Uganda's neighbor, said Saturday that there is only a “moderate risk of importation” of the Ebola virus due to regional travel. Kenya’s government said it has formed an Ebola preparedness team and has strengthened surveillance at all points of entry.

Congo is a large country that often faces logistical challenges

Congo has experience managing Ebola outbreaks but often faces logistical challenges in delivering expertise and supplies to affected regions.

As Africa’s second-largest country by land area, Congo’s provinces are far from one another and mostly battling conflict. Ituri, for instance, is around 1,000 kilometers (620 miles) from the nation’s capital, Kinshasa, and is ravaged by violence from Islamic State-backed militants.

The disease has so far been confirmed in three health zones in Ituri province, including the capital city, Bunia, and the areas of Rwampara and Mongwalu, where the outbreak is concentrated.

Only 13 blood samples have been tested at the National Institute of Biomedical Research; 8 tested positive for the Bundibugyo strain. The remaining five could not be analyzed due to insufficient sample volume, the health minister said.

In Bunia, Ituri's main city, businesses and regular activities in public places appeared normal on Friday.

Resident Adeline Awekonimungu said she hopes the outbreak is quickly contained. "My recommendation is that the government take this matter seriously and that it takes charge of the hospitals so that this matter can be brought under control,” she said.

—

Associated Press writers Chinedu Asadu in Abuja, Nigeria; Patrick Onen in Kampala, Uganda; and Evelyne Musambi in Nairobi, Kenya contributed.

Izz al-Din al-Haddad was killed on Friday, Israel’s army said, describing him as one of the senior Hamas military commanders who directed the planning and execution of the Hamas-led attacks on Oct. 7, 2023, which killed around 1,200 people in southern Israel and saw more than 250 taken hostage.

A Hamas spokesperson, Hazem Qassem, confirmed the killing on social media.

The ceasefire between Israel and Hamas remains fragile, and the top diplomat overseeing it says it has stalled because of the deadlock over disarming Hamas. Both sides have traded accusations of violations. Gaza has seen near-daily Israeli fire with more than 850 people killed in the Palestinian territory since the ceasefire went into effect in October, according to Gaza's Health Ministry.

The ministry is part of Gaza’s Hamas-run government, but staffed by medical professionals who maintain and publish detailed records viewed as generally reliable by the international community. The ministry overall says Israel’s retaliatory strikes in the war have devastated the Palestinian enclave and killed more than 72,700 people.

Israel said that al-Haddad had assumed the role of Hamas commander after his predecessor, Mohammed Sinwar, was killed. The army said that al-Haddad had surrounded himself with Israeli hostages during the war as a shield against an attack.

Al-Haddad’s family confirmed his death in Friday's strike to The Associated Press. Six other people, including his wife and daughter, were also killed. His two sons were killed earlier in the war.

His body was wrapped in Hamas and Palestinian flags as it was carried by mourners at Saturday's funeral in Gaza City.

Al-Haddad joined Hamas when it was established in the 1980s, and was a member of the Qassam Brigades' Majd section tasked to go after collaborators with Israel. He was also a member of Hamas’ Military Council, the highest group of commanders that played a key role in the attacks that sparked the war.

Israel's army chief of staff called his killing a significant operation, and said that Israel would continue pursuing its enemies to hold them accountable.

Palestinian man killed in West Bank

Violence flared Saturday in the occupied West Bank, where Israeli troops shot and killed a 34-year-old Palestinian in the Jenin refugee camp, according to the Palestinian Health ministry.

Hassan Fayyad was fatally shot in a thigh, the Palestinian Red Crescent said. Israel's military said that troops first fired warning shots at a person trying to infiltrate the camp and shot him when he didn't comply. They provided him with medical treatment as he was transferred to a hospital, it said.

Israeli troops on Thursday shot and killed a 15-year-old boy in Eastern Lubban town in Nablus, according to the Palestinian Health Ministry. Israel's military said that it identified three people hurling rocks toward Israeli vehicles and “endangering lives,” and troops fired at them, killing one.

On Friday, settlers set fire to a mosque and vehicles in the village of Jibiya, northwest of Ramallah, Palestinian religious authorities said. Security camera footage showed people pouring flammable material on the mosque and at least two vehicles, said Sabir Shalash, the head of Jibiya’s municipal council. Spray-painted Hebrew slogans were found on the mosque’s walls, he said.

The Ministry of Awqaf and Religious Affairs described the attack as “a cowardly terrorist act” and criticized the international community’s inaction over mounting Jewish settler attacks against Muslim and Christian sites in the occupied Palestinian territories.

The Israeli military and police said that they were deployed to the area and didn't locate any suspects, but were investigating. The army said that it “strongly condemns” attacks on religious institutions.

___

Samy Magdy reported from Cairo.

___

Find more of AP’s coverage at https://apnews.com/hub/israel-hamas-war

Labor unions representing about half the system’s workers announced the walkout after negotiations with the Metropolitan Transportation Authority ended Friday without a new contract. The five unions, which represent about half the system’s 7,000 workers, including locomotive engineers, machinists and signalmen, weren’t legally allowed to go on strike until 12:01 a.m. Saturday.

Kevin Sexton of the National Vice President of the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen said no new negotiations have been scheduled.

“We’re far apart at this point,” Sexton said. “We are truly sorry that we are in this situation.”

Janno Lieber, the MTA chairman, said the agency “gave the union everything they said they wanted in terms of pay” and that to him it was apparent the unions always intended to walk out.

The strike will force the roughly 250,000 people who ride the system each weekday to find alternative routes into New York City from its Long Island suburbs or to work from home. That means more cars on traffic-choked highways and longer work commutes.

“It’s gonna be such a nightmare trying to get in,” said Rob Udle, an electrician who takes the LIRR at least five days a week into Manhattan.

The strike could make it challenging for some sports fans to get into Manhattan to watch the NBA’s New York Knicks playoff run or see the baseball rivals the New York Yankees battle the crosstown Mets this weekend.

Gov. Kathy Hochul has urged LIRR riders to work from during the walkout as the MTA plans to provide free but limited shuttle buses during the work day rush hours geared toward essential workers.

In a statement she blamed the strike on union leadership.

“Commuters are dealing with unnecessary dysfunction and thousands of union LIRR workers are being forced to go without a paycheck because of decisions made by a small group of union leaders,” Hochul said. ”I stand with LIRR riders and will fight to preserve the long term stability of the MTA.”

Dispute over wages

Both sides said the fight was over wage increases and health care premiums.

Details on exactly where each side stood late Friday weren’t released, but the union had gone into the talks demanding a total raise of 16% over four years, saying it was needed to help workers keep up with inflation.

The MTA has argued that the union’s initial demands would lead to fare increases. Lieber said that while the MTA had met the pay demands, it had asked for new hires to the LIRR to pay higher health care premiums to offset some costs. The union rejected that idea.

Commuters brace for the worst

Susanne Alberto, a personal trainer from Long Island, said she has already made plans with her Manhattan clients to hold virtual sessions in the event of a shutdown.

She said the union likely has the upper hand.

“The MTA is going to cave, and they know that,” Alberto said. “Why don’t they just do it now instead of waiting until virtually millions of people get inconvenienced?”

Udle, the electrician, said he will likely use his vacation days rather than navigate the “nightmare” of commuting into Manhattan if the rail service shuts down.

A union member, he sympathized with the unions’ affordability concerns, but he said he didn’t agree with their strong-arm tactics.

“I get it, the cost of living is going up and stuff like that,” Udle said while waiting at Penn Station for a train home. “But they shouldn’t hold everybody hostage to do it. There’s a better way. You’re affecting a lot of other people.”

A strike was temporarily averted in September when President Donald Trump’s administration agreed to help with negotiations. Those efforts ended without a deal, giving both sides 60 days — ending 12:01 a.m. Saturday — to again try to resolve their differences before the union is legally allowed to go on strike or the agency could lock out workers.

LIRR workers last went on strike in 1994, for about two days.

Workers on the commuter rail system connecting Manhattan to New Jersey, New Jersey Transit, went on strike last year. It lasted three days.

___

The first reference to the rail system has been updated to correct to Long Island Rail Road, from Long Island Railroad.

___

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

Heart of Midlothian was denied a first Scottish league title since 1960 on Saturday after losing a showdown game 3-1 at Celtic, which had to win and got the go-ahead goal in the 87th minute.

Add 2026 to 1986 and 1965 on the list of cruel ways fans of the unheralded Edinburgh club have seen title dreams dashed in the final minutes of the season.

Daizen Maeda, who is going to the World Cup with Japan, scored the crucial goal at Celtic Park that ultimately ensured the Glasgow giant would be crowned champion for the fifth year in a row and 14th time in 15 seasons. The goal was confirmed by video review to annul a raised offside flag.

Celtic extended its lead with an empty-net goal in the eighth and last minute of stoppage time when Hearts goalkeeper Alexander Schwolow went to the other end in search of a title-winning equalizer.

Callum Osmand putting the ball into the unguarded goal sparked wild celebrations from Celtic's fans, and hundreds invaded the field. Hearts captain Lawrence Shankland was reportedly punched by a Celtic fan as he tried to leave the field.

Shankland’s header in the 43rd gave Hearts a lead in a game it needed only to draw. Celtic leveled in first-half stoppage time when Arne Engels slotted a penalty awarded for handball.

‘That’ penalty in midweek

The buildup to one of the most eagerly anticipated games in Scottish soccer history was dominated by the hugely controversial penalty that gave Celtic a key win on Wednesday.

It changed the balance of the title race and gave Celtic an easier path to its record 56th Scottish league title.

Deep into stoppage time in the second-to-last round, Celtic was tied at Motherwell 2-2. Then a penalty was awarded on video review for what the officials eventually judged was handball by Motherwell's Sam Nicholson.

Video evidence was inconclusive, to say the least, and furiously debated since late Wednesday when Celtic forward Kelechi Iheanacho scored from the spot in the 99th minute.

Soccer great Gary Lineker later called it possibly the worst VAR call he ever saw, and Hearts coach Derek McInnes said it was "actually quite disgusting.”

Had Celtic not won at Motherwell, the gap to Hearts would be three points. Celtic would then have needed to win by three clear goals on Saturday to edge the tiebreaker on goal difference.

Instead, Celtic needed just a win by any score.

Hearts' cruel run

Celtic and its city rival Rangers have won every Scottish league title since Alex Ferguson’s Aberdeen was champion in 1985. That four-decade run started with severe trauma for Hearts fans.

In 1986, just as in this season, a surprising Hearts led the standings for months and needed just a draw on the last day.

In both cruel climaxes, Hearts held that draw in its hands beyond the 80th minute. Forty years ago, Hearts conceded two late goals to Dundee substitute Albert Kidd, and Celtic won the title on goal difference by winning its game 5-0.

Older fans recall another Hearts-breaker in 1965. Hosting second-placed Kilmarnock, Hearts knew a 2-0 loss was the result that could deny the title on the now-defunct tiebreaker of goal average. The result? 2-0 to Kilmarnock.

The latest 3-1 loss at Celtic added an unwanted chapter in the history of a club now majority owned by fans, with a fascinating minority owner: Tony Bloom, the professional gambler, who also owns English Premier League club Brighton. Bloom's data analytics firm found transfer market gems for Hearts, including the league player of the year Cláudio Braga.

Celtic's season of turmoil

Celtic's league title came in a chaotic season that saw two coaches leave: Brendan Rodgers, in open conflict with the club's board, and Wilfried Nancy, who lasted just weeks after being hired from Columbus Crew of Major League Soccer.

Long-time chairman Peter Lawwell left in December citing “intolerable” levels of “abuse and threats” from fans toward him and his family.

Club icon Martin O’Neill was twice appointed as interim manager and, at the age of 74, this was his fourth league title with the team — coming 22 years after his previous one. Celtic can do the double next weekend, in the Scottish Cup final against second-tier Dunfermline.

___

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

The rainy season is officially here but it’ll sputter through next week with rainfall totals coming in under an inch the next 7 days. Today will be the better of the two weekend days with rain chances at 30% today increasing to 50% tomorrow.

These easterly winds will keep our high temperatures closer to normal in the upper 80s but watch out for increasing chances for rip currents at the beaches into early next week.

Thai news reported the crash happened in the late afternoon near an airport railway station in the central area. The city’s emergency services, Erawan Medical Center, said at least eight people were killed and more than 20 others were injured.

Footage of the moment of the crash shared on social media showed a line of vehicles had stopped at a railway crossing when a cargo train struck an orange bus. The impact also dragged several nearby vehicles along the tracks before the bus was engulfed in flames. Several motorcycles and their riders were also seen being thrown onto the road after the collision.

Later videos showed a group of rescuers entering the charred bus after the flames were brought under control.

Deputy Transport Minister Siripong Angkasakulkiat told reporters at the crash site that all the bodies were found on the bus. He said it was still unclear how many people were on board.

When asked about reports that the bus had stopped on the railway tracks and that the barriers, used to keep motorists away from the tracks when the trains are passing, may not have lowered properly, Siripong said the matter still needs to be investigated.

Kittipong Raksa said he parked his car near the train tracks when he heard the signal indicating the train was about to pass.

“I heard a thud and then another. I heard something hitting my car," said Kittipong. "Then I saw the train pass, dragging the bus with it.” He said after the collision, he found someone caught under his car, with a broken leg.

Kittipong said he did not see the barriers being lowered.

Armored vehicles, police horses, dogs, drones and helicopters were deployed along with at least 4,000 officers as the Metropolitan Police aims to avoid clashes. Hundreds more are on standby.

Police tried to make sure there was no crossover between the march organized by far-right agitator Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, better known by his pseudonym Tommy Robinson, and the annual demonstration to commemorate Nakba, the Arabic term for “catastrophe” that marks the exodus of some 700,000 Palestinians from what is now Israel in 1948.

As of early afternoon, police said 11 people were arrested for a variety of offenses.

The marches took place at a particularly radicalized time in British politics, with the extremes on the right and the left advancing across the U.K. in elections last week.

Those protesting are motivated by a variety of issues, including anger at the number of would-be asylum-seekers making the dangerous crossing across the English Channel from the French coast to the U.K. in small boats, to Israel's actions in Gaza that have devastated the Palestinian enclave and killed, according to the Gaza Health Ministry, more than 72,700 people,

As the marches progressed through the afternoon, police said they will be mindful of splinter groups coming in contact.

Some foreigners were barred from entering UK

Prosecutors have been told to consider whether protest placards, banners and chants viewed on social media may amount to offenses of stirring up hatred during the rallies.

“This is not about restricting free speech," said the Crown Prosecution Service's director, Stephen Parkinson. “It is about preventing hate crime and protecting the public, particularly at a time of heightened tensions.”

The British government has also blocked 11 foreign nationals from entering the country for the “Unite the Kingdom” rally. Right-wing figures claiming to have been barred include Polish politician Dominik Tarczynski, Belgian politician Filip Dewinter, anti-Islam commentator Valentina Gomez and Dutch activist Eva Vlaardingerbroek.

“We will block those coming into the U.K. who seek to incite hatred and violence," said Prime Minister Keir Starmer, who is fighting for his political life following those disastrous election results earlier this month. "For anyone who sets out to wreak havoc on our streets, to intimidate or threaten anyone, you can expect to face the full force of the law.”

On Friday, Starmer visited the Met's command center to discuss policing arrangements for the rallies alongside Met Commissioner Mark Rowley and London Mayor Sadiq Khan.

Live facial recognition will be used for the first time in a protest policing operation, with cameras set up in the north London neighborhood of Camden that is not on the route of the “Unite the Kingdom” march, but which is expected to be used by a lot of people attending the event.

Farther north in the capital at Wembley, police will be hoping that the FA Cup Final between Chelsea and Manchester City, which kicks off at 3 p.m., passes off without incident. Around 90,000 fans are set to attend.

Manchester City beat Chelsea 1-0 at Wembley Stadium on Saturday thanks to a moment of magic from Antoine Semenyo.

The forward brought to life a final that had produced little in the way of chances or excitement with a spectacular back-heeled goal in the second half.

Running onto a cross from Erling Haaland in the 72nd minute, Semenyo flicked his heel at the ball and directed it low into the far corner past diving Chelsea goalkeeper Robert Sanchez.

“It has happened a couple of times in training, it happened perfectly today. ... It came straight to me and I had to improvise myself as quickly as I can," Semenyo told the BBC. “It is a good finish, I can’t lie."

Chelsea interim coach Calum McFarlane agreed.

“For me it’s a one in 100 goal," he said. “For me, no, there’s not much more you can do to defend it.”

Victory kept City in the hunt for a domestic trophy treble, having already won the English League Cup. Pep Guardiola’s team is also second in the Premier League, two points behind Arsenal with two rounds to go.

With an important game against Bournemouth on Tuesday, Guardiola said he would not allow his players “even one beer” in celebration.

This was Guardiola’s 17th major trophy in 10 years at City and his 35th in his career overall.

City has won the Cup eight times and moved level with Chelsea, Liverpool and Tottenham as equal third on the all-time winners' list.

Defeat means Chelsea will end the season trophyless — a year after being crowned Club World Cup champion — in what has been a crisis-ridden campaign.

After firing two coaches since the turn of the year, Chelsea went into the final with a novice on the sideline in McFarlane, a former youth coach taking charge of only his seventh first team game.

The turmoil at Chelsea led to supporters staging a protest against its American owners outside the stadium before kickoff.

In that sense it was commendable that McFarlane was able to frustrate Guardiola for such long periods.

That was until Semenyo's match-winning moment.

The Ghana international joined City from Bournemouth only in January and made an immediate impact — scoring 10 goals and helping the team to two trophies.

“As a kid I have always wanted to be playing for the top teams. It took a long time to get there, but I am grateful,” Semenyo said. “The first thing he (Guardiola) said to me when I came was, ‘Don’t change your game’ ... he still wants me to be me, still create a bit of chaos."

Fourth straight final

After the final whistle City fans sang the club anthem “Blue Moon” loudly, and cheered wildly as Bernardo Silva and John Stones lifted the famous trophy. Both players are leaving at the end of the season.

“Being able to lift another trophy at Wembley, where we have played so many times, is such a special feeling, one I never take for granted,” Bernardo said. “To do so as captain makes this one of the best days of my career.”

Triumph for City came after back-to-back losses in the final in the previous two years. This was the record fourth year in a row it reached the final, having last won it in 2023.

Chelsea has lost its last four FA Cup finals, tying Leicester's record for consecutive losses.

Arsenal has won soccer's oldest knockout competition a record 14 times. Manchester United was second with 13.

Guardiola was congratulated by Prince William as he went to collect his winners' medal. Afterwards the City manager gazed around Wembley at the celebrating fans.

There has been growing speculation that this could be his final season at City; he has yet to confirm his plans.

“The future is bright,” Guardiola said. “I know the guys, I know how they feel ... next year we will be there, we will be better next season.”

___

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

The announcement comes less than 24 hours after U.S. President Donald Trump finished his own state visit to China, where he also met Xi to discuss trade and the U.S. and Israel’s war in Iran.

In a statement, the Kremlin said that Putin’s trip, planned for May 19-20, had been scheduled to coincide with the 25th anniversary of the 2001 Sino-Russian Treaty of Friendship.

It said that the two leaders would discuss bilateral relations as well as “key international and regional issues” and economic cooperation.

Relations between China and Russia have deepened in recent years, particularly since the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in early 2022 left Moscow shunned on the global stage and heavily reliant on Beijing for trade due to Western sanctions.

When Putin visited China in September 2025, Xi welcomed his counterpart as an “old friend.” Putin also addressed Xi as “dear friend.”

The Russian leader is also scheduled to visit China for the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in the city of Shenzhen in November.

Continued strikes and returned remains

Ukraine repatriated the bodies of fallen soldiers Saturday following an earlier exchange with Moscow involving prisoners of war.

Russia returned 528 bodies that “according to the Russian side, may belong to Ukrainian servicemen,” Ukraine’s Coordination Headquarters for the Treatment of Prisoners of War said in a statement.

Experts will now “take all necessary measures aimed at identifying the deceased who have been repatriated,” it said.

It comes after Russia and Ukraine swapped 205 prisoners of war on Friday.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said it was the first phase of a planned swap of 1,000 POWs from each side. Some of the Ukrainians had been held by Russia since 2022 and fought in some of the war’s fiercest battles, he added.

Meanwhile, Russia launched overnight drone attacks against Ukraine’s southern Odesa region on Saturday, regional authorities said.

Russian drones struck a five-story apartment block and a one-story residential building, injuring two people, said regional head Oleh Kiper. The city’s port was also damaged, he added.

Russia launched 294 drones overnight, Ukraine’s Air Force said, adding that 269 of them were shot down.

Russia’s Ministry of Defense said that its forces shot down 138 Ukrainian drones overnight over 14 Russian regions, including Moscow. Drones were also destroyed over the annexed Ukrainian peninsula of Crimea, as well as the Black and Azov seas, it said.

Ukrainian attacks killed two civilians in Russia's Belgorod region on the western border with Ukraine, local officials said. One man was killed when a Ukrainian drone hit a vehicle in the village of Krasnaya Yaruga, while another died when his home was hit in a strike on the village of Dubovoye. An apartment block in the region was also damaged in a separate attack, officials said.

___

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

The group of five Italian divers is believed to have died while exploring a cave at a depth of about 50 meters (160 feet) in Vaavu Atoll on Thursday, according to Italy’s Foreign Ministry. The recreational diving limit in the Maldives is 30 meters (98 feet).

Maldives presidential spokesman Mohamed Hussain Shareef said the search was suspended after Mohamed Mahudhee, a member of the Maldivian National Defense Force, died of underwater decompression sickness after being transferred to a hospital in the capital.

Authorities are awaiting the arrival of three Finnish divers, experts in deep and cave diving, on Sunday, to rethink their search strategy, he said.

Mahudhee will be buried with military honors in a funeral attended by President Mohamed Muzzu on Saturday night. The diver was part of the group that had briefed Muizzu on the rescue plan when he visited the search site on Friday.

“The death goes to show the difficulty of the mission,” Shareef said.

Rough weather has repeatedly hampered rescue efforts.

Search operations on Saturday involved eight local divers who worked in shifts to locate the missing Italians, the Italian Foreign Ministry said. Initial teams had already dived to identify and mark the entrance to the cave system where the Italians disappeared. The cause of the deaths remains under investigation.

Italy's Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani said everything possible would be done to bring the victims home. He offered his condolences for the death of the Maldivian diver during the rescue efforts.

The victims are described as experienced divers

The victims have been identified as Monica Montefalcone, an associate professor of ecology at the University of Genoa; her daughter, Giorgia Sommacal; marine biologist Federico Gualtieri; researcher Muriel Oddenino; and diving instructor Gianluca Benedetti, according to the Maldivian government.

Benedetti’s body was recovered on Thursday. His body was found near the mouth of the cave and authorities believed the remaining four had entered the cave.

Montefalcone and Oddenino were in the Maldives on an official scientific mission to monitor marine environments and study the effects of climate change on tropical biodiversity, the University of Genoa said in a statement Friday. However, the scuba diving activity during which the deadly accident occurred was not part of the planned research and was “undertaken privately,” it said.

The statement also said the two other victims — student Sommacal and recent graduate Gualtieri — were not involved in the scientific mission.

Carlo Sommacal, Montefalcone’s husband and Giorgia’s father, expressed doubts over the accident, saying that “something must have happened down there” given his wife and daughter's extensive experience.

Speaking to Italian TV, he described Montefalcone as a careful and highly disciplined diver who would never put her daughter or other colleagues at risk.

Tour operator says it didn't authorize deep dive

The Italian tour operator that manages the Maldives' diving trip denied authorizing or knowing about the deep dive that violated local limits, its lawyer told Italian daily Corriere della Sera on Saturday.

Orietta Stella, representing Albatros Top Boat, said the operator “did not know” the group planned to descend beyond 30 meters. That threshold requires special permission from Maldivian maritime authorities and the tour operator “would have never allowed it,” she said.

The dive far exceeded what was planned for a scientific cruise focused on coral sampling at standard depths, Stella added. The victims were experienced divers, but the equipment used appeared to be standard recreational gear rather than technical equipment suited for deep cave diving, she said.

She also clarified that Albatros only marketed the cruise and neither owned the vessel nor employed the crew, which was hired locally.

Cave diving is a highly technical and dangerous activity that requires specialized training, equipment and strict safety protocols. Risks increase sharply in environments where divers cannot head straight up and at depth, particularly when conditions are poor. Experts say it’s easy to become disoriented or lost inside caves, particularly as sediment clouds can sharply reduce visibility.

Diving at 50 meters also exceeds the maximum depth recommended for recreational divers by most major established scuba certifying agencies, with depths beyond 40 meters (131 feet) considered technical diving and requiring specialized training and equipment.

The Italian Foreign Ministry said the cave is divided into three large chambers connected by narrow passages. Recovery teams explored two of the three chambers on Friday, but the search was limited due to considerations over oxygen and decompression.

Italian officials said that around 20 other Italians on the same expedition aboard the vessel “Duke of York” were safe. Italy’s embassy in Colombo was providing assistance to those onboard and had contacted the Red Crescent, which offered to deploy volunteers to help provide psychological aid.

The Maldives Tourism Ministry said it suspended the operating license of the “Duke of York” pending an investigation.

___

Zampano reported from Rome.

Among the stacks of beef boxes and red meat cuts hanging from metal hooks, chicken and pork are increasingly present.

Red meat consumption in Argentina — historically one of the world’s biggest consumers of beef — has fallen to its lowest level in two decades amid economic austerity measures imposed by libertarian President Javier Milei.

As of April 2026, annual per capita beef consumption fell to 44.5 kilograms (98 pounds), down from 49.5 kilograms (109 pounds) during the same month a year earlier, according to the Agricultural Foundation for Argentina’s Development. In 2006, it was 63.4 kilos (139 pounds) per person.

“People are switching to cheaper proteins. They’re eating pork, they’re eating chicken,” said García.

Analysts attribute the decline to soaring beef prices, lower cattle supply and weakened household purchasing power. The opening of Argentina’s beef market to international trade has also pushed domestic prices closer to global levels.

“Beef moved into a completely different purchasing-power category. Workers’ wages fell far behind,” said Juampi Quintero, 25, a meat distributor who estimated consumption among his clients has fallen by more than half.

Less money for beef

Since coming into office in December 2023 with an annual inflation at 211%, Milei promised to eliminate what he called “the cancer of inflation” through an adjustment plan that included cuts equivalent to nearly one-third of public spending, symbolized by the image of a chain saw.

The government succeeded in reversing the fiscal deficit and achieving a budget surplus — a rare result in Argentina’s recent history — but the social cost of the austerity measures has drawn criticism.

Within months, Milei’s administration eliminated 13 ministries, laid off about 30,000 public employees, halted public works projects and reduced funding for key areas such as education, healthcare and science, while also cutting subsidies for basic services such as electricity, gas, water and transportation.

“That affects household income because families now have to pay more for services that were previously subsidized by the state,” said economist Camilo Tiscornia. “As a result, they have less disposable income and must give up certain more expensive goods, such as beef.”

At the same time, household incomes did not rise at the same pace as beef prices, helping drive down consumption.

Wages for registered workers increased an average of 1.8% in February, the latest available data, compared with monthly inflation of 2.9%.

“Before, I had the freedom to buy what I wanted,” said Alberto Brajin, a 61-year-old retiree who runs a streetside barbecue stall in Buenos Aires.

Brajin said he now has to “trade down” to cheaper proteins such as chicken.

Incomes drop, beef prices surge

Beef prices rose more than 60% over the past year, reaching an average of 18,500 pesos ($13) per kilogram in Buenos Aires in May, according to the Argentine Beef Promotion Institute.

In July 2025, Milei’s government reduced export taxes on beef and poultry and removed production quotas to encourage overseas sales, reversing part of the restrictions imposed under former President Alberto Fernández to curb rising domestic prices. The easing of export regulations came just as Argentina's beef production dropped by more than 10 percent due to floods and droughts, according to CICCRA, the nonprofit organization that represents Argentina’s beef producers.

Argentina’s government said this week that beef exports rose 54% in the first quarter compared with a year earlier, totaling nearly 200,000 tons worth more than $1 billion. The increase followed a U.S. decision earlier this year to expand Argentina’s tariff-free beef quota amid American cattle shortages.

With the market opening up, producers began selling beef — once affordable across much of Argentina’s social spectrum — at prices closer to international levels.

“Previously, all meats had similar prices, which encouraged high beef consumption that did not reflect its real production costs,” agricultural consultant Iván Ordóñez explained.

Shop owners learn to adapt

As beef becomes increasingly expensive for many Argentine families, chicken and pork are gaining ground as cheaper alternatives.

“We’ve chosen to buy pork and chicken because beef is too expensive,” said shop owner Ruth Simon.

Chicken costs an average of 4,900 pesos ($3.50) per kilogram, while pork ribs cost around 8,900 pesos ($6.30).

García, the butcher shop owner, said he began selling chicken and pork less than a year ago after noticing changes in customers’ eating habits.

“You have to adapt,” he said. “We can’t just sit around crying. No crying. We have to work. We have to keep our dignity. We have to fight.”

___

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

For the first time in seven years, Silvia Díaz won’t get together with friends to watch the Eurovision Song Contest finals on Saturday night. Their host called off their annual gathering after Spain’s public broadcaster withdrew from the festival, protesting Israel’s participation over its war against Hamas in Gaza. Díaz will watch on YouTube, but only if she has no other plans.

“It’s not the same watching it alone at home as it is with friends. That’s the only thing that upsets me.”

The five-day song competition drew 166 million viewers last year — considerably more than Super Bowl viewership in the U.S. Spain hasn't won since 1969; nevertheless, after months of television, radio and newspaper play for Spain’s song, friends and families usually watch the final at home and bars, and their contestant's performance dominates the day-after headlines. Spaniards at the event wave the country's flag, wear red clothing, or don the occasional bullfighter costume.

Spain announced its boycott in December, after the European Broadcasting Union said Israel would be allowed to compete, and has been joined by Ireland, Slovenia, the Netherlands and Iceland. Some Spanish fans respect the choice to take a stand by sitting out the cherished event, even if it’s bittersweet.

Media blackout in Spain and elsewhere

Spain's broadcaster has repeatedly expressed disapproval over Israel’s participation. In last year's semifinals, RTVE's commentators introduced Israel's singer in the same breath as they mentioned Palestinians killed in the war. Before airing the final, the network transmitted the message “Peace and justice for Palestine” on a black background to hundreds of thousands of Spanish televisions.

As Eurovision finals take place in Vienna, RTVE will air a tribute to the network's musical history. It will feature a performance by Tony Grox and Lucycalys, the musicians who RTVE would have dispatched to represent Spain at Eurovision.

Ireland's public broadcaster will air a film about one couple's life in the Irish countryside. Slovenians will be shown an episode of a 10-part program about Palestinians. People can still watch Eurovision on the European Broadcasting Union's YouTube channel, but the lack of a performer or commentator from their own country renders the vibe decidedly less passionate.

Israel has been competing for 50 years and won four times. Israelis gather in bars to watch and are enthusiastic about the country’s participation, which is seen by many as a sign of international acceptance and normalcy. Its contestant each year becomes a national celebrity and a strong showing — even if not an outright victory — is a source of pride.

Fans are divided by the boycott

Among Spain's Eurovision fans, this year's boycott has supporters and detractors.

For Rebeca Carril, who enjoys replaying performances from the 1960s and 1970s, before she was born, the turning point came a few years ago with the influx of Israeli sponsors. She didn't want to support their marketing efforts by tuning in.

“I have Palestinian friends and I began to understand a little better how things worked,” said Carril, a 42-year-old marketing executive in Madrid.

For others, like Guillermina Bastida, music and politics should be separate. She drove 3 1/2 days from northern Spain in a van with her two daughters to last year's competition in Basel, her third time attending. This year, she will settle for YouTube.

“It’s a song festival, period,” Bastida, a 47-year-old who works in communications, said by phone from Asturias province. “I also have my own stance, which is critical, but not to the point of boycotting the festival.”

Eurovision’s motto is “United by Music,” and organizers strive to keep politics out, vainly, in recent years. Months after the invasion of Ukraine in 2022, the European Broadcasting Union disqualified Russia, and it hasn’t been allowed to return. Contest rules ban overtly political lyrics or symbols, and organizers stress it is a competition among national broadcasters, not governments.

Spain is one of the so-called “Big Five” countries that contribute the most financially to Eurovision. In addition to missing out on big bucks for broadcasting rights, Eurovision is losing publicity and credibility, said Jose García, co-director of a website that provides news about the competition, whose main social media channels have a combined total of almost 100,000 followers.

That doesn't mean people will tune out completely, he added.

“It has marked the television and personal history of many people, and fans will watch it via international channels or YouTube. But it’s one thing to be able to watch it and another to agree with what’s happening,” García said.

The absence of Spaniards is felt

On the streets of Vienna, the lack of Spaniards is noticeable, said Vicente Rico after attending the first night of the semifinals.

“We’re a group that, just like at other events, makes its presence felt — we’re among the happiest, the loudest and the most fun,” said Rico, 40, who runs a perfumery in Madrid.

This is Rico's 18th Eurovision, and he had been torn before embarking on his annual pilgrimage because he believes the boycott is morally right. Still, it doesn't sit well.

“It bothers me that Eurovision is being used as a scapegoat,” he said, noting the lack of action by international organizations and boycotts at other events like the FIFA World Cup, which kicks off in a month.

And who will Rico support, with Spain absent?

“I think Finland is going to win, but the support for Italy is crazy,” he said. If Sweden, Serbia or Australia prevails, he would return to Spain happy.

“This year, we’re rooting for everyone except Israel.”

___

Associated Press writers Josef Federman in Jerusalem and Jill Lawless in Vienna contributed to this report.

Trump announced the joint operation in Africa’s most populous country in a late-night social media post. He said Abu Bakr al-Mainuki was second-in-command of the Islamic State group globally and “thought he could hide in Africa, but little did he know we had sources who kept us informed on what he was doing.”

Al-Mainuki was viewed as the key figure in IS organizing and finance, and had been plotting attacks against the United States and its interests, according to an official who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to share sensitive information.

Nigerian President Bola Tinubu confirmed the operation and said Al-Mainuki was killed alongside “several of his lieutenants, during a strike on his compound in the Lake Chad Basin."

The joint operation is the latest by both countries since their new security partnership that kicked off last year after Trump claimed Christians were being targeted in Nigeria’s security crisis and threatened U.S. military intervention. Residents and security analysts have said Nigeria's security crisis affects both Christians, predominant in the south, and Muslims, who are the majority in the north.

According to the spokesperson for the Nigerian military task force that carried out the Friday operation, the mission was a "highly complex precision air-land operation" and was carried out during three hours of darkness early Saturday without any casualties or loss of assets.

“His elimination represents the single most consequential counterterrorism outcome" in the region since the inception of the operation in 2015, Sani Uba, the spokesperson for the task force, said in a statement.

United Nations experts in their latest report said IS had intensified efforts in West Africa, citing more than 500 attacks between January and October last year.

Questions over Al-Mainuki's exact status in IS

Born in Nigeria’s Borno province in 1982, al-Mainuki took the helm of the IS branch in West Africa after his predecessor, Mamman Nur, was killed in 2018, according to the Counter Extremism Project, which tracks militant groups.

Al-Mainuki was based in the Sahel area, the monitoring group said, adding that it is believed that he fought in Libya when IS was active in the North African nation more than a decade ago. He was sanctioned by the U.S. in 2023.

Trump, in his social media announcement, said Al-Mainuki was “second in command globally,” hiding in Africa, a claim that some analysts say is off the mark. The Nigerian military, in a statement, also said intelligence shows that earlier this year, Al-Mainuki might have been “elevated to the position of Head of the General Directorate of States, placing him the second most senior leader within the ISIS global hierarchy.”

U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth also said Al-Mainuki was the senior ISIS General Directorate of Provinces Emir — “the number two for ISIS globally — responsible for overseeing the planning of attacks, directing the hostage-taking and managing financial operations."

There is no way to verify his position within IS independently. Analysts say Al-Mainuki was the deputy to Abu Musab al-Barnawi, the leader of the Islamic State West African Province who was reported to have died in 2021. He is regarded as one of the central proponents of the formation of ISWAP, after its split with Boko Haram in 2016.

“If confirmed, the killing of Al-Mainuki is huge because this is the first time a security agency has killed someone this high in the ranking of ISWAP,” Malik Samuel, a senior researcher at Good Governance Africa who specializes in insurgent groups in Nigeria, said.

“The potential to cause chaos within the group is also there because the operation must have been carried out in the heart of ISWAP’s fortified base, which is very difficult to access.”

Trump in December directed U.S. forces to launch strikes against the Islamic State group in Nigeria, though he released little detail then about the impact.

US and Nigeria step up joint operations

The Nigerian military said the operation was a result of recently formed U.S.-Nigeria partnership and intelligence-sharing efforts. Samalia Uba, the military spokesperson, said in a statement that the operation has also “disrupted a violent terrorist network that endangered Nigeria and the broader West African region.”

Nigeria has been battling multiple armed groups, including at least two affiliated with IS, as it has grappled with a multifaceted security crisis. IS affiliates in Africa have emerged as some of the continent's most active militant groups following the collapse of the so-called IS caliphate in Syria and Iraq in 2017.

The U.S. in February sent troops to the West African nation to help advise its military, and in March, the U.S. also deployed drones there after Trump's allegations about Christians being targeted in Nigeria.

The Friday night operation was the latest instance in a string of covert missions abroad that Trump has announced this year, starting with the stunning overnight raid in January to capture and remove Venezuela's then-leader Nicolás Maduro and whisk him to the U.S., followed nearly two months later by the launch of strikes that kicked off the war with Iran.

___

Adetayo reported from Lagos, Nigeria. Associated Press writers Dyepkazah Shibayan in Abuja, Konstantin Toropin in Washington and Samy Magdy in Cairo contributed to this report.

Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is the reigning MVP and he's one of the three finalists for the award this season — along with Spurs center Victor Wembanyama and Denver's Nikola Jokic. Amazon Prime Video announced that it would reveal the MVP winner during its pregame show Sunday, which starts at 7:30 p.m. EDT.

No matter who wins, it'll be the eighth consecutive season in which a player who was born outside the U.S. takes the MVP trophy.

This international run of MVPs started with Milwaukee’s Giannis Antetokounmpo (born in Greece, of Nigerian descent) in 2019 and 2020, then Denver’s Nikola Jokic (Serbia) in 2021 and 2022, Philadelphia’s Joel Embiid (born in Cameroon but has since become a U.S. citizen) in 2023, Jokic again in 2024 and Gilgeous-Alexander (Canada) last year.

Wembanyama would be the first French player to win MVP, and Jokic is seeking a fourth MVP — something only Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (six), Michael Jordan (five), Bill Russell (five), Wilt Chamberlain (four) and LeBron James (four) have done.

It'll also be the 12th MVP award overall for an international player. Before this current run, Nigeria's Hakeem Olajuwon won in 1994, Canada's Steve Nash won in 2005 and 2006, and Germany's Dirk Nowitzki won in 2007.

The scheduling of the announcement may be a hint that Gilgeous-Alexander might be the winner, because it would have the same time-frame that the MVP reveal followed a year ago. In 2025, Gilgeous-Alexander was announced as the winner May 21, and he was formally presented with the trophy before Game 2 of the West finals in Oklahoma City on May 22.

This year, the Sunday announcement comes a day before the Thunder plays host to Game 1 of the West finals on Monday night.

Awards so far this season

A breakdown of the awards already announced by the NBA this season:

— Defensive Player of the Year: Victor Wembanyama, San Antonio.

— Clutch Player of the Year: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Oklahoma City.

— Sixth Man of the Year: Keldon Johnson, San Antonio.

— Most Improved Player: Nickeil Alexander-Walker, Atlanta.

— Rookie of the Year: Cooper Flagg, Dallas.

— Executive of the Year: Brad Stevens, Boston.

— Twyman-Stokes Teammate of the Year: DeAndre Jordan, New Orleans.

— Hustle Award: Moussa Diabaté, Charlotte.

— Sportsmanship Award: Derrick White, Boston.

The league's Coach of the Year award (San Antonio's Mitch Johnson, Detroit’s J.B. Bickerstaff, or Boston’s Joe Mazzulla) has yet to be announced, as have the All-NBA, All-Rookie and All-Defensive teams.

___

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

The U.S. Ambassador to Israel, Mike Huckabee, first brought attention to the strengthening ties between Israel and the UAE by revealing that Israel had sent Iron Dome air-defense weapons and personnel to operate them to help protect the UAE from Iranian attacks.

Then, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he had quietly visited the UAE during the war, prompting a hasty public denial from the Gulf nation.

As Netanyahu and the Trump administration ballyhoo their alliances as part of an effort to bolster the region's anti-Iran factions, the Gulf states prefer to downplay these partnerships — a sign of how public ties to Israel remain deeply controversial in the region.

Here’s what you need to know about the Israel-UAE relationship:

Why would the UAE deny Netanyahu’s visit?

Netanyahu’s decision to reveal his wartime trip to Abu Dhabi rocked the boat, particularly coming after Huckabee confirmed military cooperation between the two countries. Reports swirled that Israel’s security chiefs had also visited.

The UAE’s official WAM news agency posted an article denying “reports circulating” about the visit. The agency wrote that the country’s relations with Israel “are public and conducted within the framework of the well-known and officially declared Abraham Accords, and are not based on non-transparent or unofficial arrangements.”

The report also denied any Israeli military delegation was received in the UAE.

“It complicates Abu Dhabi’s wartime-frame posture by forcing it into the open — which is why the denial was issued so quickly and worded so carefully,” said Hesham Alghannam, a Saudi Arabia-based scholar at the Malcolm H. Kerr Carnegie Middle East Center.

Though the UAE normalized relations with Israel in 2020, its rulers like to keep the alliance somewhat quiet.

Antipathy toward the Jewish state runs high in Arab and Muslim countries across the Middle East. The negative feelings were magnified by the war in Gaza, which began after Hamas, a militant group backed by Iran, attacked Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, killing some 1,200 people and taking 251 hostages.

Israel’s ensuing offensive in Gaza flattened much of the territory and has killed over 72,700 Palestinians, according to the Gaza Health Ministry, which does not distinguish between civilian and militant deaths. That conflict spilled across the region, with Israel waging deadly and damaging campaigns against Iran-backed militants in Lebanon and Yemen, and striking militant targets in Qatar and Syria.

“We are the ugly duckling of the Middle East,” said Dan Diker, the president of the Jerusalem Center for Security and Foreign Affairs, a conservative Israeli think tank.

Diker, who has had extensive talks and relationships with Abraham Accord countries in the region, said the regional officials with whom he often negotiated always asked to keep things under the radar.

What is the Israel-UAE alliance based on?

Israel and the UAE collaborated militarily during the war with Iran. Israel benefited from having a defense foothold in a country geographically closer to its archenemy. The UAE, meanwhile, gained access to Israeli military technology, like the Iron Dome air-defense system.

The alliance has also been a boon for both countries’ economies, with trade between them rising steadily since 2020.

Israel, long isolated in the Middle East, gains legitimacy by partnering with an Arab country. And the UAE gains power in Washington.

The UAE was the third Arab country, after Egypt and Jordan, to establish full diplomatic ties with Israel.

Why did Netanyahu publicize his visit?

Netanyahu faces fierce domestic opposition headed into an election season in Israel. He believes his image is bolstered if he can show his base that he is a Middle East power broker.

The Iran war did not much help the leader’s domestic popularity. One thing that could help it — while strengthening his strained relationship with President Donald Trump — would be more regional powers following the UAE’s lead. Israel is currently in talks with Azerbaijan to join the Abraham Accords.

But if Netanyahu was hopeful that broadcasting close Israel-UAE ties could serve as a model for other countries, he may need to temper expectations.

Saudi Arabia, a leader in the region that has resisted joining the Abraham Accords, has taken a different approach throughout the war. It has maintained open lines of communication with Tehran, and has supported Pakistan’s mediation between the sides, said Alghannam, the Saudi Arabia-based scholar.

“The aim is not to take a posture on Israel, per se. It is to refuse entanglement in a war whose dynamics Riyadh did not set and cannot control,” he said.

“Riyadh discussing the full range of options openly, with partners, without locking into one track, is itself a strategic signal," he said. "The regional security architecture will be designed regionally, not inherited from whatever Washington and Tehran negotiate bilaterally.”

___

Kareem Chehayeb in Beirut contributed to this report.

Dr. Tracy Beth Hoeg will be replaced as FDA's acting drug center director by Dr. Mike Davis, who has been serving as deputy director, according to an email sent to agency staff Friday that was obtained by The Associated Press.

Hoeg said in a social media post late Friday that she was “fired,” from the agency, adding: “I learned so much and leave with no regrets.”

Hoeg's departure is the latest in an ongoing shake-up at the powerful regulatory agency. FDA Commissioner Marty Makary resigned earlier in the week, and Dr. Vinay Prasad, the agency's vaccine and biotech chief, stepped down last month following intense criticism from drugmakers, patients and investors.

The agency also announced Friday that Karim Mikhail would take over as acting director of the vaccines center. Mikhail, a longtime pharmaceutical executive, was hired by Makary last spring.

Makary's ouster from his role atop the FDA followed weeks of complaints from President Donald Trump's political allies, including anti-abortion groups and vaping lobbyists, who are frustrated with the direction of the agency.

Hoeg, who is closely aligned with Makary and Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., had been leading FDA's drug program since December, the latest official to briefly hold that position amid a revolving door of FDA leadership changes.

Hoeg's rapid rise through the agency was engineered by Makary, who quickly promoted her from serving as his special assistant to overseeing the agency's largest center, responsible for regulating most U.S. prescription and over-the-counter drugs.

FDA center directors are typically career agency scientists with decades of experience. Hoeg had no previous government or management experience.

Since arriving at the FDA last March, Hoeg led investigations into the safety of injectable RSV drugs for children, antidepressants and COVID-19 vaccinations.

Those inquiries reflected Hoeg’s longstanding interests and concerns from before joining government.

A sports medicine physician and public health scientist, Hoeg first gained attention during the pandemic as a critic of masking, school closures, vaccine mandates and other government measures. She co-wrote papers with other medical contrarians who would go on to join the Trump administration, including Makary and Prasad.

Like Makary and Prasad, Hoeg also frequently expressed her opinions in blog posts and podcasts, including one titled “Vaccine Curious.” The podcast discussed a number of discredited ideas, including that mRNA vaccines may contain harmful DNA contaminants.

A Danish American citizen, Hoeg was instrumental in the Trump administration’s recent effort to drop a number of federally recommended shots for children, including those for the flu and hepatitis B at birth. Those changes have been temporarily blocked by a federal judge in Boston, though the administration plans to appeal the decision.

At the FDA, Hoeg led an “initial analysis” of vaccine injuries that linked COVID-19 shots to 10 reported deaths in children — without providing the supporting evidence. The findings were discussed in an internal memo Prasad sent to staffers last November, though the FDA has not formally announced the findings or explained how they were developed.

Officials from the FDA and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have previously concluded that serious side effects from the vaccines are extremely rare.

More recently, Hoeg was involved in the agency’s review of a formal petition to add bold new warnings to antidepressant drugs about unproven pregnancy risks, including fetal abnormalities that could lead to autism and other disorders.

In March, she attempted to hire the author of the petition to serve as a senior adviser at the FDA, according to people familiar with the situation. The matter raised concerns among some agency staff because Hoeg had repeatedly referred to the person as a friend, according to the people who spoke to the AP on the condition of anonymity to discuss confidential FDA matters.

___

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

The young Spurs left no doubt they're already a serious NBA title contender.

Stephon Castle had 32 points and 11 rebounds to highlight another dominant performance from the backcourt, and Victor Wembanyama and the Spurs romped past the Timberwolves 139-109 on Friday night to finish in the second-round series in six games.

“I just tip my hat to them,” Edwards said. “They were just the better team.”

De'Aaron Fox added 21 points and nine assists and rookie Dylan Harper had 15 points off the bench for the Spurs, who set their franchise postseason record for 3-pointers made by going 18 for 38. They will face defending champion Oklahoma City in Game 1 on Monday night. The Thunder swept their first two series.

“Of course we’re confident, but we need to keep the right confidence level,” Wembanyama said. “Right now, I’m not even thinking about it. I’m just thinking about recovering.”

Wembanyama, who bounced back from his stunning Game 4 ejection with 27 points, 17 rebounds, five assists and three blocks in the Game 5 blowout, was well-guarded by the Wolves in Game 6 and had a quiet 19 points in 27 minutes. But he still served as a constant defensive deterrent in the paint, and he dutifully joined the Spurs in transition whenever they had the opportunity to run — which was often.

The size, smarts and shooting touch of the Spurs guards were too much for the Wolves, who predictably had their hands full with the 7-foot-4 Wembanyama.

Castle made his first five 3-pointers and finished 11 for 16 from the floor. Fox was 3 for 3 from deep, and Julian Champagnie made four 3s among his 18 points for the Spurs, who outscored the Wolves by a whopping 97 points in the series and never once trailed by double digits. The Spurs breezed by Portland Trail in five games in the first round.

“It shows that we already gained a little bit of experience from our short playoff time," Wembanyama said. "I feel like we put ourselves in the best conditions, as simple as that.”

Anthony Edwards had 24 points on 9-for-26 shooting for the Wolves, who got another spark from reserves Terrence Shannon (21 points) and Naz Reid (18 points) but were again flustered by the Spurs and their relentless switch-heavy defense. Julius Randle had just three points on 1-for-8 shooting.

“It just felt like we kind of ran out of bullets as this series went on,” coach Chris Finch said.

This no-show in the elimination game might’ve felt familiar to Wolves fans, who’ve otherwise enjoyed an unprecedented run of success in the playoffs over the last three years.

Minnesota trailed by 33 points at halftime in a 30-point loss at Oklahoma City in the Game 5 ouster in the Western Conference finals last year and were down by 29 points at the break to Dallas in losing the Western Conference finals in 2024 in a 21-point loss in Game 5.

___

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

Not yet, at least, though a path is now open for Andy Burnham, the popular mayor of Greater Manchester, to try to unseat beleaguered Prime Minister Keir Starmer.

It’s far from a sure thing, as there would be big hurdles to clear.

Burnham first needs to return to Parliament, where he could mount a challenge to Starmer's leadership, potentially alongside others, including former Health Secretary Wes Streeting, who confirmed Saturday that he would stand in any race if and when it is triggered.

Starmer, who has vowed to lead on, has been on the ropes, facing plummeting approval ratings and questions about his judgment. His unpopularity was undoubtedly a key reason why Labour took a beating in U.K.-wide local elections this month. More than a fifth of the party's lawmakers in the House of Commons have urged him to stand down.

A return home yields a new look and nickname

Burnham, 56, is seen as Starmer's biggest would-be rival, partly because he's perceived to be to the political left of the prime minister.

The mayor is known as the “King of the North,” and his Labour backers will hope that moniker reaps rewards.

The allusion to the popular Jon Snow character in “Game of Thrones” is a sign of respect — earned for Burnham's fierce backing of northern England, its working class culture and heritage. It projects an image that he’s not part of the London political establishment. For many northerners, that counts for a lot.

His three sizable mayoral victories since 2017 show he can win.

But he hasn't always. Burnham, who was in the Cabinet of Gordon Brown’s government from 2007 to 2010, ran twice for the leadership of the Labour Party and lost badly — first in 2010 and then in 2015. Looking back on those campaigns, he was pretty stiff.

Ending his 16-year tenure in Parliament yielded a more polished performer and a sleeker look. Suits and ties were largely replaced by a smart-casual look, often paired with sneakers.

That may seem superficial, but it broke down barriers with voters.

More importantly, his stint as mayor made him a more effective operator and, arguably, the best communicator in Labour’s ranks.

His standing grew during the COVID-19 pandemic when he became the de facto spokesman for northern England by constantly haranguing Conservative Prime Minister Boris Johnson over what he called a “London-centric” approach to the crisis.

Burnham would have to quit his job as mayor if he wins a special parliamentary election in the constituency of Makerfield, about 20 miles (32 kilometers) west of Manchester.

The road of return to Parliament runs through Reform UK

His route back to the House of Commons opened up Thursday when Labour lawmaker Josh Simons said he would step down to make way for Burnham. Though Burnham was blocked from running for a seat earlier this year, Labour’s executive body has said he can this time in the special election expected within weeks.

It will likely be a bruising battle and one of, if not the most, consequential special elections in U.K. history.

“We need to fix politics, to fix the economy, get the basics back under public control so that people can afford their rent, energy bills, etc," Burnham told the BBC on Saturday. “We’ve got to see this as a moment to reclaim the Labour Party, to save it from where it’s been. we can’t just carry on as we are.”

Simons secured the seat by about 5,400 votes two years ago, but that was in Labour’s landslide victory of 2024 that swept Conservatives out after 14 years.

Times have changed dramatically, and Labour’s recent battering came at the hands of the ascendant anti-immigrant Reform UK party on the right and, to a lesser-extent, the eco-populist Greens on the left. All the wards in the Makerfield constituency were won by Reform in the local races.

Reform’s leader, Nigel Farage, said the party would “throw absolutely everything at it.”

Tim Bale, a professor of politics at Queen Mary University of London, said Burnham can capitalize on his “big name” reputation and as someone who gets things done.

“There will be a lot of people who would like to see him get back into Parliament, not least to take down Keir Starmer,” Bale said. “In some ways, it’s a useful test for Burnham because if he can’t beat Reform in that constituency, then quite frankly, he’s not much use to the Labour Party as leader.”

One battle after another

Labour has never ousted one of its leaders while in government, but there is a process.

If Burnham wins, he would either trigger a leadership contest or join one. To do so, a member of Parliament needs the support of a fifth — or 81 — of Labour's 403 members. Starmer, who has vowed to fight on, would automatically be entitled to run.

Wes Streeting, who resigned as health secretary on Thursday but did not directly challenge Starmer, confirmed he would be a candidate in the likely leadership election.

“We need a proper contest with the best candidates on the field, and I’ll be standing," he said.

Streeting insisted he had enough support to trigger a contest, but suggested he would “lack legitimacy” without Burnham having a chance to return to Parliament.

Streeting said the future of the U.K. was at stake in the next general election and that Labour risked being “the handmaidens of Nigel Farage” if the party did not heed the electorate's warnings last week. He also voiced his hope that the U.K. would go back into the European Union.

Others said to be considering doing so are former Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner, defense minister Al Carns and former party leader Ed Miliband.

For now, all permutations go through Makerfield and that result could have a seismic impact.

“Were Burnham to win the by-election, it’s unlikely that Keir Starmer will actually stand in that leadership contest,” Bale said. “If Burnham fails, then Starmer might feel he has a chance against Streeting and Rayner.”

___

Associated Press writer Danica Kirka contributed to this report.

White, a 27-year-old screenwriter, knew she had to go. She wasn't the only one. More than 150 women — buoyed by the viral video — attended the tryouts in January, a five-fold increase from previous turnouts.

Five months later, White is one of a handful of women who have packed their bags and moved to Florida to join USA Handball's national residency program, hoping to eventually be selected to represent the United States at the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles.

Handball is popular overseas but not in the US

As the host nation, the U.S. automatically qualifies for every sport.

The last time the United States had a women’s handball team at the Games was in 1996. Finding the money and resources needed to field a competitive U.S. team is a constant challenge. Athletes are often dual citizens from Europe who play professionally overseas.

While handball is little known in the U.S., it is popular in Germany, France, Norway and Denmark as well as Balkan nations in southeastern Europe. These countries usually dominate at the Olympics.

Men’s handball was introduced in the 1936 Olympics, and women started participating at the 1976 Games. But while many Olympic athletes start training in childhood to compete for their country, handball athletes in the U.S. often pivot to the sport later in life.

The game involves two teams of six players who use their hands to pass a ball — covered in a sticky resin — to get it into the other team’s goal, protected by a goalkeeper. It’s fast, full-contact and can draw tens of thousands of spectators overseas.

Former athletes take a gamble

Many female handball players were Division One athletes in college or are former professional basketball players. Most are in their 20s and 30s, but some play into their 40s.

White had hoped to have a college athlete career playing basketball and lacrosse but was hindered by injuries and several surgeries on her knees. Handball felt like her chance to play competitive sports again.

“I think a lot of people would describe me as the most competitive person they’d ever met,” White said. “I definitely was raised in a house where we had big, big dreams.”

She told the coach after tryouts: “I’m ready to go do this and I will work as hard as you want me to work.”

The goal of the residency is for players to improve enough to be paid to play professionally overseas.

Many have left partners behind to pursue their dreams, including White.

“I told him I’m going to take him to Europe with me,” she said.

As for the Olympic team roster, that won’t be finalized until a few months ahead of the LA Games. While dozens of women are training in the residency, only about 14 to 18 can represent the country in a tournament. It’s a big gamble.

Multisport athletes tend to make the best handball players

Sarah Gascon, who played on the women’s national team for years, recently became its head coach. Her goal is to rebuild the team and the program in the U.S. after years of decline.

“We’ve had great successes in my career and some really great moments but still didn’t get an opportunity to play in the Olympic Games because we just weren’t good enough,” Gascon said.

The best players, Gascon has found, are multisport athletes. Basketball teaches you how to dribble, volleyball teaches you how to block a ball when someone is shooting, and softball or rugby teaches you how to throw. Handball incorporates all of these skills.

“It’s really about their athleticism,” Gascon said. “Do they have a good foundation that we could build upon? And how are they able to adapt with learning something new at 22 or 23 years old?”

A lack of funding is the biggest hurdle

While Gascon has rounded up enthusiastic athletes in Florida, the biggest challenge they face is resources.

USA Handball is the only national governing body for an Olympic sport that doesn’t receive any funding from the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee, and the women’s team is the only one that doesn’t receive any support, such as access to elite athlete health insurance, Gascon said. The committee did not respond to an Associated Press email request for comment.

Gascon and her staff are all volunteers, and the athletes have to work full-time while training.

“Some of our best athletes haven’t been able to go to tournaments or go to events because they can’t afford it,” Gascon said.

Devyn Holbrook had also never heard of handball before the tryouts.

The 30-year-old self-proclaimed “queen of side quests” grew up doing ballet, soccer, basketball, softball, and javelin for track and field. She quickly became obsessed with handball after playing for just a few days.

“I just loved it and then I couldn’t stop watching videos online of past Olympic Games,” Holbrook said. “You don’t get a lot of chances to do like women’s team sports later in life.”

She figured she had nothing to lose.

“There will never be a chance again that I could go to the Olympics in this capacity,” Holbrook said. “So why not give it everything that I have? And if I don’t make it, then I don’t make it.”

There’s a lot that's noteworthy: Women lead the nominations for a second year in a row. Shania Twain will host for the first time, taking over for Reba McEntire. The awards ceremony will also take place May 17 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, leaving the Ford Center at The Star in Frisco, Texas, just north of Dallas, after three years.

And the ACM festivities actually began ahead of Sunday's event.

Before the show, a few trophies were handed out. Jessie Jo Dillon was named songwriter of the year, becoming the first artist to win three times in a row. Stephen Wilson Jr. was awarded visual media of the year for “Cuckoo.” And Avery Anna and Tucker Wetmore were presented with new female and new male artist of the year, respectively.

Here’s what you need to know before the main ACMs attraction begins.

How to watch the ACMs

The 2026 ACM Awards will stream on Prime Video and the Amazon Music channel on Twitch, as well as the Amazon Music app, on May 17 at 8 p.m. EDT.

This year’s ACM Awards nominees

Women dominate the 2026 ACM Award nominations. First up: Megan Moroney, who leads with nine nods.

She’s followed by Miranda Lambert, the most-decorated artist in ACM Awards history, with eight, as well as Ella Langley and Lainey Wilson with seven each.

Then there's Chris Stapleton with six, Zach Top with five and Cody Johnson with four.

In addition to Moroney, those competing for entertainer of the year are Wilson, Stapleton, Johnson, Luke Combs, Jelly Roll and Morgan Wallen.

In the album of the year category, Wallen’s “I’m the Problem” faces off against Top’s “Ain’t in It for My Health,” Riley Green’s “Don’t Mind If I Do,” Parker McCollum’s “Parker McCollum” and first-time nominee Carter Faith’s “Cherry Valley.”

Who’s performing at the ACM Awards

Performers will include Lambert, Langley, Top, Wilson, Johnson, Green, Faith, Anna, Wetmore, McCollum, Kacey Musgraves, Little Big Town, Blake Shelton, Dan + Shay, Jordan Davis, Kane Brown, The Red Clay Strays, Thomas Rhett and Lee Ann Womack.

McCollum and Womack will perform “Killin’ Me” from his 2025 self-titled album. All the nominees in the album of the year category will perform, except for Wallen.

Who’s presenting at the ACM Awards

Ashley McBryde, Keith Urban, Lauren Alaina, Michael Bublé, Shaboozey, The War and Treaty, and TJ Osborne are among this year's presenters.

There will also be a few non-musician presenters: Super Bowl champion Andrew Whitworth, NASCAR Hall of Famer Carl Edwards, NASCAR driver and podcast host Corey LaJoie and former NFL quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick.

___

For more coverage of this year’s ACM Awards, visit https://apnews.com/hub/academy-of-country-music-awards.

After a week’s buildup, acts from 25 countries will take to the stage at the Wiener Stadthalle arena in Vienna to battle for the continent’s pop crown. Millions of viewers around the world will cast judgment on a fiery Finnish violinist, a Moldovan folk rapper, a Serbian metal band and many more at Eurovision’s 70th anniversary event.

The campy, colorful contest has been likened to the World Cup with songs instead of soccer. And like global sports, it often becomes entangled in politics. The contest has been clouded for a third year by calls for Israel to be excluded over its conflicts in Gaza and elsewhere, with five longtime participants — Spain, the Netherlands, Ireland, Iceland and Slovenia — boycotting in protest.

Finnish favorites fan the flames

Newcomers looking to grasp the essence of Eurovision and its interplay of pop and politics should look no further than two of the fan favorites to emerge during a week that saw two semifinals ahead of the grand finale.

Rapper Satoshi’s “Viva, Moldova” combines “a stunning high energy performance with a subtle pro-European political message,” from a country moving toward the European Union after decades in Moscow’s orbit, said Eurovision historian Dean Vuletic. Greek artist Akylas’ song “Ferto,” or “Bring It,” provides a playful take on conspicuous consumption in a country still scarred by the economic wounds of the 2008 financial crisis.

Both are likely to score highly with viewers, though national juries, which tend to be more impressed by technical excellence, may be less impressed. Winners are chosen by a mix of votes from the two, translated into points by a system confusing even to Eurovision fans. The act with the most points wins, and their country gets to host the competition next year.

Finland is the favorite in betting odds with “Liekinheitin,” or “Flamethrower,” a fiery duet between the singing of pop star Pete Parkkonen and the fiddling of classical violinist Linda Lampenius.

But Eurovision often produces surprises.

“Eurovision has never really been a contest for big stars. It’s largely been a contest for underdogs,” Vuletic said. “People like to see the underdog on stage. They like to the artist-in-the-making on stage or an artist from a smaller, poorer country on stage.”

A wild card would be a win by Australia, a Eurovision participant since 2015, which has sent established star Delta Goodrem. Her slick midtempo ballad “Eclipse” — and a bravura performance that sees her raised into the air above a glittery piano — has been rising up the betting odds. A European country would likely host for Australia next year if she wins.

Protests express opposition to Israel

Israeli competitor Noam Bettan has been warmly received in the auditorium, though four protesters were ejected after trying to interrupt his performance during Tuesday’s semifinal.

Street protests opposing Israel’s inclusion over the conduct of its war against Hamas in Gaza have been smaller in Vienna than at the 2024 contest in Malmo, Sweden and last year’s event in Basel, Switzerland.

A demonstration against Israel’s participation is planned ahead of Saturday’s final, and pro-Palestinian groups staged an outdoor concert on Friday under the banner “No stage for genocide.”

“Inviting Israel on such a beautiful stage as the Eurovision Song Contest stage is an affront to all the people who believe in humanity, who believe in love and togetherness,” said Congolese-Austrian artist Patrick Bongola, one of the organizers.

The five-nation boycott is a revenue and viewership blow to an event that organizers say was watched by 166 million people around the world last year. This year’s field of 35 contestants is the smallest since 2003.

Still, Eurovision is eyeing expansion, with a spinoff Eurovision Song Contest Asia due to take place in Bangkok in November.

Eurovision director Martin Green urged viewers to put politics aside and enjoy the “brilliant, wonderful, heartfelt show” that is the competition’s grand final.

He told a news conference on Saturday that the contest is a chance for a few hours to “close the curtains to the outside world and dream that something else is possible.”

Vuletic says political controversy is nothing new. The first Eurovision boycott was in 1969 — ironically, by Austria, which refused to send a delegation to Spain under dictator Francisco Franco.

“We’ve seen very politicized editions of the contest in the recent past,” Vuletic said, including the 2009 contest in Russia, Azerbaijan’s turn as host in 2012 and the 2024 competition in Sweden, marred by protests and the expulsion of a competitor after a backstage altercation

“All of them were very much mired in political controversy, yet Eurovision continues,” he said.

How to watch and vote

Eurovision airs at 1900 GMT (3 p.m. EDT) on national broadcasters in participating countries, on Peacock in the United States and on the Eurovision YouTube channel in many territories.

Viewers in participating countries can vote up to 10 times by phone or text message during and for a short time after the show, but aren’t allowed to vote for their own country’s act. Viewers in the U.S. and other nonparticipating countries can vote online at www.esc.vote.

___

Associated Press writers Hilary Fox and Philipp Jenne in Vienna contributed to this report.

The Vatican said Leo had decided to create the in-house study group because of the acceleration in AI's use, “its potential effects on human beings and on humanity as a whole (and) the church’s concern for the dignity of every human being.”

The announcement came a day after Leo signed his encyclical, 135 years to the day after his namesake, Pope Leo XIII, dated his most important encyclical, “Rerum Novarum,” or Of New Things. That document addressed workers’ rights, the limits of capitalism, and the obligations that states and employers owed workers as the Industrial Revolution was underway.

It became the foundation of modern Catholic social thought, and the current pope has already cited it in relation to the AI revolution, which he believes poses the same existential questions that the Industrial Revolution posed over a century ago. The new encyclical is expected to place the AI question in the context of the church's social teaching, which also covers issues such as labor, justice and peace.

“I think that the Catholic Church in many ways is going to be the adult in the room on some of these debates about how we are going to integrate AI into the rest of our society,” said Meghan Sullivan, a philosophy professor at the University of Notre Dame who directs its ethics institute. “For sure, the pope is going to be one of the most forceful advocates for human dignity in these discussions.”

Just days after his 2025 election, Leo told the cardinals who made him pope that the Catholic Church owed it to the world to offer the “treasury of its social teaching” to confront the challenges posed by AI on “human dignity, justice and labor.”

The public release of the encyclical, expected in the coming weeks, will likely become a new flashpoint between the Chicago-born Leo and the Trump administration, which has made the rapid development of AI a matter of vital national economic and security strategy. The United States has strongly rejected international regulatory efforts to rein in AI and the Trump administration has removed bureaucratic roadblocks slowing its development domestically.

The flurry of Vatican activity came as U.S. President Donald Trump wrapped up a visit to China that included AI business. Traveling with Trump on Air Force One were, among others, Elon Musk, whose social media platform X features his AI chatbot Grok, and Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang, who recently secured federal approval to sell H200 AI chips to Chinese buyers.

The Vatican wants its voice and values in the AI debate

Since the AI boom kicked off with ChatGPT’s debut, the technology’s breathtaking capabilities have amazed the world. Tech companies have raced to develop better AI systems even as experts warn of its risks, from existential but far-off threats like rogue AIs running amok to everyday problems like bias in algorithmic hiring systems.

The United Nations last year adopted a new governance architecture to rein in AI after previous multilateral efforts, including AI summits organized by Britain, South Korea and France resulted only in nonbinding pledges. In 2024, the EU adopted its own Artificial Intelligence Act, applying a risk-based approach to its AI rules.

The Vatican has sought to add its voice to the debate, offering ethical guidelines for the application of AI in sectors from warfare to education and healthcare. The underlying call has been that the technology must be used as a tool to complement, and not replace, human intelligence.

The Vatican has also warned of the environmental impact of the AI race, noting the “vast amounts of energy and water” required by AI data centers and computational power.

“There are almost a billion and a half Catholics in the world, so that alone is reason to pay attention,” said Thomas Harmon, theology professor at the University of St. Thomas in Houston. “But beyond the numbers, the Catholic Church has a deep and sophisticated tradition of thinking through what it means to be human.”

In 2020, the Vatican enlisted tech companies to sign on to an AI pledge, known as the Rome Call for AI Ethics, which, among other things, outlined core principles for AI regulation, including inclusiveness, accountability, impartiality, and privacy. Microsoft, IBM and Cisco were among the private sector companies that signed on.

In his final years, Pope Francis called for an international treaty to regulate AI, saying the risks of technology lacking human values of compassion, mercy, morality and forgiveness were too great to merely trust in the morality of AI researchers and developers.

He also brought his authority to bear on the Group of Seven, addressing a special session on the perils and promises of AI in 2024. There, Francis said politicians must take the lead in making sure AI remains human-centric, so that decisions about when to use weapons or even less-lethal tools always remain made by humans. He called ultimately for a ban on the use of lethal autonomous weapons, colloquially known as “killer robots.”

AI-savvy Leo is concerned with peace, truth and human relations

In-house, Leo has warned priests against using AI to write their homilies. But the math major pope, who does spend free time scrolling on his phone, has also raised his voice on the broader implications of AI on world peace, labor and the very meaning of reality.

For the Augustinian pope, generative AI’s ability to misinform and deceive through deepfake imagery is particularly worrisome, given that the search for truth is a fundamental element of his religious order's spirituality.

In a June 2025 speech to an AI conference, Leo acknowledged generative AI’s contributions to healthcare and scientific discovery. But he questioned “its possible repercussions on humanity’s openness to truth and beauty, on our distinctive ability to grasp reality.”

Leo, who has emphasized a constant appeal for peace, has also called for monitoring how AI is being used and developed in warfare in the Middle East and Ukraine, where automated weapons systems are using everything from aerial drones and maritime and ground platforms.

“What is happening in Ukraine, in Gaza and the Palestinian territories, in Lebanon and in Iran illustrates the inhuman evolution of the relationship between war and new technologies in a spiral of annihilation,” he said this past week at La Sapienza, Europe’s largest university.

___

AP Technology Writer Matt O'Brien in Providence, R.I. contributed to this report.

___

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

The show was part of the monthly Mercadito sessions put on by the Fiesta Fresh Market, a family-owned store in the Philadelphia metro-area city of New Castle, far away from the massive music industry hubs typically associated with artistic opportunity and exposure. But the excitement of new music, paired with the colorful, unassuming stage, has rapidly engaged an international following for the 2-year-old store — with up-and-coming bands traveling from far away to perform, and tens of thousands tuning in online.

Jose Luis Aguilar Garcia, one of the store's owners, hopes the series highlights the persistence of joy and creativity in Latino communities at a time when they're often only brought up on the news in the context of immigration crackdowns, he said.

Tiny Desk Concert inspired

Jose Luis Aguilar Garcia has worked with both food and music for most of his life.

Born in Mexico, Garcia grew up in an apartment adjacent to where he would eventually open Fiesta Fresh Market. Garcia worked at farmers markets and grocery stores since he was a teenager, and ran a photography and videography company that also produced regional Mexican music like mariachi, corridos tumbados and banda.

“We did a lot of quinceañeras, weddings, that sort of thing. Music was always like something I wanted to do as a passion project, but especially here in Delaware, there’s really no industry for that,” Garcia said.

In 2023, an artist on Garcia’s label — DannyLux — was invited to perform at NPR’s Tiny Desk Concert, a semiprivate music series filmed in the middle of the radio station’s bustling Washington, D.C., bureau, and then distributed to a massive following on YouTube. It was then that Garcia realized the special appeal of an unconventional, acoustic setup.

With the capital his label got from producing DannyLux's music, Garcia opened the store in 2024 with his sister and father. And eventually, he used his experience with the Tiny Desk Concerts at the store too, merging the two otherwise disparate aspects of his life.

Showcasing culture

Garcia initially hoped the shows would attract business, but it was hard to sell local artists on performing in such a quirky context, Garcia said.

But soon, the premise caught on. All of the acts in an April show had heard about the small store on social media before they were asked to perform.

While the shows initially featured almost exclusively the Spanish-language music that Garcia produced with his label, the Mercadito sessions now showcase a broad range of artists and genres.

“I found that super interesting that no matter who the artist was that was playing, people would gather to hear,” Garcia said.

Global audiences

Luna Luna, which has earned recognition from outlets like Billboard and Rolling Stone, was one of three bands performing at the late April show. It was a vastly different from the other stops on their sprawling United States tour.

Large piñatas hung from the ceiling above the group as they performed — a vastly different ambiance from the stages and lights that normally set the scene for Luna Luna’s hypnotic, indie-pop ballads. The performance was illuminated with the fluorescent grocery-store lighting, which customers used to shop in the background as Luna Luna sang in both Spanish and English.

The unconventional platform was part of the appeal for lead singer Kavvi Gonzalez, along with many in the series’ rapidly growing fanbase, for whom the unique venue evokes a kind of nostalgia.

“I actually grew up shopping at stores like this, so to be able to play in one is kind of crazy,” said Gonzalez, who was born in Colombia and moved to Texas when he was 6.

The charm is in the surprising romance of the mundane, Gonzalez said.

“To see people just actually be shopping around and just living regular life while we’re doing a performance here, you know, it’s cool. It’s combining real life and music culture,” Gonzalez said.

Trump endorsed U.S. Rep. Julia Letlow over Cassidy, in an unusual attempt to dislodge an incumbent senator. Cassidy voted to convict Trump in his second impeachment trial, stemming from the attack on the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. Cassidy, a doctor, has also clashed with Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. over vaccine policy, even though he provided crucial support to help Kennedy get confirmed.

The president unloaded on Cassidy on Saturday morning, calling him “a disloyal disaster" and “a terrible guy" on social media. Trump criticized the senator's impeachment vote and said “he's going to get CLOBBERED,” adding that Letlow is “a winner who will NEVER let you down.”

A third candidate is state Treasurer John Fleming. If no one gets at least 50% of the vote, a runoff will be held June 27.

The winner will almost certainly take the November general election because of the state's Republican leanings.

The election was scrambled by a recent U.S. Supreme Court decision gutting a part of the Voting Rights Act that affects how congressional maps are drawn. Although the Senate primary is moving forward, Louisiana leaders decided to delay House primaries until a future date to allow them to redo district lines ahead of time, a shift that could cause confusion for voters on Saturday.

A senator tries to hang on

Cassidy has waged an aggressive campaign to convince voters he should not be counted out.

“Four months ago I would have told you it’s impossible for Cassidy to win this,” said Mary-Patricia Wray, who has consulted for Republican and Democratic candidates in Louisiana. “I still think it’s statistically unlikely, but no longer impossible.”

Paul Begue, a 41-year-old in New Orleans who works in the agriculture industry, said he planned to vote for Cassidy. He was bothered by a video of Trump saying Letlow was “as loyal as can be.” For Begue, that was “the final nail in the coffin.”

“I don’t care about her loyalty to President Trump,” he said, adding, “I like elected officials that seem to make their own decisions.”

The senator's campaign is expected to have spent roughly $9.6 million on advertising through May 16, according to the ad-tracking firm AdImpact. And Louisiana Freedom Fund, a super PAC supporting him, is on track to spend $12.3 million.

By comparison Letlow’s campaign, which launched Jan. 20, has spent roughly $3.9 million, while a super PAC backing her, the Accountability Project, has spent about $6 million since then.

Fleming's campaign has spent about $1.5 million.

Cassidy and Louisiana Freedom Fund ran ads attacking Letlow within days of her entering the race for supporting diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives, which Trump has tried to root out of the federal government.

Letlow, a college administrator before her election to the House, said she supported DEI while interviewing for the position of president of University of Louisiana-Monroe in 2020.

The ads, an attempt to characterize Letlow as a progressive trying to pass as a conservative, are one way Cassidy is trying to flip the script in a race where he's on the outs with Trump.

The president targets Cassidy

The senator's vote in favor of convicting Trump after his 2021 impeachment over the Jan. 6 Capitol siege has shadowed Cassidy throughout his second Senate term.

John Martin, a 68-year-old retired engineer in south Louisiana, said he would vote for Letlow because he was still upset by Cassidy's decision. He waved a flyer from Letlow’s campaign showing her standing alongside the president.

“I know a lot more about Cassidy than I do about her,” Martin said. “But if she’s endorsed by Trump, I’m going to believe that.”

Cassidy steered clear of Trump’s ire last year, supporting Kennedy to lead the Department of Health and Human Services despite his public reservations about the nominee’s anti-vaccine views.

Mark Workman, a 75-year-old retired infectious disease physician in the New Orleans suburbs, said he backs Fleming. Had Cassidy “stood up and blocked RFK,” Workman said, he would have supported the senator for taking a strong and courageous stance.

“He had the ability to stop him,” Workman said, “and he was too weak to do that.”

As chair of the Senate health committee, Cassidy has been more publicly critical of Kennedy, including over funding cuts for vaccine development.

Trump blamed Cassidy for the failed nomination of his second choice for surgeon general, Casey Means, who raised doubts about vaccinating newborns for hepatitis B, a practice Cassidy supports.

Trump withdrew the Means nomination and blasted Cassidy.

“Hopefully all of the Great Republican People of Louisiana, which I won, BIG, three times, will be voting Bill Cassidy OUT OF OFFICE in the upcoming Republican Primary!” Trump posted on social media.

Republican Gov. Jeff Landry's decision to postpone the congressional primaries may weigh against Cassidy. It could dampen turnout among voters who are less fervently pro-Trump, Wray said, especially if there is confusion about the schedule.

“Suspending the congressional primaries hurts Cassidy,” she said. “Some people believe the Senate primary is canceled.”

Cassidy complained Friday that the new primary system enacted last year was confusing voters by requiring them to ask for a partisan ballot instead of the previous all-party primary that had been in place. He said some called his office to say they had been unable to vote for him.

“The process that was set up was destined to be confusing,” Cassidy told reporters.

A challenger waited for Trump's backing

Letlow considered running last year but only entered the race after Trump announced his endorsement in January.

By that time Fleming, a former House member and Trump administration official who was elected state treasurer in 2023, was already in the race as a Trump devotee. But Landry was looking for a better-known challenger, and he suggested Letlow to the president.

Letlow had an unconventional and tragic entry into politics.

In 2020, while she was a college administrator, her husband Luke was elected to the U.S. House but died of COVID-19 before he could be sworn in. Letlow ran for and won the seat in a March 2021 special election and was reelected in 2022 and 2024.

___

Beaumont reported from Des Moines, Iowa.

“The bottom line is we are seeing a full-fledged, coordinated attack on Black political power that can actually reshape the entire political landscape, not just on the South but throughout the nation,” said LaTosha Brown, co-founder of Black Voters Matter.

The rally will begin in Selma, where a violent clash between law enforcement and voting rights activists in 1965 galvanized support for passage of the Voting Rights Act. It will then move to the state Capitol, where the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. gave his “How Long, Not Long” speech that same year.

“We’re picking up where it was left because we still have unfinished business,” Brown said. “There will not be a new Jim Crow.”

A recent U.S. Supreme Court ruling involving Louisiana hollowed out voting rights law that was already weakened by a separate decision in 2013 and then narrowed further over the years. That helped clear the way for stricter voter ID laws, registration restrictions, and limits on early voting and polling place changes, including in states that once needed federal preclearance before they could change voting laws because of their historical discrimination against Black voters.

Veterans of the Civil Rights Movement are alarmed by the speed of the rollbacks, noting that protections won through generations of sacrifice have been weakened in little more than a decade.

Kirk Carrington, 75, was a teen in 1965 when law enforcement officers attacked marchers in Selma on what became known as “Bloody Sunday.” A white man on a horse wielding a stick chased Carrington through the streets.

“It’s really just appalling to me and all the young people that marched during the ’60s, fought hard to get voting rights, equal rights and civil rights,” Carrington said. “It’s sad that it’s continuing after 60-plus-odd years that we are still fighting for the same thing we fought for back then.”

Montgomery is home to one of the congressional districts that is being altered in the wake of the Supreme Court ruling.

A federal court in 2023 redrew Alabama's 2nd Congressional District after ruling that the state intentionally diluted the voting power of Black residents, who make up about 27% of its population. The court said there should be a district where Black people are a majority or near-majority and have an opportunity to elect their candidate of choice.

But the Supreme Court cleared the way for a different map that could let the GOP reclaim the seat. While the matter remains under litigation, the state plans special primaries Aug. 11 under the new map.

Democratic Rep. Shomari Figures, who won election in the district in 2024, said the dispute is not about him but rather people's opportunity to have representation.

“When Republicans are literally turning back the clock on what representation, what the faces of representation, look like, what the opportunities, legitimate opportunities for representation look like across this country, then I think it starts to resonate with people in a little bit of a different way,” Figures said.

Alabama House Speaker Nathaniel Ledbetter, a Republican, said the Louisiana ruling provided an opportunity to revisit a map that was forced on the state by the federal court.

“People tend to forget what happened. When this thing went to court, the Republican Party had that seat, congressional seat two,” Ledbetter said last week. “There’s been a push through the courts to try to overtake some of these red state seats, and that’s certainly what happened in that one.”

Evan Milligan, the lead plaintiff in the Alabama redistricting case, said there is grief over the implosion of the Voting Rights Act but it is crucial that people recommit to the fight.

“We have to accept that this is the new reality, whether we like it or not,” Milligan said. “We don’t have to accept that this will be the reality for the next 10 years or two years or forever.”

“It's a great question,” Schwarber said.

One the Philadelphia Phillies slugger isn't particularly interested in answering. All he knows is that he's found a little something. Even more importantly, so has his team.

So even on a night the Phillies designated hitter smashed a pair of two-run homers that boosted his season total to a major league-leading 20 and drew a bases-loaded walk during a ninth inning rally, Schwarber was quick to deflect attention to all that was happening around him during an 11-9, 10-inning victory over the Pittsburgh Pirates on Friday night.

Schwarber reached 20 homers on the earliest date in MLB history, according to Stats Perform, bettering Arizona's Luis Gonzalez, who hit his 20th on May 17, 2001. The Phillies slugger also tied a club mark with 20 homers in the team's first 45 games, first set by Cy Williams in 1923.

Bryce Harper, batting behind him, had four hits, including a tying single after Pirates closer Gregory Soto walked Schwarber on four pitches to pull the Phillies within two. Backup catcher Rafael Marchan delivered a two-run single in the 10th. Orion Kerkering picked up his first save of the season and just the third of his career.

“There’s so much good that went on today that we were able to respond and fight back,” Schwarber said. “That’s a really positive thing for us.”

The win pushed Philadelphia's record to 13-4 since Don Mattingly replaced Rob Thomson as manager and pulled the Phillies to within a game of .500 (22-23). The fact that surge has come in lockstep with Schwarber going off is not a coincidence.

“It’s pretty amazing,” Mattingly said. “He’s a different cat from the standpoint of how he does it. ... He's dangerous all the time. Doesn’t matter really lefties or righties, either one.”

Schwarber went deep off both to fuel Philadelphia's rally from a six-run deficit. He took Pittsburgh right-handed starter Braxton Ashcraft over the fence in the fifth. The Pirates pulled Ashcraft in favor of left-hander Mason Montgomery with one on and two outs in the seventh. It didn't matter. Schwarber turned on a 96 mph fastball that caught too much of the plate and sent it into the seats in right-center field to draw the Phillies within three.

The two blasts gave Schwarber nine home runs in his last eight games. It's the second time in his career he's had that many homers in an eight-game span. Former slugger Albert Belle is the only other player in major league history to have that kind of prolific run twice.

“One of the cooler things I’ve seen in baseball,” Harper said. “Just the ways he puts the bat on the ball. Yeah, it been pretty fun to watch.”

For Schwarber, the fun part isn't watching the ball sail from the barrel of his bat to the farther reaches of the ballpark but what the scoreboard reads at the end of the night.

A 10-game slide in April cost the popular Thomson his job. Mattingly — who'll miss Saturday's game to attend his son's graduation at Purdue — has steadied things. It's helped that one of baseball's best (and most expensive) lineups is starting to produce.

Yet even as hot as Schwarber is at the moment, he's not getting ahead of himself. His most impressive at-bat Friday might have been the one where the bat never left his shoulder.

With the Phillies down three in the ninth, Schwarber let four consecutive sinkers from Soto go by rather than take a hack and try to make something happen. He trotted to first base and Harper followed with a long single off the top of the wall in right-center to pull Philadelphia even.

“Greg’s got great stuff and he’s got a really nasty sinker in the bigger slider, so it’s just kind of really keying in on what you want,” Schwarber said. “And once I get 3-0, I was happy with the take.”

He was even happier with what came next as the Phillies took another step toward looking like the team that has been a postseason fixture the last four years. While front-running Atlanta remains well ahead in the NL East, Philadelphia's early season funk has passed and momentum seems to be building, which Schwarber is far more concerned about than whatever home-run total is next to his name.

“Obviously we know it’s not anywhere near complete, right?” Schwarber said, later adding, “It's been really cool to see the guys go out there and getting their results and us as a team, to be able to kind of get the results that we want.”

___

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

“It’s a huge blow. He’s been one of our most consistent guys that we have in our rotation,” manager Carlos Mendoza said.

Perhaps the Mets' best pitcher this year, Holmes got nailed just above the right foot on a leadoff single in the fourth inning by New York Yankees rookie Spencer Jones during the Subway Series opener at Citi Field.

Holmes chased after the ball as it caromed past the first-base line into foul territory. Mendoza and an athletic trainer came out of the dugout to check on the right-hander, who threw two warmup pitches and remained in the game.

His next six pitches were balls, but Holmes then got consecutive strikeouts and retired Aaron Judge on a flyball with the bases loaded to finish a scoreless inning.

Holmes was lifted following a one-out walk in the fifth. He threw 95 pitches, including 26 while facing seven batters after getting hit by Jones' line drive.

“He said he was fine. That’s the crazy part. We went out, checked him out, threw a couple pitches, was able to finish the inning," Mendoza said. “Comes back in and he didn’t even give me a chance. He said, ‘I’m good to go back out,’ and he goes back out there. Sent him for X-rays and this is what we’re dealing with now.”

Mendoza said those X-rays showed a fractured right fibula that will sideline Holmes “for a long time.”

“That’s the hard part to understand. He was fine, we checked him, finished the inning, he goes back out because he feels good. And then the last pitch, something didn’t look right. He came out, I’m talking to him in the dugout, he’s like, yeah, something didn’t feel right,” Mendoza said.

A former Yankees reliever, Holmes has been a dependable member of the rotation since converting to a starting role after signing a $38 million, three-year contract with the Mets as a free agent before the 2025 season. He entered Friday third in the National League with a 1.86 ERA.

“We all know how tough he is. He’s not going to come out that easy,” Mets slugger Juan Soto said. “But whenever I saw him coming out of the game in the next inning is when I was thinking something is wrong.”

Holmes (4-4) was charged with four runs and seven hits over 4 1/3 innings in a 5-2 loss, raising his ERA to 2.39. He struck out eight and walked two.

Holmes had lasted at least five innings and permitted no more than two runs in each of his first eight starts this season. His contract includes a $12 million player option for 2027.

“It’s tough to hear,” said Jones, who called Holmes a friend and noted they work out together during the offseason in Nashville, Tennessee. “I hit the ball and then I saw it come back towards me. It sounded loud.

“He’s a tough guy. Workhorse. Competitor. Says a lot about who he is to go back out there again the next inning with a broken leg. It’s incredible.”

After opening the season with baseball's biggest payroll, the Mets dropped to 18-26. Four projected regulars are already on the injured list — shortstop Francisco Lindor, catcher Francisco Alvarez, first baseman Jorge Polanco and center fielder Luis Robert Jr. — along with ineffective starting pitcher Kodai Senga and backups Ronny Mauricio and Jared Young.

“It’s tough, man. Clay is a guy who shows up every day and is one of the hardest workers I’ve ever seen in my career,” said Soto, who was also teammates with Holmes on the Yankees. “It’s part of the game. We’re going to support him, we’re going to be right there for him in any way that he needs us. But it just sucks.”

___

AP freelance writer Jerry Beach contributed to this report.

___

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

The four-time WNBA MVP scored 45 points to help the Las Vegas Aces beat the Connecticut Sun 101-94 on Friday night. Wilson was an incredibly efficient 15 for 18 from the field, hitting both of her 3-point attempts. She also made all 13 of her free throws.

“Finding shots in our system and letting the flow of the game take over,” Wilson said. “That's big to me. I want to be efficient. It's beautiful to rack up all these points, but to be efficient, that's what is key.”

It was the fifth time she has scored over 40 points — a WNBA record, breaking a tie with Breanna Stewart and Diana Taurasi. Her career high is 53 on Aug. 22, 2023 against Atlanta.

Wilson's boyfriend, Bam Adebayo of the Miami Heat, was at the game on Friday, just as she attended his 83-point effort in March.

“She was unbelievable,” Aces coach Becky Hammon said. “Really happy with the free throws. The 3s, she just continued to sprinkle those in. She got a lot of early touches.”

When Connecticut cut a 13-point deficit to 72-70 late in the third quarter, Wilson hit a 3-pointer out of a timeout and then followed it up with a three-point play, igniting a 16-4 run that put the game away.

“It wasn’t really designed to be like that,” Wilson said of her 3. “I was trying to take what the defense was giving me. (Raegan) Beers was playing a little bit off, so why not?”

Wilson has had a lot of big moments at Mohegan Sun Arena. This was potentially her last game there, with the Sun set to move to Houston next season.

“This building has been special to me for a while,” Wilson said. “Got my first WNBA point in this building and championship in this building. It's fun coming here. ... Going to miss this place.”

Chelsea Gray has had a front-row seat to Wilson's amazing play over the last five seasons.

“You can't get bored with watching greatness,” the Aces' star point guard said. “I'm around it all the time, but I'm surprised every day. I never want to get to the spot where I'm comfortable, like, yeah, that's unheard of.”

___

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

El subsecretario de Estado de Estados Unidos para Asuntos Económicos, Jacob Helberg, sostuvo conversaciones esta semana con altos funcionarios guyaneses, incluido el presidente Irfaan Ali, en el país sudamericano que vive un auge petrolero.

Las enormes reservas de petróleo del país, descubiertas en la última década, han incrementado la importancia geopolítica de Guyana, la cual se ha visto amplificada por una crisis energética a nivel mundial como resultado de la guerra con Irán. Sus reservas de bauxita son fundamentales para la producción de aluminio.

El gobierno del presidente Donald Trump se ha enfocado agresivamente en los recursos naturales de América Latina, desde impulsar una expansión en la producción petrolera de Venezuela después de la operación militar estadounidense de enero pasado, hasta buscar cooperación con Brasil en lo relacionado con minerales críticos.

En una región donde la producción de energía parecía ir en declive, América Latina ahora vive un cambio en esa tendencia, según Benjamin Gedan, investigador y director del programa para América Latina del Stimson Center.

“En tiempos de escasez energética global, hay mucha más atención en América Latina como una fuente alternativa y estable de suministro”, afirmó Gedan. “Y Guyana es el protagonista de esa historia”.

La visita se produce en medio de las preocupaciones del gobierno de Estados Unidos en torno a China y las megacompañías que se benefician de los multimillonarios contratos estatales, dejando de lado a empresas estadounidenses.

Funcionarios guyaneses han argumentado que las empresas de Estados Unidos no han sido tan agresivas como las chinas, que a menudo ofrecen financiamiento y se adaptan a las necesidades de mano de obra para megaproyectos.

Helberg les dijo a los funcionarios que las reservas de bauxita ya son conocidas, por lo que Estados Unidos está interesado en el sector. Actualmente, el operador chino Bosai Minerals es la empresa dominante en el sector local de bauxita.

“En términos generales, ambos entendemos que Guyana es un país con muchos recursos naturales”, manifestó Helberg sobre las conversaciones bilaterales.

Dejó entrever que Estados Unidos también puede ayudar a Guyana a realizar estudios de alta tecnología para determinar qué otros minerales yacen bajo la superficie para su explotación en un futuro.

Estados Unidos busca aprender de los errores del pasado de permitir que China ganara influencia en la región, según Jason Marczak, vicepresidente y director del Centro Adrienne Arsht para América Latina del Atlantic Council.

Aunque es probable que Guyana esté buscando diversificar sus relaciones comerciales, incluso con China, la visita muestra que el país sigue siendo un sólido socio de Estados Unidos en la región.

“El presidente Ali, en particular, es muy cercano a Estados Unidos y, en general, reconoce la importancia de Estados Unidos como socio clave para Guyana”, dijo Marczak. “Eso se refleja en la visita de Helberg a Guyana”.

El secretario de Relaciones Exteriores de Guyana, Robert Persaud, dijo el viernes a The Associated Press que Guyana está interesada en atraer a inversionistas de Estados Unidos en los próximos meses.

“Estados Unidos es nuestro socio estratégico y se lo dejamos en claro, pero quisiéramos agregar valor a la bauxita y a otros productos. Estamos interesados en el procesamiento y en mejorar la generación de energía”, expresó.

___

La periodista de The Associated Press Anna-Catherine Brigida informó desde Ciudad de México.

___

Esta historia fue traducida del inglés por un editor de AP con la ayuda de una herramienta de inteligencia artificial generativa.

Philadelphia trailed by six early. Schwarber led the comeback, smashing a pair of two-run homers. The designated hitter went deep off Braxton Ashcraft in the fifth and again off Mason Montgomery in the seventh.

Schwarber has nine home runs in the past eight games, the second time in his career he's achieved that feat. He also did it in 2021 while playing for Washington. Albert Belle is the only other player in MLB history to hit nine homers in an eight-game stretch twice.

The Pirates were so wary of Schwarber while holding onto a three-run lead in the ninth that closer Gregory Soto walked him on four pitches with the bases loaded. Bryce Harper followed with a two-run single off the top of the wall in right center to pull Philadelphia even.

The Phillies pounced on Pirates reliever Dennis Santana (2-3) in the 10th. Brandon Marsh led off with an RBI single and Rafael Marchán followed with a two-run single. Jose Alvarado (1-1) pitched a scoreless ninth. Orion Kerkering worked the 10th for his first save as Philadelphia won for the fifth time in six games to improve to 13-4 since Don Mattingly replaced Rob Thomson as manager last month.

Brandon Lowe homered twice for the Pirates. Marcell Ozuna added a 438-shot to the Pirates' bullpen that reliever Yohan Ramirez caught with a traffic cone.

The traffic cones have become a fixture in both the Pittsburgh dugout and the stands at PNC Park this season in Pittsburgh after outfielder Jake Mangum brought one into the clubhouse in Cincinnati in early April, which coincided with an offensive explosion in a victory over the Reds.

Up next

The series continues Saturday. NL Cy Young runner-up Cristopher Sánchez (4-2, 2.11 ERA) was set to start for the Phillies against Pittsburgh's Bubba Chandler (1-4, 4.62).

___

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

The decisive game is Sunday in Detroit.

“It’s going to be a fun environment for us and we’re excited to get back to the crib,” Cunningham said.

The Pistons’ 21-point victory tied a 66-year-old NBA playoff record for the largest Game 6 road win by a team trailing 3-2 in a series. The St. Louis Hawks beat the Minneapolis Lakers 117-96 in a the 1960 West Division finals.

Jalen Duren had 15 points and 11 rebounds while Daniss Jenkins also scored 15 for the Pistons, who have won four games this postseason when facing elimination.

They were down 3-1 to Orlando before winning the last three to advance out of the first round.

“We did what needed to be done. When we’re at our best, it’s the defense and the physicality that’s going to carry us,” coach J.B. Bickerstaff said. “I was pleased that we were allowed to play our style of basketball tonight where we can be legally physical and handsy, and just make it difficult on people.”

Cunningham made five 3-pointers as the Pistons went 16 of 36 from beyond the arc, tied for their most this preseason. Duncan Robinson, who missed Wednesday's Game 5 with a lower back injury, had four 3-pointers and scored 14 points off the bench.

Paul Reed also had 17 points as Detroit’s reserves outscored Cleveland’s 48-19.

“It has been a collective effort. We needed every bit of it. Great team win,” Cunningham said.

James Harden scored 23 points for Cleveland, which suffered its first home loss of the postseason. Donovan Mitchell and Evan Mobley scored 18 apiece.

“We never really kicked it to that second level. And we need to get to that third and fourth level. It was never just a consistent flow at either end of the floor, which is frustrating,” Harden said.

Detroit asserted its will on the offensive boards and took advantage of Cleveland turnovers. The Pistons converted 13 offensive rebounds into 20 points. The Cavaliers had 20 turnovers, which resulted in 28 Detroit points.

The Pistons were up 54-41 at halftime and started the second half with a 12-2 run. The Cavaliers rallied to get within 74-68 before the Pistons put it away with a 13-2 spurt.

Mobley missed a dunk and Marcus Sasser drove the length of the floor for a layup at the buzzer to give Detroit a 84-70 lead at the end of the third quarter.

“It starts with us in the starting lineup. We got hit in the mouth and we didn’t punch back,” Mitchell said.

___

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

The curveball to Joc Pederson missed wide of the strike zone, but Arrighetti’s confidence in his best pitch soared.

“I was like, dang, that felt pretty good,” Arrighetti said. “Spinning good. I looked up and saw the shape, and I was like, oh, that’s better than it’s been, so I had a pretty good feeling about it.”

Arrighetti generated a swinging strike to get ahead 1-2 on Pederson before freezing him with a curveball that nicked the outside corner.

The 26-year-old took a no-hitter into the eighth inning of the Astros' 2-0 victory. The no-hit bid ended when Rangers rookie Justin Foscue hit a line-drive single to left field.

Arrighetti was pulled after Foscue’s base hit. He walked four while throwing 102 pitches — one shy of his career high — and 62 for strikes. The native of nearby Katy, Texas, received a rousing ovation from the announced crowd of 32,555 at Daikin Park.

“It was a strike and I needed it to be a strike because I was getting tired, and honestly, I thought it was a pretty good slider,” Arrighetti said of his final pitch. “It could’ve been better. He broke his bat on it. In another world, maybe it goes right at somebody.”

Foscue grounded out in each of his first two at-bats and entered the game batting .182 this season in 11 plate appearances.

Arrighetti (5-1) lowered his ERA to 1.50 in six starts after beginning the season with Triple-A Sugar Land. The longest start of his career was on Aug. 28, 2024, when he struck out 11 over 7 2/3 scoreless innings against the Philadelphia Phillies.

The Astros went ahead 1-0 on Isaac Paredes’ third-inning solo homer, and Braden Shewmake added an eighth-inning RBI single.

Left-hander Bryan King replaced Arrighetti and kept the Rangers off the board in the eighth by getting Pederson to fly out to right field, and then Astros catcher Christian Walker picked off Foscue at first base. King retired the side in order in the ninth for his fourth save.

Astros left fielder Zach Dezenzo kept the no-hit bid alive when he made a diving catch on a line drive by Alejandro Osuna for the second out of the fifth inning.

“Dezenzo makes that catch, I’m like, there’s always one play when you look back at (no-hit) bids,” Arrighetti said.

First baseman Christian Walker took a tough hop on a ground ball off the bat of Brandon Nimmo to start an inning-ending double play in the sixth.

There have been 17 no-hitters in Astros history, with the last coming from Ronel Blanco on April 1, 2024.

The Rangers have been no-hit five times since moving to Texas in 1971, most recently by Corey Kluber of the New York Yankees on May 19, 2021.

Arrighetti, whose wife gave birth to twin boys last month, said Friday’s performance meant more than normal because his grandparents, who live in Albuquerque, New Mexico, attended the game.

“I don’t really get to see them very often,” Arrighetti said. “I got a little emotional. I can’t hide it.”

___

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

Scott McLaughlin needed just seven laps in the middle of the afternoon to send his message on Indianapolis Motor Speedway's iconic 2.5-mile oval — Team Penske intends to reclaim the pole.

Rosenqvist posted the fastest lap of the day, 233.372 mph though it came with a tow, and the fastest four-lap average, 232.828 in the final practice before qualifying. But it was McLaughlin who waited through the two-hour rain delay and two more hours of inactivity before turning heads with the fastest no-tow lap of the week, 232.674, and the second fastest four-lap average, 232.572.

It sets up a potentially dramatic qualifying weekend between the New Zealander who won Indy's pole in 2024 and Rosenqvist, who will try to put Meyer Shank Racing on the front row.

“It was better than going upside down, that was the last time I was here on this boost level," McLaughlin said after finishing his day with three hours of practice time still left. “I think we got a really good test point for the team and we'll go back, scratch our heads a little bit more. But it's just going to get harder as the weekend goes on.”

The only other driver with a faster lap than McLaughlin was Alexander Rossi with a 232.93. Rossi and McLaughlin both changed engines earlier this week because of mechanical problems.

Penske's cars were so dialed in that McLaughlin and his teammates — two-time Indy winner Josef Newgarden and David Malukas, last year's Indy runner-up — logged the fewest laps of any team after IndyCar officials gave each driver an additional boost of about 100 horsepower.

But most of the 33 drivers attempting to make the traditional starting grid for the May 24 race recognize things could change quickly Saturday.

Rain is in the forecast for the first four scheduled hours of qualifying. If it stays dry for the final three hours, the weather conditions could be quite similar to what they had Friday. Then it's expected to heat up substantially Sunday, causing even more changes.

“It's going to get hotter, a bit of rain coming in as well, so we've just got to make every run count,” McLaughlin said, who got a boost by drawing the No. 6 spot in the qualifying line — ahead of Rosenqvist at No. 11, Rossi at No. 20 and points leader Alex Palou at No. 31. “I felt like that was my best run of the weekend, so really happy to do that at that (increased) boost level.”

What else could be in play? New strategies to comply with the revised qualifying format.

Race organizers have eliminated the last row shootout because there are only enough driver-car combinations to fill the traditional 33-car starting grid, meaning none will be bumped.

Instead, there's a new wrinkle in pole qualifying. The fastest 15 cars will advance to Sunday's round with the top nine locked into the 12-car pole shootout and the other six vying for the final three spots. The six fastest cars in Round 2 will compete to determine the pole winner.

“Our goal is to be solidified in the top nine, to be honest,” Andretti Global driver Kyle Kirkwood said. “I think that’s probably everyone’s goal. You know, in the past couple of years we’ve had chances to be at the front and it just kind of hasn’t materialized when Saturday comes along, but I think this year feels a little bit different.”

Kirkwood is second in points heading into next weekend's race, but struggled to stay with the Fast Friday leads.

Palou, the defending 500 champ, had the second fastest no-tow lap at 23

The Spaniard who drives for Chip Ganassi Racing has won three of this season's first six races and posted the second-fastest no-tow lap Friday at 232.532.

“Qualifying sims on yesterday’s boost, I don’t want to say it’s easy, but you feel like there’s a ton of grip, like the car is not on the limit," Palou said. "Today or this weekend it’s going to feel like the car doesn’t like it, it’s not as happy, you start sliding, need to work more with your tools. You cannot go aggressive with the amount of trim you are doing.”

And it will set up a memorable qualifying weekend for one lucky driver.

“I've kind of gone through every emotion possible in the last two weeks,” Rosenqvist said, reflecting on the recent birth of his first child. “It's cool, it's kind of hard to explain and it becomes like the No. 1 coolest thing you've ever done. But I feel like a driver it kind of makes you a bit calmer, a bit more confident or a little less worried about things. You just kind of go out and drive.”

___

AP auto racing: https://apnews.com/hub/auto-racing

The people spoke to the AP on the condition of anonymity because the league had not made an announcement. The Hockey News first reported the development earlier in the day.

With the addition of San Jose, the PWHL increases to 12 teams, doubling the league's size since it started in 2024 and broadening its geographical reach.

The city is home to the NHL's Sharks and gives the league a four-team foothold in the West. Las Vegas is another expansion market, and Seattle and Vancouver, joined the league last year. The team would likely play at the Sharks' arena, the SAP Center.

The PWHL also added franchises in Detroit and Hamilton, Ontario, over the past two weeks.

Executive vice president of business operations Amy Scheer previously told the AP that the league's priorities include geographic diversity and reducing travel time between markets. Scheer also said the PWHL has been exploring splitting into two conferences or divisions.

The PWHL’s original six franchises are Boston, New York, Montreal, Ottawa, Toronto and Minnesota.

___

AP women’s hockey: https://apnews.com/hub/womens-hockey

Korda had two late birdies in a 67 in the morning session at Maketewah Country Club. She won The Chevron Championship for her third major, then followed with a victory in Mexico before taking last week off.

“There have definitely been some loose shots,” Korda said. “Not really happy with the way I’m hitting it right now, but overall, I mean, I’m not complaining with the position I’m in. Hopefully, I can go figure something out again on the range after today.”

Ko had a bogey-free round in the morning to reach 7-under 133 on the first-year venue. The 30-year-old South Korean player has 15 LPGA Tour victories, winning two majors in 2019.

“Getting older, like little more afraid and think too much," Ko said. “I’m just trying to be like the time, like 2018 through 2021. So, brave is good key for me, and just have fun.”

Doherty had five birdies and a bogey in the afternoon session, closing with a birdie on the par-3 18th. The 28-year-old former Florida State player is winless on the tour. She's fighting to secure higher tour status to avoid missing events.

“I’m really excited,” Doherty said. “I’m just excited to be teeing it up this week after reshuffling after Mexico. I’m going in with that mindset I think and just happy to be here and happy to be playing.”

Lottie Woad was a stroke back after a 64. She played the first 10 holes in 6 under. Lydia Ko, playing alongside Korda and Jeeno Thitikul, was another shot back after a 67.

Korda and Thitikul (67) were 4 under with Jennifer Kupcho (66), Chella Choi (70) and Rio Takeda (70). Thitikul won the Mizuho Americas Open last week in New Jersey

___

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

The trial centered on whether Weinstein raped Jessica Mann, a hairstylist and actor, in 2013 during a relationship between the then-married Weinstein and the decades-younger Mann. Weinstein’s lawyers argued that the encounter was consensual, while Mann described a hotel-room encounter when he forced himself upon her.

The current jury heard nearly three weeks of testimony, including from Mann. Weinstein decided not to testify.

Here’s what you need to know about the case:

Why has the case gone to trial three times?

Weinstein was initially convicted in 2020, but an appeals court overturned that verdict after the court ruled the trial judge unfairly allowed testimony against Weinstein based on allegations that weren’t part of the case.

Jurors at a retrial last year convicted Weinstein of one count of criminal sex act and acquitted him of another. But they stopped deliberating on Mann's rape charge when the foreperson refused to participate further, leaving the case unresolved and leading to the retrial that ended as a mistrial Friday.

Why did this case ended in a mistrial?

On the third day of deliberations, the jury told the judge they were stuck, but he told them to keep trying. Ultimately, they sent another note saying: “We feel that no one is going to change where they stand.”

When a jury in criminal court cannot reach a unanimous decision, the judge typically declares a mistrial.

Some jurors on the majority-male Manhattan jury questioned the credibility of Mann’s testimony and said outside court that nine out of 12 wanted to acquit Weinstein.

A juror, Josh Hadar, said Mann had an “incredible memory” when she testified for the prosecution but “forgot a lot of things” when questioned by defense attorneys.

Mann underwent five days of fraught, often tearful testimony that included hours of questioning at a time.

Will there be a fourth trial?

District Attorney Alvin Bragg said his staff will consult Mann about another trial and also take into account what happens to Weinstein when he is sentenced for his conviction from the last trial.

A hearing was set for June 24 for prosecutors to decide if they will go to a fourth trial.

Is Weinstein still in prison?

Weinstein had been in a New York prison serving a 23-year sentence after his initial conviction in 2020. After that was overturned, he remained behind bars because he was convicted in Los Angeles in 2022 of rape and sexual assault and sentenced to 16 years in prison. He is currently being held at the Rikers Island jail while awaiting further legal proceedings.

What crimes has Weinstein already been convicted of?

During a retrial last June, Weinstein was convicted of one count of criminal sex act, when a jury found he forcibly performed oral sex on a TV and movie producer and production assistant, Miriam Haley, nearly two decades ago.

She had worked on the Weinstein-produced show “Project Runway" and testified that he assaulted her in July 2006 after inviting her to stop by his SoHo apartment before a flight. Weinstein is appealing the conviction.

In Los Angeles, he was convicted during a December 2022 trial of one count of rape and two counts of sexual assault against an Italian actor and model. The woman said he arrived uninvited at her hotel room during a 2013 film festival in the run-up to the Oscars, talking his way in and assaulting her.

The Associated Press does not identify people who say they have been sexually assaulted, unless they choose to make their names public, as Mann and Haley have done.

Taiwan remained the most important issue for China in the talks. Xi privately warned Trump that differences over the self-governed island, which Beijing claims as its own territory, could bring the U.S. and China into clashes or conflict.

Trump told reporters that he had not yet made a determination on whether a major U.S. sale of arms to Taiwan can move forward.

On Iran, Trump said Xi told him that China wants to help negotiate an end to the war and a reopening of the Strait of Hormuz. Trump has previously expressed hope that China would use its leverage as Iran’s biggest trading partner to prod Tehran into a deal on U.S. terms. Trump also said Xi assured him that China wouldn’t provide Iran with military equipment.

Here’s the latest:

Air Force One lands outside Washington

Trump is back in Washington after his whirlwind trip to China.

Air Force One touched down at Joint Base Andrews a little before 6:30 p.m. EDT, nearly 16 hours after departing from Beijing. The journey included a fuel stop in Anchorage, Alaska.

Trump says China doesn’t want Taiwan to ‘go independent’

The president in an interview that aired Friday evening on Fox News Channel appeared to downplay the threat that China may use force to reunite Taiwan, a self-governing island, with the mainland.

“It’s not a takeover. They just don’t want to see this place — we’ll call it a place because nobody knows how to define it — but they don’t want to see it go independent,” Trump said.

He said that he didn’t think China would do anything if things remained status quo. But he said if the country did, “they probably would do something pretty harsh, and then they would be met harshly and bad things will happen.”

Trump also suggested Xi would hold off on making any aggressive moves on Taiwan while he remains in the White House. That echoes comments he has made about the Oct. 7 attack by Hamas on Israel and Russia’s war with Ukraine, declaring neither would have happened if he was in office at the time.

“I don’t think they’ll do anything when I’m here. When I’m not here. I think they might, to be honest with you,” Trump said.

Colorado governor commutes sentence of former elections clerk

Democratic Gov. Jared Polis has commuted the sentence of election conspiracy theorist Tina Peters following pressure from Trump, the latest instance of the president using his powers to reward those who echoed his baseless claims of mass fraud as the cause of his 2020 loss.

Trump has championed the case of Peters, a 70-year-old former county clerk who was sentenced to nine years behind bars after being convicted in a scheme to make a copy of her county’s election computer system. She gets released June 1.

In April, a Colorado appeals court ordered Peters to be resentenced because it said the judge who sent her to prison wrongly punished her for speaking out about election fraud, a decision praised by Polis. The court upheld her convictions, though.

Peters has been serving her sentence at a prison in Pueblo after being convicted in 2024 by jurors in Mesa County, a Republican stronghold that supported Trump.

Hegseth will attend USS Gerald R. Ford homecoming

The defense secretary will meet the world’s largest aircraft carrier as it returns from an 11-month deployment on Saturday, the Pentagon said.

The Ford’s 326 days at sea will make its deployment the longest for an aircraft carrier in the last 50 years and third longest since the Vietnam War, according to data compiled by USNI News, a news outlet run by the U.S. Naval Institute, a nonprofit organization.

The only longer ones were the 1973 deployment of USS Midway at 332 days and the 1965 deployment of USS Coral Sea at 329 days.

The Ford took part in the military operation to capture then-Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro. Then it saw more battle, heading toward the Middle East as tensions with Iran escalated. While in the Red Sea it also experienced a fire that sidelined it for weeks in the Mediterranean Sea.

Washington activists question escalating surge

Free DC, one of the primary organizations that has opposed the surge of federal law enforcement and military personnel into Washington, said plans to expand the surge are wrongheaded.

“The people of D.C. don’t want anything from this corrupt and lawless regime. We want them to stay the hell away from our children, stay out of our communities, and quit their jobs,” the activist group said in a statement.

The organization’s stance came in response to U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro’s press conference Friday announcing the additional surge of more law enforcement officers. That announcement said there would be more prosecutions, including holding some parents responsible for the juvenile curfew violations of their children.

U.S. Marshals Director Gadyaces Serralta said the number of military troops in the city would increase to 5,000 from 3,500. There were about 2,500 National Guard members in the city a month ago.

US says Israel and Lebanon agree to 45-day extension of ceasefire

It comes after two “productive” days of talks in Washington and will be followed by more negotiations June 2-3, State Department spokesman Tommy Pigott said.

A shaky truce between Israel and the Hezbollah militant group in Lebanon had been due to end on Sunday.

“We hope these discussions will advance lasting peace between the two countries, full recognition of each other’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, and establishing genuine security along their shared border,” Pigott said on social media.

U.S. eyes indictment against Raul Castro amid pressure by Trump administration, sources tell AP

The Justice Department is preparing to seek an indictment against former Cuban President Raúl Castro, three people familiar with the matter tell The Associated Press.

The indictment would require approval by a grand jury. The people spoke on condition of anonymity because they weren’t authorized to discuss an ongoing investigation. One of the people said the potential indictment is connected to Castro’s alleged role in the 1996 shootdown of planes operated by the Miami exile group.

Prosecutors in Miami have been building cases against senior Cuban officials amid renewed pressure from south Florida Republicans and a pledge earlier this year by President Donald Trump to orchestrate a “friendly takeover” of the communist-run island.

Second day of Israel-Lebanon talks underway in Washington as ceasefire end looms

The State Department says the second and final of two days of talks between Israel and Lebanon are underway in Washington ahead of the weekend expiration of a fragile ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah.

US halts Army deployment to Poland as part of troop reduction in Europe, AP sources say

The Pentagon is drawing down thousands of troops in Europe by stopping units from deploying to Poland and Germany as opposed to yanking those already stationed there.

Several U.S. officials confirmed that 4,000 troops from an Army brigade are no longer en route to Poland this week. The Trump administration had previously said it was cutting U.S. forces only in Germany.

The canceled deployment came after Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth signed a memo directing a brigade combat team to be moved out of Europe, according to two U.S. officials who like the others spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive military operations.

One of them said the choice of which unit was left to military leaders. The memo also led to the cancellation of an upcoming deployment to Germany of a battalion trained in firing long-range rockets and missiles, the two officials said.

Some congressional Republicans watch with worry Trump’s deliberations on Taiwan arms sale

Lawmakers who have supported Taiwan’s efforts to build up its military defenses say that the decision to follow through with the sale of $11 billion in arms for the island should be an easy one for the president.

“We have to support Taiwan, just like we have to support Ukraine,” said Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick, a Pennsylvania Republican. “These are the fortresses of democracy and they’re on the front lines and we have to protect and defend them.”

Republican Rep. Michael McCaul of Texas said he was not surprised that Chinese President Xi Jinping had come out with an aggressive posture on Taiwan.

“We’ve got to arm Taiwan so they can defend themselves for deterrence,” McCaul said.

Vance honors fallen officers during police week

The vice president was speaking at the National Peace Officers’ Memorial Service at the U.S. Capitol.

During his remarks, Vance praised the sacrifices of police officers who were killed in the line of duty, along with their families and loved ones.

“We love you, we’re thankful for you,” Vance said. “We’re sorry for what you sacrificed but we will never forget what your officer laid down.”

Vance underscored the law-and-order policies of the Trump administration and said society’s attitude toward law enforcement has now changed.

“We shifted attitudes across our society when it comes to dealing with and most importantly, honoring our law enforcement community,” he said. “We stopped handcuffing the police and started handcuffing more violent criminals.”

The vice president spoke while Trump was returning to Washington from Beijing.

Federal officials announce summertime ’law enforcement surge in Washington, DC

The Justice Department has announced a surge of law enforcement in the nation’s capital this summer timed to coincide with the 250th anniversary of U.S. independence.

Officials made the announcement at a news conference at the Justice Department headquarters on Friday, saying there would be extra personnel on city streets and additional resources such as drones.

Congressman says Poland was ‘blindsided’ by cancelled troop deployment

“It’s an embarrassment to our country what we just did to Poland,” Republican Rep. Don Bacon of Nebraska said during Friday’s House Armed Services Committee hearing.

“They called me yesterday. They did not know. They were blindsided. These are some of our best allies, and they had no idea,” Bacon said. “They still don’t know what the plan is.”

Bacon said the committee needs to hold Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth accountable for the decision.

“It’s wrong,” Bacon said.

Congressman criticizes abruptness of decision to cancel troop deployment to Poland

Speaking Friday during the House Armed Services Committee hearing, Republican Rep. Austin Scott of Georgia noted how advanced elements of an Army brigade were already overseas and equipment was in transit.

Scott pressed Army leaders on when the cancellation was made. Army Secretery Dan Driscoll and Gen. Christopher LaNeve, the Army’s chief of staff, said discussions occurred over the last two weeks while the decision was made in the last couple days.

Scott questioned the truth behind a Pentagon statement that it was not a last-minute, unexpected decision. Driscoll said the decision was not unusual because discussions over troop deployments are happening throughout the year.

“These are major decisions that appear to many of the members of this committee to be last-minute decisions,” Scott said.

Justice Department to seek death penalty for man charged with killing 2 Israeli Embassy staffers

Elias Rodriguez faces federal hate crime and murder charges in the killings of Yaron Lischinsky and Sarah Milgrim as they left an event at a Jewish museum last May, prosecutors said in a court filing Friday.

Rodriguez shouted “Free Palestine” during the shooting and later told police, “I did it for Palestine, I did it for Gaza.”

The charges against Rodriguez include a hate crime resulting in death. His indictment also includes notice of special findings, which allows prosecutors to pursue the death penalty.

The hate crimes charges mean prosecutors will have to prove that Rodriguez was motivated by antisemitism when he opened fire on Lischinsky and Milgrim, a young couple who were about to become engaged. Milgrim was a U.S. citizen. Lischinsky was an Israeli citizen working in the U.S.

Democratic Rep. Steve Cohen ending reelection campaign after redraw of his Memphis district

His career was upended by the redistricting battles that are sweeping the country after last month’s Supreme Court decision.

Earlier this month, Republicans in Tennessee enacted a new U.S. House map that carves up a Cohen’s majority-Black district, reshaping it to the GOP’s advantage as part of President Trump’s strategy to hold on to a slim majority in the November midterm elections.

“I don’t want to quit. I’m not a quitter. But these districts were drawn to beat me,” Cohen told reporters in his Washington, D.C. office.

Cohen is challenging the state’s redistricting effort in court and said he would reenter the race if that lawsuit succeeded in restoring his old congressional district.

▶ Read more

Texas high court rejects removal of Democratic lawmakers who led quorum break over redistricting

The Texas Supreme Court on Friday refused to declare that Democratic lawmakers who briefly fled the state in 2025 to block a vote on new congressional voting maps pushed by President Trump had vacated their office.

The all-Republican court dealt a blow to Texas Gov. Greg Abbott and state Republicans in their efforts to severely punish the more than 50 Democrats who bolted for New York, Illinois and Massachusetts in a bid to stop a vote on the maps during a special session. State Republicans had sought their arrest and threatened fines to bring them back to the state Capitol.

Abbott had argued in a lawsuit filed directly to the state’s highest civil court that state Rep. Gene Wu, the leader of the House Democratic caucus, and others had effectively abandoned their office.

▶ Read more

China says two sides to set up trade and investment boards to address ag goods trade and tariffs

The two countries agreed to establish boards on trade and on investments to address each other’s concerns on agricultural goods’ market access and to promote expanded trade under a framework of reciprocal tariff reductions, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said.

The two sides have yet to announce any concrete trade deals, but the boards are expected to serve as a channel of communications to address economic and trade issues.

Wang said the economic and trade teams from the two sides have reached results that are “overall balanced and positive.”

Xi will have a state visit to the US this fall, Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi says

President Trump extended a Sept. 24 invitation to Xi and his wife during his reciprocal toast at a banquet Thursday.

According to a readout about Wang’s briefing to media outlets on the summit, Wang said Trump and Xi agreed to keep close contact through meetings, phone calls and letters, the Chinese official news agency Xinhua reported.

Wang said both sides should work together to make thorough preparations for the leaders’ interactions and create an appropriate atmosphere to accumulate more results.

Merz says he and Trump agree that Iran must open Strait of Hormuz

Merz on Friday said he spoke to Trump on the phone as the U.S. president traveled home from China.

“We agree: Iran must come to the negotiating table now. It must open the Strait of Hormuz. Tehran must not be allowed to have nuclear weapons,” Merz wrote on X. “We also discussed a peaceful solution for Ukraine and coordinated our positions ahead of the NATO summit in Ankara. The U.S. and Germany are strong partners in a strong NATO.”

Germany’s Merz worries about America’s ‘social climate’

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz on Friday said he wouldn’t recommend that his children work in the U.S. because of its “social climate.”

“I am a great admirer of America. My admiration isn’t growing at the moment,” he said during a panel discussion at the Catholic Congress in Wuerzburg, Germany. “So, I wouldn’t recommend to my children today that they go to the U.S., get an education there, and work there. Simply because of a social climate that has suddenly developed there.”

He added: “by the way, the question of what well-educated young people can achieve used to be answered very differently in America up until a year ago than it is today. Today, the best-educated in America have great difficulty finding a job.”

Trump says summit yielded a new Boeing deal for hundreds of planes

Trump told reporters on Air Force One that China would buy 200 planes from Boeing with the possibility of expanding the deal to 750 “if they do a good job with the 200, which I’m sure they will.”

The order would represent Boeing’s first major sale to China in nearly a decade, and it would mark a significant breakthrough for the plane maker in a market that was once central to its long-term growth.

China has high demand for new aircraft as they expand and modernize fleets, while giving Trump a high-profile win for his trade agenda.

Boeing CEO Kelly Ortberg joined Trump on his trip to Beijing.

Trump also said China would purchase 400 to 450 engines from General Electric. He did not offer a more precise number.

Daughter of imprisoned pastor asked Trump to help free her father

Trump said Xi would consider the case of Ezra Jin Mingri of the Zion Church, who has been detained since October.

On Monday, Grace Jin Drexel, the pastor’s daughter, asked Trump to help bring back her father and other jailed activists on his trip to Beijing.

“We really plead the president will continue to raise the political prisoners, like my father, and like many of the family members here today, and bring them home,” she said. “We just would love for him to just be part of the family and, like, eat nice food with us and watch movies with us, and just, like, have a have, just live normal lives again.”

Putin set to visit Beijing ‘very soon,’ Kremlin says

The Kremlin said Thursday that President Vladimir Putin is set to visit China shortly.

Asked about a report that Putin is coming to China next Wednesday, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said that the visit indeed will take place “very soon,” adding that Moscow and Beijing will announce its date.

Asked to comment on President Donald Trump’s visit to China, Peskov emphasized the importance of contacts between the world’s two biggest economies, adding that Russia expects to get firsthand information from China about its talks with the U.S. when Putin visits Beijing.

Trump still mulling US arms sale to Taiwan

President Donald Trump says he’s not yet made a determination on whether a major U.S. sale of arms to Taiwan can move forward, following his three-day visit to China.

Speaking to reporters as he flew back on Air Force One on Friday, Trump said he’d not decided on the sale, but added, “I will make a determination.”

The Trump administration has authorized the sale but it has yet to move forward. China opposes the deal and has suggested that Washington’s relationship with the self-governing island is the key factor in China-U.S. relations.

One of the people told the AP that the potential indictment is connected to Castro’s alleged role in the 1996 shootdown of four planes operated by the Miami-based exile group Brothers to the Rescue. Castro was defense minister at the time.

All three people spoke on the condition of anonymity because they weren’t authorized to discuss an ongoing investigation.

The potential indictment — which would need to be approved by a grand jury — was reported earlier by CBS.

The AP reported in March that the U.S. Attorney in Miami had created a special working group of prosecutors and federal law enforcement to build cases against top Cuban officials amid calls by several south Florida Republicans to reopen its investigation into Castro’s alleged role in the 1996 shootdown. To date, the U.S. has convicted only a single person of conspiracy to commit murder in connection with the shootdown.

As Trump seeks to wind down the war in Iran, speculation has been growing that he may soon turn his attention back to Cuba after pledging earlier this year a “friendly takeover” of the country if its leadership didn’t open up its economy to American investment and kick out U.S. adversaries.

CIA Director John Ratcliffe met with Cuban officials, including Castro’s grandson, during a high-level visit to the island on Thursday.

Castro, 94, took over as president from his ailing brother, Fidel Castro, in 2011, and then handed power to a handpicked loyalist, Miguel Díaz-Canel, in 2019.

While he largely has avoided the spotlight since retiring in 2021 as head of the Cuban Communist Party, he is widely believed to wield power behind the scenes, a fact underscored by the prominence of his grandson, Raúl Guillermo Rodríguez Castro, who previously met secretly with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio.

Interactive graphic

Leer en español

Eduardo Lopez Hernandez reported his mother, Edis Lopez Collazo, who suffered from Alzheimer’s disease, vanished on April 6, 2023, from their home near Northwest 24 Avenue and 29 Street in Allapattah, according to police.

Miami Fire Rescue personnel had responded to the home on April 4, 2023, after Lopez Collazo fell and suffered minor head injuries, and Lopez Hernandez lied about his whereabouts, according to an arrest warrant.

On March 28, 2024, a detective visited Lopez Hernandez at home, and he reported that a man had told him his mother traveled to Cuba, but records showed the last time she was on the island was 2004, according to the warrant.

On May 8, 2024, a detective visited Lopez Hernandez at home again, and he called the same man who told him the “Santos” had told him his mother was in Cuba, referring to deities in Santería, an Afro-Cuban religion, according to the warrant.

Detectives reviewed the missing person’s financial records, found 2024 transactions at a supermarket, and surveillance video that showed Lopez Hernandez was illegally using his mother’s card, according to the arrest warrant.

Detectives estimated “the total losses” at nearly $18,600, records show. On Thursday, detectives arrested Lopez Hernandez at 11 a.m. at a gas station at Northwest 27th Avenue and 36th Street in Allapattah, according to a police officer’s arrest report.

During questioning, Lopez Hernandez, 66, confessed to disconnecting his mother’s phone, using her government benefits to pay for bills, and said he failed to provide her with “proper care or assistance” when they lived together, according to the arrest report.

Miami-Dade corrections booked Lopez Hernandez shortly after 10:10 p.m. on Thursday at the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center, and he appeared in bond court on Friday, records show.

Lopez Hernandez faced a new charge of aggravated abuse of an elderly person or disabled adult. He also faced a warrant case on charges of organized fraud, theft from the elderly, identification fraud, and public assistance fraud, records show.

Lopez Hernandez was released from prison on July 25, 2005, after he was sentenced to five years in prison in 2001 for a burglary of an unoccupied structure, cocaine possession, and using a counterfeit license plate, according to the Florida Department of Corrections.

Detectives asked anyone with information about this or other cases to call Miami-Dade County Crime Stoppers at 305-471-8477 to remain anonymous.

The conglomerate also dumped a number of other stocks, including Visa, Mastercard, Domino's Pizza, Amazon and United Healthcare after the departure late last year of Todd Combs, who was one of the two investment mangers Buffett hired to help manage the portfolio.

Buffett was always reluctant to invest in tech companies because he said he didn't understand them well enough to predict the long-term winners. Buffett did make an exception to that rule near the end of his career by buying a massive Apple stake after he recognized how devoted consumers are to that company's iPhones and computers.

Abel appears to be more comfortable because by the end of March Berkshire owned nearly 58 million Alphabet shares worth almost $17 billion. Just three months earlier, Berkshire held only 17.8 million Alphabet shares worth $5.6 billion.

Berkshire picked up nearly 40 million shares of Delta stock during the first three months of the year. Buffett has something of a sordid history with airline investments over the years after having bought their stocks heavily more than once before eventually dumping them.

Buffett told shareholders in 2008 that “if a farsighted capitalist had been present at Kitty Hawk, he would have done his successors a huge favor by shooting Orville down” because every airline has struggled to maintain a competitive advantage ever since the Wright brothers took to the air.

Berkshire also established a small new stake in Macy's that was worth nearly $55 million at the end of March.

Berkshire never comments on the moves it makes to its $280 billion stock portfolio from quarter to quarter because it doesn't want to discuss what it is buying and selling. Earlier this month, Abel just led his first shareholders meeting as CEO while Buffett sat on the floor with the rest of the board of directors.

Many investors have followed Berkshire's portfolio closely over the years because they liked to copy Buffett's moves. That may not be the case going forward at least until Abel establishes more of a record as a stock picker. He has spent his career operating companies like Berkshire's collection of major utilities.

But a couple of the stocks that Berkshire just revealed new stakes in Friday did jump after the conglomerate detailed its investments in a new filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Macy's and Delta stock prices both popped after Berkshire's disclosure, but Alphabet's stock price hardly changed.

The Omaha, Nebraska-based company also owns dozens of other businesses including major insurers like Geico, BNSF railroad, huge manufacturers like Precision Castparts and an assortment of retail and service businesses that includes such well-known brands as Helzberg Diamonds, See's Candy and Dairy Queen.

The court’s order, issued without any noted dissent, is the latest twist in the nation’s mid-decade redistricting competition. It was kicked off last year by President Donald Trump urging Republican-controlled states to redraw their lines and was supercharged by a recent Supreme Court ruling severely weakening the Voting Rights Act that opened up even more winnable seats for the GOP.

In recent days, the justices have sided with Republicans in Alabama and Louisiana who hope to redo their congressional maps to produce more GOP-leaning seats following the court’s voting rights decision.

But the Virginia situation was different, stemming from a 4-3 ruling by the Virginia Supreme Court that struck down a constitutional amendment that voters narrowly passed just last month.

The state court found that the Democratic-controlled legislature improperly began the process of placing the amendment on the ballot after early voting had begun in Virginia’s general election last fall.

The Supreme Court typically doesn’t intervene in state court proceedings unless they present an issue of federal law. Virginia Democrats had hoped to persuade the justices that the Virginia court misread federal law and Supreme Court precedent that hold that, even if early voting is underway, an election does not happen until Election Day itself.

Virginia’s amendment had been intended as a response to Republican gains in Texas, Missouri, North Carolina and Ohio, and to blunt a new map in Florida that just became law. Once the Virginia amendment passed, it briefly turned the nationwide redistricting scramble into a draw between the two parties.

That was unraveled by the Virginia Supreme Court’s decision.

The state's attorney general, Democrat Jay Jones, slammed the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision, saying it was another example of what he described as a national attack on voting rights and the rule of law.

“Let’s be clear about what is happening. Donald Trump, Republican state legislatures, and conservative courts are systematically and unabashedly tilting power away from the people for Trump’s political gain,” Jones said in a statement issued late Friday night.

The state’s top Democrats had disagreed about whether it was even too late for help from the Supreme Court. “Time grows short, but it is not yet too late,” lawyers for the Democratic leaders of the legislature as well as the state told the justices in a brief filed Friday.

A day earlier, the office of Democratic Gov. Abigail Spanberger already had confirmed that the state will hold this year’s elections under the current districts established in 2021. Last month, Virginia Commissioner of Elections Steve Koski said a court order was needed by this past Tuesday to set the district lines for primary elections on Aug. 4.

Spanberger reacted to Friday's decision by saying both courts had nullified the votes of the more than 3 million Virginians who cast ballots in the April 21 special election.

“These Virginians made their voices heard — casting their ballots in good faith to push back against a President who said he’s 'entitled' to more seats in Congress before voters go to the polls,” she posted on her X account.

The leader of the state Republican Party said the justices made the right call.

“Wisely, the Supreme Court of the United States has confirmed the judgment of the Supreme Court of Virginia,” state party chairman Jeff Ryer said. “This should once and for all put to rest the Democrats’ effort to disenfranchise half of Virginia.

___

Associated Press writer Safiyah Riddle in Montgomery, Alabama, contributed to this report.

Saturday will feature sunshine, scattered clouds and perhaps a few showers along the east coast, mid-morning or early afternoon. Late-afternoon storms will tend to favor the Everglades. Temperatures are expected to climb to the low 90s.

Sunday will bring a sun/cloud mix with the possibility of spotty showers during the morning, followed by afternoon storms -- particularly inland. Temperatures are forecast to reach the upper 80s.

Smith will remain in a Dallas-area hospital until he has returned to full health, which is expected to be within 7-10 days, the team said Friday. A plan for return to play will be determined once Smith resumes physical activity.

The Rangers said Smith went to a doctor Wednesday after feeling ill.

“Our only concern right now is Josh’s health,” president of baseball operations Chris Young said. “This is obviously an unexpected illness, but we hope to see him return to full health and rejoin the club very soon.”

Meningitis is a swelling of the protective lining of the brain and spinal cord that can be caused by a viral infection, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Smith has been on the 10-day injured list since May 4 with a right glute strain. The 28-year-old in his fifth major league season has dealt with left wrist inflammation during the rehab process.

Smith took over at second base after the Rangers traded Marcus Semien to the New York Mets in the offseason. He is hitting .217 with no homers and six RBIs in 31 games.

The Rangers were set to open a three-game series at the Houston Astros on Friday night.

___

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

Saturday will feature sunshine, scattered clouds and perhaps a few showers along the east coast, mid-morning or early afternoon. Late-afternoon storms will tend to favor the Everglades. Temperatures are expected to climb to the low 90s.

Sunday will bring a sun/cloud mix with the possibility of spotty showers during the morning, followed by afternoon storms -- particularly inland. Temperatures are forecast to reach the upper 80s.

Leer en español

Miami Beach spokesperson Melissa Berthier confirmed that the water main break happened around 3 a.m. at the intersection of Prairie Avenue and Dade Boulevard, north of the convention center.

Sky 10 flew over the scene around 10:40 a.m., where workers were seen digging up pavement to get to the water main as heavy traffic backed up in the area.

Berthier said only one residential building was placed under a boil water notice, while service in surrounding areas remained otherwise unaffected.

Berthier also confirmed that public works crews are “actively making repairs, which requires excavating a section of the roadway,” and said there is no sinkhole in the area.

The water main break left many residents and visitors shocked to see the street’s flooded so early.

“I wake up really early, like five in the morning, and there was water everywhere,” one person said. “They were already working on it.”

“It could have been a lot worse. A mess always creates a jam right?” said Miami-Dade County resident Derik Fulberti. “For example, we had to get to an address and we couldn’t. We had to walk here.”

Workers told Local 10 that a new pipe is being installed to help with the break as crews continued to patch the road.

Officials also urged drivers to avoid the intersection as repairs got underway. Students and parents at nearby Miami Beach Senior High School were forced to navigate around the road closure.

They said repairs were expected to be completed by the end of the day Friday.

The pin was tucked all the way back and to the right of the 215-yard hole, behind a bunker. A cold wind was in his face and the hole was atop a ridge at the highest point of the green.

Three bogeys in four holes caused enough stress. And now this.

“That was one of the craziest pins that I've seen,” Scheffler said.

His tee shot found the middle of the green, well below the ridge, just under 80 feet away. He lagged that to 3 feet for a par. Given his start, it was as important a par as he made all day. “Extremely good,” Scheffler said.

He was unequivocal in his assessment of how he rated the difficulty of the pins: “This is the hardest set of pin locations that I’ve seen since I’ve been on tour, and that includes U.S. Opens.”

The PGA Championship hasn't seen leading scores this high at the midway point since Kiawah Island in 2012. Players were three-putting roughly 6% of the holes on Friday.

The wind is difficult, sure. A relatively dry week makes it firm and fast and harder to control shots. But it's the greens, undulating with knobs and valleys, and the locations of the pins that have been a real monster.

“There were some pins that didn't even look like they were on the green,” Chris Gotterup said after his 65, the low round of the championship.

The 11th hole was a popular reference. The green already had everyone's attention at the start of the week because of the severe false front that sent golf balls some 40 yards down the fairway.

On Friday, the hole was on a small shelf front and to the right. Players hit a nothing more than a wedge. If anyone was closer than 8 feet — usually a stock shot with a wedge for the world's best — consider it a happy accident.

“Impossible to get close,” Gotterup said.

Justin Thomas tried to lay back off the tee for a full sand wedge from 124 yards. That didn't work out for him. He tried to be so exacting, but it came up short and in a bunker. The next one didn't get on the green. He had to scramble for bogey.

“It's not hard to hit it to 20 feet past the hole, but it’s really, really hard to hit it close,” Thomas said.

“So it just kind of speaks volumes to how this course can be throughout the entire day.”

It's been that way for two days. It doesn't take much for the PGA of America to set tough pins that will affect the scoring. Not all of them are brutal. The opening two holes Thursday were accessible. The pin on the par-5 ninth was on the easier side.

The par-3 eighth hole was tucked behind a bunker, but the tee was moved up 72 yards to play at only 173 yards on Friday. Gotterup hit a 5-wood on Thursday and made bogey. He 7-iron to 4 feet on Friday for birdie.

Scheffler had 140 yards on the second hole to a back right pin. He hit it to 30 feet and was pleased. He had the same yardage two holes later to a more accessible pin and went after it, the shot settling 5 feet below the hole for birdie.

It's about picking the right shot for the right pin. And it changes by the day.

“I love hard tests of golf, but it’s also the hardest game in the world and we’re trying to make it harder, and there’s different ways you can do that,” Scheffler said. “You can do that on a golf course like this. I mean, I truly believe they could have the winning score be whatever they want it to be. It could be over par if they want it to be, just based purely upon pin locations.”

___

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

The S&P 500 fell 1.2% from its all-time high set the day before. The Dow Jones Industrial Average dropped 537 points, or 1.1%, and the Nasdaq composite sank 1.5% from its own record.

Technology stocks tumbled in a sharp turnaround from their meteoric rises for much of the year, which had carried markets worldwide to records but also raised criticism that they had gone too far.

Nvidia, the stock that quickly became the face of the AI revolution, dropped 4.4% and was the heaviest weight on the S&P 500. It had come into the day with a gain of more than 26% for the year so far.

Micron Technology was another one of the heaviest weights on the market after falling 6.6%. It’s nevertheless still up nearly 154% for the year so far.

“To us, it looks like markets have pushed into overbought territory,” according to Brian Jacobsen, chief economic strategist at Annex Wealth Management. He said the strong corporate profits and durable U.S. economy that launched U.S. stocks to records remain intact, but “the path is unlikely to be smooth. Periods like this call for discipline more than hope.”

In the meantime, rising oil prices are raising the pressure after already worsening inflation by more than economists had feared. The war with Iran is continuing, and the Strait of Hormuz remains shut to oil tankers, which is preventing them from delivering crude to customers worldwide and driving up oil’s price.

The price for a barrel of Brent crude oil, the international standard, rose 3.3% to settle at $109.26 and is well above its level of roughly $70 from before the war.

Many big U.S. companies have been saying their customers have been able to keep spending on their products and services despite having to pay higher prices for gasoline. But U.S. households have also been telling surveys they’re feeling discouraged about the economy and the pressures building on them because of the war and tariffs.

The worries were most clear Friday in the bond market, where Treasury yields climbed. The yield on the 10-year Treasury rose to 4.59% from 4.47% late Thursday. That’s a notable move for the bond market, and it’s well above its 3.97% level from before the war.

The yield on the 30-year Treasury reached 5.13% and is back to where it was in 2007, before the financial crisis sent yields crashing toward zero in the ensuing year.

Higher yields can make mortgages and other kinds of loans going to U.S. households and businesses more expensive, which slows the economy. They also tend to push downward on prices for stocks and all kinds of other investments.

Stocks of smaller companies had some of Friday’s sharpest drops. Many of them need to borrow cash to grow, which means higher borrowing costs can hurt them more than their big rivals. The Russell 2000 index of the smallest U.S. stocks fell 2.4%, double the S&P 500’s loss.

All told, the S&P 500 fell 92.74 points to 7,408.50. The Dow Jones Industrial Average dropped 537.29 to 49,526.17, and the Nasdaq composite sank 410.08 to 26,225.14.

Yields have been climbing since the war on worries about higher inflation and how it may tie the Federal Reserve’s hands when it comes to short-term interest rates. Not only have traders abandoned virtually all expectations that the Fed will resume its cuts to interest rates this year, they’ve been building some bets that it may even hike rates in 2026, according to data from CME Group.

A couple of reports on the U.S. economy that came in better than expected also helped to lift yields. One said U.S. industrial production improved by more last month than economists expected, while another said manufacturing in New York state is expanding at a faster rate.

In stock markets abroad, indexes fell by more than 1.5% across much of Europe and Asia.

South Korea’s Kospi dropped 6.1% for one of the biggest moves. It’s set records this year because of the influence of AI beneficiaries like SK Hynix. But it quickly reversed momentum Friday after briefly topping the 8,000 level for the first time.

Some on Wall Street have been warning about a possible break in momentum for tech stocks in general and AI winners in particular.

“If nothing else this should be a ‘shot across the bow’ for how volatility works both ways,” according to Jonathan Krinsky, chief market technician at BTIG.

___

AP Business Writer Chan Ho-him contributed.

La portavoz de Miami Beach, Melissa Berthier, confirmó que la rotura ocurrió alrededor de las 3 a.m. cerca de Prairie Avenue y Dade Boulevard, al norte del centro de convenciones.

Sky 10 sobrevoló la escena alrededor de las 10:40 a.m., donde se observó a trabajadores removiendo el pavimento para acceder a la tubería principal mientras el tráfico pesado se acumulaba en el área.

Indicaron que solo un edificio residencial fue colocado bajo aviso de hervir el agua, mientras que el servicio en las áreas circundantes permaneció sin afectaciones.

Los funcionarios también exhortaron a los conductores a evitar la intersección mientras avanzan los trabajos de reparación.

Indicaron que se esperaba que las reparaciones concluyeran antes de finalizar el viernes.

El joven de 20 años, conocido por promover la controversial práctica del “looksmaxxing”, había sido acusado de disparo ilegal de arma de fuego el 29 de abril.

Clavicular, cuyo nombre real es Braden Eric Peters, fue visto en el video disparando en el Área de Manejo de Vida Silvestre Everglades y Francis S. Taylor el 26 de marzo.

Peters estuvo acompañado por el coacusado Andrew Morales al declararse no culpable del delito menor. Morales, de 22 años, es mejor conocido como el también influencer “Cuban Tarzan”.

La declaración de Peters forma parte de un acuerdo con los fiscales de Miami-Dade.

Según los términos del acuerdo, Peters y Morales deberán completar 20 horas de servicio comunitario, las cuales no podrán transmitir en vivo, y tomar un curso de seguridad de vida silvestre de la Comisión de Conservación de Pesca y Vida Silvestre de Florida.

Si violan los términos de sus acuerdos, podrían pasar hasta un año en prisión.

Ni Peters ni Morales hicieron comentarios después de la comparecencia en corte del viernes.

El abogado de Peters, Jeffrey Neiman, dijo en un comunicado que su cliente “ha aceptado responsabilidad por su conducta y alcanzó una resolución que refleja apropiadamente las circunstancias de este incidente”.

“Es importante destacar que ninguna persona resultó herida y el caimán involucrado ya estaba muerto antes de los hechos en cuestión. Como parte de la resolución, Braden completará un curso de seguridad de armas de fuego y la adjudicación fue retenida”, señala el comunicado. “Está comprometido a avanzar de manera responsable y garantizar que algo así no vuelva a ocurrir. Agradecemos el profesionalismo del Estado y de la Corte para resolver este asunto”.

Los cargos por dispararle al caimán surgieron en medio de una serie de problemas personales y legales divulgados públicamente relacionados con Peters, que incluyeron un arresto en Fort Lauderdale el mismo día del incidente en los Everglades y una aparente sobredosis de drogas transmitida en vivo en Miami.

Arévalo publicó fotografías en X juramentando al nuevo funcionario. “Tal y como lo sostuve siempre, y en cumplimiento de mi deber constitucional como presidente de la república, hoy he juramentado al doctor Gabriel Estuardo García Luna como fiscal general y jefe del Ministerio Público para el período 2026-2030”.

El presidente también escribió que le deseaba a García Luna “claridad, sabiduría y una ética inquebrantable para servirle con integridad al pueblo de Guatemala”.

El viernes personas particulares quemaron cohetillos y llevaron mariachis que interpretaron canciones de burla a Porras frente a las instalaciones del Ministerio Público, para celebrar su salida. Porras también entregó el viernes su último informe de gestión y dijo que dejaba una fiscalía más moderna y con presencia en los 340 municipios guatemaltecos.

García Luna llega a ocupar el cargo tras ocho años de gestión de Porras en los que recibió fuertes cuestionamientos a nivel nacional e internacional por utilizar la fiscalía —según sus críticos— para criminalizar a exoperadores de justicia, periodistas y opositores que investigaban hechos de corrupción.

Porras también intentó detener la llegada al poder de Arévalo, logrando que un juez cancelara al partido político Movimiento Semilla que lo llevó al poder, a pesar de que esa facultad, según la Constitución, le corresponde en exclusiva al Tribunal Supremo Electoral. Arévalo denunció que, tras su llegada al poder, Porras buscaba un golpe de Estado.

Fiscales al mando de Porras también señalaron un presunto fraude electoral que habría llevado al cargo al presidente, sin presentar pruebas y a pesar de que organismos internacionales de observación validaron las elecciones.

Leer en español

The 20-year-old, known for promoting the controversial practice of “looksmaxxing,” had been charged with unlawful discharge of a firearm on April 29.

Clavicular, whose real name is Braden Eric Peters, was seen in the video opening fire at the Everglades and Francis S. Taylor Wildlife Management Area on March 26.

Peters was joined by co-defendant Andrew Morales in pleading no contest to the misdemeanor. Morales, 22, is better known as fellow influencer “Cuban Tarzan.”

Peters’ plea comes as part of a deal with Miami-Dade prosecutors.

Under the terms of the deal, Peters and Morales must complete 20 hours of community service ― which they can’t stream ― and take a wildlife safety course from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.

If they violate the terms of their agreements, they could spend up to a year behind bars.

Neither Peters nor Morales had any comment after Friday’s court appearance.

Peters’ attorney, Jeffrey Neiman, said in a statement that his client has “accepted responsibility for his conduct and reached a resolution that appropriately reflects the circumstances of this incident.”

“Importantly, no individual was injured, and the alligator involved was already deceased prior to the events at issue. As part of the resolution, Braden will complete a firearms safety course, and adjudication has been withheld,” the statement reads. “He is committed to moving forward responsibly and ensuring nothing like this occurs again. We appreciate the professionalism of the State and the Court in resolving this matter.”

The alligator shooting charges came as part of a spate of publicized personal and legal troubles for Peters, which included an arrest in Fort Lauderdale on the same day as the Everglades incident and an apparent livestreamed drug overdose in Miami.

Trump has championed the case of Peters, a 70-year-old former county clerk who was sentenced to nine years behind bars after being convicted in a scheme to make a copy of her county’s election computer system. She gets released June 1.

In April, a Colorado appeals court upheld her conviction but ordered Peters to be resentenced because it said the judge who sent her to prison wrongly punished her for speaking out about election fraud, a decision that Polis praised.

In a letter to Peters, Polis wrote that Peters was convicted of serious crimes and deserved to spend time in prison. “However, this is an extremely unusual and lengthy sentence for a first time offender who committed nonviolent crimes,” the governor wrote.

He added Peters' application “demonstrates taking responsibility for your crimes, and a commitment to follow the law going forward.”

President Donald Trump posted around the time of the announcement on his Truth Social platform: “FREE TINA!”

‘Affront to the rule of law’

Colorado Secretary of State Jena Griswold, a Democrat, said “it was a dark day for democracy” and ”selling out our state’s justice system for Trump is an affront to the rule of law.”

“A clear message is being sent to those willing to break the law and attack democracy for the president — they will likely not face consequences for their actions,” Griswold said at a news conference.

Peters has been serving her sentence at a prison in Pueblo after being convicted in 2024 by jurors in Mesa County, a Republican stronghold that supported Trump.

Peters snuck in an outside computer expert, an associate of MyPillow CEO Mike Lindell, to make a copy of her county’s Dominion Voting Systems election computer server as state officials updated it in 2021. After Peters joined Lindell onstage at a “cybersymposium” that promised to reveal proof of election rigging, video and photos of the upgrade, including passwords, were posted online.

After the commutation, Peters issued a statement through her attorney thanking Polis and apologizing.

“Five years ago I misled the Secretary of State when allowing a person to gain access to county voting equipment. That was wrong,” Peters said. “I have learned and grown during my time in prison and going forward I will make sure that my actions always follow the law, and I will avoid the mistakes of the past.”

She also condemned threats and violence against voters, county clerks and election workers.

Gubernatorial candidates weigh in

Sen Michael Bennet, a Democrat who is running for Colorado governor, said he vehemently disagreed with the commutation and that Peters knowingly broke the law, undermined elections and was convicted by a jury.

“Lawlessness only breeds more lawlessness,” Bennet said. "With President Trump continuing to attack Colorado, we must do everything we can to stand strong for our institutions and the rule of law.”

A Republican candidate for governor, state Sen. Barbara Kirkmeyer, said she would have preferred that the trial judge revisit Peters' sentence as ordered by the appeals court before the governor considered any commutation.

“A commutation or pardon by a governor should be reserved for truly extraordinary circumstances," Kirkmeyer wrote in a statement. “The governor has a responsibility to apply justice fairly, consistently, and without bias.”

Trump championed her cause

Peters was convicted of state, not federal, crimes, which put her beyond the reach of Trump’s pardon power that he used to free those convicted of crimes for the Jan. 6, 2021, attacks on the U.S. Capitol. But the president still championed her cause.

Trump has lambasted both Polis, calling him a “Scumbag Governor,” and the Republican district attorney who prosecuted her, Daniel Rubinstein, for keeping Peters in prison. He has referred to Peters, as “elderly” and “sick.” Earlier this year, Trump uninvited Polis from a White House meeting with governors over the case.

The president said Colorado was “suffering a big price” for refusing to release her. His administration has been choking off funds, ending federal programs and denying disaster aid. It also announced the dismantling of the National Center for Atmospheric Research in Colorado and relocated the U.S. Space Command to Alabama.

Matt Crane, executive director of the Colorado County Clerks Association, said the commutation “signals that it is open season on our election and election officials.”

“Gov. Polis is bending the knee to the same political voices and conspiracy theories that are undermining belief in our democratic institutions,” Crane said. “This is now Gov. Polis’ legacy. He will not be able to run from it.”

Tina Peters' declining health in prison

Peters’ lawyers have said her health has declined in prison. Peters, who had part of her right lung removed in 2017, started coughing frequently after the prison’s heating system was turned on for the winter and has had trouble sleeping on her mattress because of chronic pain from fibromyalgia, her lawyers said.

In January, Peters was involved in a scuffle with another inmate but was found not guilty of assault following a prison disciplinary hearing, Colorado Department of Corrections spokesperson Alondra Gonzalez-Garcia said. Peters was found guilty of being in a location without authorization.

The federal Bureau of Prisons tried but failed to get Peters moved to a federal prison. But in January, Polis said he was considering granting clemency for Peters, calling her sentence “unusual and harsh“ for a first-time, nonviolent offender. In March he repeated those arguments in a lengthy post on the social media platform X.

Polis defended his decision on Friday in a social media post.

“I’ll always stand for free speech and to make sure that we live in a country that no matter what your viewpoints are, you are not incarcerated longer because of them," Polis said.

In contrast to some other Democratic governors, Polis, who prides himself on being a political iconoclast, has taken a sometimes accommodating stance toward Trump. While he criticized Trump’s stance on tariffs and immigration, Polis praised earlier moves by the president such as the Department of Government Efficiency, run by billionaire Elon Musk, and the nomination of vaccine critic Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. to run the Department of Health and Human Service.

____

Associated Press writers Ali Swenson in New York, Jacques Billeaud in Phoenix and Audrey McAvoy in Honolulu contributed.

Hamas did not immediately acknowledge or comment on the strike.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Israel Katz said an airstrike carried out by the military Friday evening targeted al-Haddad, the leader of Hamas’ Qassam brigades.

There were at least two Israeli strikes Friday evening in Gaza City, one of which Israel said targeted al-Haddad. One strike targeted a residential building and another a vehicle. Seven people were killed and dozens of others wounded, according to health officials in the Palestine Red Crescent Society’s Saraya Field Hospital and Shifa hospital, where the casualties were taken

In a statement, Netanyahu and Katz said that al-Haddad was “one of the architects” of the Oct. 7 attack.

Gaza has seen near-daily Israeli fire despite a fragile ceasefire agreement reached in October. More than 850 people have been killed since then, according to the Gaza Health Ministry. The Health Ministry is part of Gaza’s Hamas-run government, but staffed by medical professionals who maintain and publish detailed records, viewed as generally reliable by the international community.

Netanyahu and Katz threatened that Israel will continue to work against all those who took part in the Oct. 7 attack, in which militants killed some 1,200 people and took 251 hostages. Over 72,700 people have been killed in Gaza since Israel launched its offensive in response to Hamas’ 2023 attack.

“Sooner or later, Israel will reach you,” the statement read.

Palestinian citizens reported more airstrikes that followed the one that targeted al-Haddad. It was not immediately clear what the Israeli military was targeting.

Since the shaky ceasefire was reached, both Israel and Hamas have traded accusations of violations. Israel has targeted Hamas members inside the coastal enclave, the last of whom was the son of Hamas’ lead negotiator, Khalil al-Hayya.

___

Ezzidin reported from Cairo.

___

Find more of AP’s coverage at https://apnews.com/hub/israel-hamas-war

Según la policía, Eduardo López Hernández reportó que su madre, Edis López Collazo, quien padecía de Alzheimer, desapareció el 6 de abril de 2023 de su vivienda cerca de Northwest 24 Avenue y 29 Street en Allapattah.

El personal de Miami Fire Rescue respondió a la vivienda el 4 de abril de 2023 luego de que López Collazo se cayó y sufrió heridas menores en la cabeza, y López Hernández mintió sobre su paradero, según una orden de arresto.

El 28 de marzo de 2024, un detective visitó a López Hernández en su vivienda y él reportó que un hombre le había dicho que su madre viajó a Cuba, pero los registros mostraron que la última vez que ella estuvo en la isla fue en 2004, según la orden.

El 8 de mayo de 2024, un detective visitó nuevamente a López Hernández en su vivienda y él llamó al mismo hombre que le dijo que los “Santos” le habían dicho que su madre estaba en Cuba, en referencia a deidades de la santería, una religión afrocubana, según la orden.

Los detectives revisaron los registros financieros de la persona desaparecida y encontraron transacciones en 2024 en un supermercado y videos de vigilancia que mostraban que López Hernández estaba usando ilegalmente la tarjeta de su madre, según la orden de arresto.

Los detectives estimaron “las pérdidas totales” en casi $18,600 USD, muestran los registros. El jueves, detectives arrestaron a López Hernández a las 11 a.m. en una gasolinera en Northwest 27th Avenue y 36th Street en Allapattah, según el reporte de arresto de un oficial.

Durante el interrogatorio, López Hernández, de 66 años, confesó haber desconectado el teléfono de su madre, usar sus beneficios del gobierno para pagar facturas y dijo que no le brindó “el cuidado o asistencia adecuados” cuando vivían juntos, según el reporte de arresto.

Correcciones de Miami-Dade ingresó a López Hernández poco después de las 10:10 p.m. del jueves en el Centro Correccional Turner Guilford Knight, y compareció el viernes ante la corte de fianza, muestran los registros.

López Hernández enfrentó un nuevo cargo de abuso agravado contra una persona mayor o adulto discapacitado. También enfrentó un caso por orden de arresto por cargos de fraude organizado, robo a una persona mayor, fraude de identidad y fraude de asistencia pública, muestran los registros. Su fianza fue fijada en $62,500 USD.

López Hernández fue liberado de prisión el 25 de julio de 2005 luego de ser sentenciado a cinco años de prisión en 2001 por robo a una estructura desocupada, posesión de cocaína y uso de una placa falsificada, según el Departamento de Correcciones de Florida.

Los detectives pidieron a cualquier persona con información sobre este u otros casos que llame de forma anónima a Miami-Dade County Crime Stoppers al 305-471-8477.

Los registros de la cárcel en línea muestran que Kodak, cuyo nombre real es Bill Kapri, fue arrestado el jueves por cargos de intentar huir o evadir a las autoridades y resistirse a un agente sin violencia.

El arresto de Kodak ocurre una semana después de que fuera arrestado en el centro de Florida por un cargo de tráfico de drogas relacionado con una investigación de 2025.

No está claro por qué presuntamente huyó de las autoridades en Broward, pero Local 10 News solicitó una copia de su informe de arresto.

En el caso del centro de Florida, Kodak, de 28 años, enfrenta un cargo grave de tráfico de MDMA.

El arresto se deriva de una investigación de noviembre de 2025 realizada por la policía de Orlando después de que agentes respondieran a reportes de disparos cerca de Children’s Safety Village en Fairvilla Road en Orlando.

Según la orden judicial, los agentes llegaron y encontraron a varias personas reunidas alrededor de dos vehículos, incluyendo una SUV BMW y una SUV Lamborghini.

La policía indicó que los agentes percibieron olor a cannabis quemado proveniente de la BMW y realizaron una búsqueda del vehículo, donde encontraron cannabis y una pastilla rosada que dio positivo para MDMA. Durante la investigación, Kodak, de 28 años, quien actualmente vive en Fort Lauderdale, se acercó a los agentes y observó la búsqueda, según la orden judicial.

Los investigadores luego registraron la SUV Lamborghini y reportaron haber encontrado presuntos narcóticos, dinero en efectivo y armas de fuego dentro del vehículo.

Según la orden judicial, los agentes descubrieron una bolsa rosada que contenía una sustancia identificada posteriormente por el Departamento de Cumplimiento de la Ley de Florida (FDLE) como MDMA, junto con aproximadamente $37,000 USD en efectivo y documentos con el nombre de Kodak.

La orden judicial establece que los investigadores también compararon artículos encontrados dentro del vehículo, incluyendo una bolsa y un encendedor, con imágenes publicadas en las cuentas de Instagram de Kodak.

Las autoridades dijeron que funcionarios del FDLE confirmaron posteriormente que la sustancia recuperada de la bolsa era MDMA, con un peso aproximado de 25 gramos.

El rapero y otras personas en la escena negaron que la bolsa les perteneciera, sin embargo, cuando se le informó que había dinero dentro de la bolsa, Kodak intentó en múltiples ocasiones que los agentes le entregaran el efectivo, afirmando que pertenecía a su negocio, según la orden judicial.

Con base en la investigación, la policía de Orlando solicitó una orden judicial acusando a Kodak de tráfico de MDMA entre 14 y 200 gramos.

Hasta la mañana del viernes, Kodak permanecía detenido en la cárcel principal del condado Broward.

Más tarde en la mañana compareció ante un juez, quien ordenó que permaneciera detenido con una fianza de $3,500 USD. Si paga la fianza, no podrá poseer armas de fuego, armas ni municiones.

Trump’s comments on Taiwan — a self-ruled island that China claims as its own territory — came as he flew back to Washington after wrapping up critical talks in which both leaders said important progress was made in stabilizing U.S.-China relations even as deep differences persist between the world’s two biggest powers on Iran and Taiwan.

“I’ll be making decisions,” Trump said. ”But, you know, I think the last thing we need right now is a war that’s 9,500 miles away.”

Trump’s Republican administration in December authorized a record-setting $11 billion weapons package for Taipei, but it has yet to move forward. Lawmakers also approved a $14 billion arms sale to Taiwan in January, but the sale cannot advance until Trump formally sends it to Congress. China opposes such sales and has suggested that Washington’s relationship with the self-governing island is the key factor in U.S.-China relations.

Trump said Xi also reiterated China’s strong opposition to Taiwan’s independence. “I heard him out,” Trump said. “I didn’t make a comment.”

Trump’s consultation with Xi about arms sales to Taiwan may violate the so-called Six Assurances, a set of nonbinding U.S. policy principles formulated in 1982 under President Ronald Reagan that have helped guide the U.S. relationship with Taipei, according to analysts.

The second of the Six Assurances states that the U.S. “did not agree to consult with the People’s Republic of China on arms sales to Taiwan.”

Trump said the issue of the 1982 assurances came up in the talks with Xi.

Trump says Xi is ‘very positive’ about a potential nuclear deal

Trump also said he raised a potential three-way nuclear deal that would involve the U.S., Russia and China. He wants each of the three countries to sign a pact that would cap the number of nuclear warheads in their arsenals. China has previously been cool to entering such a pact.

Beijing’s arsenal, according to Pentagon estimates, exceeds 600 warheads and is far from parity with the U.S. and Russia, which are each estimated to have more than 5,000 warheads. But Trump suggested Xi was receptive to the idea.

“I got a very a positive response,” Trump said. “This is the beginning.”

The last nuclear arms pact, known as the New START treaty, between Russia and the United States expired in February, removing any caps on the two largest atomic arsenals for the first time in more than a half-century. As the treaty was set to expire, Trump rejected a call by Russia to extend the two-country deal for another year and called for “a new, improved and modernized” deal that includes China.

The Pentagon estimates China will have more than 1,000 nuclear warheads by 2030.

Trump was impressed by Chinese presidential residence

Xi welcomed Trump at his official residence, Zhongnanhai, on Friday for their final engagement of the summit before the U.S. leader’s return to Washington. The leaders took a short walk through the grounds that feature ancient trees and Chinese roses, and they strolled through a covered passageway with green columns and archways painted with birds and traditional Chinese mountain scenes.

Over tea and lunch, Trump and Xi — with top aides and translators in tow — huddled for nearly three hours of talks before the U.S. leader completed his three-day visit to China.

Trump appeared impressed by the bucolic grounds, remarking that the roses were the most beautiful he had ever seen. Xi promised to send him some rose seeds.

“It’s been really a great couple of days,” Trump told reporters.

Xi, for his part, called it a “milestone” visit. “We have established a new bilateral relationship, or rather a constructive, strategic, stable relationship,” he said.

But the optimistic outlook collides with some difficult truths about the thorniest issues between the two superpowers.

Beijing has shown little public interest in U.S. entreaties to get more involved in solving the conflict in Iran, even though Trump said in an interview with Fox News’ Sean Hannity that Xi had in their conversations offered to help.

In recent weeks, the U.S. State Department has accused Chinese firms of providing satellite imagery to the Iranian government, and the Treasury Department has moved to target Chinese oil refineries accused of buying oil from Tehran, as well as shippers of the oil.

Xi on Thursday warned Trump during private talks that their differences on Taiwan, if handled poorly, could hurtle the world’s dominant powers toward “clashes and even conflicts,” according to Chinese government officials.

But Trump, as he made his way home, said he was not concerned that the U.S.-China relationship was in danger. “I think we will be fine,” he said.

Taiwan remains the most important issue for China

Xi’s sharp language on Taiwan loomed large over the visit, with Chinese government officials amplifying his view that differences on the island pose the biggest risk to U.S.-Chinese relations.

But Secretary of State Marco Rubio told NBC News that U.S. policy toward Taiwan was “unchanged” and cautioned that it would be “a terrible mistake” for China to try to take Taiwan by force. He also framed Xi’s comments as standard practice.

“They always raise it on their side. We always make clear our position, and we move on to the other topics,” said Rubio, who was among senior aides to join Trump for the talks.

Some Republicans in Congress expressed displeasure at Trump’s pronouncement that he has not decided whether to move forward with the arms package for Taiwan.

“We have to support Taiwan, just like we have to support Ukraine,” said Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick, a Pennsylvania Republican. “These are the fortresses of democracy, and they’re on the front lines, and we have to protect and defend them.”

Republican Rep. Michael McCaul said he was not surprised that Xi came out with an aggressive posture on Taiwan.

“We’ve got to arm Taiwan so they can defend themselves for deterrence,” McCaul said.

China wants the Strait of Hormuz opened

Trump said he and Xi also spoke at length about Iran.

The leaders agreed that the critical Strait of Hormuz — effectively closed since the start of the Iran conflict — needs to be reopened to support global energy demands. About 20% of the world’s oil flowed through the strait before the war started on Feb. 28.

“We feel very similar about (how) we want it to end,” the president said. “We don’t want them to have a nuclear weapon.”

White House officials said Xi was also opposed to any implementation of tolls on vessels crossing the strait and expressed interest in China potentially purchasing U.S. oil to reduce Chinese dependence on Gulf oil in the future.

Trump earlier this week downplayed the importance of talks with Xi on the 11-week-old Iran war that has led to surging energy prices and threatens to plunge the global economy into recession if the conflict does not conclude soon.

___

Mistreanu reported from Bangkok. Associated Press writers Huizhong Wu in Bangkok and Darlene Superville, Stephen Groves and Josh Boak in Washington contributed to this report.

Leer en español

Online jail records show Kodak, whose real name is Bill Kapri, was arrested Thursday on charges of attempting to flee/elude law enforcement and resisting an officer without violence.

According to an arrest affidavit, the charges stem from an incident that occurred on Feb. 27 when Broward Sheriff’s Office deputies said Kodak failed to stop his vehicle for law enforcement and then fled from them.

The affidavit states that on that day, a deputy observed a pink Jeep Grand Cherokee obstructing traffic along Northwest 15th Street near Northwest 18th Drive in Pompano Beach.

Authorities said the SUV was stopped in the roadway, forcing other vehicles to cross into the opposite lane to continue driving.

A deputy attempted to conduct a traffic stop after the SUV turned southbound onto Northwest 18th Drive. Investigators said the deputy activated emergency lights and sirens near Northwest 14th Circle, but the vehicle continued driving before eventually stopping near Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard.

According to the affidavit, the driver, identified as Kodak, exited the SUV and spoke with the deputy. During the stop, authorities said several other individuals arrived in separate vehicles and approached the deputy while he was alone at the scene. One person allegedly claimed to be “security,” while another individual was reportedly seen with a gun visible on his waistband. Deputies said the approaching vehicles blocked traffic and interfered with the stop.

Investigators said that while the deputy was attempting to manage the scene and wait for backup, the rapper got back into the Jeep and suddenly sped away eastbound on Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard.

Authorities said the deputy recognized Kodak from prior encounters and public familiarity.

Investigators also noted that the SUV was registered to Kodak and that an Instagram story posted to the rapper’s verified account earlier that day appeared to show him wearing the same clothing described during the traffic stop, including a Spurs basketball jersey, gray beanie and jewelry.

Roughly 10 minutes later, detectives with the Pompano Beach Crime Suppression Team located the same Jeep near the I-95 overpass on Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard. Authorities said the SUV eventually stopped in the parking lot of a business located at 1511 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard.

According to investigators, a different man — identified as Terrence Henley — exited the driver’s seat and allegedly attempted to walk away while holding the vehicle’s keys. Deputies detained Henley, and a K-9 unit later alerted to the presence of narcotics inside the SUV, the affidavit states.

During a search of the vehicle, detectives reported finding approximately 16 grams of oxycodone, roughly 3 grams of cannabis, $26,490 in cash and several pieces of jewelry, including items bearing the initials “SG,” which investigators associated with Kodak Black’s “Sniper Gang” brand. Authorities also recovered keys to luxury vehicles, including a Rolls-Royce and Bentley, from the SUV’s trunk.

Investigators said Henley’s physical appearance differed significantly from Kodak’s description earlier in the day and argued in the affidavit that the rapper intentionally transferred possession of the vehicle in an effort to evade law enforcement. The affidavit also notes Kodak’s prior Broward County arrests involving narcotics-related charges between 2022 and 2024.

Kodak’s arrest comes a week after he was arrested in central Florida on a drug trafficking charge, stemming from a 2025 investigation.

Kodak was initially being held at the Broward County Main Jail, but he was released Friday afternoon after posting a $3,500 bond.

He did not speak with reporters and used an umbrella to shield himself from cameras as he made his way to an awaiting vehicle with others.

In bond court earlier in the day, the judge ordered that he not possess any firearms, weapons or ammunition as he awaits trial.

He had four bogeys, three birdies, two double bogeys and was in jeopardy of missing the cut after ending up in the thick rough 25 yards from the pin on his final hole.

Standing a few feet from the edge of a fairway bunker, Rose dug deep with his wedge, and his golf ball took three bounces on the green and tracked into the hole for an eagle 3.

The spectacular shot put the 45-year-old Englishman at 3-over par and propelled him into the weekend in his 24th appearance at the championship.

The last-hole theatrics weren't limited to Rose. Michael Kim holed out from 65 feet, just off the left side of the same par-5 ninth, securing a spot for the final rounds, one stroke under 4-over cut line.

A total of 82 players were among the top-70 and ties headed to the weekend.

Bryson DeChambeau is among those who won't be around for the final rounds. The two-time U.S. Open champ missed the cut for the third time in four majors with rounds of 76 and 71 for 7 over.

Former PGA champions Jimmy Walker (5 over), Keegan Bradley (6 over), Jason Dufner (8 over), Y.E. Yang (9 over) and Shaun Micheel (10 over) also missed the cut.

Cam Smith ended a streak of six missed at majors with an even-par 140 for the first two days. And, Luke Donald, who is headed into his third term as European Ryder Cup captain, had a two-round score of 4 over, which was good enough to make the cut for the 13th time in 18 PGA appearances.

Rose is a Philly favorite after winning the 2013 U.S. Open at nearby Merion Golf Club, and he has a good history at Aronimink, where he won his second PGA Tour title in the 2010 AT&T National. He lost to Bradley in a playoff in Newtown Square in the 2018 BMW Championship.

Rose's found Friday was in many ways fitting for a golfer whose career has been long been defined by many highs and lows and gritty, grind-it-out performances. He missed the first 20 cuts of his career, then became a major and Olympic champion and has enjoyed a mid-40s resurgence that has yielded multiple runner-up finishes in majors in recent years.

Rose got off to a rocky start Friday, driving into a bunker right of the difficult 10th hole and taking two shots to get out before eventually making a 6, the first of his two double-bogeys. Then, the rollercoaster round really took off.

His birdies on the 12th and 16th holes sandwiched a bogey, double-bogey, bogey, and he closed his front nine at 4-over 39.

The fun continued on the front nine, his back, when he followed three straight pars with a birdie before stumbling again. He posted bogeys at Nos. 6 and 8 and tumbled down the leaderboard.

Then, he hit the shot of his second round on the par-5 ninth hole. His 310-yard drive found the fairway, but his second shot traveled 267 yards and landed in the thick left rough before he converted his next shot for eagle.

Then, the waiting game began for Rose. When the round finished, his fabulous finish was enough to extend his stay.

___

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

Cuba enfrenta una difícil situación energética agudizada en los últimos meses por un cerco petrolero de Estados Unidos y el agotamiento de las reservas provistas con la llegada de un barco ruso el 31 de marzo.

De acuerdo con un balance divulgado el viernes por la Unión Eléctrica, los apagones alcanzaron el 61% del sistema en la hora pico del jueves, que se fijó a las 21:20 horas. La empresa indicó que esperaba que el viernes los apagones alcancen el 50% del sistema.

Interrupciones de más de 25 horas afectan servicios vitales como el bombeo de agua o la cocción de alimentos golpeando duramente a las familias cubanas. A ello se suma el impacto de la falta de combustible en el transporte diario.

El incremento de las temperaturas veraniegas ocasionan, además, una mayor demanda de energía y suelen hacer menos tolerables los apagones.

El jueves por la noche se produjeron algunas protestas vecinales en barriadas de La Habana.

Personas tocaron calderos desde adentro de sus hogares en Habana del Este, Centro Habana, 10 de Octubre y Plaza de la Revolución, constató The Associated Press. No se reportaron hechos de violencia, aunque en 10 de octubre se incendió una basura.

La medida del cerco energético impuesto por Estados Unidos se suma a décadas de sanciones que se incrementaron en el último lustro desde la primera presidencia de Donald Trump. Pese a la dura narrativa del estadounidense, las autoridades de ambos países reconocieron que mantenían conversaciones.

La víspera llegó a Cuba el director de la CIA, John Ratcliffe, quien se reunió con contrapartes cubanos.

Cuba recibió apenas un carguero de petróleo desde Rusia en los últimos cuatro meses –a finales de marzo-- luego de que el presidente Trump impusiera un cerco energético a la isla, amenazando a los países que se atrevieran a entregar crudo, presionando un cambio político en la nación caribeña. El navío trajo 730.000 barriles de crudo, suficiente para cubrir apenas dos semanas de demanda, según las autoridades.

Cuba produce apenas el 40% de su combustible para echar a andar su economía y necesita ocho barcos mensuales como el ruso para cubrir su demanda. Moscú dijo que otro buque petrolero fue enviado, pero se desconoce exactamente a dónde está.

El viernes, la Cancillería de Rusia informó que su titular, Serguéi Lavrov, se reunió con su homólogo cubano, Bruno Rodríguez Parrilla, en el marco de la cumbre de ministros de Relaciones Exteriores de los BRICS en Nueva Delhi, y que ambos países reafirmaron su postura sobre la inadmisibilidad de sanciones unilaterales como las dispuestas por Estados Unidos contra la isla.

“La parte rusa expresó su disposición a ayudar a La Habana a exigir el levantamiento inmediato del bloqueo comercial, económico y financiero estadounidense contra la isla, así como la eliminación de Cuba de la lista estadounidense de Estados patrocinadores del terrorismo”, indicó la Cancillería rusa en un comunicado.

Rusia reafirmó su disposición a brindar a La Habana “apoyo político, diplomático y financiero necesario”.

————-

El periodista Vladimir Isachenkov contribuyó con este reporte.

Leer en español

It happened on an offramp of Interstate 595 onto Interstate 95.

Video from Sky 10, taken at around 3:15 p.m., showed a cement truck and a taxicab with significant damage.

One of the injured victims is a child, according to Broward Sheriff Fire Rescue.

A BSFR spokesperson said five seriously-injured patients, including the child, were being taken to the trauma center at Broward Health Medical Center.

Two adults suffered minor injuries, officials said.

Officials did not provide additional information on the victims’ conditions as of around 3:25 p.m. Friday.

Pat Concannon and his friends — two who made the trip from Europe just to watch the golf major — positioned their ladder and the bed of their Dodge Ram 2500 pickup truck just a short putt away from the temporary fence that lined the first hole at Aronimink Golf Club.

“This is the best seat in the house,” Concannon said. “Everyone can watch it from over there. Not everyone can watch it from over here.”

The friends were getting thirsty early Friday and time for a beer run was getting tight before the world's No. 1 golfer was about to traipse through their backyard.

“Make it quick,” one reveler yelled, “because I think Scottie Scheffler is coming next.”

Cold beers were delivered and Concannon and his friends toasted the day and the unobstructed — and absolutely free — view as they peered like Wilson from “Home Improvement” over the fence to watch the second round where the best golfers in the world touched down a short walk from his uncle's garage.

No old man cries here of, get off my lawn!

Enterprising home owners in the tony neighborhood that lined Aronimink set up ladders, rented platforms and turned their streets into the sites of the block party of the weekend — just respect the quiet please sign — just off the cart-worn path of the 130-year-old course.

The volume could get cranked to 11 later in the night.

Once play was concluded, a Bruce Springsteen cover band — the E Street Shuffle Band — was set to take the stage. Or is it a lawn?

The home owners decided to think outside the tee box when it came to affordable golf, though some of them are Aronimink members and had purchased tickets that stretched well over $1,000 each, depending on the day.

Jim Hageney moved into his home outside the first hole two years ago and is in the midst of renovations that essentially gutted the inside. Up near the chimney, construction workers paused on their lunch break for a birds-eye view some 50 feet above the chip shots and booming drives below.

Hageney and his guests mingled about 10 feet up on one of three platforms — for about $2,000 total — rented by his family and two neighbors.

They are about the most popular people at Aronimink not named Rory or Rickie or Scottie. Golf fans shout — well, it's golf, so mildly raise their voice — at Hageney and friends asking how they can snag a spot outside the course and inside the fence at the property.

If they could find the opening along the fence near the fourth hole and turn left, they might have some luck at getting close to the neighborhood.

Or, they can empty their pockets and buy a house where one on the market advertised it was at Aronimink's fourth tee.

Party crashers have been kept in check.

Roads were mostly closed — no parking by temporary police order signs dotted the street — and the Hageney family put up a “Private By Invite Only” sign in their driveway.

Hageney said nine trees were removed around their property line ahead of the PGA.

“It’s great for me,” Hageney said. “Great view. Unobstructed view.”

And no long line at the concession stand!

The Hageneys had their platform delivered last week and there were no issues with the viewing risers or other towering platforms like it — one without railings went up near the 14th green — and the occasional golfer even politely waved back to their well wishes.

“We had checked with the PGA, and the people were very, very polite,” the 63-year-old Hageney said. “They said be respectful.”

One local family hired a company to build a raised platform dubbed the “sky deck" and invited their new best friends for drinks and nibbles and hanging out in genteel surroundings.

The Bellew family even created a website where fans could RSVP for an American Evening on the Fairway.

“Experience golf, atmosphere, and an unforgettable weekend,” the website read. “In celebration of the 2026 PGA Championship at Aronimink Golf Club, join us at our home for a memorable weekend of gathering, championship viewing, and celebration.”

Headed into the weekend, there were no reports of inebriated patrons falling over the fence or course marshals trying to keep the noise down — just the ladders up.

“It's pretty safe, right," Concannon asked.

___

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

El diálogo entre los dos mandatarios se dio tras las tensiones que surgieron el mes pasado por el caso de los dos agentes de la CIA que murieron en un accidente de tránsito en el estado fronterizo de Chihuahua y las acusaciones por narcotráfico que hizo la fiscalía de Nueva York contra el gobernador oficialista del estado de Sinaloa, Rubén Rocha, y otros nueve funcionarios mexicanos.

Sin ofrecer mayores detalles de lo conversado, Sheinbaum dijo en un breve mensaje de su cuenta de X que tuvo un “cordial” y “excelente” diálogo telefónico con Trump en el que “reafirmamos el trabajo que estamos haciendo en seguridad y las pláticas sobre comercio”.

“Acordamos hablar nuevamente y continuar el diálogo con algunos de sus colaboradores, que en fecha próxima, visitarán nuestro país”, señaló la mandataria.

Sheinbaum y Trump sostuvieron el 23 de febrero una conversación telefónica luego de la operación militar en la que fue abatido el líder del poderoso Cártel Jalisco Nueva Generación, Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes, alias “El Mencho”, que desató acciones violentas en al menos 20 de los 32 estados mexicanos y dejó 70 muertos cientos de autos y comercios quemados.

Las relaciones entre Washington y México se tensaron tras la muerte de dos agentes de la CIA quienes fallecieron el 19 de abril junto con dos funcionarios de la fiscalía de Chihuahua cuando la camioneta en la que viajaban cayó por un barranco en las montañas que unen Chihuahua —fronteriza con Texas— y el estado de Sinaloa, donde se había desmantelado un laboratorio clandestino de drogas sintéticas.

El incidente motivó una nota de protesta del gobierno de Sheinbaum que reclamó a Washington que no había sido informado de la presencia en el país de los dos agentes estadounidenses ni de sus actividades en el estado de Chihuahua gobernado por la oposición.

A finales de abril las relaciones se tensaron nuevamente luego que la fiscalía de Nueva York acusó de narcotráfico y tenencia ilícita de armas a Rocha, al alcalde de la capital de Sinaloa, un vicefiscal estatal, un senador oficialistas y otros funcionarios activos y retirados.

En medio de las tensiones políticas, los equipos negociadores de México y Estados Unidos han mantenido en los últimos dos meses diálogos previo a la revisión del tratado comercial que tienen con Canadá (el T-MEC) que será sometido a revisión a partir de julio y que se ha visto afectado por los aranceles que ha impuesto Trump.

Leer en español

The Fort Lauderdale Police Department identified the suspect as Monique Lynn Senior.

Jail records show she faces one count each of transmission of material harmful to minors by electronic device and soliciting a child for unlawful sexual conduct using computer services or devices.

According to investigators, the case began on April 28 when the boy’s mother filed an incident report after noticing her son was “acting different,” exhibiting unusual behavior, and becoming increasingly focused on his cellphone and an online friendship with Senior, who is known as “Hatch.”

The report states that the boy’s mother told police she later discovered concerning online exchanges involving her son and the account tied to Hatch, including sexually explicit material involving the victim.

Detectives said they reviewed ongoing chats between the victim and the account associated with Senior on Discord and TikTok, which showed repeated exchanges of sexual messages and images.

Investigators also said the conversations included messages in which the boy discussed self-harm and suicide, and that the suspect responded with comments encouraging harmful behavior, according to the report.

In one message cited by police, the boy wrote, “What if I jumped off a building,” adding that he thought it “would create a scene,” according to investigators.

According to investigators, Senior replied, “If you want to create a scene, do it in someone’s bedroom over their sleeping body, someone who deserves to see it.”

Police said another message from the suspect stated, “There’s so many ways to harm yourself bro get creative remember dhmis.”

Detectives said “dhmis” refers to “Don’t Hug Me I’m Scared,” a “surreal horror web series” that they described in the report as containing abrupt and violent content.

Authorities also confirmed that Senior sent sexual images of herself to the boy and expressed a desire to engage in sexual activity with him.

The boy’s mother told investigators she knew the suspect and had met her previously at her home, and said she is seeking to pursue charges on behalf of her son, according to the report.

As of Friday afternoon, Senior remained in the North Broward Bureau jail facility in Pompano Beach on a $100,000 bond.

El Departamento de Policía de Fort Lauderdale identificó a la sospechosa como Monique Lynn Senior.

Los registros penitenciarios muestran que se enfrenta a un cargo por transmisión de material perjudicial para menores mediante un dispositivo electrónico y a otro por solicitar a un menor que participe en actos sexuales ilícitos utilizando servicios o dispositivos informáticos.

Según los investigadores, el caso comenzó el 28 de abril cuando la madre del niño presentó un informe de incidente tras notar que su hijo “actuaba de forma diferente”, exhibía un comportamiento inusual y se centraba cada vez más en su teléfono móvil y en una amistad en línea con Senior, conocido como “Hatch”.

El informe indica que la madre del niño declaró a la policía que posteriormente descubrió intercambios en línea preocupantes que involucraban a su hijo y la cuenta vinculada a Hatch, incluyendo material sexualmente explícito en el que estaba involucrada la víctima.

Los detectives indicaron que revisaron las conversaciones mantenidas entre la víctima y la cuenta asociada con Senior en Discord y TikTok, las cuales mostraron repetidos intercambios de mensajes e imágenes de índole sexual.

Según el informe, los investigadores también indicaron que las conversaciones incluían mensajes en los que el niño hablaba de autolesionarse y suicidarse, y que el sospechoso respondió con comentarios que incitaban a comportamientos dañinos.

En un mensaje citado por la policía, el niño escribió: “¿Y si me tiro de un edificio?”, añadiendo que pensaba que “montaría un escándalo”, según los investigadores.

Según los investigadores, Senior respondió: “Si quieres armar un escándalo, hazlo en la habitación de alguien, sobre su cuerpo dormido, alguien que merezca verlo”.

La policía dijo que otro mensaje del sospechoso decía: “Hay muchas maneras de hacerse daño, hermano, sé creativo, recuerda DHMIS”.

Los detectives dijeron que “dhmis” se refiere a “Don’t Hug Me I’m Scared” (No me abraces, tengo miedo), una “serie web de terror surrealista” que describieron en el informe como una serie que contiene contenido abrupto y violento.

Las autoridades también confirmaron que Senior le envió imágenes sexuales de sí misma al niño y expresó su deseo de mantener relaciones sexuales con él.

Según el informe, la madre del niño declaró a los investigadores que conocía a la sospechosa y que se había reunido con ella anteriormente en su casa, y afirmó que está intentando presentar cargos en nombre de su hijo.

Hasta el viernes por la tarde, Senior permanecía en la cárcel del North Broward Bureau en Pompano Beach bajo una fianza de $100,000 USD.

El accidente ocurrió en una salida de la Interestatal 595 hacia la Interestatal 95.

Video de Sky 10, captado alrededor de las 3:15 p.m., mostró un camión de cemento y un taxi con daños significativos.

Una de las víctimas heridas es un menor, según Broward Sheriff Fire Rescue.

Un portavoz de BSFR indicó que todos estaban siendo trasladados al centro de trauma de Broward Health Medical Center.

Las autoridades no proporcionaron información adicional sobre las condiciones de las víctimas hasta alrededor de las 3:25 p.m. del viernes.