A French peacekeeper lost his life and three colleagues sustained injuries during an ambush in southern Lebanon on Saturday, according to French President Emmanuel Macron.
Macron pointed the finger at Hezbollah for the deadly assault, stating on social media that “Everything suggests that responsibility for this attack lies with Hezbollah.” The French leader called on Lebanese officials to “immediately arrest those responsible and assume their responsibilities alongside UNIFIL,” referring to the United Nations peacekeeping mission operating in southern Lebanon.
The fallen soldier was identified as Staff Sgt. Florian Montorio, who served with the 17th Parachute Engineer Regiment based in Montauban. Macron noted that three of Montorio’s “comrades in arms were injured and evacuated.”
“The nation bows in respect and extends its support to the families of our soldiers and to all our military personnel engaged for peace in Lebanon,” Macron declared.
This tragedy marks the second deadly incident involving French forces in the region within a month. On March 12, a drone strike at a Kurdish military installation in Iraq’s Erbil area claimed the life of French Chief Warrant Officer Arnaud Frion and left six others wounded.
French Armed Forces Minister Catherine Vautrin revealed that Montorio died during an ambush in Lebanon’s Deir Kifa area. According to Vautrin, the soldier was attempting to establish access to a UNIFIL outpost that had been cut off for multiple days due to combat between Hezbollah militants and Israeli troops.
The attack occurred just one day after a 10-day ceasefire agreement went into effect in Lebanon, though questions remain about Hezbollah’s commitment to a truce they did not help negotiate.
“He was caught in an ambush by an armed group at very close range,” Vautrin explained on X. “Immediately hit by a direct shot from a light weapon, he was pulled back under fire by his comrades, who were unable to resuscitate him.”
Following the incident, Macron contacted Lebanese President Joseph Aoun and Prime Minister Nawaf Salam to demand that Lebanese authorities “shed full light on this incident, to identify and prosecute those responsible without delay, and to do everything possible to ensure the safety of UNIFIL soldiers, who must under no circumstances be targeted,” according to the French president’s office.
Macron also emphasized “the importance of full respect for the ceasefire by all parties and reaffirmed France’s commitment to Lebanon’s sovereignty, for the benefit of all Lebanese people and regional stability.”
Weather experts are sounding the alarm as dry conditions across the continental United States have reached unprecedented severity for this time of year, creating concerns about wildfire dangers, agricultural losses, and rising grocery costs.
According to the U.S. Drought Monitor, over 61% of the Lower 48 states are currently experiencing moderate to severe drought conditions, with 97% of the Southeast and two-thirds of western states affected. These figures represent the most extensive drought coverage recorded for March since monitoring began in 2000.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Palmer Drought Severity Index registered its most severe March reading since data collection started in 1895. Last month also ranked as the third-driest on record for any month, surpassed only by the notorious Dust Bowl periods of July and August 1934.
Unusually high temperatures have resulted in dramatically reduced snowpack levels across western regions during the early months of 2024, eliminating the area’s primary water storage system for summer months. Meanwhile, a separate drought pattern linked to jet stream changes has pushed storm systems northward, creating dry conditions stretching from Texas to the Atlantic Coast, according to Brian Fuchs, a climatologist with the National Drought Mitigation Center.
NOAA scientists estimate that eastern Texas would require 19 inches of rainfall within a single month to end current drought conditions, while most southeastern areas would need more than 12 inches to address their water deficits.
“Right now 61% of the country is in drought and that’s steadily been going up for the calendar year,” Fuchs said. “We just haven’t seen too many springs where this amount of the country has been in this kind of shape.”
UCLA hydroclimatologist Park Williams highlighted a concerning measurement called vapor pressure deficit, which tracks how aggressively hot, dry air extracts moisture from soil and vegetation. This “sponginess” factor currently sits 77% above normal levels and exceeds the previous January-March record by more than 25%.
Such intense ground moisture extraction “wouldn’t have appeared possible” previously, Williams noted.
The timing particularly worries meteorologists, since drought conditions typically worsen during summer rather than spring months.
“Fire tends to respond to heat and drought in an exponential manner,” Williams explained. “For each degree of warming, you get a bigger bang in terms of fire than you got from the previous degree of warming.”
In Arizona, desert cacti are flowering months ahead of schedule, and water concerns have already intensified, reported Kathy Jacobs, who directs the Center for Climate Adaptation Science and Solutions at the University of Arizona.
“Those of us who are dependent on the Colorado River, of course, are very concerned about the fact that we don’t have a negotiated path forward in the middle of what appears to be possibly the worst year of drought that we’ve all experienced,” Jacobs said. “We have lots of reservoirs that are not full.”
Yale Climate Connections meteorologist Jeff Masters expressed particular worry about agricultural impacts and subsequent food price increases. Poor American crop yields due to drought could create global food security issues, especially with predictions of a strong El Nino weather pattern that typically reduces harvests in other regions like India.
Williams from UCLA attributed the drought and elevated temperatures to a combination of natural weather variations and human-driven climate change, with natural factors playing a slightly larger role currently.
“All weather is now affected by climate change,” Jacobs emphasized. “There is no such thing as weather that’s divorced from climate trends. But this extreme event is extreme in the way that we’ve been expecting: extreme heat waves, intense drought.”
PHOENIX (AP) — Arizona faces several competitive congressional races this November, with Democrats defending key positions including governor, attorney general and secretary of state.
However, the biggest attention has focused on election operations in the state’s largest county, where significant controversy has emerged.
Justin Heap, a Republican who questions election integrity, is conducting his first major election as Maricopa County’s recorder. He’s locked in an intense legal battle with county supervisors regarding election protocols, implemented a disputed mail ballot signature verification system, and used federal databases to screen voter rolls for non-citizens despite accuracy concerns. Heap has also reached out to Trump administration officials seeking voter data and election information.
His decisions have sparked sharp criticism from board members who share election oversight responsibilities with his office, plus condemnation from both the attorney general and secretary of state. A recent court decision will expand Heap’s control over election management.
This conflict has generated uncertainty about midterm election administration in a county frequently targeted by election conspiracy advocates and crucial for determining statewide outcomes in this key political swing state.
Democratic State Sen. Lauren Kuby, who serves on a legislative elections panel and represents portions of Phoenix, expressed concern that the conflict between the recorder and county board creates confusion and erodes trust.
“We’re one of the biggest counties in the country, and we have all of our election administrators fighting right now,” she said. “So I imagine if you’re a voter, you’re pretty confused and worried.”
Despite repeated requests for comment, Heap’s office provided no response. However, Heap released a statement about the court decision, saying it “restores both the authority and the resources necessary for my office to do its job.”
After winning against the sitting officeholder in the 2024 Republican primary, Heap immediately began confronting the Republican-majority board of supervisors.
In June 2025, he filed suit against them with support from America First Legal, a conservative organization established by Stephen Miller, currently serving as White House deputy chief of staff. The legal action claimed the board negotiated arrangements with Heap’s predecessor to move funding, IT personnel and various election duties from his office, including drop box oversight, early ballot processing and early voting location management.
A Maricopa County Superior Court judge ruled mostly in Heap’s favor. Board chair Kate Brophy McGee indicated the board might appeal the decision.
Prior to the ruling, supervisors characterized Heap’s legal action as baseless and “full of falsehoods” in what they described as a power grab that has sometimes escalated dramatically. A January budget session deteriorated into angry exchanges, with Republican Supervisor Thomas Galvin stating Heap “continues to lie over and over again.” Heap later dismissed the confrontation as a “juvenile temper tantrum.”
The board offered a settlement proposal earlier this year but received no counter-proposal from Heap.
After assuming office, Heap modified the mail ballot signature verification process.
The updated system requires workers from both parties to examine signatures, with additional staff conducting extra reviews of questionable signatures, Heap explained to the board during a fall meeting.
However, some officials and observers worry the new approach might result in valid ballots being incorrectly rejected. Galvin described the November 2025 local election rejection rate as “huge” compared to previous elections.
He expressed concern that the revised signature verification represents a “looming disaster” and worried that many people “who legally and validly voted last November saw their ballots be rejected for arbitrary reasons.”
Heap maintains the new approach is both quicker and more secure. “In the end, the signatures either match or they don’t,” he told the board.
Heap has highlighted his office’s utilization of the Department of Homeland Security’s SAVE database to locate potential non-citizens on voter registration lists.
His office reported discovering “137 registered voters who are not U.S. citizens” with 60 of those having “voted in prior elections.” The Maricopa County attorney’s office confirmed receiving 207 names from the recorder for eligibility review.
Non-citizen voting occurs infrequently, and the SAVE database has faced criticism from election officials and specialists who argue it often incorrectly flags eligible voters as non-citizens. Arizona Secretary of State Adrian Fontes, a Democrat, called the system unreliable in an interview.
“The SAVE system is notoriously inaccurate,” he said. “You can’t depend on that to take somebody off the voter rolls or to start the removal proceeding.”
The recorder’s office announced SAVE system usage on the same day Heap attended a Phoenix-area press conference where then-DHS Secretary Kristi Noem promoted congressional legislation requiring documented citizenship proof for voter registration.
Fontes said his office hasn’t received additional details about the alleged non-citizen voters and the announcement’s timing suggests it’s “more of a headline grab than anything without more information.”
Heap’s appearance at Noem’s February press conference wasn’t his only connection to the Trump administration.
Public records from the recorder’s office reveal willingness to cooperate with the Justice Department. This year, the department confiscated ballots and other 2020 election materials from Georgia’s Fulton County, which encompasses Atlanta.
Meanwhile, the FBI subpoenaed similar Maricopa County documents from the state Senate president.
Harmeet Dhillon, who leads the department’s Civil Rights Division, contacted Fontes, Heap and county officials in September requesting preservation of county election materials. Heap responded the following day, emphasizing his office is “committed to full cooperation with the Department of Justice as it conducts its investigation,” adding: “We share your goal of safeguarding election integrity.”
Following similar actions in other states, the department later sued Arizona for non-compliance with requests for comprehensive voter data.
State Attorney General Kris Mayes, a Democrat, told local media that Heap is “trying to undermine Arizonans’ trust in our election system” and cautioned against providing voter lists to federal authorities.
With Arizona’s July primary approaching, some observers fear Heap’s conflicts with the board and other actions may damage public faith in elections.
“The voters need to have a sense that this county is well-run, that the recorder and the board of supervisors have the best interest of every voter,” said Pinny Sheoran, state advocacy chair with the League of Women Voters of Arizona. “And that is frayed with this discord.”
A major baby food manufacturer has issued an urgent recall across Austria after discovering evidence of possible product tampering that could endanger infants.
HiPP has withdrawn its complete line of baby food products from more than 1,500 SPAR grocery stores throughout Austria as a safety precaution. The recall was announced Saturday by both companies.
“It cannot be ruled out that a dangerous substance was introduced into the product,” HiPP stated, specifically noting concerns about their Vegetable Carrot with Potato variety in glass containers.
The baby food company warned that eating from the potentially compromised jars could result in life-threatening consequences.
A SPAR representative confirmed to Reuters that the widespread recall impacts 1,500 Austrian locations as a preventive step, though stores in other countries remain unaffected.
“According to our current knowledge, this critical situation involves an external criminal interference that affects the SPAR Austria distribution channel,” a HiPP representative explained, emphasizing that their manufacturing processes and quality control standards have not been compromised.
Both retailers are urging shoppers who purchased the products from Austrian SPAR locations to avoid consumption and return items for complete refunds.
Law enforcement officials in Austria’s Burgenland region are actively investigating the incident and requesting public assistance with information, according to HiPP.
Turkey’s top diplomat warned Saturday that America stepping back from its European security commitments could cause serious damage if not handled properly.
Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan revealed that conversations are taking place about how to address a potential American reduction in what he called the “European security architecture,” though he didn’t provide specifics about these talks.
The comments come as President Donald Trump has made threats to withdraw from NATO following European allies’ refusal to deploy naval vessels to help clear the Strait of Hormuz during the ongoing US-Israeli conflict with Iran.
Speaking at a diplomatic conference in Antalya, a province in southern Turkey, Fidan expressed concern about the potential consequences.
“We are very much discussing how to manage or mitigate the withdrawal of the U.S. from the European security architecture. Not totally, but partially. Even a partial withdrawal… would be very destructive for Europe if it’s not done in a coordinated way,” Fidan stated during the panel discussion.
The Turkish minister, representing a nation that belongs to NATO but remains outside the European Union, criticized what he sees as problematic behavior within the alliance. He said EU member countries within NATO have been “acting like a separate club” and making independent decisions that sometimes conflict with the broader alliance’s stance.
“You want to be a separate EU organisation within NATO? Well America said ‘I’m letting you go, cutting off your ties’,” Fidan remarked.
The diplomatic tensions have been building since Trump announced his interest in acquiring Greenland, adding another layer of friction to alliance relationships.
Looking ahead, Fidan urged fellow NATO members to view the upcoming alliance summit scheduled for Ankara in July as a chance to repair relationships with Trump and Washington, while simultaneously preparing for potentially reduced American participation.
NATO’s Secretary General Mark Rutte has acknowledged Trump’s concerns with the alliance but emphasized that most European nations have provided valuable support for Washington’s military efforts against Iran.
According to a senior White House source who spoke with Reuters earlier this month, Trump has also been considering the possibility of withdrawing some American military personnel from European bases as part of his broader frustrations with NATO.
BARCELONA – A significant diplomatic breakthrough occurred Saturday when Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum held talks with Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez during her visit to Barcelona for an international progressive leaders conference.
According to Spain’s state news agency EFE, this represents the first time a Mexican head of state has traveled to Spain since the Morena party assumed control of Mexico’s government in 2018, indicating a warming of previously chilled relations between the two nations.
The diplomatic rift originated when Sheinbaum’s political mentor and former president, Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, demanded in 2019 that Spain apologize for colonial-era atrocities committed during the Spanish conquest of Mexico – a request that Spain declined to fulfill.
Spain’s economy minister expressed optimism about the renewed contact, telling journalists at the summit: “I believe that President Sheinbaum’s presence here is a very important and positive sign of a rapprochement between the two countries.” The minister highlighted opportunities for expanded commerce and investment cooperation, particularly in energy development, infrastructure projects, and banking sectors.
Sheinbaum’s participation in the Barcelona gathering of global left-wing leaders, hosted by the Spanish government, provided the framework for this diplomatic reset between the historically connected nations.
French President Emmanuel Macron announced Saturday that a French military member serving with international peacekeeping forces in southern Lebanon has died in an attack that France believes was carried out by the Iran-backed militant group Hezbollah.
In a statement posted on social media platform X, Macron revealed that three additional soldiers sustained injuries in the incident and have since been moved to safety for medical treatment. The French president called on Lebanon’s government to take action against those believed to be behind the deadly assault.
The affected military personnel were serving as part of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon, known as UNIFIL, which operates peacekeeping missions throughout the southern region of the country.
Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva addressed progressive leaders gathered in Barcelona on Saturday, urging the five permanent members of the United Nations Security Council to modify their approach following their inability to prevent conflict in Iran.
Speaking at the summit, Lula criticized what he described as inflammatory social media posts from world leaders. “We cannot wake up every morning and go to bed every night with a tweet from a president threatening the world and declaring wars,” the Brazilian leader stated, appearing to reference U.S. President Donald Trump though he did not mention him by name.
The remarks came during a progressive leaders’ summit held in the Spanish city on April 18, where Lula emphasized the need for behavioral changes among the Security Council’s most powerful nations.
Commercial ships attempting to navigate through the Strait of Hormuz on Saturday were turned away by Iranian naval forces, with at least two vessels coming under gunfire from Iranian boats, according to maritime sources.
Multiple merchant ships had tried to make the crossing after receiving maritime notices Friday indicating that passage through the waterway would be permitted, though limited to specific routes that Iran considered secure.
However, on Saturday, Iranian vessels opened fire on at least two ships in the waters near Qeshm and Larak islands, forcing them to retreat before completing their journey, shipping and maritime security officials told Reuters.
The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations agency confirmed receiving reports of an incident occurring 20 nautical miles northeast of Oman. According to the report, a tanker’s captain said two Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps gunboats had approached and fired upon his vessel. The tanker and its crew remained unharmed.
Maritime security sources also confirmed that a container ship was struck by gunfire during a separate incident.
Multiple vessels reported receiving VHF radio broadcasts from Iran’s navy announcing the waterway’s closure.
The Iranian radio transmission stated: “Attention all ships, regarding the failure of the U.S. government to fulfil its commitment in the negotiation, Iran declares the Strait of Hormuz completely closed again. No vessel of any type or nationality is allowed to pass through the Strait of Hormuz.”
The closure has left hundreds of ships and approximately 20,000 maritime workers stranded in the Gulf region, unable to transit through the critical shipping lane that carries roughly 20% of the world’s oil and liquefied natural gas shipments.
Delaware Department of Transportation officials are alerting drivers about a temporary lane closure affecting traffic on Garfield Parkway (Route 26) at Kent Avenue.
Construction work has forced the closure of the right turn lane at this intersection, creating potential delays for commuters and other motorists in the area.
According to DelDOT, the lane restriction is expected to be lifted by 3:30 PM today. Drivers are advised to plan alternate routes or allow extra travel time when passing through this area.
The department continues to monitor traffic conditions and will provide updates if the timeline changes.
ORVAULT, France (AP) — An elderly French woman who wed an American military veteran has arrived back in her home country following more than two weeks in U.S. immigration detention, with her family now focused on her recovery from the traumatic experience.
Marie-Thérèse Ross, 85, returned to France after enduring what her son described as a challenging ordeal that began when she was detained for exceeding her visa limits. During a Friday news conference in Orvault, located in western France, her son Hervé Goix emphasized that the family’s main concern is protecting their mother.
“To preserve her health and her rest, and for her to be able to rebuild herself,” Goix stated while appearing with his two siblings before the media.
“We are particularly relieved today to see our mother again, to have her back,” he continued. “She has necessarily gone through a difficult ordeal.”
French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot confirmed Ross’s return on Friday, criticizing the detention methods used by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement as falling short of French expectations and being unacceptable to his government, though he provided no additional details.
Court documents reveal that Ross arrived in the United States last June following her marriage to a former U.S. military member who had served in France during the 1960s. However, when her spouse passed away from natural causes in January, conflicts emerged regarding his estate. An Alabama judge determined that Ross’s stepson, who works for the federal government, played a role in having her placed in immigration detention.
According to the Department of Homeland Security, immigration officials apprehended Ross in Alabama on April 1 for exceeding her 90-day visa allowance. She was subsequently transferred to a detention center in Louisiana while French authorities voiced concerns about her treatment.
During the news conference, Goix revealed that his mother had been working on obtaining permanent residency status when authorities took her into custody. He stressed that “the essential thing is that she is truly safe, that she regains her comfort, that she is surrounded by her children and grandchildren.”
Orvault’s mayor, Sébastien Arrouët, shared with French news outlets that he had spoken with Ross, describing her as “delighted,” “happy,” and “relieved.”
“Put yourselves in her place, in a country she knows a little bit, it all happened to her so suddenly,” he explained. “We don’t realize the psychological violence. She needs to process all this, and the most important thing is that she is back with us.”
Documentation indicates that authorities detained Ross while she was wearing her nightclothes and prevented her from gathering essential items including her mobile phone, passport, and other personal identification documents.
Stargazers are in for a treat as the annual Lyrid meteor shower reaches its peak Tuesday night into Wednesday morning, with optimal viewing conditions thanks to a faint crescent moon. According to NASA, observers may witness between 10 and 20 meteors streaking across the sky each hour during the celestial event’s climax.
The astronomical display will be observable worldwide, though Northern Hemisphere locations will offer the best vantage points. The timing couldn’t be better, as the crescent moon will disappear below the horizon before the meteor activity intensifies, eliminating light interference.
These cosmic light shows occur when our planet passes through debris fields left by traveling space objects. As these particles enter Earth’s atmosphere, they heat up and create the brilliant streaks we call shooting stars or meteors.
Despite their name suggesting otherwise, most meteor displays originate from comet remnants rather than asteroids. The Lyrid shower consists of particles from comet Thatcher, an icy celestial body with a lengthy orbital period.
“We only get to see the actual comet once every 415 years. But we pass through the grains that have been left in its wake every year around the same time,” explained Maria Valdes, a meteorite researcher at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago.
While a few random meteors can be spotted on any clear night, certain times of year produce concentrated displays that create more spectacular viewing opportunities. The Lyrid shower holds historical significance as one of the earliest documented meteor events, with recorded observations spanning more than 2,500 years.
For optimal viewing, head outdoors after midnight and find a location away from urban lighting and tall structures. Allow your vision to adapt to darkness for 15 to 30 minutes, and avoid checking your phone to maintain night vision.
Set up comfortable seating or bring a sleeping bag, then watch patiently as the meteors emerge. The shooting stars will appear to radiate from the Lyra constellation in the northeastern portion of the sky.
“A meteor looks like a trail of light in the sky. What you tend to detect is the motion against the background,” noted astronomer Lisa Will from San Diego City College.
The next significant meteor shower approaches in early May with the Eta Aquarids, created by debris from the famous Halley’s comet.
WASHINGTON — When 18-year-old Lauryn Muller came across a social media video showing President Donald Trump mocking California Governor Gavin Newsom’s dyslexia, painful memories from her childhood came flooding back. The incoming Auburn University student remembered her own reading struggles and moments when she questioned her abilities.
During recent remarks, Trump described Newsom as “stupid,” having a “low IQ,” being “mentally disabled,” and unsuitable for presidential office. While Muller understood this was political theater between a Republican president and a Democratic governor eyeing a 2028 White House bid, the words felt deeply personal.
“We’ve had to overcome so many deficits, and for someone to, on a national stage, say, yeah, they will never be like us — that definitely came as an emotional sting to me,” Muller explained, noting her dyslexia diagnosis came during childhood.
The president’s latest verbal attack adds to his pattern of questioning opponents’ intelligence and ridiculing people with disabilities. However, this instance targeted millions of Americans while contradicting decades of advocacy work aimed at reducing dyslexia-related stigma.
The response from the dyslexia community ranged from heartbreak to fury, transcending political boundaries and drawing criticism from both Trump supporters and opponents.
Marilyn Muller, Lauryn’s mother and a Florida-based literacy advocate, has supported Trump in three elections and continues backing his policies. Still, she felt wounded when the president connected dyslexia with reduced intelligence — an outdated misconception she fights daily.
“It works against everything I do on a daily basis,” Marilyn Muller stated. “It was probably one of the more ignorant comments I have ever heard come from his mouth.”
The president’s statements directly contradict extensive scientific evidence showing dyslexia has no relationship to intelligence levels. His remarks also stand in sharp contrast to proclamations he signed during his first presidency celebrating dyslexia awareness months, where he praised the “extraordinary contributions” of individuals with the condition and highlighted successful executives and innovators among their ranks.
Dyslexia, frequently misunderstood by the public, disrupts the connection between brain function and written text, creating reading challenges. The condition typically becomes apparent when children begin developing literacy skills and is believed to impact as much as 20% of the global population.
“All of a sudden, you’re not doing so well in school and then people will tell you, oh, you’re not trying, you’re not smart or whatever, and none of that’s accurate. You just have this difference in that bridge from language to print,” explained John Gabrieli, a Massachusetts Institute of Technology neuroscientist.
Newsom has openly shared his dyslexia experience for years, including in a 2021 children’s book and his recent memoir. During promotional events for his latest publication, he explained how he memorizes speeches since reading them aloud proves difficult. The governor characterizes his condition as both challenging and beneficial, crediting it with helping him develop alternative abilities.
Trump seized on portions of Newsom’s public statements about his learning difference. “He can’t read a speech, he can’t do almost anything,” Trump declared during a March Cabinet meeting. “He’s actually a very stupid person.”
The president added: “I think a president should not have learning disabilities.”
Trump recognized he was breaking protocol, calling his statement “highly controversial to say such a horrible thing.” Despite this acknowledgment, he repeated similar remarks at least four additional times.
Newsom’s representatives declined interview requests and directed inquiries to the governor’s social media responses. “Learning differences don’t define your limits, they shape your strengths,” Newsom posted online. “And no one, not even the President of the United States, gets to decide your worth.”
Utah resident Lia Beatty, 27, says she’s grown accustomed to Trump’s confrontational style, but she recognizes the potential harm in his recent statements. The university neurology lab director, who has dyslexia herself, worries that young people with the condition might internalize the president’s words and feel diminished.
“The harm isn’t necessarily in the headline. It’s what happens quietly,” Beatty observed. “It’s the student in the classroom who stops raising their hand, the college applicant who hides how they learn, the employee who doesn’t pursue a promotion that they’re more than qualified for.”
After encountering Trump’s comments online, Beatty decided to publicly announce her acceptance into Dartmouth College’s doctoral neurology program — news she had previously kept private. Her social media revelation aimed to counter the president’s narrative.
“I think it’s important to acknowledge that, yeah, the rooms — they weren’t made for us, but we’re still getting in them,” Beatty said.
Congress has traditionally shown bipartisan commitment to supporting individuals with dyslexia through a dedicated House caucus featuring advocates from both major parties. However, Republican lawmakers have largely remained silent regarding Trump’s recent comments.
The president’s statements weren’t addressed during Wednesday’s congressional dyslexia roundtable, hosted by Senator Bill Cassidy, a Louisiana Republican whose daughter has the condition and whose spouse operates a school for dyslexic children. Following the event, Cassidy avoided directly responding to Trump’s remarks.
“All I can say is that a child with dyslexia will grow to be, often times, a very talented adult,” Cassidy, who faces reelection without Trump’s endorsement, told The Associated Press. “There’s people who have self-identified as dyslexic who have become CEOs of hospitals and of great businesses.”
Arkansas Representative Bruce Westerman, who co-chairs the dyslexia caucus, has not issued any public response.
Historical experts point out that several former presidents likely experienced dyslexia themselves.
Woodrow Wilson documented his reading difficulties and became an early typewriter user as part of various coping strategies, according to presidential historian and Wilson biographer John M. Cooper.
Even within Trump’s inner circle, some figures have discussed their dyslexia challenges.
Gary Cohn, who designed Trump’s major first-term tax legislation, has spoken extensively about his childhood dyslexia struggles before becoming a business leader and Goldman Sachs president.
Advocacy groups warn that Trump’s rhetoric could undo years of progress in dismantling harmful stereotypes. His statements also raise concerns about his administration’s disability protection commitments, particularly as Trump plans to eliminate the Department of Education, which administers the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act.
Jacqueline Rodriguez, who leads the National Center for Learning Disabilities, said families will struggle to trust Trump’s education appointees “when their boss is making these really stigmatizing and really inaccurate statements.”
In Decatur, Georgia, Meagan Swingle felt physically ill upon hearing Trump’s comments. She discussed the situation with her 15-year-old son Enrique, who has dyslexia, anticipating he might encounter the remarks at school. While Enrique, who excels in mathematics and science, dismissed the president’s words, they continued troubling his mother.
“I don’t know that he remembers a time like I do when, whether you were a Democrat or a Republican or an independent, you could expect a higher standard from the president of the United States,” she reflected. “We build people up, we don’t tear them down.”
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — Former President Donald Trump faces a crucial test of his Republican Party influence as Indiana voters prepare to decide the fate of state senators who refused his redistricting demands.
Julie Wise, a 48-year-old hospital employee from West Lafayette, represents the challenge Trump confronts. Despite describing herself as conservative and supporting Trump in the previous election, she won’t automatically vote against her state senator simply because he opposed the former president.
“I’m not going to say that ‘because this is what the president wants, this is how I’m going to vote,’” Wise explained while speaking from her doorstep on a bright spring day.
The May 5 Indiana primary has emerged as an unexpected measure of Trump’s Republican Party control. Following state senators’ resistance to White House pressure on redistricting, Trump backed seven primary opponents in contests that typically receive little national notice.
This unprecedented campaign involves national groups like Turning Point Action and Trump-supporting organizations that have invested over $4.2 million in advertisements. Republican Governor Mike Braun and U.S. Senator Jim Banks are also opposing sitting state senators, demonstrating their loyalty to Trump.
Among those being challenged is Spencer Deery, a freshman state senator who campaigned door-to-door through Wise’s West Lafayette community using an electric scooter.
“This is about one thing only,” Deery explained to The Associated Press. “And that’s control.”
Deery serves the 23rd Senate District, covering seven rural counties that extend from the Illinois border through West Lafayette and near Terre Haute’s outskirts.
When Deery first won his position four years ago, his campaign invested $142,000 in a contest with fewer than 11,000 voters. Among his defeated opponents was Paula Copenhaver, an experienced Republican organizer and local party leader.
Trump has now backed Copenhaver, who works as an aide to Lieutenant Governor Micah Beckwith, while Deery confronts nearly $1 million in opposition spending. Television commercials have claimed that “State Sen. Spencer Deary voted against President Trump’s agenda.”
“It’s about sending a message that any state that does not get in line or any lawmakers that do not get in line with the political forces in D.C. should be on the lookout,” Deery warned. “That should concern you in a constitutional democracy.”
Deery has invested $167,000 in his campaign without assistance from external organizations.
Copenhaver refused to respond to phone calls and messages from The Associated Press despite initially agreeing to discuss her campaign. Trump supported her in January, calling her a “MAGA Warrior” and “a terrific Candidate for Indiana’s 23rd State Senate District.”
On social media, he wrote that Copenhaver was “running against an incompetent and ineffective RINO incumbent named Spencer Deery who, for whatever reason, betrayed his voters by voting against Redistricting in Indiana.” The term RINO stands for “Republican in name only.”
The White House pressured Indiana legislators extensively last year to abandon tradition and implement new congressional boundaries, part of a broader national redistricting effort Trump believed would help Republicans maintain their narrow U.S. House control in November’s elections. Vice President JD Vance conducted meetings with Indiana officials in both Washington and Indianapolis, while Trump participated through conference calls.
Several proposal opponents received threats. Deery became the victim of a fraudulent police report designed to create a dangerous scenario by dispatching a SWAT team to his residence.
However, the Republican-majority state Senate rejected redistricting in December, delivering a setback to the president.
Trump later downplayed the defeat, telling Oval Office reporters that “I wasn’t working on it very hard.”
While Deery canvassed the well-maintained suburban neighborhood bordering a clover field in northwest West Lafayette, two motorcyclists on a Saturday ride paused to support him.
“I wanted to thank you for having the courage to vote against the redistricting,” one rider stated.
Annette and Curtis Williams conversed politely with Deery at their entrance. Curtis described Trump’s attempt to remove Deery as “inappropriate,” though neither he nor his spouse revealed their voting intentions.
Beckie Eikenberg, a quality assurance worker at an Indiana pharmaceutical facility, has observed the advertisements attacking Deery but remains skeptical of their claims. The 47-year-old, who identifies as “libertarian on the conservative side,” spoke with the state senator near her cul-de-sac’s end.
Though she supported Trump, Eikenberg questioned whether the president should influence Indiana’s congressional boundaries.
“He doesn’t necessarily know what’s going on within our state. He’s not here. He doesn’t see the day to day,” she observed.
The effort to remove incumbents also aims to eliminate Indiana Senate President Pro Tem Rodrick Bray, who helped prevent redistricting and faced Trump’s criticism.
While Bray isn’t seeking reelection this year, Braun reportedly demanded that primary challengers pledge to oppose him as Senate leader, according to three sources familiar with this requirement. These individuals requested anonymity because they weren’t authorized to discuss private conversations publicly.
Trump political advisors confirmed they were monitoring these campaigns. Representatives for Banks, the U.S. senator aligned with the White House, didn’t respond to requests for comment.
Governor Braun stated he’s supporting primary challengers not due to redistricting but because he requires assistance advancing his priorities. He previously disagreed with Bray regarding property taxes during his term.
Braun is contributing $500,000 from his political action committee to state senate contests.
“Whether you supported this or that, my goal is to get enterprising senators and representatives,” Braun explained Monday. “So when it comes to what you do to either support or not support certain legislators, for me, it’s going to mostly based on, ‘Are you willing to help me take Indiana into places that all states would want to be?’”
A former governor is opposing Braun in the primary. Ex-Governor Mitch Daniels, a Republican who withdrew from politics after leaving office in 2015, has quietly worked to defend incumbents targeted by Trump.
Daniels created a video and helped fundraise for Deery, who served as the former governor’s chief of staff when he became Purdue University president.
Deery emphasized that his redistricting vote wasn’t about opposing Trump or the president’s supporters.
“I don’t work for them,” Deery declared. “I work for my voters, my constituents.”
The U.S. military announced Saturday that two dozen vessels have followed American orders to return to Iranian waters since the implementation of a blockade targeting Iran’s ports and coastal regions.
According to military officials, 23 ships have heeded commands from U.S. forces to reverse their course and head back toward Iran after the United States established the maritime blockade.
The blockade represents an enforcement action against Iranian ports and surrounding coastal waters, with American military personnel directing vessel traffic in the affected areas.
Iranian leadership announced Saturday that future diplomatic discussions with the United States remain on hold until both nations can establish a preliminary agreement framework.
Deputy Foreign Minister Saeed Khatibzadeh made the announcement during a diplomatic conference in Antalya, Turkey, following last weekend’s unsuccessful high-level meetings in Islamabad – the most significant US-Iran diplomatic engagement since Iran’s 1979 Islamic Revolution.
“We are now focusing on finalising the framework of understanding between two sides. We don’t want to enter into any negotiation or meeting which is doomed to fail and which can be a pretext for another round of escalation,” Khatibzadeh told reporters at the Turkish forum.
While President Donald Trump indicated to Reuters that additional direct discussions might occur this weekend, diplomatic sources expressed skepticism about the logistical feasibility of reconvening in Islamabad.
Khatibzadeh explained that substantial advancement occurred during previous talks, but attributed the breakdown to what he characterized as unreasonable American positions regarding Iran’s nuclear activities.
“Until we agree the framework, we cannot set the date… There was significant progress made actually. But then the maximalist approach by the other side, trying to make Iran an exception from international law prevented us to reach an agreement,” he stated.
The Iranian official emphasized his country’s commitment to operating within established international legal boundaries.
“I have to be very crystal clear that Iran would not accept to be an exception from the international law. Anything that we are going to be committed will be within the international regulations and international law,” Khatibzadeh declared.
Addressing questions about the Strait of Hormuz situation, Khatibzadeh confirmed Iran had initially agreed to permit commercial vessel passage following Thursday’s US-mediated 10-day ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon.
However, he accused American officials of undermining that arrangement by attempting to exclude Iranian vessels from the safe passage agreement.
“The other side, the American side, tried to sabotage that by saying that it is open except for Iranians. So that was the reason we said that ‘if you are going to violate the ceasefire terms and conditions, if Americans are not going to honour their words, there will be repercussions for them’,” Khatibzadeh explained.
A Swiss soccer club has pulled the plug on a scheduled Kanye West concert, joining a growing number of European venues refusing to host the controversial rapper following his antisemitic remarks.
FC Basel announced Saturday they will not move forward with the performance that was reportedly set for June at their St. Jakob-Park stadium. The club manages all entertainment events at the venue.
Club officials said they carefully evaluated the concert request before making their decision.
“FCB received an enquiry and considered it. However, after thorough review, we have decided not to proceed with the project, as we cannot, in accordance with our values, provide a platform for the artist in question within this context,” a spokesperson for the club stated.
The Swiss cancellation follows similar moves across Europe. Just days ago, a stadium in Poland announced it would scrap a West concert, coming after the artist delayed a French performance. Earlier this month, British authorities prevented the 48-year-old performer from entering the country for a festival appearance.
West, who now goes by Ye, issued an apology in January for his conduct, saying it stemmed from his untreated bipolar disorder. He also disavowed his previous statements praising Adolf Hitler.
Lebanon’s Prime Minister Nawaf Salam has strongly denounced an assault that targeted French peacekeeping personnel serving with the United Nations mission UNIFIL on Saturday, announcing he has directed authorities to launch an immediate probe into the incident.
Salam made his statement through a social media post on X, where he expressed his condemnation of the attack against the French contingent members who are part of the international peacekeeping operation in the region.
The Prime Minister’s office has called for a thorough and swift investigation to determine the circumstances surrounding the assault on the UN forces.
Efforts to broker peace between companies locked in a heated battle over Europe’s ambitious fighter aircraft program have collapsed, according to a German business publication’s weekend report.
The newspaper Handelsblatt revealed that negotiators from both France and Germany were unable to bridge the gap between feuding corporations in the Future Combat Air System initiative, though government officials may still step in to rescue the troubled venture.
Sources close to the discussions told the publication that the appointed mediators will now file individual reports detailing their unsuccessful attempts to reach a compromise.
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz is expected to receive a briefing about the ongoing corporate standoff over the weekend and will determine Germany’s next steps by Tuesday, according to the report.
The German leader is scheduled to sit down with French President Emmanuel Macron during an unofficial European Union gathering in Cyprus next Thursday and Friday, potentially providing an opportunity to address the crisis.
The €100 billion military aircraft development program has been paralyzed by an extended power struggle between France’s Dassault Aviation and Airbus, which serves as the representative for both Germany and Spain in the multinational effort.
Earlier this month on April 1, Dassault Aviation’s chief executive announced he was allowing his organization a brief window of two to three weeks to determine if an agreement could be reached regarding the combat aircraft system.
Merz previously stated in late March that he was exhausting all available options to preserve the program and had arranged for two neutral parties to help bridge the corporate divide.
When contacted for comment, an Airbus Group representative in France chose not to respond, while officials from the German government, French presidency, and Dassault Aviation did not provide immediate statements.
Fresh statistics indicate the previous year represented an unprecedented period of instability for people pursuing naturalized American citizenship, with shifting immigration policies and heightened government oversight significantly impacting eligible immigrants’ decisions to complete their journey to citizenship.
The turbulent environment created by evolving immigration regulations and increased administrative scrutiny appears to have influenced whether permanent residents and other eligible individuals chose to take the final step toward becoming full American citizens.
Dense fog is creating hazardous driving conditions across Delaware, prompting state transportation officials to issue a safety warning for motorists.
The Delaware Department of Transportation reports that foggy conditions with varying levels of thickness are impacting visibility throughout the First State. Officials are encouraging drivers to reduce speeds, increase following distances, and use low-beam headlights when navigating through the affected areas.
Motorists should allow extra travel time and consider postponing non-essential trips until conditions improve. The fog is expected to create particularly challenging conditions during morning and evening commute hours.
BARCELONA, Spain — A diplomatic rift spanning five years between Mexico and Spain came to an end Saturday when Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum met with Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez in Barcelona, settling their disagreement over Spain’s treatment of indigenous peoples during colonial times.
Speaking at the IV Meeting in Defense of Democracy, where delegates from 15 nations gathered to address growing threats to democratic values, Sheinbaum dismissed any notion of ongoing tensions. “There is no diplomatic crisis, there never was one,” the Mexican leader declared upon her arrival.
Before greeting Sánchez with a handshake, she emphasized the significance of honoring indigenous contributions, stating, “The important thing is to recognize the efforts of the indigenous people of our land.”
The resolution became possible after King Felipe VI of Spain took an unprecedented step in March by publicly recognizing that Spain’s conquest of the Americas resulted in the “abuse” of native populations.
The diplomatic friction began in 2019 when former Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador sent correspondence to both the Spanish monarch and Pope Francis, calling on Spain to “publicly and officially” acknowledge wrongdoings during Mexico’s conquest.
When Spain declined to provide such recognition, relationships between the nations deteriorated significantly.
The situation reached its lowest point in 2024 when Sheinbaum excluded Felipe from her presidential inauguration ceremony due to the Spanish palace’s unwillingness to offer a formal apology. Sánchez denounced this decision as “unacceptable,” leading Spain to break with protocol by sending no official representative to the inauguration.
Following the king’s historic acknowledgment, Mexico extended an invitation to the Spanish monarch to attend a World Cup soccer match scheduled for this summer, signaling the beginning of diplomatic repair.
During Saturday’s gathering, Sánchez avoided referencing the now-resolved conflict while expressing gratitude to Sheinbaum for Mexico’s offer to host next year’s democracy summit.
Two commercial ships reported coming under gunfire Saturday while navigating through the Strait of Hormuz, according to three maritime security and shipping industry sources.
The vessels were attempting to pass through the strategic waterway when they reported being struck by gunfire, though the extent of any damage or casualties was not immediately known.
The incidents highlight ongoing tensions in one of the world’s most critical shipping lanes, which serves as a vital passage for global oil and trade shipments.
Venezuelan opposition figure Maria Corina Machado revealed Saturday that she turned down an opportunity to meet with Spain’s Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez during her recent trip to the country, citing his involvement in hosting a progressive political gathering in Barcelona.
Machado, who identifies as a right-wing liberal, chose to avoid the leftist coalition government headed by Sanchez, instead focusing her time on meetings with Spain’s conservative opposition figures who oppose the current administration.
Speaking at a Madrid event, Machado explained her decision by referencing the Barcelona summit. “What has transpired in the past few hours at the meeting he held in Barcelona with various political leaders from different countries is proof that such a meeting was not advisable,” she stated.
The incident highlights the political divide between Machado’s conservative stance and the progressive agenda promoted by Sanchez’s government, demonstrating how international political alignments influence diplomatic interactions even during unofficial visits.
Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov announced on April 18th that Moscow believes it’s the right moment to begin discussions with Washington regarding future economic partnerships between the two nations, though he acknowledged ongoing disagreements persist.
Speaking during a diplomatic gathering in Antalya, Turkey, Lavrov made the remarks as part of Russia’s broader diplomatic outreach efforts. He also commented on the Western military alliance, describing NATO as being “not in the best state,” while emphasizing that Russia has no intention of interfering in the organization’s internal matters.
The push for enhanced economic collaboration with America has become a central element of Russia’s strategy to establish a diplomatic thaw with President Donald Trump’s administration.
Acclaimed French actress Nathalie Baye, recognized internationally for her performance in Steven Spielberg’s hit film “Catch Me if You Can,” has passed away at 77 years old, according to reports from AFP news agency on Saturday.
The celebrated performer died on Friday night at her residence in Paris, the French news outlet confirmed through statements from Baye’s family members.
NABATIYEH, Lebanon — Emergency medical crews arrived at the outskirts of Mayfadoun village in southern Lebanon during late morning hours, responding to reports of attacks on fellow paramedics.
The rescue teams had learned just minutes before on Wednesday that Israeli forces had struck two ambulances in the area, targeting the second vehicle as it arrived to assist the first. Despite knowing the risks, they rushed to help their colleagues and discovered a devastating scene.
Both initial ambulances lay in ruins with blown tires and shattered glass. Six of the eight crew members were bloodied and scattered across the roadway or inside the damaged vehicles. In one driver’s seat, a paramedic with blood flowing from his stomach held an unconscious colleague, desperately urging him to remain awake.
“I felt sick. I couldn’t believe my eyes,” Mohammed Jaber, 43, shared with The Associated Press on Friday from his emergency team’s base in Nabatiyeh, where crew members rested on foam mattresses. A 10-day ceasefire in the Israel-Hezbollah conflict gave the exhausted workers a rare break from constant explosions.
Jaber explained that his team quickly began loading the most severely injured victims into their functional ambulances. However, as team leader Mahdi Abu Zaid moved to secure the vehicle doors, they too came under fire.
These three separate attacks, resulting in four paramedic deaths and six injuries, represent another instance of Israel targeting Lebanon’s medical infrastructure.
During the 2024 Israel-Hezbollah conflict, such strikes became a major point of controversy, with Israel claiming that Hezbollah, like Hamas in Gaza, operated from Lebanese medical facilities — allegations both Hezbollah and Lebanon’s Health Ministry reject.
The frequency of these attacks has remained steady, with humanitarian organizations documenting an average of two healthcare worker deaths daily throughout the war until Friday’s ceasefire began.
When asked about the Mayfadoun incidents, Israeli military officials did not reiterate previous claims about Hezbollah’s use of medical sites. They stated they were “aware of reports about the ambulance attacks” and that “the incident is under review.”
The assault on the third rescue team occurred while they were still evaluating injuries from the first two crews, happening less than six minutes after they reached the scene.
According to colleagues who spoke with the AP, an Israeli drone shattered the vehicles’ windows and hit 30-year-old Abu Zaid, knocking him to the ground. Abu Zaid, who had a 4-year-old child and worked selling spices and nuts when not volunteering as a paramedic, was declared dead upon arrival at al-Najda Hospital.
The medical workers’ testimonies align with video evidence from a GoPro camera worn by one paramedic. The footage documents intense gunfire striking the ambulance while medical personnel treated two bloodied colleagues, one breathing weakly through an oxygen mask.
Following the third assault, a fourth rescue team successfully reached the trapped medics and evacuated the wounded without being targeted.
These ambulance attacks have sparked widespread criticism, including from the United Nations’ human rights office, which expressed being “shocked” and cautioned that deliberately targeting medical personnel constitutes a war crime.
For the emergency workers involved, this incident exemplifies Israel’s campaign to dismantle southern Lebanon’s healthcare infrastructure as its military expands security operations to the Litani River, approximately 20 miles into Lebanese territory, seeking to protect northern Israeli communities from Iran-backed Hezbollah.
“They should be targeting fighters, where the fighting is happening, at the border,” said Jaber. “Why target medics and civilians? So that life becomes unbearable and people tell Hezbollah to give up?”
Lebanon’s Health Ministry has documented at least 100 medical worker fatalities since Israel began its bombing campaign and ground operations in Lebanon, responding to Hezbollah missile attacks across the border on March 2, following Israeli and U.S. strikes against Iran.
“This war is different than all the other wars,” stated Mohammed Suleiman, chief paramedic for Nabatiyeh Emergency Services.
Suleiman’s own 16-year-old son Joud — who had accompanied and assisted on missions since childhood — died alongside a fellow paramedic in an Israeli motorcycle strike on March 24, marking the unit’s first casualties since its 2002 establishment.
“I always had my fears, but I believed that as a neutral organization with no connection to politics, we would be safe, off-limits,” he explained.
Beyond its military operations, Hezbollah functions as one of Lebanon’s most influential political parties and operates an extensive network of civilian institutions including medical facilities and educational centers.
The initial two paramedic teams attacked Wednesday were deployed by the Islamic Health Committee, a major healthcare provider connected to Hezbollah, and the Risala Scout Association, a medical response group linked to Hezbollah’s ally, the Amal movement.
Numerous paramedics from both organizations have died during these six weeks of warfare. The primary Islamic Health Committee facility in Jibsheet village, near Nabatiyeh, was destroyed in an Israeli airstrike last month, joining 59 primary healthcare centers closed due to Israeli attacks, according to the World Health Organization.
The U.N. health agency also condemned Israeli strikes that hit Lebanon’s Tebnine Government Hospital twice within three days this week, injuring 11 medical staff, damaging the emergency ward and pharmacy, and destroying vital equipment including ventilators and monitoring devices.
With Friday’s ceasefire in place, the Nabatiyeh medics hired a tow truck and returned to the Mayfadoun roadside where they were attacked. The three ambulances remained there, riddled with shrapnel, while bloodstains marked the pavement.
They transported Abu Zeid’s destroyed ambulance to a public square in Nabatiyeh, hoping it would serve as a memorial.
“We want this vehicle to bear witness,” said Mahdi Sadeq, a service coordinator. “To bear witness to what happened, to what this war has done to our profession.”
YAOUNDE, Cameroon (AP) — Pope Leo XIV concluded his Cameroon visit on Saturday by urging the creation of “structures of solidarity” to support marginalized populations before departing for Angola as part of his ongoing four-country African tour.
The pontiff conducted Mass at Yaounde Airport before thousands of attendees, including 93-year-old President Paul Biya, currently the globe’s eldest head of state. The energetic and celebratory crowd highlighted the enthusiasm that the third papal visitor has generated in this former French territory, where approximately one-third of citizens practice Catholicism.
Among the congregation were individuals with mobility challenges who arrived at the service in wheelbarrows operated by relatives.
Throughout his Cameroon stay, Leo focused on inspiring hope among youth facing discouragement while condemning elite groups for exploiting the nation’s resources and people for financial gain.
During Saturday’s French-language sermon, Leo emphasized that respecting human dignity forms the foundation of all societies.
“For this reason, every community has the obligation to create and sustain structures of solidarity and mutual aid in which, when faced with crises — be they social, political, medical or economic — everyone can give and receive assistance according to their own capacity and needs,” he said.
Following the Mass, Leo departed for Luanda, Angola’s capital city, where meetings with President Joao Lourenco and his inaugural address to Angolan officials awaited.
Angola, home to roughly 38 million people in southern Africa, achieved independence from Portugal in 1975. However, the nation continues recovering from a brutal civil conflict that erupted immediately after independence and persisted intermittently for 27 years until concluding in 2002. Estimates suggest over half a million lives were lost.
The prolonged conflict became a Cold War battleground, with the United States and apartheid South Africa supporting one faction while the Soviet Union and Cuba backed the opposition.
“I would like to hear a message of peace, a message of reconciliation,” said Luanda resident Sergio Jose. “I would also like to hear good political messages and I would also like to hear that the pope would also talk about the upcoming elections in Angola.”
Modern Angola ranks as Africa’s fourth-largest oil producer and sits among the world’s top 20, according to International Energy Agency data. The country also holds the position of the globe’s third-largest diamond producer and possesses substantial gold reserves plus valuable critical minerals.
Despite this wealth of natural resources, World Bank data from 2023 indicated that over 30% of Angolans survive on less than $2.15 daily.
During his Cameroon visit, Leo condemned the “chains of corruption” blocking development and criticized the “handful of tyrants” devastating Earth through warfare and exploitation. Similar themes are anticipated during his Angola visit.
Former President Jose Eduardo dos Santos, who governed Angola for 38 years from 1979 to 2017, faced accusations of redirecting billions in public funds to his family, primarily from oil revenues, while millions endured poverty.
When Lourenco assumed the presidency, his government calculated that dos Santos had stolen or misused at least $24 billion. Lourenco’s administration has pledged to combat corruption and has pursued recovery of funds allegedly taken during the dos Santos period.
However, critics point to Angola’s persistent corruption issues and question whether Lourenco’s efforts target political opponents to strengthen his own authority.
As a Portuguese colony, Angola served as the central hub of the transatlantic slave trade. More than 5 million of approximately 12.5 million enslaved Africans departed from Angolan ports, exceeding any other nation, though not all were native Angolans.
Leo’s Angola visit will culminate Sunday with his trip to Muxima, located south of Luanda. This significant Catholic pilgrimage site attracts believers in a country where roughly 58% of the population follows Catholicism.
Portuguese colonizers constructed the Church of Our Lady of Muxima in the late 16th century as part of a fortress and it became central to slave trading operations. The site serves as a lasting symbol of the historical connection between Catholicism and African exploitation centuries ago.
Leo, the first American-born pope in history, descends from both Black and white ancestors including enslaved individuals and slave owners, genealogical studies reveal. His Muxima visit will include praying the Rosary, acknowledging the location’s transformation into a popular pilgrimage destination after reported Virgin Mary appearances around 1833.
BARCELONA, Spain — Democratic leaders from multiple nations convened in Spain’s second-largest city Saturday to address growing threats to liberal democracy worldwide, as far-right movements gain momentum and international conflicts strain global stability.
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, known for his vocal opposition to President Donald Trump and the ongoing U.S.-Israeli conflict with Iran, organized two concurrent events focused on democratic values and progressive governance at a Barcelona convention facility.
The fourth iteration of the Meeting in Defense of Democracy drew presidents from Brazil (Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva), Mexico (Claudia Sheinbaum), South Africa (Cyril Ramaphosa), and Colombia (Gustavo Petro), alongside senior officials from ten additional nations. British Deputy Prime Minister David Lammy also participated in the discussions.
Though Trump’s name wasn’t explicitly mentioned during the portions accessible to media, his administration’s unilateral approach—which breaks from longstanding U.S. foreign policy traditions—and his criticism of NATO and the United Nations created an underlying tension at the gathering aimed at preserving multilateral cooperation.
“We all see the attacks against the multilateral system, the repeated attempts to undermine international law and the dangerous normalization of the use of force,” Sánchez stated as the conference began.
The Spanish leader outlined priorities including strengthening multilateral institutions through U.N. reform, implementing social media regulations to curb hate speech and false information, and developing strategies to address widening economic disparities.
“We all share the vision that democracy is the best system to respond to the complexities of our societies,” he declared.
Brazil, Spain, and Chile established this forum in 2024 to facilitate idea-sharing aimed at countering what organizers describe as “extremism, polarization and misinformation” that weakens democratic participation.
Saturday evening will feature the debut Global Progressive Mobilization, bringing together approximately 3,000 left-leaning elected officials and policy experts for strategic discussions.
These meetings followed Friday’s summit between Sánchez and Lula at a former Barcelona royal residence, where they expressed mutual concerns about global instability stemming from Russia’s Ukrainian invasion, Israel’s Gaza operations following Hamas attacks, and current Iranian conflicts affecting energy markets.
Both Lula and Sánchez represent a shrinking group of progressive leaders who maintain domestic popularity while advocating for multilateral agreements, human rights protections, environmental safeguards, and gender equality—principles frequently challenged by Trump, Argentina’s libertarian President Javier Milei, and European far-right movements.
WASHINGTON — Both political parties in Virginia are invoking former President Barack Obama’s name as they battle over congressional redistricting ahead of Tuesday’s crucial statewide referendum.
The high-stakes campaign centers on whether Virginia should redraw its congressional boundaries before November’s midterm elections. The outcome could significantly impact which party gains control of the U.S. House of Representatives.
Obama, who previously opposed gerrymandering practices, now supports Virginia Democrats’ push to let the state legislature create new congressional districts. This move could potentially add four Democratic seats to Congress, countering similar Republican redistricting efforts in Texas and other states under President Trump’s direction.
His current stance demonstrates how dramatically Democrats have changed their approach to redistricting following extensive Republican-led efforts to redraw congressional maps nationwide. However, GOP groups are banking on Obama’s earlier statements to influence Virginia voters.
Two Republican organizations are running television and radio advertisements featuring 2017 video of Obama criticizing gerrymandering for creating political divisions that make it “harder and harder to find common ground.” These ads encourage Virginians to reject the redistricting proposal.
Virginia Democratic Senator Tim Kaine characterized the Republican use of Obama’s previous comments as a sign of desperation. “They wouldn’t be lying about Obama’s position if they weren’t desperate and worried,” Kaine stated.
Polling data indicates supporters of the redistricting measure hold a slight lead among likely voters. Virginia’s Department of Elections reports that over one million residents have already cast early ballots.
If approved, the new congressional boundaries would stay in effect through the 2030 census.
Obama has become a central figure in campaign materials from both sides, potentially creating voter confusion through competing messages from groups with similar-sounding names.
The former president has clearly endorsed the referendum in a television advertisement, saying: “Republicans want to steal enough seats in Congress to rig the next election and wield unchecked power for two more years, but you can stop them by voting yes by April 21.”
Opposition groups Virginians for Fair Maps, which has collected nearly $20 million, and Justice for Democracy PAC, backed by almost $9 million from conservative nonprofit Per Aspera Policy Incorporated, are featuring Obama’s 2017 University of Chicago remarks in their advertisements.
“Our president, Barack Obama, knows that partisan gerrymandering is wrong for our democracy. Listen to his words,” states a narrator in one Justice for Democracy radio spot.
Virginia Republican Representative Jen Kiggans defended the strategy of using Democrats’ previous statements, noting this is a tactic both parties would employ. “When you put those words in the public sphere, as a politician, they still exist,” she explained. “They don’t go away just because you’ve changed your viewpoint.”
Virginia’s current congressional delegation includes six Democrats and five Republicans. The proposed redistricting would create a 10-1 Democratic advantage in a state that leans Democratic at the federal level.
These four additional Virginia seats could be sufficient to give Democrats House control during Trump’s final two years in office, amid ongoing redistricting battles across multiple states.
The redistricting conflict began last year in Texas, where Republicans created new maps at Trump’s request designed to add up to five GOP congressional seats. California has responded with its own referendum that could yield similar Democratic gains.
Additional states including Ohio, Missouri, and North Carolina have modified their maps to benefit Republicans, while Florida may consider new boundaries next week.
“If this does not pass, Republicans could gerrymander in all the red states and hang on to the majority and continue to rubber-stamp President Trump,” warned Virginia Democratic Representative Suhas Subramanyam.
Virginia Republicans have condemned the proposed map as an unfair redistricting that would deny proper representation to half the state and limit constituents’ access to federal services. Democrats have raised similar concerns in states where redistricting has favored Republicans.
Republican Representative Ben Cline of Virginia avoided commenting on GOP use of Obama in advertisements but criticized Democrats for making the state election a national issue. “Enlisting national Democrats to try and push this egregious political hackery through next Tuesday is going to backfire,” Cline said. “Republicans and independents and moderate Democrats are voting no, and we’re going to defeat it on Tuesday.”
While Obama’s representatives did not respond to requests for comment, the former president has reinforced his current position through Democratic campaign materials. “We can’t afford two more years of unchecked power and zero accountability in Washington,” Obama states in a Virginians for Fair Elections radio advertisement. “Help us chart a better path forward, Virginia.”
Pope Leo arrived in Angola Saturday afternoon, continuing his ambitious tour across Africa where he has emerged as an increasingly bold voice on global issues.
The pontiff, who hails from Chicago and is the first American to hold the papacy, landed in the capital city of Luanda around 3 p.m. local time. He’s scheduled to meet with President João Lourenço and speak to the nation’s political leadership about pressing social issues.
Before departing Cameroon earlier Saturday, Pope Leo delivered a farewell Mass in Yaounde, offering words of encouragement to those facing the Central African nation’s ongoing struggles, including deadly violence in English-speaking regions that has claimed thousands of lives.
“In moments when we seem to be sinking, overcome by adverse forces, when everything appears bleak … Jesus is with us always, stronger than any power of evil,” the pope told Mass attendees.
“In every storm, he comes to us and repeats: ‘I am here with you: do not be afraid’,” Pope Leo added.
The papal visit to Angola comes as the nation grapples with severe economic inequality despite its status as a major oil producer in sub-Saharan Africa. While petroleum exports make up roughly 95% of the country’s foreign sales, more than 30% of Angola’s 36.6 million residents survive on less than $2.15 daily, World Bank statistics show.
Catholics represent more than half of Angola’s population, making this visit particularly significant for the faithful there.
During his time in Cameroon, Pope Leo drew enthusiastic crowds, including an estimated 120,000 people who gathered for Friday’s Mass in Douala. Supporters lined roadways wearing colorful clothing decorated with the pope’s image.
The pontiff has faced criticism from President Donald Trump this week following papal statements condemning the Iran conflict. On Thursday, Pope Leo declared that the world was “being ravaged by a handful of tyrants.”
This marks a notable shift for Pope Leo, who maintained a relatively quiet public presence during his initial 10 months in office. However, his current 10-day African journey has featured increasingly direct commentary on warfare and social injustice.
Australian authorities are investigating a fatal vehicle incident that occurred at a popular entertainment convention in Melbourne, leaving one person dead and another with severe injuries.
The tragedy unfolded shortly before 5 p.m. local time when a vehicle jumped the curb and struck two pedestrians, according to police reports released Saturday. Officers arrested the driver immediately at the scene.
“The circumstances surrounding the collision are yet to be established and the investigation remains ongoing,” authorities stated in their official release.
Media outlets report the incident took place at the location where the Supanova Comic Con and Gaming event was being held, adding to concerns about public safety at large gatherings.
The investigation continues as police work to determine what led to the deadly crash that has shaken the Melbourne community.
Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty announced Saturday that his nation is collaborating closely with Pakistan to develop a comprehensive framework designed to achieve enduring peace between the United States and Iran.
Speaking from Antalya, Abdelatty revealed that a coalition including Egypt, Turkey, Pakistan, and Saudi Arabia is orchestrating an extensive regional diplomatic initiative. The effort focuses on averting future military escalations while establishing the foundation for post-conflict security arrangements.
The minister emphasized that the initiative prioritizes safeguarding Gulf nations while ensuring stability in global energy markets, international supply chains, and food security systems.
Residents across the Delmarva Peninsula should prepare for minor coastal flooding tonight as the National Weather Service issued a Coastal Flood Advisory affecting Delaware beaches and surrounding areas.
The advisory takes effect at 8 PM tonight and runs through 2 AM Sunday morning. Forecasters expect up to one foot of water above ground level in low-lying areas near shorelines and tidal waterways.
Locally, Kent County, inland Sussex County, and Delaware’s beaches are under the advisory. The flooding will also impact parts of New Jersey, including Ocean, Atlantic, Cape May, and Monmouth counties.
Officials warn that the most vulnerable coastal and bayside roads will likely flood first, with some partial or full road closures possible. Inland tidal waterways are also at risk.
Authorities urge drivers to avoid parking in flood-prone areas and never attempt to drive through standing water. “The water may be deeper than you think,” weather service officials caution, noting the risk of vehicle damage and personal danger.
While this is considered minor flooding, residents should stay alert for changing conditions and avoid unnecessary travel in affected coastal areas during the advisory period.
The advisory expires at 2 AM Sunday morning.
Good morning, Delmarva! We’re looking at a pleasant but cloudy Saturday across the peninsula with temperatures climbing to a comfortable 65 degrees. Those gray skies will stick around most of the day, with a gentle east breeze keeping things feeling fresh at 5 to 10 mph.
As we head into tonight, keep an eye on the sky – we’ll see our first chance for light rain showers developing, with temperatures dropping to around 55 degrees. Perfect weather for cozy indoor activities!
Sunday brings a washout, folks. Rain showers will be moving through the region, so you’ll definitely want those umbrellas handy. Temperatures will be cooler too, topping out around 60 degrees. The good news? Sunday night looks much better as those showers clear out and skies turn mostly clear. We’ll see a crisp drop to 41 degrees – feeling more like early spring!
So enjoy today’s mild conditions, prep for wet weather tomorrow, and get ready for a beautiful clear Sunday night. Stay dry out there, Delmarva!
CAIRO (AP) — Tehran quickly backtracked on its decision to allow ships through the Strait of Hormuz, closing the vital shipping lane again Saturday following President Trump’s announcement that America would maintain its naval blockade of Iranian ports.
Iranian military leadership announced Saturday that “control of the Strait of Hormuz has returned to its previous state … under strict management and control of the armed forces.” Military officials warned they would maintain the closure as long as American forces continued blocking Iranian shipping routes.
The reversal happened just hours after President Trump declared that despite Iran’s Friday announcement about reopening the waterway, the US blockade “will remain in full force” until Tehran negotiates an agreement with Washington, particularly regarding its nuclear activities.
The standoff over this crucial shipping route threatens to worsen the global energy emergency affecting the worldwide economy, especially after oil costs had started dropping Friday amid hopes for US-Iranian progress. About 20 percent of global oil shipments travel through this waterway, and additional restrictions could tighten already limited supplies, pushing fuel prices upward again.
Iran’s authority over this strategic passage has become its primary bargaining chip, leading Washington to position naval forces and establish a port blockade as part of efforts to pressure Tehran into accepting a Pakistan-mediated ceasefire ending nearly seven weeks of conflict involving Israel, America, and Iran.
Tehran had announced complete reopening of the Strait of Hormuz for commercial traffic following a 10-day ceasefire declaration between Israel and Iran-supported Hezbollah forces in Lebanon. Ending Israel’s Lebanese conflict was a central requirement from Iranian negotiators, who had previously blamed Israel for violating an earlier ceasefire through Lebanese airstrikes. Israeli officials had stated that previous agreement didn’t include Lebanon.
However, following Trump’s blockade continuation announcement, senior Iranian leaders claimed his statement broke last week’s ceasefire arrangement between Iran and the US, warning the strait would remain closed while American naval restrictions continued.
Maritime tracking company Kpler reported that vessel movement through the strait stayed limited to specific channels requiring Iranian permission.
US Central Command announced on social media that American naval forces have turned away 21 vessels bound for Iran since beginning the blockade Monday.
Even with rising tensions around the Strait of Hormuz, Pakistani diplomats indicate the United States and Iran continue making progress toward an agreement before the April 22 ceasefire expiration.
The Lebanese ceasefire might remove a significant barrier to reaching a deal. During a diplomatic conference in Antalya, Turkey, Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar called the Lebanese ceasefire encouraging, explaining that Israel-Hezbollah fighting had been a major obstacle before Islamabad discussions concluded “very close” to an agreement last weekend.
Pakistani military leader Field Marshal Asim Munir traveled to Tehran, while Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif held meetings with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Qatar’s Emir Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani in Antalya, according to military and government sources. Pakistan plans to facilitate another round of US-Iran negotiations early next week.
Despite mediator optimism, questions remain about whether Hezbollah will honor a truce they didn’t help negotiate and which allows Israeli forces to maintain control over parts of southern Lebanon.
Trump posted separately that Israel is “prohibited” by the US from additional Lebanese strikes and declared “enough is enough” regarding the Israel-Hezbollah conflict.
The State Department clarified the restriction covers only aggressive attacks, not defensive responses.
Just before Trump’s statement, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel accepted the Lebanese ceasefire “at the request of my friend President Trump,” while emphasizing the Hezbollah campaign remains incomplete.
Netanyahu stated Israel had eliminated approximately 90% of Hezbollah’s missile and rocket arsenal and noted that Israeli forces “have not finished yet” with dismantling the organization.
In Beirut, displaced residents started returning to southern Lebanon and Beirut’s southern neighborhoods despite official warnings against going home until the ceasefire’s stability becomes clear.
Lebanese military and UN peacekeeping forces in southern Lebanon documented scattered artillery fire in some southern areas during the hours following the ceasefire implementation.
The conflict, which started with US and Israeli military action on February 28, has resulted in at least 3,000 Iranian deaths, over 2,290 Lebanese casualties, 23 Israeli fatalities, and more than twelve deaths in Gulf Arab nations. Thirteen American military personnel have also died.
A college student identified as Jay discovered hope in an unlikely place after finding himself behind bars for trying to break into a structure on his university campus.
While confined and feeling desperate in his cell, Jay encountered a fellow prisoner whose surprising words of encouragement provided solace during what seemed like his lowest point.
That unexpected moment of human connection would prove to be a turning point, redirecting the trajectory of Jay’s future in ways he never anticipated.
Diplomatic veterans who participated in crafting the 2015 nuclear deal with Iran are warning that future agreements with the Islamic Republic will face significant hurdles.
Those who spent extensive time at the negotiating table describe a process marked by deep-seated suspicion between the parties, fundamentally different approaches to diplomacy, and intricate policy challenges that resist simple solutions.
The experts emphasize that these factors combine to make any rapid breakthrough in negotiations highly improbable, based on their firsthand experience working through the complex nuclear accord nearly a decade ago.
Colombian President Gustavo Petro has issued a stark warning that continued American pressure on Latin American leaders who oppose Washington could trigger a regional uprising against US influence, according to remarks published Saturday in Spanish newspaper El Pais.
The 65-year-old leader, who previously belonged to the leftist M-19 guerrilla movement, has repeatedly found himself at odds with President Donald Trump’s administration, which added him to a Treasury Department sanctions list over alleged connections to international drug trafficking.
Speaking from Barcelona where he attended a summit with leaders from Spain, Brazil and Mexico, Petro accused the US Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control of wielding sanctions as a political weapon to pressure leaders who hold opposing viewpoints.
“It’s a system like the one the Spanish king had a few centuries ago. And what was Latin America’s response? Rebellion. That’s what will happen now if the U.S. government isn’t capable of rethinking its ties to Latin America,” Petro stated during the interview.
The Colombian president cited the January US military operation targeting Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro in Caracas as an example of American actions that have created anxiety among regional leaders.
Despite these tensions, Petro described his direct relationship with Trump as positive, noting they had communicated twice in recent weeks and dispelled misconceptions about one another. He emphasized that he approached their meetings as an equal rather than coming to Washington to plead for favors.
Petro, who won election in 2022, will step down from office in August due to Colombia’s constitutional prohibition on consecutive presidential terms.
Residents in New Castle County, Delaware and Salem County, New Jersey should prepare for minor coastal flooding beginning tonight at 11 PM through 3 AM Sunday morning.
The National Weather Service has issued a Coastal Flood Advisory warning of up to one foot of water inundation in low-lying areas near shorelines and tidal waterways. The most vulnerable roads along waterways are expected to flood, with some partial or full road closures possible.
Officials are urging drivers to avoid parking vehicles in flood-prone areas and never attempt to drive through standing water. “The water may be deeper than you think it is,” warns the Weather Service, noting that attempting to drive through floodwater puts both drivers and vehicles at risk.
This type of minor tidal flooding typically affects the most vulnerable roadways first, making travel potentially hazardous during the overnight hours. Residents should plan alternate routes if they need to travel during the advisory period.
The Coastal Flood Advisory remains in effect until 3 AM Sunday morning. For real-time water level information and flood impact updates, residents can visit the National Water Prediction Service website.
Stay with TV Delmarva for continued weather updates throughout the weekend.
Residents across the Delmarva Peninsula should prepare for minor coastal flooding tonight as the National Weather Service has issued a Coastal Flood Advisory effective from 8 PM tonight through 2 AM Sunday morning.
Up to one foot of water above ground level is expected in low-lying areas near shorelines and tidal waterways across Kent and Sussex counties in Delaware, including the Delaware beaches. The flooding will primarily affect the most vulnerable coastal and bayside roads, with some partial or full road closures possible.
“Minor tidal flooding often results in some road closures, usually on the most vulnerable roadways,” according to the National Weather Service out of Mount Holly, New Jersey.
Officials are urging drivers to avoid parking vehicles in flood-prone areas and never attempt to drive through flood waters. “The water may be deeper than you think,” weather service officials warn, noting that driving through floods puts both drivers and vehicles at risk.
The advisory affects popular beach communities and inland tidal areas where residents should monitor conditions closely tonight. For the latest water level information and flood impacts for local tide gauges, residents can visit the National Water Prediction Service online.
The coastal flood advisory expires at 2 AM Sunday morning.
RAVE, India (AP) — Community members from the Agri-Koli tradition participated in an ancient ceremonial competition on Friday, working together to raise elaborately adorned bamboo structures in their village outside Mumbai, India.
The ritual takes place annually in the village of Rave and serves as a tribute to the goddess Raiba Devi, continuing a cultural practice that has been observed for hundreds of years.
This coverage features a collection of photographs selected by Associated Press photo editors documenting the traditional celebration.
BEIJING – Chinese officials announced Saturday their readiness to proceed with discussions aimed at enhancing the existing free trade agreement between China and Switzerland.
During bilateral trade discussions held in Bern, China’s Commerce Ministry released a statement indicating that an upgraded, high-quality free trade pact would provide fresh energy for commercial, investment, and innovation partnerships between the two nations.
The ministry emphasized that such an enhanced agreement would strengthen economic ties and create new opportunities for cooperation across multiple sectors.
Britain’s top diplomat is calling on Iran to completely restore international shipping access through a crucial Middle Eastern waterway following a recent ceasefire agreement.
Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper spoke Saturday from a diplomatic conference in Antalya, Turkey, expressing concerns that maritime traffic through the Strait of Hormuz has not returned to standard levels even after hostilities paused in Iran’s ongoing conflict.
“We are at a critical diplomatic moment with a ceasefire now in place … but we don’t yet have normal passage through the strait,” Cooper explained to Reuters during the international diplomacy gathering.
The British official emphasized that the current truce must evolve into a permanent peace agreement. Cooper stressed the importance of quickly restoring full shipping operations through the strategic waterway, citing its essential role in supporting worldwide economic stability.
The Los Angeles Angels delivered a dominant 8-0 victory over the San Diego Padres on Friday night in Anaheim, just hours after the organization announced the passing of beloved franchise legend Garret Anderson. Home runs from Yoan Moncada and Josh Lowe powered the Angels to victory, bringing San Diego’s impressive eight-game winning streak to an end.
Angels pitcher Jose Soriano turned in another stellar performance, improving to 5-0 on the season by surrendering just two hits across 5 2/3 innings of work. The right-hander issued four walks while striking out eight batters, dropping his major-league-best ERA to an incredible 0.28. Through 32 2/3 innings this season, Soriano has given up only one run – a home run by Atlanta’s Drake Baldwin – and 11 hits while recording 39 strikeouts.
Los Angeles put together an offensive showcase with 13 total hits. Nolan Schanuel led the way with a 3-for-5 performance that included one RBI and one run scored. Adam Frazier contributed a double and single while crossing home plate twice, Jo Adell delivered a crucial two-run double, and both Zach Neto and Oswald Peraza collected two hits each. The victory marked the Angels’ third win in their last four contests.
San Diego starter Matt Waldron struggled early, falling to 0-1 after allowing six runs on eight hits in just 3 2/3 innings. The right-hander walked one batter and struck out four in the losing effort.
The Angels seized control early, building a 3-0 advantage in the second inning. Moncada opened the frame by launching his third home run of the season, a 388-foot blast to right-center field. After two outs, Logan O’Hoppe was struck by a pitch and came around to score on Frazier’s double. Neto capped the rally with an RBI single.
The Padres threatened in the third inning, loading the bases with two outs following a single by Ty France and walks to Luis Campusano and Fernando Tatis Jr. However, Soriano escaped the dangerous situation by inducing a ground out to second base from Jackson Merrill.
Los Angeles expanded their lead to 6-0 in the fourth inning through an RBI single by Schanuel off Waldron, followed by Adell’s two-run line drive double into the left-center gap off reliever David Morgan.
Lowe put the game away in the fifth inning with his third home run of the season, a two-run shot down the right field line that scored Peraza, who had reached base after being hit by a pitch.
The emotional backdrop to Friday’s game centered around Anderson, who passed away Thursday at age 53 from a heart attack. Anderson holds the franchise records for hits and games played, among other categories, cementing his legacy as one of the organization’s greatest players.
Phoenix secured their spot in the NBA playoffs Friday night with a commanding 111-96 victory over Golden State in the play-in tournament, powered by Jalen Green’s explosive 36-point performance.
The win grants the Suns the Western Conference’s eighth playoff position. Phoenix will now travel to face the reigning champion Oklahoma City Thunder, who earned the top seed, beginning their first-round matchup on Sunday.
“Sometimes the road’s not always the one that you choose and think it’s going to happen or the one that’s most traveled, sometimes it’s the least traveled,” Phoenix head coach Jordan Ott reflected. “We found our way in, now it’s on to the next thing.”
Phoenix capitalized on Golden State’s mistakes, converting 21 Warriors turnovers into 30 points.
Following their disappointing collapse against Portland in their initial play-in contest, the Suns managed to maintain their advantage this time around.
However, the game’s final moments provided some tension.
With the result already determined, Golden State’s Draymond Green accumulated his sixth foul with slightly over a minute left on the clock. Warriors head coach Steve Kerr took time to embrace both Green and Stephen Curry, acknowledging their shared history across four NBA championship campaigns.
“I don’t know what’s going to happen. I still love coaching but I get it. These jobs all have an expiration date,” Kerr stated, noting his contract expires this summer. “There’s a run that happens and when the run ends, sometimes it’s time for new blood and new ideas and all that, and if that’s the case, then I will be just nothing but grateful for the most amazing opportunity any person could have to coach this franchise.”
When play continued, Green and Phoenix’s Devin Booker engaged in an intense verbal exchange that lasted several moments before officials intervened, issuing technical fouls to both players. Green was subsequently ejected from the game.
Phoenix established early dominance with a 13-0 scoring surge after Golden State opened with the first two points, then finished the opening quarter with eight straight points for a 33-15 advantage.
The Warriors’ 15 first-quarter points marked their lowest quarterly output since managing just 14 points in the fourth quarter of their March 7 matchup against Oklahoma City.
While Phoenix shot an impressive 52.4% in the opening period, they encountered difficulties in the second quarter as Golden State mounted a comeback.
The Suns managed only 5 successful shots out of 20 attempts in the second quarter, allowing Golden State to narrow the gap to just two points on Curry’s free throws with 19.6 seconds left before halftime.
As the clock wound down, Jalen Green rose up for a three-point attempt from the wing and connected, marking Phoenix’s first successful field goal in over five minutes and giving the Suns a 50-45 halftime lead.
Golden State’s Brandin Podziemski contributed 10 of his game-leading 23 points during the second quarter comeback. He also paced the Warriors with 10 rebounds.
Phoenix regained firm control during the third quarter with an 11-1 scoring run that included a pair of three-pointers from Jalen Green.
Booker contributed 20 points along with eight assists and six rebounds. Phoenix’s Jordan Goodwin provided valuable support with 19 points, nine rebounds, and six steals.
“Truly that group in the locker room’s been special all year and was special again in the last three or four days, overcoming the disappointment and coming out and playing that hard against a team that has every solution in the book,” Ott praised. “… Sometimes it just comes down to toughness.”
Curry managed 17 points in the defeat but struggled with his shooting, connecting on just 4 of 16 field goal attempts and 3 of 10 three-point tries. De’Anthony Melton provided 16 points and eight rebounds coming off the bench.
KYIV, Ukraine — Museum director Alina Dotsenko experienced devastating heartbreak when she entered her facility after Ukrainian troops reclaimed the southern city of Kherson from Russian occupation in late 2022. Thousands of precious artworks had disappeared.
“I walked in and saw empty storage rooms, empty shelves. My legs gave way, and I just sat down by the wall, like a child,” said Dotsenko, who heads the Kherson Art Museum.
The museum previously housed more than 14,000 pieces in a diverse collection “ranging from America to Japan” before Russia’s comprehensive invasion began in early 2022. As Russian troops withdrew, they transported much of the collection by truck to Russian-controlled Crimea, according to Dotsenko and footage captured by local residents.
Nearly 10,000 artworks remain unaccounted for.
Ukraine is renewing its protests about cultural theft as Russia attempts to rejoin international cultural events. The upcoming Venice Biennale intends to permit Russian participation for the first time since 2022. Ukrainian officials argue the event “must not become a stage for whitewashing the war crimes that Russia commits daily against the Ukrainian people and our cultural heritage.”
The Kherson situation is unique because Ukraine has precise documentation of what was stolen.
Prior to the conflict, Dotsenko had systematically photographed every piece in the museum’s collection, building a comprehensive digital database. When Russian forces captured Kherson, she concealed the hard drives containing this information. After Ukrainian soldiers returned, she recovered them.
This database now represents the most complete documentation of stolen cultural property during the conflict, enabling prosecutors to collaborate with Interpol in tracking missing pieces and pursuing accountability.
Throughout most of Ukraine, however, similar records don’t exist. Cultural theft cases can only be prosecuted in court when losses can be proven piece by piece.
The Russian Culture Ministry did not reply to Associated Press inquiries about the alleged theft from Ukrainian museums. Previously, Russian-appointed officials in occupied regions characterized the removals as protective actions.
Kirill Stremousov, the former Russia-appointed deputy administrator in Kherson who died shortly before Ukrainian forces freed the city, claimed removed statues would “definitely return” once hostilities ended.
Halyna Chumak, former head of the Donetsk Regional Art Museum, escaped Russian-controlled Donetsk in 2014, taking what she could manage: catalogs documenting a small portion of the museum’s approximately 15,000 artworks.
She spent twelve months moving the catalogs through military checkpoints into Ukrainian-held territory, abandoning most to avoid attracting attention from pro-Russian forces who inspected her at each crossing point.
Those catalogs covering slightly more than 1,000 pieces represent the only remaining evidence. More than ten years later, Ukrainian businessman Oleksandr Velychko is converting them to digital format.
His team required more than three careful months to process roughly 400 works. When finished, the database will be provided to Ukrainian authorities, offering partial legal grounds to claim ownership of missing pieces.
Authorities indicate many situations across Ukraine mirror Donetsk rather than Kherson.
Anna Sosonska, deputy chief of a war crimes division at Ukraine’s Prosecutor General’s Office, said her department is managing 23 criminal cases involving cultural crimes, encompassing 174 instances of theft, damage and destruction.
The Kherson museum case ranks among top priorities, she noted, primarily due to Dotsenko’s digital records.
Sosonska explained that Russian forces frequently take inventory books and other documentation from museums, complicating efforts to establish what was stolen.
Prosecutors sometimes depend on open-source intelligence, following artworks through photographs, auction records and other online evidence — a time-consuming process that cannot rebuild complete collections.
Progress takes time, but Sosonska emphasized that cultural crimes fall under international law and face no time limits for prosecution.
Ukrainian authorities say the extent of theft greatly surpasses what can be documented.
Ukraine’s Culture Ministry reports that Russia had destroyed or damaged 1,707 cultural heritage sites and 2,503 cultural infrastructure facilities including event venues and galleries as of March, most notably the Mariupol Drama Theatre.
The ministry stated that over 2.1 million museum objects remain in Russian-occupied areas. From territories Ukraine has reclaimed since 2022, more than 35,000 museum items are confirmed stolen.
Substantial portions of Ukraine have remained under Russian control since 2014, and much original documentation has been lost, destroyed or taken.
Russia has moved to legally formalize control over captured collections. In 2023, it modified laws to incorporate 77 Ukrainian museums in the occupied Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson and Zaporizhzhia regions into its national registry, a move critics say effectively prevents the return of stolen works.
Named as Ukraine’s culture minister in October 2025, Tetiana Berezhna said digitization will be a central priority for her office to protect collections.
“If we had digitalized them beforehand, then we would know how many objects were stolen and what they look like,” she said.
A recent European case has highlighted the potential for accountability.
In March, a Polish court determined that Oleksandr Butiahin, a Russian citizen, can be sent to Ukraine over accusations he conducted unauthorized excavations in Crimea, removing artifacts from a site Ukraine considers its cultural heritage.
Butiahin was arrested in Poland last year following Ukraine’s request. The court’s ruling remains open to appeal.
Sosonska described the case as the first instance where a Russian citizen could face prosecution for crimes against Ukraine’s cultural heritage connected to occupied territory.
For museum professionals like Dotsenko, the matter remains intensely personal.
She spoke with The Associated Press at an exhibition in Kyiv displaying reproductions of the paintings stolen from the Kherson museum.
“While these works are still in captivity, we all hope the situation will be resolved in favor of the Kherson Art Museum. I didn’t dedicate 50 years of my life to this museum for nothing,” she said.
Ukrainian forces conducted overnight drone attacks on industrial facilities located in two Russian cities situated along the Volga River, according to regional officials on Saturday.
Samara region Governor Vyacheslav Fedorischev confirmed that the aerial strikes targeted industrial sites in Syzran and Novokuibyshevsk, stating that the assault was still ongoing as of his announcement.
While the governor did not specify which particular facilities were hit during the attack, both municipalities are home to petroleum refining operations that have faced repeated targeting throughout the ongoing conflict between Ukraine and Russia.
Ukrainian officials reported extensive damage from a massive Russian drone assault that occurred during overnight hours on April 18, affecting critical infrastructure across multiple regions.
The southern Odesa region bore the brunt of strikes targeting port facilities, with regional governor Oleh Kiper reporting via Telegram that unmanned aircraft struck agricultural storage facilities, supply depots, and government buildings. Kiper confirmed no injuries resulted from the bombardment.
In northern Ukraine’s Chernihiv region, Russian forces struck an electrical generation facility, according to the area’s power distribution company posting on Telegram. The attack left approximately 380,000 people without electricity.
Ukrainian air defense forces tracked a total of 219 long-range unmanned aircraft launched by Russia during the nighttime offensive, military officials announced.
Just hours following the announcement of franchise legend Garret Anderson’s passing, the Los Angeles Angels delivered an emotional 8-0 shutout victory over the San Diego Padres on Friday evening, bringing an end to San Diego’s impressive eight-game winning streak in Anaheim.
Home runs from Yoan Moncada and Josh Lowe powered the Angels’ offensive attack, while starting pitcher Jose Soriano (5-0) turned in a masterful performance on the mound. Soriano surrendered just two hits across 5 2/3 innings of work, walking four batters while striking out eight. The dominant outing lowered his major league-best earned run average to an incredible 0.28.
The Angels’ offensive explosion featured contributions throughout the lineup, with the team collecting 13 total hits. Nolan Schanuel led the way with a 3-for-5 performance that included one RBI and one run scored. Adam Frazier contributed a double and single while crossing home plate twice, and Jo Adell delivered a crucial two-run double. Zach Neto and Oswald Peraza each added two hits to support the winning effort, helping Los Angeles capture their third victory in four recent contests.
San Diego’s struggles began early with starter Matt Waldron (0-1), who surrendered six runs on eight hits during his 3 2/3 innings of work. The Padres managed to collect only three hits against four different Angels pitchers throughout the contest.
In other MLB action Friday night, Masataka Yoshida delivered a clutch pinch-hit walk-off single in the 10th inning to give Boston a 1-0 victory over visiting Detroit. Yoshida’s hit through the right side drove home Jarren Duran, who had started the extra frame as the automatic runner on second base and advanced to third on a wild pitch from Tigers reliever Will Vest (1-3).
Cincinnati defeated Minnesota 2-1 behind Eugenio Suarez’s two-run double and a strong pitching performance from Brandon Williamson. The Fairmont, Minnesota native Williamson (2-1) allowed three hits and one run over 5 1/3 innings, while Emilio Pagan secured his sixth save with a perfect ninth inning.
Baltimore rallied for a dramatic 6-4 victory over Cleveland, scoring six runs in the eighth inning capped by Jeremiah Jackson’s three-run homer off Connor Brogdon. The wild inning saw the Orioles overcome a 4-0 deficit created by Daniel Schneemann’s second career grand slam in the seventh.
Atlanta dominated Philadelphia 9-0 as Martin Perez tossed six scoreless innings and Austin Riley belted two opposite-field home runs. The victory continued the Braves’ hot streak of winning seven of nine games, while the Phillies dropped their seventh contest in nine tries.
Chicago’s offensive surge continued with a 12-4 victory over the struggling New York Mets, marking the Cubs’ third consecutive game scoring at least 10 runs. Moises Ballesteros capped a four-run first inning with a three-run homer, while the Mets extended their losing streak to nine games.
Pittsburgh snapped Tampa Bay’s six-game winning streak with a 5-1 victory behind Bubba Chandler’s strong six-inning performance. The Pirates collected 11 hits in the winning effort, with Oneil Cruz contributing a two-run homer.
San Francisco defeated Washington 10-5 as Heliot Ramos hit a three-run homer and Drew Gilbert and Casey Schmitt added solo shots. Matt Chapman drove in three runs for the Giants, who broke out of their offensive slump with a six-run second inning.
New York topped Kansas City 4-2 on Ryan McMahon’s tiebreaking two-run homer in the eighth inning, extending the Royals’ losing streak to five games.
Milwaukee outlasted Miami 7-5 in 10 innings, with Garrett Mitchell driving in three runs including a two-run double in the extra frame. The Brewers have now won three straight contests.
St. Louis pulled away from Houston 9-4 behind Nolan Gorman’s three-run homer in the seventh inning, while Los Angeles defeated Colorado 7-1 as Max Muncy homered twice and Shohei Ohtani extended his on-base streak to 49 games.
Arizona beat Toronto 6-3 with Nolan Arenado homering for the third time in four games, while Chicago White Sox crushed Oakland 9-2 behind Munetaka Murakami’s grand slam.
Texas completed the night’s action with a 5-0 shutout victory over Seattle, improving to 4-0 against the Mariners this season behind Brandon Nimmo’s leadoff homer and six pitchers combining for the shutout.
American fertilizer purchasers are shipping imported supplies overseas to capitalize on higher international prices driven by ongoing Middle East conflicts, according to industry analysts.
Josh Linville, vice president for fertilizer at financial services firm StoneX, reported that barges carrying imported urea nitrogen fertilizer were bought this week at the Port of New Orleans specifically for overseas export.
“We saw a lot of physical barges that were being traded. They were linked to exports,” Linville explained. “It is feasible to buy barges on the Mississippi River, reload them on a vessel, and ship them out.”
Nitrogen fertilizer costs have skyrocketed since the United States and Israel began their conflict with Iran on February 28, with over 30% of worldwide exports disrupted by Iran’s near-complete closure of the Strait of Hormuz. The waterway fully reopened after Israel’s ceasefire with Lebanon was announced Friday, causing oil prices to drop significantly.
Despite global fertilizer costs surging, domestic prices at New Orleans remain approximately $170 per short ton lower, creating lucrative arbitrage opportunities for buyers willing to redirect supplies.
As spring planting season progresses, some farming organizations and Republican Senator Josh Hawley of Missouri have criticized fertilizer companies for alleged price manipulation. However, Linville noted that domestic prices are so much lower compared to international markets that urea nitrogen fertilizer originally destined for American use is being purchased at ports and resold to higher-paying overseas customers.
The identity of companies redirecting these American imports remains unclear due to the fertilizer market’s lack of transparency.
Global fertilizer manufacturer CF Industries announced in late March that it was “foregoing new higher-priced export orders during this spring planting season” to ensure American farmers could access necessary supplies.
However, manufacturers only maintain control over fertilizer products like urea until they reach distribution networks. Retailers serving farmers and commodity traders manage much of the fertilizer supply chain beyond that point.
Rising fertilizer costs have become a significant worldwide concern for agricultural producers dealing with declining crop prices, which remain well below the levels farmers received in 2022 when fertilizer prices spiked following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
On Monday, Rabobank, the international agricultural banking institution, characterized both nitrogen and phosphate fertilizers as reaching “unaffordable” levels, with minimal relief expected for several months.
“There could be a very long tail to this,” warned Stephen Nicholson, head of North American grains and oilseeds for Rabobank.
Residents in New Castle County, Delaware and Salem County, New Jersey should prepare for minor coastal flooding tonight as tidal waters are expected to rise up to one foot above ground level in low-lying areas.
The National Weather Service has issued a Coastal Flood Advisory effective from 11 PM tonight through 3 AM Sunday morning. The flooding will primarily impact areas near shorelines and tidal waterways, with the most vulnerable roads likely to experience partial or full closures.
“This is a minor flooding event, but it can still create hazardous driving conditions,” said meteorologists from the Mount Holly office. Roads along tidal waterways are expected to be the first affected as water levels rise.
Officials are urging drivers to avoid parking in flood-prone areas and never attempt to drive through flooded roadways. Water depth can be deceiving, and what appears shallow may actually be deep enough to damage your vehicle or put you in danger.
The Coastal Flood Advisory remains in effect until 4 PM today, though the active flooding period is expected overnight. Residents can monitor current water levels and additional flood information at the National Water Prediction Service website.
Stay with TV Delmarva for continuing coverage of local weather conditions.
Weather officials have issued a coastal flood advisory for Delaware’s coastal areas, warning residents of potential minor flooding conditions along the shoreline.
The National Weather Service office in Mount Holly, New Jersey announced the advisory Thursday morning at 2:59 AM, with the alert scheduled to remain active until 3:00 AM on Friday.
The advisory covers coastal zones where minor flooding may occur during the warning period. Residents in low-lying areas near the coast should monitor conditions and take appropriate precautions.
Local authorities recommend staying informed about changing conditions and avoiding driving through any flooded roadways that may develop during the advisory period.
Delaware coastal communities are under a flood advisory issued by the National Weather Service office in Mount Holly, New Jersey.
The weather alert went into effect at 2:59 AM on Thursday, April 18th, and will remain active until 2:00 AM on Friday, April 19th.
Residents and visitors in coastal Delaware areas should prepare for potential flooding conditions during high tide periods and monitor local conditions closely.
The National Weather Service routinely issues these advisories when weather patterns and tidal conditions combine to create elevated flood risks along the shoreline.
Federal agriculture officials are moving forward with plans to extend a program that gives states additional authority to protect against harmful plant pests and diseases.
The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, part of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, has announced its intention to seek continued approval for an information collection system. This system supports regulations that permit individual states to establish their own prohibitions or restrictions on certain agricultural materials, going beyond the baseline protections already mandated at the federal level.
The extension request follows requirements outlined in the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, which governs how federal agencies collect information from the public. The program is designed to strengthen defenses against the introduction and spread of plant pests that could damage crops and natural ecosystems.
Under the current framework, states can implement stricter measures than those required by federal authorities when they determine additional protections are necessary for their specific agricultural conditions and pest threats.
Golden State Warriors head coach Steve Kerr is weighing his options for next season after his team’s playoff hopes came to an end Friday evening in Phoenix.
Following the Warriors’ elimination from the play-in tournament, the veteran coach hinted that his tenure with the franchise might be coming to a close.
“It might still go on. It may not,” Kerr stated after Golden State’s loss to the Suns, which marked the fourth time in seven years the Warriors have failed to reach the playoffs.
In the closing moments of Friday’s game, Kerr was seen hugging team leaders Stephen Curry and Draymond Green, appearing to say “thank you” to the two players who have been with him throughout the Warriors’ championship runs.
When pressed about what he told the players during those final moments, Kerr declined to elaborate.
“None of your business,” he responded with a grin.
Both Green and Curry expressed their desire for Kerr to continue leading the team. Speculation about Kerr’s future has intensified as he completed the final year of his current deal.
“I want Coach to be happy. I want him to be excited about the job. I want him to believe you know he’s the right guy for the job,” Curry explained. “I want him to have an opportunity to again enjoy what he does. So, whatever that means for him, you know, everybody’s plan is their own. And I’m not going to try to tell anybody what to do. He knows how I feel about him. That shouldn’t even need to be said.”
Green also shared his thoughts on potentially losing his longtime coach: “I just don’t deal with change well. I don’t love it. So, I don’t want to think about that. I hope that’s not the case. but we’ll see what happens.”
The 60-year-old mentor has spent 12 seasons with Golden State, compiling a 604-353 record during his tenure. Under his leadership, the Warriors reached the NBA Finals six times in his first seven seasons and captured an Olympic gold medal with Team USA in Paris last year.
Kerr indicated he plans to sit down with team owner Joe Lacob and general manager Mike Dunleavy in the coming weeks to determine the organization’s direction.
“We’ll talk about what’s next for the Warriors, what the plan is this offseason,” Kerr explained. “And we will come to a collaborative decision on what’s next. I don’t know what’s going to happen. I still love coaching. But I get it. These jobs all have an expiration date. there’s a run that happens, and when the run ends, sometimes it’s time for new blood and new ideas and all that.
“And, if that’s the case, then I will be just nothing but grateful for the most amazing opportunity any person could have to coach this franchise, in front of our fans in the Bay and to coach Steph Curry, to coach Dray and the whole group.”
This season proved challenging for Golden State, finishing with a 37-45 record while battling injuries throughout the campaign. The team showed resilience by overcoming a 13-point fourth-quarter deficit against the Los Angeles Clippers on Wednesday to secure their play-in opportunity, but couldn’t maintain that momentum against Phoenix.
“This was as tough a season as you can have, with the injuries, with all kinds of adversity,” Kerr reflected. “And they battled, and they battled the entire season. They kept going the other night just to, you know, continue the season, to show that kind of fight. And then tonight, we just didn’t have it. But the competitive desire was there. And I’m proud of the group for finishing the season the right way by continuing to fight and trying to win every game.”
Throughout his career, Kerr has emphasized his fortunate position in basketball, having won five championships as a player and four as a coach. His playing career included time with legendary coaches and players, from Lute Olsen at Arizona to Phil Jackson and Gregg Popovich in the pros, alongside stars like Michael Jordan, Scottie Pippen, David Robinson, and Tim Duncan.
Kerr has frequently described coaching Curry, whom he considers the greatest franchise player he’s witnessed, as a privilege.
“The only thing I’ve learned is that I’m the luckiest guy in the NBA’s history,” Kerr concluded.
ANAHEIM, Calif. — Los Angeles Angels pitcher José Soriano is putting together one of the most remarkable starts to a baseball season in decades, establishing himself among the sport’s all-time greats with his early-season dominance.
The Dominican right-hander continued his spectacular run Friday night, limiting San Diego to just two hits through nearly six innings as the Angels cruised to an 8-0 victory, snapping the Padres’ eight-game winning streak.
Through five starts this season, Soriano remains undefeated at 5-0 with a microscopic 0.28 earned run average, surrendering only one run across 32 2/3 innings of work. His 39 strikeouts lead all major league pitchers, while opponents have managed just 11 hits against him. He shares the major league lead in victories with Milwaukee’s Aaron Ashby.
Apart from some command issues, Soriano has completely stifled opposing hitters. The lone run scored against him this season came via Drake Baldwin’s first-inning home run for Atlanta on April 6. His current scoreless streak spans 17 innings, ranking second-best in baseball this year, while opponents are hitting just .104 against his 0.73 WHIP — both statistics leading the majors.
“It’s like a hot knife through butter,” Angels slugger Jo Adell said. “It’s pretty crazy. It’s really special, and he’s a special talent. He’s always had the stuff to compete at this level, and he’s doing what an ace does. Whatever he’s done, just keep doing it.”
Soriano’s remarkable stretch has placed him in exclusive historical territory. The last pitcher to surrender one earned run or fewer in his first five seasonal starts while throwing at least 15 total innings was Los Angeles Dodgers legend Fernando Valenzuela in 1981, during his Cy Young Award-winning rookie campaign. Hall of Famer Walter Johnson accomplished the feat in 1913, and no other pitcher in baseball history has matched it.
Even more impressively, Soriano stands alone as the only major league pitcher ever to complete at least five innings while allowing one or fewer earned runs and three or fewer hits in each of his first five starts of a season.
“I just feel confident to keep pitching like that,” Soriano said. “I believe in my catcher, and we’re on the same page. I think that’s a big part of the results we’re having.”
Despite earning American League Player of the Week honors for consecutive 10-strikeout performances totaling 15 innings in his previous two outings, Soriano faced more resistance from San Diego’s experienced lineup.
The Padres worked four walks and pushed Soriano to 99 pitches during the contest. San Diego loaded the bases in the third inning before Soriano induced a ground out from Jackson Merrill to escape trouble, but the visitors finally chased him from the game with a single and walk in the sixth inning with two outs.
“The thing that impressed was that to us, he had to grind a little bit tonight,” Angels manager Kurt Suzuki said. “I think that’s the maturity showing up, where he’s learning how to pitch — and I say this lightly — without his best stuff. He learned how to navigate a great lineup over there without his best stuff … and it was pretty incredible. You can’t say enough.”
Soriano’s arsenal features a 99-mph fastball and an elite sinker, but he’s also incorporating a curveball that has completely baffled opposing hitters. This three-pitch combination has proven unstoppable through his first five starts.
“Knowing him from the past, you always thought of the high-90s sinker, and then he comes in breaking out the curveball,” Padres manager Craig Stammen said. “That pitch was very impressive from the dugout. Gave our guys trouble at the beginning. It’s really hard to lay off that pitch, and it complements his sinker. He did a great job tonight mixing his pitches. … He’s just a really good pitcher.”
KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) — A doorway that previously opened into a family living space now leads to empty air. The flooring has been removed, along with the walls and ceiling.
This was once the residence of Syed Murtaza Sadar in Afghanistan’s capital, situated above the barbershop and bathhouse that served as his family’s livelihood. These structures have also been almost entirely eliminated, reduced to debris and broken masonry. Sadar and his relatives were compelled to dismantle most of the structure by themselves.
“This was our house and now I am destroying it with my own hands,” the 25-year-old explained while taking a moment’s rest from tearing down a brick barrier. “It will be very difficult for us.”
Two months prior, city officials visited this neighborhood and informed property and business owners that their buildings would be seized to create space for a broader roadway, as part of initiatives to upgrade the Afghan capital’s severely congested transportation network.
Initially, no one took them seriously, Sadar explained. However, demolition teams subsequently appeared.
Residences, commercial establishments, and even burial grounds are being destroyed throughout Kabul to accommodate street construction. Expanded roadways, overpasses and underground passages are quickly replacing narrow and frequently pothole-riddled streets.
Much of the blueprint was developed years earlier, during Afghanistan’s period under a U.S.-supported administration. However, most construction never began, becoming entangled in bureaucratic delays, corruption, and security threats from the Taliban resistance.
Soon after the Taliban took control of Afghanistan in 2021, following the disorderly departure of U.S.-led forces, Kabul’s new city leadership began restarting these initiatives.
Over the past four and a half years, approximately 450 kilometers (280 miles) of streets have been constructed in the capital, according to Naimatullah Barakzai, Kabul municipality’s cultural affairs representative, during a recent press briefing. Throughout this period, 11,278 properties were seized.
An additional 233 projects are scheduled for this year, with more than 1.9 billion afghanis ($29 million) designated, according to Mohammad Qasim Afghan, the municipality’s planning director.
The street construction initiatives are funded completely through municipal resources, Barakzai stated, mentioning that over the previous 4½ years, Kabul municipality had generated more than 28 billion afghanis (approximately $434 million).
Property holders receive roughly three months’ warning and receive payment at rates determined by the municipality. In the previous year, more than 1.2 billion afghanis ($18.6 million) were distributed as compensation, Barakzai reported.
Opposition is not truly possible.
Sadar, the building owner, explained that demolition teams destroyed the front portions of structures on his street. Subsequently, officials informed owners they must complete the destruction themselves.
His enterprise provided employment for approximately 25 individuals, Sadar noted. It supported his extended family — five households total, each containing three or four children.
“If the government gives us money (in compensation) then God willing, I will be able to go back to work and I will be able to buy a house or build a house for myself,” he stated. Currently, they are residing in rental housing, depleting their savings.
Nevertheless, Sadar expressed satisfaction about the road expansion. The current street, with only one lane in each direction, becomes so packed with vehicles that traveling anywhere requires spending an hour in traffic, he observed.
At a different construction location in the city, project supervisor and engineer Obaidullah Elham reported that crews operate continuously, seven days weekly, to construct a Turkish-designed 1.5 billion afghani ($23 million) overpass and tunnel to replace the heavily congested Baraki intersection.
Five hundred employees, both trained and untrained, are working on the project, Elham stated, creating essential employment in a nation experiencing widespread poverty.
Construction on the 470-meter (1,540-foot) long tunnel started last July and is 80% finished, the project supervisor said, while an excavator worked the soil nearby. Building of the overpass commenced earlier this year. It will become only the second such structure in Kabul.
In Kabul’s Qala-e-Khater district, portions of a cemetery that has contained residents’ remains for approximately 200 years must also be cleared for a new street that will cut through the community.
Burial sites sit vacant, with large rectangular openings where the deceased have been removed. Their remains have been relocated to another section of the cemetery across the street.
Abdul Wadood Alokozay said his grandfather’s body was among those moved.
Alokozay’s extended family possessed three properties in the vicinity. One housed a girls’ madrassa, or religious school. The remaining two were family residences. All were seized and demolished completely. Only a faint outline in the muddy soil remains.
“At first our family (were) all sad for this, that we lost our house,” the 21-year-old said. Even more difficult was destroying it themselves, after residing there for over twenty years.
As payment, they received more than $13,000 for all three structures and have been promised additional compensation for the land. The family has constructed a new, three-story residence on other property they owned, overlooking the former location.
Blueprints for this roadway have existed for decades, stated 30-year-old community representative Shah Faisal Alokozay, Abdul Wadood’s cousin.
“It’s a very important road, connecting east and north Kabul,” he explained. “So it is very important for the community.”
College students in Kansas now have the legal right to take their universities to court over free speech violations, while Tennessee educators are being encouraged to teach about religion’s positive contributions to American history.
Both legislative changes share a common thread: they honor Charlie Kirk, the conservative activist who died in a violent attack at a Utah university last year.
These measures represent the initial wave of what may become numerous state-level tributes to Kirk. An Associated Press review using Plural bill-tracking software reveals that legislators across more than 20 states have introduced over 60 pieces of Kirk-related legislation aimed at advancing his political philosophy, creating memorial days, or naming public infrastructure after him.
Similar to Kirk’s reputation for stirring campus debates, these legislative efforts have sparked significant disagreement.
Kansas Republican legislators successfully overturned Democratic Governor Laura Kelly’s veto to pass their measure, despite her warning that it would “cause confusion for courts and schools.”
Tennessee Democrats criticized their state’s Kirk-related bills by highlighting what they characterized as his discriminatory comments regarding Black aviators and African American women serving in government roles.
“How many times have we sat here and endured this? The Charlie Kirk Saves America Act, whatever the heck it is? Come on guys. Ladies and gentlemen, let’s move on,” Democratic state Representative Sam McKenzie stated during a committee session where Republicans approved the “Charlie Kirk American Heritage Act.”
Tennessee lawmakers also passed a separate “Charlie Kirk Act” focused on campus speech protections, including restrictions on audience members deliberately disrupting speakers by walking out.
Matt Shupe, representing Turning Point USA, the organization Kirk established, said the range of proposed legislation “shows just how deeply his influence is being felt, especially in the fight to restore intellectual diversity and core American values in education.”
Republican Tennessee Governor Bill Lee recently signed Kirk-named legislation celebrating the historical “influence of Judeo-Christian values on the freedom and liberties ingrained in our culture.”
The new law authorizes public schools and universities to incorporate instruction about religion’s beneficial impact on American development. It provides 19 specific examples, starting with the Pilgrims’ church-based community structure and encompassing George Washington’s establishment of military chaplains, Benjamin Franklin’s call for prayer during constitutional deliberations, and evangelist Billy Graham’s cultural influence.
Tennessee joins several Republican-controlled states collaborating with Turning Point USA to establish high school chapters known as Club America. Numerous club representatives from Tennessee participated in a state Senate committee session last month supporting the religious history legislation.
Ben Mason, a junior student from Providence Academy in Johnson City, credited Kirk with helping him “to understand that America began with Judeo-Christian values.”
“This, of course, does not mean that you must be a Christian or even believe in God to be in America, but you will hear about our roots,” Mason addressed lawmakers.
However, Senate Democratic Leader Raumesh Akbari expressed reservations.
“Our public schools are really not the place to push one religion over another,” she stated. “I know that is not the stated intent of the bill, but I think that ends up being the result.”
Kansas legislators created an acronym from Kirk’s name for their “Kansas intellectual rights and knowledge” legislation, which designates outdoor campus areas as venues for free expression. The bill’s introduction honors Kirk and references a 2024 Kansas State University event where Kirk’s microphone was disconnected at his scheduled conclusion time, prompting him to move into the audience to continue responding to questions.
The legislation caps security costs for student group events and eliminates restricted “free speech zones” that limit where such activities can occur. The state attorney general or individuals claiming rights violations can pursue legal action against institutions, seeking minimum damages of $500 per violation plus $50 for each continuing day.
This bill mirrors the Campus Free Expression Act championed by the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression. Approximately half of all states have already implemented campus free speech legislation, the foundation reports.
“Charlie Kirk was assassinated for exercising his right to free speech and introducing young people to conservative values,” Kansas Senate President Ty Masterson declared after Kelly’s veto was overturned. “His mission and legacy will live on and protect the free speech rights of all college students in Kansas for decades to come.”
While condemning Kirk’s assassination, Democrats unanimously opposed the legislation. Democratic state Representative Jerry Stogsdill argued lawmakers should not honor an activist whose public statements promoted “hate, bigotry, misogyny and racism.”
Louisiana Republicans have introduced the “Charlie Kirk Success Sequence Act,” mandating that public schools teach success principles including high school graduation, immediate entry into employment or higher education, and marriage before parenthood.
A Senate committee advanced this proposal this week despite facing objections.
“Why muddy this bill up by putting a controversial political figure’s name on it?” questioned Democratic Senator Katrina Jackson-Andrews, whose motion to remove Kirk’s name was defeated in the Republican-majority committee.
“In the last 20 years, I cannot think of anyone that’s had the type of impact on our students, on our campuses and in our cities as Charlie Kirk,” responded Republican Senator Rick Edmonds, the bill’s author.
New Zealand officials are pushing back against Chinese accusations that one of their military aircraft violated security protocols during a patrol mission in waters near China on Saturday.
Beijing’s foreign ministry announced Friday that a New Zealand P-8A patrol plane had “conducted continuous close-in reconnaissance and harassment in the airspace and waters of the Yellow Sea and East China Sea.”
Chinese spokesperson Guo Jiakun stated that “The action undermined China’s security interests, increased risks of misunderstanding and miscalculation, and gravely disrupted the order of civil aviation,” according to official government records.
New Zealand’s Defence Force countered the allegations, explaining that a Royal New Zealand Air Force aircraft “has been undertaking activities that monitor North Korean sanctions evasions at sea in North Asia under UN Security Council resolutions.”
Defence officials emphasized that “The New Zealand Defence Force crew operated professionally and in accordance with international law and civil aviation procedures for the region.” They added in their official response: “We have made it clear that this is a longstanding deployment enforcing UN-mandated sanctions on North Korea.”
Tensions between New Zealand and China have been elevated since February of last year when Chinese naval forces held live-fire military drills in the Tasman Sea near New Zealand’s coastline. The two nations’ leadership attempted to repair diplomatic relations during a June meeting in New Zealand, focusing on trade partnerships as a way to strengthen bilateral cooperation.
Residents across the Delmarva Peninsula should prepare for minor coastal flooding beginning tonight at 8 PM through 2 AM Sunday morning. The National Weather Service has issued a Coastal Flood Advisory for Delaware’s beaches, Kent County, and inland Sussex County, warning of up to one foot of water inundation in low-lying areas near shorelines and tidal waterways.
The flooding is expected to impact the most vulnerable coastal and bayside roads, with some partial or full road closures possible. Drivers should avoid leaving vehicles in flood-prone areas and never attempt to drive through standing water, as depths can be deceptive and lead to dangerous situations and costly vehicle damage.
“Minor tidal flooding often results in road closures, particularly on the most vulnerable roadways,” officials warn. The advisory affects portions of central and southern Delaware, with flooding expected along inland tidal waterways as well as coastal areas.
Residents can monitor real-time water levels and flood conditions at the National Water Prediction Service website. The Coastal Flood Advisory remains in effect until 2 AM EDT Sunday morning. Stay tuned to TV Delmarva for updates on road conditions and any changes to the forecast.
Motorists traveling on Foulk Road should expect delays and plan alternate routes as construction work has forced the closure of right lanes in both directions.
According to DelDOT, the lane restrictions affect traffic moving north and south on Foulk Road in the area between Naamans Road and Grubb Road. The construction activity has reduced traffic to fewer lanes, which may cause congestion during peak travel times.
The department indicates that normal traffic patterns should resume after 3:30 PM this afternoon once the construction work is completed and crews clear the area.
Drivers are advised to use caution when traveling through the work zone and to allow extra time for their commute while the lane restrictions remain in effect.
Weather officials have issued a coastal flood advisory for the Delmarva Peninsula, warning residents of potential flooding conditions along shoreline areas.
The National Weather Service office in Mount Holly, New Jersey announced the advisory Thursday at 1:37 AM, with the alert scheduled to remain active until 2:00 AM on Friday, April 19th.
Coastal communities should prepare for possible minor flooding during high tide cycles as weather conditions create elevated water levels along the coast.
Residents in low-lying areas near the water are advised to monitor conditions and take appropriate precautions during the advisory period.
Weather officials have issued a coastal flood advisory for Delaware’s coastal regions, warning residents of potential flooding conditions along the shore.
The National Weather Service office in Mount Holly, New Jersey announced the advisory Thursday at 1:37 AM, with the warning set to remain active until 3:00 AM on Friday, April 19th.
The advisory alerts coastal communities to prepare for possible minor to moderate flooding during high tide cycles. Residents in low-lying areas near the coast should monitor conditions closely and take necessary precautions.
Local emergency management officials encourage people in affected areas to stay informed about changing conditions and avoid driving through flooded roadways if water accumulates.
TEHRAN, Iran (AP) — Finance manager Mahnaz Ataei faces a daily juggling act at her Tehran workplace, supervising her 7-year-old son’s virtual lessons while attempting to complete her professional responsibilities.
Educational institutions throughout Iran remain shuttered following the conflict that began February 28 when the United States and Israel initiated military action, with officials providing no timeline for returning to classroom instruction. While concerns about aerial bombardments have diminished since a temporary ceasefire took hold, normalcy remains elusive.
Similar to the pandemic-related shutdowns from six years prior, working mothers and fathers with young children face particular hardships.
“My productivity drops when I have to pay attention to both my child and my work at the same time,” Ataei said. “The hardest part is trying to create balance between work and online classes, and always stressing over whether he is really learning his lessons properly.”
The conflict claimed no fewer than 3,000 Iranian lives, including over 165 fatalities from an attack on a primary school. The temporary truce is scheduled to end early next week, with Washington and Tehran remaining at odds over critical matters including Iran’s uranium enrichment program. A potential U.S. maritime embargo threatens to further devastate Iran’s already weakened economic situation.
Numerous families evacuated the capital with their children once the bombing campaign commenced. However, the increased security came with consequences including disrupted daily schedules, overcrowded housing situations, and economic strain. These families now face the challenge of rebuilding their normal lives without knowing what lies ahead.
“I feel like I’m suspended — neither in the air nor on the ground,” said Roya Amiri, a housewife who recently returned to Tehran after fleeing with her two sons, ages 10 and 18, days after the start of the war.
Amiri’s household joined hundreds of thousands of Iranians who abandoned the capital and other urban centers, seeking refuge in countryside locations or the relatively untouched northern regions. They found shelter with family members, creating a living situation with 15 individuals under a single roof.
Conflicts arose among the young people as they were crammed into tight spaces while their normal schedules and sleep patterns suffered disruption. Her younger son suffers from a breathing condition, and locating his required medicine proved challenging.
Educational facilities closed following the initial attacks, temporarily reopening with virtual instruction for one week in March before the Nowruz celebration. Distance learning recommenced on April 4.
Despite the possibility of renewed fighting looming over the capital, Amiri expressed confidence that returning to Tehran was the correct choice. Should warfare resume, she intends to remain in her own residence.
“I was tired of living collectively. I wanted to return to my own home and routine,” Amiri said. “I missed Tehran.”
Reza Jafari and his spouse relocated their children to stay with her relatives — another household that quickly accommodated more than twelve family members and extended relatives.
“Because the sound of explosions was distressing and my children were terrified, I left Tehran for their peace of mind,” he said. “I was happy to be with relatives. It felt like a forced but valuable opportunity to reconnect.”
According to Jafari, the youngsters appeared to adjust more quickly, surrounded by grandparents, cousins and continuous activities. The grown-ups struggled more with disrupted rest, lack of personal space, monetary stress and the fatigue that accompanies extended stays as houseguests, regardless of how welcoming the hosts.
Architect Padideh Teymourian and her spouse Amir Ramezani, who operates a jewelry business, have restructured their daily lives around their 6-year-old daughter’s virtual preschool program.
Teymourian’s workplace reopened following the holiday period and prohibited remote work arrangements, she explained. Staff members who didn’t report for duty were instructed to request unpaid time off.
Their mornings start with hurried preparations to establish a temporary learning space at home. One parent must remain beside their daughter during her entire class session, making sure she has the correct materials and stays engaged.
Ramezani adjusted his work hours to stay home during daytime hours. Teymourian assumes responsibility in the afternoon, using accumulated leave time to bridge the gap. “My husband’s work schedule has been completely disrupted, and I also take about an hour and a half of hourly leave every day,” she said.
Ramezani frequently arrives home well after midnight, once their daughter has already fallen asleep. Shared family meals have become uncommon.
“It has put economic and emotional pressure on both of us,” he said. “Life is moving on fast forward … You don’t even notice how the day becomes night. We’re just getting through time until things go back to the way they were.”
TORONTO — A Toronto-area resident originally facing murder accusations for allegedly distributing deadly chemicals through online sales will instead admit guilt to charges of assisting suicide, according to his legal representative who spoke with the Canadian Broadcasting Corp. on Friday.
Defense attorney Matthew Gourlay informed CBC News that Canadian prosecutors have agreed to drop all 14 murder accusations against Kenneth Law in exchange for the guilty plea.
The case is set to appear before a Newmarket, Ontario court Monday afternoon.
Neither Gourlay’s law firm nor Ontario’s Attorney General’s office responded to requests for comment.
Authorities say Law operated multiple online platforms to advertise and distribute sodium nitrite, a chemical typically used in meat processing that becomes lethal when consumed.
Investigators believe Law shipped no fewer than 1,200 packages to customers across more than 40 nations worldwide. Law enforcement agencies in the United States, Britain, Italy, Australia and New Zealand have opened their own investigations.
Canadian law prohibits encouraging suicide, though physician-assisted death became legal in 2016 for individuals 18 and older. Adults suffering from serious medical conditions, illnesses or disabilities may request medical assistance in dying, but must seek help through a licensed doctor.
Law remains behind bars following his arrest at his Mississauga, Ontario residence in May 2023.
Under Canada’s Criminal Code, assisting suicide carries a potential 14-year prison term. Murder convictions result in automatic life sentences with no possibility of parole for a minimum of 25 years.
President Donald Trump warned Friday that military operations against Iran may restart if diplomatic negotiations collapse when the current ceasefire concludes next week, while maintaining that U.S. blockade measures in the region will continue regardless.
When questioned Friday evening about his plans should talks fail after the truce expires, Trump stated, “I don’t know. Maybe I won’t extend it, but the blockade is going to remain. But maybe I won’t extend it, so you’ll have a blockade and unfortunately we’ll have to start dropping bombs again.”
Despite the warning, Trump expressed optimism while speaking to journalists on Air Force One en route to Washington, saying “I think it’s going to happen,” when discussing the possibility of reaching an agreement.
Uncertainty continued Saturday regarding actual shipping access through the strategic waterway, as Tehran maintained control over the strait while determining which vessels could pass, and continued threatening closure if American blockade measures against Iranian vessels and ports persist.
Tehran’s Friday declaration regarding the reopening of the vital shipping channel, which handles 20% of global oil transport, occurred while a 10-day ceasefire between Israel and Iran-supported Hezbollah forces in Lebanon remained intact.
The conflict has resulted in casualties totaling at least 3,000 deaths in Iran, approximately 2,300 in Lebanon, 23 in Israel, and over a dozen across Gulf Arab nations. Additionally, thirteen American military personnel have lost their lives.
When asked about potential Iranian-managed restrictions or fees for Strait of Hormuz passage, President Trump firmly dismissed the concept.
“Nope. No way. No. Nope,” Trump responded. He emphasized that tolls combined with restrictions would be unacceptable. “No, they’re not going to be tolls.”
WASHINGTON – After nearly two months of military engagement with Iran, President Donald Trump confronts a political challenge that extends far beyond the battlefield: rising domestic economic costs that threaten his party’s prospects in upcoming elections.
The conflict, which began February 28 when Trump joined Israeli forces in strikes against Iran citing urgent security concerns over Tehran’s nuclear activities, has failed to achieve its primary objectives of regime change or forcing Iran to meet all U.S. demands. However, it has exposed Trump’s vulnerability to economic pressures at home.
Despite Iran’s Friday announcement that it would reopen the Strait of Hormuz to commercial shipping, the Middle Eastern crisis has demonstrated the boundaries of Trump’s tolerance for domestic economic hardship.
While Iran has suffered significant military losses, the country has proven capable of inflicting economic damage that caught Trump’s team off guard, triggering what analysts describe as an unprecedented global energy crisis.
ECONOMIC STRAIN MOUNTS
Although Trump has frequently dismissed public concerns about war-related economic impacts, he cannot overlook the reality that soaring energy costs have affected American consumers, even though the U.S. doesn’t rely on the roughly 20% of global oil shipments that Iran effectively blocked through its control of the strategic waterway. The International Monetary Fund’s recent recession warnings have added to growing economic anxiety.
As November’s midterm elections approach, pressure has intensified on Trump to find an exit strategy from the increasingly unpopular conflict, with fellow Republicans defending slim congressional majorities.
Iranian leadership has recognized this dynamic, leveraging their control over the strait to force Trump’s administration into negotiations.
Foreign policy experts suggest that rival nations like China and Russia may be taking notes: while Trump has demonstrated willingness to use military force during his second term, he appears to seek diplomatic solutions once economic pressures mount domestically.
“Trump is feeling the economic pinch, which is his Achilles heel in this war of choice,” said Brett Bruen, a former foreign policy adviser in the Obama administration who heads the Global Situation Room strategic consultancy.
White House spokesman Kush Desai responded that while the administration works toward resolving what he called “temporary” energy market issues through negotiations with Iran, it “has never lost focus on implementing the president’s affordability and growth agenda.”
“President Trump can walk and chew gum at the same time,” he said.
SHIFTING STRATEGY
Trump’s sudden pivot from military strikes to diplomatic engagement on April 8 came after pressure from financial markets and segments of his political base.
The economic impact has hit key Trump supporters, including farmers affected by fertilizer supply disruptions, while higher jet fuel costs have driven up airfare prices.
With a two-week ceasefire set to expire April 21, uncertainty remains about whether the unpredictable president will secure an agreement that accomplishes his war objectives, extend the temporary truce, or resume bombing operations.
Financial markets, which Trump frequently views as a measure of his performance, responded positively Friday after Iran announced the strait would remain open during a separate U.S.-brokered 10-day Israel-Lebanon truce, causing oil prices to drop significantly.
Trump quickly proclaimed the waterway secure while promoting what he described as a nearly complete deal with Iran largely favorable to U.S. terms. However, Iranian sources indicated to Reuters that significant disagreements remain unresolved.
Policy experts warn that even if hostilities end soon, economic recovery could require months or years.
A critical consideration is whether any agreement achieves Trump’s stated goals, including preventing Iran from developing nuclear weapons – something Tehran has consistently denied pursuing.
Iran maintains a stockpile of highly enriched uranium reportedly damaged in U.S.-Israeli strikes last June. Trump told Reuters Friday that the developing agreement includes provisions for joint U.S.-Iranian efforts to recover the material and transport it to the United States. Iran has rejected any transfer outside its borders.
A senior administration official confirmed the U.S. maintains “several redlines” in ongoing Iranian negotiations.
Meanwhile, Trump’s early calls for Iranians to overthrow their government have gone unanswered.
INTERNATIONAL CONCERNS
Allied nations across Europe and Asia were initially shocked by Trump’s decision to initiate military action without consultation or apparent consideration of risks posed by Iran’s potential closure of the strait.
“The alarm bell ringing for allies right now is how the war has highlighted that the administration can act erratically, without much regard for consequences,” said Gregory Poling, an Asia expert at the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington.
The situation contrasts with former Democratic President Joe Biden’s cautious approach to sanctioning Russian energy following Moscow’s 2022 Ukraine invasion, driven by concerns about oil supply reductions and rising U.S. gas prices.
Trump, who campaigned for a second term promising affordable fuel and low inflation, has shown particular sensitivity to accusations that his policies increase consumer costs, as demonstrated when he reduced China tariffs last year following retaliatory measures.
STRATEGIC MISCALCULATIONS
Similar to his misjudgment of Beijing’s response during trade disputes, Trump appears to have underestimated Iran’s capacity for economic retaliation through attacks on Gulf state energy infrastructure and strategic waterway blockades.
U.S. officials privately acknowledge that Trump incorrectly anticipated the conflict would resemble limited operations like January 3’s lightning strike in Venezuela or June’s targeted Iranian nuclear facility attacks.
Instead, the consequences have proven far more extensive.
Asian allies including Japan, South Korea, and Taiwan may interpret these events as evidence that Trump, while seeking improved Chinese relations, will pursue regional objectives with diminished consideration for their geopolitical and economic security.
Analysts believe these governments will prepare for various scenarios, including potential Chinese moves against Taiwan, due to concerns about Trump’s reliability.
European nations, frustrated by bearing substantial economic costs from a conflict they didn’t support, are likely to question Trump’s commitment to continued Ukrainian assistance against Russia.
Gulf Arab states desire swift conflict resolution but worry about agreements lacking security guarantees for their protection.
“An end to this conflict should not also create a continuous instability in the region,” said Anwar Gargash, diplomatic adviser to the United Arab Emirates president.
While most Trump supporters remain loyal despite some prominent criticism, growing questions exist about his ability to help Republicans regain lost ground with independent voters before midterm elections.
“He’s aware that a significant portion of the country outside his MAGA base, and even some within the MAGA base, are vehemently opposed to what he’s done,” said Chuck Coughlin, an Arizona-based political strategist. “And I think the price is going to come due.”
President Donald Trump expressed cautious optimism about diplomatic efforts with Iran during his Friday flight back to Washington, though he warned that current ceasefire arrangements could collapse by Wednesday without a lasting agreement.
Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One while returning from Phoenix, Trump indicated positive developments were occurring but refused to provide specifics about the encouraging news.
“It seems to be going very well in the Middle East with Iran,” Trump stated. “We’re negotiating over the weekend. I expect things to go well. Many of these things have been negotiated and agreed to.”
However, the president struck a more serious tone when discussing the Wednesday deadline, emphasizing that he might terminate the current ceasefire with Iran if negotiators fail to reach a comprehensive peace agreement before the deadline expires. Trump also confirmed that American naval blockades of Iranian ports would remain in effect.
The conflict, which erupted on February 28 with coordinated U.S.-Israeli military action, has resulted in thousands of casualties and caused global oil prices to spike due to the effective shutdown of the Strait of Hormuz, a waterway that previously handled approximately one-fifth of worldwide petroleum shipments.
Earlier Friday, Iran announced the temporary reopening of the strategically vital strait following a separate ceasefire arrangement between Israel and Lebanon. This development came after Israel’s invasion of Lebanon in response to Hezbollah’s entry into the conflict on Iran’s side.
Despite announcements about the waterway’s reopening, conflicting statements from various officials have created confusion about when normal shipping operations might resume through this crucial global oil transit point.
Trump mentioned to Reuters that additional direct diplomatic meetings between Iranian and American representatives would likely occur over the weekend. However, diplomatic sources expressed skepticism about the feasibility of organizing such high-level talks in Islamabad, the expected venue for negotiations.
No visible preparations for weekend discussions were apparent Saturday morning in Pakistan’s capital, where the most significant U.S.-Iran diplomatic engagement since the 1979 Islamic Revolution concluded without agreement the previous weekend.
Pakistan’s chief military officer, Field Marshal Asim Munir, who has been serving as a key intermediary, has been conducting discussions in Tehran since Wednesday.
According to a Pakistani source familiar with the mediation process, potential meetings between Iran and the United States could yield an initial framework agreement, potentially followed by a complete peace settlement within 60 days.
The situation remains complicated by statements from Iranian officials. Parliamentary Speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf, who also serves as a senior negotiator, warned on social media that the Strait of Hormuz “will not remain open” if American blockade operations continue.
Meanwhile, Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi announced through social media that the strait would accommodate all commercial shipping for the duration of the 10-day truce established Thursday between Israel and Lebanon.
Maritime tracking data revealed that approximately 20 vessels, including container ships, bulk carriers, and oil tankers, began moving toward the Strait of Hormuz Friday evening. However, most of these ships ultimately reversed course for unclear reasons. The flotilla included three container vessels operated by French shipping company CMA CGM, which declined to provide comment.
One exception was the cruise ship Celestyal Discovery, previously stranded in Dubai, which successfully crossed the strait Saturday morning and was heading toward Oman, according to Marine Traffic monitoring systems.
Iran has implemented new requirements mandating that all vessels coordinate with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps before transit, a procedure that wasn’t necessary before the conflict began. The Defense Ministry issued a statement through state television clarifying that military ships and vessels connected to “hostile forces” – specifically the United States and Israel – remain prohibited from passage.
Shipping companies have indicated they need additional clarification, particularly regarding potential mine hazards, before resuming normal operations through the Gulf entrance.
The U.S. Navy has issued warnings to maritime operators that the extent of mine threats in portions of the waterway remains unclear, recommending that vessels consider avoiding the area entirely.
Significant questions persist regarding how Iran and the United States will address Tehran’s nuclear program, which has emerged as a major obstacle in peace discussions. Iran maintains its right to what it characterizes as a civilian nuclear energy initiative.
Trump told Reuters that America would remove Iran’s stockpiles of enriched uranium, while Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei informed state television that the material would not be transferred elsewhere.
A senior Iranian official separately expressed hope that a preliminary agreement could be achieved in the coming days.
Global markets responded positively to prospects of resumed maritime traffic, with oil prices dropping approximately 10% and international stock markets surging Friday.
Following a Friday video conference, more than a dozen nations indicated willingness to participate in an international maritime protection mission in the strait when circumstances allow, according to British officials.
A high-ranking Iranian official told Reuters that negotiators had agreed to unfreeze billions of dollars in Iranian assets as part of any accord, though no timeline was specified. Later Friday, Trump, who frequently describes peace negotiations as a “deal” or “transaction,” told an Arizona rally that “no money will exchange hands in any way, shape or form.”
During last weekend’s negotiations, American representatives proposed a 20-year suspension of all Iranian nuclear activities, while Iran suggested a three-to-five-year halt, according to individuals familiar with the proposals.
Two Iranian sources indicated signs of a potential compromise that could involve removing portions of the uranium stockpile.
Trump suggested to Reuters that the United States might proceed deliberately rather than hastily. “We’re going to go in with Iran, at a nice leisurely pace, and go down and start excavating with big machinery,” he explained during a phone interview. “We’ll bring it back to the United States.”
Despite Trump’s positive outlook, Iranian sources told Reuters that “gaps remained to be resolved” before reaching a preliminary agreement, while senior religious leaders adopted a defiant stance during Friday prayers.
“Our people do not negotiate while being humiliated,” declared cleric Ahmad Khatami.
Defense officials from Australia and Japan have formalized contracts to move forward with a massive A$10 billion ($7 billion) naval vessel agreement, marking Tokyo’s largest military equipment sale since it lifted restrictions on weapons exports in 2014.
Australian Defense Minister Richard Marles and his Japanese counterpart Shinjiro Koizumi put their signatures on a memorandum that confirms both nations’ dedication to successfully completing the warship project, according to Marles’ official statement.
The agreement, which was initially reached last August, represents Japan’s strategic shift from its post-World War II pacifist stance as it builds defense partnerships beyond its traditional U.S. alliance to address China’s growing influence.
Under the terms, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries will deliver three enhanced Mogami-class multi-purpose frigates to Australia’s Royal Navy, with construction taking place in Japan beginning in 2029. An additional eight vessels will be manufactured on Australian soil.
Japan’s Defense Ministry announced on social media platform X that both ministers celebrated the contract signing and pledged to deepen their countries’ defense cooperation during the ceremony held in Melbourne.
The initial trio of frigates will be constructed in Japan before production shifts to Australia’s Henderson shipbuilding facility located near Perth in Western Australia, Marles explained.
These new vessels are engineered for multiple combat roles, including submarine tracking, surface vessel engagement, and aerial defense operations. Australia intends to use them for protecting vital shipping lanes and securing its northern waters in the Indian and Pacific regions, areas where China has been expanding its military presence.
WASHINGTON – A federal appeals court ruled Friday evening that work can resume on President Donald Trump’s controversial $400 million ballroom project at the White House, overturning a lower court decision that had brought construction to a halt.
The three-judge panel from the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit temporarily suspended the preliminary injunction that had stopped the project, scheduling oral arguments for June 5 to determine whether construction should cease while the legal challenge proceeds.
The appeals court’s decision reverses a Thursday ruling by U.S. District Judge Richard Leon, who determined that the ballroom construction violated federal law because it lacked congressional authorization.
The ballroom is being built where the historic White House East Wing once stood before the Trump administration demolished it. The National Trust for Historic Preservation filed the lawsuit in December, contending that neither the president nor the National Park Service had proper authority to tear down the historically significant structure.
Neither the National Trust for Historic Preservation nor White House representatives provided immediate responses to requests for comment following the Friday evening court decision.
The Trump administration has defended the project as essential modernization that will enhance both infrastructure and security at the White House. President Trump has promoted the ballroom as a signature enhancement to the presidential residence and emphasized that private donations are covering the entire cost of construction.
The June hearing will focus solely on whether work should continue during the appeal process, with the court noting that Friday’s order does not address the fundamental legal questions raised in the historic preservation lawsuit.
ORLANDO, Fla. — When their season was on the line, the Orlando Magic discovered exactly what they needed to succeed: pure desperation.
That urgency proved to be the perfect recipe for success Friday evening, as Orlando delivered what may have been their most impressive showing of the entire campaign. The Magic dominated the Charlotte Hornets 121-90 in their Eastern Conference play-in matchup, securing their spot in the playoffs for a third consecutive year and earning a first-round series against top-seeded Detroit.
“When you play with a sense of desperation and urgency, when you know you’re either going home or extending your season, that’s what it looks like,” Magic coach Jamahl Mosley said. “There (are) no second chances.”
With this achievement, Mosley becomes the first Orlando coach to guide the franchise to three straight playoff berths since Stan Van Gundy accomplished the feat with five consecutive appearances. Van Gundy was present at Friday’s contest, working as an analyst for Amazon Prime Video.
“I’ve got to be honest. Charlotte is shrinking from the competition,” Van Gundy said on the broadcast, as the Magic were running away in the second quarter — building what became a 35-point lead shortly before halftime. “They look like they don’t want any part of this.”
Orlando’s aggressive, physical approach was precisely what they had hoped to achieve. The intimidating style of play delivered exactly the results they wanted.
“We’re going to need more of that in the playoffs,” Magic forward Franz Wagner said.
Added Magic forward Paolo Banchero: “We were just relentless with that tonight. … It was just a complete effort from the whole team.”
Charlotte coach Charles Lee, who has orchestrated a significant transformation during his first two seasons leading the Hornets, expressed hope that his squad will remember the valuable lessons from this defeat.
“I hope that this fuels us this offseason, because we’ve done a ton of really good things and gave ourselves an opportunity,” Lee said. “You’re one step away from being in the playoffs. I don’t want to discredit that. But this has got to hurt a little bit.”
The Magic battled through numerous injuries throughout the campaign, and a disappointing 2-8 record during a crucial 10-game stretch near the end of the regular season nearly derailed their postseason aspirations. However, Orlando has now captured six victories in their past eight contests, despite losing Wednesday’s initial play-in game at Philadelphia, setting up an underdog role against heavily favored Detroit.
“We did what we were supposed to do,” Mosley said. “There’s a reason we can be happy tonight. But at the end of the day, we still have more work to do.”
LONDON (AP) — British Prime Minister Keir Starmer finds himself in the political fight of his life, with mounting calls for his resignation over a diplomatic appointment gone horribly wrong.
The crisis centers around Starmer’s controversial choice of Peter Mandelson as ambassador to the United States — a man who openly described himself as Jeffrey Epstein’s “best pal” despite the convicted sex offender’s criminal history.
What began as questionable judgment has escalated into accusations that Starmer deliberately misled Parliament about the appointment process. The revelation could spell the end of his tenure as Prime Minister, particularly damaging given his campaign promise to restore integrity to British politics after years of Conservative scandals.
“Starmer set himself up as the guy who always followed the rules, in stark contrast to, say, Boris Johnson, and he came to power effectively promising to ‘drain the swamp’,” explained Tim Bale, a political science professor at Queen Mary University of London.
“Because of that, the latest revelations in the unholy mess created by his ill-judged appointment of Peter Mandelson mean that many voters now see him not only as a liar but as a hypocrite — and hypocrisy is one of the worst sins that any British politician can possibly commit,” Bale continued.
The latest bombshell dropped Thursday when The Guardian published reports showing Mandelson initially failed security clearance requirements for the ambassadorial position he would later be dismissed from after nine months. This directly contradicts Starmer’s parliamentary testimony that “full due process” had been followed throughout the appointment.
Government officials maintain that Starmer and his cabinet only learned this week that the Foreign Office had reached a different conclusion during its initial evaluation. The controversy has already claimed one casualty — Foreign Office chief civil servant Olly Robbins submitted his resignation.
Starmer now must defend himself against questions about his knowledge of the screening procedures, which examined Mandelson’s financial dealings, personal associations including his Epstein connection, and overall character assessment.
Additional allegations suggest Starmer may have pressured officials to overlook red flags concerning the 72-year-old Mandelson during the vetting process.
The Prime Minister expressed being “absolutely furious” about being kept uninformed, describing the situation as “staggering” and “unforgivable.” He plans to address Parliament directly on Monday.
Despite Starmer’s poor approval ratings and expected Labour losses in upcoming May elections, leadership challenges had recently quieted down. His decision to avoid direct UK military involvement in the Iran conflict had resonated positively with voters.
Mandelson represented a calculated gamble from the start, given his history of resigning twice from previous Labour administrations over financial and ethical violations around 2000, plus his well-documented relationship with Epstein, who died in custody in 2019.
Starmer’s strategy seemed clear: leverage Mandelson’s negotiating experience and trade knowledge to help shield Britain from the harshest Trump administration tariffs.
Initially, this approach appeared successful, but the situation deteriorated by September 2025 when leaked emails revealed Mandelson had continued supporting Epstein even while the financier faced imprisonment for sex crimes. Though politically damaging, Starmer hoped firing Mandelson would end the controversy.
Those hopes were crushed in January when the U.S. Justice Department released extensive Epstein-related documents. The so-called Epstein Files contained emails suggesting that during Mandelson’s government service from 2009-2010, he had shared confidential and potentially market-sensitive government intelligence with the disgraced financier.
Starmer has issued multiple public apologies to British citizens and Epstein’s trafficking victims for trusting what he now calls “Mandelson’s lies.”
British authorities have since opened a criminal investigation, conducting searches of Mandelson’s London and western England residences. Police arrested Mandelson on February 23rd on suspicion of misconduct in public office. Following more than nine hours of interrogation, he was released on bail the next morning. Mandelson maintains his innocence and faces no sexual misconduct allegations.
Starmer likely hoped his measured response to the Iran crisis would suppress leadership speculation, even with Labour’s anticipated poor showing in May’s elections — Britain’s equivalent to American midterm contests.
Such optimism appears misplaced.
“This scandal is not ending,” declared Kemi Badenoch, who leads the opposition Conservative Party. “He has run out of people to sack, he has run out of places to hide, he has run out of authority. The buck stops with him. His position is untenable and he must go.”
The crucial factor will be Labour parliamentarians’ reactions.
Monday’s parliamentary statement will provide Starmer with a key opportunity to assess party support. While few Labour members have publicly called for his departure, any additional defections following weekend campaigning in their home districts could signal serious trouble.
Political leadership can collapse rapidly, as demonstrated by Boris Johnson’s trajectory from commanding a substantial 2019 electoral victory to resigning as both Prime Minister and Member of Parliament just three years later amid a cascade of scandals.
LEXINGTON, Mass. — When Charlie Price attended school, his Revolutionary War education covered the basics: George Washington, Bunker Hill, and the patriots’ victory. What he didn’t discover until joining a Revolutionary War reenactment group was how much history had been left out of those lessons.
This Saturday, the Lexington Minutemen will commemorate the anniversary of the Battle of Lexington in Massachusetts, just as they have for decades. Among the historical figures they’ll honor is Prince Estabrook, an enslaved man who stood alongside his white neighbors on Lexington Green on April 19, 1775, when British forces advanced. Though wounded in the fighting, Estabrook continued serving through multiple military campaigns during the war.
“I wasn’t surprised that we didn’t know about it,” said Price, a 95-year-old Black Korean War veteran who portrayed Estabrook for five decades. “I was surprised that there was one Black soldier out here.”
With America’s 250th birthday approaching, Estabrook and other patriots of color are gaining recognition through nationwide initiatives designed to present a fuller picture of the nation’s founding.
Traditional museum displays, documentaries and educational programs have typically highlighted white Revolutionary leaders like Washington, Benjamin Franklin and Paul Revere.
Christopher Brown, who studies British Empire history at Columbia University, explained that the Revolution has historically been presented as a “simple story and a moral story that celebrates American origins and that looks to the American past in a kind of idealized version of what the present is.”
However, recent decades have brought “a more accurate view of the past” that reveals the diverse group of men and women who played vital roles in America’s fight for independence.
“There were Black men in the ranks who were fighting in Concord and Lexington and fought on Bunker Hill,” he said. “They knew all of the work that women were doing to support the revolutionary effort. The fact that we didn’t know that is more of a sign of our lack of curiosity and the need for greater research.”
According to National Park Service data, more than 5,500 patriots of color — both Black and Indigenous people — served with colonial forces by the Revolution’s end, while numerous runaway slaves joined British ranks.
These Black patriots’ experiences cannot be separated from slavery, which was legally practiced across all 13 colonies. Some Black fighters were enslaved while others enlisted hoping to earn their freedom. Indigenous warriors faced similar choices while their tribes battled for survival.
Despite documented evidence of this military diversity, efforts to share these narratives face challenges. The Trump administration has mandated removal or censorship of certain exhibits focusing on slavery history, enslaved individuals, the Civil Rights Movement and Indigenous mistreatment.
Roger Davidson, Jr., who teaches history at Bowie State University, warns that ignoring this crucial historical chapter affects communities of color today.
“If you’re not seen as having contributed to society, to the military, to any of it, then people can sort of overlook you,” Davidson said. “It plays into, and I hate to put it this way, but it plays into some people’s biases. Why should we pay any attention to you in the present day, politically, socially, economically, if you have not contributed?”
MA250 has distributed millions in grants to commemorate Massachusetts battles that sparked America’s independence. Grant recipients include the Black Heritage Trail in Concord, which spotlights Black residents’ lives during the Revolutionary period.
Museums celebrating Black patriots have also secured funding. Featured figures include Crispus Attucks, a sailor with African and Indigenous heritage who died March 5, 1770, when British soldiers opened fire on civilians in the Boston Massacre. Another is Salem Poor, who bought his freedom from slavery before fighting at Bunker Hill.
American Ancestors, a Boston-based nonprofit history organization that received MA250 funding, launches its “Patriots of Color” exhibition next week, focusing on 26 Black and Indigenous men and women who participated in the American Revolution. Featured individuals include Prince Ames, a Black and Narragansett man from Andover who was forced into Continental Army service in his enslaver’s place, and Paul Cuffe, a Black and Wampanoag businessman who petitioned Massachusetts officials against taxation without representation.
Descendants of some featured patriots will attend the exhibition opening.
“By telling these lesser known stories, we want to highlight that ordinary people made a tremendous difference in the arc of the country’s history,” Ryan Woods, president and CEO of American Ancestors, said.
Historical documentation about Prince Estabrook’s life remains limited, but National Park Service records suggest he was born around 1740 in the Lexington vicinity. Since his father was enslaved by landowner Benjamin Estabrook, Prince was born into bondage.
Details about his pre-military life are unclear. Park Service records show he served under Colonel John Parker’s command on April 19, 1775, when a musket ball struck his left shoulder. Following his recovery, he served eight years with both militia and Continental Army units.
Post-Revolution, he gained his freedom and returned to Lexington, where 1790 tax documents list him on Benjamin Estabrook’s payroll as ‘a non-white freeman.’ Whether he married, had children or owned land remains unknown.
Family records indicate he died in 1830 at approximately age 90 and was buried in the same Ashby, Massachusetts cemetery as Benjamin’s son, Nathan.
Price, who has passed reenactment responsibilities to a younger participant but continues attending annual morning commemorations, emphasizes the importance of preserving the soldier’s memory.
“Keep the story alive to make sure that everybody knows, everybody that we can get in touch with, everybody knows that Prince Estabrook was here,” Price said. “He was a viable person. He did his role, he did his part in fighting for the country.”
Michael Nalewaja had rebuilt his life after battling addiction as a teenager. The 36-year-old electrician was living peacefully in Alaska, nearly two decades removed from his struggles with substance abuse.
But just before Thanksgiving 2025, his life ended tragically when he and a friend unknowingly consumed a deadly mixture of fentanyl and carfentanil, possibly believing they were using cocaine.
“I heard the word ‘autopsy’ and I literally just collapsed to the floor,” his mother, Kelley Nalewaja said, describing the devastating phone call from his wife. “Even if somebody had been there prepared with Narcan — even if somebody had called 911 in time — he was not going to survive.”
Law enforcement officials describe carfentanil as a military-grade substance that is 10,000 times more powerful than morphine and 100 times more potent than fentanyl. This extremely dangerous chemical is experiencing a dramatic comeback throughout the United States, claiming the lives of hundreds of unsuspecting users.
This alarming trend appears connected to recent enforcement actions by Chinese authorities targeting the chemicals used to produce fentanyl. These new restrictions are likely forcing Mexican drug traffickers to turn to carfentanil as a way to strengthen their weakened fentanyl products, according to intelligence reports from the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration that The Associated Press obtained.
The return of this extraordinarily lethal substance comes at a time when fentanyl confiscations and drug overdose fatalities have been decreasing for multiple years. An amount smaller than a poppy seed can prove fatal to a human being.
“You’re talking about not even a grain of salt that could be potentially lethal,” said Frank Tarentino, the DEA’s chief of operations for its northeast region, which stretches from Maine to Virginia. “This presents an extremely frightening proposition for substance abuse dependent people who seek opioids on the street today.”
Ten years ago, carfentanil first appeared in significant quantities in the North American illegal drug market, leading to hundreds of fatal overdoses among users who had no idea what they were consuming. The crisis subsided after China prohibited the substance, eliminating a significant regulatory gap in the United States.
However, the landscape has changed drastically in recent years.
DEA laboratory analysis identified carfentanil in U.S. drug confiscations 1,400 times during 2025, a massive increase from 145 instances in 2023 and just 54 in 2022, according to DEA documentation reviewed by the Associated Press.
Mexican drug organizations may be attempting to manufacture carfentanil on their own, law enforcement believes, while others might be obtaining it from Chinese suppliers who are circumventing their country’s restrictions by advertising the substance on international online platforms.
The extreme hazards involved in producing carfentanil create additional challenges for criminal organizations, Tarentino explained.
“You can’t just dabble in this,” he said. “This is not some mad scientist on Reddit you’re going to get to go out to a rudimentary laboratory in Mexico to make carfentanil.”
American overdose fatalities have declined for more than two years, marking the longest sustained decrease in decades. Researchers attribute this improvement to several factors, including greater availability of the overdose-reversing medication naloxone and expanded access to addiction treatment programs. Some also connect it to the regulatory modifications the United States has advocated for in China.
Medical professionals warn that even multiple large doses of naloxone may prove insufficient to counteract an overdose involving carfentanil.
Confiscations of fentanyl and other illegal substances have also decreased. U.S. Customs and Border Protection data shows fentanyl seizures dropped to approximately 12,000 pounds in 2025, less than half the quantity confiscated in 2023.
Despite declining fentanyl statistics, it continues to be a primary concern for the DEA. The agency’s recent budget proposal included a $362 million funding increase specifically targeting cartel-related fentanyl trafficking operations.
“Anyone who takes a pill that is not prescribed to them by their doctor is playing a game of Russian roulette with their life,” said Sara Carter, President Donald Trump’s drug czar. “But if those terrorists think they can continue this chemical warfare without consequences, they are wrong.”
Although carfentanil’s presence remains much smaller compared to fentanyl, experts express serious concern about the increase of a compound that has been studied for years as a chemical weapon and was used by Russian military forces against Chechen separatists in 2002.
The DEA’s yearly allowance for legally produced carfentanil is only 20 grams, an amount small enough to hold in one’s palm. Veterinarians use it to sedate elephants and other massive animals.
“It’s like a biological weapon,” said Michael King Jr., founder of the Opioid Awareness Foundation. “If the world thinks we had a problem with fentanyl, that’s minute compared to what we’re going to be dealing with with carfentanil.”
Fatal overdoses involving carfentanil nearly tripled in 2024 compared to the year before, with 413 deaths recorded across 42 states and Washington, D.C., based on the latest information from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
“Carfentanil definitely has that potential of spreading throughout the United States unless law enforcement really focuses in on carfentanil and they develop intelligence as to how these drug addicts are getting it,” said Mike Vigil, a former chief of international operations at the DEA.
Federal agents have documented multiple major carfentanil seizures in recent months. In October, the DEA Los Angeles Field Division discovered 628,000 pills containing carfentanil, while in September, authorities confiscated more than 50,000 fake M30 pills from an individual at a Washington state gas station that contained a combination of carfentanil and acetaminophen.
Some chronic drug users have developed tolerance to fentanyl and are actively seeking carfentanil, despite its dangers, because of the intense high it produces, explained Rob Tanguay, senior medical lead for addiction services with Recovery Alberta, a Canadian health organization. The substance attracts dealers because such small quantities can supply a large market.
“The toughest part about all of this,” he said, “is that this is all about money.”
Following Michael Nalewaja’s death, his mother chose not to hold a large funeral service.
Instead, she organized a community meeting in her hometown of El Dorado Hills, California, gathering local leaders and other mothers who had experienced similar tragedies.
While mourning her son, a talented salesman with natural charisma who had recently received a national recognition from the electrical union, she is advocating for significant legislative and judicial reforms to prevent other families from enduring what she experienced due to a substance she says was never intended for human consumption.
“It’s not an OD; it’s not an overdose,” she said. “It’s a murder weapon.”
Former President Donald Trump hinted at receiving positive developments concerning Iran on Friday, though he provided no specific details about the nature of the information.
Speaking to reporters while traveling on Air Force One, Trump referenced recent communications regarding the Middle Eastern nation. “We had some pretty good news 20 minutes ago, but it seems to be going very well in the Middle East with Iran,” the former president stated.
When journalists pressed for additional information about what constituted the encouraging development, Trump remained cryptic in his response. “You’ll hear about. I just think it’s something that should happen. It’s something that only makes sense to happen. And I think it will. We’ll see what happens, but I think it will,” he explained.
The former president did not provide any timeline or context for when more information might become available to the public.
The Trump administration announced Friday it will extend a controversial exemption permitting nations to purchase sanctioned Russian oil through May 16, drawing sharp criticism from Congress members who argue the policy weakens sanctions against Moscow during its ongoing conflict with Ukraine.
The Treasury Department’s latest exemption covers Russian oil and petroleum products that were loaded onto ships as of Friday, replacing a previous 30-day authorization that lapsed on April 11. The waiver specifically prohibits any transactions involving Iran, Cuba, or North Korea.
This decision represents part of the administration’s strategy to manage soaring global energy costs that have escalated during the current U.S.-Israeli conflict with Iran. Asian nations experiencing severe energy supply disruptions had lobbied Washington to permit alternative oil sources to enter international markets.
“As negotiations (with Iran) accelerate, Treasury wants to ensure oil is available to those who need it,” stated a Treasury Department representative.
The announcement marks a notable policy reversal. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent had declared just 48 hours earlier that Washington would not extend the Russian oil waiver or a separate Iranian oil exemption scheduled to end Sunday.
Oil markets responded dramatically Friday, with global prices dropping 9% to approximately $90 per barrel after Iran temporarily reopened the Strait of Hormuz, a critical Gulf shipping route. However, the International Energy Agency has characterized the current crisis as the most severe global energy supply disruption on record.
The conflict, entering its eighth week Saturday, has already damaged over 80 oil and gas installations across the Middle East. Iranian officials have threatened to close the strait again if recent U.S. Navy blockades of Iranian ports continue.
Rising energy costs pose significant political risks for President Trump’s Republican allies ahead of November’s midterm elections.
International pressure has mounted on Trump regarding oil pricing. Sources indicate partner nations approached the U.S. during recent Group of 20, World Bank, and International Monetary Fund gatherings in Washington, requesting the waiver extension. Trump also discussed oil matters during a phone conversation this week with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, whose country purchases substantial amounts of Russian crude.
According to Bessent’s previous statements, the Iranian oil waiver issued March 20 enabled roughly 140 million barrels to enter global markets, helping ease energy supply constraints.
Congressional leaders from both parties have condemned the sanctions exemptions, arguing they provide economic benefits to Iran during its war with the U.S. and to Russia amid its Ukrainian invasion.
These waivers could undermine Western efforts to cut off Russian war funding and create tensions with allies. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has stated this is not the appropriate time to ease Russian sanctions.
Russian presidential envoy Kirill Dmitriev responded to the waiver renewal on social media, writing: “US-Russian economic and energy cooperation will continue.” He previously claimed the initial Russian oil waiver would release 100 million barrels of crude, equivalent to nearly one day of global production.
Brett Erickson, a sanctions specialist at consulting firm Obsidian Risk Advisors, predicted Friday’s renewal likely won’t be the final waiver issued by Washington.
“The conflict has done lasting damage to global energy markets, and the tools available to stabilize them are nearly exhausted,” Erickson explained.
WASHINGTON — The Treasury Department announced Friday it would continue suspending penalties on Russian oil deliveries for another month, contradicting recent statements from Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent who had rejected such action.
The 30-day waiver protects Russian petroleum shipments already loaded onto vessels as of Friday from facing U.S. sanctions. This marks the second such exemption, following a similar temporary measure implemented in March that covered oil loaded by March 11. The decision highlights how ongoing conflict in Iran has strengthened Russia’s position in global energy markets, despite restrictions imposed following Moscow’s Ukraine invasion.
During a White House appearance Wednesday, Bessent had firmly dismissed the possibility of continuing the waiver program. “We will not be renewing the general license on Russian oil, and we will not be renewing the general license on Iranian oil,” he stated. Federal officials have not yet provided an explanation for changing course on this policy position.
China is moving forward with plans to establish a major satellite manufacturing center in Beijing, with the main facilities expected to open during the latter half of 2026, according to reports from Beijing Daily on Saturday.
The aerospace sector has seen dramatic growth, with commercial space missions now representing more than 60% of global launches. Multiple companies are working toward public offerings as the industry expands rapidly, the state-owned publication noted.
According to Gao Yibin, who leads the Strategic Research Department at Future Aerospace, China’s commercial space sector worth trillions of yuan is progressing toward greater standardization and larger-scale operations. This advancement is being driven by faster approval processes for launches, increased use of domestically-produced components, and ongoing investment from industry funds.
“The accelerated implementation of scenarios such as low-Earth orbit constellation networking, satellite internet, space computing power, and 6G air-space-ground integration suggests sustained growth is expected in 2026,” Gao stated.
The new Beijing facility is designed to serve as a central location for satellite manufacturers and operators, creating an environment that promotes industry collaboration while facilitating the efficient movement of skilled workers, investment capital, and technological innovations throughout the aerospace sector.
Former President Donald Trump announced Friday that Chinese President Xi Jinping expressed satisfaction regarding the current situation at the Strait of Hormuz, while also discussing plans for an upcoming meeting between the two leaders.
In a post on his Truth Social platform, Trump stated that “President Xi is very happy that the Strait of Hormuz is open and/or rapidly opening.” The former president went on to describe their planned encounter, saying “Our meeting in China will be a special one and, potentially, Historic. I look forward to being with President Xi — Much will be accomplished!”
The announcement comes as tensions in the Middle East continue to affect global shipping routes, with the Strait of Hormuz serving as a critical waterway for international commerce and oil transport.
Indiana Fever star Aliyah Boston has inked a record-setting four-year contract extension worth $6.3 million, ESPN reports, making it the most lucrative deal in WNBA history.
“I’m super blessed and grateful for this opportunity and to continue my journey here with the Fever. God is good!” Boston said. “I’m excited for the future ahead for both myself and for our team, and I can’t wait to keep building upon everything we have accomplished so far. Go Fever!”
The 6-foot-5 forward demonstrated team loyalty by accepting $1 million for the 2026 season, which is $190,000 below her maximum eligibility, allowing Indiana more salary cap flexibility to retain other roster members. Boston’s contract will represent 20% of the Fever’s salary cap annually until 2029.
“Entering just her fourth season, Aliyah is already one of the best players in the WNBA. She’s been a foundational piece of the Indiana Fever since she was drafted here in 2023,” Fever general manager Amber Cox said in a statement. “We’re thrilled to be able to reward her with this new contract and make history, and most importantly, lock her in as a cornerstone of the Fever for years to come.”
Since joining Indiana as the top draft selection in 2023, the three-time All-Star has posted career averages of 14.5 points, 8.5 rebounds and 3.0 assists while maintaining a 54.7% shooting percentage. During the 2025 campaign, Boston recorded 15.0 points, 8.2 rebounds, and 3.7 assists per game, earning sixth place in MVP voting and spots on both the All-WNBA and All-Defensive second teams. Indiana advanced to the semifinals before falling to Las Vegas, which captured its third championship in four seasons.
This major signing follows Indiana’s recent retention of another three-time All-Star, as the franchise signed Kelsey Mitchell to a one-year supermax contract valued at $1.4 million just one week earlier.
A federal judge in Manhattan has denied Bayer’s attempt to stop Johnson & Johnson from advertising claims about its prostate cancer treatment, ruling that the pharmaceutical giant failed to prove its case.
U.S. District Judge Dale Ho issued the Friday evening ruling, determining that Bayer could not demonstrate a strong likelihood of winning its lawsuit against J&J’s marketing campaign for the drug Erleada. The German company had argued that J&J’s promotional materials were causing significant damage and undermining confidence in Bayer’s competing medication Nubeqa.
The legal battle began on February 23 when Bayer filed suit, challenging J&J’s assertion that patients experienced a “51% reduction in risk of death” when treated with Erleada rather than Nubeqa. J&J claimed this finding came from research following “rigorous” Food and Drug Administration protocols.
Bayer contested the reliability of these comparative effectiveness claims, arguing that most Nubeqa patients in the study received off-label treatment. The company also questioned whether the FDA had properly reviewed J&J’s retrospective real-world data analysis as an alternative to standard clinical trials.
In his 41-page ruling, Judge Ho concluded that J&J’s promotional materials accurately reflected their research findings. He found that Bayer had not pointed to methodological flaws significant enough to render the New Brunswick, New Jersey-based company’s statements substantially false or deceptive.
“Based on the current record,” Ho stated in his decision, “the methodological choices made by the authors of the study were not errant or out-of-step within the relevant scientific community.”
Following the court’s decision, Bayer spokesperson Sue Ann Pentecost issued a response: “Bayer continues to believe the full body of evidence supports its false advertising claims and looks forward to the court’s determination on the merits of the case.”
Johnson & Johnson characterized the ruling as “a win for scientific exchange and a strong win for patients…. Real-world evidence helps clinicians make informed treatment decisions, especially when head-to-head clinical trials data are not available.”
The National Cancer Institute reports that approximately 313,780 American men received prostate cancer diagnoses in 2025, with 35,770 deaths attributed to the disease during that same period.
The financial stakes are substantial, with Nubeqa generating 2.39 billion euros ($2.81 billion) in sales during 2025, while Erleada recorded $3.57 billion in revenue.
SYDNEY – Australia’s Energy Minister Chris Bowen announced Saturday that the country will continue relaxed fuel quality regulations through September as supply chain disruptions create challenges for the nation’s fuel availability.
“I’ve decided to extend the period of higher sulphur for petrol in Australia,” Bowen stated during a televised announcement.
The temporary measure, first implemented in March, allows sulfur levels in gasoline to reach 50 parts per million, a significant increase from the standard 10 parts per million limit.
The country, which relies on imports for the majority of its fuel needs, has seen scattered supply shortages as ongoing international conflicts have created disruptions in global fuel distribution networks. The conflict referenced has now entered its eighth week.
Meanwhile, operations at a Viva Energy oil refinery in Victoria state continue at reduced capacity following a recent fire incident. Bowen reported that production levels remain stable from the previous day.
“The Geelong refinery is working at 80% capacity for diesel and jet fuel and 60% capacity for petrol — that is still the case,” the Energy Minister explained.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese stated Friday that the refinery incident would not necessitate fuel rationing measures across the country.
Additionally, Albanese recently finalized an agreement with Malaysia’s state-owned Petronas energy company to provide supplemental fuel supplies to Australia. The deal was secured following diplomatic visits to Singapore and Brunei focused on strengthening the nation’s energy security.
New Castle County police are actively searching for a 90-year-old Newark resident who vanished Sunday morning and has not returned home.
Authorities have activated a Gold Alert for Stanley Mathis, who disappeared from the 150 block of Bear Christiana Road around 11:45 a.m. on Sunday, April 12, 2026.
The New Castle County Division of Police reported that Mathis was anticipated to come back to his home but never arrived, prompting family members to contact law enforcement.
Gold Alerts are issued for missing adults who are 60 years or older and believed to be in danger due to age, health conditions, mental or physical disabilities, or environmental factors.
Anyone with information about Stanley Mathis’s whereabouts is urged to contact the New Castle County Division of Police immediately.
DENVER — Baseball and winter weather don’t usually mix, but that’s exactly what happened Friday when an unexpected April snowstorm dumped three inches of the white stuff on Coors Field just hours before the Los Angeles Dodgers faced off against the Colorado Rockies in their four-game series opener.
The unusual weather conditions didn’t dampen spirits for everyone. Dodgers pitcher Emmett Sheehan embraced the wintry scene, stepping onto the field wearing shorts roughly four hours before game time to build a snowman on the diamond.
Ground crews worked diligently to prepare the field for play, having wisely covered the infield with a protective tarp when the snow began falling. They deployed a plow to remove snow from the outfield grass, ensuring the game could proceed as scheduled.
The snowfall ended approximately three hours before the opening pitch, and by game time, conditions had improved dramatically. Temperatures reached 36 degrees under sunny skies, with only traces of snow remaining visible on the evergreen trees beyond the center field wall.
The dramatic weather shift was particularly striking given that Denver had enjoyed a pleasant 75-degree day just 24 hours earlier.
However, the weather challenges weren’t over for either team. The National Weather Service issued a freeze warning for the Denver metropolitan area, effective from 8 p.m. Friday through 8 a.m. Saturday, with overnight temperatures expected to plummet into the 18-to-24 degree range.
Weather forecasters predict a gradual warming trend for the remainder of the series, with Saturday’s high reaching 57 degrees, Sunday climbing to 74 degrees, and Monday’s series finale expecting temperatures around 79 degrees.
The Dodgers arrived in Colorado after completing a six-game homestand in Los Angeles, where they had enjoyed much milder conditions with Friday’s temperature reaching 73 degrees.
A federal jury has awarded $11.8 million to a college student who permanently lost vision in one eye after Los Angeles police fired a projectile into a crowd of Dodgers fans celebrating their 2020 World Series championship.
The verdict came Thursday following a lawsuit filed by Isaac Castellanos, now 27, who was struck in the face during the early morning hours of October 28, 2020, while peacefully joining festivities in downtown Los Angeles.
Castellanos suffered permanent blindness in one eye and brought a federal civil rights case in 2022, claiming officers used excessive force. His lawsuit stated that Los Angeles Police Department personnel moved toward the celebrating crowd and began shooting projectiles — referred to as “less lethal” rounds such as rubber bullets and bean bags — without any advance warning.
The jury reached their decision in under two hours of deliberation. Castellanos became emotional as he sat beside his legal team when the verdict was announced.
“He is incredibly relieved and feels very vindicated,” said Monique Alarcon, Castellanos’ attorney. “He’s really hopeful … that this will cause the LAPD to take a hard look at their crowd control practices.”
The Los Angeles City Attorney’s office has not yet responded to requests for comment.
At the time of the incident, Castellanos was completing his final year at California State University, Long Beach, and had bright prospects as a competitive esports athlete, according to his lawyer. Just weeks before being injured, he and a partner had claimed first place in a gaming tournament, earning a $40,000 prize.
“He was at a pivotal point in his life … and this completely derailed him,” Alarcon explained.
The Los Angeles Police Department faces multiple ongoing legal challenges regarding their deployment of less lethal weapons for crowd management.
Following incidents where journalists were struck by projectiles during protests against immigration policies, a federal judge prohibited LA officers from using rubber bullets and similar weapons against members of the media.
Additionally, a federal judge issued an order in January preventing the LAPD from deploying 40 mm launchers — another category of less lethal weapon — in any crowd control scenarios.
California enacted restrictions in 2021 limiting the use of such weapons until other methods of crowd control have been attempted first. Officers are prohibited from firing “indiscriminately” into groups of people or targeting the head, neck, or other vital body parts. The weapons also cannot be used solely for curfew violations, verbal confrontations with police, or failure to follow officer commands.
WASHINGTON — A delegation of American officials recently traveled to Cuba for diplomatic meetings with government representatives, representing a fresh attempt at engagement despite escalating tensions between the two nations.
According to a State Department source who requested anonymity due to the sensitive nature of the discussions, a high-ranking U.S. official met with Raúl Guillermo Rodríguez Castro, the grandson of former Cuban leader Raúl Castro, during the visit last week. The elder Castro continues to wield significant influence within Cuba’s government structure despite no longer holding an official position.
The anonymous official declined to identify which American representatives participated in the meeting with Rodríguez Castro. However, a separate government source confirmed that Secretary of State Marco Rubio was not among the delegation members who visited Havana. Rubio, whose parents emigrated from Cuba and who has long opposed the Cuban government, previously met with the younger Castro in St. Kitts and Nevis during February.
During these significant diplomatic exchanges, first reported by Axios, American representatives pressed Cuban officials to implement substantial reforms to their economic system and governance structure, warning that the United States would not tolerate Cuba becoming a regional security risk, the State Department source revealed.
This mission represented the first time a U.S. government aircraft had touched down in Cuba outside of Guantanamo Bay Naval Base since 2016.
Cuba faces mounting challenges following an American energy embargo, while the Trump administration has characterized the Cuban government as both ineffective and oppressive. American conditions for sanctions relief have encompassed ending political persecution, freeing political detainees, and opening up the nation’s struggling economy.
Beyond these familiar issues, the delegations also explored an American offer to establish free and dependable internet access across the island using Starlink satellite technology, according to the State Department source.
These discussions came to light following Trump’s earlier statements this week suggesting his administration might turn its attention to Cuba once the conflict with Iran concludes.
“We may stop by Cuba after we finish with this,” Trump stated. He characterized the island as a “failing nation” and claimed it has “been a terribly run country for a long time.”
Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel responded by asserting that the United States lacks justification for military action against Cuba or attempts to remove him from power, while emphasizing his nation’s readiness to resist if necessary.
“The moment is extremely challenging and calls upon us once again, as on April 16, 1961, to be ready to confront serious threats, including military aggression. We do not want it, but it is our duty to prepare to avoid it and, if it becomes inevitable, to defeat it,” Díaz-Canel declared.
The Cuban leader made these remarks during a gathering of hundreds of supporters commemorating the 65th anniversary of when the Cuban Revolution declared its socialist principles.
Cuba’s Foreign Ministry has not yet responded to requests for comment regarding last week’s diplomatic discussions.
University of Delaware baseball got off to a thrilling start in their series against Middle Tennessee, thanks to a dramatic walk-off performance from Evan Bouldin in the ninth inning.
Bouldin stepped up to the plate with the bases loaded and delivered a clutch grand slam that secured the victory for the Blue Hens in the opening game of the series. The dramatic home run capped off what proved to be an exciting finish on the road for Delaware.
The four-run blast in the final inning highlighted Bouldin’s ability to perform under pressure and gave Delaware momentum heading into the remainder of the series against Middle Tennessee.
The University of Maryland Eastern Shore men’s volleyball team continued their dominant home court performance with a decisive 3-1 victory over the Manhattan Jaspers.
The Hawks’ triumph keeps their unblemished home record intact for the season and brings them within striking distance of postseason play. With this latest win, UMES now needs just one more victory to clinch their spot in the Northeast Conference Tournament.
The match against the Jaspers showcased the Hawks’ strong play at their home venue, where they have yet to suffer a defeat this season. The team’s consistent performance on familiar ground has been a key factor in their successful campaign.
UMES will look to build on this momentum as they push toward securing their tournament berth and potentially making a run in the NEC postseason.
Delaware State University recently organized its fifth annual conference dedicated to preventing sexual assault, continuing the institution’s ongoing commitment to campus safety and awareness.
The conference represents part of Delaware State University’s broader efforts to educate students, faculty, and staff about sexual violence prevention and support resources available to the campus community.
This marks the fifth consecutive year that the university has hosted this important educational event, demonstrating sustained institutional focus on addressing sexual assault prevention and awareness on campus.
The Goldey-Beacom Lightning softball team experienced mixed results during a doubleheader against visiting Molloy College at Jackson Athletic Complex in Wilmington.
The Lightning dominated the opening game, securing a convincing 7-3 victory over their non-conference opponents. However, momentum shifted in the second matchup as Goldey-Beacom struggled offensively, falling 6-1 to split the day’s action.
The doubleheader marked another chapter in the Lightning’s ongoing season as they continue competing against teams from outside their conference schedule.
CAPE TOWN, South Africa — A historic church in Angola that once served as a central location in the Atlantic slave trade will welcome Pope Leo XIV this Sunday, creating a moment rich with symbolic meaning given recent revelations about the pontiff’s own ancestry.
The Church of Our Lady of Muxima, constructed by Portuguese colonists in the late 1500s as part of a military fortress, stands as a stark reminder of the deep connections between the Catholic faith and the exploitation of Africa centuries ago.
Pope Leo XIV’s scheduled appearance at the Muxima church recognizes its transformation into a beloved Catholic pilgrimage destination following reported sightings of the Virgin Mary around 1833.
However, the whitewashed structure beside the Kwanza River previously functioned as a gathering point where enslaved Africans received baptism from Portuguese clergy before enduring a brutal 90-mile march to Luanda’s main harbor, where ships waited to transport them to the Americas.
Portuguese colonizers drew justification from 15th-century Vatican decrees that gave them permission to enslave non-Christian populations.
Angola became the departure point for more than 5 million enslaved people during the trans-Atlantic trade, representing nearly half of the approximately 12.5 million Africans forced across the ocean and exceeding any other nation’s totals.
Whether Leo will directly address slavery during his African journey remains uncertain, unlike previous papal visits when St. John Paul II confronted the topic in Cameroon during 1985 and Senegal in 1992. Former President Joe Biden addressed slavery as America’s “original sin” during his 2024 visit to Angola in his presidency’s final months.
Many African Catholics view the moment as deeply meaningful when the Church’s leader — himself an American — conducts prayers at the riverside plaza adjacent to the fortress and ancient chapel in Muxima, according to Leo’s planned itinerary.
“For me, the pope going there to pray the Rosary … he will give that place a new significance,” said Rev. Celestino Epalanga, a priest with the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Angola. “We have to give it a new sense. To make this place sacred instead of being a place of evil.”
The visit carries additional weight following discoveries about Leo’s personal background.
Research conducted by a U.S. genealogist last year revealed that the first American pope — born Robert Prevost — possesses Creole ancestry, with maternal great-grandparents identified as people of color in Louisiana census documents. The investigation showed Leo’s lineage includes both Black and white ancestors, encompassing enslaved individuals and those who owned them.
Historical records indicate some of Louisiana’s earliest enslaved people came from Angola.
Leo has remained silent regarding his heritage publicly. However, Mariana Candido, an Emory University history professor in Atlanta, finds compelling complexity in how a location connected to such moral wrongs transformed into an Angolan pilgrimage destination, and how Leo might understand this when reaching out to younger African Catholics.
“I can see how this is a way of connecting to Catholics in Angola, and making the Church more in sync with how people are practicing Catholicism in Angola and in African countries,” she said.
Candido noted Leo’s background serving Chicago’s substantial African American community positions him well for this outreach.
Rev. Stan Chu Ilo, a Nigerian priest and DePaul University professor in Chicago, has observed the pontiff building African connections by promoting African church leaders, including the recent advancement of Nigeria’s Monsignor Anthony Ekpo to a senior Vatican role.
“This pope is actively cultivating African presence within the church and trying to, I think, heal this policy or program of seeing Africa as just making up the numbers,” said Chu Ilo.
Leo announced at his trip’s beginning that he decided in May following his election that Africa would be his first papal journey. While other travels intervened, he called this African visit “very special for several reasons.”
Angola carries particularly deep wounds from slavery and colonial rule. Portuguese control lasted until 1975, followed immediately by a devastating civil war that turned newly freed Angolans against each other. The intermittent conflict continued for 27 years, claiming over half a million lives.
Both African priests Epalanga and Chu Ilo acknowledge colonialism’s damage while emphasizing Leo’s opportunity to energize Angola’s Catholic Church — originally imposed by colonial oppressors — to become a positive force addressing contemporary challenges.
Vatican officials indicate Leo will discuss themes including natural and human resource exploitation, corruption, and authoritarian governance during his African tour.
These messages resonate with Olivio Nkilumbo, an opposition member of Angola’s Parliament who argues the country still lacks true democracy serving its 37 million citizens more than 50 years after independence. Nkilumbo pointed to decades of authoritarian leadership and economic disparity leaving millions impoverished despite Angola’s oil, diamond, and mineral wealth.
“We still don’t have democracy, don’t have freedom,” said Nkilumbo, who expressed hope for the pope to serve as a peace and reconciliation pilgrim while delivering strong social justice messages. “In my view, the pope knows the real situation of Angola.”
Though not Catholic himself, Nkilumbo commended Angola’s Catholic Church, the nation’s largest religious group, for leading equality efforts.
Epalanga exemplifies this role. Beyond his priestly duties, he serves as executive secretary for Angola’s Catholic Commission for Justice and Peace, actively promoting democracy and addressing poverty and inequality while frequently challenging government authorities.
Epalanga said he was among numerous church members invited to meet with Pope Leo in Angola. If given the opportunity to speak with the pope, Epalanga said he would “thank him for coming and ask him to tell the bishops they should be more committed to the poor and to social justice.”
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — A California federal judge has temporarily halted the massive $6.2 billion acquisition that would combine television station powerhouses Nexstar Media Group and Tegna while antitrust concerns work their way through the courts.
Chief Judge Troy L. Nunley of the U.S. District Court issued his decision Friday evening, determining that the coalition of eight state attorneys general and DirecTV challenging the deal had a strong chance of success in their legal fight.
The proposed acquisition, which was first unveiled last year and received Federal Communications Commission approval, would establish a media empire controlling 265 television stations across 44 states plus Washington D.C. The vast majority of these stations serve as local affiliates for ABC, CBS, Fox, and NBC.
Judge Nunley had previously issued an emergency three-week prohibition on the transaction. Following court hearings on April 7 where he listened to arguments about extending that ban, he decided to maintain the block until the lawsuit filed by the eight state attorneys general and DirecTV reaches a conclusion.
The legal challengers, all Democratic attorneys general, along with DirecTV argue that allowing this merger to proceed would result in increased costs for viewers, damage local news coverage, and violate federal monopoly prevention laws.
Legal representatives for Nexstar countered in court that both the FCC and Department of Justice had already conducted thorough reviews and given their approval. They emphasized that FCC requirements would actually force the company to enhance rather than reduce local news programming and community coverage.
The transaction required sign-off from the Republican-led FCC under the Trump administration because federal regulations had to be waived regarding limits on station ownership by a single company. FCC Chairman Brendan Carr announced in March that Nexstar had committed to selling six stations as part of the agreement.
In his emergency ruling, Judge Nunley highlighted concerns that the merger would give Nexstar control over two or potentially three major network affiliates in 31 television markets. He warned that once this consolidation happens, cable and satellite providers like DirecTV would be forced to accept Nexstar’s demands for increased broadcasting fees or face the possibility of subscribers losing access to popular programming such as NFL Sunday games.
WASHINGTON — A senior federal prosecutor leading the investigation into former CIA Director John Brennan was taken off the case following her concerns about whether criminal charges could be successfully pursued, according to a source with knowledge of the situation who spoke Friday.
Maria Medetis Long informed defense attorneys working on the investigation that she would no longer be involved in the Brennan case. Her removal occurred after she raised questions about whether prosecutors had adequate evidence to build a criminal case against Brennan, the source told The Associated Press on condition of anonymity due to the sensitive nature of internal Justice Department discussions.
While the Justice Department confirmed that Medetis Long is no longer working on the investigation, officials declined to provide details about why she was removed. In a statement, the department explained that “as a matter of routine practice, attorneys are moved around on cases so offices can most effectively allocate resources. It is completely healthy and normal to change members of legal teams.”
CNN was first to report on Medetis Long’s removal from the case. She has not responded to requests for comment via email and phone.
Medetis Long heads the national security division at the U.S. Attorney’s office for the Southern District of Florida, which has been examining Brennan for months as part of one of President Donald Trump’s primary complaints — the federal government’s previous investigation into possible connections between Russia and Trump’s 2016 presidential campaign.
Brennan led the CIA under President Barack Obama and held that role when intelligence agencies released a comprehensive report on Russian meddling in the 2016 election. The Justice Department received a referral last year from Rep. Jim Jordan, the Republican leader of the House Judiciary Committee, claiming that Brennan provided false testimony regarding the creation of that intelligence assessment — allegations that Brennan and his legal team have strongly disputed.
Federal investigators have recently issued numerous subpoenas and are preparing for more witness interviews in the investigation, though it’s uncertain whether any criminal charges will result or how Medetis Long’s exit might affect the case or witness cooperation.
Trump recently replaced Pam Bondi as attorney general, expressing frustration over the slow pace of criminal investigations targeting political adversaries including Brennan.
Todd Blanche, Bondi’s deputy who is now serving as acting attorney general, has stated that Trump has both the authority and responsibility to pursue investigations of individuals he has had “issues with.”
In a previous incident last year, Trump effectively pushed out Erik Siebert, the acting U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, after Siebert declined to pursue criminal charges against two other Trump critics — former FBI Director James Comey and New York Attorney General Letitia James. A replacement prosecutor loyal to Trump, Lindsey Halligan, was quickly installed and obtained indictments against both Comey and James, but the cases were dismissed when a judge ruled that Halligan’s appointment was illegal.
The University of Maryland Eastern Shore Hawks baseball squad experienced a setback in their series opener against the Lakers, falling short in what proved to be a challenging matchup.
While the Hawks were unable to secure a victory in the opening contest, there were some bright spots in their performance. Notably, Caldwell delivered a strong showing at the plate, managing to record multiple hits throughout the game.
The loss puts the Hawks at a disadvantage as they look ahead to the remaining games in the series. The team will need to regroup and make adjustments as they prepare for their next opportunity to even the series against their opponents.
With more games ahead in this series, the Hawks will have chances to bounce back and demonstrate their resilience on the diamond.
Just one month after contributing to Nebraska’s victory over Vanderbilt in March Madness, power forward Berke Buyuktuncel has announced his decision to join the Commodores for his final collegiate season.
The 6-foot-9, 245-pound player becomes Vanderbilt’s initial addition from the transfer portal, which opened its doors on April 7. Over his past two seasons with the Cornhuskers, Buyuktuncel posted averages of 6.3 points and 5.5 rebounds while making 61 starts.
Buyuktuncel left his mark during Nebraska’s 74-72 triumph over Vanderbilt on March 21, which secured the Cornhuskers their first Sweet 16 berth. The forward contributed 12 points while connecting on 5 of 6 field goal attempts, earning recognition from KenPom.com as the contest’s top offensive performer with a 177 Offensive Rating.
Nebraska now faces the departure of its fourth starter from the 28-7 team that secured a No. 4 tournament seed. Buyuktuncel’s exit follows the graduation of seniors Rienk Mast, Sam Hoiberg, and Jamarques Lawrence. For Vanderbilt, the acquisition brings a versatile big man capable of floor spacing, rim protection, and ball distribution.
During his most recent campaign, the left-handed forward recorded 6.5 points, 5.6 rebounds, 1.9 assists, and 1.0 block across 24.3 minutes per contest. His three-point shooting remained a concern at 24.1%, continuing a downward trend from his 29.7% mark as a UCLA freshman and 27.7% as a Nebraska sophomore.
The Cornhuskers have responded by securing two transfer portal additions of their own. Redshirt junior Kadyn Betts joins the program after spending three seasons at Minnesota followed by a year at Montana, where he averaged 3.1 points in 6.6 minutes. The 6-foot-8 forward brings perimeter shooting ability, having connected on 12 of 31 three-point attempts (38.7%) despite limited playing time.
Nebraska has also reportedly landed Utah Valley junior Trevan Leonhardt, a 6-foot-4 guard who earned first-team all-WAC recognition. Leonhardt averaged 11.9 points, 6.0 assists, and 5.4 rebounds last season, providing the Huskers with additional versatility in the backcourt.
More than 300 humanoid robots will take on a challenging 13-mile course in Beijing this Sunday, marking China’s second annual robot half-marathon as the nation pushes to establish robotics as a cornerstone of its economic future.
The competition has grown dramatically, with over 70 teams participating – nearly five times the number from the previous year. This year’s course features more demanding terrain including paved inclines and parkland areas designed to push the robots’ capabilities to new limits.
“It will certainly be interesting to see the progress in durability of components and battery lifetime compared to last year,” said Georg Stieler, Asia managing director and head of robotics at Stieler, a technology consultancy.
“Humanoid robot makers need to find a balance between quality in products which are still under constant evolution and price pressure.”
The event represents a significant technological milestone. While last year’s competition featured only remote-controlled machines, organizers report that nearly 40% of this year’s robotic participants will complete the course using autonomous navigation systems.
However, the race also exposes the ongoing hurdles Chinese companies encounter as they work to develop robots capable of replicating human movement and performance. Last year’s inaugural event saw several robots tumble and malfunction near the starting area. The champion, the Tiangong Ultra model created by Beijing’s state-supported Innovation Center of Humanoid Robotics working with UBTech, completed the distance in 2 hours and 40 minutes – well ahead of other robotic competitors but more than twice as slow as the human race winner.
This year, the Tiangong Ultra will operate “fully autonomously,” depending entirely on its sensor systems to navigate obstacles and replicate natural human walking patterns through extensive data simulation training, according to the Center of Humanoid Robotics.
“When the robot runs at speeds approaching those of professional human athletes, the time window for perception and decision-making is extremely short, placing very high demands on computing power, algorithms, and system response speed,” the center explained in a statement.
Recent social media footage showing robots training in Beijing at night revealed mixed results. Some models successfully demonstrated human-like running motions and achieved speeds of 14 kilometers per hour, while others displayed awkward, jerky movements and some toppled over or collided with barriers, raising questions about their ability to complete the full race.
China leads the global humanoid robot market, representing more than 80% of the 16,000 units deployed worldwide in 2025, according to Counterpoint Research. In contrast, Tesla, the leading U.S. manufacturer, accounts for just 5% of global humanoid installations.
Chinese market leaders AgiBot and Unitree each delivered more than 5,000 units last year – the highest numbers globally – with Unitree committing to expand its annual production capacity to 75,000 humanoid robots.
Despite the spectacle of the half-marathon, industry experts caution that the demonstrated abilities don’t necessarily translate to widespread commercial use of humanoid robots in industrial environments, where precise manual skills, real-world awareness, and capabilities beyond simple, repetitive tasks are essential.
Currently, Unitree’s humanoid products serve primarily research institutions, dance performances, and interactive guide roles in service businesses, according to the company’s IPO documentation.
Even with some humanoids capable of completing a half-marathon, experts believe widespread household or industrial deployment remains years away, even in China.
“The reason our applications aren’t taking off is that the robots’ IQ is too low. The models are poor, their success rates are low,” said Tang Wenbin, founder of embodied intelligence startup Yuanli Lingji at a Beijing technology conference last month.
“Honestly, the whole industry’s level is still at a very elementary stage … Right now, a lot of what we see is ‘dancing disguised as working’.”
The Chinese government has designated embodied intelligence, or physical AI, as a priority industry for development as it seeks automation solutions to enhance economic productivity and modernize traditional manufacturing.
Chinese robotics companies continue to face challenges in creating the AI software necessary for humanoids to match human factory worker efficiency, while component manufacturers deal with cost pressures, according to industry analysts.
To advance their software capabilities, companies are investing heavily in large-scale real-world data gathering, equipping human workers with sensors and placing more humanoids on factory floors.
UBTech had fewer than 10 humanoids operating in factories in 2024, but that figure surged to over 1,000 last year.
This year, the company plans to deploy 10,000 full-size humanoid robots, including new models designed for various commercial applications, Chief Business Officer Michael Tam announced during a media visit to the company’s Shenzhen facility in southern China.
“When we talk about AI, it relies on how much data, especially high-quality data, we can collect,” he explained.
Two water delivery drivers working for the United Nations were fatally shot by Israeli forces while transporting clean water to Palestinian families, according to UNICEF officials who expressed outrage over the Friday incident.
The deadly shooting happened during a standard water delivery operation at the Mansoura water distribution facility in northern Gaza, which serves Gaza City residents. Two additional workers sustained injuries during the same attack, the UN children’s agency reported.
Following the fatal incident, UNICEF announced it has halted all operations at the water site and is demanding Israeli officials conduct a thorough investigation. The agency emphasized that international humanitarian law requires protection for aid workers, civilians, and essential water infrastructure.
Israeli embassy officials in Washington have not yet provided a response to requests for comment regarding the incident.
The shooting comes months after an October ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas ended two years of intensive warfare, though Israeli military forces maintain control over more than half of Gaza’s territory while Hamas governs the remaining coastal area.
Since the ceasefire took effect, Palestinian medical officials report over 750 Palestinians have died, while militant attacks have claimed the lives of four Israeli soldiers. Both Israel and Hamas have accused each other of violating the truce agreement.
Drivers using Route 9 should plan for potential delays as flagging operations continue along a busy section of the roadway.
The Delaware Department of Transportation reports that intermittent flagging is taking place on Route 9 between South King Street and Burton Street, with operations scheduled to continue until 6:00 AM.
Motorists are advised to allow extra travel time when using this corridor and to exercise caution while passing through the work zone area.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement facilities have documented a historic number of deaths in federal custody during the current fiscal year, according to newly released government statistics.
Since the fiscal year began in October, 29 individuals have lost their lives while detained by ICE, a figure that has already exceeded the previous high of 28 fatalities recorded in 2004.
The troubling milestone represents the highest annual death count in immigration detention facilities in more than two decades, based on official federal data tracking mortality rates in these facilities.
This sharp increase in fatalities comes as the Trump administration has expanded immigration enforcement operations across the country, leading to higher detention populations in ICE facilities nationwide.
