Major League Baseball has put forward a salary cap proposal during ongoing labor negotiations with the players’ union, as the current collective bargaining agreement approaches its December 1st deadline at 11:59 p.m. ET.
The league announced Thursday its intention to implement a $245.3 million salary cap that would include benefits, marking the first time since 1994 that baseball has pushed for such spending restrictions. This proposal comes one day after the players’ association presented its opening position in negotiations.
Data from Spotrac.com indicates the proposed cap falls below current spending levels for eight teams in the 2026 season, including the New York Mets, Los Angeles Dodgers, New York Yankees, Philadelphia Phillies, Toronto Blue Jays, Boston Red Sox, San Diego Padres and Atlanta Braves when taxes are included.
Along with the spending ceiling, the league also suggested establishing a $171.2 million salary floor, which would force 12 teams to boost their current payroll commitments according to Spotrac’s analysis.
The proposal includes increasing players’ revenue share to 50%, which the league argues would benefit athletes given that revenues have grown 247% since 2003 while player salaries have risen 149% during the same period.
“Our salary cap and floor proposal levels the playing field while sharing baseball revenue with the players 50/50 as we grow the game together,” MLB spokesman Glen Caplin said in a statement. “Further, by sharing media revenue equally as part of our proposal, we can address another top fan concern of local TV blackouts. We look forward to working with the MLBPA during the bargaining process to continue improving the game for the fans.”
The players’ union expressed concerns about returning to the contentious atmosphere of 1994, when a mid-season strike ultimately led to the cancellation of the World Series and continued until the start of the 1995 campaign.
“Yesterday, the MLBPA presented a comprehensive package of proposals designed to improve compensation for players at all levels, and to incentivize and reward competition on the field,” interim MLBPA executive director Bruce Meyer said in a statement.
“The owners responded today with a demand for a salary cap system, something generations of players have fought against. The last time the owners made such an explicit push for a cap — over 30 years ago — it led to the longest work stoppage in MLB history… Caps don’t lower ticket prices for fans, eliminate tanking or ensure teams are run with equal competence. They suffocate competition by offering owners an all-purpose excuse for inaction and mediocrity.”
During a Wednesday appearance on ESPN’s Pat McAfee Show, MLB commissioner Rob Manfred defended the ownership position by claiming it addresses fan concerns about competitive balance.
“We pay a lot of attention to what our fans are saying,” Manfred said. “The one thing that they’re the biggest on right now is the lack of competitive balance in the game. And I think that’s going to be the cornerstone issue of the negotiations with the MLBPA.”
Current season standings challenge this narrative, as four teams among the top 10 in payroll according to Spotrac — the Mets, Blue Jays, Houston Astros and Detroit Tigers — currently have losing records. In fact, 11 of the 18 highest-spending teams are performing below .500.
“We’ll continue our review of the owners’ proposal and stand ready to negotiate system improvements that benefit players and fans alike,” Meyer said.
Russia dismissed American warnings Thursday and restated its intention to carry out systematic attacks on Kyiv, despite harsh condemnation from the United States during a United Nations Security Council meeting.
The diplomatic confrontation occurred during a session that Ukraine requested following Moscow’s weekend assault involving hundreds of drones and missiles targeting Kyiv and surrounding regions.
The weekend attack featured deployment of a nuclear-capable Oreshnik intermediate-range ballistic missile, marking at least the third instance Russia has used this weapon against Ukraine since November 2024.
Deputy U.S. ambassador to the U.N. Tammy Bruce denounced Sunday’s assault and described Russia’s deployment of the Oreshnik as “an inexplicable, dangerous and barbaric escalation” of the conflict that began with Russia’s comprehensive invasion in February 2022.
“We caution Russia not to mount so-called systematic strikes against Kyiv, which risk further civilian casualties and setting back the prospect of peace,” Bruce stated.
The weekend bombardment resulted in at least two civilian deaths and approximately 100 injuries, according to reports. Moscow claimed the attack was retaliation for a Ukrainian strike on a student dormitory in Donetsk, the eastern region seized by Moscow-backed separatists in 2014.
Bruce’s remarks represented some of the strongest condemnation of Russia from the Trump administration, which has typically adopted a more conciliatory approach toward Russia compared to most U.S. allies.
The deputy ambassador did not specify potential U.S. responses should Moscow proceed with its threatened “systemic strikes.”
Russian Ambassador Vassily Nebenzia repeated Moscow’s claim that Sunday’s bombardment focused on crucial Ukrainian military and intelligence installations and renewed Russia’s commitment to strike “decision-making centers and command posts.”
“Since the above facilities are dispersed throughout Kyiv, we warned foreign citizens, including the staff of diplomatic missions and offices of international organizations, about the need to leave the city as soon as possible,” he stated.
U.N. Assistant Secretary-General Khaled Khiari expressed that the United Nations was “deeply concerned” about Russia’s promised “consistent and systemic strikes” against targets in Kyiv.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced Thursday that America plans to classify two Brazilian criminal organizations, PCC and Comando Vermelho, as “Foreign Terrorist Organizations” beginning June 5.
Brazil’s Lula administration has worked to prevent these classifications, fearing they could create opportunities for U.S. military intervention in Brazil or lead to sanctions against financial institutions that inadvertently conduct business with gang members.
Although the Foreign Terrorist Organization classification is scheduled to begin in June, the State Department immediately labeled both groups as “Specially Designated Global Terrorists” on Thursday, according to Rubio’s statement.
Rubio characterized these organizations as among Brazil’s “most violent criminal organizations” with influence and networks that span the region and reach into American territory.
“The Trump Administration will continue to use all available tools to protect our nation and our national security interests by keeping illicit drugs off our streets and disrupting the revenue streams funding violent narco-terrorists,” Rubio stated.
An investment management company based in Rhode Island has introduced a new exchange-traded fund strategy aimed at capitalizing on the automatic stock purchases that occur when companies join major market indexes.
Hedgeye Asset Management unveiled the Hedgeye Index Adds ETF on May 28, targeting the mandatory buying activity from index funds and portfolio managers who must adjust their holdings when benchmark providers modify major U.S. market indexes such as the Standard & Poor’s 500.
The fund’s launch comes just two weeks before the highly anticipated public stock offering of shares in the SpaceX company owned by entrepreneur who also founded Tesla. This upcoming deal could potentially value SpaceX at $1.75 trillion and is already influencing established rules about which companies qualify for inclusion in major market indexes. Earlier this year in late March, just before SpaceX announced its intention to trade publicly on the stock exchange, officials announced changes to listing requirements designed to prevent newly public large-scale companies from experiencing extended delays before joining major indexes.
This situation echoes a previous scenario involving another company founded by the same entrepreneur. When Tesla shares became publicly traded in 2010 and Standard & Poor’s later announced the company’s inclusion in the S&P 500, the decision sparked more than $50 billion in purchasing activity from index-tracking investors.
According to the investment firm’s prospectus, this type of market activity is exactly what Hedgeye aims to predict and profit from. The company plans to maintain positions in no more than 40 publicly traded companies whose shares either already qualify for index inclusion or may soon meet those requirements, then liquidate those positions on the first day of trading after the stocks join a target index.
“For decades this index inclusion trade has been the preserve of a small subset of the investment industry,” said Brooks Cutright, the new fund’s manager. He noted that this market opportunity has historically been unavailable to most individual investors.
Motorists traveling on southbound Interstate 95 are facing lane restrictions this morning due to ongoing construction activities. Two right lanes remain blocked along the stretch from the Christina River Bridge to the Newark Toll Plaza, with work expected to continue until 7 AM.
In addition to the lane closures, drivers should be aware that the EZ-Pass cash lanes at the Newark Toll Plaza are also temporarily shut down during the construction period.
The Delaware Department of Transportation advises travelers to plan for potential delays and consider alternate routes if possible during the morning commute.
Motorists traveling on southbound Route 9 should expect lane restrictions due to ongoing construction work affecting the right shoulder of the roadway.
The shoulder closure spans the section between Hamburg Road and Federal School Lane, with work expected to wrap up by 5 PM today.
Drivers are advised to use caution when traveling through the construction zone and allow extra time for potential delays.
Drivers using Interstate 495 southbound should expect delays near Naamans Road due to a lane restriction currently in effect.
The right shoulder of the southbound ramp has been shut down to accommodate surveying operations in the area. Transportation officials indicate the closure will remain in place until 5 p.m. today.
Motorists are advised to use caution when traveling through the work zone and allow extra time for their commute.
Officials in Cuba report that approximately 3 million residents deal with water shortages on a daily basis, a crisis they link to severe fuel shortages caused by what government leaders call a U.S. energy blockade. The information emerged during a government roundtable discussion held late Wednesday.
Cuba’s water infrastructure currently functions with just 37% of necessary fuel supplies as the nation grapples with its most serious energy emergency to date.
Antonio Rodríguez, who heads the state-operated National Institute of Water Resources, explained that the water sector faces particularly severe impacts since it ranks among the nation’s biggest energy users.
Information from the forum, which addressed intermittent water access affecting the country’s population of nearly 10 million, appeared Thursday on the government website Cubadebate.
Rodríguez explained that electricity powers water pumping operations, while fuel is essential for all agency functions including clearing blocked pipes, maintaining septic systems, and fixing water line breaks. The import of necessary chemicals has also stopped completely.
The agency previously bought equipment and materials valued at approximately $100 million each year, but last year’s purchases dropped to roughly $10 million due to a complete halt in credit availability, according to Rodríguez. Suppliers are delaying contracts while evaluating delivery timing and potential banking payment challenges, plus restrictions on shipping options, he noted.
The situation grows more complex due to deteriorating infrastructure and overloaded pumping facilities, particularly in major urban areas including Havana, Santiago de Cuba and Matanzas, Rodríguez stated. Numerous apartment buildings and high-rises also need electricity to operate pumps that move water to rooftop storage tanks.
While the water emergency isn’t entirely new, conditions have deteriorated significantly in recent months.
Beginning in January, the U.S. administration strengthened existing sanctions against Cuba while pushing for political changes on the island. U.S. President Donald Trump also issued late January warnings about potential tariffs on nations that sell or supply oil to Cuba, which only produces 40% of its fuel requirements.
Citizens who have already endured five years of economic hardship, rising prices and supply shortages now face daily electrical blackouts lasting as long as 20 hours.
Multiple Havana neighborhoods depend on tanker truck water deliveries, though service remains unreliable.
“It’s been five days since the water came in,” said Magaly Ribial, a 60-year-old teacher, speaking Thursday while gathering water from a tanker truck positioned near her residence in Old Havana.
At the same time, 95-year-old Dayse Izquierdo finds it difficult to transport water and depends on what neighbors share when the tanker truck, locally known as a “pipa,” makes its rounds.
Several residents reported traveling from distant parts of the city after learning that water trucks would visit particular neighborhoods.
“The water situation is widespread,” explained 55-year-old Carlos Molina. “I come from another municipality to collect water because there is none there.”
Rodríguez pointed out that solar panels and alternative energy sources power only a minimal fraction of agency operations.
Officials are working on an expedited solar energy initiative, though specialists emphasize that such technology demands significant financial investment.
WASHINGTON — Television stations owned by ABC nationwide are fighting back against federal communications regulators, condemning what they describe as an improper and unconstitutional early examination of their broadcasting permits as tensions escalate between the network and the Trump administration’s agency.
“It is an extraordinary demonstration of power and coercion directed at disfavored editorial voices which sends a clear warning to every broadcaster in America,” WABC in New York wrote in an objection that accompanied paperwork filed to comply with the FCC’s demand for early applications to renew licenses.
Television stations owned by ABC in seven additional markets submitted comparable protests. Federal communications officials did not immediately provide a response when asked for comment.
The protest represents part of an escalating clash between the FCC and one of the nation’s leading broadcast networks. Led by Chairman Brendan Carr, the regulatory body has initiated investigations into ABC covering topics ranging from the company’s diversity policies to how the network handled a 2024 presidential debate to programming choices on “The View.” President Donald Trump has also consistently demanded that late-night host Jimmy Kimmel be terminated.
However, the FCC’s decision in April to start premature evaluations of broadcasting permits for ABC-owned stations in eight local markets drew especially significant scrutiny. The permits for stations in Los Angeles, San Francisco, Houston, New York, Chicago and Philadelphia as well as Fresno, California, and Durham, North Carolina, were originally scheduled for renewal between 2028 and 2031.
Commissioner Anna Gomez, the FCC’s sole Democrat, has called the reviews an “egregious assault on the First Amendment.” On Thursday, she said she was glad to see the stations “expose the FCC’s actions as nothing more than naked political retribution and an unlawful assault on free speech and a free press.”
In its objection, WABC said the “ultimate injury here is not to the station or its parent company.”
“It is to the public,” the station said. “When a broadcaster must weigh regulatory retaliation before making editorial decisions, the public loses access to journalism that is free from government influence.”
This represents a dramatic change in ABC’s strategy toward political pressure from Washington. During the weeks before Trump’s return to office, the network agreed to a disputed $15 million defamation settlement, a decision that failed to reduce criticism from Trump and his supporters in subsequent years.
The network presented a stronger defense of free speech principles in documentation filed last month addressing an FCC examination of whether “The View” fell under equal time regulations. The agency contended that the law promoted additional speech, but ABC cautioned that open political dialogue was being suppressed by the Trump administration.
“The Commission’s actions threaten to upend decades of settled law and practice and chill critical protected speech, both with respect to The View and more broadly,” according to a filing on behalf of both KTRK-TV and ABC.
NEW YORK — Former advice columnist E. Jean Carroll faces a federal investigation into whether she provided false testimony during her lengthy court battle with President Donald Trump over allegations of sexual assault, according to sources familiar with the matter.
Carroll has spent nearly seven years in litigation with Trump regarding her claims that he sexually attacked her in a Manhattan department store dressing room in 1996. The legal proceedings have largely favored Carroll, with juries ruling against Trump and awarding her substantial monetary damages for his public statements questioning her truthfulness.
However, Trump’s Justice Department has now launched a probe into potential perjury by Carroll during the civil proceedings, a source told The Associated Press on condition of anonymity due to lack of authorization to discuss the ongoing matter. The investigation focuses on Carroll’s deposition testimony regarding the financing of her legal representation.
The legal saga began when Carroll publicly revealed her assault allegations in June 2019 through an excerpt from her upcoming memoir “What Do We Need Men For?” published in New York magazine. She detailed encountering Trump at Bergdorf Goodman, engaging in flirtation, and then defending herself during a sexual attack in a fitting room.
Trump responded with vehement denials of the accusations. “I’ve never met this person in my life. She is trying to sell a new book — that should be sold in the fiction section,” he stated. He also declared, “Number one, she’s not my type. Number two, it never happened.”
Carroll initiated a defamation lawsuit in 2019, asserting that Trump’s dismissal of her account as fabricated had “smeared her integrity, honesty and dignity — all in the national press.” This case became stalled for years due to disputes over whether Trump’s denial constituted official presidential duties, with Trump arguing his federal employee status protected him from the defamation claim.
When Carroll first filed suit, statutes of limitations prevented her from pursuing the underlying sexual assault allegations due to the passage of time. New York’s 2022 legal reforms created new opportunities for sexual abuse survivors to file claims regarding historical incidents. Carroll quickly utilized this change, filing fresh litigation accusing Trump of rape and addressing his post-presidency statements about her.
This second lawsuit progressed more rapidly through the court system, reaching trial in New York City during 2023. Trump declined to appear, allowing his attorneys to present his defense. The jury determined that while Carroll had not established rape under New York’s legal definition, Trump had committed sexual abuse. Jurors also concluded he made false statements damaging her reputation, resulting in a $5 million award for Carroll.
A second trial occurred in January 2024, with a federal judge overseeing proceedings to assess additional defamatory statements by Trump. The scope was limited since sexual assault had already been established, focusing solely on reputational damage from Trump’s credibility attacks and assault denials.
Trump participated in this second trial, providing approximately three minutes of testimony. “She said something that I considered to be a false accusation,” he informed the jury, adding, “I just wanted to defend myself, my family and, frankly, the presidency.”
Carroll described receiving numerous death threats following Trump’s repeated challenges to her account. The second jury again ruled for Carroll, granting her over $83 million in damages.
Carroll has not yet collected any awarded funds as Trump’s appeals continue through the court system. The 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals recently addressed questions about Carroll’s honesty regarding legal fee arrangements while reviewing one appeal.
Trump’s legal team had alleged Carroll concealed that her attorneys received funding from an organization supported by Reid Hoffman, the co-founder of LinkedIn. The appeals judges found no evidence suggesting Carroll participated in this funding arrangement or deliberately misled questioners during her 2020 deposition about legal fee payments.
“It showed that Ms. Carroll simply was not involved in the matter of who was or was not funding her litigation costs,” the appeals court stated.
A spokesperson for Carroll’s attorney declined to provide comment on Thursday.
A Manhattan courtroom was notably empty Thursday when Randy Santos received his sentence for the brutal murders of four homeless men he attacked with a metal pipe while they slept on city streets.
No family members or friends were present to share memories of Florencio Moran, Nazario Vásquez Villegas, Anthony Manson, or Chuen Kok, whose lives were cut short during Santos’ violent spree through Manhattan’s Chinatown area nearly seven years ago. Nobody was there to confront Santos directly about his mental illness-driven attacks or witness his apology.
Nobody watched as he received a sentence of 40 years to life behind bars.
“There are no victim impact statements here today. There’s nobody here to tell this court about their lives and how their absence is a loss,” Manhattan Assistant District Attorney Alfred Peterson told Judge Laura A. Ward.
“But I’m certain this court and this city understands the value of every life, and the gift of life that we’re afforded to live and make choices and have free will,” Peterson said, haltingly and emotionally at times. “That gift was taken away by Randy Santos.”
Santos, who was found guilty in February of first-degree murder, sat quietly with his court-appointed attorneys, using headphones to hear a Spanish interpreter translate the proceedings. A Chinatown activist who had organized Kok’s funeral observed from the gallery, sitting near Santos’ family members.
Speaking to the court in English, the 31-year-old defendant asked for a shorter sentence that would give him the chance to “be somebody” once released from prison.
Santos explained to the judge that his mental state — which defense attorneys said had convinced him he needed to murder 40 people or face death himself — “is much better now” thanks to daily medication. He vowed to spend his incarceration completing his education, improving his English skills, and learning job skills.
“I just want to say, I’m very sorry for what I did,” Santos said. “I apologize to the people for what I did. I feel very bad about what I did. I wish it never happened.”
Ward characterized Santos’ situation as representing the “coming together of three horrible symptoms of this city: homelessness, mental illness and narcotics abuse.” She noted these factors “are the constant in all our violent crime cases.”
Peterson described the case as “a study in how the life of a young man can go off track so horribly,” adding that Santos “clearly has his own challenges in life, much like the victims.”
During the trial, Santos’ defense team contended that his schizophrenia diagnosis, which came months prior to the killings, had filled his mind with irrational beliefs and made him violent. They unsuccessfully attempted to persuade jurors that he bore no criminal responsibility for the murders and should receive psychiatric treatment rather than imprisonment.
Since his arrest, Santos has moved between jail and psychiatric facilities multiple times.
“We ask that Mr. Santos not be sentenced to die in prison,” defense lawyer Arnold Levine told Ward, requesting a 20-year to life sentence. “He is not incorrigible or beyond redemption or hope.”
Ward expressed sympathy for Santos but said she struggled with the “difficult time getting past the fact that Mr. Santos targeted the most vulnerable people in our society. People who were doing nothing but sleeping on the street, homeless.”
The prosecution had sought a 50-year to life sentence. Beyond the murder convictions, Santos was also found guilty of attempted murder for attacks that seriously wounded two additional men.
Prior to announcing the sentence, Ward reviewed surveillance footage of the assaults. The video evidence included scenes of Santos repeatedly raising a 4-foot (1.2 meter) metal bar above his head before striking one victim’s head.
Witnesses included a couple on a date who observed Santos attacking another man with the same weapon, which he had picked up from the street, according to prosecutors. The only person to survive the 30-minute attack spree, 49-year-old David Hernandez, who was critically wounded, managed to reach a nearby street where officers were attempting to save another Santos victim.
Officers apprehended Santos while he was still carrying the blood-covered bar. Laboratory analysis revealed his DNA on one end and victims’ blood on the other, prosecutors stated. The victims’ ages spanned from 39 to 83 years old.
Following Santos’ removal from the courtroom in handcuffs, Chinatown activist Karlin Chan expressed that the sentencing provides the community with closure.
“He knew what he was doing,” Chan said, rejecting Santos’ apology as insincere. “At the end of the day here, he’s going to a place where he deserves to be: jail.”
A vehicle collision has resulted in the closure of the left lane on southbound Interstate 95 at West Basin Road, according to traffic officials.
The crash has created traffic delays for drivers traveling south on the interstate. Authorities are working to clear the scene and restore normal traffic flow.
Motorists are advised to exercise caution when approaching the area and consider using alternate routes to avoid potential backups.
North Korea appears unwilling to pursue diplomatic engagement with the United States, South Korea, or Japan, choosing instead to concentrate on strengthening its military capabilities and achieving greater self-sufficiency, according to Singapore’s foreign minister following his recent visit to the isolated nation.
Speaking to Singaporean media on Thursday, Vivian Balakrishnan shared his observations from visits to both North and South Korea on May 26 and 27, marking his first trip to North Korea since 2018, according to a transcript released by the foreign ministry.
“What’s clear is that they’re certainly in a closer relationship now with Russia. China remains indispensable to it, but they are not yet ready to open up significant channels of communication with the United States or with ROK and Japan at this point in time,” he stated.
Both U.S. President Donald Trump and South Korean President Lee Jae Myung have consistently shown willingness to engage in discussions with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.
The relationship between Pyongyang and Moscow has strengthened significantly in recent years, particularly after North Korea deployed thousands of soldiers to support Russian military operations in Kursk. Meanwhile, Beijing has worked to strengthen its influence over Pyongyang, with passenger train routes and air travel between the neighboring countries resuming in recent months.
Balakrishnan observed North Korea’s “outright, categorical rejection of reunification” with South Korea, representing a notable change from his previous visit to the country. He also commented on the development he witnessed in Pyongyang despite the nation’s increasing isolation from the international community.
“It’s a city which would fit in with any modern city throughout Southeast Asia, or even Northeast Asia, for that matter,” he remarked.
North Korea has amended its constitution to establish its territorial boundaries as adjacent to South Korea while eliminating language about reunification, according to a draft document examined by Reuters this month. This change reflects leader Kim Jong Un’s strategy to position the two Koreas as distinct nations.
South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Hyun, who met with Balakrishnan on Thursday, stated that there are currently no signs North Korea plans to resume negotiations, though his Singaporean colleague’s discussions in Pyongyang provided a chance to communicate Seoul’s dedication to peaceful coexistence.
In an interview with the Yonhap news agency published Friday, Cho expressed his belief that North Korea will eventually engage in dialogue with the U.S. “if the price is right.”
On Thursday, South Korea’s foreign ministry announced that Cho requested Singapore and ASEAN’s assistance in efforts to restart dialogue with North Korea.
Balakrishnan revealed he extended an invitation to North Korean Foreign Minister Choe Son Hui to participate in the ASEAN Regional Forum and urged them to seek suitable opportunities for continued engagement with the international community.
A major American law firm is making a massive financial commitment to artificial intelligence technology, announcing plans to spend $500 million developing its own custom AI system.
Kirkland & Ellis, which reported $10.6 billion in revenue last year, revealed Thursday it will spread the investment across three to four years, beginning with $100 million in 2026. The Chicago-founded firm employs thousands of attorneys worldwide.
While the company plans to continue using some existing third-party AI software, officials declined to specify which generative AI technology would power their custom platform.
The legal industry has become a major battleground for AI adoption as firms seek to improve efficiency in their operations and legal services. Some major firms have partnered with AI startups to create specialized legal tools. Last month, London-based Freshfields announced a collaboration with Anthropic’s legal team to build AI applications for legal services.
Kirkland’s new platform will incorporate input from 250 of the firm’s attorneys and involve more than 180 technology specialists both within and outside the organization. The Financial Times initially reported details of the initiative.
Legal industry executives recently told Reuters there’s growing interest in custom-built AI solutions for specific business and legal functions, along with ongoing discussions about internal versus external development approaches.
Andrew Johnson, chief information officer at law firm Brownstein Hyatt, noted the shift in thinking about custom development.
“I would say that’s largely not the case anymore,” he said, referring to previous resistance to in-house development five years ago.
However, increased AI usage among attorneys brings significant challenges, including data protection issues and the technology’s tendency to create false case references, misrepresent legal precedents, or generate fictional legal sources. Federal judges have penalized lawyers in numerous instances where attorneys relied on AI for research or document preparation without proper verification.
Wall Street firm Sullivan & Cromwell issued an apology to a federal judge last month after submitting court documents containing incorrect citations and other AI-generated mistakes.
First-year standout Elsa Morrison connected on the initial pitch thrown her way, sending it sailing beyond the center field wall for a three-run blast in the second frame, propelling Tennessee to a 6-3 victory over reigning national champion Texas during Thursday’s Women’s College World Series action in Oklahoma City.
Tennessee pitcher Sage Mardjetko (15-2) earned the victory after delivering four scoreless frames while silencing Texas’s potent offensive attack. Her postseason performance includes 16 strikeouts across 13 2/3 innings pitched.
Texas’s SEC Player of the Year Katie Stewart struggled at the plate, going without a hit in three trips to the batter’s box.
Morrison added a double that bounced off the wall’s top during the sixth inning, finishing 2-for-3 while nearly connecting for her second long ball of the contest.
Tennessee’s Taelyn Holley crossed home plate twice, helping the team get revenge for their 2-0 defeat against Texas in last year’s WCWS semifinal round.
These clutch performances from Morrison are becoming routine. She previously delivered a game-winning homer against Northern Kentucky in regional play and now owns seven round-trippers this campaign.
Texas narrowed the gap to 5-3 during the bottom of the sixth inning. Gold Glove senior catcher and cleanup hitter Reese Atwood put Texas on the scoreboard first, followed by second baseman Leighann Goode’s clutch two-out performance. Goode connected on a two-run blast to center field against Tennessee’s Karlyn Pickens, who registered a record-setting 78 mph delivery — equivalent to 109 mph from a major league pitching distance.
Pickens and Tennessee (48-10) will next face Texas Tech and their starter NiJaree Canady on Friday, competing for a semifinal berth. The Red Raiders dominated with an 8-0 victory in five innings during Thursday’s WCWS opener.
Texas will battle Mississippi State in an elimination contest, after Mississippi State managed just two hits and failed to score Thursday against Texas Tech.
Artificial intelligence development may become a key catalyst for expanding Middle East diplomatic partnerships, according to two prominent technology leaders who see enormous potential in regional cooperation.
Judah Taub, managing partner at Hetz Ventures, and Ofer Shacham, co-founder and CEO of Majestic Labs, believe that merging Gulf nations’ abundant energy resources with Israeli technological capabilities could position the Middle East as a major player in the global AI revolution.
Speaking to journalists during a dinner meeting in Jerusalem this week, Shacham emphasized the region’s unique advantages. “This region is primed for an AI upgrade,” Shacham stated. “The whole Gulf region has energy. Israel has the technology and the talent … Everybody basically wants to work together to build the next AI revolution in this region. It’s going to happen eventually.”
The executives highlighted how different areas bring complementary strengths to potential partnerships. Shacham noted that “together we are able to solve a much bigger problem than each one of us separately.” He pointed out that the region hasn’t yet achieved the AI adoption levels seen elsewhere globally, creating significant opportunities for rapid expansion.
A crucial factor in AI development is electrical power consumption. Taub explained that many people don’t understand how much electricity countries need to dedicate to AI technology to remain competitive.
“When you hear of AWS [Amazon Web Services], Google, Anthropic, and OpenAI, they all are now talking about how many gigawatts of AI they’re going to create, because they’re slowly realizing that the number one issue they’re all going to run into is that there simply isn’t enough electricity,” Taub said.
To illustrate the scale, Taub compared current AI power demands to scientific research facilities. While CERN experiments use approximately 0.2 to 0.3 gigawatts at peak capacity, OpenAI is planning data centers requiring about 1 gigawatt for continuous year-round operation. Starlink has projected needs of 10 gigawatts, and Elon Musk has discussed figures reaching 100 gigawatts, with each gigawatt roughly equal to powering 1 million homes.
Israel’s total electricity generation capacity stands at around 27 gigawatts, according to Taub. He predicts that once regional conflicts end and collaboration with additional Gulf countries like Saudi Arabia becomes possible, “one of the first things that moves forward is a regional collaboration for AI.”
Taub described energy as something Saudi Arabia possesses in abundance, while Israel’s technological knowledge makes such partnerships naturally beneficial for both sides.
Beyond electricity generation, companies must consider hardware requirements and emerging regulations that may restrict advanced AI technology sales. Manufacturing companies like Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company and Nvidia play critical roles in this ecosystem.
“Governments have realized that these are, to an extent, the nuclear facilities of the future, and by selling some of these, you’re helping people that you might not want to leapfrog or do things that they otherwise can’t,” Taub explained.
Shacham’s company, Majestic Labs, which began operations just one month after the October 7, 2023, massacre, is working to revolutionize server architecture. The company aims to replace multiple hardware racks with single, more efficient systems.
“We started Majestic Labs to build AI infrastructure for the world with that notion and vision of ubiquitous AI; we want to bring it to everyone,” Shacham said.
Current AI infrastructure typically requires approximately 40 refrigerator-sized racks of Nvidia equipment, as Taub described. Majestic Labs is working to compress that capability into something closer to microwave-sized units.
Memory has emerged as a major industry constraint, with only a few companies manufacturing the necessary components. Nations are increasingly competing for memory supply and related technologies, which forms a central principle behind Majestic Labs’ approach.
“What Majestic gives you is 10 times, 50 times, sometimes 100 times more users per kilowatt invested in that data center,” Shacham detailed. “Ten times to 100 times more users per $1 million invested in that data center, that’s our advantage.”
According to the company’s website: “One Majestic rack holds the fast memory capacity of 25 Nvidia NVL72 Vera Rubin racks at a fraction of the power. Organizations that could never justify hyperscaler infrastructure can now run any workload.”
Shacham reported that the company expects to ship its initial servers next year and has already secured orders valued at hundreds of millions of dollars. Data centers and foundational AI companies are searching for methods to boost revenue and efficiency from investments that already require massive capital commitments.
Israel has earned recognition for constructing high-quality, optimized data centers, Taub noted. The country particularly excels in application layer development—the software that operates on top of platforms like OpenAI or Anthropic.
“We’re seeing an explosion of apps,” he observed.
Taub’s Hetz Ventures focuses on early-stage investments in Israeli companies developing fundamental cybersecurity and AI infrastructure components—the underlying systems that determine whether everything built above them functions properly.
“We’re typically the first check, the first ticket into these startups,” Taub said. “We’re writing tickets anywhere from the smallest, which will be a million dollars, and up to maybe 10 million. It really depends on the company, and we’re doing this somewhere between six and eight times a year.”
The venture capital firm has achieved several significant successes, including Granulate, which Hetz initially funded at a $6.4 million valuation before Intel acquired it for $650 million. Intel discontinued Granulate in 2024.
Hetz also provided seed funding for Israeli cybersecurity startup Silk Security, which Armis Security purchased in April 2024 for $150 million.
Shacham explained that Israel became a global technology leader, rather than focusing on industries like automobile manufacturing, partly due to its size and partly because moving software, digital products, and intellectual property is much easier than transporting physical goods when a country faces constant conflict and challenging geographical circumstances.
“Half of my company is in the US. I work with Europe, I work with Paris. I work with the Gulf States. They are fighting over us because what we have is easily transferable and very hard to come by,” Shacham said.
He added that working with Gulf States offers the additional benefit of compatible time zones, eliminating the need for anyone to work overnight hours for regional collaboration.
“The biggest market for Israeli technology is still going to be the US and Europe … but there is a cherry on top, because if the Abraham Accords can continue, if there is more stability in the region, this region as a whole could be very prosperous,” Shacham said.
While acknowledging that Saudi Arabia demonstrates clear interest in modernization and technology investment, Shacham admitted that Majestic Labs hasn’t yet converted that interest into signed agreements. However, he confirmed that discussions are already underway.
“For this region to be successful, you need to create business opportunities together,” Shacham concluded. “We need to work together so that we break down those walls, because that’s not going to come from the political aspects. It’s going to come from companies wanting to do stuff together … I think it’s pretty soon that we will have that.”
WASHINGTON — The former first lady shares candid reflections about her husband’s challenging debate against Donald Trump in her upcoming memoir, questioning whether being more transparent about his condition might have been the better approach instead of offering reassurance to supporters.
The Democratic candidate’s showing during that debate became a turning point in his reelection campaign, heightening worries about whether the then-81-year-old was capable of serving another four years. Facing mounting pressure from his own party, he eventually withdrew from the race and backed his vice president, Kamala Harris, who ultimately fell to the Republican Trump.
Her memoir “View from the East Wing,” chronicling her White House experience and set for release next Tuesday, reveals she remains puzzled by her husband’s struggles during that crucial evening.
The Associated Press secured an advance copy of the 274-page manuscript, which contains her first public remarks about the debate and the subsequent events that led Joe Biden to return to private life in Delaware earlier than planned.
The memoir also discusses his prostate cancer diagnosis following his departure from office and their son Hunter’s federal gun charges trial, along with other matters from Joe Biden’s presidency and how she balanced first lady duties with her teaching responsibilities.
According to Jill Biden, her husband appeared “bleary” in their Atlanta hotel room before the debate. Despite her confidence that he would perform well since major events typically energized him, she noticed problems immediately when the CNN-hosted event started. “I immediately noticed that Joe didn’t look good. He didn’t seem himself from the opening,” she wrote.
Early in the debate, he made an odd comment about “we finally beat Medicare.”
“Is he short-circuiting? I thought,” she documented. “Is this a stroke? It felt like we were watching an AI hologram of the man we knew, and the hologram was glitching.”
She questioned whether he had been given something harmful or was having a medical crisis.
While he showed improvement as the debate continued, “but not enough to reassure me or anyone watching that he was okay. He clearly wasn’t,” Jill Biden explained. “I’d never seen that look on his face before in my life.”
After leaving the stage, he quietly admitted to her using strong language that he had failed, which she interpreted as “a sign of his having returned to himself.”
“To this day, I still don’t know what happened,” she documented. They participated in a post-debate event and visited a Waffle House before heading to North Carolina for the following day’s scheduled appearance.
While the White House and close associates explained at the time that he was battling a cold, Jill Biden now questions whether they should have been honest about what viewers witnessed — “that he looked very unwell in that debate.”
“The biggest lesson for us, I think, was that if you don’t explain something well enough then the question won’t go away,” she noted. “There was never a satisfying enough explanation offered for Joe’s debate performance, and a lot of people never got over it.”
The debate performance confirmed many voters’ worries that he was too advanced in age to continue as president. It triggered renewed demands for him to step aside as the party’s nominee as fellow Democrats worried about a Trump presidency if Biden stayed in the race.
The calls for his withdrawal began before the debate concluded and, “in the days to come, it would grow louder and louder,” Jill Biden documented.
Over 1.5 million Muslim worshippers wrapped up their sacred Hajj journey in Saudi Arabia during Wednesday and Thursday as the festival of Eid al-Adha commenced amid dangerous temperatures and ongoing regional conflicts affecting much of the Islamic world.
The holy sites experienced sweltering conditions with thermometers reaching beyond 107 degrees Fahrenheit, or 42 degrees Celsius, compelling pilgrims to seek protection through umbrellas, water bottles, cooling stations, and covered pathways while traveling among Mecca, Muzdalifah, and Mina. Officials in Saudi Arabia advised worshippers to limit sun exposure, maintain proper hydration, and heed medical guidance following the deadly 2024 Hajj tragedy that claimed over 1,300 lives during severe heat conditions.
This sacred journey, representing one of the five fundamental practices of Islam, culminated after worship services at Mount Arafat, where faithful believers pursued divine forgiveness and spiritual rebirth. Participants subsequently gathered stones for the ceremonial stoning ritual representing the devil in Mina, a tradition connected to the Prophet Ibrahim’s resistance to temptation and essential to Hajj’s concluding ceremonies.
The current year’s Eid al-Adha celebration, typically characterized by family reunions, ritual animal offerings, and charitable meat distribution to those in need, began with a more somber atmosphere across various regional areas.
Palestinian communities in Gaza observed the religious holiday for the third consecutive year without traditional sacrificial animals as ongoing warfare, population displacement, sealed borders, and worsening hunger concerns continue transforming everyday existence. In Lebanon, escalating hostilities between Israel and Hezbollah displaced additional civilians from southern communities, forcing numerous families to commemorate the holiday in emergency accommodations.
Additional regional conflicts and political instability influenced Eid celebrations throughout other areas. In Sudan, Yemen, and Syria, prolonged warfare and governmental breakdown have resulted in millions experiencing starvation, forced relocation, or losing family members and residences. Across Gulf regions, worries regarding Iranian military actions and maritime threats in the Strait of Hormuz created additional anxiety during a holiday traditionally focused on generosity and community bonds.
Saudi Arabian pilgrims continued demonstrating religious devotion, solidarity, and perseverance despite challenging circumstances. Many Muslims in other locations began Eid al-Adha following customary patterns of prayer and family responsibilities, though the pressures of conflict, instability, and financial difficulties remained constantly present.
Iran announced Thursday that its Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps launched an attack on a US airbase following American military strikes near Bandar Abbas, as Kuwait reported shooting down incoming missiles and drones in the latest escalation threatening a delicate Gulf ceasefire.
According to the IRGC, the counter-strike occurred at 4:50 a.m. local time in response to what they called an early-morning American attack near Bandar Abbas airport, a crucial location on Iran’s southern coastline adjacent to the Strait of Hormuz. The Revolutionary Guard did not reveal which American installation they claimed to have attacked, and no immediate public verification emerged confirming any US base was struck, damaged, or suffered casualties.
Kuwaiti military forces announced their air defense systems were actively countering missile and drone attacks, alerting citizens they might hear explosions as defensive measures engaged incoming threats. Kuwait, which maintains alliance with the US and provides hosting for American military personnel, refrained from publicly blaming Iran for the assault or confirming whether any base was the intended objective.
These incidents occurred after fresh US military operations within Iranian territory. An American official confirmed US forces attacked a military installation near Bandar Abbas and destroyed multiple Iranian suicide drones close to the Strait of Hormuz, including a command center reportedly preparing additional launches. Washington characterized these operations as protective measures designed to safeguard US personnel and maritime commerce.
The military confrontation unfolded while President Donald Trump rejected reports suggesting an emerging agreement regarding oversight of the Strait of Hormuz, the critical shipping channel that handles a significant portion of global maritime oil transport. Interruptions in this waterway have already contributed to rising energy costs and created anxiety among Gulf nations hoping to prevent a wider regional conflict.
GREENBURGH, N.Y. — The New York Knicks have assembled an impressive postseason campaign, but they must capture one additional series to cement their legacy among basketball’s elite squads.
Should they secure four more victories — and do so efficiently — the Knicks would earn recognition alongside legendary championship teams like the Lakers featuring Shaquille O’Neal and Kobe Bryant, or the Stephen Curry-Kevin Durant Warriors dynasty.
However, should they lose to Oklahoma City or San Antonio in the NBA Finals, they face the possibility of being viewed as a squad that dominated inferior Eastern Conference competition but couldn’t deliver when the stakes reached their peak.
The team resumed training Thursday following their first practice since completing a sweep of Cleveland in the Eastern Conference finals, pledging to maintain their focus regardless of external commentary about their performance or their opponents’ quality.
“When there’s negative things being said about you, it’s important to ignore them. When there’s positive things about you it’s easy to be able to read them to make you feel good, but you can’t do one and not the other,” Jalen Brunson said. “So just block out as best you can.”
New York has compiled a 12-2 postseason record, averaging a 19.4-point victory margin while extending their current winning streak to 11 games. This streak matches the third-longest consecutive wins within a single playoff campaign.
The 2001 Lakers achieved the same 11-game streak during their 15-1 championship season, falling just short of Golden State’s historic 16-1 performance in 2017. O’Neal, who earned MVP honors during that Lakers title run and currently works as an ESPN analyst, has endorsed this Knicks team.
“They are so good I owe the whole state and all five boroughs of New York an apology,” he said during an appearance on “The Rich Eisen Show.”
“They are really good. They have it. It reminds me of that Detroit team that beat us my last year there (in 2004). They just got a bunch of guys that are just together.”
Critics would highlight how circumstances aligned to create a path to the NBA Finals that made the Knicks appear dominant without facing elite competition.
Beginning with the regular season’s final day, when Atlanta chose to rest key players and lost the opportunity to claim the No. 5 seed. Rather than meeting Toronto or Orlando — stronger defensive clubs that could have secured the No. 6 position and potentially worn them down physically — the Knicks instead faced the Hawks, a team emphasizing skill over physicality.
New York captured the series’ final three contests to win in six games, discovering their favorable circumstances were only starting.
Boston surrendered a 3-1 series advantage to Philadelphia, meaning instead of beginning on the road versus the second-seeded Celtics, the Knicks faced the No. 7 76ers, who arrived in New York with minimal rest and appeared exhausted from the opening tip. New York dominated them 137-98 in Game 1, Joel Embiid was unable to compete in Game 2 due to soreness, and the series concluded quickly.
Cleveland’s victory over Detroit in the Eastern Conference semifinals provided the Knicks home-court advantage against another weary opponent. Rather than confronting the top-seeded Pistons, who had defeated them decisively in all three regular season encounters, the Knicks hosted the No. 4 Cavaliers — a team coming off consecutive seven-game series with the same limited rest period as the 76ers.
Cleveland acknowledged their exhaustion nearly as much as New York’s skill level in post-series comments, with James Harden unable to determine if the Knicks were truly superior.
“Obviously they dominated us 4-0 but I don’t know if I can necessarily answer that question just because genuinely I do feel like we are the better team, but series-wise it didn’t show it,” he said.
The Knicks will maintain a rest advantage entering the finals, though not as pronounced as before. They must begin on the road against a team expected to be favored. Las Vegas Aces coach Becky Hammon, referencing her earlier statements about the 6-foot-2 Brunson that a team couldn’t capture a championship behind a smaller player, stated the “two best teams are probably in the West, but I’m up for being proven wrong.”
The championship series will provide the definitive verdict.
“Lot of questions, lot of talk about how great we are, how great we’ve been. All that doesn’t matter,” guard Mikal Bridges said. “We’ve just got to worry about being ourselves and stay locked in and go win.”
A traffic collision has resulted in the closure of the right lane on northbound US-13 at Paddock Road.
The crash is causing traffic delays in the area as authorities work to clear the scene. Drivers traveling through this section of the highway should anticipate slower traffic conditions and may want to seek alternative routes if possible.
No additional details about the crash have been released at this time.
Years of reduced investment in a majority Black St. Louis community made residents particularly susceptible to damage from tornadoes that struck the area last year. Community advocates now express concern that property ownership levels could decline in the aftermath.
The lack of long-term investment in the neighborhood’s infrastructure and housing stock left many homes more vulnerable when severe weather hit the area twelve months ago.
Recovery efforts have been slow to reach the affected community, raising questions about whether residents will be able to rebuild and maintain their properties in the coming years.
Professional basketball’s governing body has given the green light to major reforms of its draft lottery system on Thursday, designed to discourage teams from intentionally losing games to improve their chances at top draft picks.
The league’s Board of Governors officially endorsed the new system for the upcoming three seasons. This “3-2-1 Lottery” format will include 16 teams and reduce the advantages previously given to clubs with the poorest records by flattening the probability structure for securing the top selection.
While the weakest teams can still claim the lottery victory, the mathematics now work against them. The bottom three franchises will each hold just 5.4% probability of winning, whereas clubs finishing with the fourth through tenth-worst records will each possess 8.1% chances of claiming the top spot.
“Since October, the league office has met with key stakeholders to discuss current competitive incentives and solicit ideas aimed at discouraging tanking,” the league said Thursday in announcing the move. “That process led to the creation of the 3-2-1 Lottery.”
According to ESPN’s reporting, the decision passed with Memphis providing the single opposing vote in a 29-1 tally.
Thursday’s decision delivered on a commitment made by Commissioner Adam Silver, who had pledged the organization would take decisive action against tanking practices before the upcoming season begins. The league has modified its lottery structure approximately six times over the past four decades.
Beginning with the next lottery drawing, the 16 eligible franchises will receive between one and three lottery balls distributed as follows:
— Teams that lose in the No. 7 versus No. 8 play-in matchups from each conference receive one lottery ball.
— The No. 9 and No. 10 seeded teams entering the play-in tournament receive two lottery balls each.
— The other 10 clubs missing both playoffs and play-in competition receive three lottery balls, except for the three teams with the worst standings. These bottom franchises enter “draft relegation” and forfeit one lottery ball as the anti-tanking mechanism.
Deliberate losing became a significant and unwelcome storyline this season from the league’s perspective. Utah received a $500,000 penalty “for conduct detrimental to the league” related to keeping two star players on the bench during fourth quarters of two contests, including one game Utah actually won. The franchise had motivation to restrict victories this year, as too many wins could have jeopardized their opportunity for a top-eight draft position, which Utah ultimately obtained.
Utah joined four other clubs — lottery champion Washington, Indiana, Memphis and Brooklyn — posting winning percentages under .180 following the All-Star break. No previous season had witnessed so many teams losing at such rates after the midseason break.
The revised system ensures teams with the three poorest records cannot drop below the No. 12 selection. However, the highest probability for claiming the top pick shifts to the remaining seven clubs that miss playoff and play-in qualification.
The No. 9 and No. 10 play-in seeds would also hold 5.4% odds of lottery victory, while the losing teams from No. 7 versus No. 8 play-in contests would each have 2.7% chances.
Additional provisions within the new framework include preventing any franchise from capturing consecutive No. 1 picks and granting the league “expanded disciplinary authority” for addressing tanking behavior, potentially including reduced lottery odds or altered draft positions.
These regulations remain active through 2029. The Board of Governors must vote again before the 2030 lottery to either continue the current system or develop alternative measures.
ANNAPOLIS, MD – Agricultural officials have granted farmers additional time to complete cover crop termination activities, moving the deadline to June 5, 2026, according to an announcement made on May 28, 2026.
The Maryland Department of Agriculture made the decision to extend the timeframe for participants in the 2025-2026 Cover Crop Program after persistent rainfall created waterlogged field conditions throughout large portions of the state.
The weather-related challenges have prevented farmers from accessing their properties to complete the required termination of fall-planted cover crops within the previously established timeframe.
Maryland’s Department of Natural Resources is calling on residents and visitors to keep watch for marine mammals and sea turtles while enjoying coastal and tidal waters during the summer season and into early fall.
Seasonal marine wildlife including dolphins, manatees, sea turtles, and whales frequently visit the Chesapeake Bay and its tidal tributaries, along with the Atlantic Ocean and coastal bays.
People who spot distressed or injured marine mammals or sea turtles in Maryland waters should call the Maryland Natural Resources Police Hotline at 800-628-9944 or use an online reporting form for deceased animals. Those fishing, boating, or visiting beaches should watch particularly for animals that are stranded, dead, sick, injured, or entangled.
“Maryland has 3,190 miles of tidal coastline, and without reports from the public, it would be impossible to monitor every waterway,” said Stranding Response Program Director Amanda Weschler. “Each stranded animal- and the select necropsies we perform- provides valuable information that contributes to the scientific understanding of marine mammals and sea turtles in Maryland.”
Maryland’s Marine Mammal and Sea Turtle Stranding Response Program has documented more than 1,630 stranding reports since beginning operations in 1990. Summer months through early fall see increased reports of marine mammal and sea turtle observations, including occasional West Indian manatees (Trichechus manatus). Though uncommon, West Indian manatee sightings can occur in Maryland, as the species is considered out-of-habitat in the state. The most recent stranded manatee in Maryland was reported in April 2025.
The Standing Response Program helps enforce federal protections including the Marine Mammal Protection Act and the Endangered Species Act that protect these marine species. Through necropsies conducted on deceased animals, the program collects critical information about individual animal health, coastal population status, and Maryland’s overall marine environment condition.
Various factors cause marine animals to strand, including advanced age, illness, blunt force trauma from vessel strikes, predation, fishing gear entanglement, and parasites.
Not every reported animal undergoes necropsy due to considerations like decomposition level, available resources, and stranding site accessibility and safety. When necropsy isn’t possible, program staff gather basic data, location details, and photographs. The deceased animal may remain at the stranding location for natural decomposition, which benefits the ecosystem. Other disposal options include on-site burial or transport to approved disposal facilities, based on circumstances and local rules. Contact information for those needing disposal assistance is available on the DNR website.
The department emphasizes that anyone finding a stranded marine animal, whether living or dead, should keep a safe and respectful distance while documenting details including photographs, location data, and the animal’s condition for reporting purposes.
The NAACP has launched an initiative linking Black student athletes to voting rights advocacy through their Out of Bounds campaign. The organization’s President and CEO Derrick Johnson recently spoke about this effort that aims to address voting rights concerns in certain states.
During a conversation with NPR’s Juana Summers, Johnson explained his organization’s strategy that connects athletic participation with voting access issues. The campaign represents the civil rights organization’s latest approach to addressing what they view as threats to electoral participation.
The Out of Bounds initiative specifically focuses on the role of Black student athletes in the broader conversation about voting rights protections across various states.
For the first time since baseball’s devastating 1994-95 strike, Major League Baseball owners have put forward a salary cap proposal
On Thursday, Major League Baseball ownership presented their anticipated salary cap proposal to the players’ union, introducing a system that the union has pledged to reject outright. This development puts both sides on a collision course that could jeopardize the 2027 season and potentially future seasons. Baseball’s ownership hasn’t put forth a hard cap since 1994, when their previous attempt led to a 7 1/2-month work stoppage that resulted in the World Series being canceled for the first time in nine decades. Under the new proposal, team spending would be limited to $245.3 million in 2027, while establishing a minimum spending requirement of $171.2 million.
Basketball league approves major revisions to draft lottery system to discourage tanking
The NBA has given the green light to significant modifications in the draft lottery structure that will prevent teams with the poorest records from having the strongest chances at securing the top draft selection. These modifications received approval on Thursday primarily as a measure to combat deliberate losing. The league’s Board of Governors officially endorsed the plan for the upcoming three seasons, with another evaluation scheduled before 2030. Beginning with the upcoming lottery, all 16 participating franchises will receive between one and three lottery balls.
Finals performance will determine whether the Knicks achieved greatness or simply rode good luck
GREENBURGH, N.Y. (AP) — The New York Knicks are experiencing an unprecedented playoff journey. However, they must capture one additional series to establish themselves as an elite franchise. Should they secure four more victories — and do so efficiently — they would earn recognition among the NBA’s legendary postseason dynasties. Should they lose to Oklahoma City or San Antonio in the NBA Finals, they face the possibility of being viewed as a squad that dominated a vulnerable Eastern Conference, winning numerous contests until reaching the most crucial games. They must demonstrate they represented genuine excellence, rather than a team that simply benefited from favorable circumstances.
Mahomes makes significant progress in knee rehabilitation, participates in Chiefs voluntary training
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Patrick Mahomes continues to aim for a Week 1 comeback from his significant knee injury with the Kansas City Chiefs. The dual MVP winner has reached a crucial milestone in his recovery from damaged ligaments by taking part in voluntary training sessions this week. On Thursday, Mahomes completed individual exercises and 7-on-7 practice drills while media observed, sporting a knee brace. He remains unauthorized for complete team practice sessions. Chiefs head coach Andy Reid is exercising caution regarding a timeline for that milestone, though Mahomes remains optimistic about returning to competition by Sept. 14, when the Chiefs face Denver on Monday night.
Hockey legend Claude Lemieux, aggressive four-time Stanley Cup winner, passes away at age 60
Four-time Stanley Cup winner Claude Lemieux has passed away. He was 60. The NHL Alumni Association confirmed Lemieux’s passing through a social media announcement. Details regarding the cause of death were not immediately released. Lemieux served as the Montreal Canadiens’ ceremonial torch bearer before Game 3 of the Eastern Conference Final on Monday evening. He earned the Conn Smythe Trophy as playoff MVP with New Jersey in 1995. Following his extensive playing career, Lemieux transitioned into player representation and served as agent for Carolina’s Frederik Andersen and Detroit’s Moritz Seider among over a dozen NHL clients.
Tennis upset at French Open: Top seed Sinner battles heat-related dizziness in second-round defeat
PARIS (AP) — World number one Jannik Sinner has been eliminated in the French Open’s second round. Sinner battled dizziness and squandered an opportunity to close out the match in a 3-6, 2-6, 7-5, 6-1, 6-1 defeat to 56th-ranked Juan Manuel Cerundolo. Sinner entered with a 30-match victory streak and was heavily favored to achieve a career Grand Slam. Sinner repeatedly doubled over on the clay surface in visible exhaustion. He used a portable fan during breaks and placed ice bags on his neck for cooling. Temperatures reached 32 C (90 F).
College sports reform advocate Campbell urges leaders to consider bipartisan legislation
A key figure behind the Senate legislation designed to address college sports’ mounting issues says he immediately heard the pushback, alongside discussions about conference realignment, collective bargaining and escalating costs. Cody Campbell’s message to those conversations: You created this mess; we’re attempting to repair it. The wealthy chairman of the Texas Tech board of regents believes the legislation represents the optimal, possibly final opportunity to address issues that have intensified since college athletics entered their billion-dollar transformation. He acknowledges the legislation proposed by Senators Ted Cruz and Maria Cantwell is far from perfect but superior to any alternative he’s encountered.
Racing star Kyle Busch battled pneumonia for extended period before death, certificate reveals
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — Kyle Busch’s death resulted from hemorrhagic shock and disseminated intravascular coagulation following complications when bacterial pneumonia progressed to sepsis, according to his death certificate. The former NASCAR champion was 41 at the time of his death last week. Busch experienced pneumonia symptoms for “days to weeks” before sepsis developed. Busch was cremated in Mooresville, North Carolina. Busch claimed two Cup Series championships and held the record with 234 victories across NASCAR’s three premier series. He was scheduled to compete in the Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway when his family announced his withdrawal due to “severe illness.” Public memorial plans have not been disclosed.
Female viewership drives significant growth in NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs audience
NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs viewership has increased substantially, with women representing the main growth demographic. ESPN and TNT report audience jumps of 101% and 66% respectively, attributed to several contributing elements. The 4 Nations Face-Off’s success last year and February’s Olympics, enhanced play quality, emerging Gen Z stars, and enthusiasm surrounding “Heated Rivalry” and “Off Campus” have collectively attracted more female viewers to hockey throughout this season and playoffs.
Celebrini and Crosby find the net as Canada defeats US to reach world championship semifinals
FRIBOURG, Switzerland (AP) — Macklin Celebrini scored once more and Jet Greaves made 34 saves as Canada defeated the United States 4-0 to reach the semifinals at the ice hockey world championship. In this recent chapter of their intense rivalry, Canada’s quarterfinal triumph concluded the Americans’ attempt to defend the title they captured for the first time since 1933. The teams faced each other for the first time since the Milan Cortina Olympics final three months prior, when the Americans won 2-1 in overtime to claim gold. Celebrini netted his sixth tournament goal, Sidney Crosby scored his first, while Dylan Holloway and Connor Brown also contributed goals. Mark Scheifele recorded two assists.
Diplomats from America and Iran have crafted a preliminary arrangement to prolong their current ceasefire by two months while launching fresh negotiations regarding Iran’s nuclear activities, a U.S. official with knowledge of the discussions revealed Thursday.
Iranian officials have not yet confirmed any such agreement, and the source emphasized that President Donald Trump still needs to approve the proposal.
This potential memorandum of understanding develops as the delicate ceasefire in the conflict between America and Iran shows signs of strain. Fighting erupted again less than 24 hours before the announcement, with Kuwait’s forces stopping missiles launched from Iran, U.S. Central Command reported.
Waterway Access Key Component
The proposed memorandum stipulates that Iran cannot charge fees for passage through the Strait of Hormuz and must clear all explosive devices from this critical waterway within one month, the official said, speaking anonymously because they lacked authorization for public statements.
Throughout the conflict, Iran has essentially blocked the strait, which previously carried roughly one-fifth of global oil and natural gas trade. This blockade has driven petroleum prices dramatically higher worldwide. U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent stated Thursday during a press conference that oil costs might “come down very quickly” after finalizing an agreement.
Iran claims it permits some merchant ships through — approximately 24 daily recently, compared to over 100 before hostilities began — though the Islamic Republic has imposed charges on certain vessels. Officials established a formal oversight agency this month, prompting fresh American sanctions this week.
According to the preliminary terms, America would slowly end its naval blockade of Iranian harbors. The U.S. would additionally consent to easing sanctions, permitting Iran to increase oil sales.
Another U.S. official, also speaking anonymously about confidential negotiations, confirmed that general agreement terms exist but emphasized that no deal exists until Trump approves it. This source expressed uncertainty about whether Trump will accept the proposal.
Nuclear Questions Persist
Initial negotiations during the two-month ceasefire will address Iran’s highly enriched uranium stockpile, the first official explained. The Islamic Republic possesses 440.9 kilograms (972 pounds) of uranium enriched to 60% purity, requiring only minor technical steps to reach weapons-grade 90% levels, according to the International Atomic Energy Agency.
Iran has not publicly agreed to surrender this stockpile. Officials believe it remains buried beneath three nuclear facilities severely damaged by American airstrikes last year.
Nuclear experts suggest Iran might accept China or Russia, both maintaining strong Tehran relationships, as potential third parties to secure the enriched uranium. However, Trump stated Wednesday that he “wouldn’t be comfortable” with such arrangements.
The news outlet Axios initially reported details of this tentative agreement.
Recent Military Action
Kuwait reported Thursday that its defense systems stopped incoming missiles and drones, without specifying targets. Iran claimed it retaliated for earlier weekly strikes by attacking an American base in an unnamed Gulf nation.
Kuwait’s Foreign Ministry criticized Iran for what officials termed “blatant aggression,” while U.S. Central Command labeled the assault on one of America’s closest Persian Gulf partners an “egregious ceasefire violation.” Kuwait faced repeated attacks from Iran and Iranian-supported Shiite militias in Iraq before the April ceasefire took effect.
This exchange followed late Wednesday reports that American forces conducted additional strikes against Iran, destroying four attack drones threatening the strait area and hitting an Iranian control station in Bandar Abbas preparing to launch another drone.
Iran’s paramilitary Revolutionary Guard confirmed the Bandar Abbas International Airport area attack and announced through state-run IRNA news agency that it launched counter-strikes against the air base responsible for the assaults. The Revolutionary Guard did not identify whether their response targeted Kuwait, which hosts U.S. Army Central’s forward headquarters, air facilities and naval installations.
Monday saw what the Pentagon described as “self-defense” strikes against missile sites and mine-laying vessels in southern Iran.
Despite exchanging attacks and ceasefire violation accusations, Washington and Tehran have avoided returning to full combat while continuing negotiations.
Regional Complications
These developments occur amid Middle Eastern tensions.
Beyond sanctions relief and asset releases, Iran demands any agreement include ending Israel’s military operations in Lebanon against Iranian-backed militant group Hezbollah. Thursday tensions escalated in Lebanon as Israel struck a southern Beirut suburb and conducted additional attacks in the southern coastal city of Tyre. At least 14 people died across the country’s southern region.
Israeli military forces launched a targeted operation Thursday in Lebanon’s capital, striking at a commander with ties to Iran’s Quds Force, marking a notable escalation in Israel’s military approach in the region.
Earlier this week, Iranian officials had warned that any Israeli military action in Lebanon’s capital would negatively impact ongoing diplomatic discussions between the United States and Iran.
Israeli sources identified the target as Ali al-Husni, described as the missile commander within the Imam Hussein Division, a unit connected to Iran’s Quds Force. The military action came as Israeli forces expanded their operations in Lebanon past the Yellow Line.
Military officials have not confirmed whether al-Husni was eliminated during the operation.
The attack represents a notable change in Israeli strategy, coming after earlier signals that Israel would refrain from conducting military operations in Beirut.
According to Walla, a high-ranking Israeli military official announced Wednesday that Beirut would no longer be considered a restricted zone for Israeli operations. The official explained that should tactical opportunities present themselves in the Lebanese capital, forces would move against Hezbollah positions.
A security source revealed that Israel’s political leadership had “removed the restraints” and provided the military with extensive operational authority against Hezbollah due to what the source characterized as serious breaches of the ceasefire agreement by the terrorist organization that led to multiple Israeli military casualties.
During discussions earlier this week, Israel’s political-security cabinet examined ways to prevent actions that might be seen as disrupting US diplomatic efforts regarding a potential agreement to resolve the Iranian conflict, according to officials with knowledge of the meetings.
Those present at the meeting initially agreed to avoid striking Beirut, the officials reported. Political leaders also turned down a recommendation from Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir to destroy structures in Beirut’s Dahieh district.
Al Jazeera reported that an Iranian source stated Tehran had cautioned the United States that an Israeli attack on Beirut would significantly damage current peace discussions aimed at resolving the conflict.
Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar is traveling to the Pacific island nation of Fiji this weekend as Israel prepares to launch a new embassy there, according to reports from The Media Line. The diplomatic mission represents an effort by both nations to strengthen their ties across multiple areas including diplomacy, strategy, and development.
This embassy launch comes after Fiji established its own diplomatic mission in Jerusalem last year, making the Pacific nation part of a select group of countries maintaining embassies in Israel’s capital city. Israel had previously announced plans to create a corresponding mission in Fiji by 2026, recognizing Suva’s ongoing backing of Israel in global venues such as the United Nations.
In March, Fiji’s Cabinet gave approval for establishing a permanent Israeli Embassy in Suva, characterizing the decision as advancing collaboration on security matters, climate change issues, agricultural development, new technologies, and diplomatic relations. The two nations have maintained diplomatic ties since 1970 and have worked together for many years through Israeli development initiatives, particularly in agricultural and technical support.
The new diplomatic facility will provide Israel with a stronger permanent presence in the Blue Pacific region, an area that has attracted growing interest from major powers looking to expand influence through aid programs, climate initiatives, security partnerships, and development projects. Fijian officials have positioned their relationship with Israel as part of a comprehensive foreign policy approach that balances traditional partnerships, Pacific region priorities, and engagement with nations outside the region.
The embassy establishment occurs during a politically delicate period. Fiji’s choice to open an embassy in Jerusalem faced opposition from Palestinian officials and some domestic critics, who contended the decision carried legal and diplomatic consequences due to the city’s contested status. Fiji’s leadership has justified its position as aligned with its independent foreign policy and long-established ties with Israel.
Sa’ar’s planned visit demonstrates that Israel considers this embassy opening as more than just an administrative enhancement. The Suva diplomatic mission represents another phase in a relationship that both governments have characterized as increasingly dynamic, practical, and strategically beneficial.
Iraq’s recently elected Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi issued a public demand Wednesday for all armed groups operating in the country to place themselves under government control, as the United States maintains pressure on Baghdad to reduce the power of Iran-backed militias.
A statement from al-Zaidi’s media office said the prime minister is pushing armed factions to operate “under the umbrella of the state and its official institutions.”
His announcement followed a declaration by Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr that his military wing, Saraya al-Salam, which is also called the Peace Brigades, would break away from his political movement and become part of government institutions.
Al-Sadr proclaimed “the complete separation” of his armed group from his political party and its “full integration into the state.”
The cleric has a history of leading an armed faction that battled American and Iraqi government forces. In more recent years, he has spoken out against Tehran-supported armed groups and has consistently demanded they give up their weapons.
Al-Zaidi’s stance demonstrates increasing pressure from Washington on Iraq’s government to restrict the activities of militias that function outside the state’s military command structure.
The New Arab reports that the Trump administration has maintained its push for Baghdad to control Iran-aligned factions and has connected future defense cooperation and funding to efforts to diminish the power of groups operating independently of the government.
The Iraqi prime minister appealed “on all armed factions to follow the same responsible national path and operate under the umbrella of the state and its official institutions.”
Israel’s United Nations Ambassador Danny Danon has declared his mission will halt all communication with UN Secretary-General António Guterres’ office following Israel’s placement on a UN registry of nations and groups accused of committing sexual violence during armed conflicts.
Danon stated the Israeli delegation would maintain “no further contact” with the secretary-general’s office throughout Guterres’ remaining tenure.
“This is a moral disgrace that proves Guterres has lost all credibility,” Danon said, condemning the choice to put Israel “on the same blacklist as Hamas, ISIS [Islamic State], and the most barbaric terrorist organizations in the world.”
The report indicates the Israeli Prison Service will be featured on the UN’s 2026 registry, with other Israeli agencies continuing under observation for potential future inclusion.
Based on UN protocols, nations and militant groups designated by the secretary-general stay on the registry for a minimum of one year. Hamas was included on the list in August 2025.
The UN registry focuses on claims of sexual violence during armed conflicts and encompasses both government forces and non-governmental armed groups alleged to have committed these offenses.
In March 2024, Pramila Patten, the UN secretary-general’s special representative on sexual violence in conflict, documented “reasonable grounds” to conclude Hamas perpetrated rape and sexual violence during the October 7 massacre and while holding Israeli hostages captive in Gaza.
Israeli officials informed Ynet that mounting pressure developed on Guterres to add Israel following Hamas’s inclusion the previous year. The officials claimed the UN leader succumbed to political influence during his term’s concluding months.
Benny Gantz, the Israeli politician and former army general, characterized the report as “antisemitic and hypocritical,” stating the United Nations had descended into “moral blindness.”
Gilad Erdan, Israel’s former ambassador to the United Nations, similarly charged the organization with prejudice, describing it as “corrupt and distorted.”
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Rashee Rice remains behind bars in Texas, missing his team’s voluntary workout sessions as he serves a 30-day jail term for breaking his probation conditions related to a multi-vehicle accident that injured several people.
The 26-year-old player was taken into custody at the Dallas County jail on May 19 following a positive test for THC. His release is scheduled for June 16, meaning he’ll be absent for all voluntary team activities and the required three-day minicamp starting June 9.
Rice’s situation is complicated by knee surgery he underwent approximately one week prior to his sentencing. The procedure was performed to remove debris from his right knee that had been causing swelling. His incarceration has forced him to continue rehabilitation while in jail.
“We think he’ll be ready for camp as we go forward. We’ll just see how it goes,” Chiefs coach Andy Reid said Thursday, following the team’s final voluntary workout of the week. “He knows the rehab he can do there, and I think they’re keeping an eye on him as far as any possible infection goes.”
Last season, Rice sat out the first six games due to a suspension for breaking the league’s personal conduct policy, which resulted from the initial 2024 highway accident in Dallas. It remains uncertain if additional penalties will follow for his probation violation.
“We’re moving forward as normal as we go here,” Reid said. “When he gets back, we’ve got to get him caught up in doing what he needs to do, and make sure he gets it. It’s not an easy thing he’s going through.
“Life lessons are important,” Reid added, “but we’re all given chances to learn, and he’s in that position now.”
This isn’t Rice’s first time facing such challenges. Before last season’s training camp, the former SMU standout claimed he had “completely changed” and matured following the car accident, stating that “you have to learn from things like that.”
“I’ve learned and taken advantage of being able to learn from something like that,” Rice said.
Kansas City is counting on Rice to play a crucial role in their offensive turnaround after posting a 6-11 record last season.
The Chiefs made minimal additions to their receiving corps during the offseason, instead banking on continued development from Rice — who enters his final rookie contract year — and younger talents like Xavier Worthy and Jalen Royals.
When healthy and available, Rice has produced solid numbers, recording 156 receptions for 1,797 yards and 14 touchdowns while helping Kansas City capture the Super Bowl during the 2023 campaign. However, suspensions and injuries have limited him to just 28 games across three seasons.
NEW YORK (AP) — CBS News has made significant leadership changes at its flagship program ’60 Minutes,’ installing technology journalist Nick Bilton as the new executive producer while announcing the departure of several key personnel.
Tanya Simon, who had led the program for approximately one year following three decades with the renowned Sunday broadcast, is stepping down from her role.
CBS News Editor-in-Chief Bari Weiss and CBS News President Tom Cibrowski announced the changes in a Thursday staff memo, stating their objective was “building a show that thrives in the 21st century.”
“That requires a new approach,” the executives wrote, describing their vision as “expanding ’60 Minutes’ beyond a one-hour television broadcast, deepening its role across CBS News, and holding everything we produce to the ambition, fairness, and fearlessness that have defined ’60 Minutes’ at its best.”
The leadership praised Bilton, describing him as someone who “embodies the energy and ambition that animated the founders of the show. We cannot imagine a better fit.” Bilton previously worked as a technology columnist for the New York Times and has experience in documentary filmmaking.
The changes also affected on-air talent, with correspondents Sharyn Alfonsi and Cecilia Vega departing the program, according to an anonymous source with knowledge of the situation. Alfonsi had previously experienced editorial tensions when her investigative piece about torture in Salvadoran prisons was temporarily shelved by Weiss before airing a month later.
These major organizational shifts were anticipated following Weiss’s arrival in October under Paramount’s new leadership structure. The founder of the Free Press website has quickly established herself as a prominent and sometimes controversial figure in the journalism industry.
In his own detailed staff communication, Bilton acknowledged his lack of traditional television broadcasting background while emphasizing the program’s significance. He called ’60 Minutes’ “without exaggeration, the most important television journalism brand this country has ever produced.”
“The fact that this show has remained a fixed point in a culture is part of why this show still matters as much as it does,” Bilton explained. “I don’t want to lose that. But the world we are reporting on, and the world we are reporting to, where people consume their news, has moved. And if we don’t move with it, in the ways that matter, we won’t be here for the next sixty years. I want to do everything humanly possible to ensure that we are.”
Guatemala’s leader Bernardo Arévalo rejected claims Thursday that his nation has struck a new deal with the United States for conducting anti-narcotics operations within Guatemala’s borders.
Arévalo’s statement followed reporting by The New York Times suggesting the Central American country had agreed to participate in joint anti-drug strikes.
The dispute represents another chapter in continuing friction between the Trump administration and Latin American nations trying to balance drug-fighting cooperation with the United States while protecting their national independence.
“There is no agreement. There is a request that falls within the framework of existing agreements in several countries,” Arévalo told reporters during a press briefing.
“What we are signing are types of collaboration that have been taking place in the past. We conduct maritime interdictions where the United States has been collaborating with training, capacity building and equipment,” Arévalo explained.
The president emphasized that his government’s actions comply with Guatemala’s legal framework and constitution.
“The only body that can authorize operations involving soldiers on Guatemalan soil is the Congress of the Republic. The Guatemalan government is not requesting this cooperation and has no plans to do so,” the president stated.
Pentagon acting press secretary Joel Valdez declined to address the reported agreement directly, saying he cannot “speculate on future operations or discuss matters of operational security” while noting that the Department of War collaborates with regional partners against drug trafficking and other cross-border threats.
Guatemala’s administration also released a statement and two letters showing discussions between its defense minister and U.S. Secretary of War Pete Hegseth about joint military activities under existing agreements.
The controversy follows the April deaths of two CIA operatives in northern Mexico during a mission to eliminate a drug laboratory, which brought attention to U.S. agent presence across Latin America and sparked questions about expanded American involvement in the region. Mexican authorities subsequently provided conflicting explanations about their knowledge of the CIA personnel’s activities.
Mexico recognizes that U.S. agencies operate within its territory but maintains they cannot engage in direct field operations.
A key figure behind new federal legislation designed to address major problems in college athletics says he immediately heard pushback from critics, including discussions about breakaway conferences and collective bargaining as alternatives to combat the industry’s rapidly increasing costs.
Cody Campbell’s message to those critics: You created this mess, we’re working to repair it.
“My take is, it’s pretty rich for these people who created the problem in the first place to say that all of the sudden, they have the solution to the problem,” he said.
The wealthy leader of the Texas Tech board of regents talked with The Associated Press on Thursday, one day after Sens. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, and Maria Cantwell, D-Wash., unveiled bipartisan legislation they hope can strengthen enforcement of existing rules governing college sports during its multibillion-dollar transformation.
Conference leaders and the NCAA indicated they would examine the legislation before deciding on their support, but opposition surfaced almost immediately. Critics included Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Conn., who seeks additional restrictions on coaching pay; and Reps. Tim Walberg, R-Mich., and Brett Guthrie, R-Ky., who want provisions preventing athletes from becoming school employees.
A players organization also voiced doubts, and the AP consulted with specialists who forecasted the legislation would struggle to secure 60 Senate votes and a House majority.
“It’s turning back the clock two to three years, and I don’t think that’s realistic,” said Michael LeRoy, a labor and sports law professor at Illinois, addressing how much more costly player compensation has become since name, image and likeness payments were permitted. “Players are getting paid in the millions of dollars. The underlying premise is to get a more uniform ceiling. That certainly is needed, but collective bargaining would do that.”
Universities have utilized external NIL arrangements to exceed the $20.5 million in revenue sharing that some anticipated as a spending limit when the lawsuit settlement establishing current college sports rules was finalized.
The escalating expenses have prompted prominent figures, including Tennessee athletic director Danny White, to propose collective bargaining between players and schools, conferences, or the NCAA as a solution that would bring financial predictability while providing needed antitrust protections.
Such an approach might also lead to athletes becoming school employees, which many consider a financially devastating burden that could eliminate Olympic and women’s collegiate sports, and potentially football and basketball as well.
Campbell, who participated in a committee established by President Donald Trump to address college sports issues and has been an influential voice in shaping its future, argues the Cruz-Cantwell legislation offers many benefits similar to collective bargaining, including partial antitrust protection.
“We created something that could actually be passable on a bipartisan basis,” Campbell said. “And while it’s not perfect, and it never will be, there are many, many good elements in it. I think that college sports should be universally pleased with the outcome.”
Campbell described one of the bill’s most controversial aspects — allowing conferences to combine their media rights — not as a danger but as a legitimate choice for leagues. The Southeastern and Big Ten Conferences oppose media pooling, claiming the financial calculations don’t work.
Campbell noted the proposal tackles longstanding worries about excessive coaching compensation but suggested the language in the 111-page document could be modified to strengthen the legislation further.
He explained it would grant the year-old College Sports Commission legal power to approve and deny external NIL agreements while protecting it from potential litigation under current rules.
Campbell also dismissed growing discussions from the SEC — led by Georgia president Jere Morehead and its football coach, Kirby Smart — suggesting those conferences might benefit from separating entirely from the existing system to create their own regulations and compete independently.
“If this was the solution, why didn’t they come up with it over the last several decades as this thing started to crumble?” Campbell said. “If you created this mess, I don’t see how you can stand up and say you’re the one who’s going to fix it.”
The AP interviewed several legal specialists familiar with college athletics, none of whom expected smooth passage for the Cruz-Cantwell bill.
“It might be trying to bite off too much at this point to get passed this year,” sports attorney Mit Winter said.
Cantwell confirmed to the AP that despite its bipartisan support, she recognizes the legislation faces significant challenges.
Those who joined Campbell in developing the proposal included Condoleezza Rice, Yankees President Randy Levine and Gerry Cardinale of the private equity firm Redbird Capital. According to a Yahoo Sports report, this was the group SEC commissioner Greg Sankey referenced when he noted “it’s interesting in Washington where the voices of influence come from.”
Campbell, however, sees it as a knowledgeable team without the competing interests that plague conferences and the NCAA.
“And if we can’t get it done,” he said, “then they can have their way and let chaos continue to persist.”
Emergency crews responded Thursday to a massive blaze at a Dallas apartment complex that caused at least one building to collapse, sending thick black smoke into the air and covering the ground with debris.
Television footage captured dozens of emergency responders working at the scene. Some directed water hoses at smoldering rubble while others moved charred lumber and debris, appearing to search for anyone who might be trapped beneath. Two firefighters positioned on extended ladders aimed water at the flames from above, while another directed a stream from a window in an adjacent structure.
The cause of the blaze remains unknown, and officials have not released information about potential injuries.
Emergency vehicles including fire trucks, ambulances and police cars with flashing lights filled a nearby street.
Julie Jensen, who lives less than a block away, said she heard what sounded like an explosion that made her ears ring.
“I was sitting on my couch watching TV — stuff flew off our walls,” Jensen said.
After looking outside and seeing smoke rising with neighbors fleeing the area, Jensen grabbed her family’s cat and evacuated to a nearby parking lot where she waited until it was safe to go home.
A spokesperson for Dallas Fire-Rescue did not immediately respond to requests for comment. The Dallas Police Department directed all inquiries to fire officials.
Motorists should expect delays on Walters Bluff Road today as construction crews have shut down the right lane of northbound traffic at the intersection with Holts Landing Road.
According to traffic officials, the lane closure will remain active until 6 PM as work continues in the area.
Drivers are advised to plan alternate routes or allow extra travel time when passing through this section of roadway.
Growing uncertainty surrounds the status of Mojtaba Khamenei’s leadership position within Iran’s government structure, according to emerging reports from inside the country.
Recent information obtained despite Iran’s ongoing internet restrictions indicates that Khamenei currently holds no position within the Islamic Republic’s governing framework. This contradicts earlier reports suggesting he had sustained serious injuries and was receiving treatment at an intensive care facility within a classified Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps location.
A knowledgeable source from Sina Hospital, where he was reportedly taken following the February 28 assault on the leadership facility, provided additional details to The Media Line. The source stated that Khamenei’s chances of surviving the missile attack that “reduced everyone present in the leadership compound to ashes” would be “more of a miracle than reality.”
The situation remains fluid as communication restrictions within Iran continue to limit the flow of verified information about the incident and its aftermath.
A former deputy mayor of Jerusalem has launched a new educational initiative designed to offer Jewish students an alternative to increasingly hostile college environments abroad.
Fleur Hassan-Nahoum, who currently serves as special envoy for trade innovation for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, has created Campus Israel as a response to rising antisemitism on university campuses. The platform aims to connect international students with English-taught degree programs, application assistance, internships, and community experiences in Israel.
Hassan-Nahoum, an Israeli politician, approaches multiple challenges with a practical mindset – from unfriendly campus environments and regional changes to ongoing conflicts and the persistence of antisemitism, as well as advocating for increased women’s leadership roles. Her strategy centers on creating tangible solutions immediately.
When discussing her motivation for developing Campus Israel, Hassan-Nahoum doesn’t begin with technical details or financial considerations. Instead, she poses a fundamental question: “Why aren’t more Jewish students [from abroad] studying in college in Israel in the many degrees in full English language that we have here?” she recalls wondering.
The initiative represents Hassan-Nahoum’s response to what she perceives as urgent, interconnected crises requiring immediate, practical solutions.
A team employee has received an indefinite suspension from NASCAR following criminal charges stemming from an incident involving a golf cart attack on an elderly victim.
Evanna Daneen Howell, age 35, faces felony charges for assault with a deadly weapon causing serious injury after allegedly attacking 77-year-old Dennis Manchester with a golf cart during last weekend’s events at Charlotte Motor Speedway in North Carolina.
Authorities took Howell into custody on Saturday at the racing facility. Following her Tuesday court hearing, she posted bail in the amount of $125,000 and was released. The case will return to Cabarrus County court on June 16 for her next scheduled appearance.
Law enforcement has not released specific information regarding how the alleged attack occurred.
Howell holds the position of senior account manager with 23XI Racing, the team co-owned by NBA legend Michael Jordan.
Neither 23XI Racing nor NASCAR representatives have released public statements regarding the incident.
The racing organization announced Howell’s suspension through its weekly penalty report released Wednesday, categorizing the action as related to a “behavioral” issue.
Motorists traveling on northbound US 113 will encounter construction-related lane restrictions today as crews work along a section of the highway.
The right shoulder is currently closed between Bridgeville Road (US 404/DE 18) and North Street, creating potential traffic delays for drivers in the area.
According to traffic officials, the shoulder closure is expected to remain in place until 4:00 PM today as construction activities continue.
Drivers are advised to use caution when traveling through the work zone and allow extra time for their commute.
PRINCESS ANNE, MD – A public meeting has been scheduled by the State Soil Conservation Committee for Thursday, June 18, 2026, running from 10:30 AM until 12:30 PM.
The session will take place at the Somerset Soil Conservation District office, located at 30730 Park Drive in the Howard H. Anderson Ag Building in Princess Anne, MD 21853.
According to the meeting notice, the gathering will concentrate on soil conservation initiatives and water quality programs. Members of the public are invited to attend the proceedings.
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The two-time MVP quarterback continues working toward a Week 1 comeback with the Kansas City Chiefs, marking a significant milestone in his rehabilitation from torn left knee ligaments by joining teammates for voluntary practice sessions this week.
During Thursday’s organized team activities — the first session open to media observation — the star quarterback took part in individual exercises and 7-on-7 formations. He sported a black protective brace covering his surgically repaired knee, where both ACL and LCL damage was addressed, and though he moved around effectively while jogging, he occasionally paused to readjust the equipment.
Considering the surgery occurred just five months ago, this represents meaningful progress in his rehabilitation journey.
“It’s good to be back on the field and just be with the guys, more than anything,” Mahomes said. “Some of those days you’re rehabbing with yourself, or with a couple of guys, and you get a little juice when the other guys are out there.”
However, Kansas City remains cautious about managing that enthusiasm.
The quarterback has yet to receive medical clearance from Dr. Dan Cooper, the Dallas-based orthopedist who performed the procedure, or the Kansas City training staff for complete team participation. Running and sharp cutting movements on the affected knee remain off-limits for now.
Chiefs coach Andy Reid avoided setting specific deadlines for his franchise quarterback’s full return, although Mahomes has consistently maintained he’ll be ready when Kansas City faces Denver on Sept. 14 in a Monday night game at Arrowhead Stadium.
The more pressing concern involves whether he’ll be available when training camp begins in approximately two months.
“It’s kind of, ‘We’ll see,’” Mahomes said. “You have these week-to-two week checkpoints that I have to get to. The biggest thing for me now is to get to the running and cutting. … Until I’m able to protect myself and get out there, they’re going to keep me safe. But if I can continue to do things the right way, that’s the hope for me at least.”
Rather than spending the offseason at his Texas residence, where Chiefs receivers and tight ends typically gather for quarterback-led workouts, Mahomes has remained in Kansas City almost daily since his December surgery — which occurred the day following his injury against the Chargers — focusing on rehabilitation under trainer Julie Frymyer’s supervision.
His daily routine includes early arrival at the facility for rehab work, followed by standard team meetings. This week introduced on-field activities, after which he completes recovery protocols and additional rehabilitation sessions.
“Then I go home and chase kids around until I fall asleep,” Mahomes said.
“I think everybody is different in how you go about it,” Reid said, “but I wouldn’t put it past where he’s at, and I don’t judge it. People say, ‘Is he ahead of schedule?’ Well, who made the schedule? Everybody is different. The way he goes about it is different. He and Julie have spent a ton of time working together, and she’s tough on him. She puts him through the ropes. And he’s willing to come back.
“Half the battle on that, besides the healing part, is trusting the person doing the rehab with you, and then showing up the next day.”
The team will conduct another voluntary workout session next week — Reid noted nearly complete participation despite the optional status. A mandatory three-day minicamp follows beginning June 9, with a break before training camp commences.
While Kansas City hasn’t announced their St. Joseph, Missouri arrival date, it typically occurs around July 21. This timeline provides Mahomes roughly two additional months for continued rehabilitation before serious regular season preparation begins.
“The first step was getting to 7-on-7, and for me, it was more seeing the defense. It’s been a long time since I’ve been out there, seeing the plays develop,” Mahomes said. “The next step will be getting with the team and getting under center and stuff like that. But we will progress to that. And then it will be going out there live with the guys, and then we’ll be playing games.”
A Philadelphia Phillies star player has found himself at the center of a social media controversy over his unconventional approach to dental hygiene.
Bryce Harper posted a morning routine video to his TikTok account, which has more than 600,000 followers, showing himself in a San Diego hotel bathroom. The post, labeled “Moring Y’all,” included a segment that left viewers stunned: Harper squeezing toothpaste directly from the tube into his mouth instead of putting it on his toothbrush first.
The unusual technique quickly drew criticism from social media users.
“Actually diabolical toothpaste application,” commented one TikTok user on the post.
The video gained widespread attention across multiple platforms, accumulating over 2.7 million views on Jomboy Media alone. The San Diego Padres even poked fun at Harper’s method by displaying it as a “fun fact” on their stadium videoboard, while British publication The Daily Mail reported that fans were “horrified” by his brushing approach.
Speaking to Phillies Nation from the visiting team’s clubhouse at Petco Park on Wednesday, Harper defended his longtime practice.
“It kind of happens when you post a little bit, right?” Harper said. “But yeah, I’ve done it forever.”
The American Dental Association took notice of the viral video and issued guidance discouraging others from copying Harper’s method.
“It is not suggested to do it that way,” stated Andrew Zucker, an Ohio dentist who serves as a consumer advisor for the organization.
After viewing the footage, Zucker initially assumed the two-time National League MVP was joking. However, Harper confirmed to the website that this has always been his standard tooth-brushing routine.
“I don’t think there’s anything to be gained,” Zucker commented on Thursday. “The only thing to be lost is just wasting a whole bunch of toothpaste.”
Zucker recommended a more traditional approach: “Just put a little pea-sized bit of it on a toothbrush and that’s all you need.”
During Tuesday night’s game, the Padres continued their playful ribbing by listing Harper’s biographical information on the scoreboard as: “SQUIRTS TOOTHPASTE INTO HIS MOUTH INSTEAD OF ONTO A TOOTHBRUSH WHEN BRUSHING HIS TEETH.”
Harper seemed to take the attention in stride, telling Phillies Nation: “I mean, it’s gone viral, so I’m happy about that. It always helps with my videos when it goes viral, so if that’s what makes it go viral, then I’ll take it.”
The dental professional noted that Harper’s approach is extremely rare. Despite his family background in dentistry and 45 years of experience, Zucker said the only time he’d witnessed the squeeze technique was with “my 3-year-old and it was because he was trying to eat it. But no, I’ve never seen an adult brush their teeth this way.”
Harper’s method appears to have served him well throughout his successful career, which includes 376 home runs and eight All-Star selections.
“If I help half a person a day, changing an ingredient or letting them know there are better quality products out there that they can use or that’ll make them feel better, then I won that day,” Harper explained.
Maria Ryan, chief clinical officer at Colgate-Palmolive, expressed specific concerns about the tube-to-mouth technique.
“My only concern would be, you have a lot of germs in your mouth,” Ryan said. “When you’re putting your mouth on the toothpaste tube, you get those germs on there. Sometimes people share toothpaste and things like that, so I worry about that a little bit.”
Despite the unconventional method, dental experts found a positive message in Harper’s viral moment. The baseball star’s influence could encourage young fans to maintain their oral hygiene habits.
“I was glad he was brushing his teeth,” Ryan noted. “I see he’s gotten a lot of views. It’s good he’s telling people you need to brush your teeth, which is very important for preventing cavities and gum disease.
“But it’s a unique way of doing it, for sure. So, I probably wouldn’t do it that way or instruct my patients to do it that way.”
According to a ProPublica investigation conducted by Robert Faturechi, a White House advisor made a request to the Pentagon seeking approval for funding to a company that produces rare-earth magnets, a business in which Donald Trump Jr. maintains a financial interest.
The investigation reveals that Peter Navarro, who served as a White House adviser, made the request for the Pentagon to approve the loan to the magnet manufacturing company.
An artificial intelligence startup announced Thursday it has secured $65 billion in private investment, boosting the company’s worth to $965 billion and making Anthropic one of the globe’s most valuable new companies as it moves toward a potential public stock offering.
The funding milestone puts Anthropic beyond its primary competitor, the company behind ChatGPT, in both market worth and reported earnings. The firm reports it now generates $47 billion annually by licensing its technology to individuals and businesses that use Claude for coding and various professional and personal tasks.
Founded in 2021 by former leaders from its main rival, Anthropic joins two other major tech companies expected to go public soon. All three firms currently spend more than they earn, raising questions about whether AI valuations represent a market bubble.
The latest investment round received backing from Altimeter Capital, Dragoneer Investment Group, Greenoaks Capital and Sequoia Capital, according to the company’s announcement.
“This funding will help us serve the historic demand we are experiencing, stay at the research frontier, and bring Claude to more of the places where work happens,” Krishna Rao, the company’s chief financial officer, said in a written statement.
The AI firm also unveiled its latest technology model Thursday, dubbed Claude Opus 4.8, claiming superior performance in coding and professional applications compared to earlier versions.
The ChatGPT creator last reported in March it was moving toward an $852 billion valuation following a $122 billion fundraising effort. SpaceX held an $800 billion value last year, but that figure jumped to $1.25 trillion after the space company combined with Musk’s xAI in February.
Baseball team owners delivered their anticipated salary cap proposal to the players’ union Thursday, introducing a system that union representatives have consistently rejected and potentially setting up a labor dispute that could jeopardize the 2027 season and future campaigns.
This marks the first time baseball’s ownership has presented a hard spending ceiling since 1994. That previous attempt led to a strike lasting 7 1/2 months and resulted in the first World Series cancellation in nine decades.
Under the new proposal, team spending would be limited to $245.3 million in 2027, while establishing a minimum payroll requirement of $171.2 million.
“Our salary cap and floor proposal levels the playing field while sharing baseball revenue with the players 50/50 as we grow the game together,” MLB spokesman Glen Caplin said in a statement. “Further, by sharing media revenue equally as part of our proposal, we can address another top fan concern of local TV blackouts.”
Team executives presented their latest offer during negotiations at the commissioner’s headquarters, following the union’s economic counter-proposal delivered one day earlier. Ownership argues the spending limit would enhance competitive balance and prevent wealthy franchises like the Los Angeles Dodgers and New York Mets from building significantly more talented rosters than smaller-market organizations.
Union representatives seek broader free agency and salary arbitration opportunities, nearly doubling the league minimum wage, increasing revenue sharing from high-earning to lower-revenue franchises, and implementing sanctions for teams falling below payroll minimums.
The sport’s existing five-year agreement, finalized in March 2022 following a 99-day work stoppage, concludes December 2. Although another lockout appears likely next winter, serious negotiations probably won’t intensify until late February or early March 2027, when the threat of losing regular-season contests and income becomes imminent. Should regular-season games be canceled, discussions may evolve into a battle over which party can endure greater financial hardship.
America’s other major professional sports leagues all utilize spending caps. The NBA implemented a cap during its inaugural 1946-47 campaign, eliminated it, then reintroduced the current system in 1984-85. NFL teams and players established a cap beginning in 1994, while the NHL adopted one in 2005-06 following a work stoppage that eliminated the entire 2004-05 season.
Los Angeles broke baseball’s spending records with a combined $515 million in payroll and luxury penalties last season while capturing their second consecutive World Series championship. The Dodgers’ expenditure was seven times greater than the Miami Marlins’ league-low $68.7 million payroll and exceeded the combined spending of the six lowest-budget clubs.
Union representatives maintain that spending restrictions would damage player interests while benefiting ownership, and they refuse to accept any cap system. Without spending limits, baseball’s top performers have secured lucrative, guaranteed deals that surpass compensation for elite athletes in other American professional leagues. Juan Soto’s $765 million, 15-year agreement with the Mets represents what’s believed to be the largest contract in team sports history, significantly exceeding the biggest deals in the NFL (Patrick Mahomes at $450 million over 10 years) and NBA (Jayson Tatum at $314 million over five years).
Baseball’s previous salary cap offer in 1994 included a 50-50 revenue split within a framework requiring teams to maintain payrolls between 84-110% of the league average. That proposal would have eliminated salary arbitration and reduced the free agency threshold from six years of major league service to four — though a player’s original team could match any competing offer until he reached six years of service.
Management presented that offer on June 14, 1994, and players began their strike on August 12. Baseball withdrew the cap proposal the following February 6 under pressure from the National Labor Relations Board. The work stoppage concluded on March 31 after U.S. District Judge Sonia Sotomayor — currently a Supreme Court Justice — issued an injunction restoring the previous labor contract’s working conditions. Two days later, ownership accepted the union’s return-to-work proposal without a new agreement. A final deal wasn’t completed until 1997.
NEWARK, N.J. — A confrontation between demonstrators and federal immigration enforcement officers outside a Newark detention facility resulted in six arrests Wednesday evening, as protesters alleged detainees inside are conducting a hunger strike due to substandard conditions.
Video footage and images shared on social platforms showed demonstrators, many donning gas masks and face coverings, forming human chains outside Delaney Hall on Wednesday night.
Activists constructed barriers using trash bins, discarded mattresses, umbrellas and various other items while facing off against U.S. Immigration Customs Enforcement personnel. Several demonstrators attempted to prevent people and cars from accessing the facility’s entrance and exit points, hurling orange traffic cones and additional items toward ICE agents positioned at the entrance.
Protesters shouted “You will hang!” and “Every cop, every fed, shoot yourself in the head,” along with other hostile remarks directed at the officers, who were equipped with helmets and tactical gear.
Federal agents deployed pepper spray in an effort to scatter the crowd, based on social media videos. Several officers used batons to strike and push back demonstrators while working to open the roadway for vehicle passage.
One truck operator exited his vehicle to express anger when protesters attempted to obstruct traffic on the street fronting the detention facility. People held inside the building could occasionally be observed gesturing to protesters through Delaney Hall’s windows.
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security, ICE’s parent agency, reported that approximately six demonstrators faced arrest for attacking law enforcement personnel.
“Assaulting and obstructing ICE law enforcement is a crime and felony,” the agency said in a statement. “Anyone who assaults law enforcement will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.”
Earlier Wednesday, Democratic members of Congress from New York City conducted a tour of the facility as part of oversight responsibilities. A private prison company operates the detention center, located along an industrial section of Newark Bay.
Reps. Jerry Nadler, Daniel Goldman and Adriano Espaillat, who all represent Manhattan, outlined harsh conditions where detainees receive limited portions of frequently rotten food and have their diverse medical requirements neglected.
DHS spokespersons have rejected claims of any hunger strike, mistreatment or substandard conditions within the facility and characterized criticism from adversaries as political theater.
A major data center hub has put the brakes on tax incentives that helped attract massive computing facilities used for artificial intelligence development.
Republican Gov. Mike DeWine announced Wednesday that Ohio will temporarily halt its tax break program for new data center applications. The decision follows mounting pressure on the AI industry to cover the full expenses of their energy-intensive operations and growing public opposition to these facilities.
The tax incentive program’s costs have exploded beyond all forecasts, prompting state lawmakers to launch a study committee examining the impact of data centers. Meanwhile, citizens are working to place a ballot measure on November’s midterm election that would implement what could be the nation’s most restrictive statewide prohibition on hyperscale data centers.
DeWine’s administration pointed to the dramatic increase in tax break usage and the legislature’s ongoing research as reasons for implementing the temporary suspension.
“The governor felt it was the right time to let the citizens know, let businesses know that we’re going to pause on new offers of this tax incentive while that process plays out,” said Dan Tierney, DeWine’s spokesperson, on Thursday.
Despite the pause, DeWine continues to advocate for data centers, describing them as essential to the modern economy. He has defended the approximately $37 billion in data center investments flowing into the state during 2024 and 2025 as beneficial.
The financial reality has far exceeded state projections. Officials had estimated the tax exemption would reach $136 million in fiscal 2025 and $142 million in fiscal 2026, based on historical patterns. Instead, the actual costs hit $554 million in 2024 and approached $1.6 billion in 2025.
The future of Ohio’s tax incentive program may depend on the next governor, as DeWine cannot seek reelection due to term limits. Republican candidate Vivek Ramaswamy, an Ivy League-educated biotech billionaire, has expressed interest in transforming the Ohio River Valley into a technology hub similar to Silicon Valley.
Both Ramaswamy and Democratic candidate Amy Acton may share the November ballot with the citizen-driven initiative to ban data center construction statewide. Organizers face a July 1 deadline to collect more than 400,000 voter signatures.
Criticism of state tax incentives for data centers is spreading among elected officials nationwide. The financial burden appears to be growing as data center and AI investments fuel increased consumer spending and technology companies expand their commitments to large-scale facilities.
Virginia has experienced similar challenges, with state House and Senate negotiations stalled for months over Senate Democrats’ proposal to eliminate roughly $1.6 billion in annual tax breaks.
According to the National Conference of State Legislatures, thirty-eight states currently offer some form of sales tax exemption for data centers. Most of these programs received approval over five years ago, when data centers represented a smaller economic sector and before OpenAI’s ChatGPT launch in late 2022 sparked an accelerated expansion of increasingly large facilities.
Ohio’s exemption covers a wide range of expenses, including construction materials and costly equipment like server racks and cooling systems used in data centers. Operators frequently purchase new server racks every few years as technology advances.
The governor’s announcement caught many by surprise. Dorsey Hager, executive secretary-treasurer of the Columbus/Central Ohio Building and Construction Trades Council, expressed frustration with DeWine’s decision. Union members in his organization frequently work on data center construction projects.
Hager expressed concern that developers currently finalizing project plans or permits might reconsider their commitments.
State legislators recognized the growing opposition when they announced their joint data center study committee on May 13.
“We’re well aware of initiatives to limit Ohio data center development during this critical point in America’s history,” state Rep. Adam Holmes stated at a news conference. “This public concern has become a priority issue for us and could have dramatic impact on Ohio and American’s future.”
LONGVIEW, Wash. — Search operations continued Thursday as crews looked for nine workers still missing after a catastrophic chemical tank explosion at a Washington state paper mill claimed 11 lives, devastating a tight-knit community where mill work has been a family tradition for decades.
The victims include a devoted grandfather known for his willingness to help others and a 26-year-old newlywed remembered as selfless and compassionate, according to friends who have started fundraising efforts for the grieving families.
Officials have stated there is no possibility of finding survivors from Tuesday’s tank explosion at the Nippon Dynawave Packaging Co. facility in Longview, marking it as one of the most devastating workplace tragedies in recent American history.
The damaged tank released more than 500,000 gallons (1.9 million liters) of white liquor, a highly caustic chemical mixture used in converting wood into specific paper products.
Emergency officials announced Wednesday that the recovery process would proceed carefully and slowly due to ongoing chemical hazards in the area.
The investigation into what caused the disaster remains ongoing, and officials have not yet made public the identities of the deceased workers.
Gilbert Bernal, a grandfather who worked as an electrician at the facility, was identified as the first confirmed fatality by his friend Todd Cornwell.
“He was one of the most genuinely good people that you’ve ever met. He would give you the shirt off his back if you needed it. He was always there willing to help in whatever needed to be done,” Cornwell said.
CJ Doran, who was 26, was among those presumed dead, according to a GoFundMe post verified by the crowdfunding site.
He was a husband who was “the spiritual leader of their family, the joy of their home, and the family provider,” the post said.
Eight additional people sustained injuries from the tank failure, including one firefighter. Several victims suffered burns or breathing-related injuries, according to authorities.
The mill’s Japanese parent company, Nippon Paper Group, said in a statement Wednesday that it was offering its “deepest condolences and heartfelt sympathies to the bereaved families.”
Officials confirmed Wednesday that the chemical spill has not contaminated local air quality or drinking water supplies in Longview and surrounding areas. The city of approximately 40,000 residents sits near the Washington-Oregon border and has strong historical connections to paper and lumber manufacturing. Multiple generations of local families have been employed at area mills, and numerous residents interviewed had relatives or acquaintances with current or past employment at the Nippon Dynawave facility.
Work teams are currently flushing water from drainage areas near the plant and diluting it before directing it into the Columbia River, which runs alongside the mill.
While some contamination has entered the river, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency reported it has caused no observable impact.
Scientists have honored McLaren Formula One driver Oscar Piastri by naming a prehistoric wasp species after him, according to a new research study.
The ancient insect was discovered preserved in amber from northern Myanmar and dates back to the middle Cretaceous period, when dinosaurs roamed the Earth. Researchers published their findings in the academic journal Palaeoworld’s June edition, officially naming the species ‘Gwesped Piastrii.’
According to the research article, scientists chose to honor the racing driver for a specific reason. “The specific epithet honours Mr. Oscar Piastri for his achievements in Formula One, and because the colour of the amber piece recalled to the first author the iconic McLaren orange,” researchers wrote.
The prehistoric wasp lived during the Cretaceous period, which concluded 65 million years ago.
The 25-year-old Australian racing driver entered Formula One competition in 2023 and has secured nine grand prix victories during his career. Piastri is currently at the Isle of Man TT races during a break before the Monaco Grand Prix scheduled for June 7, and has not yet responded to news of the scientific honor.
WASHINGTON – Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent confirmed Thursday that he shared breakfast with Kevin Warsh, the newly appointed Federal Reserve chair.
During a White House press briefing, when a journalist questioned whether Bessent urged Warsh to reduce interest rates, the Treasury Secretary deflected by discussing his previous interactions with former Fed chair Jay Powell.
“I had breakfast with Chair Powell 41 times, and I never did that,” Bessent stated, offering no additional details about the nature of those conversations.
The questioning comes amid a backdrop where President Donald Trump has consistently pushed Powell to cut interest rates during his tenure.
The French Open was turned upside down Thursday when world number one Jannik Sinner suffered a devastating second-round loss that completely opened up what had appeared to be a predictable men’s tournament.
Sinner’s shocking 3-6 2-6 7-5 6-1 6-1 defeat to Juan Manuel Cerundolo represented far more than just one match going wrong – it was the complete breakdown of what seemed like a destined championship run after the Italian captured victories in Monte Carlo, Madrid and Rome.
The top seed had arrived in Paris as the overwhelming favorite, especially with defending champion Carlos Alcaraz sidelined by injury and three-time winner Novak Djokovic still searching for peak form.
But all those expectations crumbled on Court Philippe Chatrier as Sinner collapsed against Cerundolo despite leading by two sets and holding a 5-1 advantage in the third, with the grueling clay court season apparently taking its toll on the Italian star.
“I struggled, started to feel very dizzy,” Sinner explained, acknowledging he’ll have to wait until next year for another shot at his first French Open crown and completing the career Grand Slam.
“I was very low of energy. I tried to serve it out (in the third set) but didn’t have a lot of energy.
“I woke up this morning, didn’t feel very well and tried to keep the points very short. Also in the beginning, I was hitting very clean, very good, and then I just hit the wall, that’s it.”
Cerundolo described having to maintain his mental toughness while Sinner battled what appeared to include cramping issues, and the victory also energized his older brother Francisco, who rallied to defeat Hugo Gaston 2-6 6-4 6-2 6-1.
“I’m super happy with the match,” the younger Cerundolo said following his massive upset.
“The match was almost lost, but I stayed mentally (strong) during the whole match. I was prepared to battle as long as it took. I was lucky he had cramp and his level went down.
“I stayed mentally focused on the match, trying to do my best every ball. I’m super happy for the win.”
With Sinner’s early exit forcing him to consider an extended break before defending his Wimbledon crown beginning June 29, Djokovic now has renewed hope in his pursuit of a record 25th Grand Slam championship.
Second seed Alexander Zverev will also see fresh opportunity to claim his first major title after reaching three previous finals, along with other contenders including two-time finalist Casper Ruud, Ben Shelton and Rafael Jodar.
On the women’s side, Aryna Sabalenka prevented any additional major upsets during the warm afternoon, with the world number one defeating French hopeful Elsa Jacquemot 7-5 6-2 while defending champion Coco Gauff cruised past Egypt’s Mayar Sherif 6-3 6-2.
Together with four-time champion Swiatek, Sabalenka and Gauff remain the primary candidates to claim the Suzanne Lenglen Cup after meeting in last year’s Paris championship match.
Former world number one Naomi Osaka continues positioning herself for a deep tournament run, as the Japanese star combined flair and determination to beat Donna Vekic 7-6(1) 6-4 and advance to the third round.
Amanda Anisimova, who reached the Paris semifinals as a teenager in 2019, moved forward when opponent Julia Grabher withdrew due to illness after losing the first set.
French supporters found reason to celebrate when teenager Moise Kouame outlasted Paraguayan Adolfo Daniel Vallejo 6-3 7-5 3-6 2-6 7-6(10-8) in a thrilling nearly five-hour battle, with the young player citing Alcaraz as his inspiration.
The 17-year-old Kouame, currently ranked 318th globally and competing in his debut Grand Slam thanks to a wildcard entry, became just the fifth-youngest man to reach the third round at Roland Garros since the professional era started in 1968.
Iran’s closure of a critical shipping passage has forced a massive reshuffling of worldwide aviation fuel distribution, creating extraordinary shipping routes as companies work to maintain airline operations.
The blockade of the Strait of Hormuz has eliminated roughly 400,000 barrels daily of jet fuel shipments that previously flowed through the waterway, pushing European fuel costs beyond $200 per barrel in April – an unprecedented high.
Instead of experiencing severe fuel shortages, the aviation industry has witnessed dramatic changes in supply routing, with fuel shipments now crossing unprecedented distances as companies redraw their distribution strategies to sustain air travel.
This adaptation demonstrates the resilience of worldwide fuel distribution networks while simultaneously revealing potential vulnerabilities should the disruption continue.
European markets have compensated for much of the lost Middle Eastern fuel through increased shipments from the United States, Nigeria and India.
“It really does come down to who is shortest and most willing to pay,” said Sparta Commodities analyst James Noel-Beswick.
This market mechanism has enabled Europe to secure fuel supplies from distant locations by outbidding competing regions, though at the expense of extended transportation routes and elevated costs.
DISTRIBUTION NETWORKS STRAINED BUT FUNCTIONING
The International Energy Agency projects worldwide jet fuel consumption will reach 7.77 million barrels daily this year, showing minimal change from 2025 levels.
With Middle Eastern supplies restricted, purchasers are sourcing fuel from increasingly remote locations.
The tanker Nord Ventura completed a month-long voyage from Louisiana to transport approximately 300,000 barrels of aviation fuel to Melbourne, marking the first such delivery since at least 2017, based on Kpler tracking information.
European buyers have dispatched an unusual shipment to the Seychelles while importing supplies from New York Harbour, a region they traditionally serve as a supplier.
Asian markets have similarly attracted shipments from the U.S. Gulf Coast and African sources, while China has reduced exports to preserve domestic reserves.
Essentially, the marketplace is redistributing supplies on a global scale rather than depending on its most cost-effective transportation routes.
“Jet fuel has become so expensive that, with that price, the market is figuring out alternatives for supply chains,” said Wizz Air CEO Jozsef Varadi.
Thus far, this adaptability – combined with inventory building and refinery modifications – has helped offset the loss of Hormuz shipments.
MOUNTING STRAIN
Nevertheless, extended disruption makes this balancing effort increasingly challenging.
Storage levels already show stress. Independent reserves in Europe’s Amsterdam-Rotterdam-Antwerp hub have dropped to their lowest point since March, while Singapore middle distillate inventories approach two-month minimums. Europe continues struggling to completely replace lost shipments, despite elevated pricing.
“The medium-term is the bigger concern,” said Noel-Beswick of Sparta. “If the conflict drags on with no resolution in sight, we could start to see real tightness emerge towards late August and into early September.”
The IEA has indicated Europe might begin experiencing jet fuel shortages by June.
The challenge extends beyond availability to encompass cost factors. Extended routes, increased insurance premiums and competitive bidding all contribute to rising prices, creating risks that supplies remain accessible but increasingly costly.
CARRIERS MANAGING DISRUPTION – TEMPORARILY
Airlines have handled the crisis better than anticipated. Though jet fuel represents 30% to 40% of operational expenses, robust travel demand has enabled carriers to transfer some cost increases through higher ticket prices.
Industry estimates indicate airlines will face an extra $14 billion in fuel expenses during 2026, yet most have prevented major schedule disruptions.
Airport authorities and governments have helped absorb the impact through reserve building or relaxed import regulations, including Britain’s decision to continue allowing fuel imports refined from Russian crude in third countries.
However, early indicators suggest higher costs are reducing demand. The operator of Frankfurt airport, Germany’s busiest, has cautioned that rising fares might impact passenger volumes this year, now projected at the lower range of its 65 million to 66 million estimate.
Extended closure of the Strait of Hormuz will intensify pressure across shipping, refining and storage sectors – potentially driving prices even higher.
Consultancy Wood Mackenzie projects that continued disruption through late 2026 could push jet fuel prices in major markets toward $300 per barrel.
The Recreation and Parks department in Ocean City, Maryland is organizing a community gathering to mark five decades of Ocean Bowl Skate Park’s service to the area.
The milestone celebration is scheduled for Saturday, June 6, 2026, running from 4:00 p.m. until 6:00 p.m. at the facility’s location in Bayside Park on 3rd Street.
According to the department, Ocean Bowl has been a fundamental part of the community since its establishment, providing recreational opportunities for generations of skaters and community members.
Federal authorities have charged a former high-ranking CIA official with theft and making false statements after allegedly discovering tens of millions of dollars worth of stolen gold bars and cash at his Virginia home.
David Rush, who previously held a senior position at the intelligence agency, stands accused of taking the valuable items from his CIA storage facility. The FBI says the substantial cache of gold and money had disappeared from the secure location but was later recovered during a search of Rush’s residence.
In addition to the theft allegations, investigators claim Rush provided false information about his educational background and military service record. The case highlights security concerns within one of the nation’s most sensitive intelligence organizations.
Rush now faces federal charges as authorities continue their investigation into how such a significant amount of valuable materials could be removed from CIA premises without detection.
Claude Lemieux, the aggressive hockey player who captured four Stanley Cup titles during his career, has passed away at the age of 60.
The NHL Alumni Association confirmed Lemieux’s passing through a social media announcement. Officials did not immediately release details about the cause of death or specify his location at the time of passing.
Just Monday evening, Lemieux had served as the torch bearer for the Montreal Canadiens before Game 3 of the Eastern Conference Final at Bell Centre.
“Today is a dark day for the Canadiens family and the entire hockey community,” stated Canadiens owner Geoff Molson. “A fierce competitor who rose to the occasion in big moments, Claude was a relentless, courageous, and tenacious player who led the team to the highest honors. He embodied the very essence of being a Montreal Canadiens player. Today we mourn the untimely passing of one of our champions. Our thoughts are with his family on this difficult day.”
Throughout his playing days, Lemieux combined talent with a confrontational approach, willing to push boundaries in pursuit of victory.
His performance earned him the Conn Smythe Trophy as playoff MVP when he helped the New Jersey Devils secure their inaugural championship in 1995. The following year with the Colorado Avalanche, he faced a two-game suspension for hitting Detroit’s Kris Draper from behind during their successful Stanley Cup run in the franchise’s debut season after relocating from his home province of Quebec.
Darren McCarty, who played for the Red Wings during the intense rivalry with Colorado that began with Lemieux’s hit on Draper, shared a broken heart emoji alongside the alumni association’s announcement and reflected on his former opponent’s death.
“This is extremely sad no matter what feelings from past or present you hold,” McCarty wrote. “My thoughts and prayers to his family and friends, and people who got to see the person off the ice wasn’t the person on. As I’ve said and will always call it as I see it ‘If you’re on the ICE with Claude Lemieux and your turn your back. YOU Are an IDIOT. But off the ICE I’ll turn mine’ And please. If you are struggling at all please reach out and talk to someone. Godspeed my friend.”
Lemieux’s championship collection also included victories with Montreal in 1986 and another with the Devils in 2000. His career spanned from 1983 to 2009, during which he appeared in 1,449 regular-season and playoff contests across six different franchises.
Commissioner Gary Bettman described Lemieux as “one of the greatest big-game players in hockey history.”
Following his retirement from playing, Lemieux transitioned into player representation, working as an agent for more than a dozen NHL clients including Carolina’s Frederik Andersen, New Jersey’s Timo Meier, Detroit’s Moritz Seider and Boston’s Hampus Lindholm.
During a December event commemorating the 30th anniversary of Colorado’s 1995 Stanley Cup victory, Lemieux reflected on success, saying, “When it’s happening, when you’re in the middle of it, you don’t quite appreciate it as much as you should.”
The ceremony honored late former teammate Chris Simon through his children’s participation. Simon died in 2024 at age 52.
“It’s very difficult, and especially with Chris passing at such a young age,” Lemieux observed. “We have to count our blessings — be grateful for the days that we have and enjoy and appreciate those times when we get together.”
A recent scientific breakthrough may finally explain how pigeons manage to find their way home across vast distances without getting lost.
While animals employ different methods for navigation such as star patterns and landmark recognition, many birds, fish and sea turtles rely on Earth’s magnetic field for direction. However, the exact mechanism behind this ability has remained unclear to scientists.
These remarkable birds are capable of flying hundreds of miles in one day and have served humans for millennia as messengers carrying news, correspondence and wartime communications.
Researchers have spent decades attempting to solve the puzzle of pigeon navigation. Various theories have emerged, with some scientists proposing that birds sense magnetic signals through light-detecting molecules in their eyes, while others believe the process occurs in their beak or inner ear.
“The magnetic sense has been this mystery for almost 100 years,” explained Martin Wikelski from the Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior in Germany.
In their latest research, Wikelski and his team set out to uncover the secrets behind pigeon navigation by examining the birds’ organs for magnetic indicators. Their investigation revealed a powerful signal in a surprising location: the liver.
The study found that specific immune cells within the pigeon’s liver process red blood cells and accumulate iron. When researchers temporarily removed these immune cells from pigeons before releasing them, the birds “just couldn’t find their way,” according to Christian Kurts from the University of Bonn in Germany. This finding indicates that these iron-containing liver cells may be essential for directional sensing.
Interestingly, the birds only lost their navigational abilities during cloudy conditions, as they can also rely on solar positioning for guidance.
While scientists had previously theorized about immune cells playing a role in magnetic detection, this research published Thursday in Science journal represents the first comprehensive explanation of the process.
“I would never have guessed it, but once it was explained to me, it makes sense,” commented behavioral ecologist Albert Kao from the University of Massachusetts Boston, who was not involved in the research.
These immune cells are positioned close to nerve pathways in the liver, which could explain how they relay magnetic information to the brain “and help the pigeons to navigate,” stated study co-author Clivia Lisowski from the University of Bonn.
The research team believes other birds and animals such as mice might use similar magnetic navigation systems. However, independent experts emphasize that additional research is required to confirm this navigational method and understand how these signals reach the brain. Although researchers discovered the strongest magnetic activity in pigeon livers, similar immune cells have been identified in other body parts including the beak and spleen.
The solution to this magnetic navigation mystery may not be singular, according to veterinary pathologist Simon Spiro and biologist Hal Drakesmith in their accompanying editorial. Birds might employ different magnetic sensing methods depending on their specific needs, whether for long-distance travel or locating precise destinations.
“Indeed, it could be prudent to have more than one way of getting home in the dark,” they noted.
The U.S. Postal Service announced Thursday it has secured a massive $10 billion partnership with DHL eCommerce, the online division of the German shipping giant, to handle final package deliveries to customers.
Back in December, the postal service revealed plans to open its final delivery network to both major and smaller shipping companies, building on existing partnerships it maintains with Amazon and UPS.
The final delivery phase involves transporting packages from nearby distribution facilities directly to customers’ homes, representing the most demanding and labor-heavy portion of the shipping process.
During a media briefing, Postmaster General David Steiner emphasized the postal service’s unique position, noting that with deliveries to 170 million addresses six days weekly, “we are the best last-mile provider by default.”
“For us, this is a matter of meeting the customers where they are and meeting the customers’ needs,” he said.
Both organizations confirmed the partnership spans multiple years but declined to provide additional specifics about the timeline.
Steiner has been working to diversify revenue streams for the postal service, which has operated for 250 years. Earlier this year in March, he warned The Associated Press that without congressional action to remove longstanding borrowing restrictions, the agency could face a cash shortage within twelve months.
Scott Ashbaugh, CEO of DHL eCommerce Americas, explained the partnership will boost DHL eCommerce’s expansion efforts across the United States.
“Working with USPS allows us to serve communities nationwide in a highly efficient way, minimizing additional vehicles on the road and supporting our commitment to reducing emissions,” he said.
Funeral prayers took place Thursday in Gaza City for 10 individuals who died in overnight Israeli military strikes, including five children, an elderly person, and one Hamas fighter.
The strikes wounded more than 20 people, according to Shifa Hospital officials. Footage from the attack site revealed flames erupting from an upper floor window while onlookers hurried to transport injured victims, including children, to waiting ambulances.
Mohammed Shawish, who suffered injuries and lost his spouse in the attack, wept while holding her remains at the hospital morgue. “I married my wife for love. For God’s sake, I chose her because of love,” he said.
The military action occurred during the first day of Eid al-Adha, known as the “Feast of Sacrifice,” a significant Islamic celebration observed by Muslims around the globe. Israeli military officials stated Wednesday evening they had conducted operations in northern Gaza targeting two Hamas fighters.
Hamas fighter Imad Isleim was among the fatalities. Mourners carried his remains Thursday, wrapped in white cloth with a Hamas banner placed on top. His relative Nidal Isleim described his death as a “shock” to the family, despite knowing such an outcome was always possible.
The military operations coincided with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s Thursday announcement that Israel was broadening its territorial control in Gaza.
“Right now we are tightening the grip on Hamas,” Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated Thursday during a conference in Jordan. “We are now in 60% of the territory of the Gaza Strip. You know that? We were at 50%, we moved to 60%.”
He indicated the following phase would involve advancing to 70% control, with Israel “tightening the grip” on Hamas “from every direction.”
“We will deal with the remnants,” Netanyahu stated. “But the most important thing is to continue leveraging our power, to increase it.”
The conference formed part of broader discussions covering the conflict, Iran, Hezbollah, Gaza and regional strategy.
“There is still more work. What is happening right now is truly a global change. There is no doubt about that,” Netanyahu added.
Earlier this week, Israeli forces killed Mohammed Odeh, the recently named commander of Hamas’ military wing, the Qassam Brigades, less than two weeks following his predecessor’s death.
Throughout Gaza, 16 people died and 39 sustained injuries during the previous 48 hours, according to Gaza’s health ministry’s Thursday update. The ministry operates under Gaza’s Hamas-run government but employs medical professionals who compile and release comprehensive records considered generally credible by the international community.
Following a fragile ceasefire that began last October, 922 people have died in Gaza and 2,786 others have been wounded, the ministry reported.
NEW YORK — Throughout America’s 250-year history, one cultural influence has remained constant through times of both friendship and friction: France.
America’s fascination with French luxury items and their prestige and artistry has persisted throughout the nation’s existence, and a fresh exhibition tells the story of how these prized objects created a cultural dialogue spanning two and a half centuries of French-American ties.
Notable pieces in the display’s collection include the Givenchy jacket worn by former first lady Jacqueline Kennedy, a Cartier replica of the Apollo 11 lunar module, and a commemorative piece created by Benjamin Franklin at the “Hidden Treasures” exhibition at The Shed in Manhattan.
The exhibition’s organizers, Comité Colbert, represent France’s premier luxury “maisons,” or houses — covering fashion, fragrance, jewelry, hospitality and spirits. They requested 65 luxury houses and cultural organizations to search their archives and discover items that represented the French-American connection.
The display, running until May’s conclusion, arrives as American buyers represent a significant portion of demand for French luxury products. These luxury brands are paying attention — and growing their presence in America.
“American people love French elegance — the ‘je ne sais quoi’ of French luxury,” said Bénédicte Épinay, president and CEO of Comité Colbert. “It’s a deep link starting at the 18th century and still alive.”
While Comité Colbert celebrates France’s relationship with the U.S., America marks its own 250-year milestone — its semiquincentennial.
“The U.S. is a relatively young country,” said James Burroughs, professor of commerce at the University of Virginia’s McIntire School of Commerce. “For much of our existence, we were a relatively modest economy. We were overshadowed by dominant cultures like France.”
The connection between both nations appears in perhaps America’s most famous symbol, the Statue of Liberty, France’s gift dedicated in 1886. But even earlier — and before French historian Alexis de Tocqueville penned his famous work about American democracy in the 1830s — Americans looked to France as taste leaders.
To honor France’s assistance during the Revolutionary War, Founding Father Benjamin Franklin worked with French artists and the Paris mint to create the Libertas Americana medal in 1782. Exhibition visitors can examine the medal’s details closely. Every displayed item was presented in shipping containers representing the ocean journey between the nations.
To promote French luxury products to American customers, one French Champagne maker’s distinctive strategy appears in the exhibition. A 1964 advertisement from Champagne producer Veuve Clicquot demonstrates how the brand matched its Champagne with hamburgers to attract American buyers and move beyond the tradition of reserving Champagne for special events.
“Luxury,” Burroughs said, “is always about status and signaling.”
Similar to its influence in the French luxury industry, fashion provided the exhibition’s star attractions.
Givenchy contributed Kennedy Onassis’s pink, brushed-cashmere wool jacket from her 1961 French visit for the display. Madonna’s provocative pinstriped Jean Paul Gaultier gown from his 1992 runway show benefiting AIDS research is also featured.
French luxury brands are serving their American customers by bringing their creations to America as well. French fashion houses including Dior, Louis Vuitton and Chanel have all presented their runway presentations in the U.S. recently.
“European luxury goods companies are in the process of getting deeper into the USA,” Luca Solca, luxury goods senior analyst at Bernstein, said in an email. “In the past, only the two coasts and Las Vegas had luxury stores. American consumers are step by step warming up to European luxury. In a similar vein to what Chinese consumers did many years ago.”
These companies are not only hosting elaborate runway presentations in the U.S. but are expanding their operations nationwide. Hermès opened a new Nashville location last year.
“What the French have done really well … in the last 15 years, is that they have opened up their range of products to create offers that are very relevant to the mass American consumer,” said Thomaï Serdari, New York University marketing professor and director of the luxury and retail MBA.
French jewelry maker Boucheron displayed an elaborate diamond Belle Époque style necklace at the exhibition recreated after the piece the company sold to Irish-American pair Marie-Louise Mackay and her husband, John William Mackay in 1899. The couple, who built their wealth through silver mining, ordered 50 pieces from the house.
Seeking to attract a new generation of buyers, the brand now operates three American stores since opening on Madison Avenue in 2024. Hélène Poulit-Duquesne, Boucheron’s CEO and incoming president of the Comité Colbert, told The Associated Press that the company plans to open a fourth American location by year’s end.
Following increased growth from pandemic spending, the luxury industry now faces tariffs from the Trump administration and economic uncertainty. The European Commission reached an agreement with President Donald Trump on a 15% tariff on products last year before the Supreme Court rejected Trump’s appeal in February.
For the luxury houses, Épinay said, tariffs are behind them.
“Politics and economics, it’s up and down,” she said. “We’re here to celebrate this strong cultural link between us.”
Federal officials have begun preliminary preparations for a commemorative $250 bill bearing Donald Trump’s image, even as the congressional proposal remains stuck in legislative limbo, according to a Treasury Department representative.
The proposed legislation, put forward by Representative Joe Wilson, R-S.C., would instruct the federal bureau responsible for currency production to feature Trump on this new denomination as part of commemorating America’s 250th birthday.
Should the measure become law with Trump’s signature, it would represent an unprecedented honor for a current president and aligns with Trump’s efforts to position himself prominently in the country’s anniversary celebrations. The Treasury Department’s advance planning indicates support for the concept within the current administration.
These developments come after a Washington Post investigation revealed that U.S. Treasurer Brandon Beach, appointed by Trump, has been urging the Bureau of Engraving and Printing to accelerate preparations for new currency. The publication also disclosed that the former bureau director was transferred after resisting these efforts.
“In response to active legislation sponsored by Representative Joe Wilson, the Bureau of Engraving and Printing (BEP) is conducting appropriate planning and due diligence,” the spokeswoman said in a statement to The Associated Press. “Should this legislative mandate be signed into law, the BEP is moving proactively to produce a $250 commemorative note which will appropriately recognize the 250th Anniversary of our great nation.”
Wilson’s proposal, which has yet to advance significantly, aims to establish the high-value note honoring Trump during the anniversary of the Declaration of Independence. The bill would supersede existing federal statutes that prohibit living persons from appearing on American currency.
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, who oversees the currency production bureau, is expected at the White House Thursday afternoon and may face questions about this initiative.
Beach declined to respond to AP inquiries for comment.
The Post’s reporting indicated that Beach presented the Bureau of Engraving and Printing with a bill design last autumn. The design incorporated Trump’s likeness — identical to the portrait displayed on banners at various federal facilities in Washington — along with anniversary branding. Trump’s signature would also appear on the currency, a feature that distinguishes it from existing paper money.
British artist Iain Alexander confirmed to the Post that he created the bill design and had conversations about it with the president. Alexander did not reply to AP’s request for comment.
The publication further reported that bureau director Patricia Solimene opposed pressure from Beach and his senior aide Mike Brown, emphasizing the complex legal and administrative requirements for introducing new currency. Solimene has subsequently been reassigned involuntarily, according to the Post, with Brown effectively taking control of the bureau.
The Treasury representative declined to address AP’s inquiries regarding any leadership transitions at the bureau.
This currency initiative would represent another instance of Trump incorporating his personal image into his official role since beginning his 2025 presidential term.
Beach and Bessent have already expedited approval for commemorative 250th anniversary coins featuring Trump. The Treasury Department maintains that these special coins are exempt from restrictions on living presidents appearing on legal tender. During the nation’s 150th anniversary in 1926, then-President Calvin Coolidge was featured on a commemorative half-dollar.
The current administration has installed banners with Trump’s portrait at the Department of Justice and other government buildings. Additionally, his appointees to the Kennedy Center’s governing board have added his name to the national arts venue that Congress originally established as a memorial to assassinated President John F. Kennedy. This renaming faces legal challenges due to federal legislation designating the center as the official memorial to the 35th president.
Current federal regulations specify that only deceased individuals may be depicted on American currency and securities.
Wilson’s legislation would create an exception: “except if the individual is or has been the President of the United States.”
Iceland’s lawmakers on Thursday approved plans for an August 29 referendum on whether to restart European Union membership negotiations, backing the government’s two-phase strategy that could result in the Nordic nation joining the 27-member bloc within this decade.
The island nation withdrew from EU negotiations in 2013 following four years of discussions when a Eurosceptic administration came to power, but rising living costs and the conflict in Ukraine have reignited public interest in union membership, according to polling data.
Should citizens vote to resume negotiations, the ultimate terms of EU membership would need approval through a second referendum, while a negative vote would halt any efforts to restart discussions, government officials have stated.
Many citizens remain undecided about EU membership and may find reassurance in the two-phase approach, according to Olafur Thordur Hardarson, a professor of political science at the University of Iceland.
“The large proportion that has not finally decided if they want to join or not, many of them, of course, want the (first)referendum because they want to see exactly what terms would be in a potential agreement,” he said.
EU membership for this nation of approximately 400,000 residents would expand the union’s presence deep into the North Atlantic Ocean during a period when U.S. President Donald Trump seeks to control Greenland, an island situated between Iceland and the United States.
“Even though Iceland of course is a very small country, putting Iceland on the EU map would sort of have a symbolic advantage,” Hardarson said.
In Iceland’s 63-member national parliament, the Althingi, 34 lawmakers supported the referendum while 8 opposed it. Fourteen members chose not to vote, and 7 were not present, the parliament’s secretary general reported.
Foreign Minister Thorgerdur Katrin Gunnarsdottir told Reuters in March that she remained hopeful Iceland could achieve EU membership as soon as 2028, anticipating that fisheries and agriculture would present the most challenging negotiation topics.
An artificial intelligence-powered insurance company announced Thursday it has secured $106 million in new investment funding, pushing the firm’s total worth to $2.6 billion.
Corgi, which uses AI technology to modernize insurance services, completed the funding round with investment firm TCV serving as the lead investor. The significant investment demonstrates how eager investors have become to back startups that are applying artificial intelligence to transform traditional financial services.
The Series B1 funding round included money from Prime Capital, Kindred Ventures and additional investors, the company reported.
This latest financial backing follows remarkably quickly after the San Francisco-based company’s previous major funding announcement. Just three weeks ago, Corgi revealed it had completed a $160 million Series B round that valued the business at $1.3 billion.
Company CEO Nico Laqua shared that Corgi achieved profitability last month and explained the fresh capital will fuel the company’s growth into new market areas. “The new funding would help the company expand into additional segments, including trucking, small business and sports,” Laqua said.
Corgi operates as an insurance technology business, delivering underwriting services, claims processing and embedded insurance solutions designed for commercial clients.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced Thursday that he has ordered Israeli military forces to expand their territorial control in Gaza, targeting 70% of the Palestinian enclave where residents are already confined to a narrow coastal area.
Current Israeli military control encompasses approximately 64% of the small coastal territory, which has been devastated by a two-year military campaign that began following Hamas’ 2023 attack on southern Israel.
An October ceasefire agreement brokered by the United States, which has not succeeded in stopping Israeli operations or achieving Hamas’ disarmament, originally established Israeli forces should pull back to a “Yellow Line” marking their territorial boundaries. Military maps showed this line gave Israel authority over roughly 53% of Gaza, leaving Hamas in charge of the remaining areas.
Reuters previously documented that Israel has independently repositioned concrete barriers marking the Yellow Line further into territory previously controlled by Hamas. Military maps from March revealed an expanded restricted zone that experts estimate encompasses about 64% of Gaza’s total area.
In previous public statements, Netanyahu has acknowledged military control over more than 60% of Gaza. During remarks at a conference in a West Bank settlement, the Israeli leader outlined plans for further territorial expansion.
“We were at fifty, we moved to sixty. My directive is to move to — let’s go step by step,” Netanyahu stated Thursday.
“First of all, seventy. Let’s start with that. We’re pressing them (Hamas) from all sides. We’ll deal with the remnants.”
Netanyahu characterizes the territories Israel has captured in Gaza, Syria and Lebanon as “buffer zones” designed to prevent future militant attacks following the October 7, 2023 Hamas-led assault that triggered the Gaza conflict.
Palestinians interpret Israel’s expanding Gaza buffer zone as part of a plan for permanent displacement, citing statements from high-ranking ministers, including defense chief Israel Katz, who have expressed support for encouraging “voluntary migration” from Gaza.
The territorial expansion order coincides with intensified Israeli operations in Gaza that officials say are aimed at senior Hamas commanders involved in the 2023 attacks. Tuesday’s strike eliminated Hamas’ armed wing chief, following the killing of his predecessor ten days earlier.
Gaza health authorities report that a Wednesday night strike Israel claimed targeted two Hamas leaders resulted in at least 10 deaths, including five children, with 18 additional injuries.
The attack occurred during Palestinians’ observance of the Muslim holiday Eid al-Adha, which many Gaza residents celebrated by gathering in tent camps and damaged buildings.
Etidal Al-Za’im described being with her family in their tent during the holiday celebration when debris from the strike on an adjacent building crashed down on them.
“We came out to the sound of a bang, we sat for an hour before we could come out through the (rubble) and find a way out of the tent,” she said.
Health officials report Israeli operations have resulted in more than 900 deaths since the truce began, while Israel reports four soldiers killed by militants during the same timeframe. Israel and Hamas continue to face an impasse in negotiations over a U.S. proposal for Gaza that would require Israeli troop withdrawal and Hamas disarmament.
Another witness to Wednesday’s Israeli strike, identifying himself as Abu Azam, said a “person in Gaza has no safety at all.”
“He could be hit in the street, he could be hit in the house, he could be hit in the hospital, he could be hit on his way to the market,” Abu Azam said.
Two officials from Ocean City, Maryland’s tourism department have achieved the industry’s most prestigious professional certification, according to a announcement from the city’s Department of Tourism & Business Development.
Jessica Waters and Kim Mueller have successfully obtained the Certified Destination Management Executive (CDME) designation, which represents the tourism sector’s top individual educational accomplishment and serves as the sole certification program created specifically for destination management professionals.
The achievement was announced on May 28, 2026, highlighting the professional development within Ocean City’s tourism leadership team.
ANNAPOLIS, MD – Maryland Secretary of Agriculture Kevin Atticks will officially launch the 2026 Maryland’s Best Ice Cream Trail this Friday afternoon at Prigel Family Creamery in Glen Arm, Maryland.
The kickoff event is scheduled for 3:00 p.m. ET on Friday, May 29, 2026, and media outlets are invited to attend the ceremony.
This marks the 14th consecutive year for the popular summer ice cream program, which has become a cherished tradition for Maryland residents and visitors alike.
Federal authorities have filed insider trading charges against a Google software engineer this week, accusing him of exploiting internal company data to earn more than $1.2 million through bets placed on the prediction market platform Polymarket.
Court documents unsealed in New York reveal the accused is Michele Spagnuolo, a 36-year-old Italian national living in Switzerland who has been employed by Google since 2014. Prosecutors claim that operating under the username “AlphaRaccoon,” Spagnuolo accessed Google’s 2025 “Year in Search” information prior to its public release and used it to place bets on which individuals would become the most searched people of the previous year.
“This week’s charges reinforce a decades-old message: corporate insiders cannot use confidential business information to turn a profit in our markets,” stated Jay Clayton, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York, on Wednesday. “Insider trading compromises the integrity of our markets, and the American people want this greed-driven conduct investigated and prosecuted.”
According to the criminal complaint, Spagnuolo continued placing fresh Polymarket bets as Google’s internal search statistics changed throughout October and December of last year. The filing indicates that Spagnuolo first bet on Kendrick Lamar — who performed at the 2025 Super Bowl halftime show — expecting him to lead search trends. However, when internal Google information revealed that alt-pop artist D4vd was actually generating more searches, he shifted his betting strategy. D4vd, whose real name is David Burke, faces murder charges from last month in connection with the death of 14-year-old Celeste Rivas Hernandez.
Through Polymarket’s “yes” or “no” betting system, Spagnuolo placed multiple wagers on various people who might appear in Google’s 2025 search trend rankings, according to prosecutors. Following the public release of the search data on December 4, the AlphaRaccoon account collected substantial winnings. Federal investigators later tracked the account’s cryptocurrency transactions.
No legal representative for Spagnuolo has been publicly identified. Google, headquartered in California, confirmed to The Associated Press that the employee has been suspended.
“The employee accessed our marketing material using a tool available to all employees, but using such confidential information to place bets is a serious breach of our policies,” a Google spokesperson stated — noting the company is cooperating with law enforcement and “will take the appropriate action.”
Polymarket also emphasized its cooperation with investigators. A company spokesperson highlighted that Polymarket “is the only prediction platform to date whose cooperation has led to insider trading charges in the United States” — and stressed that blockchain-based trading, which Polymarket employs, is “transparent, traceable, and bad actors leave footprints.”
This case marks the second insider trading prosecution connected to Polymarket activity. Federal prosecutors charged a special forces soldier last month who allegedly earned more than $400,000 through Polymarket bets on former Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro’s political fate. That soldier reportedly used classified intelligence related to a January U.S. military operation in which he participated.
These controversies have highlighted growing concerns about the expanding world of round-the-clock speculative trading platforms online. Prediction markets offer event-based contracts — placing them under different regulatory frameworks than conventional gambling operations. This distinction has sparked debates about consumer safeguards and government oversight authority.
The current administration under President Donald Trump has backed industry operators — even filing lawsuits against states attempting to regulate these platforms. The industry is working to rebuild public confidence through enhanced oversight measures. Polymarket recently updated its terms of service to explicitly prohibit users from trading on contracts where they might have access to confidential information or could affect an event’s outcome.
Spagnuolo faces charges under the U.S. Commodity Exchange Act, along with wire fraud and money laundering violations. If convicted, he could receive several years in federal prison.
Canada’s Prime Minister delivered a speech Thursday advocating for enhanced cooperation with the United States, speaking just weeks before President Donald Trump makes a decision about extending the free trade agreement between the two nations.
Speaking to the Economic Club of New York, the Prime Minister outlined his vision for what he termed a “true partnership” that would reimagine collaboration in sectors facing challenges from worldwide competition.
His comments came in advance of July’s required evaluation of the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement, known as USMCA.
The Canadian leader explained that his country is expanding its trade relationships beyond America, establishing commercial agreements with numerous nations globally.
“Our core objective across these partnerships is to increase our strategic autonomy. Because we live in a world where integration has been weaponised. Because a country that cannot feed, fuel or defend itself is not truly sovereign,” the Prime Minister stated.
Recent actions by Trump, including initiating trade disputes and floating the idea of Canada joining the US as its 51st state, have angered Canadians and helped create political conditions that may help the Prime Minister secure his position after pledging to stand up to Trump.
The Canadian leader has become a voice for an international effort encouraging nations to build alliances as a counterbalance to US influence under Trump’s leadership. He has established an ambitious target for Canada to increase its exports to non-US markets by 100% over the coming ten years, citing how American trade penalties are discouraging business investment.
“Canada Strong will help make America great again. The examples are legion where we should work together and compete with the world together. And to those ends, we have made specific, practical proposals to the US Administration,” the Prime Minister declared.
While the Canada-U.S.-Mexico Agreement has shielded Canada from the most severe effects of Trump’s trade penalties, the agreement faces upcoming review, and important industries including aluminum and steel have suffered significant damage from tariffs.
The Prime Minister highlighted that Canadian aluminum shipments to America represent energy equivalent to ten Hoover dams, arguing it would be illogical to seek replacement sources.
“With America’s growing energy needs, does it make sense to build the Gigawatts needed to replace Canada?” the Prime Minister questioned.
Regarding automotive trade, he emphasized that Canada represents America’s largest customer, stating that “an integrated North American market for production is the best and most durable way to confront intense global competition.”
The Prime Minister also discussed critical minerals, explaining that Canada’s extensive deposits of potash, nickel, copper and uranium position the country as America’s most dependable supplier for ensuring affordable food production, strengthening national security, and meeting surging demand for powering artificial intelligence systems.
“At a time of a global energy crisis, Canada provides the United States with the reliable power and critical minerals that help fuel American growth: 99% of U.S. natural gas imports, 85% of electricity imports and 60% of crude oil imports,” the Prime Minister noted.
He pointed out that Canada purchases more American products than China, Japan and Germany combined, making it America’s top customer.
“We know that, when Canada and the United States have had our differences over the years, we have always — eventually — worked through them, because our shared values and common interests run deep. They run through our economies,” he explained.
Canada’s minister for U.S. trade, Dominic LeBlanc, plans to travel to Washington next week for discussions. LeBlanc has previously cautioned that the trade agreement might face yearly reviews, suggesting that creating uncertainty could be part of the Trump administration’s strategy.
LOUISVILLE, Ky. – A Salisbury University softball player has received national recognition for her outstanding defensive performance during the season.
Sam Flowers was named the premier left fielder across all NCAA Division III programs on Thursday afternoon. The honor came through the National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA)/Rawlings Gold Glove Award for her position.
The award recognizes the most exceptional defensive player at each position throughout Division III softball nationwide.
ROME (AP) — During a private Vatican meeting on Thursday, Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson formally requested that Pope Leo XIV return to his birthplace of Chicago for a papal visit in 2027.
Johnson presented a written invitation to the pontiff that referenced Pope John Paul II’s historic Chicago visit and celebration of Mass at Grant Park on Oct. 5, 1979, describing it as “forever remembered as the most spiritually inspiring day in Chicago history.”
“Your Holiness, you were a young priest-in-training at the time. Perhaps you were there. Perhaps you would consider a repeat Papal visit nearly 50 years later to share your own message of hope, unity and service,” Johnson wrote.
The mayor, whose father served as a pastor, specifically asked the pope to celebrate Mass at Grant Park in 2027, emphasizing that Chicago hosts one of the nation’s most significant Catholic communities.
This marks at least the second formal invitation Leo has received to travel to the United States. U.S. Vice President JD Vance extended an invitation to Leo shortly after his papal election last May.
The pontiff was born Robert Prevost in 1955 in Chicago’s South Side Bronzeville area and was raised in nearby suburban Dolton, close to St. Mary of the Assumption, where he worshipped and completed elementary education.
His religious education continued at the Catholic Theological Union of Chicago in Hyde Park, and he served as an educator in area Catholic schools.
LIMASSOL, Cyprus (AP) — European Union leadership announced Thursday that protecting maritime trade routes through the Strait of Hormuz following the conclusion of Iran’s conflict will demand an expanded naval presence, including additional European warships and a broader scope for the bloc’s existing Red Sea operation.
The current EU maritime operation in the Red Sea — known as Aspides, derived from the Greek word meaning “shield” — consists of three warships defending commercial vessels against Houthi rebel assaults from Yemen. The Strait of Hormuz, located at the Red Sea’s southern terminus, previously facilitated the passage of approximately one-fifth of global oil and gas supplies before the conflict began.
Following discussions among the bloc’s foreign ministers, EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas indicated that Aspides’ operational framework might require modifications based on new demands, potentially including specialized mine-clearing vessels for the strait.
“But it mostly needs more ships,” she stated, revealing that one additional vessel would be deployed to the Aspides mission without elaborating further.
Earlier this year, the EU approved extending Aspides’ authorization through February 2027, allocating an extra 15 million euros ($17.5 million) in financial support.
France and the U.K. are also contemplating establishing their own naval contingent to provide ship escorts through the Strait of Hormuz after fighting ceases.
An EU official revealed ongoing discussions about potentially combining Operation Aspides with the proposed Franco-British fleet, though significant details regarding command structure for such a unified force remain unresolved. The official requested anonymity as they lacked authorization to discuss the ongoing negotiations publicly.
Maritime transportation expenses surged following Iran’s war commencement on Feb. 28, driven by elevated insurance rates. The EU official projected that costs would remain high for at least twelve months after hostilities conclude, observing that routing ships around Africa’s coastline now costs less than Red Sea transit.
Officials are exploring the possibility of providing government-backed guarantees to shipping enterprises to help lower insurance costs.
Multiple musical acts are distancing themselves from a Washington D.C. festival organized by a group connected to President Donald Trump, saying they never agreed to participate despite being publicly announced as performers.
Morris Day and Young MC released social media statements Thursday contradicting Wednesday’s performer announcement from Freedom 250 for “The Great American State Fair” events. Meanwhile, Milli Vanilli vocalist Jodie Rocco informed The Associated Press that neither she, her sister Linda Rocco, nor other band members had been contacted about participating.
“My sister and I were shocked to see our name, ‘Milli Vanilli’, as one of the performers,” Jodie Rocco wrote in an email.
Freedom 250 representatives have not yet responded to requests for comment regarding the disputed lineup. The organization, established by Trump in recent months, calls itself a “national, non-partisan organization leading the celebration of our Nation’s 250th birthday.” Trump selected Keith Krach, who previously served as an under secretary of state during his first administration, to lead the group as CEO.
The music industry has frequently clashed with Trump and his allies, with numerous artists including Celine Dion, Elton John and Guns ‘N Roses protesting the unauthorized use of their songs at Trump campaign events.
Young MC questioned the event’s claimed neutrality in an Instagram message, stating “The artists were never told about any political involvement with the event.” He expressed interest in “perform in D.C. in the near future at an event that is not so politically charged.” Day posted on Instagram that “Contrary to rumor, Morris Day & The Time will not be performing at the ‘GREAT AMERICAN STATE FAIR.’”
The disputed artists were scheduled for an “I Love the 90s” show on June 26, with Day slated for June 27. Additional announced performers include the Commodores, Flo Rida and Martina McBride. The festival is planned for June 25 through July 10.
However, at least one 90s performer confirmed participation: Vanilla Ice.
“He is proud to help celebrate America’s 250th Anniversary!” a representative for the “Ice Ice Baby” performer told the AP via email. “Everyone is welcome to attend and celebrate USA’s Birthday and our Freedom!”
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Minneapolis finds itself in familiar territory once more, grappling with uncertainty after Police Chief Brian O’Hara stepped down following findings that he probably meddled in a misconduct inquiry.
O’Hara came to Minneapolis as an outside hire tasked with transforming the police force following George Floyd’s death in 2020, which resulted in federal and state investigations revealing patterns of excessive force and discriminatory policing. His background included extensive experience in Newark, New Jersey, where he implemented reforms after that city’s department operated under federal oversight due to excessive force violations and unconstitutional practices.
The obstacles facing Minneapolis were evident well before O’Hara took the helm in late 2022. The department’s very existence had been questioned, with more than 43% of residents voting in 2021 to eliminate it entirely as the community struggled with Floyd’s death and the subsequent massive demonstrations and widespread unrest.
Law enforcement specialists had recognized the enormous responsibility awaiting Minneapolis’ incoming police leader, who would need to restore public confidence and revitalize a department whose spirits had fallen so dramatically that officers were leaving in droves.
“I don’t think there was a bigger challenge to any American city than what Minneapolis faced when he arrived,” said Chuck Wexler, executive director of a Washington think tank, the Police Executive Research Forum. “They had gone from 850 to 500 officers, violent crime was significantly up, trust with the community was broken, a police station had burned down and a federal consent decree would face the next chief. Then you had the politics of Minneapolis.”
Taking charge of a major department as an outsider presents significant obstacles, particularly when tasked with transformation and reconstruction, according to Renée Hall, president of the National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives who relocated from Detroit to oversee the Dallas Police Department from 2017 to 2020.
“It’s extremely challenging to walk into an organization, where you don’t even know where the light switches are, where the bathrooms are. And that’s just the basics,” Hall said. “You have to learn the officers, the community, the politics of that particular city, and try to learn and navigate the existing relationships, like unions or officer associations and who is tied to whom and who is fighting for whom.”
Hall explained that external appointments often encounter hostility from internal staff who favored promoting from within. Building community confidence also requires considerable time, she noted.
Following the defeat of the police elimination proposal, O’Hara entered the administration of a strongly progressive city frequently torn by political conflicts between the mayor and City Council, as well as among council members themselves.
These tensions were clearly visible Wednesday during a City Council press conference regarding O’Hara’s departure, which progressive members used to criticize Mayor Jacob Frey, who describes himself as a “pragmatic progressive.”
The resignation “is a symptom of a much larger problem, which is simply that Mayor Frey continues to be unable to effectively manage the Minneapolis Police Department,” said Council member Robin Wonsley, a cornerstone of the council’s progressive bloc.
Frey, who recently advocated for O’Hara’s reappointment, defended his response to allegations about the chief’s potential wrongdoing.
“I don’t make decisions based on rumors and anonymous complaints,” he said in a statement, adding that he would work with the council to find a replacement. “I took action promptly after receiving the investigative report. … Decisions this serious have to be grounded in facts, evidence and completed investigations. Anything less would be irresponsible.”
O’Hara did not return a message seeking comment Wednesday. His attorney, Doug Kelley, released a statement touting successes during O’Hara’s tenure, including diversifying and increasing the department’s ranks, the decreasing violent crime rate and mitigating violent clashes during the immigration crackdown.
“The circumstances of Chief O’Hara’s departure should not define his service,” Kelley wrote. “He was proud to serve Minneapolis, remains grateful to the officers and community partners who did difficult work under extraordinary pressure, and hopes the city continues moving forward. He understandably looks forward to returning to his young family in New Jersey.”
The departure occurred just months after Minneapolis returned to national attention during a federal immigration surge that resulted in three civilians being shot, two fatally. O’Hara faced criticism he hadn’t done enough to stop the crackdown.
Violence plagued the city in 2025, including deadly attacks on state politicians in the Minneapolis suburbs; gunfire that erupted at a popular city picnic spot; and a shooting during Mass at the Church of the Annunciation that left two children dead and more than a dozen people injured. O’Hara called the church attack a “truly unthinkable tragedy.”
Critics say dozens of complaints were filed against O’Hara, from accusations that he was rude to the public to the recent investigation into an ultimately unproven allegation he had a sexual relationship with a city employee. Most of the complaints have not been made public, and 17 complaints are still being investigated. Investigators closed 17 more without any disciplinary actions.
An independent investigator did not find evidence to substantiate the alleged sexual relationship with a city employee, but a second report released this week said O’Hara likely deleted the employee’s contact from his phone during the investigation and that he talked to another employee about the probe despite being told it was not to be discussed.
That recent report led to a written reprimand; Frey told O’Hara he would be disciplined and that he could be terminated. Frey said O’Hara chose to resign instead.
Frey appointed an interim chief Tuesday from inside the department, and he has 30 days to nominate a successor under the city’s charter.
Hawaiian authorities launched an intensive manhunt Thursday for a 36-year-old suspect they consider “armed and extremely dangerous” in connection with three fatal attacks that occurred within a 48-hour period earlier this week.
According to Hawaii Police Chief Reed Mahuna, law enforcement is using “significant resources and personnel” in their efforts to locate Jacob Baker, a Pahoa, Hawaii resident.
The victims — three elderly men aged 69, 69, and 79 — were discovered dead on Monday and Tuesday in the Puna district of Hawaii’s Big Island.
“These are a tragic series of events and our thoughts are with those who are grieving at this time,” Mahuna stated during a Wednesday press conference. “The Hawaii Police Department understands the fear and concerns incidents like this bring to our community.”
While Mahuna refused to share specifics about the ongoing search operation, he emphasized that apprehending Baker represents his department’s “No. 1 priority.”
Law enforcement officials indicated they have not determined a motive but expressed confidence that Baker participated in all three fatal attacks. Mahuna withheld details about how investigators identified Baker as their suspect or what evidence links him to the deaths.
The police chief confirmed that Baker has previous contact with law enforcement but provided no additional details.
The first victim, a 69-year-old man, was discovered around 8 p.m. Monday at a home, found partially submerged in a concrete pond, according to Mahuna. Initially uncertain whether criminal activity was involved, police later determined it was a homicide based on preliminary autopsy findings.
On Tuesday, investigators found a 79-year-old victim with apparent blunt force trauma shortly after 12:30 p.m., Mahuna reported. This attack occurred approximately 400 to 500 feet from the initial homicide location.
The third victim, another 69-year-old man, was found dead with injuries around 10 p.m. Tuesday when officers responded to a welfare check at a property roughly 19 miles from the first two crime scenes, Mahuna said.
Police are requesting public assistance in locating Baker and reporting any suspicious activity in the areas where the homicides occurred, while strongly advising residents not to approach the suspect.
Technology firm Anthropic announced Thursday it will debut an enhanced Claude Opus 4.8 system while simultaneously preparing to make its sophisticated Mythos artificial intelligence models available to all users within the next several weeks.
The Mythos system represents the AI company’s large language model equipped with enhanced cybersecurity functions that have generated worry among business leaders and government officials regarding potential consequences.
The newly formed Detroit professional women’s hockey team announced Thursday that they have selected Josh Sciba, a Michigan native, to serve as their first-ever head coach.
The 41-year-old coach brings extensive experience to the role, having worked for two seasons as an assistant with the New York Sirens in the professional women’s league and also serving as an assistant coach for the U.S. women’s Olympic hockey team that captured gold in 2026.
Detroit’s general manager Manon Rheaume praised the hiring decision in a statement, saying: “Josh is a highly respected coach with a knowledge of the game and experience at all levels of women’s hockey that set him apart, and his passion for teaching and individual character are qualities I value in a leader. Hockeytown is in his blood, and this is an opportunity I know he is eager to embrace with an understanding of what it means to represent this city and be part of its legacy.”
Before joining the professional ranks, Sciba led the women’s hockey program at Union College as head coach from 2016 through 2024. Prior to that role, he worked as an assistant coach at Colgate for four seasons between 2012 and 2016.
Expressing his enthusiasm for the position, Sciba stated: “I’m incredibly honored and excited for the opportunity to become the Head Coach of PWHL Detroit and beyond grateful for the trust placed in me to help lead the organization from the beginning. This is home and especially meaningful for me and my entire family, knowing Detroit’s rich hockey history and identity firsthand and how much the women’s hockey community has been yearning for this moment. Working alongside Manon, someone who has meant so much to the growth of the sport, is a journey I’m so fortunate to be on, with her passion, leadership, and vision that will make Detroit a destination for players.”
Detroit will join the professional women’s hockey league as one of four new franchises beginning play in the 2026-27 season, alongside teams in Las Vegas, San Jose and Hamilton, Ontario.
The league has experienced significant growth since launching with six original teams in 2023, including Boston, Minnesota, Montreal, New York, Ottawa and Toronto. Two additional franchises in Vancouver and Seattle joined the competition in 2025.
International financial commitments to battle the escalating Ebola crisis in Africa have dramatically declined by almost 50% since earlier this week, according to the continent’s primary health organization.
The World Health Organization has classified the outbreak of the uncommon Bundibugyo variant of Ebola affecting the Democratic Republic of Congo and Uganda as a global public health emergency.
Latest statistics from the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) indicate 1,077 suspected infections and 246 suspected fatalities in Congo. The data also revealed that confirmed cases in Uganda have increased from seven to eight.
During a virtual news briefing on Thursday, Director-General Jean Kaseya revealed that Africa CDC’s international partners had committed nearly $500 million earlier in the week to combat the outbreak. However, that amount has since dropped to approximately $290 million after several contributors withdrew their commitments, though he declined to identify specific donors.
“People are dying! How can we come and say: we commit X million dollars, and the next day they are calling me to say no, it was a mistake?” Kaseya stated.
“We know some big global health institutions are sitting with billions of dollars… How can you come to say: I want you to focus on this development program, and I have money for that, but I don’t have money for Ebola?”
During his remarks to the media, Kaseya commended the World Bank and African Development Bank (AfDB) for their willingness to redirect existing funds to support the emergency response efforts.
Medical officials are working urgently to stop the rapidly expanding outbreak across the African continent, but face challenges including shortages of essential medical supplies and community distrust stemming from previous epidemic experiences.
The crisis has led governments to implement stricter travel controls. The United States has established temporary entry limitations for individuals who visited Congo, Uganda or South Sudan within the previous 21 days, including permanent residents.
Kaseya questioned the inclusion of South Sudan in travel restrictions, noting the country has reported no Ebola cases or fatalities.
“We cannot afford to stop this outbreak without resources… and more importantly, we cannot afford to stop this outbreak with travel restrictions that Western countries start to impose to African countries.”
Ebola represents a serious and frequently deadly illness spread through direct exposure to infected body fluids or contaminated materials.
Delaware’s Attorney General Kathy Jennings praised the state’s highest court for backing legislation that permits an electrical substation to be built by Renewable Redevelopment LLC as part of a planned offshore wind development aimed at delivering more affordable and environmentally friendly power to residents.
The Delaware Supreme Court on May 26 confirmed a lower court’s decision supporting the project.
Microsoft plans to announce a collection of internally developed artificial intelligence models at its upcoming developer conference in San Francisco next week, according to a report from the Information published Thursday.
The announcement will take place during the company’s annual “Build” conference and will feature a new coding model designed to enhance its GitHub Copilot platform, the report stated. A source familiar with the plans told the publication that Microsoft also intends to introduce specialized models for transcription, reasoning, speech processing, and image analysis.
When contacted about the report, Microsoft chose not to provide a statement.
Following news of the planned announcement, Microsoft’s stock price rose nearly 3 percent during trading.
The software giant is working to strengthen its artificial intelligence capabilities as it seeks greater independence from OpenAI, which has been a crucial partner. The relationship between the two companies has evolved in recent months, with both organizations adjusting their partnership agreements to become less dependent on one another.
Currently, Microsoft’s GitHub Copilot development tool relies heavily on AI technology from OpenAI, Anthropic, and competitor Google. Although the platform initially showed promising adoption rates, competing products like Anthropic’s Claude Code have gained significant market share in AI-powered programming assistance.
According to earlier Reuters reporting this month, Microsoft is exploring potential acquisitions of AI startups as part of its strategy to expand beyond its OpenAI collaboration. Industry sources indicated these acquisitions could help the company attract AI expertise and achieve its objective of creating an advanced AI model within the next year.
Investor confidence in Microsoft’s AI strategy has declined this year as questions arise about the company’s early advantages in artificial intelligence. The changing dynamics with OpenAI, combined with strong AI developments from competitors Google and Amazon, have contributed to market uncertainty about Microsoft’s position in the sector.
Drivers in New Castle County should plan alternate routes as a portion of Route 9 will be temporarily shut down for emergency repairs.
The Delaware Department of Transportation (DelDOT) is notifying drivers that a section of Route 9 must be closed to allow workers to repair a sinkhole that has developed.
Beginning Monday, June 1st at 6:00 am, traffic will be blocked on Route 9 from Bayview Road to Farm Lane while repair crews address a sinkhole that formed above a tide gate structure.
DelDOT officials expect the road closure to remain in effect through Wednesday, June 3rd at 5:00 pm, though work could potentially be completed ahead of schedule.
A businessman and attorney without any political background is making waves in Colombia’s presidential race this Sunday, promising harsh measures against criminal organizations and drug cartels.
Abelardo De La Espriella, who goes by the nickname ‘The Tiger’ among his followers, has positioned himself as the candidate who can fix Colombia’s economic troubles and security issues. Recent polling shows him in second place, trailing leftist opponent Ivan Cepeda.
The candidate criticizes current President Gustavo Petro’s failed efforts to negotiate peace agreements with guerrilla fighters and criminal organizations, arguing these attempts have led to increased drug smuggling and unauthorized gold extraction. He also considers his conservative opponent, Senator Paloma Valencia, as representing the political establishment.
‘Colombia is going through its darkest hours. At the end of the day this is not a battle between Ivan Cepeda and me, it is a battle between totalitarianism and democracy,’ he said in a February interview with Reuters.
‘I will dare to do what needs to be done within the framework of the constitution and the law to save and rebuild Colombia…I am the tiger for that,’ he added.
De La Espriella claims to be funding his own campaign, though Reuters was unable to confirm this independently.
The 47-year-old candidate’s appearance and speaking style have sparked comparisons to El Salvador’s President Nayib Bukele. Like Bukele, De La Espriella wears designer sunglasses and expensive timepieces, sports a well-groomed beard, and advocates for aggressive law enforcement tactics. Bukele’s administration has imprisoned over 90,000 individuals as part of a security initiative that human rights organizations condemn but voters support for reducing murder rates.
Despite never having military service, De La Espriella performs military-style salutes during campaign events and in promotional materials.
While he rejects claims that he’s copying Bukele’s approach, De La Espriella has committed to constructing 10 large-scale detention facilities.
‘In my government there will be no peace processes. Criminals who do not submit will be taken down, as permitted by law,’ he warned.
The candidate was raised in Monteria, a northern Colombian city, where he developed an appreciation for vallenato folk music and has performed as a tenor singer.
De La Espriella is married with four children and owns various business ventures, including liquor companies, a restaurant in Miami, and investments in livestock, construction, and property development.
His legal practice has represented Alex Saab, who faces money laundering charges in the United States related to alleged work for former Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, as well as individuals connected to corruption cases and paramilitary organizations. De La Espriella maintains that his attorney-client relationships involved no illegal activities.
Guatemala has given the green light for collaborative military operations with the United States on Guatemalan soil to combat drug trafficking organizations, according to a Thursday report from the New York Times citing three sources with knowledge of the discussions.
President Bernardo Arevalo of Guatemala approved airstrikes and additional military actions during a phone conversation with U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth last week, with operations potentially beginning as soon as next month, the publication reported.
The U.S. Defense Department also plans to push Honduras to approve similar joint military actions, the report indicated, noting that the Trump administration is focusing on these two nations as a way to pressure Mexico into accepting collaborative counter-narcotics operations.
The Pentagon declined to speculate about upcoming operations or address operational security matters.
“Under Secretary Hegseth’s leadership, the Department will continue working with trusted partners to defend the Homeland and secure the Western Hemisphere,” Pentagon spokesperson Joel Valdez stated in an email.
According to the Times reporting, the White House’s overarching approach involves establishing American military presence throughout Latin America to create leverage with Mexico.
The White House responded that the “Administration continues to work to carry out the president’s agenda.”
Neither the Guatemalan nor Honduran embassies in the United States immediately provided responses to comment requests, and the Guatemalan government was not immediately available for contact.
Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum has consistently stated that while she supports intelligence sharing and security collaboration, she will not permit U.S. personnel or military forces to conduct operations within Mexican borders.
U.S. President Donald Trump has consistently advocated for expanded use of American military power against Mexican cartels and has warned that the United States might act independently if Washington believes Mexico’s efforts are insufficient.
Academic excellence is taking center stage at Goldey-Beacom College, where athletic programs are demonstrating outstanding performance in the classroom.
Recent data reveals that eight out of 14 athletic teams within the college’s athletics department have achieved record-breaking grade point averages, marking their best academic performance to date.
The impressive academic results highlight the commitment of student-athletes who are successfully balancing their sporting responsibilities with their educational pursuits.
Record-breaking television audiences are tuning in to watch the NHL’s Stanley Cup Playoffs during the opening two rounds, marking the highest viewership numbers in league history within the United States.
Female viewers are leading this unprecedented surge in hockey popularity.
According to TNT Sports, women’s viewership has climbed 66%, while ESPN documented a remarkable 106% jump, with much of this new audience consisting of viewers aged 18 to 34 discovering hockey during its most thrilling season.
“We see the numbers up everywhere,” said ESPN VP of production Linda Schulz. “(Hockey) is a particular challenge because sports fans tend to follow something that they themselves have participated in and hockey is one that is not as commonplace for people to have actually strapped on skates. I approach it with, if I get a new fan coming to hockey, what is going to keep them.”
According to Schulz and other broadcasting leaders, several combined elements are attracting new viewers. These include last year’s successful 4 Nations Face-Off tournament, February’s Olympics where U.S. men’s and women’s teams captured gold medals, exceptional gameplay quality, emerging young stars, and the widespread appeal of hockey romance series “Heated Rivalry” and “Off Campus” that have gained viral attention.
“It’s not any one thing,” said TNT Sports executive VP and chief content officer Craig Barry. “It’s the collective of the planets aligning that has shown dramatic increases in the female audience.”
According to league statistics, playoff games are drawing an average of 1.4 million viewers, representing a 63% increase from the previous year and 24% higher than the former record established in 2024. While some growth stems from Nielsen’s revised viewer measurement methods that have boosted numbers across television, hockey’s viewership trend has been climbing independently of these changes.
This upward trajectory started following the 4 Nations tournament, which NHL commissioner Gary Bettman credited with boosting viewership during the latter part of the 2024-25 season and continuing into playoff action. The Olympics further amplified this momentum, with the Milan Cortina Games generating exceptional ratings.
“The Olympics was a cultural moment,” said NHL chief operating officer Stephen McArdle. “We know that Olympic viewership does appeal to those demographics, to that female demographic, and so I think the Olympic bump that we saw was really in part influenced by that female Olympic audience.”
Determining the exact impact of “Heated Rivalry” proves challenging to quantify. While Schulz, who developed her sports fandom growing up in the Boston region, noted it doesn’t factor into her thinking, both networks and the league acknowledge the discussions surrounding these programs.
“We know that the fictional series are a gateway to our sport,” said McArdle. “We know that it opens doors to an interest in the sport of hockey, and it’s incumbent upon us to make sure that new audiences that are coming through those doors feel welcomed as they come in, and also that we help them find their way through the door.”
Technology plays a crucial role in engaging newcomers, Schulz explained, referencing overhead sky cameras that showcase the game’s speed and intensity, plus adding an on-ice camera operator to document emotional reactions such as players showing disappointment after penalty calls.
“It is incredible how that emotional draw, to me, is the real way to pull in a casual fan,” Schulz said. “It’s that balance of getting the feel of the ice through something like your aerial coverage and the feel of the player or the emotion of the player.”
The league has also embraced TikTok, where McArdle noted that many top-performing videos attracted more female than male viewers. A clip featuring Carolina’s Jordan Martinook losing a skate blade gained particular traction as content that resonated beyond typical highlight reels of goals, saves and body checks.
Social media platforms have successfully attracted younger audiences of both genders, while promotional efforts across ESPN, ABC, TNT, TruTV and HBO Max have encouraged live viewing across multiple platforms.
“That’s why it’s so important to meet them where they are,” Barry said. “That’s why our kind of strategy is put it everywhere in a simulcast capacity, so regardless of where you are consuming and digesting your content, in this particular case, NHL games, it’s there for you.”
Homebuyers across the nation are facing another financial obstacle as mortgage rates have climbed to their highest point in nine months, according to new data released this week.
Freddie Mac reported Thursday that the standard 30-year fixed rate home loan increased to 6.53% from the previous week’s 6.51%. While this represents the highest rate since late August, it still sits below the 6.89% rate from one year ago.
Higher mortgage rates can significantly impact monthly payments for borrowers, potentially adding hundreds of dollars to their costs and limiting how much home they can afford to purchase.
The upward trend in rates has been largely driven by the ongoing conflict with Iran, which has disrupted oil tanker traffic through the Persian Gulf. This disruption has caused crude oil prices to surge, becoming a major factor in rising inflation.
Multiple elements affect mortgage rate movements, including Federal Reserve policy choices, bond market investor sentiment about economic conditions, and inflation projections. Home loan rates typically mirror the movement of 10-year Treasury yields, which serve as a benchmark for lenders when setting rates.
Rising oil price expectations have pushed long-term bond yields upward, which in turn has driven mortgage rates higher.
This week has seen some relief in bond markets as investors express optimism about potential negotiations between the United States and Iran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz and restore normal oil flow. Thursday’s midday trading showed the 10-year Treasury note yield at 4.46%, down from 4.57% the previous week. This compares to just 3.97% in late February, before the conflict erupted.
Homeowners looking to refinance also face higher costs, as 15-year fixed-rate mortgages increased to 5.87% from 5.85% last week. Freddie Mac noted this rate was 6.03% one year ago.
The 30-year mortgage rate had briefly dropped below 6% in late February for the first time since late 2022, but hasn’t returned to that level since. The current rate represents the highest since August 28, when it reached 6.56%.
Although current long-term mortgage rates remain lower than last year’s levels, the recent uptick has dampened the spring homebuying season’s momentum.
Home sales data shows previously owned properties sold at essentially flat rates last month, following year-over-year declines in the first quarter. This continues a nationwide housing market downturn that began in 2022 when mortgage rates started climbing from their pandemic-era lows.
WASHINGTON — Rock icon Bruce Springsteen has revealed plans for a major protest festival featuring top musical acts, scheduled to take place in the Washington area just weeks before the midterm elections.
The legendary musician, joined by Rage Against the Machine guitarist Tom Morello, made the announcement Wednesday during a performance at Nationals Park in Washington as part of Springsteen’s Land of Hope and Dreams American tour.
During Wednesday’s show, Springsteen delivered many of his most politically charged songs, including “American Skin (41 Shots)” which addresses a deadly police shooting and “Streets of Minneapolis,” written in response to the deaths of Renée Good and Alex Pretti at the hands of federal immigration agents. “The Gestapo tactics of this president and this administration will not stand here,” Springsteen declared.
“This American tragedy can only be stopped by the American people: you. There is no one coming to save us. We’ve got to do it ourselves,” he told the audience. “So join us and let’s fight for the America that we love. Do you hear me, Washington?”
The single-day event, dubbed the Power to the People festival, is scheduled for Oct. 3 at Merriweather Post Pavilion in Columbia, Maryland, featuring two stages and being promoted as celebrating “freedom, justice, equality and rock ‘n’ roll.” Part of all ticket revenue will support VoteRiders and HeadCount organizations.
“It’s about the power everyday human beings have when they come together through music, art, community and action,” Morello stated. “We’re honored to bring this incredible lineup to the DC area for a day that celebrates the spirit of activism, creativity, and hope.”
The lineup will also feature Foo Fighters, Dave Matthews, Brittany Howard, Joan Baez, Dropkick Murphys, Jack Black, Serj Tankian, Killer Mike, Taylor Momsen and the Linda Lindas, among other performers.
The veteran rocker has been a vocal critic of President Donald Trump, who has responded by calling for boycotts of Springsteen’s concerts, labeling him a “total loser who spews hate.”
During Wednesday’s performance, Springsteen guided the audience in chanting “ICE out!” while urging them to make their voices heard at the White House.
“Our democracy, our constitution, our rule of law are being challenged right now as never before by a reckless, racist, incompetent, treasonous president and his ship of fools administration,” Springsteen proclaimed.
“God bless Renée Good, God bless Renée Good, God bless you and God bless America,” he concluded before performing the evening’s final number, “Chimes of Freedom.”
Democratic party officials from five southern states are pushing for South Carolina to maintain its position as the first state to hold presidential primary voting in 2028, contending that the state provides the most effective initial testing ground for White House hopefuls seeking to forge winning coalitions.
Party leaders from Alabama, Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi and West Virginia sent correspondence Thursday to Democratic National Committee officials, urging them “to do everything in your power to ensure South Carolina continues to serve as the indispensable first proving ground for Democratic presidential nominees.” The DNC is currently considering which states will vote first in the upcoming presidential primary cycle.
These officials maintain South Carolina deserves the opening slot because it “is not simply a geographic starting point. It is a moral and political compass for our party and our nation.”
The DNC’s Rules and Bylaws Committee is conducting meetings this week, listening to presentations from twelve states vying to lead the 2028 calendar. Additional southern states competing for early positions include Georgia, North Carolina, Tennessee and Virginia.
South Carolina chair Christale Spain, scheduled to present her state’s case Thursday afternoon, has expressed confidence that her state has “more to offer than other states do,” highlighting “the role of Black folks.”
“The fight for voting rights is no longer just a courtroom battle, it is an electoral one,” the Democratic chairs wrote in their letter, which was shared with The Associated Press before public release. “And it begins in South Carolina.”
“Any effort to diminish South Carolina’s role in the primary process would be a step backward for the Democratic Party’s stated commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion,” they continued. “It would signal to Southern Democrats and to Black voters in particular, that their loyalty to this party is taken for granted. We refuse to accept that, and we will stand firmly against it.”
In additional correspondence to DNC leadership, Rep. Bennie Thompson, a Mississippi Democrat who chairs the Congressional Black Caucus Institute — which has collaborated with the South Carolina Democratic Party on multiple presidential debates previously — echoed similar concerns.
“To remove or diminish South Carolina’s standing in the primary calendar would send precisely the wrong message to Black voters and to every voter who has been told their voice does not matter until after the outcome is already decided,” Thompson stated.
South Carolina has maintained one of the nation’s earliest Democratic primary dates for many years. As the initial southern state to conduct its primary, South Carolina has served as the first measure of candidates’ ability to connect with Black voters, who constitute a significant portion of the state’s Democratic electorate.
During 2020, Joe Biden’s success in appealing to these voters — combined with a key endorsement from Rep. Jim Clyburn, the state’s sole congressional Democrat and formerly the highest-ranking Black Democratic legislator in Congress — enabled him to revitalize a struggling primary campaign, achieve a decisive South Carolina victory, and ultimately claim the nomination.
For the 2024 election cycle, Biden spearheaded a DNC initiative to position South Carolina as the party’s first primary state, emphasizing the state’s greater racial diversity compared to Iowa and New Hampshire, the traditional early-voting states with predominantly white populations. New Hampshire rejected the DNC’s proposal and conducted its own early primary before South Carolina, where Biden — despite not campaigning or appearing on the ballot — won decisively through a supporter-organized write-in effort.
Biden, who also secured a comfortable victory in South Carolina’s 2024 primary, advocated for a restructured primary schedule that placed Nevada second. He also promoted moving Michigan’s Democratic primary — representing a large and diverse battleground state — ahead of Super Tuesday, the early March date when numerous states hold primaries and the majority of delegates required for nomination are awarded.
While the official calendar won’t be finalized until later this summer, potential 2028 Democratic presidential candidates have been actively visiting South Carolina for several months.
Louisiana faces a deadline to create new congressional district boundaries after the U.S. Supreme Court determined its current map constitutes illegal racial gerrymandering. State legislators are now grappling with how to accomplish this redistricting task.
On Thursday, the House examined a proposal that varies from legislation the Senate has already approved. However, both plans from the GOP-controlled legislative chambers would remove a majority-Black district that was central to the Supreme Court’s decision. Each proposal would also create opportunities for Republicans to gain another seat in the upcoming midterm elections.
“We drew the map to improve Republican strength,” state Rep. Beau Beaullieu said while opening Thursday’s debate.
Following the Supreme Court’s late April decision, multiple Southern states have moved quickly to take advantage of a diminished federal Voting Rights Act to redraw their congressional boundaries. This represents the most recent escalation in an intense nationwide redistricting fight leading up to November’s elections, encouraged by President Donald Trump.
Currently, Republicans are prevailing in the redistricting competition. However, this advantage doesn’t guarantee they will control the U.S. House after November. Democrats require only a small number of additional seats to gain chamber control. Trump is dealing with unfavorable approval numbers. Additionally, midterm elections historically result in congressional losses for the sitting president’s party.
In 2022, Louisiana’s Republican-controlled Legislature overturned Democratic Gov. John Bel Edwards’ veto to implement new congressional boundaries based on 2020 census data. Under those district lines, five Republicans and one Democrat secured victories in 2022. However, federal courts ruled the map violated the Voting Rights Act by failing to create a second district with a majority-Black population.
The Legislature addressed this in 2024 by establishing a second majority-Black district that extended over 200 miles (321 kilometers) northwest from Baton Rouge to Shreveport. This configuration led to the election of Democratic U.S. Rep. Cleo Fields. Yet this map also faced legal challenges, and the Supreme Court overturned it as an unlawful racial gerrymander.
Republican Gov. Jeff Landry has delayed the state’s May 16 congressional primary until later in the summer to provide time for another redistricting effort. The state House and Senate are attempting to reach agreement on a plan before their session concludes on Monday.
Beaullieu explained that Republicans rejected a map designed to capture all six of the state’s U.S. House seats because it would have necessitated incorporating more Democratic voters into Republican-held districts, potentially creating problems by threatening the reelection chances of House Speaker Mike Johnson or Majority Leader Steve Scalise.
Louisiana legislative committees have received extensive public testimony from citizens opposing the Republican redistricting proposals.
On Wednesday, Democratic state House leaders from Georgia and Texas joined their Louisiana counterparts to demonstrate regional unity and opposition to Republican redistricting initiatives.
Georgia House Minority Leader Carolyn Hugley characterized Louisiana’s attempt to eliminate one of its two majority-Black districts as regression for Black Americans across the South.
Historically, “the government was used as a weapon against our community. It used the law, it used courts, it used maps to make sure that people who look like me would never have real representation, that we would never be heard, that we would be present but never powerful,” said Hugley, who is Black. She continued, “Republicans are redrawing voting maps to lock in one-party control.”
Democratic state Rep. Edmond Jordan, who chairs the Louisiana Legislative Black Caucus, indicated the congressional district dispute would return to the courts once lawmakers approve a new map.
“We are going to continue to fight for the African Americans, not only of this state but throughout the whole country,” Jordan said.
Since the Supreme Court’s ruling one month ago, several Southern states have already taken redistricting action.
Florida’s Republican-controlled legislature approved new congressional districts within hours of the ruling, finishing a redrawing process that was already underway in anticipation of the decision. A state judge this week refused to prevent the use of those districts, which could provide Republicans with up to four additional seats in the midterm elections.
Tennessee enacted new U.S. House districts one week after the ruling, dividing a majority-Black district centered in Memphis as part of a Republican effort to secure an additional seat.
Alabama also tried to modify its congressional districts, though a federal judicial panel this week stopped a Republican-drawn map that it found intentionally discriminates against Black people. The state’s Republican attorney general has requested that the U.S. Supreme Court allow the map to be used this year. Republican Gov. Kay Ivey also extended a deadline to certify candidates for an Aug. 11 special congressional primary from Friday to next Wednesday, hoping the Supreme Court will render a decision by then.
Despite pressure from Trump, South Carolina’s Senate this week chose against congressional redistricting. Some senators argued it was too late to implement changes since in-person early voting had already begun. Other Republican lawmakers expressed concerns that the plan might backfire by enabling Democrats to win more seats.
Mexican diplomatic offices across the United States are facing potential closure following a State Department evaluation that has sparked concern among immigrant communities nationwide.
The Los Angeles Mexican consulate alone assists thousands of citizens weekly with birth registrations, passport applications, and increasingly, legal assistance for family members caught up in current immigration enforcement actions since President Donald Trump’s second term commenced.
While all 53 Mexican diplomatic offices throughout the U.S. deliver essential services to Mexican nationals — similar to how nine American consulates in Mexico serve U.S. citizens there — federal officials have begun an assessment that could lead to an undisclosed number of closures.
The State Department has not provided specific reasoning for the evaluation, though it occurs during intensified immigration crackdowns, challenging bilateral disputes, and conservative allegations that these diplomatic offices have meddled in American politics while promoting northward migration.
Azucena Aviles, a 33-year-old mother who traveled over an hour to the Los Angeles facility this month for passport services, emphasized the importance of consular assistance, particularly in California where nearly 13 million residents claim Mexican heritage, including approximately 1.7 million without legal status.
“It wouldn’t be fair if they messed with the Mexican people, especially with our support systems, which come from the Mexican consulate and which, in some way, help or protect our fellow Mexicans,” she said.
Trump has intensified pressure on Mexico, raising concerns about human rights, national sovereignty, and regional diplomacy.
However, his administration has offered only general explanations for initiating the evaluation.
“Department of State is constantly reviewing all aspects of American foreign relations to ensure they are in line with the President’s America First foreign policy agenda and advance American interests,” Dylan Johnson, Assistant Secretary of State for Global Public Affairs, wrote in an email.
The review might connect to the Trump administration’s immigration initiatives targeting deportations of undocumented individuals. Mexicans represent the largest group among such people — approximately 4.3 million according to the Pew Research Center.
Bilateral tensions could also influence the decision, as Trump escalates pressure on Mexico before crucial free trade discussions vital to both economies, adopting more aggressive policies toward America’s southern neighbor and even threatening military action against Mexican cartels.
Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum has avoided direct confrontations with Trump, instead pursuing diplomatic solutions including dispatching senior officials to Washington and maintaining positive relations through cartel crackdowns. Sheinbaum and her predecessor have also assisted in reducing migration to the U.S. and accelerating deportations of other Latin American migrants.
Yet Sheinbaum has taken stronger positions regarding Mexican deaths in U.S. immigration facilities, calling them “unacceptable” and stating detention conditions were “incompatible with human rights standards and the protection of life.” She directed Mexican consulates to conduct daily detention center visits ensuring citizens face safe conditions.
Diplomatic relations deteriorated recently after U.S. indictments of several Mexican officials on drug trafficking charges, and two CIA officers died during an anti-narcotics operation in northern Mexico — American involvement that Sheinbaum said her government hadn’t authorized. The drug raid raised uncomfortable questions in Mexico about U.S. involvement in domestic security operations. Years of reciprocal tariffs between both countries have also increased tensions.
Foreign consulate reviews typically signal “a bilateral relationship is in a very, very rocky moment,” said Arturo Sarukhan, a former Mexican ambassador to the U.S. For Mexico, it arrives at “the worst moment of the U.S.-Mexico relations” in decades, considering current disagreements, he noted.
Adding strain is a theory promoted by Peter Schweizer, a writer popular among Trump supporters who claims Mexican consulates interfere in U.S. politics and encourage migration. Experts say while some Mexican consulate officials may have attempted influencing domestic politics, no evidence exists of U.S. election interference.
Responding to the State Department review, Sheinbaum called the notion that Mexican consulates are “playing politics in the United States is completely false.” She stated consulates everywhere exist to “always protect” citizens.
Sarukhan also said while consulates defend Mexican citizens’ rights, no evidence supports claims of U.S. election interference.
Regardless of motivations behind the consulate evaluation, it has generated anxiety.
During a weekly public session at the Los Angeles consulate, an unnamed woman whose husband was in U.S. immigration detention requested help finding legal representation, demonstrating crucial services consulates provide citizens.
An elderly man mentioned hearing about the review and inquired about potential closures.
Carlos González Gutiérrez, Mexico’s senior diplomat in Los Angeles, responded that, as Sheinbaum indicated, there would be “no reason whatsoever” for the U.S. to close a Mexican consulate.
Closing consulates “would have significant, devastating effects for Mexican immigrants,” especially in remote areas, Ariel Ruiz Soto, a senior policy analyst for the Migration Policy Institute, told The Associated Press.
Daily, consular officials visit the Immigration and Customs Enforcement facility in downtown Los Angeles to identify and interview detained Mexican nationals.
González Gutiérrez, 62, opens each weekly public session by reporting how many detained Mexicans consular officials have interviewed since last June’s Los Angeles immigration crackdown. At the May 11 meeting, the number reached 1,940. Nearly half maintained deep U.S. connections, he said. About 46% have been deported, 35% have U.S.-born children, 69% entered through official ports, 6% overstayed visas, and 2.5% sought asylum. Most were men working in construction, agriculture, landscaping and service industries.
He also challenged claims that Mexican consulates interfere in U.S. politics.
“We are guests of this country’s government, just as U.S. consuls are guests of the Mexican government. In that sense, we are neither activists nor spies,” said González Gutiérrez, who has served similar roles at other Mexican consulates in the U.S. “We carry out our work openly, within a pluralistic and democratic society.”
The Trump administration has launched federal court challenges against four states that have refused to provide undercover license plates to federal immigration enforcement agents, marking another battleground in ongoing tensions between the White House and states led by Democratic officials.
Federal prosecutors filed separate legal actions on Wednesday targeting Maine, Massachusetts, Oregon, and Washington state, claiming these jurisdictions have created unconstitutional barriers that hamper law enforcement operations and put federal agents at risk.
“By denying undercover license plates to DHS components, including ICE, while issuing them to their own state agencies, these governors are pursuing discriminatory and obstructionist policies against federal law enforcement,” said acting Attorney General Todd Blanche in a statement.
“These actions undermine federal immigration enforcement, allow dangerous criminals to escape justice, and terrorize American communities,” Blanche added.
The federal lawsuits were submitted to U.S. district courts in each affected state. The legal filings accuse the four state administrations of attempting “to obstruct the Federal Government’s immigration enforcement efforts, even though control over immigration and the nation’s borders is an exclusive federal power.”
Federal attorneys also contend in their court papers that the Constitution’s Supremacy Clause prevents state governments from interfering with federal law enforcement activities.
A spokesperson for Massachusetts Attorney General Joy Campbell said the state’s lawyers are “reviewing the complaint and will defend the RMV policy to the greatest extent possible.”
Representatives from other states have supported their policies but had not immediately responded to requests for comment regarding the federal legal action.
The federal government maintains that its agents “frequently investigate and apprehend violent criminals, including cartel members, gang members, sex offenders, human traffickers, and other violent offenders” and argues that making those officers easily recognizable exposes them to greater harassment and potential violence.
The legal challenge follows previous exchanges between federal prosecutors and state leadership. The federal government had earlier sent correspondence to state officials requiring them to explain their policies.
Maine Attorney General Aaron Frey responded to the Justice Department last week, supporting his state’s approach and challenging the federal agency’s claim that it has interfered with enforcement operations.
“Rather, the program reflects a legitimate and constitutional policy choice by the SOS not to allow its resources to be commandeered by the federal government for use in civil immigration enforcement activities that have, in Maine and elsewhere, resulted in multiple incidents of abusive and unconstitutional conduct by DHS officials,” Frey wrote.
Shenna Bellows, Maine’s secretary of state, announced a pause on confidential license plates in January, after federal authorities ramped up their immigration enforcement activities in the state. Bellows said at the time that the state wanted to be “assured that Maine plates will not be used for lawless purposes.”
The federal suit against Maine argues that the state “has issued confidential license plates to law enforcement agencies for many years” and that “such plates are explicitly authorized under Maine law.” The state’s review this year, the suit argues, resulted in unlawful state regulation of the federal government by requiring federal applicants for state license plates to attest that federal vehicles that obtained confidential plates would not be used for civil immigration enforcement. The suit also states that Maine did not impose commensurate requirements on state or local agencies applying for the plates, making the program discriminatory against the federal government.
Bellows said last week that she anticipated the lawsuit.
“When ICE asked for confidential license plates, I said no. We don’t have secret police in a democracy, and covert civil immigration enforcement is not something Maine will facilitate. If the DOJ wants to sue us over that, we’ll see them in court,” Bellows said in a May 22 statement.
The Trump administration’s arguments on the license plates are similar to its defense of federal agents wearing masks on their deployments to American cities. That became a flashpoint in an extended government shutdown over Department of Homeland Security funding, as Democrats on Capitol Hill demanded key changes to how Trump’s mass deportation plans were carried out after masked federal agents killed two U.S. citizen protesters in Minnesota.
The White House and DHS have maintained the agency’s mask policy, and the administration already has won a federal court order blocking a California law that barred law enforcement officials from covering their faces in the state.
Additionally, the administration has been at odds with so-called sanctuary cities where local law enforcement does not assist federal authorities with immigration enforcement. And Blanche has instructed the Justice Department’s Civil Division to identify all state and local laws, policies, and practices that could impede what the administration describes as “lawful federal operations.”
BRUSSELS, May 28 (Reuters) – The European Commission commended Bulgaria’s advancement in creating an independent anti-corruption agency on Thursday, while emphasizing the nation must sustain its reform efforts to secure the remaining EU pandemic recovery funds before the August 2026 cutoff date.
Bulgaria was allocated €6.2 billion ($7.2 billion) in grants through the EU’s recovery program, but the funding depends on completing various reforms, including creating the anti-corruption agency and transitioning energy production toward renewable sources.
The country has already collected €3.3 billion in EU funding, though achieving the remaining benchmarks and objectives has been challenging due to five parliamentary elections held over the past three years.
“We all know that there is the deadline in August 2026. So, the goal is to unlock resources by then. For this, we must maintain momentum on reforms,” European Commission head Ursula von der Leyen stated following discussions with Bulgarian Prime Minister Rumen Radev.
“I very much welcome that the legislative process is already well under way. Your government is therefore delivering on this significant milestone,” she stated, highlighting that Bulgaria could receive €370 million from the EU upon completing the reform.
She additionally mentioned that enhancing the profitable segment of the state-owned Bulgarian Energy Holding, particularly its clean energy production division, would represent a significant advancement for Bulgaria’s energy infrastructure.
“In total, there are 1.2 billion euros in the plan for clean energy investments in Bulgaria,” she stated.
Beyond the recovery fund, the EU stands prepared to provide Bulgaria with €3.2 billion in affordable loans through its SAFE program designed to strengthen defense capabilities of EU nations, particularly those on the bloc’s eastern border that could face potential Russian aggression.
“We will support Bulgaria with more than €3.2 billion under SAFE as we just discussed. And we are ready to sign our loan agreement with Bulgaria at any time,” von der Leyen stated.
The European Commission is developing a strategy to encourage government agencies to purchase semiconductors manufactured by European startups, as part of efforts to decrease the continent’s dependence on American and East Asian suppliers, according to a document obtained by Reuters.
The initiative, called Chips Act 2.0, builds upon the initial semiconductor legislation enacted three years ago, which has not met its objectives of bringing advanced manufacturing to Europe and increasing the region’s global semiconductor market presence to 20% by 2030.
On June 3, EU tech chief Henna Virkkunen will present specifics of this new effort to advance and manage essential technologies and services, a strategy largely motivated by conflicts with the United States and China and their control over these sectors. Currently, Europe produces approximately 10% of the world’s semiconductors.
The original legislation concentrated on supply-side initiatives, while the new version will emphasize demand-side approaches, according to the EU document.
“Through Demand Accelerators, the Chips Act 2.0 will also aim to boost the use of EU-designed and EU-made chips by linking suppliers with users via offtake agreements and a demand forum,” the document said.
“To stimulate demand and support EU-based start-ups and scale-ups, the Chips Act 2.0 will deploy public innovation procurement, as a strategic tool,” the paper said.
The Commission has also suggested expediting environmental clearances for semiconductor manufacturing facilities.
Argentine tennis player Francisco Cerundolo was battling through his own French Open match Thursday when spectators began yelling news from an adjacent court – his younger brother was pulling off a massive upset against the world’s top-ranked player Jannik Sinner.
During breaks in play, fans shouted to the 25th-seeded Francisco that his brother was winning as Juan Manuel Cerundolo staged an incredible comeback against the four-time Grand Slam champion.
“‘Your brother is winning, your brother is winning,’” Francisco recalled hearing from the crowd during towel breaks while Juan Manuel was mounting his stunning rally against Sinner.
Francisco managed to overcome his own deficit, defeating French player Hugo Gaston 2-6 6-4 6-2 6-1 to advance to the third round. Meanwhile, Juan Manuel completed a remarkable turnaround from two sets down to defeat Sinner 3-6 2-6 7-5 6-1 6-1.
The loss snapped Sinner’s 30-match winning streak and dashed his hopes for a first French Open championship and career Grand Slam.
The Italian player had entered the tournament in Paris as the heavy favorite following Masters victories at Indian Wells, Miami, Monte Carlo, Madrid and Rome this season. However, the top seed appeared to struggle physically after holding a 5-1 advantage in the third set.
Speaking in a Spanish-language interview with ESPN after his own third-round advancement, Francisco said he slowly pieced together what was happening on the neighboring court.
“I had no idea,” Francisco explained. “I was suffering in my own match and people kept telling me, ‘Your brother won, your brother won.’”
“And I was thinking, ‘Damn it, now I have to win too because I can’t fail now.’”
Francisco, who holds two career victories over Sinner, said he initially believed Juan Manuel was headed for elimination after family members had divided their attention between courts earlier in the day.
“I looked up and my family still wasn’t there,” he said. “I asked what happened and they told me he was two sets to one down. I said, ‘Okay, good, he’s fighting.’”
Juan Manuel, currently ranked 56th globally, turned the match around after Sinner began struggling physically late in the third set and deteriorated significantly from that point forward.
Francisco said the brothers plan to celebrate together after both reached the French Open third round for the first time in their careers.
“It’s more than a dream,” he said. “A huge pride for all the family.”
A property management software company based in Utah has submitted paperwork for a public stock offering on Thursday, showcasing impressive financial gains that may indicate technology firms are preparing to return to the initial public offering marketplace.
The Lehi-based company posted profits of $23.3 million with total revenues reaching $143.5 million during the first quarter ending March 31, marking substantial growth from the previous year’s figures of $13.9 million in profits and $116.6 million in revenues.
This public offering submission could serve as an important gauge for how willing investors are to support software company stock launches, given that the technology sector has been notably missing from IPO activity this year due to concerns about artificial intelligence disruption.
Another technology firm backed by asset manager investment also resubmitted its IPO paperwork in April, after previously withdrawing its offering attempt when software stocks experienced significant declines.
“Technology has been the missing pillar of the 2026 IPO market, largely due to the Q1 software selloff, but the start of a rebound now looks imminent based on these filings from Entrata and Liftoff,” said Matt Kennedy, senior strategist at Renaissance Capital, a provider of IPO-focused research and ETFs.
“Investors will still scrutinize the extent to which AI could disrupt these businesses, so they’d better have a convincing answer to that question.”
The company’s technology platform enables property managers and tenants to complete various activities including monitoring maintenance requests, overseeing financial matters, and handling digital payment transactions. The business concentrates on the United States apartment housing market and has provided services to 2.5 million housing units as of March 31.
Established in 2003, the company’s primary financial supporters include investment companies Silver Lake, TPP Capital Advisors, and Dragoneer Investment Group.
During 2025, the firm obtained $200 million in minority funding from asset manager investment at a company valuation of $4.3 billion.
Major financial institutions Goldman Sachs, J.P. Morgan and Barclays are serving as the lead underwriters for the offering. The company plans to trade on the New York Stock Exchange using the ticker symbol “ENT.”
Cheniere Energy Partners announced Thursday that it has entered into an agreement with Bechtel Energy to handle engineering, procurement and construction work for the initial phase of expanding its Sabine Pass LNG facility located in Cameron Parish, Louisiana.
Key project details include:
• The existing Sabine Pass LNG facility currently operates natural gas liquefaction equipment capable of producing more than 30 million tonnes annually of LNG.
• This facility enables the United States to ship its plentiful shale gas resources from the Permian and Haynesville regions overseas, strengthening America’s trade position while offering allied nations an option beyond Russian or Middle Eastern gas supplies.
• The initial development phase will add Train 7, along with a boil-off gas re-liquefaction system and supporting infrastructure connected to the current Sabine Pass LNG facility.
• Cheniere anticipates making a final investment decision for the first phase sometime in early 2027.
• The company has also provided Bechtel with a limited notice to proceed, enabling preliminary engineering and procurement activities to get underway.
• The first phase is projected to have a total production capacity exceeding 6 mtpa of LNG.
Authorities are looking into a gunfire incident that took place Tuesday morning at a Georgetown residence on Lawson Road.
Troopers were called to the 24000 block of Lawson Road in Georgetown around 9:10 a.m. on May 26, 2026, following reports that a home had been hit by bullets. Initial findings indicate that an unidentified gunman discharged several rounds at the house. Three occupants were present during the shooting, but none sustained injuries.
The Troop 4 Criminal Investigations Unit with Delaware State Police is continuing their probe into this case. Investigators are requesting that anyone with pertinent details reach out to Detective J. O’Neil at (302) 752-3810. Tips can also be submitted through a private message to the Delaware State Police Facebook page or by calling Delaware Crime Stoppers at 1-800-847-3333.
Those who have been victims or witnesses of criminal activity, or families who have experienced sudden loss and require support, can access help through the Delaware State Police Victim Services Unit and Delaware Victim Center. This assistance is available around the clock via their toll-free number at 1-800-VICTIM-1 (1-800-842-8461). The Victim Services Unit can also be reached by email at [email protected].
Delaware State Police have arrested a suspect in connection with a deadly shooting that took place in Seaford last week.
Authorities apprehended 19-year-old Darrin West of Seaford, Delaware on May 27, 2026, in Maryland with help from the Salisbury Police Department and the Maryland State Police. West remains in custody in Maryland while awaiting extradition back to Delaware.
Once returned to Delaware, West will face several serious charges including:
Murder 1st Degree (Felony)
Attempt to Commit Robbery 1st Degree (Felony)
Possession of a Firearm During the Commission of a Felony (Felony)
Conspiracy 1st Degree (Felony)
The Delaware State Police Homicide Unit remains actively involved in the ongoing investigation. Investigators are requesting anyone who may have information regarding this case to reach out to Detective B. McDerby at (302) 741-2821. Tips can also be submitted through a private message to the Delaware State Police Facebook page or by contacting Delaware Crime Stoppers at (800) 847-3333.
For those affected by crime or sudden loss, the Delaware State Police Victim Services Unit and Delaware Victim Center provide round-the-clock support through their toll-free hotline at 1-800-VICTIM-1 (1-800-842-8461). Support can also be accessed by emailing [email protected].
