Motorists traveling on Elderon Drive should plan for potential delays as construction crews continue work in the area.
The Delaware Department of Transportation reports that intermittent lane restrictions are currently in effect on Elderon Drive at the loop location. The construction-related closures are expected to remain in place until 6PM today.
Drivers are advised to use caution when traveling through the work zone and allow extra time for their commute. Traffic may experience periodic delays as lanes are temporarily closed to accommodate the construction activities.
The celebrated Iranian-French artist Marjane Satrapi, known globally for her groundbreaking work advocating women’s rights, has passed away at the age of 56, according to an announcement from France’s presidential office on Thursday.
“Her passing marks the loss of a leading figure of French culture and an artist devoted to freedom, whose work carried a universal message and earned her immense international acclaim,” officials from the French presidency stated.
President Emmanuel Macron and his wife “pay tribute to a remarkable artist who transformed an Iranian childhood into a universal fable,” the official statement continued.
French news outlet BFM TV and additional media sources indicated that Satrapi “died of sadness” approximately one year following the passing of her spouse, Swedish film producer and actor Mattias Ripa, based on reports from individuals close to the artist.
The French Academy of Fine Arts, where she held membership, shared their profound grief through a social media post, honoring “a passionate advocate for cinema and film education” who recently established a foundation to assist international students pursuing film studies in Paris.
Satrapi gained worldwide recognition for her black-and-white autobiographical graphic novel and subsequent film “Persepolis,” which chronicles a young woman’s experiences during Iran’s Islamic Revolution.
“Persepolis” earned the Film Critics Grand Prix at Cannes in 2007 and received the César Award for Best Adapted Screenplay in 2008, while also securing a nomination for Best Animated Feature at the 2008 Academy Awards.
The story, which chronicles her experiences growing up in Tehran as the strong-willed child of intellectual Marxists, serves to show that Iranians share common humanity with people everywhere, Satrapi explained to The Associated Press during a 2007 Cannes interview.
“What we wanted to say is, if these people scare you, look closer: They have parents, they have lovers, they have hope, they have stories,” she explained.
Iranian officials objected to the film’s Cannes screening at the time, submitting a formal complaint to the French Embassy in Tehran.
Born November 22, 1969, in Rasht, Iran, Satrapi was sent by her family to Vienna, Austria, in 1983 to complete her education due to rising extremism following the 1979 Revolution that brought Ayatollah Khomeini into power.
However, Satrapi found Austria unwelcoming and longed for her family, prompting her return to Iran in 1989 to study at Tehran University, where she completed a degree in visual communications.
Upon graduation, Satrapi determined she was prepared to depart Iran and embrace the opportunities her parents had urgently wanted to provide her ten years earlier. She relocated to France in 1994, studying in Strasbourg before settling in Paris.
Her additional graphic works include “Broderies” (“Embroideries”) and “Poulet aux prunes” (“Chicken with plums”), with the latter also becoming a film. Her directorial portfolio encompasses multiple projects including “La Bande des Jotas” (“The Gang of Jotas”) and “Radioactive” (“Madame Curie”), a biographical work about Polish scientist Marie Curie.
In 2023, Satrapi collaborated with fellow artists and scholars on the publication “Femme, vie, liberté” (“Woman, Life, Freedom”) to document the uprisings in Iran following Mahsa Amini’s death in 2022 by the “morality police.” The publication condemns the oppression and human rights violations endured by Iranian society, particularly women, under the current Iranian government, according to the foundation.
Satrapi joined the French Academy of Fine Arts as a member in 2024. She was also presented with France’s highest honor, the Legion of Honor, that year but refused the recognition, stating France wasn’t adequately supporting Iranians fighting for democratic freedoms.
“Supporting the women’s revolution in Iran cannot be reduced to photos or speeches,” she stated in a January 2025 correspondence to French officials. “When people are fighting for democracy, we should support them.”
In 2024, Satrapi received the Princess of Asturias Foundation award in Spain for communication and humanities. The institution recognized her as “an essential voice in the defense of human rights and freedom,” with judges calling her “a symbol of civic engagement led by women.”
Satrapi’s husband passed away in April 2025 at age 53. Her Instagram account contained only one final post among her previous content: “Because I have lost the love of my life.”
WASHINGTON — Federal officials have shifted their approach toward higher education, moving away from targeting individual campuses to proposing sweeping regulatory changes that would impact universities across the nation.
Over the past year, the administration launched numerous investigations into college campuses and threatened to withdraw federal funding from institutions that didn’t align with the Republican president’s political objectives. Now, officials are pursuing broader regulatory reforms that would affect thousands of schools simultaneously.
“We’re coming over the higher education system and course correcting,” Nicholas Kent, undersecretary for the Education Department, told the Associated Press. He explained that unlike probes focusing on specific campuses, this new strategy has the capability “to affect 6,000 institutions.”
This tactical change follows court decisions that prevented the administration from implementing severe financial penalties against Harvard and the University of California, Los Angeles. The shift also comes after numerous civil rights attorneys who typically oversee university investigations left their positions. Despite these setbacks, the president continues his effort to eliminate what he describes as “wokeness” run amok in academia.
The regulatory approach targets similar issues previously addressed through investigations, including diversity, equity and inclusion programs, transgender athletes, antisemitism, and various practices viewed as anti-white discrimination.
A new Education Department proposal would restructure the accreditation system that determines which colleges qualify for federal funding. The plan would mandate that accreditors ensure colleges maintain “intellectual diversity,” which represents a coded request for increased conservative representation.
Higher education officials express concern about a proposal from the Office of Management and Budget requiring agencies to confirm federal grants “advance the President’s policy priorities.” Officials would verify grants aren’t supporting DEI initiatives, “anti-American values,” or anything rejecting “the sex binary in humans,” according to last week’s proposal. An OMB spokesperson stated the rule promotes transparency.
The General Services Administration has proposed another rule requiring federal grant recipients, including universities and their contractors, to verify they don’t maintain DEI policies the administration considers illegal.
The Education Department has introduced at least 11 new proposed regulations, including one designed to “streamline the process” for reducing funding to schools violating the administration’s civil rights law interpretations.
Creating federal regulations involves months of bureaucratic debate and procedures. However, unlike previous strategies that pushed presidential authority limits, the rulemaking process represents an established method for implementing federal policy without congressional approval.
Some higher education leaders view this change positively. Ted Mitchell, president of the American Council on Education representing college and university presidents, said the new approach allows for dialogue, unlike last year’s confrontational tactics.
“We’re playing a game that has rules and referees, and that’s good,” said Mitchell, a former Education Department official under President Barack Obama, a Democrat. “It gives us an opportunity to talk about where we might agree with the administration. That was impossible to do when these were just straight-on attacks.”
Meanwhile, the Education and Justice departments have announced fewer higher education investigations, releasing statements about roughly a dozen at U.S. universities this year. During the same period last year, they announced more than 70, according to AP analysis. The precise number of new investigations remains unclear since a public database hasn’t been updated since January 2025.
Kent stated the Education Department will continue opening investigations when necessary, describing it as using a “scalpel to cut out the bad.” He noted that colleges have begun complying with the administration’s priorities.
“Folks realize that it’s a new day and that we’re paying attention,” Kent said.
Most investigations launched last year remain active. The White House reached agreements with Columbia, Brown, and several other institutions, but most cases remain unresolved without public updates for months.
Catherine Lhamon, who directed the Education Department’s Office for Civil Rights under President Joe Biden, a Democrat, characterized the investigation surge as “performance art” that attracted attention but achieved little impact. She believes the administration is retreating after facing school resistance.
“It stopped putting itself in a position to lose,” said Lhamon, who currently leads the Edley Center on Law and Democracy at the University of California, Berkeley.
However, some conflicts have escalated. The White House has intensified battles with Harvard and UCLA after federal judges prevented the administration from eliminating research funding from these campuses.
The Justice Department has filed four lawsuits against Harvard and UCLA since February, claiming both institutions permitted antisemitism and that Harvard withheld admissions data requested by the administration. Leadership at both universities maintains they have actively combated antisemitism.
A White House official attributed the investigation reduction partly to increased focus on college admissions. The administration has been developing cases against colleges allegedly considering race in admissions decisions despite the Supreme Court’s affirmative action ruling. These investigations require more time due to extensive data collection needs, according to the official who spoke anonymously about internal strategy.
Some of these cases are now producing results.
The Justice Department recently determined that medical schools at Yale and UCLA discriminated against white and Asian American students by supposedly preferring Black and Latino applicants. The universities have defended their admissions procedures, maintaining they were thorough and merit-based.
Officials are taking an uncompromising stance against any racial consideration in admissions, conflicting with colleges that allow students to discuss their race in application essays. In its 2023 ruling, the Supreme Court indicated schools could consider how applicants’ race relates to broader qualities.
“We are making sure,” Kent said, “that we are elevating our best and our brightest and that we’re not putting the thumb on the scale because of somebody’s skin color.”
Facing last year’s aggressive campaign, many campuses quietly implemented changes to avoid scrutiny. Some eliminated DEI offices. The NCAA moved to restrict transgender athletes. Universities from UCLA to Columbia strengthened campus protest policies after pro-Palestinian demonstrations became subjects of federal investigations.
Research has been reduced as leading schools face ongoing funding cuts.
In classrooms, there’s been a chilling effect as professors worry that their words or teachings could draw federal attention, said Todd Wolfson, president of the American Association of University Professors.
Still, he remains optimistic that the power balance is shifting toward universities. Students and faculty at several campuses built pressure to reject a White House invitation last fall to endorse aspects of the president’s agenda in exchange for favorable research funding access, he said. The AAUP has filed several lawsuits against the administration, including one that halted funding cuts at UCLA.
“The sector is getting its feet under it, and it’s only getting stronger,” Wolfson said. “I can promise you that we will fight them tooth and nail.”
MOSCOW – Russian officials on Thursday criticized NATO’s involvement in military exercises taking place in Serbia, claiming the alliance is attempting to pressure the Balkan nation into submission.
The controversy centers around Serbia’s annual “Platinum Wolf” military exercise, which launched on June 1 with backing from the U.S. European command. Serbian officials describe the drill as an opportunity for participating nations to share military expertise and strengthen cooperation among the eight NATO member countries involved.
Maria Zakharova, a spokeswoman for Russia’s Foreign Ministry, alleged that NATO seeks to dominate the Balkans region and separate Serbia from its Russian ties.
“They are wrapping Serbia in the coils of their love like a boa constrictor,” Zakharova stated during a press briefing.
The tensions reflect the historically close relationship between Russia and Serbia, which dates back years and was complicated by NATO’s 1999 bombing campaign during the Kosovo conflict.
The leader of Brunei revealed significant changes to his government structure Thursday, establishing new key positions and naming two of his sons to ministerial roles, suggesting possible succession preparations in the wealthy oil nation.
This marks the first major government reorganization since 2022 and occurs while Brunei, located on Borneo island, confronts challenges from worldwide energy difficulties triggered by the U.S.-Israeli conflict with Iran.
The announcement also comes one year ahead of Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah’s diamond jubilee celebration. The monarch, who took power in 1967, holds the distinction of being the world’s longest-serving ruler.
The 79-year-old leader, who manages several government positions, has appeared publicly less frequently this year following knee replacement surgery in January.
During a television address, Sultan Hassanal stated he would maintain his positions as prime minister, defence minister and finance minister.
Prince Abdul Malik, his second eldest son, received appointment as Minister in the Prime Minister’s Office, marking his initial cabinet position.
Prince Abdul Mateen, his second youngest son who enjoys polo and has social media popularity, was named foreign minister, a position the sultan previously managed personally.
Crown Prince Al-Muhtadee Billah, his eldest son, kept his existing position as Senior Minister at the Prime Minister’s Office.
The sultan also revealed the establishment of three new ministerial positions designed to improve policy coordination throughout the government. He announced that the Primary Resources and Tourism Ministry would be restructured into the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry.
“This is intended to accelerate the development of priority sectors, strengthen economic diversification efforts, support sustainable economic growth and create meaningful employment opportunities,” he said.
The reorganization resulted in the greatest number of women appointed to cabinet positions to date, including the education minister and three deputy ministers.
Brunei has gained advantages from the Iranian conflict, increasing exports of crude oil, refined products and gas recently. However, the nation struggles with rising subsidy expenses to maintain some of the region’s lowest fuel prices.
Last month, Brunei implemented restrictions preventing foreign-registered vehicles with fuel tanks less than three-quarters full from entering the country, aiming to prevent cross-border smuggling and preserve domestic fuel supplies.
On Wednesday, the energy department announced that officials had formed a special committee to oversee and coordinate responses to address impacts from the Middle East conflict.
A consumer protection agency in Thailand announced Thursday it intends to file legal action against Meta’s Facebook platform, accusing the social media giant of inadequate protection against fraudulent activity.
The Consumer Council issued a statement declaring its intention to pursue litigation over Facebook’s alleged failure to prevent scammers from exploiting the platform through deceptive advertisements that target and defraud users.
The watchdog organization claims the social media company has not done enough to safeguard its user base from these fraudulent schemes operating through the platform’s advertising system.
Singapore Airlines is currently negotiating with major aircraft manufacturers Airbus and Boeing for a potential purchase of no fewer than 50 large passenger aircraft as the carrier prepares for its next expansion phase starting in the coming decade, according to industry sources.
The Southeast Asian carrier is requesting proposals for additional 400-seat Boeing 777X aircraft, which represents the largest model currently available in the industry, or alternatively for the somewhat smaller Airbus A350-1000, sources indicated. The negotiations remain in preliminary stages but may encompass additional options for many more aircraft.
Both Airbus and Boeing refused to provide comments on the matter. Singapore Airlines has not yet responded to requests for comment.
A quantum computing company backed by industrial conglomerate operations launched its stock market debut Thursday following a successful $1.68 billion initial public offering that exceeded expectations.
The Colorado-based firm sold 28 million shares priced at $60 each, surpassing its initial target range of $53 to $55 per share. Strong investor demand led the company to increase the number of shares offered earlier this week to 26.5 million.
Recent advances in quantum technology have sparked investor enthusiasm about the possibility that these specialized machines could eventually surpass traditional computers in handling certain complex calculations.
Market confidence received an additional boost last month when federal officials unveiled a $2 billion program to purchase equity positions in nine quantum computing firms, including a proposed $100 million investment in the newly public company.
“The investment case is centered on the long-term potential of quantum computing and its potential role in future computing infrastructure,” said IPOX Schuster analyst Kat Liu.
“The support is meaningful because quantum computing is increasingly viewed as a strategic technology with implications for national security, AI, communications and advanced computing,” Liu added.
Growing sophistication in artificial intelligence systems has heightened expectations that quantum computer demand could eventually accelerate, as these AI applications require increasingly powerful computational resources.
Competitor IonQ has seen its stock price jump approximately 52% this year, reaching a market capitalization of roughly $25.47 billion, based on data from LSEG.
This market entry occurs as the U.S. initial public offering market shows renewed activity, though investor interest remains focused primarily on technology companies and other rapidly expanding sectors.
The Broomfield, Colorado-based company emerged in 2021 from combining quantum computing divisions of an industrial technology company with software specialist Cambridge Quantum. The merged entity creates quantum hardware and software systems aimed at tackling complex computational challenges.
“Quantinuum also benefits from Honeywell’s backing and has expanded beyond hardware into software, cybersecurity, and quantum networking applications. Commercial adoption remains limited, but investors are primarily buying into the long-term opportunity,” Liu explained.
Following the offering’s completion, the industrial technology company will control approximately 48.1% of voting power in the quantum computing firm, according to regulatory documents.
However, the company’s commercial revenue shows significant concentration among a limited customer base.
Japan’s RIKEN research institute represented roughly 60% of the company’s 2025 revenue, demonstrating the sector’s ongoing dependence on government and research institution spending.
Edward Best, a partner at Willkie Farr & Gallagher, suggested investors should watch whether the company diversifies its customer base and expands both the quantity and value of commercial agreements going forward.
The quantum computing sector continues to face obstacles including substantial development expenses, technical complexity, and unclear timelines for broad commercial implementation.
J.P. Morgan and Morgan Stanley served as the primary active book-running managers for this public offering.
Motorists traveling along Bryants Corner Road should expect delays today as construction crews work in the area between Brittany Road and Hazlettville Road.
Traffic officials report that lanes are being periodically closed to accommodate the construction activities, with the work zone restrictions expected to remain in place through 6 PM this evening.
Drivers are advised to allow extra travel time when using this route and to exercise caution while passing through the work zone area.
WASHINGTON, June 4 – Three leading federal banking regulators will appear before Congress Thursday to defend their ongoing efforts to reduce banking regulations and oversight, claiming these changes will boost economic growth and encourage innovation while keeping appropriate protections in place.
The heads of the Federal Reserve, Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation and Office of the Comptroller of the Currency are scheduled to appear before the House Financial Services Committee, where they will provide updates on their wide-ranging review and relaxation of multiple banking regulations enacted after the 2008 financial crisis.
“By tailoring requirements to actual risk, focusing supervision on what truly matters, and integrating innovation into the regulatory framework, the Federal Reserve is creating conditions for banks to thrive while maintaining the robust safeguards,” said Fed Vice Chair for Supervision Michelle Bowman in prepared remarks posted Wednesday.
Bowman and her counterparts have been actively reviewing stricter standards implemented in recent years, contending that excessive regulatory oversight has limited banks’ capacity to support economic growth. As an example, Bowman explained that the Fed has discovered examiners have identified many bank shortcomings that were merely procedural or paperwork issues, rather than genuine financial threats.
“For over a year, we have been reforming supervision to focus on material financial risks rather than on process-oriented, check-the-box requirements,” said FDIC Chairman Travis Hill in his prepared remarks.
The regulators also plan to inform lawmakers about their desire to promote innovation within the financial industry, both through banks adopting blockchain technologies and artificial intelligence, and through nonbank entities.
“Our job is to facilitate, not stymie, responsible innovation,” said Comptroller Jonathan Gould in prepared testimony.
Nevertheless, they also cautioned that emerging technologies create new risks for banks. Bowman pointed out that new AI models have “dramatically accelerated” the identification of vulnerabilities in the banking system.
Armed clashes erupted between Somali government forces and opposition-backed militias in the capital city of Mogadishu, with fighting continuing from Wednesday evening into Thursday morning, according to local residents who spoke with Reuters.
The armed confrontations took place as demonstrators prepared for Thursday protests challenging President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud’s choice to continue serving after his presidential term ended last month. In March, parliamentary members approved constitutional modifications that could permit Mohamud to stay in power for an additional year while delaying scheduled elections.
A former president who served from 2009 to 2012, Sharif Sheikh Ahmed, claimed that government soldiers had attacked his residence and criticized Mohamud’s administration for “illegally altering the constitution.”
“The government forces encircled and attacked my house. I am never scared of their aggressive attack, I will fight back,” he stated in a video posted to his Facebook page during the overnight hours.
Through a message on X, former prime minister Hassan Ali Khaire alleged that government soldiers deployed heavy weaponry including anti-tank armaments and drones within a crowded residential zone. Reuters could not independently confirm these allegations.
Khaire further claimed the government had launched “a sustained and indiscriminate military assault” designed to eliminate both him and Ahmed.
Neither Somalia’s information nor defense ministers answered phone calls or responded to Reuters requests for statements.
Local residents reported that combat started around 5 p.m. Wednesday and extended into Thursday morning, with thousands of government soldiers positioned throughout Mogadishu’s Howlwadag and Abdiasis neighborhoods, where they engaged in firefights with militias backing opposition figures.
“A mortar shell landed on my neighbour’s house, injuring a mother. A big house near us is also ablaze, mortars and other weapons landed on it,” resident Ahmed Ismail told Reuters early Thursday morning.
“In front of our house I see a man injured and carried by hand. Civilians keep on fleeing the war, I see them walking with kids in hand and cursing the two warring groups,” he explained.
Another witness, Mohamud Farah, reported that opposition-supporting militias destroyed at least two armored vehicles.
Somalia has faced ongoing warfare and tribal conflicts without effective central leadership since autocratic leader Mohamed Siad Barre was overthrown in 1991. The nation has also been battling an insurgency lasting nearly twenty years, led by the al Qaeda-affiliated al Shabaab organization.
The U.S. embassy in Mogadishu characterized the violence as “reckless.”
“Somali leaders on all sides have a responsibility to preserve stability and resolve differences through peaceful means,” the embassy stated in an X post.
The UK similarly called for moderation and discussion, declaring the violence unacceptable.
A Mozambican worker seeking employment in South Africa found himself running for his life just four days ago when hostile residents in the coastal town of Kleinmond demanded all foreign nationals leave immediately.
Lado Amido, 49, was forced to hide in nearby mountains for two nights after an angry group arrived at his residence and confiscated his possessions. He now joins approximately 100 other displaced immigrants taking refuge in the local municipal building.
The incident reflects a broader pattern of anti-foreigner hostility sweeping through multiple communities in South Africa’s Western Cape region, where workers from neighboring Malawi and Mozambique have been targeted by organized groups going house to house.
Recent weeks have witnessed an escalation in anti-immigrant demonstrations throughout South Africa, with some turning deadly. Officials from Mozambique confirmed that five of their nationals lost their lives during xenophobic violence in Mossel Bay over the weekend.
“On the 31st, people came to my house, knocked on the door, and then took all my belongings,” Amido explained. The job-seeker had arrived in the country in February hoping to find employment opportunities.
Many of those now seeking safety are considering voluntary return programs established by their home governments rather than remain in an increasingly hostile environment.
Anti-foreign sentiment represents a persistent challenge in South Africa, where immigrant communities frequently face blame for the nation’s economic struggles, including widespread joblessness and criminal activity.
Political leaders across party lines have historically validated these unfounded accusations to appeal to voters, particularly with local elections scheduled for later this year, despite no supporting evidence for such claims.
During a parliamentary address on Tuesday, President Cyril Ramaphosa acknowledged the migration issue while simultaneously denouncing recent xenophobic attacks. “As we work to build a safer … and more prosperous society, we need to address the challenge of migration,” he stated.
Grant Cohen, who serves as ward councillor for Kleinmond, noted that immigration officials had recently conducted inspections of local restaurants and businesses searching for workers without proper documentation.
However, Cohen told Reuters that many immigrants currently sheltering at the municipal facility possess legal status to remain in the country.
“We’ve got kids here at the moment who should be in school, who have been in school in Kleinmond… (but) now want to flee the country out of fear and intimidation,” Cohen observed.
“I don’t believe that residents should take things into their own hands,” he added.
Michael Markson, a 31-year-old from Malawi, described spending one night outdoors in the mountains after evacuating the informal community where he had resided for approximately one year.
“My landlord came telling me that I should evacuate because if they find us, they’re going to kill us,” Markson recounted about Saturday’s events.
The following day, his employer brought food supplies while they remained hidden in the wilderness after a friend contacted the boss on their behalf.
From his hiding spot, Markson witnessed a substantial crowd of demonstrators in the town center, with some brandishing knives and wooden clubs.
He now awaits financial assistance to return home, lacking the resources for travel expenses.
“In our country there’s no-good economy… (but) it’s better than living in a community where your life is under threat,” Markson reflected.
A progressive Peruvian lawmaker is adopting a more moderate stance as the country approaches its presidential runoff election this weekend, backing away from earlier proposals that had concerned business interests.
Roberto Sanchez, who captured 12.03% of votes in April’s initial voting round, trails conservative candidate Keiko Fujimori’s 17.18% as they head into the June 7 decisive election. Polling data indicates the final contest will be competitive.
The 57-year-old former cabinet member, who served under the now-imprisoned ex-President Pedro Castillo, is representing the leftist Together for Peru party. While his campaign centers on major governmental reforms, recent weeks have seen him signal a more measured approach to economic matters.
“Insisting on something that is not viable, is not sensible,” he stated to reporters recently. He recognized that international challenges, including fuel price increases due to the Iran war, were influencing his policy agenda.
Sanchez became an unexpected competitor in the initial round’s crowded field by advocating for a new constitution to create a “plurinational” state while appealing to marginalized rural and Indigenous communities.
His platform’s cornerstone involves replacing the constitution from the 1990s that was established under the late President Alberto Fujimori, who is the father of his current opponent.
“The rural vote, the Andean vote, the Quechua, Aymara and Amazonian vote were never respected,” Sanchez explained during an April Reuters interview at a party headquarters in Lima, donning a broad-brimmed straw hat that previously belonged to Castillo and represents typical headwear in certain Peruvian rural regions.
As one of the globe’s top copper-producing nations, Peru relies on mining for approximately 10% of its economic output.
Sanchez has advocated for increased government supervision of natural resources, including contract reviews, windfall taxes, and wealth taxes — policies he describes as “rebalancing” to benefit extraction communities.
“Thirty years of mining and the mining towns are still the poorest in our country,” he observed.
Should he win, his agenda would encounter obstacles in the legislature, where conservative parties maintain control.
As the campaign reaches its conclusion, Sanchez has begun tempering his rhetoric — a change highlighted by his economic advisory team.
In May, he named former economy minister Pedro Francke, viewed as more business-friendly, as a senior advisor.
Francke, who also worked under Castillo, has quickly worked to calm investor concerns, stating a Sanchez administration would encourage private investment, honor current mining agreements, and maintain central bank autonomy.
“There will be no nationalizations,” Francke declared during a televised debate. “We will respect contracts and maintain a macroeconomic policy of stability.”
Political observers note this partnership demonstrates Sanchez’s effort to attract moderate voters who fear economic disruption. However, his previous connections to figures like Antauro Humala, a nationalist imprisoned for leading a 2001 government uprising, present difficulties. While Sanchez has attempted to create distance, he risks losing support from his core supporters, according to analyst Nicholas Watson of Teneo.
Sanchez’s relationship with imprisoned former president Castillo has also troubled Peruvian investors.
Castillo, removed from office in 2022 following an attempt to disband Congress, has endorsed Sanchez. He currently faces rebellion and conspiracy charges.
Sanchez has stated he would not restore power to Castillo if elected, though he has promised to pursue Castillo’s freedom.
As Castillo’s former foreign trade minister, Sanchez has maintained Peru should stay open to international partnerships but under “just” conditions.
Coming from an Indigenous family in southern Peru, Sanchez describes his humble background and former aspiration to join the priesthood, connecting his political involvement to church-based community service.
As a Catholic, he supports abortion access only in rape cases or when maternal life is threatened, and opposes discrimination based on sexual orientation, race, or religion.
His party has recommended stronger anti-corruption initiatives, judicial changes, and enhanced military assistance for police to address increasing crime.
Sanchez faces financial crime accusations, with a prosecutor alleging he falsified statements and campaign finance documents. His legal representative disputes these claims. Local media reports indicate a judge will decide June 4 whether the case proceeds to trial.
MILAN (AP) — Numerous artists taking part in the current Venice Biennale contemporary art exhibition are considering legal proceedings unless organizers remove their names from a visitor ballot system that replaced traditional jury awards for the prestigious Golden Lions.
The Venice Biennale launched what many consider its most tumultuous and controversial edition in years on May 9, after the jury resigned to protest the inclusion of Israel and Russia. The preview week before public opening featured noisy demonstrations outside both the Israeli and Russian exhibition spaces.
Rather than traditional jury recognition, organizers implemented a visitor voting system at the two primary locations, the Giardini and the Arsenale, to select winners for best national pavilion and top participant in the central exhibition called “In Minor Keys,” developed under the direction of the late Koyo Kouoh. Winners will be announced when the event concludes on Nov. 22.
A protest letter released Wednesday criticized the voting system for its “lacked transparency and accountability,” noting that organizers ignored the artists’ initial removal request submitted on May 20. The letter also received signatures from curators and commissioners.
The artists announced they were initiating legal proceedings.
When asked to respond, the Biennale provided a May 28 correspondence to the artists, curators and commissioners stating they would maintain all names on the voting list “to guarantee all visitors have the freedom of expression,” while confirming that protest signatories would be excluded from prize consideration.
The protest letter described this approach as “a waste of time” by requesting visitors “to cast votes that cannot be counted.”
In their resignation statement, the jury specifically mentioned Russia and Israel, referencing International Criminal Court investigations into crimes against humanity related to conflicts in Ukraine and Gaza.
Those requesting removal from the visitor prize system include approximately 70 artists in the main exhibition and nearly 40 national pavilions, including Iceland, Norway and Denmark, which have spearheaded efforts to ban Russia from future Biennales following its comprehensive invasion of Ukraine.
The list also includes Austrian artist Florentina Holzinger, whose display incorporating recycled waste water from portable toilets outside the Austrian Pavilion has become among the Biennale’s most visited attractions.
A member of the British Parliament announced Thursday that she has initiated legal proceedings against Elon Musk’s artificial intelligence company xAI, claiming violation of privacy after fabricated images of her were generated through their Grok chatbot.
Jess Asato, who serves as a legislator with the governing Labour Party, alleges that an individual utilized Grok to produce unauthorized images showing her in swimwear during January, following her public criticism of deepfake pornography proliferation on the internet.
The legal action was submitted Wednesday to London’s High Court, citing improper use of personal information under the Data Protection Act.
Asato is pursuing financial compensation and aims to establish legal precedent holding companies responsible for their artificial intelligence system designs.
“Nobody would be able to walk up to me in the street and strip me and put me in a bikini, and I don’t see why anybody should be able to do that to me online, because the feeling, while it is not quite the same, is very similar,” she stated. “It is like somebody has digitally stripped me without my consent.”
Asato expressed hope that additional individuals will participate in the legal action.
Following global criticism regarding deepfake pornography, Musk’s company announced in January that Grok users would no longer be permitted to modify images of actual people by digitally removing their clothing.
Legislation enacted last year in the U.K. criminalized the creation or solicitation of non-consensual deepfake images of adults. However, Asato maintains that xAI must answer for harm already inflicted.
“Once the damage is done, the damage is done,” she explained. “If you think about any other products, like a car, for example, that might have been manufactured with a fault, it doesn’t matter if, you know, the cars get recalled and the faults are fixed and no more harm is done.”
xAI had not provided a response to requests for comment as of Thursday.
THE HAGUE, Netherlands — Authorities in the Netherlands have arrested four men as part of a major criminal investigation involving allegations that they drugged and sexually assaulted women known to them, then recorded videos of the attacks, according to police officials.
The four suspects, whose names have not been made public due to Dutch privacy laws, were taken into custody following coordinated house searches conducted throughout the Netherlands over a two-day period last week. The arrests came after Dutch authorities received information from law enforcement agencies in Germany and the United Kingdom, police announced Thursday.
“Information indicates that possibly multiple women in the Netherlands were drugged by someone in their immediate circle. Subsequently, sexual acts were performed on the victims while they were being filmed,” police said. Investigators believe the suspects used online messaging platforms to distribute images of sexual abuse and exchange techniques for drugging victims.
Authorities are still working to determine the total number of victims involved in the case. Law enforcement officials are analyzing evidence collected from mobile devices and computers confiscated during last week’s raids to identify those who may have been victimized.
“But what is clear is that this is a case with an enormous impact,” Milou van der Kolk of the Rotterdam Sexual Crimes Team said in the police statement. “As a victim, you may not know what happened to you, because you may have been drugged and were unconscious. The news that your partner or an acquaintance may have drugged you and perhaps even raped you or attempted to do so can turn your life completely upside down.”
Investigators have not ruled out additional arrests as the probe continues.
The case mirrors the recent high-profile trial in France involving Gisèle Pelicot. In December 2024, her former husband, Dominique Pelicot, along with 50 other men, were found guilty of sexually assaulting her over nearly a decade from 2011 to 2020 while she was incapacitated by drugs. He received a 20-year prison sentence, while the other defendants were sentenced to terms between three and 15 years.
Dominique Pelicot, who had been married to Gisèle Pelicot for almost five decades, admitted to secretly adding sedatives to her meals and beverages for years, allowing him to assault her and facilitate attacks by other men.
NEW DELHI (AP) — Venezuela’s acting President Delcy Rodriguez met with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday as India works to strengthen relationships with oil-producing nations amid global energy supply challenges.
According to Rudrendra Tandon, a senior official in India’s foreign ministry, the discussions in New Delhi centered on enhancing energy partnerships. He noted that Venezuela has risen to become India’s third-largest source of crude oil in recent weeks.
“India is aggressively seeking new sources of crude oil and energy to strengthen its energy security,” Tandon stated, describing Venezuela as an “opportunity and is very much part of our plans.”
The leaders also discussed potential investments by Indian companies in Venezuelan industries such as mining, critical minerals, pharmaceuticals and automobiles, according to Tandon.
The diplomatic meeting occurs as India has boosted Venezuelan crude purchases over recent months, elevating the South American nation’s importance as a supplier to the world’s third-largest oil importing country.
India relies on imports for approximately 90% of its oil needs. Roughly half of these supplies travel through the Strait of Hormuz, a crucial shipping corridor that has been effectively blocked due to the Iran war.
Rodriguez also conducted meetings with India’s foreign minister, Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, on Thursday and has planned discussions with Petroleum Minister Hardeep Singh Puri. Her visit will include tours of Indian facilities in the energy, pharmaceutical and automobile industries.
COLOMBO, Sri Lanka — Twelve residents lost their lives and eight sustained injuries when flames engulfed a care facility in western Sri Lanka, authorities reported Thursday.
The blaze erupted late Wednesday evening at the facility located in Anguruwatota town. According to police spokesman Fredrick Wootler, 51 residents were successfully evacuated from the building. Wootler noted that the facility also provided care for individuals with mental health conditions.
Authorities have taken the facility’s director into custody on charges related to causing deaths through negligence. Officials are conducting a full investigation into the incident.
Video from Associated Press revealed the building’s interior completely destroyed, with burned furniture and equipment scattered throughout. Victims’ bodies were visible in the surrounding area.
Television footage from local channel Hiru captured firefighters, law enforcement officers, and community members working together to battle the intense flames. Emergency responders and military personnel helped evacuate survivors onto buses, transporting them to secure locations.
Hungarian officials have confirmed the nation’s initial case of African swine fever among domesticated swine, according to an announcement from the National Food Chain Safety Office released on Thursday.
Officials have mandated the destruction of 3,000 animals at the impacted facility and are conducting investigations to determine how the disease originated and whether additional locations have been affected, according to the agency’s announcement.
Kosovo voters will head to the ballot box this Sunday for the nation’s third parliamentary election in just a year and a half, following the inability of political factions to find common ground on selecting a new president.
The small Balkan country, recognized as Europe’s newest nation, seeks membership in the European Union but has operated without an effective government for most of the previous year as divided parliaments couldn’t first choose a speaker, then struggled to pick a new head of state.
While recent polling data isn’t available, political experts anticipate another win for Prime Minister Albin Kurti’s Vetevendosje party. Analysts note, however, that he’ll still require cooperation from opposing parties to obtain the two-thirds parliamentary support needed for presidential selection.
Kurti’s political movement captured 51.1% of votes in December’s previous election but couldn’t find consensus with other parties regarding a presidential nominee for the mostly symbolic position, leading to parliament’s dissolution in April and this upcoming snap election.
“We can have 10 rounds of elections, but if there is no political will to sit down and find a deal, there is no solution. I don’t see that will among the parties,” said Eugen Cakolli, a researcher at Kosovo’s Democratic Institute (KDI).
POLITICAL STALEMATE EXPECTED TO PERSIST
Cakolli indicated that Kurti’s party would require over 60% of the vote to guarantee the selection of their chosen candidates for parliamentary speaker and president, describing this outcome as improbable.
“This Sunday’s election may not be the only one this year and holding four rounds within two years would be the worst scenario imaginable,” he added.
The EU has called on Kosovo politicians – the nation broke away from Serbia in 2008 – to establish robust institutions capable of implementing necessary reforms for EU membership.
“The EU can support Kosovo, but it cannot do Kosovo’s homework,” European Council President Antonio Costa said during a visit to Pristina on Wednesday.
Kurti’s party initially gained power in 2021 promoting a more nationalist, welfare-oriented platform. Similar to all Kosovo parties, it maintains a pro-Western stance while opposing additional concessions to Serbia, with whom tensions persist.
Kosovo’s election commission reports that over 900 candidates representing 17 parties and three coalition groups are vying for positions in the 120-seat parliament.
Approximately 2.1 million voters have registered – exceeding Kosovo’s 1.6 million resident population because of an extensive diaspora, primarily located in western Europe and typically supportive of Kurti’s party.
Many Kosovo citizens simply desire political stability.
“I am tired of voting,” pensioner Sadri Alija said in the capital Pristina. “May Allah unite our politicians – they are only thinking of themselves.”
A U.S.-brokered ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon could open the door to resolving the larger conflict between America and Iran, according to the Trump administration.
Tehran has established an end to Lebanon hostilities as a prerequisite for any peace agreement with Washington, and has indicated in recent statements that it might intervene directly to support its ally Hezbollah if Israel continues or intensifies attacks in the region.
Lebanese President Joseph Aoun announced Thursday that the ceasefire would take effect within 24 hours once all involved parties give their approval, seemingly referencing Hezbollah, which has yet to issue a statement about the agreement.
However, questions remain about how solid the truce will be, as Israel’s Defence Minister Israel Katz stated Thursday that military operations would persist in Lebanon for now and troops would not pull back from southern areas.
The agreement follows escalated violence throughout the region. Israeli attacks resulted in at least six deaths in southern Lebanon, while U.S. and Iranian forces exchanged strikes in the Gulf on Wednesday during one of the most severe confrontations since a previous ceasefire stopped major U.S.-Israeli bombardment of Iran in early April.
Iranian forces attacked Kuwait, causing airport damage and injuring dozens, while U.S. military forces conducted operations near the Strait of Hormuz. The strait, which typically handles one-fifth of worldwide oil and liquefied natural gas transport, has remained mostly shut for over three months following U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran.
Oil markets Thursday gave back some of Wednesday’s increases amid optimism that the Lebanon ceasefire might help Washington and Iran discover a diplomatic solution to their conflict.
U.S. President Donald Trump, facing pressure to reduce fuel costs, hinted that progress in Iran negotiations could occur as early as this weekend.
“If it happens, it could happen over the weekend,” Trump informed reporters in the White House’s Oval Office on Wednesday, without providing details about what he anticipated within that timeframe.
Trump noted that parties were attempting to separate the strait reopening issue from the Lebanon conflict.
Wednesday’s attacks on Kuwait harmed airport infrastructure and diplomatic facilities, resulting in one death and more than 60 injuries, according to Kuwaiti officials and state media.
Iran’s elite Revolutionary Guards denied firing at Kuwait’s airport and attributed the damage to U.S. interceptor missiles that missed their intended targets, Iranian state media reported.
The U.S. military disputed that account, stating that Iranian drones deliberately targeted the airport.
Iranian media indicated the Revolutionary Guards also struck the U.S. Fifth Fleet headquarters in Bahrain and a U.S. airbase. U.S. Central Command rejected claims its bases were hit and said Iranian ballistic missiles failed to reach their regional targets.
CENTCOM announced it conducted additional “defensive strikes” in southern Iran, targeting missile launch locations and Iranian vessels attempting to place mines, and carried out strikes on Qeshm Island near the strait following attempted Iranian attacks.
Last week, Iran and the U.S. indicated movement toward a preliminary agreement to end the war and reopen the strait, but both sides have not yet finalized the deal, which would postpone more complicated negotiations.
Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei stated in a Thursday message that Iran’s adversaries had already suffered battlefield defeats and were now attempting to create internal divisions.
“In order to confront these plans everyone must be patient, clear-minded, maintain unity, harmony, mutual trust, and not be in agreement with the enemy,” he said in a message delivered on his behalf during ceremonies marking the anniversary of the death of the Islamic Republic’s founder, Ruhollah Khomeini.
Khamenei has not appeared publicly since succeeding his father, who died in an airstrike when the war began.
Beyond Tehran’s demand for ending Lebanon fighting, it also seeks access to billions in oil revenue, sanctions waivers on crude exports, removal of a U.S. port blockade, and continued control over the strait.
Trump has identified preventing Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons as his primary objective. Iran maintains its atomic program serves peaceful purposes. In a podcast interview released Wednesday, Trump said Iran had committed to not developing nuclear weapons and that Khamenei was participating in negotiations.
Market futures dropped Thursday morning as disappointing earnings from a major semiconductor company weighed heavily on technology stocks, interrupting Wall Street’s recent surge to all-time highs.
The chipmaker’s shares plummeted 12.4% in early trading after the company failed to meet revenue expectations, despite maintaining its ambitious $100 billion sales projection for artificial intelligence semiconductors. The stock, which had surged nearly 55% during the current quarter, faced potential market value losses exceeding $270 billion if the decline continued throughout the trading day.
“Broadcom is finding that meeting and even slightly beating forecasts is not enough when the market is holding it to such a high standard,” said AJ Bell, head of markets Dan Coatsworth.
The market’s impressive run came to a halt this week, threatening to end the S&P 500’s streak of nine consecutive weekly advances. Investors remained cautious amid escalating tensions between the United States and Iran.
Despite reaching a ceasefire agreement in early April, negotiations to conclude the conflict and reopen the Strait of Hormuz have shown minimal advancement, raising concerns about sustained elevated oil prices and increased inflation pressures.
As of 5:16 a.m. Eastern Time, Dow E-mini contracts gained 120 points or 0.24%, while S&P 500 E-minis declined 37 points or 0.49%. Nasdaq 100 E-minis fell 376 points or 1.23%.
Wednesday’s ISM survey revealed growth in the U.S. services sector during May. Thursday’s weekly unemployment claims report will provide the final economic indicator before Friday’s comprehensive monthly jobs data.
These employment figures will offer Federal Reserve Chairman Kevin Warsh new insights into the labor market as he prepares for his inaugural policy meeting this month, occurring while American consumers face pressure from conflict-related price increases.
Market participants anticipate a 75% probability of a 25 basis point interest rate increase before year-end, according to LSEG data.
Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond President Thomas Barkin and San Francisco Fed President Mary Daly are scheduled to speak Thursday, representing their final public appearances before the Fed enters its pre-meeting quiet period.
In other market movements, cybersecurity firm CrowdStrike dropped 10% following reports of increased first-quarter operational costs.
An investor presentation for Elon Musk’s SpaceX launches Thursday in preparation for its June 12 market debut. The company seeks to raise $75 billion through a record-setting initial public offering that would establish a $1.75 trillion valuation, positioning it among the nation’s top 10 publicly traded companies.
Shares of cybersecurity company CrowdStrike tumbled 11% during Thursday’s premarket session as investors expressed disappointment with the firm’s revenue performance, despite significant investments in artificial intelligence technology.
The sharp decline followed a remarkable 60% surge in the stock’s value throughout May.
The company reported that its annual recurring revenue climbed 22% compared to the previous year, reaching $4.44 billion. During the first quarter alone, the firm added $193.8 million in net new annual recurring revenue.
Analysts from Morgan Stanley attributed the stock selloff to a “relatively skinnier net new ARR beat this quarter and elevated expectations following the stock’s 60% move over the last month.”
Companies in the cybersecurity sector, including CrowdStrike and Palo Alto, have seen benefits from businesses increasing their spending on AI-powered security solutions, while concerns about artificial intelligence’s impact on the broader software sector persist.
Palo Alto’s stock also declined, falling nearly 3% during the session.
CrowdStrike has made substantial commitments to AI technology, introducing new products including Falcon Data Security and Charlotte AI AgentWorks Ecosystem, a platform requiring no coding that was created in partnership with AWS, Nvidia, and OpenAI.
The company’s significant AI expenditures contributed to rising operational costs, with quarterly total operating expenses increasing 15% to $1.07 billion, up from $934.3 million in the same period last year.
Meanwhile, Palo Alto improved its annual profit projections earlier this week, citing robust demand for cybersecurity services.
Wall Street analysts maintained positive outlooks for CrowdStrike’s future performance despite the recent setback.
“While near-term expectations may have been a bit elevated following the recent rally, we continue to see room for further multiple expansion… as investors gain confidence in the durability of accelerating ARR growth through FY27,” Morgan Stanley analysts noted.
According to LSEG data, CrowdStrike’s current trading multiple stands at 137.81 times projected earnings over the next twelve months, significantly higher than Palo Alto’s 68.91 times and Okta’s 31.03 times.
Good morning, Delmarva! We’re looking at another beautiful summer day across the peninsula with plenty of sunshine to go around.
Today will be sunny and warm with temperatures climbing to a comfortable 88 degrees. Light north winds of 0 to 5 mph will keep things pleasant, making it a perfect day to get outside and enjoy the early June weather. No rain or storms in sight!
Tonight, we’ll see mostly clear skies as temperatures drop to a refreshing 64 degrees – ideal for opening those windows and letting in the natural air conditioning.
Looking ahead to Friday, expect more of the same great weather! We’ll see mostly sunny skies with the mercury rising just a touch to 89 degrees. Friday night brings partly cloudy conditions with lows around 68 degrees.
This is classic early summer weather for our area – warm days, comfortable nights, and plenty of sunshine. Whether you’re hitting the beaches, working in the garden, or planning outdoor activities, Mother Nature is certainly cooperating!
Stay cool out there, Delmarva, and have a wonderful Thursday!
After an extensive 11-month deployment described as the longest since the Vietnam War era, the USS Gerald R. Ford has arrived back at Naval Station Norfolk in Virginia, bringing 4,600 sailors home.
The $13 billion aircraft carrier now faces a period of significant maintenance work, including critical repairs and improvements to its problematic sewage system that has plagued the vessel.
The Ford’s return on May 16 marks the end of its extended overseas mission, and naval officials are preparing to address the ship’s infrastructure issues during its time in port.
Recent research indicates that deploying National Guard troops in Washington, D.C. has failed to decrease violent crime rates in the nation’s capital.
The military personnel have been operating in the city since August as part of a federal crime-fighting initiative. Officials plan to expand the Guard’s presence by doubling their current numbers in the upcoming weeks.
The analysis examined the effectiveness of the National Guard’s role in addressing criminal activity since their deployment began last year as part of the federal task force focused on combating crime in the district.
While meteorologists are forecasting a less severe hurricane season than typical this year, wireless service providers aren’t taking any chances with their emergency preparations.
Mobile phone companies are implementing comprehensive strategies to ensure customers stay connected during potential storm events, utilizing cutting-edge technology and specialized equipment to maintain network operations when severe weather strikes.
The appointment of David Venturella as acting director of Immigration and Customs Enforcement represents the continuation of a well-established trend of personnel exchanges between the private prison corporation GEO Group and the federal immigration agency.
Venturella’s new role at ICE follows a recurring pattern where numerous former GEO Group staff members have transitioned to positions within the federal agency, while agency personnel have also moved in the opposite direction to work for the private prison company.
This revolving door between the private detention corporation and the immigration enforcement agency demonstrates the deep institutional relationships that have developed between the two organizations over time.
As educational institutions across the country debate removing digital devices from classrooms, concerns are growing about how these policies might affect students who depend on technology to overcome learning challenges.
Students with various disabilities often rely on assistive technology tools to succeed academically, and advocates worry these essential resources could be eliminated alongside broader efforts to reduce screen time in educational settings.
Ninth grader Soraya Martin, who has dyslexia, demonstrates how technology can transform the learning experience for students with disabilities. Her mother, Heather Martin, emphasizes that students with learning differences aren’t always considered when schools implement comprehensive screen restrictions.
The situation highlights a complex challenge facing educators as they balance concerns about excessive screen exposure with the legitimate needs of students who require technological assistance to access their education effectively.
Medical facilities in Gaza reported that nine Palestinians died during overnight attacks in Gaza City, as international attention remained largely focused on the conflict between Israel and Hezbollah forces in Lebanon.
Hospital officials at Shifa Hospital confirmed they received the bodies from at least four different attacks that occurred throughout Gaza City during the night.
Israeli military officials have not yet provided any statement regarding these overnight operations. Earlier this week, Israeli forces eliminated a senior Hamas military commander, coming just two weeks after similar strikes that killed that leader’s predecessor.
These deaths represent the most recent casualties in the Palestinian territory following an October ceasefire agreement that aimed to end more than two years of warfare between Israeli forces and the Hamas militant organization controlling Gaza. Despite the reduction in major combat operations, the fragile truce continues to experience nearly constant Israeli military action.
Israeli military forces have conducted numerous aerial bombardments and regularly engage Palestinians approaching military-controlled areas, resulting in over 936 deaths since the ceasefire began, Gaza’s Health Ministry reports.
The ministry operates under Hamas leadership but maintains credibility with United Nations organizations and independent analysts. Officials do not distinguish between civilian and militant casualties in their reporting.
Hamas fighters have launched armed assaults against Israeli troops, with Israel stating its military operations respond to ceasefire violations or threats against its personnel. Israeli military casualties in Gaza total four soldiers since the truce took effect.
Israel began its Gaza military campaign following Hamas’ October 2023 assault that resulted in approximately 1,200 deaths and 251 people taken as hostages.
Scientists have unlocked the genetic secrets of one of history’s most formidable predators – the cave lion that dominated vast territories spanning from Western Europe through Siberia to North America during the Ice Age, hunting massive prey and possibly even humans before disappearing approximately 14,000 years ago.
Breakthrough genetic research has unveiled what distinguished this enormous feline and how it varied from today’s lions, despite occasional crossbreeding between the species. The cave lion, scientifically known as Panthera spelaea, vanished around 14,000 years ago.
Scientists analyzed genetic material from 12 cave lions that existed between 17,000 and 148,000 years ago across locations including Russia, Austria and Canada’s Yukon territory, comparing them with genetic data from 20 contemporary lions. The ancient DNA came primarily from bones and teeth, plus soft tissue from remarkably preserved frozen cubs discovered in Siberia, where freezing conditions maintained the ancient genetic material. Among these specimens, a female named Sparta ranks as one of the finest Ice Age discoveries ever made.
“We show that cave lions were not simply Ice Age versions of modern lions, but instead represented a highly distinct evolutionary lineage,” said evolutionary geneticist Love Dalén of the Centre for Palaeogenetics, a collaboration between Stockholm University and the Swedish Museum of Natural History, senior author of the study published in the journal Cell.
The research demonstrated that these two species split evolutionarily approximately 1.7 million years ago during the Pleistocene Epoch. Both species developed distinct genetic traits that helped them adapt to different environments and lifestyles. These genetic variations affected growth patterns, eyesight, brain development and blood circulation.
Despite its misleading name, the cave lion didn’t actually inhabit caves but was considerably more massive and powerfully built than today’s lions. It thrived in colder environments, preferring the open grasslands and tundra regions of northern Eurasia and northwestern North America. This lost ecosystem, known as the mammoth steppe after its most famous resident, was similar to modern African savannas but with freezing temperatures.
“The cave lion was absolutely an apex predator, and as such filled an incredibly important and impactful ecological role,” said evolutionary geneticist and study lead author David Stanton of Cardiff University in Wales. “They were one of the most widespread carnivores to ever live.”
Their hunting targets likely included woolly mammoths – particularly young or old animals – along with woolly rhinoceroses, antelope, reindeer, horses and bison. Humans also inhabited these areas during the Ice Age’s final phases.
“While there is no clear evidence that cave lions preyed on humans, it seems highly likely that they occasionally did so. Cave paintings show that Ice Age people were highly familiar with these animals. They are often depicted with remarkable accuracy, and are usually shown without the large mane characteristic of modern male lions,” Dalén said.
Additional predators in this environment included wolves, cave hyenas, brown bears, cave bears and the scimitar-toothed cat Homotherium. The formidable saber-toothed cat Smilodon inhabited more southern regions but potentially encountered cave lions in Yukon and Alaska areas during brief Pleistocene warming periods.
Modern lions didn’t range as far north as cave lions typically lived. However, the study revealed the species met during especially frigid Ice Age periods when expanding ice sheets and growing steppe tundra pushed cave lions southward, creating overlapping territories.
“Climate appears to dictate the level of interbreeding that we see between these species,” Stanton said.
Researchers believe this crossbreeding possibly happened in areas like present-day Iran. That region once supported a substantial modern lion population, though they’re now mainly limited to Africa.
Rising temperatures at the Ice Age’s conclusion helped drive many large Pleistocene creatures, or megafauna, to extinction, with human hunting adding another destabilizing element.
“Cave lions, like the rest of the megafauna at the end of the Pleistocene, were under a huge amount of pressure due to rapid changes in climate combined with increasing human population densities. The extinction of cave lions falls into the general pattern that we see of mass extinction of megafauna at this time, but for reasons that we don’t completely understand,” Stanton said.
A mountain guide from Nepal has been pulled to safety from Mount Everest after enduring nearly a week on the world’s tallest peak with no food or supplemental oxygen, according to climbing officials who described the survival as extraordinary.
The 52-year-old guide, Dawa Sherpa, had been descending the mountain with a Polish climber following an unsuccessful summit attempt when he disappeared somewhere between Camp III and Camp IV.
Climbing records show Dawa was last spotted on May 29. While his client made it back to base camp safely, officials have not explained how the two became separated during their descent.
The pair were among the final mountaineers attempting Everest during this year’s climbing season, which concluded last month.
Lama Kazi Sherpa, who works with the Sagarmatha Pollution Control Committee, reported that his cleanup crew found Dawa positioned above base camp close to the Khumbu Icefall and successfully brought him to safety. The team had been conducting post-season cleanup operations when they made the discovery.
Medical personnel transported Dawa, who was still wearing his climbing gear, from the helicopter landing area to a medical facility using a stretcher.
Family members report that Dawa is recovering and receiving medical care for frostbite along with other health issues related to his ordeal.
“He recognised me … is good and speaks,” said Mhendo Lhamo Sherpa, the guide’s daughter. “We are happy.”
The Himalayan Times reported that throughout seven days, the guide survived with “no food, no bottled oxygen, no rescue team.”
This climbing season saw unprecedented numbers, with more than 1,000 mountaineers and their guides successfully reaching Everest’s summit. The government distributed 494 climbing permits during the period.
Earlier in the season, numerous climbers found themselves stuck at base camp when a massive glacial ice formation blocked access to the summit route during April.
A dangerous flesh-eating parasite that devastates livestock has made its way into the United States, with officials confirming Wednesday that New World screwworm was found in a Texas calf. The destructive pest had been moving northward from Central America through Mexico, breaking through biological defenses that had successfully contained it for many years, according to experts.
Federal authorities have banned cattle imports from Mexico for the past year due to the parasite’s expanding presence in that country.
The import restriction has pushed already record-breaking beef prices even higher by reducing the number of calves entering the U.S. market, at a time when the nation’s cattle population has already dropped to its lowest level in decades. This first confirmed U.S. case during the current outbreak poses a significant threat to ranchers and may drive beef costs up further.
Understanding the New World Screwworm
These parasitic flies reproduce by having females deposit eggs in open wounds on any animal with warm blood. Farm animals and wildlife typically fall victim to these pests. After the eggs develop, hundreds of screwworm larvae utilize their razor-sharp mouths to tunnel through living tissue, consuming flesh, expanding wounds, and ultimately destroying their host without proper treatment.
When these parasites attack cattle, even minor scratches, fresh brands, or healing ear tag sites can rapidly transform into massive wounds filled with writhing maggots that threaten the entire herd with contamination. Scientists eliminated screwworms from the United States during the 1960s by deploying millions of sterilized male flies that would mate with wild females to create eggs that couldn’t hatch.
Impact on American Consumers
Mexico normally supplies more than one million cattle to the U.S. annually. The suspension of these imports has intensified beef price increases by restricting the available supply of cattle, which had already decreased after drought conditions forced ranchers to reduce their herds.
Cattle from Mexico typically spend five to six months being fed and prepared on American farms before processing, so reduced slaughter numbers can drive up meat prices.
A widespread outbreak across the U.S. would further restrict cattle availability and endanger other farm animals and family pets.
Dr. Timothy Goldsmith, a veterinary medicine professor at the University of Minnesota, explained that screwworms will attack humans when possible. Goldsmith noted that homeless individuals face particular danger from infestation since they sleep outdoors and have limited access to sanitation supplies and healthcare.
Current Control Efforts
A specialized facility in Panama that breeds and sterilizes screwworms currently releases 100 million sterile flies weekly, though experts believe additional factories would need rapid deployment to halt the parasite’s northern migration.
Texas won’t have its own sterile fly production facility operational until late 2027. Federal agriculture officials completed a distribution center for sterile flies in Texas this past February.
Sonja Swiger, an entomologist at Texas A&M University, explained that while screwworms can only fly about 12 miles independently, they can travel vast distances while embedded in their hosts. The flies have already moved through the most narrow land areas in Panama and Mexico, requiring exponentially larger releases of sterile flies to manage the outbreak.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture announced last year it would spend $21 million to modify a fruit fly facility in Mexico for sterile screwworm production.
Consequences for Cattle Ranchers
Federal agriculture officials estimate a screwworm outbreak would cost Texas $1.8 billion through livestock losses, labor expenses, and medication costs. Following decades without the pest, most cattle ranchers lack the knowledge or equipment to identify and address screwworm infestations. While treatable, the process requires extracting hundreds of larvae and completely sanitizing wounds, making it expensive, time-consuming, and labor-demanding.
“This is a pest we don’t want back. This is a bad thing,” said David Anderson, livestock economist at Texas A&M University. “I can’t imagine having to deal with that. It’s gross.”
Broadcom experienced a significant stock decline of approximately 12% during premarket trading Thursday, following the company’s failure to achieve anticipated quarterly revenue figures and its inability to satisfy investor expectations for enhanced artificial intelligence market performance.
The technology firm faces potential market capitalization losses exceeding $285 billion at its current trading price of $418.83, should these declines persist.
The company competes directly with Nvidia, whose graphics processing units continue to set industry standards for artificial intelligence applications, highlighting the fierce rivalry within the top tier of the AI semiconductor sector.
According to Matt Britzman, senior equity analyst at Hargreaves Lansdown, the stock decline represents “a classic case of very high expectations meeting a market that wanted perfection,” noting that investors are penalizing performance that doesn’t meet their demands.
Chief Executive Officer Hock Tan of Broadcom slightly increased delivery projections to exceed 10 gigawatts of AI semiconductors by 2027, while maintaining the organization’s extended goal of achieving $100 billion in artificial intelligence revenue.
Analysts from TD Cowen noted that repeating previously bold AI revenue objectives without increasing them in a marketplace expecting “material beats and raises” will likely frustrate investors, stating the quarter creates “lingering questions” regarding implementation and scaling schedules.
Rising memory semiconductor costs caused by supply shortages have pressured the entire industry. Nevertheless, company leadership stated Broadcom feels “very comfortable,” having obtained supply agreements through 2026 and 2027.
Market confidence also suffered from Broadcom’s pessimistic third-quarter AI semiconductor revenue projections, strengthening worries that despite continued robust demand, expansion might not accelerate as rapidly as markets expected.
Industry rivalry is intensifying as competitors like Marvell Technology broaden their specialized semiconductor operations and strengthen relationships with hyperscaler customers.
Marvell stock prices declined approximately 4%.
Broadcom’s primary operations showed strength, with AI semiconductor sales increasing 143% annually to $10.8 billion during the reporting period.
The company’s shares trade at 29.90 times forward earnings projections, compared to Marvell’s 61.70 multiple and the overall S&P 500 index’s 27.94, based on LSEG information.
Vietnam’s foreign ministry has pushed back against U.S. Trade Representative findings that suggest the Southeast Asian nation has not done enough to prevent trade involving goods produced through forced labor.
Speaking at a Thursday press briefing in Hanoi, foreign ministry spokesperson Pham Thu Hang stated that the U.S. assessment “does not fully or accurately reflect Vietnam’s mitigation efforts.”
“Vietnam’s policy strictly prohibits any form of forced labour, and it complies with the regulations of the International Labour Organization,” Hang explained during the regular press conference.
The disagreement follows the Trump administration’s announcement earlier this week of proposed tariffs reaching 12.5% on goods from 60 nations, including Vietnam. The administration determined these countries had not adequately addressed trade involving forced labor products, a claim that affected trading partners have disputed.
This investigation has occurred alongside a dramatic increase in Vietnamese exports to America. During the first quarter of this year, the U.S. trade deficit with Vietnam hit $54.8 billion, ranking second only to Taiwan and exceeding deficits with major exporters China and Mexico, according to U.S. trade data.
The Trump administration has consistently expressed its goal of reducing trade deficits with other nations.
“Vietnam has been and will continue to exchange and work with the United States in a constructive and cooperative manner to resolve existing disagreements, while always trying to protect legitimate interests of workers and businesses,” Hang stated.
The Trump administration has focused on Vietnam for what it considers trade distortions through excess capacity, intellectual property violations and the use of goods from forced labour.
Motorists traveling on Naamans Road should expect delays due to construction work affecting traffic flow overnight.
The eastbound left lane will be blocked to traffic in the section running from Peach Tree Lane to Hickman Road, with the closure set to last until 6:00 AM.
Drivers are advised to plan alternate routes or allow extra travel time when using this stretch of roadway during the closure period.
The Obama Presidential Center is scheduled to welcome visitors later this month. NPR received an advance tour of the facility ahead of its public opening.
A memorial arch proposed by President Trump is drawing criticism from those who say the structure would interfere with an important historic sight line. The planned arch would be constructed between the Lincoln Memorial and the former residence of Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee, according to opponents of the project.
Critics argue that placing the arch in this location would disrupt the symbolic sight line that currently exists between these two significant locations. They contend that this unobstructed view carries important meaning about national reconciliation and unity.
The controversy centers on concerns that the proposed memorial would fundamentally alter the visual connection between the Lincoln Memorial and Lee’s former home, potentially diminishing the symbolic significance that many believe this sight line represents.
CANTON, Mich. — Each week, Mirvet Makki allocates a portion of her catering business profits to assist Lebanese families forced from their homes due to ongoing hostilities between Israel and Hezbollah forces.
The 47-year-old entrepreneur, who prepares traditional Lebanese cuisine including couscous dishes and kibbeh in Dearborn Heights, came to Michigan in 1990. However, her emotional ties remain strong to Bint Jbeil, her hometown village, which has become one of the most severely affected regions in southern Lebanon.
The current round of violence has touched virtually every Lebanese American family, forcing over 1 million residents to flee their homes — approximately one-sixth of Lebanon’s entire population — while claiming more than 3,500 lives. This represents Israel’s most extensive military operation in Lebanon in over 25 years.
“I was thinking, ‘What can I do for other people?’” Makki said. “So I used my business.”
Despite increasing living expenses across America, she explained, “the money I can spare personally, I’ve been sending it to family.”
Throughout metro Detroit, where Arabic script decorates restaurant storefronts, coffee shops, and bakeries along busy commercial strips, a profound sadness has settled over the community as residents monitor the distant crisis.
Similar to Makki’s experience, many community members struggle with feelings of guilt and powerlessness. Providing assistance to relatives who cannot or will not abandon their homeland becomes increasingly challenging amid Lebanon’s deteriorating economic situation.
“Honestly it’s hard. Like, what do you say?” Makki said. “They’re going to ask me what I’m doing. Let’s say I’m at work. They lost their jobs. Let’s say I tell them I’m home. They lost their homes.”
Lebanese migration to America began in the 1890s. Current census figures show approximately 625,000 Lebanese Americans residing in the United States, though alternative calculations suggest the population may reach 1.4 million.
Political perspectives regarding Lebanon’s government, Hezbollah, and Israel differ throughout the diaspora community, mirroring the divisions within Lebanon itself, where viewpoints correlate strongly with religious identity. The nation’s demographics include roughly equal proportions of Sunni Muslims, Shiite Muslims, and various Christian groups, plus a smaller Druze population.
Regardless of these disagreements, the worldwide Lebanese diaspora maintains strong homeland connections, partially through billions of dollars in annual remittances.
“There is really no Lebanese homeland without the Lebanese diaspora,” Edward Curtis, director of Arabic Studies at Indiana University, said.
Lebanese Americans frequently unite around shared concerns, such as during the 2024 presidential campaign supporting the “uncommitted movement” opposing American backing for Israel’s Gaza operations, or denouncing the Michigan synagogue incident perpetrated by a Lebanese individual in March.
“When they see suffering in Lebanon, people’s immediate reaction … is for the community to come together, raise funds, raise money, and try to help everybody as much as they can,” Akram Khater, director of Lebanese Diaspora Studies at North Carolina State University, said.
Most community members depend on mutual support networks rather than seeking federal government assistance.
Curtis noted that numerous Lebanese Americans have become frustrated with American political processes, instead choosing to “celebrate Lebanese life when other peoples are threatening its death.”
Maya Attoui, whose parents remain in Beirut, coordinates a metro Detroit charity event supporting Lebanon while increasing public awareness about the situation. Although lacking sufficient personal funds to help her extended family members, she believes an event featuring activities and speakers will generate substantially more resources.
“We don’t feel like talking, we don’t feel like cooking in our houses,” Attoui said. “We’re just 24/7 on the phone or on the news. Our heart is really melting and breaking because of whatever we see.”
While international remittances flow to nations worldwide, Lebanon demonstrates exceptional reliance on its extensive diaspora population. The nation’s financial system has collapsed dramatically in recent years, with the American dollar increasingly replacing local currency in daily transactions.
During Makki’s February Lebanon visit, she witnessed dramatic price increases firsthand. Previously, $200 covered both vehicle rental and hotel accommodations; this trip, the same amount barely purchased a single restaurant meal.
Some individuals utilize online crowdfunding platforms. Although established humanitarian organizations exist, most prefer transferring funds directly to family members.
Makki plans to limit her total contributions to $10,000 to avoid raising regulatory concerns. Beyond that threshold, she joked, “Maybe take it there myself?”
Nadia Bryant, 37, from Troy, Michigan, regularly transfers money to her half-sisters in Lebanon, who currently occupy temporary shelter after Israeli forces entered their village of Ayta ash-Shab.
Instead of using the funds personally, Bryant explained, her sisters directed the money toward helping orphaned children.
“They’re such righteous people,” Bryant said. “They are not even trying to take the money and get themselves a better house or anything. They’re like, ‘Oh, we have shelter, but this person needs a mattress.’”
Through WhatsApp, her sister shared an image of a boiling teapot positioned over flames among the scattered remains of their former residence. The message stated: “Best cup of tea since 9 october 2023.”
“I don’t even ask, ‘How are you?’ That feels so stupid to me,” Bryant said. “I ask, you know, ‘What does today look like,’ or ‘Where are you today?’”
Attoui, who organizes fundraising efforts, has repeatedly attempted to persuade her family to relocate to America since her own 2006 arrival. They refuse to depart. Additionally, the United States suspended immigrant visa processing for Lebanese citizens in late January.
“I have all my aunts and my cousins over there,” she said. “So like, how many people can you bring here?”
Drivers using Interstate 95 southbound should plan for continued traffic delays due to an extended lane closure affecting the stretch between Exit 1A and the cash lanes.
The right lane restriction will remain active until June 5, 2026 at 5:00 PM, according to state transportation officials.
Motorists are advised to allow extra travel time and exercise caution when navigating through the construction zone.
Iran’s Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei delivered a message Thursday claiming that the country’s adversaries have shifted tactics after suffering military setbacks, now attempting to weaken public morale and create internal discord.
In his statement, Khamenei emphasized the need for national solidarity when confronting these challenges and cautioned that behaviors fostering pessimism or discouragement among citizens serve to assist hostile forces.
The statement was delivered on his behalf during commemorative events honoring the death anniversary of Ruhollah Khomeini, who founded the Islamic Republic, alongside observances of an important Shi’ite religious occasion.
The world’s second-largest rare earth mining company announced Thursday that its Chief Operating Officer Pol Le Roux will step into the interim CEO position starting June 30th.
Le Roux will replace Amanda Lacaze, who is stepping down after leading the Australian mining company for 12 years.
The new interim chief executive has been with the company since late 2010, arriving several years before Lacaze took the helm. During his tenure, Le Roux has managed company operations spanning both Australia and Malaysia.
His background includes various positions with French chemical manufacturer Rhône-Poulenc, which later became part of Belgium-based Solvay.
Company Chair John Humphrey praised the appointment, stating: “Pol has over 20 years of experience in the rare earths industry and is recognised among our customers, investors and industry for his extensive knowledge of Lynas’ operations and the rare earths market.”
The 90-year-old Dalai Lama is scheduled to receive medical care for his left knee in New Delhi this month, his office announced Thursday, as the spiritual leader continues to address ongoing health concerns.
The leader of Tibetan Buddhists plans to depart Friday from his residence in exile in the mountain town of Dharamshala for India’s capital. His devoted supporters, who have grown increasingly worried about his wellbeing in recent years, traditionally conduct extensive prayer ceremonies before any scheduled medical treatments.
“He will undergo medical treatment on his left knee,” his office stated on X, noting that he is anticipated to journey to India’s Ladakh region by late June for a prolonged visit.
The Nobel Peace Prize recipient underwent an operation on the same knee in New York in 2024, although he later informed Reuters it was “nothing serious,” despite moving carefully with assistance from his staff. He currently relies on a golf cart when traveling longer distances around his residence.
The 14th Dalai Lama expressed last year his desire to live past 130 years, expanding upon his previous forecast, and has comforted supporters by promising he will be reborn following his death.
The most enduring leader of Tibetan Buddhism has resided in Dharamshala since escaping Tibet in 1959 after an unsuccessful rebellion against Chinese authority.
China, which aims to strengthen its dominance over Tibet, views the Dalai Lama as a separatist and insists it must authorize his replacement, referencing an ancient ceremony. The Dalai Lama has encouraged his supporters to refuse anyone selected by Beijing.
Philadelphia’s Cristopher Sanchez watched his remarkable scoreless innings streak reach 50⅔ before finally surrendering a run during the Phillies’ narrow 3-2 victory against the San Diego Padres on Wednesday evening.
The Dominican southpaw (7-2) maintained a perfect month of May without allowing any runs and received recognition earlier Wednesday as the National League’s Pitcher of the Month. His June debut continued that dominance until Jackson Merrill connected for an RBI hit with two runners out in the seventh frame.
Sanchez completed seven innings, giving up just one run on four hits while walking one batter and recording eight strikeouts. His scoreless run ranks as the fifth-best in baseball history and establishes the record for any left-handed hurler.
The Phillies secured the win when J.T. Realmuto and Kyle Schwarber both connected against San Diego reliever Jason Adam (2-1) during the seventh inning. Philadelphia’s Jhoan Duran closed out the victory in the ninth for his 14th save of the campaign.
Dodgers 7, Diamondbacks 0
Shohei Ohtani delivered six solid innings for his fourth consecutive win while reaching base five times as Los Angeles shut out Arizona in Phoenix.
Ohtani (6-2) surrendered two hits, issued one walk and fanned six batters while lowering his ERA to 0.74. His 61 innings pitched falls just one short of qualifying for the major league rankings, where he would lead all pitchers in earned run average.
Kyle Tucker collected three hits and launched a two-run blast in the second inning against Zac Gallen (3-5), while Freddie Freeman drove home two runs during a three-run third that built a quick 5-0 advantage. Ohtani registered three singles and drew two walks, extending his consecutive games reaching base to 19, during which he’s batting .438 with four home runs, 17 RBIs and 11 multi-hit contests.
Tigers 7, Rays 2
Detroit’s Dillon Dingler knocked in four runs as the Tigers finished their sweep of Tampa Bay by plating six runs through the first four innings, pulling away from the American League East leaders in St. Petersburg, Fla.
Dingler finished 2-for-4 while getting hit by a pitch. His fourth-inning blast marked his third homer of the series and one of 10 Detroit long balls during the sweep. Gleyber Torres went 3-for-5 with a double and three runs scored. Jake Rogers collected two hits, including a solo homer. Kevin McGonigle managed a double, single and one run. Making his third start, Troy Melton (2-0) performed well and allowed two runs on four hits across eight innings.
Cedric Mullins connected for a solo blast and Yandy Diaz singled home a run, but Tampa Bay managed only four hits — none following the second inning — and dropped to 2-8 over their last 10 games. Nick Martinez (5-2), who had permitted two runs or fewer in his first 11 starts, was hammered for six runs on nine hits in four innings.
Guardians 5, Yankees 4
Jose Ramirez launched a sixth-inning homer off Gerrit Cole as part of a three-hit night as visiting Cleveland defeated New York.
Following three consecutive doubles in Tuesday’s 9-4 win, Ramirez grounded out in his first plate appearance before singling in the fourth and homering against Cole (1-1). Kyle Manzardo went deep for the second straight game, while Rhys Hoskins delivered a two-run homer in the fourth. Cleveland’s Gavin Williams (9-3) surrendered three runs on four hits over 5⅓ innings.
Jazz Chisholm Jr. connected for a tying blast in the second and Jose Caballero homered in the fourth to keep it a one-run game. After two scoreless appearances following his return from reconstructive elbow surgery that sidelined him in 2025, Cole allowed four runs on six hits in 5⅓ innings.
Giants 1, Brewers 0
Logan Webb carried a no-hitter into the seventh inning while Victor Bericoto connected for his first career home run as San Francisco edged Milwaukee.
Brice Turang broke up the no-hit attempt with one out in the seventh, lining an opposite-field single to left. Milwaukee left the potential tying run at third base in the ninth after Christian Yelich’s leadoff double. Keaton Winn retired the final three batters for his first save this season.
Webb (3-4) surrendered only that single hit across seven innings. He struck out four and walked one while throwing 95 pitches. The 29-year-old right-hander extended his mastery over Milwaukee, improving to 5-0 with a 1.79 ERA in eight career starts against them.
Astros 11, Pirates 9
Cam Smith lined a go-ahead two-run triple down the first base line, capping a six-run eighth inning as host Houston rallied past Pittsburgh.
Isaac Paredes’ two-run homer in the seventh cut Houston’s five-run deficit to 8-5. After Pittsburgh added a run in the eighth, the Astros exploded for six runs with two outs in the bottom half, finishing against closer Gregory Soto (4-1). Houston closer Josh Hader made his season debut in the ninth and earned his first save after missing time with biceps tendinitis.
Henry Davis belted his first career grand slam for Pittsburgh, while Nick Gonzales also homered and drove in three. The expected pitching matchup between Pittsburgh’s Paul Skenes and Houston’s Spencer Arrighetti never materialized as they combined to surrender seven runs. Smith drove in three runs and Isaac Paredes homered with three RBIs for Houston.
Mets 7, Mariners 1
Bo Bichette collected four hits with three RBIs while Freddy Peralta tossed six quality innings as New York ended host Seattle’s eight-game winning streak and salvaged the final game of a three-game interleague series.
Peralta (4-4) permitted one run on six hits. The veteran right-hander walked two and struck out six. A.J. Ewing registered three hits and scored once, Luis Torrens went 2-for-4 with two runs and Jared Young added two hits with an RBI.
J.P. Crawford finished 3-for-4 with a double and homer for the American League West-leading Mariners. Starter George Kirby (5-5) surrendered five runs (four earned) on nine hits over four innings, walking one and striking out five.
White Sox 8, Twins 0
Rookie Sam Antonacci delivered an RBI double to highlight his career-best four-hit performance, helping Chicago cruise past Minnesota in Minneapolis.
Antonacci added another double leading off the eighth before scoring on Miguel Vargas’ RBI single. Andrew Benintendi launched a two-run homer later in the inning to complete the scoring. Rookie Jacob Gonzalez recorded his first two career RBIs with a two-run single that highlighted Chicago’s four-run first inning. Erick Fedde (1-5) scattered two hits over five scoreless frames.
Taj Bradley (5-2) allowed four runs on seven hits with five walks in 4⅔ innings for Minnesota, suffering his first loss since April 24.
Marlins 4, Nationals 1
Max Meyer surrendered just one run on two hits over seven innings for visiting Miami, which defeated Washington to complete a three-game sweep.
Joe Mack’s two-out, two-run single off reliever Clayton Beeter (1-1) in the eighth gave Miami the lead. Meyer (6-0), who fanned seven, won for the fourth time in his last five starts. Esteury Ruiz connected for his third homer this season in the second, a solo shot.
Washington starter Andrew Alvarez worked 4⅔ innings. The left-hander allowed four hits, including Ruiz’s homer, and one walk while striking out five.
Red Sox 8, Orioles 1
Wilyer Abreu provided Boston’s first three RBIs before the Red Sox unleashed a five-run fifth inning en route to defeating visiting Baltimore.
Payton Tolle (3-2) tossed six scoreless innings for Boston, which collected 15 hits and has won three of their last four contests. Ryan Watson handled the final three innings for his first major league save. Ceddanne Rafaela and Willson Contreras both recorded three-hit performances.
Chris Bassitt (4-4) lasted only three innings and surrendered six hits with three runs for Baltimore, whose three-game winning streak ended.
Royals 5, Reds 2
Michael Massey lined a go-ahead RBI single in the top of the ninth before Nick Loftin added a two-run homer, helping visiting Kansas City defeat Cincinnati.
Vinnie Pasquantino also homered, while Stephen Kolek worked seven innings, allowing two runs on six hits with eight strikeouts and two walks for Kansas City, which secured its first road series victory since sweeping Seattle from May 1-3.
After being scratched Monday due to illness, Chase Burns threw six innings of two-run, four-hit ball with nine strikeouts and one walk for Cincinnati, which lost its fifth game in seven attempts. Blake Dunn provided the Reds’ runs with a two-run homer.
Braves 7, Blue Jays 3
Atlanta received a pair of three-run homers from Mauricio Dubon and Ozzie Albies and cruised to victory, giving Toronto its fourth consecutive loss.
Dubon connected in the third against starter Patrick Corbin, while Albies homered in the seventh off Adam Macko. Grant Holmes (4-2) overcame a rough start and permitted two runs on five hits and two walks. Holmes struck out four, including Brandon Valenzuela with runners on the corners to end a fourth-inning threat.
Corbin (2-2) worked five innings and allowed four runs on six hits and two walks with one strikeout. It marked the most runs he’s surrendered since his season opener April 10, as he absorbed his 12th straight loss to Atlanta, a streak dating to Sept. 6, 2019. Valenzuela and Nathan Lukes hit solo shots for Toronto.
Athletics 5, Cubs 4 (10 innings)
Nick Kurtz singled home the winning run in the top of the 10th, Justin Sterner threw a perfect bottom of the inning for his first career save and Oakland overcame Chicago for a road victory.
After scoring twice in the eighth to tie the game, the A’s moved automatic baserunner Alika Williams to third on a Jonah Heim infield out before Kurtz went opposite field against Cubs reliever Ethan Roberts (0-1) to deliver his run-scoring hit to left. Hogan Harris (3-0) pitched a scoreless bottom of the ninth.
Cubs starter Colin Rea departed with a 4-2 lead in the sixth after allowing single runs in each of the first two innings. He limited Oakland to four hits in his 5⅓ innings. Seiya Suzuki hit a solo blast and Pete Crow-Armstrong added a two-run homer.
Cardinals 5, Rangers 3
Alec Burleson drove in three runs with a two-run double and RBI single as St. Louis defeated visiting Texas to avoid a series sweep.
Cardinals starter Andre Pallante (6-4) surrendered one run on three hits over 5⅔ innings. Riley O’Brien worked around a leadoff walk in the ninth for his 15th save. St. Louis’ Jordan Walker went 3-for-4 with three runs scored.
Joc Pederson delivered a two-run triple for Texas, whose five-game winning streak ended. MacKenzie Gore (4-5) permitted four runs on nine hits over 4⅔ innings.
Angels 11, Rockies 4
Nick Madrigal and Wade Meckler each collected four hits as Los Angeles salvaged the finale of a three-game series against Colorado in Anaheim, Calif.
Los Angeles’ Vaughn Grissom homered and drove in three runs. Madrigal had an RBI and scored once, while Meckler doubled and crossed the plate twice. Oswald Peraza went 2-for-5 with a double, two RBIs and one run, and Jose Siri hit an RBI double and scored twice for the Angels, who matched a season high with 16 hits. Angels starter Walbert Urena (3-4) permitted three runs on three hits over six innings.
Tyler Freeman homered, Troy Johnston collected two hits with two RBIs and Hunter Goodman doubled, walked, stole a base and drove in a run for Colorado, which had won four of its previous five games. Rockies starter Michael Lorenzen (2-8) allowed eight runs on 10 hits in 3⅓ innings.
MOGADISHU, Somalia (AP) — Violence broke out Wednesday night between opposition supporters and government security forces in Somalia’s capital city of Mogadishu, occurring just hours before a scheduled protest against the current administration.
Casualty numbers from the fighting were not immediately released, though the violence prompted both the United Nations and United States to call for calm as government officials and opposition leaders pointed fingers at each other for starting the conflict.
Local residents described hearing intense gunfire and explosions as battles spread across multiple neighborhoods on Wednesday.
“We heard heavy weapons fire, and people were fleeing their homes,” said Abdullahi Mohamed, who lives in the city’s Howlwadaag district. “Many families left the area looking for safer places.”
Opposition leaders stated that Thursday’s planned demonstration was meant to challenge what they describe as constitutional violations and attempts by President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud to extend his time in office. Government officials have denied these claims.
Police in Mogadishu characterized the violence as stemming from “organized attacks” conducted by armed militias connected to groups with political motivations.
“The incidents were not the organization of peaceful public demonstrations, but rather coordinated armed acts that directly threatened the security, order and stability of the capital,” the police said in a statement.
According to police, state security forces fought off attacks on their locations and began investigations to determine who was responsible for planning, funding and executing the violence.
Opposition figures claimed that security forces targeted homes associated with former Prime Minister Hassan Ali Khaire and former President Sheikh Sharif Sheikh Ahmed.
“We are under attack,” Khaire said in a statement. “For the second time in less than 24 hours, Hassan Sheikh Mohamud has directed armed forces against our peaceful gatherings.”
Khaire reported that traditional elders, politicians, and community leaders were gathered at his home when the attack took place.
Government officials disputed this version of events.
The U.N. expressed serious concern about the fighting. Secretary-General António Guterres noted that the violence caused deaths, civilian injuries, and damage to essential infrastructure.
“The Secretary-General strongly condemns all acts of violence and incitement to violence undertaken for political advantage,” he said in a statement. Guterres also called on all parties to exercise restraint, protect civilians and resolve political differences through dialogue.
The U.S. also expressed worry about the conflict. The U.S. Embassy in Mogadishu called the violence “reckless” and pushed for Somali leaders to find a peaceful solution.
“Somali leaders on all sides have a responsibility to preserve stability and resolve differences through peaceful means,” the embassy said. “Actions taken in the coming hours and days may have lasting consequences for Somalia’s security, unity, and future.”
Khaire accused the president of using government security forces against political rivals and claimed that troops trained and equipped by international allies to combat the al-Shabab extremist group had been turned against opposition members.
The fighting highlights increasing political tensions as disagreements over the nation’s electoral and constitutional future have created growing friction between government and opposition leadership. Somalia remains engaged in fighting al-Shabab while working to build stronger government institutions with help from international allies.
RIO DE JANEIRO (AP) — João Victor Gonçalves never imagined that kicking a soccer ball in one of Rio de Janeiro’s most impoverished and dangerous favelas would eventually take him across international borders to compete on a world stage.
The 18-year-old Brazilian joined nine other young players on a trip to Mexico last month, where they represented their nation in the Street Child World Cup. This tournament brought together teams from 30 nations, all featuring youth from disadvantaged communities, and was held in advance of this year’s FIFA World Cup.
“I never could have imagined that one day this would happen, that I would represent my country, doing what I most love — playing soccer — in another country,” Gonçalves stated. The Brazilian squad remained unbeaten throughout the competition and claimed the championship title, making the experience even more memorable.
Gonçalves and his fellow players share the same passion as countless Brazilians, spending their childhood years playing with soccer balls and following the achievements of the Seleção, Brazil’s national soccer team. Their ultimate aspiration is to become professional players like their sporting idols.
According to the players, this program has already transformed their daily existence.
The Street Child United Brazil project operates in the Penha complex of favelas, offering participants a temporary refuge from their challenging daily reality filled with poverty and violence. The program creates an environment where young people can experience safety, community connection, and optimism for the future.
The program launched in 2014 when Brazil served as host for the FIFA World Cup. Currently, approximately 100 young people participate in training sessions that occur four times weekly throughout the year. The program accepts both male and female participants starting at age 6.
For 17-year-old Ryan Mercedes, who also made the journey to Mexico, soccer embodies “love, passion, the realization of dreams.” He explained, “When we enter the field, it’s time for us to have fun and be happy.”
However, soccer enthusiast Rafael Gomes acknowledges that the harsh realities of favela life sometimes intrude on their activities. The players have been forced to halt at least one match due to police operations occurring in their neighborhood.
“We were training when all of a sudden there were shots, we had to run and stay in the corners,” Gomes recalled.
More than 120 people lost their lives last year during a devastating police operation conducted in Penha and the adjacent Alemao complex of favelas. The operation targeted members of the criminal organization Red Command.
This drug-trafficking organization — recently designated as a foreign terrorist organization by the Trump administration — maintains control over sections of the favela. The group poses a dangerous attraction for young people who might consider criminal activity as a rapid path to earning money.
Project coordinator Drica Santos explains that the organization works to provide an alternative to that lifestyle.
“If the project didn’t exist, we would have lost a lot of lives,” Santos noted. “We’re not going to save everyone, but the greatest number of children that we manage to save — that don’t get involved in drug-trafficking — that will already be our victory.”
Community leader Carlos Cassiano da Silva reports that parents appreciate the project because it ensures their children remain engaged in positive activities and avoid dangerous situations.
Da Silva also emphasized that the program helps showcase Penha’s positive aspects. “Many people aren’t used to seeing Penha in a positive manner, they don’t know of the good things we have here too,” he said.
With the World Cup drawing near, Gonçalves expressed his hope that the Seleção would achieve the same success as his team and return home with the championship.
“We did our part. Now it’s up to the Brazilian national team,” Gonçalves concluded.
HAVANA — Rising temperatures and mounting concern gripped residents on a Havana street as they confronted a makeshift garbage dump sprawling across the sidewalk.
The pile contained decomposing food waste, ripped plastic bags, cardboard pieces and construction debris. Flies swarmed the area while stray cats prowled through the refuse, which emitted a foul odor carried by ocean breezes.
“What you’re looking at is depressing,” lamented María Odalys Ramírez, a 63-year-old who lives across the street from the capital’s iconic Hermanos Ameijeiras hospital. “The trash in this area, the flies, the rats, the filth — it’s completely unsanitary.”
For several months, Havana’s 2 million inhabitants — representing one-fifth of Cuba’s nearly 10 million population — have endured growing mounds of refuse on virtually every corner. Conditions worsened following a U.S. energy blockade that caused electrical blackouts, water supply disruptions and a fuel shortage that left government waste collection vehicles unable to operate.
With no regular pickup service, citizens have resorted to incinerating garbage in public areas, prompting health authorities to express concern about dangerous fumes.
Local residents worry that approaching months will bring deteriorating circumstances as summer temperatures rise and hurricane season approaches.
An extensive survey conducted by The Associated Press throughout the city documented similar conditions in neighborhoods across Havana, where locals reported sporadic garbage truck visits at best.
From downtown districts to suburban areas, vehicles, cyclists and pedestrians navigate around waste heaps. Some people sift through the debris searching for salvageable items.
Municipal data from last July showed Havana generated solid waste equivalent to roughly 12 Olympic-sized swimming pools daily. Even at that time, city services managed to collect only 57% of the total.
The “improper management of urban solid waste” has been designated as a major environmental concern in Cuba’s national strategy, according to Odalys Goicochea, an official at the ministry of science, technology and the environment.
Goicochea cautioned that the present waste collection crisis, when combined with increasing heat and approaching rainfall, threatens to make matters worse. The combination of elevated temperatures and humidity could lead to explosive growth of disease-transmitting flies and mosquitoes.
The emergency has prompted grassroots efforts to address neighborhood cleanup needs.
El Batazo represents one such program covering eight city blocks in Havana. A waste collector sounds a bell twice each day to gather pre-separated household garbage, while additional team members maintain street cleanliness.
Participants generate income by selling recyclable materials including aluminum and glass, convert organic waste into animal feed, and deposit remaining refuse in containers for eventual landfill disposal.
“The fundamental impact of this project is proving to the community that it can be done,” said Evelyn Martínez, a collaborator at El Batazo. “It is entirely possible to live in a cleaner environment, give value to what we call ‘trash’ and put it to good use.”
Memory chip manufacturer SK Hynix received overwhelming investor enthusiasm for its planned U.S. stock exchange listing, according to a source with knowledge of the discussions.
During meetings with investors this week, the South Korean semiconductor company reported “tremendously positive” responses to its proposal for trading shares in the United States, the source revealed Thursday.
The chip manufacturer submitted a confidential application earlier this year to list on a U.S. exchange, with sources indicating in March the offering could generate as much as $14 billion in funding.
This fundraising effort comes after the company’s stock price skyrocketed 250% this year amid an artificial intelligence-driven market surge. The firm’s market capitalization exceeded $1 trillion last week, making it the third Asian company to reach this benchmark, joining Taiwan’s TSMC and Samsung Electronics.
According to the source, SK Hynix informed investors during recent presentations that stockholder response has been “tremendously positive” regarding the U.S. listing strategy, citing artificial intelligence demand and the company’s strong position in the memory chip sector.
As a key supplier to Nvidia, the company anticipates that a U.S. listing will expand its shareholder base, particularly since certain American institutional investors are restricted to purchasing only U.S.-traded securities due to internal policies, the source explained.
The company also informed investors that it cannot share detailed updates about the listing timeline since the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission review process is still ongoing.
“SK Hynix plans to issue ADRs within 2026, but the details, including the size and timing, have not yet been decided,” the company stated in response to questions.
The growing demand for memory semiconductors to support AI data centers has created significant supply shortages, affecting sectors including smartphones and computers. Meanwhile, leading memory chip producers like Samsung and SK Hynix have benefited from rising semiconductor prices.
The source said SK Hynix told investors it anticipates favorable pricing conditions for its high-bandwidth memory chips to persist through next year, as negotiations with customers continue regarding future pricing for these advanced semiconductors used in AI systems.
The company also noted that robust demand for LPDDR memory – low-power chips typically used in phones and tablets – from Nvidia for the company’s upcoming Vera Rubin AI platform could create tighter supply conditions across the broader memory market starting in 2027, according to the source.
To address this challenge, SK Hynix indicated it plans to modify investments and product combinations to maximize production capacity, the source said.
However, SK Hynix also cautioned investors that it would be challenging to guarantee complete satisfaction of all demand, with anticipated demand significantly outpacing supply availability, the source reported.
When Anna Yegoyan relocated from Armenia’s capital city to the mountainous northern community of Ijevan, she had to navigate rough, damaged roadways to reach her destination.
Today, she highlights freshly constructed streets and roadways as evidence of progress during Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan’s leadership, who was raised in that area, and declares her intention to support him in Sunday’s electoral contest.
The nation has transformed into “a proper country,” stated the 40-year-old, who participated in a Pashinyan campaign event in the community of approximately 20,000 residents. “Our place in the world is more recognisable.”
Citizens will cast ballots in a parliamentary election on June 7 that will evaluate Pashinyan’s attempts to establish peace with long-standing adversary Azerbaijan and strengthen relationships with Western nations, shifting away from traditional ally Russia. He expresses his goal to transform the landlocked country of 3 million into a “crossroads of peace,” reopening borders with Azerbaijan and its partner Turkey that have been sealed for years.
Polling data indicates Pashinyan’s Civil Contract party holds the lead with approximately 30% backing, while his primary opponent, Russian-Armenian billionaire Samvel Karapetyan, who advocates for strengthened Moscow relations, follows with 6 to 11% support.
The shift from Russia represents a sensitive maneuver. Armenia exports roughly one-third of its goods to Russia and has historically relied on Moscow for energy needs. Recently, Russia – which operates a significant military installation in Armenia – has increased pressure by limiting various Armenian exports and threatening to eliminate affordable gas and oil supplies.
Yerevan’s administration has mostly minimized these concerns, though polling reveals one-third of Armenians now consider Russia threatening, ranking only behind Azerbaijan and Turkey.
Pashinyan has received strong backing from U.S. President Donald Trump, who facilitated discussions between him and Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev while promoting a transportation route through southern Armenia as part of peace negotiations.
European leaders are also monitoring developments closely. Seeking influence in a region positioned between Russia and Iran, Europe has clear interests in Armenia “being more sovereign, more autonomous, and more able to trade westwards,” according to Thomas de Waal, a senior fellow at Carnegie Europe.
Sunday’s election marks the first since Armenia’s 2023 military loss, when Azerbaijan reclaimed the separatist territory of Nagorno-Karabakh, causing approximately 100,000 ethnic Armenians to flee.
Pashinyan emphasizes his achievements toward peace and reopening the Turkish border, closed since 1993. However, no agreement with Baku has been finalized, and opponents argue he has surrendered too much.
“The ruling party says peace has arrived, (but this) diverts the responsibility for all the security failures we’ve had throughout the years,” said Tigran Grigoryan, director of the Regional Centre for Democracy and Security think-tank in Yerevan.
If Pashinyan cannot achieve a two-thirds parliamentary majority, his commitment to Azerbaijan regarding a constitutional referendum would become challenging to honor, potentially hampering peace initiatives.
He also confronts accusations of authoritarian behavior from opposition groups and international human rights organizations. Numerous political opponents have been arrested, including supporters of main challenger Karapetyan, who remains under house arrest for allegedly inciting power seizure.
Karapetyan and another candidate, former President Robert Kocharyan, seek to preserve positive Russian relations and caution that Pashinyan is developing excessive closeness with Azerbaijan.
During the 2021 election, Pashinyan gained backing from voters outside power centers while struggling in the affluent capital.
“Pashinyan is able to talk the language of the common people, the language people understand,” said Mikayel Zolyan, a political analyst and former member of parliament.
Since assuming leadership during the 2018 Velvet Revolution, he has presided over doubled GDP per capita, established hundreds of kindergartens, and constructed thousands of kilometers of roadway.
Such achievements hold no significance for Anahit Grigoryan, who escaped Nagorno-Karabakh with her young child after her spouse died in a military fuel depot explosion during the brief conflict.
Now 26, she resides with four family generations in a village near Yerevan, surviving on modest refugee assistance and income from selling baked goods made with eggs from her backyard poultry.
As a former Karabakh resident, Grigoryan would require Armenian citizenship documentation to participate in voting, but expressed no interest.
“I feel like my voice will not be heard,” said the mother of four-year-old Karen. “Justice, for me is not realistic…It’s very hard for me to look my mother, my grandmother, and other women who lost their kids in the eyes.”
BELGRADE, June 4 — Serbia’s intelligence service has cautioned President Aleksandar Vucic against attending a summit in Montenegro on Friday where European Union and Balkan leaders will gather, pointing to safety concerns amid escalating diplomatic tensions between the neighboring nations.
The coastal town of Tivat will host French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, and European Commission head Ursula von der Leyen on Friday as they meet with leaders from six Western Balkan nations to evaluate progress on EU membership prospects.
In a Wednesday evening statement, Serbia’s Security and Information Agency (BIA) declared that Montenegro poses significant safety risks for Vucic because of “hostile activities of foreign secret services and a presence of a criminal clan there.”
Despite the security warning, Parliament Speaker Ana Brnabic indicated that Vucic intends to proceed with his Montenegro travel plans and expects to conduct significant meetings during his visit.
The security alert follows reports from media outlets in Podgorica that Montenegro authorities on Wednesday rejected entry to an aircraft carrying 87 Serbian men who had landed in Tivat, declaring them a security concern before the EU-Western Balkan Summit.
According to the Vijesti news portal, law enforcement confiscated two buses intended to transport the group.
Diplomatic relations between Serbia and Montenegro have deteriorated due to Podgorica’s connections with Kosovo, which Serbia refuses to acknowledge, and Belgrade’s perceived interference in domestic political matters through religious institutions and political organizations linked to Vucic’s Serbian Progressive Party.
Montenegro, a NATO member nation, declared independence in 2006 after ending its union with Serbia, and contrary to Belgrade’s position, has imposed sanctions on Russia while coordinating its foreign policy with the European Union.
Serbian N1 TV reported that Serbia implemented enhanced border controls with Montenegro on Wednesday evening, resulting in extensive delays at border crossings.
Japan’s central bank is anticipated to increase interest rates this month unless severe escalation of Middle East conflicts disrupts financial markets, according to three sources who spoke on condition of anonymity because they lack authorization to comment publicly.
The sources indicate that rising energy costs from regional tensions are contributing to growing inflation pressures throughout Japan’s economy. Central bank officials plan to monitor Middle East developments and their economic impact right up until their final decision.
Financial markets are currently anticipating approximately an 80% probability that the central bank will increase its short-term policy rate from 0.75% to 1% during the two-day policy meeting concluding June 16. Such an increase would push the policy rate to heights not witnessed since 1995.
Bank of Japan Governor Kazuo Ueda nearly guaranteed a June rate increase during Wednesday remarks, signaling a clear shift toward combating inflation and suggesting more regular increases in borrowing costs ahead.
“Unless there’s a severe escalation in the conflict, the BOJ will probably hike rates in June,” stated one source knowledgeable about the bank’s deliberations, with two additional sources expressing similar views.
These comments follow a series of recent signals from the central bank that have increased expectations for a June rate adjustment, as worries about inflation risks from the Iran war drove bond yields to nearly 30-year peaks last month.
Following that development, central bank board members Kazuyuki Masu and Junko Koeda have issued warnings about increasing price pressures, suggesting they might align with three other officials favoring a rate increase as early as June.
A surge in wholesale inflation has concerned policymakers regarding how quickly businesses are transferring costs to consumers, which analysts believe will drive consumer inflation beyond the central bank’s 2% objective.
The Bank of Japan ended its decade-long massive stimulus program in 2024 and has implemented several policy rate increases, including one in December, based on expectations that Japan was approaching sustainable achievement of its inflation goal.
Escalating energy expenses from Middle East conflicts have created challenges for central bank rate decisions, driving up prices while simultaneously harming an economy that depends heavily on fuel imports.
South Korean President Lee Jae Myung’s Democratic Party dominated Wednesday’s local elections across the nation, securing 12 out of 16 major mayoral and provincial races, while the conservative People Power Party claimed four victories.
The results provide Lee’s party with extensive control over local governments one year after he took office. However, the ruling party faced a significant symbolic blow when conservative incumbent Oh Se-hoon secured another term as Seoul’s mayor.
The defeat in Seoul, the nation’s largest city and most politically significant mayoralty, dampened the ruling party’s overall success and provides conservatives with an important stronghold as they work to recover from the controversy surrounding former President Yoon Suk Yeol’s unsuccessful 2024 martial law attempt and resulting impeachment.
On the first anniversary of taking office, President Lee stated the government would “humbly accept the will of the people” and collaborate actively with local governments from all political parties.
Democratic Party leader Jung Chung-rae expressed gratitude to voters for what he described as a “great victory” across the nation, while recognizing the disappointment of the capital city loss.
“I deeply thank the people for giving the Democratic Party a great victory across the country. But it hurts that we failed to retake Seoul,” Jung stated.
During his victory address, Oh declared that Seoul voters had maintained “the great democratic principle of checks and balances” to prevent the nation from leaning completely toward one political direction.
“The key question was who would win symbolic battlegrounds such as Seoul and Busan,” explained Shin Yul, a political science professor at Myongji University.
According to Shin, Seoul voters seemed partly influenced by displeasure with the government’s housing policies, as officials attempt to moderate the capital’s overheated real estate market.
Nevertheless, the Democratic Party’s comprehensive performance, including a victory in Busan — the country’s second-largest city and traditional conservative territory — indicates Lee maintains solid nationwide backing, supported by strong exports from an AI chip surge and related stock market gains.
Prior to the election, the opposition People Power Party held 12 of the 16 major local government positions.
Fourteen parliamentary by-elections occurred simultaneously with the local races. In Busan’s Buk-A district, independent candidate and former People Power Party leader Han Dong-hoon prevailed, representing a political return for a prominent conservative who had separated himself from the party’s pro-Yoon wing.
The election faced disruption due to ballot paper shortages at several Seoul polling locations, prompting demands for accountability from Lee and both major political parties.
The shortages, documented at more than a dozen voting sites, forced some citizens to wait for hours or depart without voting, leading to extended voting hours at impacted locations.
These problems sparked demonstrations by voters and conservative organizations, including actions that blocked ballots from leaving a Seoul polling station and prevented the National Election Commission from officially validating the Seoul mayoral results as of Thursday midday.
The commission issued an apology and promised a comprehensive investigation, stating the incidents did not justify postponing the election or conducting a new vote.
Lee voiced “deep regret” regarding the ballot shortages, directing relevant organizations to identify the cause, hold responsible parties accountable, and quickly establish reliable protective measures.
KATHMANDU, Nepal — A mountain guide has been rescued alive from Mount Everest after disappearing for seven days, with a helicopter transporting him to medical care on Thursday, according to rescue teams.
Dawa Sherpa was last spotted approximately on May 29 making his way down the mountain, but failed to reach base camp despite his client successfully completing the descent. The two were among the final climbers on the peak as the season concluded and equipment was being removed.
A cleanup team discovered Dawa on Thursday morning as he crawled through the snow-covered terrain near the Khumbu Icefall above base camp, according to Pemba Sherpa from 8K Expeditions, who helped coordinate rescue efforts.
Rescue workers immediately brought him to safety and provided food and water before a helicopter arrived to transport him to medical facilities.
Despite the guide’s disappearance since the previous week, organizing a search operation was delayed. Air searches conducted earlier this week failed to locate him.
The crew that found him belonged to the Sagarmatha Pollution Control Committee, an organization responsible for installing ladders and ropes at the beginning of each climbing season and later removing equipment and cleaning the area after climbers depart.
The 52-year-old Dawa is employed by Himalayan Traverse, a small company based in Kathmandu, and was leading a Polish climber. He originates from Okhaldhunga, a town located south of Everest.
Over 1,000 climbers and their guides successfully reached Everest’s summit this May, marking the most crowded climbing season in the mountain’s history.
This year’s climbing period started later than usual due to a large ice formation blocking the path above base camp, requiring approximately two weeks to remove.
The peak, standing 8,849 meters (29,032 feet) tall, was initially conquered on May 29, 1953, by New Zealander Edmund Hillary and Sherpa guide Tenzing Norgay.
China has imposed a one-year travel prohibition on four New Zealand parliamentarians and is requesting they issue an apology following their visit to Taiwan during a parliamentary delegation, according to correspondence from China’s embassy that was shared with The Associated Press on Thursday through parliamentary channels.
While China has previously imposed sanctions on legislators from other nations for Taiwan-related activities, this marks the first instance involving New Zealand parliamentarians, Wellington’s government confirmed. China has escalated its pressure in recent years on the democratically-ruled island, which it considers part of its territory.
When contacted by the AP on Thursday, two of the affected lawmakers refused the apology demand, while the remaining two were not immediately available for comment. New Zealand’s government indicated it plans to raise concerns about these travel restrictions with China.
The parliamentarians traveled to Taipei in May, continuing a practice New Zealand legislators have maintained “for decades,” according to a statement from a spokesperson for Foreign Minister Winston Peters.
China maintains that Taipei lacks authority to engage in foreign diplomatic activities and considers visits by international lawmakers to the island as challenges to China’s territorial claims.
The spokesperson for Peters stated the officials’ trip was “not inconsistent with New Zealand’s One China policy,” which recognizes China’s position that Taiwan constitutes a Chinese province. New Zealand does not maintain formal diplomatic ties with Taiwan’s government, unlike 12 other countries globally.
Communications sent to the legislators through New Zealand’s Parliamentary Service, which the AP reviewed, indicated that China’s Wellington embassy had requested notification be given to the four officials regarding their prohibition from entering China, Macau and Hong Kong for twelve months.
The restriction could potentially be lifted if the affected lawmakers issued apologies for their Taiwan visit, the correspondence noted.
“China has consistently opposed visits to China’s Taiwan region by members of the legislatures of countries that have established diplomatic relations with China, including New Zealand, and this case is no exception,” stated a spokesperson for China’s Wellington embassy in a Thursday website posting. “The New Zealand side should not be surprised.”
New Zealand representatives in both Beijing and Wellington plan to address this issue with China “in order to express concern at this departure from past practice and to better understand it,” Peters’ spokesperson noted. New Zealand lawmakers make individual decisions about joining international delegations, and these trips typically include members from various political parties.
Laura McClure, a legislator from the libertarian ACT party, characterized the apology “demand” as “frankly insulting” and stated she would not comply.
Duncan Webb from the center-left Labour Party emphasized that New Zealand supports democratic institutions and the freedom to engage with international partners.
“If the cost of doing that is to be excluded from China for a year, I will pay that price,” Webb stated in an email response.
Wellington-Beijing relations have generally remained favorable in recent years. China serves as New Zealand’s primary trading partner, and New Zealand became the first Western nation to establish a free trade agreement with China.
In neighboring Australia, Foreign Minister Penny Wong announced Thursday that her government would also voice concerns to Beijing and China’s Canberra mission regarding the lawmakers’ restrictions.
“We agree with the principle expressed by New Zealand that members of parliament, including the Australian Parliament, are free to make their own decisions about their travel independent of government,” she informed a Senate committee in Canberra on Thursday.
“Placing pressure on parliamentarians is not appropriate,” she continued.
Chinese officials are intensifying their efforts to eliminate any public remembrance of the 1989 Tiananmen Square massacre, blocking families of victims from visiting graves on Thursday’s 37th anniversary of the deadly crackdown on pro-democracy demonstrations.
Authorities informed family members they would be prohibited from accessing a Beijing cemetery on the anniversary date, according to an individual familiar with the situation who requested anonymity due to concerns about retaliation.
For over three decades, family members belonging to the Tiananmen Mothers organization had conducted annual cemetery visits on the anniversary to deliver memorial statements while under police surveillance, according to Amnesty International.
The 1989 military assault resulted in hundreds or potentially thousands of deaths as armed forces pushed through crowds attempting to block troops from reaching demonstrators in the expansive central Beijing plaza. The Communist Party leadership’s choice to deploy military force marked a crucial turning point in China’s contemporary history, establishing that economic reforms transforming the nation into the globe’s second-largest economy would proceed without accompanying political freedoms.
In Hong Kong, law enforcement increased security measures Thursday to block any commemorative activities at or around a park that previously hosted an annual massive candlelight ceremony until restrictions began following significant anti-government demonstrations in 2019. On Wednesday, officers detained two performance artists attempting symbolic acts in separate events, including one who briefly displayed a question-mark-shaped balloon outside a retail store.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who recently traveled with President Donald Trump on a state visit to Beijing, released a commemorative statement. “No amount of censorship can erase the past,” it said. “Those who sacrificed to uphold their unalienable rights of free expression and peaceful assembly will be vindicated someday.”
The Tiananmen Mothers organization published their yearly justice appeal before this year’s anniversary. Their declaration, endorsed by 107 individuals, called for complete transparency about the events, victim and family compensation, and legal prosecution of responsible parties.
“The sacrifice of our family members is an indelible pain etched in our hearts. Our tears have run dry, grief is buried deep within, what remains is eternal remembrance of our family members and hatred for the crime of massacring the people,” Zhang Xianling, a group member, stated in a Facebook video message — a platform banned within China.
Amnesty expressed serious concern about China’s apparently intensifying suppression of commemoration efforts. “Banning the relatives of people killed in the Tiananmen crackdown from visiting their loved ones’ graves is a heartless act by the Chinese authorities,” Sarah Brooks, the organization’s deputy director for Asia, said in a statement.
The Beijing Public Security Bureau failed to respond to a faxed comment request.
Hong Kong officials have prohibited the vigil since 2020, initially citing COVID-19 pandemic concerns. Three vigil organizers face charges under a 2020 national security law, with one entering a guilty plea that could lead to reduced sentencing while the other two await trial verdicts.
Lawyer Chow Hang-tung, one of the defendants, announced in a recent online post that she would conduct a 37-hour prison hunger strike. “Behind the glitter of power and dictatorship lies the blood and broken dreams of ordinary people. For in amnesia lies the demise of democracy,” she wrote.
Derek Chu, a former district councilor, posted on Instagram that he visited Chow on Thursday and pledged to join her 37-hour fast in solidarity. He noted that his shop is distributing LED candles for victim remembrance.
MELBOURNE, Australia — An Australian court issued a restraining order Wednesday against a 63-year-old man, prohibiting him from contacting Norway’s Princess Ingrid Alexander or her relatives for the next two years while she pursues her education at a Sydney university.
David James Cook faced court proceedings where he received an Apprehended Violence Order lasting two years, which bars him from stepping foot on Sydney University grounds, conducting online searches about the 22-year-old royal, or reaching out to her or her family members.
These protective orders are designed to shield individuals from violent acts, threatening behavior, or persistent harassment.
Speaking to media outside the Newtown Court House in Sydney, Cook explained that the legal action resulted from correspondence he mailed to Ingrid, who holds the position of second heir to Norway’s throne.
“I sent her a card just asking for friendship, that’s all,” Cook stated to Nine News television. He continued: “I did not intentionally upset her in any way and I wouldn’t do so. She’s a nice person. I bumped into her at an event and I followed up with the card.”
Following his court hearing, Cook faced additional charges for attacking a news photographer. Police confirmed the photographer sustained minor injuries during the incident.
Authorities released Cook from custody, and he is scheduled to return to court July 17 to face the assault charges.
The princess has resided on the Sydney university campus since arriving in Australia the previous year to pursue a three-year academic program in international relations.
According to media accounts, the daughter of Norway’s Crown Prince Haakon and Crown Princess Mette-Marit recently traveled back to Norway to be with her mother, who is facing a serious illness.
Taiwan plans to dramatically expand its collection of anti-ship missiles to exceed 1,800 weapons by early 2029, according to a calculation by Reuters. The massive buildup represents the island’s effort to strengthen defenses against potential Chinese invasion or blockade threats.
This weapons expansion reflects Taiwan’s adoption of an asymmetric defense strategy, where the island seeks to counter China’s overwhelming military superiority through large quantities of cost-effective yet lethal armaments. The approach also incorporates shorter-range missiles and swarms of surface and aerial drones, according to current and former Taiwan military officers.
Military officials say Taiwan’s goal is creating a defensive force capable of surviving an initial Chinese bombardment and remaining able to attack invasion fleets or vessels attempting to blockade the island. These officers cite Ukraine and Iran’s effectiveness in using missiles and drones against more powerful opponents as proof this strategy works.
Reuters’ calculation draws from arms trade information, U.S. export approval records, defense analyst projections, and conversations with Taiwanese government representatives.
Taiwan’s parliament recently authorized an additional $25 billion for U.S. munitions purchases, funding more precision missiles with enough range to target Chinese ships in the Taiwan Strait or forces at Chinese coastal departure points.
The core of Taiwan’s anti-ship capabilities consists of U.S.-provided Harpoon missiles and locally manufactured Hsiung Feng missiles. Such a substantial weapons force would enable Taiwan to establish a “kill zone” in the Taiwan Strait, creating concentrated firepower to inflict severe casualties and potentially stop a Chinese invasion, explained Ou Si-fu, deputy chief executive officer for research at the Institute for National Defense and Security Research, Taiwan’s leading military think tank.
“Our goal is to stop them from landing and completing their mission, not to destroy every PLA ship,” Ou told Reuters, referring to the People’s Liberation Army, China’s military.
Grant Newsham, a retired U.S. Marine Corps colonel and researcher at the Japan Forum for Strategic Studies, called anti-ship missile investment a smart decision.
From China’s perspective, “one thing you’d not want to deal with are long-range precision weapons that can crack your ships in half before they even set out across the Taiwan Strait, or at any point between the Chinese mainland” and Taiwan’s shores, Newsham said. “Employed properly and with adequate numbers, these missiles are a huge problem for a Chinese invasion force.”
Military experts say China would require a massive fleet of warships and civilian transport vessels to launch an invasion across the Taiwan Strait. China operates the world’s largest navy and an enormous merchant fleet.
Taiwan’s defense ministry stated that anti-ship missiles “can establish a powerful maritime strike capability and degrade the enemy’s combat effectiveness. Details regarding their deployment involve military security and are not disclosed.”
China’s defense ministry and Taiwan Affairs Office did not respond to comment requests. A Pentagon official said they had no comment on Taiwan’s specific capabilities, delivery schedules, or potential future security assistance packages. The White House did not respond to questions.
Taiwan is seeking approval from U.S. President Donald Trump for an arms sale package worth up to $14 billion currently under consideration. Trump indicated last month he would decide soon on the sale after meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing. During their discussions, Xi cautioned Trump that mishandling Taiwan could trigger conflict between the two superpowers.
Beijing considers Taiwan its own territory and has never ruled out using force to bring the island under its control. Taiwan rejects Beijing’s sovereignty claims, maintaining that only the island’s residents can determine their future.
Ou and other military specialists point to Ukraine’s success attacking Russian warships and transports with missiles and surface drones in the Black Sea as proof this strategy could work for Taiwan against Chinese invasion or blockade. Iran’s continued ability to strike shipping in the Strait of Hormuz and hit other regional targets despite over a month of massive U.S. and Israeli air-and-missile attacks showed how a weaker power could maintain fighting capability, they noted.
Supporters of this warfare type argue that anti-ship missiles, especially those on ground-based mobile launchers, could be spread out and hidden around Taiwan. This would make it harder for the PLA to locate and destroy them in initial attack waves.
However, many of the island’s anti-ship missiles remain deployed on warships and at fixed ground installations vulnerable to preemptive strikes, said Yuster Yu, a retired Taiwanese naval officer who served on Taiwan’s National Security Council. “And, the Chinese know where they are,” he said.
Taiwan’s defense ministry said existing anti-ship missiles were “deployed in a mobile and dispersed manner to preserve combat effectiveness.” Missiles in fixed positions, it said, were “equipped with protective and backup mechanisms and can be converted to mobile configurations as needed to enhance battlefield survivability.”
While Taiwan’s military keeps weapon inventory sizes secret, the figure of more than 1,800 anti-ship missiles includes 450 Boeing-manufactured Harpoon missiles already delivered to the island, according to two senior Taiwanese government officials speaking anonymously.
Deliveries of another 400 of these sea-skimming cruise missiles will start this year under an arms sale worth $2.4 billion approved during the final months of the first Trump administration in late 2020. All 400 missiles are expected to arrive by the end of March 2029, according to U.S. government arms sales approval documents. The Taiwanese navy told Reuters that according to the letter of offer signed by the U.S. in 2021, the missiles would arrive on schedule.
If deliveries proceed as planned, Taiwan would possess 850 Harpoon missiles by early 2029.
By that time, the island’s military will also have approximately 1,000 or more domestically manufactured Hsiung Feng II and Hsiung Feng III anti-ship cruise missiles, according to Ou and two senior Taiwanese government officials. This would bring Taiwan’s anti-ship missile collection to roughly 1,850.
This projection of Taiwan’s anti-ship missile inventory by 2029 assumes U.S. deliveries occur mostly on time and in full. It doesn’t account for potential production delays or competing wartime demands on U.S. supplies that could slow deliveries.
One of the two senior Taiwanese officials told Reuters the delivery schedule could extend to 2030.
In separate arms agreements, Washington has also approved selling another 195 air-launched Harpoon missiles or weapons derived from this system, valued at a combined $1.36 billion, according to U.S. government approval documents and arms trade data from the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute. The two sides are still negotiating terms for these deals and no delivery date has been set, according to one of the senior Taiwanese officials.
Michael F. Miller, director of the Defense Security Cooperation Agency, confirmed during congressional testimony in March that Taiwan is America’s top priority for Harpoon deliveries.
To coordinate this additional firepower, the Taiwan military will establish a new Littoral Combat Command on July 1 to combine its coastal radars, anti-ship missiles and drones into one force.
For Taiwan’s defenders, the anti-ship missiles will support their goal of resisting an attempted invasion long enough to allow allied forces time to assist the island.
“We must always be prepared to fight a prolonged, war-of-attrition style battle,” Ou said.
SAN ANTONIO — More than five minutes into the third quarter of Wednesday’s NBA Finals Game 1, the New York Knicks’ 11-game winning streak appeared to be in serious trouble.
New York struggled badly to start the period, missing nine of their initial 10 attempts from the field. The San Antonio Spurs had built a commanding 14-point advantage and the Knicks looked lost.
But then an unexpected turn occurred. The Knicks discovered fresh momentum from a surprising place: San Antonio’s own mistakes.
New York fought back to even the contest by the period’s end, briefly lost their advantage in the final quarter’s closing moments, then surged ahead for good to claim a 105-95 victory.
San Antonio converted just four of 12 field goal attempts and turned the ball over twice during the third quarter’s final 5:57.
The Spurs regrouped in the fourth period, using a 9-0 scoring burst to take a 95-94 edge following Victor Wembanyama’s pair of free throws with 2:16 left on the clock.
New York controlled everything that followed, receiving significant assistance from San Antonio’s miscues. The Spurs squandered their opportunities in the closing stretch. Wembanyama turned the ball over out of bounds during a careless drive to the basket. Both he and De’Aaron Fox misfired on shot attempts, while Fox also committed another turnover.
“There were a few times it felt like we didn’t have an appropriate offensive possession in terms of trying to be greedy for our best shot, using spacing and passing, because that’s how we play,” Spurs coach Mitch Johnson said.
San Antonio appeared exhausted during the final five minutes while New York was the squad making crucial plays. Could this difference be attributed to the Spurs being only two days removed from completing a demanding seven-game series victory over defending champion Oklahoma City Thunder, while the Knicks enjoyed eight days of rest following their sweep of Cleveland Cavaliers in the Eastern Conference finals?
Johnson and his players declined to blame tiredness for their performance.
“I’m sure guys got tired at times, but I didn’t feel like anyone’s performance was based on fatigue,” Johnson said. “We just need to be sharper and execute better and continue to work the game and not fight it at times and play the right way.”
Spurs reserve guard Dylan Harper, who contributed 16 points and eight rebounds, described the contest as being “like a track meet.”
Harper added, “I think the energy was high — like everyone was just getting up and down. I feel like both teams were fatigued.”
Jalen Brunson, who led the Knicks’ effort with 30 points, was eager to dismiss any suggestion that the Spurs faltered in the fourth quarter.
“(The win) was a mixture of us playing good defense and us obviously getting a little lucky,” Brunson said. “But San Antonio comes ready to play more than any other team that we’ve faced, and we have the utmost respect for them. We know we have to be ready for Game 2. We just found a way to make plays within the game tonight.”
Knicks coach Mike Brown praised his team for adjusting throughout the contest and maintaining their intensity.
“These guys are resilient, man,” Brown said. “They get better as the game goes along. They really try to pay attention to the details that we are throwing at them. They try to bring energy and multiple efforts, and that’s what we needed tonight.”
The Spurs have limited time to address the issues that plagued them in crunch time before Game 2 on Friday, but their star player remains confident.
“Obviously, we’ve been down in a series before,” said Wembanyama, referencing San Antonio’s Game 1 loss in the Western Conference semifinals against Minnesota Timberwolves. “But I’m not kicking myself about anything really. I’m not worried (in) the slightest.
“When we play bad, when I play bad, is when we shoot ourselves in the foot. This is why I’m not worried. We’re going to be so much better. I’m going to be so much better.”
Aviation industry leaders are convening in Rio de Janeiro this weekend to tackle what experts are calling the sector’s most significant challenge since the coronavirus pandemic, as ongoing conflict involving Iran pushes jet fuel prices higher and forces airlines to reroute flights.
The International Air Transport Association’s annual conference, scheduled for June 6-8, serves as the aviation sector’s premier gathering, drawing hundreds of senior executives from airlines, aircraft manufacturers, suppliers and financial institutions.
The trade organization represents over 370 airlines that handle approximately 85% of worldwide air traffic, positioning it as a key player in an industry that had projected record profits of $41 billion this year before the Iran conflict escalated.
Aviation executives and industry analysts anticipate that profit projection will be revised downward during the summit, where conversations are likely to focus on climbing fuel expenses and supply concerns, Middle Eastern airspace restrictions, worsening aircraft manufacturing delays, and questions about whether carriers can achieve their environmental targets.
Carriers worldwide have already begun implementing fare increases, eliminating less profitable flight paths, and preserving cash reserves while waiting for conditions to improve, creating additional uncertainty about reaching IATA’s 2050 net-zero emissions target amid expensive and scarce sustainable aviation fuel supplies.
Credit rating agency Moody’s Ratings recently revised its global airline industry outlook from stable to negative, stating that fuel expenses related to the Iran conflict and disruptions near the Strait of Hormuz would “materially reduce” operating profits this year. The agency projected profits could decline by more than 35% in 2026 before rebounding the following year.
Statistics from IATA revealed that worldwide passenger traffic decreased in April for the first time since the post-pandemic recovery began, with Middle Eastern airlines experiencing particularly steep declines.
Campbell Wilson, the departing chief executive of Air India, explained that elevated fuel prices and restricted airspace access were making certain flight routes financially unsustainable.
“When you take on all those competitive dynamics, the added cost of this extra flying, the added cost to fuel, it just makes some routes uneconomic,” he said.
Airlines operating with stronger passenger demand and more premium travelers have greater flexibility to increase ticket prices, though the capacity to offset fuel expenses varies significantly across different markets and business approaches.
Bob Jordan, chief executive of Southwest Airlines, which became an IATA member last year, noted that American carriers had implemented fare increases seven times since February without experiencing reduced demand. However, he indicated that current prices were still “not close” to offsetting existing fuel costs.
Middle Eastern carriers face particularly challenging circumstances. Emirates and Qatar Airways depend heavily on their operational centers in Dubai and Doha, while Etihad Airways is pursuing expansion from Abu Dhabi after previously reducing its international operations.
While the Iran conflict hasn’t dismantled the Gulf hub business model, required flight detours have highlighted its dependence on open airspace and reliable routes, extending flight durations and increasing fuel consumption.
These disruptions are also creating opportunities on certain long-distance routes for airlines providing direct service between Asia and Europe, including Lufthansa Group, Air France-KLM, Singapore Airlines and Cathay Pacific.
European carriers face varying impacts. Some may gain advantages from Gulf airline difficulties on international routes while avoiding the most affected airspace, but higher fuel costs are intensifying pressure from closed Russian airspace, air traffic control problems, and sustainable aviation fuel requirements.
Across Asia, Air India confronts increased fuel expenses and extended flight paths, while IndiGo continues dealing with aircraft shortages and Pratt & Whitney engine problems. Currency devaluation is magnifying fuel costs for Japanese airlines, while Air New Zealand has cautioned about significant earnings impacts.
In Latin America, the fuel price surge is combining with currency fluctuations and consumers who have limited capacity to absorb fare increases, even as reduced competition provides some carriers more opportunity to transfer costs to customers. LATAM has lowered its earnings projection due to fuel expenses, while Brazil’s Azul remains vulnerable to fuel price and currency instability.
Delayed aircraft deliveries from Boeing and Airbus are compelling airlines to maintain older, less fuel-efficient planes in operation, increasing pressure on profit margins.
Scott Kirby, chief executive of United Airlines, identified engines and components as the primary bottleneck, estimating that 800 to 900 aircraft globally were out of service due to engine problems.
“There are not enough engines and they’re not going to be for many, many years,” Kirby said at a Bernstein conference last week.
The fuel crisis is also spurring discussions about industry consolidation, as airlines with smaller profit margins and limited pricing flexibility struggle to manage higher costs, highlighted by last month’s bankruptcy of U.S. budget airline pioneer Spirit Airlines.
American investment firm Castlelake, which leases aircraft and has invested in Scandinavia’s SAS, has indicated it’s exploring a potential bid for British low-cost carrier easyJet, while United’s recent unofficial merger overture to American Airlines has renewed attention on U.S. deal-making, despite American’s rejection and Washington’s apparent opposition.
A Ukrainian drone attack on a passenger train in Crimea left one person dead and three others wounded, according to the peninsula’s Russian-appointed governor Sergei Aksyonov on Thursday.
The strike targeted a commuter train operating in the region, marking another escalation in the ongoing conflict between the two nations.
Following his most productive NFL campaign to date, Pittsburgh Steelers tight end Darnell Washington has secured a four-year contract extension worth $42 million, according to multiple media reports released Wednesday.
The 24-year-old player will earn $21 million in guaranteed money as part of the deal, sources indicate.
During the previous season, Washington, who was selected in the third round of the 2023 draft from Georgia, achieved personal bests with 31 catches and 364 receiving yards across 16 games, including 13 as a starter. He has recorded one touchdown reception in each of his last two campaigns.
Standing 6-foot-7 and weighing 264 pounds, Washington has become a valuable red-zone weapon while leveraging his physical advantages against opposing defenders.
“Love Darnell,” first-year Steelers coach Mike McCarthy shared with media members earlier this week. “He’s been here every day, classroom, good student. He’s a pro’s pro. I’ve been very, very impressed with him. …”
“Year 1, as you get to know your players, there’s certain schemes you may tilt one way or the other, variations of schemes. And definitely we’ve been doing that with our tight ends, and he’s a big part of that reason.”
Throughout his three-year tenure with Pittsburgh, Washington has accumulated 57 receptions for 625 yards and two touchdowns across 50 appearances, starting 29 of those contests.
Both Washington and outside linebacker Nick Herbig, who finalized his four-year, $100 million extension on Wednesday, represent the initial members of Pittsburgh’s 2023 draft class to secure new deals this offseason.
“I’d love to keep that whole class here,” Herbig commented. “I think we got a bunch of dogs in there. I’m excited. I think some things (are) going to happen. I hope so.”
During a White House dinner event, President Trump announced his intention to formally nominate Todd Blanche for the position of attorney general, based on video footage from the gathering that was shared on social media by a White House aide.
The announcement marks Trump’s selection of Blanche, who currently serves as Acting Attorney General, for the permanent role leading the Department of Justice.
The French basketball sensation received blessings from nuns before tip-off, drew the biggest cheers during player introductions, and appeared to relish his inaugural NBA Finals experience in San Antonio.
That enjoyment quickly faded as the final buzzer sounded.
Victor Wembanyama put up 26 points in his championship series debut, but had to battle for every basket — connecting on only 6 of his 21 field goal attempts, with some shots even bouncing off the top of the backboard while facing constant pressure from New York’s defense. Most disappointing for the league’s top defensive player was watching the Knicks close out the contest with an 11-0 scoring run to capture a 105-95 road win and seize home-court advantage.
“I was bad tonight,” Wembanyama stated. “It’s not more complicated than that.”
His response came across as composed and straightforward, without any hint of alarm. San Antonio dropped one contest. The championship series continues. He remains unfazed for now.
“I would say that he definitely holds himself accountable,” Spurs coach Mitch Johnson commented. “I expect he’ll learn a lot of things from tonight’s game and come out with a good approach in Game 2.”
Both Wembanyama and San Antonio have experience bouncing back from early setbacks. They surrendered home-court advantage to Portland in the opening round before claiming the series’ final three contests, lost their home edge again to Minnesota after dropping the second round opener, and entered the Western Conference finals without home-court advantage against Oklahoma City — a series where the Spurs fell behind 2-1 and 3-2 before ultimately advancing.
However, they now face a Knicks squad that hasn’t tasted defeat since April. With June now here, New York has won 12 straight games, and San Antonio must now capture four of the remaining six contests to claim the championship.
“Obviously, we’ve been down in a series before,” Wembanyama noted. “Never in the finals, obviously. But I’m not kicking myself about anything really. I’m not worried the slightest.”
There’s no doubt about his ability to rebound from this performance, or whether the championship stage pressure affects him. Since joining the NBA three seasons ago, Wembanyama has managed every challenge thrown his way — including last year’s health scare when deep vein thrombosis ended his season prematurely — with apparent composure.
Defeating the Knicks will prove challenging. However, expecting Wembanyama to deliver an improved performance in Friday’s Game 2 seems reasonable.
“Players come along every once in a while that, in addition to having this incredible skill, love the promotional side of it and want to play that role for the league,” Commissioner Adam Silver remarked about Wembanyama before the contest. “We saw the role he played at All-Star, even leading the other young players, saying, let’s take this seriously, this really matters.”
Dating back to when the NBA anticipated Wembanyama’s arrival, Silver has avoided setting specific expectations for him or the league. His reasoning remains clear: sufficient pressure already exists on Wembanyama’s shoulders. Silver has wisely chosen not to increase that burden.
“He came in highly touted. He was somebody who even before he came into the NBA was blowing up the internet in terms of his highlights,” Silver explained. “Did I have a specific expectation in terms of numbers of years it would take him to get to the finals? No. But I would say, just trying to be an objective observer, he’s ahead of any timeline that people had in mind.”
That assessment may hold true. He simply trails in the current series. Friday’s challenge will be significant.
“We’re all confident,” Spurs guard Dylan Harper expressed. “I feel like that is kind of who he is. He never backs down from the moment. He always kind of steps up and meets it.”
In the eastern Congo city of Bunia, 28-year-old Aline Kasiwa spends each day tending to her ailing mother – feeding her, helping her drink water, and washing her clothing – while living in constant fear of contracting Ebola during one of the most rapidly expanding outbreaks ever recorded.
“She is the only family I have left. I cannot abandon her,” Kasiwa shared with The Associated Press. She explained her reluctance to bring her mother to medical facilities for potential diagnosis, stating, “These days we hear that many people are dying there, even nurses.”
Armed with nothing more than an inexpensive face covering for protection, Kasiwa represents countless women throughout eastern Congo who traditionally assume caregiving responsibilities – a cultural role that medical professionals believe significantly increases their vulnerability to the virus.
Dr. Furaha Elisabeth, who heads the Karibuni Wa Maman gynecology and obstetrics clinic in Bunia, explained the pattern: “It’s the woman who gives them a bath, it’s the woman who feeds them, and it’s the woman who’s there to wash the dirty clothes and everything else.”
The current outbreak involves the Bundibugyo strain of Ebola, for which no approved treatments or vaccines exist. Medical personnel report lacking basic protective supplies including masks and gloves needed for safety.
This situation forces women, particularly expectant mothers, into devastating dilemmas.
Anny Ekyambo, a 32-year-old Bunia resident who is five months into her pregnancy, expressed her terror: “When you see the way people die — even the nurses who treat us are dying — how can you not be afraid?” She described being too frightened to seek prenatal care at medical facilities.
Health officials identified the outbreak several weeks later than optimal because initial testing failed to screen for the uncommon Bundibugyo variant. Congolese officials reported Wednesday that they have verified 344 infections, resulting in 60 fatalities, with additional suspected cases under investigation. Uganda has documented 15 confirmed infections and one death.
While exact numbers of infected women remain unclear, historical patterns indicate women bear a heavier burden during Ebola outbreaks.
During the initial recorded outbreak in the 1970s, women represented 56% of fatalities, according to UN Women. Throughout Congo’s 2018-2020 outbreak – the nation’s most devastating – women and girls comprised approximately two-thirds of documented cases.
Sofia Calltorp, UN Women’s chief of humanitarian action, predicted in a statement: “We will certainly see the same pattern emerge in the current outbreak. Ebola transmission follows social realities. The virus spreads along the lines of care-giving, domestic labor, front-line health work and burial practices.”
Traditional burial preparations in many eastern Congo communities also fall to women.
Staff at the Karibuni wa Maman clinic report receiving no personal protective equipment since the outbreak’s beginning, despite repeated requests to health authorities.
The facility examines symptomatic patients before transferring them to larger treatment centers, creating potential exposure risks for medical staff with inadequate protection.
Julienne Lusenge, who leads Women’s Solidarity for Inclusive Peace and Development – the organization operating the clinic – described their efforts to obtain protective gear from multiple partners, receiving only hand sanitizer and limited masks for nursing staff.
She emphasized that the equipment shortage also threatens women providing home care for sick relatives, with most unaware that Ebola might be the underlying cause.
“During previous outbreaks, many women died because they were the ones nursing sick family members,” Lusenge noted.
Although recent aid deliveries and improved health facility organization have occurred, Doctors Without Borders reports the virus continues spreading more rapidly than response efforts can contain.
Dr. Alan Gonzalez, the medical charity’s deputy director of operations, stated: “Nobody knows the true scale and severity of this outbreak.”
The crisis unfolds in challenging terrain. Ituri province features inadequate road infrastructure and under-resourced medical facilities located more than 1,000 kilometers (620 miles) from Congo’s capital, Kinshasa.
Violence from the Allied Democratic Forces – a rebel organization linked to the Islamic State group – and a coalition of ethnic militias has complicated response efforts. Additional cases have emerged in North Kivu and South Kivu provinces, where the Rwanda-backed M23 rebel group maintains control over major cities Goma and Bukavu.
Decades of regional conflict have created deep suspicion of outsiders, another factor driving people away from medical facilities and into women’s care.
Concerns about contracting Ebola at healthcare centers have become widespread.
Ekyambo, the expectant mother in Bunia, said fellow community women share her reluctance to visit clinics.
“I know that there are steps we must follow with the doctors to monitor the pregnancy and the baby, but we have no choice because this epidemic frightens us,” she explained.
UN Women has noted that pregnant women may face increased exposure through their regular interactions with health services.
However, Lusenga cautioned that avoiding medical care could result in missed essential prenatal and postnatal consultations.
“We risk seeing a rise in prenatal and postnatal mortality, for both mothers and children,” she warned.
OUIDAH, Benin (AP) — A remarkable transformation occurred in 1991 when Benin’s longtime military ruler unexpectedly lost an election he had arranged himself, bringing democratic governance to the birthplace of Voodoo traditions.
For years, Mathieu Kérékou had consolidated control by outlawing practitioners he labeled as sorcerers, viewing their influence as a threat to his authority. However, followers of the ancient faith would ultimately prevail.
Nicéphore Soglo, the opposition candidate who unseated Kérékou, restored Vodún (as the religion is called locally) as an integral part of the nation’s cultural identity and promoted the kind of acceptance that Kérékou would later adopt when he won reelection in 1996.
Three decades and multiple presidents later, this West African country stands as a democratic stronghold in an area known as “the coup belt” due to frequent military seizures of power since 2020. President Romuald Wadagni took office on May 24, succeeding Patrice Talon, who completed his two-term limit.
Remarkably, Benin’s commitment to democratic principles mirrors the endurance of Vodún faith, which withstood Kérékou’s authoritarian control until he was forced to become more flexible. Kérékou’s downfall demonstrated that even the most powerful rulers cannot destroy religious conviction in the homeland of Voodoo, according to practitioners and academics.
“The return to democracy recognized the existence of traditional religion,” Vodún supreme leader Daagbo Hounon Houna II told The Associated Press. “Kérékou acknowledged that (African) religions must be respected.”
Kérékou represented an unusual type of leader. Serving as a major in the armed forces of Dahomey, the country’s former name, he seized control through a 1972 military coup and established a Marxist-Leninist regime. However, his government takeover of private businesses contributed to financial ruin as the Cold War ended, creating additional demands for reform from the Catholic Church and other participants in the 1990 National Conference.
This era also witnessed a campaign against Voodoo practices. Kérékou viewed Vodún as primitive, despite maintaining his own spiritual counselors called marabouts. Religious leaders faced imprisonment and sacred sites were destroyed during development projects, infuriating worshippers.
Followers of Vodún are thought to have struck back against Kérékou, who became deeply afraid of being cursed into a zombie-like state. He enlisted a Malian marabout known as the Devil and explored various faiths while seeking spiritual protection, believers report.
Kérékou encountered “the heat, and there were parts of the country he couldn’t go to,” said Léon Bani Bigou, a former lawmaker who once served as Kérékou’s adviser. “This is precisely what led him to reconsider his position regarding Indigenous religions.”
The nation’s leader, originally raised in the Catholic faith, later converted to Islam under the name Ahmed Kérékou before adopting evangelical Christianity, possibly as a survival strategy, according to Gerrie ter Haar, an emeritus professor of religion and development at the International Institute of Social Studies of Erasmus University.
It’s understandable that Kérékou “remained terrified to become a victim of a Vodún curse and had to search for stronger spiritual power” he saw in evangelical Christianity, she said.
Approximately half of Benin’s 14 million citizens consider themselves Christians, based on U.S. State Department data. Nevertheless, Vodún represents “the first religion of all Beninese,” stated Mahougnon Kakpo, a prominent politician and lawmaker in Cotonou, Benin’s commercial capital.
“The rest is hypocrisy,” Kakpo said. “Kérékou himself practiced Voodoo.”
Vodún follows animist principles through its connection to supernatural forces. Practitioners find divine presence and guidance in natural elements, from stones to waterways. Religious rituals include animal offerings, spoken chants and energetic dance movements.
Vodún originated in Ouidah, a coastal city along the Gulf of Guinea that previously served as a significant slave-trading center. This location houses the headquarters of Houna II, the Vodún supreme leader.
During a recent morning visit, Houna II arranged his heavy ceremonial clothing while taking his place in an ornate chair to explain Voodoo’s persistence, his words accompanied by chants from the female priests around him.
Voodoo’s “sworn leaders were not afraid to confront anyone, to leave behind what their ancestors bequeathed them no matter the cost,” he said. “It has been shown that the more you attack their religion, the more you raise their spirits.”
Kérékou joined other post-independence African rulers who attempted to substitute religious leadership with their own authority. However, he was unsuccessful and eventually reversed course. This explains why Kérékou earned the nickname “the chameleon” among his citizens.
Gnassingbé Eyadéma, while leading Togo, effectively promoted worship of his own image, presenting himself as a rescuer figure. Eyadema, who justified certain attacks against his enemies by labeling them as witches, maintained continuous rule from 1967 through 2005.
In Zaïre, now known as Congo, Mobutu Sese Seko seized power through force and portrayed himself as a “god-chief,” widely feared for his supposed connection to supernatural powers. He governed with minimal opposition for thirty years.
Kérékou’s 1991 electoral loss represented the initial instance of a current president being removed through voting in West Africa. Five years afterward, he returned as a civilian democratic leader, abandoning his Marxist-Leninist symbols. He also supported establishing the National Voodoo Board, along with an official celebration held annually on January 10 beginning in 1996.
Kérékou was unable to eliminate Vodún “because he was attacking a centuries-old social practice deeply rooted in the daily lives of Beninese people, a resource to which he and officials in his regime had been able to turn in the exercise of power,” said Narcisse Martial Yedji, a political sociologist at Université d’Abomey-Calavi. “Kérékou could not win over all the guardians of Voodoo traditions. Voodoo is not private property.”
The religion demonstrated remarkable endurance, he explained, and currently “priests claim that most public authorities resort to magical-religious practices and other rituals deeply rooted in the Voodoo collective consciousness.”
By 2001, while pursuing his final term, Kérékou was actively seeking support from Voodoo followers in Ouidah, where spiritual seekers can be observed carrying protective charms near the ocean.
At that location, within a wooded area beside marshland, a Vodún follower named Irène Kpatenon indicated the remains of a tree that served as his shrine where he sometimes left fruit offerings, explaining that he learned “Voodoo spirits like sweet things.” Kpatenon had recently requested divine help in finding well-paid employment.
Visitors to Ouidah often walk the sandy trail leading to the memorial called “the Door of No Return” honoring the unfortunate victims of the trans-Atlantic slave trade. Even within that tragic history lies a tale of defiance that Houna II recalled with pride.
Enslaved Africans brought to Caribbean islands, particularly modern-day Haiti where the faith is called Vodou, organized uprisings against their captors.
During a Vodou ritual called the Bois Caïman pact of 1791 — which involved sacrificing a pig for its blood — certain slaves planned the revolt that established Haiti as the first independent Black nation in 1804.
Haitian Vodou faced persecution and was stigmatized for generations as mere superstition while being influenced by Catholic beliefs. Similar to Benin’s experience, Vodou in Haiti persisted and continues to shape cultural traditions.
“Voodoo is life,” said Dossavi Yovo, a priestess in Houna II’s temple, warning against the faithless practice of combining Christianity with Vodún. “If you want to practice Voodoo, you have got to dedicate yourself to it.”
CHICAGO (AP) — After more than ten years since the former president selected Chicago as the location for his presidential library project, the Obama Presidential Center is set to welcome visitors on June 19. The facility features exhibits of campaign artifacts and presidential memorabilia, while the surrounding grounds include community amenities such as a basketball court, public library branch, and children’s playground.
Here’s a breakdown of the key figures associated with the former President Barack Obama’s presidential library.
The estimated construction cost for the 225-foot museum tower and the nearly 20-acre site, funded entirely through private contributions to the Obama Foundation. This figure represents a significant increase from original projections of $350 million.
The anticipated yearly attendance for the museum, which will charge admission fees. Additionally, up to 1 million visitors annually are expected to use the complimentary facilities throughout the campus.
The estimated count of book titles that the Obamas chose themselves for inclusion in a “Presidential Reading Room” within the new public library branch located on the grounds.
The total count of campaign buttons featured in exhibits from Obama’s political campaigns, including specialized designs created for specific states.
The quantity of specially commissioned artwork created by 30 different artists.
The count of beehives located on the property. The apiary serves as part of the gardens and comprehensive landscaping throughout the campus.
CHICAGO (AP) — The personal touch of former President Barack Obama permeates every corner of his presidential museum, from its Chicago South Side setting to the textured stonework on its striking tower and the striped reading chairs that mirror those found in his personal residence.
Following a ceremonial dedication ceremony attended by dignitaries in Chicago, the Obama Presidential Center will welcome the general public on Juneteenth. Thousands of visitors — including museum staff family members, students and media representatives — have already received preview tours of the nearly 20-acre facility while workers complete final art pieces and grounds work.
The approximately $850 million development encompasses both the political career and private life of America’s first Black president. While the ticketed museum tower displays campaign artifacts and presidential memorabilia, the expansive campus’s public areas highlight other Obama priorities: a new library branch, basketball facility and picnic space with grilling stations.
“This serves as a welcoming environment where people can come to contemplate the significant moments from this presidency and the campaigns, while also gathering as a community to consider what changes you might implement in your own neighborhood,” Josh Harris, the Obama Foundation’s vice president of public engagement, explained during a recent Associated Press tour.
Here are the main highlights of the campus anticipated to attract up to 1 million annual visitors.
This presidential museum breaks new ground as the first completely digital facility of its type, abandoning traditional displays of official documents.
Visitors will instead encounter high-tech and interactive exhibits covering the campaigns, pivotal moments from Obama’s presidency and White House experiences.
Among the most popular features is a full-scale recreation of the Oval Office.
During a recent visit, a steady flow of guests, including schoolchildren, moved through the circular space, pausing to sit at the desk for photographs. The top drawer contains a handwritten letter copy from his predecessor, former President George W. Bush, and Obama’s cherished BlackBerry device.
“We aim to ensure that individuals from every background get the chance to sit at the Resolute Desk,” Harris stated. “You consider the potential that if a young community organizer from Chicago’s South Side can become president, you might become president as well.”
Additional museum sections explore the Affordable Care Act and immigration policies, alongside intimate moments such as Obama’s spontaneous singing during a 2015 memorial service for victims of a South Carolina church attack. A large display screen shows Obama performing “Amazing Grace.”
Scattered throughout are spaces for personal contemplation, which museum planners consider essential.
“We’re handing over that responsibility and encouraging people to take change back to their communities, however change might be understood, whether modest or significant,” explained Louise Bernard, the museum’s director.
During the museum’s 2021 groundbreaking ceremony, Obama anticipated one of the major attractions.
“We want this center to be more than a static museum or a source of archival research,” Obama remarked at the location. “It won’t just be a collection of campaign memorabilia or Michelle’s ballgowns, although I know everybody will come see those.”
About twelve outfits displayed on mannequins sit behind protective glass, including a black and red Narciso Rodriguez creation that the former first lady wore during 2008 Election Night in Chicago.
Guests can also feel fabric samples, including the rose gold chain mail Atelier Versace evening dress she selected for her last state dinner in 2016.
The museum sits close to where Barack Obama launched his political journey, served as a law professor at the University of Chicago, and where the family resided. Michelle Obama also spent her childhood on the South Side.
As a lifelong basketball enthusiast, Obama requested a glass-walled professional-quality basketball court for community programming.
The former first lady created a garden where lettuce and strawberry plants were growing during a recent visit. Charcoal grills will be publicly available, fulfilling Obama’s vision from community meetings almost ten years ago.
“President Obama frequently discussed his connection to Chicago and one of his cherished memories involved grilling in the park,” Harris noted.
The Obamas’ aesthetic preferences and appreciation for history are clearly visible.
The museum campus displays dozens of specially commissioned artworks while various campus sections honor notable figures. The central “John Lewis Plaza,” honoring the late congressman and civil rights champion, serves as a public meeting place.
Within a new Chicago Public Library branch, a 70-foot artwork portrays literary icons including Walt Whitman and James Baldwin. At its center stands a boy in an orange shirt being read to by Toni Morrison, representing young Obama.
The presidential reading room contains thousands of books selected by the Obamas, spanning presidential biographies to popular fiction. Obama particularly favors two tall-backed chairs with blue, yellow and black stripes, chosen by the former president as excellent reading chairs resembling ones in his home.
Admission costs $30, the steepest price among all U.S. presidential museums or libraries. The Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum in California follows at $29.
Obama Foundation executives justify the pricing for the cutting-edge facility.
The neighboring Griffin Museum of Science and Industry charges $25.95. In downstate Illinois, the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum in Springfield costs $15.
Besides complimentary days and Illinois resident discounts, Obama Foundation representatives emphasize that most campus areas are free, with only four museum tower floors requiring admission.
Visitors can freely explore the campus, utilize the playground, library, sledding hill or grilling facilities. The tower’s uppermost floor, offering sweeping views of the nation’s third-largest city, is also complimentary.
“The concept behind this institution, this campus, centered on making it available to the greatest number of people possible,” Harris said.
Motorists traveling on southbound Route 13 should expect delays this morning as construction crews have closed the right lane between US-40 and Langollen Boulevard.
The lane restriction is part of ongoing construction work in the area and is expected to remain in effect until 6:00 AM today.
Drivers are advised to allow extra travel time and exercise caution when passing through the work zone.
The European Union rolled out an ambitious technology independence strategy on Wednesday, with one senior official celebrating by declaring “Today is Tech Liberation Day.” However, achieving genuine freedom from American technology dominance remains a distant goal, according to industry analysts.
The comprehensive strategy seeks to strengthen European technology companies while restricting access for powerful American competitors. Though representing an important milestone, the European bloc continues to lag significantly behind the United States and Asia in artificial intelligence, semiconductor manufacturing, cloud computing, and data center operations.
Ralf Wintergerst, president of German digital industry group Bitkom, described initiatives like the proposed Chips Act 2.0 as a “step in right direction,” but emphasized Europe requires concrete implementation and improved investment conditions spanning semiconductors to AI infrastructure.
“It is now crucial that these efforts do not stop at mere announcements. Europe needs to move quickly,” he said.
EU tech chief Henna Virkkunen introduced the comprehensive package that blocks American technology leaders including Amazon, Microsoft and Google from the most critical cloud computing contracts, while promoting rapid development of data centers incorporating European hardware or software components.
Regarding semiconductors, the strategy focuses less on attracting cutting-edge manufacturing facilities and more on strengthening existing capabilities surrounding leading chip equipment maker ASML, from raw materials to sophisticated packaging, while leveraging government purchasing to help emerging companies expand.
However, with limited regional technology leaders, reducing dependency will require considerable time. The bloc lacks a European equivalent to Nvidia for AI chip design, no competitor to Taiwan’s TSMC for manufacturing, and no software companies matching the scale of major American firms capable of generating demand through extensive cloud platforms.
“We will continue to rely on Nvidia and AMD for GPUs and will need to cooperate with international partners on certain AI models. This is not a weakness, but realism,” said Achim Weiß, CEO of German cloud provider Ionos.
“It must be clear that sovereignty does not mean self-sufficiency.”
The EU strategy contains minimal new funding, particularly when compared to substantial American investment and Chinese government support. This leaves financing responsibilities to member nations already facing budget constraints, while businesses confront elevated energy expenses, workforce shortages and fragmented financial markets.
“Europe cannot regulate its way into semiconductor leadership,” said Erik Rein, head of European chipmaker association ESIA, who also heads Bosch’s semiconductor business.
Mitchell Rutledge, Europe Policy Manager at the Computer & Communications Industry Association, said focusing on data center capacity was positive but Europe needed to attract investment, “not shutting it out.”
A Microsoft spokesperson said the firm shared the EU’s ambition to strengthen technological sovereignty and global competitiveness in AI, but called for an open market with “fair competition.”
Wolfgang Weber, managing director of ZVEI, the German electrical and digital industry group, praised plans for faster approvals of strategic tech projects that require state aid, though he said Europe couldn’t “force the issue.”
“Europe achieves sovereignty through its own strength, not through barriers,” he said.
The final European Commission package also avoided implementing a strict “Buy European” policy, leaving some critics arguing the measures were insufficient.
“I am sceptical that this will be sufficient to ensure long term independence from the U.S.,” said Greens/EFA European parliament member Kim van Sparrentak.
“This long delayed package finally recognises the scale of Europe’s digital dependency, but ultimately falls short.”
Others highlighted the balanced approach of the measures – practical incremental progress toward a longer-term objective.
“The package frames tech sovereignty in a more pragmatic way than previous debates often did,” Julia Hess of interface, a German technology policy think-tank, told Reuters.
Tony Blair Institute’s Director of Science & Technology, Keegan McBride, said the package was an important step, though he cautioned a retreat into a Europe-first approach would leave the continent weaker.
“Europe can’t regulate its way to competitiveness, it must build,” he said. “There’s still much more to do if Europe wants to close the gap with the U.S. and China.”
Officials in Delhi announced plans for widespread enforcement of fire safety regulations following a fatal hotel fire that claimed 21 lives on Wednesday, according to the chief minister’s office.
The deadly incident occurred at a hotel located in the Malviya Nagar area of Delhi. Among the victims were 12 foreign nationals, with media outlets reporting the fatalities included individuals from Bangladesh, Nigeria, Mozambique, and Liberia, though Reuters could not independently confirm these details.
According to media reports, the hotel was frequently used by patients receiving treatment at a nearby medical facility and their family members. The fire represents the most deadly such incident in the city since 2022.
Law enforcement officials confirmed they have filed criminal charges and taken the building owner into custody in connection with the tragedy.
In response to the incident, city leadership announced a comprehensive enforcement initiative targeting guest accommodations and other businesses that fail to meet fire safety standards and building regulations. The chief minister’s office stated in a social media post late Wednesday that non-compliant facilities will face closure and those responsible will face legal action.
Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar confirmed via social media that the country’s foreign ministry is coordinating with relevant diplomatic missions and providing necessary support services.
NBA Commissioner Adam Silver announced that the league’s investigation into alleged salary cap violations by the Los Angeles Clippers is approaching its conclusion.
During remarks before Game 1 of the NBA Finals in San Antonio, Silver indicated the investigation is “close to the point now where I think we need to wrap this up.”
The league launched the investigation in September, hiring the law firm Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz to examine whether the Clippers circumvented salary cap rules by arranging a $28 million endorsement agreement between star forward Kawhi Leonard and banking company Aspiration. The team maintained a long-term business relationship with the same company.
The banking firm has since filed for bankruptcy, and this week company co-founder Joe Sanberg was sentenced to 14 years in prison on wire fraud charges. Clippers owner Steve Ballmer claims he personally lost $60 million due to his involvement with Aspiration.
Regarding the law firm’s investigation, Silver explained, “They are doing the work independent of the league office, and my instruction to them is we can’t be investigating forever, but at some point, we have to wrap it up. But at the same time, the most important thing is that we get it right.”
“I think it’s clear they’re far along. I think those reports are (coming in) all the time from people who are being interviewed by them, and I think they understand that you can keep going on and on. But I think we’re close to the point now where I think we need to wrap this up because you also need finality. Their team has to understand what the situation is they’re going to be operating under, and so do the other 29 teams.”
Silver also discussed several other NBA topics during his appearance:
—League expansion decisions could be completed by year’s end.
“As I think everyone knows at this point, we are focused on Las Vegas and Seattle,” Silver stated. “There’s multiple groups interested in both cities. We are in discussions with them. The timeline is, as I’ve said before, it’s not a foregone conclusion that we will expand either in one city or both cities. But what we have told all interested parties, our anticipation is our (board of governors) will make a decision by the end of this calendar year.”
—The commissioner expressed confidence that recently implemented anti-tanking measures will prove effective.
“We found ourselves in a situation this year where all of a sudden it seemed like a third of the league maybe was responding in what an economist would say is very rational behavior but nontraditional behavior in terms of what they saw as a clear incentive to fall to the bottom of the standings,” Silver explained. “And it maybe or likely was compounded by the fact that there’s a perception of a very deep draft class this year. But we ultimately concluded that we needed to take immediate action.”
—The proposed NBA Europe structure would feature 12 permanent franchises, with four additional positions available for teams to earn through competition.
Planning summer vacation travel? If you’re bringing portable battery chargers for your electronic devices, new aviation regulations require your attention before boarding.
Portable rechargeable lithium-ion battery chargers, commonly called power banks, are available in different sizes and protective cases. These devices provide convenient extra power for mobile devices while traveling.
Following multiple smoke and fire emergencies, aviation authorities in the United States and internationally have established updated regulations, with airlines implementing stricter passenger requirements.
Here’s what air travelers should understand about power bank regulations.
The key rule: lithium battery chargers are prohibited in checked baggage and must be placed in carry-on bags.
Air travelers may typically bring two lithium ion power banks rated at 100 watt hours without requiring airline permission. This capacity provides multiple smartphone charging cycles.
Non-rechargeable lithium metal batteries are limited to two grams of lithium content per battery. Standard AA and AAA batteries usually contain under one gram of lithium.
These restrictions encompass nearly all lithium batteries found in typical consumer electronics, according to the Federal Aviation Authority.
The FAA states that current lithium ion batteries should display a watt hour (Wh) rating label. However, if your power bank shows energy capacity in milliampere hours (mAH), calculations are necessary, or you can use the FAA’s online calculator.
To calculate your battery’s watt-hour rating, divide the mAH number by 1,000 to obtain ampere hours, then multiply by the device’s voltage, typically 3.7 volts. For instance, a battery rated at 10,000 milliampere hours equals 10 ampere hours. Multiplying by 3.7 volts results in 37 watt hours.
Larger lithium-ion batteries rated between 100 to 160 watt hours, such as those in professional video equipment or medical devices, require airline permission.
Airlines are addressing lithium battery fire risks seriously following recent incidents.
A severe incident occurred in January 2025 when fire erupted on an Air Busan aircraft preparing for departure from a South Korean airport, requiring evacuation of all 176 passengers and crew.
The FAA documents nine lithium battery aviation incidents this year, with six involving power banks.
Battery concerns have caused flight disruptions even without actual problems. Last month, an Easyjet flight from Egypt to Britain diverted to Rome as a precaution after a passenger informed crew about a power bank charging a device in checked luggage.
Lithium batteries in aircraft cargo areas create dangers because crew members cannot immediately respond to smoke or fire situations, according to the International Air Transport Association, or IATA.
Cabin storage allows crew members to quickly address potential fires using fire-resistant containment bags and protective gloves for overheating devices.
While lithium ion battery short-circuit and fire risk remains very low, the resulting hazard is “very horrible,” said Paul Christensen, a professor of pure and applied electrochemistry at the University of Newcastle in the United Kingdom.
Lithium batteries can contain “a huge amount of energy in a very small space,” Christensen said. Danger arises when batteries are crushed, overcharged or overheated. This can cause “thermal runaway,” a chemical reaction producing heat and toxic gases, he said.
Christensen suggests inspecting your power bank for damage signs. Bulging or excessive heat during charging may indicate problems.
He also recommends avoiding inexpensive power banks from unknown manufacturers, which may lack proper quality controls preventing defects or contamination. Poor-quality lithium batteries can “produce thermal runaway a long time after they’ve been purchased,” he said.
During flight, airlines enforce strict power bank handling rules in passenger cabins.
Overhead bin storage is prohibited. Instead, keep power banks easily accessible, such as in seatback pockets or under the seat ahead of you.
Avoid using power banks to charge devices during flight, and don’t recharge them using aircraft power outlets.
If a battery or battery-powered device falls beside your seat, don’t move the seat to retrieve it.
“Seats can crush or damage the battery, which could cause it to overheat or catch fire,” IATA says. Instead, notify cabin crew members who are trained for safe device retrieval.
The FAA notes that individual airlines and international regulations may be more restrictive than U.S. rules, so checking with your airline is advisable when uncertain. Southwest Airlines, for example, announced in April that passengers would be limited to one charger each.
Many airlines maintain detailed regulations for various battery types, including lithium-powered devices like laptops, tablets and e-cigarettes.
MADRID (AP) — During the 1970s in Catholic Spain under Francisco Franco’s dictatorship, Paula Alonso-Pimentel attended religious education classes at age 8 at a faith-based school in Valladolid, a northern Spanish city.
At that location, she reports, a Marist priest sexually violated her over the course of a year in the school’s entrance area, positioning her on his lap and raising her clothing while other pupils walked by. More than five decades have passed, and she now seeks compensation.
Spain’s delayed confrontation with sexual misconduct within the Catholic Church moved into a fresh stage this year when officials introduced a compensation system for situations like Alonso-Pimentel’s involving accused religious figures who are deceased and whose alleged offenses are beyond prosecution time limits.
The Spanish bishops conference and Spain’s government endorsed the system months ahead of Pope Leo XIV’s scheduled visit beginning Saturday to the nation of 50 million people that was once predominantly Catholic. Significantly, it grants the government ultimate authority over compensation decisions. Globally, clergy sexual misconduct and concealment scandals have shaken Catholic dioceses, harming the Church’s standing and undermining papal support more than thirty years since the crisis first became public in Western nations.
In Spain, certain victims feel reassured while others maintain doubt, contending that the timeframe for compensation applications is insufficient and questioning whether success is possible without mandatory, clear payments.
The system allows victims twelve months to submit applications. Currently, 420 individuals have applied. This follows years of dispute after El País newspaper exposed the extent of alleged misconduct during the church’s silence, plus criticism of the church’s independent victim compensation efforts.
Alonso-Pimentel maintains some doubt but hopes the abuse she has worked for decades to overcome will finally receive attention.
“It must cost them, the Church,” she said. “It must cost them because this cannot come for free. It cannot be that they can continue doing it without paying a huge price.”
The Associated Press does not identify people who say they have been sexually assaulted unless they come forward publicly, as Alonso-Pimentel has done.
For years, she suppressed the recollections. Eventually, she discussed the abuse with friends, romantic partners, mental health professionals and ultimately with others who also claimed clergy had violated them.
Following Pope Francis organizing a worldwide conference in 2019 on clerical misconduct, Alonso-Pimentel contacted the Marist order in Valladolid, requesting information about the priest she claims violated her. She only received his identity. After a short communication period, she became suspicious and ended contact.
When the Spanish church established its independent extrajudicial system for abuse victims in specific cases, she chose not to participate, discouraged by the institution’s approach. Alonso-Pimentel expects the new church-state framework will be more fair.
“I’m going to submit my report no matter what,” she said, “but I also want to see how they work.”
The updated framework requires Spain’s ombudsman to examine each situation through an independent expert team and suggest compensation, whether symbolic, psychological or financial, that the church will subsequently evaluate.
When no consensus is achieved, the situation moves to a joint panel with delegates from the church, the ombudsman’s office and victim organizations. If that panel cannot reach agreement, the ombudsman makes the final decision.
Through El País’ establishment in 2018 of a clergy sexual abuse case database, Spain started addressing a history of priest abuse and concealment by successive generations of bishops and religious leaders. This occurred later than other Western nations, including the United States, Ireland and Australia.
As the database expanded, public anger increased, with Spain’s ombudsman assigned by Parliament to investigate the issue’s scope. In 2023, the ombudsman released a critical 800-page document estimating hundreds of thousands of potential church sexual abuse victims in Spain across decades — using a survey of 8,000 individuals. The document also analyzed 487 documented cases.
Spain’s bishops disputed the estimate, stating their investigation identified 728 sexual abusers within the church since 1945. Most offenses occurred before 1990, the bishops’ conference reported, and 60% of alleged perpetrators were deceased.
In 2024, the bishops independently established a victim assistance system on an individual basis. This came months after the Spanish government declared its plan to require church victim compensation, accusing the church of downplaying the issue. Officials said the church’s internal system was ineffective partly due to lacking external supervision.
For this reason, many victims, including Alonso-Pimentel, stated they preferred not to directly contact the church.
You can’t be a judge and a jury in your own case, Alonso-Pimentel said. “It’s as simple as that.”
Earlier this year, the bishops conference reported paying approximately 2 million euros ($2.3 million) to victims, but recognized some victims’ unease. It accepted the value of the new state-church framework.
“It’s opening a new door for the process that the church has already been developing for the past two years,” said Josetxo Vera, the conference’s communications director.
The Vatican has become more direct about compensating sexual abuse victims. In Leo’s first encyclical, he stated that listening to sexual abuse victims included “acknowledging the harm done” and “just reparation.”
Nevertheless, Spain’s bishops have consistently rejected that clerical abuse is systematic, noting that more sexual crimes occur outside the church.
“We believe that, indeed, human nature is flawed, that it has a propensity for evil, and that it needs a great deal of reconciliation and forgiveness. But I can’t say that it’s a systemic issue,” said Vera. “We are part of this society. We share some of its virtues, and we also share some of its vices and crimes.”
Other victims and advocates fear that Spain’s new approach still lacks sufficient strength. A primary concern: no compensation scale exists based on abuse severity, with the church and government choosing to assess cases individually. Additionally, it lacks legal enforceability.
“I see this protocol actually as being quite fragile,” said Anne Barrett Doyle, co-director of Bishop Accountability, a Boston-based nonprofit that researches child abuse by priests and the management of those cases by bishops, religious orders and the Vatican. “It has a very short time frame. It has no matrix to establish minimum awards for various categories of injuries. So will it be fair? Will it be consistent?”
Before Leo’s visit, Spanish activist Miguel Hurtado has referenced his personal abuse case to emphasize potential system weaknesses.
More than twenty years ago, Hurtado claims that a monk named Andreu Soler sexually assaulted him when he was a 16-year-old Boy Scout in a group supervised by Soler at the Montserrat Abbey, an 11th-century Benedictine monastery in the mountains near Barcelona.
Initially, the monastery convinced his parents not to report the alleged abuse to authorities, Hurtado stated. He attempted to continue with his life. But as Hurtado witnessed the clerical abuse reckoning occurring years later, he publicly shared his accusations, including to El País.
The Montserrat Abbey, through an independent investigation in 2019, confirmed multiple sexual abuse cases committed by Soler over decades. But Hurtado said it did not accept any obligation to formally compensate victims “because everything is time-barred, both criminally and civilly.”
When questioned by the AP, the monastery refused to comment on Hurtado’s case or whether it will participate with other cases that might arise through the new reparations system.
Hurtado expressed disappointment that Leo will visit the monastery despite the abuse allegations, which he has provided to the Vatican and other church authorities.
He worries the new system could leave many victims uninformed.
“The problem is that it’s built on sand,” Hurtado said.
ST. PETERSBURG, Russia (AP) — A towering dark plume of smoke billowing over St. Petersburg’s horizon from a Ukrainian drone attack cast an ominous shadow as President Vladimir Putin prepared to launch his yearly display of Russia’s economic accomplishments.
As Putin was scheduled to reach his birthplace on Thursday for the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum, the Ukrainian assault from the previous day that ignited an oil facility delivered yet another humiliating setback to his attempts to downplay the consequences of the 4-year-old war and portray it as a remote occurrence with no impact on everyday Russian life.
The strike, which simultaneously targeted a naval installation near Russia’s second-most populous city on the Gulf of Finland, highlighted Ukraine’s expanding capacity to reach far into its neighboring country and proved that even the heavily fortified city of Putin’s birth faces increasing danger.
Dozens of airline flights experienced delays or rerouting at St. Petersburg’s airport, while officials disabled mobile internet connectivity in an effort to thwart drone operations.
Putin had reduced the scale of Russia’s yearly Victory Day military parade on May 9, concerned about potential Ukrainian drone attacks. Several days afterward, a large-scale drone assault on Moscow’s outskirts resulted in three deaths and exposed the capital’s susceptibility.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov stated that Russian military forces were advancing within Ukraine “in order to prevent such attacks” similar to the St. Petersburg incident. He observed that “systematic” bombardments of Kyiv that Russia had warned about the previous week were currently taking place.
On Tuesday, Russia launched attacks against Kyiv and additional Ukrainian cities using hundreds of drones and multiple missiles, resulting in 23 fatalities and injuring 151 individuals.
Putin has utilized the forum as a platform to highlight his nation’s economic progress and attract international investment. Frequently described as Russia’s answer to the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, the event typically brings together tens of thousands of participants from across the globe.
Although Western government representatives and business leaders have avoided the forum since Putin deployed military forces into Ukraine in 2022, Russia has worked to draw more attendees from different regions to emphasize its stated objective of fostering a “multipolar world.”
Saudi Arabia, serving as this year’s special guest nation, has dispatched a substantial delegation. The leaders of Uzbekistan and Tanzania, along with China’s vice president, are also participating. A U.S. official, Rodney Mims Cook Jr., head of the U.S. Commission of Fine Arts, will attend the event for the first time in years.
Russia’s economic prospects have dimmed as the initial benefits from extensive military expenditures have diminished. The administration has implemented tax increases and expanded domestic borrowing to maintain budget deficit control.
Putin is anticipated to downplay Russia’s economic difficulties during his forum presentation, but the Ukrainian strike on St. Petersburg’s port approximately 15 kilometers (about 9 miles) from the forum’s location has emphasized the mounting obstacles created by the ongoing conflict.
In the hours before the forum commenced on Wednesday, Ukrainian drones also struck the Kronstadt naval facility located on an island in the Gulf of Finland, which has served as the headquarters for Russia’s Baltic Fleet since Peter the Great established St. Petersburg. Although the majority of the fleet has relocated to Russia’s Baltic territory of Kaliningrad, Kronstadt maintains its symbolic significance as the center of the nation’s naval heritage, featuring its historic cathedral and ancient defensive structures.
Major artificial intelligence companies are preparing for stock market launches this year with massive valuations that could reshape Wall Street. Companies like Anthropic, SpaceX, and OpenAI are positioning themselves for initial public offerings as they seek additional funding in the competitive race to advance AI technology.
The enormous costs associated with developing and operating artificial intelligence systems, combined with the goal of creating artificial general intelligence that could outperform humans across various tasks, has generated significant market enthusiasm. This excitement has contributed to pushing stock markets to new record levels.
“These companies are now burning through cash to win the AI race, and public equity is the cheapest source available, particularly in a rising interest rate environment,” said Michael Field, chief equity analyst at Morningstar.
However, concerns about a potential AI market bubble are emerging as billions and trillions of dollars are at stake. Some analysts worry that technology companies and investment firms may be investing excessive amounts in technology that remains relatively new and unproven.
Despite these concerns, the market continues to show strong momentum. Here’s an examination of the major AI companies preparing for public offerings.
SpaceX, owned by Elon Musk, reached a valuation of $800 billion last year before jumping to $1.25 trillion following its February merger with Musk’s AI company, xAI. The space exploration firm is now planning what could become one of the largest stock offerings in history, despite currently operating at significant losses. According to May regulatory documents, SpaceX recorded operational losses of $2.6 billion last year against $18.7 billion in revenue, with losses continuing into this year. The xAI division, which operates the Grok chatbot, reported $6.4 billion in operational losses last year based on company records.
The SpaceX acquisition of xAI earlier this year faced opposition from some SpaceX investors who characterized it as an improper bailout, given Musk’s controlling interest in both companies.
SpaceX announced Wednesday its intention to raise up to $75 billion through its upcoming public offering this month, potentially creating the largest stock market debut ever and positioning Musk to become the world’s first trillionaire. This offering would significantly surpass the current IPO record held by Saudi Aramco, which raised $26 billion in 2019.
Anthropic, which develops the Claude chatbot, was established in 2021 by former OpenAI executives. The company recently achieved a valuation of $965 billion, ranking among the world’s most valuable startup companies. This represents remarkable growth for what began as a relatively unknown research facility. The San Francisco company is moving toward a public offering, having announced June 1 that it submitted confidential paperwork to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission for a proposed IPO.
Anthropic reports generating $47 billion in annual revenue by licensing its technology to individuals and organizations who use Claude for coding and various professional and personal applications.
OpenAI, creator of ChatGPT, started in 2015 as a nonprofit organization focused on developing AI for public benefit. The company now carries a valuation of $852 billion and is planning an IPO potentially as early as this fall.
Despite OpenAI’s role in sparking the current AI surge, Anthropic’s rapid growth and Claude’s increasing market share have put the ChatGPT developer in a position of playing catch-up.
Elon Musk, who co-founded OpenAI, filed an unsuccessful lawsuit against the company and its leadership, alleging that it abandoned its original mission for profit motives. OpenAI responded by suggesting Musk was attempting to gain a larger ownership stake in the company. OpenAI has not yet announced filing initial IPO documentation with the SEC.
Google developed its Gemini AI assistant as a response to competitive pressure from OpenAI’s ChatGPT, which launched in late 2022. Gemini AI technology is now incorporated into Google search and other services including Maps. Alphabet, Google’s parent company based in Mountain View, California, saw its market value rise to $4.54 trillion at the start of June, up from $2.3 trillion the previous year. This increase suggests that Alphabet’s substantial AI investments are generating returns, despite investor concerns about similar spending by other companies.
Meta has integrated its AI assistant, Llama, throughout its business operations, including advertising and consumer tools such as a digital assistant for daily tasks and image and video generation. Unlike competing models, Llama operates as open source software, making it accessible to the public and developers. Meta AI functions as a standalone application and is built into the Menlo Park, California company’s smart glasses. Meta’s market value reached $1.55 trillion in early June, down from $1.76 trillion a year earlier as investors expressed concerns about the company’s significant AI expenditures.
Microsoft, which became publicly traded 40 years ago, would likely be trailing in the AI competition without its strategic multibillion-dollar investment in OpenAI. Microsoft supplied the computing infrastructure and financial support that enabled OpenAI to create ChatGPT. This partnership allowed Microsoft to use the same underlying technology for its own AI assistant, now known as Copilot. The previously exclusive partnership has since broadened as both companies seek additional partners to further their AI objectives.
Opening arguments began Thursday in Dallas for the murder trial of a former high school athlete charged with fatally stabbing a teenage competitor during a track and field event.
Karmelo Anthony, currently 19 years old, could receive a life sentence if found guilty in the death of 17-year-old Austin Metcalf. Police records indicate Anthony claimed he acted in self-defense during an altercation that occurred at a high school track meet in Frisco, located in the northern suburbs of Dallas.
The incident last April shocked the wealthy Dallas-area community and gained widespread public attention, particularly after social media content portrayed the case through a racial lens.
This week, a jury was selected with heightened security measures at the Collin County courthouse, where a judge has imposed strict guidelines for the trial, including a ban on public statements from legal counsel.
“We know this case has struck a deep nerve — here in Collin County and beyond,” Collin County District Attorney Greg Willis said while announcing the indictment against Anthony last year.
The fatal encounter occurred on a wet April morning in 2025. Police reports show that witnesses described the conflict starting when Anthony sat beneath a tent that belonged to Metcalf’s team. The two teenagers were students at different Frisco high schools.
According to the arrest documentation, when Metcalf instructed Anthony to relocate, Anthony reached into his bag and allegedly responded: “Touch me and see what happens.”
The report states that shortly afterward, Metcalf allegedly grabbed Anthony, who then produced a knife and stabbed the other teen in the chest.
In the police report, an officer noted that Anthony stated Metcalf had physically contacted him first and that he was defending himself.
Following last summer’s indictment, Mike Howard, Anthony’s attorney, said he anticipates prosecutors would “not be able to rule out the reasonable doubt” that his client may have acted in self-defense once the complete details of the confrontation emerge.
Both teenagers’ families described them as strong students with college aspirations.
The father of the victim has criticized those who have focused on the racial backgrounds of the teens following the death. Anthony is Black; Austin Metcalf was white.
“This was not a race thing. This is not a political thing. Please do not comment if you do not know what happened,” Metcalf’s father, Jeff Metcalf, said on Fox News’ “America Reports.”
“This is a human being thing,” he said. “This person made a bad choice and it affected both his family and my family forever.”
Law enforcement officials have also cautioned against online commentary about the killing. Frisco Police Chief David Shilson has encouraged the public to be wary of posts spreading “misinformation, hate, fear, and division.”
WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump is receiving criticism from both political opponents and supporters who warn he’s becoming trapped in a difficult position regarding the Iran conflict, a military engagement he initially described as a short operation that has now entered a prolonged stalemate.
Almost a week has passed since American and Iranian negotiators reached a preliminary deal to extend the current ceasefire by 60 days and begin fresh discussions about Iran’s nuclear activities, an agreement that needed Trump’s approval.
However, Trump has requested unspecified modifications to the deal, and Iranian leaders — possibly believing the Republican president is hesitant to resume bombing after depleting crucial weapons stockpiles — appear unwilling to accommodate additional requirements.
Recent strikes between the U.S. and Iran this week have sparked new worries that the ceasefire might fail. Trump minimized these concerns on Wednesday.
“It’s a different part of the world,” Trump told reporters in the Oval Office. “You know, I’d say in that part of the world, a ceasefire is when you’re shooting in a more moderate manner.”
This uncertain situation comes after Trump has repeatedly claimed since the 14-day ceasefire began on April 7 — after 38 days of U.S. and Israel attacks on Iran — that an agreement is imminent and that Iranian leaders are desperate for a settlement. Trump suggested on Wednesday that something might materialize “over the weekend.”
Without a temporary agreement in place to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, worldwide energy costs continue to be high and are contributing to global concerns about the effects of increased expenses from the three-month war on food, fuel and other commodities.
Following multiple reports this week that Iran was ending discussions, Trump told CNBC he “couldn’t care less” if negotiations had stalled and even suggested they had become “boring.”
Growing worry exists within the administration and among key advisers and allies that Trump now faces a difficult situation, according to a U.S. official and another person familiar with the administration’s internal discussions, both of whom spoke to The Associated Press anonymously to discuss private conversations.
He’s caught between Democrats exploiting oil prices and warnings from hawkish supporters that an early withdrawal from the conflict would represent surrender.
Trump is privately receiving advice from other Republican lawmakers, Pentagon officials and Gulf allies that returning to the bombing strategy would be unwise.
Those recommending against resuming military operations point out that the U.S. has depleted ammunition too quickly. Restocking some essential weapons systems could require three years.
Meanwhile, Gulf allies worry that Iran will strike back against them and their vital infrastructure and energy assets, further damaging their economies.
Simultaneously, Trump has rejected accepting a deal that looks like the 2015 nuclear agreement negotiated by Democrat Barack Obama’s administration, which limited Iran’s nuclear program in return for removing international economic sanctions.
During his first presidency, Trump withdrew from the agreement, claiming it failed to permanently halt Iran’s nuclear program, ignored Iran’s ballistic missile development, and didn’t punish Iran for backing militant proxy groups throughout the Middle East.
Currently, Trump, according to those aware of internal discussions, has expressed strong feelings that he cannot make “a bad deal” and is very conscious that he’s at a critical moment where he risks damaging his legacy if he makes an error.
White House spokeswoman Anna Kelly rejected the idea that Trump has been cornered or that there’s any worry within the administration about the negotiation timeline.
“These mysterious so-called ‘administration officials’ have no idea what they’re talking about — those actually involved in sensitive discussions know to trust in President Trump, who will always do what is best for U.S. national security,” Kelly said in a statement.
Israeli and hawkish allies in Washington have argued to Trump that a deal now would represent unconditional surrender, encouraging him to increase economic pressure on Iran and support Israel’s assault on the Hezbollah militant group in Lebanon.
However, Trump earlier this week in a tense call with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ordered Israel to stop, and on Wednesday, Israel and Lebanon announced they agreed to extend a ceasefire. Hezbollah was not involved in the Israel-Lebanon discussions, which have occurred at the ambassadorial level in Washington since early last month.
Staying in the current situation with Tehran — neither fully resuming fighting nor completing an interim agreement to restart nuclear discussions — is a circumstance that Iran seems better positioned to use, argues Behnam Ben Taleblu, a senior fellow at the hawkish Washington think tank Foundation for Defense of Democracies.
Despite being the weaker side, Iran appears to be calculating that the longer the stalemate continues, the better their chances of “boxing in” Trump, he added.
“Either way, Tehran appears more resolute than ever to not provide Trump with a victory image, hence why it isn’t budging on the battlefield or negotiating table,” Taleblu said.
Meanwhile, Democrats are attempting to benefit from Trump’s management of the unpopular war before November’s midterm elections. The House of Representatives on Wednesday passed for the first time a symbolic resolution demanding a stop to military action against Iran, with four Republican lawmakers joining Democrats in criticizing Trump’s war.
During extensive hearings on Capitol Hill on Tuesday and Wednesday with Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Democrats attacked Trump for dismissing the economic effects of the conflict on Americans and for failing to predict that Iran would close the Strait.
In one heated exchange, New Jersey Democratic Sen. Cory Booker cited the unstable ceasefire as evidence that Iran holds the advantage.
“We are the strongest nation on the planet Earth, and we’re in a stalemate with Iran,” Booker said. “And now we’re begging to get back into a deal that you all trashed in the first place.”
Rubio rejected the criticism, emphasizing that Iran has been put at a disadvantage with the strikes that eliminated multiple levels of senior leadership and devastated Iran’s economy.
“There’s no one begging,” Rubio responded. “I don’t know where you’re getting this perception that Iran is stronger.”
Another Democrat, Sen. Chris Van Hollen of Maryland, focused on Trump’s comments last month that voter concerns about living costs were “not even a little bit” of a motivating factor for him to reach a deal to end the war.
The president continues to minimize the rising costs for Americans at gas stations and predict that fuel prices would drop dramatically after the conflict concludes.
Christopher Borick, the director of the Muhlenberg College Institute of Public Opinion in Pennsylvania, said that Democrats campaigning in competitive districts nationwide are already focusing on Trump’s statements about the war’s impact on Americans’ finances.
“There’s significant risk in having this thing drag on for Republicans,” Borick said. “It’s certainly going to hurt if Trump ends up in a place where the war ends and Iran’s nuclear program is in the same place. But for Republicans in some of these tough swing districts, there’s a case to be made to rip the bandage off now, get some easing in the oil markets and hope there’s enough time for voters to turn the page.”
Stock markets across Asia declined Thursday after Wall Street experienced drops that ended a nine-day winning streak for the S&P 500.
Crude oil prices dropped after climbing Wednesday when renewed conflict jeopardized the U.S.-Iran ceasefire.
During early Thursday trading in Asia, Brent crude declined $1.17 to $96.64 per barrel, while benchmark U.S. crude oil dropped $1.08 to $94.94 per barrel. Crude prices had risen the previous day after both the United States and Iran reported launching retaliatory strikes for previous attacks or attempted strikes.
In equity markets, Japan’s Nikkei 225 dropped 1.9% to 67,101.83 as investors sold technology stocks to secure profits. Energy and technology conglomerate SoftBank Group plummeted 10.4%, while Shin-Etsu Chemical declined 3.8%.
Hong Kong’s Hang Seng decreased 1.3% to 25,299.29, and the Shanghai Composite index dropped 0.4% to 4,067.46.
In South Korea, the Kospi fell 1.7% to 8,651.87, while Australia’s S&P/ASX 200 slipped 1.5% to 8,657.40.
On Wednesday, the S&P 500 declined 0.7% from its record high for its first decrease in 10 days, ending at 7,553.68. The Dow Jones Industrial Average slipped 1.2% to 50,687.07, while the Nasdaq composite dropped 0.9% to 26,853.98.
Palo Alto Networks contributed to the market decline, falling 5.6% despite reporting quarterly earnings that exceeded analyst projections.
Equities also faced pressure from rising bond market yields, which increased alongside oil prices. The 10-year Treasury yield climbed to 4.49% from 4.46% late Tuesday and from just 3.97% before the war started.
Elevated yields globally threaten to slow economic growth and reduce values for stocks and various other investments. They have already pushed the average long-term U.S. mortgage rate to its highest level in nine months, and they may limit companies’ borrowing for artificial-intelligence data centers that have recently supported U.S. economic expansion.
Costlier loans can particularly impact smaller companies because many require borrowing for growth. The Russell 2000 index of the smallest U.S. stocks declined 1.3%, exceeding broader market losses.
Wednesday’s U.S. economic data showed mixed results. A report from the Institute for Supply Management indicated that growth accelerated more than economists anticipated last month for U.S. construction, agricultural and other services businesses.
The survey also revealed businesses are experiencing pressure from higher costs due to tariffs and increased oil prices.
Nevertheless, stocks remain close to record levels, despite all the global economic pressure from higher inflation.
Crude prices stay below their war-time peaks with Iran, and optimism appears to persist on Wall Street that the United States and Iran will eventually agree to reopen the Strait of Hormuz to oil tankers. This would enhance global crude flow and hopefully reduce prices.
GameStop gained 6% after the video-game retailer reported its latest quarter revenue increased 14% from the previous year. The company also revealed a plan to return up to $2 billion to investors through stock buybacks.
Macy’s rose 0.6% after fluctuating between gains and losses throughout the day. The retailer posted quarterly profit that significantly exceeded analyst expectations, while stating that a merchandise overhaul and improved customer service is connecting with shoppers.
In other early Thursday trading, the U.S. dollar declined to 159.90 Japanese yen from 160.08 yen late Wednesday. The euro increased to $1.1610 from $1.1600.
Bank of Japan Governor Kazuo Ueda has virtually guaranteed an interest rate increase this month as he adopts a more aggressive stance against rising inflation driven by Middle East conflict and energy price shocks.
During a Wednesday address, Ueda abandoned his previously cautious approach and emphasized the central bank’s willingness to combat escalating inflation that could damage Japan’s economy if allowed to continue unchecked.
This represents a fundamental change in Japan’s monetary policy direction, placing inflation concerns at the heart of interest rate decisions rather than simply focusing on reaching the stable 2% inflation target.
Most significantly, he dropped previous uncertainty regarding supply disruptions, signaling the BOJ will no longer ignore war-related inflation if it threatens to create broader economic ripple effects.
This messaging signals a new chapter in Ueda’s five-year leadership. After spending his initial period dismantling his predecessor’s aggressive stimulus measures, he’s now guiding the BOJ toward a more traditional function: maintaining stable inflation.
The BOJ ended a decade of massive economic stimulus in 2024 and has increased its benchmark rate multiple times, including in December, based on expectations that Japan was approaching sustainable achievement of its 2% inflation goal.
“Even if the situation surrounding the Middle East remains unclear, we must discuss the pros and cons of raising the policy rate if we judge that upside risks to prices outweigh downside risks to economic activity,” Ueda stated, words that strengthened widespread market expectations for a rate increase at the June 15-16 policy meeting.
His comments mirrored statements he made before December’s rate boost, when he mentioned a similar “pros and cons” evaluation.
However, this time Ueda expanded the circumstances under which rates might increase.
Previously, the BOJ’s tightening approach had been characterized as a careful, gradual withdrawal from stimulus connected to achieving consistent 2% inflation.
Ueda has now introduced an additional catalyst focused solely on inflation dangers. With companies altering their pricing strategies, he cautioned that energy disruptions could intensify price pressures.
“Unless there’s a severe escalation in the conflict, the BOJ will probably hike rates in June,” said a source familiar with its thinking, a view echoed by another source.
Ueda also warned against delaying action too long, pointing out that increasing raw material expenses are already pushing up wholesale prices and could spread more widely throughout the economy.
The shift in messaging demonstrates the BOJ’s increasing worry about building price pressures, according to veteran BOJ watcher Mari Iwashita, who considers a June rate hike certain.
“The war-induced wave of price increases has only just begun and is likely to intensify around summer,” she said. “Ueda’s remarks suggest the BOJ is bracing for the chance of being forced to raise rates in autumn, possibly at a faster pace.”
Meanwhile, Ueda attempted to ease concerns from a dovish government about potential economic harm from rate increases.
He presented policy tightening as protection against declining household buying power. Considering the administration’s resistance to higher government borrowing expenses, Ueda also promoted timely hikes as a method to maintain market confidence and prevent disruptive spikes in bond yields.
Despite the more hawkish direction, the yen kept declining, highlighting ongoing market doubt. The currency stays close to the 160-per-dollar threshold viewed as Tokyo’s intervention trigger, maintaining pressure on import costs and living expenses.
Even a June increase may not reverse the yen’s downward trajectory.
Some experts believe it will require a stronger, sustained tightening message to significantly impact the currency.
“Even if the BOJ raises rates in June, any rebound in the yen will be limited,” said Rinto Maruyama, a strategist at SMBC Nikko Securities.
The social media company has delayed the launch of its Muse Spark artificial intelligence model for software developers on multiple occasions and currently has no firm release timeline, according to a Wall Street Journal report citing sources with knowledge of the situation.
A company representative confirmed to Reuters on Wednesday that they are currently conducting tests of the Application Programming Interface with select early partners and anticipate making it available this month.
An Application Programming Interface serves as a software bridge that establishes how two different software systems communicate with each other.
“The muse spark API will be coming soon,” the company’s AI Chief Alexandr Wang posted on the social media platform X back in April.
The tech giant introduced Muse Spark in April, positioning it as their initial model designed to narrow the competitive gap with other companies in the field. This model represents the debut offering from the company’s Superintelligence Labs division.
On Wednesday, the company also announced a new AI assistant designed to support businesses with their daily operational tasks, signaling their intention to challenge competitors including OpenAI, Anthropic, and Alphabet’s Google.
NEW YORK guard Jalen Brunson delivered a clutch performance Wednesday night, netting 30 points with 13 coming in the final quarter as the Knicks mounted a dramatic comeback to defeat the San Antonio Spurs 105-95 in the opening contest of the NBA Finals.
The victory marked New York’s 12th straight playoff win, matching the second-longest postseason winning streak in NBA history. The triumph also represented the franchise’s first Finals appearance since 1999.
After trailing by 14 points during the third quarter, the Knicks dominated the final period, finishing the contest with an 11-point scoring run while committing zero turnovers in those crucial 12 minutes.
Karl-Anthony Towns provided solid support with 18 points and 12 rebounds, while OG Anunoby chipped in 17 points, including 12 in the fourth quarter when New York seized control.
San Antonio struggled down the stretch, turning the ball over five times in the final quarter while shooting just 28.6% from the field and getting outscored 29-19.
Spurs standout Victor Wembanyama put up 26 points, grabbed 12 rebounds and blocked three shots, though he connected on only 6 of 21 field goal attempts. Stephon Castle contributed 17 points and eight rebounds, Julian Champagnie recorded 16 points and 10 rebounds, and Dylan Harper added 16 points coming off the bench.
The pivotal sequence came late in the fourth when Brunson scored eight consecutive points, capping it with a driving basket that put New York ahead 94-86 with 6:08 remaining. Wembanyama answered with eight points during a 9-0 Spurs surge that gave San Antonio a 95-94 edge with 2:16 left on the clock.
However, the Spurs failed to score again. Brunson connected on a corner three-pointer to reclaim the lead with 1:50 remaining, then Mikal Bridges sank two free throws, Brunson hit a jumper, and Anunoby sealed the victory with four straight free throws.
Landry Shamet provided 13 points off New York’s bench, while Josh Hart recorded an impressive stat line of 15 rebounds, six assists, four steals and three points.
The Knicks shot 41.5% from the floor overall and made 11 of 36 three-point attempts for 30.6%. San Antonio connected on 36% of their shots and went 11 of 43 from beyond the arc for 25.6%.
San Antonio held a seven-point halftime advantage before opening the third quarter with 10 of the first 13 points to build a 65-51 lead on Harper’s basket. New York responded with a 20-6 run to tie the game at 71 on Brunson’s jumper with 2:01 left in the third.
Champagnie knocked down five three-pointers for 15 first-half points as the Spurs led 55-48 at intermission. Brunson managed 11 points in the opening half despite suffering a right knee injury in the first quarter and hurting his left ankle in the second.
Backup center Mitchell Robinson played 13 minutes despite a broken right pinkie, contributing two points and six rebounds.
Game 2 of the best-of-seven series takes place Friday night in San Antonio.
The Toronto Blue Jays completed a cash deal Wednesday to bring back right-handed pitcher Simeon Woods Richardson from the Minnesota Twins, marking a return for the former organizational prospect.
The 25-year-old Woods Richardson was placed on waivers by Minnesota last Saturday following a difficult 2024 campaign where he posted a winless 0-7 record and 7.74 earned run average across 12 appearances, including 10 as a starter.
Blue Jays skipper John Schneider expressed optimism about the acquisition, stating: “He has been a pretty good stable guy in Minnesota’s rotation for a couple of years. So I think having some confidence and hopefully maybe tweaking a few things here and there can get him back on track.”
Schneider noted that Woods Richardson would not be available for Thursday’s series conclusion against the host Atlanta Braves.
Throughout his five-year major league career spent entirely with Minnesota, Woods Richardson has posted a 12-17 win-loss record alongside a 4.76 ERA. He has recorded 258 strikeouts against 124 walks across 302 1/3 innings in 65 appearances, with 61 coming as starts.
The pitcher’s professional journey began when the Mets chose him in the 2018 draft’s second round. A year later, he joined Toronto’s organization as part of the trade that sent right-hander Marcus Stroman to New York.
Woods Richardson developed within Toronto’s minor league system until July 2021, when he and outfielder Austin Martin were dealt to Minnesota in the trade for right-hander Jose Berrios.
An Idaho-based precious metals company successfully completed its debut on the U.S. stock market Wednesday, securing $270 million from investors as part of a wave of new companies seeking public investment.
Sunshine Silver Mining & Refining Company, headquartered in Kellogg, Idaho, offered 20 million shares priced at $13.50 each, which fell at the bottom of the company’s projected price range.
This public offering reflects a broader trend of increased stock market debut activity in 2026, with notable companies like Elon Musk’s SpaceX and artificial intelligence company Anthropic preparing their own market launches in coming days. Mining companies are particularly active in this trend, with CopperTech Metals submitting paperwork for a New York exchange listing just Tuesday.
Data shows at least 18 companies—primarily from Canada and Australia, plus several American startups—have either finished or are working toward dual U.S. stock exchange listings this year, compared to only three companies in 2025.
Established in 2010, Sunshine Silver specializes in buying, redeveloping and operating precious metal mining properties throughout North America. The company is currently working to reopen and expand a previously closed mining operation in Idaho’s Silver Valley, which ranks among the most historically productive silver mining areas in the United States.
Investment firms Electrum Group and Ospraie Management back the company. Regulatory documents indicate Electrum will maintain ownership of more than 50% of Sunshine Silver’s total shares following completion of the public offering.
The company will begin trading Thursday on the New York Stock Exchange using the ticker symbol “SSMR”, joining other prominent new listings including Honeywell’s Quantinuum division and gas engine producer Innio.
Morgan Stanley, Scotiabank and BMO Capital Markets served as the primary underwriters managing Sunshine Silver’s stock offering.
President Donald Trump announced Wednesday evening his intention to formally nominate Todd Blanche for attorney general, selecting his former personal attorney who has been leading the Justice Department in an interim capacity.
Speaking at a White House dinner, Trump revealed plans to submit the nomination Thursday, with video of his remarks shared on social media by a White House staff member.
“We are going to make him permanent attorney general,” Trump declared during the Rose Garden gathering.
Since taking over in an acting capacity, Blanche has worked to establish himself as the top candidate for the permanent position following the dismissal of Pam Bondi in April. He has ramped up investigations targeting Trump adversaries and unveiled a proposed $1.776 billion compensation program for the president’s supporters who allegedly faced political targeting. The controversial fund sparked opposition from both parties, forcing the Justice Department to abandon the proposal earlier this week in a dramatic reversal.
Originally joining the department as deputy attorney general, Blanche was promoted after Bondi’s removal due to her unsuccessful attempts to prosecute Trump’s political enemies. Though Blanche denied seeking the top job, his high-profile decisions since assuming leadership have clearly demonstrated his commitment to Trump’s agenda.
Critics, particularly Democrats, have condemned Blanche’s approach, claiming he continues operating as Trump’s personal attorney rather than serving the public interest in his pursuit of the president’s revenge agenda. The “Anti-Weaponization Fund” also drew criticism from Senate Republicans, whose approval Blanche will require for confirmation.
On Tuesday, Blanche informed Congress the Justice Department was dropping the fund proposal after political opposition threatened to derail funding for Trump’s immigration enforcement operations.
Despite Blanche’s claims of independence from presidential influence, the Justice Department has intensified its focus on Trump’s long-standing opponents during his tenure.
In April, former FBI Director James Comey faced indictment related to a social media image showing seashells on a beach, which authorities characterized as a presidential threat. Comey has denounced the charges as politically driven and expressed expectation of additional prosecutions.
Blanche has also named Joseph diGenova, an 81-year-old former Reagan-era Justice Department prosecutor, to lead a Florida investigation examining whether former law enforcement and intelligence personnel conspired to target Trump over the past decade.
A former New York federal prosecutor, Blanche gained national recognition leading Trump’s legal defense, including during the Republican’s hush money case in New York. He has stated this experience provided him direct insight into what he describes as the weaponization of criminal justice against Trump.
Taiwan’s leadership called on China Thursday to acknowledge the violent suppression of pro-democracy demonstrators in Beijing’s Tiananmen Square 37 years ago, marking an anniversary that China continues to treat as forbidden territory.
Taiwan President Lai Ching-te used social media to address the sensitive milestone, writing: “I sincerely hope that China can face up to the June 4 incident of 37 years ago, acknowledge the truth, soothe the pain, and open the door to reconciliation and dialogue.”
The June 4, 1989 incident, when Chinese military forces fired on student-led democracy advocates in and around the Beijing square, remains off-limits for public discussion in China with no official recognition of the anniversary.
Memorial events now occur in cities outside China’s borders, including Taipei, where Taiwan’s government officials regularly use the date to criticize China. Beijing considers the democratically-run island nation part of its territory.
In his social media statement, Lai cautioned against “blindly believing” in military force and argued that responsible governments and societies should work to improve future generations’ prospects rather than employ “violence, surveillance, and other means to strangle their dreams and erase their opinions.”
China’s Taiwan Affairs Office had not provided a response to requests for comment regarding Lai’s statements.
Beijing labels Lai a “separatist” and has rejected his repeated attempts at dialogue. Lai maintains that Taiwan’s citizens alone should determine their nation’s path forward.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio also marked the anniversary Wednesday, stating that Beijing’s censorship efforts cannot eliminate recollections of the military attack. This continues the American tradition of the nation’s chief diplomat recognizing the date, which consistently angers Beijing.
“Those who sacrificed to uphold their unalienable rights of free expression and peaceful assembly will be vindicated someday,” Rubio stated.
China’s foreign ministry had not responded to requests for comment on Rubio’s remarks. Last year, Beijing condemned Rubio for his Tiananmen commentary, claiming he was “distorting” historical reality and attacking China’s governing structure.
Chinese military tanks entered Tiananmen Square in the early morning hours of June 4, 1989, ending weeks of democracy demonstrations by students and laborers.
Beijing has never released complete casualty figures, though human rights organizations and eyewitnesses estimate deaths could number in the thousands. China characterized the demonstrations as counter-revolutionary efforts to topple the ruling Communist Party.
In Hong Kong, where annual candlelight ceremonies in Victoria Park once attracted tens of thousands annually, public memorial events ended after Beijing enacted a national security law in 2020.
These vigils previously symbolized the financial center’s greater freedoms compared to mainland China, but the anniversary there now features heavy police deployment with minimal visible remembrance activities.
Multiple memorial events were planned for Thursday in various global cities, including four locations in Germany and one in Australia.
Australian wine producer Treasury Wine Estates announced Thursday a comprehensive restructuring strategy aimed at streamlining operations and restoring investor confidence through a focus on premium wine labels.
The company revealed plans to dramatically reduce its brand portfolio from the current 76 labels to fewer than 30 within five years, concentrating efforts on what it calls “Regional Heroes” and “Power Brands” categories.
Treasury Wine aims to achieve approximately A$100 million ($71.33 million) in annual cost reductions through operational changes and supply chain improvements.
Three flagship brands — Penfolds, DAOU and Matua — represent only 25% of production volume but drive 54% of total net sales revenue for the company.
The restructuring plan allocates the majority of marketing and promotional spending to these premium brands, with investment targeted at 12% of net sales revenue.
The company identified significant issues within its Americas operations, citing excessive inventory from recent wine harvests and surplus capacity throughout its vineyard, winery and packaging facilities.
Treasury Wine outlined plans to sell its facilities in Paso Robles and San Luis Obispo, terminate vineyard lease agreements in Napa Valley, Sonoma and the Central Coast, while concentrating luxury wine production at its St Helena Winery location.
Performance in the Americas division has struggled due to weakened wine demand and operational disruptions following distribution network changes.
The winemaker has increasingly relied on its premium wine collection, particularly the Penfolds brand — a high-end red wine label with strong market positioning — to maintain profitability and margins.
Company stock prices surged as much as 12.6% to A$4.640 following the announcement, reaching the highest level since May 25 and marking the strongest trading session since April 22.
Treasury Wine projects earnings before interest, taxes and SGARA items will range between A$480 million to A$490 million by 2026, down from A$770.3 million in the prior year.
A German manufacturer of gas engines announced Wednesday it successfully completed a $2.43 billion initial public offering in the United States, benefiting from strong investor appetite for businesses that support artificial intelligence infrastructure development.
The Munich-based company’s main shareholder AI Alpine, which is jointly owned by funds operated by Advent International and the Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, placed 90 million shares at $27 per share during the offering. This pricing hit the maximum of the company’s projected range between $24 and $27.
The stock market debut occurs during a positive period for businesses connected to AI infrastructure development, as investors eagerly seek companies that facilitate the technology’s expansion, including electrification services and data center supply chains.
The gas engine manufacturer joins multiple companies from various industries including software and insurance that are scheduled to debut on New York exchanges Thursday, buoyed by improving market conditions and accumulated appetite for fresh public offerings.
Goldman Sachs, J.P. Morgan and Morgan Stanley served as the primary underwriters managing the stock offering.
Trading will commence Thursday on the Nasdaq exchange using the ticker symbol “INIO.”
The company was established after Advent International agreed to acquire General Electric’s distributed power division in a $3.25 billion transaction during 2018. The sovereign wealth fund ADIA acquired a minority ownership position in the business five years afterward.
During Advent’s control, the manufacturer has concentrated on high-growth market segments and expanded its presence across North America, increasing investments in domestic manufacturing and assembly operations.
The company produces gas engines through its Jenbacher and Waukesha product lines for essential infrastructure applications, including data centers, microgrids, electrical grid stabilization, industrial power generation and gas compression systems.
Market demand for the company’s gas engines has expanded as data center operators increasingly combine new facilities with on-location distributed power systems.
The manufacturer’s yearly data center equipment orders jumped to $2.28 billion in 2025, compared to $27 million during 2023. The company has secured significant contracts, including a deal for a multi-gigawatt power facility serving a major data center.
Ukrainian military forces conducted operations against two primary population centers in the Crimean peninsula under Russian control, according to Moscow-appointed regional authorities who reported the incidents early Thursday morning. The attacks occurred following a day of mutual strikes between the two nations targeting urban areas.
The Russia-appointed leader of Crimea, Sergei Aksyonov, posted on Telegram that Ukrainian military forces had struck a non-residential area of Simferopol, which serves as the peninsula’s primary administrative center. Three people lost their lives in the attack while seven others sustained injuries, according to his statement.
In Sevastopol, a major Crimean port city, the locally-installed Russian governor Mikhail Razvozhayev reported that defense systems had successfully intercepted over 20 Ukrainian unmanned aircraft.
While Razvozhayev did not report any casualties in Sevastopol, he noted that falling drone fragments caused damage to several structures. The city remained under air raid warnings for almost five hours.
Russia took control of and formally annexed the Crimean peninsula in 2014, eight years prior to launching its comprehensive invasion of Ukraine in 2022. This occurred after widespread demonstrations led to the departure of a pro-Moscow Ukrainian leader.
Regional authorities have implemented steps to address fuel supply issues following Ukraine’s intensified campaign targeting petroleum infrastructure, including facilities located far within Russian territory.
Both countries launched strikes against each other’s urban centers on Wednesday.
In the Ukrainian city of Kramatorsk, described as one of the nation’s key “fortress cities” positioned along the 1,200-kilometer front line, Russian bombardment resulted in the deaths of at least three civilians, as reported by Vadym Filashkin, who governs Ukraine’s eastern Donetsk region.
In the neighboring Dnipropetrovsk region, local governor Oleksandr Hanzha reported that Russian military actions wounded eight individuals in the vicinity of Dnipro, the region’s primary urban center.
Ukraine’s campaign against Moscow’s petroleum sector included an assault on an oil facility in St Petersburg on Wednesday. Zelenskiy stated that these strikes allow Ukraine “to end this war on equal footing.”
In Russia’s Bryansk border region, Acting Regional Governor Yegor Kovalchuk reported that a Ukrainian drone strike killed a crane operator employed by the area’s utility company.
Diplomatic efforts mediated by the United States aimed at progressing toward resolution of the conflict, which has lasted more than four years, have reached an impasse as Washington maintains its attention on the situation in Iran.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio informed a Senate subcommittee on Wednesday that the possibility of conflict escalation was “real,” representing a greater threat than existed two years earlier.
Russia announced last month its intention to conduct “systematic” attacks on targets in Kyiv as retaliation for what it characterized as a drone assault on a dormitory in the Russian-controlled Luhansk region. Ukraine has rejected responsibility for that attack.
Russian military actions against Kyiv and other Ukrainian cities resulted in 23 deaths early Tuesday morning.
New Castle County police are actively searching for a 71-year-old Newark resident who vanished from her home in the early morning hours of Wednesday.
Authorities have activated a Gold Alert for Grace Bedford, who departed from her home on the 200 block of Tinsley Court around 1:30 a.m. on June 3, 2026. Bedford left without taking her mobile phone and has not returned to her residence.
The New Castle County Division of Police is asking for the public’s assistance in locating Bedford.
SAN ANTONIO (AP) — While no official confirmation exists regarding President Donald Trump’s plans to attend upcoming NBA Finals games in New York, Commissioner Adam Silver suggested Wednesday that athletic events continue to serve as unifying forces during polarizing times.
Without directly naming Trump, Silver addressed questions about “unique people” expected at the New York games and the league’s preparation protocols for such occasions. According to The New York Post, which cited unnamed sources, Madison Square Garden staff have conducted “security walkthroughs” in preparation for a potential Trump appearance.
The series’ third game is scheduled for Monday in New York, which is Trump’s home city. Wednesday marked the series opener in San Antonio, with the second game set for Friday at the same venue.
“I think what’s really so special about sports in our society — and it’s a little bit of a cliché, but our increasingly divided society, and that goes to people who will be attending the first home game at Madison Square Garden — it truly brings people together,” Silver said. “It creates a sense of connectivity among people. It creates a sense of belonging, and I feel that every day.”
The White House had not responded to requests for comment by Wednesday evening.
Trump has frequently appeared at high-profile sporting events. He revealed to reporters recently that Knicks owner James Dolan extended an invitation to the NBA Finals, adding he would have attended Game 5 of the Eastern Conference finals — however, the Knicks completed their series victory over the Cleveland Cavaliers in just four games.
Trump described the Knicks’ first Finals appearance since 1999 as “great to see.”
Throughout his political career, Trump has regularly attended major sporting competitions. His recent appearances include the College Football Playoff championship and a primetime NFL matchup between the Pittsburgh Steelers and New York Jets shortly before the 2024 election.
Ohio State University’s board of trustees voted Wednesday to approve a settlement worth roughly $100 million for hundreds of former student athletes who were sexually abused by a university physician decades ago.
The university has been defending against federal lawsuits since 2018 filed by former student athletes who accused the school of failing to prevent abuse by Dr. Richard Strauss. The doctor was employed at the university between 1978 and 1998 and operated a clinic off campus. He passed away in 2005.
At Wednesday’s board meeting, trustees gave preliminary approval to settle with all except one of the 280 abuse survivors whose legal claims remain active in court proceedings. When completed, this agreement could bring closure to years of litigation and end a dark period in the university’s past.
“The survivors of the Strauss abuse are all Buckeyes, will always be a part of our family and our community, and I firmly believe that,” university president Ravi Bellamkonda stated at the meeting. “We continue to be very grateful to them for their courage in coming forward, and reaching a final resolution is very important to us and is an important step forward.”
An independent investigation previously determined that numerous Ohio State staff members were aware of complaints regarding Strauss’ behavior starting in 1979 but failed to conduct proper investigations or take significant action for years.
In a combined statement Wednesday, the university and legal representatives expressed gratitude to mediators and confirmed they are working to complete the settlement terms.
The university had previously reached settlements with 317 survivors totaling more than $61 million. Many former student athletes entered into confidential agreements that protected their identities. Former NFL players were among those who suffered abuse, according to legal counsel involved in the cases.
Federal agriculture officials have verified the presence of the New World screwworm fly in southern Texas, marking the first detection in nearly six decades of the parasite whose flesh-consuming larvae pose a significant danger to the nation’s livestock sector.
The case was identified in a three-week-old calf located in LaPryor, Texas, approximately 50 miles from the Mexican border, Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins announced Wednesday. In response, Texas State Veterinarian Bud Dinges has implemented a 12-mile quarantine perimeter that restricts movement of all warm-blooded creatures, including household pets, without proper inspection.
While no additional detections have occurred within U.S. borders, Rollins emphasized that although the larvae present dangers to livestock operations, they do not contaminate food products. She noted that with appropriate treatment, even the affected calf is expected to make a full recovery.
For over a year, agriculture officials and cattle industry representatives have been raising public awareness about the fly’s spread throughout Mexico, driven by historical memories of the pest causing tens of millions in economic damage before its elimination in the 1970s.
This marks the initial confirmed occurrence in Texas since 1966, according to Rollins.
Extensive prevention measures have involved releasing millions of sterilized screwworm flies in the region to breed with wild females, employing the same successful strategy used during the previous eradication campaign. Rollins expressed confidence in the preparedness efforts, stating the USDA believes “there is no threat of mass infestation.”
“There is no reason to believe this incursion will result in establishment of the pest in our country,” Rollins stated.
The confirmation came just one day following Rollins’ online press briefing highlighting the approaching danger, with confirmed cases in Mexico detected as near as 25 miles from the border, while outlining the department’s combat strategies.
The New World Screwworm fly represents a tropical species that historically infected cattle during warm seasons throughout the southern United States, but remained confined to Panama until the end of 2024.
Female flies deposit eggs within open wounds or mucous membranes, which develop into flesh-consuming larvae that differ from typical fly species and can affect livestock, wild animals, pets, and humans. Without treatment, infestations may prove fatal.
In August 2025, federal health authorities verified a case involving a Maryland resident who had visited El Salvador, though the individual recovered and officials discovered no parasite transmission. The previous outbreak occurred in the Florida Keys during September 2016, primarily affecting wild deer, and was successfully contained by early the following year.
Female flies reproduce only once during their multi-month lifespan, and mating with sterile flies prevents egg hatching, eventually eliminating the population. Previous eradication success led the U.S. to close sterile fly breeding facilities, maintaining only one in Panama for decades.
This situation is now changing. The USDA allocated $21 million to transform a fruit-fly breeding facility in southern Mexico for screwworm fly production, established a new distribution center for sterile flies in southern Texas, and began constructing a $750 million screwworm fly facility there. The Mexican breeding operation should begin functioning next month, Rollins reported.
Officials have also positioned 8,000 fly traps along the U.S.-Mexico border, with the USDA examining over 58,000 fly specimens and 19,000 wild animals.
Rollins additionally suspended U.S.-Mexico livestock imports from Mexico last year, a choice she supported during Tuesday’s press conference. While the fly can also travel with people, pets, and wild animals, Rollins stressed Wednesday evening that it cannot fly long distances independently.
Dinges emphasized that ranchers and pet owners must respect the quarantine boundaries.
“Please help us prevent any further movement of this pest by staying put,” he stated.
The world’s leading contract semiconductor manufacturer expressed strong confidence in its future expansion prospects during Thursday’s annual shareholder gathering, citing sustained demand for artificial intelligence technology and high-performance chips.
Speaking at the company meeting held in Hsinchu, a northern city in Taiwan, Chief Executive C.C. Wei noted that clients remain optimistic about the artificial intelligence sector’s trajectory.
“We continue to see increasing adoption of AI models across consumer, enterprise and sovereign AI applications. This trend is driving demand for greater computing power, which in turn supports strong demand for advanced semiconductor chips,” Wei stated.
The island nation has become a focal point this week as it hosts the yearly Computex technology conference, drawing top executives from major global tech firms including companies like Nvidia and Intel, who have highlighted Taiwan’s crucial position in worldwide supply chains.
Back in April, the chipmaker, which serves as a key supplier to Nvidia, increased its yearly revenue projections and announced plans to boost capital investments this year to satisfy overwhelming product demand.
Green Bay’s star defensive player Micah Parsons informed reporters on Wednesday that his return to the field is still months away, despite earlier hopes of rejoining the team during the season’s opening weeks. The All-Pro edge rusher said he remains four months from receiving medical clearance to practice.
The 27-year-old underwent ACL reconstruction surgery on Dec. 29 following a season-ending injury suffered during a Dec. 14 game against the Denver Broncos. Parsons disclosed Wednesday that doctors also performed a meniscus procedure during the same surgery.
The five-time Pro Bowl defender is expected to begin the season on the physically unable to perform list, automatically sidelining him for the team’s first four contests.
“The goal for me is to complete the season — not no relapse — and playoffs and pushing towards a championship,” Parsons explained. “The goal isn’t for me to go out there and rehurt myself trying to force myself to get back the first few games. The goal has always been (to be available for the) playoffs, and I think we’re all on the same page.”
Should Parsons start the season on the PUP list, he could return to practice before Green Bay’s Week 5 home game against division rival Chicago Bears on Oct. 11. The Packers then welcome Parsons’ previous team, the Dallas Cowboys, the following Sunday.
“We have a pretty good strong nine-month rule,” Parsons said regarding the team’s approach. “Through the research and the data, there’s no good outcomes with players coming back early from an ACL, especially if you had other things that had to get fixed up. It’s just all about completing the rehab to the best of our ability and then seeing where we’re at from there.”
Prior to Parsons’ injury, Green Bay had compiled a strong 9-3-1 record, but the team collapsed with four consecutive losses to end the regular season and suffered a first-round playoff elimination at the hands of the Bears.
During his debut campaign with the Packers, Parsons tallied 12.5 sacks, 41 tackles, 27 quarterback hits and two forced fumbles, earning All-Pro first team honors for the third time in five seasons.
The Packers obtained Parsons from Dallas in a blockbuster Aug. 28, 2025 trade, subsequently signing him to a four-year, $186 million extension running through 2029. Green Bay surrendered Kenny Clark and two first-round selections to complete the transaction.
Since Dallas selected him 12th overall in the 2021 draft, Parsons has accumulated 65.0 sacks across 77 games (76 starts). He captured NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year honors in 2021.
Aviation officials from South Korea and China have finalized their first flight expansion deal in seven years, marking another positive development in the relationship between the neighboring countries, according to Seoul’s transport ministry announced Thursday.
During bilateral aviation discussions held in Seoul from May 27 to 28, both nations agreed to boost passenger flight allowances by 56 weekly flights, bringing the total from 608 to 664. Cargo flight permissions will also grow by 14 weekly flights, increasing from 54 to 68, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport reported.
According to ministry officials, the expanded flight rights will facilitate additional service on popular travel corridors like Incheon to Shanghai and Incheon to Guangzhou, where current flight allocations have reached capacity for both countries.
The agreement will also open new pathway options connecting South Korea’s smaller airports, including those in Busan and Cheongju, to 10 destinations across China including Guangzhou, Chengdu, Shenzhen, Chongqing and Xian, ministry representatives stated.
Travel between the two countries has already rebounded strongly, with first-quarter passenger numbers hitting approximately 4.39 million – surpassing the pre-pandemic figure of 4.14 million, the ministry’s data shows.
Lee So-young, who serves as the ministry’s aviation policy chief, expressed optimism about the timing of the flight expansion coinciding with increased bilateral exchanges.
“We expect this agreement to help promote visits to South Korea by Chinese tourists, improve convenience for our citizens travelling to China and for import-export companies, and contribute to revitalising the economy by further boosting Korean airlines’ entry into the Chinese market,” Lee said.
The ministry indicated it will distribute the additional flight rights to South Korean carriers during the latter half of this year.
The US dollar maintained its position near a two-month peak Thursday as renewed tensions in the Gulf region drove oil prices upward and reduced investor willingness to take on risk, while Japan’s currency stayed close to critical levels that have market watchers anticipating possible government action.
Attacks by Iranian forces on Kuwait resulted in airport damage and dozens of injuries Wednesday, while American military forces conducted operations near the Strait of Hormuz, putting additional strain on an already fragile ceasefire and reducing prospects for a peaceful resolution to the conflict.
European currencies showed little movement in Asian trading, with the euro holding at $1.1604 and the British pound remaining at $1.3424.
The Australian dollar, which typically reflects market risk sentiment, stayed unchanged at $0.7132, while New Zealand’s currency gained 0.2% to reach $0.5872, recovering from its lowest point in a week.
The dollar index, which tracks the American currency’s performance against multiple international currencies including the yen and euro, edged slightly higher to 99.47, following its strongest showing since April 7 during the previous trading session.
“The USD’s safe haven status appears to be strengthening again” with oil prices and global yields rebounding on geopolitical tensions, said Sim Moh Siong, FX strategist at OCBC.
“There is no strong case for a bearish USD,” he said, adding the bank stays neutral and expects a firm but rangebound greenback.
Economic data released Wednesday revealed that price pressures faced by American service sector companies surged to their highest point in nearly four years during the previous month, reinforcing expert predictions that the Federal Reserve will maintain current interest rates well into the following year.
Japan’s currency traded at 159.91 against the dollar, pulling back from Wednesday’s lows that pushed it beyond the significant 160-per-dollar threshold for the first time since April 30, prompting cautionary statements from government officials.
Market participants widely view the 160 level as a critical boundary that could prompt official government action.
Bank of Japan Governor Kazuo Ueda indicated the central bank needs to weigh the advantages and disadvantages of increasing interest rates if inflation concerns become more significant than economic downturn risks, suggesting a strong possibility of a rate increase this month.
“He did as much groundwork as possible at this stage” despite stopping short of explicitly signalling a hike at the June meeting, wrote Naohiko Baba, head of Japan research and chief Japan economist at Barclays.
“The hawkish tone has strengthened further, including a clear expression of concern about behind-the-curve risk. We stick to our June rate hike call.”
Cryptocurrency markets saw significant declines, with Bitcoin dropping to a four-month low and falling 2.8% to $63,119.5, while ether reached a similar four-month bottom at $1,786.
Motorists traveling on northbound Route 1 should expect delays due to ongoing construction work that has closed lanes overnight.
The right travel lane and right bicycle lane are currently shut down between Admirals Road and 3 R’s Road. The lane closures are scheduled to remain in effect until 3AM.
Drivers are advised to use caution when traveling through the work zone and allow extra time for their commute.
A leading dairy industry organization has responded to federal agriculture officials’ confirmation that New World screwworm has made its way back to American soil, marking the pest’s return after being wiped out years ago.
In a statement, the organization’s President and CEO Gregg Doud called the development “a disappointing milestone” while noting that dairy producers have spent more than a year preparing for this scenario alongside the U.S. Department of Agriculture and other agricultural sectors. Doud emphasized that “this development has no effect on food safety” and highlighted that proven methods to fight the screwworm and prevent its spread are already established.
“We appreciate the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s proactive efforts to prepare for this moment, and we stand ready to work with the department to address any ongoing challenges,” Doud stated.
Following the USDA’s official confirmation of the screwworm’s presence, dairy farmers and livestock producers are committing to work closely with federal, state and local authorities, as well as producer groups, to minimize negative impacts and teach farmers protective measures for their animals. The organization has been developing educational materials to help farmers respond appropriately and plans to keep members updated on significant developments related to the screwworm situation.
The statement also called on officials to base decisions regarding animal transportation and regulatory actions on scientific evidence to prevent economic damage that might exceed the harm caused by the screwworm itself. Additionally, the organization requested sufficient funding to address the problem, noting that it causes animal suffering and poses risks to agricultural producers.
