Eleven people who survived a plane crash off Florida’s coast spent five agonizing hours floating in the ocean on a life raft Tuesday, unable to contact rescuers and uncertain whether anyone would find them. The group huddled beneath a tarp as storm clouds gathered overhead.
Military search and rescue teams eventually spotted them from above, according to officials who spoke at a Wednesday press conference.
“You could tell just by looking at them that they were in distress — physically, mentally and emotionally,” said Air Force Capt. Rory Whipple, a combat rescue specialist who jumped into the water and swam to the survivors. “You have to imagine the emotional injuries that they sustained out there, not knowing if someone was going to rescue them.”
Officials said the Beechcraft 300 King Air turboprop was traveling from Marsh Harbour on Great Abaco island in the Bahamas to Grand Bahama International Airport in Freeport when the engine failed Tuesday. The pilot brought the aircraft down in waters approximately 50 miles off Vero Beach, Florida, and successfully evacuated all 10 passengers onto a yellow life raft. Three people sustained minor injuries.
Air Force Reserve Maj. Elizabeth Piowaty praised the pilot’s emergency response, noting concerns about ocean swells and the need to reduce speed as much as possible before impact.
“I’ve not known anyone to survive a ditching in the ocean,” said Piowaty, who commanded a HC-130J Combat King II plane that assisted with the rescue. “From what I’ve seen, for all those people to survive is pretty miraculous.”
The aircraft’s emergency beacon notified the U.S. Coast Guard of its position. Fortunately, the Air Force Reserve’s 920th Rescue Wing had a crew conducting training exercises in a HH-60W Jolly Green II helicopter nearby. Officials redirected that crew to assist with the search operation.
After finding the survivors, Piowaty’s aircraft flew overhead and delivered a survival package containing two extra rafts, food and water. This allowed the group to spread out more comfortably. The HH-60W crew, including Whipple, then lifted each person to safety despite 3- to 5-foot ocean swells. They rescued the final survivor just minutes before the helicopter would have needed to return for fuel.
Piowaty reported no trace of the crashed aircraft was found.
Emergency medical teams were waiting when all 11 survivors arrived at Melbourne Orlando International Airport. Medical officials said everyone was in stable condition.
The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration announced it will conduct an investigation into the crash.
Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick retreated from earlier statements about Jeffrey Epstein’s alleged blackmail activities during questioning by House lawmakers last week.
The House Oversight Committee released interview transcripts on Wednesday showing Lutnick walking back claims he made on a podcast last year about the convicted sex offender. Lutnick had previously stated that Epstein engaged in blackmail, but told lawmakers he was merely guessing.
“I had no personal information. I was just speculating for a podcast,” Lutnick said during his testimony, describing his subsequent encounters with Epstein as “meaningless and inconsequential.”
The interview came after Epstein case files contradicted Lutnick’s podcast statements that he was determined to avoid Epstein following a disturbing 2005 visit to the financier’s residence with his wife.
Lutnick, who lived near Epstein in New York City for years, repeatedly minimized their relationship during questioning. He told lawmakers that after Epstein displayed a massage table and made sexual comments during the 2005 house tour, he and his wife decided to stay away from him.
However, records show Lutnick had additional contact with Epstein over the years, including email exchanges and two face-to-face meetings. The former head of Cantor Fitzgerald also unknowingly invested in the same business venture as Epstein in 2013, learning of Epstein’s involvement only when case files became public recently.
Lutnick described a 2012 Caribbean vacation where Epstein’s staff invited his family to lunch on the private island. “We sat outside, had lunch. It was boring. We left,” he told the committee.
He also acknowledged a brief 2011 visit to Epstein’s residence to discuss construction scaffolding, calling that meeting “meaningless and inconsequential.”
When Democrats questioned why he met with Epstein after deciding to avoid him, Lutnick said he couldn’t recall his family’s reasoning for the island visit.
Following the interview, Democratic lawmakers criticized Lutnick’s responses and called for his resignation. Rep. Robert Garcia, the ranking Democrat on the House Oversight Committee, posted on social media: “If a Cabinet Secretary lies to the American public, they should no longer serve in that position. Mr. Lutnick should resign or be fired.”
The White House has maintained support for Lutnick, who has been part of the Republican president’s inner circle for years. The president has consistently denied awareness of Epstein’s crimes and stated he severed ties with him years ago.
Lutnick represents the highest-ranking current administration official, aside from President Donald Trump, to appear in the Epstein case files. Epstein died in a New York jail in 2019 while facing sex trafficking charges.
The committee also released transcripts from an interview with Tedd Waitt, Gateway computers cofounder who dated Epstein associate Ghislaine Maxwell in the early 2000s. Maxwell is currently serving a prison sentence for her role in helping Epstein traffic girls.
Waitt told lawmakers he was unaware of any sexual abuse by either Epstein or Maxwell during their relationship. He described meeting Epstein only briefly on a few occasions, calling those encounters “very brief and unintentional.”
Waitt said he never went to Epstein’s home, used his aircraft, or visited his private island. He characterized Epstein as “somewhat arrogant” and “off-putting.”
WASHINGTON — Congressional backers of Ukraine assistance legislation achieved a key milestone Wednesday by gathering enough signatures to circumvent Republican leadership and mandate a House floor vote in upcoming weeks.
The proposed measure aims to solidify American support for Ukraine through approval of more than $1 billion in security assistance while providing an additional $8 billion through loan arrangements. Advocates have been urging President Donald Trump to take stronger action against Russia while increasing support for Ukraine.
The effort secured 218 signatures on a discharge petition initiated by Democratic Rep. Gregory Meeks of New York, which will compel a House vote. Though the bill faces long odds of becoming law, the vote will establish lawmakers’ positions regarding Ukraine support.
The petition received backing from 215 Democrats and two Republicans — Reps. Don Bacon of Nebraska and Brian Fitzpatrick of Pennsylvania. Rep. Kevin Kiley, an Independent from California, provided the crucial final signature needed to trigger the vote. Kiley stated the legislation would help bolster Ukraine’s position to pursue lasting peace.
“We must also send a strong message that Russian support for Iran’s targeting of U.S. military assets will not be tolerated,” Kiley said in a statement explaining his support for the petition.
However, Speaker Mike Johnson expressed reservations about the vote’s timing.
“I’m talking with some of the sponsors of that right now,” Johnson said. “… The latest news out of Russia is that it looks like the war is scaling back, scaling down, coming to a conclusion. I think Vladimir Putin said that himself in the last few days, and so this would be a good time for Congress to see how that pans out. So I’m going to be talking to my colleagues about that.”
Trump indicated Tuesday he anticipates Moscow and Kyiv will soon negotiate an agreement to halt hostilities.
“The end of the war in Ukraine I really think is getting very close,” Trump said as he left the White House for a summit in Beijing. “Believe it or not, it’s getting closer.”
Putin declared in a weekend address that his invasion of Ukraine is potentially “coming to an end.”
However, on Wednesday, Russia launched at least 800 drones in an extensive daylight assault throughout Ukraine, resulting in at least six deaths and injuring dozens, including children, in one of Moscow’s most prolonged attacks during the 4-year-old conflict, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy reported.
Fitzpatrick disagreed that the conflict is approaching resolution and stated the only circumstance under which he would oppose the Meeks measure would be if Russia withdrew its military forces from Ukraine.
“There’s people dying as we speak, so no, the war is not winding down,” Fitzpatrick said.
Meeks emphasized it was time for legislators to declare their positions publicly.
“Members of Congress, some tell me that they are supportive of Ukraine. Well, we’re going to finally get a vote on the floor to make that determination,” Meeks said.
He predicted the House vote will “put pressure on the Senate and I think it should tell the president that America is looking and we want to stand by our allies and not Vladimir Putin.”
Congressional members have spent months discussing various Russia sanction proposals, but much of that discussion subsided when Trump initiated an attack on Iran in late February.
While Senate Republicans have generally backed Ukraine, they have been reluctant to proceed without Trump’s endorsement. Wednesday, Senate Majority Leader John Thune showed doubt about the Senate’s ability to advance Russia sanctions, citing “such a pileup” of other pending legislation.
Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham, who has advocated for Russia sanctions legislation in the Senate, said Wednesday, “There are parts of the House bill I like, parts of it that I don’t.”
Both Republicans and Democrats have expressed frustration that the Department of Defense has not utilized $400 million in military assistance for Ukraine that lawmakers allocated last year. During a recent hearing, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said the Pentagon was developing a strategy to distribute those funds.
Ukraine support has created significant friction between Congress and Trump, who promised to rapidly resolve the conflict upon assuming the presidency. Instead, he has faced challenges demonstrating progress toward a peace agreement while his administration has frequently moved to reduce support for both Ukraine and the broader European region.
CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. — A Tennessee man who broadcasts racist content online under the alias “Chud the Builder” was arrested following a Wednesday shooting incident near a courthouse, according to local officials.
Dalton Eatherly and another individual became involved in an altercation that led to gunshots being fired, announced District Attorney Robert J. Nash. Nash declined to reveal Eatherly’s reason for being at the Clarksville courthouse, his activities there, or what sparked the confrontation.
Authorities did not disclose the race of the second person involved. A witness who observed him being placed in an ambulance identified him as Black.
The Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office confirmed both individuals were taken to medical facilities for treatment and remained in stable condition.
Claire Martin, an employee at a law firm located across from the courthouse, described Eatherly as “well known in Clarksville for antagonizing people to see what he can get them to do.” She explained that he “yells racial slurs” at individuals while recording them. “He’s not a contributing member of society,” she stated.
While Martin did not witness the incident directly, she observed what happened afterward. The other individual “waved at us as he got in the ambulance,” she noted.
On Wednesday, Eatherly posted a video to the website Pump.fun claiming he fired at someone in self-defense after being physically attacked.
Jacob Fendley, the lawyer representing Eatherly in an unrelated November harassment matter according to court documents, did not respond to requests for comment.
Records show Eatherly was scheduled for a Wednesday morning court appearance in Clarksville, situated approximately 50 miles northeast of Nashville, regarding an alleged $3,300 debt to a credit company. The civil lawsuit was initiated in February by Midland Credit Management.
Court documents do not show whether Eatherly attended the status hearing. Online records indicate the case remains active.
Eatherly, who is white, broadcasts confrontational encounters on social media platforms where he can be observed making racist remarks toward Black individuals in public spaces.
In one recording filmed at a store, he addresses a Black man passing by, saying “You chimpin’ out,” referencing chimpanzees. He then repeatedly uses the N-word.
The Black individual is shown using his phone to document the encounter, telling Eatherly, “Don’t touch me.”
A store employee informs Eatherly that such language is prohibited. He replies “America is free speech. Tell me I can’t say something again. This is (expletive) America.”
Throughout history, racists in America and internationally have drawn comparisons between Black people and monkeys or apes. In February, President Donald Trump shared a racist social media post depicting former President Barack Obama and his wife, Michelle Obama, as primates in a jungle setting. The post was removed following criticism from both Republicans and Democrats who called the video offensive.
Beyond the credit debt matter, Eatherly is facing criminal charges related to an incident at a Nashville steakhouse on Saturday where he allegedly became disruptive and refused to pay a bill totaling nearly $400.
Court documents state that while the restaurant requested he not livestream on the premises, he continued doing so. When staff asked him to cease, he began shouting and “started making racial statements.”
He was taken into custody on Sunday and charged with theft of services, disorderly conduct and resisting arrest, then released on $5,000 bond. His next court date for this matter is set for July 17 in Davidson County criminal court.
The Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office reported that one person from Wednesday’s shooting was treated at Vanderbilt of Clarksville Hospital. Hospital officials did not return messages seeking information.
The second individual was airlifted to Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville, according to the sheriff’s office. Hospital spokesperson Craig Boerner stated that medical privacy regulations prevent sharing information about violence victims.
A former Brooklyn judge who stepped down from the bench last year amid misconduct allegations now faces federal criminal charges for allegedly using his judicial authority to defraud real estate investors of more than $5 million, with some of those stolen funds going toward his personal expenses.
Edward Harold King, who departed his judicial role at the close of 2025, along with Yechiel “Sam” Sprei, a real estate developer with political connections, were taken into custody by federal agents on charges of wire fraud conspiracy. Prosecutors allege the pair misled two investors into providing $6.5 million for a fraudulent property purchase, then returned only a small portion of the funds.
These criminal accusations mirror allegations previously raised in civil court cases and complaints filed with the state Commission on Judicial Conduct, which prompted King’s departure from the bench.
During the defendants’ first court hearing on Wednesday, Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrew Wang informed the presiding judge that the criminal case represents “one of several schemes that the government has been investigating.” When addressing Sprei’s financial situation, the prosecutor noted that “it’s safe to say many, many millions of dollars” have passed through his banking accounts recently.
Both King, age 72, and Sprei, age 37, were granted bail and must return to Brooklyn federal court on Monday to complete their bond proceedings. King and his attorney, Michael Vitaliano, refused to speak to media as they exited the courthouse. The former judge escaped through nearby park trees to evade reporters and cameras. Sprei’s attorney, Ezra Lent, also declined comment.
Wang revealed in court that during Sprei’s arrest, the developer falsely told FBI agents he possessed no electronic devices except his cellphone. After agents confiscated the phone during a search warrant execution, they discovered a second phone while conducting a pat-down search, Wang stated.
Both defendants face potential sentences of up to 20 years in federal prison if found guilty.
“As alleged, the defendants stole millions of dollars from investors by cynically leveraging King’s position as a sitting judge to lend false legitimacy to supposed investment opportunities,” U.S. Attorney Joseph Nocella Jr. said in a statement.
King stepped down on Dec. 31, 2025, merely three years into his judicial career, after the Commission on Judicial Conduct notified him of an investigation into complaints that parallel his current criminal charges.
The commission stated that among the complaints were allegations that King participated in a real estate investor fraud scheme and continued practicing law despite judicial prohibitions, including accepting money into his personal attorney escrow accounts. Full-time judges are forbidden from legal practice, serving as fiduciaries, or conducting business activities. King disputed these allegations.
Federal prosecutors say King and Sprei presented investors with fake investment opportunities while falsely promising their money would remain secure in attorney escrow accounts and be returned upon request if investors chose to withdraw.
In November 2024, according to prosecutors, Sprei and King presented two investors with a chance to purchase commercial property in Freehold, New Jersey, through a bankruptcy sale. Sprei explained that all potential bidders must first demonstrate “proof of liquidity” by placing $6.5 million in King’s escrow account, prosecutors stated. Sprei informed the investors that King served as both an independent escrow agent and a judge, according to prosecutors.
The investors transferred the funds to King’s account, where they were assured the money would remain untouched and not be spent or moved without authorization, prosecutors said. Within days, prosecutors alleged, King and Sprei moved several million dollars to an account under Sprei’s name.
When the investors later requested their money back as promised, King provided excuses and alternative proposals, including one instance where he claimed his lawyer would deposit the funds with an unspecified court, prosecutors said. King and Sprei ultimately returned $1.5 million to the investors but have failed to provide the remainder, prosecutors stated.
King began his judicial service in 2023, winning election to the New York City Civil Court in Brooklyn before receiving appointment to the state’s primary trial court in June 2024.
Before becoming a judge, he worked in private legal practice and, based on news coverage of his campaign, received court appointments to oversee assets in real estate litigation. He previously worked as an administrative law judge for the city’s Parking Violations Bureau and provided legal counsel to the state assembly.
Upon accepting King’s resignation, commission administrator Robert Tembeckjian described the allegations as “so egregious as to warrant his permanent departure from the bench.”
Military authorities announced Wednesday they have found the body of the second American soldier who disappeared during training operations in Morocco, bringing closure to an extensive international search mission that utilized advanced technology and over 1,000 personnel.
The recovered service member has been identified as Spc. Mariyah Symone Collington, a 19-year-old from Taveres, Florida, according to U.S. military Europe and Africa officials.
“Royal Moroccan Armed Forces transported the Soldier’s remains by a Moroccan helicopter to the morgue of Moulay El Hassan Military Hospital in Guelmim, Morocco,” the statement said.
Collington worked as an air and missile defense crewmember with Charlie Battery, 5th Battalion, 4th Air Defense Artillery Regiment, 10th Army Air and Missile Defense Command, military officials reported.
The young soldier joined the Regular Army’s Delayed Entry Program in 2023 and started active duty in 2024. She finished Basic Combat Training and Advanced Individual Training at Fort Sill in Oklahoma as a 14P air and missile defense crewmember. In February 2025, she was assigned to Charlie Battery, 5th Battalion, 4th Air Defense Artillery Regiment in Ansbach, Germany, and received promotion to specialist on May 1, 2026.
She received the Army Service Ribbon among her military honors.
This discovery follows the earlier recovery of 1st Lt. Kendrick Lamont Key Jr., a 14A Air Defense Artillery officer. Both soldiers tragically fell from a cliff while hiking during their free time in Morocco. Their bodies are being returned to the United States.
A spokesperson for U.S. Army Southern European Task Force, Africa confirmed to The Associated Press that officials continue investigating what led to the fatal incident.
Both soldiers were reported missing on May 2 following their participation in African Lion, a yearly multinational training exercise conducted in Morocco. Their disappearance launched a comprehensive search involving more than 1,000 American and Moroccan military and civilian personnel, the SETAF-AF spokesperson confirmed.
The search operation deployed sophisticated equipment including a U.S. Navy P-8 Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft, unmanned aerial systems, thermal and ISR sensors, an unmanned underwater vehicle, side-scan sonar, a Moroccan multibeam echosounder and U.S. Coast Guard drift modeling capabilities, the spokesperson detailed.
African Lion 26 is a U.S.-directed exercise that began in April spanning four nations – Morocco, Tunisia, Ghana and Senegal – involving more than 7,000 personnel from over 30 countries.
In 2012, two U.S. Marines died and two others sustained injuries in a helicopter crash in Morocco’s southern city of Agadir during the same exercises.
A 64-year-old New York resident was convicted Wednesday on charges of serving as an unregistered Chinese government agent following a trial concerning allegations he ran a covert police station for Beijing in Manhattan’s Chinatown district.
Federal prosecutors in Brooklyn stated that Lu Jianwang, 64, was required to notify the U.S. Attorney General of his role as a Chinese agent when he assisted in establishing the alleged police station in 2022. Authorities also accused him of assisting China’s government in tracking down a pro-democracy activist residing in California.
Lu’s arrest occurred in April 2023. He had entered not guilty pleas to three felony counts: conspiracy to serve as an unregistered foreign agent, operating as an unregistered Chinese agent, and obstruction of justice.
A Brooklyn federal court jury delivered the guilty verdict following a week of testimony. Lu could receive up to 30 years behind bars.
“May today’s verdict send a message to other foreign agents–the FBI maintains its unwavering resolve to reveal and disrupt the clandestine operations of adversarial nations,” said FBI Assistant Director in Charge James Barnacle in an announcement of the verdict.
The Justice Department has recently increased investigations into what officials term “transnational repression” by U.S. adversaries including China and Iran to threaten political dissidents residing in America.
China’s government has labeled the accusations “fabricated” and described them as part of a campaign to damage the nation’s reputation. Beijing maintains that overseas centers are operated by local volunteers rather than Chinese police officers to assist Chinese citizens with document renewals and other services.
During her May 6 opening remarks, prosecutor Lindsey Oken described Lu – a naturalized U.S. citizen – as having connections with Chinese law enforcement and meeting with officials who assigned him to establish the station during a 2022 China visit.
Oken explained that Lu operated the station from an unremarkable office building in Chinatown. She noted he initially assisted Chinese nationals in New York with driver’s license renewals, which constitutes a crime when not reported to the U.S. government.
Oken stated that Lu also consented to assist the Chinese government in locating a pro-democracy activist living in the United States. Prosecutors did not claim the activist suffered harm.
John Carman, Lu’s attorney, argued his client agreed to establish the center to assist Chinese nationals unable to travel to China for document renewals during the COVID pandemic. However, Carman maintained Lu was not directed to do so by the Chinese government.
Chen Jinping, a co-defendant arrested with Lu, entered a guilty plea in 2024 to conspiring to act as an unregistered Chinese agent.
The arrests followed a 2022 investigation published by Spain-based advocacy group Safeguard Defenders that documented China’s establishment of overseas “service stations,” including in New York, that unlawfully collaborated with Chinese police to coerce fugitives into returning to China.
Local residents in Miami have taken legal action against Florida’s decision to give away valuable state property for the Donald J. Trump Presidential Library, claiming the land transfer violates constitutional protections against presidential self-enrichment.
Florida officials gave their approval last year for transferring a waterfront parcel spanning 2.63 acres that previously served as a parking area for Miami Dade College employees.
According to the legal filing, the property carries a value exceeding $300 million and may ultimately be developed by Trump into a significant commercial project, potentially including hotel facilities. Those bringing the lawsuit want the court to declare the land transfer unconstitutional and cancel the deal entirely.
In their court filing, the plaintiffs stated: “Florida’s gift of the immensely valuable MDC Parcel for lucrative private economic development benefiting the President and his close family members is an unlawful ’emolument’ under the Domestic Emoluments Clause.”
Constitutional provisions known as “emoluments” clauses prevent presidents from leveraging their position for personal financial gain.
The legal challenge names Trump, the library foundation, Florida officials including Governor Ron DeSantis, Miami Dade College and its board as defendants. The case was brought by two Miami residents, a Miami-Dade College student and nonprofit Sistrunk Seeds.
Neither the Donald J. Trump Presidential Library Foundation nor DeSantis’ office provided immediate responses when asked for comment.
Presidential libraries are commonly built in a president’s home state to preserve official records and documents, often featuring museum components. Trump changed his legal residence from New York to Florida in 2019.
The former real estate developer has indicated that library construction would commence following his departure from office and would “most likely” feature hotel accommodations along with a Boeing 747 aircraft similar to Air Force One displayed in the entrance area.
Search teams from Morocco’s Royal Armed Forces working alongside U.S. military personnel have recovered the remains of a second American service member who disappeared during joint training exercises in southern Morocco, officials announced Thursday.
According to a social media statement from Morocco’s Royal Armed Forces, the servicewoman’s body was discovered on May 12 at a rocky cliff location in the Cap Draa region after extensive search and rescue operations.
Both American military personnel had been participating in the African Lion joint training exercises when they were reported missing near Tan Tan in Morocco’s southern region on May 2, according to U.S. and Moroccan military officials. The first soldier’s remains were found and recovered near a cliff in the Cap Draa area on Sunday, the U.S. Army confirmed.
President Donald Trump is conducting high-stakes discussions with Chinese leader Xi Jinping in Beijing this Thursday, working to achieve economic victories, preserve a delicate trade agreement, and address complex challenges including the Iran conflict and weapons sales to Taiwan.
The president’s highly watched journey to China – his first presidential visit to America’s primary strategic competitor since 2017 – carries heightened importance as his public approval numbers have suffered due to the Iranian conflict.
Trump’s delegation includes business leaders such as Elon Musk and Nvidia’s chief executive Jensen Huang, who joined the presidential aircraft during a fuel stop in Alaska at Trump’s invitation.
Several of these business executives, including Huang and Musk, hope to address their concerns with China, and Trump has indicated he will press Xi to make China more accessible to American companies.
However, the balance of influence has changed since Trump’s 2017 visit when China made extraordinary efforts to impress Trump and purchase American products worth billions, according to Ali Wyne, senior advisor for U.S.-China relations at International Crisis Group.
During that earlier period “China was trying to persuade the United States of its growing status… This time around it’s the United States, unprompted, of its own volition, that is acknowledging that status,” Wyne explained, noting that Trump brought back the term ‘G2’, describing a superpower partnership, during his October meeting with Xi at an APEC gathering in South Korea.
The leaders’ agenda includes extensive interaction time: discussions at The Great Hall of the People, a visit to the UNESCO heritage site Temple of Heaven, and a formal state dinner on Thursday, followed by tea and lunch on Friday, the White House announced.
However, Trump approaches these negotiations from a position of reduced strength.
American judicial decisions have limited his authority to impose tariffs freely on Chinese and other foreign exports. The Iran conflict has also increased domestic inflation and raised the possibility that Trump’s Republican Party could lose control of one or both congressional chambers in November’s midterm voting.
While China’s economy has struggled, Xi doesn’t confront similar economic or political challenges.
Despite these tensions, both nations want to preserve the trade agreement reached last October, where Trump postponed massive tariffs on Chinese products and Xi stepped back from restricting global rare earth supplies, which are essential for manufacturing everything from electric vehicles to military equipment.
The leaders are also anticipated to explore mechanisms for supporting bilateral trade and investment, plus discussions on artificial intelligence matters.
The United States hopes to export Boeing aircraft, agricultural products, and energy resources to China to reduce a trade imbalance that has long frustrated Trump, while China seeks American relaxation of restrictions on chipmaking technology and sophisticated semiconductors, according to planning officials.
Beyond trade issues, Trump is expected to ask China to persuade Tehran to negotiate with Washington to resolve the conflict. However, experts question whether Xi will pressure Tehran significantly or withdraw support for its military, considering Iran’s importance to Beijing as a strategic balance against American influence.
For Xi, American weapon sales to Taiwan, the democratically governed territory that China claims, represents a primary concern.
China restated its firm opposition to these sales on Wednesday, with the fate of a $14-billion package pending Trump’s decision remaining uncertain. American law requires providing Taiwan with defensive capabilities, despite the absence of official diplomatic relations.
“Trump doesn’t really have that many of the cards to play. But I don’t think that Trump actually sees the situation that way,” said Ronan Fu, an assistant research fellow at Taiwan’s top government think tank Academia Sinica.
“I don’t think that Trump is going to just let Beijing basically ask for whatever they want and then the US will make any concession that Beijing requests.”
Xi has a return visit provisionally scheduled for later this year, which would mark his first trip to the United States since Trump returned to office in 2025.
NEWARK, Del. – The University of Delaware Athletics Department celebrated outstanding student-athletes during its yearly Hennies Awards ceremony on Tuesday, May 12 at the Bob Carpenter Center.
The annual recognition event was organized by the department’s Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) and celebrated accomplishments across all athletic and spirit programs while paying tribute to numerous student-athletes.
Motorists traveling on northbound Route 13 in Sussex County should expect delays due to a construction-related lane closure that remains in effect until midnight.
The right lane is currently blocked between Laurel Road and Brickyard Road as crews continue their work on the busy highway corridor.
Drivers are advised to allow extra travel time and use caution when approaching the construction zone where traffic is being funneled into a single lane.
Motorists traveling on Kenton Road northbound should be prepared for periodic lane restrictions due to ongoing construction activity.
The traffic disruptions are occurring along the northbound stretch of Kenton Road between Mapledale Drive and Chestnut Grove Road, where workers are conducting construction operations that require occasional lane closures.
Drivers are advised to exercise caution when traveling through the work zone and to expect potential delays during their commute.
Four exceptional college basketball talents are vying for the coveted first overall selection in this year’s NBA draft, with AJ Dybantsa from BYU and Darryn Peterson from Kansas leading the conversation alongside Duke’s Cameron Boozer and North Carolina’s Caleb Wilson.
These four athletes stand apart from their peers in what experts consider a talent-rich draft class. The question now centers on which order teams will select them.
Washington holds the top selection for the first time since selecting John Wall in 2010. The Jazz, Grizzlies, and Bulls occupy the next three spots in the draft order.
“It would mean a lot,” Dybantsa expressed Wednesday during the NBA draft combine when asked about potentially being chosen first. “It would just mean that all my hard work is paying off. All the countless hours and all the sacrifices I made have paid off.”
The nation’s leading scorer from last season believes he would mesh well with Washington’s roster. The franchise posted a dismal 17-65 record, marking their worst season since 1967. Following eight consecutive losing campaigns, the organization may be ready for improvement.
However, Dybantsa’s selection at the top spot remains uncertain. Strong arguments exist for Peterson, along with Boozer and Wilson.
“For me, it’s just about going to the right fit, the right situation for me,” explained Boozer, who earned AP national player of the year honors. “An organization that really believes in me, and understands what I bring to the team. I understand where you go really matters for your career and how your trajectory goes, so that’s the biggest thing for me for sure.”
The son of former Duke and NBA veteran Carlos Boozer matched the national record with 22 double-doubles while posting averages of 22.5 points and 10.2 rebounds. His father previously suited up for the Jazz and Bulls, and now Cameron could potentially join one of those franchises.
“He loves it here,” Cameron Boozer mentioned regarding his father’s connection to Chicago. “I think he has a very strong fan base here as well. I think he’d be very happy if I was sent to Chicago.”
Wilson compiled impressive numbers with 19.8 points and 9.4 rebounds during an outstanding campaign that injuries unfortunately shortened. He suffered a broken bone in his left hand shortly after a memorable victory over Duke. Later, as he prepared to return, he fractured his right thumb during a non-contact practice session, ending his season before another clash with the Blue Devils.
Wilson reported his hand is “perfectly fine” and promised the selecting team will acquire a “winner.”
“They’re gonna get somebody who’s dedicated to their franchise, somebody who will change their city for the better,” he stated.
Peterson faced hospitalization due to full-body cramping before the season began and battled additional injuries and illnesses that sidelined him for 11 contests. Despite these setbacks, he excelled when healthy, recording 20.2 points and 4.2 rebounds while connecting on 38.2% of his three-point attempts across 24 appearances.
Peterson and Dybantsa held recognition as the nation’s premier high school prospects for several years. They delivered an unforgettable performance during a Grind Session matchup on the winter AAU schedule, where Peterson exploded for 58 points representing Prolific Prep and connected on the game-winning three-pointer in the closing moments. Dybantsa contributed 49 points for Utah Prep.
“I just remember me and AJ going back and forth,” Peterson recalled. “It was a great game and I was blessed to come out on top. I’m getting back to that now.”
Dybantsa characterized the contest as an unforgettable moment for spectators.
“If you were at that game, that’s probably a core memory in your whole basketball-watching as a fan,” he reflected. “That was probably a core moment. I think there was a time in the game where we went 15 for 15 straight. It was crazy. He ended up winning, so he got the best me.”
Peterson repeated his success when Kansas defeated BYU in late January, contributing 18 points while Dybantsa managed 17.
Currently, Peterson works to demonstrate that the physical challenges from last season are behind him. Those difficulties may have contributed to his evolution as a more complete player.
“I didn’t have the same step that I had before,” he acknowledged. “If one thing’s bad, something else improves. My shooting improved because of that.”
Violent confrontations in a region of southern Sudan have claimed the lives of more than 61 individuals, including nine children, according to a local medical organization that reported the casualties Wednesday. The deadly fighting represents another chapter in the broader civil war that has devastated the African nation since 2023.
The Sudan Doctors Network, an organization that tracks casualties from the ongoing conflict, reported that the violence began earlier this month in Kauda, located in South Kordofan. The battles have pitted forces associated with the rebel organization Sudan People’s Liberation Movement-North against members of the Otoro tribe.
The leader of the SPLM-N, Abdel Aziz al-Hilu, has formed an alliance with the Sudanese paramilitary Rapid Support Forces, which is currently engaged in combat against Sudan’s military forces.
The nation’s conflict, now entering its fourth year, has resulted in military control over northern, eastern and central territories, including the country’s Red Sea ports and oil infrastructure. The RSF paramilitary forces and their allies maintain control over the western Darfur area and portions of the Kordofan region near the South Sudan border, both areas containing valuable oil deposits and gold mining operations.
The SPLM-N under al-Hilu’s leadership has maintained operations in South Kordofan and has participated in a regional government established by the RSF paramilitaries.
The SPLM-N represents a splinter group from the SPLM, which serves as the governing party in neighboring South Sudan. The Otoro tribe represents a minority community within the Nuba Mountains area of South Kordofan.
Sudan’s civil war began in April 2023 following escalating tensions between military and RSF forces that exploded into full-scale warfare. The fighting has resulted in at least 59,000 deaths, forced approximately 13 million people from their homes, and created famine conditions across large areas. More than 30 million citizens require humanitarian aid.
The medical organization’s report indicated that survivor accounts collected by their South Kordofan team revealed that five women and nine children were among the fatalities during the two-week period.
Mohamed Elsheikh, the group’s spokesperson, told The Associated Press that poor communication has made it difficult to verify the full toll, which is likely higher as the clashes continue.
The medical group additionally reported that SPLM-N combatants destroyed residential buildings and commercial establishments while stealing property. Survivors allegedly informed the organization that civilians were “indiscriminately targeted.”
The organization also issued warnings about “systematic burning” and civilian attacks in areas surrounding Kauda, noting the absence of safe evacuation routes for injured people or aid delivery.
The SPLM-N did not immediately respond to request for comments.
In Dilling, another town in South Kordofan, artillery shelling by the RSF on Tuesday killed seven people and wounded 17, according to a local hospital. Umm Bakhita Hospital director Omran Teia in Dilling told the AP that civilians were targeted by the paramilitary and SPLM-N.
Both opposing forces in Sudan’s conflict have faced accusations from the United Nations and human rights organizations of committing serious crimes, including ethnic cleansing, extrajudicial killings and sexual violence against civilians. Humanitarian organizations indicate the actual casualty count could be significantly higher due to restricted access to combat zones throughout the expansive country.
SAO PAULO — A Brazilian senator running for president has dismissed accusations of impropriety following reports that he sought millions in funding from an incarcerated banker at the heart of a corruption investigation, a development that may damage his anticipated October campaign against Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva.
The Intercept Brazil released audio recordings on Wednesday showing Sen. Flávio Bolsonaro requesting 61 million reais ($12 million) from Daniel Vorcaro for financing “The Dark Horse,” a film project about his imprisoned father, former President Jair Bolsonaro.
Vorcaro previously led the now-closed Banco Master and faces allegations in a widespread fraud investigation that has implicated numerous high-level Brazilian officials this year. Authorities accuse him of swindling bank customers out of millions through fraudulent investment schemes. Federal police and the Supreme Court continue investigating the matter.
The senator stood by his actions in response to the revelations.
“Our case is of a son seeking PRIVATE sponsorship for a PRIVATE film about his father’s story. No public money,” Flávio Bolsonaro said in a statement. “I did not offer any (illegal) advantages in exchange. I did not have private encounters. I did not intermediate business with the government. I did not receive money.”
Political analyst Thomas Traumann warned the disclosure could damage Bolsonaro’s campaign as his Liberal Party prepares for its nominating convention.
“As Flávio Bolsonaro is an unknown politician whose biggest asset is being son of the former president, a scandal like this could have a devastating impact,” Traumann said. “(Flávio Bolsonaro’s) asking for money and showing intimacy with a banker who is under police investigation for fraud could force Brazil’s opposition of changing its candidate to keep its chances.”
According to The Intercept Brazil’s report, Bolsonaro contacted Vorcaro in October. The banker was taken into custody in March and has attempted to negotiate a cooperation agreement with prosecutors.
Brazilian banking regulators closed Banco Master, which held assets exceeding $16 billion, in November.
Following the scandal’s emergence, Flávio Bolsonaro and his supporters have claimed without proof that Lula should be blamed for the situation; federal investigators have found no connections between Vorcaro and the current government. This week, Sen. Ciro Nogueira, a former chief-of-staff for Jair Bolsonaro, disputed news reports claiming he regularly received payments from Vorcaro for his support.
A cancer specialist from Oregon finds himself as the sole American patient in a specialized isolation facility in Nebraska after exposure to hantavirus during a cruise ship outbreak.
Dr. Stephen Kornfeld from Bend, Oregon, stepped up to assist other travelers who fell ill aboard the MV Hondius during an April voyage. He was part of more than 120 passengers and crew members who were removed from the vessel and transported to various nations for quarantine procedures.
Though 15 fellow Americans are under observation at the National Quarantine Unit at the University of Nebraska Medical Center in Omaha, Kornfeld was placed in a different isolation area after a nasal sample he provided while on the ship showed positive results for the virus.
“I feel wonderful, 100%,” Kornfeld shared with CNN’s “Erin Burnett OutFront” during a video interview from his hospital accommodation on Tuesday.
The physician mentioned experiencing flu-like conditions while aboard the vessel, including night sweats, chills and exhaustion, but stated he currently has no symptoms.
The World Health Organization announced Wednesday that 11 hantavirus infections connected to the cruise have been documented globally, with three fatalities reported. Laboratory testing has verified eight of these cases.
Kornfeld explained that a nasal specimen he provided on the ship underwent two separate examinations in the Netherlands. One test returned negative while the other showed positive results. He is currently waiting for outcomes from a fresh test conducted upon his return to the United States.
“The initial test that we received was from abroad and it was inconclusive in its results,” Dr. David Fitter of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention informed reporters Wednesday. “So we’re in the process of testing currently and we hope to have those results back in a day or so.”
Beyond the passengers brought to Nebraska, two additional Americans are under surveillance at the serious communicable disease unit at Emory University Hospital in Atlanta.
Medical authorities report this marks the first hantavirus outbreak aboard a cruise vessel. Although no treatment or prevention exists for hantavirus, the WHO states that prompt identification and care enhance survival chances.
Public health experts indicate the danger to the broader population from this cruise ship incident remains minimal. Hantavirus typically spreads through rodent waste and does not easily transfer between humans, though the Andes virus found on the Hondius might spread person-to-person in uncommon situations.
The WHO recommends that all passengers and crew from the cruise remain in quarantine, whether at home or designated facilities, for 42 days.
Kornfeld characterized his accommodations in Nebraska as a hospital room equipped with a comfortable bed.
“It’s a little weird being in here by myself,” he said. “But the nurses come in, the doctors come in. I’m on WhatsApp all the time. It’s really amazing how quickly time flies.”
The U.S. Department of Agriculture has announced the first wheat allocation under its newly assumed management of the Food for Peace program, designating 20,000 metric tons (735,000 bushels) for emergency feeding initiatives.
“We appreciate the efforts of Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins, Under Secretary for Trade and Foreign Agricultural Affairs Luke Lindberg and their teams for their hard work to bring this first award of wheat under the USDA’s administration of the Food for Peace program,” said Dalton Henry, USW vice president of communications and policy.
The grain allocation will support emergency feeding operations in East Africa through the World Food Program’s distribution network. Delivery is scheduled for later this summer alongside other agricultural commodities such as rice and sorghum.
“This is the first of hopefully many shipments under the USDA’s administration of the Food for Peace program,” said Amanda Hoey, chief executive officer of the Oregon Wheat Commission and chair of the USW Food Aid Working Group. “Through this program, we reaffirm to the world that the United States is more than a seller of grain, but a dedicated partner in feeding millions of hungry people around the world.”
The Food for Peace initiative, formally known as Public Law 480, became law in 1954 under President Dwight D. Eisenhower. Throughout its nearly 70-year history, American-grown wheat has served as a cornerstone commodity for international food assistance, typically comprising half of all bulk in-kind aid and consuming approximately one million metric tons of U.S. wheat each year.
The USDA and U.S. Department of State executed an interagency agreement in December 2025 transferring Food for Peace administration to the agriculture department. The USDA currently manages other international feeding initiatives, including the McGovern-Dole Food for Education program focused on school nutrition and the development-oriented Food for Progress program.
Similar to these existing programs, Food for Peace receives authorization through the Farm Bill and operates under agricultural appropriations subcommittee oversight. Any permanent administrative transfer to USDA would require Congressional approval.
“The USDA’s administration of the Food for Peace program aligns with the agency’s agricultural focus and technical expertise for this flagship program,” Henry said. “We look forward to the continuation of the program’s successful track record of humanitarian assistance, including those who will be future customers for U.S. wheat farmers.”
Beyond the initial commodity awards, U.S. Wheat Associates also praised USDA’s announcement of additional Food for Peace program funding. The Notice of Funding Opportunity will accept applications from feeding programs operating in the Democratic Republic of Congo, El Salvador, Ethiopia, Guatemala, Haiti, Kenya and Rwanda.
“USDA is working to return Food for Peace to its core functions,” said Deputy Under Secretary for Trade and Foreign Agricultural Affairs Michelle Bekkering in the release. “This funding will more responsibly deliver lifesaving food assistance with high-quality American commodities, helping American farmers and producers at home and people in need across the world.”
Air New Zealand announced Thursday it anticipates its largest annual pre-tax loss in four years, projecting deficits between NZ$340 million and NZ$390 million ($201.62 million-$231.27 million) as the prolonged Middle East conflict sends jet fuel costs soaring and compounds challenges from sluggish demand and aircraft limitations.
The national airline’s projection assumes jet fuel will average $145 per barrel during the second half of the year. This represents a dramatic reversal from the NZ$189 million profit the company reported last year.
The ongoing U.S.-Israeli conflict with Iran has significantly disrupted energy markets, causing crude oil prices to surge. This has driven jet fuel costs, which are refined from crude oil, to spike between $150-$200 per barrel, creating additional financial pressure on airlines where fuel represents up to 25% of operational costs.
The airline projects it will use approximately 4.1 million barrels during the January through June timeframe, pushing its fuel expenses to NZ$980 million in the financial year’s second half – a 32% increase from February projections.
This will drive the company’s total annual fuel costs to NZ$1.75 billion, up from NZ$1.48 billion spent in 2025.
“The scale and speed of recent movements in jet fuel prices and refining margins have created a material external shock for the global aviation sector,” the carrier said.
“If fuel prices stay at these elevated levels, the airline expects to announce further capacity updates in the coming weeks.”
The airline has already cut its overall network capacity three times and raised ticket prices. Despite these measures, declining booking trends and weak domestic and trans-Tasman travel demand continue to create headwinds.
Oil refining company HF Sinclair announced Wednesday that it has fired Chief Financial Officer Atanas Atanasov, who had been away from work since late February while the company’s audit committee investigated internal concerns.
This announcement follows Tuesday’s news that Chief Executive Officer Timothy Go left the company through a separation agreement after taking voluntary leave for almost three months.
The company launched an internal review in January to examine company procedures after Atanasov expressed worries about Go’s conduct and how it affected the company’s leadership culture for 2025 reporting requirements.
During the later phases of this review, additional issues emerged regarding Atanasov’s conduct and whether he could maintain effective working relationships with other management personnel.
HF Sinclair stated that Chief Accounting Officer Vivek Garg will remain in his position as interim CFO, a responsibility he has maintained since February.
The streaming platform Netflix will broadcast its first National Football League matchup on the Wednesday before Thanksgiving, featuring the Los Angeles Rams welcoming the Green Bay Packers to their home stadium, league officials revealed Wednesday.
This November 25 evening game represents the league’s inaugural contest scheduled for Thanksgiving Eve and is among five NFL matchups Netflix will stream during the current season under an extended agreement lasting until 2029, according to published reports. The streaming service has confirmed its 2026 game lineup.
The Week 12 matchup will showcase Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford, who earned NFL MVP honors, facing off against Packers signal-caller Jordan Love. Stafford topped the league with 4,707 passing yards while throwing a personal-best 46 touchdown passes.
Each franchise reached the playoffs during the previous campaign. The Rams finished with a 12-5 regular season record before falling in the NFC Championship Game to the Seattle Seahawks, who went on to capture the Super Bowl title.
Green Bay posted a 9-7-1 record but saw their season end with a wild-card round defeat to the Chicago Bears.
Netflix will additionally broadcast the Rams’ season opener against the San Francisco 49ers in Melbourne, Australia on September 10. The platform has also secured rights to two Christmas Day games and a crucial Week 18 contest with postseason implications.
The streaming service also revealed Wednesday it has obtained rights to broadcast the NFL Honors awards ceremony during Super Bowl week.
Earlier this week, league officials announced the Dallas Cowboys will welcome the Philadelphia Eagles on Thanksgiving Day in a game televised by Fox.
The complete 2026 NFL schedule is set for official release on Thursday.
Professional football players are paying close attention to the field conditions being provided for World Cup soccer matches, particularly the installation of natural grass surfaces.
JC Tretter, who leads the NFL Players Association as executive director, has observed that seven venues hosting NFL teams are temporarily replacing their synthetic turf with natural grass for the international soccer tournament beginning next month.
These same facilities will revert to their artificial playing surfaces when football season kicks off in September.
“What we want is good grass fields. Good, solid fields,” Tretter stated during a recent appearance on the “Not Just Football” podcast with Pittsburgh Steelers defensive lineman Cam Heyward. “You don’t just want to pull out the (municipal) golf course grass. On every field, you want high-quality surfaces.”
“If you ask every player that we polled, 1,700 players, 92% say they want grass over turf. There is something about the feeling of being on grass, the body feels different. I think if you ask the coaches, just standing on grass vs. standing on turf for three hours feels different. There is something there that impacts the body,” he explained.
The international soccer governing body FIFA mandates natural grass for World Cup competitions. This requirement has prompted surface changes at venues in East Rutherford N.J. (New York Giants, New York Jets), Arlington, Texas (Dallas Cowboys), Foxborough, Mass. (New England Patriots), Seattle (Seahawks), Houston (Texans), Inglewood, Calif. (Los Angeles Rams, Los Angeles Chargers) and Atlanta (Falcons).
The championship match will take place at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey on July 19.
“You look at FIFA, they’re rolling out the green carpet for soccer players. And that has become the norm,” Tretter observed. “Over in European leagues, that is what you do. You play on grass. They have surface standards that each thing is rolled out. It’s exactly how it’s supposed to be. And those players will not play if it’s not that.”
When the current NFL Collective Bargaining Agreement reaches its expiration in March 2031, Tretter confirmed that field surfaces will be a topic of discussion between the players union and the league.
WASHINGTON, May 13 – America is working to persuade China to take a more significant role in encouraging Iran to abandon its current activities in the Gulf region, according to U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio during a television appearance Wednesday.
Rubio shared these remarks while speaking with Fox News host Sean Hannity in a broadcast interview.
Delaware Department of Transportation crews are conducting a litter removal operation along a busy stretch of Route 40 westbound today.
The cleanup effort is taking place on the right shoulder of Pulaski Highway between Christiana Road and the Maryland border. DelDOT officials indicate the litter removal work will wrap up by 4 PM this afternoon.
Motorists traveling westbound on Route 40 through this area may notice the cleanup crews working along the roadside during the operation.
Motorists traveling on Route 40 westbound should be aware of ongoing litter removal activities affecting traffic flow near the Maryland border.
The cleanup operation spans from Christiana Road to the Maryland state line, with crews working along the right shoulder of the highway. Officials indicate the litter removal work will wrap up by 4 PM this afternoon.
Drivers in the area should exercise caution and expect potential delays while the cleanup crews complete their work along this stretch of the major highway corridor.
Good evening, Delmarva! We’re tracking an active weather pattern moving through the peninsula tonight, so you’ll want to keep those umbrellas handy.
This evening brings a 90% chance of showers and thunderstorms developing after 7 PM. We may see a brief window of light rain around 7-8 PM before the heavier activity moves in. Expect mostly cloudy skies with temperatures holding steady around 55 degrees. Southwest winds will be breezy at 5-15 mph, gusting up to 25 mph at times. Rainfall amounts should stay manageable between a tenth and quarter inch.
The good news? This unsettled weather won’t stick around long! Thursday morning may start with some lingering showers, but we’ll see conditions improve quickly with mostly sunny skies developing. Highs will be much more pleasant, reaching 66 degrees.
Looking ahead to Thursday night and Friday, we’re in for beautiful spring weather! Partly cloudy skies Thursday night with lows near 50, then mostly sunny skies Friday with highs climbing to a lovely 72 degrees.
Stay dry tonight, Delmarva, and enjoy the sunshine coming our way!
A decades-old NFL policy designed to promote diversity in hiring has sparked fresh controversy as Florida’s top legal official takes action against the league.
Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier announced Wednesday that he has issued a legal subpoena to the NFL concerning its diversity hiring policy. This move follows his March warning to the league about potential enforcement actions if the 23-year-old regulation wasn’t discontinued.
Uthmeier delivered the subpoena alongside a formal letter addressed to NFL executive vice president and attorney Ted Ullyot. The Attorney General contends the policy breaks Florida law because it mandates race-based factors in employment decisions.
The diversity policy has grown significantly since its inception and now covers searches for general managers, coordinators and quarterback coaches. Current requirements mandate teams conduct interviews with a minimum of two external minority candidates when filling head coach, general manager and coordinator roles. For quarterbacks coach openings, at least one minority candidate interview is mandatory.
Opponents contend the policy has resulted in superficial interviews meant solely to satisfy requirements rather than genuinely considering candidates for positions.
This criticism forms part of the 2022 legal action brought by former Dolphins head coach Brian Flores, currently serving as Vikings defensive coordinator, who alleged discriminatory hiring practices by the NFL and three franchises.
The policy bears the name of the late Pittsburgh Steelers owner Dan Rooney, who led the league’s Workplace Diversity Committee when it was established, and mandates teams interview diverse candidates (minority or female) for head coach, general manager and coordinator openings.
The regulation aimed to boost leadership diversity through mandatory face-to-face interviews, though it has drawn criticism throughout its existence for not substantially increasing minority hiring numbers.
The Workplace Diversity Committee initially concentrated on the historically small representation of minorities in head coaching roles. The original policy mandated every team with a head coaching opening interview at least one diverse candidate prior to making their selection.
Throughout the years, the diversity rule has broadened to encompass more positions within NFL organizations.
Indeed, in 2022, the league modified the rule to incorporate women within the minority candidate classification.
NFL franchises may count women as minority candidates for openings involving head coach, general manager, coordinators, quarterbacks coach and senior personnel roles.
Absolutely. In November 2020, team owners endorsed a plan that rewards organizations developing minority talent who advance to become general managers or head coaches elsewhere in the league.
When a team loses a minority executive or coach who served with the organization for a minimum of two years to another franchise, that team earns a third-round compensatory draft selection for two years. Should a team lose both a coach and personnel executive, it receives a third-round compensatory pick for three years.
The NFL may impose fines exceeding $500,000 on teams that violate the regulation. The league also has authority to revoke draft selections or nullify a hiring decision.
Nevertheless, the sole recorded penalty occurred in 2003 when Detroit received a $200,000 fine for hiring Steve Mariucci without interviewing a minority candidate.
The 2006 season marked what many considered a major milestone. Seven Black head coaches led teams that year, with two facing each other in the Super Bowl for the first time in history.
When Tony Dungy’s Indianapolis Colts beat Lovie Smith’s Chicago Bears in the championship game, minority coaches seemed to gain the most. Nobody could question that Black coaches performed as effectively as their white colleagues.
Minority head coaches reached a peak in 2024 with nine total, including six Black head coaches.
However, that figure dropped to five before the 2026 season began. Among the record-tying 10 new head coaches brought in during this offseason, only one minority received a position: Robert Saleh, who has Lebanese heritage, was hired in Tennessee.
Eleven franchises, representing roughly one-third of the league, have never employed a Black non-interim coach. This group consists of Baltimore, Buffalo, Carolina, Dallas, Jacksonville, the Los Angeles Rams, New Orleans, the New York Giants, Seattle, Tennessee and Washington. Three of these organizations have had minority coaches: the Panthers (Dave Canales), the Titans (Saleh) and the Commanders (Ron Rivera).
The U.S. Senate voted Wednesday to confirm Kevin Warsh as the new chairman of the Federal Reserve. President Donald Trump selected the former Fed governor to take over from Jerome Powell, with hopes that Warsh can deliver the strong economic performance the president promised during his campaign.
Warsh assumes leadership of a central bank facing significant challenges as it grapples with economic consequences from the conflict between the U.S. and Israel against Iran that began on Feb. 28. This ongoing war has pushed energy costs higher and created additional obstacles for the Fed’s efforts to reduce inflation to its 2% goal.
However, Trump has called for lower interest rates, rather than the higher rates that economists say may be necessary to control inflation. While Warsh previously established himself as someone who favored aggressive action against inflation, he has recently shifted to support Trump’s perspective, contending that artificial intelligence and emerging technologies can drive productivity and economic expansion without triggering inflation.
Trump repeatedly criticized Powell for rejecting the significant rate reductions the president believes would stimulate economic growth. Additionally, his Justice Department initiated an investigation into the Fed that many viewed as an effort to remove Powell from his position. This legal controversy delayed Warsh’s confirmation process. Sen. Thom Tillis, a North Carolina Republican, stated he would vote against Warsh unless the Justice Department ended its investigation, which finally occurred last month.
In a rare decision, Powell announced he plans to stay on the Fed’s governing board for an indefinite period after Warsh assumes the chairman role, pointing to Trump’s “unprecedented” criticism of the central bank’s independence. While Powell’s chairmanship is concluding, his position as a Fed governor continues until 2028.
Powell’s decision to remain could create tension for Warsh, particularly if he attempts to persuade other Fed officials to support interest rate reductions.
Trump described Warsh as someone who looks like he comes from “central casting,” which provides insight into the president’s opinion of the 56-year-old’s appearance and traditional background. Warsh possesses many characteristics typical of a conventional choice to head the world’s most influential central bank, though he takes charge during an unusually turbulent period for the Fed as Trump has stated the new chairman must reduce its key rates to satisfy the White House.
Interest rate reductions of the magnitude Trump desires might provide short-term economic growth, but they also create risks of economic overheating when inflation remains high and cost of living concerns affect many Americans.
Warsh previously came close to being selected for the Senate-confirmed Fed Chair position in 2017, when Trump chose Powell to lead the central bank. Trump has subsequently stated that he received poor guidance about Powell.
Warsh holds educational credentials from Stanford University and Harvard University Law School. He is married to Jane Lauder, whose father is billionaire cosmetics heir Ronald Lauder, a significant Republican donor.
Senate Democrats have criticized Warsh for failing to completely disclose details about his personal wealth, which totals at least $100 million. His investment portfolio includes positions in Polymarket and SpaceX, though he has not revealed the extent of these holdings. He has committed to selling all such investments within 90 days of taking his oath.
At age 35, Warsh became the youngest member of the Fed’s seven-person board, holding that role from 2006 to 2011. He previously worked as an economic advisor in George W. Bush’s Republican administration and served as an investment banker at Morgan Stanley.
Warsh collaborated closely with then-Chair Ben Bernanke during 2008-09 as the central bank worked to address the financial crisis and the Great Recession. Bernanke later described in his autobiography that Warsh was “one of my closest advisers and confidants” and noted that his “political and markets savvy and many contacts on Wall Street would prove invaluable.”
Nevertheless, Warsh seemed at crucial times to misunderstand the severity of problems facing the U.S. economy as mortgage failures and job losses increased during the Great Recession. He advocated for the Fed to maintain higher benchmark rates when the economy faced risks of deflation and potential collapse.
Warsh expressed worries in 2008 that additional interest rate reductions by the Fed might trigger inflation. However, even after the Fed lowered its rate to nearly zero, inflation remained subdued.
He also opposed the Fed’s 2011 decision to buy $600 billion in Treasury bonds, a strategy to reduce long-term interest rates, though he eventually supported the measure at Bernanke’s request.
Warsh sometimes acted like a traditional Republican, stating in a 2010 address his opposition to ending “the creep of trade protectionism” which he called contrary to “pro-growth policies.” Trump has since transformed GOP philosophy by advocating for substantial increases in import taxes, implementing them unilaterally last year by declaring an economic emergency.
Warsh currently works as a visiting economics fellow at the Hoover Institution, a conservative research organization at Stanford University. He also teaches at the Stanford Graduate School of Business and serves as a partner at the Duquesne Family Office, which oversees the assets of billionaire investor Stanley Druckenmiller.
In what seemed like an intentional effort to secure the Fed position, Warsh attacked the Fed in media appearances, demanding “regime change” and condemning Powell for involvement in climate change and diversity, equity and inclusion issues, which Warsh claimed exceed the Fed’s authority.
During a CNBC interview last year, Warsh declared Fed policy “has been broken for quite a long time.”
“The central bank that sits there today is radically different than the central bank I joined in 2006,” he continued. By permitting inflation to rise dramatically in 2021-22, the Fed “brought about the greatest mistake in macroeconomic policy in 45 years, that divided the country.”
Federal aviation safety officials issued new recommendations Wednesday calling for airlines to provide more realistic training scenarios to help pilots handle smoke-filled cockpits, following an incident involving a Southwest Airlines aircraft that suffered a bird strike.
The National Transportation Safety Board stated that the flight crew who successfully brought their aircraft back to New Orleans informed investigators that the conditions they faced were significantly more difficult than any training exercise they had previously encountered.
“If such an event occurred at night or in instrument meteorological conditions, the consequences could be catastrophic,” the NTSB determined.
While the Federal Aviation Administration receives nearly daily reports about cockpit smoke incidents, the NTSB noted that the agency has not mandated airlines to perform realistic smoke simulation training. Current preparation typically involves only classroom discussions about proper response procedures. The FAA had not provided a response to the new guidance by Wednesday.
During the December 2023 emergency, the Southwest flight crew reported difficulty viewing their control panels and emergency procedures. They immediately put on oxygen equipment and executed emergency landing protocols. All 139 passengers and crew members escaped injury.
Southwest and the Airlines for America trade group had not responded to the latest findings by Wednesday.
Previously, the NTSB had recommended that Boeing and engine manufacturer CFM develop software modifications for 737 Max engines to prevent smoke infiltration into cockpits or passenger areas when safety systems activate after bird strikes.
The aircraft and engine companies had not provided progress updates on those modifications as of Wednesday.
Four citizens from Memphis have filed a federal lawsuit against U.S. and Tennessee authorities, alleging they faced harassment, detention and physical abuse while exercising their constitutional rights to watch and film law enforcement officers in their community.
The legal action, submitted Wednesday in federal court, challenges the Memphis Safe Task Force, which includes personnel from 13 federal agencies that President Donald Trump deployed to the city for crime fighting operations working with Tennessee State Troopers and the Tennessee National Guard.
Beginning in late September, hundreds of federal, state and local law enforcement officers connected to the task force have conducted traffic stops, executed warrants and hunted for fugitives in the predominantly Black city of approximately 610,000 residents. According to the lawsuit, the task force has performed more than 120,000 traffic stops.
“In the professed name of crime control, Task Force agents have stopped, menaced, and arrested Memphians engaging in routine, day-to-day activities,” the lawsuit states. “In response, Memphians encountering Task Force agents in public, including Plaintiffs, have stopped to gather information about and record Task Force activities.”
The U.S. Department of Justice issued a statement Wednesday responding to the legal challenge.
“In eight months, the Memphis Safe Task Force has made over 9,000 arrests, including 951 known gang members, and located 150 missing children, drastically increasing public safety in the Memphis community. The Department will not tolerate any action that puts our law enforcement officers at risk. We strongly disagree with the allegations in the lawsuit and remain committed to fair, impartial, and professional law enforcement practices to keep Memphians and the American people safe.”
Hunter Demster, a Memphis resident and plaintiff, says he regularly sees the task force stopping cars in his neighborhood, which has a large Hispanic population. In one interaction, he was surrounded by task force agents after he filmed a traffic stop and told the people in the car that they had a right not to speak to police.
“It is a terrifying feeling,” Demster said. “I did nothing illegal. I used my First Amendment protected rights to hold up a phone and say some ‘know your rights’ information.”
Scarlet Kim, senior staff attorney with the American Civil Liberty Union’s Speech, Privacy, and Technology Project, said the Tennessee law is written so broadly that officers have wide discretion to invoke it against observers even when the observers are not impeding their actions.
“When observers go to the scene of task force activity and they are observing, they’re gathering information,” Kim said. “They are picking up their phones and cameras and documenting what’s happening. That’s all core protected First Amendment activity. And it’s not a basis for the government to essentially react in the way that they’re reacting.”
Federal officials including Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, former Attorney General Pam Bondi and White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller, have visited Memphis to praise the task force. Miller in October predicted the surge in law enforcement would make the city “safer than any of you could ever possibly imagine” and that “businesses and investment are going to pour in, and Memphis will be richer than ever before.”
The task force is part of a larger effort by Trump to use National Guard troops and surge federal law enforcement in cities, particularly ones controlled by Democrats. Following troop deployments in the District of Columbia and Los Angeles, he referred to Portland, Oregon, as “war-ravaged” and threatened apocalyptic force in Chicago. Speaking last year to U.S. military leaders in Virginia, Trump proposed using cities as training grounds for the armed forces.
The lawsuit accuses task force agents of systematically retaliating against the four plaintiffs and other members of the public engaged in similar observations. It claims the threats and harassment are the “direct result of federal policy” that views observing federal agents performing their duties in public as a threat of harm to those agents. The lawsuit also claims that federal and state officials have failed to train their agents not to retaliate against citizens engaged in activities protected by the First Amendment.
The lawsuit asks the court to declare that retaliation against the plaintiffs for observing and recording law enforcement activity is unconstitutional and to prohibit the agents from further retaliation. It also targets a Tennessee law that requires observers to stand at least 25 feet (7.6 meters) away from law enforcement officers, if they are warned to do so, or face arrest. The suit asks the court to declare unconstitutional the use of the “Halo Law” against defendants who are not interfering with agents or impeding their duties.
Four members of Salisbury University’s women’s lacrosse squad have earned recognition on the USA Lacrosse Magazine All-American teams, matching the highest total of any program on the prestigious 89-player roster.
The Sea Gulls, who remain undefeated this season and hold the second national ranking, shared the distinction with Middlebury and Tufts for placing the most athletes on the elite list.
The recognition highlights the exceptional talent and performance of the Salisbury program during their perfect season campaign.
The New York Mets announced Wednesday that catcher Francisco Alvarez has been added to the injured list following a torn meniscus diagnosis and is expected to be sidelined for six to eight weeks while recovering from the right knee injury.
The 24-year-old backstop will undergo surgical repair for the injury, with his roster spot being taken by Hayden Senger, who was called up from Triple-A Syracuse.
The injury occurred during Tuesday’s 10-2 victory over Detroit when Alvarez’s leg became twisted while making contact with a foul ball in the sixth inning. The catcher connected with a pitch from Burch Smith but lost his balance as he sent the ball into foul territory. Manager Carlos Mendoza and team medical staff pulled Alvarez from the game mid-at-bat.
This season, Alvarez has posted a .241 batting average while serving as New York’s primary catcher. Medical projections suggest his earliest possible return would be in late June or early July.
The injury adds to mounting health concerns for the Mets’ starting lineup. Outfielders Mike Tauchman and Jared Young are also currently sidelined with identical torn meniscus injuries.
Luis Torrens is expected to handle the bulk of catching duties moving forward, with newly recalled Senger providing support.
The 30-year-old Torrens recently secured his future with the organization, signing a two-year contract extension on May 2.
Through Wednesday’s action, Torrens had collected 10 hits across 48 at-bats for a .208 batting average this season. This marks his third campaign with New York, following previous stints with San Diego, Seattle and Chicago since entering the majors in 2017.
Golf’s second major championship of the year begins Thursday as the 108th PGA Championship gets underway at Aronimink Golf Club near Philadelphia.
Will defending champion Scottie Scheffler successfully defend his title? Can Rory McIlroy capture his second straight major championship to start 2026? Or might an unexpected contender emerge from the 156 golfers competing? Golf analysts are offering their tournament predictions and preferred betting options for who will take home the Wanamaker Trophy.
108TH PGA CHAMPIONSHIP
Where: Philadelphia, May 14-17
Venue: Aronimink Golf Club (Par 70, 7,394 Yards)
Prize Money: To be announced ($19M in 2025; Winner received $3.42 million)
Ludvig Aberg to Beat Xander Schauffele (+100 at DraftKings): The Swedish golfer continues to demonstrate exceptional skill despite difficulty completing four strong rounds consistently. Aberg has secured five top-5 placements in his last six tournaments at premier events, with only a T21 at the Masters breaking that streak. Meanwhile, Schauffele, who already owns a PGA title, struggled last week with a T60 finish after failing to shoot under 72 in his final three rounds.
Scottie Scheffler Top 5 Finish (-110 at BetMGM): The current champion has attracted significant betting interest for good reason. Beyond defending his title, Scheffler brings momentum from three straight second-place finishes and won the AmEx in February during a run of three consecutive top-4 results.
Sudarshan Yellamaraju Top Canadian (+280 at DraftKings): The 24-year-old earned his tournament spot with a strong T19 showing at last week’s Truist Championship. This continues an impressive climb for the self-taught golfer whose family relocated to Canada from India when he was four years old. Yellamaraju has made 10 straight cuts and achieved a T5 at The Players. He faces tough competition from veterans Corey Conners (+205), Nick Taylor (+220), and PGA Tour winner Taylor Pendrith (+300).
TOP WAGERING CHOICES
Scheffler (+385 at DraftKings) captured his first victory this season and has posted three consecutive runner-up finishes, including at the Masters. He represents BetMGM’s second-largest liability, drawing 13.7% of total bets and 23.2% of money wagered.
McIlroy (+900) has claimed two PGA Championships and recorded 11 top-25 finishes in 17 career appearances. He’s attracted 5.8% of total bets, ranking third.
Jon Rahm (+1400) placed T8 last year, with his previous best showing a T4 at Bellerive in 2018.
Cameron Young (+1475) has won twice this year and was competitive last week before a final-round 74. Still pursuing his first major victory, Young’s odds have improved from +1650 at DraftKings on Tuesday. He ranks second behind Scheffler at BetMGM with 9.6% of bets and 9.8% of money.
Bryson DeChambeau (+1900) has finished second in each of the last two years and recently placed third at LIV Golf Virginia.
Matt Fitzpatrick (+2300) has already won three times this season. His best previous PGA Championship result was T5 in 2022 across 10 appearances.
Tommy Fleetwood (+2800) recorded two course-record 62s at Aronimink in 2018 and comes off a T5 at the Truist Championship.
Jordan Spieth (+6600) represents BetMGM’s biggest liability as he attempts his 10th try at completing the career Grand Slam. “Scottie Scheffer and the in-form Cameron Young are great results for customers in the outright market for the PGA Championship,” BetMGM senior trader Matt Wall said. “However, the biggest liability currently is Jordan Spieth as BetMGM customers dream of the former world No. 1 finally completing the career grand slam.”
TOURNAMENT FACTS
Originally created by Donald Ross in 1926, Aronimink hosts the PGA Championship for just the second time since Gary Player’s 1962 victory. Keegan Bradley captured the 2018 BMW Championship at Aronimink, defeating Justin Rose in a playoff. The course has been extended 114 yards since that event.
The 156-golfer field will be reduced to the top 70 and ties following the second round.
Scheffler aims to become the first repeat PGA Championship winner since Brooks Koepka in 2019, while McIlroy could become the first golfer since Spieth in 2015 to win the year’s opening two majors.
Spieth enters his 10th attempt at achieving the career Grand Slam.
Jake Knapp withdrew Monday with a thumb injury and was replaced by Tom Hoge.
No international golfer has won the PGA Championship since Jason Day in 2015, marking the longest such drought at any major. This year’s field represents 26 different countries.
Adam Scott will make his 99th straight major championship appearance. Only Jack Nicklaus has achieved more than 100 consecutive major starts.
Ford Motor Company’s shares experienced their most significant one-day rally in roughly six years on Wednesday, climbing 13% as Wall Street showed strong enthusiasm for the automaker’s emerging energy storage division.
The dramatic stock movement followed analysis from Morgan Stanley that spotlighted information Ford had shared earlier this week about its energy storage subsidiary, which the company first unveiled in late 2021. Lisa Drake, a pivotal figure in Ford’s electric vehicle initiatives, leads the new division.
The energy storage venture emerged after Ford took a massive $19.5 billion writedown on its electric vehicle operations last December. The company decided to transform Kentucky facilities originally designated for electric vehicle battery manufacturing into energy storage production sites.
Ford’s energy storage operation will utilize LFP prismatic battery technology, which relies on iron-based chemistry. The products are designed to support data centers, utility companies, and major industrial and commercial clients.
Wall Street analysts highlighted Ford’s licensing partnership with CATL, a leading Chinese battery manufacturer, as a significant competitive edge. “We believe Ford’s relationship with CATL is an underappreciated strategic competitive advantage,” Morgan Stanley analysts stated, predicting the automaker will secure supply contracts with major commercial customers in the coming months.
The company plans to invest $2 billion in the energy storage business and anticipates beginning customer deliveries in late 2027. Ford projects it will deploy a minimum of 20 GWh on an annual basis.
Deportations from the United States to El Salvador have surged dramatically in early 2026, with official data showing removals have nearly doubled compared to the previous year, as the Central American nation’s leader has emerged as a willing partner in the Trump administration’s immigration enforcement priorities.
According to migration authority statistics obtained by The Associated Press on Tuesday, 5,033 Salvadorans were removed to their homeland during the first quarter of 2026, a stark jump from the 2,547 individuals deported in the corresponding timeframe of 2025.
This represents an almost 98% spike coinciding with the Trump administration’s expansion of removal flights worldwide. International deportation operations from the United States increased by approximately 61% from 2024 to 2025, based on information gathered by the Asociación Agenda Migrante El Salvador, known as AAMES, along with other advocacy groups.
Since the United States has ceased routine publication of deportation statistics, researchers are now depending on alternative data sources from receiving nations such as El Salvador, flight tracking information, and other metrics.
“This confirms a real hardening of the U.S. immigration system toward the region,” stated César Ríos of AAMES regarding the dramatic rise in removals.
The escalation occurs as the tough-on-crime leader has worked to position himself alongside U.S. President Donald Trump, while the American government has secured partnerships throughout Latin America to advance its immigration agenda. Although Mexico and fellow Central American countries have quietly received deportees from third nations, the Salvadoran president has openly championed Trump’s regional initiatives.
Most prominently in March 2025, the leader accepted 238 Venezuelan deportees allegedly linked to the Venezuelan criminal organization Tren de Aragua, confining them in a massive detention facility constructed for suspected gang affiliates as part of his comprehensive anti-gang campaign. This action sparked extensive human rights violation allegations.
The international controversy emerged following an arrangement between Trump’s administration and the Salvadoran government to accept what officials characterized as the transfer and detention of foreign criminals to El Salvador. The agreement provided El Salvador with $6 million from the United States.
In April, the Trump administration erroneously deported Maryland resident and Salvadoran citizen Kilmar Abrego García, who held protected status in the United States, creating another legal and political controversy. The Salvadoran leader initially declined to return Abrego García and rejected accusations of physical abuse and torture — practices that human rights organizations have extensively documented in Salvadoran detention facilities.
Abrego García was subsequently returned to the United States in June to confront charges alleging he facilitated illegal immigration, accusations his legal team describes as “baseless.” He has entered a not guilty plea and requested case dismissal while the U.S. Department of Homeland Security announced intentions to deport him to Liberia.
More recently, the Salvadoran president joined other conservative Trump supporters in an alliance Trump named the Shield of the Americas, ostensibly designed to combat criminal organizations across Latin America, despite the absence of two crucial nations in such efforts — Mexico and Colombia — who declined participation.
Simultaneously, numerous migrants in the United States are monitoring U.S. Supreme Court proceedings as Trump attempts to eliminate protections for hundreds of thousands of migrants from Haiti and Syria, a development concerning the more than 200,000 Salvadoran migrants with temporary protected status who fear similar consequences.
The Salvadoran leader has assisted U.S. immigration objectives even prior to Trump taking office.
In 2023, El Salvador’s administration implemented a $1,130 charge on travelers from dozens of nations transiting through the country’s primary airport, responding to Biden administration pressure to help limit migrant movement toward the United States’ southern border. Concurrently, emigration from El Salvador, driven by gang violence and economic hardship, decreased following the controversial anti-gang offensive.
Policy experts noted that the government leveraged reduced migration numbers as negotiating leverage to counter U.S. human rights criticisms.
A vehicle accident has forced the closure of a busy section of US Route 13, also known as Governor Printz Boulevard, at its intersection with Grubbs Landing Road.
The Delaware Department of Transportation reports that the roadway remains blocked as emergency crews work at the scene of the crash.
Motorists are advised to seek alternate routes while authorities handle the situation and clear the roadway.
No additional details about the collision or potential injuries have been released at this time.
Motorists traveling through Wilmington should plan for potential delays on North James Street today due to ongoing construction activity.
DelDOT reports that the right lane on North James Street northbound is currently closed between West Highland Avenue and West Justis Avenue. The lane restriction is scheduled to remain in effect until 3 PM today.
Drivers are advised to use caution when traveling through the work zone and consider alternate routes if possible to avoid potential backups during the construction period.
Many mothers enjoyed Mother’s Day weekend on the water with their families last weekend, casting lines together in what turned out to be a wonderful celebration. This week brings numerous angling opportunities across Maryland waters, from offshore black sea bass fishing near Ocean City to striped bass action in the Chesapeake Bay and freshwater species including chain pickerel.
Beginning May 16, striped bass closure boundaries will shift upstream in tidal rivers, providing anglers with greater access to the bay’s tributaries. While the current dry spell has challenged gardens, lawns, farmers and some fish spawning runs, the bay’s water clarity has become remarkably clear. Many locations now feature five to six feet of visibility, and Chesapeake Bay grasses are thriving.
The Maryland Department of Natural Resources fisheries management programs urge anglers to participate in volunteer angler surveys available on the DNR website, helping fisheries managers gather crucial catch effort and harvest data.
Weather Outlook: May 13 – May 19:
Water temperatures are expected to climb gradually throughout the week as summer-like conditions arrive in the Maryland Bay region. Buoy reports show main Bay surface and river mouth temperatures holding around the low 60s. Smaller rivers and streams are also maintaining temperatures in the 60s, though smaller waterways and downwind areas on sunny days will warm more quickly, often reaching the upper 60s.
Most Maryland rivers and streams will experience below normal flows this week. Water clarity should remain at typical levels for most Maryland sections of the Bay and rivers. Tidal currents will be stronger than usual all week due to the May 16 new moon.
Upper Chesapeake Bay
Fishermen working the lower Susquehanna River this week are finding excellent blue catfish action in the Conowingo Dam pool and near the river’s mouth. Dam flows have been extremely low. White perch are present in the lower Susquehanna, providing entertaining fishing. Anglers are also targeting largemouth bass in the Susquehanna Flats and smallmouth bass in the river.
The waters above the Abbey Point to Worton Point boundary line remain closed to striped bass fishing until June 1, and the area between that line and the Brewerton Channel stays catch-and-release only until June 1.
Striped bass fishing within the 19-24 inch slot has been productive since the season opened below the Brewerton Channel on May 1. Anglers are locating striped bass along Bay shorelines by throwing paddletails and soft plastic jigs in deeper waters. The “electric chicken” color pattern has proven extremely popular with both anglers and striped bass. Experienced fishermen note that other colors also produce well. When working shallow areas during early morning and evening periods, poppers provide unmatched excitement as striped bass attack them.
Trolling offers another method for catching striped bass this week along channel edges. Many anglers use umbrella rigs equipped with medium bucktails fitted with sassy shads or twistertails. Tandem rigged bucktails also work, and when trolling shallower channel edges, diving crankbaits can be effective at slower speeds.
Blue catfish and channel catfish fishing has been excellent this month. Both catfish species are moving freely through various water depths and can be found in every tidal river, with some reaching impressive sizes. The Chester River ranks among the top tidal rivers in the upper Bay for blue catfish.
White perch have settled into their typical summer habitat near oyster beds, deep water docks and piers, or submerged rocks. Casting small soft plastic jigs, spin-jigs, and spinners works well along shoreline structure. Grass shrimp or bloodworm pieces on bottom rigs are effective near deep structure.
Middle Bay
The piers on the Bay Bridge’s east side are drawing charter and private boats during early morning tides. Boats anchor upcurrent and drift various baits back to pier bases. Cut menhaden, soft crabs and small white perch have been popular choices. Other anglers cast soft plastic jigs at pier bases with success on slot-size striped bass.
The middle bay region provides light tackle anglers with abundant shallow water action this week in multiple locations. Shoreline structure, grass beds, prominent points and submerged rocks remain excellent spots for casting poppers, paddletails, crankbaits and jerkbaits. The water clarity is something anglers wish would persist year-round. Poplar Island rocks, Thomas Point and waters near the Naval Academy represent just a few productive areas. Morning and evening hours typically offer the best shallow water fishing. Saturday, May 16, the Choptank River mouth will provide expanded fishing areas as closure boundaries move upriver.
Trolling will appeal to many striped bass anglers this week. Numerous main channel edges in the Bay and at tidal river mouths are promising locations for striped bass suspended near the bottom. Most large spawning striped bass have departed the region, so anglers focus on slot striped bass measuring 19 to 24 inches. Umbrella rigs with bucktail trailers dressed with sassy shads or twistertails remain popular trolling choices.
White perch now provide enjoyable fishing around various structure areas in the lower portions of the region’s tidal rivers and creeks. Evening hours offer exciting light tackle action by casting various small lures, from spin-jigs to Clouser flies along shoreline structure. Deeper waters around piers and oyster beds can be fished with grass shrimp or bloodworm pieces on bottom rigs.
The Choptank River continues delivering some of the week’s best blue catfish action. The catfish are in a pre-spawn feeding frenzy, creating excellent fishing conditions. Anchoring and chumming while presenting baits is an effective way to fill an ice chest with blue cats. The river section from the town of Choptank to Denton offers some of the finest fishing opportunities.
Lower Bay
The lower Bay presents numerous striped bass fishing opportunities this week. Bay fishing has been productive along shorelines, and Saturday May 16 marks the opening of the tidal Potomac River to striped bass fishing, with the Patuxent River opening downstream of Point Patience. The Potomac offers promising fishing along steep channel edges from Piney Point to St. Georges Island. Anglers typically find good striped bass fishing below the Route 4 Bridge over the Patuxent River.
Jigging and trolling are favored methods for fishing these edges, and live lining will become popular once spot arrive. Jigging anglers typically use 3/4-ounce soft plastic jigs in 5-inch sizes. The Potomac, St. Marys, and Patuxent river shorelines, Cedar Point rocks, and the Calvert Cliffs Power Plant warm water discharge represent just a few excellent jig-fishing locations. Trolling anglers usually employ umbrella rigs with inline weights to reach suspended fish. The 35-foot edge near Cove Point and the eastern main channel edge from Buoy 76 to 72B are additional striped bass locations to explore.
Casting poppers and paddletails provides entertaining striped bass fishing in shallower Bay and Tangier Sound shoreline waters. Grass beds are developing well, and striped bass can be found in shallow areas during morning and evening periods.
Black drum are appearing in Tangier Sound waters, the Northwest Middle Grounds and near the Target Ship. Anglers spot them on depth finders then drop soft crab baits to them. Large red drum are entering the lower bay region and can be found in Tangier Sound and Target Ship areas.
Far up the tidal Potomac River to waters below Little Falls and the District of Columbia, hickory shad and American shad spawning runs have nearly concluded this week. A few hickory shad were caught and released by anglers last week but only scattered fish. Poor river flows from lack of spring rains severely impacted this celebrated catch and release fishery. Activity was strong in late March but then declined. There’s always next year.
White perch are providing abundant enjoyable fishing in lower sections of the region’s tidal rivers and creeks this week. They have moved into typical summer locations anglers expect. Evenings can be spent casting small spin-jigs, spinners, and small jigs along promising shorelines. Fishing from docks and piers with grass shrimp or bloodworm pieces remains a fun summer activity, particularly for younger anglers. The lower Patuxent usually provides good white perch fishing, and soon spot and perhaps larger croaker will return to the lower Patuxent and other Bay waters.
Freshwater Fishing
Trout stockings are beginning to slow in the state’s central region and focus more on western areas due to warming water temperatures. Time remains to enjoy recent trout stockings from last week, with a few more scheduled this month. As June 1 approaches, some delayed harvest trout management waters will open to five trout per day harvest until October 1.
Smallmouth bass fishing in the upper Potomac and Monocacy rivers has challenged anglers due to low flows and clear waters. Using light lines and making long casts helps fool these cautious smallmouth bass. A combination of tubes, swimbaits and crankbaits work well in deeper pockets and current breaks. Poppers always provide exciting fishing near rocky shelves and grass bed edges during morning and evening hours. Smallmouth bass can also be found in Deep Creek Lake, Prettyboy and Liberty reservoirs, and the lower Susquehanna River.
Largemouth bass are delivering excellent fishing this month in small ponds to large reservoirs in nontidal waters and upper sections of the bay’s tidal rivers. In many areas largemouth bass are in post-spawn behavior, and with water temperatures still cool they can be found in diverse locations. The most common areas for larger female largemouth bass are mid-depth transition areas outside shallower grass beds and near structure in those areas. Structure includes fallen treetops, sunken wood, bottom structure like lumps and drop-offs, and creek mouths. Targeting grass bed edges with spinnerbaits, jerkbaits and soft plastics, and deeper spots with paddletails and crankbaits proves effective.
Chesapeake Channa are active near emerging grass beds, often with afternoons providing the best action on sun-exposed shallows. Buzzbaits, chatterbaits, and frogs work well when fishing grass beds, while paddletails are effective near shoreline brush and grass bed edges.
Crappie fishing is productive this month in many tidal and nontidal waters. Crappie tend to hold close to structure including marina docks, bridge piers, sunken wood, rocks, or fallen treetops. Slowly drifting with a small minnow under a slip bobber is very popular, but casting small lures or flies also works well.
In many Maryland areas, larger chain pickerel have completed spawning or are nearly finished. Once this occurs, they will feed aggressively to rebuild body stores. Look for large chain pickerel in more open waters near structure. Anglers are encouraged to use single inline hooks on lures to minimize gill damage to these aggressive fish.
Atlantic Ocean and Coastal Bays
Surf anglers fishing Assateague and Ocean City beaches are catching mixed bags of black drum, large striped bass and a few large bluefish. Black drum are taking sand fleas and clams, while striped bass and bluefish prefer cut menhaden or mullet.
Flounder continue moving through Ocean City Inlet toward back bay waters. The inlet and channels leading from it are good targeting locations. Some larger flounder are taking Gulp baits. Summer flounder minimum size is 16 inches until June 1; the minimum size then becomes 17.5 inches, with the four flounder per day limit continuing.
Tautog are being caught in the inlet area near jetty rocks, bulkheads and bridge piers on sand fleas. Striped bass are being caught in the inlet, with some large ones taken by drifting cut baits at night. Casting soft plastic jigs near structure provides plenty of striped bass fun, though most fall short of the 28-inch minimum. The inlet and Route 50 Bridge areas, plus Route 90 and Verrazzano bridge piers, are excellent places for casting soft plastic jigs and paddletails.
The 2024 black sea bass season started strongly with good fishing at wreck and reef sites. Anglers enjoyed catching chunky sea bass, with some reaching their limits and all going home with plenty of fish. Flounder were mixed in for those targeting them.
A fatal shooting that occurred nearly nine years ago in Bear continues to challenge investigators as they seek answers in the death of Edwin J. Heath Sr.
The 33-year-old victim was discovered with multiple gunshot wounds at Fox Run Apartments and Townhouses on May 13, 2015. Law enforcement officers arrived at the scene in the 100 block of Antlers Lane around 4:12 p.m. that afternoon, where they found Heath on the ground.
The case remains active as authorities continue their investigation into the circumstances surrounding Heath’s death in the Bear community.
International visitors holding World Cup tickets will no longer need to post costly bonds when entering the United States, according to a new policy from the Trump administration.
The administration has eliminated a mandate requiring travelers from qualifying World Cup nations to pay bonds reaching up to $15,000 to gain entry to the country for the tournament.
The policy shift affects ticket holders from countries whose national teams have secured spots in the upcoming World Cup competition.
Students from Future Farmers of America chapters across Delaware recently participated in educational tours at Harrington Raceway, exploring the world of harness racing as part of efforts to showcase the diverse opportunities within the state’s agricultural sector.
The behind-the-scenes visits were organized to give dozens of FFA members exposure to various facets of Delaware’s farming and agricultural community. Mark Short, who serves as Executive Administrator for the Delaware Standardbred Breeders’ Fund, led the student groups through the facility.
During their time at the raceway, the young visitors received instruction on appropriate horse care practices and attended educational presentations about the industry.
GREENBURGH, N.Y. — OG Anunoby was limited to partial participation during the New York Knicks’ Wednesday practice session as the team resumed training.
Fortunately for the squad, they have the luxury of time on their side.
The Knicks can afford to be cautious with Anunoby’s hamstring injury recovery since they have several days remaining before their Eastern Conference finals series begins. The injury sidelined him for the final two contests of their second-round series victory over Philadelphia.
Coach Mike Brown reported that the starting forward participated in certain drills but sat out when the team increased practice intensity. Brown noted Anunoby appeared comfortable with his limited activities, though acknowledged a significant difference between practice participation and playoff game demands.
Brown explained he remains uncertain about when Anunoby might increase his activity level, and the team doesn’t know exactly when that will be necessary. The opening game against Detroit or Cleveland might occur Sunday, but the series could be delayed until next week if those teams extend their current 2-2 series to seven games following Wednesday’s Game 5.
“They told me what he could do today. They have not told me what he could do tomorrow, so I don’t know what he’ll be able to do for Game 1,” Brown said.
Anunoby represents a crucial component of the Knicks’ success as an elite defender whose scoring has reached new heights during the current playoff campaign. While the team managed victories without him against a fatigued Philadelphia squad still recovering from their seven-game first-round battle with Boston, defeating the top-seeded Pistons or Cavaliers without him would present significant challenges.
Brown prefers focusing on immediate concerns rather than long-term planning. The Knicks will take Thursday off before returning to practice Friday, when he plans to request another medical update on Anunoby.
“At least for me, I’m taking it one game at a time,” Brown said. “I don’t want to know from medical or anybody else anything beyond that, because when I do that stuff I get my hopes up and I don’t like doing that at all.”
The Knicks have strong reasons for optimism following their impressive first two playoff rounds. They’ve captured seven consecutive victories since trailing Atlanta 2-1 in round one, outscoring the Hawks and 76ers by a combined 194 points — the largest margin in franchise history through 10 postseason games.
After eliminating Atlanta on April 30, they faced Philadelphia on May 4. This break could last more than double that timeframe.
“The first series we had what, four days’ break I think it was? That was good enough,” forward Josh Hart said. “This right now, I think at least a week if not nine days, that’s a long time. So obviously it’s good for recovery, but mentally I’m watching the games, I’m just like just waiting, just waiting to get back out there.”
Brown brings relevant experience to this situation. His Cleveland Cavaliers completed first-round and second-round sweeps in 2009 before waiting over a week for East finals action, which they ultimately lost to Orlando. He also stepped in for an injured Steve Kerr during Golden State’s 2017 postseason run when the Warriors swept their first three series, creating a 10-day gap before the NBA Finals.
“I’ve been part of sweeps, I’ve been part of getting swept and been part of long layoffs and short turnarounds, so you worry about different stuff at different times,” Brown said. “Like, quick turnaround you’re like: ‘Oh my God, we can’t prepare. Oh my god, guys are tired.’ And long layoffs, you’re like, ‘Oh my gosh, we got too much time, we’re not going to stay sharp.’”
He emphasized that extended breaks require creating methods to maintain players’ mental sharpness, and the Knicks feel confident in their approach.
“I think we have our plan,” All-Star Jalen Brunson said. “Obviously utilize rest, but then when we’re in the gym we’re doing everything that we need to do to stay in rhythm, stay having the edge that we need to have, focusing on the things that we need to focus on and continuing to prepare.”
SPARKS, Md. – Salisbury University’s men’s lacrosse program achieved a milestone Wednesday when USA Lacrosse Magazine announced its All-America selections, with the Sea Gulls earning 10 total honors.
The impressive haul matches Tufts University for the highest number of All-America recognitions awarded to a single program by the national publication.
The announcement came Wednesday afternoon from USA Lacrosse Magazine, highlighting the exceptional talent and performance of the Salisbury University lacrosse roster this season.
The Delaware Department of Transportation has a new leader for its transit operations. Secretary Shanté Hastings has chosen Lilia Montoya to serve as the next Chief Executive Officer of the Delaware Transit Corporation, with her tenure beginning July 4, 2026.
Montoya comes to the position with extensive experience spanning more than 20 years in executive roles within public transportation. Her background includes expertise in operations management, organizational development, and strategic planning. Her career has been marked by distinguished service in the transportation sector.
The streaming platform Netflix has struck a significant expanded agreement with the National Football League, securing rights to broadcast five regular season contests annually along with the NFL Honors ceremony through the 2029 season.
The deal, revealed Wednesday during Netflix’s advertising upfront event, builds upon the streaming service’s existing arrangement to carry two Christmas Day contests that began in 2024. Under the new terms, Netflix will broadcast games during opening week, Thanksgiving Eve, Christmas Day (two games), and a 1 p.m. ET Saturday contest during the season’s final week.
Officials confirmed two specific matchups featuring the Los Angeles Rams on Wednesday. Netflix will stream the opening week contest between the Rams and San Francisco 49ers from Melbourne, Australia. Later in the season, the Rams will face the Green Bay Packers in what will mark the league’s inaugural Thanksgiving Eve game on Nov. 25.
Both contests will air during prime time hours in the United States at 8:35 p.m. ET. The season opener is scheduled for Sept. 10 in the U.S., though it will kick off at 10:35 a.m. on Sept. 11 in Australia due to the 14-hour time difference from New York and 17-hour gap from Los Angeles and San Francisco.
The Australia game between NFC West division rivals represents one of nine international contests the NFL plans to stage during the upcoming season. League officials released their complete international schedule Wednesday morning.
“We’ve seen how many fans are already on Netflix, so we thought it was a tremendous opportunity to deepen the partnership, expand the reach of those games, and to do so around tentpole events at the beginning and end of the year with big holidays in the middle, then have them extend into honors and do what Netflix has shown they do so well, which is make big events even bigger,” said Hans Schroeder, the NFL’s executive vice president of media distribution.
The Thanksgiving Eve and final week Saturday games come from four contests the league reclaimed after ESPN purchased NFL Network. YouTube carried the opening week game during the previous season.
The NFL Honors ceremony debuted during the 2012 Super Bowl in Indianapolis as the league’s platform for announcing annual award recipients in a single broadcast. Initially aired the evening before the Super Bowl, the show moved to Thursday of Super Bowl week in 2022. Previously carried by whichever network broadcast the Super Bowl, the ceremony will now reach a global audience through the Netflix partnership.
The NFL Honors presentation features Associated Press awards including Most Valuable Player, Offensive and Defensive Players of the Year, Offensive and Defensive Rookie of the Year, Coach of the Year, Assistant Coach of the Year and Comeback Player of the Year.
The complete schedule, including Christmas Day games, will be announced Thursday evening. The final week Saturday contests, which also feature 4:30 and 8:15 p.m. ET games on ESPN/ABC, won’t be revealed until six days prior as the league prioritizes matchups with playoff significance for those time slots.
League officials finalized the regular season schedule Tuesday morning.
Netflix also revealed that the third season of its documentary series Quarterback will premiere July 14. The upcoming season will follow Washington’s Jayden Daniels, Tampa Bay’s Baker Mayfield, Tennessee’s Cam Ward, who was selected as the top pick in the 2025 draft, and Joe Flacco, who started the season with Cleveland before being traded to Cincinnati.
Florida’s top legal official James Uthmeier has delivered an investigative subpoena to the National Football League concerning the organization’s diversity hiring requirements known as the Rooney Rule.
The state’s attorney general, who previously warned the league about potential legal enforcement in March unless the 23-year-old policy was suspended, delivered the subpoena alongside a formal letter to NFL executive vice president and attorney Ted Ullyot this Wednesday.
“All in all, the Rooney Rule and the NFL’s related ‘inclusive hiring’ policies — and the NFL’s representations about these policies — continue to raise significant concerns under Florida law,” Uthmeier wrote in the letter.
The diversity policy mandates that franchises conduct interviews with no fewer than two minority applicants for head coaching, general manager and coordinator roles. Additionally, teams must interview at least one minority applicant for quarterbacks coach openings.
During league meetings held in Phoenix this past March, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell recognized the shifting political climate surrounding diversity programs nationwide, though he expressed confidence that the league’s approach wouldn’t face legal challenges. “The Rooney Rule has been around a long time,” Goodell said then. “We’ve evolved it, changed it. We’ll continue to do that.”
The league did not provide an immediate response to requests for comment Wednesday.
In his most recent correspondence, Uthmeier praised the organization for modifying the Rooney Rule description on its official website following his initial warning in March, though he noted the changes created additional concerns.
The revised language on the NFL’s website now reads: “The Rooney Rule establishes best practices designed to expand opportunity and strengthen the NFL’s talent pipeline across leadership roles. It is part of a broader effort to develop a deep and sustainable talent pipeline across all levels of the NFL. The policy is intended to ensure that qualified candidates from a wide range of backgrounds are identified and considered for leadership roles.”
The previous website language indicated the Rooney Rule sought to “increase the number of minorities hired” in executive positions and stated that diversity “enriches the game and creates a more effective, quality organization.”
“We appreciate how quickly the NFL changed its website in response to our letter and capitulated on some of their discriminatory hiring quotas,” Uthmeier said. “But their response raises more questions about the Rooney Rule, and we look forward to their cooperation with the investigative subpoena we issued them today.”
In March, Uthmeier’s initial correspondence to Goodell characterized the policy as “blatant race and sex discrimination.”
Bahamian Prime Minister Philip Davis claimed victory for his Progressive Liberal Party on Tuesday evening, earning a second consecutive term in a snap parliamentary election.
Speaking to supporters at a celebration event in Nassau late Tuesday night, Davis emphasized that the electoral success represented more than just a political win for his party, but a triumph for the nation as a whole.
“To Bahamians who voted today, but did not vote for us, I want you to know I’ve listened to you, I’ve heard you and I want you to know that I will continue to work hard for all Bahamians,” Davis told the crowd, standing alongside his wife, Ann Marie, and top party leadership.
Local news outlets reported the PLP appeared positioned to capture over 30 seats out of the 41 available in parliament during Tuesday’s voting. Complete official tallies had not yet been made public.
The outcome represents the first instance of a political party achieving consecutive general election victories in the island nation since 1997.
Davis had already received a concession call from Michael Pintard, the leader of the opposing Free National Movement, before making his victory speech.
Speaking to FNM supporters at party headquarters on election evening, Pintard acknowledged the electoral outcome and said his party respected the voters’ decision.
“The Bahamian people made their choice, in a democracy that is the only voice that ultimately matters,” Pintard stated.
Several Caribbean leaders offered congratulations to Davis following his reelection, including Jamaica’s Prime Minister Andrew Holness and Barbados Prime Minister Mia Mottley, both of whom recently won new terms in their own countries within the past year. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio also extended congratulations on the victory.
This election cycle featured the inaugural voting for representatives from two newly established constituencies: St. James and Bimini and the Berry Islands. The addition of these districts expanded the total parliamentary representation from 39 to 41 seats.
During the prior general election in September 2021, the PLP secured 32 of the available 39 seats, while the FNM claimed the remaining seven positions.
Campaign discussions in the weeks before the election centered on several major concerns, including healthcare system conditions, public safety and crime levels, rising living expenses, and immigration policy matters.
Multiple international organizations deployed election monitoring teams to observe the voting process. The Commonwealth, Organization of American States, U.S. government, and regional partnership CARICOM all sent official observers to oversee the election.
JERUSALEM — Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s governing coalition introduced legislation Wednesday to dissolve parliament, marking the initial formal move toward calling new elections this year.
The legislation paves the way for an official parliamentary vote to dissolve the body and set a date for new elections. Reports from Israeli media outlets indicate the preliminary vote could take place as early as next week.
Netanyahu’s governing coalition is approaching the conclusion of its four-year mandate and is required to conduct new elections no later than the end of October. However, several of Netanyahu’s ultra-Orthodox coalition partners have pressed him to move the election date earlier to the beginning of September.
The legislation specifies that elections must occur “no less than 90 days” following its passage, providing Netanyahu with the ability to select a timing that maximizes his chances of electoral success.
The current coalition has governed during a particularly challenging period that encompassed the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas attacks and subsequent military conflicts in Gaza, Lebanon and Iran. Recent polling data suggests the coalition, which consists of religious and nationalist parties, may face difficulties securing reelection.
QUETTA, Pakistan — Deadly confrontations between security forces and insurgents in Pakistan’s troubled Balochistan province claimed the lives of five military personnel, including an army major, officials announced Wednesday. A banned separatist organization took credit for initiating the attack on government troops.
Military officials reported that security forces had begun operations in Barkhan district to eliminate insurgent fighters that the government in Islamabad alleges receive support from India. The prohibited separatist group known as the Baloch Liberation Army, or BLA, released a statement claiming its members had launched an assault on the troops, which led to intense gunfire.
The military confirmed that an army major was among those killed in action, while also reporting that seven militants died during the confrontation.
Balochistan, Pakistan’s most expansive yet sparsely populated province, is rich in natural resources but has endured ongoing violence from separatist movements and assaults by the Pakistani Taliban. The BLA, which received a terrorist designation from the United States in 2019, has conducted multiple strikes against both security personnel and civilians throughout the region in recent years.
Military officials referred to the deceased militants as participants in “Fitna al-Hindustan,” terminology that Pakistani officials apply to insurgents they claim receive Indian backing.
India has consistently rejected accusations that it provides assistance to militant organizations operating within Pakistan.
WASHINGTON – The Federal Aviation Administration announced Wednesday its plan to invest $16.5 million in transponder technology for airport vehicles following a deadly March incident at LaGuardia airport in New York where an Air Canada Express aircraft collided with a fire truck.
The emergency vehicle involved in the fatal crash was not equipped with a transponder, though the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey has announced plans to outfit all airfield vehicles with the technology. The FAA will begin immediately installing transponders on roughly 1,900 vehicles across 264 airports that currently have or will receive surface awareness technology systems.
Iranian officials carried out the execution Wednesday of a man who had been found guilty of fatally stabbing a police officer with multiple wounds during countrywide demonstrations that took place in early 2026, according to reports from the semi-official Fars news agency.
The rights organization HRANA stated in their report that a legal representative claimed officials prevented independent attorneys from representing the defendant in his case.
Court documents revealed Tuesday that Sam Altman, the head of OpenAI, possesses investments exceeding $2 billion in firms that have conducted business with the artificial intelligence company, as he confronts accusations of conflicts of interest from multiple sources including state prosecutors and Elon Musk, along with a congressional probe.
The investment portfolio details emerged during Tuesday’s court proceedings for Musk’s legal action demanding $150 billion in damages and Altman’s dismissal from his leadership role and board position. Musk’s allegations encompass breach of charitable trust and unjust enrichment. Altman has denied these accusations and testified about removing himself from crucial negotiations involving companies where he held investments.
On the same day, ten state attorneys general requested the Securities and Exchange Commission examine OpenAI documents before an anticipated public stock offering, while the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform recently sought information from Altman regarding OpenAI’s conflict-of-interest policies.
During Tuesday’s proceedings, Musk’s primary attorney Steven Molo presented documentation showing Altman’s ownership stakes in nine firms with OpenAI business relationships and their market valuations as of December 31, 2025.
While Altman lacks direct ownership in OpenAI, he has accumulated a $4 billion fortune through venture capital investments made before and during his OpenAI leadership, according to Forbes calculations. The companies with OpenAI partnerships included a $1.7 billion position in fusion energy firm Helion Energy, a $633 million stake in financial technology company Stripe, and $258 million in longevity pharmaceutical firm Retro Biosciences, all maintaining OpenAI agreements.
The filing also showed Altman had divested his Reddit holdings by late 2025. His Reddit investments were valued at over $600 million when the platform went public in 2024, based on SEC records from that period. Additional companies listed included semiconductor manufacturer Cerebras, workforce management software developer Degree, known as Lattice, artificial intelligence device creator Humane, AI software developer Software Applications and AI pharmaceutical firm Trialspark, now called Formation Bio.
Altman testified he maintained friendships with Helion’s founders and initially invested in 2015. The company, working to construct the world’s first fusion energy facility, currently generates no revenue but carries a private market valuation of $5.4 billion.
According to his testimony, Altman approached OpenAI’s board about partnering with Helion in late 2022 and endorsed it as a beneficial arrangement. Helion initially contracted to provide future energy for OpenAI in 2024. Altman resigned from Helion’s board in March 2026 as the companies pursued a broader partnership.
Regarding the 2024 agreement, Altman stated he was “recused from it on both sides” and did not execute the contract.
Molo argued Altman faced an “obvious conflict” while leading negotiations for a May 2024 content collaboration between OpenAI and Reddit.
“We decided that the board would approve any final terms,” Altman responded. “I had other people in the room with me. This was a well-discussed standard corporate recusal.” Molo also challenged Altman about a $10 billion computing agreement with Cerebras, where Altman maintains a $3.2 million stake.
The attorneys general from Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Idaho, Iowa, Louisiana, Montana, Nebraska, Oklahoma, and West Virginia, all Republicans, informed the SEC that “Altman’s conduct to date raises serious legal questions and demands close scrutiny.” The SEC declined to provide comment.
New York Yankees southpaw Max Fried was forced to leave Wednesday’s game against Baltimore after completing just three innings due to discomfort in his left elbow, according to team officials.
The 32-year-old pitcher will receive a medical evaluation from team physicians and undergo diagnostic imaging on Thursday to assess the injury.
During his abbreviated outing, Fried threw 61 pitches while allowing three runs on five hits and one walk, recording two strikeouts. His earned run average rose to 3.21 following the performance. New York was down 3-0 when Fried departed, with right-hander Paul Blackburn taking over pitching duties in the fourth inning.
Coming into Wednesday’s contest, Fried held a 4-2 record with a 2.91 ERA, having issued 18 walks and recorded 48 strikeouts across 58 2/3 innings pitched. He had faced more batters than any other pitcher in the American League this season with 227.
The veteran hurler has earned All-Star honors three times during his career, receiving the recognition in 2022, 2024 and last season. Over his professional tenure spanning 2009 regular-season appearances (192 as a starter) with Atlanta from 2017-24 and New York since 2025, Fried has compiled a 96-43 record with a 3.03 ERA, 315 walks and 1,110 strikeouts across 1,138 1/3 innings.
The San Diego Padres originally selected Fried as the seventh overall pick in the first round of the 2012 MLB Draft.
A newly released nationwide Education Scorecard reveals that American schools continue working to recover from significant academic setbacks in mathematics and reading skills, while also discovering that these declining trends actually started years before the coronavirus pandemic began.
The comprehensive report highlights how educational institutions across the country are still addressing substantial learning losses, but the data indicates these troubling patterns were already emerging well before COVID-19 disrupted classroom learning nationwide.
Louisiana’s Republican leadership has presented a revised congressional district map following a U.S. Supreme Court ruling that found the existing boundaries violated constitutional standards while simultaneously weakening key provisions of the historic 1965 Voting Rights Act.
Delaware’s Department of Transportation Secretary Shanté Hastings has named Lilia Montoya as the new Chief Executive Officer of the Delaware Transit Corporation (DTC), with her appointment taking effect July 4, 2026.
Montoya comes to Delaware with over 20 years of senior management experience in public transit systems, including expertise in operations oversight, organizational development, and strategic planning. Her career includes leadership roles with major transportation agencies including North County Transit District, Long Beach Transit, Los Angeles Metro, and the Los Angeles Unified School District.
ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia (AP) — French President Emmanuel Macron wrapped up his African tour on Wednesday with discussions in Ethiopia focusing on the long-debated issue of giving Africa a voice on the U.N. Security Council.
The French leader met with Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed before sitting down with African Union Commission Chairperson Mahamoud Ali Youssouf and U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres to talk about making international governance more inclusive.
According to a meeting summary, the officials “recognized the need for African representation.”
Macron’s African journey took him through Egypt, Kenya and Ethiopia, where he advocated for greater African participation in global institutions like the U.N. Security Council.
Speaking at the Africa Forward Summit, which France and Kenya jointly organized and marked the first time the event was held in an English-speaking nation, Macron acknowledged Africa’s need for permanent council positions.
The summit concluded with a peace and security statement that emphasized “the urgent need for a comprehensive reform of the U.N. Security Council to make it more effective and representative.”
African nations have long pushed for permanent membership based on current global demographics, with continental organizations pointing out that a continent with over 1.4 billion residents lacks permanent decision-making authority.
Guterres stated Wednesday that global affairs would improve with a more inclusive U.N. Security Council.
“A Security Council that today does not represent geographically the realities of the world. We have three European permanent members, one North American and one Asian. No Latin American, no African is obviously a Security Council that has a problem of legitimacy, and that brings with it a problem of effectiveness,” he said.
Following Macron’s meeting with Abiy, officials revealed a new $63.9 million loan agreement to support Ethiopia’s renewable energy initiatives and digital transformation efforts.
At the Africa Forward Summit, Macron announced that French government and private investors would commit $27 billion in funding to promote sustainable development throughout the continent.
A puzzling case has emerged in New York City involving a black Pontiac Trans Am resembling the iconic vehicle from the 1980s television show “Knight Rider” – complete with matching license plates and multiple unpaid traffic violations.
The Volo Museum located near Chicago finds itself at the center of this mystery after receiving a $50 traffic citation from New York City. The ticket claims their Knight Rider replica was traveling 36 mph in a 25 mph zone in Brooklyn on April 22, despite the fact that their display car hasn’t been driven in years.
The citation included traffic camera images of a black Trans Am bearing the California license plate KNIGHT – identical to both the television show’s vehicle and the novelty plate on the museum’s unregistered exhibit car. City records indicate this same plate number is connected to five additional unpaid traffic violations in New York City dating back to late 2024.
The process by which city officials connected the license plate to the Illinois museum remains unclear. City representatives had not responded to requests for comment as of Wednesday.
“The fact that we’re legally tied to a movie prop is interesting,” said Jim Wojdyla, the museum’s marketing director. “We’re known for having our Hollywood cars from TV and movies, but I have no idea how we got registered from a ticket in New York to the plates in California to the Volo Museum in Illinois. We’re still trying to figure it out.”
Museum officials have filed a request for a hearing to contest the citation.
“It’s really amusing,” Wojdyla said. “We want to find out who this Knight Rider guy is because, birds of a feather. We just want to know is this from a museum, is this just a guy that built this car as a hobby? And it looks pretty damn accurate. We’d like to meet those guys.”
The original “Knight Rider” series featured David Hasselhoff as a crime-fighting protagonist and aired on NBC between 1982 and 1986. The show’s star was KITT, the black Trans Am equipped with an artificial intelligence system. (KITT is an acronym for Knight Industries Two Thousand). Approximately 20 vehicles were constructed for production, though Road & Track magazine reports only five originals still exist.
Many replica versions exist today, including the museum’s display model. The Facebook group Knight Rider KITT Car Club, dedicated to replica owners, boasts nearly 19,000 members.
Records from the California Department of Motor Vehicles show that an individual with the surname Knight renewed their registration for the KNIGHT license plate in March.
New York City operates up to 750 speed detection cameras under state authorization. These cameras photograph speeding vehicles and their license plates, with Department of Transportation staff reviewing violations and mailing citations to registered owners when vehicles exceed speed limits by more than 10 mph, according to the city’s website.
The Volo Museum has embraced the unusual situation on social media platforms. They recently updated their Facebook page header to read “Home of the Knight Rider KITT that famously got a speeding ticket in New York City without ever leaving its exhibit in Illinois!”
One of their social media posts reads: “Does anyone have Hasselhoff’s number? He owes us $50!!!!”
NORTH BERGEN, N.J. — More than a hundred years ago, construction crews built the first rail tunnel under the Hudson River linking Manhattan and New Jersey using basic hand tools, digging from opposite ends until they connected underground.
Now, a massive new tunnel project representing one of America’s biggest mass transit undertakings in decades and carrying a $16 billion price tag will employ cutting-edge technology for the job.
Enormous automated drilling equipment stretching nearly 400 feet long and equipped with diamond-hard cutting tools will bore through solid rock formations. Teams of approximately 40 workers will manage conveyor belt systems that remove excavated material while simultaneously installing the tunnel’s curved concrete walls.
“This is a fully automated, underground factory,” said James Starace, chief of program delivery for the Gateway Development Commission, a public agency formed by New York and New Jersey that’s undertaking the tunnel project.
Dressed in protective gear and a bright yellow safety jacket, Starace spoke Tuesday while standing in an excavated area carved into the hillside opposite New York City. Above him loomed a massive rock face where, according to current schedules, trains will enter and exit the completed tunnel by 2035, reducing congestion along the country’s most heavily used passenger railway route.
The specialized boring equipment was shipped “like Lego pieces” from Germany in almost 100 separate parts, explained Hamed Nejad, the project’s chief engineer. Near the planned tunnel opening, welding crews worked with flying sparks to assemble sections of the enormous cutting mechanisms.
Danny Pearlstein, a spokesperson for the transit advocacy group Riders Alliance, said America has grown unaccustomed to building megaprojects at this scale, which has contributed to the cost.
“What’s astonishing about Gateway isn’t the size and scope of the project,” Pearlstein said, “but that it’s taken this long to get only so far.”
The drilling equipment is projected to require roughly 12 months to penetrate the initial section through the New Jersey Palisades, composed of hardened volcanic stone, once excavation begins later this year, Starace noted. Progress is expected at approximately 30 feet daily. Additional machines will tunnel beneath the river bottom.
When completed, the new dual-track tunnel will span almost 2.5 miles (4 kilometers). The existing two-track passage, which suffered saltwater damage during Superstorm Sandy, will undergo restoration.
The large-scale project gained essential approvals and financial backing during the Biden administration, but nearly stalled completely several months ago.
The Trump administration halted funding during the recent federal government shutdown, citing concerns that the project was allocating funds based on diversity, equity and inclusion principles.
With financing nearly exhausted in February, a federal judge commanded the administration to release the money. Funding has resumed while a legal challenge filed by New York and New Jersey against the federal government continues in court.
WASHINGTON – Vice President JD Vance expressed optimism Wednesday about ongoing diplomatic discussions with Iran aimed at ending tensions, despite President Donald Trump’s recent dismissal of Tehran’s most recent offer as inadequate.
Speaking to reporters at the White House, Vance stated his belief that headway is being made in the negotiations. “I think that we are making progress. The fundamental question is do we make enough progress that we satisfy the President’s red line?” Vance explained to the press.
The Vice President outlined the administration’s non-negotiable requirement for any potential agreement. “And the red line is very simple. He needs to feel confident that we put a number of protections in place such that Iran will never have a nuclear weapon,” Vance said.
WASHINGTON, May 13 – Federal aviation safety investigators issued new recommendations Wednesday for enhanced pilot preparation to handle cockpit smoke emergencies, prompted by a frightening incident last year.
The National Transportation Safety Board referenced a 2023 Southwest Airlines Boeing 737-8 flight where the aircraft struck a bird with its left engine, causing smoke to quickly flood the pilot area. The safety board warned that “If such an event occurred at night or in instrument meteorological conditions, the consequences could be catastrophic.”
LONDON – A ceremonial elephant wasn’t part of Wednesday’s State Opening of Parliament in Britain, but a metaphorical one dominated the proceedings as Prime Minister Keir Starmer faced an escalating leadership crisis.
The traditional parliamentary ceremony unfolded against the backdrop of mounting pressure on Starmer to step down, with speculation swirling that a leadership challenge could remove him from office before summer arrives and derail his newly established governmental agenda.
Following significant defeats for his Labour Party in recent local and regional voting, Starmer had endured increasing demands for his resignation and hoped the ceremonial event featuring King Charles would help him regain control and “get on with the job of changing our country for the better.”
CHALLENGING CIRCUMSTANCES FOR THE PM
An already demanding day – requiring Starmer to interact publicly with political adversaries who had been celebrating his difficulties – became more complicated around 1000 GMT when troubling news emerged.
Reports from The Times indicated that Wes Streeting, Starmer’s health minister and considered his most formidable potential challenger, was preparing to step down and initiate a leadership battle.
This development occurred as King Charles, wearing full ceremonial military attire alongside Queen Camilla, was still traveling to parliament in the royal carriage.
Representatives for Streeting declined immediate comment, though they had previously stated he preferred not to overshadow the King’s Speech.
CEREMONY CONTINUES DESPITE TURMOIL
Shortly afterward, Starmer guided a group of legislators from the House of Commons to the House of Lords, participating in the elaborate, time-honored tradition of parliamentary reopening that occurs annually.
During the formal door-knocking portion of the ceremony, one legislator quipped “Not now, Andy,” referencing Andy Burnham, another potential leadership contender who serves as mayor of Greater Manchester and therefore couldn’t participate in the proceedings.
Camera coverage captured the prime minister engaging in awkward conversation with Kemi Badenoch, the Conservative Party’s opposition leader, who had recently suggested on social media that Starmer would be fortunate to remain in office for two weeks, much less two years.
Members of his own party – nearly 25 percent of whom reportedly want his resignation – walked behind him during the procession.
King Charles subsequently delivered remarks prepared by Starmer’s administration, outlining their objectives for the coming year.
The monarch concluded his address by saying: “I pray that the blessing of Almighty God may rest upon your counsels.”
The United States Senate approved Kevin Warsh on Wednesday to serve as the next chairman of the Federal Reserve, clearing the path for the former central bank official to assume leadership of the nation’s monetary policy.
The 56-year-old lawyer and financier will inherit significant economic challenges, including rising inflation pressures and financial markets uncertain about future interest rate policy direction. President Donald Trump has publicly advocated for reduced interest rates, while oil price increases linked to the Iran conflict have shifted investor sentiment toward potential rate hikes before year’s end. The central bank currently maintains short-term borrowing rates between 3.50% and 3.75%.
Tuesday’s Senate action confirmed Warsh for a 14-year Federal Reserve governor position before Wednesday’s chair approval for a four-year leadership term. Final paperwork from the Senate awaits White House approval for his official swearing-in ceremony. Jerome Powell’s chairmanship concludes this Friday.
The incoming chairman has outlined plans for significant changes at the Federal Reserve, describing his approach as “regime change.” His strategy includes strengthening collaboration with the Treasury Department and Trump administration on non-monetary matters while pursuing a reduced balance sheet, which he believes would enable lower policy rates.
Market analysts offered varied perspectives on Warsh’s confirmation:
Ryan Swift, chief U.S. bond strategist at BCA Research in Montreal, expressed concern about inflation expectations. “There is a big risk right now in terms of inflation expectations. If you look at something like a 10-year TIPS breakeven inflation rate, it’s still reasonably well-anchored and consistent with inflation returning to target over time. But it has been rising recently, and it’s certainly near the top end of that range since 2023,” Swift said. He warned that dovish statements from Warsh about rate cuts could destabilize bond markets and inflation expectations.
“Now that he is confirmed he has the job. I’d be pretty surprised if he starts arguing in favor of rate cuts anytime soon. I’d be pretty shocked if he does that, because I would say that’s it’s really hard to build an economic case for that argument,” Swift added.
Phil Blancato, chief market strategist at Osaic in New York, suggested investors view the confirmation as indicating a more inflation-focused Federal Reserve. “Markets are likely viewing Kevin Warsh’s confirmation as signaling a more inflation-focused Fed, given his long-standing criticism that policymakers stayed too loose for too long after the pandemic,” Blancato noted.
He added that Warsh’s leadership might favor reduced market intervention and a smaller Fed balance sheet, while Powell’s continued board presence could moderate abrupt policy changes. “The bigger market question is whether he governs independently or aligns more closely with White House pressure for lower rates, especially as Trump has publicly pushed for cuts,” Blancato said.
Chris Beauchamp, chief market analyst at IG Group in London, anticipated potential challenges ahead. “It’s going to be entertaining to say the least If Warsh has to end up raising rates at some point this year,” Beauchamp observed, noting that inflation data is putting officials on notice about returning price pressures.
Jim Baird, chief investment officer at Plante Moran Financial Advisors in Michigan, emphasized the complex environment Warsh faces. “As incoming chairman Warsh rolls up his sleeves to get to work, he has some challenges ahead of him. He’s not coming into a placid environment,” Baird said, highlighting inflation and employment balance challenges.
Baird noted that many inflation factors cannot be addressed simply through rate increases. “Raising rates isn’t going to lower global oil prices. You’ve got energy costs. You’ve got tariffs and the impact of a relatively tight labor market,” he explained.
Paul Nolte, senior wealth advisor at Murphy & Sylvest Wealth Management in Illinois, emphasized the importance of Warsh’s future actions over past statements. “The confirmation and the confirmation hearings are always interesting theater. I’m going to be a lot more interested to see what he has to say once he goes through the first meeting in June and has a press conference,” Nolte said.
Despite Warsh’s historically hawkish positions on balance sheet reduction and quantitative easing, Nolte believes he will follow economic data in making decisions. “I truly believe he is going to be, as many Fed governors, following the data,” he concluded.
Merger and acquisition activity in America’s upstream oil and gas industry reached $38 billion during the first quarter of this year, representing the strongest quarterly performance in two years, according to analytics firm Enverus announced Wednesday.
The surge was driven largely by the completion of a major merger between shale producer Devon and smaller competitor Coterra, which finalized their combination last week after revealing their consolidation plans in February. The transaction carried a $25 billion price tag and represented the majority of first-quarter deal activity.
The two energy companies have operations spanning several shale formations, including assets in the Delaware section of the Permian Basin across Texas and New Mexico, as well as Oklahoma’s Anadarko Basin.
Transaction activity experienced a significant decline in March as oil price fluctuations intensified following strikes by U.S. and Israeli forces against Iran in February, which sparked wider Middle East tensions and disrupted maritime traffic through the Strait of Hormuz.
From the conflict’s beginning on February 28, international Brent crude benchmark prices have fluctuated dramatically between a floor of $77.74 per barrel and a peak of $118.35.
Despite the March slowdown, elevated oil prices are expected to fuel renewed dealmaking by allowing more private exploration and production firms to pursue sales opportunities while supporting ongoing industry consolidation, Enverus reported.
“The market entered a temporary holding pattern as volatility clouded the outlook for oil prices, but the case for higher-for-longer oil prices is strengthening and creating the setup for an M&A rebound,” stated Andrew Dittmar, principal analyst at Enverus Intelligence Research.
“We are likely heading into another tsunami of consolidation as higher oil prices supercharge both private companies going to market and public E&P appetite for deals, both corporate consolidation and private asset sales,” he continued.
Additional significant transactions included Mitsubishi’s acquisition of Aethon Energy for $7.6 billion, representing the Japanese company’s largest transaction to date as it works to enhance its natural gas supply operations.
The latest federal agricultural statistics show positive trends in the United States poultry sector, with increases reported in both egg setting and chick placement activities.
According to new data from the National Agricultural Statistics Service, the number of broiler-type eggs placed for hatching across the country rose by 2 percent during the reporting period.
Meanwhile, the placement of broiler-type chicks throughout the United States increased by 3 percent, indicating continued growth in poultry production operations nationwide.
These figures reflect the ongoing activity within America’s commercial poultry industry, which supplies chicken meat to consumers across the country.
NEW YORK — The New York Islanders’ Matthew Schaefer has captured the Calder Trophy as the NHL’s top rookie, earning every first-place vote in the process.
The NHL presented him with the honor on Wednesday.
Schaefer, who was selected first overall in the draft, emerged as the leading candidate for the award almost immediately after his first game on opening night in Pittsburgh. The defenseman netted 23 goals, matching Brian Leetch’s milestone for most goals by a first-year defenseman, while accumulating 59 total points.
The 18-year-old emerged as the centerpiece of the Islanders organization and contributed to their postseason bid, though the team came up short during the final weeks of the regular season. He captured all 198 first-place votes for the Calder Trophy.
Ivan Demidov from Montreal finished as the runner-up, while Anaheim’s Bennett Sennecke claimed third place in the balloting conducted by the Professional Hockey Writers Association.
A rare triangular-shaped diamond weighing 5.5 carats has shattered auction records after selling for more than 13.5 million Swiss francs ($17.3 million) at a Geneva sale on Wednesday, according to Christie’s auction house.
Known as the “Ocean Dream,” the extraordinary gem was described as the largest fancy vivid blue-green diamond known to exist. The stone, which originated from Central Africa during the 1990s, commanded a record-breaking price for its category at auction.
The final sale price significantly exceeded Christie’s pre-auction projections of 7-10 million francs (approximately $9-13 million). According to Rahul Kadakia, president of Christie’s Asia Pacific, an unnamed private collector purchased the diamond after about 20 minutes of bidding, suggesting strong buyer interest.
The Wednesday sale represents more than double the approximately $8.5 million the same gem commanded when Christie’s previously sold it in 2014. The diamond had been showcased at the Smithsonian Splendour of Diamonds Exhibition in 2003 among other exceptional colored stones.
“A stellar result worthy of the world’s rarest blue-green diamond,” commented Tobias Kormind, managing director of online jeweler 77 Diamonds.
Meanwhile, a competing auction at Sotheby’s on Tuesday failed to find a buyer for a six-carat fancy vivid blue diamond from South Africa’s renowned Cullinan mine. The stone had been expected to sell for between 7.2 million and 9.6 million francs ($9.2 million to $12.3 million).
“Although the diamond didn’t find a buyer during the auction, we are now in conversations with several interested parties and are confident that it will find a new home soon,” Sotheby’s stated.
According to both auction houses, collectors are showing growing interest in rare colored diamonds, which represent only a small percentage of diamonds extracted worldwide.
JERUSALEM (AP) — The office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced Wednesday that the leader conducted a covert trip to the United Arab Emirates while the Iran conflict was underway.
During his time there, Netanyahu held discussions with UAE President Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, according to a statement from the Israeli leader’s office. The statement indicated that the trip “resulted in a historic breakthrough in relations between Israel and the United Arab Emirates.”
This disclosure follows Tuesday’s revelation by U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee that Israel had provided Iron Dome air-defense systems to the UAE, complete with Israeli personnel to manage their operation.
UAE officials have not issued any statement regarding the alleged visit from the Israeli Prime Minister.
Environmental advocates believe the anticipated shutdown of an immigration detention facility located in Florida’s Everglades within the coming month or two is strategically timed, coinciding with their legal challenge returning to a federal judge who had previously mandated its closure.
Last month, a federal appeals court ruled to temporarily maintain operations at the detention facility known as “Alligator Alcatraz,” overturning a lower court ruling that had ordered the facility to cease operations. However, the case has been returned to the original district judge who will now oversee the ongoing legal proceedings regarding the facility’s future.
“Knowing that the same district judge who previously enjoined the operation would soon reassume oversight — the defendants are now effectively waving the white flag,” said Paul Schwiep, an attorney for the environmental groups that had sued, saying the facility’s construction hadn’t undergone a required environmental review.
During questioning about the state-operated facility and its expenses on Wednesday, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis stated he had not received any “official word” that federal authorities plan to cease sending detainees to the center.
However, suppliers and contractors working with the facility have been informed that operations could end as early as next month, according to Tuesday reports from The New York Times and CBS News Miami. The Florida Department of Emergency Management, which oversees the detention center, did not respond to email requests for comment on Wednesday. The Republican governor’s press secretary, Molly Best, directed facility-related questions to the state emergency management agency.
“We didn’t build any permanent facilities down there because we knew it was going to be temporary,” DeSantis said Wednesday at a news conference in Titusville, Florida.
The facility was established by DeSantis’ administration last July to assist with immigration enforcement efforts under the administration of President Donald Trump, who toured the detention center during the summer. Legal representation for two detainees has alleged that guards subjected detainees to severe beatings and pepper spray attacks. Additional detainees have reported finding worms in meals, non-functioning toilets, and widespread presence of mosquitoes and other insects.
“This monument to cruelty, waste and environmental and tribal lands abuse should have never been built,” U.S. Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz, a Democrat from Florida, said Tuesday.
Friends of the Everglades and the Center for Biological Diversity filed suit against state and federal officials shortly after the facility began operations, arguing that the remote airstrip location in the Everglades did not receive proper environmental assessment mandated by federal law before being converted into an immigration detention center. U.S. District Judge Kathleen Williams in Miami sided with the plaintiffs and ruled in August that the facility must cease operations within two months.
The appeals court halted that ruling, determining that the Florida-operated facility was not under federal jurisdiction and therefore exempt from federal environmental impact assessment requirements.
However, the appellate court specified that once Florida receives federal reimbursement for the facility, it would need to follow federal environmental regulations, Schwiep explained.
DeSantis announced Tuesday that the state anticipates receiving $608 million in federal reimbursement, which FEMA has already approved.
The Delaware Department of State has confirmed that Dr. Annie Norman will be stepping down from her leadership role with the state’s library system.
Norman has served as the head of the Delaware Division of Libraries since taking the position in 2002, marking more than two decades of service to the state’s public library network.
The announcement of her retirement was made public by state officials, though specific details about her departure date and succession plans were not immediately provided.
WASHINGTON — Senate Republicans once more prevented Democratic war powers legislation from advancing on Wednesday, though opposition to President Donald Trump’s military conflict with Iran continues expanding within GOP ranks.
Alaska’s Republican Sen. Lisa Murkowski cast her first vote opposing the war since hostilities commenced in late February. She joined two other GOP senators, Susan Collins of Maine and Rand Paul of Kentucky, who had previously voted against the military action.
The war powers measure fell short by a 49-50 margin, with Pennsylvania’s Sen. John Fetterman serving as the lone Democrat in opposition. Despite the defeat, the narrow vote count demonstrates mounting Republican concerns about the conflict’s direction, with multiple GOP senators indicating they want congressional input on the war’s trajectory.
Virginia Democratic Sen. Tim Kaine, who has led his party’s strategy of repeatedly forcing war votes, predicted before the tally: “There will be a day — and it might be soon, I believe — where this Senate will say to the president, ‘Stop this war.’”
While Senate passage remains unlikely, and House approval plus a Trump veto would certainly follow, Democrats maintain these votes create political pressure for the president to either end the conflict or seek proper congressional war authorization.
The White House continues asserting it requires no congressional approval for the military campaign and has bypassed legal mandates requiring legislative consent to maintain operations. Administration officials claim they have “terminated” Iranian hostilities by entering a ceasefire arrangement.
This stance has generated friction between the Republican-led Congress and the executive branch, as the 1973 War Powers Resolution mandates presidents obtain legislative authorization within 60 days of military engagement.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth informed legislators this week that renewed attacks on Iran could commence without seeking congressional approval. During Tuesday’s hearing, he told Murkowski the Trump administration possesses “all the authorities necessary.”
Murkowski expressed doubt about this position, referencing deployed military personnel and naval vessels in the region while stating: “It doesn’t appear that hostilities have ended.”
Republican leadership maintains support for the Iranian military action, contending that the Strait of Hormuz standoff blocking commercial shipping creates greater economic hardship for Iran than America.
“Iran’s economy is on life support. Its leadership is eliminated,” declared Sen. John Barrasso, the second-ranking Republican leader, during Wednesday’s floor remarks.
Barrasso also characterized Democratic war efforts as attempts to undermine Trump, arguing that pressing the issue during his China summit visit would “pull out the rug from under him.”
Nevertheless, Republicans show growing concern about elevated fuel costs, particularly with November elections approaching.
South Dakota Republican Sen. Mike Rounds said Wednesday he would prefer both government branches resolve constitutional questions through cooperation rather than congressional war votes or court challenges.
Both sides should meet and acknowledge “we have shared constitutional responsibilities,” Rounds explained.
Democrats intend to continue weekly war powers votes while seeking Trump restrictions during upcoming military authorization and funding legislation debates.
Oregon Democratic Sen. Jeff Merkley, who sponsored Wednesday’s resolution, told reporters he observes an “erosion of support, erosion of enthusiasm, an increase in skepticism” regarding the war among Republicans.
Scientists have made a remarkable discovery that challenges our understanding of ancient human relatives. A Neanderthal tooth found in a Siberian cave shows clear evidence of dental surgery performed approximately 59,000 years ago – tens of thousands of years before modern humans began similar procedures.
The ancient molar, discovered at Chagyrskaya Cave in Russia’s Altai Mountains, belonged to a Neanderthal who suffered from severe tooth pain caused by a deep cavity. Rather than endure the agony, someone deliberately drilled into the tooth using a small stone tool to remove the decay and provide relief.
According to archaeologist Ksenia Kolobova of the Institute of Archaeology and Ethnography of the Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, this represents the earliest-known example of invasive dental surgery. Her team published their findings Wednesday in the journal PLOS One.
“This is important because it proves Neanderthals possessed sophisticated cognitive abilities, including planning, precise motor skills and deliberate medical strategy, challenging the outdated view that such complex behavior was exclusive to modern humans,” Kolobova said.
The procedure would have required significant skill and understanding. “The procedure required diagnosing the source of pain, understanding that removing decayed tissue could bring relief, deliberately selecting an appropriate stone tool and executing precise drilling with controlled finger movements,” Kolobova explained.
Researchers determined the surgery was intentional by examining the tooth’s central hole, which extends into the pulp chamber where nerves and blood vessels were located. The hole’s distinctive shape and microscopic markings indicate deliberate modification rather than accidental damage. Evidence of continued wear suggests the individual lived for an extended period after the procedure.
To confirm their theory, scientists conducted experiments on modern human teeth using stone tools similar to those found in the same cave. They successfully recreated holes with identical patterns and microscopic grooves.
The tooth belonged to an adult Neanderthal, though researchers cannot determine the individual’s gender. Study lead author Alisa Zubova of the Peter the Great Museum of Anthropology and Ethnography in St. Petersburg noted that the treatment approach aligns with modern understanding of treating deep cavities.
“This is consistent with modern understanding of the treatment of deep carious lesions,” Zubova said.
Previously, the oldest evidence of dental surgery was a modern human tooth from Italy dating to about 14,000 years ago, making this Neanderthal discovery significantly older.
The cave site has yielded a wealth of information about Neanderthal life. These ancient relatives of modern humans occupied Chagyrskaya Cave between roughly 59,000 and 49,000 years ago, using it as a base camp for processing bison and horse meat, as well as a living space where they raised children.
Study co-author Lydia Zotkina, a traceologist at the Institute of Archaeology and Ethnography, emphasized the remarkable endurance required for such a procedure.
“It seems to me that this is also evidence of astonishing willpower. Do you know many people who could perform such an operation without anesthesia or special equipment? Or those who could endure it themselves? Every time I think about this, I am filled with admiration,” Zotkina said.
The drilling covered nearly the entire chewing surface of the molar. Experimental testing showed that a rotating or hand-drilling motion with a small stone tool would have been most effective. Zotkina conducted her experiments using a jasper tool, similar to those discovered in the cave from the Neanderthal period.
Researchers also found evidence that Neanderthals, including this individual, used toothpicks to clean food from their teeth, suggesting regular dental hygiene practices.
The discovery adds to growing evidence that Neanderthals were intelligent beings who created art, used complex hunting strategies, developed symbolic objects, and communicated through spoken language. These robust relatives of modern humans, characterized by larger brows and stronger builds, vanished approximately 40,000 years ago, though most people today carry traces of their DNA due to ancient interbreeding.
Scientists speculate that the drilled cavity might have been filled with a substance like wax, though no such evidence remains.
Louisiana authorities have reached a tentative $4.8 million agreement with relatives of Ronald Greene, an unarmed Black man who lost his life during a brutal encounter with law enforcement officers in May 2019, according to state police and news reports.
Authorities originally claimed Greene died while operating his vehicle, but body camera video released in 2021 showed white officers striking Greene while he was handcuffed after he crashed his vehicle following a high-speed pursuit. The footage also captured officers dragging him along the pavement by his shackled ankles and using stun guns on him while he pleaded, “I’m scared.”
Greene’s death contributed to nationwide discussions about police violence, particularly against Black men, which ultimately sparked “Black Lives Matter” demonstrations throughout the United States and around the globe in 2020.
The settlement amount was disclosed Tuesday evening by the Associated Press, which cited two sources familiar with the agreement.
Louisiana State Police stated they were “unable to discuss the terms of the settlement at this time, as the process has not yet been finalized,” according to spokesperson Lieutenant Kate Stegall in a Wednesday email.
A lawyer representing Greene’s family did not return phone calls or respond to email requests for comment.
A grand jury brought charges against five Louisiana law enforcement officers in 2022 on counts including negligent homicide and malfeasance related to Greene’s death, though those charges were subsequently reduced.
In January 2025, just before President Joe Biden’s term ended, the Justice Department informed Greene’s family they would not pursue federal criminal charges in the matter.
During that same period, the department issued a report stating “Greene’s death and its aftermath demonstrated serious failures at LSP — excessive force, improper supervision, ineffective training, and breakdowns in accountability.”
The report noted that police had implemented some positive reforms following Greene’s death, but recommended additional changes including enhanced training, specifically focusing on less aggressive tactics before resorting to force.
The technology company Broadcom announced Wednesday it has taken European Union competition authorities to court, challenging their demands for confidential legal documents from the firm’s American attorneys.
The lawsuit, filed with the General Court in Luxembourg, which serves as Europe’s second-highest judicial body, centers on an ongoing investigation related to VMware, a company Broadcom purchased in 2023.
In a statement sent via email, Broadcom described the legal action as a procedural measure designed to safeguard its rights. “This filing is a procedural action solely to protect Broadcom’s rights under the long-recognized rules on legal professional privilege in non-EU countries, including the U.S.,” the company explained.
The firm emphasized its stance on attorney-client confidentiality, stating: “As a U.S.-headquartered company with global operations, Broadcom regards legal professional privilege as a fundamental right that must be protected and our action is narrowly tailored to address only this interest.” The company noted it continues to work with the European Commission on other information requests.
Attorney-client privilege serves to shield private conversations between legal counsel and clients when those discussions involve seeking or providing legal guidance. However, the application of these protections differs across various legal systems.
Within the European Union, such protections extend only to conversations between companies and outside legal counsel, excluding communications with internal attorneys.
The European Commission, which serves as the EU’s competition enforcement body, indicated its willingness to defend its actions in court proceedings.
Earlier this year in March, lobbying organization CISPE filed an EU competition complaint against Broadcom, urging regulators to halt the company’s decision to discontinue its VMware Cloud Service Provider programme across Europe.
CISPE, representing nearly 50 member organizations throughout Europe and including Microsoft and Amazon as associate participants, has previously challenged the Commission in court over its approval of the VMware acquisition. The group criticized Broadcom’s current legal challenge.
“Broadcom cannot demand complete disclosure from CISPE members affected by its practices while simultaneously maintaining opacity around its own internal communications and relevant evidence in the ongoing anti-trust investigation,” the organization stated.
Mexico’s national oil company Pemex announced Wednesday that an employee who was hurt in a refinery blast has died from his injuries. The worker passed away Tuesday night while being transported to receive medical treatment, according to a company statement.
According to Mexican publication Milenio, the Pemex employee Victor Hugo Lopez Matus sustained severe third-degree burns across 80% of his body when an explosion occurred in the cooling tower at the Hidros II facility, based on medical documentation.
The oil company’s official statement did not verify the worker’s name. Pemex has not yet responded to requests for additional information.
On Monday night, Pemex acknowledged that flames erupted in a cooling tower within the 325,000-barrel-per-day facility located at the Port of Salina Cruz in Oaxaca, stating the blaze had been completely put out.
The corporation reported that six individuals sustained injuries and were transported for hospital care.
Mexico’s state-owned oil enterprise was compelled to temporarily halt operations at the refinery following Monday’s fire incident, based on information from a knowledgeable source and industry tracking service IIR Energy.
Salisbury, MD – City officials in Salisbury are advancing plans for a recreational enhancement project at Lake Street Park designed to provide residents with improved opportunities for safe outdoor activities in their neighborhood.
The initiative, funded by federal Community Development Block Grant Coronavirus (CDBG-CV) money, will feature a walking path that circles the park’s border following the current fence perimeter. This dedicated route will serve walkers, runners and others seeking outdoor recreation. The plan also calls for installing eight fitness stations positioned along the pathway, each equipped with benches to offer spots for workouts, relaxation and community gathering. The design allows Salisbury citizens to access outdoor exercise equipment while keeping appropriate social distance.
Officials anticipate the work will wrap up by May’s conclusion, depending on weather conditions.
Installing outdoor fitness gear delivers cost-free and easily reachable exercise options right into the community, eliminating obstacles to healthy activities for people across all age groups. The equipment is planned to promote physical activity and regular park usage without needing transportation or gym membership.
“This project is an investment in the health, wellness and quality of life of this neighborhood and our community as a whole. We are proud to continue investing in projects that strengthen our neighborhoods and expand recreational opportunities throughout Salisbury,” said Mayor Randy Taylor.
The Lake Street Trail Project demonstrates the City’s ongoing commitment to enhancing neighborhood parks and community areas that boost residents’ quality of life, promote active lifestyles and create opportunities for meaningful community connections.
Summer break doesn’t have to mean putting books aside! The Delaware Farm Bureau Women’s Committee has launched an initiative encouraging young readers to cultivate their love of literature during the warmer months while building essential literacy skills and finding excitement in storytelling.
Through this summer program, youngsters can receive complimentary ice cream from the Delaware Farm Bureau food stand at the Delaware State Fair simply by completing 10 books during their vacation.
Children from Pre-K through eighth grade are eligible to join by finishing 10 books throughout the summer months, filling out the designated Reading Challenge document, and turning it in either at the Delaware Farm Bureau food stand during the state fair or directly to the organization’s main office before August 1, 2026. Those who successfully finish the program will be rewarded with a single scoop of ice cream from the food stand at the fair.
The Delaware Farm Bureau Women’s Committee remains committed to community support, particularly focusing on young people. Annually, the group operates the organization’s food stand during the Delaware State Fair, using the revenue to fund their yearly scholarship awards and additional youth programs.
“We wanted to create something that makes reading exciting and rewarding for kids,” said Mollie Lynch, Chair of the DEFB Women’s Committee. “There’s nothing better than finishing a great book and celebrating with a scoop of ice cream at the Fair.”
The Delaware Farm Bureau food stand will operate from noon until 11:00 p.m. on July 23, then continue daily from 7:00 a.m. through 11:00 p.m. from July 24 until August 1.
Challenge forms can be downloaded from https://defb.org/summer-reading-challenge/, or printed versions are available for pickup at the Delaware Farm Bureau main office at 3457 S. Dupont Hwy, Camden, DE 19934.
Those with questions regarding the Reading Challenge may reach out to Delaware Farm Bureau Women’s Committee Chair Mollie Lynch at [email protected] or contact the main office at 302-697-3183.
Nearly 30,000 United Airlines flight attendants voted Tuesday to approve a groundbreaking five-year labor agreement that delivers their first salary increases in six years and establishes boarding compensation for pre-flight duties.
The contract provides an average 31% salary boost this summer, boarding compensation worth an additional 7% to 8% annually, and $741 million in back pay, the Association of Flight Attendants announced.
“The contract will immediately change the lives of United Flight Attendants, especially our thousands of new hires who have been hired since the pandemic,” said Ken Diaz, president of the union’s United chapter. “Our solidarity delivered the goods.”
Additional benefits include enhanced job protection, limitations on overnight flights, compensation for extended delays exceeding 2.5 hours, increased retirement contributions, 10 weeks of paid parental leave, and elimination of 24-hour standby reserve duty.
United CEO Scott Kirby and union representatives describe the mediated agreement as establishing new industry standards.
“The United Airlines Flight Attendant contract now leads the industry in total value for Flight Attendants — and it should,” said Sara Nelson, president of the AFA, which represents more than 55,000 flight attendants across 20 airlines.
Kirby praised the agreement on LinkedIn, stating United is “lucky to have the best flight attendants in the world to represent our airline!”
“I am very happy that they now have the industry-leading contract that they deserve,” he said.
Historically, airlines did not compensate flight attendants during passenger boarding, despite crew members helping travelers, managing seating conflicts, handling baggage issues, performing safety inspections, and preparing cabins for takeoff.
Delta Air Lines pioneered boarding compensation among U.S. carriers in 2022, with American Airlines and Alaska Airlines following suit.
The boarding pay issue gained international attention last August when approximately 10,000 Air Canada flight attendants staged a walkout, forcing the cancellation of over 3,100 flights. The strike concluded with an agreement that included passenger boarding compensation.
WASHINGTON — Foreign soccer fans holding World Cup tickets will no longer need to post bonds of up to $15,000 to enter the United States, according to a State Department announcement made to The Associated Press Wednesday.
Last year, the department established bond requirements for visitors from nations with elevated visa overstay rates and security concerns as part of stricter immigration enforcement. Citizens from 50 countries must pay these bonds, including five World Cup participants: Algeria, Cabo Verde, Côte d’Ivoire, Senegal and Tunisia.
Assistant Secretary of State for Consular Affairs Mora Namdar stated, “The United States is excited to organize the biggest and best FIFA World Cup in history. We are waiving visa bonds for qualified fans who bought World Cup tickets” and enrolled in the FIFA Pass system for expedited visa processing as of April 15.
This represents an uncommon relaxation of immigration policies under the current administration and will reduce travel obstacles for some visitors attending the tournament, which kicks off June 11 across the United States, Canada and Mexico.
Team athletes, coaching staff and certain personnel were already excluded from bond payments under previous directives prioritizing World Cup visa processing. Regular ticket holders had remained subject to the requirement until this week’s announcement.
The current administration has implemented significant immigration restrictions that opponents argue conflict with the inclusive spirit typically associated with international sporting competitions like the World Cup.
Travel prohibitions affect visitors from Iran and Haiti, though World Cup team members and support staff receive exemptions. Partial restrictions under an expanded travel ban also impact travelers from qualifying nations Côte d’Ivoire and Senegal.
Additional requirements now mandate foreign visitors provide social media account histories, while Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents have been stationed at airports during recent Transportation Security Administration staffing issues.
These policies led Amnesty International and numerous U.S. civil rights organizations to publish a “World Cup travel advisory” cautioning visitors about the current U.S. environment.
A recent report from the primary U.S. hotel industry advocacy group attributed “significantly suppressed international demand” to visa obstacles and geopolitical tensions, resulting in tournament hotel reservations well below original projections.
The American Hotel & Lodging Association cited traveler concerns about extended visa processing times, higher fees, and uncertainty surrounding entry procedures.
The bond system aims to address visa overstays by requiring payments of $5,000, $10,000 or $15,000 from designated countries. Funds are returned when travelers follow visa terms or if applications are rejected.
By early April, approximately 250 World Cup fans were estimated to be impacted by the bond requirement, according to unnamed U.S. officials. However, they noted this figure fluctuates as ticket sales continue and some purchasers decide against traveling.
FIFA had formally requested the exemption, which required approval from both the State Department and Department of Homeland Security following months of discussions at the White House and throughout Washington, officials confirmed.
Professional basketball officials are whistling approximately 11% more personal fouls per game during this year’s postseason compared to the regular season, creating a gap that ranks among the most significant in league history.
According to the NBA, this increase is completely normal.
Despite ongoing criticism from players and coaches that surfaces every postseason, the league’s senior vice president of referee development and training openly admits there’s a clear distinction between regular-season and playoff basketball — something everyone in the organization would agree with.
However, Monty McCutchen maintains that officiating principles remain unchanged during the playoffs.
“It would be very difficult on our players, on our coaches, most certainly on our referees, if the intensity of a seven-game series that we see in the playoffs exhibited itself over 82 games,” McCutchen said at the NBA draft combine. “NBA playoff basketball is one of the great spectacles of all sport in my opinion. You get the combination of the passion and strength of our players and coaching staffs in tight spaces over seven-game series. And I think that that absolutely makes for a different game.”
With postseason stakes elevated, every moment receives heightened examination and tempers naturally flare.
— San Antonio star Victor Wembanyama received an ejection from a playoff contest this week for elbowing Minnesota’s Naz Reid, prompting Spurs coach Mitch Johnson to note his 7-foot-4 player constantly faces excessive physical contact that eventually forces a response. “At some level, you have to protect yourself,” Johnson said. “Every single play on every single part of the floor, people are trying to impose their physicality on him. I get it. We get it. That’s part of the game.”
— Austin Reaves and the Los Angeles Lakers conducted an unplanned discussion at center court with officials following a playoff defeat in Oklahoma City to express their concerns.
— Cleveland coach Kenny Atkinson noted that Cavs star guard Donovan Mitchell rarely reached the free-throw line during Games 1 and 2 against Detroit; Mitchell attempted 11 free throws total in those contests (both Cleveland defeats) but averaged 11.5 attempts in the following two games (both Cleveland victories). This observation prompted Pistons coach J.B. Bickerstaff to respond after Game 4.
These represent just a few instances.
“Standing up for your team is a job descriptor of an NBA head coach and most certainly I don’t begrudge a head coach the desire to represent for himself, his team, most certainly his players,” McCutchen said. “That’s part of the voice of an NBA head coach that I have an understanding of. My job is to take those commentaries and decide or see what is true and what is avocation. And now, even if it is true, it’s very important that I’m not putting my foot on the scale of a series.”
Postseason officials — not every referee receives playoff duties, and the group of working officials shrinks after each round based on evaluation — review game footage afterward, identical to regular-season procedures. Every decision undergoes assessment, and McCutchen has repeatedly stated in recent years that the league’s officiating staff continuously works toward improvement.
“We’re not putting our whistles in our pocket,” McCutchen said. “That being said, I think it’s fair to debate, talk about passionately, like many of our fans and people in the media do, about whether that’s the appropriate enough of whistles to blow. But we are trying to meet the moments of the passion of the playoffs in a way that upholds our standards.”
This typically results in additional calls. The NBA has experienced rising foul calls from regular season to playoffs for the 66th occasion in its 80-year existence. This season shows a differential exceeding 10% for just the sixth time in the past 60 years. (The five largest increases in that gap, spanning from 13% to 17%, all occurred between 1949 and 1955.)
McCutchen views the playoffs through this lens: Aggression benefits the game, while roughness does not.
“We don’t like to see ejections,” McCutchen said. “Our goal would be to get through all these games where we meet this right up to the edge of rough and you have this really aggressive, passionate game that is adjudicated and an environment is created in which that environment of aggressiveness is rewarded — because we have the best players in any sport, in my opinion — but that it doesn’t creep over to rough. That’s the goal.”
Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum firmly rejected media reports on Wednesday suggesting the CIA conducted lethal operations within Mexico, claiming the U.S. news outlet was trying to “hurt the government and the people of Mexico.”
The controversy began when CNN published a story Tuesday alleging the CIA helped orchestrate a targeted killing of a Sinaloa cartel member on a highway near Mexico City, sparking intense debate in Mexico. The New York Times subsequently reported that Mexican security forces executed the operation while the CIA offered planning assistance and support.
Sheinbaum dismissed the CNN story as a “lie.” When questioned about The New York Times account during her daily morning briefing, she described it as “a fiction the size of the universe.”
CIA spokesperson Liz Lyons also criticized the CNN coverage, writing on X that “this is false and salacious reporting that serves as nothing more than a PR campaign for the cartels and puts American lives at risk.”
CNN has not yet provided a response to requests for comment.
Unlike her political mentor and former president Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, who frequently targeted journalists during his morning briefings and even publicly exposed personal information of critical reporters, Sheinbaum has adopted a more restrained approach when facing media criticism.
However, the current president has faced multiple controversies involving the United States recently as she works to balance maintaining positive relations with Washington while renegotiating trade agreements and responding to President Donald Trump’s threats regarding cartel enforcement.
Sheinbaum has emphasized Mexico’s independence, though this position faces growing scrutiny.
In the previous month, two CIA operatives died in a vehicle accident alongside Mexican investigators while returning from a counter-narcotics mission in Chihuahua, a northern state. Sheinbaum stated she was unaware of the operation, and both Mexican and U.S. officials provided conflicting information for several days.
One week following that incident, a New York court filed charges against Sinaloa’s governor – a senior member of Sheinbaum’s political party and Lopez Obrador supporter – for drug trafficking and weapons violations, alleging involvement in large-scale illegal drug smuggling into the United States.
Motorists traveling on Smith Bridge Road should expect periodic lane restrictions today as utility crews perform maintenance work along a busy stretch of roadway.
The Delaware Department of Transportation reports that intermittent lane closures are affecting traffic between Ridge Road (also known as Brandywine Creek Road) and Center Meeting Road while utility maintenance operations are underway.
Officials indicate the lane restrictions will continue until 2 PM today. Drivers are advised to allow extra travel time and exercise caution when passing through the work zone area.
Syria and the United Arab Emirates unveiled an ambitious $50 billion economic partnership on Monday, May 11, marking what officials called a pivotal moment in Syria’s rebuilding process and a new era of Arab-led investment in the Eastern Mediterranean region.
The massive investment plan was revealed during the inaugural Syrian-Emirati Investment Forum held in Damascus, featuring a high-ranking UAE delegation headed by Minister of State for Foreign Trade Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi and prominent business leaders, including Eagle Hills founder Mohamed Alabbar.
During the forum’s opening session, Al Zeyoudi detailed the UAE’s strategic vision, stating the initiative seeks to “advance bilateral relations across investment and trade sectors in a manner that serves the shared interests of both countries and their brotherly peoples.” He emphasized to Syrian officials and business leaders that the UAE views “economic integration and direct dialogue remain the optimal path toward sustainable growth.”
Syrian officials welcomed the announcement with enthusiasm. Dr. Mohammad Nidal al-Shaar, Syria’s Minister of Economy and Industry, characterized the forum as “a restoration of trust and natural communication between brothers.” He praised the UAE’s development approach, telling attendees: “What we see in the UAE is the result of genuine effort and vision. We seek to benefit from an experience that turns the impossible into reality.”
Al-Shaar also pledged government backing for the initiative, promising full support for UAE projects and describing modern Syria as “a major investment opportunity and a platform for launching toward the future.”
Alabbar captured significant attention when he revealed Eagle Hills’ plans for extensive urban development and logistics projects worth $50 billion. He told forum participants the region is “undergoing a very major political transformation,” explaining this shift has given investors confidence to commit substantial funding that matches Syria’s historical importance and its people’s hopes.
The comprehensive investment strategy encompasses building modern smart cities in Damascus and Latakia, delivering over 100,000 housing units, plus renovating critical infrastructure including airports in Latakia, Qamishli, and Deir ez-Zor. The overarching objective involves establishing Syria as a logistics center connecting the Arabian Gulf with the Mediterranean Sea.
This forum represents the culmination of Abu Dhabi’s gradual diplomatic approach spanning several years. Political observers highlight Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa’s April visit to the UAE as the crucial political endorsement that enabled major Emirati corporations to move forward with implementation.
The UAE’s Syrian community, numbering approximately 250,000 residents, is playing a vital role as a conduit for expertise and capital transfer. Mahmoud al-Dharawi, deputy head of the Syrian Economic Forum for Development, declared that Syria has become “a major investment opportunity” with the potential to attract long-term strategic partners.
While challenges persist regarding international financing systems and ongoing sanctions impacts, the substantial Emirati presence in Damascus delivers what experts call a clear message: economic considerations may ultimately prevail over political reluctance.
Success of this multi-billion dollar collaboration would extend beyond reconstructing Syria’s physical infrastructure. It could transform the power dynamics throughout the eastern Arab world by positioning economics as the sole reliable foundation for regional stability, proving that development and mutual economic benefits might achieve what years of warfare could not.
As the forum wrapped up, it became evident that Damascus and Abu Dhabi aim to create a new chapter in regional history—one based on the principle that lasting partnerships are built through economic integration and development, potentially restoring Syria’s traditional position as a commercial and investment hub in the Arab world.
The relationship between Syria and the UAE has evolved through multiple significant phases. Dating back to Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan’s leadership, the UAE has supported Syrian development initiatives, while Dubai and Sharjah became important centers for Syrian business communities starting in the 1990s.
Although diplomatic relations cooled following the start of Syria’s civil war in 2011, Abu Dhabi maintained relatively positive ties with Damascus before beginning what observers termed “active engagement” in 2018. This trajectory gained momentum after the catastrophic February 2023 earthquake, when UAE humanitarian assistance became a diplomatic bridge that facilitated Syria’s reintegration—under former President Bashar Assad—into the Arab League.
Current bilateral goals extend well beyond real estate development into strategic logistics cooperation. Forum discussions explored opportunities for investing in and managing airports in Latakia, Qamishli, and Deir ez-Zor, as part of broader efforts to reconnect Syria with international trade networks.
Given the substantial Syrian expatriate community in the UAE, representing approximately 68% of Syria’s educated workforce living abroad according to economic analysts, many experts anticipate this partnership will establish a “human bridge” that could accelerate the return of Syrian knowledge and investment capital.
Supporters of this initiative maintain the project transcends simple reconstruction. They view it as an effort to reshape the political and economic framework of the Arab East through investment-driven stability, providing a model where development and regional collaboration replace conflict as the primary language of the future.
When Alan Bauer lifted his seven-year-old son from a Jerusalem street in March 2002, his only concern was whether the child was still breathing.
A Palestinian suicide bomber had exploded behind them on King George Street. Bauer had been walking home with his son after spending the day at a doctor’s appointment and his office. The explosion hurled him forward, and when he looked back, the boy who had been gripping his hand was nowhere to be seen.
“We were hand in hand a minute ago, a second ago,” Bauer explained to The Media Line. “Anyway, I turn around, and I don’t see him.”
Bauer discovered his son lying face-down on the sidewalk. While both survived the attack, his son sustained severe head trauma that later necessitated emergency surgery and extensive rehabilitation. Bauer suffered shrapnel wounds to his arm. More than twenty years later, this bombing has become central to a renewed legal battle following a federal appeals court’s decision to restore a $655.5 million judgment against the Palestinian Authority (PA) and Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO).
According to Bauer, this case represents more than just financial compensation—it’s about forcing accountability for what he describes as a PA-orchestrated attack conducted not by external groups, but by individuals directly connected to the PA’s security and political structure. “The entire attack was Palestinian Authority people,” Bauer stated. “It wasn’t Hamas, it wasn’t Islamic Jihad. These were people who were formally paid by the Palestinian Authority.”
The affected families initially prevailed in 2015, when a New York jury determined the PA and PLO were responsible and granted $655.5 million in compensation to American families harmed during Second Intifada attacks. However, an appeals court later overturned this decision—not because they disputed the trial evidence, but because they ruled that U.S. courts lacked proper jurisdiction over the PA and PLO.
This situation shifted after Congress modified the relevant legislation and the U.S. Supreme Court validated the new jurisdictional structure. In March, the Second Circuit restored the original judgment, reinstating the $655.5 million award. The victims have yet to receive payment, making enforcement the next phase of their struggle.
Bauer said his legal pursuit began months following the bombing, after reading Israeli media reports based on military charges that revealed the attack’s participants. “The bomber, as I mentioned, was a policeman,” Bauer explained. “The one who sent him was an intelligence agent. The bomb itself actually came from the Intelligence Bureau of the Palestinian Authority.”
He further claimed that prominent Palestinian officials were linked to the attack’s support structure. According to Bauer, Marwan Barghouti provided funding shortly before the bombing. He also alleged that Hussein al-Sheikh, currently a senior PA official, was identified by those involved as having supplied money and weapons and as having authored the al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades’ responsibility letter following the attack.
The legal action was initiated in 2004 representing American families impacted by seven separate attacks. Bauer noted that eleven families were initially included in the lawsuit, though one was removed before trial. Legal discovery didn’t commence until 2014, with the case proceeding to trial the next year. “We won completely,” Bauer said. “All 24 counts, they were found guilty. There was a large judgment, tripled … $655.5 million.”
The victory proved temporary. In 2016, the Second Circuit Court of Appeals overturned the verdict on jurisdictional grounds, determining that U.S. courts lacked authority over the PA and PLO. Bauer said the victims found themselves “lost in space,” not because their evidence was rejected, but because the Palestinian defendants argued they maintained insufficient presence in the United States. “They said the Palestinian Authority is not at home,” he explained. “They don’t have, there’s no jurisdiction over them because they don’t have enough of a presence in the US.”
This jurisdictional challenge moved the case from courtrooms to Congress. Lawmakers initially attempted to address the issue by linking U.S. jurisdiction to the PA’s acceptance of American assistance, but Bauer said the Palestinians circumvented this requirement by declining the funds. Congress then pursued a different approach, targeting the PA’s payments to terrorists who had killed or injured American citizens.
Under this legislation, the PA received 120 days to cease these payments or be considered as having agreed to U.S. jurisdiction. “The law was signed by President Donald Trump, went into 2019, became the law, 120 days passed, and they kept paying the terrorists,” Bauer said. “But they can’t stop paying the terrorists.”
The matter eventually reached the U.S. Supreme Court. Bauer said the Biden administration’s Department of Justice supported the victims, arguing the law was constitutional, while President Trump’s administration maintained this position before the court. The Supreme Court ruled unanimously in favor of the legal framework, returning the case to lower courts. “The Department of Justice under Biden came on our side,” Bauer said. “The Trump administration, they continued being on our side. And the Supreme Court heard our case, with the US arguing with our lawyer, Kent Yalowitz. And we won 9-0.”
When the case returned to the Second Circuit, Bauer said the court faced two options: restore the original verdict or require a new trial. “Either a new trial, which nobody on our side wanted, it would be more flying back and forth, going through the whole process again, or to return the verdict,” he said. “So a month ago, approximately, the Second Circuit, 3-0, they returned the verdict.”
Nitsana Darshan-Leitner, who founded Shurat HaDin, the Israel Law Center, told The Media Line that the restored judgment resulted from a legal battle spanning more than two decades that required both courtroom persistence and legislative changes in Washington. “Now we have a final judgment against the Palestinian Authority for $655 million after 22 years of litigation.
Darshan-Leitner said the PA’s defense claimed that while the attackers may have been on their payroll, they acted independently. “They said, ‘Indeed they were our employees, but they were rogue employees,’” she explained. “‘They did the attacks after work hours. It wasn’t our policy to kill Israelis. We were against killing Jews.’”
However, Darshan-Leitner said this argument failed when confronted with the PA’s continued payments to imprisoned terrorists and attackers’ families. “If they were wrong employees, how do we keep paying their salary until today?” she said, describing her side’s argument to the jury. “You promote them in rank every three years, you pay stipends to the families of the suicide bombers, you call town squares and streets in the name of the suicide bombers. This is not how you treat wrong employees.”
The case now enters the collection phase. Darshan-Leitner said the PA and PLO possess assets and revenue sources that can be pursued, including a PLO mission building in New York, tax revenues held by Israel for the PA, Palestinian bank accounts, and investment funds. “First of all, they do have the money,” she said. “But let’s say they will come and say they don’t have the money. We are going to demand from the State Department to enforce the judgment.”
She indicated the judgment could be paid in installments. “If they cannot pay it all at once, we can do it over payments,” Darshan-Leitner said. “Monthly payments of $20 million a month will not bankrupt the Palestinian Authority. This is what we did in previous cases against the Palestinian Authority.”
Darshan-Leitner said her broader objective extends beyond victim compensation to pressuring systems that finance and incentivize terrorism. “We go after the deep pockets, because we want to, not only to get the money for the victims, but we want to influence,” she said. “I don’t believe you can influence a terrorist that goes with a mission to kill someone.”
Bauer characterized the case in similar terms. He said the years of litigation revealed what he considers a false distinction often drawn in Western diplomacy between Hamas and the Palestinian Authority. “One of the canards of the Intifada was ‘Hamas is bad and the Palestinian Authority is good,’” Bauer said. “‘The Hamas guys, they’re crazy. They’re murderers. They’re exploding terrorists. The PA, they want peace.’ And unfortunately, nothing could be further from the truth.”
He said while the PA and Hamas have different structures and ideologies, both have employed violence against Israelis and Jews. “They’re both terrorist organizations,” Bauer said. “Each has its own goals. Sometimes they work together. Sometimes they hate each other.”
For Bauer, the issue remains relevant because several Palestinian figures connected in his view to Second Intifada violence continue to be treated internationally as political leaders. He specifically mentioned Barghouti, whose release has been demanded by supporters who present him as a future Palestinian leader. “He’s never said, ‘I will never be involved in another terror attack,’” Bauer said. “‘I apologize to all those whom I harmed.’”
The case also reveals a complex record of U.S. government involvement. Bauer said Congress consistently supported terror victims and the Justice Department eventually backed the plaintiffs before the Supreme Court. However, he strongly criticized the State Department, claiming it repeatedly prioritized PA stability over enforcing judgments for American victims.
“The Congress always was very supportive,” Bauer said. “The laws were passed. President Trump signed them. The Department of Justice has always been very supportive of terror victims and anything to help hold terror groups responsible. The Department of State has, let’s say, been more reticent on the good times, actually opposed to us and the bad times.”
The Palestinian Authority has claimed in recent years that it has modified or eliminated its formal prisoner payment program. Darshan-Leitner said courts should not accept this assertion without evidence. “In my current cases, they come and say we canceled the law, we don’t have this policy anymore, but the court doesn’t take their word,” she said. “The court asks them to prove that they don’t pay the terrorists.”
When asked whether they continue making payments, she responded: “Yes, yes, yes, they keep paying.”
She said new cases filed after October 7 will directly test these claims, because the PA will need to demonstrate whether its payment system has genuinely changed or whether it has simply been rebranded as welfare or social assistance. This question has evolved beyond a legal dispute—it addresses whether the PA can still be presented internationally as a reformed governing entity while victims argue in court that its own structures rewarded the violence that harmed them.
For Bauer, the judgment follows a personal journey that began with survival, not litigation. In the weeks following the bombing, his family’s priority was simply getting through each day. His son was initially blind and unable to move his left side, Bauer said, though his sight and movement eventually returned. The boy underwent physical therapy, hydrotherapy, electrotherapy, and other rehabilitation treatments. “Thank God his vision came back, as did his motion on his left side,” Bauer said. “This day, over 20 years later, he still limps a little bit.”
Bauer himself authored a memoir the year following the bombing, describing how the attack lasted only seconds but transformed every aspect of family life. In the interview, he expressed it more simply. “At that point, we started a completely new life,” he said. “Up to that point, we had one life. And that ended. You close the book, seal it.”
Now, after 22 years in court, Bauer said the verdict gives the law “teeth,” particularly for American victims harmed overseas. “You can’t hold al-Qaida. Al-Qaida has no representative,” he said. “But something like the Palestinian Authority that specifically does have an office in New York with the UN, they have facilities also in Washington. They can’t run away anymore.”
The PA and PLO may still pursue additional review. But Bauer said the plaintiffs have already endured the trial, the appeal, the legislative battle, the Supreme Court, and the return to the Second Circuit. “Our lawyer joked for the Supreme Court that our lawsuit could have already gone to law school,” Bauer said. “By the time it reached them.”
For Darshan-Leitner, the restored verdict represents part of a broader legal strategy: follow the money, force institutions to account for attacks they enabled, and treat financial infrastructure as part of terrorism’s machinery. “The one who sent him has to pay,” she said. “I’m not going after the individuals. I want to direct the other one that I want to find responsible.”
For Bauer, the case has returned to where he and the other plaintiffs stood in 2015: with a judgment in hand, but still awaiting payment. After 22 years of litigation, he said the ruling gives the law “teeth.” What remains is whether the Palestinian Authority and PLO will be compelled to pay it.
NEWARK, Del. – The University of Delaware men’s soccer program learned its conference matchups for 2026 as the Summit League released its schedule on Wednesday.
Delaware’s Fightin’ Blue Hens will participate in five Summit League contests during the upcoming season, with the team set to travel for three away matches while hosting two games at Stuart & Suzanne Grant Stadium on campus.
The conference schedule represents a key portion of the Blue Hens’ 2026 campaign as they compete for Summit League honors in men’s soccer.
Motorists traveling on Valley Road are encountering temporary lane restrictions today as construction crews work along a stretch of the roadway.
According to DelDOT, drivers should anticipate intermittent lane closures affecting traffic in both directions between Fitness Way and Brook Run. The construction-related restrictions are expected to remain in place until 5 PM today.
Officials advise drivers to allow extra travel time and exercise caution when navigating through the work zone area.
A California food manufacturer has pulled certain batches of its popular noodle products from store shelves after discovering they may contain traces of peanuts, posing a serious health risk to those with nut allergies.
The Los Angeles-based company Fly By Jing announced the voluntary recall on May 12, 2026, affecting specific production runs of their Creamy Sesame Noodles available in both individual servings and four-packs.
According to the company, the noodle products may have come into contact with peanuts during the manufacturing process, creating a dangerous situation for consumers who suffer from peanut allergies. Such exposure could trigger severe allergic reactions that may be life-threatening.
The recall notice was issued through the Food and Drug Administration as part of standard food safety protocols when potential allergen contamination is discovered.
WASHINGTON — The Department of Health and Human Services faced a deepening leadership crisis this week as multiple top positions remained vacant across the nation’s key health agencies.
At the start of the week, no Senate-confirmed surgeon general was in place. The director of the National Institutes of Health was simultaneously serving as interim leader of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The Food and Drug Administration was operating without a permanent vaccine director after that position was vacated twice within twelve months.
The situation deteriorated further Tuesday when Dr. Marty Makary stepped down from his role as FDA commissioner, creating yet another vacancy at a critical health agency. Makary’s exit has expanded the leadership void that has characterized HHS during Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s time in office.
While government agencies commonly experience delays in filling Senate-confirmed positions, especially when partisan control margins are slim, health experts argue the current level of instability at HHS is extraordinary and troubling given the lack of scientific credentials among remaining leaders.
“It’s a sign that something is not right in this department,” said Dr. Daniel Jernigan, a former senior employee at the CDC.
The leadership problems have been worsened by widespread staff reductions and terminations, along with broader disruptions caused by Kennedy’s health policy initiatives, according to critics.
HHS did not provide an immediate response to requests for comment Wednesday.
Kathleen Hall Jamieson, who directs the Annenberg Public Policy Center at the University of Pennsylvania, noted that most citizens ignore these agencies’ leadership until health emergencies emerge — such as the current hantavirus outbreak. These critical moments offer chances to rebuild public confidence in federal health institutions, which has declined in recent years, she explained.
“The key question for me is, when we need these agencies to speak, will they have the capacity to draw the science together and tell us what we need to know?” Jamieson said.
Makary’s departure from the FDA leaves several important projects incomplete, including ongoing evaluations of ultra-processed foods, artificial food coloring, antidepressant medications, and coronavirus vaccines.
The next permanent FDA leader will face the same difficult challenge that complicated Makary’s time in office: finding balance between traditional Republican anti-regulation views and Kennedy’s anti-corporate agenda, which emphasizes examining ingredients in food products, medications, and vaccines.
The agency is currently developing an unprecedented definition for “ultra-processed foods,” which Kennedy links to increased rates of diabetes, obesity, and other chronic health problems in America. This responsibility now belongs to the FDA’s deputy commissioner for foods, Kyle Diamantas, who recently called the ultra-processed foods project “really hard” during a health conference.
Trump selected Diamantas to serve as interim FDA head. He also works as a senior advisor to Kennedy. As an attorney and associate of Donald Trump Jr., Diamantas becomes the first FDA leader in over fifty years without medical or scientific education.
“Kyle Diamantas now has a nearly impossible charge,” said Dr. Peter Lurie, a former FDA official now at the Center for Science in the Public Interest. “Leading, as a non-scientist, a science-based agency under an unqualified secretary who puts his own medical and nutritional pet peeves over evidence-based public health.”
The administration initially chose former Florida Representative Dr. David Weldon to direct the CDC, but his March 2025 Senate confirmation hearing was abruptly cancelled one hour before it was scheduled to start. Weldon reported being informed that insufficient senators supported his nomination.
The White House then selected Susan Monarez, who received Senate confirmation but was removed after less than thirty days due to policy disagreements with the administration. Several prominent CDC scientific leaders quit in protest, stating that Monarez’s firing eliminated their hopes that a CDC director could protect the agency’s scientific research and health guidance from political interference.
Following her removal, various HHS officials have served in acting director roles. Jay Bhattacharya, who leads the National Institutes of Health, has supervised the CDC since February. Trump recently nominated Dr. Erica Schwartz, a former deputy surgeon general, for the CDC director position, which requires Senate approval.
Current and former CDC staff members report a shortage of experienced public health leadership at the organization and say Kennedy’s staff have restricted and sometimes blocked the agency’s public communication and comprehensive science-based operations.
HHS representatives have stated that the CDC’s essential public health duties have remained “intact and effective” and that organizational changes represent efforts “to restore credibility through transparency, gold standard science, and accountability.”
Jernigan, who resigned last August from a senior CDC role that still lacks a permanent successor, explained that the leadership changes mean there hasn’t been a “strong, present CDC director” to advocate for crucial agency funding, hiring, or keeping qualified scientists.
During the ongoing hantavirus outbreak response, the CDC sent teams to evacuate and isolate potentially exposed Americans, health officials conducted media briefings, and Bhattacharya appeared on Fox News to reassure the public. However, he provided incorrect information and exaggerated what was actually known about the outbreak at that time. Jernigan recommended allowing more career scientists to communicate with the public.
“That will do more for trust and for calming the nerves of the U.S. right now,” he said.
The leadership upheaval occurs as HHS and the White House have redirected attention toward health programs focused on nutrition, lifestyle, and cost reduction in recent months before midterm elections, publicly moving away from Kennedy’s initial efforts to weaken vaccine recommendations.
Although Kennedy initially celebrated having authority to select his own deputy officials, the administration’s recent appointments suggest that the health secretary’s close supporters may no longer be prioritized.
For instance, last month, after withdrawing a surgeon general candidate connected to Kennedy’s Make America Healthy Again campaign, Trump nominated radiologist and former Fox News contributor Dr. Nicole Saphier. She has promoted vaccines more strongly than Kennedy and has sometimes called current HHS actions “embarrassing.” Her nomination requires Senate confirmation.
Despite the leadership chaos creating uncertainty within federal health agencies, Kennedy has maintained a high profile as their collective spokesperson. This concerns Jernigan, who believes Kennedy doesn’t always prioritize the strongest scientific evidence in his decisions.
“The driver for the secretary is the ideology,” Jernigan said. “And that’s not a strategy for really improving the health of Americans.”
Israeli police fatally shot a Palestinian father of four who was trying to scale the concrete wall dividing the West Bank from Jerusalem in search of employment opportunities, Palestinian officials reported.
Palestinian health officials and the Red Crescent named the victim as 44-year-old Zakaria Qatusa from Deir Qadis, located approximately 13 miles northwest of where Tuesday night’s fatal shooting occurred in Al-Ram, a West Bank community adjacent to the barrier.
Israeli police have not yet provided a response to requests for comment regarding the deadly incident. Qatusa’s funeral took place Wednesday.
According to his brother Khalid Qatusa, the deceased man was attempting to cross into Israel to find work to support his family. “He was forced to resort to this method as there was no other opportunity to meet the needs of his household and live a dignified life. This was the only way,” Khalid Qatusa explained. “He was neither an aggressor nor a threat.”
Growing numbers of West Bank Palestinians have been attempting unauthorized border crossings to seek employment in Israel in recent years. Prior to the current Israel-Hamas conflict, thousands of Palestinians possessed legal work permits for Israel, but these authorizations were severely curtailed following the Hamas-led assault on southern Israel on October 7, 2023.
The restrictions have led to skyrocketing joblessness and economic hardship throughout the West Bank, where employment opportunities have become scarce. Similar fatal shootings have occurred at this same barrier location where Al-Ram meets Beit Hanina, a neighborhood in east Jerusalem.
United Nations humanitarian coordination officials report that Israeli forces or settlers have killed at least 47 Palestinians as of May 11.
Medical specialists examining Nobel Peace Prize winner Narges Mohammadi have determined she requires extensive medical treatment following her collapse inside an Iranian detention facility more than a week ago, according to her foundation’s announcement Wednesday.
Recent angiography testing revealed severe blockages in two major arteries, with her vascular condition showing marked deterioration compared to similar testing conducted in 2024, the foundation reported.
The 53-year-old activist lost consciousness and was rushed from the prison facility to a hospital in northwestern Iran on May 1. Following her release on bail approximately 10 days afterward, she was moved to a Tehran medical facility where her regular physicians conducted thorough examinations.
Medical staff noted that her blood pressure remains unstable, partially attributed to injury affecting the brain region that controls such bodily functions.
Healthcare providers have prescribed an eight-month treatment regimen in a setting “free from external stressors, where she can receive permanent care and long-term treatment.”
Both her foundation and numerous Nobel Prize recipients worldwide have demanded Mohammadi’s complete and immediate release. The prominent human rights and women’s rights activist received the Nobel Prize in 2023 while incarcerated and has faced multiple imprisonments during her advocacy work.
Her current detention started in December following her arrest in Mashhad, located in northeastern Iran.
Family members report her physical condition had been declining while imprisoned, worsened by severe physical assault during her arrest. She experienced cardiac arrest in March and continues managing a pulmonary blood clot that predates her imprisonment, requiring blood-thinning medication and constant medical supervision.
KYIV, Ukraine — Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s former top aide finds himself at the center of a significant corruption investigation, as anti-corruption agencies have officially designated Andrii Yermak as a suspect in a massive financial scheme.
Ukraine’s National Anti-Corruption Bureau and the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office have formally accused Yermak of participating in a money-laundering operation worth 460 million hryvnia, equivalent to approximately $10.5 million.
Officials clarified that President Zelenskyy himself is not considered a suspect in this investigation.
This development falls just short of filing formal charges against Yermak, who stepped down from his position in November. During his tenure, he served as Ukraine’s primary representative in negotiations with the United States and departed amid a scandal that posed the most serious challenge to Zelenskyy’s administration since Russia’s military offensive began.
Yermak has maintained a polarizing presence in Ukrainian politics. While leading Zelenskyy’s presidential office, he held significant authority within the administration, overseeing diplomatic relations with America and other Western nations, and even exploring potential cease-fire arrangements with Russia.
His formal involvement in this investigation draws the probe nearer to Zelenskyy himself, raising questions about the president’s knowledge and possible participation. A Ukrainian court conducted the initial hearing on Tuesday, with proceedings continuing throughout the week.
The relationship between Yermak and Zelenskyy dates back more than 15 years, when Yermak worked as an attorney expanding into television production while Zelenskyy gained fame as a Ukrainian entertainer and performer.
Initially handling international relations for Zelenskyy’s first presidential team, Yermak received a promotion to chief of staff in February 2020. This role positioned him as the nation’s second-most powerful official, often serving as the president’s primary advisor and gatekeeper. Political observers widely credit him with selecting key government officials, including prime ministers and cabinet members.
Zelenskyy placed considerable confidence in Yermak, bringing him along on all international travels following Russia’s February 2022 invasion. When the corruption allegations surfaced in late 2025, Zelenskyy initially withstood significant public demands to remove Yermak from his position.
The allegations against Yermak involve money laundering connected to an upscale construction development near Kyiv. His legal representative has dismissed the suspicion notice as baseless and rejected claims of Yermak’s participation in any illegal activities.
Anti-corruption investigators contend that the development served as a vehicle for laundering funds through multiple shell companies. They assert that Yermak and his associates intended to build four private estates along with additional luxury amenities.
At Tuesday’s initial court appearance, Yermak maintained his innocence regarding the accusations and stated that his possessions consist of “only one apartment and one car.”
This case represents one component of a larger investigation that anti-corruption agencies disclosed last year.
The broader $100 million bribery operation involved officials and associates within Zelenskyy’s circle and became public knowledge in November, triggering Yermak’s exit from the presidential administration.
The investigation revealed high-level officials demanding contractors pay kickbacks of up to 15% in return for construction contracts with Energoatom, the government-owned nuclear power company. The probe included more than 1,000 hours of recorded conversations featuring individuals using coded language.
Following the scheme’s public exposure, Ukraine’s parliament supported Zelenskyy’s decision to remove the energy and justice ministers. His administration imposed sanctions on close associates allegedly connected to the operation, including Tymur Mindich, a business partner in a media production company that Zelenskyy partially owned before assuming the presidency. Reports indicate Mindich has left the country.
Prosecutors have yet to determine whether any funds Yermak allegedly laundered originated from the Energoatom operation.
While not directly connected to the investigation, the probe and the involvement of a trusted ally and former chief of staff could potentially damage Zelenskyy’s reputation.
Widespread corruption remains a significant barrier preventing Ukraine’s European Union membership, which Zelenskyy actively pursues alongside continued Western assistance in countering Russia’s invasion.
The investigation has also affected current officials participating in peace discussions with the United States. Rustem Umerov, who leads Ukraine’s National Security and Defense Council and plays a crucial role in American-led diplomatic initiatives, has faced questioning as part of the probe.
Zelenskyy’s presidential term technically concluded in May 2024, but he has remained in office without conducting elections, arguing they cannot occur while Russia controls approximately one-fifth of Ukrainian territory.
His opponents argue that strengthening credibility with Ukraine’s Western partners is equally crucial, as their assistance remains essential for the military campaign and future conflict resolution negotiations.
French health officials have quarantined more than 1,700 passengers and crew members aboard a British cruise ship docked in Bordeaux after dozens fell ill with stomach-related symptoms.
Regional authorities banned anyone from leaving the vessel Ambition after nearly 50 passengers developed signs of acute digestive illness, according to a Wednesday announcement from French officials.
The cruise ship, operated by Ambassador Cruise Line, had arrived at the French port Tuesday night during what was supposed to be a two-week voyage that began in Belfast and Liverpool, with planned stops along Spain’s northern coast and France’s Atlantic shoreline.
Étienne Guyot, the regional prefect for Nouvelle-Aquitaine and Gironde, halted all passenger departures and limited the ship’s contact with Bordeaux port facilities following guidance from local health authorities.
The ship’s captain notified French officials Tuesday evening after passengers began showing symptoms, prompting immediate action from health agencies.
Medical personnel aboard the vessel have been treating the sick passengers, who have been quarantined in their individual rooms while awaiting further evaluation.
A specialized medical team was sent to examine the situation, and biological samples have been sent to a Bordeaux medical facility for testing to determine the exact cause of the illness.
French authorities emphasized that this incident has no connection to a recent deadly hantavirus outbreak on a different cruise ship.
“There is no reason to establish a link between this outbreak aboard a cruise ship from Belfast and Liverpool and the hantavirus cases detected aboard the MV Hondius,” officials stated in their announcement.
The hantavirus situation on the Hondius vessel last month resulted in an international health response, with affected passengers requiring hospitalization across multiple countries including Britain, France, Spain and the United States. That outbreak claimed three lives and produced nine confirmed infections, with two additional suspected cases.
Ambassador Cruise Line reported Wednesday that a 92-year-old male passenger had passed away Sunday, though he had not shown any symptoms related to the current illness outbreak. A coroner has yet to determine his official cause of death.
As of Wednesday morning, the cruise company confirmed that 48 passengers and one crew member were experiencing gastrointestinal problems.
The company’s records indicate the cases began appearing after passengers boarded the ship in Liverpool on May 9. All planned shore activities in Bordeaux have been cancelled, with full refunds being provided to affected travelers.
This outbreak adds to a concerning trend, as the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has documented 23 gastrointestinal illness outbreaks on cruise ships visiting American ports in 2025 alone – the highest yearly count in over ten years. The majority of these cases have been attributed to norovirus, including a new variant responsible for the recent increase.
Ambassador Cruise Line, a British company that launched in 2021 and caters primarily to passengers over age 50, said it expects to provide additional updates once laboratory analysis results become available later Wednesday.
WASHINGTON — Following a turbulent 2025 that demonstrated the economic damage both nations could inflict through trade warfare, President Donald Trump and Chinese leader Xi Jinping are convening in Beijing to mend their fractured commercial relationship.
Ten years of economic conflict between these global superpowers has dramatically diminished bilateral trade from its peak during the 2000s and 2010s, compelling businesses to restructure their operations. Numerous American companies have relocated manufacturing from China to nations such as Vietnam and India, while Chinese businesses have pursued new markets across Europe and Southeast Asia.
However, both nations are discovering their continued interdependence. Wilbur Ross, who previously served as Commerce Secretary during Trump’s initial presidency, observed: “The idea of somehow China being totally independent of us and us being totally independent of China, I think, is a fiction.”
This week’s diplomatic meeting focuses primarily on maintaining economic stability, with only minor policy changes anticipated. Officials expect to extend a trade agreement reached last October, while China may reveal intentions to purchase American soybeans, beef, and Boeing aircraft. U.S. representatives have also suggested establishing a Board of Trade.
American agricultural producers, who lost access to Chinese soybean markets throughout most of 2025, are monitoring developments closely, alongside U.S. manufacturers who were denied access to China’s rare earth minerals essential for producing items ranging from smartphones to military aircraft.
In China, manufacturer Michael Lu anticipates the Xi-Trump meeting will generate encouraging developments. While returning to the robust trade levels of 15 years ago appears unlikely, Chinese factory operators expect at least modest progress. Lu, who founded and leads gift box manufacturer Brothersbox in Dongguan, stated: “The U.S. used to be a more stable market.”
Prior to Trump implementing levies on Chinese goods in 2018, average U.S. tariffs on China measured 3.1%. Currently, despite declining from triple-digit peaks reached last year, they remain at approximately 48%, according to Chad Bown from the Peterson Institute for International Economics.
In 2016, China ranked as America’s largest trading partner. Combined imports and exports between the countries represented over 13% of America’s global trade. By last year, China’s portion had dropped to 6.4%, with Mexico and Canada surpassing China as America’s primary trading partners.
The challenge with pre-Trump U.S.-China commerce was its severe imbalance, with China selling significantly more than it purchased. America’s trade deficit with China in goods and services reached $377 billion in 2018 before falling to $168 billion last year, the smallest since 2004.
Nevertheless, China achieved a record global trade surplus of $1.2 trillion last year by dramatically increasing exports to other regions, particularly Southeast Asia and Europe.
U.S. government data likely exaggerates the decline in bilateral trade. Many Chinese manufacturers have established operations in Southeast Asian nations like Vietnam and Thailand, shipping products to America while avoiding tariffs. The Trump administration seeks to address these “transshipments.”
As Chinese exports to America decreased last year, Southeast Asian imports surged dramatically — Vietnam increased 42%, Thailand rose 44%, and Indonesia climbed 24%.
Zongyuan Zoe Liu, senior fellow for China studies at the Council on Foreign Relations, explained: “It would be wrong to think that China is no longer relevant for the U.S. market. Chinese goods are still coming into the U.S.”
Velong Enterprises, established in China’s Guangdong province in 2002 and manufacturing kitchen gadgets and grilling equipment for Walmart and other American retailers, has diversified its supply chain since Trump’s first presidency by adding production facilities in Cambodia and India.
CEO and founder Jacob Rothman noted: “Most serious manufacturers did not simply ‘leave China.’ Instead, they built multi-country supply chains around China.”
The trade conflict has significantly impacted Appu Jacob Varghese, owner of Zion Foodtrucks near Colorado Springs, who imports Chinese equipment for his vehicles. “Last year,” Varghese said, “a lot of my hair turned white.”
Varghese struggled with Trump’s unpredictable tariff implementation, which fluctuated weekly and briefly reached 145%. Zion Foodtrucks depended on Chinese suppliers for cooking and fire-suppression systems in its $50,000 to $60,000 vehicles.
With customers signing fixed-price contracts for delivery within six weeks, Trump’s volatile tariffs created wildly fluctuating costs while preventing price increases. Though he survived the year, Varghese recognized the need for alternative suppliers. He now sources approximately half his cooking equipment from Vietnam and Thailand, obtaining fire-safety gear from American and Israeli companies.
While praising his Chinese suppliers, he doesn’t anticipate relying heavily on them again. Given tense Washington-Beijing relations, he said, “it’s too risky.”
Many American corporations are reducing Chinese dependence. Apple has transferred some iPhone production to India, while Nike has expanded Vietnamese manufacturing.
Sarah Tan, a Singapore-based Moody’s Analytics economist specializing in China, explained: “Trade tensions can flare up quite quickly, and that makes the U.S. firms hesitant to rely too heavily on Chinese supply.”
InStyler, a Los Angeles-area hair appliance company previously dependent entirely on Chinese suppliers, is moving some production to South Korea and France while considering Italy, Vietnam, and Mexico. CEO Dan Fugardi attributed these changes to developing luxury hotel products, noting “there’s a little bit of panache that goes with manufacturing in France.”
However, reducing Chinese reliance, he added, “doubles as an insurance plan so that we’re not caught with our pants down.”
The economic dispute has expanded beyond conventional tariffs and retaliatory measures.
America has prohibited advanced computer chip shipments to China, while China has periodically restricted rare earth mineral supplies crucial for electronics production.
Last year, China limited tungsten exports — a durable metal used in defense, aerospace, and medical devices that serves both military and civilian purposes. China controls approximately 80% of global tungsten production.
China also halted American soybean purchases, targeting Trump’s rural supporters. Though purchases resumed following October discussions, U.S. soybean exports to China still declined 75% in 2025.
These reciprocal actions demonstrated the mutual damage both countries could inflict. Current hopes center on Trump and Xi reducing tensions during this week’s Beijing meetings.
Former Commerce Secretary Ross concluded: “We are the No. 1 trading player. They are next in line. We have to coexist in some way. The question is, what will be the rules of the road, and who will benefit the most from those rules.”
Georgia Governor Brian Kemp has enacted legislation that will eliminate party identification from local elections across the Atlanta region’s five largest counties, prompting Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis and a fellow Democratic prosecutor to announce plans for a constitutional legal challenge.
The governor quietly signed the legislation on Tuesday, which marked the deadline for action on bills from Georgia’s 2026 legislative session.
GOP lawmakers have consistently criticized Willis due to her criminal case against Republican President Donald Trump, stemming from his efforts to reverse Democrat Joe Biden’s 2020 victory in Georgia.
Both Willis and DeKalb County District Attorney Sherry Boston declared the legislation unconstitutional under Georgia’s state constitution and committed to filing suit.
“This is a blatant attempt by Republicans to give their candidates an edge in Democratic counties by hiding their party affiliation from voters,” the two Democrats said in a statement Tuesday.
Republican State Senator John Albers from Roswell, who championed the legislation, argued during legislative debates that the measure would enhance public safety. County sheriffs will remain exempt from the nonpartisan requirement when the law takes effect in 2028.
The legislation emerges as Democratic candidates have increasingly defeated Republican incumbents throughout Atlanta’s core counties in this pivotal swing state. The new system will shift elections for most affected positions to May, coinciding with nonpartisan judicial races. This timing typically produces lower voter participation compared to November elections, with turnout primarily influenced by concurrent partisan primary contests. Candidates failing to secure majority support would face nonpartisan runoff elections in June.
The requirements will apply across Fulton County, encompassing most of Atlanta, along with the surrounding Clayton, Cobb, DeKalb and Gwinnett counties. Fulton, DeKalb and Clayton represent the state’s three strongest Democratic strongholds. Meanwhile, Cobb and Gwinnett, historically reliable Republican suburban territories, have increasingly supported Democratic candidates since 2016.
Democratic officials contend that Republicans aim to improve GOP candidates’ electoral prospects by removing party identification in Democratic-leaning areas. Opposition voices question why such policy changes target only urban Atlanta rather than applying across all 159 Georgia counties.
Willis and Boston suggested that Republicans specifically targeted these counties because voters in each have elected Black women as district attorneys.
Republican legislators have advanced numerous measures in recent years aimed at district attorneys, with Willis receiving particular focus. The district attorneys’ professional association maintains that the legislation cannot alter the partisan nature of prosecutor elections, arguing these officials serve as state judicial branch positions rather than county roles.
The association contends that modifying this structure requires a state constitutional amendment. Such changes would face Democratic opposition since proposing constitutional amendments to Georgia voters requires two-thirds approval in the General Assembly.
A New York jury began deliberating Wednesday in the rape retrial of Harvey Weinstein, considering a remaining charge from a case that became a symbol of the #MeToo movement.
The panel must determine if the disgraced film producer sexually assaulted Jessica Mann, a hairstylist and actress, at a Manhattan hotel on March 18, 2013.
Mann, now 40, told the court she had maintained a consensual relationship with Weinstein but testified that he forced himself on her sexually that day despite her repeated refusals.
Defense attorneys for the 74-year-old Weinstein argue the sexual encounter was consensual, pointing to evidence that Mann continued meeting with Weinstein following the alleged assault and maintained friendly communications. Mann explained she struggled with complex emotions about Weinstein and the incident, saying she was “normalizing everything.”
Mann’s perspective shifted in 2017 when multiple sexual misconduct allegations against the Academy Award-winning producer sparked the #MeToo movement, demanding accountability from powerful figures accused of sexual wrongdoing. While Weinstein has acknowledged he “acted wrongly,” he maintains he never sexually assaulted anyone.
Several of these allegations resulted in criminal convictions against Weinstein in both New York and California courts.
A New York appeals court reversed his 2020 conviction on charges involving Mann and a second accuser. During last year’s retrial, jurors could not reach a unanimous decision regarding Mann’s case, necessitating this second retrial. Weinstein faces one count of third-degree rape.
The current jury listened to almost three weeks of testimony, including five days from Mann herself. Weinstein chose not to take the stand in his defense.
The Associated Press typically does not name individuals who report sexual assault. However, Mann has consented to public identification.
CHICAGO — Wildlife enthusiasts in Chicago are celebrating a historic milestone after two baby bald eagles hatched in a city park, representing what officials believe marks the first successful wild nesting in the area for over 100 years.
The Chicago Park District revealed last week that observers documented nesting behavior beginning in February at Park 597 situated along the Calumet River in the city’s Southeast Side. Bird-watchers confirmed the first baby eagle on April 28, with a second chick verified on May 7.
According to park district spokesperson Irene Tostado, both eaglets are estimated to be between two and three weeks old.
The discovery belongs to Pat Pearson and her husband Steve, who first noticed the initial hatchling.
“We started looking around, and lo and behold, this little fuzzy head sticks up with a big beak and we were just ecstatic. Patty actually broke into tears. I started crying,” Steve Pearson said. “It was really very touching, because we had this kind of instinct, I think, just the wonder and the awe of seeing these eagles right here in Chicago with a baby. It was really overwhelming.”
During the latter half of the 1900s, America’s national bird population plummeted due to habitat destruction and pesticide poisoning of their food supply. However, these majestic raptors have experienced a remarkable recovery spanning four decades. Federal authorities removed the bald eagle from the endangered species registry in 2007.
While bald eagles regularly appear throughout the greater Chicago region — with park officials recording twelve birds in Big Marsh Park’s restored wetlands during a single 2018 day — Stephen Bell, who manages Park 597, noted his team found no documentation of successful eagle reproduction within Chicago city limits for more than a century.
The site previously housed a municipal water treatment facility before the park district assumed control in 2019 and began environmental restoration work. Bell explained that soil enhancement, improved plant life, and better habitats for amphibians and reptiles have drawn muskrats, mice, deer, and now nesting eagles.
“Give Mother Nature a chance and you’d be surprised what she can do with just a little bit of help from like the park district and the city of Chicago,” Pat Pearson said. “Neither one of the organizations could have done it themselves, but between the two of them, it’s shocking what can happen to land in areas that you think are just absolutely unredeemable.”
TORONTO (AP) — The Toronto Maple Leafs dismissed head coach Craig Berube on Wednesday following a disastrous season that landed the franchise at the bottom of the Atlantic Division standings.
Berube’s departure concludes his two-season tenure with Toronto. While his inaugural campaign delivered an impressive 108-point season, the team’s performance collapsed dramatically in 2025-26.
“Craig is a tremendous coach and an even better person,” general manager John Chayka said in a statement. “This decision is more reflective of an organizational shift and an opportunity for a fresh start than it is an evaluation of Craig.”
Chayka recently joined the organization this month, taking over after Brad Treliving’s dismissal in March.
The Maple Leafs secured the top selection in last week’s NHL draft lottery. Toronto is anticipated to choose between Gavin McKenna or Ivar Stenberg when they make the first overall selection on June 26 during the NHL draft in Buffalo.
During his time with Toronto, Berube compiled an 84-62-18 record, though the team managed only 32-36-14 this past season. The plunge from 108 points to 78 represented the franchise’s most dramatic single-season decline in team history.
Despite losing star forward Mitch Marner, the Maple Leafs entered the campaign with optimistic expectations.
The organization brought in three new forwards — Matias Maccelli, Dakota Joshua and Nicolas Roy — attempting to fill Marner’s role through a collective approach on what many considered a Stanley Cup-caliber roster.
However, Toronto never found their rhythm throughout the season. Combined with significant injuries and player absences, the team appeared disjointed from the opening game.
Even with star players Auston Matthews and William Nylander leading the offense, Toronto’s power play became a major weakness.
The team’s defensive struggles created serious issues, as they posted the league’s second-worst goals-against average and were outshot more than any other NHL team with 66 instances.
“They played with more passion than we did,” Berube told reporters in December after a 4-0 road loss to the Washington Capitals. “That’s what it boils down to. It looked to me like they had way more urgency in their game, more passion in their game. That’s the difference.”
When pressed to elaborate on his assessment, he responded: “Ask those guys, not me.”
This exchange highlighted the obvious tension within the organization.
Matthews, a three-time Maurice (Rocket) Richard Trophy recipient as the NHL’s leading goal scorer, managed just 27 goals before a season-ending knee injury from a hit by Anaheim Ducks defenseman Radko Gudas in March.
The team’s lack of response to the hit on their captain drew harsh criticism from Berube — a former NHL enforcer who ranks seventh all-time in penalty minutes — along with media and supporters who questioned the team’s locker room dynamics.
The 60-year-old Berube was brought aboard in May 2024 when Treliving released Sheldon Keefe after 4½ seasons as head coach.
Under Berube’s leadership in his first year, Toronto achieved only their second playoff series victory during the NHL’s salary-cap era. The Maple Leafs defeated the Ottawa Senators before losing to Florida in a series highlighted by devastating 6-1 home defeats in Games 5 and 7. The Panthers subsequently captured their second consecutive Stanley Cup championship.
Toronto had initially responded well to Berube’s direct, disciplined, north-south playing style in 2024-25 after Keefe couldn’t guide the same talented roster past their postseason struggles, but failed to replicate that achievement in year two.
Berube’s coaching career started within the Philadelphia Flyers system following his playing retirement. He progressed through the ranks, transitioning from the AHL to an NHL assistant position in 2006-07.
He assumed the Flyers’ head coaching role partway through 2013-14 and remained for one additional season before his dismissal.
Following a year away from hockey, Berube coached St. Louis Blues’ AHL team. He became an NHL associate coach in 2017-18 and was elevated to head coach with St. Louis in November 2018.
Berube transformed the struggling Blues, who had occupied last place in the overall standings, into a playoff team that embarked on an incredible championship run culminating in the franchise’s first Cup title.
After three consecutive first-round playoff exits and missing the playoffs entirely in 2022-23, St. Louis dismissed Berube just 28 games into the following season.
When Toronto hired Berube, Treliving mentioned extensive discussions with individuals who had worked with, reported to, and played for the former enforcer.
“They talked about how they would go through a wall for him,” Treliving said. “There was the connection he had with his players, the accountability he had with his players, and the bond he was able to build with staff.”
NEW YORK — Scientists examining fossilized teeth have uncovered fascinating evidence of romantic connections between different early human species that occurred hundreds of thousands of years ago, leaving genetic traces that persist in modern humans today.
Research published recently focuses on Homo erectus, an early human ancestor that emerged from Africa roughly 2 million years ago before migrating across the globe to Asia and potentially Europe.
Archaeological discoveries have unearthed H. erectus remains in multiple countries spanning Indonesia, Spain, China and Georgia. However, genetic material and proteins typically deteriorate over time, making it challenging for researchers to understand the biological characteristics of these ancient peoples.
For this groundbreaking study, scientists extracted protein remnants from the tooth enamel of H. erectus specimens — five males and one female — discovered at various sites throughout China to investigate how these early humans may have interacted with other species.
The 400,000-year-old dental remains contained two significant mutations within an enamel protein. Researchers noted that one mutation appears to be previously unknown and might represent a distinctive genetic signature specific to East Asian H. erectus populations.
The second mutation proved more intriguing. Scientists discovered a genetic variant that exists both in a small percentage of contemporary humans and in Denisovans, an extinct human relative.
This finding suggests H. erectus may have reproduced with Denisovans, transferring genetic material between the species. Researchers believe this genetic information reached modern humans through later interbreeding between our ancestors and Denisovans.
“This traces who we are now back to our ancestors in a really cool and exciting way, using new methods,” said paleoanthropologist Ryan McRae with the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History, who was not involved with the new research.
The precise evolutionary connections between these ancient human relatives remain somewhat unclear. McRae noted that H. erectus might simply be an ancestral species to Denisovans, who received these genes through inheritance over generations.
Solving this evolutionary mystery proves challenging given the extremely limited available evidence. Discovering additional fossils and analyzing scarce DNA remnants could help scientists piece together humanity’s evolutionary history more completely.
“We really need to get more DNA” and additional H. erectus specimens to determine how this ancient species “is exactly related to other humans,” said study author Qiaomei Fu with the Institute of Vertebrate Paleontology and Paleoanthropology in China.
