A Massachusetts family of four lost their lives when a motorcoach collided with several vehicles on a Virginia interstate, and they were en route to a family wedding carrying homemade treats for the celebration.
The wedding ceremony will proceed as planned Sunday in South Carolina, but the occasion will also serve as a time to grieve for Dmitri and Ecaterina Doncev along with their children, Emily and Mark, according to a family member who spoke Saturday.
“A son, a father — the whole family — everyone that has been dear to us,” Carolina Bublik said.
The Doncev family perished early Friday when the motorcoach struck vehicles that had reduced speed for a construction area on Interstate 95 in Stafford County, Virginia. Another victim, a 25-year-old female from Worcester, Massachusetts, was killed in an SUV, according to authorities.
Additional individuals received medical treatment for injuries, with one person listed in critical condition, although most patients were released from the hospital, Mary Washington Healthcare reported.
An official from the National Transportation Safety Board was scheduled to address media regarding the crash investigation Saturday.
E&P Travel Inc., headquartered in Kings Mountain, North Carolina, operated the motorcoach. Virginia State Police named the driver as Jing S. Dong, 48, of Staten Island, New York.
Dmitri, 45, and Ecaterina, 44, moved to the United States from Moldova in 2008 and made their home in Greenfield, Massachusetts, Bublik explained.
Dmitri worked as a nurse at Holyoke Medical Center. Ecaterina worked as a hair stylist and had dedicated days to preparing desserts for the family wedding, Bublik noted.
Dmitri and his brother Iuri attempted to coordinate their travel while driving in different vehicles to South Carolina.
“At some point they ended up getting separated,” Bublik said. “Dmitri said, ‘You go ahead. I’ll catch up later.’ It was a big shock when Iuri arrived at the house. Dmitri should have arrived around the same time. When his car did not show up, and he wasn’t picking up the phone — that’s when the family started panicking.”
President Donald Trump unleashed criticism Saturday against the federal judge who halted his planned Kennedy Center renovation, calling U.S. District Judge Christopher Cooper “an anti Trump Hater” and warning the performing arts venue “will soon be closed, probably never to open again.”
Trump’s lengthy Truth Social post expressed frustration over Cooper’s Friday ruling, which also mandated removal of Trump’s name from the center. The president connected this legal defeat to previous setbacks, including the Supreme Court’s February rejection of his comprehensive tariffs, stating it was “impossible for me to be treated fairly.”
While Trump’s message defended the renovation project, he didn’t indicate whether he would pursue further court action. Following Cooper’s decision, Trump announced he was stepping back from the renovations and would transfer control back to Congress for what had previously been called the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts before his second term began.
The White House has not clarified Trump’s current stance or confirmed whether he will remain as the center’s board chairman.
Trump pointed blame toward Cooper’s spouse, attorney Amy Jeffress, without providing supporting evidence. He highlighted that Jeffress works as a partner at Hecker Fink law firm and previously served as a counselor to Attorney General Eric Holder under Democratic President Barack Obama’s administration. Cooper received his judicial nomination from Obama.
Trump also mentioned that Hecker Fink represents former President Joe Biden in litigation against the Department of Justice, seeking to prevent release of audio recordings and transcripts from the Democrat’s conversations with a ghostwriter. These materials were gathered during an investigation into Biden’s management of classified documents from his Senate and vice presidential years.
Describing the Kennedy Center as “rusted, rotted, and rat and bug infested,” Trump claimed the “new Building would have been incomparable.” The center, honoring the late Democratic president, opened its doors in 1971.
In his decision, Cooper characterized the center board’s March 16 closure vote as “ill-informed and seemingly preordained” without consideration of legal responsibilities. The administration had scheduled construction to start in July with an estimated two-year duration. Cooper’s order temporarily stops these plans.
Cooper determined the board “overstepped its statutory bounds” by attaching Trump’s name to the facility. Since Congress designated the Kennedy Center’s name, only Congress holds authority to modify it, the judge explained. Cooper mandated Trump’s name removal within a two-week timeframe.
Trump clarified Saturday that the board, rather than himself, decided to add his name to the center. “They thought it would be good for this dying Institution,” he stated.
After taking office in January 2025, he removed the center’s existing leadership and installed his chosen board of trustees, who subsequently appointed him as chairman.
Cooper conducted hearings in late April for two related lawsuits challenging the renovation. Cultural and historic preservation groups filed one lawsuit, while Rep. Joyce Beatty, an Ohio Democrat serving as an ex officio board member through her congressional role, brought the other. Cooper sided with Beatty’s petition while dismissing the alternative challenge.
Trump’s post also referenced Jeffress’ firm’s representation of E. Jean Carroll, the advice columnist who alleges Trump sexually assaulted her in a New York department store three decades ago.
Jeffress has not yet responded to requests for comment.
The Japanese technology conglomerate SoftBank Group has unveiled plans for a massive €45 billion investment over the coming five years to develop artificial intelligence infrastructure across France, according to founder Masayoshi Son in a weekend interview with La Tribune Dimanche.
Son described this commitment as Europe’s largest AI infrastructure investment to date, focusing on the northern Hauts-de-France region. The company’s total investment commitment in France is expected to reach €75 billion, Son revealed.
Officials plan to formally reveal these investment details on Monday during the annual Choose France business conference.
La Tribune Dimanche reported that two data center locations at Le Bosquel and Dunkirk are scheduled to begin operations in 2028 and 2031 respectively, delivering a combined computing capacity exceeding 5 gigawatts.
When questioned about selecting France for this venture, Son explained, “The fact that the country is a producer and exporter of energy is absolutely decisive for investments in AI infrastructure.”
This French investment represents part of SoftBank’s worldwide AI infrastructure expansion efforts. The company has already committed more than $30 billion to OpenAI, securing approximately an 11% ownership stake.
France has utilized the Choose France summit as a platform to attract international investors since President Emmanuel Macron established the event in 2018.
The Minnesota Vikings have reportedly reached an agreement with Nolan Teasley to become their new general manager, according to NFL Network reports released Saturday.
Teasley currently serves as assistant general manager for the Seattle Seahawks, a position he has held since 2023 under John Schneider.
The 42-year-old executive has built his career within the Seahawks organization over the past 14 years, beginning as an intern in the scouting department in 2013 before working his way up through the ranks.
Following his role in helping Seattle capture the Super Bowl championship last season, Teasley will now face the challenge of rebuilding the Vikings, who failed to reach the playoffs in the previous season.
Rob Brzezinski, Minnesota’s vice president of football operations, has been filling the general manager role on an interim basis since the organization dismissed Kwesi Adofo-Mensah on Jan. 30, ending his four-year tenure with the team.
Civil liberties organizations have launched a federal court challenge against the nation’s biggest immigration detention facility in El Paso, Texas, citing alleged mistreatment and three deaths since the center opened nine months ago.
The American Civil Liberties Union, alongside other advocacy groups, filed the legal action representing four individuals currently detained at Camp East Montana, a large tent facility established as part of President Donald Trump’s mass-deportation strategy.
The lawsuit, submitted to United States District Court Western District of Texas, targets camp operator U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and its parent organization, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. This marks the first legal challenge to the desert facility located on the Fort Bliss military base, seeking better conditions for over 2,700 detainees, according to an ACLU statement.
The Department of Homeland Security has not yet provided a response to requests for comment. The agency previously stated that the $1.2 billion facility complies with federal immigrant detention standards.
“We’re suing to ensure that no other human being has to endure the inhumane treatment,” said Kyle Virgien, an attorney for the National Prison Project of the ACLU, which filed the lawsuit together with Human Rights Watch and the Texas Civil Rights Project.
A February inspection of the facility’s temporary structures, mandated by Congress, discovered 49 violations of detention standards, with 11 involving “use of force and restraints” and five concerning “medical care.”
The ACLU’s legal filing alleges that detainees face confinement in windowless spaces where they experience physical mistreatment by guards, inadequate medical and mental health services, widespread use of solitary confinement, and exposure to illnesses including measles and tuberculosis.
Venezuelan immigrant Erik Ivan Rodriguez, one of the named plaintiffs, stated he faced physical violence from officials attempting to force him to sign deportation documents. Gerald Akari Angye from Cameroon, another plaintiff, reported being assaulted by guards.
El Paso medical examiners determined that the January 3 death of a Cuban immigrant at Camp East Montana was a homicide, citing “asphyxia due to neck and torso compression.”
Immigration authorities initially described Geraldo Lunas Campos’ death as resulting from “medical distress.” Officials later claimed he attempted suicide and died during a struggle with guards who tried to prevent it.
The ACLU’s lawsuit contends he was fatally beaten after requesting his asthma medication. The complaint also states that a fourth individual died shortly after release from the facility, where he had been refused cancer chemotherapy treatment.
Immigration detention fatalities reached a 20-year peak in 2025 as the Trump administration increased the number of people held for alleged violations.
PARIS, May 30 – Day seven of the French Open delivered dramatic results and major upsets on Saturday in sweltering conditions at Roland Garros.
1817 CERUNDOLO ADVANCES TO FOURTH ROUND
Juan Manuel Cerundolo, fresh off his victory over world number one Jannik Sinner, defeated Martin Landaluce in a marathon five-set thriller 6-4 6-7(7) 7-6(4) 6-7(4) 7-6(10-8) to secure his first-ever fourth round appearance at a Grand Slam tournament. His next opponent will be Matteo Berrettini in the round of 16.
1810 DEFENDING CHAMPION GAUFF ELIMINATED
In a stunning upset, Austria’s 28th-seeded Anastasia Potapova defeated defending champion Coco Gauff, the American fourth seed, with a 4-6 7-6(1) 6-4 victory in third round action.
1657 BERRETTINI SURVIVES MARATHON BATTLE
Former Wimbledon finalist Matteo Berrettini endured an exhausting five-hour marathon against Argentina’s Francisco Comesana, ultimately prevailing 7-6(3) 5-7 6-7(4) 6-4 7-6(15-13) to advance to the fourth round.
1507 PARRY DELIVERS HOME CROWD UPSET
French crowd favorite Diane Parry pulled off a major surprise by defeating American sixth seed Amanda Anisimova 6-3 4-6 7-6(3), earning her first Grand Slam fourth round berth. The 23-year-old, currently ranked 92nd globally, will meet Poland’s Maja Chwalinska in the next round.
1350 SABALENKA ADVANCES TO FACE OSAKA
Top-ranked Aryna Sabalenka dominated Daria Kasatkina 6-0 7-5, setting up an intriguing round of 16 matchup against four-time Grand Slam winner Naomi Osaka.
1208 OSAKA REACHES FRENCH OPEN MILESTONE
Four-time Grand Slam champion Naomi Osaka achieved a career first by reaching the French Open’s fourth round, defeating American 17th seed Iva Jovic 7-6(5) 6-7(3) 6-4.
1156 COBOLLI CRUISES TO VICTORY
Italian 10th seed Flavio Cobolli, last year’s Wimbledon quarter-finalist, dominated American 18th seed Learner Tien 6-2 6-2 6-3 to reach his first French Open fourth round. Cobolli’s next challenge will be against Zachary Svajda.
0908 HOT CONDITIONS GREET PLAYERS
Competition commenced under scorching conditions at Roland Garros, with temperatures reaching 28 degrees Celsius in Paris and forecasted to climb to approximately 33 degrees. French weather service Meteo France issued a high-temperature advisory for the capital city.
The day’s featured matches included defending women’s champion Coco Gauff facing Anastasia Potapova, while world number one Aryna Sabalenka took on Daria Kasatkina.
PARIS — Title holder Coco Gauff suffered a shocking elimination at the French Open on Saturday, falling to Austria’s Anastasia Potapova in a three-set thriller that ended 4-6, 7-6(1), 6-4.
The upset victory sends Potapova into the fourth round and keeps her pursuit of a first Grand Slam championship alive, while adding Gauff’s name to a growing list of high-profile casualties at Roland Garros this year.
Saturday’s result caps off a devastating stretch for tournament favorites, with top men’s players Jannik Sinner and Novak Djokovic already eliminated from their bracket. Gauff struggled to find her top form during crucial moments of the match.
With the defending champion now out of contention, four-time winner Iga Swiatek and top-ranked Aryna Sabalenka emerge as the primary favorites for the title. Meanwhile, Potapova positions herself as a potential surprise contender after delivering such a significant upset.
“I’m cramping a little bit, but it’s OK, it’s all good. I don’t have any words now, I’m extremely happy,” Potapova told reporters on court while holding her right arm following the two-hour, 37-minute battle.
“The fight we could show, both of us… Coco’s such a champion and I respect her so much. I’m unbelievably proud of myself that I stayed there, that I was fighting until the very last point,” she added.
Potapova dominated early with aggressive shots from the baseline, securing an immediate break to love in the match’s first game. She extended her advantage to 4-2 after Gauff took a tumble on Court Philippe Chatrier while attempting to reach a ball.
The American recovered her composure and claimed the following two games before a relatively small center court audience, as many spectators were divided between watching Paris St Germain’s Champions League soccer final against Arsenal in Budapest and following Frenchman Moise Kouame’s match at the tournament.
The 22-year-old Gauff elevated her performance to capture the opening set, but the Russian-born Potapova responded by intensifying her attack on the American’s inconsistent serve, earning two early breaks in the second set.
Leading 5-2 and positioned to force a deciding set, Potapova seemed ready to even the match. However, Gauff mounted a comeback by winning four consecutive games before dropping the next game and ultimately losing the set in a tiebreaker where her serve faltered.
Both players exchanged breaks in an intense final set, but fourth-ranked Gauff lost momentum as Potapova seized command and closed out the victory in impressive fashion. The win sets up a fourth-round clash with 22nd-seeded Anna Kalinskaya.
The 30th-ranked Potapova described the triumph as among her career’s most significant achievements.
“It’s up there in the top three for sure,” she concluded.
Drivers on Interstate 295 southbound are facing traffic delays this morning due to heavy congestion in the New Castle County area.
The backup extends from Landers Lane to the Interstate 95 interchange, passing through the Churchmans Marsh area. Motorists should expect an additional 5 to 10 minutes added to their travel time through this corridor.
The Delaware Department of Transportation is monitoring the situation as traffic conditions continue to impact the morning commute.
Traffic is being detoured around a major stretch of U.S. Route 9 after power lines fell across the roadway, forcing authorities to shut down the highway in both directions.
The closure extends along the Lewes Georgetown Highway from Harbeson Road to Prettyman Road, where a utility pole with electrical wires has blocked the entire roadway.
Motorists traveling between the Lewes and Georgetown areas should expect delays and plan alternate routes while utility crews work to remove the downed infrastructure and restore safe passage.
Officials have not provided an estimated time for when the highway will reopen to normal traffic flow.
RALEIGH, N.C. — As the Carolina Hurricanes celebrated on the ice after clinching their first Stanley Cup Final appearance in 20 years, Rod Brind’Amour embraced his players while reminding them another series awaited.
Veteran forward Jordan Martinook then approached his coach.
“All right, Marty, you got us here,” Brind’Amour told him.
“One more,” Martinook replied, on cue. “Yep, one more.”
After eight seasons with Brind’Amour at the helm — the former captain who led Carolina to the Cup in 2006 — the team finally overcame their Eastern Conference Final obstacle by eliminating the Montreal Canadiens in five games Friday night. The breakthrough was especially meaningful for five players who endured three previous conference final losses since 2019 when Brind’Amour began coaching: Martinook, captain Jordan Staal, forwards Sebastian Aho and Andrei Svechnikov, and defenseman Jaccob Slavin.
“It’s hard to really describe,” Staal said as he sat at his locker. “It’s been a lot of grinding, a lot of ups and downs. … I’m just so happy to be where we’re at and just excited for the opportunity ahead.”
Carolina’s transformation started when Brind’Amour was promoted to head coach in 2018 following seven years as an assistant. The Hurricanes were stuck in a nine-year playoff absence at that time.
They’ve qualified for the postseason every year since. The five core players have remained throughout Brind’Amour’s entire tenure:
— Staal joined Carolina from Pittsburgh during the 2012 NHL Entry Draft. He captured the Cup with the Penguins in 2009 — including a sweep of the Hurricanes in the Eastern Conference Final while Brind’Amour was still playing — but endured six seasons without playoffs in Carolina.
— Slavin was selected in the fourth round of 2012 and had spent three years with Carolina before emerging as one of the league’s premier defensive defensemen.
— Aho was chosen in the second round of 2015 and had two seasons with Carolina while developing into the team’s top-line center.
— Carolina obtained Martinook from Arizona shortly after Brind’Amour’s appointment, acquiring a player who would form a strong checking line with Staal.
— Carolina selected Svechnikov second overall a month following Brind’Amour’s promotion, with Svechnikov becoming a physical presence alongside Aho.
Success came quickly. Carolina eliminated defending Cup champion Washington in a seven-game opening round, then made a surprising run to the Eastern Conference Final before Boston swept them.
It marked the beginning of both sustained achievement and repeated disappointment.
The Hurricanes reached the Eastern Conference Final again in 2023, this time holding home-ice advantage against the Florida Panthers. However, they suffered another sweep in four one-goal contests, including a four-overtime marathon in Game 1.
Last year brought a rematch that quickly deteriorated. They dropped Games 1 and 2 in performances that frustrated their typically energetic home crowd, fell behind 0-3 in the series and were eliminated in five games.
That left Carolina with a 1-12 record in that round under Brind’Amour, unable to convert years of regular-season consistency into postseason advancement. It contributed to the “scar tissue” Martinook referenced Friday night, shared by the five core players with Brind’Amour and holdovers like assistant coach Jeff Daniels and longtime video coach Chris Huffine.
“They’ve really grinded out and did it the right way,” Brind’Amour said, “and took a lot of, I think, flack for getting this far and not getting past it. Unduly. I don’t think that was right, because they played as hard as they could. … They gave it everything they had, and that’s all you can ask.
“We got better this year, we added some pieces that made us better to get us to this point. But as a coach, you watch these guys every day, there’s nobody luckier than me to have these guys, the way they approach their business on a daily basis, not just now.”
That dedication was most evident against Montreal.
The Hurricanes swept Ottawa and Philadelphia in the opening two rounds, earning an 11-day break between rounds — the longest playoff intermission in over a century. They emerged with a terrible start against the Canadiens, who scored four first-period goals in a 6-2 victory that recalled previous conference final struggles.
Rather than collapse, the experienced Hurricanes rallied.
Nikolaj Ehlers delivered a 3-2 overtime victory in Game 2. They captured Game 3 by the same overtime margin on Svechnikov’s road winner, with Aho providing a screen on Jakub Dobes at the crease. From there, they found their suffocating style that Staal compared to a “machine,” winning 4-0 on the road before Friday’s 6-1 home triumph.
Carolina became the first team to reach the Stanley Cup Final with just one loss since 1983, according to SportRadar, and the first to accomplish this feat since the league adopted best-of-seven series for all four playoff rounds in 1987.
Now they face Vegas for the Cup, a rare new chapter for Carolina’s core group in this extended journey.
“I feel like it was more maybe you guys talking about, ‘Oh, this is the Eastern Conference Final, can’t go past it,’” Aho told reporters in the locker room afterward. “I thought the room was definitely very confident in what we can do. But yeah, it feels good to play for the Cup now.”
A federal judge in Florida has announced plans to examine a controversial settlement deal between the Justice Department and President Donald Trump regarding his $10 billion legal action against the Internal Revenue Service, adding new scrutiny to the widely criticized arrangement.
The president had sued his own administration claiming improper handling of his tax documents led to media leaks. The proposed settlement would establish an approximately $1.8 billion compensation fund for those affected by alleged political weaponization.
On Friday, U.S. District Judge Kathleen Williams directed Trump’s legal team to provide a response by June 12 to allegations from 35 former federal judges who claim the settlement “is a product of collusion and is itself a fraud on the court.” The attorneys must also address whether the case should be reopened due to claims the lawsuit resulted from “deception” by Trump and the government.
After reaching the settlement, Trump attempted to have the lawsuit dismissed to avoid judicial review of the agreement.
Williams had initially approved that dismissal on May 18, but her latest ruling states the “court is empowered to investigate serious misconduct.”
It represents an uncommon situation for a judge to require government responses to motions following case dismissal. Should the judge decide to reopen proceedings, she might schedule hearings or pursue additional measures.
The former judges argued the settlement, which was never presented to the court, creates serious concerns about Trump and the government’s conduct “and manipulation of the judicial system, which threatens to undermine confidence in the administration of justice.”
In a separate development, U.S. District Judge Leonie Brinkema in Virginia issued a temporary prohibition Friday against the Trump administration establishing the “Anti-Weaponization Fund.” Brinkema’s directive remains effective through at least June 12.
The compensation fund has generated opposition, including from some Republican Party legislators in Trump’s party, who voiced frustration that individuals involved in the January 6, 2021, U.S. Capitol attack might receive government-funded payments. Critics have labeled it a “slush fund.”
The settlement would also prevent the IRS from conducting future audits of past tax filings for Trump, his family members, and his businesses for returns submitted before May 18 or regarding any issues “that were raised or could have been raised.”
Legal professionals have characterized the arrangement as highly irregular due to both the unusual nature of Trump’s IRS lawsuit and because compensation funds of this magnitude are typically established through congressional legislation or court oversight.
Colorado’s most promising young player, Ethan Holliday, will require surgery on his left foot and miss the rest of the season, according to a report from MLB.com.
The 19-year-old infielder, selected fourth overall in the 2025 MLB Draft, sustained a stress fracture and was placed on the injured list by Single-A Fresno. His last game appearance was on May 20.
The report indicates the timing and cause of the injury remain unknown. Colorado has not yet made an official announcement regarding the upcoming surgery.
After being drafted from Stillwater High School in Oklahoma, Holliday inked a deal with Colorado worth $9 million — setting a record as the highest bonus ever awarded to a high school player. Following the draft, he began his professional career with Fresno and returned to the team this spring.
His season concludes with a .262 batting average, nine home runs, and 32 RBIs across 33 games. Prior to getting hurt, he was performing well in May, posting a .295 average along with six homers, four doubles, and one triple over 15 contests.
According to MLB Pipeline, he ranks as the 17th-best prospect overall with a projected major league debut in 2029. Standing 6-foot-2 and weighing 210 pounds, Holliday is anticipated to transition to third base in the future.
His older brother, Jackson Holliday, was selected first overall in the 2022 MLB Draft by the Baltimore Orioles. Jackson, also an infielder, recently returned to action this season following a fractured hamate bone injury he suffered during batting practice before spring training began in February.
Through 10 games in 2026, he is batting .259 with two home runs and five RBIs.
The brothers’ father, Matt Holliday, enjoyed a distinguished career as a seven-time All-Star across four teams, most notably with the Rockies and St. Louis Cardinals.
On Saturday, the Tampa Bay Rays activated right-handed pitcher Cole Sulser from the 15-day injured list while sending right-hander Hunter Bigge down to Triple-A Durham.
Sulser had been out of action due to a lower back strain.
This season, he holds a 1-0 record along with two saves and a 3.68 ERA across 18 outings, including one start.
The 36-year-old pitcher brings a career record of 11-14 with 17 saves and a 3.53 ERA over 175 games (three starts) while playing for five different teams.
Bigge, age 27, carries a 1-1 record this season with a 6.98 ERA through 18 relief outings.
Throughout his career with the Chicago Cubs and Rays, he maintains the same 1-1 record with a 4.18 ERA in 50 total appearances, including one start.
PARIS, May 30 – Key moments from Saturday’s seventh day of competition at the French Open tennis tournament (times in GMT):
1657 BERRETTINI SURVIVES MARATHON MATCH
Ex-Wimbledon finalist Matteo Berrettini survived an exhausting five-hour marathon against Argentina’s Francisco Comesana, claiming victory 7-6(3) 5-7 6-7(4) 6-4 7-6(15-13) to advance to the round of 16.
1507 PARRY UPSETS ANISIMOVA
French player Diane Parry delivered a major upset by defeating American sixth seed Amanda Anisimova 6-3 4-6 7-6(3) to advance to her first Grand Slam fourth round. The 23-year-old, currently ranked 92nd globally, will meet Poland’s Maja Chwalinska in the round of 16.
1350 SABALENKA ADVANCES TO FACE OSAKA
Top-ranked Aryna Sabalenka dominated Daria Kasatkina 6-0 7-5 to secure a round of 16 matchup against fellow four-time Grand Slam winner Naomi Osaka.
1208 OSAKA MAKES FRENCH OPEN BREAKTHROUGH
Four-time major champion Naomi Osaka achieved her first French Open round of 16 appearance, defeating American 17th seed Iva Jovic 7-6(5) 6-7(3) 6-4.
1156 COBOLLI DOMINATES TIEN
Italian 10th seed Flavio Cobolli, who made the Wimbledon quarterfinals last season, defeated American 18th seed Learner Tien 6-2 6-2 6-3 to reach his first French Open fourth round. Cobolli’s next opponent will be Zachary Svajda in the round of 16.
0908 TOURNAMENT BEGINS UNDER HOT CONDITIONS
Competition commenced in sweltering weather at Roland Garros, with temperatures reaching 28 degrees Celsius in Paris and forecasted to climb to approximately 33 degrees. France’s national weather service Meteo France issued a high-temperature alert for the capital city.
Defending women’s champion Coco Gauff was scheduled to compete against Anastasia Potapova, while top seed Aryna Sabalenka faced Daria Kasatkina.
Medical officials in Brazil’s Sao Paulo state are examining a potential Ebola infection that was reported over the weekend in the state’s capital city, according to authorities.
A man from the Democratic Republic of Congo developed fever symptoms following a recent trip to that African nation, which is currently dealing with an Ebola outbreak.
Medical officials confirmed in a statement that the patient has been placed in isolation at a medical facility that specializes in treating suspected or confirmed cases of the illness.
Three members of the Salisbury University baseball squad have been honored with prestigious recognition from the Eastern College Athletic Conference, according to an announcement made Friday morning from Danbury, Connecticut.
The Sea Gulls secured two major individual honors, with outfielder Nathan Tondreault earning the title of ECAC Rookie of the Year. Meanwhile, right-handed pitcher Aidan Brinsfield claimed the ECAC Pitcher of the Year award.
Additionally, third baseman Jackson Inman earned a spot on the 2026 All-ECAC Team alongside Tondreault and Brinsfield, giving Salisbury University three representatives on the conference’s elite squad.
Companies across the nation have begun receiving money back from tariffs that the U.S. Supreme Court determined President Donald Trump did not have constitutional power to impose on imports from nearly all other nations.
However, this refund process may come to a stop after the Trump administration announced Friday its intention to challenge a federal judge’s decision that expanded eligibility for refunds to all businesses that paid the invalidated duties, rather than limiting it to companies that pursued legal action.
Before the Department of Justice notified the court of its appeal plans, the refund program managed by U.S. Customs and Border Protection had been operating relatively smoothly. The first successful claimants received their money on May 12, approximately three weeks after importers and their customs brokers began submitting requests through an online portal, CBP reported.
As of May 22, refund requests totaling $85 billion had been accepted for review – representing more than half of the $166 billion that the agency calculated the government owes to businesses that paid tariffs on imported merchandise, according to a CBP court document filed this week. The agency stated it had already instructed the Treasury Department to distribute $20.6 billion in refunds.
The administration disclosed its appeal intentions while challenging a request by Judge Richard K. Eaton for CBP Commissioner Rodney Scott to testify before the U.S. Court of International Trade regarding timelines for repaying all 330,000 importers who could qualify for refunds. The judge has set a June 9 hearing to consider why he should not order the government to take all necessary steps to accelerate the process.
Justice Department attorneys requested that Eaton permit one or two of Scott’s subordinates to testify instead, contending that as a senior presidential appointee, the CBP leader could not be forced to give court testimony. They also maintained that Eaton overstepped his authority in March when he ruled that the Supreme Court’s decision granted “all importers of record” the right to refunds.
“For that reason, defendants intend to appeal the court’s universal injunction,” the attorneys stated, noting that CBP would continue moving “as quicky as it can to process refunds in a phased approach” for companies that filed approximately 485 ongoing trade court cases to claim their refund rights.
In a brief response Friday, Eaton stated he required direct testimony from Scott about whether the government would return all funds collected from when Trump implemented what he termed “reciprocal” tariffs on most nations in April 2025 until the Supreme Court invalidated them in late February.
“This case involves $166 billion,” the judge stated. “It is undisputed that the remedy for this unlawful collection is for the United States government to refund the unlawfully collected duties.”
Several major retail chains indicated they would use their tariff refunds to reduce prices for customers on certain products. Walmart Chief Financial Officer John David Rainey informed analysts last week that the company would cut prices despite the maximum refund it could receive representing less than half of 1% of Walmart’s $483 billion in annual U.S. revenue.
Various smaller businesses told The Associated Press that the partial refunds they have received would help pay remaining or future tariffs, reduce debt, or simply maintain operations after more than a year of uncertainty and additional import expenses.
Jay Foreman, CEO of toy company Basic Fun, reported receiving approximately $450,000, representing 7% of his total claim, during two consecutive days this month. While he viewed the initial payment positively, he described the process as a “total slow roll” after receiving less than $10,000 since then.
“It’s time to release the funds back into the economy, especially given how much we and others need these funds to support our businesses and fund our operations,” Foreman said.
WASHINGTON – President Donald Trump announced Saturday that he’s weighing whether to call off a series of musical performances planned to mark America’s 250th anniversary celebration, following withdrawals by several performers, and may opt for delivering a speech instead.
The latest artist to back out was Bret Michaels, lead singer of the rock band Poison, who on Friday became the fifth performer to pull out of the “Freedom 250” concert series. The musical events are set to run from June 25 through July 10 at Washington’s National Mall.
In a Saturday post on Truth Social, Trump floated the idea of hosting a speech and rally, describing himself as “the Number One Attraction anywhere in the World, the man who gets much larger audiences than Elvis in his prime and he does so without a guitar.”
Chicago White Sox have sidelined rookie first baseman Munetaka Murakami for at least 10 days after he suffered a right hamstring strain on Saturday.
The 26-year-old player, currently tied for the American League’s top spot with 20 home runs, got hurt during Friday’s victory over the Detroit Tigers at home.
The injury occurred when Murakami was sprinting toward first base trying to avoid a double play during the third inning. He clutched his hamstring muscle and had to leave the game, walking carefully back to the dugout on his own while Luisangel Acuna took over as a pinch runner. Saturday’s MRI scan verified the muscle strain.
Through 57 games in his debut major league season, Murakami has compiled a .240 batting average along with 41 RBIs and tops the American League with 43 runs scored. The Japanese player inked a two-year deal worth $34 million this past December.
Chicago also made additional roster moves, bringing up infielder Jacob Gonzalez from their Triple-A Charlotte affiliate and moving pitcher Jordan Leasure to the 60-day injured list due to his right flexor strain.
Gonzalez, who turned 24 on Saturday, did not start in the afternoon game against Detroit. MLB Pipeline ranks him as the organization’s 23rd-best prospect.
Selected by Chicago as the 15th overall pick in the 2023 draft from Ole Miss, Gonzalez has posted impressive numbers at Charlotte this year with a .317/.419/.668 slash line, 19 homers, and 62 RBIs across 52 games. He leads all minor leaguers in RBIs and total bases with 133, while sharing the home run lead through Friday.
While Gonzalez has primarily played shortstop in the minors, he has also started five games each at first base and second base this season.
If Gonzalez plays, he would join a select group as only the second White Sox player ever to debut on his birthday, following left-handed pitcher Ken Patterson who accomplished the feat on July 8, 1988.
Switzerland dominated their world championship semifinal on May 30, overwhelming Norway with a decisive 6-0 victory that secured the host nation’s place in the IIHF Ice Hockey World Championship final for the third consecutive year.
Norway managed to keep the contest even through most of the opening period, but Christoph Bertschy’s goal with 2:24 left in the first frame opened the floodgates for the Swiss squad.
Energized by enthusiastic support from the home fans, Switzerland exploded for three goals during the middle period as Denis Malgin, Ken Jager and Damien Riat each found the back of the net. Norway appeared to tire during this stretch, taking several costly penalties that helped fuel the Swiss offensive surge.
The decisive second-period scoring barrage effectively ended Norway’s remarkable tournament run, which had seen them reach the semifinals for the first time in 73 years since 1951. Nico Hischier added a power-play tally early in the final period to make it 5-0, and Theo Rochette capped the scoring with 2:26 left on the clock.
Despite the semifinal defeat, Norway still has an opportunity to surpass their previous best tournament finish of fourth place from 1951 when they compete for bronze on Sunday against whichever team loses the other semifinal between Canada and Finland.
Sunday’s championship match at Swiss Life Arena in Zurich will mark Switzerland’s sixth appearance in a world championship final and their third straight, though the nation has yet to capture its first tournament title.
Delaware State Police detectives are looking into an armed robbery that took place Friday evening in Wilmington.
According to investigators, the incident happened on May 29, 2026, around 5:00 p.m. when officers were called to the back area of a business located in the 3800 block of Kirkwood Highway following reports of an armed robbery. Initial findings show that the victim had made contact with a suspect using TikTok. The pair arranged to meet on Maryland Avenue in Wilmington with plans to ride electric bikes together. Following their initial meeting, they spent time riding in the surrounding area before the suspect convinced the victim to go to the back of a Kirkwood Highway business, claiming they would make videos there.
While at the rear of the business, a second suspect wearing a mask came up to the victim, pulled out a handgun, and ordered the victim to hand over their electric bike. The victim gave up the bike and both suspects escaped with the stolen property. No injuries occurred during the robbery.
The case remains under investigation by the Delaware State Police Criminal Investigations Unit. Investigators are requesting that anyone who saw what happened or has information that could help should reach out to Detective M. Conway at (302) 365-8411. Tips can also be submitted through private Facebook messages to the Delaware State Police or by calling Delaware Crime Stoppers at 1-800-847-3333.
Crime victims, witnesses, or those who have lost loved ones to sudden death can receive assistance from the Delaware State Police Victim Services Unit and Delaware Victim Center, which provides support and resources around the clock through their toll-free hotline at 1-800-VICTIM-1 (1-800-842-8461). The Victim Services Unit can also be reached by email at [email protected].
PARIS, May 30 – French tennis player Diane Parry achieved a remarkable upset victory, defeating American Amanda Anisimova 6-3, 4-6, 7-6(3) on Saturday to reach her first Grand Slam fourth round at the French Open. Parry represents the final French competitor remaining in the women’s tournament.
The 23-year-old player, currently ranked 92nd globally, thrilled spectators at Court Philippe Chatrier by defeating Anisimova, who holds the sixth seed position. The American has previously reached major finals twice at Wimbledon and the U.S. Open in 2025, and also made the semi-finals at Roland Garros in 2019.
Parry experienced early difficulties, trailing 3-1 in the first set before mounting an impressive comeback with five consecutive games to secure the set on her third opportunity. Anisimova responded strongly in the second set, breaking Parry’s serve at a crucial moment to push the match to a final set.
The concluding set delivered high drama as Parry gained a service break to lead 4-3, but Anisimova immediately responded with her own break, heightening the match’s intensity. The decisive tiebreak showcased Parry’s determination as she seized early control and secured the victory on her initial match point following two hours and 44 minutes of play.
The French player, who supports soccer team Paris St Germain, expressed relief at completing her third-round match before the team’s Champions League final against Arsenal.
“So happy I have experienced this match in this atmosphere, you were exceptional. It was a big day with my match and PSG’s final awaiting us,” Parry said on court.
This victory marks Parry’s second career win against a top-10 opponent and guarantees French representation in the tournament’s second week for the third consecutive year.
Parry’s next opponent will be Poland’s Maja Chwalinska, who holds the 114th world ranking. Chwalinska is making her debut appearance at the French Open and has emerged as an unexpected success story with her impressive advancement to the round of 16.
Colombia’s administration on Saturday condemned Ecuador’s President Daniel Noboa for what it called intentional meddling in the country’s election after he pledged to remove trade tariffs following discussions with a Colombian presidential hopeful.
On Friday, Noboa announced after meeting with Colombian presidential candidate Abelardo de la Espriella that he planned to work together against narcoterrorism and would drop a security tax beginning June 1.
Colombia’s Foreign Ministry fired back Saturday, stating that Ecuador’s decision to lift tariffs on trade between the two nations comes from a mandate by the Andean Community of Nations and dismissed characterizing it as “a goodwill gesture by the Ecuadorian leader.”
The ministry further condemned Noboa’s statements as “deliberate interference in the electoral process” and called it “intrusion by a foreign leader” that represents a “flagrant violation of the principle of non-intervention in internal affairs.”
Colombian voters head to polling stations Sunday to choose who will replace President Gustavo Petro.
De la Espriella, representing the political movement Defenders of the Homeland, ranks among the leading contenders in polling.
Noboa has not specified whether he would stick with his plan if the ruling party candidate, Iván Cepeda, emerges victorious.
The commercial dispute between the two nations started in January when Ecuador’s president implemented what he called a security tax on Colombian goods, citing inadequate border oversight and pointing to a trade imbalance of at least $1 billion.
The levy started at 30%, slowly climbed to 50%, and eventually hit 100%. Only days before his recent statement, Noboa had announced it would drop to 75% beginning June 1st.
The Petro government, which has rejected claims of border neglect, struck back with matching actions: implementing tariffs as high as 75% on Ecuador’s products and banning energy exports to Ecuador.
The escalating conflict resulted in both nations recalling their ambassadors.
Earlier this month, the Andean Community of Nations determined that the mutual tariffs must be removed because they obstruct free commerce and set a deadline for both countries to comply. The organization is currently examining appeals challenging the decision.
American military forces have intercepted and disabled another commercial vessel attempting to violate the U.S. blockade of Iranian ports, according to a U.S. official familiar with the operation who spoke to The Associated Press on Saturday.
The bulk carrier Lian Star, flying under Gambia’s flag, disregarded repeated warnings from American forces during overnight hours while attempting to access an Iranian port, according to the official, who requested anonymity when discussing military operations. U.S. aircraft rendered the vessel inoperable in the Gulf of Oman, where it continues to drift, though American forces have not boarded the ship, the official stated.
This latest incident brings the total number of vessels stopped by U.S. military forces to six since the blockade’s implementation. One ship was permitted to continue its journey.
The American blockade commenced on April 17 following Iran’s effective closure of the strait after hostilities erupted with U.S. and Israeli attacks on Feb. 28. A tentative ceasefire has remained in place since April 7. The region and international community now wait for developments regarding a potential agreement to extend the ceasefire for 60 days while conducting fresh negotiations on Iran’s contested nuclear program.
Developments in the Strait of Hormuz between Iran and Oman have disrupted the global economy, with substantial quantities of oil, natural gas and related products like fertilizer effectively blocked from transport, intensifying pressure on consumers and agricultural producers.
The American blockade aims to restrict Iran’s shipping capabilities and further limit its revenue streams, adding pressure to its already struggling economy.
U.S. President Donald Trump conducted meetings with advisers on Friday but has not yet made a decision regarding proceeding with an agreement to extend the ceasefire and reopen the strait. Iran has indicated the deal remains incomplete.
Maritime commerce has continued moving through the strait at reduced levels compared to pre-conflict volumes, despite Iran’s claims that it must authorize all passages.
“Any violation of these regulations will place the security of their passage at serious risk,” Iran’s joint military command stated Saturday in a declaration broadcast on state television, cautioning that military vessels attempting to interfere would face targeting.
Iran has imposed transit fees reaching as high as $2 million, which maritime experts consider a breach of international maritime commerce principles regarding freedom of peaceful navigation.
Qatar’s deputy prime minister, Sheikh Saoud bin Abdulrahman bin Hassan bin Ali Al Thani, said Saturday the Gulf nation objects to charging transit fees, “but for certain times when they say they are going to use it for mine clearing or some usage of the fees for a temporary time, this is something that is negotiable, and it could be something that will help the transit of the Strait of Hormuz to be back to normal stage.”
The U.S. official previously informed the AP that American forces have not located or eliminated any mines in the strait.
PARIS, May 30 – The French Open reaches its critical phase Sunday as four-time champion Iga Swiatek and second seed Alexander Zverev take the court for their fourth-round contests.
Two-time finalist Casper Ruud and Italian Open winner Elina Svitolina will also compete in key matches.
FEATURED MEN’S SHOWDOWN: CASPER RUUD VS JOAO FONSECA
Without any Grand Slam winners remaining in the men’s competition, Ruud has positioned himself as a serious threat thanks to his extensive Roland Garros final appearances – more than any other male player still competing.
The early departures of both Jannik Sinner and Novak Djokovic during the opening week have created unprecedented opportunities for a fresh Grand Slam winner to claim the title.
“It’s such an open tournament, which is kind of refreshing for everyone, and to see that there will be a new slam champion in about a week or so. I think every player is aware of it,” Ruud said.
“I’m going to try to use the experiences that I’ve had of reaching far in Slams to my advantage and see where that takes me, but you focus one match at a time.
“I have an incredible task ahead of me with a young special talent like Joao. He has already beaten top players in his career, so he knows what it takes.”
The 19-year-old Brazilian player Fonseca made headlines by defeating Djokovic in a dramatic five-set match, though the teenager remains modest about his prospects despite the Serbian’s prediction of championship potential.
“That was my first fourth-round (match) in my career. I’m just thinking about my next match,” Fonseca said.
“For me it was a great achievement just being able to play, my first time (in the) round of 16. I’m just going to enjoy the moment.”
WOMEN’S HIGHLIGHT: IGA SWIATEK VS MARTA KOSTYUK
Despite capturing two clay court championships this season and maintaining a perfect clay court record, Kostyuk views herself as the challenger against Swiatek.
Kostyuk claimed victories at both the Open de Rouen and Madrid Open before arriving at Roland Garros. She has shown remarkable mental strength at this clay court major after learning that a Russian missile struck near her family’s residence in Kyiv prior to her opening match.
The 15th-seeded player has lost just one set and now pursues her first win against Poland’s Swiatek with confidence.
“I lost to her three times, one of which was during junior years. Very excited for this match. I wanted to play her in a while,” Kostyuk said.
“She loves to play here, obviously, but I have every chance. I’m an underdog in this match, for sure. I’m going to go out there and enjoy it as much as I can.
“I definitely have a different feeling going into this match, because I feel like last time that I played her in Cincinnati (in 2024), I lost this match way before it even started and I don’t feel the same this time.”
Swiatek aims for her first clay court championship since capturing the French Open in 2024, with the Polish third seed recognizing her opponent’s strong 2025 performance.
“Marta is having a great season. She always had a game to play well. Did some semi-finals of big tournaments before. Now she won Madrid. So good for her,” Swiatek said.
“But I’m going to focus on myself, prepare tactically, as before any other match, and we’ll see.”
SUBSTITUTE PLAYER DE JONG WELCOMES ZVEREV CHALLENGE
Dutch player Jesper de Jong entered as a substitute after Arthur Fils withdrew, earning him a fourth-round meeting with second seed Alexander Zverev, who has defeated him twice previously – including at Roland Garros last year.
“I hope to have a good performance, prepare physically for it, because he’s a physical player,” De Jong said.
“Last year he brutally demolished me after that first set. I’m physically stronger than last year, so I’m really looking forward.”
SUNDAY’S MATCH SCHEDULE (seeding numbers included):
COURT PHILIPPE CHATRIER
15-Marta Kostyuk (Ukraine) v 3-Iga Swiatek (Poland)
7-Elina Svitolina (Ukraine) v 11-Belinda Bencic (Switzerland)
Jesper de Jong (Netherlands) v 2-Alexander Zverev (Germany)
15-Casper Ruud (Norway) v 28-Joao Fonseca (Brazil)
COURT SUZANNE-LENGLEN
18-Sorana Cirstea (Romania) v Wang Xinyu (China)
27-Rafael Jodar (Spain) v Pablo Carreno Busta (Spain)
8-Mirra Andreeva (Russia) v Jil Teichmann (Switzerland)
26-Jakub Mensik (Czech Republic) v 11-Andrey Rublev (Russia)
American tennis player Zachary Svajda has combined athletic success with social media stardom during his unexpected French Open performance, capturing fans’ attention with a popular TikTok video showing him donning a beret while holding a large croissant.
The unseeded 23-year-old athlete can anticipate growing his online fanbase following his Saturday victory at Roland Garros, where he defeated Argentine 25th seed Francisco Cerundolo with a score of 6-3 6-4 3-6 4-6 6-3 in the third round.
“I love my TikTok. It’s so much fun,” Svajda shared with media members regarding the video he published one day prior to his match on Court 14.
“I don’t put any pressure on myself. With TikTok, I feel like I can just post whatever I want. When I saw I had made the third round I was like, ‘I have this picture of me with my big croissant that I got a few days ago’.”
“I’m like, ‘you know, I’m going to post it and say, I can’t believe I’m in third round’. Yeah, that one is going viral. It’s so funny. I love my TikTok.”
Having limited Grand Slam tournament experience and never advancing beyond the second round despite consistently competing at his home U.S. Open tournament since 2019, Svajda now has an excellent chance to advance further in the competition.
The surprising departures of world number one Jannik Sinner and 24-times Grand Slam champion Novak Djokovic, along with defending champion Carlos Alcaraz’s absence, have created new possibilities in this year’s men’s competition at the clay court tournament.
“When I saw Sinner was out, I tried to stay present and stay positive and take it day by day, match by match,” Svajda explained.
“I knew the draw was open, but I just tried to keep doing my routines, keep doing what I’ve been doing and see what happens.”
Svajda hopes to end a lengthy Grand Slam championship dry spell for American male players that extends back to 2003 when Andy Roddick captured the U.S. Open championship.
Fellow American players including 19th seed Frances Tiafoe and 31st seed Brandon Nakashima also have chances to advance following their Saturday matches, though Svajda recognizes he might become the final American remaining in Paris.
“Yeah, that would be amazing. It’s like I’m dreaming right now. It’s crazy,” Svajda commented.
“Today was so special too, because it’s my dad’s birthday. I know he’s watching from above.”
Minnesota has removed right-handed pitcher Simeon Woods Richardson from their roster following his winless start to the current season, with the team designating him for assignment on Saturday.
The 25-year-old hurler holds the dubious distinction of topping all major league players in losses while also pacing the American League with 41 earned runs surrendered.
Woods Richardson’s earned run average ballooned to 7.74 during Thursday’s 6-2 defeat on the road against the Chicago White Sox, where he gave up five runs on five hits across 2 2/3 innings of work. Over 47 2/3 innings pitched, he has recorded 26 strikeouts while issuing 25 walks and allowing nine home runs. Opposing hitters have compiled a .330 batting average and .952 OPS against him through 12 appearances, including 10 as a starter.
Since joining the Twins for his big league debut in 2022, Woods Richardson has compiled a 12-17 record with a 4.76 earned run average across 65 career games, with 61 of those coming as starts.
To fill the roster spot, Minnesota brought up right-handed pitcher John Klein from their Triple-A affiliate in St. Paul. The 24-year-old Klein made his major league debut on May 2 and currently holds an 0-1 record with a 7.71 ERA through two relief outings for the Twins.
The Pentagon is considering speeding up its planned military pullout from European installations and will share its strategy with alliance partners next month, according to a Saturday report from German publication Welt am Sonntag, which cited an unnamed Pentagon source.
The U.S. revealed plans in May to remove 5,000 military personnel from Germany, a decision many viewed as stemming from disagreements between President Donald Trump and European nations regarding the Iran war. Germany currently hosts approximately 35,000 active-duty American military members, representing the largest U.S. military presence in Europe.
When initially announced, Pentagon officials indicated the troop reduction would take between six and 12 months to complete.
The German newspaper’s report did not specify how significantly the timeline would be shortened or identify which military installations could be impacted. According to the publication, American officials plan to outline their strategy during next month’s North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) Force Sourcing Conference.
Pentagon representatives did not immediately provide a response when asked for comment on the report.
Charlotte FC defender Tim Ream has been selected to lead the U.S. men’s national soccer team as captain for the upcoming World Cup tournament.
Head coach Mauricio Pochettino announced Saturday that the 38-year-old veteran would wear the captain’s armband for the national squad.
“I am so grateful he is with us — he is a great captain not only (on the) field but more importantly off the field. He has the experience and capacity to be the leader we want,” Pochettino said.
Since joining the national team in 2010, Ream has appeared in 80 matches for the USMNT and was a starter in all four games during the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, where Tyler Adams served as captain.
“This is more than a dream come true,” said Ream, who will make history as the oldest American to compete in a World Cup. “It’s the highest honor for me.”
The United States currently holds the 16th position in global rankings and has been placed in Group D for the World Cup tournament in North America. Their opening match is scheduled for June 12 against Paraguay in Inglewood, California, followed by games against Australia on June 19 in Seattle and Turkey on June 25 in Inglewood, California.
Before the tournament begins, the team will play preparation matches against Senegal on Sunday in Charlotte and Germany on June 6 in Chicago.
Ream is currently in his third year with Charlotte and fourth season in Major League Soccer. Throughout his MLS career, he has recorded two goals and three assists across 105 regular-season games, with 102 starts between the New York Red Bulls in 2011 and Charlotte from 2024-26. His international experience includes playing for English clubs Bolton Wanderers from 2012-15 and Fulham from 2015-24.
OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — The Oklahoma City Thunder will face Saturday night’s decisive Game 7 matchup against the San Antonio Spurs without two key players, as Jalen Williams and Ajay Mitchell remain sidelined due to injuries that have plagued them during the Western Conference finals.
Williams continues to battle a left hamstring strain that has troubled him throughout much of the postseason. Mitchell is dealing with a strained right soleus muscle.
The injury struggles have been a recurring theme for Williams, who sat out 49 of the team’s 82 regular-season contests due to wrist and hamstring ailments. Saturday’s Game 7 will mark the 10th playoff game this season that Williams has been unable to participate in due to his latest hamstring troubles. He did manage to appear in five games during this series, including approximately 10 minutes of action during Thursday’s Game 6 defeat to the Spurs.
Mitchell had stepped into the starting role to fill Williams’ absence until sustaining his own injury. Since then, Oklahoma City has turned to Jared McCain as their starter in that position, joining Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Isaiah Hartenstein, Lu Dort and Chet Holmgren in the starting five.
In contrast, the Spurs enter Game 7 with a clean bill of health, listing no injuries on their report.
The NBA has assigned Marc Davis, John Goble and Josh Tiven as the officiating crew for Saturday’s winner-take-all contest between the Spurs and Thunder. Both Davis and Tiven bring Game 7 experience from earlier in these playoffs, with Davis having worked the deciding game of the Cleveland-Detroit series in Round 2, while Tiven officiated Game 7 of the Orlando-Detroit matchup in Round 1.
GEORGETOWN, Guyana (AP) — A member of Guyana’s military sustained injuries during an armed confrontation with Venezuelan gunmen near the countries’ shared border, officials reported.
According to a statement from the Guyana Defense Force, their patrol boat operating on the Cuyuni River encountered hostile fire on Friday evening.
This incident represents another violent episode in a series of border confrontations that have occurred in recent years amid ongoing territorial disagreements, with Venezuela asserting claims over two-thirds of Guyana’s land. A prior assault resulted in injuries to eight Guyanese military personnel.
Both nations recently presented their cases before the International Court of Justice in The Hague regarding a disputed 62,000-square-mile (160,000-square-kilometer) area abundant in gold, diamonds, timber and additional natural resources. The contested region sits adjacent to significant offshore petroleum reserves that currently yield approximately 900,000 barrels daily.
Venezuela’s acting President Delcy Rodríguez informed the court in The Hague that diplomatic discussions rather than legal decisions should settle this longstanding territorial disagreement.
Venezuela maintains its claim to Essequibo based on historical colonial boundaries that included the area. The country contends that a 1966 Geneva agreement involving Venezuela, Britain and the former British Guiana, which became Guyana, invalidated boundary lines established by international arbitrators in 1899.
MADISON, Wis. — A commercial flight heading to Minneapolis made an emergency landing in Wisconsin Friday evening after crew members dealt with a disruptive passenger onboard.
The aircraft, United flight 2005 departing from Chicago, touched down safely at Madison’s airport to handle what airline officials described as a security issue involving an unruly traveler, according to a company spokesperson’s email statement.
Law enforcement personnel already on the aircraft were able to subdue the disruptive individual without delay, said Carrie Springer, who speaks for the Dane County Regional Airport.
When the plane arrived at the gate, deputies from the Dane County Sheriff’s Office boarded and took the passenger into custody. Springer noted that federal investigators will take over the case.
The aircraft, a Boeing 737-900, was carrying 147 passengers along with six crew members. The airline reported no one sustained injuries during the incident.
After the disruptive passenger was removed, the flight resumed its original route and reached Minneapolis in the early hours of Saturday morning.
Federal prosecutors are demanding a judge remove herself from a Georgia election records dispute, claiming her participation in an event celebrating Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis creates concerns about her impartiality in the case.
Court investigators issued a “private reprimand” to a federal judge in the 11th Judicial Circuit after determining she engaged in sexual activity in the courthouse with a senior uniformed police officer within hearing distance of court staff, participated in a partisan political event, and initially provided false statements denying the accusations.
The court’s probe did not reveal the judge’s name or specific courthouse location within the 11th Circuit, which covers Alabama, Florida and Georgia. Federal prosecutors are basing their recusal request on news reports identifying U.S. District Judge Eleanor Ross in Atlanta as the subject of the investigation.
The Associated Press could not verify the judge’s identity independently. A staff member answering calls at Ross’ office Friday indicated the judge was not available and directed inquiries about the accusations to the court’s media relations department, which stated, “Judge Ross has no comment right now.” The media office did not respond Saturday to follow-up questions about the federal recusal motion.
While federal judges serve lifetime appointments, they face potential disciplinary measures including censure, public or private reprimands, and temporary case suspensions. Removal requires congressional impeachment proceedings.
Ross received her nomination in January 2014 from then-President Barack Obama, a Democrat, with Senate confirmation following in November of that year. She previously presided over state court matters in DeKalb County, which encompasses a portion of Atlanta, beginning in 2011. Before her judicial career, she spent over ten years as a state and federal prosecutor, primarily in Atlanta.
Ross currently handles the election records lawsuit filed by federal prosecutors against Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger.
Federal prosecutors have initiated legal action against several states seeking complete voter registration databases. Raffensperger maintains that Georgia statutes prevent disclosure of voters’ private information without meeting specific requirements, which he says the federal government has not satisfied. He indicated that Georgia provided the publicly available portion of voter records to federal authorities in December.
Ross has set a Wednesday hearing for the matter, though federal prosecutors want to postpone that proceeding pending their recusal request.
In the disciplinary matter involving the unnamed federal judge, the Judicial Council of the 11th Circuit decided in a February ruling to issue a private reprimand while maintaining the judge’s anonymity. The Committee on Judicial Conduct and Disability of the Judicial Conference of the United States upheld that decision on May 22.
The investigation findings attached to the ruling indicate the judge attended a function hosted by a district attorney’s campaign. The judge admitted going to the event to meet with former district attorney’s office colleagues at a private gathering held at the same location but separate from the prosecutor’s victory celebration.
Ross previously served in the Fulton County district attorney’s office and worked alongside Willis before Willis became district attorney.
Willis launched an investigation into Trump and associates for potential 2020 election interference in Fulton County shortly after taking office in January 2021. Her examination included a January 2021 telephone conversation where Trump pressed Raffensperger to help “find” sufficient votes to reverse Democrat Joe Biden’s Georgia victory in the 2020 presidential race.
Willis secured an indictment in August 2023 against Trump and 18 co-defendants, charging them with participating in an extensive conspiracy to reverse Georgia’s 2020 election outcome. An appeals court ultimately dismissed the case in November after determining an “appearance of impropriety” resulted from a romantic relationship Willis maintained with the external attorney she recruited to spearhead the prosecution.
“A judge who attended a party celebrating the election of a Democrat best known for prosecuting a Republican President for alleged election interference cannot then preside over a case concerning that President’s efforts to ensure election integrity,” Justice Department lawyers wrote in their filing Friday.
Federal prosecutors contended that any “objective reasonable observer” would interpret Ross’ attendance at Willis’ election night celebration as supporting her election and official actions.
“If Judge Ross is indeed the Subject Judge, that conduct gives rise to an appearance of bias, which requires Judge Ross to recuse herself from this election-related case,” the Justice Department filing says.
The federal filing briefly references the accusations of inappropriate sexual conduct with a police officer in the judge’s chambers and subsequent false denials, but notes “those are not the subject of this Motion.”
Additionally, the Atlanta Police Department announced it has launched an investigation to determine whether the “high-ranking law enforcement officer” found to have engaged in sexual activity with a federal judge in chambers belongs to their department.
Turkey’s former opposition chief Ozgur Ozel proved his political influence remains strong Saturday, attracting tens of thousands of supporters to a demonstration in Ankara following a court decision that stripped him of his leadership position and potentially strengthened President Tayyip Erdogan’s grip on power.
Following his speech to the massive crowd – with attendance figures reaching into the tens of thousands according to private Anka news agency and opposition-aligned media – Ozel guided supporters through Turkey’s capital in response to last week’s court decision removing him from his role leading the primary opposition CHP party.
The judicial ruling invalidated the CHP’s 2023 party convention, bringing back previous chairman Kemal Kilicdaroglu – a controversial figure among party members who suffered defeat against Erdogan in that year’s presidential race.
This development may strengthen Erdogan’s prospects for continuing his leadership of more than twenty years in the NATO member nation and significant emerging economy.
Saturday saw Kilicdaroglu making his first appearance at CHP party headquarters since the May 21 court decision, where he promised to eliminate party corruption, referencing cases involving CHP-controlled municipal governments.
The removed leadership rejects these accusations, labeling them as having political motivations, which the government disputes.
While Kilicdaroglu addressed party members, Ozel spoke to a larger gathering outside the party’s Ankara regional headquarters.
“This is not an internal matter for the CHP,” Ozel declared. “This is a matter between Erdogan and the nation. On one side are the seized buildings; on the other, millions standing up for their party and their country.”
He argued the court’s decision failed to validate Kilicdaroglu’s authority and demanded an immediate party convention, while supporters shouted “Leader Ozgur!” and “Traitor Kemal!”
Ozel then guided a non-violent march to the memorial site of Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, who established modern Turkey and founded the CHP.
Ankara Mayor Mansur Yavas, viewed as a potential CHP presidential nominee alongside imprisoned Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu – who remains Erdogan’s most significant political opponent – participated in the demonstration and also demanded a party convention.
Kilicdaroglu indicated such a gathering would occur “as soon as possible,” though he provided no specific timeframe.
The Chicago Bulls are reportedly showing interest in BYU head coach Kevin Young as they search for a new leader to guide their franchise.
According to ESPN’s Friday report, the organization has begun “early conversations” with Young as part of their comprehensive search to find Billy Donovan’s replacement, who departed on April 21 following six seasons with the team.
The Bulls also made significant front office changes last month, letting go of executive vice president of basketball operations Arturas Karnisovas and general manager Marc Eversley. The franchise struggled this season with a 31-51 record and failed to reach the playoffs for the eighth time in nine seasons.
The 44-year-old Young has compiled an impressive 49-22 record while leading BYU and secured two NCAA Tournament berths since accepting the position in April 2024, taking over after Mark Pope departed for Kentucky.
Under Young’s leadership, the Cougars advanced to the Sweet 16 and concluded his debut season ranked 13th in the final poll. The team achieved a peak ranking of seventh this past season.
Before joining BYU, Young served as an assistant coach with the Phoenix Suns from 2020-24, spending his final three years there as associate head coach. His NBA experience also includes four seasons as an assistant with the Philadelphia 76ers from 2016-20, along with head coaching experience across several NBA G League organizations.
Thousands of Austrian residents brought traffic to a halt Saturday on the Brenner motorway, a crucial transportation route linking Germany and Italy through the Alps, demanding relief from constant truck and tourist congestion overwhelming their communities.
Karl Muehlsteiger, mayor of Gries am Brenner, spearheaded the demonstration in one of several towns affected by the major highway that winds through the narrow Wipp Valley on massive concrete supports.
Traffic volume and pollution concerns in the valley leading to the Brenner Pass have created ongoing friction between Austria and Germany for many years. Officials in Austria’s Tyrol region have implemented different strategies to reduce traffic flow, frequently drawing criticism from German authorities.
“You are making history!” Austrian news agency APA reported Muehlsteiger declared to approximately 3,000 demonstrators who assembled on the highway at 1 p.m. for a symbolic blockade, following police closure of both corridor entrances earlier that morning. Motorists encountering the barriers reversed course and departed.
The demonstration lasted eight hours beginning at 11 a.m. but avoided the widespread disruption many anticipated, as drivers mostly followed advisories to avoid the area despite school holidays in several German regions, including nearby Bavaria.
Local media noted that railway service along the parallel route experienced heavy passenger loads.
Officials also restricted the local road connecting communities alongside the motorway to resident and local traffic only.
Meanwhile in Italy, suspected arson targeting electrical infrastructure overnight caused railway disruptions between Peri and Dolce near Verona on the Verona Porta Nuova–Brenner rail line.
Authorities are examining potential connections to radical environmental or anarchist organizations.
Colombia’s foreign ministry has leveled accusations of “deliberate interference” against Ecuador regarding Colombia’s upcoming presidential election on Sunday, following Ecuador’s decision to eliminate tariffs after discussions with a Colombian candidate.
The controversy emerged after Ecuadorean President Daniel Noboa announced Friday that his nation would eliminate bilateral tariffs beginning June 1, following an agreement reached with right-wing Colombian presidential hopeful Abelardo De La Espriella.
In a post on X, Noboa explained the tariff removal would occur after “confirming (De La Espreilla’s) willingness to promote a real and joint fight against narcoterrorism.” The Ecuadorean leader also mentioned they had reached an understanding regarding the transfer of Ecuadorean criminals currently in Colombia.
Colombia’s foreign ministry pushed back against what it called “the misleading presentation of the decision to remove the tariffs as a measure of good faith by the Ecuadorean government,” according to their official statement. However, the ministry indicated it would eliminate measures previously implemented to counter Ecuador’s tariffs.
Noboa’s office has not yet provided a response to requests for comment.
The neighboring nations have been locked in a trade dispute for several months, with Ecuador imposing tariffs due to Colombia’s alleged inability to address drug trafficking problems along their 586-kilometer (364-mile) shared border. Colombian President Gustavo Petro has disputed these claims.
De La Espriella, running as an independent candidate, will compete against Petro ally Ivan Cepeda and right-wing Senator Paloma Valencia, along with other candidates, in Sunday’s election.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth called on Asian nations to increase their military investments during remarks at a major security conference in Singapore on Saturday, citing concerns over China’s expanding military capabilities.
Speaking at the 22nd Shangri-La Dialogue summit, the defense secretary expressed what he described as “rightful alarm” regarding China’s military expansion efforts.
Despite his warnings about China’s military buildup, Hegseth adopted a relatively measured approach when discussing relations between the United States and China. In a notable omission, he avoided any mention of Taiwan during his address to the regional security gathering.
The defense secretary’s comments came as part of his speech to assembled leaders and officials from across the Asia-Pacific region at the annual security forum.
Economic pressures and rising prices dominated headlines this past week, making everyday purchases at supermarkets and fuel stations more expensive than a year ago. These increasing costs are influencing decisions made by both families and companies across the nation.
Below is an overview of significant economic developments from the past week and their potential impact on consumers.
An important inflation measurement closely watched by the Federal Reserve rose in April to its peak level in three years, putting financial strain on Americans and presenting political hurdles for President Trump and congressional Republicans as midterm elections approach in just five months.
The inflation rate climbed to 3.8% in April when compared to the same period last year, according to Thursday’s announcement from the Commerce Department. This represents an increase from March’s 3.5% and marks the highest reading since May 2023. Monthly price increases reached 0.4%, which was lower than March’s 0.7% surge but still exceeds what Federal Reserve officials fighting inflation would like to see.
Thursday’s inflation data revealed that beyond gasoline costs, prices for food items, apparel, and electricity are also climbing, indicating that inflation might be becoming more firmly established.
American consumer confidence dropped modestly this month due to persistent high fuel costs and continued elevated inflation, creating a stark difference with climbing stock markets that have approached record territory.
The Conference Board’s consumer confidence measurement fell 0.7 points to 93.1 in May, marking the first decrease following three consecutive months of improvements.
This measurement follows another consumer sentiment indicator released the previous week by the University of Michigan, which dropped to an all-time low this month. Increases in fuel prices along with higher grocery costs have intensified inflation, which has exceeded average wage growth, diminishing most Americans’ buying power. Polling data shows Americans have become more critical of President Trump’s economic strategies, potentially causing difficulties for Republicans as they head toward midterm elections.
The typical long-term U.S. home loan rate increased once more this week, hitting its peak level in nine months and creating another obstacle for potential home purchasers.
The standard 30-year fixed rate home loan climbed to 6.53% from the previous week’s 6.51%, according to Thursday’s report from mortgage purchaser Freddie Mac. Even with this recent rise, the average rate stays under the 6.89% level from one year ago.
Rising mortgage rates can increase monthly expenses for borrowers by hundreds of dollars, diminishing their ability to make purchases.
Interest rates have generally moved upward since the conflict with Iran started, interfering with oil tanker traffic carrying crude oil from the Persian Gulf to global customers. This disruption has driven oil prices significantly higher, serving as a major inflation contributor.
Additional Americans filed for unemployment assistance last week, though job losses remain minimal despite economic uncertainty stemming from the Iran conflict.
Thursday’s Labor Department data showed jobless claims increased to 215,000, rising from 210,000 in the prior week. The four-week average of claims, which reduces weekly fluctuations, climbed by almost 6,300 to 209,000.
The count of Americans applying for unemployment benefits, which serves as an indicator of job cuts, has remained steady within a low range of primarily 200,000 to 250,000 weekly since the U.S. economy recovered from a short but severe pandemic-related recession in 2020.
The overall count of individuals receiving unemployment assistance increased by 15,000 to 1.79 million during the week ending May 16.
The consistently low claim numbers indicate that most American businesses have avoided implementing layoffs. However, while companies aren’t eliminating positions, they also haven’t been creating many new ones. During the past year, corporations, nonprofit organizations, and government entities added under 10,000 positions monthly, representing the weakest job creation outside of recession periods since 2002.
Wall Street stocks gained ground Friday, building upon the record highs established the day before.
The S&P 500 posted modest gains. The benchmark is following six consecutive increases and appears set for a ninth straight winning week, which would represent the longest such run since 2023.
All major indexes are positioned for record levels and strong May finishes, despite concerns about the U.S. conflict with Iran and its inflationary effects.
European and Asian markets generally posted gains as well.
Israeli military forces conducted airstrikes and artillery bombardments near a historic medieval fortress in southern Lebanon on Saturday, as combat continued in communities surrounding the southern city of Nabatieh.
The Israeli military issued evacuation orders for more than twelve communities in southern Lebanon, occurring one day after Lebanese and Israeli military representatives conducted their first face-to-face discussions in decades at the Pentagon.
Lebanon’s president and prime minister met Saturday to address the situation in southern Lebanon, later releasing a statement saying they would increase their diplomatic efforts to halt Israeli destruction and bulldozing of residences and historic locations, as well as the evacuation orders.
According to Lebanon’s state-operated National News Agency, Israeli aircraft and artillery targeted areas surrounding the medieval Beaufort fortress, located approximately 15 kilometers from the Israeli border with commanding views over much of southern Lebanon. Israeli forces occupied this strategic fortress for 18 years before withdrawing from Lebanon in May 2000.
For several days, Israeli ground forces have been moving through communities near the fortress, including Yohmor and Zawtar al-Sharqieh close to Nabatieh, after crossing the strategic Litani River, which Israeli military has treated as an informal border.
Extensive territories to the south remain under Israeli military occupation, despite a U.S.-mediated ceasefire agreement from April 17.
The National News Agency documented airstrikes across various sections of southern Lebanon, including the village of Ansar where three people were killed. A drone attack on a roadway connecting Ebba village with Nabatieh injured two Lebanese soldiers, according to an army statement.
Hezbollah reported that its fighters launched rockets at Kiryat Shmona, northern Israel’s largest city on the Lebanese border. The organization stated the attack was retaliation for airstrikes that killed civilians in Lebanon. Hezbollah subsequently announced it also fired rockets toward the northern city of Safed.
Among Friday’s casualties in southern Lebanon was a Syrian family — Qais al-Bakir, his pregnant wife and their six children — who perished in an Israeli airstrike on the coastal village of Adloun, north of Tyre.
The family, members of Syria’s minority Alawite sect, had escaped to Lebanon from the central province of Hama following Bashar Assad’s fall in Syria in December 2024. Some Alawite sect members have faced revenge attacks from Islamist groups that ousted the former president.
The family was residing at a sheep farm and received no advance warning of the village strike, according to Ali al-Bakir, brother of the deceased man. He said the family intends to transport the bodies for burial in their Syrian hometown.
“He worked in farming and all he cared about was to feed his children,” his brother said.
The current Israel-Hezbollah conflict began March 2, when Hezbollah launched rockets into northern Israel two days following Israeli and U.S. attacks on Iran.
The war has resulted in 3,350 deaths in Lebanon and displaced over 1 million people.
In the Gaza Strip, a Palestinian nurse died in an Israeli strike Saturday, hospital officials reported, marking the latest death from Israeli fire since an unstable ceasefire stopped major combat in the territory last year.
The late Saturday morning strike targeted a Hamas-operated police checkpoint in the central city of Deir al-Balah. At least three others sustained injuries, according to the city’s Al-Aqsa Martyrs hospital, which treated the victims.
Israeli military representatives did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
The deceased nurse was identified as Jamal Abu Aoun, who was employed at Yafa Hospital in Deir al-Balah. His funeral took place at noon in the Al-Aqsa Martyrs hospital courtyard.
He represents the most recent Palestinian fatality in the coastal territory since a fragile October ceasefire agreement sought to end a more than two-year conflict between Israel and Hamas in Gaza.
Although major fighting has decreased, the unstable ceasefire has witnessed nearly daily Israeli fire. Israeli forces have conducted repeated airstrikes and regularly fire on Palestinians near military-controlled areas, killing at least 929 Palestinians, according to Gaza’s health ministry.
The ministry, operating under the Hamas-led government, keeps detailed casualty documentation considered generally reliable by United Nations agencies and independent experts. However, it does not provide breakdowns between civilians and militants.
Militants have conducted shooting attacks on troops, and Israel claims its strikes respond to those and other violations. Four Israeli soldiers have died since the ceasefire.
ISTANBUL (AP) — Massive crowds of demonstrators filled Turkey’s capital city Saturday, rallying behind the ousted chief of the nation’s primary opposition political organization.
A court directive issued May 21 stripped Ozgur Ozel of his leadership position within the Republican People’s Party, known as CHP. Numerous observers view this judicial action as a politically driven effort to weaken opposition forces.
Demonstrators initially assembled at Guven Park in Turkey’s capital center to listen as Ozel delivered remarks criticizing his dismissal. The crowd then accompanied him on an unplanned procession to the memorial site of Turkey’s founder, Mustafa Kemal Ataturk.
“They are attempting to replace the CHP’s elected chairman and appoint a trustee,” Ozel told supporters. “Today is the day to restart our march to power. I wish this were an internal party matter. This is not an internal matter for the CHP. This is a matter between (President) Recep Tayyip Erdogan and the nation.”
The appellate court’s decision reversed a 2023 party convention ballot that installed Ozel as CHP chief. The judicial ruling reinstated his former colleague, Kemal Kilicdaroglu, generating anger among party loyalists.
The 51-year-old Ozel took over from the 77-year-old Kilicdaroglu following 13 years of largely unsuccessful resistance to Erdogan.
Ozel has characterized the legal proceedings, which focused on supposed voting violations during the convention, as the most recent judicial assault on the CHP. Legal proceedings nationwide, primarily alleging financial misconduct in CHP-controlled local governments, have resulted in hundreds of elected representatives and party activists being arrested.
Government officials maintain that Turkey’s judicial system operates without bias and functions free from political influence.
While demonstrators assembled at Guven Park, Kilicdaroglu conducted a competing event at CHP offices in Ankara, which law enforcement officers raided the previous Sunday to eject Ozel and his allies.
Speaking to a significantly smaller audience, Kilicdaroglu criticized the former party leadership for allowing extensive financial misconduct.
The CHP currently matches the governing Justice and Development Party, or AKP, in recent polling data, and despite the next scheduled election occurring in 2028, many anticipate Erdogan will seek earlier voting.
Ozel inflicted significant damage on the AKP during 2024 local elections, consolidating the opposition’s control over major urban centers it had captured five years prior, including Istanbul and Ankara.
The CHP mayor of Istanbul, Ekrem Imamoglu, has become the most probable opponent to Erdogan, who has governed Turkey since 2003, in the upcoming presidential contest. However, he has been incarcerated since March of last year while confronting multiple criminal proceedings that could result in decades of imprisonment.
Lithuania’s capital city welcomed tens of thousands of visitors over the weekend for an extraordinary celebration dedicated to the nation’s beloved cold beet soup, transforming the entire city into a vibrant pink spectacle.
The three-day Vilnius Pink Soup Fest showcased šaltibarščiai, Lithuania’s traditional cold beet soup, with a massive coordinated “Pink Break” lunch where visitors from around the world gathered at extended tables to share the iconic dish. Event planners projected that attendees would consume over three metric tons (6,614 lbs) of kefir, a fermented milk product essential to the soup, throughout the celebration, with more than 100,000 people expected to participate.
This cooling soup serves as a summer staple for Lithuanians during the Baltic nation’s brief warm season. The traditional recipe combines beets and kefir with boiled potatoes, eggs, cucumbers and dill.
International visitors flocked to the unique celebration, including tourist Connor Holmes from the United Kingdom, who discovered the event online and believed “it was completely ridiculous in the best possible way.”
“Before I knew it, I was building a suit of pink knight armor, carrying a spoon instead of a sword, and decorating my shield with eggs, dill and potatoes,” he said. “At that point, coming to Vilnius and seeing all this craziness myself felt like the next logical step.”
The capital became an enormous pink entertainment zone as both visitors and residents donned pink attire. Additional participants celebrated wearing cucumber, egg and beet costumes while the city organized processions both on streets and along the Neris River.
Jolanta Žukienė, a teacher from Vilnius, attended the festival for the fourth consecutive year, bringing her three children and husband on Saturday.
“I can see how the number of attractions and visitors from abroad is growing, and Vilnius is becoming a real magnet for everyone who loves good food and unique experiences,” she said.
This celebration represents part of the city’s strategy to boost tourism to the Baltic nation.
“Looking at the crowds on the banks and the decorated boats, we joked that cold beet soup already dominates both land and water,” said Dovilė Aleksandravičienė, director of Go Vilnius, the city’s development agency. “Perhaps the air is next.”
World number one Aryna Sabalenka dominated her way into the French Open fourth round on Saturday, defeating Daria Kasatkina of Australia 6-0, 7-5 at Roland Garros in Paris.
The victory brought stability to a tournament that has seen major surprises over the past two days, including the exits of top seed Jannik Sinner and 24-time Grand Slam champion Novak Djokovic.
Sabalenka’s dominant performance sets up an exciting fourth-round matchup against Japan’s Naomi Osaka.
Playing under sunny skies on Court Suzanne Lenglen, Sabalenka quickly took control of the match. She captured the first five games using powerful baseline shots combined with accurate net play, then battled back from a 15-40 deficit to complete a first-set shutout.
Kasatkina, who was born in Russia but started competing for Australia last year, managed to break serve and hold in the second set, prompting enthusiastic “Aussie, Aussie, Aussie” cheers from supporters. However, those celebrations were short-lived.
A mistake by Kasatkina enabled Sabalenka to even the second set at 2-2. The four-time Grand Slam winner maintained her position throughout the set before increasing her aggression in the final games to close out the match.
The win marked Sabalenka’s eighth victory in their 10 career encounters.
PARIS, May 30 – Key results from Saturday’s seventh day of competition at the French Open tennis tournament (all times GMT):
1350 SABALENKA ADVANCES TO FACE OSAKA
World number one Aryna Sabalenka from Belarus defeated Daria Kasatkina 6-0 7-5, earning a fourth-round matchup against four-time Grand Slam winner Naomi Osaka.
1208 OSAKA MAKES FRENCH OPEN BREAKTHROUGH
Naomi Osaka, a four-time Grand Slam champion, advanced to the French Open’s fourth round for the first time in her career, defeating 17th-seeded American Iva Jovic 7-6(5) 6-7(3) 6-4.
1156 COBOLLI ADVANCES IN STRAIGHT SETS
Italy’s 10th-seeded Flavio Cobolli, who made the Wimbledon quarterfinals last season, dominated American 18th seed Learner Tien with a 6-2 6-2 6-3 victory to reach his first French Open fourth round.
Cobolli’s next opponent will be Zachary Svajda in the round of 16.
0908 COMPETITION BEGINS
Saturday’s matches commenced under hot weather conditions at Roland Garros, with Paris temperatures reaching 28 degrees Celsius and forecasted to climb to approximately 33 degrees. The French national weather service Meteo France issued a high-temperature advisory for the capital city.
Defending women’s champion Coco Gauff was scheduled to compete against Anastasia Potapova, while top-ranked Aryna Sabalenka faced Daria Kasatkina.
SATURDAY’S MATCH SCHEDULE (numbers indicate tournament seeding):
COURT PHILIPPE CHATRIER
10-Flavio Cobolli (Italy) v 18-Learner Tien (U.S.)
Diane Parry (France) v 6-Amanda Anisimova (U.S.)
4-Coco Gauff (U.S.) v 28-Anastasia Potapova (Austria)
4-Felix Auger-Aliassime (Canada) v 31-Brandon Nakashima (U.S.)
COURT SUZANNE LENGLEN
17-Iva Jovic (U.S.) v 16-Naomi Osaka (Japan)
1-Aryna Sabalenka (Belarus) v Daria Kasatkina (Australia)
Moise Kouame (France) v Alejandro Tabilo (Chile)
Jaime Faria (Portugal) v 19-Frances Tiafoe (U.S.)
COURT SIMONNE MATHIEU
Maria Sakkari (Greece) v Maja Chwalinska (Poland)
Matteo Berrettini (Italy) v Francisco Comesana (Argentina)
9-Victoria Mboko (Canada) v 19-Madison Keys (U.S.)
Overnight drone operations by Ukrainian forces resulted in blazes at multiple Russian petroleum installations on Saturday, according to regional Russian authorities, marking another chapter in ongoing strikes against Moscow’s crucial energy sector.
Russian officials in the Rostov region reported that debris from downed drones ignited a blaze that harmed an oil storage facility and fuel tanker at Taganrog port, while administrators in the adjacent Krasnodar region documented a fire erupting at a petroleum depot in Armavir from similar causes. “Another facility of Russia’s oil industry has been reached — Armavir,” Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy wrote on X Saturday of the attack in the Krasnodar region, noting that Armavir is “500 kilometers from our state border.” “We are rightfully bringing the war back to where it came from,” he wrote.
Ukrainian forces have broadened their medium and long-distance attack capabilities, utilizing drone and rocket systems developed within their borders to combat Russia’s 4-year-old invasion. Strikes against Russian petroleum infrastructure that serves as a crucial funding source for the invasion have become nearly routine events.
Meanwhile, Russia has employed its extended-range ballistic weapons to target Ukraine’s electrical infrastructure and bombard urban areas. The Ukrainian capital is preparing for additional intense bombardments following what the Russian Foreign Ministry described earlier this week as forthcoming “systemic strikes” on Kyiv. Zelenskyy said Thursday that he’s being “very persistent” in pressing the United States to provide his country with more Patriot air defense missiles that can counter devastating Russian ballistic missile attacks. The strikes on Russian petroleum infrastructure occurred one day after a Russian drone participating in an assault on Ukraine veered off course and hit an apartment complex in eastern Romania, wounding two individuals in the NATO member nation. The border violation heightened worries that the conflict might extend beyond the alliance’s boundaries and prompted widespread criticism throughout Europe.
LGBTQ+ Pride events nationwide are encountering significant financial obstacles as corporate backing continues to diminish, according to organizers and industry experts.
The reduction in business sponsorships has created budgetary constraints for Pride celebrations, forcing organizers to seek alternative funding sources or scale back their events.
A public relations expert explained that corporations now view public displays of support for the LGBTQ+ community as carrying potential political risks, leading many businesses to withdraw their financial backing from Pride events.
This shift in corporate attitudes has left Pride organizers, including Lyndsey Sickler from Pittsburgh Pride, scrambling to find new ways to fund their annual celebrations and community outreach programs.
The trend reflects broader changes in how companies approach social and political issues, with many choosing to avoid public stances that could alienate certain customer segments or stakeholder groups.
WESTFIELD, N.J. — Constituents in a competitive New Jersey congressional district are demanding answers about their representative’s mysterious absence that has now lasted nearly three months.
Republican Representative Tom Kean Jr. has been missing from Washington due to what his team calls a medical emergency, leaving voters frustrated and concerned about representation in a closely-watched swing district.
During a recent community meeting in Westfield focused on affordable housing and data centers, retired attorney Steve McCabe, 80, pressed state Senator Jon Bramnick for information about the congressman’s whereabouts.
“What’s the word?” McCabe asked the GOP state senator.
Bramnick couldn’t provide details about Kean’s medical situation but shared memories of their time serving together in the state legislature, when Kean would brave severe weather to avoid missing votes.
“I said, ‘Tom, we should really turn around,’” Bramnick remembered of one snowy night.
The congressman’s extended absence has created a political puzzle with national implications. His 7th Congressional District ranks among Democrats’ priority targets as they work to regain congressional control.
Kean hasn’t cast a vote since March 5 and has been absent from both Washington and his home district during this period. He has now missed more than 100 congressional votes.
Despite the prolonged absence, Kean’s office maintains he plans to seek reelection. He faces no Republican primary opposition in Tuesday’s contest, while multiple Democrats compete for their party’s nomination.
Campaign consultant Harrison Neely described the situation as a medical emergency requiring immediate attention.
“This was an emergency, you don’t get to plan these,” Neely explained. “There’s no good timing for this.”
Neely promised that Kean would provide full transparency about his condition and resume normal duties “very soon.”
The prolonged absence has surprised even political allies familiar with Kean’s dedication to his duties.
“For him not to be there, that’s a big deal,” Bramnick observed.
Kean’s district encompasses suburban communities and smaller municipalities, including the location of President Donald Trump’s Bedminster golf course.
Though redistricting in 2021 made the area more Republican-friendly, the district has changed hands in consecutive midterm elections. Democrat Tom Malinowski defeated Republican Leonard Lance in 2018, before losing to Kean in 2022.
House Speaker Mike Johnson recently addressed the situation, expressing confidence in Kean’s return.
“We’re expecting him back here soon,” the Louisiana Republican stated. “He’s going to be fully transparent.”
Kean belongs to a prominent political dynasty. His father previously held the governor’s office, while an ancestor led New Jersey following American independence.
A local political publication reported receiving a phone call from Kean this month, though he didn’t detail his medical condition.
“My doctors are confident that I’m on the road to a full recovery,” he reportedly told the New Jersey Globe.
McCabe, who initially questioned Bramnick about Kean’s status, said news reports about the absence prompted his inquiry.
“I hope he’s not sick,” he commented.
Bruce Paterson, a 75-year-old retired engineer from Garwood, described himself as a “regular Democrat, not like the crazy Democrats they have today.” Despite his party affiliation, he plans supporting Kean in November’s general election.
“I hope he comes back,” Paterson said. “I mean, will I vote for him? Probably only because we need a nice balance” in a predominantly Democratic state.
During the town hall, one attendee asked Bramnick whether he would accept the Republican nomination if Kean withdrew after Tuesday’s primary. Such a scenario would trigger a convention among county party leaders to select a replacement candidate.
Bramnick repeatedly emphasized Kean’s reelection plans while questioning his own compatibility with today’s Republican Party. Unlike Kean, who prominently displays Trump’s endorsement on social media, Bramnick has criticized the former president, including during his unsuccessful gubernatorial campaign.
“I’m not considered the biggest fan of Donald Trump,” Bramnick acknowledged. “I don’t think that the Republican Party is interested in sending someone to Washington that may vote yes or no depending on how I feel about the issue.”
Democratic primary candidates have criticized Kean’s failure to communicate with constituents about his situation.
“Tom Kean disappeared from the job,” said Michael Roth, a former Small Business Administration official seeking the Democratic nomination.
Rebecca Bennett, a former Navy pilot also running for the Democratic nomination, wished Kean well while criticizing his congressional record, particularly regarding infrastructure funding.
“He was nowhere to be found when funding got cut for the Gateway Tunnel, which is a critical infrastructure project in our district,” she stated.
Other Democratic candidates Tina Shah, an intensive care unit doctor, and Brian Varela, who founded a marketing agency, have also criticized Kean during campaign debates.
Political analyst Benjamin Dworkin, who directs the Rowan Institute for Public Policy & Citizenship, believes Kean still has opportunities to reconnect with voters before November, given his current financial advantages over potential Democratic opponents.
“The issue is not going to be that he was out for a hundred plus votes in the spring,” Dworkin explained. “The question is really, how effective is he going to get once he returns?”
WASHINGTON (AP) — Congressional efforts to find accountability in the Jeffrey Epstein case have stretched nearly a year, with survivors of sexual abuse pushing lawmakers to put partisan differences aside in their pursuit of answers.
However, despite conducting interviews with some of the most senior officials ever questioned in a congressional probe, including a former president, legislators have achieved minimal results regarding criminal responsibility for Epstein’s offenses or clear recognition of governmental shortcomings.
California Democratic Rep. Ro Khanna, who authored legislation requiring the disclosure of Epstein case documents, expressed to The Associated Press his continued questioning: “Why there has not been a single investigation of people who have allegedly abused or committed financial crimes?”
Legislators anticipated obtaining answers during Friday’s transcribed session with Pam Bondi, President Donald Trump’s former attorney general who supervised the document release.
However, the session left Democrats frustrated with Bondi’s choice to support the Trump administration’s management of the materials and her unwillingness to address questions regarding the Republican president’s connection. Democratic representatives also criticized Republican Rep. James Comer, chair of the House Oversight Committee, claiming he has permitted administration officials to evade difficult congressional questioning.
Survivors of Epstein’s abuse, including multiple individuals who journeyed to Washington to confront Bondi, found this development disheartening during a period when many are exhausted from advocating before government officials. They contend the Department of Justice’s disorganized document release, containing nude photographs and personal details of potential victims, has compounded broader criminal justice system failures to trust or safeguard them.
“The government’s refusal to acknowledge the failures that were there have led to so much harm,” said Annie Farmer. “And I think whenever you’re thinking about things from a perspective of justice or healing, without acknowledgment, it’s really hard to move forward.”
The committee’s probe has demonstrated notable bipartisan cooperation, with Democrats and Republicans collaborating to issue subpoenas and compel witness testimony. Beyond Bondi, legislators have questioned former Democratic President Bill Clinton, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Trump’s commerce secretary, Howard Lutnick.
This collaboration demonstrates lawmakers’ readiness to transcend political boundaries when facing substantial public pressure. Numerous women have alleged sexual abuse and rape by Epstein, a wealthy and well-connected financier, including incidents occurring after his 2008 agreement with federal prosecutors to resolve a federal investigation by pleading guilty to state-level sex offense charges in Florida.
Epstein, discovered deceased in a New York detention facility in 2019 while facing sex trafficking allegations, was accused of compensating underage girls hundreds of dollars for massages before sexually assaulting them.
His situation has fascinated the public as an illustration of how wealthy and influential individuals avoid consequences for misconduct. Lawmakers addressed the matter last year following the administration’s failure to fulfill transparency commitments regarding the case.
Although the investigation began in the United States, the Epstein reckoning has been comparatively restrained domestically versus Europe. Overseas, senior government officials in the United Kingdom, Sweden, Norway and Slovakia have all resigned due to their Epstein connections.
During its investigation, the House committee interviewed some of Epstein’s closest associates, including his former financial client Les Wexner, his lawyer Darren Indyke and his accountant Richard Kahn. The Clintons, Lutnick and others were also summoned to testify.
All provided essentially identical responses: They claimed no knowledge of Epstein abusing underage girls.
Nevertheless, the Epstein file disclosure has produced consequences. At least eight American academic and business leaders have been removed from powerful positions, including former Treasury Secretary Larry Summers from Harvard University teaching and Kathy Ruemmler from her Goldman Sachs chief legal officer role.
Bank of America and Epstein’s estate have reached multimillion-dollar agreements with women who accused the institutions of enabling Epstein’s sex-trafficking activities.
Comer, R-Ky., announced last week that three individuals allegedly involved in abuse were identified during an interview with Epstein’s former personal assistant, Sarah Kellen. The congresswoman intends to question six additional people connected to Epstein in upcoming weeks, including billionaire Bill Gates, private equity investor Leon Black, former Barclays Bank CEO Jes Staley and Ruemmler.
“The government has failed the survivors. There’s no doubt about that,” Comer said, adding, “What we’re trying to do is connect all the dots and see if there is a way to hold people accountable.”
However, lawmakers have been troubled witnessing accountability for Epstein-connected figures like Britain’s former Prince Andrew while the administration has repeatedly attempted to move beyond the matter.
“A prince has been taken down and here in the United States, our Department of Justice, which is sitting on millions of files, is refusing to act,” said Rep. Melanie Stansbury, D-N.M., referencing unreleased case documents the Justice Department is withholding citing duplication or legal publication restrictions.
“That is not a failure, that is a choice,” Stansbury said.
Survivors and Democratic lawmakers have also objected to the administration’s decision to transfer Ghislaine Maxwell, Epstein’s longtime confidant and former girlfriend, to a minimum-security prison facility. She is serving a 20-year sentence for recruiting teenage girls for Epstein to abuse.
Distributed nationwide and occupied with their personal lives, Epstein abuse survivors have made multiple Washington trips to advocate for government action. Following years of court battles and privately sharing traumatic experiences, they have become increasingly vocal in seeking accountability.
“It is very taxing to be continually focused on this case,” Farmer said. She noted that despite the government’s response falling short of her expectations, she has observed a broader cultural movement addressing sexual predation.
For Marina Lacerda, another survivor, “Accountability is kind of hard right now. But we are looking for saving the next generation.”
However, they also seek the administration’s attention to their experiences. Seeking the president’s consideration, several victims testified this month at a hearing near Trump’s Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida organized by House committee Democrats.
For some survivors, returning to South Florida provided an opportunity to finally receive a hearing. Jena-Lisa Jones informed the panel she was 14 years old when Epstein abused her in Palm Beach.
She urged the lawmakers: “Find a way to bring closure to the story of Jeffrey Epstein to allow survivors and this country to finally begin to move forward so that one day, and I pray soon, Jeffrey Epstein’s name is no longer something we are forced to hear every single day.”
A former South Carolina lawyer who unlawfully entered the U.S. Capitol alongside supporters of President Donald Trump on January 6, 2021, is now positioning himself to assist other participants in seeking compensation from the administration’s newly created $1.776 billion settlement fund for those claiming government persecution.
David Johnston plans to charge a 10% fee for his services, with a maximum of $5,000 per case.
“I think the narrative is changing” about how the history of that day is being told, Johnston said in a video he posted to social media. “I think good things are happening for us.”
Numerous Trump supporters who admitted guilt for their involvement in the Capitol breach are now seeking financial benefits through the settlement fund, which was established to compensate the Republican president’s supporters who claim they faced politically motivated prosecution. Many of these individuals have received presidential pardons.
Despite opposition from both political parties and current legal obstacles that have temporarily halted the fund’s implementation, many January 6 participants remain optimistic about receiving taxpayer-funded compensation. Some are already preparing claims even though no formal application procedure exists and a judge has temporarily blocked the fund’s creation.
Those opposing the fund view it as an attempt by Trump and his supporters to revise the narrative of January 6 events, retroactively legitimize the assault on democratic institutions, and provide financial rewards to Trump’s most devoted followers.
Jason Riddle, a New Hampshire military veteran who served 90 days in prison after admitting to riot-related charges, declined Trump’s pardon offer. He also expressed strong opposition to government compensation for January 6 participants.
“I’d love money, but I can’t accept that. That would bother me for the rest of my life,” he said. “We weren’t innocently persecuted just because of who we are or who we vote for. We were persecuted for committing criminal behavior in the Capitol of the United States.”
However, many other participants do not share Riddle’s position.
Among those expressing interest in compensation are a Florida individual who photographed himself with then-House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s podium, a New Jersey participant whom prosecutors described as having Nazi sympathies, and a Texas man who received seven years in prison for entering the Capitol while carrying a metal tomahawk.
Pamela Hemphill of Oregon, who received a 60-day jail sentence, declined Trump’s pardon but has prepared a compensation claim seeking $5 million. Unlike many participants who blame Democrats for their legal troubles, Hemphill holds Trump responsible for her situation.
“I wouldn’t have been through all of this if Trump hadn’t lied about the election being stolen,” she said during a telephone interview. “It’s a direct result of his lies that I was even there that day.”
Whether individuals convicted of Capitol-related crimes qualify for payments from the fund, which originated from Trump’s lawsuit against the IRS regarding leaked tax returns, remains uncertain.
Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche has not eliminated that possibility. Blanche stated that while anyone can apply, five commissioners who have yet to be appointed will determine eligibility based on factors including the applicant’s actions, sentence, and time served.
“That’s up to the commissioners,” Blanche told The Associated Press on Thursday when asked about his position on whether violent Jan. 6 defendants should be eligible for payments.
“You have to define something and then stick to it. That’s something I’ve been hesitant to try to do, because it’s very fact-intensive,” Blanche said. “Me sitting here and talking in hypotheticals is something that I don’t think is fair to the process.”
Congressional intervention regarding payments to January 6 participants remains unclear. Frustrated Senate Republicans have indicated they want to establish fund restrictions through Department of Homeland Security spending legislation. They departed abruptly earlier this month following a contentious meeting with Blanche and are scheduled to return Monday with the matter still unresolved.
A Virginia federal judge has temporarily halted the fund’s establishment and blocked claim processing or payments. This ruling came Friday as part of at least three legal challenges to the fund.
Brendan Ballou, a former prosecutor who handled multiple January 6 cases before departing the Department of Justice last year, filed suit representing two police officers who defended the Capitol. Ballou considers the fund’s creation part of Trump’s broader effort to undermine democratic institutions and alter January 6’s historical record.
“And if the president is successful in that effort, if he’s able to get people to either forget or condone that day, he knows that he can get people to accept any attack on democracy,” Ballou said.
Approximately 1,600 individuals faced federal charges related to the Capitol breach. Over 1,200 received convictions and sentences before Trump issued widespread pardons and ordered dismissal of all remaining January 6 cases. Trump also released far-right extremist group members who had been imprisoned for planning the Capitol attack to maintain Trump’s presidency after his 2020 election loss to Biden.
The January 6 community is not the only pro-Trump group seeking fund compensation.
Meshawn Maddock, who faced charges as an alleged fake elector for Trump in Michigan before a judge dismissed her case last year, confirmed that she and her husband, state Rep. Matt Maddock, plan to file claims. She justifies using taxpayer funds because they “paid for the prosecution and investigation of the years that I was being hunted down.”
“I want vengeance and I want retribution,” Maddock said.
Trump’s efforts to reframe January 6 as a peaceful demonstration appear to have encouraged many convicted participants.
Johnston’s current willingness to assist other Capitol participants contrasts sharply with his remorseful attitude during his 2022 sentencing. He apologized for his “terrible lapse in judgment” before receiving three weeks in jail and three months of home detention after pleading guilty to misdemeanor trespassing.
“It was a dumb, dumb thing to do,” Johnston told the judge. “I am 100% responsible for what I did that day.”
Technology companies Nvidia and Microsoft are reportedly planning to introduce the first Windows operating system computers powered by Nvidia processors as their central processing units next week, according to a Saturday report from Axios that cited industry sources.
The Nvidia-based computers are anticipated to come from Microsoft’s Surface product line along with additional manufacturers such as Dell.
Reuters was unable to immediately confirm the information in the report. Both Microsoft and Nvidia declined to provide comments when contacted for a response.
PARIS, May 30 – Key results from Saturday’s seventh day of competition at the French Open tennis tournament (all times in GMT):
1208 OSAKA MAKES HISTORIC FRENCH OPEN BREAKTHROUGH
Naomi Osaka, a four-time Grand Slam champion, achieved a career milestone by advancing to the French Open’s round of 16 for the first time. The Japanese player, seeded 16th, defeated American 17th seed Iva Jovic in a three-set match with scores of 7-6(5), 6-7(3), 6-4.
Osaka’s next opponent will be determined by the outcome of the match between top-ranked Aryna Sabalenka and Daria Kasatkina.
1156 COBOLLI ADVANCES WITH STRAIGHT-SET VICTORY
Italian 10th seed Flavio Cobolli secured his first-ever spot in the French Open’s fourth round by defeating American 18th seed Learner Tien. The Italian, who made the Wimbledon quarter-finals last season, won convincingly 6-2, 6-2, 6-3.
Cobolli’s round of 16 opponent will be Zachary Svajda.
0908 HOT CONDITIONS MARK START OF PLAY
Competition commenced at Roland Garros under sweltering weather conditions, with temperatures reaching approximately 28 degrees Celsius in the French capital and forecasted to climb to around 33 degrees. The public weather service Meteo France issued a high-temperature alert for Paris.
Saturday’s featured matches included defending women’s champion Coco Gauff facing Anastasia Potapova, and world number one Aryna Sabalenka meeting Daria Kasatkina.
PARIS – Italian tennis player Flavio Cobolli dominated American Learner Tien on Saturday at the French Open, winning in straight sets with scores of 6-2, 6-2, 6-3 to move forward to the tournament’s fourth round.
The 10th-seeded Italian, who has only reached a Grand Slam fourth round once before, quickly jumped ahead 3-0 in the opening set. Tien appeared tired after his grueling five-set victory over Facundo Diaz Acosta in the prior round.
The 18th-ranked American entered Saturday’s match riding a six-game winning streak following his first clay court championship in Geneva the previous week. However, once he fell behind 4-1 in the second set, it became evident his winning streak was nearing its conclusion.
Cobolli secured the second set with an ace and benefited from a backhand mistake by Tien. The Italian maintained his aggressive play to take a 3-1 advantage in the third set after breaking serve early once again.
The 24-year-old Cobolli will face American Zachary Svajda in his next match.
PARIS, May 30 – Naomi Osaka battled through a challenging three-set match to defeat American teenager Iva Jovic 7-6(5) 6-7(3) 6-4 on Saturday, advancing to her first French Open fourth round appearance.
The former world number one made headlines not just for her tennis but also for her eye-catching gold sequined ensemble, marking another bold fashion choice during her Paris campaign. However, the 18-year-old Jovic proved she wouldn’t be distracted by the glamour, delivering an impressive performance in her debut Grand Slam third-round match.
Despite being in uncharted tournament waters, Jovic appeared comfortable competing on Court Suzanne Lenglen, forcing the 16th-seeded Osaka into a first-set tiebreaker. Osaka had squandered two opportunities to close out the set at 6-5 before finally securing it 7-5 in the tiebreak after needing three set points.
The second set followed a similar pattern, with both players exchanging breaks before Jovic claimed the tiebreaker to even the match at one set apiece.
The deciding set remained tightly contested as Jovic continued to stand her ground, matching Osaka’s powerful shots throughout the battle. However, Osaka managed to create a match point opportunity while leading 5-4 with Jovic serving, successfully converting the chance to secure her spot in the next round.
Osaka’s next opponent will be determined by the outcome of the match between top seed Aryna Sabalenka and Australian Daria Kasatkina.
PARIS, May 30 – Key moments from Saturday’s action at the French Open tennis tournament (all times in GMT):
1156 COBOLLI ADVANCES WITH COMMANDING VICTORY OVER TIEN
Flavio Cobolli, the 10th-seeded player from Italy who made it to the Wimbledon quarter-finals last season, defeated 18th-seeded American Learner Tien with scores of 6-2, 6-2, 6-3. This victory marks Cobolli’s first advancement to the fourth round at Roland Garros.
0908 MATCHES BEGIN DESPITE SCORCHING CONDITIONS
Tournament action commenced under sweltering weather conditions at the Roland Garros complex, with thermometers registering around 28 degrees Celsius in the French capital and forecasts calling for peaks near 33 degrees. France’s national weather agency, Meteo France, has issued an elevated temperature alert for Paris.
Saturday’s schedule features defending women’s titleholder Coco Gauff facing off against Anastasia Potapova, while top-ranked Aryna Sabalenka squares off with Daria Kasatkina.
SATURDAY’S MATCH SCHEDULE AT FRENCH OPEN (numbers indicate tournament seeding):
COURT PHILIPPE CHATRIER
10-Flavio Cobolli (Italy) v 18-Learner Tien (U.S.)
Diane Parry (France) v 6-Amanda Anisimova (U.S.)
4-Coco Gauff (U.S.) v 28-Anastasia Potapova (Austria)
4-Felix Auger-Aliassime (Canada) v 31-Brandon Nakashima (U.S.)
COURT SUZANNE LENGLEN
17-Iva Jovic (U.S.) v 16-Naomi Osaka (Japan)
1-Aryna Sabalenka (Belarus) v Daria Kasatkina (Australia)
Moise Kouame (France) v Alejandro Tabilo (Chile)
Jaime Faria (Portugal) v 19-Frances Tiafoe (U.S.)
COURT SIMONNE MATHIEU
Maria Sakkari (Greece) v Maja Chwalinska (Poland)
Matteo Berrettini (Italy) v Francisco Comesana (Argentina)
9-Victoria Mboko (Canada) v 19-Madison Keys (U.S.)
Motorists traveling westbound on W Newport Pike should expect delays due to ongoing construction work affecting traffic flow in the area.
The right lane is currently blocked between Petro Drive and Stanton Road as crews continue their work. The lane closure is scheduled to remain in effect until 4 PM today.
Drivers are advised to use caution when traveling through the construction zone and allow extra time for their commute. Traffic is being directed around the work area using the remaining open lanes.
When Jenna Carberg’s newborn daughter was placed on her chest immediately following delivery, something felt wrong.
“I felt a disconnect right away,” she remembered.
Back at her Orlando, Florida home, Carberg found herself crying daily while battling overwhelming exhaustion and anxiety. Medical professionals later determined she was suffering from postpartum depression — a serious mental health condition that can transform what should be a happy period into one filled with overwhelming sadness.
This mental health challenge is becoming increasingly common. Research published in 2024 in JAMA Network Open revealed that rates in the United States have more than doubled over approximately ten years, rising from 9.4% in 2010 to 19% in 2021. This increase is attributed in part to better screening methods and improved diagnostic practices.
Distinguishing this condition from the much less severe and more widespread “baby blues” caused by dropping hormone levels can be challenging. However, identifying and addressing postpartum depression is essential, according to OB-GYN Dr. Tiffany Moore Simas from the University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School.
Women who don’t receive treatment may struggle to form bonds with their infants and have difficulty providing proper care. Additionally, they face a heightened risk of taking their own lives.
“A healthy you will ultimately be important for a healthy baby,” Moore Simas explained.
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EDITOR’S NOTE: This story includes discussion of suicide. If you or someone you know needs help, the national suicide and crisis lifeline in the U.S. is available by calling or texting 988.
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Approximately 8 out of 10 new mothers experience baby blues, which typically begins soon after giving birth.
“Moms will feel kind of more emotional than normal,” explained Dr. Jennifer Payne, a reproductive psychiatry specialist at the University of Virginia.
However, the emotional outbursts and sad feelings aren’t intense enough to disrupt daily functioning. Mothers should remain capable of taking care of both themselves and their newborns.
Assessment tools can help determine whether the situation is more concerning. A frequently used 10-question survey, typically administered during a postpartum visit, evaluates how frequently a mother has experienced emotions like sadness, panic, or anxiety. An elevated score suggests the need for additional assessment.
Medical professionals say postpartum depression doesn’t have a single root cause. Hereditary factors, bodily changes, and psychological stress may all play a role.
“We’re pretty sure that having a case of the baby blues doesn’t increase your risk of postpartum depression,” Payne noted. “But it does seem that both conditions can develop in the same person.”
When sadness persists beyond two weeks, that serves as one warning sign.
Additional symptoms include overwhelming feelings of hopelessness, anxiety, lack of interest, guilt and worthlessness, fatigue, and reduced focus and appetite. Mothers might constantly fret about their infants, experience insomnia, or go without bathing for extended periods.
They “feel negatively and badly about themselves. They’ll feel that they’re a bad mother. They might not feel attached to the baby very much,” Payne described.
Some may even consider harming themselves.
Carberg, whose daughter was born in 2016, experienced such thoughts on multiple occasions — including once while driving with her child. She spent several days at a psychiatric treatment center and showed improvement temporarily.
However, she later experienced a serious mental health crisis. She sent apologetic text messages to her husband, Chris, before shutting off her phone. Chris frantically attempted to contact her, fearing she might harm herself.
“She luckily went to the hospital ER,” he recalled.
Eventually, discovering the appropriate medication became crucial for Jenna Carberg’s healing process.
“I felt like myself again,” she shared after beginning treatment with the stimulant Vyvanse.
Additional treatment options include antidepressant medications like Zoloft or Prozac, or Zurzuvae, the first oral medication specifically approved for postpartum depression. Counseling represents another standard approach, and medical professionals emphasize the significance of adequate rest and support from loved ones.
To assist others facing similar challenges, the Carbergs created an online resource — postpartumdepression.org — designed to offer support and connect patients with professional assistance.
Medical professionals recommend that anyone suspecting they or someone they care about might have postpartum depression should contact their OB-GYN, primary care physician, or mental health specialist.
When needed, be assertive, advised Dr. Kerry Hudson, an OB-GYN at Newport Women’s Health Services in Rhode Island. When she experienced postpartum depression twenty years ago, her physician dismissed her concerns, claiming she was simply an overwhelmed medical resident. She eventually received help after having an emotional breakdown during a professional presentation in front of coworkers.
Following therapy and medication treatment, Hudson went on to have another child. The Carbergs also had a second baby. Everyone is thriving now.
“When we get people help, I think they can have a good future ahead of them,” Hudson stated. “You don’t have to suffer in silence.”
MECCA (AP) — More than 1.5 million Muslim worshippers wrapped up their sacred Hajj journey in Saudi Arabia on Saturday, performing the traditional ritual of walking around the Kaaba, the black cube-shaped structure that serves as Islam’s most sacred shrine, located within the Grand Mosque in Mecca.
The pilgrimage this year brought together over 1.5 million faithful Muslims who endured sweltering heat that at times climbed above 40 degrees Celsius (104 Fahrenheit).
As one of Islam’s Five Pillars, the Hajj represents a religious duty that every Muslim must fulfill at least once during their lifetime, provided they have the financial means and physical capability to make the journey.
The religious gathering at Islam’s most sacred locations in Saudi Arabia occurred against a backdrop of increased regional instability related to ongoing conflict involving Iran, which added tension to this year’s pilgrimage.
A pharmaceutical company’s cancer drug combination has demonstrated effectiveness in treating an aggressive form of blood cancer, though it comes with increased risks of adverse reactions.
The drug combination featuring the company’s Monjuvi medication, along with a Bristol Myers Squibb treatment called Revlimid and a standard chemotherapy protocol known as R-CHOP, lowered the chances of disease advancement, return, or patient death by 25% when compared to the standard treatment by itself.
The pharmaceutical firm initially shared these findings in January and indicated that comprehensive survival statistics for the drug mixture would be available at a future time. The company’s research chief, Pablo Cagnoni, described the survival analysis as being in its “early” stages while noting it demonstrated a distinct pattern of enhancement.
The clinical study examined the effectiveness of combining Monjuvi, Bristol Myers Squibb’s Revlimid, and R-CHOP against R-CHOP treatment alone. The trial involved approximately 900 patients who had recently been diagnosed with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma, which represents the most prevalent form of non-Hodgkin lymphoma.
Medical experts and financial stakeholders had been eagerly awaiting additional information about side effects and treatment discontinuation rates from this intensive multi-medication approach.
Serious negative reactions occurred more frequently among patients receiving the Monjuvi combination, affecting nearly 87% compared to 76% of those who received only R-CHOP, a treatment involving five different medications.
Treatment cessation due to therapy-related complications was also elevated at 25.7%, in contrast to 18% for the standard approach. Fatalities attributed to adverse reactions reached 6% in the group receiving the company’s drug combination, while the standard care group experienced 3.8%.
Despite these concerns, the overall mortality rate was actually lower for the combination therapy at 18.5%, compared to 21.7% for R-CHOP alone.
“Sometimes when you add another drug, you obviously see a little bit more side effects, which is why it’s so important to report the survival data, because all of this gets integrated into survival,” explained the company’s Cagnoni.
These comprehensive findings were shared at the American Society of Clinical Oncology conference held in Chicago.
Cagnoni noted that more than half of high-risk patients currently receiving R-CHOP treatment could qualify for this new treatment approach as their initial therapy once regulatory approval is obtained.
Government statistics indicate that between 18,000 and 25,000 Americans receive this cancer diagnosis annually.
The medication Monjuvi, scientifically known as tafasitamab, has already received expedited approval in the United States when used alongside Revlimid for patients whose condition has returned or failed to respond to previous treatments, particularly those ineligible for stem cell transplantation.
The company plans to pursue broader approval in both the United States and Europe for using this combination therapy as an initial treatment for newly diagnosed patients.
“This doubles the potential eligible population,” Cagnoni stated.
The head of the World Health Organization urged local communities on Saturday to take a leading role in battling Congo’s current Ebola crisis.
WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus traveled to the Democratic Republic of Congo on Thursday to help organize efforts against the Ebola emergency, which had reached 1,028 suspected cases as of Friday, Congolese officials reported.
“The communities understand the problems better and they know the solution as well,” WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said to media representatives following his arrival in Bunia, Ituri province’s capital city and a center of the current Ebola crisis.
“Yes, the international community is involved, under the leadership of the government of DRC. At the same time, community ownership is important. That’s why we are here to discuss with the community to see how the response is running and, if there are challenges, to help,” Tedros said.
Upon reaching Congo’s capital city Kinshasa on Thursday, Tedros appealed for increased global assistance for combating Ebola, noting the WHO had received just one-third of its required funding.
French humanitarian organization Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF) issued a warning Saturday that the current Ebola emergency — the 17th occurrence since 1976 — was advancing at an unparalleled rate.
“Never before has an Ebola outbreak recorded so many cases so soon after its declaration,” Alan Gonzalez, MSF deputy director of operations, said in a statement.
The quantity of specialized medical organizations working on-site to address the crisis, along with the assistance level being offered to combat the emergency, remains significantly below what is necessary, Gonzalez stated.
Financial institutions worldwide are experiencing mounting political pressure as they implement unpopular policies to combat rising prices, potentially undermining their independence and worsening economic conditions, according to current and former officials.
Price increases have accelerated globally following the conflict in Iran that drove up oil costs, compelling financial institutions to increase borrowing costs or postpone previously announced reductions to prevent temporary economic disruption from becoming permanent.
“It’s easy to be an independent central banker member when inflation is low … and it’s much more complicated when inflation is up and you have to do things that people do not like,” Helge Berger, deputy director at the IMF’s European Department, told a conference on Saturday.
“It’s hand to hand combat,” he said. “We need to get the current situation right.”
The most prominent challenge to autonomy has come from U.S. President Donald Trump’s repeated calls for lower interest rates, though political interference has been widespread and often more subtle elsewhere, officials noted.
Various financial institutions face requests to adjust policies supporting industrial objectives, while others encounter demands to transfer earnings to government budgets or receive contradictory directives.
Elevated government borrowing levels also create practical limitations on independence, restricting the ability to implement tighter policies since higher borrowing costs – the standard remedy for inflation – could spark a debt emergency.
When markets question whether a financial institution operates independently to combat inflation, they start anticipating accommodative policies, making price control even more challenging.
“Independence is often taken for granted when it works, but difficult to rebuild once it has been damaged,” Bundesbank board member Burkhard Balz said. “Monetary policy needs protection from short-term political incentives if it is to deliver price stability.”
Some participants argued that financial institutions’ delayed reaction to the 2021-22 inflation surge also damaged their reputation.
Officials characterized the economic disruption as temporary for months before understanding its magnitude and initiating one of the most rapid policy tightening periods in history.
“Why did they come from behind? One of the reasons, I think, is our inclination and fixation to be what is called data dependent,” former Bank of Israel Governor Jacob Frenkel said.
“Data dependence is saying, until I see this happening, I’m not going to respond. By definition, when things are already there, you’re coming from behind.”
Officials in the Georgian capital have opened a historic wine vault for the first time this week, revealing approximately 40,000 bottles that once belonged to Soviet dictator Josef Stalin.
The collection, now owned by the Georgian government, contains French and Georgian wine rarities stored in a repository where cobwebs hang from the ceiling and a sweet, musky aroma fills the dimly lit space.
Government officials intend to sell the collection at auction, with some bottles dating back to the early 1800s, and will direct proceeds toward establishing a wine education school within the country.
Irakli Gilauri, owner of Gilauri Wines who collaborated with the nation’s agriculture ministry on this initiative, stated the auction would help to “put Georgia on the collectors’ map.”
The South Caucasus nation promotes itself as wine’s birthplace, citing archaeological findings that show an unbroken winemaking heritage spanning 8,000 years.
Stalin, a Georgian native who ruled the Soviet Union from 1924 until 1953, had a passion for drinking and collecting wine.
His collection features bottles from Bordeaux’s premier estates that previously belonged to Russian Tsar Alexander III and his son Nicholas II. Following the 1917 Russian Revolution, Soviet forces confiscated the Imperial Romanov wine collection, with Stalin serving as its custodian while gradually incorporating his preferred Georgian wine varieties.
Wine collector Victor Chen, who made the journey from Dallas, Texas to view the collection, expressed enthusiasm while examining the dust-laden bottles containing amber-colored wine.
“I feel like you’re Indiana Jones opening up a cave: it could be nothing, it could be something,” Chen commented, making reference to the adventurous movie character.
“There’s not many things that are still historical moments at this point. And this could be one of them.”
Motorists should expect delays on W Newport Pike eastbound near Stanton Road where construction activities have forced the closure of one travel lane.
Traffic signals at the intersection are operating in flash mode for both eastbound and westbound directions while work continues. A Delaware State Police trooper has been stationed at the location to help manage traffic flow.
The lane restriction and signal disruption are scheduled to remain in effect until 4 PM today. Drivers are advised to allow extra travel time or consider alternate routes to avoid potential backups in the area.
During a recent NPR interview, Scott Simon spoke with Ivo Daalder, a former U.S. ambassador to NATO, regarding his latest critique of how America handles military conflicts.
The conversation centered on Daalder’s recent public comments questioning the United States’ current strategy and approach to armed conflicts around the world.
Though today’s generation requires less physical paper than previous ones, vintage paper collectibles continue to attract enthusiasts. At a Pennsylvania paper show, younger collectors who grew up in the digital era are discovering the appeal of antique postcards and comic books.
These digital natives represent an interesting contrast – individuals raised with technology who find value in tangible, historical paper items from decades past.
BUNIA, Congo (AP) — The World Health Organization’s top official touched down Saturday in Bunia, located in eastern Congo, where a dangerous strain of Ebola continues to spread more rapidly than containment efforts can manage, even with improved medical facilities and increased international assistance.
WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus plans to tour a medical treatment facility and hold meetings with regional officials, healthcare personnel and families impacted by the disease outbreak in Bunia.
“The best way to address this is to provide all the necessary support to fight the disease at its epicenter and to continue offering every assistance needed,” Tedros stated to media representatives on Friday evening.
Health officials reported Friday that 906 potential cases and 223 suspected fatalities have been documented, according to WHO data. In neighboring Uganda, nine confirmed cases and one death have been recorded, the Ugandan health ministry announced Friday.
The current outbreak involves the Bundibugyo virus strain of Ebola, which lacks any authorized treatment options or preventive vaccines.
“This is a difficult situation, and we recognize that. But the Democratic Republic of Congo has faced the Ebola virus many times before. We are confident that it can once again bring this outbreak under control,” Tedros informed reporters Friday following discussions with Congo’s Prime Minister Judith Suminwa Tuluka.
European Union medical supplies reached Ituri province, the center of Congo’s Ebola crisis, on Thursday, with additional deliveries scheduled over the coming eight days. The United States pledged an extra $80 million in assistance the same day, raising its overall financial commitment beyond $112 million.
Medical response activities at Bunia’s Rwampara and General hospitals show improved coordination, featuring additional personnel, safety equipment and medical resources, although new patients arrive continuously throughout each day, an AP journalist noted Friday.
However, containment measures have failed to match the pace of what ranks among the most rapidly expanding outbreaks in recorded history, Doctors Without Borders, known as MSF, cautioned Saturday.
“Never before has an Ebola outbreak recorded so many cases so soon after its declaration,” Dr. Alan Gonzalez, MSF’s deputy director of operations, stated in a released announcement.
“Nobody knows the true scale and severity of this outbreak,” Gonzalez added, demanding urgent expansion of diagnostic testing, accelerated deployment of medical personnel and reliable access for essential supplies.
Healthcare workers face increased risks due to community frustration over strict medical procedures for managing deceased victims’ remains, which conflict with traditional funeral customs. Community members have conducted at least three assaults on medical facilities.
Violence in Ituri by the Allied Democratic Force, a militant organization connected to the Islamic State group, and a coalition of ethnic militias have further complicated response activities.
The disease has also appeared in the Congolese regions of North Kivu and South Kivu, located south of Ituri, where the Rwanda-supported M23 rebel faction controls numerous important cities, including Goma and Bukavu. The militants have documented two infections.
Uganda and Rwanda have sealed their frontiers, while the Trump administration implemented restrictions last week prohibiting entry of non-U.S. passport holders who recently traveled to Congo, Uganda or South Sudan.
Tedros criticized border shutdowns and travel restrictions Friday as “not effective at all” for preventing the outbreak’s expansion.
“Closing borders, as some countries have done, only discourages transparency. The Democratic Republic of Congo is reporting the situation openly and transparently,” he stated, encouraging nations to reconsider these policies.
ANHOLT, Denmark — Officials in Denmark have pulled the remains of a humpback whale onto shore after the animal’s body spent two weeks floating in shallow coastal waters following its death.
The marine mammal had become a media sensation across Germany, earning the affectionate names “Timmy” and “Hope” as news organizations provided continuous coverage of its condition after it was initially discovered near the German coastline on March 3.
Authorities discovered the whale’s body on May 14, washed up near the tiny island of Anholt in the Kattegat strait, which runs between Denmark and Sweden and links the Baltic Sea with the North Sea.
The animal’s death brought to a close several months of dramatic and sometimes controversial rescue attempts, which reached their peak on May 2 when crews loaded the whale onto a barge and attempted to transport it toward the North Sea, hoping to guide it back to its natural Atlantic Ocean environment.
Officials with the Danish Environmental Protection Agency say they plan to conduct an examination of the remains in the coming week to identify what caused the whale’s death.
On Saturday, the Danish media outlet “News5” broadcast live footage showing the carcass being pulled up onto the beach using cables connected to a truck positioned on shore.
Marine biologists remain uncertain about why the whale entered the Baltic Sea waters, which are located far from its typical living area and provide unsuitable conditions for the species. Some specialists have suggested the animal may have become disoriented while pursuing a school of herring or during its seasonal migration journey.
Motorists traveling on Walnut Shade Road should plan for delays this afternoon as construction crews continue work that requires alternating lane restrictions.
The lane closures are affecting the stretch of roadway between Millchop Lane and Barney Jenkins Road, with traffic expected to be impacted until 5 PM today.
Drivers are advised to allow extra travel time and exercise caution when passing through the construction zone.
A rocket explosion at Blue Origin’s facility has caused significant damage to the company’s launch pad, leading to months-long delays that will impact Amazon’s satellite deployment plans and strengthen SpaceX’s position in the commercial space industry, according to company and industry sources.
The incident happened during engine testing for the New Glenn rocket, which was scheduled to launch next week. The timing couldn’t be worse for Jeff Bezos’ space ventures, as both Blue Origin and Amazon are working to compete with Elon Musk’s SpaceX in the heavy-lift rocket and satellite internet markets.
The explosion on Thursday also threatens NASA’s moon exploration goals.
The Blue Origin booster named “No, It’s Necessary” – referencing a line from the movie Interstellar – was destroyed in Thursday’s incident. An unnamed source familiar with the situation, who wasn’t authorized to speak publicly, said the launch pad was “practically destroyed” and engineers anticipate at least six months of delays, possibly longer.
“It’s only been a year since the SpaceX Starship also exploded on the launch pad and Blue Origin can also recover. But it will take months to rebuild,” said Antoine Grenier, partner and head of space consulting at Analysys Mason.
LENGTHY RECONSTRUCTION ANTICIPATED
When SpaceX’s Falcon 9 exploded on its launch pad in 2016, the company needed more than a year to fix the damaged infrastructure, though it managed to resume launches in 4-1/2 months by using a different Florida facility.
Although Amazon has diversified its launch partnerships, including working with SpaceX, this gives Musk’s company additional influence over his longtime competitor Bezos.
“Sorry to see this, I hope you recover quickly,” Musk wrote on X, later responding to Bezos with “Ad astra per aspera,” a Latin expression about achieving difficult objectives.
Amazon LEO had been counting on New Glenn’s frequent launch schedule to put half of its 3,200-plus satellite broadband network into orbit by July 2026 to satisfy regulatory requirements. A prolonged grounding by the FAA will seriously jeopardize this timeline.
SATELLITE NETWORK PLANS AT RISK
Grenier from Analysys Mason noted that Amazon has already secured much of the available capacity from other heavy-lift launch providers in the near future. While SpaceX might handle some additional demand, its Falcon 9 can transport roughly half the number of Amazon LEO satellites per mission compared to New Glenn, meaning any major shift would require substantially more launches, he explained.
Additionally, lunar cargo is designed for specific launch vehicles, making switches to different rockets complex.
The rocket was also set to carry Blue Origin’s inaugural Blue Moon lunar lander this year. NASA recently awarded the company a contract to transport two lunar rovers before the Artemis 4 mission in 2028.
NASA announced Thursday it would evaluate immediate effects on its Artemis and Moon Base initiatives, though it’s uncertain whether any missions will need reassignment.
However, it remains unclear how significantly this incident will affect Blue Origin’s future prospects and benefit SpaceX, whose schedule is already packed with its own Starlink satellite deployments plus commercial and government contracts.
The U.S. Space Force and National Reconnaissance Office reaffirmed their support for Blue Origin on Friday, maintaining their newly awarded national security launch contract from Thursday despite the devastating launch pad explosion that occurred hours afterward.
“Long term, the market still needs viable alternatives, so this strengthens SpaceX’s position at the margin, but doesn’t change the broader trajectory toward a multi-provider ecosystem,” said Mark Boggett, CEO of British space investor Seraphim Space.
Recent changes to Canadian citizenship regulations have triggered a significant spike in applications from Americans seeking to obtain status through family heritage, according to new government statistics.
The revised regulations, which expanded eligibility beyond just first-generation descendants to include more distant family connections, have led to dramatic increases in monthly citizenship approvals. Government records show monthly approvals have climbed from just 275 when the updated law took effect in December 2025 to more than 1,000 additional cases each month this year.
Statistics reveal that approximately 48% of these new approvals through February came from applicants in the United States, highlighting the strong interest among Americans in securing Canadian status.
Legal experts attribute the high American participation to the longstanding connections between the neighboring nations, while also noting that many Americans view Canada as an appealing destination for living or education, particularly given recent political turbulence in the U.S.
William Hunnewell, a 41-year-old Seattle resident who submitted his application this year and anticipates a decision within nine to twelve months, explained his motivation. His great-grandfather homesteaded in Saskatchewan prior to World War One, and his grandfather was born in Canada.
“The biggest thing is it gives our family options,” Hunnewell explained. “If my kid wants to study or live in Canada, she can just go — there’s no visa, no deadlines.”
Immigration attorney Nick Berning, who practices in the United States, believes most newly approved citizens will continue residing abroad but want to maintain flexibility for the future.
“Current interest in Canadian citizenship is definitely influenced by U.S. politics,” Berning stated. “They want to stay in the U.S., but if things become untenable, they want a way out.”
Political divisions have intensified across America, with polling indicating growing dissatisfaction with the current administration. Relations between the two countries have also become strained following the imposition of heavy tariffs on Canadian products and discussions about annexing Canada as the 51st state.
Monthly approval figures from Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada show steady growth: 1,140 approvals in January, 1,255 in February, and 1,405 in March under the new citizenship category.
The updated citizenship legislation came in response to a 2023 court decision that ruled restricting citizenship to only the first generation born outside Canada violated constitutional principles.
Individuals who have lived outside Canada for multiple generations can now qualify for citizenship by demonstrating ancestral connections. This expansion contrasts sharply with recent Canadian government initiatives to reduce immigration quotas.
However, Berning pointed out that new citizens who have never resided in Canada cannot automatically transfer citizenship rights to their children born in foreign countries.
A devastating highway accident in Afghanistan’s eastern region has claimed the lives of at least 22 people, including 10 children, when a transport vehicle carrying Afghan refugees overturned on Saturday. Approximately 36 others sustained injuries in the crash, with women and children comprising the majority of casualties, according to local authorities.
The fatal incident took place in Laghman province along the primary roadway connecting Afghanistan’s capital, Kabul, to Nangarhar province, according to Abdul Malik Niazai, the spokesperson for the provincial governor.
Among those who perished were 10 children and five women, while the wounded victims were transported to medical facilities in Nangarhar for treatment, Niazai reported.
Aminullah Sharif, the provincial director of public health, confirmed the death toll of 22 individuals and stated that roughly 36 people were hurt in the incident. According to Sharif, the crash happened when the transport vehicle veered into a roadside ditch after its operator dozed off while driving.
The victims were part of the large population of Afghans who have recently come back from Pakistan, following that country’s enforcement campaign against migrants that began in 2023, resulting in deportations and pressure on many to depart. Iran similarly stepped up removal efforts for Afghan migrants during this period. Millions of Afghans have since returned from both nations, including numerous individuals who were born in Pakistan and had lived and worked there for many years.
In another incident in eastern Nuristan province, a vehicle plunged from the roadway into a river on Friday evening, injuring the operator and leaving four occupants unaccounted for, provincial officials announced Saturday. Search and rescue teams were actively looking for the four missing individuals, the governor’s office reported.
Such transportation incidents occur frequently throughout Afghanistan, where roadway infrastructure is in poor condition and motorists commonly disregard safety rules.
Federal aviation safety investigators have temporarily disabled their public records database after discovering that artificial intelligence technology was being used to recreate confidential pilot communications from crash investigations.
The National Transportation Safety Board shut down its document access system when officials learned that digital images from their files were being utilized to reconstruct cockpit voice recordings from pilots involved in a recent aviation accident.
The agency’s action highlights growing concerns about how advancing AI capabilities are challenging traditional methods of protecting sensitive investigation materials that have historically remained confidential.
Chris Babcock, an engineer at the National Transportation Safety Board, works in one of the specialized listening facilities at the agency’s Washington, D.C. headquarters, where investigators typically review audio evidence from aircraft incidents.
The temporary shutdown demonstrates the unexpected ways that emerging technology is complicating efforts by federal investigators to maintain privacy protections around sensitive crash investigation materials.
WASHINGTON, May 30 – Republican senators return from recess next week confronting a difficult decision: support President Donald Trump’s disputed $1.8 billion fund designed to compensate victims of alleged political targeting, or oppose a leader who recently contributed to ending two GOP senators’ careers.
Approximately half of the 53 Republican senators in the majority expressed reservations during an intense two-hour session with Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche before the Memorial Day recess, compelling leadership to postpone voting on a $72 billion bill funding Trump’s immigration enforcement efforts through his term’s conclusion.
As GOP leaders prepare to vote on legislation supporting U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Border Patrol operations, the party is urging Trump’s Justice Department to establish protective measures that might neutralize Democratic strategies to force multiple amendment votes aimed at blocking the fund and embarrassing the administration.
“I would hope that Senate leadership is working with the administration and the Department of Justice to design something that’s going to work,” stated Senator Ron Johnson, a Wisconsin conservative who expresses full support for the fund. “My suggestion was, come up with an overriding amendment that will render all their amendments moot.”
The compensation program, designed to reimburse alleged political targeting victims using public funds, originated from a legal agreement between Trump’s Justice Department and the Internal Revenue Service to settle an extraordinary lawsuit where the president sought $10 billion regarding alleged mismanagement of his tax documents.
The proposal sparked intense backlash, with legislators expressing worries about possible conflicts of interest involving Trump and the potential for payments to violent supporters who attacked the U.S. Capitol and assaulted officers on January 6, 2021.
A federal judge issued a temporary restraining order Friday preventing the administration from proceeding with the fund.
Blanche assured lawmakers privately that the program would exclude Trump family members and anyone with violent crime convictions, according to meeting attendees. However, senators demand written guarantees, along with eligibility criteria, enhanced congressional authority in choosing fund administrators, and judicial supervision.
“What will dictate the next step is whether or not there are 51 Republican senators who believe that it is a satisfactory outcome,” explained a senior Republican aide. “I don’t think every member necessarily is going to find equal satisfaction.”
Senate Majority Leader John Thune has requested the Justice Department and White House clarify acceptable safeguards for members. Staff report receiving no response thus far.
“The administration appreciated last week’s conversation and feedback,” commented a White House official Friday. “We look forward to additional conversations as needed.” The Justice Department declined to respond to inquiries.
Republican political consultants warn the fund could become a liability approaching November midterm elections, where the party already confronts challenges from rising consumer costs, an unpopular conflict with Iran, and Trump’s diminishing approval numbers among Republicans.
“No one thinks this is a winning issue, even those in safe Republican House and Senate seats that don’t usually have to worry about an election. Even those folks want no part of this,” said a Republican strategist requesting anonymity due to involvement in important congressional campaigns.
Legislators have shown reluctance to challenge the matter following Trump’s involvement in primary losses for Republican Senators John Cornyn and Bill Cassidy.
Johnson criticized the Justice Department for publicly announcing the fund while the Senate prepared to review the ICE funding legislation.
“To me, this whole thing was completely blown by announcing it. These things are better just done using the authority that Congress has given,” Johnson commented. “The timing was atrocious.”
The dispute has reignited 2020 election grievances.
James Troupis, a former Trump campaign lawyer facing felony charges for his alleged involvement in a fraudulent 2020 elector scheme in Wisconsin, filed this week for $3.2 million compensation, claiming reputation damage and $1.7 million in expenses from representing Trump.
Vice President JD Vance indicated former Colorado elections clerk Tina Peters might qualify for compensation after her conviction for illegally accessing voting equipment while pursuing false 2020 election fraud claims.
Several Republicans in both chambers have demanded congressional supervision, reflecting remarks to media by Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley.
“Congress needs to have an oversight role in this before I can sign off or support this,” Republican Representative Mike Flood told constituents during a Norfolk, Nebraska town hall.
“I have concerns about the weaponization fund,” Representative Mariannette Miller-Meeks, among the most vulnerable House Republicans, told the Des Moines Register.
“We need to know more information. We need to have oversight. We need to know who determines it, where it goes,” the Iowa Republican explained. “Right now, I have more questions than I have answers.”
Good morning, Delmarva! We’re kicking off your Saturday with absolutely gorgeous weather across the peninsula. Expect wall-to-wall sunshine today with comfortable temperatures reaching 72 degrees – perfect for any outdoor plans you might have!
The only thing to keep in mind is our breezy conditions. We’ve got a north wind running 10 to 15 mph with gusts potentially reaching 30 mph, so secure any lightweight outdoor items and maybe hold off on that barbecue until the wind calms down this evening.
Tonight looks pleasant with partly cloudy skies and a nice cool-down to 51 degrees – ideal sleeping weather with the windows open!
Looking ahead to Sunday, we’re in for another beautiful day with sunny skies and temperatures climbing to a delightful 75 degrees. Sunday night stays comfortable with mostly clear conditions and lows around 57.
This is shaping up to be a fantastic weekend to get outside and enjoy everything our beautiful peninsula has to offer. Have a wonderful Saturday, and I’ll see you back here tomorrow!
Masculinity has become a central battleground in a Texas Senate contest after Ken Paxton launched personal attacks against his Democratic rival following his primary victory.
After securing his win in the Texas Republican Senate primary runoff, Paxton immediately targeted Democratic nominee and state Rep. James Talarico with an attack questioning his masculinity, describing him as “too low-T for Texas.”
The personal attack strategy places questions about what defines manhood at the heart of the Senate campaign, signaling how gender-focused messaging may shape the race going forward.
Talarico, who serves as a state representative, now faces a campaign where his opponent has chosen to make personal characteristics rather than policy positions a focal point of political attacks.
Moscow announced Saturday that it has withdrawn its diplomatic representative from Armenia for discussions, expressing displeasure over the nation’s growing relationship with the European Union with elections approaching on June 7.
The Caucasus country, home to approximately 3 million residents, maintains a formal alliance with Russia but has been strengthening connections with Western nations in recent years, even while remaining economically tied to Moscow.
“The Ambassador of the Russian Federation to the Republic of Armenia, S.P. Kopyrkin, has been recalled to Moscow for consultations in connection with steps taken by the Armenian leadership toward rapprochement with the European Union,” Russia’s Foreign Ministry stated regarding diplomat Sergei Kopyrkin.
On Friday, a Moscow-led economic alliance of former Soviet states announced it would review potentially suspending Armenia for pursuing EU membership and urged the capital to conduct a public referendum on the matter.
Polling data for the upcoming June vote indicates that pro-Western Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan’s political party holds a lead over opposition groups favoring Russia.
U.S. President Donald Trump has given his backing to Pashinyan, who rose to leadership following a 2018 popular uprising and secured re-election in 2021.
Armenian officials contend that Russia did not provide adequate security during military conflicts with neighboring Azerbaijan, particularly regarding disputes over Nagorno-Karabakh, a previously separatist territory with ethnic Armenian residents that Azerbaijan reclaimed in 2023.
Moscow maintains that Western nations are interfering in Armenian affairs to diminish Russian authority throughout the former Soviet territories.
Armenian officials have not yet responded publicly to the diplomatic recall announcement.
U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth called on Asian allies Saturday to increase their military expenditures in response to China’s expanding military capabilities, expressing concern about the nation’s rapid defense buildup during a major regional security conference.
Speaking at the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore, Asia’s leading gathering for defense officials, military leaders and diplomats, Hegseth emphasized the need for a more robust and independent network of allies to discourage aggression and maintain regional stability.
“There is rightful alarm regarding China’s historic military buildup and the expansion of its military activities in the region and beyond,” he said.
“A Pacific dominated by any hegemon would unravel the regional balance of power,” Hegseth said. “No state, including China, can impose its hegemony and hold the security or prosperity of our nation and our allies in question.”
The Pentagon chief announced that the U.S. anticipates its Asian partners to raise defense expenditures to 3.5% of GDP while committing to a $1.5 trillion investment in American military capabilities.
“Less Shangri-La, more ships, more subs,” Hegseth said, emphasizing that the region needed greater defense capability than conferences. Allies want stability, not escalation, he said.
“What they want, and what the United States delivers, is strength that is disciplined, resolve that is steady, and leadership that is confident enough to speak and walk softly while carrying a big stick.”
Despite his warnings about China’s military expansion, Hegseth adopted a moderate approach regarding U.S.-China relations, characterizing them as “better than they have been in many years,” with increased military-to-military communication helping to reduce tensions.
“We are meeting more frequently with our Chinese counterparts by maintaining open lines of military-to-military communication.”
Zhou Bo, a senior fellow at Tsinghua University and retired People’s Liberation Army senior colonel who was part of the Chinese delegation, described U.S.-China relations as “complicated.”
Nonetheless, he said Hegseth struck “a much better tone” this year than last, attributing the shift to Trump’s visit to China.
“Both sides have open channels of communication, the situation is not as exaggerated as the outside world makes it out to be,” Zhou said.
China, whose defense minister is skipping the dialogue for a second consecutive year, accused Hegseth last year of making “vilifying” remarks.
Hegseth reinforced President Donald Trump’s persistent call for allies to take on greater responsibility for their own defense expenses. Trump has specifically stated that European and NATO partners should decrease their dependence on Washington.
“The era of the United States subsidizing the defence of wealthy nations is over,” Hegseth said. “We need partners, not protectorates,” he added. “We don’t have a strong alliance unless everyone has skin in the game. No freeloading.”
Hegseth acknowledged contributions from allies including South Korea, the Philippines, Australia, Singapore, Malaysia and Thailand, and said Japan was taking concrete steps to bolster its defences.
Tokyo and Washington “must each pull our weight to strengthen the U.S.-Japan alliance,” he said.
Regarding Middle East tensions, Hegseth stated the United States remains prepared to resume military action against Iran if diplomatic efforts prove unsuccessful, as negotiators from Washington and Tehran work to resolve significant disagreements preventing an agreement.
“Our ability to recommence if necessary…we are more than capable,” Hegseth said. He added that Trump remains “patient” and is seeking a “strong deal” to ensure Iran does not obtain a nuclear weapon.
Trump said on Friday he would convene advisers in a secure White House setting to make a “final determination” on a proposal to end the Iran war.
Hegseth also dismissed concerns that the Middle East conflict would divert attention from Asia-Pacific priorities.
“We can do two things at one time.”
During his address, Hegseth did not reference Taiwan, a sensitive issue in U.S.-China relations.
When questioned about weapons sales to the island afterward, Hegseth minimized worries that a multi-billion-dollar package might be impacted as the United States reduces its weapons stockpiles during the Middle East conflict. “We feel very good about our stockpiles and how we use them,” he said.
Taiwan, which China views as its own territory, has been waiting for the U.S. to approve an arms sale that Reuters reported could be worth up to $14 billion.
Trump sowed uncertainty in Taipei by saying, after meeting China’s President Xi Jinping this month, that he was undecided on whether to approve the package.
Any decision on future arms sales would rest with President Trump, Hegseth said, signalling no shift in Washington’s longstanding approach despite recent engagement with Beijing.
“Those decisions will depend on the president and the nature of that relationship,” Hegseth said. “There’s been no change in our status.”
Three allied nations are joining forces to create unmanned underwater vehicles through their defense partnership, according to U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth.
Speaking to reporters in Singapore on Saturday, Hegseth revealed that the United States, Britain and Australia are collaborating on this underwater drone technology as part of their AUKUS trilateral defense agreement.
The announcement highlights the ongoing military cooperation between the three countries under the AUKUS framework.
Four major league baseball teams experienced the thrill of walk-off victories Friday night, with dramatic home runs deciding contests across the country.
In Pittsburgh, Bryan Reynolds delivered a two-run blast in the bottom of the ninth inning to give the Pirates a 6-5 victory over the Minnesota Twins. Reynolds connected with one out against Taylor Rogers (1-2) for his second career game-ending homer.
Oneil Cruz also homered for Pittsburgh, while Gregory Soto (4-0) earned the win with a scoreless ninth inning. Pirates starter Jared Jones made his return after being sidelined 20 months following elbow surgery, surrendering five runs in 4 1/3 innings.
For Minnesota, Trevor Larnach and Kody Clemens went deep, but the Twins dropped their third consecutive game. Taj Bradley allowed four runs over four innings in the loss.
White Sox 4, Tigers 3 (10 innings)
Miguel Vargas connected for a two-run homer in the 10th inning off Drew Anderson to lift host Chicago over Detroit. The White Sox have now won three straight games despite losing slugger Munetaka Murakami to hamstring tightness in the third inning.
Chicago forced extra innings through aggressive baserunning in the ninth after being stymied by Tigers starter Troy Melton. Bryan Hudson (3-1) took the loss after allowing an unearned run in the 10th on a Zack Short sacrifice fly.
Detroit has now lost three straight and 11 of their last 13 games. Anderson (2-2) surrendered the fourth walk-off homer against the Tigers this season. Riley Greene collected two singles for Detroit, which was outhit 10-4.
Mets 9, Marlins 7 (10 innings)
MJ Melendez launched his first career walk-off home run as New York overcame a blown four-run lead to defeat visiting Miami. Austin Warren (1-1) delivered a perfect 10th inning, stranding automatic runner Jakob Marsee at third base.
Freddy Peralta surrendered four runs (two earned) on seven hits over 4 2/3 innings for the Mets, who captured their second straight victory following a six-game slide.
Owen Caissie tied the game with a two-run homer in the eighth for Miami, which has dropped three consecutive contests. Max Meyer gave up six runs (five earned) on six hits over six innings.
Rockies 8, Giants 6
Hunter Goodman and Ezequiel Tovar homered during a five-run ninth inning rally as Colorado stunned San Francisco in Denver. Goodman’s three-run shot off Caleb Kilian (1-3) knotted the score, and three batters later, Tovar delivered the game-winning two-run blast.
Willi Castro, Jake McCarthy, Tyler Freeman, Goodman and Tovar each collected two hits for Colorado. Juan Mejia (1-4) earned the victory for the Rockies, who ended a five-game losing streak.
Jung Hoo Lee recorded four hits and scored twice for San Francisco, which has lost four in a row. Logan Webb made his first appearance since May 5, lasting 4 1/3 innings after returning from right knee bursitis. He allowed one run on three hits.
Blue Jays 6, Orioles 5
Vladimir Guerrero Jr. drove in two runs with a go-ahead double in the eighth inning as Toronto erased a five-run deficit to shock host Baltimore. Charles McAdoo homered in his major league debut, while Kazuma Okamoto also went deep during the comeback.
The Blue Jays have won eight of their past 10 games. Toronto reliever Mason Fluharty (3-0) threw 1 1/3 hitless innings, and Braydon Fisher earned his first career save despite a two-out error in the ninth.
Jackson Holliday, Pete Alonso and Samuel Basallo hit solo homers for Baltimore, which has lost back-to-back games to Toronto following a three-game sweep of the American League-best Tampa Bay Rays.
Cardinals 6, Cubs 5
Ivan Herrera belted a go-ahead solo homer in the fifth inning as host St. Louis defeated Chicago to snap a four-game skid. Nelson Velazquez hit a three-run homer in his Cardinals debut, and Thomas Saggese also went deep.
St. Louis used seven pitchers, with reliever Gordon Graceffo (4-1) earning the win and Riley O’Brien recording his 14th save. The Cubs’ Ian Happ homered for the third straight game, connecting for a three-run blast in the first inning. Shota Imanaga (4-6) allowed three homers and five runs in 5 1/3 innings.
Additional Friday results included Milwaukee defeating Houston 5-4 in 10 innings, Los Angeles Dodgers beating Philadelphia 4-2, Texas routing Kansas City 9-1, San Diego rallying past Washington 7-5, New York Yankees crushing Oakland 8-2, Seattle edging Arizona 7-6 in 10 innings, Tampa Bay stopping Los Angeles Angels 8-5, Atlanta topping Cincinnati 8-3, and Cleveland defeating Boston 4-3.
Emergency teams successfully extracted four additional individuals from a water-filled cave in Laos on Saturday, according to Thai rescue officials.
The Saturday rescue mission took place just hours following the Friday evening extraction of another person from the same flooded cavern.
All five individuals who have now been brought to safety were part of a seven-person group of Lao citizens who had ventured into the cave system located in Xaisomboun province while searching for gold. The group became stranded when floodwaters blocked their path out, leaving them stuck underground for over a week.
Vietnam’s highest-ranking official believes that strengthening relationships with neighboring China could enhance peace and stability throughout the region, despite ongoing territorial conflicts between the two nations.
Communist Party General Secretary and President To Lam shared this perspective during his inaugural interview with international media in his current position, speaking with Reuters on Friday.
“We do not pick sides,” Lam stated, emphasizing Vietnam’s balanced approach to foreign relations.
The Vietnamese leader explained that pursuing closer ties with China while working to resolve longstanding territorial disagreements in the South China Sea presents no conflict of interest.
“If we can maintain good relations and dialogue, then all disagreements can be resolved,” Lam explained through an interpreter.
“Having good relations with China, safeguarding our sovereignty and settlement of issues in the East Sea are mutually reinforcing, not mutually exclusive,” he added, referencing Vietnam’s terminology for the South China Sea.
Lam restated Vietnam’s established stance of resolving territorial disputes through international law, specifically citing the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea.
The territorial tensions between China and Vietnam are significant, with Vietnam claiming the Chinese-controlled Paracel islands and the complete Spratlys archipelago located further south. The Philippines, Malaysia, Brunei and Taiwan also have competing claims over this crucial shipping corridor, where military presence continues to expand, making it an increasingly volatile regional hotspot.
These comments come as Lam works quickly to elevate Vietnam’s international standing, seeking to strengthen relationships with China, the United States and other major nations while pursuing an aggressive economic growth strategy.
Lam characterized the rivalry between the United States and China as an “objective reality.”
“We do not approach our relations with major powers through the prism of security,” he noted, demonstrating Vietnam’s traditional flexible diplomatic approach known as “bamboo diplomacy.”
“We need good relations with major countries so that we can jointly address essential, important issues.”
Now serving in both the party leadership and presidential roles, Lam has become Vietnam’s most influential leader in recent decades, with his dual position enabling him to take a more active diplomatic role.
International diplomatic observers are carefully monitoring his leadership style as he develops a more assertive and adaptable stance for a country previously viewed as diplomatically reserved and careful due to its shared leadership structure.
Some experts have observed that concentrating power in a single individual could push the one-party system toward increased authoritarianism, while simultaneously allowing for quicker policy decisions.
Described as soft-spoken yet decisive, the 68-year-old Lam rose through Vietnam’s domestic security organization, an influential but discrete agency not typically associated with producing diplomatic leaders.
Lam’s Reuters interview occurred following his keynote address on Friday evening at Asia’s premier defense conference, the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore — marking the first time a Vietnamese party leader has delivered such a speech.
Speaking to an audience of international defense officials, military personnel, intelligence officers and scholars, Lam identified global challenges including weakening international rules and law, developmental crises involving reduced growth and climate change, and deteriorating trust between nations.
“The three crises confronting our world today are not inevitable realities that we are bound to accept,” Lam declared.
He advocated for strengthening international law, establishing inclusive and sustainable economic drivers, and promoting dialogue and openness.
During the post-speech interview in a hotel meeting room, wearing casual attire with a burgundy tie, Lam acknowledged to Reuters that his administration’s growth objectives were “ambitious and highly challenging” but expressed determination to reach them.
Vietnam aims to achieve developed, high-income nation status by 2045, targeting 10% GDP growth this year and continued double-digit increases in coming years, powered by advances in science, technology and digital innovation.
When questioned about whether the Iran crisis and other global challenges might require adjusting these targets, Lam maintained the core goals remained “within reach.”
“Our answer is clear: we will not adjust this objective downward.
“We believe there is no alternative path. If we fail to achieve this target, we will fall short of the broader development aspirations we have set for our country,” he concluded.
Air operations came to a temporary standstill at Munich Airport in southern Germany on Saturday morning following reports of a suspected drone in the airspace, according to German news outlets Focus Online and Bild.
Focus Online later reported that flight operations had resumed at the facility. However, the airport’s departure information showed that multiple flights scheduled around 10 a.m. local time (0800 GMT) experienced delays or cancellations, though not all services were affected.
Neither airport officials nor local police provided immediate responses when contacted for comment about the incident.
Emergency crews in Laos continued their mission Saturday to safely extract four villagers discovered alive inside a water-filled cave, where they have been stranded for 10 days following the successful rescue of one survivor the previous day.
The rescue operation aims to bring out the remaining four men Saturday after determining they weren’t prepared for evacuation on Friday. Teams are working to pump additional water from the cave system while simultaneously searching for two individuals who remain unaccounted for.
“One person has made it out safely, and we will not stop until the remaining four make it home too,” Norrased Palasing, a Thai cave diver participating in the operation, wrote Saturday on his Facebook page.
The first evacuation on Friday required approximately 30 minutes, according to rescue personnel. Footage captured the moment the survivor surfaced alongside a rescue diver, gasping for air before struggling through a tight, water-filled corridor and rising unsteadily. As rescue workers assisted him from the tunnel, someone could be heard cautioning others about his injured hands. Emergency responders then covered him with a foil blanket and helped him sit down.
Additional footage showed the individual exiting the cave entrance wearing a headlamp, walking shakily with support from two people who transferred him to other team members as onlookers gathered.
The group had reportedly gone into the cave the previous week searching for precious minerals when sudden flooding trapped them inside. Another villager managed to escape in time and notified authorities about the seven people left behind.
Search teams located five survivors on Wednesday, identified by their first names as Khamla, Mued, Ee, Ing and Laen. Officials have not disclosed which individual was brought to safety Friday.
The trapped men received supplies including water, soft food and thermal blankets for warmth, though video footage from inside the cave indicated their situation was worsening.
International rescue teams from Laos and Thailand have been joined by specialists from Japan and Malaysia. Additional experts from Indonesia, France and Australia have also arrived at the remote location in Xaisomboun province, approximately 120 kilometers (75 miles) north of Vientiane, the capital.
Multiple team members had participated in the complex 2018 cave rescue operation in northern Thailand that saved 12 schoolchildren and their soccer coach.
In video recorded Friday, roughly one hour before the first evacuation commenced, Thai rescuer Kengkaj Bongkawong of the Metta Tham Rescue Kalasin explained the operational difficulties they face.
The rescue team has established a base inside a large cave chamber, reachable only by navigating over 200 meters of winding, narrow, flooded passages with sharp walls. From that point, divers must travel through a submerged tunnel spanning about 30 meters to reach the stranded individuals.
“To dive in a cave, there are issues with the temperature, narrow areas, control of movement, and managing the panic of the survivor, which will be difficult, but we have to do it,” Kengkaj said.
The operation carries substantial risk as rescue teams guide survivors with no diving experience through water with zero visibility.
Video showed Thai diver Norrased and Finnish diver Mikko Paasi instructing the men on diving equipment use, including underwater breathing methods.
“All the way, breathe through your mouth only. Do not ever breathe with your nose, do you understand?” Norrased said during the session.
Emergency teams are also preparing to look for the two villagers who remain missing.
Kengkaj indicated the team intends to explore a section further inside the cave, roughly 20 to 25 meters past where the survivors were discovered. He warned, however, that the area is extensively flooded.
“That area has a lot of water. The water goes there because it’s even deeper than this place,” he said.
Regional officials in southern Russia reported Saturday that Ukrainian drone attacks overnight targeted a tanker vessel and oil storage facility in two separate cities near the Ukrainian border.
According to Rostov region Governor Yury Slyusar, who posted on Telegram, blazes at the tanker and throughout the port of Taganrog were put out without causing an oil spill. The governor reported two people sustained injuries in the port city, which is home to approximately 240,000 residents.
Mayor Svetlana Kambulova announced that a local emergency declaration, first implemented on May 27, would continue beyond its original timeframe.
In the adjacent Krasnodar region, officials from Armavir reported that a blaze at an oil storage facility within the city’s industrial area was successfully contained without any casualties. Armavir has approximately 185,000 inhabitants.
Governor Slyusar stated that regional air defenses intercepted nearly 50 drones throughout the area, with strike attempts documented across the province that shares a border with Ukraine’s Donbas region, where intense combat between Russian and Ukrainian forces continues.
Beyond the port city of Taganrog, the governor indicated that only minimal property damage occurred from the drone activity.
Laboratory testing has ruled out Ebola in two individuals who were suspected of carrying the deadly virus, Zambian health officials announced as the country increases disease monitoring efforts amid a regional outbreak.
The heightened vigilance comes as authorities in Democratic Republic of Congo reported Friday that suspected infections from the uncommon Bundibugyo variant of Ebola have climbed to 1,028 cases. This particular strain has no available vaccine for prevention.
Uganda has also documented infections within its borders.
Health officials in Zambia acknowledged Friday evening that the risk of the disease spreading across their nation’s borders remains elevated, though laboratory analysis confirmed the two suspected patients do not have Ebola.
“Zambia has developed screening tools and protocols, which are already being used to screen for Ebola at entry points into Zambia and on people within the country who have Ebola-like symptoms,” the ministry added in its statement.
The Bundibugyo variant, which takes its name from the Ugandan region where researchers first documented it almost two decades ago, has concerned health experts due to its prolonged undetected transmission through heavily populated communities, complicating efforts to track and quarantine those who came into contact with infected persons.
The World Health Organization describes Ebola as initially presenting symptoms similar to influenza, including elevated body temperature, exhaustion, general discomfort, aching muscles, head pain and throat irritation that can begin abruptly, progressing to nausea and loose stools, and ultimately resulting in internal and external hemorrhaging along with failure of multiple organs.
ATHENS, Greece — Soccer brought communities together on the streets of Greece’s capital as amateur teams prepared for their own version of World Cup competition.
Athletes competed and formed connections on neighborhood practice fields throughout Athens rather than in the massive venues hosting matches across Mexico, Canada and the United States.
The local tournament featured no premium seating or elaborate facilities — instead, migrant and Greek athletes played on municipal fields while spectators gathered along chain-link barriers as music echoed through surrounding neighborhoods.
Though teams representing Albania, Afghanistan, Cameroon, Guinea, Mali, Nigeria and Sudan won’t appear in the official World Cup, amateur athletes connected to these nations showcased their skills in Athens.
Numerous migrant athletes have been preparing for Europe’s tougher migration and asylum policies set to begin in June. However, the competition for migrant and refugee communities offered a welcome break — a festival of soccer and cultural pride.
One playing location sat near Plato’s Academy, where ancient Athenians once discussed citizenship concepts, with the Acropolis visible beyond the field. In the crowded Kypseli neighborhood, fans displayed Congolese and Ivory Coast banners while volunteers conducted drumming workshops nearby.
Squads played to African pop songs while coaches called out directions and fans applauded from the edges of the field.
Amelie Nguedia of Cameroon moved rhythmically onto the pitch before game time as teammates followed her lead, sharing laughter.
“Coming to play here is a real pleasure,” she said. “We aren’t professionals, but we love participating.”
Nguedia mentioned she would cheer for Ivory Coast during the World Cup, since Cameroon didn’t make the tournament.
Ivorian Moussa Sangare established the Kypseli Mundial tournament three years earlier, explaining he hoped to use soccer to address fear and suspicion directed at migrants in Greece.
The Mediterranean country serves as a primary entry point for migrants entering the European Union without authorization and experienced the 2015 refugee emergency. Though unauthorized border entries to Greece decreased over the past ten years, anti-migration feelings have intensified as the government implements tighter border security and promises more deportations.
“People are often afraid of migrants, but we wanted to change this narrative,” he said. “Interacting with migrants and second-generation migrants and doing things together: People change their minds through experience.”
Sangare remained constantly active during the event — organizing schedules, greeting teams, recording social media content and tidying up following games.
“For us, this tournament is like a mini–World Cup in Greece,” he said.
The scheduling of the Athens event held special meaning.
The five-week World Cup begins June 11. One day afterward, updated EU migration and asylum regulations become active, featuring stronger border enforcement and quicker deportations. Greece also plans to relocate migrant holding centers overseas to African nations.
Even with this context, Athens maintained a celebratory mood.
Games remained competitive without becoming aggressive. Rough plays prompted reactions from spectators. Coaches delivered instructions from tight sideline areas. Supporters exchanged friendly comments with opposing fans across the barriers.
Soon after, they would share moments of humor.
For most participants, the competition provided relief from everyday responsibilities. Many spend extended hours working behind the scenes in restaurant kitchens, hotels, construction projects and food delivery services throughout Athens.
“I am very proud to be playing in this tournament for the first time,” said Amissi, a midfielder from Mali, after completing a match. He is employed at a facility that builds water heaters.
Following competition among 21 teams, Nigeria’s squad captured the men’s championship, while Greek community club Fostiras earned the women’s trophy.
Head referee Chara Vogiatzidaki noted the tournament’s importance reached beyond field outcomes.
“There are so many countries and different cultures, and I think the main goal is to show respect for all communities,” she said.
“There are some teams that are technically very advanced, and others that are less so. But the important thing is that all the teams have the mindset of enjoying themselves,” Vogiatzidaki said. “That’s really beautiful.”
A traffic accident has resulted in the closure of the left lane on Interstate 95 southbound at Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard.
The crash is causing delays for drivers traveling through the area. Motorists are advised to use caution when passing through the scene and consider alternate routes if possible.
Authorities are working to clear the incident and restore normal traffic flow.
Following Oklahoma City’s defeat in Game 6 against the San Antonio Spurs during the Western Conference finals, Thunder standout Shai Gilgeous-Alexander wasted no time looking ahead to the decisive matchup.
“Oh, I’m good. I’m ready to go,” Gilgeous-Alexander said. “Biggest game of my career.”
Those are confident words from someone who guided his squad to a Game 7 victory in last year’s NBA Finals.
However, Gilgeous-Alexander is placing enormous significance on Saturday’s winner-take-all clash against the Spurs in Oklahoma City, with an NBA Finals spot on the line.
This marks the initial Game 7 in the Western Conference Finals since the Golden State-Houston series in 2018 and represents only the sixth Conference Finals Game 7 featuring the top two seeds since the current 16-team structure started in 1983.
The victorious team will face the New York Knicks in the NBA Finals starting Wednesday.
Saturday’s contest becomes the fifth Game 7 during these playoffs, matching the record for most decisive games in one postseason.
Road teams have claimed two of the previous four winner-take-all games, with the 76ers and Cavaliers completing their series with Game 7 victories away from home.
Oklahoma City aims to bounce back after San Antonio controlled Game 6 from start to finish.
“It’s a double-edged sword, right?” Oklahoma City guard Alex Caruso said. “You gotta put it behind you, clear the mind, and get ready to compete again, but also learn from what you did wrong and try to figure out how you can be better.”
Gilgeous-Alexander has struggled with accuracy throughout the series, connecting on only 37.9% of his field goal attempts. Jalen Williams, who managed just 10 ineffective minutes in Game 6 while dealing with his left hamstring injury, has been declared unavailable for Game 7.
However, during last season’s championship campaign, the Thunder captured two Game 7 victories at home, both following Game 6 losses by double-digit margins.
Oklahoma City coach Mark Daigneault believes those past experiences will prove valuable.
“Take the lessons from tonight that are relevant for Game 7 and be ready to go out there and throw our best punch,” Daigneault said.
Though Gilgeous-Alexander and the Thunder possess Game 7 experience, this represents uncharted territory for the Spurs and standout Victor Wembanyama.
Wembanyama is posting averages of 28.2 points and 11.5 rebounds per game throughout the series.
Following a relatively quiet performance in Game 5, Wembanyama established dominance early in Game 6 and recorded 28 points and 10 rebounds. He’s converting 48.2% of his shots during the series.
“I think that’s his biggest growth this year is not waiting to be perfect or necessarily knowing what to do all the time,” Spurs coach Mitch Johnson said, “but attack the moment and have the right approach and live with the results.”
Spurs associate head coach Sean Sweeney is anticipated to continue with the team through the remainder of their playoff journey despite reports Friday indicating he’s nearing an agreement to coach Orlando.
Sweeney has played a crucial role in the defensive improvements that have transformed San Antonio into a championship contender this season.
During Thursday’s Game 6 victory, San Antonio’s defense sparked the decisive 20-0 third-quarter surge that sealed the outcome.
The New York Yankees delivered a commanding 8-2 defeat to the Athletics on Friday night in West Sacramento, California, powered by Paul Goldschmidt’s three-run blast and solo home runs from Ryan McMahon and Ben Rice.
Ben Rice turned in a standout performance with four hits and two RBIs, matching his season high, while Aaron Judge contributed two RBIs as New York extended its winning streak to five games. During this hot stretch, the Yankees have dominated opponents by a combined score of 36-6.
On the mound, Carlos Rodon (1-2) delivered six solid innings for New York, surrendering just one run on four hits while recording three strikeouts and issuing two walks.
The Athletics got a home run from Nick Kurtz but have struggled mightily, being outscored 30-6 during a four-game losing skid. Rookie Henry Bolte provided a bright spot with three hits in his 15th major league game, setting a personal best.
Oakland’s troubles began early when starter Luis Severino (2-6) was forced to leave after the first inning due to right arm discomfort. The former Yankees pitcher allowed four unearned runs on three hits before experiencing soreness while warming up for the second frame, prompting a conversation with trainers and his removal from the game.
Against his former club, Severino’s record fell to 0-3 with a 9.88 ERA across four career starts.
New York’s explosive first inning was sparked by a throwing mistake from first baseman Kurtz.
Following a balk that advanced Rice to second base, Judge connected for an RBI single. Three batters later, Goldschmidt launched his three-run homer.
Kurtz responded immediately in the bottom half, connecting on a center field homer with one out to put the Athletics on the scoreboard.
The Yankees struck again in the second when Jose Caballero doubled with one out against Jose Suarez, moved to third on Trent Grisham’s single, and came home on Rice’s base hit.
McMahon extended the lead to 6-1 with two outs in the third, driving a homer to right-center field off Joel Kuhnel.
Another run crossed in the fourth as Grisham singled with one out, reached third on Rice’s double, and scored when Judge grounded out.
Rice capped his stellar night by crushing a homer to center field on Scott Barlow’s second pitch of the seventh inning.
The Athletics managed one final run in the ninth on Zack Gelof’s RBI single with one out.
Delegates at Asia’s most important defense conference are asking one pressing question: “Where is China?”
Chinese Defense Minister Dong Jun has now missed the Shangri-La Dialogue for two consecutive years, choosing not to attend Singapore’s premier security gathering. His absence means missed chances to engage directly with U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and defense officials from Australia, France, Britain, Japan and numerous other countries.
Instead of sending high-ranking military leadership, Beijing opted to dispatch a modest group of People’s Liberation Army “experts and scholars” – a significant downgrade from their typical influential representation.
The annual conference traditionally features a major address from China’s defense minister or another senior official outlining Beijing’s military philosophy and perspective on international conflicts. However, this signature presentation has been removed from this year’s schedule, just as it was in 2025.
Hegseth acknowledged the notable absence during his Saturday keynote address.
“I wish my counterpart was here at this conference, but I look forward to other options when we can cross paths and communicate, talk about things where often actions at sea or actions in the air are perceived differently,” he stated.
Australia’s Richard Marles described the situation as a missed chance for nations to engage in direct, honest discussions about regional tension points.
Despite skipping the Singapore forum, Dong Jun did hold talks with Hegseth when U.S. President Donald Trump visited China earlier this month.
Zhou Bo, a former PLA senior colonel participating in China’s delegation, minimized the significance of the defense minister’s absence.
“This is not the first time the defence minister is not attending,” he explained. “And academic delegations have come before. But it is true that the level of the delegation is relatively low this time.”
Several experts suggest Beijing made a strategic decision to avoid difficult questioning about Taiwan-related tensions and how military corruption investigations might affect China’s battlefield capabilities.
“My feeling is that they are trying to avoid tough questions,” explained Chong Ja Ian, a political scientist at the National University of Singapore.
“The question that comes up with the (Chinese) delegation, since it is so researcher heavy, is their representativeness and authoritativeness.”
Diplomatic sources indicate Beijing may have wanted to prevent a repeat of last year’s forum, when Hegseth characterized China as a regional threat and called on Asian partners to increase military expenditures.
At that time, Beijing accused the United States of unfairly demonizing China.
This year, Hegseth adopted a more moderate approach, though he warned that “no state, including China, can impose its hegemony and hold the security or prosperity of our nation and our allies in question.”
He also noted that U.S.-China diplomatic ties were in better shape than they had been for several years.
China started participating in the 23-year-old conference with typically high-ranking delegations beginning in 2007. The country sent its defense minister in 2011 and 2019, then maintained this practice from 2022 through 2024. The forum was cancelled in 2020 and 2021 because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Bilahari Kausikan, an experienced Singapore diplomat, noted that the Shangri-La Dialogue’s main purpose has always been maintaining U.S. engagement in Southeast Asia and guaranteeing America’s defense secretary visits Singapore and the region annually.
“Whether China is represented by its defence minister is a secondary factor. It would be nice but not essential to have the Chinese defence minister here.”
RALEIGH, N.C. — When the final buzzer echoed through the arena, signaling Carolina’s long-awaited breakthrough in the Eastern Conference Final, the Hurricanes players rushed across the ice directly to Frederik Andersen’s net.
Veteran forward Jordan Martinook wrapped the goaltender in an emotional embrace, repeatedly patting his helmet. Defenseman Jalen Chatfield followed suit. Then coach Rod Brind’Amour approached for an extended hug and brief conversation, after which Andersen paused to lean forward and gather his composure before participating in the customary handshake line.
The goaltender delivered another solid performance as Carolina dominated Montreal 6-1 on Friday evening in Game 5, propelling the Eastern Conference’s top-seeded team into the Stanley Cup Final against Vegas. The triumph followed a devastating 36-hour period for Andersen, whose representative — former NHL star Claude Lemieux — died by suicide on Thursday.
“It’s been a difficult couple days, but the way we showed up today and the last couple days for the team for each other, it’s been incredible,” Andersen shared during his postgame TNT interview. “I can’t talk enough good things about this team and the way they’ve supported me. It’s been awesome.”
The netminder’s performance has emerged as one of the most compelling narratives in Carolina’s journey back to the Stanley Cup Final for the first time since capturing the championship in 2006, when current coach Rod Brind’Amour served as team captain. Andersen battled through an uncertain beginning to the season as waiver pickup Brandon Bussi appeared poised to claim the starting position, enjoyed a revitalizing experience representing Denmark in the Milan Cortina Olympics, finished the regular season strong, and has elevated his game to new heights during the playoffs.
The 36-year-old veteran is now making his first-ever Cup Final appearance.
Andersen entered Friday’s contest fresh off his third playoff shutout in Wednesday’s commanding 4-0 victory on the road, as Carolina tightened its stranglehold on the series. That performance came just 48 hours after Lemieux had served as Montreal’s ceremonial torch bearer prior to the Hurricanes’ 3-2 overtime triumph in Game 3.
The goaltender harbored no resentment about Lemieux’s participation in the pregame Montreal tradition for the organization where he captured one of his four Stanley Cup championships as a rookie in 1986.
“He’s like family,” Andersen shared with North State Journal following that game.
By Thursday, reports surfaced regarding Lemieux’s passing, with Andersen scheduled to start as Carolina held a commanding 3-1 advantage in the best-of-seven matchup.
“To be honest, wasn’t sure if he was going to be able to play,” Brind’Amour admitted. “You just don’t know how that was going to shake out. Obviously, he shook it off and battled through it. You saw the emotion after the game. Yeah, that’s a tough time for him. But he made us all proud, that’s for sure.”
Andersen recorded 23 saves and, consistent with his entire postseason performance, delivered crucial stops when Carolina needed them most against a talented but desperate Montreal squad. Similar to the previous three victories, the Hurricanes executed their suffocating defensive system effectively, consistently winning puck battles and maintaining pressure in Montreal’s defensive zone rather than surrendering scoring opportunities or allowing shots on Andersen.
The goaltender preserved his shutout deep into the final period before Cole Caufield finally scored on the power play, though Carolina already commanded a 5-0 advantage.
Andersen continues to pace all playoff netminders in goals-against average (1.41) and ranks among the top performers in save percentage (.931).
“I know we were playing for him as best we could,” captain Jordan Staal explained. “And it’s a tough couple of days here for him. We’re just family here, and we all felt that hurt. We tried to share as best we could and playing well in front of him as best we could do tonight.
In the United Arab Emirates’ Al Quaa Desert, astronomy enthusiasts are discovering what most of the country has lost to modern development: a crystal-clear view of the stars that once helped desert nomads navigate the vast wilderness.
While the UAE’s towering buildings and brilliant lights showcase the nation’s remarkable transformation into a global center for business and travel, this progress has come at a cost. The celestial views that historically guided Bedouin travelers through the shifting sands of the Empty Quarter have largely disappeared from populated areas.
Volunteers from the Dubai Astronomy Group are now organizing nighttime trips to Al Quaa Desert, among the few remaining dark locations in the Emirates, to help residents reconnect with the night sky and witness the Milky Way.
“It causes us to appreciate our existence in this galaxy,” said Sheeraz Awan, the general manager of the astronomy group, while leading participants during a late May stargazing session.
The Emirates is classified as one of the planet’s most light-polluted nations, joining other Gulf states where most citizens reside in major urban centers.
Research from 2016 determined that “humanity has enveloped our planet in a luminous fog” and found that 99% of UAE residents cannot observe the Milky Way from their residences due to artificial lighting.
This artificial brightness includes everything from highway street lamps to the spectacular LED displays that captivate visitors at Dubai’s Burj Khalifa, the planet’s highest structure. Abu Dhabi is planning to construct a $1.7 billion replica of the Sphere, the Las Vegas venue, on its Yas Island.
In Abu Dhabi, the UAE’s capital, officials have recognized the light pollution issue and established what they term a “Dark Sky Policy” in 2024 addressing illumination and related concerns throughout their emirate. In Dubai, LED displays on buildings are becoming more prevalent and LED billboards are increasingly common. Dubai officials did not respond to requests for comment, though the emirate also contains Al Qudra Lakes, a countryside location with reduced light pollution.
Urban illumination cannot reach Al Quaa Desert.
The desert location is accessible by car, approximately 100 kilometers (62 miles) southeast of Abu Dhabi city via a main highway toward the oasis town of Al Ain, then another route heading south deep into the desert.
Although overhead lighting exists on the section called Razeen Road, including a brightly lit correctional facility along the route, the desert extends just beyond in complete darkness, free from urban illumination. Razeen Road eventually turns east, but an automated gate permits drivers onto a dirt path leading further into the wilderness.
Several kilometers deeper, beyond those camping among the dunes and enjoying some of the final pleasant overnight conditions before UAE summer temperatures reach approximately 45 degrees Celsius (113 degrees Fahrenheit), the astronomy volunteers assembled dozens of visitors for stargazing.
They had company. Multiple workers wrapped in thick blankets were sleeping nearby in a pickup truck bed beneath the stars. Under a single LED light marking the parking area, a Solifugae — commonly called a camel spider — consumed another camel spider following an extended battle. The creature briefly moved toward a reporter and volunteer before vibrations from an approaching vehicle caused it to retreat into the darkness. Everyone present then monitored their footing carefully.
On rugs spread for the May weekend expedition, families conversing in Arabic, English and Russian gazed upward. The half-moon gradually descended beyond the horizon. Shortly after, the Milky Way’s outline became visible to the unaided eye.
“When you look toward the east, can you see that faint cloud,” Awan asked. “That, ladies and gentlemen, is the Milky Way.”
Using a laser pointer to illuminate the star formations, he prompted one woman to cry out: “Ay ye ye!”
The Dubai Astronomy Group volunteers explained this represented one of the optimal periods annually for galaxy observation. Several people gasped upon spotting meteors periodically crossing the sky, clearly visible in the darkness without urban light interference.
Some congregated around telescopes to examine individual stars. Others reclined on the cold desert sand, receiving guidance on using their mobile devices for long-exposure photography to capture the galaxy shining above. Gradually, people slowly returned to their vehicles and began driving back to the UAE’s illuminated highways and cities.
For a brief time, they had connected with the night as Bedouins had done before them.
“When we look at this Milky Way, we’re kind of involved in an activity, which is not new,” Awan told the stargazers. “It’s something that people throughout time have been engaged in.”
The U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth called on Asian partners to significantly increase their military expenditures during a major defense conference in Singapore on Saturday, citing concerns about China’s expanding military capabilities across the region.
Speaking at the Shangri-La Dialogue, Asia’s leading gathering for defense officials and military leaders, Hegseth emphasized the need for stronger, more independent allied networks to prevent regional dominance by any single power.
“There is rightful alarm regarding China’s historic military buildup and the expansion of its military activities in the region and beyond,” he said.
The Pentagon leader warned against allowing any nation to control the Pacific, stating: “A Pacific dominated by any hegemon would unravel the regional balance of power. No state, including China, can impose its hegemony and hold the security or prosperity of our nation and our allies in question.”
Hegseth announced that the U.S. expects its Asian partners to raise defense spending to 3.5% of their GDP, while America commits $1.5 trillion to its own military investments.
The defense secretary emphasized that allies seek stability rather than conflict, explaining: “What they want, and what the United States delivers, is strength that is disciplined, resolve that is steady, and leadership that is confident enough to speak and walk softly while carrying a big stick.”
Despite his warnings about China’s military expansion, Hegseth adopted a more measured approach regarding U.S.-China relations, describing them as “better than they have been in many years,” with increased military-to-military communication helping manage tensions.
“We are meeting more frequently with our Chinese counterparts by maintaining open lines of military-to-military communication,” he noted.
Zhou Bo, a senior fellow at Tsinghua University and retired People’s Liberation Army senior colonel who was part of the Chinese delegation, described U.S.-China relations as “complicated.”
However, he said Hegseth struck “a much better tone” this year than last, attributing the shift to Trump’s visit to China.
“Both sides have open channels of communication, the situation is not as exaggerated as the outside world makes it out to be,” Zhou said.
China’s defense minister is absent from the dialogue for the second year running. Last year, China criticized Hegseth for making “vilifying” remarks.
Hegseth reinforced President Donald Trump’s ongoing position that allies must take greater responsibility for their own defense costs, stating that European and NATO partners should depend less on Washington.
“The era of the United States subsidizing the defence of wealthy nations is over,” Hegseth declared. “We need partners, not protectorates. We don’t have a strong alliance unless everyone has skin in the game. No freeloading.”
The defense secretary commended contributions from allies including South Korea, the Philippines, Australia, Singapore, Malaysia and Thailand, noting that Japan was taking concrete steps to strengthen its defenses.
Regarding Japan specifically, he said Tokyo and Washington “must each pull our weight to strengthen the U.S.-Japan alliance.”
Addressing Middle East tensions, Hegseth indicated the United States remains prepared to resume military action against Iran if diplomatic efforts fail, as negotiators from both countries work to resolve significant disagreements preventing an agreement.
“Our ability to recommence if necessary…we are more than capable,” Hegseth stated. He added that Trump remains “patient” and is seeking a “strong deal” to ensure Iran does not obtain a nuclear weapon.
Trump announced on Friday he would gather advisers in a secure White House setting to make a “final determination” on a proposal to end the Iran war.
Hegseth dismissed concerns that the Middle East conflict would divert attention from Asia-Pacific priorities, saying: “We can do two things at one time.”
When questioned about arms sales to Taiwan, Hegseth minimized worries that a multi-billion-dollar package could be impacted as the United States reduces its weapons stockpiles amid the Middle East conflict. “We feel very good about our stockpiles and how we use them,” he said.
Taiwan, which China considers its own territory, has been awaiting U.S. approval for an arms sale that Reuters reported could be worth up to $14 billion.
Trump created uncertainty in Taipei by saying, after meeting China’s President Xi Jinping this month, that he was undecided on whether to approve the package.
Any decision on future arms sales would rest with President Trump, Hegseth said, indicating no change in Washington’s established approach despite recent engagement with Beijing.
“Those decisions will depend on the president and the nature of that relationship,” Hegseth said. “There’s been no change in our status.”
Parliamentary elections commenced Saturday in Malta, with polling data indicating the ruling Labour Party is positioned to secure an unprecedented fourth consecutive term in office.
Prime Minister Robert Abela initiated the early election four years into the current five-year term, referencing future challenges facing the Mediterranean nation due to international uncertainties.
The country’s economic performance ranks among the European Union’s strongest, with 4% growth recorded last year, minimal inflation, and virtually no unemployment. Energy and fuel costs have remained frozen for nearly a decade, resulting in Europe’s most affordable rates.
Nevertheless, officials worry that Middle Eastern conflicts could increase inflation in the EU’s smallest member nation, which depends heavily on imports, and could damage the tourism sector as aviation fuel costs climb.
Multiple polling surveys have repeatedly indicated his Labour Party is positioned to secure a substantial parliamentary majority, similar to victories achieved in 2013, 2017 and 2022.
Although six political organizations appear on the ballot, Labour and the opposition centrist Nationalist Party have been the sole parties to gain parliamentary representation since 1966, with minor parties receiving under 5% of votes.
Abela has focused his campaign on economic achievements, pledging competence and stability.
The Nationalist Party under new leader Alex Borg has argued that the robust economy has failed to improve living standards.
A significant increase in migrant workers during the past decade has also sparked concerns about rising housing costs, overcrowding and strain on infrastructure and healthcare systems.
Election outcomes are anticipated around midday Sunday.
Authorities in New Castle County are actively searching for a missing 19-year-old man after issuing a Gold Alert on Friday evening.
The New Castle County Division of Police activated the alert for Lukas Ernst, who vanished from the unit block of Liborio Lane in Buena Vista Park Townhouses at approximately 8:44 p.m. on Friday, May 29, 2026.
Police report that their search teams have conducted thorough investigations but have not been successful in finding Ernst or making contact with him.
TEL AVIV, Israel (AP) — An Israeli reservist watched as his fellow soldiers celebrated enthusiastically, cheering each other on. They had just attacked a Palestinian vehicle traveling near the Israeli-controlled section of the Gaza Strip, leaving all occupants dead.
The military member said such incidents had become routine following the implementation of a fragile ceasefire in October. During his weeks of deployment in Gaza, he witnessed troops eagerly pursuing those who violated — or nearly violated — the yellow boundary line separating Israeli-controlled zones from Palestinian territories.
“It was a jungle,” the soldier, who is in his twenties, told The Associated Press. “After the ceasefire, the order was: If someone crosses the line, you shoot them.”
While diplomatic attempts to reinforce the agreement have reached an impasse, three military personnel shared with AP their experience of disorder in the war-torn region, citing unclear guidelines for engagement near the yellow boundary. The soldiers reported that some commanding officers publicly supported the ceasefire while privately expressing hopes for continued warfare in Gaza. Occasionally, forces were positioned too distantly or responded too hastily to properly identify their targets, according to one soldier — a worry also raised by a veteran whistleblower organization.
These military accounts offer an uncommon look into events within Israeli-controlled Gaza since the agreement took effect seven months prior. The soldiers — reserve forces deployed across Gaza from October through January who have since returned home — requested anonymity due to concerns about potential social isolation for their statements. They explained their motivation for speaking publicly stemmed from anger and grief over their observations.
AP has recorded instances of Palestinian civilian shootings, including children at play, near the yellow boundary. The soldiers indicated that fatal incidents seemed continuous throughout the unstable agreement.
“To call it a ceasefire is a joke,” one soldier told AP.
Following the ceasefire implementation, Israel repositioned forces to a buffer area marked by a yellow boundary, securing control over slightly more than half the territory. The agreement requires Israeli forces to execute a more complete withdrawal, though no specific timeline exists. The diplomat backed by the U.S. who supervises the truce reports that advancement has stalled due to the primary obstacle of disarming Hamas, which affects all other matters — including Israeli pullbacks and rebuilding efforts.
During this period, Israel has extended its authority over additional Gaza territory. Each side has blamed the other for ceasefire violations.
The boundary’s precise position has remained unclear and sometimes unmarked. In certain areas, yellow blocks and barrels indicate its location; elsewhere, it has occasionally gone completely unmarked.
The Israeli military brought AP this week to observe a portion of the yellow boundary in central Gaza, close to the Maghazi refugee camp. The boundary was clearly visible there, marked by a broad dirt pathway and small yellow indicators. To the east lay an empty expanse of open ground extending to a heavily defended Israeli military position approximately 500 meters distant.
An Israeli military commander stated that Hamas operates on the opposite side of the boundary and regularly dispatches individuals — both fighters and civilians — toward and across the line to evaluate the army’s preparedness and reactions.
“There is no reason for anyone to come near the line,” he said, speaking on condition of anonymity under military rules. “There’s nothing here.”
The army claims the complete boundary, spanning Gaza’s entire length, now has clear markings.
Since the ceasefire began, over 900 individuals have died in Gaza — dozens of them near or beyond the yellow boundary, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry. The ministry does not specify how many were fighters, but unarmed men and children were among the casualties.
Israel’s military has stated that most individuals killed while crossing the boundary presented a danger to troops. However, soldiers who spoke with AP and Breaking the Silence — the whistleblower organization that has gathered troop testimonies during the war — report that soldiers sometimes acted from too great a distance, too rapidly, and under excessive pressure to make accurate determinations.
Israel’s army informed AP that the zone near the yellow boundary represents a “sensitive operational environment” with posted warnings against approaching. It stated the army does not target civilians merely for approaching the boundary and that engagement rules mandate warnings before force is used. In cases involving immediate danger, forces have authorization to respond, it explained.
This marked the combat soldier’s second deployment in Gaza when the ceasefire commenced. He reported being positioned several hundred meters from the yellow boundary and witnessing multiple individuals attempting to cross it being killed by soldiers.
Soldiers conducting shootings or requesting drone attacks do not always identify who is crossing the boundary, he explained. While soldiers must provide location coordinates and obtain superior approval before attacking, delivering precise information becomes difficult as people move, he noted. He described soldiers reporting coordinates based on assumptions or the last observed location of someone.
Breaking the Silence reports that general engagement rules are extremely lenient, particularly regarding boundary crossers, with instructions in many zones being “shoot to kill.” Executive director Nadav Weiman, a veteran who served in Gaza but not during this conflict, identified distance from targets and some overeager soldiers as problematic factors.
He stated that directives and policies from military leadership “have created a reality where countless civilians have and are being killed for crossing invisible lines.”
In one testimony to Breaking the Silence, documented in interview notes reviewed by AP, a soldier describes instructions for troops regarding anyone crossing the yellow boundary: “eliminate him no matter what.”
Another soldier deployed in Gaza for weeks following the ceasefire said commanders emphasized maintaining the boundary at any cost.
“There was a general feeling that human lives are not valuable,” he said.
Regarding yellow boundary marking, the soldier reported his superiors called it “too much work,” not their responsibility, and claimed Palestinians should know its location.
Gaza deployment created emotional strain, he explained.
While snipers sometimes fired warning shots at people approaching the boundary, he said, commanders instructed troops to take greater self-protective measures. The soldier interpreted this as authorization for more lethal shooting.
He and other soldiers who spoke with AP said troops generally believed, based on leadership and peer actions, that Israel planned a permanent Gaza presence rather than eventual withdrawal.
An internal report distributed among aid organizations last month and reviewed by AP indicated that throughout Gaza, Israel has grown “increasingly proactive” with its attacks.
Independent data from the Armed Conflict Location and Event Data Project, a nonprofit based in the U.S., showed April as Gaza’s deadliest month this year and reported that documented deaths near the yellow boundary or of people who crossed it rose over 25% from January to April, increasing from 58 to 73.
This week, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced Israel controls 60% of Gaza and indicated the next objective was advancing to 70% control.
The soldiers informed AP that conditions on the ground make the ceasefire seem nonexistent.
“We need to stop using this term,” one said regarding the word ceasefire. “It’s not serving people that want to stop the war.”
EASTLAKE, Ohio – Salisbury University’s baseball squad watched their remarkable 17-game winning streak come to an end Friday evening, dropping a 5-1 decision to Endicott in their opening contest of the 2026 NCAA Division III College World Series at Classic Auto Group Park.
The third-seeded Sea Gulls were defeated by the sixth-seeded Endicott Gulls on the tournament’s first day, marking the conclusion of their impressive run of victories.
The defeat puts Salisbury in a must-win situation as they prepare to face second-seeded Rowan in an elimination contest Saturday afternoon. The crucial matchup is slated to begin at 5 p.m.
Though neither the Vegas Golden Knights nor Carolina Hurricanes emerged as the NHL’s top teams during regular season play, both franchises have dominated throughout their playoff campaigns.
The two hottest clubs in professional hockey are now set to battle for the Stanley Cup championship.
The Golden Knights completed a sweep of Presidents’ Trophy winner Colorado in the Western Conference Final and have captured 19 victories in 24 contests since John Tortorella assumed coaching duties in late March. Meanwhile, Carolina has secured 12 wins in 13 playoff games, including a four-game winning streak that eliminated Montreal and secured their Cup final berth.
“I probably would give an edge to Vegas, but I don’t feel that secure in that,” former player-turned-NHL Network analyst Mike Rupp said. “Both teams are just playing this demonstrative way right now that it feels like it’s the right matchup here in the finals.”
Carolina enters the championship series as slight betting favorites, likely due to their home-ice advantage and impressive recent performance. Tuesday night’s opening game takes place in Raleigh.
The Hurricanes posted a perfect 8-0 record through their first two playoff rounds, sweeping both Ottawa and Philadelphia. Their lone setback against the Canadiens may have resulted from an 11-day break between rounds, but Carolina has remained undefeated since that wake-up call.
Vegas faced more challenges while defeating Utah and Anaheim before easily handling the injury-riddled Avalanche. The Golden Knights will enjoy a full week of rest between rounds.
“I worry about, just you lose your edge just a little bit, that’s a big disadvantage,” Tortorella said Friday. “That’s the key for us. As a coach, you’re always worried about that. I think our players, the group is good, and I think they understand that because they’ve been in this before, most of them.”
Carolina reaches the championship round for the first time since 2006, when current coach Rod Brind’Amour served as team captain. For Vegas, this represents familiar territory – their third final appearance in less than a decade of existence and second in four years, following their 2023 Stanley Cup victory.
Twelve players from that championship team remain with Vegas.
“That feeling, you want that feeling back,” said defenseman Shea Theodore, who has been with the team since the inaugural season in 2017-18. “It feels different, but I think the feeling in the locker room with the guys and how we are with one another, it feels very similar to that — that group in ’23 — how close we are, and it’s just exciting to be back.”
Expect a defensive battle with limited scoring opportunities. Both the Golden Knights and Hurricanes rank among the stingiest defensive teams remaining in the playoffs.
“Both these teams defend at a high level,” former goalie and now NHL Network analyst Cory Schneider said. “They work at a high level. They don’t give you much room and space and time. I don’t want to say it’s going to be a boring final, but it’s definitely going to be a bit of a grind and whoever comes out on top is going to be the team that can sort of survive that grind.”
Brind’Amour’s demanding coaching approach has finally delivered results in his eighth season leading the team. While Carolina advanced at least one round in each of the previous seven seasons, they consistently fell short of reaching the finals.
The Hurricanes have reached this stage without relying on offensive firepower.
“So far, it’s worked, but this where they run into trouble,” Schneider said. “This is why in years past they haven’t quite broken through to the finals is because they play such a high-intensity style that emphasizes shot quantity over quality, so that doesn’t always lead to goals. They’ll possess the puck and throw a million pucks on net, but they don’t always get great looks and high-end scoring chances and they don’t have a ton of elite finishers.”
