BERLIN – A German government representative announced Wednesday that possibilities for diplomatic communication between Russia and European nations concerning Ukraine are beginning to emerge, emphasizing the importance of creating an effective dialogue framework that Europeans view as credible.
The representative noted there are clear signs that the E3 Group – consisting of Germany, France and Britain – will maintain a significant position in these potential discussions.
Russian military progress has decelerated throughout this year, while Ukrainian forces have stepped up battlefield pressure and expanded their campaign of extended-range attacks within Russian territory, including strikes in St Petersburg on Wednesday before President Vladimir Putin’s yearly economic forum.
The chief of staff for Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy has described reaching an agreement to conclude the conflict by winter as a “realistic” possibility.
The German representative stated that current military developments suggest any dialogue efforts will require months rather than weeks to develop, stressing the importance of ensuring such talks proceed with Ukraine’s complete consent.
Working together – rather than competing – with the United States, whose mediated discussions have stagnated as Washington concentrates on Iran, must also serve as a fundamental principle, the official noted.
Germany and other European nations have dismissed a proposal from Russian President Vladimir Putin suggesting that former German chancellor Gerhard Schroeder could serve as their representative in potential future negotiations with Moscow.
Stock market futures held steady near record territory Wednesday morning as crude oil costs surged amid renewed tensions in the Middle East, signaling limited advancement in diplomatic efforts to resolve the ongoing regional conflict.
Oil prices jumped significantly, with Brent crude climbing 1.6% to reach $97.56 per barrel following reports of an Iranian missile strike that caused damage to Kuwait’s airport and subsequent U.S. military operations conducted near the Strait of Hormuz. These developments have heightened concerns about potential supply chain interruptions that could fuel inflation pressures.
“It is not in the interest of either the U.S. or Iran to go back towards fighting and bombing. Our base case scenario remains that we would be moving towards a deal; even if it’s a fudge to get the Strait of Hormuz opened,” wrote Jefferies economist Mohit Kumar in a research note.
Market optimism about a potential resolution to the conflict, combined with positive corporate earnings reports, has supported Wall Street’s recent climb to new peaks.
Technology stocks have received additional momentum from developments reinforcing expectations for continued artificial intelligence investment spending.
Nvidia recently unveiled new processor chips designed for desktop and laptop computers, while Dell and Hewlett Packard Enterprise exceeded earnings projections and Alphabet announced plans to secure $80 billion in funding for AI expansion initiatives.
Marvell Technology shares jumped 15% in early trading, pushing its market capitalization above $290 billion and extending yesterday’s rally after Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang described the semiconductor company as the next “trillion-dollar company.”
Broadcom stock advanced 3% ahead of its quarterly earnings release scheduled after market close. The results will serve as another important indicator of AI-related market momentum, with the company’s shares gaining 14% over the past four trading sessions.
Elon Musk’s SpaceX is reportedly setting its initial public offering price at $135 per share as it prepares for investor presentations to raise a record $75 billion, according to a source with knowledge of the plans.
This potential listing is part of a broader trend of prominent private companies considering public market debuts, including Anthropic and OpenAI, following several years of limited large-scale IPO activity.
As of 4:23 a.m. Eastern Time, Dow futures declined 145 points or 0.28%, while S&P 500 futures dropped 7.25 points or 0.1%. Nasdaq 100 futures fell 3 points or 0.01%.
All three primary stock indices reached new record closing levels Tuesday, with the S&P 500 finishing above 7,600 for the first time in history.
Market participants are monitoring upcoming economic indicators, including S&P Global’s manufacturing and services reports and the ISM services index, ahead of Friday’s anticipated employment data that could influence monetary policy expectations.
Federal Reserve Chair Kevin Warsh committed to upholding “the best of the Fed’s traditions” in a message to staff as he begins his four-year leadership term.
Investment banking giant Goldman Sachs announced Tuesday that alternative funding sources will become increasingly crucial for supporting the artificial intelligence data center expansion, as technology companies seek financing options beyond conventional methods.
The financial services firm revised upward its capital expenditure projections for the four major hyperscale companies — Meta, Microsoft, Amazon, and Alphabet — reaching $5.3 trillion spanning fiscal years 2025 through 2030.
Goldman’s previous estimate before first-quarter earnings results had projected $4.5 trillion in capital spending for the identical timeframe.
According to Goldman’s analysis, corporations will access public, securitized and private funding sources to meet the massive scale of financial requirements.
“Private infrastructure and real estate will play an even larger role in the years ahead,” Goldman said.
The investment bank noted that distinctions between private infrastructure and real estate sectors are becoming less clear as data center developments span multiple asset classes including land acquisition, power systems, construction and technological equipment.
Goldman indicated that private infrastructure’s ability to generate structured returns and provide inflation hedging will likely stimulate additional expansion.
“Infrastructure sits at the epicenter of multiple structural tailwinds, which we expect will drive its growth and provide additional capacity for financing,” Goldman added.
Between 2021 and 2024, the private infrastructure sector expanded at approximately 11.5% annually, according to Goldman’s research.
The firm anticipates this expansion pace will accelerate, potentially approaching the 16% to 17% annual growth rates that characterized much of the 2012 to 2021 period.
Such growth trajectory would elevate infrastructure assets under management beyond $3 trillion by 2030, the brokerage concluded.
Tuesday’s primary election results are being examined as several significant federal announcements emerged from Washington.
The acting Attorney General revealed that the Justice Department plans to eliminate a disputed fund designed to address what officials termed anti-weaponization efforts. The controversial program had drawn criticism since its establishment.
In a separate development, a housing department official has been selected to serve as the acting director of national intelligence, marking a notable personnel change in the intelligence community.
The online shopping behemoth Amazon.com announced Wednesday that it has rolled out its subscription Prime membership program in South Africa, providing customers with quicker shipping and entertainment offerings for 59 South African rand per month ($3.61) or 399 rand annually.
Key highlights of the launch include:
• The Prime membership program now operates in 27 countries total, and Amazon’s major shopping event Prime Day is set to run from June 23-29 in South Africa.
• The South African market has experienced significant growth in internet-based shopping in recent years, with domestic companies like Shoprite introducing rapid delivery options.
• Amazon entered the South African marketplace just two years ago.
• The retail giant announced that customers in South Africa can access a complimentary 30-day trial period for Prime membership.
The current exchange rate stands at $1 equals 16.3249 rand.
The race for California’s governorship remains unresolved following the state’s primary election, with multiple candidates still battling for the two positions that will advance to the November general election.
Under California’s distinctive primary system, candidates from both major parties compete against each other simultaneously to secure spots in the final matchup this fall. Currently, two Democratic hopefuls and one Republican contender are locked in a tight race for those coveted positions.
The state’s unusual electoral process allows all candidates to run together in a single primary, regardless of party affiliation, with the top two vote-getters moving forward to face off in the general election.
BOGOTA, Colombia (AP) — The bright yellow soccer jersey that typically represents Colombian national pride and unity has transformed into a divisive political symbol ahead of the nation’s presidential runoff election.
What was once worn primarily during soccer matches and patriotic celebrations is now a regular fixture at campaign events for Abelardo de la Espriella, who secured the highest vote count in Sunday’s initial election round. The outspoken attorney, who refers to himself as “the tiger,” frequently appears in the national team jersey while addressing crowds from stages secured with bodyguards and protective glass barriers.
His opponent in the June 21 runoff, Sen. Iván Cepeda, has strongly criticized this practice. Cepeda, who represents the ruling party and serves as an ally to President Gustavo Petro, condemned his rival’s clothing choice as theft of a national emblem.
Writing on social platform X this Monday, Cepeda described the practice of wearing national team jerseys during political events as an “opportunistic act” that deserved legal scrutiny.
“The national (soccer) team belongs to all of us,” stated Cepeda, who finished second in Sunday’s voting while representing Petro’s Historical Pact party. “Stop stealing things that belong to the entire nation.”
In contrast to his opponent’s jersey-wearing approach, Cepeda appears at his own events dressed in dark sweaters and white shirts with mandarin collars. He has requested that his followers avoid wearing Colombia’s jersey or other national symbols during his campaign gatherings.
“Let’s run a clean, transparent campaign,” Cepeda declared.
The conservative celebrity lawyer has remained silent regarding Cepeda’s jersey criticisms. However, his campaign team is now actively promoting increased use of the jerseys among supporters as a form of resistance against Cepeda and the current administration.
“This jersey, besides showing support for our players, now also represents the defense of the freedoms that Cepeda wants to take away from us,” stated Daniel Briceño, a congressman backing de la Espriella, in a recorded message.
This political battle over national soccer attire mirrors recent events in Brazil, where supporters of former President Jair Bolsonaro claimed the country’s distinctive gold and green jersey during the previous decade.
Bolsonaro, currently under house arrest for attempting a coup following his 2022 election defeat, actively encouraged jersey-wearing at his political gatherings and voting locations.
Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva has since worked to reclaim the jersey’s symbolism during his current term, wearing it publicly and encouraging supporters to do likewise to prevent “the colors or Brazil” from being “taken over by any fascist.” Musicians supporting Lula have also worn the soccer shirt during performances as part of these reclamation efforts.
Political marketing expert Carlos Andrés Arias from Bogota noted that politicians from Cepeda’s party, including President Petro, have also incorporated Colombia’s yellow jersey into rallies and campaign advertisements, though with less frequency.
According to Arias, de la Espriella gains advantage from the jersey because it symbolizes patriotism, a core theme of his campaign messaging. The candidate has promised stricter security measures and an end to negotiations with rebel organizations.
Arias warned that Cepeda’s attempts to prevent opponents from using the jersey during political events could prove counterproductive by strengthening the association between de la Espriella’s campaign and the national team’s colors.
“People will now think that wearing the jersey is a sure way to support de la Espriella,” Arias explained.
The National Football Federation of Colombia, which holds marketing rights for the jerseys, announced this week that it lacks authority to regulate shirt usage at non-commercial gatherings, while expressing disappointment about their use for non-sporting purposes.
Raúl Cardona, who volunteers for Cepeda’s campaign in Bogota, indicated that the candidate’s supporters will begin wearing jerseys at their own political events. He mentioned observing some Cepeda supporters already wearing Colombia’s national team shirts during recent marches in the capital.
“We need to democratize the use of the jersey,” Cardona emphasized. “And stop the rival campaign from monopolizing this symbol.”
Wednesday marked the 95th birthday of a revolutionary leader who continues to wield influence in one of the world’s remaining communist nations.
The younger brother of Fidel Castro became a household name through his participation in the 1959 uprising that transformed Cuba. Following his brother’s eventual departure from power, he took the helm as the island nation’s president, serving in that capacity for over a decade.
While he officially stepped back from political life in April 2021, he maintains his position as general of Cuba’s Revolutionary Armed Forces, holds a National Assembly seat, and reportedly plays a key role in the deteriorating relationship with the United States, which has recently brought criminal charges against him.
The man dubbed the “hero of the Republic of Cuba” entered the world on June 3, 1931, in the small eastern Cuban community of Birán. Born as the fourth among seven siblings to a Cuban mother and Spanish father.
His early education took place in Santiago de Cuba before relocating to Havana for university law studies. During this period, he became heavily engaged in student activism, working against the Fulgencio Batista dictatorship.
In 1953, he participated in an assault on military installations in Santiago de Cuba as part of an unsuccessful attempt to topple Batista’s government. Following his arrest, imprisonment, and subsequent release, he escaped to Mexico and joined the rebel movement that would eventually succeed in removing Batista from power.
Following the successful 1959 uprising, he was named minister of Cuba’s Revolutionary Armed Forces and supervised military operations across Africa and Latin America that drew criticism from some Republican politicians in the United States.
Numerous Cubans, including María Cristina Barrio Ramos, a 62-year-old educator from Havana, expressed appreciation for his contributions.
“He gave us everything so that we could be free,” she said. “We owe our freedom and dignity to him.”
October 1965 saw his appointment as second secretary of the Central Committee of Cuba’s Communist Party. During the announcement, Fidel Castro expressed pride in the appointment.
“It is a privilege for me that, in addition to being an extraordinary revolutionary figure, he is a brother,” Castro said as his sibling stood up and smiled as the crowd around him applauded.
Fidel Castro frequently spoke highly of his younger brother: “Everyone who gets to know him and become close to him realizes his humanism, his great character, and his feelings; they are surprised by the image of Raúl as belligerent, aggressive and harsh, when they see the feelings of friendship, affection, and love he is capable of having for people. And he has been a great mentor and a great educator.”
When Fidel Castro’s health deteriorated in 2006, his brother assumed temporary leadership in late July before being formally elected president by Cuba’s National Assembly in February 2008.
During his presidency, he demonstrated more progressive policies than his older brother, permitting private business operations while former U.S. President Barack Obama eased restrictions on money transfers and family visits, plus authorized American travel to Cuba under specific circumstances.
By 2015, diplomatic ties between the United States and Cuba were reestablished with embassy reopenings. Obama visited Cuba to meet with Castro the following year, which also saw the resumption of commercial air service between the nations.
A memorable moment from a 2016 press conference in Havana showed Castro attempting to lift Obama’s left arm, which remained limp in a widely circulated photograph.
His administration also negotiated with Russia’s leadership in June 2014, resulting in the elimination of 90% of a massive debt inherited from the Soviet era.
In 2018, he transferred presidential duties to Miguel Díaz-Canel, ending decades of Castro family control over the government.
His announcement in April 2021 that he would not pursue additional political positions marked his formal retirement, after which his public appearances became infrequent.
Since leaving active politics, he has maintained a low profile while reportedly continuing to exercise influence from behind the scenes.
His grandson and security detail member, Raúl Guillermo Rodríguez Castro, had discussions with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio during a Caribbean summit this year. Both Cuban and American officials have acknowledged ongoing talks, though relations remain strained.
His most recent public appearance occurred at a May 1 demonstration attended by thousands of Cubans. Wearing his characteristic olive green military uniform, he stood alongside Díaz-Canel with his grandson positioned behind him.
Nearly three weeks later, American authorities filed criminal charges against him related to the 1996 destruction of civilian aircraft operated by Miami-based exiles over Cuban territorial waters. The charges include murder and aircraft destruction.
While government officials and supporters have criticized the indictment, he has not publicly responded.
Leading up to his birthday, social media featured the hashtag #RaúlesRaúl, referencing a leader who, like his brother, has traditionally avoided birthday celebrations, monuments, and statues.
The Cuban Embassy in the U.S. noted on X: “Not many people have the privilege, the health, the stoicism — and if you like, you can also add: that quintessentially Cuban stubbornness — to reach the age of 95.”
Meanwhile, Cuba’s Communist Party shared multiple videos Tuesday on X featuring Cubans expressing admiration for Castro.
“To talk about Cuba, you have to talk about Raúl,” said Digna Guerra, director of the island’s national choir. “He represents Cuban identity, he represents the Cuban people, he represents the revolution, which for us has immense significance. … Thank you for existing.”
Support for same-sex marriage in America has leveled off following more than twenty years of consistent growth, with Republican backing continuing to decline, a recent Gallup survey reveals.
The poll shows that roughly 65% of American adults now support legal same-sex marriage, representing a drop from the 71% recorded in both 2022 and 2023.
The shift stems primarily from decreased Republican support. The May survey found that just 37% of Republicans believe same-sex marriage should be legally recognized, while 35% consider gay and lesbian relationships “morally acceptable.”
Survey results released Wednesday indicate that Democratic and independent viewpoints have remained relatively steady, with majorities in both groups continuing to support marriage equality and viewing same-sex relationships as morally sound.
This growing political divide mirrors policy debates surrounding LGBTQ+ matters nationwide, especially concerning transgender individuals, and increased efforts in certain states to prohibit same-sex marriage.
Though modest, the decline in marriage equality support stands out given the dramatic transformation in American attitudes over recent decades.
Gallup’s historical data shows that just 27% of American adults favored legal same-sex marriage in 1996. From that point forward, support climbed consistently until recent years, reaching a peak where approximately 7 out of 10 adults endorsed marriage equality.
Attitudes toward the morality of same-sex relationships showed similar trends. Around 4 out of 10 American adults deemed same-sex relations morally acceptable in 2001. This figure rose by nearly 30 percentage points over the following twenty years.
Recent Gallup findings suggest a reversal may be underway. Beyond the marriage equality decline, the latest poll discovered that 62% of American adults now view gay and lesbian relationships as morally acceptable, down from 71% in 2022.
Same-sex marriage gained nationwide recognition through a 2015 Supreme Court decision. This ruling concluded a 12-year period during which judicial decisions and state legislation had established marriage equality in most states.
Data from the Williams Institute at the University of California Los Angeles School of Law indicates that by last year, more than 800,000 same-sex couples had married.
Opposition has persisted, however. An appeal seeking to overturn the 2015 ruling reached the Supreme Court last year, citing Justice Clarence Thomas, who has advocated for reversing the decision. The court dismissed the appeal without commentary.
The Southern Baptist Convention voted overwhelmingly last year to call for overturning the marriage equality ruling and implementing a prohibition.
According to an Associated Press review of legislation tracked by Plural, lawmakers in no fewer than 11 states have introduced bills during current or recent sessions seeking to ban same-sex marriage. While most proposals failed to gain traction, Tennessee’s House approved a measure allowing private individuals and organizations to refuse recognition of such unions, and Idaho’s House passed a resolution urging the Supreme Court to reverse the 2015 ruling.
A comparable number of states have recently seen legislation introduced to safeguard same-sex marriage rights.
Suggesting broader shifts in LGBTQ+ attitudes, the new Gallup survey found that roughly 4 out of 10 Americans consider gender transition morally acceptable, declining from nearly half in 2021.
Transgender rights have become a contentious political topic this decade.
Most Republican-led states have enacted legislation within the past five years prohibiting gender-affirming medical care for transgender youth, limiting transgender individuals’ access to school restrooms, and excluding transgender girls and women from certain athletic competitions.
Trump has issued executive orders pursuing similar federal policies.
Earlier this week, one such policy faced a setback when a court determined that the military’s transgender service member ban was illegal.
The Gallup survey was conducted from May 1-17 through telephone interviews with a randomly selected sample of 1,001 American adults. The sampling error margin for the overall adult population is plus or minus 4.0 percentage points.
Police in Delhi, India report that a devastating hotel fire claimed the lives of at least 21 people on Wednesday, marking one of the deadliest blazes in the nation’s capital in recent years.
The deadly incident occurred at a hotel situated in the Malviya Nagar area of south Delhi, according to authorities. This neighborhood is known as a residential district that attracts many students and young working professionals.
Emergency responders have successfully rescued at least 40 individuals from the burning structure, police confirmed.
News footage captured the building engulfed in flames with thick smoke pouring from the structure and blackened walls visible as local residents gathered in the narrow street to watch the emergency unfold.
The video also documented two individuals leaping from upper floors of the burning building.
Local administration official Jitendra Kumar explained to the media that investigators believe the fire originated from a restaurant operating on the building’s first floor. “There was reportedly a restaurant operating on the ground floor of the building … it is most likely that the fire was connected to that restaurant,” Kumar told reporters.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed his grief over the tragedy, calling the deaths heartbreaking while offering his sincere sympathies to families who lost loved ones and hoping for quick healing for those injured in the incident.
Ford Motor Company announced Wednesday it will recall 419,967 sport utility vehicles across the United States due to malfunctioning seat belt systems that could increase injury risks during accidents, according to federal safety regulators.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reported that the recall covers select 2018-2022 Expedition and Lincoln Navigator models.
Federal officials explained that the seat belt pretensioner mechanism in either the driver’s seat, front passenger seat, or both positions may unexpectedly lock up, causing the belt to become stuck and unable to move freely. This malfunction prevents proper restraint of vehicle occupants and heightens the possibility of crash-related injuries.
To address the safety concern, authorized dealerships will examine the seat belt retractor systems and install replacement parts when needed, with all repairs provided free of charge to vehicle owners.
ST PETERSBURG, Russia, June 3 – Ukrainian forces launched a drone assault on an oil export facility in St Petersburg just hours before President Vladimir Putin’s major economic forum commenced in what appears to be an effort to humiliate the Russian leader and demonstrate the reach of Ukraine’s military capabilities into Russia’s major urban centers.
The assault targeted Putin’s birthplace and the site of his signature economic conference – a high-profile event meant to draw international investment and present Russia in a favorable light – as the conflict between the two nations continues to intensify with no clear resolution on the horizon after more than four years of fighting.
Smoke could be seen rising from the historic downtown area where the oil export facility was damaged, and Reuters journalists on the ground reported hearing powerful explosions throughout Wednesday morning.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy acknowledged that his forces had carried out the attack on the fuel facility and revealed they had also hit a military installation near Russia’s second-largest city.
Alexander Beglov, the governor of St Petersburg, reported that unidentified “infrastructure objects” were damaged across three separate areas of the city. Alexander Drozdenko, governor of the broader Leningrad region, stated that defensive systems had intercepted 59 drones during the overnight assault.
Pulkovo airport in the city was forced to briefly halt flight operations according to Russia’s aviation authority, while local media reported that over 30 flights faced delays or cancellations.
Two candidates from opposite parties are heading to the November general election following Tuesday’s primary contest in California’s 48th congressional district, according to media projections.
Jim Desmond, a Republican who serves as a county supervisor, and Democrat Marni von Wilpert have secured their spots in the fall campaign after emerging from the open primary race.
The congressional position became open when Republican incumbent Darrell Issa decided not to pursue reelection. His decision came after the Southern California district underwent redistricting changes through voter-approved Proposition 50, which altered the boundaries to give Democrats an electoral advantage.
The outcome of this November contest will contribute to determining which party controls the U.S. House of Representatives following the election on Nov. 3.
Two paint industry giants announced Wednesday they are walking away from their collaborative bid to purchase Dutch paint manufacturer AkzoNobel, sending the target company’s stock into a steep decline.
AkzoNobel shares, which include the well-known Dulux paint brand, dropped more than 20% in morning trading after an initial trading halt, positioning the company for potentially its most devastating trading session on record.
“A lot of people may have thought that another offer from Sherwin-Williams and Nippon Paint would be forthcoming,” Berenberg analyst Sebastian Bray said.
The withdrawal comes after AkzoNobel turned down the partnership’s €12.5 billion ($14.5 billion) cash acquisition proposal the previous week, news that had initially boosted the Dutch firm’s stock value by 20%.
In a Wednesday statement, AkzoNobel confirmed that both of its governing boards continue to unanimously support the company’s proposed combination with U.S. coatings manufacturer Axalta.
“Ultimately the Axalta merger now appears the most likely outcome,” Bray said.
Motorists traveling eastbound on Kirkwood Highway should expect delays due to construction activity causing intermittent lane closures between Route 273 and Cleveland Avenue.
The lane restrictions are currently in place and will continue until 6 AM, according to traffic officials.
Drivers are advised to plan for additional travel time and consider alternate routes if possible while the construction work is underway.
BARCELONA, Spain — Pope Leo XIV’s planned trip to Spain carries the theme “Lift up your eyes,” words that perfectly capture what countless visitors experience when they encounter Barcelona’s magnificent Sagrada Familia as the incomplete basilica continues its upward climb more than 100 years following the passing of Catalan designer Antoni Gaudí.
The pontiff will consecrate the newly finished main tower of Gaudí’s architectural wonder on June 10, a structure crowned with a white cross that has elevated the building to become the planet’s tallest church.
Thirteen additional cream-hued towers and spires reach toward the azure heavens, their height challenged only by the peaks that encircle this coastal Mediterranean metropolis.
Within the structure, natural light streaming through massive colored glass windows envelops visitors and faithful worshippers in an ever-changing spectrum of hues.
The architect’s deep Catholic devotion permeated each element with spiritual significance, yet the impact reaches beyond religious and cultural boundaries. Church records show that almost 5 million individuals made the journey to visit during 2025, with visitors from America, Spain, and China representing the three most numerous nationalities.
Certain guests examine the underground crypt where routine worship services take place, while others participate in weekend Mass celebrations conducted in multiple languages within the primary sanctuary.
However, the majority of first-time visitors to this enormous interior space find themselves mesmerized, tilting their heads back and gazing upward at the illumination, taking in the supernatural atmosphere crafted by the man known as “God’s architect.”
JAKARTA, Indonesia — Law enforcement officials conducted a search of Indonesia’s National Nutrition Agency headquarters on Wednesday, just one day after the country’s president dismissed the agency director overseeing a massive free meals initiative.
Officials from the Attorney General’s Office did not specify whether their search was connected to any criminal probe.
The nutrition initiative fulfilled a campaign pledge by President Prabowo Subianto and was designed to combat malnutrition by providing meals to approximately 90 million children and expectant mothers. However, the program has faced significant backlash over expensive costs and incidents where students became ill after consuming the provided food.
On Tuesday evening, Prabowo dismissed agency director Dadan Hindayana and appointed Nanik S. Deyang, previously the deputy director, as his replacement.
“Some issues relate to discipline in following standard operating procedures, while others relate to discipline in implementing governance, including discipline in maintaining food quality as stipulated by the National Nutrition Agency,” Minister of the State Secretariat Prasetyo Hadi said.
Despite the leadership change, Hadi stressed the administration remained dedicated to continuing the nutrition program. “Services to the public must not be disrupted in any way,” Hadi told reporters Tuesday after the firing.
Throughout Wednesday, Attorney General’s Office investigators conducted their search of the agency headquarters, preventing staff members from entering the building.
“We are still in the process of searching at the National Nutrition Agency,” said Mochamad Jeffry, the office’s acting spokesperson. He did not disclose what case was being investigated in connection with the search.
The nutrition initiative carries an estimated price tag of $28 billion extending through 2029. While Prabowo intended to address malnutrition and support agricultural producers by buying their crops, skeptics have raised concerns about the program’s financial sustainability and practical implementation across a sprawling nation of over 282 million residents.
A deadly blaze tore through a mixed-use building in New Delhi on Wednesday, claiming the lives of at least four people and leaving several others injured, according to local authorities.
The structure, located in the Malviya Nagar area on the city’s south side, contained a restaurant at street level with apartment units on the upper floors. Fire official Abhilash Malik reported that emergency responders successfully evacuated 37 individuals from the burning building.
Emergency crews have since brought the blaze under control, though the cause of the fire remains under investigation.
Rescue teams recovered four bodies from the scene, according to Jitendra Kumar, a senior administrative official. At least seven injured victims were transported to area hospitals for medical care.
Such incidents occur frequently throughout India, where construction regulations and safety standards are routinely ignored by both developers and occupants.
A royal pardon has officially freed Thailand’s former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra from all remaining legal obligations, cutting short his four-month probation period that began in May.
The 76-year-old billionaire, who wielded significant influence in Thai politics for over twenty years, had been released from a Bangkok detention facility last month amid enthusiastic crowds. Questions remain about whether he will continue influencing the Pheu Thai Party, a member of the current governing coalition, although his relatives have indicated he may withdraw from political activities.
King Maha Vajiralongkorn’s pardon order appeared in the Royal Gazette late Tuesday night and took effect Wednesday. Under Thailand’s constitutional monarchy system, the monarch holds ultimate authority over criminal pardons.
The royal decision coincided with Queen Suthida’s birthday celebration and extended to qualifying inmates who satisfied certain criteria. Thaksin met the requirements for complete release since he was already on probation with less than twelve months left to serve.
The former telecommunications executive established his political party in 1998 and led the country from 2001 until military forces removed him from power in 2006 during his overseas travel.
His removal sparked almost twenty years of political division, even as parties supporting him consistently regained control during his voluntary exile. His populist agenda gained strong backing from lower-income citizens, especially in northern and northeastern rural areas, but his appeal and occasionally authoritarian approach created significant rifts with urban elites, monarchy supporters, and military leadership.
Thaksin walked free on May 11 after completing eight months of a twelve-month term for corruption-related offenses. His parole terms included wearing an electronic monitoring device and an original four-month probation schedule.
Attorney Winyat Chatmontree verified to The Associated Press that Thaksin has been completely discharged from legal requirements, though noted that removing his monitoring bracelet involves additional procedures requiring several days.
His imprisonment followed convictions on charges related to exploiting his official position for personal business advantage and unlawfully authorizing a state lottery program that resulted in government financial losses.
He initially received an eight-year prison term in 2023, but the king reduced this to one year, and he received medical permission to serve his time in a suite at Bangkok’s Police Hospital.
Following public complaints about preferential treatment, the Supreme Court ordered in September 2025 that Thaksin must complete his sentence in regular prison facilities.
Tensions in the Persian Gulf reached a new boiling point Wednesday when Iranian forces launched missile and drone attacks that damaged Kuwait’s main airport, prompting flight cancellations and diversions across the region.
The assault on Kuwait International Airport’s T1 terminal resulted in injuries and significant infrastructure damage, according to the state news agency, which cited aviation officials. Kuwait Airways halted all operations following the strike.
Meanwhile, Bahrain’s military successfully shot down three incoming missiles and multiple drones targeting the kingdom.
U.S. Central Command reported that several Iranian missiles aimed at Kuwait either fell short of their targets or disintegrated during flight. American forces also intercepted three missiles directed at Bahrain and destroyed Iranian drones threatening commercial vessels and U.S. personnel in Kuwait.
In response to Iran’s attempted attacks, U.S. military units conducted retaliatory strikes on Qeshm Island, located close to the strategically vital Strait of Hormuz.
Iran’s state-controlled media claimed the elite Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) targeted the U.S. Fifth Fleet headquarters in Bahrain, along with an airbase and helicopters in an undisclosed regional nation.
The IRGC justified its missile and drone launches as retaliation for what it characterized as an American assault on a communications facility south of Qeshm.
However, Central Command dismissed these claims, stating that all Iranian attacks were unsuccessful and that U.S. forces remained prepared to counter “unwarranted Iranian aggression.”
The violence comes as peace negotiations between the two nations have hit an impasse. While both countries announced a preliminary agreement to cease hostilities last week, no formal accord has been finalized.
Iranian outlets reported that Tehran has suspended communication with Washington for several days, but U.S. President Donald Trump contradicted this claim on social media.
“The conversations between us have been going on continuously, including four days ago, three days ago, two days ago, one day ago, and today,” Trump posted.
Since mid-March, Trump has consistently indicated he is nearing a comprehensive agreement to end the warfare and enable discussions on complex matters, including Iran’s nuclear ambitions.
Trump has identified preventing Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons as his administration’s primary objective. Iran maintains it is not pursuing nuclear weapons and insists its atomic activities serve civilian purposes.
Iran is demanding access to billions in frozen oil revenues, exemptions for crude oil sales, removal of U.S. port blockades, and continued control over the strait, which previously handled one-fifth of global oil and natural gas shipments before the conflict began.
Iranian media reported that the IRGC’s naval forces struck a ship called the Panaya with missiles, claiming this was payback for an alleged U.S. attack on an Iranian oil tanker near Hormuz.
“Disrupting the security of the Strait of Hormuz will carry a heavy price for the U.S. military,” the IRGC warned through state media.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio informed congressional lawmakers Tuesday that America would only consider lifting sanctions if Iran completely abandons its nuclear program.
“The war is over,” Rubio stated during a heated discussion with Democratic Senator Cory Booker of New Jersey, who expressed disagreement.
The broader conflict has also intensified fighting between Israel and Lebanese militant group Hezbollah, with Israeli forces conducting their most extensive Lebanese operation in a quarter-century.
Despite a U.S.-brokered partial ceasefire announced Monday, Israel continued bombing southern Lebanese communities Tuesday, according to Lebanese security officials.
The ongoing violence has failed to comfort many Lebanese civilians, with 1.2 million people forced from their homes. An Israeli surveillance drone hovering over Beirut Tuesday kept residents anxious.
“Every time we return to our homes, there is a warning for us to be displaced again,” said Faten Al Chehime, who fled to a refugee camp Monday from Beirut’s southern neighborhoods, just two weeks after returning home.
The conflict, which began February 28, has claimed thousands of lives, primarily in Iran and Lebanon, while causing worldwide economic disruption through rising energy costs.
On Tuesday, MSC, the world’s largest shipping company, reported that two projectiles hit one of its vessels while docked at Iraq’s Umm Qasr port the day before.
The IRGC claimed responsibility for this attack, calling it revenge for a U.S. strike against an Iranian ship in the Gulf of Oman.
The United Nations children’s agency UNICEF warned of an expanding humanitarian emergency as rising transportation costs and supply chain breakdowns are blocking critical aid deliveries to regions from Gaza to Nigeria.
Technology stocks in India were on track for their steepest single-day decline in more than four months Wednesday, as market participants weighed concerns about artificial intelligence’s potential impact on conventional software service demand.
The technology sector index fell 5.8% to reach 29,310.25 points. Should these declines persist, it would mark the sector’s most significant downturn since February 4.
Tata Consultancy Services, the nation’s top software services company, saw shares tumble 9% and drove the sector’s losses. Meanwhile, Bengaluru-headquartered companies Infosys and Wipro experienced declines of 4.3% and 3.7%, respectively.
Kuwait’s international airport was targeted by Iranian drones and missiles during the early morning hours on Wednesday, resulting in casualties and prompting officials to redirect air traffic, according to Kuwait’s state news agency.
The assault inflicted “severe damage” on the airport’s T1 building, the news agency reported, quoting the General Civil Aviation Authority.
Earlier, the U.S. military reported that two Iranian missiles aimed at Kuwait either fell short of their target or disintegrated during flight, while three missiles directed at Bahrain were stopped by American and Bahraini defense forces.
According to U.S. Central Command, Iran fired ballistic missiles at neighboring countries in the region, but none successfully reached their intended targets.
American forces retaliated by launching strikes against Qeshm Island following Iran’s attempted attacks and successfully neutralized several Iranian ballistic missiles and drones.
Tata Motors has decided to partner with Chinese automaker Chery to obtain cutting-edge technology for its high-end electric vehicles, according to four sources with knowledge of the arrangement.
The Indian automotive company confirmed to Reuters that it will utilize the Freelander platform developed through a partnership between Chery and Jaguar Land Rover in China. Production will take place at Tata’s recently opened manufacturing facility in Tamil Nadu, located in southern India.
This development highlights how Chinese automotive technology is becoming increasingly essential in the global market, even as Chinese car manufacturers face barriers to entry in India, the world’s third-largest automotive market.
As India’s leading electric vehicle manufacturer, Tata will employ Chery’s platform to produce electric cars domestically under its upscale Avinya brand, with plans for a minimum of two vehicles. Sources indicate the initial model will debut in 2027.
This approach represents a significant change from Tata’s initial strategy, which involved using JLR’s electrified modular architecture for Avinya vehicles scheduled for 2025 release. That timeline fell apart last year when JLR abandoned its plans to manufacture EMA-based electric vehicles in India, forcing Tata to reconsider its approach.
The partnership with Chery is anticipated to help Tata recover from these delays, providing access to sophisticated features and technology that would otherwise require more time and investment to create independently, sources explained.
The debut Avinya vehicle using Chery’s platform is scheduled for 2027 and will initially arrive from China as a kit for assembly in India, with efforts already underway to source local components. A second electric vehicle is planned for 2029, with potential for two additional models thereafter.
“Avinya is being developed as a global premium brand. Our collaboration with JLR and its partners will be an important pillar of our global premium EV journey,” Tata stated, emphasizing that this agreement will help deliver the desired proposition for its luxury electric vehicle segment at scale.
Chery responded that its agreement with Tata builds upon the success of its existing collaboration with JLR.
“Chery will act as a supplier to Tata Motors Passenger Vehicles. Each project operates under its own separate agreement with standard commercial terms,” the Chinese manufacturer explained.
JLR has enlisted Chery, a long-standing partner, to develop and manufacture electrified vehicles, including electric and hybrid models, under its revived Freelander brand. These vehicles will utilize the Chinese company’s architecture and be produced at its Changshu facility.
One source characterized the Chery deal as a “stop-gap arrangement” because Tata risks losing its electric vehicle market position without new products, while noting the company still plans to develop its own dedicated platform eventually.
All sources requested anonymity as they lack authorization to speak with media.
Electric vehicles currently represent 14% of Tata’s total sales, with a goal to increase that figure to 30% by 2030. However, competitors Mahindra & Mahindra and JSW MG Motor are narrowing Tata’s lead, revealing weaknesses in its electric vehicle portfolio and increasing the possibility of additional market share decline.
These partnership discussions reflect a broader transformation occurring within India’s automotive sector. Indian automakers are increasingly importing Chinese electric vehicle technology while avoiding deeper equity partnerships due to political sensitivities.
Since 2020, New Delhi has implemented strict limitations on investment from neighboring countries, primarily targeting China, effectively halting large-scale participation in the automotive industry. While restrictions have relaxed somewhat in sectors like electronics, car manufacturers continue to face significant obstacles.
JSW Motor, the independent automotive venture of steel-to-cement billionaire Sajjan Jindal, also maintains a similar platform licensing arrangement with Chery.
Indian automotive companies have increased their research and development spending on new technologies and powertrains in recent years, but like many global competitors, they cannot match China’s speed, cost efficiency, and technical expertise in electric vehicles.
Chery, China’s largest automotive exporter, has rapidly expanded its international presence.
Taking inspiration from Toyota and Tesla, the Chinese automaker has pursued joint manufacturing agreements with foreign companies across key markets, including Europe, Southeast Asia, and Latin America.
Cincinnati secured a thrilling 4-3 extra-inning victory over Kansas City on Tuesday evening when Blake Dunn delivered a clutch RBI single in the 10th frame to complete a dramatic comeback at home.
Spencer Steer powered the Reds’ offense with a pair of home runs and crossed the plate as the automatic runner to score the winning run. The victory marked just Cincinnati’s second win in their previous six contests.
The game-tying heroics came courtesy of Will Benson, who entered as a pinch-hitter and launched a home run to right field off Kansas City closer Lucas Erceg to start the bottom of the ninth, knotting the score at 3-3. Dunn’s decisive blow came against John Schreiber (0-3) and represented the only Cincinnati hit that didn’t leave the ballpark. Brock Burke (2-2) captured the victory after throwing a clean 10th inning.
Kansas City starter Noah Cameron delivered an outstanding performance that went unrewarded, retiring 20 of 21 batters he encountered. The defeat extended the Royals’ recent struggles, as they’ve now dropped seven of their last eight games.
Tigers 8, Rays 0
Gleyber Torres marked his return from a month-long injury absence by homering in his first plate appearance, leading Detroit to a commanding series-clinching victory over Tampa Bay in St. Petersburg, Fla.
Wenceel Perez contributed 2-for-4 with a home run, two runs scored and two RBIs, while Matt Vierling collected a double, triple and walk while driving in two runs. Riley Greene added a solo blast. Jack Flaherty (1-7) snapped a five-game losing streak by allowing five hits across five shutout frames.
Detroit battered Tampa Bay starter Steven Matz (4-3), who struggled through 1 2/3 difficult innings in his second consecutive poor outing. The southpaw surrendered five runs on six hits as the Rays fell to 2-7 in their past nine contests.
Rockies 8, Angels 2
Hunter Goodman, Willi Castro and T.J. Rumfield all went deep to power Colorado past Los Angeles in Anaheim, Calif.
Tomoyuki Sugano (5-4) surrendered two runs and five hits across five innings for the Rockies, who have captured four of five games, including the opening two contests of their current three-game set.
Wade Meckler collected two doubles and drove in two runs for the Angels, who have dropped four of five. Grayson Rodriguez (2-2) was hammered for eight runs and eight hits in 3 2/3 innings.
Braves 4, Blue Jays 3
Matt Olson recorded two of Atlanta’s six hits, including a go-ahead homer in the sixth inning, propelling the Braves past visiting Toronto.
Ozzie Albies contributed two hits and two RBIs as the Braves captured their fourth victory in five games. Atlanta starter Bryce Elder (5-3) worked 6 2/3 innings and surrendered three runs on six hits. Raisel Iglesias tossed a clean ninth to record his 11th save.
Toronto starter Kevin Gausman (4-4) allowed four runs on five hits across six innings. Kazuma Okamoto belted a two-run homer among his two hits.
Phillies 3, Padres 2
Bryce Harper launched a two-run homer and Brandon Marsh recorded four hits as Philadelphia narrowly defeated visiting San Diego.
Aaron Nola surrendered two runs and four hits in five innings, fanning eight without issuing a walk. Alec Bohm’s double-play grounder plated the decisive run, and four relievers, including Jose Alvarado (2-1), guided the Phillies to victory.
Randy Vasquez yielded two runs and five hits in five innings for the Padres, who have lost seven of their last eight contests. Gavin Sheets homered, while Fernando Tatis Jr. added three hits.
Marlins 7, Nationals 3
Heriberto Hernandez belted two of Miami’s four home runs as the visiting Marlins defeated Washington.
Joe Mack, Hernandez and Otto Lopez connected for consecutive home runs in the fifth inning. Mack’s blast was his first career homer. Three Miami pitchers combined to hold the Nationals without a hit until the sixth inning. John King (2-1) threw 1 2/3 perfect innings.
Richard Lovelady opened with two hitless innings for Washington, before Miles Mikolas (1-5) was charged with six runs on six hits in six-plus innings. Daylen Lile went 2-for-3 and scored a run.
Dodgers 6, Diamondbacks 5
Shohei Ohtani doubled, tripled, drove in two and scored twice, Freddie Freeman belted a two-run homer and Los Angeles held on to defeat Arizona in Phoenix.
Freeman collected three hits and Dalton Rushing added two hits and two runs for the Dodgers, who have won 15 of 19. Reliever Blake Treinen (2-1) recorded one out for the victory.
Corbin Carroll had two hits including a homer and Nolan Arenado delivered a two-run double for the Diamondbacks, who have lost four of five. Michael Soroka (7-3) allowed four runs and six hits in six innings.
Guardians 9, Yankees 4
Jose Ramirez smacked a go-ahead double with one out in the fifth inning and visiting Cleveland earned a victory over New York.
Ramirez recorded three doubles for the fifth time in his career, and the first since Aug. 26, 2024 against Kansas City. Joey Cantillo allowed four runs on six hits in four innings.
Paul Goldschmidt drove in all four runs for the Yankees, who suffered their second loss in eight games. Schlittler endured his shortest start this season and allowed five runs (four earned) on five hits in 4 1/3 innings.
Orioles 4, Red Sox 2
Coby Mayo and Pete Alonso homered in consecutive innings, providing all the offense that visiting Baltimore needed to support starter Shane Baz in a victory over Boston.
Alonso (2-for-4) launched a two-run homer in the third for the Orioles, who scored all their runs in the second through fourth innings en route to their eighth win in an 11-game stretch. Baz (3-5) struck out six across seven innings of two-run, four-hit ball.
Ceddanne Rafaela went 2-for-4 for the Red Sox. Connelly Early (5-3) allowed four runs on six hits and struck out six in 5 1/3 frames.
Twins 6, White Sox 4
Tristan Gray went 2-for-4 with two RBIs and Minnesota held on for a victory over Chicago in Minneapolis.
Luke Keaschall added two hits and drove in two for Minnesota, which secured a series victory. Alex Jackson finished 2-for-4 with an RBI. Miguel Vargas went 1-for-4 with two RBIs to pace Chicago, which has dropped consecutive games after winning five straight.
Twins left-hander Connor Prielipp (2-3) allowed four runs on six hits in six innings. White Sox right-hander Davis Martin (8-2) surrendered six runs on 10 hits in 4 2/3 innings. The loss ended a six-game winning streak in his first defeat since April 10.
Athletics 2, Cubs 1
Gage Jump threw seven outstanding innings in his second major league start and Zack Gelof delivered the decisive go-ahead single to lift the Athletics over host Chicago.
Jump (1-1) surrendered one run and three hits and retired the final 14 batters he faced. Nick Kurtz homered to help the Athletics win for just the third time in the past 10 games.
Alex Bregman had the only RBI for the struggling Cubs, who lost for the 13th time in their past 16 games. Jameson Taillon (2-5) allowed two runs and six hits over 6 1/3 innings.
Brewers 8, Giants 3
Jake Bauers launched a three-run homer and Kyle Harrison, facing his former team, matched his career high with 12 strikeouts as Milwaukee posted a victory over visiting San Francisco.
Harrison (7-1) carried a shutout into the sixth inning before allowing a two-out solo homer to Willy Adames. He surrendered a run on four hits in 5 2/3 innings. Adames’ ninth homer ended Harrison’s streak of 23 consecutive scoreless innings.
Christian Yelich and Brice Turang each recorded two hits and two RBIs for the Brewers, who are 7-1 in the past eight contests. Starter Trevor McDonald (2-3) allowed three runs on five hits in five innings for the Giants, who suffered their seventh loss in eight games.
Rangers 7, Cardinals 4
Joc Pederson collected three hits, including a go-ahead RBI single in a three-run ninth inning, and visiting Texas defeated St. Louis.
Josh Jung followed with a run-scoring single against Riley O’Brien (3-3) to help Texas extend its winning streak to a season-high five. Cal Quantrill (3-0) recorded the final out in the eighth before Jakob Junis worked around a two-out single in the ninth for his fourth save.
Nolan Gorman launched a solo homer for St. Louis, which lost for the seventh time in its last nine games. Alec Burleson and Jimmy Crooks each contributed two hits and an RBI. The Cardinals went 3-for-14 with runners in scoring position and stranded 11 baserunners.
Pirates 10, Astros 6
Oneil Cruz crushed a three-run, go-ahead home run, fueling a four-run sixth inning as visiting Pittsburgh rallied for a victory over Houston in the opener of a three-game interleague series.
Cruz belted the second of two homers off Astros right-hander Mike Burrows (3-7), who made his first start against his former club. Bubba Chandler (2-6) allowed four runs (three earned) on five hits over five innings to snap a seven-start winless streak in Pittsburgh’s fourth straight victory.
Houston’s Yordan Alvarez belted his American League-leading 21st home run 363 feet to left-center field. Burrows allowed six runs (five earned) on eight hits over five-plus innings. He has surrendered an AL-high 15 homers.
Mariners 8, Mets 3
Patrick Wisdom, Jhonny Pereda and Julio Rodriguez clubbed home runs as Seattle defeated visiting New York for its eighth consecutive victory.
Logan Gilbert (4-4) allowed three runs on four hits over 5 1/3 innings, as the American League West-leading Mariners won a third straight series for the first time this season.
Carson Benge went deep twice for the Mets, who will try to avoid a three-game sweep Wednesday afternoon. Jonah Tong (1-1) was tagged for five runs, four earned, on five hits in 3 1/3 innings.
Pope Leo embarks on a groundbreaking seven-day journey to Spain this Saturday, marking his inaugural visit to a European Union nation outside of Italy. The historic trip will conclude with the pontiff encountering migrants in the Canary Islands who risked treacherous Atlantic crossings to reach European shores.
The first American pontiff, who previously drew criticism from U.S. President Donald Trump for condemning anti-immigration policies, is anticipated to draw massive crowds during his June 6-12 visit. He will also become the first pope to deliver an address to Spain’s parliament.
Leo’s travel schedule encompasses visits to Madrid, Montserrat and Barcelona, where he will officially open the newest tower of the Sagrada Familia, the renowned modernist basilica that now stands as the world’s tallest church.
PERILOUS JOURNEY ACROSS THE ATLANTIC
During the final two days of his trip, the pope will journey to the Spanish islands of Tenerife and Gran Canaria, located off Africa’s western coast, where he will encounter migrants and organizations committed to assisting them.
The island visit will demonstrate that the pope stands “shoulder to shoulder” with migrants, according to Caya Suárez Ortega, who leads the Church’s primary NGO in the Canary Islands.
“The first thing the migrants said to me when they were invited (to the papal meetings) … was their enormous gratitude that he would stand alongside them,” said Suárez, director of Caritas Canarias.
According to NGO Caminando Fronteras, more than 3,000 individuals perished in 2025 attempting to reach the Canary Islands, frequently in improvised dinghies.
The papal visit occurs as Socialist Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez’s administration has launched a comprehensive amnesty program, enabling approximately 500,000 immigrants to seek legal status.
Sanchez, who has received international praise after sharply criticizing Trump, currently trails in polling and faces scrutiny over multiple corruption allegations involving his party.
The pope will deliver two speeches in Madrid to Spain’s political leadership: Saturday at the Royal Palace following his meeting with King Felipe and Queen Letizia, and Monday at parliament.
VISITOR INTEREST REACHES ‘REMARKABLE’ LEVELS
In recent months, the pope has adopted a more assertive stance and released an impassioned manifesto last week calling on world governments to decelerate AI system development.
Leo, who served for decades as a missionary and bishop in Peru before assuming the papacy last May, is expected to communicate in Spanish throughout his visit.
Trip organizers report overwhelming interest in the papal visit, with over 500,000 individuals requesting attendance at various events.
The most significant gathering will likely be an outdoor Mass on Sunday at Madrid’s iconic Plaza de Cibeles, according to Rafael Rubio, the national coordinator for the visit. “The numbers are astonishing,” he stated.
Benedict XVI was the last pope to visit Spain, in 2011.
Narciso Michavila Nuñez, a sociologist with Spanish consulting firm GAD3, noted that young Spaniards have demonstrated exceptional interest in the visit. “This is the first time they are going to see a pope,” he explained.
Following three days in Madrid, Leo will travel to Catalonia, the autonomous region in northeastern Spain.
In Montserrat, located 60 km (37 miles) northwest of Barcelona, he will visit and dine with Benedictine monks residing at an 11th century abbey built into mountain cliffs.
Sister Teresa Forcades, from a nearby separate community of Benedictine nuns, revealed her group was not invited to participate in the papal events there.
“No nun … has been invited to greet the pope or to the lunch,” she stated. “Maybe if Pope Leo knew about it, he would like to change it.”
A Vatican spokesman did not respond to inquiries about why the nuns were excluded from the events.
POTENTIAL MEETING WITH ABUSE SURVIVORS
While not included on the public schedule, Leo will likely meet privately with Spanish survivors of sexual abuse by Catholic clergy, according to informed sources.
A 2023 report by Spain’s human rights ombudsman estimated hundreds of thousands of clergy abuse victims there spanning decades, reflecting similar scandals that have impacted the Church worldwide.
The Vatican typically does not announce pope-survivor meetings beforehand to safeguard survivors’ privacy.
Leo, who has completed three previous international trips since becoming pope, has not previously met with abuse survivors during a visit.
MOSCOW, June 3 (Reuters) — Russian leader Vladimir Putin has delivered a stark ultimatum to longtime partner Armenia: continue pursuing European Union membership and lose access to discounted Russian energy supplies.
Putin delivered this warning ahead of Sunday’s parliamentary elections in Armenia, where polling indicates the party of Western-oriented Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan is expected to secure victory.
This threat carries real weight. The landlocked nation of 3 million people maintains deep historical connections with Russia spanning centuries and relies heavily on Moscow economically. Russia has already implemented temporary restrictions on key Armenian exports leading up to the election.
However, Putin’s ultimatum also reveals Moscow’s growing challenges. As Russia continues its prolonged conflict in Ukraine after more than four years of warfare, the country is engaged in an escalating global effort to preserve its international influence.
With Moscow’s attention concentrated on Ukraine, both the European Union and United States have been actively pursuing traditional Russian partners and challenging Moscow’s interests across multiple regions.
Russian influence faces challenges from Cuba and Venezuela to Serbia and Central Asian nations, and even extends to west Africa where Moscow’s military assists in fighting Islamic militants.
Armenia has historically benefited from Russian financial support and hosts a Russian military installation. Last month, the country signed a partnership deal with the United States, and Pashinyan received strong backing from President Donald Trump.
The former Soviet republic also enacted legislation last year establishing a framework for potential EU membership.
“Of course we are deeply concerned about the Armenian authorities’ policy of rapprochement with the Euro-Atlantic community whose core policy is directed against Moscow,” Maria Zakharova, Russia’s Foreign Ministry spokeswoman, told reporters.
“The Anglo-Saxons are openly boasting about ‘detaching’ Armenia, as they say, from the bear hug of ‘authoritarian Russia’.”
Russian military commentators and experts describe a coordinated Western campaign to diminish Russian presence throughout the South Caucasus region, which includes Armenia.
“In such conditions, the question of adapting Russian strategy (to embrace soft power and economic levers) becomes key,” said Russian analytical Telegram channel “The Secret Chancery”, which has over 400,000 followers.
A government source indicated Moscow recognizes that nations like Armenia are “all waiting to see how the war (in Ukraine) ends” while some are establishing alternative relationships as Moscow remains focused elsewhere.
Armenia’s decision to host European leaders, including Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, last month proved to be Moscow’s breaking point.
Subsequently, Russia imposed temporary import restrictions on numerous Armenian products, threatened to eliminate subsidized oil, gas and diamond exports, suggested Armenia’s potential removal from the Eurasian Economic Union trade organization, and withdrew its ambassador for discussions.
Dmitry Medvedev, the outspoken deputy chairman of Russia’s powerful Security Council, also hinted that Armenia’s prime minister could, if not careful, suffer the fate of Bolshevik revolutionary Leon Trotsky whom Josef Stalin had killed with an ice pick.
Meanwhile, Trump, whom Moscow anticipated would pressure Ukraine toward peace negotiations, has instead focused on three traditionally Russia-friendly nations — Iran, Venezuela and Cuba.
While Trump’s policies have increased oil prices, providing some economic relief for war-strained Russia, they have also highlighted Moscow’s limited ability to assist longtime allies. Cuba has received just one Russian oil delivery thus far.
Across Europe, Moscow faces what it describes as an increasingly antagonistic continent that is rearming while offering EU membership prospects to countries previously under Russian influence.
Putin ally Viktor Orban lost power in Hungary in April, leading to the unlocking of billions of euros in EU funding for Budapest. Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic, another Russian ally, is under pressure, with moves under way to abolish visa-free entry for Russians as Belgrade seeks EU membership.
Moscow also confronts pressure in Transdniestria, a Russian-controlled separatist territory internationally recognized as part of Moldova, whose leadership seeks EU membership.
Russia expresses concern about expanding Western influence in Central Asia, while in the South Caucasus Putin attempts to repair strained relations with oil-rich Azerbaijan, which has developed stronger Western connections recently.
Tata Motors is entering into an agreement to obtain automotive technology from Chinese manufacturer Chery, according to four sources with knowledge of the arrangement, as the Indian automaker works to revive its delayed premium electric vehicle initiative.
The Indian company, which leads the country’s electric vehicle market, will utilize Chery’s technological framework to manufacture electric cars domestically under its upscale Avinya label, with plans to produce a minimum of two vehicle models, according to three sources. The initial model is scheduled to debut in 2027, the sources indicated.
The collaboration represents Tata’s strategy to accelerate its premium electric vehicle offerings after encountering setbacks in its original timeline.
The United States has recommended implementing a 12.5% additional tariff on goods imported from India, citing concerns that the country has not adequately prevented imports produced through forced labor.
This recommendation emerged during the second day of a three-day trade negotiation session in New Delhi, where Indian trade officials are meeting with a U.S. delegation headed by Assistant USTR Brendan Lynch.
According to a 92-page report released Monday by the U.S. Trade Representative’s office, India “has failed to impose and effectively enforce a forced labour import prohibition.” The report characterized the South Asian country’s policies as unreasonable and detrimental to U.S. commerce.
“The failure of our most important trading partners to address the importation of goods made with forced labour is unacceptable,” U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer stated.
“This creates a dynamic where American workers are forced to compete globally on an unlevel playing field,” Greer added.
India’s commerce ministry has not yet provided a response to requests for comment regarding the proposal.
The recommendation stems from a Section 301 unfair trade practices investigation, as the Trump administration works to reconstruct emergency tariffs that were overturned by the Supreme Court in February.
The proposal groups India with 54 other countries that do not have forced-labor import restrictions and would therefore be subject to the higher proposed duty.
Six additional countries, including Canada, Ecuador and the European Union to Indonesia, Mexico and Pakistan, maintain such restrictions but would face a reduced 10% tariff for inadequate enforcement.
Ajay Srivastava, founder of Global Trade Research Initiative, suggested the determination could face challenges, noting that the USTR investigation focused on whether India prevented imports connected to forced labor from other regions, rather than examining forced labor in Indian exports.
“The proposed tariffs are viewed as part of broader U.S. pressure tactics, and India should treat Section 301 actions and the India–U.S. bilateral trade agreement negotiations separately,” he stated.
A government source from India had previously indicated to Reuters that New Delhi intended to discuss the Section 301 investigation with Lynch’s delegation and pursue tariff relief within the framework of broader bilateral trade negotiations.
The USTR report additionally highlighted India’s role as an intermediary in cotton supply chains connected to Chinese forced-labor inputs.
The parent company of popular fashion retailer Zara announced Wednesday that it exceeded expectations for summer sales performance, posting currency-adjusted revenue growth of 11.5% during May that surpassed what financial analysts had predicted.
Inditex also disclosed that its currency-adjusted sales increased 8.8% during the first quarter spanning February through April. The better-than-anticipated performance at the beginning of the company’s second quarter may ease concerns among investors about the fast fashion retailer’s ability to maintain customer interest amid rising living costs triggered by the Iran war-driven energy crisis. The company’s stock price has declined since the beginning of this year.
The fashion giant recorded quarterly revenue of €8.75 billion ($10.17 billion), while also showing enhanced profitability with gross margins reaching 61.2% compared to 60.6% during the same period last year. This improvement demonstrates the company’s success in maintaining profit levels despite increased expenses for raw materials and transportation.
Financial experts had projected May sales growth would reach 8%.
Britain’s competition watchdog announced Wednesday that it has established new operational requirements for Google’s search platform, including provisions that allow content creators to prevent their material from being used to train artificial intelligence systems operated by the technology company.
The Competition and Markets Authority has raised concerns regarding Google’s control over search platform services.
The technology company handles over 90% of search queries in the UK, prompting the regulatory body to examine the situation to maintain effective market competition.
On Wednesday, the CMA announced that the new requirements established for Google through the digital markets competition framework provide “publishers more control and stronger bargaining power over the use of their content,” while ensuring fair agreements.
The technology company did not provide an immediate response to requests for comment after regular business hours.
The regulatory authority stated that the company must now ensure that material from content creators, including news organizations, receives proper credit in AI-generated search results through clear linking.
Google’s search platform operations have come under regulatory examination worldwide, including in the United States and European Union, with the company stating in March that it was creating new search management features to address British competition issues.
“Google has recently announced changes to its search business and the requirements we’ve introduced today are designed to respond to what Google is doing now and in the future,” CMA Chief Executive Sarah Cardell said in a statement.
ANAHEIM, Calif. — A routine fly ball turned into an embarrassing moment for Los Angeles Angels right fielder Jo Adell during Tuesday night’s game when his defensive miscue resulted in one of baseball’s most unusual home runs.
The mishap occurred in the fourth inning when Adell attempted to catch a deep fly ball hit by Colorado Rockies player TJ Rumfield. While stretching upward for the catch, the ball clipped the edge of Adell’s glove before striking his head and sailing over the outfield wall for a solo home run.
The unusual sequence created momentary chaos on the field as the baseball bounced back onto the playing surface. Rumfield, uncertain about the official call, initially held up at second base before completing his trip around the bases, extending Colorado’s commanding 8-0 advantage.
The embarrassing defensive mistake brought back memories of a nearly identical incident from May 26, 1993, when Texas Rangers outfielder José Canseco experienced his own head-bouncing home run mishap. During that game, Canseco misjudged a long ball hit by Cleveland’s Carlos Martínez, with the baseball bouncing off his head and clearing the fence for a homer.
Seven people died and eleven others sustained injuries when a drone struck a passenger bus in Russian-occupied territory in eastern Ukraine’s Donetsk region on Wednesday, according to officials installed by the Kremlin.
Denis Pushilin announced on the Telegram messaging platform that the attack targeted a bus traveling from Moscow to Simferopol in Russian-controlled Crimea.
Russian authorities have launched a criminal probe into the incident, with the State Investigative Committee classifying it as “a terrorist attack,” according to TASS news agency reporting from the Committee’s spokeswoman, Svetlana Petrenko.
The bus attack follows a major aerial assault by Russia on Kyiv Tuesday, which Moscow claimed was retaliation for a fatal strike on a dormitory in Russian-held Luhansk territory. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy warned that additional Russian attacks could be approaching.
The NBA is moving ahead with plans for a 16-team European basketball league scheduled to begin play in October 2027, with or without participation from the existing EuroLeague, NBA deputy commissioner Mark Tatum announced Tuesday.
“We remain in active discussions with the EuroLeague,” Tatum said. “We believe all parties must be aligned, and we are also realistic. We are ready to proceed with FIBA and our partners if needed. There will be a meeting with the EuroLeague in the next couple of weeks.”
The EuroLeague includes many of Europe’s top basketball organizations, such as Olympiacos, Real Madrid, Fenerbahce and Barcelona.
Sports Business Journal reports that EuroLeague organizations would be required to pay between $500 million and $1 billion to secure permanent NBA Europe franchise rights, though those financial commitments have not yet materialized.
“We’ve expressed to the EuroLeague, and we’ve talked to them about (how) the only way to guarantee a permanent spot in our league is through a successful bid for permanent franchise,” Tatum said. “But … we’re also ready to proceed with our partners and investors if we can’t come to some sort of an agreement.
“It would not be ideal, obviously, but … we continue to pursue a constructive, collaborative and aligned outcome across the entire European ecosystem. We’ve been consistent in that, in believing that all parties should align here for the best interest of basketball.”
Tatum added, “At the end of the month, the bids will be finalized, and after that, we will go through our process. There’s no specific timeline for announcements. We have to finalize our negotiations with the clubs for a tipoff in October 2027.”
Tatum also confirmed recent reports that Los Angeles Lakers guard Luka Doncic is investing in an NBA Europe franchise that will be based in Rome.
“It’s amazing to have someone like Luka, who played in the EuroLeague, to return this way to European basketball,” Tatum said. “He is very excited about our project. Luka played in the EuroLeague, and he understands the need for a construct and a system that will benefit the sport.”
Despite continuing tensions in the Middle East, artificial intelligence stocks propelled Asian equity markets to record highs on Wednesday.
The CEO of Nvidia, Jensen Huang, sparked the latest surge by declaring that Marvell Technology could become the next company worth a trillion dollars. This endorsement caused Marvell’s shares to jump over 30% immediately.
While Marvell’s current market value of $254 billion remains far from the trillion-dollar mark, other companies in the sector have closed similar gaps rapidly. Memory chip companies Micron and SK Hynix were valued at just $100 billion a year ago but now exceed $1 trillion each.
In Japan, memory manufacturer Kioxia temporarily became the country’s second-largest company by market value on Wednesday, surpassing longtime leader Toyota and trailing only tech investor SoftBank.
In other market news, Elon Musk’s SpaceX surprised investors by announcing plans to price its upcoming public offering at $135 per share, aiming to raise a record $75 billion, according to a source with knowledge of the plans.
Currency markets saw the Japanese yen approach critical levels, touching 160 per dollar – a threshold that typically triggers government intervention.
Regional conflicts intensified as the U.S. military reported that Iranian missile strikes targeting Bahrain, Kuwait and other areas in the region were either intercepted or unsuccessful. Diplomatic efforts between Washington and Tehran have made little headway.
Oil prices climbed approximately $1 per barrel in response to the escalating tensions.
Economic data releases scheduled for later Wednesday include U.S. services sector indicators, private sector employment figures, and the Federal Reserve’s economic assessment report. These come ahead of Friday’s official labor market data.
Tuesday’s employment statistics showed job openings rose by the largest amount in five years during April.
The chief operating officer at KPMG Australia has stepped down from her leadership position as the accounting firm faces mounting pressure over allegations it improperly used confidential client information to secure profitable audit contracts.
Eileen Hoggett relinquished her executive duties on Wednesday but will continue working as an audit partner while investigations proceed, according to an internal company message from interim CEO Stan Stavros that the firm provided to Reuters.
Hoggett assumed the chief operating officer position in 2023, but her departure from the role follows closely behind the recent exits of the company’s chief executive and audit department head, both of whom resigned over how the firm handled an internal probe into whistleblower accusations.
The accounting firm stated its investigation did not support the whistleblower’s claims, which were also brought to the attention of a senator from Australia’s ruling Labor party. In March, Senator Deborah O’Neill informed parliament that the whistleblower’s accusations involved confidential board documents from real estate firm Lendlease being utilized to help secure major audit contracts with Westpac and Dexus.
“Documents were taken from Lendlease by the lead partners on the account, Eileen Hoggett and Paul Rogers, and were physically secured in Ms Hoggett’s locker,” O’Neill said.
Hoggett did not immediately respond to a request for comment via LinkedIn.
These accusations have intensified examination of Australia’s professional services industry, which faced significant turmoil in 2023 when reports emerged that PwC had shared sensitive Australian government information with potential clients.
That controversy led to parliamentary investigations and resulted in the separation of the firm’s government consulting division, numerous staff departures, and stricter regulations for the industry.
In his message to employees on Wednesday, Stavros acknowledged the firm should have managed the whistleblower’s accusations more appropriately.
“I am 100% committed and will ensure we approach the issues in the right way,” he said.
“I want to be open that we should all expect the heightened public scrutiny to continue for some time.”
The Australian Securities and Investments Commission has launched a preliminary examination into the behavior of three KPMG registered company auditors.
A parliamentary hearing regarding the whistleblower allegations is also set for June 19.
Iowa’s primary elections have determined the candidates who will compete in what are expected to be closely contested November races for major state offices.
In the Senate contest, Democratic state Rep. Josh Turek secured his party’s nomination and will go head-to-head against Republican U.S. Rep. Ashley Hinson in the general election. Hinson earned the Republican nomination to fill the seat being vacated by Sen. Joni Ernst.
For the governor’s race, voters selected Democrat state Auditor Rob Sand and Republican businessman Zach Lahn as their respective party nominees. Both candidates will now advance to compete in the November general election.
The primary results set up competitive battles in both races, with candidates from different backgrounds – including current legislators, a state auditor, and a business leader – vying for these significant positions in Iowa government.
ATLANTA (AP) — Baseball’s current consecutive games leader delivered when it mattered most on Lou Gehrig Day, powering the Atlanta Braves to victory.
Matt Olson celebrated his 844th straight game appearance with a decisive home run in the sixth inning, leading the Braves to a 4-3 win against the Toronto Blue Jays.
The first baseman’s high-flying blast — his 17th home run this season — benefited from strong winds pushing toward the right-field area. The power hitter believed he had mishit the ball, but it continued carrying through the air until it barely made it over the high brick barrier.
“I did not” think it was a homer, Olson said. “Luckily, we had some wind blowing out that way.”
The performance was fitting on a day when Major League Baseball honored the 85th anniversary of Gehrig’s premature passing from ALS at age 37 — an illness forever associated with the Iron Horse that ended his then-record consecutive game streak of 2,130.
Olson, who also hit a double and scored the run that put Atlanta ahead 3-2 in the third inning, has appeared in every contest since May 2, 2021 — the current longest streak in professional baseball.
“We’ve talked about the streak,” he said. “It’s not something I’m hanging up on a pedestal. But to be able to show up and play while I’m able to, I want to.”
Atlanta manager Walt Weiss commended Olson’s consistency and said there’s no better comparison than to Gehrig himself.
“Lou Gehrig was one of my all-time heroes,” Weiss said. “I made all four of my sons do their fifth-grade book report on Lou Gehrig. That was mandatory in our house. What a legacy he left behind. And you’ve got our iron man hitting the game-winning homer on Lou Gehrig Day, so very appropriate.”
The Braves obtained Olson through a major trade with the Athletics before the 2022 season after failing to reach a contract agreement with their previous longtime first baseman Freddie Freeman.
Replacing such a beloved player created enormous expectations, but Olson has delivered impressive results since arriving in Atlanta. He established a team record with 54 home runs in 2023, and is tracking toward another strong campaign for the squad with baseball’s top record at 41-20.
“He’s rock-solid in every way,” Weiss said. “He’s so reliable.”
Olson explained his straightforward philosophy for wanting to play continuously rather than taking occasional rest days.
“I just don’t like sitting,” the 32-year-old said with a smile. “I’ve had days off in the past and, man, it sucks sitting there and watching everybody else play. Sure, you’re tired sometimes. But I just think you have a commitment to your teammates and the fans and yourself and the organization. If you can go, you should go.”
His current streak represents the longest in professional baseball since Miguel Tejada’s 1,152 consecutive games from 2000-07. Gehrig’s original mark was eventually surpassed by Cal Ripken Jr., who appeared in 2,632 straight games during his Hall of Fame tenure with the Baltimore Orioles.
Similar to his manager Weiss, Olson values Gehrig’s impact on America’s pastime and particularly his role in raising awareness about amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, a degenerative neurological condition with no known treatment.
“I know people from my area who’ve been affected by it,” Olson said. “A brutal disease. Every time we get a chance to bring some awareness to it and do something to help people who are really affected by it, we’re all for it.”
The Solomon Islands’ newly appointed Prime Minister Matthew Wale announced Wednesday that his government will examine the controversial security agreement his country signed with China.
The agreement, finalized in 2022 during former Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare’s administration, has sparked concern among U.S. officials and allies like Australia over the possibility of Chinese naval forces establishing a military installation in the South Pacific region.
Prior to his parliamentary election victory on May 15, Wale had advocated for making the agreement’s terms publicly available.
Speaking Wednesday, Wale revealed he had only recently received a copy of the document after he had “removed certain people from key positions.” He declined to name the individuals involved.
“I haven’t had a good look at it. I’ve had a look at it,” Wale told journalists in Australia’s capital city Canberra.
“I’ve been praying and fasting about it. … There is a nondisclosure clause in it, so I couldn’t show it to you right away. But we are going to be reviewing (the treaty), as we are reviewing other security agreements that we have with many other countries,” he continued.
Wale made these comments during his inaugural international visit since assuming leadership of the 700,000-person nation located 2,000 kilometers (1,200 miles) northeast of Australia.
During the visit, Wale and Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese revealed plans for their nations to develop a comprehensive strategic agreement that would strengthen bilateral relations across security and economic matters.
Unlike his predecessor Jeremiah Manele, who had opposed Australia’s attempts to strengthen ties, Wale indicated both governments had agreed to “reset” their relationship.
“We acknowledge that there’s been some problems in the past few years,” Wale stated.
Albanese expressed his view that Australia, not China, should serve as the Solomon Islands’ main security ally.
“We have said very clearly we want Australia to be the security partner of choice in our region and we want the Pacific family to look after our security in this region,” Albanese declared.
Wale agreed that regional self-reliance for security was “the direction we want to take.”
Under the bilateral arrangement, China has supplied police training personnel to the Solomon Islands. Since the nation lacks military forces, its police force handles expanded security responsibilities typically managed by defense organizations in other countries.
The Solomon Islands delivered a significant diplomatic victory to China in 2019 when Sogavare’s administration shifted official diplomatic recognition from Taiwan to Beijing, acknowledging the self-governing island that China considers part of its territory.
WASHINGTON — Federal officials announced Wednesday they want to place additional tariffs on products from numerous countries after investigating allegations that imported goods were manufactured using forced labor.
According to a report from the U.S. Trade Representative, nations including Canada, Mexico, Taiwan and the United Kingdom would see 10% additional tariffs imposed for reportedly not properly enforcing bans on forced labor imports.
Higher tariffs of 12.5% would target China, Japan, India, South Korea, Brazil and Switzerland, along with many other nations.
“The failure of our most important trading partners to address the importation of goods made with forced labor is unacceptable. This creates a dynamic where American workers are forced to compete globally on an unlevel playing field,” USTR Ambassador Jamieson Greer said in a statement.
Greer also stated that “each of our trading partners must do more to ensure that trade does not perversely encourage and entrench forced labor globally.”
The proposed tariff increases won’t go into effect right away, as they must first go through public comment periods and additional review processes.
Officials used Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974 to conduct their investigation into countries’ alleged failures to block imports of products made through forced labor. This approach allows U.S. President Donald Trump to work around Supreme Court restrictions on his tariff authority.
According to the report, forced labor means “work or service exacted from a person under the menace of any penalty for its nonperformance and for which the worker does not offer himself voluntarily.”
In February, the Supreme Court determined that Trump had exceeded his presidential powers when he used the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) of 1977 to place broad tariffs on U.S. trading partners.
A California city that was previously among the most reliant on Colorado River water has dramatically transformed its water situation and may now be able to sell water to other states facing cuts from the diminishing river.
San Diego has shifted from being heavily dependent on the Colorado River to potentially having surplus water available for sale to states experiencing reductions in their water allocations from the shrinking waterway.
The transformation represents a significant change for a city that once relied heavily on the Colorado River system for its water needs, as the river continues to face declining levels that have forced supply reductions across the region.
Citizens of Switzerland appear poised to vote down a referendum measure that would establish a population ceiling of 10 million residents, a new opinion survey indicates.
Worries about Switzerland’s rapidly expanding population, which rose from 7.3 million in 2002 to 9.1 million last year, and the strain on public services have driven backing for the measure.
The referendum, scheduled for June 14, would require that the permanent resident population stay below 10 million through 2050 and would terminate Switzerland’s freedom of movement agreement with the European Union.
The survey, conducted by GFS Bern for public broadcaster SRG between May 19 and May 27, found approximately 52% of 19,400 participants opposing the measure, while 45% expressed support. The remaining respondents were undecided.
An earlier survey from late April revealed Swiss voters were evenly divided, with 47% supporting and 47% opposing the proposal.
The Swiss government opposes the measure, which was introduced by the right-wing Swiss People’s Party (SVP), arguing it would harm relations with the EU, Switzerland’s primary trading partner, and damage the economy.
Those backing the proposal have expressed worries about infrastructure strain, especially regarding housing, transportation, schools and hospitals, due to increased immigration.
Additional arguments from supporters include using immigration restrictions to safeguard the environment from population growth and to reduce crime and violence.
Those opposing the measure worry about potential conflicts with the EU that immigration limits would create, while others argue Switzerland requires foreign skilled workers.
A French quantum computing company announced Wednesday it has successfully secured €115 million ($133.72 million) in new investment funding, with backing from France’s state-supported investment bank Bpifrance, along with chipmaker STMicroelectronics and Sealsq.
The startup, called Quobly, received this major financial boost amid a surge of government investment in quantum computing technology across both the United States and Europe. Last month, French President Emmanuel Macron announced France would commit €1 billion toward quantum computing development, just one day following the Trump administration’s reveal of $2 billion in funding for similar technology initiatives.
While quantum computers hold theoretical promise for solving complex problems in chemistry, biotechnology and cybersecurity that would require conventional computers thousands of years to complete, today’s quantum machines remain less dependable and stable compared to traditional semiconductor-based systems that have benefited from more than 50 years of continuous improvement.
Quobly’s strategy focuses on creating affordable, dependable quantum systems using quantum chips built with modified transistors – the same components that drive regular computers – following a similar path taken by other emerging companies in this field.
“We benefit from the economy of scale of this industry,” explained Maud Vinet, CEO and co-founder of Quobly. “The cost of producing our chip leads us to design quantum computers that will be a 100 times cheaper than competing technologies.”
The company has established a close partnership with STMicroelectronics for chip manufacturing, with approximately 15 team members working directly within the chipmaker’s facilities.
According to Vinet, the company requires the consistent and reliable outcomes that only large-scale chipmaker production facilities can provide.
“It requires the yield and the quality of fabrication of commercial fabs,” Vinet explained. “We needed an agreement with this commercial fab to exchange the learning of what it is that is needed to optimize the technology.”
Quobly intends to offer cloud-based access to its initial systems from its Grenoble, France headquarters before the end of this year.
Additional participants in the funding round included the European Innovation Council, Blast, Air Liquide Venture Capital and current investor Innovacom.
Tomas Hertl netted the decisive goal with 3:24 left on the clock, leading the Vegas Golden Knights to a thrilling 5-4 comeback victory against the Carolina Hurricanes in Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Final on Tuesday night in Raleigh, N.C.
The Golden Knights mounted an impressive rally after falling behind 2-0 early, with Shea Theodore contributing one goal and three total points in the comeback effort. Brett Howden found the net once while adding an assist, and Ivan Barbashev along with William Karlsson each contributed single goals.
Between the pipes for Vegas, Carter Hart turned away 23 shots, while Brayden McNabb recorded a personal playoff-best three assists.
For the Hurricanes, Nikolaj Ehlers lit the lamp twice, and Jordan Staal plus Shayne Gostisbehere each added goals in the losing effort despite Carolina’s early 2-0 advantage. Jalen Chatfield contributed two assists, and netminder Frederik Andersen made 18 saves.
The second contest of the best-of-seven championship series takes place Thursday in Raleigh.
As the clock wound down in the seesaw battle, Hertl executed a perfect give-and-go play with Colton Sissons, collecting the return pass in the slot before firing a shot into the upper corner of the net.
Historical data shows teams winning the finals opener capture the Stanley Cup 76.4% of the time. That percentage decreases to 65.6% when the road team takes the first game.
Carolina suffered just their second playoff loss this season, but now faces pressure to even the series before it moves to Las Vegas. The Hurricanes had controlled the early action.
Ehlers got Carolina on the scoreboard with the third-quickest goal to begin a finals game in history. The opening shot of the game deflected off the goalpost and crossed the goal line just 25 seconds into play.
Ehlers doubled Carolina’s lead with a breakaway score at the 12:08 mark of the opening period.
Vegas rallied back with three consecutive goals to take control.
Theodore got the Golden Knights on the scoreboard 80 seconds following Ehlers’ second goal, as his shot from the point deflected off a Carolina defender and found the net.
Barbashev evened the score 30 seconds into the second period, placing a shot in the top corner from the slot area. Karlsson then put Vegas ahead 3-2 at 4:35 of the middle frame, capitalizing on a scoring opportunity near the goal line.
Staal knotted the game eight minutes later. Carolina capitalized on a Vegas turnover in their attacking zone, with Staal firing a shot from the slot to make it 3-3 entering the final period.
Howden restored Vegas’ lead when he deflected Theodore’s shot-pass 81 seconds into the third period.
But Gostisbehere equalized once more, scoring from the left faceoff circle at 11:19 of the final frame.
Cambodia is turning to an infrequently utilized United Nations arbitration method called “compulsory conciliation” to address a decades-long maritime boundary disagreement with Thailand and access what officials believe are billions of dollars worth of oil and natural gas deposits.
THE NATURE OF THE CAMBODIA-THAILAND DISAGREEMENT
Both Cambodia and Thailand have claimed ownership of approximately 26,000 square kilometers of ocean territory in the Gulf of Thailand for over 25 years.
The contested maritime region is believed to contain nearly 12 trillion cubic feet of natural gas and substantial oil deposits valued at roughly $300 billion.
In 2001, the neighboring Southeast Asian nations entered into an agreement aimed at creating a framework for joint development of energy resources in what was termed the “overlapping claims area.”
However, Thailand’s government last month ended the agreement unilaterally with Cambodia, fulfilling a campaign promise made by Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul after two periods of fatal conflict occurred along a disputed land border in the previous year.
UNDERSTANDING COMPULSORY CONCILIATION
Cambodia revealed on Tuesday that it had initiated a compulsory conciliation procedure under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).
This compulsory conciliation serves as a dispute resolution tool that any nation that has signed the convention may use against another signatory.
Both nations select two conciliators for a panel called the Conciliation Commission, which subsequently chooses a fifth member to serve as chairperson.
The commission examines the facts and legal standing of each nation to provide a series of non-binding suggestions, which are also forwarded in a report to the UN secretary general.
PREVIOUS USAGE
To date, the UN-supported mechanism has been employed only by East Timor, also called Timor Leste, to successfully settle a long-standing maritime disagreement with Australia.
East Timor officially began the procedure on April 11, 2016 by providing notice to Australia, which agreed to participate in the process just weeks afterward.
In early March 2018, after less than two years of discussions, both countries executed a maritime boundary agreement at UN headquarters, with the UN chief present.
UPCOMING STEPS IN THE PROCEDURE
Cambodia has assigned its foreign minister, Prak Sokhonn, to serve as its representative for the proceedings, while also naming Danish diplomat Peter Taksøe-Jensen and French academic Jean-Marc Thouvenin to the Conciliation Commission.
Taksøe-Jensen led the commission that conducted the discussions between East Timor and Australia.
Thailand has 21 days after receiving the notification to name its conciliators, or Cambodia may ask the UN Secretary General to select them on Bangkok’s behalf, according to a statement from the Cambodian government.
Thailand’s Anutin stated on Tuesday he was unaware that Cambodia had started the compulsory conciliation procedure, noting that his government would apply UNCLOS principles in its future actions.
Thailand has not yet decided when it will move forward, he informed reporters.
Once four commission members are selected, they must choose a chairperson within 30 days before beginning additional proceedings.
Iowa’s primary election results have established the candidate lineups for several high-profile races heading into November’s general election.
In the U.S. Senate contest, state Representative Josh Turek secured the Democratic nomination and will square off against U.S. Representative Ashley Hinson, who claimed the Republican nomination. The Senate seat became available after it was vacated by Senator Joni Ernst.
For the gubernatorial race, state Auditor Rob Sand faced no opposition in the Democratic primary. Meanwhile, Republican vote counting was still underway as of the latest reports.
These primary outcomes set the stage for what political observers anticipate will be highly competitive general election contests in the fall.
RALEIGH, N.C. — After two lackluster conference final series drained excitement from the NHL playoffs, the Vegas Golden Knights and Carolina Hurricanes delivered exactly what hockey fans needed in their Stanley Cup Final opener.
Tuesday night’s thrilling 5-4 Golden Knights victory showcased non-stop action, featuring everything from lightning-fast scoring to spectacular goaltending performances. The defensive systems that carried both teams to this stage took a backseat to offensive fireworks, creating an entertaining spectacle for viewers.
The fireworks began immediately when Nikolaj Ehlers found the net just 25 seconds into the game for Carolina, sending the home crowd into a frenzy. The fast-paced action continued as both teams generated numerous high-quality scoring chances, including odd-man rushes and breakaway opportunities that likely gave coaches nightmares.
Vegas demonstrated their resilience by overcoming another early deficit, trailing by two goals barely 12 minutes into the contest. Ivan Barbashev’s tally 30 seconds into the middle frame created NHL history, marking the first Cup final game ever to feature goals scored that rapidly in consecutive periods.
Jordan Staal provided a memorable moment for Carolina, netting his first playoff goal at this level since 2009 while surpassing his older brother Eric’s record for the longest drought between Cup final tallies. The arena erupted again when Shayne Gostisbehere knotted the score with less than nine minutes remaining in regulation.
Carter Hart delivered his most crucial save with 3:43 left on the clock, using a spectacular glove stop to deny Seth Jarvis, Carolina’s struggling top-line winger who continues searching for offensive success.
The Golden Knights saved their best moment for last in a game filled with highlights. Colton Sissons created the winning play with a clever backhand feed to Tomas Hertl, who had also struggled early in the playoffs, for the decisive goal just 19 seconds after Hart’s brilliant save on Jarvis.
Following such an exhilarating battle between two championship-caliber teams, hockey enthusiasts can only hope the remaining games deliver similar entertainment value.
Two of college athletics’ most powerful conferences announced Tuesday they cannot back the current form of bipartisan federal legislation aimed at governing an industry grappling with rapid transformation where some athletes now earn millions of dollars.
The Southeastern and Big Ten conferences stated the legislation “leaves critical issues unresolved,” particularly failing to provide adequate federal override of state regulations – a component long viewed as essential for gaining NCAA and conference backing.
During a recent Associated Press interview, Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, who co-authored the measure with Sen. Maria Cantwell, D-Wash., stated “the bill is drafted to preempt state laws that conflict with the provisions in this bill.”
The joint SEC-Big Ten announcement emerged just under 24 hours ahead of a planned Senate Commerce Committee hearing on the proposed legislation. Cruz leads the committee while Cantwell serves as the top-ranking Democrat.
While the Big 12 and Atlantic Coast Conferences have endorsed the proposal, the Big Ten and SEC wield the most influence as the wealthiest conferences with significant control over College Football Playoff decisions.
Among the measure’s main components is allowing conferences to combine their media rights – a concept the Big Ten and SEC have consistently argued would not produce the financial benefits supporters claim. The conferences’ joint statement did not address this particular provision.
A representative from Cruz’s Commerce Committee confirmed they are aware of the Big Ten-SEC stance.
CBS News terminated veteran ’60 Minutes’ correspondent Scott Pelley on Tuesday following allegations that he criticized the show’s leadership and questioned the credentials of its new executive producer during a staff meeting. The dismissal has intensified ongoing disruption at the prestigious television news program and its parent news division.
During a staff introduction meeting on Monday with newly appointed executive producer Nick Bilton, Pelley reportedly challenged the program’s current direction, according to coverage by the Status website. Pelley allegedly described Editor-in-Chief Bari Weiss as “murdering the show” and questioned Bilton’s “slender qualifications” for his position. Bilton, who comes from a background in technology journalism and filmmaking rather than traditional broadcast news, was selected by Weiss the previous week.
In termination documentation secured Tuesday evening by The Associated Press, Bilton characterized Pelley’s behavior as an “ambush” during their first meeting together.
“Yesterday, you hijacked my first meeting with staff to disparage me, my qualifications, and my intentions with remarkable incivility and contempt,” the dismissal letter stated.
According to Status, which reported having access to audio from Monday’s meeting, Pelley questioned Bilton extensively about the recent terminations of former executive producer Tanya Simon and correspondents Sharyn Alfonsi and Cecilia Vega. Weiss was absent from that particular meeting.
The termination letter described Pelley’s conduct as a “performative display of hostility” and stated that his actions showed he has “no interest in contributing to the future success of the show.”
Pelley’s representative had not provided a response to requests for comment as of Tuesday evening.
A major clean energy company has suspended $1 billion in planned renewable projects in Brazil after the country’s electrical grid operator began regularly turning away power from solar and wind facilities, according to the company’s chief executive.
Atlas Renewable Energy, which ranks among South America’s biggest clean power producers, made the decision to freeze the investments as grid curtailments reached 15%-25% for their current operations during the second quarter, CEO Carlos Barrera announced.
The company is controlled by Global Infrastructure Partners, a division of BlackRock. Barrera revealed the suspended projects totaled roughly 1.5 gigawatts of capacity that were scheduled to begin construction.
“There’s at least … 1.5 gigawatts that we put on hold in Brazil, where we had planned to already start construction,” Barrera explained during an interview at the SNEC photovoltaic conference in Shanghai.
Grid curtailment occurs when solar or wind facilities must shut down production because electrical networks have reached their capacity limits, even though weather conditions would allow for power generation.
The problem extends beyond Brazil, affecting renewable energy development in multiple nations including Australia, Japan, India and Chile, despite increased government support for clean energy following supply chain disruptions from international conflicts.
Brazil’s energy market structure creates additional financial strain for renewable companies. When grid operators reject their power output, these firms must purchase replacement electricity at premium prices to fulfill their contractual obligations.
“You’re being curtailed, but you’re buying energy at 2x the cost … that’s what’s been problematic,” Barrera said.
Credit rating agency Fitch Ratings issued negative outlooks for 11 Brazilian renewable project financings last month, warning that curtailments will persist through 2030 and harm cash flows, debt payments and liquidity. Fitch data shows average curtailments in their rated projects jumped to 7%-25% in 2025 from 6%-12% the previous year.
Barrera doesn’t anticipate reforms to the current market structure before 2028, citing upcoming elections this year. However, he predicts curtailments will gradually decrease as new solar installations slow down while electricity demand continues expanding.
The mismatch between rapid renewable capacity growth and insufficient transmission infrastructure development has forced clean energy companies to reduce operations and eliminate jobs.
“The real issue is overcapacity of solar. Even if you fix all the transmission issues in Brazil, you’re still going to have overcapacity, you’re still going to have curtailment,” Barrera stated.
Iowa’s first congressional district is set for another closely watched election battle as Republican incumbent Mariannette Miller-Meeks and Democrat Christina Bohannan have both secured their party nominations for the November general election.
The 70-year-old physician and three-term House Republican successfully fended off a challenge from MAGA Republican candidate David Pautsch in Tuesday’s primary, according to media reports. On the Democratic side, Bohannan defeated Travis Terrell to earn her party’s nomination, as projected by news outlets.
The upcoming contest marks the third time these two candidates will compete against each other in the general election. Miller-Meeks faces significant political headwinds as she ranks among the most at-risk House Republicans during a period when elevated costs for fuel and consumer goods, along with an unpopular military conflict with Iran, have contributed to declining approval numbers for President Donald Trump, including within his own party.
Bohannan, who serves as a law professor at the University of Iowa and previously held office as a state representative, is 54 years old and has twice mounted unsuccessful campaigns against Miller-Meeks. Her most recent attempt in 2024 came remarkably close, with Miller-Meeks prevailing by a margin of approximately 800 votes. Bohannan’s policy platform centers on addressing cost-of-living concerns, broadening healthcare access, and rolling back Medicaid reductions implemented through Trump’s One Big Beautiful Bill Act.
Political observers have classified the November matchup as a toss-up race. Both campaigns enter the contest well-funded, with each candidate maintaining campaign war chests exceeding $4 million, based on their most recent filings with the Federal Election Commission.
Japan’s benchmark stock index achieved a historic milestone Wednesday, climbing above 68,000 points for the first time as American markets continued setting new records.
The U.S. dollar momentarily climbed past 160 Japanese yen before retreating slightly. Crude oil values increased by more than $1 per barrel.
Global stock market surges have been fueled by investor enthusiasm for technology companies benefiting from the artificial intelligence revolution.
By mid-morning trading, the Nikkei 225 had risen 2.2% to reach 68,172.89. Computer chip equipment manufacturer Tokyo Electron saw shares jump 10.1%, while chip testing equipment producer Advantest gained 4.6%.
Hong Kong’s Hang Seng declined 0.9% to 25,804.51, and the Shanghai Composite index dropped 0.2% to 4,068.77.
Australia’s S&P/ASX 200 increased 0.3% to 8,747.10, while Taiwan’s Taiex climbed 1.8%.
South Korean markets remained closed for a holiday.
Tuesday’s trading session saw artificial intelligence beneficiaries continue their upward momentum, propelling U.S. stock markets to fresh record highs.
The S&P 500 gained 0.1% to close at 7,609.78 following a day of mixed trading. The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 0.4% to 51,307.79, while the Nasdaq composite increased marginally by less than 0.1% to 27,093.90. Each index established new all-time peaks.
Economic data revealed that U.S. companies posted significantly more job openings at April’s conclusion than forecasters had anticipated, suggesting ongoing strength in the nation’s employment sector.
Hewlett Packard Enterprise shares skyrocketed 19.5% following quarterly earnings that far exceeded analyst projections. The company attributed strong performance to customer demand for artificial intelligence infrastructure.
Marvell Technology experienced its strongest trading day since going public in 2000, jumping 32.5% after Nvidia’s CEO, Jensen Huang, indicated at a Taiwan conference that Marvell could become “the next trillion-dollar company.” Micron Technology was the most recent addition to the exclusive club of trillion-dollar corporations, also benefiting from AI momentum. Nvidia, which declined 0.7%, has reached a market value exceeding $5 trillion.
Generac shares advanced 5.7% after announcing an agreement to supply backup power systems to an unidentified “leading hyperscale data center operator.”
These “hyperscalers” are investing enormous sums to construct massive AI data facilities, driving what supporters view as the next major transformation of the worldwide economy.
Alphabet represents one such hyperscaler. Google’s parent company announced plans to raise $80 billion through stock sales to fund its investments, though shares fell 3.9% Tuesday.
The corporation expects to spend up to $190 billion on equipment and other investments this year. This amount exceeds The Walt Disney Co.’s entire market value, and Alphabet projects investment spending will “significantly increase” next year.
These massive expenditures raise questions about whether AI can generate sufficient profits and productivity improvements to justify the investment levels, or if an AI investment bubble is forming.
Market analysts have suggested the broader U.S. stock market might face a slowdown after the S&P 500’s unprecedented nine consecutive weekly gains, its longest winning streak since 2023.
The rally has been primarily driven by robust corporate earnings reports and optimism that the United States and Iran might negotiate an agreement to reopen the Strait of Hormuz. Such a deal would restore normal oil flows from the Persian Gulf and potentially reduce prices.
Oil markets resumed their upward trend. Brent crude oil, the global benchmark, rose $1.03 to $97.03 per barrel early Wednesday. Prices remain well above pre-war levels of approximately $70.
U.S. benchmark crude oil increased $1.10 to $94.86 per barrel.
Following a brief peak at 160.44 yen, the U.S. dollar retreated to 159.86 yen from Tuesday’s close of 159.92. The euro slipped to $1.1631 from $1.1632.
TOKYO (AP) — Dangerous flooding conditions struck Japan’s capital region Wednesday as Tropical Storm Jangmi brought torrential rainfall to east-central areas of the country.
The severe weather brought street traffic to a standstill throughout the city, forced the cancellation of hundreds of airline flights, and caused significant delays and suspensions across the rail network. Power outages affected more than 5,000 households, Tokyo Electric Power Company Holdings reported.
Authorities issued evacuation advisories for residents living near the Zenpukuji River in central Tokyo. Broadcast images revealed the river’s muddy waters had risen dangerously close to overflowing its banks.
According to the Japan Meteorological Agency, Tropical Storm Jangmi was positioned east of Shima city during mid-morning hours, tracking northeast with maximum sustained winds reaching 90 kph (55 mph).
Weather officials declared the most severe flood warning level across multiple regions in central and eastern Japan, strongly advising residents in river valleys and other at-risk locations to evacuate to elevated areas immediately.
The weather system delivered 50 centimeters (20 inches) of rainfall over a 24-hour period in the Owase region of central Japan. Forecasters predicted an additional 20 centimeters (8 inches) could fall by Thursday morning across various areas, including Tokyo, according to JMA officials.
The storm initially struck Wakayama prefecture as a typhoon with winds of 126 kph (78 mph) before moving inland and losing considerable strength. Weather experts expected it to continue as a tropical storm for most of the day.
Before reaching the mainland, the typhoon passed through Okinawa’s southern island region, where it caused minor injuries to 15 individuals.
WASHINGTON — The nation’s highest court ruled Tuesday that Alabama may proceed with congressional district boundaries that benefit Republican candidates in upcoming elections, overruling a lower court decision that found the redistricting plan deliberately discriminates against Black voters.
The court’s decision grants the state’s urgent request to implement district maps created three years ago, which include only one congressional district out of seven with a Black majority population. Three liberal justices opposed the ruling.
This latest court action represents another chapter in ongoing redistricting battles connected to President Donald Trump’s efforts to maintain Republicans’ narrow House majority heading into November elections. The timing is significant, coming just before a crucial deadline that the state’s Republican governor had previously pushed back to accommodate using these maps for special primary contests scheduled for August.
Alabama’s Republican officials petitioned the high court last week, one day after a three-judge panel denied the state permission to use its chosen district map.
The judicial panel had directed Alabama to utilize the same court-created map from the 2024 elections, which resulted in two Black Democrats winning congressional seats. Under that arrangement, Black voters formed a majority or near-majority in two of the state’s seven congressional districts.
“The Supreme Court’s decision gives cover to Alabama and others to deliberately and openly discriminate against Black voters without fear of any consequence. The Court’s shameless decision to reinstate an intentionally racially discriminatory map defies any thoughtful or consistent application of the law,” said Deuel Ross, director of litigation for the NAACP Legal Defense Fund, on Tuesday evening.
Ross pledged that his organization will “continue to throw all of our resources into the fight to ensure that Alabama voters have the fair representation that they deserve.”
The state’s attorney general argued before the court that Alabama did not deliberately discriminate against Black citizens and should be permitted to conduct this year’s elections using maps selected by elected officials rather than judges.
This legal challenge stems from recent fallout following last month’s high court decision that eliminated a Black-majority district in Louisiana and reduced protections under federal voting rights legislation. That precedent has encouraged Republicans across multiple Southern states, including Alabama, to pursue changes to voting districts with substantial minority populations that typically elect Democratic candidates.
The Alabama legal battle spans several years. In 2023, the three-judge panel determined that maps created by Republican state legislators intentionally weakened Black citizens’ voting influence. The court noted that the state, where approximately 27% of residents are Black, should maintain two districts where Black voters comprise a majority or near-majority.
Following the recent Louisiana decision, Alabama officials sought to put the 2023 state-created map into effect. The high court’s conservative members agreed to remove the legal block preventing the map’s implementation and returned the matter to the three-judge panel for fresh consideration based on the Louisiana precedent.
During this period, Alabama voters participated in primary elections on May 19, and the governor scheduled new special primaries for August 11 in four congressional districts impacted by the map change.
After reviewing the case again, the judicial panel maintained its original conclusion that “undisputed evidence” demonstrated intentional racial discrimination.
The panel determined that the special congressional primaries should move forward using the previously court-approved districts instead.
The high court’s conservative majority disagreed with this assessment, writing in an unsigned decision that the lower court “did not heed the presumption of legislative good faith.”
In her dissenting opinion, Justice Sonia Sotomayor criticized her colleagues for allowing what she described as “a chaotic election, held under a never-before-used congressional map that intentionally discriminates against Black Alabamians.”
The court-mandated map enabled the 2024 election victory of U.S. Rep. Shomari Figures, a Black Democrat. The district boundaries established by Tuesday’s ruling provide Republicans with a chance to regain the south Alabama congressional seat.
NEW YORK (AP) — The former first lady expressed regret Tuesday that she remained largely silent about Hunter’s battle with drug addiction during her White House years, acknowledging that discussing substance abuse struggles openly could provide hope to families facing similar circumstances.
During an extensive conversation with “The View” co-host Whoopi Goldberg while promoting her White House memoir, the former first lady shared Tuesday that former President Joe Biden’s prostate cancer diagnosis has helped her gain new perspective on life.
She revealed she no longer harbors resentment toward Democrats who pushed her husband to abandon his reelection campaign following his poor performance in a 2024 debate against Republican Donald Trump.
“No, I’m not angry. I mean, what’s the purpose of anger now?” the former first lady stated during the initial event for her book, which launched Tuesday at the 92nd Street Y in New York.
In her memoir titled “View from the East Wing,” she revealed that addiction remained a topic she and her husband avoided discussing. “I think we were partly in denial,” she admitted, expressing confusion about why someone with a loving family, quality education and successful career would resort to drugs.
“It’s hard for me to say this, but Hunter was a drug addict,” she stated Tuesday.
She described Hunter’s descent into addiction as “a really hard time for our family to go through.” Hunter began struggling with alcohol and drugs following his older brother Beau’s death in 2015 from an aggressive brain cancer. She noted that Hunter has maintained sobriety for several years now.
“I’m sorry that I didn’t talk about it a little bit more,” she said during the event.
The former first lady spoke about her pride in Hunter’s transformation, highlighting his work as an artist and his efforts to support other people in recovery.
“And I hope that by talking about it more as I go forward I hope that it offers other people hope,” she explained. “It is such a tough, tough thing to deal with.”
Hunter published his own memoir about his struggles with drugs and alcohol in 2021.
His addiction resulted in federal charges for lying about drug use on gun purchase forms. Following his conviction and potential prison sentence, he ultimately received a pardon from his father, who had previously insisted he wouldn’t use presidential powers to help his son before changing course just before leaving office to Trump.
The former first lady previously acknowledged anger over how the Democratic Party handled her husband after the debate, but has moved past those feelings since Joe Biden received a diagnosis a year ago of aggressive prostate cancer that has metastasized to his bones.
“I think Joe’s cancer diagnosis, it really puts life into perspective and you really do appreciate each and every day and a lot of anger that you have, you think, ‘What’s the point?’ You know, ‘What is the point?’ she said. “And I think that’s why Joe and I try to, you know, just take each day that comes and try to find the joys.”
The 83-year-old former president attended the event alongside numerous Biden family members, receiving multiple standing ovations from the capacity crowd.
She said when medical professionals informed them that her husband of nearly five decades had a health issue, “I never ever thought it was going to be prostate cancer.” While avoiding specifics, she indicated the former president’s treatment and medications are creating difficulties for him.
The medications and treatments have “consequences,” she noted, “and I think those consequences are pretty tough.”
She recalled cherished White House moments, including Camp David weekends and collaborating with military families.
She identified the most challenging aspect of serving as first lady as the complete loss of personal privacy.
“You really do live in a fishbool,” she explained. “Everybody knows everywhere you are. It’s the truth. I couldn’t even walk downstairs to my office.”
She demonstrated how U.S. Secret Service officers would communicate through their devices while tracking her movements throughout the White House, using her assigned code name.
“‘Capri on elevator. Capri walking down hallway. Capri walking up steps. Capri walking outside,’” she recounted to audience laughter. She also mentioned the intense scrutiny of her fashion choices, including media coverage of a Washington appearance where she wore her hair in a ponytail secured with a scrunchie.
“I wore a scrunchie and they wrote about it,” she said. “Who cares?”
KHARTOUM, Sudan — Three survivors of Sudan’s brutal civil war have shared their harrowing experiences of captivity, sexual assault, and extortion at the hands of armed fighters who demanded thousands of dollars for their release.
A 38-year-old survivor, now living safely in the capital city, described two days of torture before her captors forced her to contact family members by phone. “I thought about seeking justice one day,” she told reporters, showing photographs of her injuries sustained during her September ordeal. The Associated Press does not identify individuals who report sexual assault.
According to the United Nations, sexual violence represents one of the “most defining features” of Sudan’s conflict, which has entered its fourth year. International officials report that sexual assaults have dramatically increased since fighting began, with many victims subjected to sexual slavery and ransom demands reaching $10,000.
Three survivors spoke with reporters after being connected through aid workers familiar with their situations. All three identified members of the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces as their attackers, though verification of their accounts proves difficult in a nation where discussing sexual assault remains heavily stigmatized.
While the U.N. and human rights organizations have documented sexual assault by all warring factions and their allied groups, they report that the RSF has committed the majority of such crimes, particularly around Khartoum, in Darfur, and throughout Gezira state. South Kordofan has emerged as another area of concern as fighting spreads. The RSF has not responded to inquiries about abductions or assaults.
The 38-year-old woman recounted fleeing her home in el-Fasher in September, just weeks before RSF forces captured the besieged Darfur city in what the UN characterized as bearing “hallmarks of genocide.” After losing her soldier husband and caring for her wounded brother, RSF fighters ambushed their group during evacuation.
She described how fighters separated women and children from men, searching males for shoulder marks indicating military service before forcing everyone to undress. When RSF members attempted to execute her brother, she offered herself as a substitute.
Bound and beaten, she was transported with four other women and teenage girls to a deserted village. For two days, she said multiple men repeatedly assaulted her and the other captives, who remained tied up, naked, and without food or sanitation.
“I was thinking about ending my life,” the woman said through tears.
On the second day, her captors demanded approximately $1,500 for her release. After she transferred her entire bank balance of about $200, they forced her to contact relatives through Facebook. When her cousin sent money, the fighters tortured her during phone calls to extort additional payments, pressing metal objects against her fingernails while she screamed.
The torture and sexual assault continued for hours during these calls until her captors finally accepted roughly $700 for her freedom. She continues to worry about other women unable to pay ransoms.
According to Hala Alkarib, regional director of the Strategic Initiative for Women in the Horn of Africa, women who cannot secure ransom payments remain in captivity and eventually vanish.
Sudan experts note that while the RSF has historically used kidnapping for ransom, the practice has expanded significantly during the current war. The Armed Conflict Location and Event Data Project, a U.S.-based research organization, reports that ransom incidents, including those involving sexual assault, have surged nearly 195% from the war’s beginning through May, with RSF fighters responsible for most cases.
Mohamed Younis, a conflict analyst specializing in Sudan, predicts ransom demands will increase as the paramilitary organization splinters following high-level defections.
A second survivor, age 30, described continued captivity even after ransom payment. Despite a relative in the United States transferring about $1,250, her captors refused her release until one fighter secretly helped her escape at night.
Abducted from a Khartoum market in 2024 during RSF control of the city, she spent two weeks confined with other women, forced to perform domestic labor, tend livestock, and sometimes bathe the fighters. “They never missed a day… I have nightmares,” she said of nightly sexual assaults.
The third woman reported being taken near Dilling in South Kordofan, held for nine days, sexually assaulted once, and beaten before her family secured her September release through payment.
Mental health professionals note that ransom demands create both financial and psychological trauma for families, forcing them into debt as they sell jewelry, vehicles, and homes to raise funds.
“The situation of these families is fragile,” explained Thuria Komi, director of Bait Al Mohaba, a local organization supporting women including sexual assault survivors. Her group lacks sufficient funding to provide necessary services, including medical treatment assistance.
Recent policy changes have affected international support. The current U.S. administration halted funding for the United Nations Population Fund, which provides support for sexual and gender-based violence victims, eliminating over $370 million in grants across more than 25 countries including Sudan. Officials cited allegations about past coercive abortions in China that UNFPA has called baseless.
Sudan continues receiving more than $220 million this year from the U.S. for other humanitarian assistance, according to U.N. data.
Now reunited with her brother in a displaced persons camp, the 38-year-old survivor struggles with ongoing health issues. Medical professionals diagnosed internal bleeding and fluid accumulation from her trauma, but she cannot afford necessary surgery.
While she finds purpose mentoring other women and girls in the camp, the debts owed to those who helped secure her freedom weigh heavily on her mind. Some of her rescuers have since died in the continuing conflict.
“Even those who died, I want to return it to their children or give it as charity on their behalf,” she said. “So I can feel at peace.”
Network insiders confirmed Tuesday that CBS News has ended the employment of Scott Pelley, who worked as a correspondent for the long-running investigative program 60 Minutes, according to two sources within the organization.
In a termination letter, the program’s executive producer Nick Bilton addressed Pelley directly about his dismissal. “Your antipathy to the future of the show has come through loud and clear. And I have heard you.,” Bilton stated in the correspondence. “I therefore write on behalf of CBS News, Inc. (“CBS”) to inform you that your employment with CBS is terminated for cause effective immediately.”
Iowa State Representative Josh Turek secured the Democratic Senate nomination Tuesday night, positioning himself for what could be a pivotal November contest that might determine control of the U.S. Senate.
The candidate, who calls himself a “common-sense prairie populist,” claimed victory over state Senator Zach Wahls with 63.7% of the vote compared to Wahls’ 36.3%, based on 30.6% of ballots tallied by the Associated Press. National Democratic leaders and former Democratic Senator Tom Harkin had thrown their support behind Turek’s campaign.
Come November, Turek will face Republican U.S. Representative Ashley Hinson, who secured her party’s nomination for the available seat. Both candidates are vying to fill the position currently held by Republican Joni Ernst, whose retirement announcement has sparked Democratic optimism about flipping the seat and potentially gaining Senate control.
The 47-year-old Turek brings a unique background as a Paralympic wheelchair basketball gold medalist and has demonstrated success winning elections in traditionally Republican territory. His supporters believe this track record could prove valuable in attracting disenchanted Republicans and independent voters during a period of growing economic concerns. His platform emphasizes healthcare accessibility, living wages, affordable housing, and other priorities affecting working families.
Hinson, 42, serves her third congressional term and previously worked as a news anchor. She has earned endorsements from President Donald Trump, Senate Majority Leader John Thune, and Ernst herself. Her campaign focuses on supporting Trump’s 2025 tax-cut and spending legislation, while she previously voted against measures that eventually protected same-sex marriage rights.
Political experts consider Iowa’s open Senate position likely to stay in Republican hands. However, polling suggests a competitive race ahead, with data from RealClearPolitics.com showing Turek holding a narrow one-point advantage over his Republican challenger.
The nation’s highest court has approved the use of congressional boundaries in Alabama that benefit Republican candidates.
The decision ensures that when Alabama holds its 2026 midterm elections, the state will operate with six districts that lean toward Republican candidates and one district that favors Democratic candidates.
An Israeli official is disputing claims that President Donald Trump hurled profanity and personal insults at Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during a phone call Monday regarding Lebanon military operations, contradicting a published media account.
“Trump did not get into personal insults with Netanyahu,” said the Israeli source with knowledge of the conversation, explaining that any tension in the discussion centered on “the statements by each side” following their talk.
The disputed account, published Monday by Axios, described a phone call between the two leaders that reportedly grew heated over Israel’s military operations in Lebanon and ceasefire discussions.
According to the Axios story, which cited two administration officials and another source, President Trump expressed opposition to Israeli plans to destroy buildings in Beirut while targeting Hezbollah commanders, allegedly asking Netanyahu: “What the f*ck are you doing?”
The media report also claimed President Trump referenced his past support for Netanyahu regarding the prime minister’s legal issues in Israel. Axios reported that President Trump told Netanyahu: “You’re f*cking crazy. You’d be in jail if it weren’t for me. I’m saving your ass. Everyone hates you now, and everyone hates Israel because of this.”
The news outlet said White House tensions escalated after Iran threatened to withdraw from talks with Washington due to Israeli military actions in Lebanon. The story indicated that US and Iranian representatives are in discussions about a comprehensive agreement that would include measures to stop the Lebanon fighting.
While the report stated US officials support Israel’s right to defend against Hezbollah attacks, they expressed worry about the extent of Israeli operations in Lebanon. Axios quoted a senior US official saying Netanyahu responded to President Trump: “Okay, okay, just make sure everything is handled.”
The Prime Minister’s Office refused to provide comment on the details contained in the Axios story.
Netanyahu subsequently offered a different characterization of the discussion, stating he had informed President Trump that Israel would conduct strikes in Beirut if Hezbollah maintained its attacks on Israeli territory. He also indicated that military actions in southern Lebanon would continue and that Israel’s stance remained unchanged.
The choice to cancel the planned Beirut strikes prompted backlash from multiple Israeli political leaders. Former Israel Defense Forces chief of staff and Yashar! Party leader Gadi Eisenkot characterized President Trump’s involvement as “a humiliating demand, one that is blatantly unreasonable.” Eisenkot also stated Netanyahu “is the man who preached morals to everyone about the basic need to be a prime minister and know how to say ‘no’ to the President of the United States.”
Opposition leader Yair Lapid condemned Netanyahu for what he viewed as treating Israel like a US protectorate. Lapid also demanded a “powerful response” to rocket attacks from Lebanon, stating that “the responsibility for the security of Israeli citizens lies solely with the Israeli government.”
The Israel Defense Forces reports eliminating a Hamas leader who allegedly played a role in the October 7 kidnapping of an American-Israeli hostage and three others from a roadside bomb shelter.
Military officials identified the target as Yousef Ayesh Awad Ramadan, a leader within Hamas’s Nukhba force. The IDF states that Ramadan was involved in capturing American-Israeli hostage Hersh Goldberg-Polin, along with Eliya Cohen, Alon Ohel and Or Levy, after the four individuals had taken shelter during the Hamas-led assault near Re’im Junction.
Video evidence that spread across social media platforms captured Goldberg-Polin being transported in a vehicle following a grenade blast that had injured his arm while he remained in the protective shelter.
Military sources indicate that Ramadan had been developing “advanced attack plans against IDF soldiers and Israeli civilians” throughout the conflict and in recent periods. The IDF characterized him as a continuing danger to military personnel conducting operations in Gaza.
The operation was launched after intelligence reports suggested immediate risk from Hamas fighters in the region, according to military officials.
The IDF reports that two Hamas militants who were targeted during the mission had tried to assault Israeli troops before the strike was executed. Military leaders described the response as targeted strikes against the threat.
“Prior to the strike, steps were taken to mitigate harm to civilians, including the use of precise munitions and aerial surveillance,” the IDF said.
The announcement of Ramadan’s elimination prompted a public statement from Alon Ohel, one of the individuals taken hostage from the Re’im Junction shelter.
Ohel, who gained freedom in October 2025 through the Gaza ceasefire agreement, responded to the military action through an Instagram message.
He encouraged the military to maintain its operations against Hamas and called on the IDF to persist in fighting “until the last terrorist.”
WASHINGTON — Despite skepticism from Congress and growing tensions in the Middle East, Secretary of State Marco Rubio expressed hope Tuesday for renewed nuclear negotiations with Iran.
Speaking to lawmakers, Rubio indicated that Iranian officials have shown willingness to discuss nuclear issues they previously refused to consider. However, he cautioned that this development doesn’t guarantee successful outcomes or an acceptable agreement.
The Secretary’s positive assessment stands in stark contrast to recent reports from two semiofficial Iranian news outlets suggesting Iran has ceased all communication with mediators. These reports emerge as Israel has issued threats to bomb Beirut during its ongoing conflict with the Hezbollah militant group, casting uncertainty over the already fragile ceasefire.
While Rubio declined to speculate on potential results from any future negotiations, his remarks signal a diplomatic opening despite the volatile regional situation that continues to complicate international efforts to address Iran’s nuclear program.
LOS ANGELES (AP) — The Los Angeles Rams and general manager Les Snead have built their reputation over more than ten years by executing bold, high-stakes transactions that NFL supporters everywhere hope their organizations would pursue.
Their newest acquisition ranks among their most significant and dangerous — perfectly fitting their established approach.
On Tuesday, Myles Garrett arrived at the Rams’ Woodland Hills training facility following LA’s decision to surrender emerging talent Jared Verse plus three valuable draft selections to finalize one of the league’s most substantial trades in recent memory.
“To acquire a player like this, these things don’t come up often,” coach Sean McVay said.
However, this daring transaction for what many consider the premier pass rusher of his era represents just another chapter in Snead’s history of franchise-altering deals. Over the previous decade, he has orchestrated moves to obtain Jared Goff, Matthew Stafford, Jalen Ramsey, Von Miller, Trent McDuffie, Brandin Cooks and additional established players at costs many organizations would consider prohibitive.
The franchise has dedicated ten years pursuing championships with a sense of immediacy that appears focused on immediate success, but actually stems from institutional belief that McVay’s leadership capabilities will compensate for the necessary sacrifices in future draft assets and veteran personnel.
“You’re always threading that needle for sustainability, trying to win consistently,” Snead said Tuesday. “But it’s a hard one to thread.”
McVay fully embraces the organization’s aggressive timeline, as the head coach frequently serves as the most insistent voice encouraging Snead to complete major transactions: “I’m not the most patient person,” McVay said with a smirk.
“To be able to add players like (Garrett) is so rare,” McVay added. “We feel really fortunate that this feels very similar to when we were fortunate enough to acquire a player like Matthew Stafford. Things like this don’t present themselves, and we wanted to be aggressive.”
While such chances may be uncommon, the Rams have capitalized on significantly more opportunities than competing franchises — and they were already considered a leading Super Bowl candidate before securing Garrett.
Three months earlier, Snead addressed Los Angeles’ main vulnerability by obtaining McDuffie, making him the league’s most expensive cornerback while reuniting him with free-agent addition Jaylen Watson, his former Chiefs teammate.
Despite possessing a defensive front featuring four quality players all remaining under rookie deals, Snead and McVay sought further enhancement.
The general manager initiated discussions with Browns counterpart Andrew Berry following Cleveland’s contract adjustment for Garrett that indicated a potential transaction involving the All-Pro who had recently established the NFL’s single-season sacks record.
“Andrew and I have a good relationship, (and) we like talking football a good bit,” Snead said. “So I would pester him a little bit, probably jokingly at first. Kept doing that, and then we began talking a little more seriously.”
Snead initially attempted to structure the agreement using only draft selections from current and future years. Berry insisted on including Verse, the promising young defender and Snead’s sole first-round selection between quarterbacks Goff (2016) and Ty Simpson (2026).
While both Snead and McVay express reluctance about trading Verse, the Rams ultimately consented with support from owner Stan Kroenke, who has consistently endorsed his management team’s distinctive urgency.
Garrett welcomed the chance to join this organization’s tradition of elite pass rushers extending from the Fearsome Foursome through Aaron Donald. Additionally, after nine seasons in Cleveland, he sought the opportunity to compete for a perennial championship contender.
The Rams have maintained that status throughout McVay’s tenure beginning in 2017 — accumulating eight winning campaigns, seven playoff appearances, four NFC West championships, three conference title game visits, two Super Bowl trips and one championship.
“It just came down to the timing of everything,” Garrett said. “What does it look like to be a winner now, and to have the opportunity to do that immediately? That was just too good of an opportunity to pass up.”
The organization’s assertiveness extends beyond trades: Snead and McVay have demonstrated willingness to release quality performers and team legends when deemed necessary for financial or competitive reasons.
They have parted ways with Super Bowl MVP Cooper Kupp and star running back Todd Gurley, while trading Goff and receiver Robert Woods before their Rams contract extensions had begun.
Such decisions often appear ruthless to supporters, with players like Goff and Kupp publicly expressing disappointment regarding how Snead and McVay handled their departures. Eventually, however, most seem to accept this as the organization’s standard operating procedure.
This includes Woods, a reliable five-year contributor and clubhouse leader during McVay’s early seasons after joining as a free agent in 2017.
The Southern California native injured his knee during practice in the middle of the 2021 campaign, sidelining him for the Rams’ Super Bowl championship journey — and Snead dealt him to Tennessee one month after the celebration.
Woods spent four additional seasons with various NFL teams before retiring this year — and promptly rejoined the Rams in a coaching capacity.
PAJU, South Korea (AP) — In a rain-soaked ceremony at a former military installation, dozens of Korean adoptees from across North America and Europe attached ceramic name plates to a memorial wall, holding onto hope that their birth mothers might discover them after years of separation.
The adoptees secured their personalized ceramic markers to wire mesh covering a stone wall at Omma Poom Park — which translates to “mother’s embrace” — located in Paju, South Korea, under misty conditions.
Over 900 markers, hanging like undelivered correspondence, create a silent tribute to decades of widespread family separations that produced what may be the globe’s most extensive adoptee diaspora.
“There are so many tiles that hang, and yet that is merely a small fraction of us that exist,” said Nicole Rieth, adopted to Michigan when she was 4 months old, in January 1989.
“As far as connecting with my birth mother, it’s not about gleaning specific information from her or even necessarily seeking a relationship. I’ve just always wanted to know who I looked like, because I’ve never had that before.”
Every marker, created by hand through an artist’s work, displays the adoptee’s name, year of birth and place of birth. Different colors represent adoption decades, with most showing red and sky blue for the 1970s and 1980s, when international adoptions reached their highest numbers. White markers represent adoptees who passed away before achieving reunions.
A single plastic-covered message hung among the markers, placed by unnamed parents seeking a child called “Bora.”
“You are not alone. You have a mother and a father,” it said. “I’m so sorry and I love you.”
Paju, positioned close to the North Korean border and formerly home to American military installations, holds extensive memories of international adoptions, which started following the 1950-53 Korean War with biracial children born to Korean women and American soldiers, who faced social rejection domestically.
Adoption numbers increased dramatically during the 1970s, when attention turned to fully Korean children, usually born to single mothers or families facing poverty. Thousands were transported yearly to Western nations for decades through the mid-2000s, including over 6,600 annually during the 1980s, when Seoul’s previous military government actively worked to decrease population burdens.
Omma Poom opened in June 2025 following a multi-year effort by Paju-based photographer Lee Yong-nam and Me & Korea, an adoptee support group.
Lee, 72, said his interest in adoption issues grew from searching for a Black-Korean childhood friend likely adopted to America.
“Adoptions continued unchecked and now the pain is surfacing,” he said of the visitors, who are mostly younger than the war generation.
On elevated ground above Omma Poom, a former American army structure functions as a museum, housing approximately 1,000 personal pages — each containing an adoptee’s photograph, birth date and letter to a birth mother.
One of the profiles belongs to Angela Lee-Pack, adopted to Canada in 1971 at age 2.
“I think about you every day and only wish the best for you,” she wrote to her Korean mother. “I hope one day I will be able to know who I am.”
Growing up in Ontario, Lee-Pack says she endured severe abuse from her adoptive mother, including being locked in a closet without food. She says she was later abused in another home, left at 15, and struggled for years before finding stability as an adult.
Lee-Pack has visited South Korea twice while searching for her birth mother, putting flyers across Seoul and Jeonju.
During her first trip in 2019, a man reached out, believing Lee-Pack was the daughter of a late uncle. The lead unraveled slowly and painfully. The man later found a woman in her 70s whose background appeared to match. But she denied giving up a child and refused contact. Lee-Pack collapsed in her hotel room and cried.
“Every time I look in the mirror I wonder who she is and what she looks like,” she said of her birth mother. “The thoughts never end.”
Rieth says that becoming a mother to two sons led her to begin looking for her birth mother.
According to her adoption file, Rieth was the third child of a couple who relinquished her shortly after her birth in 1988, citing financial hardship during a time when Seoul was actively pressuring families to have fewer children.
Rieth began searching for her biological family in 2024, but letters her adoption agency sent to her birth mother’s last known address went unanswered.
She is now pursuing another search through the National Center for the Rights of the Child, a government office. She wants her sons to know the heritage she grew up without.
“I kind of don’t want to allow myself to hope because the whole journey has been a roller coaster of hoping, finding something out, and diving down into hopelessness, getting a glimmer of a maybe,” she said. “And yet I want to exhaust every effort … so that there are no regrets.”
During the peak of adoptions, authorities largely ignored rampant fraud, including illegal child procurements from hospitals and orphanages and manipulation of children’s origins. Many were falsely labeled as abandoned orphans to ease placements with Western families.
The deception left generations of Korean adoptees not knowing who they were, where they came from, whether they had been loved, abandoned or stolen.
On the other side were birth mothers pressured to surrender children born out of wedlock, separated from them without consent, or left searching for decades before learning they had been sent overseas under falsified records.
The gathering at Omma Poom came shortly after a group of birth mothers asked South Korea’s Truth and Reconciliation Commission to investigate the alleged illegal adoptions of their children, adding to hundreds of fraud and abuse claims filed by adoptees.
Adopted in 1993 to Michigan, Jalyn Smith’s agency in in 2021 located her birth mother, who, according to the file, had relinquished Smith after separating from her biological father. The woman declined contact.
Five years later, Smith is pursuing the search again.
“Hanging it up, I felt proud,” Smith said about her name on Omma Poom’s wall. “I feel proud to be part of this community, though it comes with a lot of conflicting feelings of sadness and anger and grief.”
JUNEAU, Alaska — A Republican U.S. Senator from Alaska is facing an unprecedented challenge in his reelection bid: competing against someone who shares his exact name.
Sen. Dan Sullivan, who is seeking another term, finds himself among 15 candidates on the primary ballot, including another Republican also named Dan Sullivan. The incumbent senator believes this situation represents a calculated political maneuver orchestrated by Democrats and supporters of his main challenger, former Democratic U.S. Rep. Mary Peltola.
Speaking to reporters in Washington, D.C., on Tuesday, the senator expressed his frustration and indicated he might pursue legal action to investigate the matter.
“Everybody in Alaska knows I’m Dan Sullivan-R. So he’s trying to do that. Why?” the senator said regarding his namesake competitor. “He’s not an R. He’s purposely trying to trick my constituents to rig the election for Peltola.”
Representatives from Peltola’s campaign and the Alaska Democratic Party have denied any connection to the situation. Harry Child, a spokesman for the Peltola campaign, stated it “has no involvement with either Sullivan campaign.” Jenny-Marie Stryker, executive director of the Alaska Democratic Party, confirmed her organization “is in no way affiliated with either Dan Sullivan.”
The unusual circumstances surrounding the duplicate candidates on Alaska’s August primary ballot have caught the attention of Republican officials at both state and national levels. They argue that having two candidates with identical names will create voter confusion that could ultimately benefit Peltola.
Alaska’s electoral system allows the top four vote recipients from the primary, regardless of party membership, to proceed to a ranked-choice general election.
Blake Murphy, representing the National Republican Senatorial Committee as legal counsel, addressed Alaska election officials in a Monday letter expressing concerns about potential voter confusion. Murphy questioned the legitimacy of the challenger’s party registration and labeled the other Dan Sullivan a “sham” candidate.
Murphy indicated in his correspondence that the NRSC might pursue legal remedies “to ensure that the Alaska electoral process remains fair.”
Carmela Warfield, who chairs the state Republican Party, noted in a statement that accompanied Murphy’s letter that the challenger had been registered as undeclared until recently. She also mentioned that previous ballots have not distinguished incumbent candidates from challengers.
Steve Kirch, representing the Alaska Division of Elections, did not provide immediate comment on the letter and indicated that accessing details about the challenger Sullivan’s voter registration history would require a formal records request.
The incumbent senator, who maintains ties to President Donald Trump, is pursuing a third term in office. Both he and Peltola represent the most prominent candidates in a contest that has drawn national attention as Democrats work to regain Senate control in the upcoming midterm elections.
Election officials have confirmed that Republican Dan J. Sullivan from Petersburg, a fishing community in southeast Alaska, has been certified as a candidate in the U.S. Senate race. Attempts to contact him on Tuesday were unsuccessful, and he does not appear to have registered with the Federal Election Commission.
According to his campaign website, he describes himself as a Midwesterner who relocated to Alaska for employment with the U.S. Forest Service and has resided in Petersburg for nearly five decades. After growing frustrated with government inefficiency and what he perceived as “lack of long-term thinking,” he transitioned to a career in elementary education, his website states.
The challenger Sullivan wrote on his campaign website that Alaska deserves representation from someone who “puts Alaska first every single day. That’s the commitment I’m making to the people of this state, and together, we’re going to elect a Sullivan that actually stands up for Alaska.”
The incumbent senator, using strong language during his remarks to reporters in Washington, characterized the presence of his namesake on the ballot as a scandalous effort to deceive Alaskan voters: “That’s an insult.”
Israeli and Lebanese representatives have commenced their fifth series of diplomatic discussions since April at the U.S. State Department in Washington, while combat between Israeli forces and Hezbollah persists despite a ceasefire declaration made Monday evening.
The diplomatic sessions are occurring while military exchanges continue and following statements from a high-ranking Hezbollah leader on Tuesday declaring the organization’s refusal to accept any limited ceasefire arrangement with Israel.
An unnamed Lebanese diplomatic source, speaking to The Associated Press under anonymity protocols, indicated that Beirut maintains its dedication to the diplomatic process regardless of current tensions and active conflict.
Lebanese officials are demanding Israeli forces withdraw from Lebanese soil and cease military strikes. Israeli authorities maintain their military actions are essential because Hezbollah has failed to disarm according to commitments made in a 2024 ceasefire accord.
The current disagreement centers on a reported American-supported framework requiring Hezbollah to stop attacks against northern Israel while Israel would avoid targeting Beirut’s southern neighborhoods.
Mahmoud Qomati, who serves as deputy head of Hezbollah’s political council, stated the organization would decline such a proposal.
Based on reporting from Lebanon’s National News Agency, which referenced a written declaration from Qomati obtained by AFP, the Hezbollah representative indicated the group would reject the proposed framework and cautioned that Israeli operations against Beirut’s southern areas would prompt a more forceful retaliation.
Qomati warned that any Israeli “aggression against” Beirut’s southern suburbs could lead to “a deeper and stronger response” from Hezbollah.
These statements emerged while diplomatic initiatives in Washington continued seeking solutions to end the hostilities.
Qomati’s declaration also seemed to contradict earlier reports suggesting Hezbollah had agreed to a restricted arrangement specifically addressing attacks on northern Israel and the situation in Beirut’s southern districts.
Even as negotiations proceed, military confrontations between Israel and Hezbollah persist, with both parties disagreeing over necessary conditions for establishing a comprehensive ceasefire.
A government defense contractor supported by private equity investors has successfully completed a $650 million initial public stock offering by setting share prices at $20 each, according to a Bloomberg News report from Tuesday that cited an unnamed source with knowledge of the transaction.
Reuters was unable to independently confirm the Bloomberg report. Applied Aerospace & Defense did not provide an immediate response when Reuters sought comment.
The Alabama-based company, headquartered in Huntsville, distributed 32.5 million shares according to the report. The firm had previously indicated it would market shares within a price bracket of $18 to $21 per share.
Multiple defense technology companies are entering the U.S. public stock market, seeking to take advantage of increased investor attention driven by the U.S.-Israeli conflict with Iran.
Companies are moving forward with public listing schedules to take advantage of the defense sector’s growing importance in geopolitical matters and higher market valuations.
Several companies including aerospace parts manufacturer Arxis, drone producer AEVEX, and radio signal analysis company Hawkeye 360 have recently completed public offerings in New York.
Investment firm Greenbriar Equity Group, which focuses on middle-market acquisitions, merged Applied Aerospace with PCX Aerosystems last year to create Applied Aerospace & Defense. PCX Aerosystems was established in 1900.
Applied Aerospace, which began operations in 1954, manufactures various products such as aircraft body components, flight control surfaces, solid rocket motor casings, and engine shafts for space and defense industry clients.
The company’s client base features Anduril Industries, Boeing, and GE Aerospace, as listed on the company’s website.
Investment banks Morgan Stanley and Jefferies are serving as underwriters for the stock offering. Applied Aerospace & Defense plans to begin trading on the New York Stock Exchange Wednesday using the ticker symbol “AADX.”
Rebecca Bennett secured the Democratic nomination Tuesday night following a hard-fought primary battle, positioning herself for a November face-off against Republican U.S. Representative Thomas Kean in New Jersey’s seventh congressional district, according to media projections.
The Republican incumbent faced no challenger in his party’s primary for the competitive district. However, Kean has been away from his congressional duties since early March while dealing with a medical condition that has not been publicly disclosed.
The seventh district is considered a swing seat that could play a significant role in determining control of the House of Representatives in the upcoming general election.
Former President Donald Trump announced his support Tuesday for Abelardo De La Espriella, a right-wing lawyer seeking Colombia’s presidency in an upcoming runoff election against leftist senator Ivan Cepeda this month.
Writing on his Truth Social platform, Trump emphasized the significance of the electoral outcome. “The results of this Election are very important to the future of Colombia and its relationship to the United States,” Trump stated in his post.
The endorsement comes as Colombia prepares for its presidential runoff election featuring the two candidates with opposing political ideologies.
South Korea’s Ministry of Science and ICT announced Wednesday that the Korea Internet & Security Agency has obtained access to an advanced artificial intelligence cybersecurity system called Mythos, developed by Anthropic.
The agency gained this access by joining Project Glasswing, an initiative that includes several prominent South Korean technology firms. The program focuses on utilizing cutting-edge AI technology to detect cybersecurity weaknesses and assist in resolving them.
In an official statement, the Ministry of Science and ICT indicated it has maintained ongoing collaboration with Anthropic and verified the security agency’s involvement in the program.
This announcement comes after reports that Anthropic plans to broaden access to its Mythos system to approximately 150 organizations across more than 15 nations, with South Korea among the countries included. The expansion reportedly encompasses Samsung Electronics, SK Hynix and SK Telecom as participating companies.
When contacted for comment, Samsung Electronics chose not to respond, while SK did not provide an immediate reply to requests for information.
The ministry stated that South Korea will maintain its efforts to enhance cybersecurity defenses, including through the implementation of various advanced AI systems and the development of domestic AI-powered information security technologies.
Motorists traveling eastbound on Naaman’s Road are experiencing traffic delays due to an ongoing construction project that has shut down the left lane.
The lane closure affects the stretch of roadway between Peach Tree Road and Hickman Road, with work expected to continue until 6 AM.
Drivers are advised to plan for potential delays and consider alternate routes during the construction period.
Motorists traveling on US-13 should expect delays as both right lanes remain shut down in the northbound and southbound directions between Voshell Mill Road and Shamrock Avenue.
According to traffic authorities, the lane restrictions are in place due to traffic conditions and are scheduled to continue until 6 AM.
Drivers are advised to use caution in the area and allow extra travel time while navigating around the lane closures.
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Apart from capturing a Super Bowl championship, Myles Garrett accomplished nearly everything possible for a defensive player during his initial nine NFL campaigns.
Currently part of a Los Angeles Rams squad expected to hoist the Lombardi Trophy this coming February, Garrett is prepared to address the one significant gap in his professional accomplishments.
“Since the very beginning, it’s always been about winning. … And to have an opportunity to do that immediately? That was the opportunity that was too difficult to pass up,” Garrett said at his introductory news conference Tuesday, one day after the blockbuster deal that sent him from Cleveland to Los Angeles.
Garrett had reached the playoffs with the Browns in 2020 and 2023, representing his only two successful seasons in Cleveland following his selection as the top overall pick in 2017. Joining the Rams, the 30-year-old pass rusher has become part of a franchise that has qualified for the postseason in seven of head coach Sean McVay’s nine years leading the team, captured the Super Bowl after the 2021 season, competed in another championship game, and fell just short against Philadelphia and Seattle squads that ultimately claimed titles over the previous two years.
The Rams used the offseason to strengthen their roster for another championship attempt by fixing the defensive weaknesses that hurt them in the 31-27 NFC championship defeat to the Seahawks. They acquired All-Pro cornerback Trent McDuffie through trade, brought in fellow Chiefs defensive back Jaylen Watson via free agency, and completed their upgrades by obtaining a two-time AP Defensive Player of the Year and five-time first-team All-Pro in Garrett.
These additions have Garrett anticipating significant achievements.
“I see a position to solidify myself here as well among the very greats,” he said.
After a campaign where he established the NFL single-season mark with 23 sacks while also recording a personal-best 33 tackles for loss, Garrett thinks the Rams’ framework and resources could enable him to achieve even loftier goals. He becomes part of a defensive unit that already finished among the top 10 in points surrendered and quarterback takedowns, and Garrett anticipates an offensive attack featuring quarterback Matthew Stafford, who earned NFL MVP honors after throwing for 46 touchdowns, will provide him numerous opportunities to seal victories in the final quarter.
Such chances were rare in Cleveland, where Garrett accumulated 125 1/2 sacks across 134 career contests. The Browns posted a 58-90-1 record throughout Garrett’s tenure there.
“I mean, that did play into the decision as well, knowing I have the ability, you know, late game, to pin my ears back, not just because we need a play to be made, but because we have the lead and it’s obvious passing downs, being able to make those game-changing plays to win the game for us, those are things that appealed to me,” Garrett said.
Garrett has already begun adjusting to his new environment, reaching an agreement with nose tackle Poona Ford to obtain the No. 95 jersey.
Garrett is also eager to connect with NBA superstar LeBron James, who has played the last eight seasons with the Los Angeles Lakers, for additional insight about the city. Garrett characterized James as a “positive force in my life,” having gained counsel and guidance from the Akron, Ohio, native and four-time NBA champion throughout the years since joining the Browns.
Garrett possesses some existing knowledge of the area. His girlfriend, Olympic gold medalist snowboarder Chloe Kim, hails from Torrance, California, in Los Angeles County. His father, Lawrence, was born in Los Angeles.
Despite all the early enthusiasm surrounding the trade, Garrett recognizes it will ultimately be evaluated based on how he and the Rams perform during competition.
“Nothing changes for me,” he said. “I don’t feel any pressure to be anything else, be anything different. As long as I’m myself and I come here to work every day and I’m a leader, the success will follow.”
Federal authorities have filed criminal charges against two government laboratory researchers accused of illegally transporting deactivated mpox virus samples into the United States and providing false statements to investigators, officials announced Tuesday.
Vincent Munster, who leads the virus ecology section at Rocky Mountain Laboratories in Hamilton, Montana, and his colleague Claude Kwe face charges outlined in a criminal complaint filed in Detroit federal court.
The pair were detained at Detroit Metropolitan Airport in January following their return from Paris after spending nine days in the Republic of Congo. The central African nation has been battling an mpox outbreak responsible for over 2,000 fatalities, though health officials declared a two-year outbreak concluded in April.
According to FBI documentation, Munster “adamantly denied” carrying any biological materials or samples upon his return to the United States.
However, laboratory analysis later confirmed that both researchers possessed vials containing deactivated mpox virus, which they failed to properly declare or secure authorization for, FBI officials stated.
“Any deliberate effort to conceal and smuggle biological materials into the United States without proper authorization is a breach of the public’s trust and could have placed the public at risk,” stated Marcus Sykes from the Office of Inspector General at the Department of Health and Human Services.
Neither researcher responded to requests for comment. Both are scheduled to make their initial court appearance in Missoula, Montana, on Wednesday. Officials also reached out to HHS, the laboratory’s oversight agency, for additional comment.
The government’s court documents do not explain the researchers’ motivation for transporting the deactivated mpox samples to their facility. However, FBI records indicate both are virologists with extensive experience studying mpox.
During questioning at the Detroit-area airport, Munster informed investigators that required documentation was stored on his laptop, stating “but you don’t need them. I do this all the time,” according to FBI records.
“It is reasonable to believe that Munster’s statements regarding the possession of the required documentation to (customs officers) were materially false,” FBI officials concluded.
According to the World Health Organization, mpox typically presents with rash and fever symptoms, though severe cases can occur. Most patients make complete recoveries.
Scientists first discovered mpox, formerly called monkeypox, in 1958 during outbreaks of a “pox-like” illness in monkeys. Until recently, human infections primarily occurred in central and West Africa among individuals with close contact to infected animals.
In 2022, researchers confirmed sexual transmission of the virus for the first time, leading to outbreaks across more than 70 nations that had never previously documented mpox cases.
BAKERSFIELD, Calif. — Authorities in Bakersfield, California responded Tuesday afternoon to a dangerous situation where a suspect trapped himself inside a financial institution along with multiple civilians following a bomb threat.
Law enforcement arrived at the Chase Bank facility in the city’s downtown core around 1 p.m. after receiving reports of the explosive threat, according to the Bakersfield Police Department. Officials discovered that a man had locked himself inside the building “with several community members,” the department announced in an official statement.
Authorities reported that some civilians managed to flee the building safely. No one sustained injuries during the incident, and surrounding structures including city hall and police headquarters were secured as a precaution.
Crisis negotiation specialists established telephone communication with the individual, while officers created a security perimeter around the facility and neighboring businesses, officials confirmed.
“We are on scene at the Chase Bank Building on Chester Avenue and 17th Street for a confirmed bomb threat,” the police department wrote on X. “Please stay out of the downtown area. Road closures are in effect and will remain in effect until further notice.”
Media outlets reported approximately twelve patrol vehicles, one tactical unit, and numerous emergency personnel responded to the scene.
Jacob Davidson, a livestreamer known as Dad’s Gone Live, was one block away at his family’s tattoo business when subscribers began calling to inform him about the bomb threat.
“I went into the bank’s parking garage and watched the cops enter the back of the bank. This is the biggest police presence I’ve ever seen in this town,” Davidson said. “Now I’m watching them set up the trauma tents with the green, red and yellow tags, and black tags too, along with a command center about a block away.”
Emergency response teams routinely establish medical triage stations with color-coded systems to categorize potential casualties by injury severity as a precautionary measure during crisis situations.
Marcelo Salinas, who served as Bolivia’s defense minister, stepped down from his position on Tuesday according to local news outlets, after prolonged civil demonstrations and widespread protests that have disrupted traffic in the nation’s principal cities throughout the past month.
An official from the ministry verified Salinas’ departure to Reuters.
Wide receiver Drake London has reached agreement with the Atlanta Falcons on a four-year contract extension valued at $141 million with $100 million in guaranteed money, according to an ESPN report Tuesday that cited London’s agent.
The contract gives London an annual average of $35.25 million, making him the third highest-paid wide receiver in the league. Only Seattle’s Jaxon Smith-Njigba at $42.15 million and Cincinnati’s Ja’Marr Chase at $40.25 million earn more per year. London’s deal also represents the largest average annual salary in Atlanta franchise history, ESPN reported. Smith-Njigba inked his extension with the Super Bowl champion Seahawks during the earlier portion of this offseason.
Atlanta selected London with the eighth pick in the 2022 NFL Draft, and he became an instant contributor in the starting lineup. London topped the team in receiving yards during each of his initial three campaigns before tight end Kyle Pitts edged him by a mere nine yards in 2025, though London appeared in five fewer contests.
Across 62 career appearances (60 as a starter), the 24-year-old London has recorded 309 catches for 3,961 yards and 22 touchdowns while wearing an Atlanta uniform. His most productive campaign came in 2024, when he participated in all 17 games and established personal bests with 100 receptions, 1,271 yards and nine touchdowns.
London will compete during the 2026 season under his fifth-year rookie option valued at $16.82 million. The new extension will then carry him through the 2030 season.
The Falcons are beginning a fresh chapter this year under head coach Kevin Stefanski and with franchise icon and former quarterback Matt Ryan assuming a newly established position as president of football. Tua Tagovailoa was acquired to battle Michael Penix Jr. for the starting quarterback position.
New Zealand professional golfer Lydia Ko has an opportunity to surpass Annika Sorenstam’s record as the top earner in women’s golf history during this week’s U.S. Women’s Open, but Ko questions whether such comparisons are appropriate.
“We’re playing in a very different generation right now,” the 29-year-old Ko stated to media members at Tuesday’s press conference held at Riviera Country Club in Pacific Palisades, Calif., where this year’s tournament kicks off Thursday.
“It’s cool to be, I guess, compared to that record and hopefully surpass it at some point,” Ko commented, “but it’s like very hard to kind of like compare it because we are playing for a lot more money than she did back in that day.”
Currently, Ko has accumulated $21.8 million in career earnings, trailing Sorenstam’s $22.5 million total. Ko has captured 23 LPGA Tour victories throughout her career, while the Swedish golfer Sorenstam claimed 72 victories between 1995 and 2008, ranking third in history behind Americans Kathy Whitworth (88 wins from 1962-85) and Mickey Wright (82 wins from 1956-73).
“For me, like the win count is probably a little bit more meaningful,” explained Ko, who holds three major championship titles. “Not that the money isn’t meaningful. Obviously, we’re very grateful that we get to play for a lot more money… I just feel like I’m like an ant and (Sorenstam) is — I don’t know what the biggest bug or living thing is, but she’s that.
“So, it’s kind of hard to compare that just because we’re playing for so much more now. Hopefully in years time, they play for so much more than what we do.”
The venue, Riviera Country Club, will serve as the location for both men’s and women’s golf events when Los Angeles hosts the 2028 Summer Olympics. Ko has competed for New Zealand in three Olympic Games, earning gold in Paris 2024, silver in Rio 2016, and bronze in Tokyo 2021 (which was delayed from 2020).
However, she does not intend to participate in another Olympics.
“The only thing that I would be like very excited for is because they’re adding the mixed team component. I love team play,” Ko mentioned. “That will be the only thing that I’m very jealous that I’m not a part of. Who knows? I could be a part of it in a different place rather than just competing, and I do take pride in competing for New Zealand at the Olympics, and I really hope that I can be a part of it somehow in some shape or form. But, no. Three Olympics, and that stress was enough.”
San Diego has sidelined outfielder Ramon Laureano due to right hip inflammation, officially placing him on the 10-day injured list Tuesday.
The roster move was made effective from Sunday. To fill the vacancy, San Diego promoted outfielder Jase Bowen from Triple-A El Paso. The 25-year-old Bowen was set to make his major league debut Tuesday evening, taking the starting position in left field and hitting seventh in the lineup against the visiting Philadelphia Phillies.
The 31-year-old Laureano’s most recent appearance came Saturday, where he finished 0-for-3 with one walk during a 9-4 defeat to the Washington Nationals on the road.
This season marks Laureano’s second year with San Diego, where he’s posted a .203 batting average alongside seven home runs and 21 RBIs across 53 contests. His performance started strong with a .357 average through four March games before settling to .252 by April’s conclusion.
Throughout his major league career, Laureano has maintained a .250 batting average with 113 home runs and 349 RBIs over 795 regular-season appearances. His career has included stints with the Athletics (2018-23), Cleveland Guardians (2023-24), Atlanta Braves (2024), Baltimore Orioles (2025), and currently the Padres (2025-present).
Bowen was originally drafted by the Pittsburgh Pirates in the 11th round of the 2019 MLB Draft. He joined San Diego’s organization on a minor-league deal before this season began.
At El Paso this year, Bowen has compiled impressive numbers with a .292 batting average, .362 on-base percentage, and .600 slugging percentage, along with 13 home runs and 36 RBIs in 49 games.
Additionally, San Diego moved right-hander Nick Pivetta from the 15-day to the 60-day injured list due to right elbow inflammation, creating the necessary 40-man roster space for Bowen’s addition.
In women’s professional golf right now, one question stands out: Can anyone challenge Nelly Korda when she’s performing at this elite level?
After experiencing her season’s poorest result at the Kroger Queen City Championship with an eighth-place tie, Korda stepped away from tournament play for two weeks. That disappointing finish followed an extraordinary opening to 2026, where her initial six tournaments produced three victories and three second-place finishes.
Her most significant triumph came at the Chevron Championship, this year’s opening major tournament. Now preparing for the second major championship, the world’s top-ranked player expresses an unquenchable competitive appetite.
Speaking to media on Tuesday before this week’s U.S. Women’s Open at Riviera Country Club in Pacific Palisades, Calif., Korda explained her motivation. “I’m just motivated to put myself into that position, to grind on off weeks, to just play the game,” she said. “It’s really hard to explain, but it’s really there’s nothing better when you’re a very competitive person than being in the hunt on a back nine at a tournament. There’s a really big rush of emotions. Even if it doesn’t work out, you constantly want to put yourself back into that because all that work that you’ve put in in your off weeks, that’s what makes it worth it.”
The golfer outlined her demanding weekly routine, which includes early morning starts, extensive practice sessions, physical training, physiotherapy treatments, and early bedtimes following dinner.
“All those days, you kind of sacrifice your time at home with your friends or with family, but it’s just so worth it because there’s no better rush of emotions than being in the hunt,” Korda explained.
This dedication paired with her exceptional abilities makes Korda a formidable competitor. Following a winless 2025 campaign, she had previously captured seven titles in 2024, including her inaugural Chevron Championship victory. Her 2026 performance mirrors that successful 2024 season, helping her reclaim the top ranking from Thailand’s Jeeno Thitikul.
During last year’s championship at Erin Hills in Wisconsin, Korda remained competitive throughout the final round but couldn’t overtake Sweden’s Maja Stark at the U.S. Women’s Open. Her second-place finish represented her strongest showing in that tournament.
Reflecting on that near-miss, she said her main lesson was “That I was just hungry for more.”
“Last year was just a weird year of kind of not necessarily playing my best, but also when I did, not getting the bounces or just missing by a centimeter here and there,” Korda noted. “But I also learned a lot about myself. It made me hungrier to be in those positions.”
A championship this week would mark Korda’s fourth major title. Betting markets favor her heavily, with odds of +340 on DraftKings and +400 on BetMGM.
However, despite her success and status as the most accomplished American female golfer of her generation at age 27, Korda dismissed suggestions that she represents the sport’s public face.
“Definitely don’t think of myself as the face of the sport, but I would say that it’s growing,” Korda responded. “I’ve seen like from my rookie year, or even just maybe 2023, I’ve seen a big interest in girls, little girls coming out, supporting us.”
She continued: “It’s amazing to see how many dads and little girls come out to our events. It is absolutely amazing to see. It has grown every single year. There are times where (caddie Jason McDede) and I catch ourselves, and we kind of look around to the crowd and we’re like, wow, it’s amazing to see how many people are here on a Thursday. So I do think that we are growing. Obviously, there’s always room for improvement in everything that you do, but I’ve seen a really big trend in the fans coming out.”
Drivers traveling on Route 13 should expect intermittent lane restrictions due to ongoing construction work in the area.
The construction activity is taking place on the stretch of Route 13 that runs between American Legion Drive and Lorewood Grove Road, with lane closures expected to remain in effect until 5:30 AM.
Motorists are advised to plan for potential delays and consider alternate routes if possible during the construction period.
PLANO, Texas — The NHL’s Dallas Stars have revealed their intention to relocate from downtown to the suburban community of Plano within the next five years, coinciding with the expiration of their current arena lease.
Team representatives announced Tuesday they have signed a preliminary letter of intent for constructing a hockey-focused arena and entertainment complex approximately 20 miles north of their current downtown venue, the American Airlines Center, which has housed both the Stars and the NBA’s Dallas Mavericks since opening in 2001.
Both franchises face lease expirations at the AAC in 2031. The organizations have been engaged in legal battles regarding their partnership arrangement and facility management responsibilities.
The Stars revealed their relocation plans just one day following the Mavericks’ announcement of a tentative agreement for their own new facility roughly 10 miles north of downtown, remaining within Dallas city boundaries. The basketball team’s proposal involves 104 acres where Valley View Mall previously stood before demolition three years ago.
The proposed Stars venue would be integrated into an extensive redevelopment initiative at The Shops at Willow Bend, where Texas’s final enclosed shopping mall faces upcoming demolition.
The Stars have submitted their preliminary agreement to Plano city officials, who have scheduled the proposal for City Council review during Monday’s upcoming session. The document outlines plans for both the mixed-use development and arena design and construction phases.
“This project would present a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for our franchise,” Stars owner Tom Gaglardi said in a statement. “We eagerly await the vote by the Plano City Council and look forward to continuing the conversation to be part of the redevelopment of The Shops at Willow Bend.”
The shopping center, spanning roughly 90 acres, opened in 2001 and currently features operating restaurants and parking structures. The proposed arena would serve as the centerpiece for redevelopment potentially incorporating sports facilities, entertainment venues, retail establishments, restaurants and community gathering areas.
The hockey franchise operated as the North Stars before relocating from Minnesota and commencing Dallas operations during the 1993-94 season. In 1999, the Stars became the inaugural Sun Belt hockey organization to capture a Stanley Cup championship.
The team secured that title while competing at Reunion Arena, another facility they shared with the Mavericks following their Dallas arrival. That downtown venue, located approximately one mile from the AAC, underwent complete demolition in 2009.
LOS ANGELES (AP) — The Los Angeles Rams aren’t ruling out the possibility of Aaron Donald coming out of retirement, and head coach Sean McVay says the decision rests entirely with the former superstar defensive tackle if he chooses to suit up again and play with Myles Garrett.
Talk about Donald potentially ending his two-season retirement heated up right after the Rams completed their major trade on Monday, bringing Garrett over from the Cleveland Browns. The 35-year-old Donald stepped away from football in March 2024 following an outstanding decade-long career entirely with the Rams organization.
During Garrett’s introduction to the media on Tuesday, McVay addressed questions about Donald but offered no definitive answer about whether the retired star would return to action — though he didn’t dismiss the speculation either.
“Aaron is a guy that I stay really close in touch with, and I know the respect that he has for Myles,” McVay said. “Talked to him about the opportunity to be able to bring (Garrett) on board. If Aaron decides he wants to dust them off at the age of 35, I bet you he could still do it at a pretty high clip.”
ESPN personality Pat McAfee fueled comeback rumors on Tuesday, revealing he had exchanged messages with Donald about a possible return. According to McAfee, Donald indicated that Garrett’s move to LA “for sure got me thinking,” adding that he’s “gotta see if that fire can light back up.”
Throughout his 10 seasons in St. Louis and Los Angeles, Donald earned eight All-Pro honors, 10 Pro Bowl appearances, three AP Defensive Player of the Year titles, and a Super Bowl championship. He concluded his career at the peak of his abilities, setting a franchise record with 111 sacks while establishing himself as the league’s premier interior pass rusher before deciding he was prepared to move away from the demanding routine needed to compete at that elite level.
Since Donald retired at what’s considered a relatively early age for defensive linemen, discussions about his potential comeback have persisted throughout his two years away from the game in Los Angeles, where the Pittsburgh-born player continues to live with his family. Rams supporters actively hoped for his return during last season as the team looked positioned for another Super Bowl attempt, but Donald remained unmoved by those appeals.
Donald even trained with Jared Verse, the first-round draft selection and emerging edge rusher who was sent to Cleveland as part of the package with three valuable draft picks. The Rams sacrificed significant assets to land Garrett, the two-time AP Defensive Player of the Year and one of the few players who matches Donald’s elite status in recent NFL history.
Garrett has expressed admiration for Donald’s abilities in the past, and the Rams’ newest star player listened approvingly on Tuesday as McVay spoke highly of Donald.
The Rams’ defensive front is already formidable, with Garrett now joining 12-sack edge rusher Byron Young and solid interior defenders Kobie Turner, Braden Fiske and Poona Ford. Garrett has already obtained his preferred No. 95 jersey from Ford, who had been wearing that number with the Rams last season.
“There was a conversation,” Garrett said with a laugh.
“A conversation and a couple of bucks?” McVay interjected.
“Maybe more than a couple of bucks,” Garrett said with a laugh. “He was open to it.”
Citizens across South Korea headed to polling stations Wednesday for mayoral and local elections that political observers are watching as a key indicator of how much backing President Lee Jae Myung has after completing his first year leading the nation’s liberal administration.
Polling data indicates Lee’s Democratic Party is positioned to capture more victories than the conservative opposition People Power Party, which continues to struggle with internal divisions roughly 18 months following former conservative President Yoon Suk Yeol’s controversial martial law declaration.
Political analysts say that with such favorable conditions, the DP needs to achieve an overwhelming win and secure critical contests like the Seoul mayoral race to provide Lee with significant momentum.
“The conservatives’ support base has been fractured and weakened in the wake of Yoon’s impeachment, while the liberals’ support base has grown stronger. Considering that, results of the elections will determine whether their dominance would prolong for a considerable time,” said Jeong Han-Wool, director of the Korean People Research Institute.
Voters are selecting candidates for 16 mayoral and provincial gubernatorial positions on Wednesday, with the PPP currently holding 12 of those seats. Additionally, 14 new lawmakers will be elected to the 300-seat National Assembly through special elections.
Voting began at 6 a.m. local time at approximately 14,300 locations nationwide and will conclude at 6 p.m. The election commission reports that roughly 44.6 million people are eligible to participate.
Initial polling suggested the DP could secure as many as 15 of the 16 available positions. However, more recent surveys indicate that opposition or independent contenders have narrowed the margin with their DP opponents or even moved ahead in five to seven contests.
The DP benefits from continuing public anger over Yoon’s December 2024 martial law decision that triggered a major political upheaval. Additionally, the relatively new Lee administration may still enjoy voter goodwill rather than facing attempts to limit its authority, according to Choi Jin, director of the Seoul-based Institute of Presidential Leadership.
Choi explained that a decisive DP triumph would mean capturing at least 12 races. He emphasized that the party must also secure the highly competitive Seoul mayoral contest or the Lee administration would face “a tremendous blow.”
The Seoul competition features the DP’s Chong Won-o, a former Seoul district head whose political profile grew after Lee commended his leadership last October, running against incumbent mayor and prominent political figure Oh Se-hoon from the PPP.
“A Seoul mayor isn’t a post that someone whose campaign solely relies on the president’s coattails can afford,” Oh told reporters Tuesday. “Our country would be safer when the rival forces keep each other in check than one side controlling every things. Please, leave Seoul, the last stronghold, in our hands.”
During a Tuesday press briefing, Chong stated he anticipated Seoul residents would issue “a stern verdict” on Oh regarding what he characterized as the mayor’s incompetent and irresponsible leadership approach.
Lee will mark his first anniversary in office Thursday, maintaining approval ratings above 60%. He secured victory in a special election held after the Constitutional Court decided to remove Yoon from office due to his martial law implementation. A Seoul district court found Yoon guilty of rebellion in February and imposed a life sentence.
Yoon’s removal created significant internal conflict within the PPP between reform-minded members who supported the DP-led impeachment effort and Yoon supporters who tried to defend the former leader.
Han Dong-hoon, who leads the reform faction and was ultimately kicked out of the PPP, is among those seeking one of the 14 parliamentary seats in the special elections. Polling shows Han with a narrow advantage over the DP’s Ha Jung-woo, a former Lee adviser on AI, in a Busan race in the nation’s second-largest city in the southeast.
Jeong noted that a Han win might enable anti-Yoon reformers to reorganize and become a new conservative movement in South Korea. However, Choi suggested Han’s victory could deepen conservative divisions as Yoon supporters might feel threatened and become more unified in response.
During congressional testimony on Tuesday, Secretary of State Marco Rubio revealed that America continues negotiating with multiple nations to relocate over 1,000 Afghan allies who supported U.S. military operations, while justifying the current administration’s approval of refugee status for thousands of white South Africans.
Rubio’s appearance before lawmakers occurred over a month following reports from The Associated Press and other news organizations that war-ravaged Congo was being evaluated as a potential destination for the 1,100 Afghans and family members of U.S. military personnel who remain stuck in Qatar for over 12 months.
Advocacy organizations warn that these refugees face only one alternative: returning to Afghanistan where Taliban retaliation awaits them.
During the annual budget hearing, Democratic members of House and Senate panels pressed Rubio about America’s failure to honor commitments to accept hundreds of allies who underwent extensive screening before President Donald Trump issued executive orders in January 2025 restricting asylum and refugee cases.
“We’re obviously operating right now under a directive that prohibits the entry of Afghans into the United States,” Rubio said. Despite the restrictions, he said officials had been “engaging every single day” on this issue and that several countries have already indicated their willingness to take in some of those waiting in limbo.
Rep. Grace Meng, a Democrat from New York, told Rubio that regardless of U.S. immigration policy, Congo would be “a death sentence” for those living at the camp in Doha, including Afghans who served as interpreters and with Special Operations Forces as well as the immediate families of more than 150 active-duty U.S. military members.
The African nation has endured prolonged conflict between government troops and Rwanda-supported insurgents in its eastern territories and currently faces an Ebola epidemic.
“Can we rule out deporting people to conflict zones?” Meng asked Rubio. After some deflection, he responded that he doesn’t think any of the countries being discussed would be conflict zones.
However, he noted that the challenge remains determining how many Afghan refugees each nation will accept.
“I don’t think there’s one country that’s going to take all 1,000, but it has to be countries that are willing to assume some of this responsibility and numbers that are manageable to them, but also places that give more options to these individuals that they would be comfortable going to,” Rubio said.
Discussions between America and cooperative nations, including Botswana and Malaysia, began several months ago, according to Shawn VanDiver, a Navy veteran who heads a coalition that supports Afghan resettlement efforts called #AfghanEvac.
VanDiver and fellow advocacy organizations have criticized the administration’s approach to Afghan allies during the past 18 months, claiming America is abandoning those who fought beside U.S. troops throughout the nation’s longest military conflict.
“These are not strangers. They are the spouses, the children, and the parents of men and women wearing our uniform right now,” VanDiver said in a statement Tuesday. “We told them, with the full faith of the United States, that if they stood with us we would stand with them.”
He added, “That promise did not come with an expiration date, and it did not come with conditions.”
Rubio justified certain restrictions, explaining why Afghans who completed extensive background checks and biometric screening face obstacles while the administration has opened America’s refugee program to Afrikaners — a group of white South Africans descended mainly from Dutch settlers.
“Everything we do has to be geared by the national interest, and it is in our national interest if we are allowing people to enter our country — be people who can quickly assimilate into society and be successful,” Rubio said.
Meng challenged this reasoning, pointing to the substantial Afghan community in her Queens, New York district who have integrated successfully, contributed to society and paid taxes.
“We’ve already assumed a lot of Afghan refugees, as you said, you have them in your district. We’ve already assumed a large number in the past,” Rubio responded.
UNITED NATIONS (AP) — The head of the United Nations has outlined three alternative approaches to continue efforts toward resolving the long-standing conflict between Israel and Lebanon’s Iran-supported Hezbollah fighters once the current 8,100-strong UN peacekeeping operation in southern Lebanon concludes on December 31.
Each proposal submitted to the UN Security Council by Secretary-General Antonio Guterres would maintain UN military oversight of the Israel-Lebanon border, assist Lebanese military forces in expanding their presence nationwide, and enhance diplomatic initiatives to halt the ongoing violence that continues despite an existing ceasefire agreement.
For many years, UN peacekeeping forces have served a crucial function in overseeing security conditions in southern Lebanon, an area where Hezbollah maintains strong influence. In recent months, six peacekeepers have lost their lives.
Following pressure from the United States and its ally Israel, the Security Council unanimously decided in August 2025 to end the peacekeeping operation called UNFIL and directed Guterres to develop alternatives for enforcing a 2006 resolution that concluded a month-long conflict between Israel and Hezbollah.
That resolution calls for Hezbollah to give up its weapons, Israeli military withdrawal, and full deployment of Lebanese army forces as the country’s only armed force. These requirements remain unfulfilled.
In his Monday correspondence to the Security Council, Guterres emphasized that the repeated clashes between Israel and Hezbollah demonstrate the urgent need to enforce the 2006 resolution, which serves as the roadmap to peace.
The secretary-general described UN military oversight of the UN-established border between Israel and Lebanon, called the Blue Line, as “paramount.”
Across all alternatives, he explained, “a uniformed United Nations presence working to facilitate de-escalation, dialogue, liaison and coordination, and support for the Lebanese Armed Forces would be necessary.” The UN military component would work alongside the enhanced UN special coordinator for Lebanon, who would maintain leadership of efforts to implement the 2006 resolution.
Guterres outlined three alternatives for the UN military presence, with personnel numbers ranging from 5,525 down to 1,980, including some unarmed military observers. He noted the largest deployment would be capable “to most credibly observe developments along the length of the Blue Line.”
UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric informed reporters Tuesday that the secretary-general anticipates the Security Council will reach a decision promptly.
Drivers using northbound Interstate 95 should expect delays this morning as construction crews have shut down the right lane along a busy stretch of highway.
The lane closure affects the section of I-95 north between Route 141 and the point where the interstate splits into I-95 and I-495. Transportation officials say the restriction will stay in place until 5 a.m.
Motorists are advised to allow extra time for their commute and use caution when traveling through the work zone.
Federal Reserve Chairman Kevin Warsh has sent a message to the central bank’s more than 20,000 workers outlining his approach as he begins his four-year leadership role, promising to honor “the best of the Fed’s traditions” while examining opportunities for reform.
The internal communication offers insight into Warsh’s strategy as he works to implement what he has called a comprehensive reform plan for a central bank he believes has lost focus on its core mission, while simultaneously rebuilding relationships with staff and colleagues whose previous work he has questioned.
“Our highest priority will be to get policy right in service to our remit and the national interest. We will ensure an environment that supports our people in doing their life’s best work,” Warsh stated in the Tuesday memo that Reuters obtained.
“We won’t rely on past practices when we find better alternatives,” Warsh added. “In the coming quarters, I expect that together we will have open, clear-eyed discussions of Fed strategies, policies, and operations.”
Additionally, Warsh has brought on two conservative policy experts as advisers during his transition into the role, replacing former Fed Chair and current Governor Jerome Powell, according to someone with knowledge of the new chairman’s initial staffing choices. These appointments, initially reported by the Wall Street Journal, are described as temporary consulting roles to assist Warsh in developing his early initiatives as chair.
Daniel Heil serves as a policy fellow at Stanford University’s Hoover Institution, the same organization where Warsh was employed before assuming the Fed chairmanship. Paul Winfree previously worked at the Heritage Foundation and created the Federal Reserve reform section featured in the organization’s disputed Project 2025 conservative reform proposal.
According to the source, both advisers have collaborated with Warsh on various research and writing endeavors over recent years. Through his position at the Hoover Institution and involvement with the Group of Thirty think tank, Warsh has maintained regular publication of speeches and opinion pieces.
Warsh has outlined his vision for Fed changes, including reducing the Fed’s $6.7 trillion balance sheet, providing less specific guidance about future interest rate moves, and exploring whether alternative inflation measurements might better reflect economic price pressures.
During his consideration period for the chairmanship, Warsh frequently criticized the Powell Fed’s policy approach and expressed concerns that the Fed system, including its 12 regional reserve banks, had expanded beyond its monetary policy mandate.
Now at the helm of the institution he previously criticized, Warsh adopted a more encouraging tone in his employee memo.
“This new chapter at the Fed finds us in a time of great consequence for our nation. New technologies and new ways of doing business are arriving with unmatched speed,” Warsh stated. “I could not be more optimistic about all that we can achieve together.”
Warsh’s initial meeting as chair — and likely his first substantial remarks about economic conditions and monetary policy — is scheduled for June 16-17. While the Fed is anticipated to maintain current interest rates, new economic forecasts will indicate policy direction under Warsh’s leadership and reveal whether his colleagues worry that inflation, still above the Fed’s target, might worsen.
His leadership begins under unique circumstances.
The Fed awaits a Supreme Court decision regarding President Donald Trump’s attempt to remove Governor Lisa Cook, viewed as a direct challenge to the Fed’s independence in monetary policy decisions, potentially its most fundamental principle.
Furthermore, Warsh will lead an organization that includes its previous chief, Powell, who chose to retain his position on the Fed’s Board of Governors due to the administration’s attempts to influence the Fed.
OpenAI’s popular ChatGPT application has achieved an unprecedented milestone by becoming the first app to reach 1 billion monthly active users at record speed, new data from market research company Sensor Tower reveals.
This achievement occurs as competition intensifies between OpenAI and Anthropic in the fast-growing artificial intelligence sector.
Key findings from the data include:
• ChatGPT achieved the 1 billion user mark in May, approximately three years following its initial release, beating the timeline previously established by major platforms such as Google Maps, TikTok, Instagram and YouTube, according to Sensor Tower’s analysis.
• Research indicates that American ChatGPT users who downloaded Anthropic’s Claude application during the first quarter of 2026 reduced their ChatGPT usage by 5% within one month of installing Claude, compared to their typical usage over the previous eight months.
• Anthropic submitted confidential paperwork for a U.S. initial public offering on Monday, while Reuters has indicated that OpenAI is similarly preparing to file IPO documents in the near future.
• Current second quarter data shows Claude has accumulated 56 million monthly active users worldwide, with its annual user growth rate of approximately 640% far exceeding ChatGPT’s 62% growth rate, Sensor Tower reported.
The New York Yankees will be without their team captain and star outfielder Aaron Judge, who is listed as day-to-day due to a bone bruise affecting his upper right rib.
This marks Judge’s first absence from the lineup this season as the Yankees kick off their homestand Tuesday facing the Cleveland Guardians. Jose Caballero will take over duties in right field during Judge’s absence.
Manager Aaron Boone explained to reporters before the game that Judge had been experiencing persistent right shoulder discomfort for several weeks, prompting medical imaging. The tests revealed a bone bruise on his rib, which doctors determined was the source of the shoulder pain Judge had been experiencing.
The three-time American League MVP currently shares the team’s home run leadership with Ben Rice, both having hit 17 long balls this season. Judge’s 2024 statistics also include 10 doubles, 38 RBIs and five stolen bases, though he’s batting .248 across 59 games. This batting average represents his lowest performance since his rookie season in 2016, when he hit .179 over 27 games.
Judge brings an impressive resume to the Yankees, having earned All-Star recognition in each of the past five seasons and seven times throughout his career. Over his time with the team, he has maintained a .291 batting average while accumulating 385 home runs, 868 RBIs, 213 doubles and 70 stolen bases across 1,204 games.
Jalen Brunson’s quest in these NBA Finals extends beyond pursuing a championship trophy.
A title victory could establish him among the greatest players to ever wear a New York Knicks uniform while securing his place in the city’s sports legend status.
Despite only four seasons with the team, he has already made his mark throughout the franchise record books for an organization that spans all 80 NBA seasons. His playoff scoring total ranks third in team history. Since Brunson joined in 2022, the Knicks have reached the postseason each year, a stark contrast to winning just one playoff series in the previous two decades.
The team now finds itself in the NBA Finals for the first time since 1999, seeking their first championship since 1973.
Patrick Ewing, Walt Frazier and Willis Reed are commonly considered the franchise’s greatest players in various orders. Should Brunson guide the Knicks to victory, he could potentially claim the top spot among them.
“Well, right now a lot of people say he’s the greatest Knick ever because of getting them to the finals and obviously if he wins a championship,” Frazier said. “So I don’t think he’s the greatest Knick ever — I always say it’s Willis, and Willis said it’s Patrick, and Patrick says it’s Patrick. So he would definitely be on Mount Rushmore. We’ll put him up there if he can bring this title.”
Brunson’s postseason scoring average of 26.9 points exceeds his regular season mark of 26 per game. The Eastern Conference finals MVP is creating history simply by reaching the finals, as he and his father, Rick, a Knicks assistant who played for them in 1999 when Jalen was just shy of 3 years old, will become the first father-son duo to play in the finals for the same franchise.
These achievements weren’t anticipated when Brunson joined New York. This situation differs from Victor Wembanyama’s arrival in San Antonio from France as the No. 1 draft selection, a 7-foot-4 talent whose skills clearly suggested potential greatness.
Standing at 6-2 without apparent explosive athleticism, Brunson’s path led him to become only a second-round selection in 2018 despite being a two-time NCAA champion and college player of the year at Villanova. He joined Dallas alongside Luka Doncic, and observing the Slovenian star’s natural ability caused Brunson to reflect on his own capabilities.
“It made me kind of question myself to see how hard I actually had to work to be in the position I wanted to be,” he said.
He primarily served as a reserve during his four Dallas seasons before the Knicks invested over $100 million to acquire him. This decision ranks among their finest ever — and considering Brunson’s New York performance at that price for a now consistent All-Star, it represents one of the greatest free agent signings in league history.
With only two NBA championships in franchise history, the decades-long wait for a third title means Brunson could easily join New York sports legends like Joe Namath, Derek Jeter or Reggie Jackson, figures still celebrated throughout the five boroughs years after their victories, if he captures one championship now.
Achieving this goal would confirm the second-team All-NBA selection as a genuine superstar. However, the reverse scenario remains possible. Should Brunson falter against the Spurs’ strong defensive guards and the Knicks fall short, critics will quickly argue the team requires additional talent because Brunson lacks true superstar qualities.
“I mean, I don’t really care what people say, so at the end of the day I’m not going to base my judgment or evaluation of him as a player off people that never played the game and just never been in that situation,” teammate and close friend Josh Hart said. “So I know he doesn’t really care about it, I don’t really care about it. At the end of the day those quote-unquote people are irrelevant.”
Throughout New York, Brunson’s influence is unmistakable. Mets slugger Juan Soto hit a home run and performed the hand gesture Brunson uses to celebrate a 3-pointer. Jets coach Aaron Glenn said the impact the captain has on the club is evident.
“I mean, you can tell that the leadership, the fight, everybody follows that, and it’s easy to follow that,” Glenn said. “He’s a guy, and I continue to say this, that leadership really comes down to one word and that’s ‘influence.’ You really see the influence that he has, and it’s not always verbal. It’s a lot of just what he does and how he operates.”
While Brunson avoids seeking attention and lacks the flashy presence of Frazier, the stylish “Clyde” famous for his vibrant wardrobe, a championship would place him in the same exclusive group, offering enduring rewards.
“I can’t walk the street, it’s like I’m in a parade. Anywhere I go people are like, ‘Oh, there he is, there’s Clyde! There’s Clyde!’” Frazier said. “So if these guys win another title — man, I can’t spend money now in New York. I’ll never have to spend money again in this city.
“And that’s what I want to show the players. Hey man, I’ve been doing this for 50 years. Fifty years just for winning two titles! So you guys can have it if you just win one title.”
NEW YORK — New York Yankees star Aaron Judge will be absent from Tuesday’s starting lineup in the matchup against Cleveland due to a bone bruise in his upper right rib that’s causing discomfort in his right shoulder, with the possibility of missing several games.
“He’s been kind of the last couple of weeks kind of dealing with some shoulder soreness, just kind of more nagging,” manager Aaron Boone explained before the series opener against the Guardians. “Then over the weekend, the last couple of games in Sacramento, I think it became a little more than just that, where I noticed with some swings and stuff. It became a little more than just nagging. I think it was affecting him.”
According to Boone, medical examinations conducted during Monday’s off day uncovered the bruise, and Judge was set to consult with a team physician later on Tuesday.
The slugger is currently batting .248 with 17 home runs and 38 RBIs. The three-time AL MVP has managed just one home run over his past 18 contests since May 10 and broke an 11-game drought without a homer or RBI by delivering a walk-off, two-run blast in the ninth inning that secured a 2-0 victory over Tampa Bay on May 24.
Prior to that Tampa Bay game, Judge was mired in a 1-for-24 cold streak that had pushed his batting average down to .246. He had gone hitless through 15 at-bats before connecting for a single in the opening frame.
“I think probably something that’s been affecting him a little bit here recently, especially this weekend,” Boone noted. “So, hopefully, it is something that we just get calmed down here and put it behind us.”
Last season, Judge captured the batting crown with a career-best .331 average along with 53 homers and 114 RBIs across 152 games. He was sidelined for 10 games from July 26 through August 4 due to a flexor strain in his right elbow suffered during a throw home on July 22 in Toronto. He received a plasma-rich injection and avoided offseason surgery, though he didn’t return to outfield duties until September 5.
During Judge’s injury absence last year, Giancarlo Stanton covered 17 games in the outfield. Stanton has been unavailable since April 24 with a strained right calf.
For Tuesday’s game, José Caballero got his 22nd career start in right field and third since joining the team from Tampa Bay in the July 31 trade.
Judge had been in the starting lineup for 52 of New York’s initial 59 games in right field. Rookie Spencer Jones made four right field starts before being sent down on May 23, while Cody Bellinger has started two games there.
WASHINGTON — The president attempted to establish a settlement fund worth nearly $1.8 billion that could have benefited his supporters while resolving a lawsuit he brought against the federal government, claiming he “gave up a lot of money in allowing” the arrangement.
Following significant criticism from Congress and legal challenges, acting Attorney General Todd Blanche informed legislators Tuesday that the administration was abandoning the fund proposal. This development could revive the original lawsuit and maintain the possibility of future financial gain for the president.
The current administration has not hesitated to leverage the presidency for personal financial advantage, spanning merchandise sales to cryptocurrency investments to expensive political gatherings at properties owned by the president.
When questioned about potential self-dealing, the White House dismissed such concerns as “the same, tired narrative that Democrats have pushed against President Trump, his family, and his administration for a decade.”
“President Trump only acts in the best interests of the American public — which is why they overwhelmingly re-elected him to this office, despite years of lies and false accusations against him and his businesses from the fake news media,” spokesperson Anna Kelly said in a statement. “There are no conflicts of interest.”
Several notable examples illustrate how the president has generated financial benefits for himself, his family members and associates during his current term:
The previous year, the president filed a compensation claim demanding $230 million from the Justice Department following an FBI search of his Mar-a-Lago property in Florida during an investigation into potential classified document violations.
This January, the president, his two oldest sons and the family business, the Trump Organization, initiated a $10 billion legal action against the IRS and Treasury Department after a former IRS employee illegally disclosed the president’s tax information.
To settle these disputes, the administration proposed distributing $1.776 billion in public money to individuals claiming they faced politically motivated prosecution by previous administrations — including supporters who were jailed for assaulting law enforcement during the 2021 Capitol breach.
After receiving criticism from some Republican lawmakers, the Justice Department announced it would honor a court order temporarily halting the fund. Blanche provided clearer confirmation Tuesday, telling a House committee that, “We’re not moving forward with the fund.”
However, another aspect of the agreement allowing the government to cease ongoing IRS audits of the president and relatives received less attention. Blanche confirmed the Justice Department was maintaining that portion of the arrangement.
Additionally, the Air Force has committed to buying interceptor drones from Powerus, a Florida company with family connections. ProPublica also revealed that White House intervention preceded the Pentagon’s decision to provide $620 million in loans to Vulcan Elements, a North Carolina startup associated with Donald Trump Jr.
Trump Organization spokesperson Kimberly Benza rejected claims of ethical conflicts between the White House and family business operations.
“The Trump Organization operates completely separate from the presidency and is in full compliance with all ethics and conflict-of-interest laws,” Benza stated.
Regarding Powerus, Benza explained that Eric Trump was “a passive investor in a vehicle that, among many others, holds an interest” in the company, but wasn’t involved in its decision-making or management.
The president has engaged in stock and bond trading at levels unprecedented for a current U.S. president.
Office of Government Ethics records indicate the president completed over 3,600 stock transactions during the first quarter of 2026 alone — deals worth more than $100 million combined.
Numerous transactions included substantial purchases of technology and artificial intelligence company shares like Nvidia, Dell, Oracle and Palantir before administrative policy decisions that benefited these corporations.
Previous year’s filings reveal the president acquired over $300 million in bonds from various companies, states and local governments while repeatedly urging the Federal Reserve to reduce interest rates — a policy change that could increase his investment values.
The president’s family has generated substantial cryptocurrency profits since the reelection. A primary factor has been the $TRUMP meme coin, announced one day before taking office. Approximately 220 major investors received invitations to a private presidential reception.
The family also controls World Liberty Financial, a cryptocurrency company co-founded with the president’s special envoy Steve Witkoff and managed by his son Zach. The firm operates its own stablecoin, USD1, and received significant support when a United Arab Emirates-linked investment fund purchased a major stake before the inauguration.
MGX, an Abu Dhabi government-backed investment company, later committed to using $2 billion worth of USD1 to buy into Binance, the world’s largest cryptocurrency platform — a transaction that further strengthened World Liberty Financial.
Outside digital ventures, numerous companies pay licensing fees to use the president’s name on physical merchandise, including Bibles, guitars and sneakers as well as watches, fragrances and a gold-colored cellphone.
The president has advertised many such items on social media, especially during his 2024 campaign, and they have also appeared prominently at the White House.
During visits from French President Emmanuel Macron and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy last summer, the president showed them a merchandise room adjacent to the Oval Office filled with items sold on his website. Months later, video surfaced of the president at the White House spraying Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa with bottles of his “Victory 47” cologne and perfume, which he presented as gifts.
The president placed hats reading “Trump 2028” on the Resolute Desk during meetings with congressional Democrats last year. During a televised Cabinet session in May, red hats commemorating America’s 250th anniversary were positioned at every seat.
Each hat retails for $55 on the president’s website.
The Republican National Committee and various political organizations connected to the president and GOP have conducted fundraising events at Mar-a-Lago, plus the president’s Bedminster, New Jersey estate and golf facilities in Doral, Florida, and Sterling, Virginia.
The LIV Golf league, managed by the Saudi Public Investment Fund under Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s leadership, has organized tournaments at Doral. The president will host the G20 summit there in November.
This arrangement means world leaders, staff members, business leaders, media representatives and numerous other participants will pay the Trump Organization, which bought Doral in 2012, for attendance. The president has attempted to address self-dealing criticism regarding the summit, stating that government participants will be charged “at-cost” and “We will not make any money on it.”
Qatar provided the president with a $400 million aircraft he plans to use as Air Force One, then house at his presidential library after leaving office. The aircraft has received extensive taxpayer-funded modifications and security enhancements that legislators estimate may cost over $1 billion.
The president has also commissioned numerous renovation projects designed to establish his legacy in Washington while transferring expenses to taxpayers.
He previously claimed wealthy donors would fund the $400 million ballroom he built after demolishing the White House’s East Wing — only to later request $1 billion in federal money for security improvements he says military and Secret Service officials requested for the project.
Public funding of at least $15 million is supporting a ceremonial arch construction. The National Park Service is also paying a contractor $13.1 million to complete the president-ordered renovation of the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool.
MUSCATINE, Iowa — A school district leader in Iowa has confirmed that two students and two staff members were among the six people killed in a deadly family shooting that occurred Monday, with authorities saying a family member carried out the attack.
The gunman, identified as 52-year-old Ryan Willis McFarland from Muscatine, ended his own life when law enforcement officers confronted him later that same day, officials reported.
Muscatine Community School District Superintendent Clint Christopher chose not to reveal the identities, ages, or grade levels of the two students who were killed.
Christopher informed the school community that along with the two students, two district staff members also lost their lives in the tragedy.
“Our hearts are broken for the family members, friends, colleagues, classmates, and all those affected by this unimaginable loss,” Christopher said.
The school district made counseling services available to students on Tuesday.
During a short press briefing, Muscatine Police Chief Anthony Kies announced he would provide additional victim information, including their ages, at a Tuesday evening vigil. He did not reveal what motivated the shootings or describe how the events occurred.
“We just need the community to understand that the most powerful piece for us to move forward is to continue to love each other through this,” he said, his voice breaking with emotion.
Law enforcement discovered four victims at a residence in Muscatine. The community has approximately 24,000 residents and sits roughly 50 miles southeast of Cedar Rapids.
Police later located McFarland on a city trail, where he took his own life while officers were speaking with him, according to Kies.
Two additional men, also believed to be McFarland’s relatives, were subsequently found shot to death at separate locations within the city. One victim was discovered at his residence, while the other was found deceased inside a local business.
Authorities have verified that McFarland had previous criminal charges, though they have not provided specific information about his record.
According to James Alan Fox, a criminologist at Northeastern University who oversees a mass killing database maintained by The Associated Press and USA Today with Northeastern, the Iowa incident marks the sixth family mass killing this year. A seventh occurred near Buffalo, NY, also on Monday. Mass killings are classified as events where four or more people die within 24 hours, excluding the perpetrator. Thirteen mass killings have occurred nationwide so far this year.
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. There is also an online chat at 988lifeline.org.
A retired New York state trooper began serving a prison sentence Tuesday after being handed 2½ to 7½ years behind bars for his involvement in a fatal high-speed pursuit that resulted in the death of an 11-year-old girl.
Christopher Baldner, age 47 and a resident of Catskill, was immediately taken into custody following his sentencing in Ulster County, located approximately 84 miles north of New York City.
In March, Baldner was found guilty of manslaughter in connection with the December 2020 death of Monica Goods, 11, who was a passenger in the SUV involved in the crash. A jury had previously cleared him of murder and reckless endangerment charges.
Prosecutors alleged that Baldner struck the family’s SUV twice while on the New York State Thruway, which caused the vehicle to spin out of control and overturn. Defense attorneys for Baldner claimed the collision happened when the SUV moved in front of the trooper’s vehicle as he drove alongside it during the chase.
The incident began when Baldner stopped Monica Good’s father, Tristin Goods, for driving over the speed limit on the highway near Kingston shortly before midnight on December 22, 2020. Goods was traveling north from New York City with his wife and two daughters to see relatives.
An altercation broke out between Baldner and Goods, during which the trooper used pepper spray inside the family’s vehicle. Goods then fled the scene, prompting Baldner to give chase.
Defense lawyers for Baldner maintained that Goods struck the trooper’s vehicle twice during the pursuit. A crash reconstruction specialist testifying for the defense stated that Goods lost control of his SUV when he oversteered following “a very minor impact.”
Baldner ended his career with the state police in 2022 after serving nearly two decades with the force.
A violent kidnapping attempt on a tree-lined Connecticut street during summer 2024 has unraveled into a complex case involving a massive cryptocurrency theft and a California man who dubbed himself a crypto ‘Godfather.’
The shocking incident occurred when attackers forced a couple out of their Lamborghini SUV in broad daylight, assaulted them, and dragged them into a van. Multiple bystanders witnessed the attack, including an off-duty FBI agent who was driving by, prompting immediate police calls.
What investigators discovered next was extraordinary.
The violent kidnapping was connected to a $245 million Bitcoin theft that had occurred the previous month, targeting the victims’ son. This week, a 25-year-old California cryptocurrency executive who law enforcement says went by ‘The Godfather’ confessed to planning the kidnapping in an attempt to obtain part of the son’s stolen digital fortune.
Adam Iza entered a guilty plea Monday to conspiracy to interfere with commerce by robbery. Federal prosecutors are requesting a minimum 14-year prison sentence when he appears for sentencing.
Iza’s attorney, William Paetzold, did not return Tuesday phone calls and emails requesting comment.
This case represents part of a growing global pattern where cryptocurrency crimes escalate into physical violence.
According to an FBI affidavit, one month prior to the kidnapping attempt, one of Iza’s alleged partners had a confrontation with the couple’s son, Veer Chetal, at a Miami nightclub. The man, James Schwab, subsequently instructed an associate to rob Chetal and his companions at their Miami rental property, authorities stated. Whether this robbery occurred remains unclear.
Schwab’s legal representatives did not respond to phone messages requesting comment.
The Bitcoin theft followed shortly after. Several weeks following the nightclub altercation, Chetal and two additional men developed a sophisticated online fraud scheme where they posed as technical support representatives for Google and a cryptocurrency platform. They successfully stole 4,100 Bitcoins — valued at approximately $245 million during that period — from a Washington, D.C., resident, according to legal filings.
Following the theft, the three men spent extravagantly, purchasing millions of dollars worth of vehicles, designer clothes, expensive jewelry, luxury rental properties, and financing nightclub celebrations before their arrests, prosecutors stated. Chetal entered a guilty plea last November and is awaiting sentencing, while his two co-defendants have entered not guilty pleas.
Meanwhile, Iza and Schwab developed a plan to kidnap Chetal’s parents as leverage to obtain portions of his stolen wealth, the FBI reported, based on information from informants. Schwab and Iza’s brother, Saif Faiq, also face charges related to the kidnapping plot and have entered not guilty pleas.
They enlisted six additional men for the Connecticut operation, covering their transportation and accommodation costs, authorities reported. One week following the Bitcoin theft, the group conducted surveillance on Chetal’s parents hours before executing the kidnapping, court records indicate.
Sushil and Radhika Chetal were traveling in the Lamborghini on Aug. 25, 2024, near Danbury High School when another vehicle struck them from behind. A white van then blocked the SUV’s path while several men encircled them, police reported.
The attackers dragged the Chetals from the SUV and forced them into their van, striking Sushil Chetal with a baseball bat and pulling Radhika Chetal by her hair. The couple were restrained with duct tape as the van departed, according to legal documents.
Following witness reports to police, officers quickly located the van and initiated a pursuit. The van ultimately crashed and four men exited and attempted to escape on foot but were captured shortly afterward. The remaining two men were later discovered at a residence the group had rented in a neighboring town. The Chetals received hospital treatment and were released.
The six men, all Florida residents, have entered guilty pleas in connection with the kidnapping. Two have received 11-year prison sentences while the others await sentencing.
Prior to Iza’s arrest in the Connecticut case, he was being investigated by federal authorities in California for extorting money and assets from victims in Los Angeles and other locations, court records indicate. He was charged in that case one month after the kidnapping and subsequently pleaded guilty.
Iza, who also used the name Ahmed Faiq, resided in a mansion in Los Angeles’ Bel Air neighborhood, adopting ‘The Godfather’ persona while operating a crypto trading business called Zort. While stealing millions of dollars and moving it through shell companies, Iza spent lavishly on luxury vehicles and other extravagances, including cosmetic surgery to lengthen his legs, prosecutors stated.
Starting in August 2021, Iza paid approximately $100,000 monthly for personal security services to a private firm established by a Los Angeles County sheriff’s deputy that also employed other deputies, prosecutors reported.
Iza, authorities stated, employed off-duty deputies as enforcers against individuals involved in personal and business conflicts. He utilized the deputies for extortion, intimidation, arranging false arrests, and manipulating legal processes, prosecutors reported.
The deputies accessed law enforcement databases to gather information about Iza’s adversaries and secured search warrants using false information, authorities stated. During one incident, two deputies held a victim at gunpoint inside Iza’s residence, coercing the victim to transfer $25,000 to Iza’s bank account, prosecutors reported.
When he entered his guilty plea in that case in January, Iza also confessed to stealing more than $37 million through fraudulent access to business manager accounts of Meta Platforms, owner of Facebook, and their credit lines from 2020 to 2022. He awaits sentencing after pleading guilty to wire fraud, conspiracy against rights and tax evasion.
His California attorney, Josef Sadat, declined to comment Tuesday.
Several deputies also face charges in the investigation.
An Australian investment firm announced Tuesday it has reached an agreement to divest its majority ownership in a Brazilian agricultural port terminal company to a United Arab Emirates-based operator for $835 million.
Macquarie Group revealed that its asset management division, along with Brazil’s IG4 Capital, will transfer controlling ownership of Corredor Logística e Infraestrutura S.A (CLI) to AD Ports Group in the massive deal.
Key aspects of the transaction include:
• CLI’s leadership structure will remain intact following the sale, with Gabriel Motta continuing in his role as CEO, according to Macquarie’s announcement.
• For AD Ports, this acquisition marks their biggest purchase to date and will allow the company to establish direct shipping connections between Brazil and both Khalifa Port and Abu Dhabi Food Hub, the UAE-based ports operator stated.
• CLI, headquartered in Sao Paulo, runs Brazil’s top sugar export facility along with a major terminal for corn and soybean exports, AD Ports noted.
• The agreement involves Macquarie Asset Management operating through Macquarie Infrastructure Partners V and IG4 Capital through its Private Equity Fund II, and requires approval from regulatory and antitrust authorities.
Fernando Lohmann, who leads Macquarie Asset Management’s Brazil operations, commented on the deal: “As a long-term investor in the country, Macquarie remains committed to acting as a responsible custodian of essential infrastructure assets that help drive economic development, improve connectivity and support Brazil’s role in global trade.”
When approached for additional information, Macquarie declined to provide complete details about the transaction terms.
