Delaware’s Department of Transportation Secretary Shanté Hastings has named Lilia Montoya as the new Chief Executive Officer of the Delaware Transit Corporation (DTC), with her appointment taking effect July 4, 2026.
Montoya comes to Delaware with over 20 years of senior management experience in public transit systems, including expertise in operations oversight, organizational development, and strategic planning. Her career includes leadership roles with major transportation agencies including North County Transit District, Long Beach Transit, Los Angeles Metro, and the Los Angeles Unified School District.
ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia (AP) — French President Emmanuel Macron wrapped up his African tour on Wednesday with discussions in Ethiopia focusing on the long-debated issue of giving Africa a voice on the U.N. Security Council.
The French leader met with Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed before sitting down with African Union Commission Chairperson Mahamoud Ali Youssouf and U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres to talk about making international governance more inclusive.
According to a meeting summary, the officials “recognized the need for African representation.”
Macron’s African journey took him through Egypt, Kenya and Ethiopia, where he advocated for greater African participation in global institutions like the U.N. Security Council.
Speaking at the Africa Forward Summit, which France and Kenya jointly organized and marked the first time the event was held in an English-speaking nation, Macron acknowledged Africa’s need for permanent council positions.
The summit concluded with a peace and security statement that emphasized “the urgent need for a comprehensive reform of the U.N. Security Council to make it more effective and representative.”
African nations have long pushed for permanent membership based on current global demographics, with continental organizations pointing out that a continent with over 1.4 billion residents lacks permanent decision-making authority.
Guterres stated Wednesday that global affairs would improve with a more inclusive U.N. Security Council.
“A Security Council that today does not represent geographically the realities of the world. We have three European permanent members, one North American and one Asian. No Latin American, no African is obviously a Security Council that has a problem of legitimacy, and that brings with it a problem of effectiveness,” he said.
Following Macron’s meeting with Abiy, officials revealed a new $63.9 million loan agreement to support Ethiopia’s renewable energy initiatives and digital transformation efforts.
At the Africa Forward Summit, Macron announced that French government and private investors would commit $27 billion in funding to promote sustainable development throughout the continent.
A puzzling case has emerged in New York City involving a black Pontiac Trans Am resembling the iconic vehicle from the 1980s television show “Knight Rider” – complete with matching license plates and multiple unpaid traffic violations.
The Volo Museum located near Chicago finds itself at the center of this mystery after receiving a $50 traffic citation from New York City. The ticket claims their Knight Rider replica was traveling 36 mph in a 25 mph zone in Brooklyn on April 22, despite the fact that their display car hasn’t been driven in years.
The citation included traffic camera images of a black Trans Am bearing the California license plate KNIGHT – identical to both the television show’s vehicle and the novelty plate on the museum’s unregistered exhibit car. City records indicate this same plate number is connected to five additional unpaid traffic violations in New York City dating back to late 2024.
The process by which city officials connected the license plate to the Illinois museum remains unclear. City representatives had not responded to requests for comment as of Wednesday.
“The fact that we’re legally tied to a movie prop is interesting,” said Jim Wojdyla, the museum’s marketing director. “We’re known for having our Hollywood cars from TV and movies, but I have no idea how we got registered from a ticket in New York to the plates in California to the Volo Museum in Illinois. We’re still trying to figure it out.”
Museum officials have filed a request for a hearing to contest the citation.
“It’s really amusing,” Wojdyla said. “We want to find out who this Knight Rider guy is because, birds of a feather. We just want to know is this from a museum, is this just a guy that built this car as a hobby? And it looks pretty damn accurate. We’d like to meet those guys.”
The original “Knight Rider” series featured David Hasselhoff as a crime-fighting protagonist and aired on NBC between 1982 and 1986. The show’s star was KITT, the black Trans Am equipped with an artificial intelligence system. (KITT is an acronym for Knight Industries Two Thousand). Approximately 20 vehicles were constructed for production, though Road & Track magazine reports only five originals still exist.
Many replica versions exist today, including the museum’s display model. The Facebook group Knight Rider KITT Car Club, dedicated to replica owners, boasts nearly 19,000 members.
Records from the California Department of Motor Vehicles show that an individual with the surname Knight renewed their registration for the KNIGHT license plate in March.
New York City operates up to 750 speed detection cameras under state authorization. These cameras photograph speeding vehicles and their license plates, with Department of Transportation staff reviewing violations and mailing citations to registered owners when vehicles exceed speed limits by more than 10 mph, according to the city’s website.
The Volo Museum has embraced the unusual situation on social media platforms. They recently updated their Facebook page header to read “Home of the Knight Rider KITT that famously got a speeding ticket in New York City without ever leaving its exhibit in Illinois!”
One of their social media posts reads: “Does anyone have Hasselhoff’s number? He owes us $50!!!!”
NORTH BERGEN, N.J. — More than a hundred years ago, construction crews built the first rail tunnel under the Hudson River linking Manhattan and New Jersey using basic hand tools, digging from opposite ends until they connected underground.
Now, a massive new tunnel project representing one of America’s biggest mass transit undertakings in decades and carrying a $16 billion price tag will employ cutting-edge technology for the job.
Enormous automated drilling equipment stretching nearly 400 feet long and equipped with diamond-hard cutting tools will bore through solid rock formations. Teams of approximately 40 workers will manage conveyor belt systems that remove excavated material while simultaneously installing the tunnel’s curved concrete walls.
“This is a fully automated, underground factory,” said James Starace, chief of program delivery for the Gateway Development Commission, a public agency formed by New York and New Jersey that’s undertaking the tunnel project.
Dressed in protective gear and a bright yellow safety jacket, Starace spoke Tuesday while standing in an excavated area carved into the hillside opposite New York City. Above him loomed a massive rock face where, according to current schedules, trains will enter and exit the completed tunnel by 2035, reducing congestion along the country’s most heavily used passenger railway route.
The specialized boring equipment was shipped “like Lego pieces” from Germany in almost 100 separate parts, explained Hamed Nejad, the project’s chief engineer. Near the planned tunnel opening, welding crews worked with flying sparks to assemble sections of the enormous cutting mechanisms.
Danny Pearlstein, a spokesperson for the transit advocacy group Riders Alliance, said America has grown unaccustomed to building megaprojects at this scale, which has contributed to the cost.
“What’s astonishing about Gateway isn’t the size and scope of the project,” Pearlstein said, “but that it’s taken this long to get only so far.”
The drilling equipment is projected to require roughly 12 months to penetrate the initial section through the New Jersey Palisades, composed of hardened volcanic stone, once excavation begins later this year, Starace noted. Progress is expected at approximately 30 feet daily. Additional machines will tunnel beneath the river bottom.
When completed, the new dual-track tunnel will span almost 2.5 miles (4 kilometers). The existing two-track passage, which suffered saltwater damage during Superstorm Sandy, will undergo restoration.
The large-scale project gained essential approvals and financial backing during the Biden administration, but nearly stalled completely several months ago.
The Trump administration halted funding during the recent federal government shutdown, citing concerns that the project was allocating funds based on diversity, equity and inclusion principles.
With financing nearly exhausted in February, a federal judge commanded the administration to release the money. Funding has resumed while a legal challenge filed by New York and New Jersey against the federal government continues in court.
WASHINGTON – Vice President JD Vance expressed optimism Wednesday about ongoing diplomatic discussions with Iran aimed at ending tensions, despite President Donald Trump’s recent dismissal of Tehran’s most recent offer as inadequate.
Speaking to reporters at the White House, Vance stated his belief that headway is being made in the negotiations. “I think that we are making progress. The fundamental question is do we make enough progress that we satisfy the President’s red line?” Vance explained to the press.
The Vice President outlined the administration’s non-negotiable requirement for any potential agreement. “And the red line is very simple. He needs to feel confident that we put a number of protections in place such that Iran will never have a nuclear weapon,” Vance said.
WASHINGTON, May 13 – Federal aviation safety investigators issued new recommendations Wednesday for enhanced pilot preparation to handle cockpit smoke emergencies, prompted by a frightening incident last year.
The National Transportation Safety Board referenced a 2023 Southwest Airlines Boeing 737-8 flight where the aircraft struck a bird with its left engine, causing smoke to quickly flood the pilot area. The safety board warned that “If such an event occurred at night or in instrument meteorological conditions, the consequences could be catastrophic.”
LONDON – A ceremonial elephant wasn’t part of Wednesday’s State Opening of Parliament in Britain, but a metaphorical one dominated the proceedings as Prime Minister Keir Starmer faced an escalating leadership crisis.
The traditional parliamentary ceremony unfolded against the backdrop of mounting pressure on Starmer to step down, with speculation swirling that a leadership challenge could remove him from office before summer arrives and derail his newly established governmental agenda.
Following significant defeats for his Labour Party in recent local and regional voting, Starmer had endured increasing demands for his resignation and hoped the ceremonial event featuring King Charles would help him regain control and “get on with the job of changing our country for the better.”
CHALLENGING CIRCUMSTANCES FOR THE PM
An already demanding day – requiring Starmer to interact publicly with political adversaries who had been celebrating his difficulties – became more complicated around 1000 GMT when troubling news emerged.
Reports from The Times indicated that Wes Streeting, Starmer’s health minister and considered his most formidable potential challenger, was preparing to step down and initiate a leadership battle.
This development occurred as King Charles, wearing full ceremonial military attire alongside Queen Camilla, was still traveling to parliament in the royal carriage.
Representatives for Streeting declined immediate comment, though they had previously stated he preferred not to overshadow the King’s Speech.
CEREMONY CONTINUES DESPITE TURMOIL
Shortly afterward, Starmer guided a group of legislators from the House of Commons to the House of Lords, participating in the elaborate, time-honored tradition of parliamentary reopening that occurs annually.
During the formal door-knocking portion of the ceremony, one legislator quipped “Not now, Andy,” referencing Andy Burnham, another potential leadership contender who serves as mayor of Greater Manchester and therefore couldn’t participate in the proceedings.
Camera coverage captured the prime minister engaging in awkward conversation with Kemi Badenoch, the Conservative Party’s opposition leader, who had recently suggested on social media that Starmer would be fortunate to remain in office for two weeks, much less two years.
Members of his own party – nearly 25 percent of whom reportedly want his resignation – walked behind him during the procession.
King Charles subsequently delivered remarks prepared by Starmer’s administration, outlining their objectives for the coming year.
The monarch concluded his address by saying: “I pray that the blessing of Almighty God may rest upon your counsels.”
The United States Senate approved Kevin Warsh on Wednesday to serve as the next chairman of the Federal Reserve, clearing the path for the former central bank official to assume leadership of the nation’s monetary policy.
The 56-year-old lawyer and financier will inherit significant economic challenges, including rising inflation pressures and financial markets uncertain about future interest rate policy direction. President Donald Trump has publicly advocated for reduced interest rates, while oil price increases linked to the Iran conflict have shifted investor sentiment toward potential rate hikes before year’s end. The central bank currently maintains short-term borrowing rates between 3.50% and 3.75%.
Tuesday’s Senate action confirmed Warsh for a 14-year Federal Reserve governor position before Wednesday’s chair approval for a four-year leadership term. Final paperwork from the Senate awaits White House approval for his official swearing-in ceremony. Jerome Powell’s chairmanship concludes this Friday.
The incoming chairman has outlined plans for significant changes at the Federal Reserve, describing his approach as “regime change.” His strategy includes strengthening collaboration with the Treasury Department and Trump administration on non-monetary matters while pursuing a reduced balance sheet, which he believes would enable lower policy rates.
Market analysts offered varied perspectives on Warsh’s confirmation:
Ryan Swift, chief U.S. bond strategist at BCA Research in Montreal, expressed concern about inflation expectations. “There is a big risk right now in terms of inflation expectations. If you look at something like a 10-year TIPS breakeven inflation rate, it’s still reasonably well-anchored and consistent with inflation returning to target over time. But it has been rising recently, and it’s certainly near the top end of that range since 2023,” Swift said. He warned that dovish statements from Warsh about rate cuts could destabilize bond markets and inflation expectations.
“Now that he is confirmed he has the job. I’d be pretty surprised if he starts arguing in favor of rate cuts anytime soon. I’d be pretty shocked if he does that, because I would say that’s it’s really hard to build an economic case for that argument,” Swift added.
Phil Blancato, chief market strategist at Osaic in New York, suggested investors view the confirmation as indicating a more inflation-focused Federal Reserve. “Markets are likely viewing Kevin Warsh’s confirmation as signaling a more inflation-focused Fed, given his long-standing criticism that policymakers stayed too loose for too long after the pandemic,” Blancato noted.
He added that Warsh’s leadership might favor reduced market intervention and a smaller Fed balance sheet, while Powell’s continued board presence could moderate abrupt policy changes. “The bigger market question is whether he governs independently or aligns more closely with White House pressure for lower rates, especially as Trump has publicly pushed for cuts,” Blancato said.
Chris Beauchamp, chief market analyst at IG Group in London, anticipated potential challenges ahead. “It’s going to be entertaining to say the least If Warsh has to end up raising rates at some point this year,” Beauchamp observed, noting that inflation data is putting officials on notice about returning price pressures.
Jim Baird, chief investment officer at Plante Moran Financial Advisors in Michigan, emphasized the complex environment Warsh faces. “As incoming chairman Warsh rolls up his sleeves to get to work, he has some challenges ahead of him. He’s not coming into a placid environment,” Baird said, highlighting inflation and employment balance challenges.
Baird noted that many inflation factors cannot be addressed simply through rate increases. “Raising rates isn’t going to lower global oil prices. You’ve got energy costs. You’ve got tariffs and the impact of a relatively tight labor market,” he explained.
Paul Nolte, senior wealth advisor at Murphy & Sylvest Wealth Management in Illinois, emphasized the importance of Warsh’s future actions over past statements. “The confirmation and the confirmation hearings are always interesting theater. I’m going to be a lot more interested to see what he has to say once he goes through the first meeting in June and has a press conference,” Nolte said.
Despite Warsh’s historically hawkish positions on balance sheet reduction and quantitative easing, Nolte believes he will follow economic data in making decisions. “I truly believe he is going to be, as many Fed governors, following the data,” he concluded.
Merger and acquisition activity in America’s upstream oil and gas industry reached $38 billion during the first quarter of this year, representing the strongest quarterly performance in two years, according to analytics firm Enverus announced Wednesday.
The surge was driven largely by the completion of a major merger between shale producer Devon and smaller competitor Coterra, which finalized their combination last week after revealing their consolidation plans in February. The transaction carried a $25 billion price tag and represented the majority of first-quarter deal activity.
The two energy companies have operations spanning several shale formations, including assets in the Delaware section of the Permian Basin across Texas and New Mexico, as well as Oklahoma’s Anadarko Basin.
Transaction activity experienced a significant decline in March as oil price fluctuations intensified following strikes by U.S. and Israeli forces against Iran in February, which sparked wider Middle East tensions and disrupted maritime traffic through the Strait of Hormuz.
From the conflict’s beginning on February 28, international Brent crude benchmark prices have fluctuated dramatically between a floor of $77.74 per barrel and a peak of $118.35.
Despite the March slowdown, elevated oil prices are expected to fuel renewed dealmaking by allowing more private exploration and production firms to pursue sales opportunities while supporting ongoing industry consolidation, Enverus reported.
“The market entered a temporary holding pattern as volatility clouded the outlook for oil prices, but the case for higher-for-longer oil prices is strengthening and creating the setup for an M&A rebound,” stated Andrew Dittmar, principal analyst at Enverus Intelligence Research.
“We are likely heading into another tsunami of consolidation as higher oil prices supercharge both private companies going to market and public E&P appetite for deals, both corporate consolidation and private asset sales,” he continued.
Additional significant transactions included Mitsubishi’s acquisition of Aethon Energy for $7.6 billion, representing the Japanese company’s largest transaction to date as it works to enhance its natural gas supply operations.
The latest federal agricultural statistics show positive trends in the United States poultry sector, with increases reported in both egg setting and chick placement activities.
According to new data from the National Agricultural Statistics Service, the number of broiler-type eggs placed for hatching across the country rose by 2 percent during the reporting period.
Meanwhile, the placement of broiler-type chicks throughout the United States increased by 3 percent, indicating continued growth in poultry production operations nationwide.
These figures reflect the ongoing activity within America’s commercial poultry industry, which supplies chicken meat to consumers across the country.
NEW YORK — The New York Islanders’ Matthew Schaefer has captured the Calder Trophy as the NHL’s top rookie, earning every first-place vote in the process.
The NHL presented him with the honor on Wednesday.
Schaefer, who was selected first overall in the draft, emerged as the leading candidate for the award almost immediately after his first game on opening night in Pittsburgh. The defenseman netted 23 goals, matching Brian Leetch’s milestone for most goals by a first-year defenseman, while accumulating 59 total points.
The 18-year-old emerged as the centerpiece of the Islanders organization and contributed to their postseason bid, though the team came up short during the final weeks of the regular season. He captured all 198 first-place votes for the Calder Trophy.
Ivan Demidov from Montreal finished as the runner-up, while Anaheim’s Bennett Sennecke claimed third place in the balloting conducted by the Professional Hockey Writers Association.
A rare triangular-shaped diamond weighing 5.5 carats has shattered auction records after selling for more than 13.5 million Swiss francs ($17.3 million) at a Geneva sale on Wednesday, according to Christie’s auction house.
Known as the “Ocean Dream,” the extraordinary gem was described as the largest fancy vivid blue-green diamond known to exist. The stone, which originated from Central Africa during the 1990s, commanded a record-breaking price for its category at auction.
The final sale price significantly exceeded Christie’s pre-auction projections of 7-10 million francs (approximately $9-13 million). According to Rahul Kadakia, president of Christie’s Asia Pacific, an unnamed private collector purchased the diamond after about 20 minutes of bidding, suggesting strong buyer interest.
The Wednesday sale represents more than double the approximately $8.5 million the same gem commanded when Christie’s previously sold it in 2014. The diamond had been showcased at the Smithsonian Splendour of Diamonds Exhibition in 2003 among other exceptional colored stones.
“A stellar result worthy of the world’s rarest blue-green diamond,” commented Tobias Kormind, managing director of online jeweler 77 Diamonds.
Meanwhile, a competing auction at Sotheby’s on Tuesday failed to find a buyer for a six-carat fancy vivid blue diamond from South Africa’s renowned Cullinan mine. The stone had been expected to sell for between 7.2 million and 9.6 million francs ($9.2 million to $12.3 million).
“Although the diamond didn’t find a buyer during the auction, we are now in conversations with several interested parties and are confident that it will find a new home soon,” Sotheby’s stated.
According to both auction houses, collectors are showing growing interest in rare colored diamonds, which represent only a small percentage of diamonds extracted worldwide.
JERUSALEM (AP) — The office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced Wednesday that the leader conducted a covert trip to the United Arab Emirates while the Iran conflict was underway.
During his time there, Netanyahu held discussions with UAE President Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, according to a statement from the Israeli leader’s office. The statement indicated that the trip “resulted in a historic breakthrough in relations between Israel and the United Arab Emirates.”
This disclosure follows Tuesday’s revelation by U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee that Israel had provided Iron Dome air-defense systems to the UAE, complete with Israeli personnel to manage their operation.
UAE officials have not issued any statement regarding the alleged visit from the Israeli Prime Minister.
Environmental advocates believe the anticipated shutdown of an immigration detention facility located in Florida’s Everglades within the coming month or two is strategically timed, coinciding with their legal challenge returning to a federal judge who had previously mandated its closure.
Last month, a federal appeals court ruled to temporarily maintain operations at the detention facility known as “Alligator Alcatraz,” overturning a lower court ruling that had ordered the facility to cease operations. However, the case has been returned to the original district judge who will now oversee the ongoing legal proceedings regarding the facility’s future.
“Knowing that the same district judge who previously enjoined the operation would soon reassume oversight — the defendants are now effectively waving the white flag,” said Paul Schwiep, an attorney for the environmental groups that had sued, saying the facility’s construction hadn’t undergone a required environmental review.
During questioning about the state-operated facility and its expenses on Wednesday, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis stated he had not received any “official word” that federal authorities plan to cease sending detainees to the center.
However, suppliers and contractors working with the facility have been informed that operations could end as early as next month, according to Tuesday reports from The New York Times and CBS News Miami. The Florida Department of Emergency Management, which oversees the detention center, did not respond to email requests for comment on Wednesday. The Republican governor’s press secretary, Molly Best, directed facility-related questions to the state emergency management agency.
“We didn’t build any permanent facilities down there because we knew it was going to be temporary,” DeSantis said Wednesday at a news conference in Titusville, Florida.
The facility was established by DeSantis’ administration last July to assist with immigration enforcement efforts under the administration of President Donald Trump, who toured the detention center during the summer. Legal representation for two detainees has alleged that guards subjected detainees to severe beatings and pepper spray attacks. Additional detainees have reported finding worms in meals, non-functioning toilets, and widespread presence of mosquitoes and other insects.
“This monument to cruelty, waste and environmental and tribal lands abuse should have never been built,” U.S. Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz, a Democrat from Florida, said Tuesday.
Friends of the Everglades and the Center for Biological Diversity filed suit against state and federal officials shortly after the facility began operations, arguing that the remote airstrip location in the Everglades did not receive proper environmental assessment mandated by federal law before being converted into an immigration detention center. U.S. District Judge Kathleen Williams in Miami sided with the plaintiffs and ruled in August that the facility must cease operations within two months.
The appeals court halted that ruling, determining that the Florida-operated facility was not under federal jurisdiction and therefore exempt from federal environmental impact assessment requirements.
However, the appellate court specified that once Florida receives federal reimbursement for the facility, it would need to follow federal environmental regulations, Schwiep explained.
DeSantis announced Tuesday that the state anticipates receiving $608 million in federal reimbursement, which FEMA has already approved.
The Delaware Department of State has confirmed that Dr. Annie Norman will be stepping down from her leadership role with the state’s library system.
Norman has served as the head of the Delaware Division of Libraries since taking the position in 2002, marking more than two decades of service to the state’s public library network.
The announcement of her retirement was made public by state officials, though specific details about her departure date and succession plans were not immediately provided.
WASHINGTON — Senate Republicans once more prevented Democratic war powers legislation from advancing on Wednesday, though opposition to President Donald Trump’s military conflict with Iran continues expanding within GOP ranks.
Alaska’s Republican Sen. Lisa Murkowski cast her first vote opposing the war since hostilities commenced in late February. She joined two other GOP senators, Susan Collins of Maine and Rand Paul of Kentucky, who had previously voted against the military action.
The war powers measure fell short by a 49-50 margin, with Pennsylvania’s Sen. John Fetterman serving as the lone Democrat in opposition. Despite the defeat, the narrow vote count demonstrates mounting Republican concerns about the conflict’s direction, with multiple GOP senators indicating they want congressional input on the war’s trajectory.
Virginia Democratic Sen. Tim Kaine, who has led his party’s strategy of repeatedly forcing war votes, predicted before the tally: “There will be a day — and it might be soon, I believe — where this Senate will say to the president, ‘Stop this war.’”
While Senate passage remains unlikely, and House approval plus a Trump veto would certainly follow, Democrats maintain these votes create political pressure for the president to either end the conflict or seek proper congressional war authorization.
The White House continues asserting it requires no congressional approval for the military campaign and has bypassed legal mandates requiring legislative consent to maintain operations. Administration officials claim they have “terminated” Iranian hostilities by entering a ceasefire arrangement.
This stance has generated friction between the Republican-led Congress and the executive branch, as the 1973 War Powers Resolution mandates presidents obtain legislative authorization within 60 days of military engagement.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth informed legislators this week that renewed attacks on Iran could commence without seeking congressional approval. During Tuesday’s hearing, he told Murkowski the Trump administration possesses “all the authorities necessary.”
Murkowski expressed doubt about this position, referencing deployed military personnel and naval vessels in the region while stating: “It doesn’t appear that hostilities have ended.”
Republican leadership maintains support for the Iranian military action, contending that the Strait of Hormuz standoff blocking commercial shipping creates greater economic hardship for Iran than America.
“Iran’s economy is on life support. Its leadership is eliminated,” declared Sen. John Barrasso, the second-ranking Republican leader, during Wednesday’s floor remarks.
Barrasso also characterized Democratic war efforts as attempts to undermine Trump, arguing that pressing the issue during his China summit visit would “pull out the rug from under him.”
Nevertheless, Republicans show growing concern about elevated fuel costs, particularly with November elections approaching.
South Dakota Republican Sen. Mike Rounds said Wednesday he would prefer both government branches resolve constitutional questions through cooperation rather than congressional war votes or court challenges.
Both sides should meet and acknowledge “we have shared constitutional responsibilities,” Rounds explained.
Democrats intend to continue weekly war powers votes while seeking Trump restrictions during upcoming military authorization and funding legislation debates.
Oregon Democratic Sen. Jeff Merkley, who sponsored Wednesday’s resolution, told reporters he observes an “erosion of support, erosion of enthusiasm, an increase in skepticism” regarding the war among Republicans.
Scientists have made a remarkable discovery that challenges our understanding of ancient human relatives. A Neanderthal tooth found in a Siberian cave shows clear evidence of dental surgery performed approximately 59,000 years ago – tens of thousands of years before modern humans began similar procedures.
The ancient molar, discovered at Chagyrskaya Cave in Russia’s Altai Mountains, belonged to a Neanderthal who suffered from severe tooth pain caused by a deep cavity. Rather than endure the agony, someone deliberately drilled into the tooth using a small stone tool to remove the decay and provide relief.
According to archaeologist Ksenia Kolobova of the Institute of Archaeology and Ethnography of the Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, this represents the earliest-known example of invasive dental surgery. Her team published their findings Wednesday in the journal PLOS One.
“This is important because it proves Neanderthals possessed sophisticated cognitive abilities, including planning, precise motor skills and deliberate medical strategy, challenging the outdated view that such complex behavior was exclusive to modern humans,” Kolobova said.
The procedure would have required significant skill and understanding. “The procedure required diagnosing the source of pain, understanding that removing decayed tissue could bring relief, deliberately selecting an appropriate stone tool and executing precise drilling with controlled finger movements,” Kolobova explained.
Researchers determined the surgery was intentional by examining the tooth’s central hole, which extends into the pulp chamber where nerves and blood vessels were located. The hole’s distinctive shape and microscopic markings indicate deliberate modification rather than accidental damage. Evidence of continued wear suggests the individual lived for an extended period after the procedure.
To confirm their theory, scientists conducted experiments on modern human teeth using stone tools similar to those found in the same cave. They successfully recreated holes with identical patterns and microscopic grooves.
The tooth belonged to an adult Neanderthal, though researchers cannot determine the individual’s gender. Study lead author Alisa Zubova of the Peter the Great Museum of Anthropology and Ethnography in St. Petersburg noted that the treatment approach aligns with modern understanding of treating deep cavities.
“This is consistent with modern understanding of the treatment of deep carious lesions,” Zubova said.
Previously, the oldest evidence of dental surgery was a modern human tooth from Italy dating to about 14,000 years ago, making this Neanderthal discovery significantly older.
The cave site has yielded a wealth of information about Neanderthal life. These ancient relatives of modern humans occupied Chagyrskaya Cave between roughly 59,000 and 49,000 years ago, using it as a base camp for processing bison and horse meat, as well as a living space where they raised children.
Study co-author Lydia Zotkina, a traceologist at the Institute of Archaeology and Ethnography, emphasized the remarkable endurance required for such a procedure.
“It seems to me that this is also evidence of astonishing willpower. Do you know many people who could perform such an operation without anesthesia or special equipment? Or those who could endure it themselves? Every time I think about this, I am filled with admiration,” Zotkina said.
The drilling covered nearly the entire chewing surface of the molar. Experimental testing showed that a rotating or hand-drilling motion with a small stone tool would have been most effective. Zotkina conducted her experiments using a jasper tool, similar to those discovered in the cave from the Neanderthal period.
Researchers also found evidence that Neanderthals, including this individual, used toothpicks to clean food from their teeth, suggesting regular dental hygiene practices.
The discovery adds to growing evidence that Neanderthals were intelligent beings who created art, used complex hunting strategies, developed symbolic objects, and communicated through spoken language. These robust relatives of modern humans, characterized by larger brows and stronger builds, vanished approximately 40,000 years ago, though most people today carry traces of their DNA due to ancient interbreeding.
Scientists speculate that the drilled cavity might have been filled with a substance like wax, though no such evidence remains.
Louisiana authorities have reached a tentative $4.8 million agreement with relatives of Ronald Greene, an unarmed Black man who lost his life during a brutal encounter with law enforcement officers in May 2019, according to state police and news reports.
Authorities originally claimed Greene died while operating his vehicle, but body camera video released in 2021 showed white officers striking Greene while he was handcuffed after he crashed his vehicle following a high-speed pursuit. The footage also captured officers dragging him along the pavement by his shackled ankles and using stun guns on him while he pleaded, “I’m scared.”
Greene’s death contributed to nationwide discussions about police violence, particularly against Black men, which ultimately sparked “Black Lives Matter” demonstrations throughout the United States and around the globe in 2020.
The settlement amount was disclosed Tuesday evening by the Associated Press, which cited two sources familiar with the agreement.
Louisiana State Police stated they were “unable to discuss the terms of the settlement at this time, as the process has not yet been finalized,” according to spokesperson Lieutenant Kate Stegall in a Wednesday email.
A lawyer representing Greene’s family did not return phone calls or respond to email requests for comment.
A grand jury brought charges against five Louisiana law enforcement officers in 2022 on counts including negligent homicide and malfeasance related to Greene’s death, though those charges were subsequently reduced.
In January 2025, just before President Joe Biden’s term ended, the Justice Department informed Greene’s family they would not pursue federal criminal charges in the matter.
During that same period, the department issued a report stating “Greene’s death and its aftermath demonstrated serious failures at LSP — excessive force, improper supervision, ineffective training, and breakdowns in accountability.”
The report noted that police had implemented some positive reforms following Greene’s death, but recommended additional changes including enhanced training, specifically focusing on less aggressive tactics before resorting to force.
The technology company Broadcom announced Wednesday it has taken European Union competition authorities to court, challenging their demands for confidential legal documents from the firm’s American attorneys.
The lawsuit, filed with the General Court in Luxembourg, which serves as Europe’s second-highest judicial body, centers on an ongoing investigation related to VMware, a company Broadcom purchased in 2023.
In a statement sent via email, Broadcom described the legal action as a procedural measure designed to safeguard its rights. “This filing is a procedural action solely to protect Broadcom’s rights under the long-recognized rules on legal professional privilege in non-EU countries, including the U.S.,” the company explained.
The firm emphasized its stance on attorney-client confidentiality, stating: “As a U.S.-headquartered company with global operations, Broadcom regards legal professional privilege as a fundamental right that must be protected and our action is narrowly tailored to address only this interest.” The company noted it continues to work with the European Commission on other information requests.
Attorney-client privilege serves to shield private conversations between legal counsel and clients when those discussions involve seeking or providing legal guidance. However, the application of these protections differs across various legal systems.
Within the European Union, such protections extend only to conversations between companies and outside legal counsel, excluding communications with internal attorneys.
The European Commission, which serves as the EU’s competition enforcement body, indicated its willingness to defend its actions in court proceedings.
Earlier this year in March, lobbying organization CISPE filed an EU competition complaint against Broadcom, urging regulators to halt the company’s decision to discontinue its VMware Cloud Service Provider programme across Europe.
CISPE, representing nearly 50 member organizations throughout Europe and including Microsoft and Amazon as associate participants, has previously challenged the Commission in court over its approval of the VMware acquisition. The group criticized Broadcom’s current legal challenge.
“Broadcom cannot demand complete disclosure from CISPE members affected by its practices while simultaneously maintaining opacity around its own internal communications and relevant evidence in the ongoing anti-trust investigation,” the organization stated.
Mexico’s national oil company Pemex announced Wednesday that an employee who was hurt in a refinery blast has died from his injuries. The worker passed away Tuesday night while being transported to receive medical treatment, according to a company statement.
According to Mexican publication Milenio, the Pemex employee Victor Hugo Lopez Matus sustained severe third-degree burns across 80% of his body when an explosion occurred in the cooling tower at the Hidros II facility, based on medical documentation.
The oil company’s official statement did not verify the worker’s name. Pemex has not yet responded to requests for additional information.
On Monday night, Pemex acknowledged that flames erupted in a cooling tower within the 325,000-barrel-per-day facility located at the Port of Salina Cruz in Oaxaca, stating the blaze had been completely put out.
The corporation reported that six individuals sustained injuries and were transported for hospital care.
Mexico’s state-owned oil enterprise was compelled to temporarily halt operations at the refinery following Monday’s fire incident, based on information from a knowledgeable source and industry tracking service IIR Energy.
Salisbury, MD – City officials in Salisbury are advancing plans for a recreational enhancement project at Lake Street Park designed to provide residents with improved opportunities for safe outdoor activities in their neighborhood.
The initiative, funded by federal Community Development Block Grant Coronavirus (CDBG-CV) money, will feature a walking path that circles the park’s border following the current fence perimeter. This dedicated route will serve walkers, runners and others seeking outdoor recreation. The plan also calls for installing eight fitness stations positioned along the pathway, each equipped with benches to offer spots for workouts, relaxation and community gathering. The design allows Salisbury citizens to access outdoor exercise equipment while keeping appropriate social distance.
Officials anticipate the work will wrap up by May’s conclusion, depending on weather conditions.
Installing outdoor fitness gear delivers cost-free and easily reachable exercise options right into the community, eliminating obstacles to healthy activities for people across all age groups. The equipment is planned to promote physical activity and regular park usage without needing transportation or gym membership.
“This project is an investment in the health, wellness and quality of life of this neighborhood and our community as a whole. We are proud to continue investing in projects that strengthen our neighborhoods and expand recreational opportunities throughout Salisbury,” said Mayor Randy Taylor.
The Lake Street Trail Project demonstrates the City’s ongoing commitment to enhancing neighborhood parks and community areas that boost residents’ quality of life, promote active lifestyles and create opportunities for meaningful community connections.
Summer break doesn’t have to mean putting books aside! The Delaware Farm Bureau Women’s Committee has launched an initiative encouraging young readers to cultivate their love of literature during the warmer months while building essential literacy skills and finding excitement in storytelling.
Through this summer program, youngsters can receive complimentary ice cream from the Delaware Farm Bureau food stand at the Delaware State Fair simply by completing 10 books during their vacation.
Children from Pre-K through eighth grade are eligible to join by finishing 10 books throughout the summer months, filling out the designated Reading Challenge document, and turning it in either at the Delaware Farm Bureau food stand during the state fair or directly to the organization’s main office before August 1, 2026. Those who successfully finish the program will be rewarded with a single scoop of ice cream from the food stand at the fair.
The Delaware Farm Bureau Women’s Committee remains committed to community support, particularly focusing on young people. Annually, the group operates the organization’s food stand during the Delaware State Fair, using the revenue to fund their yearly scholarship awards and additional youth programs.
“We wanted to create something that makes reading exciting and rewarding for kids,” said Mollie Lynch, Chair of the DEFB Women’s Committee. “There’s nothing better than finishing a great book and celebrating with a scoop of ice cream at the Fair.”
The Delaware Farm Bureau food stand will operate from noon until 11:00 p.m. on July 23, then continue daily from 7:00 a.m. through 11:00 p.m. from July 24 until August 1.
Challenge forms can be downloaded from https://defb.org/summer-reading-challenge/, or printed versions are available for pickup at the Delaware Farm Bureau main office at 3457 S. Dupont Hwy, Camden, DE 19934.
Those with questions regarding the Reading Challenge may reach out to Delaware Farm Bureau Women’s Committee Chair Mollie Lynch at [email protected] or contact the main office at 302-697-3183.
Nearly 30,000 United Airlines flight attendants voted Tuesday to approve a groundbreaking five-year labor agreement that delivers their first salary increases in six years and establishes boarding compensation for pre-flight duties.
The contract provides an average 31% salary boost this summer, boarding compensation worth an additional 7% to 8% annually, and $741 million in back pay, the Association of Flight Attendants announced.
“The contract will immediately change the lives of United Flight Attendants, especially our thousands of new hires who have been hired since the pandemic,” said Ken Diaz, president of the union’s United chapter. “Our solidarity delivered the goods.”
Additional benefits include enhanced job protection, limitations on overnight flights, compensation for extended delays exceeding 2.5 hours, increased retirement contributions, 10 weeks of paid parental leave, and elimination of 24-hour standby reserve duty.
United CEO Scott Kirby and union representatives describe the mediated agreement as establishing new industry standards.
“The United Airlines Flight Attendant contract now leads the industry in total value for Flight Attendants — and it should,” said Sara Nelson, president of the AFA, which represents more than 55,000 flight attendants across 20 airlines.
Kirby praised the agreement on LinkedIn, stating United is “lucky to have the best flight attendants in the world to represent our airline!”
“I am very happy that they now have the industry-leading contract that they deserve,” he said.
Historically, airlines did not compensate flight attendants during passenger boarding, despite crew members helping travelers, managing seating conflicts, handling baggage issues, performing safety inspections, and preparing cabins for takeoff.
Delta Air Lines pioneered boarding compensation among U.S. carriers in 2022, with American Airlines and Alaska Airlines following suit.
The boarding pay issue gained international attention last August when approximately 10,000 Air Canada flight attendants staged a walkout, forcing the cancellation of over 3,100 flights. The strike concluded with an agreement that included passenger boarding compensation.
WASHINGTON — Foreign soccer fans holding World Cup tickets will no longer need to post bonds of up to $15,000 to enter the United States, according to a State Department announcement made to The Associated Press Wednesday.
Last year, the department established bond requirements for visitors from nations with elevated visa overstay rates and security concerns as part of stricter immigration enforcement. Citizens from 50 countries must pay these bonds, including five World Cup participants: Algeria, Cabo Verde, Côte d’Ivoire, Senegal and Tunisia.
Assistant Secretary of State for Consular Affairs Mora Namdar stated, “The United States is excited to organize the biggest and best FIFA World Cup in history. We are waiving visa bonds for qualified fans who bought World Cup tickets” and enrolled in the FIFA Pass system for expedited visa processing as of April 15.
This represents an uncommon relaxation of immigration policies under the current administration and will reduce travel obstacles for some visitors attending the tournament, which kicks off June 11 across the United States, Canada and Mexico.
Team athletes, coaching staff and certain personnel were already excluded from bond payments under previous directives prioritizing World Cup visa processing. Regular ticket holders had remained subject to the requirement until this week’s announcement.
The current administration has implemented significant immigration restrictions that opponents argue conflict with the inclusive spirit typically associated with international sporting competitions like the World Cup.
Travel prohibitions affect visitors from Iran and Haiti, though World Cup team members and support staff receive exemptions. Partial restrictions under an expanded travel ban also impact travelers from qualifying nations Côte d’Ivoire and Senegal.
Additional requirements now mandate foreign visitors provide social media account histories, while Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents have been stationed at airports during recent Transportation Security Administration staffing issues.
These policies led Amnesty International and numerous U.S. civil rights organizations to publish a “World Cup travel advisory” cautioning visitors about the current U.S. environment.
A recent report from the primary U.S. hotel industry advocacy group attributed “significantly suppressed international demand” to visa obstacles and geopolitical tensions, resulting in tournament hotel reservations well below original projections.
The American Hotel & Lodging Association cited traveler concerns about extended visa processing times, higher fees, and uncertainty surrounding entry procedures.
The bond system aims to address visa overstays by requiring payments of $5,000, $10,000 or $15,000 from designated countries. Funds are returned when travelers follow visa terms or if applications are rejected.
By early April, approximately 250 World Cup fans were estimated to be impacted by the bond requirement, according to unnamed U.S. officials. However, they noted this figure fluctuates as ticket sales continue and some purchasers decide against traveling.
FIFA had formally requested the exemption, which required approval from both the State Department and Department of Homeland Security following months of discussions at the White House and throughout Washington, officials confirmed.
Professional basketball officials are whistling approximately 11% more personal fouls per game during this year’s postseason compared to the regular season, creating a gap that ranks among the most significant in league history.
According to the NBA, this increase is completely normal.
Despite ongoing criticism from players and coaches that surfaces every postseason, the league’s senior vice president of referee development and training openly admits there’s a clear distinction between regular-season and playoff basketball — something everyone in the organization would agree with.
However, Monty McCutchen maintains that officiating principles remain unchanged during the playoffs.
“It would be very difficult on our players, on our coaches, most certainly on our referees, if the intensity of a seven-game series that we see in the playoffs exhibited itself over 82 games,” McCutchen said at the NBA draft combine. “NBA playoff basketball is one of the great spectacles of all sport in my opinion. You get the combination of the passion and strength of our players and coaching staffs in tight spaces over seven-game series. And I think that that absolutely makes for a different game.”
With postseason stakes elevated, every moment receives heightened examination and tempers naturally flare.
— San Antonio star Victor Wembanyama received an ejection from a playoff contest this week for elbowing Minnesota’s Naz Reid, prompting Spurs coach Mitch Johnson to note his 7-foot-4 player constantly faces excessive physical contact that eventually forces a response. “At some level, you have to protect yourself,” Johnson said. “Every single play on every single part of the floor, people are trying to impose their physicality on him. I get it. We get it. That’s part of the game.”
— Austin Reaves and the Los Angeles Lakers conducted an unplanned discussion at center court with officials following a playoff defeat in Oklahoma City to express their concerns.
— Cleveland coach Kenny Atkinson noted that Cavs star guard Donovan Mitchell rarely reached the free-throw line during Games 1 and 2 against Detroit; Mitchell attempted 11 free throws total in those contests (both Cleveland defeats) but averaged 11.5 attempts in the following two games (both Cleveland victories). This observation prompted Pistons coach J.B. Bickerstaff to respond after Game 4.
These represent just a few instances.
“Standing up for your team is a job descriptor of an NBA head coach and most certainly I don’t begrudge a head coach the desire to represent for himself, his team, most certainly his players,” McCutchen said. “That’s part of the voice of an NBA head coach that I have an understanding of. My job is to take those commentaries and decide or see what is true and what is avocation. And now, even if it is true, it’s very important that I’m not putting my foot on the scale of a series.”
Postseason officials — not every referee receives playoff duties, and the group of working officials shrinks after each round based on evaluation — review game footage afterward, identical to regular-season procedures. Every decision undergoes assessment, and McCutchen has repeatedly stated in recent years that the league’s officiating staff continuously works toward improvement.
“We’re not putting our whistles in our pocket,” McCutchen said. “That being said, I think it’s fair to debate, talk about passionately, like many of our fans and people in the media do, about whether that’s the appropriate enough of whistles to blow. But we are trying to meet the moments of the passion of the playoffs in a way that upholds our standards.”
This typically results in additional calls. The NBA has experienced rising foul calls from regular season to playoffs for the 66th occasion in its 80-year existence. This season shows a differential exceeding 10% for just the sixth time in the past 60 years. (The five largest increases in that gap, spanning from 13% to 17%, all occurred between 1949 and 1955.)
McCutchen views the playoffs through this lens: Aggression benefits the game, while roughness does not.
“We don’t like to see ejections,” McCutchen said. “Our goal would be to get through all these games where we meet this right up to the edge of rough and you have this really aggressive, passionate game that is adjudicated and an environment is created in which that environment of aggressiveness is rewarded — because we have the best players in any sport, in my opinion — but that it doesn’t creep over to rough. That’s the goal.”
Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum firmly rejected media reports on Wednesday suggesting the CIA conducted lethal operations within Mexico, claiming the U.S. news outlet was trying to “hurt the government and the people of Mexico.”
The controversy began when CNN published a story Tuesday alleging the CIA helped orchestrate a targeted killing of a Sinaloa cartel member on a highway near Mexico City, sparking intense debate in Mexico. The New York Times subsequently reported that Mexican security forces executed the operation while the CIA offered planning assistance and support.
Sheinbaum dismissed the CNN story as a “lie.” When questioned about The New York Times account during her daily morning briefing, she described it as “a fiction the size of the universe.”
CIA spokesperson Liz Lyons also criticized the CNN coverage, writing on X that “this is false and salacious reporting that serves as nothing more than a PR campaign for the cartels and puts American lives at risk.”
CNN has not yet provided a response to requests for comment.
Unlike her political mentor and former president Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, who frequently targeted journalists during his morning briefings and even publicly exposed personal information of critical reporters, Sheinbaum has adopted a more restrained approach when facing media criticism.
However, the current president has faced multiple controversies involving the United States recently as she works to balance maintaining positive relations with Washington while renegotiating trade agreements and responding to President Donald Trump’s threats regarding cartel enforcement.
Sheinbaum has emphasized Mexico’s independence, though this position faces growing scrutiny.
In the previous month, two CIA operatives died in a vehicle accident alongside Mexican investigators while returning from a counter-narcotics mission in Chihuahua, a northern state. Sheinbaum stated she was unaware of the operation, and both Mexican and U.S. officials provided conflicting information for several days.
One week following that incident, a New York court filed charges against Sinaloa’s governor – a senior member of Sheinbaum’s political party and Lopez Obrador supporter – for drug trafficking and weapons violations, alleging involvement in large-scale illegal drug smuggling into the United States.
Motorists traveling on Smith Bridge Road should expect periodic lane restrictions today as utility crews perform maintenance work along a busy stretch of roadway.
The Delaware Department of Transportation reports that intermittent lane closures are affecting traffic between Ridge Road (also known as Brandywine Creek Road) and Center Meeting Road while utility maintenance operations are underway.
Officials indicate the lane restrictions will continue until 2 PM today. Drivers are advised to allow extra travel time and exercise caution when passing through the work zone area.
Syria and the United Arab Emirates unveiled an ambitious $50 billion economic partnership on Monday, May 11, marking what officials called a pivotal moment in Syria’s rebuilding process and a new era of Arab-led investment in the Eastern Mediterranean region.
The massive investment plan was revealed during the inaugural Syrian-Emirati Investment Forum held in Damascus, featuring a high-ranking UAE delegation headed by Minister of State for Foreign Trade Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi and prominent business leaders, including Eagle Hills founder Mohamed Alabbar.
During the forum’s opening session, Al Zeyoudi detailed the UAE’s strategic vision, stating the initiative seeks to “advance bilateral relations across investment and trade sectors in a manner that serves the shared interests of both countries and their brotherly peoples.” He emphasized to Syrian officials and business leaders that the UAE views “economic integration and direct dialogue remain the optimal path toward sustainable growth.”
Syrian officials welcomed the announcement with enthusiasm. Dr. Mohammad Nidal al-Shaar, Syria’s Minister of Economy and Industry, characterized the forum as “a restoration of trust and natural communication between brothers.” He praised the UAE’s development approach, telling attendees: “What we see in the UAE is the result of genuine effort and vision. We seek to benefit from an experience that turns the impossible into reality.”
Al-Shaar also pledged government backing for the initiative, promising full support for UAE projects and describing modern Syria as “a major investment opportunity and a platform for launching toward the future.”
Alabbar captured significant attention when he revealed Eagle Hills’ plans for extensive urban development and logistics projects worth $50 billion. He told forum participants the region is “undergoing a very major political transformation,” explaining this shift has given investors confidence to commit substantial funding that matches Syria’s historical importance and its people’s hopes.
The comprehensive investment strategy encompasses building modern smart cities in Damascus and Latakia, delivering over 100,000 housing units, plus renovating critical infrastructure including airports in Latakia, Qamishli, and Deir ez-Zor. The overarching objective involves establishing Syria as a logistics center connecting the Arabian Gulf with the Mediterranean Sea.
This forum represents the culmination of Abu Dhabi’s gradual diplomatic approach spanning several years. Political observers highlight Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa’s April visit to the UAE as the crucial political endorsement that enabled major Emirati corporations to move forward with implementation.
The UAE’s Syrian community, numbering approximately 250,000 residents, is playing a vital role as a conduit for expertise and capital transfer. Mahmoud al-Dharawi, deputy head of the Syrian Economic Forum for Development, declared that Syria has become “a major investment opportunity” with the potential to attract long-term strategic partners.
While challenges persist regarding international financing systems and ongoing sanctions impacts, the substantial Emirati presence in Damascus delivers what experts call a clear message: economic considerations may ultimately prevail over political reluctance.
Success of this multi-billion dollar collaboration would extend beyond reconstructing Syria’s physical infrastructure. It could transform the power dynamics throughout the eastern Arab world by positioning economics as the sole reliable foundation for regional stability, proving that development and mutual economic benefits might achieve what years of warfare could not.
As the forum wrapped up, it became evident that Damascus and Abu Dhabi aim to create a new chapter in regional history—one based on the principle that lasting partnerships are built through economic integration and development, potentially restoring Syria’s traditional position as a commercial and investment hub in the Arab world.
The relationship between Syria and the UAE has evolved through multiple significant phases. Dating back to Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan’s leadership, the UAE has supported Syrian development initiatives, while Dubai and Sharjah became important centers for Syrian business communities starting in the 1990s.
Although diplomatic relations cooled following the start of Syria’s civil war in 2011, Abu Dhabi maintained relatively positive ties with Damascus before beginning what observers termed “active engagement” in 2018. This trajectory gained momentum after the catastrophic February 2023 earthquake, when UAE humanitarian assistance became a diplomatic bridge that facilitated Syria’s reintegration—under former President Bashar Assad—into the Arab League.
Current bilateral goals extend well beyond real estate development into strategic logistics cooperation. Forum discussions explored opportunities for investing in and managing airports in Latakia, Qamishli, and Deir ez-Zor, as part of broader efforts to reconnect Syria with international trade networks.
Given the substantial Syrian expatriate community in the UAE, representing approximately 68% of Syria’s educated workforce living abroad according to economic analysts, many experts anticipate this partnership will establish a “human bridge” that could accelerate the return of Syrian knowledge and investment capital.
Supporters of this initiative maintain the project transcends simple reconstruction. They view it as an effort to reshape the political and economic framework of the Arab East through investment-driven stability, providing a model where development and regional collaboration replace conflict as the primary language of the future.
When Alan Bauer lifted his seven-year-old son from a Jerusalem street in March 2002, his only concern was whether the child was still breathing.
A Palestinian suicide bomber had exploded behind them on King George Street. Bauer had been walking home with his son after spending the day at a doctor’s appointment and his office. The explosion hurled him forward, and when he looked back, the boy who had been gripping his hand was nowhere to be seen.
“We were hand in hand a minute ago, a second ago,” Bauer explained to The Media Line. “Anyway, I turn around, and I don’t see him.”
Bauer discovered his son lying face-down on the sidewalk. While both survived the attack, his son sustained severe head trauma that later necessitated emergency surgery and extensive rehabilitation. Bauer suffered shrapnel wounds to his arm. More than twenty years later, this bombing has become central to a renewed legal battle following a federal appeals court’s decision to restore a $655.5 million judgment against the Palestinian Authority (PA) and Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO).
According to Bauer, this case represents more than just financial compensation—it’s about forcing accountability for what he describes as a PA-orchestrated attack conducted not by external groups, but by individuals directly connected to the PA’s security and political structure. “The entire attack was Palestinian Authority people,” Bauer stated. “It wasn’t Hamas, it wasn’t Islamic Jihad. These were people who were formally paid by the Palestinian Authority.”
The affected families initially prevailed in 2015, when a New York jury determined the PA and PLO were responsible and granted $655.5 million in compensation to American families harmed during Second Intifada attacks. However, an appeals court later overturned this decision—not because they disputed the trial evidence, but because they ruled that U.S. courts lacked proper jurisdiction over the PA and PLO.
This situation shifted after Congress modified the relevant legislation and the U.S. Supreme Court validated the new jurisdictional structure. In March, the Second Circuit restored the original judgment, reinstating the $655.5 million award. The victims have yet to receive payment, making enforcement the next phase of their struggle.
Bauer said his legal pursuit began months following the bombing, after reading Israeli media reports based on military charges that revealed the attack’s participants. “The bomber, as I mentioned, was a policeman,” Bauer explained. “The one who sent him was an intelligence agent. The bomb itself actually came from the Intelligence Bureau of the Palestinian Authority.”
He further claimed that prominent Palestinian officials were linked to the attack’s support structure. According to Bauer, Marwan Barghouti provided funding shortly before the bombing. He also alleged that Hussein al-Sheikh, currently a senior PA official, was identified by those involved as having supplied money and weapons and as having authored the al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades’ responsibility letter following the attack.
The legal action was initiated in 2004 representing American families impacted by seven separate attacks. Bauer noted that eleven families were initially included in the lawsuit, though one was removed before trial. Legal discovery didn’t commence until 2014, with the case proceeding to trial the next year. “We won completely,” Bauer said. “All 24 counts, they were found guilty. There was a large judgment, tripled … $655.5 million.”
The victory proved temporary. In 2016, the Second Circuit Court of Appeals overturned the verdict on jurisdictional grounds, determining that U.S. courts lacked authority over the PA and PLO. Bauer said the victims found themselves “lost in space,” not because their evidence was rejected, but because the Palestinian defendants argued they maintained insufficient presence in the United States. “They said the Palestinian Authority is not at home,” he explained. “They don’t have, there’s no jurisdiction over them because they don’t have enough of a presence in the US.”
This jurisdictional challenge moved the case from courtrooms to Congress. Lawmakers initially attempted to address the issue by linking U.S. jurisdiction to the PA’s acceptance of American assistance, but Bauer said the Palestinians circumvented this requirement by declining the funds. Congress then pursued a different approach, targeting the PA’s payments to terrorists who had killed or injured American citizens.
Under this legislation, the PA received 120 days to cease these payments or be considered as having agreed to U.S. jurisdiction. “The law was signed by President Donald Trump, went into 2019, became the law, 120 days passed, and they kept paying the terrorists,” Bauer said. “But they can’t stop paying the terrorists.”
The matter eventually reached the U.S. Supreme Court. Bauer said the Biden administration’s Department of Justice supported the victims, arguing the law was constitutional, while President Trump’s administration maintained this position before the court. The Supreme Court ruled unanimously in favor of the legal framework, returning the case to lower courts. “The Department of Justice under Biden came on our side,” Bauer said. “The Trump administration, they continued being on our side. And the Supreme Court heard our case, with the US arguing with our lawyer, Kent Yalowitz. And we won 9-0.”
When the case returned to the Second Circuit, Bauer said the court faced two options: restore the original verdict or require a new trial. “Either a new trial, which nobody on our side wanted, it would be more flying back and forth, going through the whole process again, or to return the verdict,” he said. “So a month ago, approximately, the Second Circuit, 3-0, they returned the verdict.”
Nitsana Darshan-Leitner, who founded Shurat HaDin, the Israel Law Center, told The Media Line that the restored judgment resulted from a legal battle spanning more than two decades that required both courtroom persistence and legislative changes in Washington. “Now we have a final judgment against the Palestinian Authority for $655 million after 22 years of litigation.
Darshan-Leitner said the PA’s defense claimed that while the attackers may have been on their payroll, they acted independently. “They said, ‘Indeed they were our employees, but they were rogue employees,’” she explained. “‘They did the attacks after work hours. It wasn’t our policy to kill Israelis. We were against killing Jews.’”
However, Darshan-Leitner said this argument failed when confronted with the PA’s continued payments to imprisoned terrorists and attackers’ families. “If they were wrong employees, how do we keep paying their salary until today?” she said, describing her side’s argument to the jury. “You promote them in rank every three years, you pay stipends to the families of the suicide bombers, you call town squares and streets in the name of the suicide bombers. This is not how you treat wrong employees.”
The case now enters the collection phase. Darshan-Leitner said the PA and PLO possess assets and revenue sources that can be pursued, including a PLO mission building in New York, tax revenues held by Israel for the PA, Palestinian bank accounts, and investment funds. “First of all, they do have the money,” she said. “But let’s say they will come and say they don’t have the money. We are going to demand from the State Department to enforce the judgment.”
She indicated the judgment could be paid in installments. “If they cannot pay it all at once, we can do it over payments,” Darshan-Leitner said. “Monthly payments of $20 million a month will not bankrupt the Palestinian Authority. This is what we did in previous cases against the Palestinian Authority.”
Darshan-Leitner said her broader objective extends beyond victim compensation to pressuring systems that finance and incentivize terrorism. “We go after the deep pockets, because we want to, not only to get the money for the victims, but we want to influence,” she said. “I don’t believe you can influence a terrorist that goes with a mission to kill someone.”
Bauer characterized the case in similar terms. He said the years of litigation revealed what he considers a false distinction often drawn in Western diplomacy between Hamas and the Palestinian Authority. “One of the canards of the Intifada was ‘Hamas is bad and the Palestinian Authority is good,’” Bauer said. “‘The Hamas guys, they’re crazy. They’re murderers. They’re exploding terrorists. The PA, they want peace.’ And unfortunately, nothing could be further from the truth.”
He said while the PA and Hamas have different structures and ideologies, both have employed violence against Israelis and Jews. “They’re both terrorist organizations,” Bauer said. “Each has its own goals. Sometimes they work together. Sometimes they hate each other.”
For Bauer, the issue remains relevant because several Palestinian figures connected in his view to Second Intifada violence continue to be treated internationally as political leaders. He specifically mentioned Barghouti, whose release has been demanded by supporters who present him as a future Palestinian leader. “He’s never said, ‘I will never be involved in another terror attack,’” Bauer said. “‘I apologize to all those whom I harmed.’”
The case also reveals a complex record of U.S. government involvement. Bauer said Congress consistently supported terror victims and the Justice Department eventually backed the plaintiffs before the Supreme Court. However, he strongly criticized the State Department, claiming it repeatedly prioritized PA stability over enforcing judgments for American victims.
“The Congress always was very supportive,” Bauer said. “The laws were passed. President Trump signed them. The Department of Justice has always been very supportive of terror victims and anything to help hold terror groups responsible. The Department of State has, let’s say, been more reticent on the good times, actually opposed to us and the bad times.”
The Palestinian Authority has claimed in recent years that it has modified or eliminated its formal prisoner payment program. Darshan-Leitner said courts should not accept this assertion without evidence. “In my current cases, they come and say we canceled the law, we don’t have this policy anymore, but the court doesn’t take their word,” she said. “The court asks them to prove that they don’t pay the terrorists.”
When asked whether they continue making payments, she responded: “Yes, yes, yes, they keep paying.”
She said new cases filed after October 7 will directly test these claims, because the PA will need to demonstrate whether its payment system has genuinely changed or whether it has simply been rebranded as welfare or social assistance. This question has evolved beyond a legal dispute—it addresses whether the PA can still be presented internationally as a reformed governing entity while victims argue in court that its own structures rewarded the violence that harmed them.
For Bauer, the judgment follows a personal journey that began with survival, not litigation. In the weeks following the bombing, his family’s priority was simply getting through each day. His son was initially blind and unable to move his left side, Bauer said, though his sight and movement eventually returned. The boy underwent physical therapy, hydrotherapy, electrotherapy, and other rehabilitation treatments. “Thank God his vision came back, as did his motion on his left side,” Bauer said. “This day, over 20 years later, he still limps a little bit.”
Bauer himself authored a memoir the year following the bombing, describing how the attack lasted only seconds but transformed every aspect of family life. In the interview, he expressed it more simply. “At that point, we started a completely new life,” he said. “Up to that point, we had one life. And that ended. You close the book, seal it.”
Now, after 22 years in court, Bauer said the verdict gives the law “teeth,” particularly for American victims harmed overseas. “You can’t hold al-Qaida. Al-Qaida has no representative,” he said. “But something like the Palestinian Authority that specifically does have an office in New York with the UN, they have facilities also in Washington. They can’t run away anymore.”
The PA and PLO may still pursue additional review. But Bauer said the plaintiffs have already endured the trial, the appeal, the legislative battle, the Supreme Court, and the return to the Second Circuit. “Our lawyer joked for the Supreme Court that our lawsuit could have already gone to law school,” Bauer said. “By the time it reached them.”
For Darshan-Leitner, the restored verdict represents part of a broader legal strategy: follow the money, force institutions to account for attacks they enabled, and treat financial infrastructure as part of terrorism’s machinery. “The one who sent him has to pay,” she said. “I’m not going after the individuals. I want to direct the other one that I want to find responsible.”
For Bauer, the case has returned to where he and the other plaintiffs stood in 2015: with a judgment in hand, but still awaiting payment. After 22 years of litigation, he said the ruling gives the law “teeth.” What remains is whether the Palestinian Authority and PLO will be compelled to pay it.
NEWARK, Del. – The University of Delaware men’s soccer program learned its conference matchups for 2026 as the Summit League released its schedule on Wednesday.
Delaware’s Fightin’ Blue Hens will participate in five Summit League contests during the upcoming season, with the team set to travel for three away matches while hosting two games at Stuart & Suzanne Grant Stadium on campus.
The conference schedule represents a key portion of the Blue Hens’ 2026 campaign as they compete for Summit League honors in men’s soccer.
Motorists traveling on Valley Road are encountering temporary lane restrictions today as construction crews work along a stretch of the roadway.
According to DelDOT, drivers should anticipate intermittent lane closures affecting traffic in both directions between Fitness Way and Brook Run. The construction-related restrictions are expected to remain in place until 5 PM today.
Officials advise drivers to allow extra travel time and exercise caution when navigating through the work zone area.
A California food manufacturer has pulled certain batches of its popular noodle products from store shelves after discovering they may contain traces of peanuts, posing a serious health risk to those with nut allergies.
The Los Angeles-based company Fly By Jing announced the voluntary recall on May 12, 2026, affecting specific production runs of their Creamy Sesame Noodles available in both individual servings and four-packs.
According to the company, the noodle products may have come into contact with peanuts during the manufacturing process, creating a dangerous situation for consumers who suffer from peanut allergies. Such exposure could trigger severe allergic reactions that may be life-threatening.
The recall notice was issued through the Food and Drug Administration as part of standard food safety protocols when potential allergen contamination is discovered.
WASHINGTON — The Department of Health and Human Services faced a deepening leadership crisis this week as multiple top positions remained vacant across the nation’s key health agencies.
At the start of the week, no Senate-confirmed surgeon general was in place. The director of the National Institutes of Health was simultaneously serving as interim leader of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The Food and Drug Administration was operating without a permanent vaccine director after that position was vacated twice within twelve months.
The situation deteriorated further Tuesday when Dr. Marty Makary stepped down from his role as FDA commissioner, creating yet another vacancy at a critical health agency. Makary’s exit has expanded the leadership void that has characterized HHS during Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s time in office.
While government agencies commonly experience delays in filling Senate-confirmed positions, especially when partisan control margins are slim, health experts argue the current level of instability at HHS is extraordinary and troubling given the lack of scientific credentials among remaining leaders.
“It’s a sign that something is not right in this department,” said Dr. Daniel Jernigan, a former senior employee at the CDC.
The leadership problems have been worsened by widespread staff reductions and terminations, along with broader disruptions caused by Kennedy’s health policy initiatives, according to critics.
HHS did not provide an immediate response to requests for comment Wednesday.
Kathleen Hall Jamieson, who directs the Annenberg Public Policy Center at the University of Pennsylvania, noted that most citizens ignore these agencies’ leadership until health emergencies emerge — such as the current hantavirus outbreak. These critical moments offer chances to rebuild public confidence in federal health institutions, which has declined in recent years, she explained.
“The key question for me is, when we need these agencies to speak, will they have the capacity to draw the science together and tell us what we need to know?” Jamieson said.
Makary’s departure from the FDA leaves several important projects incomplete, including ongoing evaluations of ultra-processed foods, artificial food coloring, antidepressant medications, and coronavirus vaccines.
The next permanent FDA leader will face the same difficult challenge that complicated Makary’s time in office: finding balance between traditional Republican anti-regulation views and Kennedy’s anti-corporate agenda, which emphasizes examining ingredients in food products, medications, and vaccines.
The agency is currently developing an unprecedented definition for “ultra-processed foods,” which Kennedy links to increased rates of diabetes, obesity, and other chronic health problems in America. This responsibility now belongs to the FDA’s deputy commissioner for foods, Kyle Diamantas, who recently called the ultra-processed foods project “really hard” during a health conference.
Trump selected Diamantas to serve as interim FDA head. He also works as a senior advisor to Kennedy. As an attorney and associate of Donald Trump Jr., Diamantas becomes the first FDA leader in over fifty years without medical or scientific education.
“Kyle Diamantas now has a nearly impossible charge,” said Dr. Peter Lurie, a former FDA official now at the Center for Science in the Public Interest. “Leading, as a non-scientist, a science-based agency under an unqualified secretary who puts his own medical and nutritional pet peeves over evidence-based public health.”
The administration initially chose former Florida Representative Dr. David Weldon to direct the CDC, but his March 2025 Senate confirmation hearing was abruptly cancelled one hour before it was scheduled to start. Weldon reported being informed that insufficient senators supported his nomination.
The White House then selected Susan Monarez, who received Senate confirmation but was removed after less than thirty days due to policy disagreements with the administration. Several prominent CDC scientific leaders quit in protest, stating that Monarez’s firing eliminated their hopes that a CDC director could protect the agency’s scientific research and health guidance from political interference.
Following her removal, various HHS officials have served in acting director roles. Jay Bhattacharya, who leads the National Institutes of Health, has supervised the CDC since February. Trump recently nominated Dr. Erica Schwartz, a former deputy surgeon general, for the CDC director position, which requires Senate approval.
Current and former CDC staff members report a shortage of experienced public health leadership at the organization and say Kennedy’s staff have restricted and sometimes blocked the agency’s public communication and comprehensive science-based operations.
HHS representatives have stated that the CDC’s essential public health duties have remained “intact and effective” and that organizational changes represent efforts “to restore credibility through transparency, gold standard science, and accountability.”
Jernigan, who resigned last August from a senior CDC role that still lacks a permanent successor, explained that the leadership changes mean there hasn’t been a “strong, present CDC director” to advocate for crucial agency funding, hiring, or keeping qualified scientists.
During the ongoing hantavirus outbreak response, the CDC sent teams to evacuate and isolate potentially exposed Americans, health officials conducted media briefings, and Bhattacharya appeared on Fox News to reassure the public. However, he provided incorrect information and exaggerated what was actually known about the outbreak at that time. Jernigan recommended allowing more career scientists to communicate with the public.
“That will do more for trust and for calming the nerves of the U.S. right now,” he said.
The leadership upheaval occurs as HHS and the White House have redirected attention toward health programs focused on nutrition, lifestyle, and cost reduction in recent months before midterm elections, publicly moving away from Kennedy’s initial efforts to weaken vaccine recommendations.
Although Kennedy initially celebrated having authority to select his own deputy officials, the administration’s recent appointments suggest that the health secretary’s close supporters may no longer be prioritized.
For instance, last month, after withdrawing a surgeon general candidate connected to Kennedy’s Make America Healthy Again campaign, Trump nominated radiologist and former Fox News contributor Dr. Nicole Saphier. She has promoted vaccines more strongly than Kennedy and has sometimes called current HHS actions “embarrassing.” Her nomination requires Senate confirmation.
Despite the leadership chaos creating uncertainty within federal health agencies, Kennedy has maintained a high profile as their collective spokesperson. This concerns Jernigan, who believes Kennedy doesn’t always prioritize the strongest scientific evidence in his decisions.
“The driver for the secretary is the ideology,” Jernigan said. “And that’s not a strategy for really improving the health of Americans.”
Israeli police fatally shot a Palestinian father of four who was trying to scale the concrete wall dividing the West Bank from Jerusalem in search of employment opportunities, Palestinian officials reported.
Palestinian health officials and the Red Crescent named the victim as 44-year-old Zakaria Qatusa from Deir Qadis, located approximately 13 miles northwest of where Tuesday night’s fatal shooting occurred in Al-Ram, a West Bank community adjacent to the barrier.
Israeli police have not yet provided a response to requests for comment regarding the deadly incident. Qatusa’s funeral took place Wednesday.
According to his brother Khalid Qatusa, the deceased man was attempting to cross into Israel to find work to support his family. “He was forced to resort to this method as there was no other opportunity to meet the needs of his household and live a dignified life. This was the only way,” Khalid Qatusa explained. “He was neither an aggressor nor a threat.”
Growing numbers of West Bank Palestinians have been attempting unauthorized border crossings to seek employment in Israel in recent years. Prior to the current Israel-Hamas conflict, thousands of Palestinians possessed legal work permits for Israel, but these authorizations were severely curtailed following the Hamas-led assault on southern Israel on October 7, 2023.
The restrictions have led to skyrocketing joblessness and economic hardship throughout the West Bank, where employment opportunities have become scarce. Similar fatal shootings have occurred at this same barrier location where Al-Ram meets Beit Hanina, a neighborhood in east Jerusalem.
United Nations humanitarian coordination officials report that Israeli forces or settlers have killed at least 47 Palestinians as of May 11.
Medical specialists examining Nobel Peace Prize winner Narges Mohammadi have determined she requires extensive medical treatment following her collapse inside an Iranian detention facility more than a week ago, according to her foundation’s announcement Wednesday.
Recent angiography testing revealed severe blockages in two major arteries, with her vascular condition showing marked deterioration compared to similar testing conducted in 2024, the foundation reported.
The 53-year-old activist lost consciousness and was rushed from the prison facility to a hospital in northwestern Iran on May 1. Following her release on bail approximately 10 days afterward, she was moved to a Tehran medical facility where her regular physicians conducted thorough examinations.
Medical staff noted that her blood pressure remains unstable, partially attributed to injury affecting the brain region that controls such bodily functions.
Healthcare providers have prescribed an eight-month treatment regimen in a setting “free from external stressors, where she can receive permanent care and long-term treatment.”
Both her foundation and numerous Nobel Prize recipients worldwide have demanded Mohammadi’s complete and immediate release. The prominent human rights and women’s rights activist received the Nobel Prize in 2023 while incarcerated and has faced multiple imprisonments during her advocacy work.
Her current detention started in December following her arrest in Mashhad, located in northeastern Iran.
Family members report her physical condition had been declining while imprisoned, worsened by severe physical assault during her arrest. She experienced cardiac arrest in March and continues managing a pulmonary blood clot that predates her imprisonment, requiring blood-thinning medication and constant medical supervision.
KYIV, Ukraine — Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s former top aide finds himself at the center of a significant corruption investigation, as anti-corruption agencies have officially designated Andrii Yermak as a suspect in a massive financial scheme.
Ukraine’s National Anti-Corruption Bureau and the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office have formally accused Yermak of participating in a money-laundering operation worth 460 million hryvnia, equivalent to approximately $10.5 million.
Officials clarified that President Zelenskyy himself is not considered a suspect in this investigation.
This development falls just short of filing formal charges against Yermak, who stepped down from his position in November. During his tenure, he served as Ukraine’s primary representative in negotiations with the United States and departed amid a scandal that posed the most serious challenge to Zelenskyy’s administration since Russia’s military offensive began.
Yermak has maintained a polarizing presence in Ukrainian politics. While leading Zelenskyy’s presidential office, he held significant authority within the administration, overseeing diplomatic relations with America and other Western nations, and even exploring potential cease-fire arrangements with Russia.
His formal involvement in this investigation draws the probe nearer to Zelenskyy himself, raising questions about the president’s knowledge and possible participation. A Ukrainian court conducted the initial hearing on Tuesday, with proceedings continuing throughout the week.
The relationship between Yermak and Zelenskyy dates back more than 15 years, when Yermak worked as an attorney expanding into television production while Zelenskyy gained fame as a Ukrainian entertainer and performer.
Initially handling international relations for Zelenskyy’s first presidential team, Yermak received a promotion to chief of staff in February 2020. This role positioned him as the nation’s second-most powerful official, often serving as the president’s primary advisor and gatekeeper. Political observers widely credit him with selecting key government officials, including prime ministers and cabinet members.
Zelenskyy placed considerable confidence in Yermak, bringing him along on all international travels following Russia’s February 2022 invasion. When the corruption allegations surfaced in late 2025, Zelenskyy initially withstood significant public demands to remove Yermak from his position.
The allegations against Yermak involve money laundering connected to an upscale construction development near Kyiv. His legal representative has dismissed the suspicion notice as baseless and rejected claims of Yermak’s participation in any illegal activities.
Anti-corruption investigators contend that the development served as a vehicle for laundering funds through multiple shell companies. They assert that Yermak and his associates intended to build four private estates along with additional luxury amenities.
At Tuesday’s initial court appearance, Yermak maintained his innocence regarding the accusations and stated that his possessions consist of “only one apartment and one car.”
This case represents one component of a larger investigation that anti-corruption agencies disclosed last year.
The broader $100 million bribery operation involved officials and associates within Zelenskyy’s circle and became public knowledge in November, triggering Yermak’s exit from the presidential administration.
The investigation revealed high-level officials demanding contractors pay kickbacks of up to 15% in return for construction contracts with Energoatom, the government-owned nuclear power company. The probe included more than 1,000 hours of recorded conversations featuring individuals using coded language.
Following the scheme’s public exposure, Ukraine’s parliament supported Zelenskyy’s decision to remove the energy and justice ministers. His administration imposed sanctions on close associates allegedly connected to the operation, including Tymur Mindich, a business partner in a media production company that Zelenskyy partially owned before assuming the presidency. Reports indicate Mindich has left the country.
Prosecutors have yet to determine whether any funds Yermak allegedly laundered originated from the Energoatom operation.
While not directly connected to the investigation, the probe and the involvement of a trusted ally and former chief of staff could potentially damage Zelenskyy’s reputation.
Widespread corruption remains a significant barrier preventing Ukraine’s European Union membership, which Zelenskyy actively pursues alongside continued Western assistance in countering Russia’s invasion.
The investigation has also affected current officials participating in peace discussions with the United States. Rustem Umerov, who leads Ukraine’s National Security and Defense Council and plays a crucial role in American-led diplomatic initiatives, has faced questioning as part of the probe.
Zelenskyy’s presidential term technically concluded in May 2024, but he has remained in office without conducting elections, arguing they cannot occur while Russia controls approximately one-fifth of Ukrainian territory.
His opponents argue that strengthening credibility with Ukraine’s Western partners is equally crucial, as their assistance remains essential for the military campaign and future conflict resolution negotiations.
French health officials have quarantined more than 1,700 passengers and crew members aboard a British cruise ship docked in Bordeaux after dozens fell ill with stomach-related symptoms.
Regional authorities banned anyone from leaving the vessel Ambition after nearly 50 passengers developed signs of acute digestive illness, according to a Wednesday announcement from French officials.
The cruise ship, operated by Ambassador Cruise Line, had arrived at the French port Tuesday night during what was supposed to be a two-week voyage that began in Belfast and Liverpool, with planned stops along Spain’s northern coast and France’s Atlantic shoreline.
Étienne Guyot, the regional prefect for Nouvelle-Aquitaine and Gironde, halted all passenger departures and limited the ship’s contact with Bordeaux port facilities following guidance from local health authorities.
The ship’s captain notified French officials Tuesday evening after passengers began showing symptoms, prompting immediate action from health agencies.
Medical personnel aboard the vessel have been treating the sick passengers, who have been quarantined in their individual rooms while awaiting further evaluation.
A specialized medical team was sent to examine the situation, and biological samples have been sent to a Bordeaux medical facility for testing to determine the exact cause of the illness.
French authorities emphasized that this incident has no connection to a recent deadly hantavirus outbreak on a different cruise ship.
“There is no reason to establish a link between this outbreak aboard a cruise ship from Belfast and Liverpool and the hantavirus cases detected aboard the MV Hondius,” officials stated in their announcement.
The hantavirus situation on the Hondius vessel last month resulted in an international health response, with affected passengers requiring hospitalization across multiple countries including Britain, France, Spain and the United States. That outbreak claimed three lives and produced nine confirmed infections, with two additional suspected cases.
Ambassador Cruise Line reported Wednesday that a 92-year-old male passenger had passed away Sunday, though he had not shown any symptoms related to the current illness outbreak. A coroner has yet to determine his official cause of death.
As of Wednesday morning, the cruise company confirmed that 48 passengers and one crew member were experiencing gastrointestinal problems.
The company’s records indicate the cases began appearing after passengers boarded the ship in Liverpool on May 9. All planned shore activities in Bordeaux have been cancelled, with full refunds being provided to affected travelers.
This outbreak adds to a concerning trend, as the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has documented 23 gastrointestinal illness outbreaks on cruise ships visiting American ports in 2025 alone – the highest yearly count in over ten years. The majority of these cases have been attributed to norovirus, including a new variant responsible for the recent increase.
Ambassador Cruise Line, a British company that launched in 2021 and caters primarily to passengers over age 50, said it expects to provide additional updates once laboratory analysis results become available later Wednesday.
WASHINGTON — Following a turbulent 2025 that demonstrated the economic damage both nations could inflict through trade warfare, President Donald Trump and Chinese leader Xi Jinping are convening in Beijing to mend their fractured commercial relationship.
Ten years of economic conflict between these global superpowers has dramatically diminished bilateral trade from its peak during the 2000s and 2010s, compelling businesses to restructure their operations. Numerous American companies have relocated manufacturing from China to nations such as Vietnam and India, while Chinese businesses have pursued new markets across Europe and Southeast Asia.
However, both nations are discovering their continued interdependence. Wilbur Ross, who previously served as Commerce Secretary during Trump’s initial presidency, observed: “The idea of somehow China being totally independent of us and us being totally independent of China, I think, is a fiction.”
This week’s diplomatic meeting focuses primarily on maintaining economic stability, with only minor policy changes anticipated. Officials expect to extend a trade agreement reached last October, while China may reveal intentions to purchase American soybeans, beef, and Boeing aircraft. U.S. representatives have also suggested establishing a Board of Trade.
American agricultural producers, who lost access to Chinese soybean markets throughout most of 2025, are monitoring developments closely, alongside U.S. manufacturers who were denied access to China’s rare earth minerals essential for producing items ranging from smartphones to military aircraft.
In China, manufacturer Michael Lu anticipates the Xi-Trump meeting will generate encouraging developments. While returning to the robust trade levels of 15 years ago appears unlikely, Chinese factory operators expect at least modest progress. Lu, who founded and leads gift box manufacturer Brothersbox in Dongguan, stated: “The U.S. used to be a more stable market.”
Prior to Trump implementing levies on Chinese goods in 2018, average U.S. tariffs on China measured 3.1%. Currently, despite declining from triple-digit peaks reached last year, they remain at approximately 48%, according to Chad Bown from the Peterson Institute for International Economics.
In 2016, China ranked as America’s largest trading partner. Combined imports and exports between the countries represented over 13% of America’s global trade. By last year, China’s portion had dropped to 6.4%, with Mexico and Canada surpassing China as America’s primary trading partners.
The challenge with pre-Trump U.S.-China commerce was its severe imbalance, with China selling significantly more than it purchased. America’s trade deficit with China in goods and services reached $377 billion in 2018 before falling to $168 billion last year, the smallest since 2004.
Nevertheless, China achieved a record global trade surplus of $1.2 trillion last year by dramatically increasing exports to other regions, particularly Southeast Asia and Europe.
U.S. government data likely exaggerates the decline in bilateral trade. Many Chinese manufacturers have established operations in Southeast Asian nations like Vietnam and Thailand, shipping products to America while avoiding tariffs. The Trump administration seeks to address these “transshipments.”
As Chinese exports to America decreased last year, Southeast Asian imports surged dramatically — Vietnam increased 42%, Thailand rose 44%, and Indonesia climbed 24%.
Zongyuan Zoe Liu, senior fellow for China studies at the Council on Foreign Relations, explained: “It would be wrong to think that China is no longer relevant for the U.S. market. Chinese goods are still coming into the U.S.”
Velong Enterprises, established in China’s Guangdong province in 2002 and manufacturing kitchen gadgets and grilling equipment for Walmart and other American retailers, has diversified its supply chain since Trump’s first presidency by adding production facilities in Cambodia and India.
CEO and founder Jacob Rothman noted: “Most serious manufacturers did not simply ‘leave China.’ Instead, they built multi-country supply chains around China.”
The trade conflict has significantly impacted Appu Jacob Varghese, owner of Zion Foodtrucks near Colorado Springs, who imports Chinese equipment for his vehicles. “Last year,” Varghese said, “a lot of my hair turned white.”
Varghese struggled with Trump’s unpredictable tariff implementation, which fluctuated weekly and briefly reached 145%. Zion Foodtrucks depended on Chinese suppliers for cooking and fire-suppression systems in its $50,000 to $60,000 vehicles.
With customers signing fixed-price contracts for delivery within six weeks, Trump’s volatile tariffs created wildly fluctuating costs while preventing price increases. Though he survived the year, Varghese recognized the need for alternative suppliers. He now sources approximately half his cooking equipment from Vietnam and Thailand, obtaining fire-safety gear from American and Israeli companies.
While praising his Chinese suppliers, he doesn’t anticipate relying heavily on them again. Given tense Washington-Beijing relations, he said, “it’s too risky.”
Many American corporations are reducing Chinese dependence. Apple has transferred some iPhone production to India, while Nike has expanded Vietnamese manufacturing.
Sarah Tan, a Singapore-based Moody’s Analytics economist specializing in China, explained: “Trade tensions can flare up quite quickly, and that makes the U.S. firms hesitant to rely too heavily on Chinese supply.”
InStyler, a Los Angeles-area hair appliance company previously dependent entirely on Chinese suppliers, is moving some production to South Korea and France while considering Italy, Vietnam, and Mexico. CEO Dan Fugardi attributed these changes to developing luxury hotel products, noting “there’s a little bit of panache that goes with manufacturing in France.”
However, reducing Chinese reliance, he added, “doubles as an insurance plan so that we’re not caught with our pants down.”
The economic dispute has expanded beyond conventional tariffs and retaliatory measures.
America has prohibited advanced computer chip shipments to China, while China has periodically restricted rare earth mineral supplies crucial for electronics production.
Last year, China limited tungsten exports — a durable metal used in defense, aerospace, and medical devices that serves both military and civilian purposes. China controls approximately 80% of global tungsten production.
China also halted American soybean purchases, targeting Trump’s rural supporters. Though purchases resumed following October discussions, U.S. soybean exports to China still declined 75% in 2025.
These reciprocal actions demonstrated the mutual damage both countries could inflict. Current hopes center on Trump and Xi reducing tensions during this week’s Beijing meetings.
Former Commerce Secretary Ross concluded: “We are the No. 1 trading player. They are next in line. We have to coexist in some way. The question is, what will be the rules of the road, and who will benefit the most from those rules.”
Georgia Governor Brian Kemp has enacted legislation that will eliminate party identification from local elections across the Atlanta region’s five largest counties, prompting Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis and a fellow Democratic prosecutor to announce plans for a constitutional legal challenge.
The governor quietly signed the legislation on Tuesday, which marked the deadline for action on bills from Georgia’s 2026 legislative session.
GOP lawmakers have consistently criticized Willis due to her criminal case against Republican President Donald Trump, stemming from his efforts to reverse Democrat Joe Biden’s 2020 victory in Georgia.
Both Willis and DeKalb County District Attorney Sherry Boston declared the legislation unconstitutional under Georgia’s state constitution and committed to filing suit.
“This is a blatant attempt by Republicans to give their candidates an edge in Democratic counties by hiding their party affiliation from voters,” the two Democrats said in a statement Tuesday.
Republican State Senator John Albers from Roswell, who championed the legislation, argued during legislative debates that the measure would enhance public safety. County sheriffs will remain exempt from the nonpartisan requirement when the law takes effect in 2028.
The legislation emerges as Democratic candidates have increasingly defeated Republican incumbents throughout Atlanta’s core counties in this pivotal swing state. The new system will shift elections for most affected positions to May, coinciding with nonpartisan judicial races. This timing typically produces lower voter participation compared to November elections, with turnout primarily influenced by concurrent partisan primary contests. Candidates failing to secure majority support would face nonpartisan runoff elections in June.
The requirements will apply across Fulton County, encompassing most of Atlanta, along with the surrounding Clayton, Cobb, DeKalb and Gwinnett counties. Fulton, DeKalb and Clayton represent the state’s three strongest Democratic strongholds. Meanwhile, Cobb and Gwinnett, historically reliable Republican suburban territories, have increasingly supported Democratic candidates since 2016.
Democratic officials contend that Republicans aim to improve GOP candidates’ electoral prospects by removing party identification in Democratic-leaning areas. Opposition voices question why such policy changes target only urban Atlanta rather than applying across all 159 Georgia counties.
Willis and Boston suggested that Republicans specifically targeted these counties because voters in each have elected Black women as district attorneys.
Republican legislators have advanced numerous measures in recent years aimed at district attorneys, with Willis receiving particular focus. The district attorneys’ professional association maintains that the legislation cannot alter the partisan nature of prosecutor elections, arguing these officials serve as state judicial branch positions rather than county roles.
The association contends that modifying this structure requires a state constitutional amendment. Such changes would face Democratic opposition since proposing constitutional amendments to Georgia voters requires two-thirds approval in the General Assembly.
A New York jury began deliberating Wednesday in the rape retrial of Harvey Weinstein, considering a remaining charge from a case that became a symbol of the #MeToo movement.
The panel must determine if the disgraced film producer sexually assaulted Jessica Mann, a hairstylist and actress, at a Manhattan hotel on March 18, 2013.
Mann, now 40, told the court she had maintained a consensual relationship with Weinstein but testified that he forced himself on her sexually that day despite her repeated refusals.
Defense attorneys for the 74-year-old Weinstein argue the sexual encounter was consensual, pointing to evidence that Mann continued meeting with Weinstein following the alleged assault and maintained friendly communications. Mann explained she struggled with complex emotions about Weinstein and the incident, saying she was “normalizing everything.”
Mann’s perspective shifted in 2017 when multiple sexual misconduct allegations against the Academy Award-winning producer sparked the #MeToo movement, demanding accountability from powerful figures accused of sexual wrongdoing. While Weinstein has acknowledged he “acted wrongly,” he maintains he never sexually assaulted anyone.
Several of these allegations resulted in criminal convictions against Weinstein in both New York and California courts.
A New York appeals court reversed his 2020 conviction on charges involving Mann and a second accuser. During last year’s retrial, jurors could not reach a unanimous decision regarding Mann’s case, necessitating this second retrial. Weinstein faces one count of third-degree rape.
The current jury listened to almost three weeks of testimony, including five days from Mann herself. Weinstein chose not to take the stand in his defense.
The Associated Press typically does not name individuals who report sexual assault. However, Mann has consented to public identification.
CHICAGO — Wildlife enthusiasts in Chicago are celebrating a historic milestone after two baby bald eagles hatched in a city park, representing what officials believe marks the first successful wild nesting in the area for over 100 years.
The Chicago Park District revealed last week that observers documented nesting behavior beginning in February at Park 597 situated along the Calumet River in the city’s Southeast Side. Bird-watchers confirmed the first baby eagle on April 28, with a second chick verified on May 7.
According to park district spokesperson Irene Tostado, both eaglets are estimated to be between two and three weeks old.
The discovery belongs to Pat Pearson and her husband Steve, who first noticed the initial hatchling.
“We started looking around, and lo and behold, this little fuzzy head sticks up with a big beak and we were just ecstatic. Patty actually broke into tears. I started crying,” Steve Pearson said. “It was really very touching, because we had this kind of instinct, I think, just the wonder and the awe of seeing these eagles right here in Chicago with a baby. It was really overwhelming.”
During the latter half of the 1900s, America’s national bird population plummeted due to habitat destruction and pesticide poisoning of their food supply. However, these majestic raptors have experienced a remarkable recovery spanning four decades. Federal authorities removed the bald eagle from the endangered species registry in 2007.
While bald eagles regularly appear throughout the greater Chicago region — with park officials recording twelve birds in Big Marsh Park’s restored wetlands during a single 2018 day — Stephen Bell, who manages Park 597, noted his team found no documentation of successful eagle reproduction within Chicago city limits for more than a century.
The site previously housed a municipal water treatment facility before the park district assumed control in 2019 and began environmental restoration work. Bell explained that soil enhancement, improved plant life, and better habitats for amphibians and reptiles have drawn muskrats, mice, deer, and now nesting eagles.
“Give Mother Nature a chance and you’d be surprised what she can do with just a little bit of help from like the park district and the city of Chicago,” Pat Pearson said. “Neither one of the organizations could have done it themselves, but between the two of them, it’s shocking what can happen to land in areas that you think are just absolutely unredeemable.”
TORONTO (AP) — The Toronto Maple Leafs dismissed head coach Craig Berube on Wednesday following a disastrous season that landed the franchise at the bottom of the Atlantic Division standings.
Berube’s departure concludes his two-season tenure with Toronto. While his inaugural campaign delivered an impressive 108-point season, the team’s performance collapsed dramatically in 2025-26.
“Craig is a tremendous coach and an even better person,” general manager John Chayka said in a statement. “This decision is more reflective of an organizational shift and an opportunity for a fresh start than it is an evaluation of Craig.”
Chayka recently joined the organization this month, taking over after Brad Treliving’s dismissal in March.
The Maple Leafs secured the top selection in last week’s NHL draft lottery. Toronto is anticipated to choose between Gavin McKenna or Ivar Stenberg when they make the first overall selection on June 26 during the NHL draft in Buffalo.
During his time with Toronto, Berube compiled an 84-62-18 record, though the team managed only 32-36-14 this past season. The plunge from 108 points to 78 represented the franchise’s most dramatic single-season decline in team history.
Despite losing star forward Mitch Marner, the Maple Leafs entered the campaign with optimistic expectations.
The organization brought in three new forwards — Matias Maccelli, Dakota Joshua and Nicolas Roy — attempting to fill Marner’s role through a collective approach on what many considered a Stanley Cup-caliber roster.
However, Toronto never found their rhythm throughout the season. Combined with significant injuries and player absences, the team appeared disjointed from the opening game.
Even with star players Auston Matthews and William Nylander leading the offense, Toronto’s power play became a major weakness.
The team’s defensive struggles created serious issues, as they posted the league’s second-worst goals-against average and were outshot more than any other NHL team with 66 instances.
“They played with more passion than we did,” Berube told reporters in December after a 4-0 road loss to the Washington Capitals. “That’s what it boils down to. It looked to me like they had way more urgency in their game, more passion in their game. That’s the difference.”
When pressed to elaborate on his assessment, he responded: “Ask those guys, not me.”
This exchange highlighted the obvious tension within the organization.
Matthews, a three-time Maurice (Rocket) Richard Trophy recipient as the NHL’s leading goal scorer, managed just 27 goals before a season-ending knee injury from a hit by Anaheim Ducks defenseman Radko Gudas in March.
The team’s lack of response to the hit on their captain drew harsh criticism from Berube — a former NHL enforcer who ranks seventh all-time in penalty minutes — along with media and supporters who questioned the team’s locker room dynamics.
The 60-year-old Berube was brought aboard in May 2024 when Treliving released Sheldon Keefe after 4½ seasons as head coach.
Under Berube’s leadership in his first year, Toronto achieved only their second playoff series victory during the NHL’s salary-cap era. The Maple Leafs defeated the Ottawa Senators before losing to Florida in a series highlighted by devastating 6-1 home defeats in Games 5 and 7. The Panthers subsequently captured their second consecutive Stanley Cup championship.
Toronto had initially responded well to Berube’s direct, disciplined, north-south playing style in 2024-25 after Keefe couldn’t guide the same talented roster past their postseason struggles, but failed to replicate that achievement in year two.
Berube’s coaching career started within the Philadelphia Flyers system following his playing retirement. He progressed through the ranks, transitioning from the AHL to an NHL assistant position in 2006-07.
He assumed the Flyers’ head coaching role partway through 2013-14 and remained for one additional season before his dismissal.
Following a year away from hockey, Berube coached St. Louis Blues’ AHL team. He became an NHL associate coach in 2017-18 and was elevated to head coach with St. Louis in November 2018.
Berube transformed the struggling Blues, who had occupied last place in the overall standings, into a playoff team that embarked on an incredible championship run culminating in the franchise’s first Cup title.
After three consecutive first-round playoff exits and missing the playoffs entirely in 2022-23, St. Louis dismissed Berube just 28 games into the following season.
When Toronto hired Berube, Treliving mentioned extensive discussions with individuals who had worked with, reported to, and played for the former enforcer.
“They talked about how they would go through a wall for him,” Treliving said. “There was the connection he had with his players, the accountability he had with his players, and the bond he was able to build with staff.”
NEW YORK — Scientists examining fossilized teeth have uncovered fascinating evidence of romantic connections between different early human species that occurred hundreds of thousands of years ago, leaving genetic traces that persist in modern humans today.
Research published recently focuses on Homo erectus, an early human ancestor that emerged from Africa roughly 2 million years ago before migrating across the globe to Asia and potentially Europe.
Archaeological discoveries have unearthed H. erectus remains in multiple countries spanning Indonesia, Spain, China and Georgia. However, genetic material and proteins typically deteriorate over time, making it challenging for researchers to understand the biological characteristics of these ancient peoples.
For this groundbreaking study, scientists extracted protein remnants from the tooth enamel of H. erectus specimens — five males and one female — discovered at various sites throughout China to investigate how these early humans may have interacted with other species.
The 400,000-year-old dental remains contained two significant mutations within an enamel protein. Researchers noted that one mutation appears to be previously unknown and might represent a distinctive genetic signature specific to East Asian H. erectus populations.
The second mutation proved more intriguing. Scientists discovered a genetic variant that exists both in a small percentage of contemporary humans and in Denisovans, an extinct human relative.
This finding suggests H. erectus may have reproduced with Denisovans, transferring genetic material between the species. Researchers believe this genetic information reached modern humans through later interbreeding between our ancestors and Denisovans.
“This traces who we are now back to our ancestors in a really cool and exciting way, using new methods,” said paleoanthropologist Ryan McRae with the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History, who was not involved with the new research.
The precise evolutionary connections between these ancient human relatives remain somewhat unclear. McRae noted that H. erectus might simply be an ancestral species to Denisovans, who received these genes through inheritance over generations.
Solving this evolutionary mystery proves challenging given the extremely limited available evidence. Discovering additional fossils and analyzing scarce DNA remnants could help scientists piece together humanity’s evolutionary history more completely.
“We really need to get more DNA” and additional H. erectus specimens to determine how this ancient species “is exactly related to other humans,” said study author Qiaomei Fu with the Institute of Vertebrate Paleontology and Paleoanthropology in China.
THE HAGUE, Netherlands — A dramatic confrontation unfolded Wednesday at the Philippine Senate building, complete with gunshots and a tense standoff, as authorities attempted to arrest a senator wanted by the International Criminal Court on murder charges related to crimes against humanity.
The chaotic scenes in Manila occurred just two days after the Netherlands-based court made public an arrest warrant targeting Ronald Marapon dela Rosa, who previously headed the national police under ex-President Rodrigo Duterte and played a key role in implementing the controversial anti-drug operations that resulted in thousands of deaths among suspected low-level offenders.
The November-issued warrant accuses dela Rosa of committing murder as a crime against humanity, specifically alleging he was responsible for killing at least 32 individuals during his tenure as police commander from July 2016 through late April 2018.
The 64-year-old dela Rosa has declared his intention to challenge the ICC arrest warrant and indicated he plans to pursue every available legal option to fight the charges.
Officials from the ICC have not yet responded to requests for comment regarding the Manila incident.
The Philippines withdrew from the international court in 2019 following a United Nations notification, a move that came after former ICC prosecutor Fatou Bensouda announced her decision to launch a preliminary investigation into claims of extrajudicial executions during Duterte’s drug war.
Under President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., who took office in 2022 after Duterte, the Philippines has not returned to ICC membership. However, the current administration has indicated it would provide assistance if the ICC requested international law enforcement to apprehend Duterte through what’s known as a red notice — essentially a global alert asking police agencies worldwide to find and provisionally detain a suspect. Officials have not confirmed whether such a notice has been issued for dela Rosa.
Duterte himself was taken into custody last year and transported to The Hague to face crimes against humanity charges connected to the lethal drug enforcement campaign. He continues to be held there while awaiting his trial proceedings.
Court judges previously dismissed an attempt by Duterte’s attorneys to have the case dismissed based on claims that the court lacked authority since the Philippines had left the organization. The court determined that nations cannot “misuse” their withdrawal rights from the Rome Statute “to protect individuals from accountability for alleged crimes already being examined,” according to the judicial decision.
Established in 2002, the international court’s mission focuses on prosecuting leaders and high-ranking officials for crimes against humanity, war crimes, and genocide. While 125 nations participate as members, three significant world powers — the United States, Russia, and China — remain outside the organization. Ukraine became an official member in January 2025.
The court employs over 900 personnel and operates on an annual budget exceeding 196 million euros, equivalent to approximately $229 million.
The ICC functions as a final judicial option, intervening only when national court systems prove incapable or unwilling to pursue legal action against suspects.
The Trump administration has imposed sanctions on chief prosecutor Karim Khan, several ICC judges, and Khan’s two assistant prosecutors. Trump has criticized the court for what he calls “illegitimate and baseless actions” directed at America and Israel.
During his previous presidency, Trump also sanctioned Khan’s predecessor, Fatou Bensouda. The Biden administration later removed those sanctions.
Russia similarly rejects the court’s jurisdiction and has issued arrest warrants for Khan and the ICC judge who authorized President Vladimir Putin’s warrant.
Since his 2023 arrest warrant was issued, Putin has continued international travel, including visits to ICC member nation Mongolia, as well as trips to China and North Korea, neither of which belongs to the court.
Maryland environmental officials have unveiled a sweeping new climate adaptation program designed to help the Eastern Shore cope with rising sea levels and increasingly severe weather patterns.
The “Roots for Resilience: Strong Roots for a Changing Landscape” program, announced Wednesday at the University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science’s Horn Point Campus in Dorchester County, will channel $42.5 million in federal grant money toward environmental restoration projects throughout the region.
State officials formally introduced the initiative during a ceremony overlooking the Choptank River, bringing together representatives from multiple conservation organizations and government agencies.
“Roots for Resilience will be a major initiative for the environment and people of Maryland,” DNR Secretary Josh Kurtz said. “This work will focus on the Eastern Shore, where vulnerable rural areas are already managing the effects of rising sea levels and more intense storms. The new investments will make ecosystems and communities more resilient by protecting people, homes, and infrastructure while also improving wildlife habitat.”
The comprehensive program will target several key environmental challenges through nature-based solutions. Projects will include establishing living shorelines, restoring coastal wetlands, reconnecting tidal systems, expanding tree planting efforts, and implementing sustainable forest management practices.
Scientists predict that rising waters could eliminate one-third of the Eastern Shore’s high marsh areas by 2050, according to research models. The region has already experienced saltwater contamination of agricultural lands that were previously productive.
The funding comes through a Climate Pollution Reduction Grant from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, distributed to the Atlantic Conservation Coalition – a partnership involving environmental agencies from four coastal states, including the Maryland Department of the Environment.
“Maryland’s climate plan recognizes that nature is one of our strongest allies. These investments under Maryland’s Atlantic Conservation Coalition Climate Pollution Reduction Grant will help us restore our coastlines, reduce climate risks like flooding and erosion, and deliver real benefits to the communities that live there,” said Maryland Secretary of Environment Serena McIlwain. “Nature-based solutions help us cut pollution, protect people, and strengthen resilience all at once—and that’s exactly the kind of integrated climate action Maryland is committed to delivering.”
The program has established ambitious restoration targets over the coming years. Officials plan to restore tidal connectivity across 400 acres of marshland, rehabilitate 200 acres of tidal wetlands, and install protective living shorelines around 400 acres of tidal marshes. Additionally, the initiative aims to restore 500 acres of forest habitat while improving forestry management practices on 1,000 acres.
State environmental officials will also expand the existing nursery facility in Preston to increase production of locally-sourced trees for restoration projects.
“Roots for Resilience initiatives will protect communities by improving buffers against storms to reduce flood impacts and by enhancing local air and water quality,” said Jackie Specht, DNR’s Resilient Systems Officer. “This initiative builds on strong partnerships and local efforts to foster ecological and social resilience in a rapidly changing environment.”
The program involves collaboration with several regional conservation organizations, including Audubon Mid-Atlantic, Lower Shore Land Trust, and Eastern Shore Land Conservancy. These partnerships will help implement various restoration projects and community outreach efforts.
“We’re grateful for this investment and for Maryland DNR’s partnership in supporting Marshes for Tomorrow, a collaborative, science-driven effort to confront salt marsh loss in Maryland,” said Suzanne Biemiller, Vice President and Executive Director of Audubon Mid-Atlantic. “This support will help deliver large-scale marsh restoration that benefits birds, fisheries, and coastal communities, and shows what’s possible when Maryland comes together to protect these irreplaceable landscapes.”
“Conservation has always been about thinking beyond our own time,” said Matt Heim, executive director of the Lower Shore Land Trust. “This initiative allows us to work with landowners to protect and restore their land in ways that honor its history while ensuring it remains productive and resilient for the next generation and those that follow.”
The initiative will create new employment opportunities at DNR and support jobs with partner organizations working on environmental restoration projects in vulnerable coastal areas.
“The Chesapeake Bay region is one of the most impacted areas due to climate change’s acceleration of sea level rise,” said Mike Sieracki, Director of the University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science’s Horn Point Lab. “Using the best available science and long-term monitoring will help guide restoration efforts well into the future.”
State officials are currently accepting applications from nonprofit organizations interested in partnering with county governments on community outreach programs and from contractors who can help achieve forest management objectives. The department is also reviewing proposals for living shoreline projects, with award announcements expected this summer. Approximately $17 million in total funding is available specifically for living shoreline restoration work.
Delaware Insurance Commissioner Trinidad Navarro is alerting Medicare recipients across the First State about enhanced protections and additional enrollment options now available to them.
The expanded benefits come through Senate Bill 71, legislation that became law on September 3rd and took effect earlier this year. The new law establishes what’s known as Delaware’s Medicare “Birthday Rule” along with other enrollment safeguards for beneficiaries.
Commissioner Navarro’s office issued the reminder on May 13, 2026, emphasizing that Medicare participants should be aware of their broadened rights under the updated regulations.
The legislation represents a significant change in how Medicare enrollment works for Delaware residents, providing them with additional flexibility and protection options that weren’t previously available.
A significant warmup is on the way for the Delmarva region as a developing ridge of high pressure is forecast to bring summerlike temperatures and increasing humidity through early next week.
Following the departure of a closed low pressure system to the East Coast on Friday, upper-level ridging is expected to strengthen across the eastern United States through the weekend and into early next week. At the surface, high pressure building over the western Atlantic will help establish a persistent southerly flow, transporting a much warmer air mass into the Mid-Atlantic region.
Temperatures will begin climbing noticeably on Saturday with highs ranging from the 70s near the coast to the middle 80s inland. By Sunday, widespread 80s are expected across much of Delmarva, with some inland communities potentially approaching the 90-degree mark. Areas along the beaches and immediate coastline will remain somewhat cooler thanks to onshore winds coming off the Atlantic Ocean.
The heat is forecast to intensify even further Monday and Tuesday. Forecast highs Monday are expected to reach well into the 80s region-wide, while several inland areas could top out in the lower 90s. The warming trend continues Tuesday with highs projected in the upper 80s to lower 90s across much of the region.
Humidity levels are also expected to increase as southerly flow strengthens. Surface dew points are forecast to rise into the low to middle 60s Monday and Tuesday, making conditions feel even warmer. Heat index values may climb several degrees above the actual air temperatures, especially in more urbanized areas along the Interstate 95 corridor. Some locations could come close to reaching Heat Advisory criteria by Tuesday afternoon, where heat index values of 96 degrees or higher can trigger advisories during the month of May.
In addition to the warming temperatures, dry weather is expected to dominate through much of the weekend and into early next week due to the presence of strong high pressure aloft. Forecast guidance currently shows little to no precipitation through Monday for most of the region.
However, we are monitoring the potential for isolated thunderstorms later Monday into Tuesday as the northwestern edge of the ridge begins to weaken. An approaching upper-level trough and eventual cold front from the west may allow showers and thunderstorms to develop by the middle of next week. The timing and overall coverage of any storms remain uncertain and will depend on how quickly the ridge weakens and how fast the next weather system approaches.
After a relatively cool and unsettled stretch of weather recently, the upcoming pattern change will deliver the first widespread taste of summer conditions across Delmarva heading into next week.
NICOSIA, Cyprus (AP) — A senior European Union energy official cautioned Wednesday that although aviation fuel supplies face no immediate danger, extended shortages remain a possibility that cannot be dismissed.
Energy Commissioner Dan Jørgensen informed the media that potential fuel shortages will hinge on developments in the Iran conflict and conditions in the Strait of Hormuz, along with airline industry responses after carriers such as Lufthansa’s German parent company grounded substantial numbers of flights.
Conflicts near the Strait of Hormuz, a critical waterway through which approximately one-fifth of global oil shipments travel, have interrupted supply chains and triggered worldwide fuel price increases.
Though Jørgensen stated “we’re not there yet” regarding aviation fuel shortages, he indicated that the EU’s executive branch will begin discussions with member nations “on how best to address the situation,” while declining to provide specific details.
The Iran conflict has driven jet fuel costs to more than twice their previous levels in certain markets since late February, creating particular vulnerability for airlines since fuel expenses represent a substantial portion of their operational budgets.
The commissioner noted that the bloc’s payment of an additional 35 billion euros ($41 billion) for identical fuel quantities since the Iran war began highlights the urgent need to accelerate the shift away from fossil fuel dependence.
“Really, this is not an energy crisis. This is a fossil fuel crisis,” Jørgensen stated, emphasizing that despite the EU’s energy supply diversification, improved efficiency, and increased renewable energy adoption following Russia’s 2022 Ukraine invasion, challenges persist.
Cyprus Energy Minister Michael Damianos, representing the country that currently leads the EU’s rotating presidency, indicated that fossil fuels including natural gas will continue as part of the bloc’s energy portfolio for the near future, even while maintaining the firm objective of achieving a 90% reduction in greenhouse emissions by 2040. He noted that natural gas from newly discovered deposits off Cyprus’ southern coastline could reach European markets between late next year and early 2028.
Jørgensen emphasized the EU’s continued strong commitment to rapid greenhouse gas emission reductions, stating that “the climate crisis will not go away.”
Looking ahead, the EU commissioner revealed ongoing discussions with Gulf region countries aimed at restoring energy flows from that area once a negotiated peace agreement with Iran is established.
Last month, EU Council President Antonio Costa and EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announced the bloc’s readiness to collaborate with Persian Gulf nations on new energy transport projects that would not be vulnerable to warfare or geopolitical conflicts.
JAKARTA, Indonesia — Government prosecutors in Indonesia announced Wednesday they are pursuing an 18-year prison term for Nadiem Anwar Makarim, who helped establish the ride-hailing and payment service Gojek, in connection with corruption charges related to a school laptop purchasing program implemented during the coronavirus pandemic.
During court proceedings at Jakarta’s Corruption Court, prosecutors additionally requested a financial penalty of 1 billion rupiah (approximately $57,180) and demanded the confiscation of Makarim’s property should he fail to return 809 billion rupiah (roughly $48.2 million) connected to the educational program, plus 4.8 trillion rupiah (around $275.4 million) in what they termed unexplained assets.
According to the prosecution’s proposal, Makarim would serve an extra nine years behind bars if he doesn’t meet these requirements within 30 days following a final judicial decision.
Authorities took Makarim into custody in September following an inquiry into the procurement process, which prosecutors claim resulted in approximately $125 million in government losses. This week, court officials granted a modification to his detention conditions, allowing house arrest after he underwent medical surgery.
The legal proceedings have captured widespread public interest, with hundreds of “ojek” motorcycle taxi operators frequently attending court sessions to demonstrate support for the individual who transformed Indonesia’s gig-based economy.
The charges focus on claims that Makarim, who held the education ministry position from 2019 through 2024, “enriched himself” via the government’s Chromebook acquisition initiative spanning 2020-2022. Prosecutors informed the three-member judicial panel that he misused his official authority to sway policy choices and business transactions.
They claimed Makarim coerced Google into investing in PT Aplikasi Karya Anak Bangsa (PT AKAB), Gojek’s parent organization, which subsequently merged into the GoTo Group.
Throughout the hearings, prosecutors dismissed statements from three former Google leadership figures who testified that Google’s GoTo investment had no connection to the Indonesian government’s choice to purchase Chromebooks for educational institutions.
“Google’s investment in GoTo is considered a mutually beneficial relationship that may have influenced Chromebook procurement policy,” prosecutors declared to the court, maintaining that the Chromebook acquisition and Google’s investment — valued at roughly $787 million through Google Asia Pacific — were linked.
The judicial panel is anticipated to announce a decision within the next few weeks. Should Makarim be found guilty, he would receive one of the most severe corruption penalties in Indonesia’s recent legal history.
In response to the sentencing request, Makarim rejected any misconduct and condemned what he characterized as disproportionate punishment.
“These are lawful earnings from building a company and creating jobs,” he stated to media representatives following the court session, referencing his ownership in Gojek. “I am effectively being charged with 27 or 28 years in prison, far more than many violent criminals.”
He maintained there was “no administrative violation and no element of corruption” in his conduct, noting that the financial restitution demanded by prosecutors greatly surpassed his genuine wealth.
The Chromebook initiative began during the health crisis to facilitate distance learning. Prosecutors stated Makarim promoted Chromebooks despite warnings they were inefficient in regions with poor internet connectivity.
Makarim has insisted that purchasing choices were handled by technical staff members, not himself. His legal representatives contend he sold his PT AKAB holdings when assuming office and that his financial worth decreased during his government service.
WASHINGTON — The U.S. Senate is preparing to vote Wednesday on President Donald Trump’s selection for Federal Reserve chairman, Kevin Warsh, who will take control of the nation’s most influential central bank during a challenging period for the global economy.
The confirmation process faced obstacles when Republican Senator Thom Tillis from North Carolina threatened to halt the nomination during a Justice Department investigation into current Fed Chair Jerome Powell. With that investigation concluded in April, the path became clear for Senate approval of Warsh.
The 56-year-old former Federal Reserve official will assume leadership during particularly turbulent times for the independent institution.
For five consecutive years, inflation has exceeded the Fed’s 2% goal and continues climbing due to surging gasoline costs. The committee responsible for setting interest rates remains split, recording the highest number of dissenting votes in over 30 years during last month’s meeting. Additionally, Powell intends to remain on the Fed’s governing board after his chairmanship concludes, despite enduring years of criticism from Trump and an unusual Justice Department probe, which could establish a rival authority within the organization.
Wednesday afternoon’s confirmation vote follows Tuesday’s approval of Warsh’s appointment to the Fed’s Board of Governors. Pennsylvania Democrat John Fetterman was the only member of his party to join Republicans in supporting the board nomination.
Trump has repeatedly challenged the Fed’s autonomy, consistently criticizing Powell for maintaining higher interest rates. The president also attempted to remove Fed governor Lisa Cook and initiated an investigation into Powell’s brief congressional testimony regarding a building renovation project.
During a Sunday Fox News appearance, Kevin Hassett, who heads the White House’s National Economic Council, expressed his belief that financial markets welcome Warsh’s potential role in reducing interest rates over time.
“Obviously, data driven. I’m not putting any pressure on Kevin Warsh,” Hassett said. “We know that he’s an extremely smart, competent person who could be very convincing when he talks to his colleagues.”
In December, Trump posted on his social media platform that he preferred a Fed chair who would lower interest rates when stock prices increased — contradicting established economic principles — and declared, “Anyone that disagrees with me will never be the Fed chairman!”
These statements have raised questions about whether Warsh will base rate decisions on economic data or attempt to satisfy Trump through rate cuts, potentially worsening inflation. During last month’s confirmation hearing, Massachusetts Democrat Elizabeth Warren criticized him as a “sock puppet” for Trump. Warsh also refused to acknowledge that Democrat Joe Biden legitimately defeated Trump in the 2020 election, despite Trump’s false claims about voter fraud.
However, Warsh rejected suggestions during the hearing that Trump had influenced him regarding interest rate policies.
“The president never once asked me to commit to any particular interest rate decision, period,” Warsh said then. “Nor would I ever agree to do so if he had. … I will be an independent actor if confirmed as chair of the Federal Reserve.”
Federal health officials announced Wednesday they are implementing a nationwide six-month suspension of new Medicare enrollments for hospice and home health care providers as part of an expanded effort to combat fraud in government health programs.
The temporary ban will prevent any new providers in these sectors from joining Medicare’s reimbursement system during the moratorium period, according to an announcement from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.
“We’ve seen systemic and deeply troubling fraud in the hospice and home health space, with bad actors exploiting some of our most vulnerable Medicare patients and stealing money from the American taxpayer,” CMS Administrator Dr. Mehmet Oz said in a statement. “Today we’re shutting the door on fraud-preventing new bad actors from entering Medicare while we aggressively identify, investigate, and remove those already exploiting them.”
The action stems from an anti-fraud initiative led by Vice President JD Vance’s task force, which President Trump established to combat misuse of taxpayer dollars. The announcement comes amid nationwide concerns about increasing healthcare costs and access challenges, some resulting from federal policy changes. New Medicaid work requirements are anticipated to burden hospitals nationwide and cause millions to lose health insurance coverage.
While numerous fraud cases have been pursued in hospice and home healthcare sectors, and states recognize legitimate concerns exist, some officials have criticized the administration’s aggressive approach. They worry these broad measures might unfairly impact legitimate providers working to serve patients.
Federal officials argue this suspension and related measures will help prevent Medicare and Medicaid fraud while protecting resources for those who need them most. Current hospice and home health providers will continue normal operations during the pause, but CMS plans to “intensify targeted investigations, deploy advanced data analytics, and accelerate the removal” of providers suspected of fraudulent practices.
Such enrollment freezes have precedent, according to Tricia Neumann, a senior vice president and executive director for Medicare policy at healthcare research organization KFF. She noted that President Clinton’s administration also implemented a temporary home health agency moratorium.
“A brief moratorium gives the administration time to crack down on true fraud and prevent new fraudulent entities from popping up,” she said.
Recently, CMS has suspended payments to hundreds of Los Angeles hospice and home care agencies due to suspected fraud and implemented another six-month moratorium on durable medical equipment, prosthetics, orthotics and related supply providers in Medicare.
The administration has also launched investigations into potential healthcare fraud in at least five states and suspended approximately $243 million in Medicaid payments to Minnesota over fraud concerns. Last month, Oz announced CMS would require all states to submit plans for revalidating certain Medicaid providers.
However, the administration has made errors in its fraud accusations. In April, CMS admitted to The Associated Press that it made significant mistakes in data used to justify a fraud investigation in New York. This acknowledgment has raised questions about the administration’s methods and reinforced criticism that the Trump administration often acts before verifying facts.
COLUMBIA, S.C. — South Carolina’s highest court has thrown out the murder conviction and life sentence for former attorney Alex Murdaugh in the fatal shootings of his wife and son on Wednesday.
The state Supreme Court issued a unanimous decision stating that the court clerk’s behavior “egregiously attacked Murdaugh’s credibility” by hinting to jury members that his testimony was unreliable. The justices also determined that the trial judge improperly permitted evidence about Murdaugh’s financial misconduct during the murder proceedings.
However, Murdaugh will remain behind bars. The 57-year-old admitted guilt to embezzling approximately $12 million from his legal clients and is currently serving a 40-year federal prison term.
Nevertheless, the state Supreme Court decision represents a victory for Murdaugh, who acknowledges being a criminal, dishonest person, insurance fraudster and incompetent attorney, but has consistently maintained his innocence in the deaths of his wife Maggie and younger son Paul after discovering their bodies at their residence in 2021.
State prosecutors have not yet announced whether they intend to pursue a new murder trial against Murdaugh given his lengthy sentence for financial offenses. The initial trial lasted six weeks.
The court determined that Colleton County Clerk of Court Becky Hill, who was responsible for managing evidence and jury oversight during the trial, swayed jurors toward a guilty verdict. Her motivation was to boost sales of a book she was authoring about the case.
Hill’s book was titled “Behind the Doors of Justice: The Murdaugh Murders.” Publishers withdrew it after facing accusations of plagiarism.
“As her book’s title suggests, it turns out Hill was quite busy behind the doors of justice, thwarting the integrity of the justice system she was sworn to protect and uphold,” the justices wrote in an unsigned 27-page ruling.
Hill has subsequently admitted guilt to providing false information about her statements and actions to another judge.
Defense attorneys for Murdaugh also contended before the Supreme Court that the presiding judge in his 2023 trial made decisions that compromised fairness, including permitting testimony about Murdaugh’s client theft that was unrelated to the homicides but prejudiced jurors against him.
They emphasized the absence of physical evidence — investigators found no DNA or blood spatter on Murdaugh or his clothing, despite the close-range killings with high-powered firearms that were never recovered.
State attorneys maintained that the clerk’s remarks were brief and the case against Murdaugh was compelling. His defense team argued that was irrelevant because the comments a juror reported she made — encouraging jurors to observe Murdaugh’s body language and pay close attention to his testimony — eliminated his presumption of innocence before jury deliberations began.
The Murdaugh legal saga remains fascinating to the public. Multiple streaming series, bestselling publications and numerous true crime podcasts have explored how the wealthy Southern attorney whose family dominated the legal system in small Hampton County wound up in a maximum security South Carolina penitentiary.
In their decision, the justices commended prosecutors, defense counsel and the judge for exceptional performance, placing complete responsibility for necessitating a new trial on Hill.
Hill’s criminal defense attorney did not respond to requests for comment via phone or email.
Hill “placed her fingers on the scales of justice, thereby denying Murdaugh his right to a fair trial by an impartial jury,” the justices wrote. “Our justice system provides — indeed demands — that every person is entitled to a fair trial.”
Russian authorities have added former British Defense Minister Ben Wallace to their criminal wanted database as part of an unnamed investigation, according to state media reports citing the Russian Interior Ministry on Wednesday.
Wallace held the position of Britain’s defense chief from before Moscow’s full-scale attack on Ukraine in 2022 through August 2023. Following his departure from office, he has remained an outspoken supporter of increased military assistance to Ukraine while criticizing Russian military actions.
State media outlets provided no additional information about the investigation, and Wallace has not responded to requests for comment regarding the development.
The move appears connected to statements Wallace made at last year’s Warsaw Security Forum regarding Crimea, the Ukrainian territory Russia seized in 2014. A Russian regional legislator had previously demanded in October that Wallace be added to Moscow’s international wanted database over those remarks.
During his September appearance at the security conference, Wallace advocated for assisting Ukraine in conducting military operations against the bridge connecting southern Russia to Crimea.
“We have to help Ukraine have the long-range capabilities to make Crimea unviable. We need to choke the life out of Crimea. And if we do that, I think Putin will realise he’s got something to lose,” he said. “We need to smash the cursed bridge.”
The total number of foreign officials and public figures listed in Russia’s Interior Ministry wanted database remains unclear. However, independent news organization Mediazona reported in 2024 that dozens of European politicians and officials appear on the list.
Delaware Department of Transportation crews are conducting construction work that has forced the closure of the right shoulder along westbound Meadowbrook Lane in New Castle County.
The affected stretch of roadway runs between Old Shawnee Road and Wisseman Road on Route 634. DelDOT officials say the shoulder closure will remain in place until 6 PM today.
Motorists traveling through the area should expect potential delays and are advised to use caution while passing through the construction zone.
The South Carolina Supreme Court announced Wednesday that Alex Murdaugh, the former attorney currently serving a life sentence for the murders of his wife and son, has been granted a new trial.
Murdaugh, whose legal career ended in disgrace, was originally found guilty of fatally shooting his wife Maggie and his younger son Paul in June 2021. The high-profile case captivated national attention as details emerged about the prominent legal family’s downfall.
The state’s highest court made the decision to allow Murdaugh another chance in court, though specific details about the reasoning behind the ruling were not immediately available. The former lawyer has been incarcerated since his conviction for the double homicide that shocked South Carolina’s legal community.
Delaware educators who dedicate their work to supporting student mental wellness will receive statewide recognition next week.
The First State plans to announce its 2026 Delaware Behavioral Health Professional of the Year during a special ceremony scheduled for Monday, May 18th.
School districts throughout Delaware, along with the Delaware Charter School Network, have already selected their respective local winners for the 2026 Behavioral Health Professional of the Year awards.
These professionals work directly with students to address mental health challenges and provide crucial support services within school settings across the state.
Northampton County, Virginia officials are encouraging residents to enroll in their complimentary emergency notification system designed to keep the community well-informed during critical situations.
The Citizen Alert program offers no-cost registration for residents who want to receive timely updates about emergencies and important county information. Officials emphasize that staying prepared and maintaining awareness of local developments are key benefits of participating in the alert system.
County emergency services personnel are promoting the initiative as part of their broader effort to enhance community preparedness and ensure residents have access to vital information when they need it most.
Interested residents can sign up for the service through the county’s official channels, with registration remaining completely free of charge.
The National Football League announced its most extensive overseas schedule in league history, with the San Francisco 49ers set to participate in two international contests during the 2026 season.
San Francisco will kick off the NFL’s expanded global presence by facing division rival Los Angeles Rams in Melbourne, Australia on September 10. This Thursday night matchup, which will air on Netflix, marks the league’s inaugural game on Australian soil and will actually be played Friday morning local time. The 49ers will serve as the visiting team for this historic opener.
Later in the season, San Francisco will host the Minnesota Vikings in Mexico City on November 22 for a Sunday night game in Week 11. The Vikings previously made history with back-to-back international road games in Dublin and London during consecutive weeks last season.
This ambitious international expansion includes nine total games spanning eight venues across seven cities on four different continents – the largest overseas commitment the NFL has ever undertaken. League Commissioner Roger Goodell has expressed his vision of eventually reaching 16 international contests per season.
London will host three games at its traditional venues, with Jacksonville making franchise history by scheduling back-to-back home games overseas. The Jaguars will meet Philadelphia at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on October 11, followed by a divisional clash against Houston at Wembley Stadium on October 18. Washington will also call Tottenham home when they battle Indianapolis on October 4.
The league will break new ground in Paris during Week 7, as New Orleans takes on Pittsburgh on October 25. Munich will welcome its second NFL game when Detroit hosts New England on November 15.
Previously announced international matchups include Dallas hosting Baltimore in Rio De Janeiro on September 27 and Atlanta welcoming Cincinnati to Madrid on November 8.
Meta Platforms announced Wednesday the introduction of a private chat feature for WhatsApp’s artificial intelligence assistant, responding to mounting concerns about user privacy when interacting with AI technology.
The tech giant detailed in a company blog post that this incognito feature allows WhatsApp users to engage in confidential, temporary discussions with Meta AI, the company’s artificial intelligence helper that has been integrated into the messaging platform for several years.
According to Meta, conversations conducted through this private mode will be handled within a protected system that remains inaccessible even to the company itself, with messages automatically deleted upon session completion rather than being stored.
Privacy issues have long plagued artificial intelligence platforms because the sophisticated language systems powering these tools rely on enormous datasets for training, which can sometimes incorporate sensitive user information from previous chatbot interactions.
Competing AI services have already implemented similar privacy protections. Google’s Gemini platform offers users the ability to turn off conversation history and prevent their data from being used in model training, while ChatGPT provides comparable privacy controls.
Meta explained that the private chat option was developed because users frequently pose sensitive queries to chatbots or include confidential financial, medical, personal, or professional information in their interactions.
“We’re starting ask a lot of meaningful questions about our lives with AI systems, and it doesn’t always feel like you should have to share the information behind those questions with the companies that run those AI systems,” Will Cathcart, Meta’s head of WhatsApp, told reporters.
The private chat feature includes built-in safety measures designed to prevent the AI from responding to harmful or inappropriate topics, according to Cathcart.
The system will “steer the user towards helpful information if it can and then refuse (to answer) and eventually even just stop interacting with the user completely,” Cathcart said.
The private mode will be limited to text-based interactions only, preventing users from uploading or creating images. Additionally, age verification will be required since Meta prohibits users under 13 from accessing its services.
Chinese technology giant Alibaba experienced significant expansion in its artificial intelligence and cloud computing sectors during the first quarter, though the company’s total revenue increased by only 3% to reach 243 billion yuan ($36 billion).
The company’s Cloud Intelligence Group saw revenues surge 38% during the January through March period compared to the same timeframe last year. This represents an acceleration from the 36% and 34% increases recorded in the two preceding quarters.
Despite these gains in AI and cloud services, Alibaba posted operational losses of 848 million yuan ($125 million) for the quarter, marking a dramatic shift from the 28.5 billion yuan profit recorded during the same period in 2023.
The decline in profitability stems largely from increased spending on technology infrastructure, as companies worldwide pour resources into building capabilities to meet surging artificial intelligence demand.
The Hangzhou-headquartered firm, which employs approximately 130,000 people, committed last year to investing a minimum of 380 billion yuan over three years to enhance its cloud computing and AI capabilities.
Recently, Alibaba announced the complete integration of its Qwen AI application with its Taobao e-commerce platform, enabling customers to “browse, compare, place orders, and manage deliveries through natural conversation” to boost user engagement. The company also introduced its commercial AI tool called Wukong in March and increased pricing for certain AI services.
“Alibaba’s AI has moved beyond the initial investment phase and progressed commercialization at scale,” CEO Eddie Wu stated during Wednesday’s earnings conference call.
Technology firms across the industry now face the challenge of demonstrating that massive AI investments can generate profitable returns. According to Jacob Cooke, who leads Beijing-based consultancy WPIC Marketing + Technologies, “we should expect AI-related growth to accelerate further” for Alibaba.
The company announced an ambitious target in March to exceed $100 billion in combined AI and cloud revenues within five years.
Competitor Tencent also released disappointing first-quarter results on Wednesday, with revenue falling short of projections despite a 21% increase in net profit, though some analysts suggest its AI investments are beginning to show returns.
According to Morningstar analyst Chelsey Tam, Chinese AI companies will likely maintain high spending levels as the “investment phase is far from over,” while these firms increasingly shift focus from gaining users to generating revenue.
JERUSALEM (AP) — The international diplomat responsible for monitoring the Gaza ceasefire agreement admitted Tuesday that the deal has fallen short of what both sides anticipated.
Nickolay Mladenov, who serves as the chief representative for the International Board of Peace monitoring the Israel-Hamas truce, said the situation remains disappointing for all parties involved.
“Seven months since the ceasefire, the door to the future of Gaza is still closed. It is not what the Palestinians were promised and it is not what they deserve. And it is not giving Israel the security to move forward, as the Israeli people also want,” he said.
The diplomat was visiting Jerusalem Wednesday in an attempt to revive momentum for the ceasefire agreement that Israel and Hamas reached more than seven months ago.
Since the International Board of Peace started meeting last year, minimal advancement has occurred on crucial elements of the step-by-step ceasefire plan, such as removing weapons from Hamas and other armed factions and beginning reconstruction efforts in the heavily damaged territory following two years of conflict.
The original agreement called for Hamas to surrender its arsenal, Israeli military forces to pull back, and massive rebuilding projects to begin in devastated areas of the coastal territory after more than two years of warfare.
However, the months following the ceasefire have been marked by both Israel and Hamas pointing fingers at each other for breaking the agreement. Relief organizations report that Israel has blocked the full amount of humanitarian supplies that were supposed to enter Gaza. Meanwhile, Hamas continues to maintain its weapons and controls approximately half of the territory.
Israeli military operations in Gaza have intensified recently following the U.S.-Iran ceasefire, raising Palestinian concerns that widespread bombing campaigns and full-scale conflict could resume soon.
Mladenov brings extensive diplomatic experience as a former United Nations representative and advisor who previously held ministerial positions in Bulgaria. He was appointed last year to lead Gaza oversight efforts for the International Board of Peace, established under President Donald Trump to manage post-conflict planning for the region.
The conflict between Israel and Hamas erupted when Hamas-led fighters launched an assault on Israel on October 7, 2023, resulting in approximately 1,200 deaths and the capture of 251 hostages. Israel’s military response has resulted in more than 72,724 Palestinian deaths, including at least 846 fatalities since the ceasefire began last October.
These casualty figures come from the Gaza Health Ministry, which does not distinguish between civilian and military deaths but indicates that roughly half of those killed were women and children. United Nations agencies and independent analysts generally consider the ministry’s data, despite being part of the Hamas-controlled government, to be credible.
BRUSSELS (AP) — European Union leadership announced Wednesday plans to urge member countries to prohibit so-called ‘conversion therapy’ targeting LGBTQ+ individuals, responding to widespread public pressure and timing the announcement ahead of this weekend’s Brussels Pride celebration.
Commission President Ursula von der Leyen declared Wednesday that such “conversion practices” have “no place in our Union.” Enhanced protections for LGBTQ+ residents have remained a key pledge of EU leadership since von der Leyen assumed her role in 2019.
Research from the EU’s Agency for Fundamental Rights revealed in 2024 that 25% of surveyed LGBTQ+ individuals had experienced the scientifically debunked practice designed to alter their sexual orientation or gender identity. The highest rates were documented in Greece, Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Estonia, and Slovakia.
The commission’s action followed a petition drive that gathered signatures from more than one million EU residents calling for “a binding legal ban on conversion practices targeting LGBTQ+ citizens in the European Union.”
Currently, only 10 of the 27 EU member states have implemented complete or partial bans on conversion therapy, data from the International Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and Intersex Association – Europe shows.
Malta became the first EU country to prohibit attempts to alter gay individuals’ sexual orientation in 2016. France has since followed suit, establishing criminal penalties including imprisonment and monetary fines for those who employ such practices against LGBTQ+ individuals.
“Conversion practices are built on a lie, the lie that LGBTQ+ people need to be fixed, that there is something wrong with who they are. And there is, of course, nothing to fix, there is nothing to cure, and there is no one to change,” stated Hadja Lahbib, the European commissioner for equality. “You cannot torture away a person’s identity, and you cannot legislate it away. And yet these practices continue, unfortunately.”
Brussels, serving as the EU’s institutional center, expects tens of thousands of participants for Saturday’s march as the city commemorates three decades of its annual LGBTQ+ rights and cultural parade.
A stretch of unsettled weather is expected across the Delmarva region beginning later today and continuing through Thursday as an area of low pressure and an approaching cold front move through the eastern United States.
According to the latest details, an upper-level trough connected to a closed low over central Canada will swing through the Great Lakes and Ohio Valley tonight before settling into the Northeast by Thursday. While the main surface low will remain well north of Delmarva, its associated cold front will cross the region and bring periods of showers along with the chance for a few isolated thunderstorms.
The timing of rainfall has slowed somewhat compared to earlier expectations. Only scattered showers are expected to begin developing across northern and western portions of the region around midday Wednesday, while the steadier and more widespread rainfall is now expected to hold off until later this evening and overnight.
Although thunderstorms remain possible later today and tonight, the overall severe weather threat remains very low. Limited atmospheric instability, also known as CAPE, is expected to keep thunderstorm coverage isolated at best. The Storm Prediction Center is not expecting severe thunderstorms across the region during this event.
Rainfall totals also continue trending lower with most locations expected to receive between one tenth and one quarter of an inch of rain. Locally higher amounts could occur underneath any thunderstorm, but widespread heavy rainfall is not anticipated. The highest rainfall totals are expected farther north across portions of the southern Poconos and northern New Jersey.
Temperatures ahead of the system will remain seasonably mild today with highs reaching the lower to middle 70s across much of Delmarva, though some far northwestern areas may stay in the 60s. Cooler air arrives behind the cold front on Thursday with daytime highs generally falling back into the 60s region-wide.
While this system is not expected to produce severe weather, residents should still prepare for periods of wet weather, occasional downpours, and a few rumbles of thunder through Thursday before improving conditions gradually return later in the week.
SAO PAULO (AP) — While Brazil remains deeply divided politically, citizens across the nation have united around one innovation: PIX, an instant digital payment platform that enables purchases ranging from beachside treats to major vehicle transactions.
The government-operated system, managed by Brazil’s Central Bank rather than private financial institutions, generated an enormous $7 trillion in transaction volume during the previous year. However, the platform now confronts challenges from Washington, where officials allege it creates unfair competition by circumventing established credit card networks such as Visa and Mastercard.
“PIX is the superior payment option and the most widely adopted,” explained Luis Felipe de Almeida, a 21-year-old entrepreneur selling iced beverages and cassava treats along Rio de Janeiro’s Ipanema coastline. “Cash transactions have become obsolete since everyone carries smartphones and relies on PIX.”
Introduced in 2020, the platform enables any individual possessing Brazilian tax identification, registered businesses, or government agencies to execute immediate fund transfers. The sole prerequisite involves maintaining a Brazilian banking relationship.
The system incorporates QR code functionality for seamless transactions. Personal users enjoy zero-cost transfers, while businesses face minimal charges that remain substantially below traditional banking fees and processing times that previously required hours for completion.
During July, the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative under President Donald Trump initiated an investigation into PIX, contending the system creates unfair market conditions for American credit card operators by providing fee-free transaction alternatives.
India operates a comparable payment infrastructure that remains unchallenged by U.S. trade officials, despite handling $300 billion in transactions during March alone. That system similarly eliminates transaction charges.
Brazilian middle-class consumers have embraced PIX for both minor purchases and significant acquisitions.
Marcello Palladini, a 57-year-old Sao Paulo restaurateur, primarily employs PIX for supplier payments exceeding 1,000 Brazilian reais ($200), particularly since many vendors refuse credit cards for substantial amounts. Nevertheless, he noted that most dining customers continue favoring credit cards or meal vouchers for lunch payments.
“When I need immediate transactions, PIX delivers instant results. I also maintain running accounts with certain suppliers who provide monthly consolidated billing through PIX,” Palladini explained.
While criticizing unfair corporate transaction fees imposed by some banks, he remains enthusiastic about the platform.
“PIX functions excellently with immediate processing,” he stated.
Numerous major Brazilian corporations utilize PIX for employee compensation. Real estate, automobiles, and even aircraft purchases occur through the platform, though substantial amounts typically require prior banking authorization.
Despite widespread adoption, PIX faces significant challenges. Criminal organizations have discovered methods to exploit the system through phone theft, enabling instant transfers of tens of thousands of Brazilian reais while leaving law enforcement, financial institutions, and insurance providers struggling to prevent rapid movement of stolen assets.
Brazilian officials and companies now monitor and frequently suspend accounts involved in questionable activities while implementing transfer limitations between 8 p.m. and morning hours, preventing criminals from moving large amounts when most users aren’t monitoring transaction notifications.
The Brazilian Forum of Public Security estimates that between 24 million and 28 million individuals experienced PIX-related crimes from January through September of the previous year, though total financial losses remain undetermined.
“PIX maintains technical and legal security standards, but fraud vulnerability exists because risks stem from human deception rather than technological weaknesses,” noted Ana Paula Siqueira, a Brazilian digital law specialist. “Most common schemes involve psychological manipulation, identity falsification, and fabricated urgent payment requests.”
These security concerns haven’t deterred 178 million of Brazil’s 213 million citizens from PIX registration.
“Genuine affection develops gradually over time,” called out Claudia Quirino, a Brazilian dumpling vendor at a Sao Paulo Pinheiros neighborhood market. “However, PIX works immediately! Purchase today!”
Federal health officials report that roughly 70,000 Americans lost their lives to drug overdoses in 2025, representing a 14% reduction compared to the year before, according to newly released preliminary data.
Wednesday’s federal report reveals this marks the third consecutive year of declining overdose fatalities, creating the most extended period of improvement seen in recent decades. The 2025 numbers mirror overdose deaths recorded in 2019, before the coronavirus pandemic began.
Multiple drug categories showed reductions in fatal overdoses, including fentanyl, cocaine, and methamphetamine. Most states experienced decreases in overdose deaths, though Arizona, Colorado, and New Mexico saw significant increases, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced.
Brandon Marshall, a Brown University researcher specializing in overdose patterns, expressed measured hope about the trend. “I’m cautiously optimistic that this represents really a fundamental change in the arc of the overdose crisis,” Marshall stated.
Despite the encouraging statistics, Marshall and fellow researchers emphasize that overdose deaths remain at concerning levels, and several factors could trigger another surge, including shifts in government policy or changes in available street drugs.
“If deaths are going down rapidly, that means they can increase just as rapidly if we take our foot off the gas,” Marshall warned.
While overdose fatalities had been climbing for decades, they surged dramatically during the pandemic years, reaching nearly 110,000 deaths in 2022. The pandemic increase coincided with widespread social isolation and reduced access to addiction treatment services.
As pandemic restrictions lifted, death rates began falling. Experts point to several contributing factors: greater access to naloxone, the overdose-reversing medication; expanded treatment programs; changes in drug use patterns; and the impact of billions in settlement funds from opioid litigation.
Research also indicates the population at highest overdose risk may be shrinking, as fewer young people begin using drugs and many long-term users have died. Additionally, regulatory changes implemented by China several years ago appear to have reduced access to chemicals needed for fentanyl production.
However, health and law enforcement agencies have recently raised concerns about new substances detected with increasing frequency throughout 2025.
Alex Krotulski leads the Center for Forensic Science Research and Education, a federally supported toxicology laboratory in Horsham, Pennsylvania, that serves as a key component of the national drug monitoring network.
Throughout 2025, the facility discovered 27 previously unknown drugs. In less than five months of 2026, researchers have already identified 23 new substances, Krotulski reported.
One particularly concerning drug under surveillance is cychlorphine, a powerful synthetic opioid reportedly up to 10 times more potent than fentanyl. Experts believe it’s being mixed into other illegal drugs without users’ awareness.
“The drug supply continues to change and evolve,” Krotulski explained.
Simultaneously, the Trump administration has been eliminating programs aimed at reducing overdose deaths and drug-related infections. Last month, the federal Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration informed grant recipients that funding would cease for test strips and kits that help users detect dangerous additives in their drugs.
Administration officials state they’re moving away from services that enable illegal drug use, including needle exchange programs and phone support lines for active users.
A group of mothers who lost children to overdoses recently met with media representatives to oppose government policies emphasizing punishment and imprisonment.
Kimberly Douglas established Black Moms Against Overdose following her 17-year-old son’s death.
“We are starting to see overdoses go down in some places and that’s because of harm reduction” services like those being targeted by the Trump administration, she said.
BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) — Louisiana’s Republican senators pushed through a proposal Wednesday to dismantle one of the state’s two congressional districts where Black voters hold a majority, acting on a recent U.S. Supreme Court decision that invalidated the current House map for illegal racial gerrymandering.
The Senate committee’s decision came in the early morning hours following extensive emotional testimony from Black community members and Democratic lawmakers who opposed the redistricting plan. While Republicans could have pursued an even more drastic strategy targeting both Democratic-held seats, they chose a more restrained approach.
The Supreme Court’s latest decision has weakened federal voting rights protections for minority communities, encouraging GOP lawmakers across the South to target House districts where large minority populations have consistently elected Democratic representatives. Both Tennessee and Alabama have already moved forward with revised congressional maps that could boost Republican chances of gaining additional seats. However, a comparable initiative in South Carolina’s Senate failed to advance on Tuesday.
These efforts to dismantle minority-majority districts represent the newest chapter in a nationwide redistricting fight that has been ongoing for 10 months and has affected roughly one-third of all states. The movement intensified when former President Donald Trump encouraged Texas Republicans to redraw their House boundaries last year in hopes of capturing more seats during midterm elections. California Democrats responded with their own redistricting efforts, followed by numerous other Republican-controlled states.
GOP strategists believe their party could pick up as many as 15 House seats through new district maps across Texas, Missouri, North Carolina, Ohio, Florida, Tennessee and Alabama. Democratic analysts estimate their party could gain six seats from revised maps in California and Utah. Last week, Virginia’s Supreme Court rejected a redistricting plan that might have created four additional competitive seats for Democrats.
WASHINGTON — The Trump administration has announced that David Venturella, who previously held executive positions at a private prison company, will take over as interim director of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement when the current leadership transitions out later this month.
According to a Department of Homeland Security representative speaking Tuesday evening, Venturella will replace Todd Lyons, who has guided the immigration enforcement agency during the administration’s aggressive immigration policies. ICE officials had not responded to requests for comment by Wednesday.
Congressional members noted in a public correspondence earlier this year that Venturella departed from the Geo Group in early 2023 and has since been employed at ICE, where he manages the department responsible for detention facility contracts.
During his tenure at Geo Group, Venturella held various leadership roles, including executive vice president in charge of corporate development, as documented in Securities and Exchange Commission records.
The leadership change occurs as public opinion has shifted regarding President Trump’s immigration enforcement strategies, which deployed large numbers of federal agents to cities nationwide for immigrant apprehensions. These operations heightened community tensions and sparked confrontations between demonstrators and police, culminating in the deaths of two American citizens in Minneapolis this year.
Trump campaigned on promises of widespread deportations upon returning to office, with ICE serving as a key agency in implementing this agenda. During Lyons’ tenure, the organization received substantial funding increases to expand personnel and detention facilities while increasing arrests to satisfy administration demands.
Officials confirmed Lyons’ resignation last month after he oversaw ICE during Trump’s immigration policy overhaul.
The appointment occurs as DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin establishes himself in his Cabinet position overseeing ICE operations. Mullin has pledged to maintain a lower profile for his department and suggested a more moderate approach to immigration matters, though he remains committed to supporting the president’s deportation objectives.
Most anglers picture Virginia’s James River as a rocky, mountain-fed waterway flowing from the Blue Ridge to the Chesapeake Bay. While the upper reaches offer spectacular scenery and fishing for smallmouth bass and muskellunge, that river transforms completely at Richmond’s fall line – where colonial boats once stopped and a dramatically different waterway begins.
At Richmond, the James shifts from the Piedmont region to the Coastal Plains. Rocky rapids give way to tidal flows and calm waters. This tidal section has its own distinct character and beauty, though its massive size can overwhelm anglers accustomed to smaller waters. Understanding the river by sections makes tackling these expansive waters much more manageable. Numerous public access points stretch from Richmond to the Chesapeake Bay confluence.
Ancarrows Landing
Richmond anglers know Ancarrows Landing well, particularly during the famous shad run from late March through mid-April when this city-owned facility sees its heaviest use of the year. The two-lane ramp accommodates everything from kayaks to 20-foot center console boats bound for the Chesapeake. Spring brings hickory shad, American shad, striped bass, and white perch as these species make their spawning runs. Year-round residents include smallmouth bass, largemouth bass, blue catfish, and flathead catfish. Shore fishing is especially popular during shad season.
Osborne Landing
Downstream from Richmond, Osborne Landing features three double boat ramps plus a separate kayak and canoe launch. This extremely popular facility has hosted numerous national bass fishing tournaments, as largemouth bass remain the top target species. The James River’s reputation as a world-class tidal largemouth fishery draws anglers from across the region. Many also launch here targeting blue catfish. A fishing pier accommodates those without boats. Spring fishing includes hickory shad, white perch, striped bass, blue catfish, flathead catfish, largemouth bass, yellow perch, and bowfin.
Deep Bottom Boat Landing
Deep Bottom provides excellent access for exploring nearby Presquile National Wildlife Refuge. Here the James develops its winding character with long bends and oxbows toward Hopewell. Extended curves, shallow areas, and freshwater marshes define this section’s features. Blue catfish and largemouth bass dominate angling efforts. Trophy blue catfish over 50 pounds are regularly landed in these waters. Wildlife watchers frequently spot bald eagles, ospreys, and blue herons.
Appomattox Delta & Confluence
Hopewell City Marina offers Appomattox River access above its James River confluence, while Jordan Point Marina provides main river access below the merger. The James undergoes dramatic changes here as the Appomattox adds substantial freshwater flow. The river expands significantly and water movement slows compared to narrower upstream channels. Extensive flats hold water throughout tidal cycles. Blue catfish are everywhere, with specimens exceeding 100 pounds caught nearly annually. Largemouth bass fishing thrives with diverse habitat including riprap points, docks, duck blinds, wooded shores, drop-offs, humps, and bends. Spring striped bass fishing involves trolling artificial lures or fishing live and cut bait.
Lawrence Lewis Jr. Park & Chickahominy Riverfront Park
Lawrence Lewis Jr. Park in Charles City County provides a single-lane boat ramp and fishing pier. The pier particularly attracts blue catfish anglers. This section features abundant flats, points, and river bends, plus multiple large creek confluences that create prime habitat for catfish and largemouth bass.
Chickahominy Riverfront Park in James City County sits roughly 17 miles downstream. Its wide two-lane ramp launches boats at Gordon Creek near the Chickahominy River confluence. Bald cypress trees and vast freshwater marshes create particularly scenic surroundings. This location is extremely popular with largemouth bass enthusiasts and hosts multiple tournaments annually. Both the Chickahominy and James offer outstanding largemouth fishing near the park. The facility includes a large fishing pier and riverside camping for multi-day fishing trips.
Hog Island Wildlife Management Area
Hog Island marks the freshwater-saltwater fishing license boundary on the James. A line connecting Hog Point on Hog Island in Surry County with the downstream point of College Creek’s mouth in James City County defines this division. Upstream fishing requires freshwater licenses while downstream requires saltwater licenses. Salinity levels increase dramatically here but vary with seasonal flow and rainfall patterns.
Lawnes Creek Boat Ramp provides access to Lawnes Creek just above its James River confluence. Striped bass, red drum, and speckled trout become primary targets in this reach. Blue catfish fishing remains excellent, especially during wet winters and springs when the salt wedge moves further downstream. Black drum and flounder are also caught regularly.
Ragged Island Wildlife Management Area and the Mouth of the James
Ragged Island Wildlife Management Area offers spectacular scenery directly across from Newport News. Oyster beds and tidal salt marshes dominate the landscape, with creeks winding through the WMA carrying strong tidal currents. Low and high tides create dramatically different conditions. Kayakers and canoeists can explore the WMA directly. Boat anglers face 15-20 minute runs from either Jones Creek Boat Ramp or Huntington Park Boat Ramp near the James River Fishing Pier in Newport News. The river’s massive size here demands careful attention to tides and wind forecasts. Dolphins commonly appear during summer months.
Summer fishing produces red drum, speckled trout, striped bass, bluefish, flounder, and sheepshead. During wet periods, blue catfish reach this area and even the James River Fishing Pier. Pier anglers also battle impressive black drum. Downstream from Ragged Island, the James maintains its industrial character through its final turn into the Chesapeake Bay. The Nansemond and Elizabeth rivers join from the Norfolk side, both offering excellent fishing opportunities. The Monitor Merrimac Bridge Tunnel and Hampton Roads Bridge Tunnel provide popular fishing structure as the river passes through Hampton before reaching the Bay, concluding 348 miles from its mountain origins.
Alex McCrickard serves as DWR’s Angling Education Coordinator.
A British robotics firm is setting its sights on a Wall Street debut as early as 2029, the company’s chief executive announced Wednesday.
Humanoid’s CEO Artem Sokolov revealed to Reuters that his company is eyeing a public stock offering in the United States as the business scales up manufacturing and fulfills a substantial backlog of industrial orders.
The executive disclosed that Humanoid has secured approximately 34,000 advance orders for its robotic systems, with shipments scheduled across the coming three-year period. These pre-orders translate to an estimated $2.4 billion in projected recurring annual revenue, Sokolov explained.
According to Sokolov, he established Humanoid in 2024 without any outside funding partners. The founder revealed he has personally committed roughly $100 million to finance the venture thus far.
While confirming the company’s preference for a U.S. stock exchange listing, Sokolov declined to specify what company valuation he’s targeting or outline specific circumstances that would prompt the public offering decision.
Delaware motorists should expect delays on northbound Interstate 95 this morning due to ongoing road maintenance operations.
Delaware Department of Transportation crews are performing a sweeping operation that is moving slowly through the left lane of I-95 North. The maintenance work spans from the point where I-95 and I-495 split through the U.S. Route 202 interchange.
Officials report the lane restrictions are scheduled to remain in effect until 11 AM today. Drivers traveling through this corridor should allow extra time for their commute and consider using alternate routes if possible.
The sweeping operation is part of routine highway maintenance to keep roadways clear of debris and safe for travelers.
Federal health officials announced Wednesday that fatal drug overdoses across the United States continued their downward trend in 2025, dropping by almost 14% compared to the previous year.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s preliminary data reveals that approximately 69,973 Americans lost their lives to drug overdoses in 2025, a significant decrease from the estimated 81,313 deaths recorded in 2024.
Health experts point to the expanded access to naloxone, a life-saving overdose reversal drug, as a major factor behind the encouraging statistics. The medication has become increasingly available to first responders, community organizations, and the general public.
Opioid-related fatalities specifically showed substantial improvement, falling from an estimated 55,296 deaths in 2024 to 44,564 in 2025, according to the CDC’s provisional figures.
Despite these positive trends, synthetic opioids like fentanyl continue to be the primary driver of overdose deaths nationwide, the data indicates.
While the majority of states experienced reductions in overdose fatalities, the report noted that New Mexico, Arizona, and Colorado bucked the national trend with increases of 10% or higher when compared to the same timeframe in 2024.
The Defense Department announced Wednesday it has secured framework deals with four companies that could lead to purchasing more than 10,000 affordable, containerized missiles beginning in 2027.
According to a Pentagon statement, the agreements involve Anduril, CoAspire, Leidos and Zone 5 as part of the newly launched “Low‑Cost Containerized Munitions (LCCM) program.”
The program’s assessment phase will begin in June 2026 with the Pentagon purchasing test missiles from all four contractors. While the statement did not reveal costs or specify particular weapon systems, it established terms for future fixed-price production contracts.
Military officials have long promoted containerized weapon systems as an affordable, portable method for deploying missiles using standard shipping containers.
In a separate deal, defense startup Castelion has outlined plans for a two-year contract requiring a minimum annual purchase of 500 Blackbeard missiles – the company’s inaugural hypersonic strike weapon – once testing and validation requirements are met.
The Pentagon is seeking authorization and funding to acquire more than 12,000 Blackbeard missiles across five years.
Michael Duffey, the Pentagon’s chief weapons buyer serving as under secretary of defense for acquisition and sustainment, stated the agreements demonstrate how the U.S. is expanding beyond traditional “prime” contractors to broaden the industrial base.
The deals send “a clear, long-term demand signal to innovative new entrants,” Duffey added.
Emil Michael, under secretary of defense for research and engineering, emphasized the agreements require companies to meet delivery deadlines and cost targets.
“We will deliver affordable mass for our warfighters at unprecedented speed,” Michael said in the statement.
The Pentagon has increased its congressional funding requests for munitions amid high demand due to the ongoing conflict in Iran.
General Dan Caine, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, testified this week that the Pentagon’s fiscal year 2027 budget would allocate more than $26 billion for multi-year procurement contracts for essential munitions.
WhatsApp users will soon have access to a new privacy-focused feature for artificial intelligence conversations, as Meta announced Wednesday the rollout of “Incognito Chat” functionality.
The social media giant revealed that this new capability will utilize specialized private processing technology to keep AI conversations completely confidential, preventing even Meta from accessing the discussions.
“Your conversations are not saved and by default, your messages disappear — giving you a space to think and explore ideas without anyone watching,” the company explained in their announcement.
This development addresses mounting privacy worries as individuals increasingly turn to AI assistants for guidance on personal matters including finances, health issues, and workplace situations.
WhatsApp’s leader Will Cathcart explained the reasoning behind the feature during a media presentation: “We’re starting to ask a lot of meaningful questions about our lives with AI systems. It doesn’t always feel like you should have to share the information behind those questions with the companies that run those AI systems.”
While Meta typically uses interactions with its AI assistant to enhance its artificial intelligence capabilities, the company clarifies that standard WhatsApp personal messages already receive end-to-end encryption protection and aren’t accessed for training purposes.
Currently, the incognito feature will only support text-based conversations, with image sharing capabilities not available, according to Cathcart.
He also noted that safety measures will be integrated into the AI system, allowing it to decline inappropriate requests and redirect problematic conversations.
Looking ahead, Meta plans to introduce an additional feature called “Side Chat” in upcoming months, which will provide users with private AI assistance during any WhatsApp conversation.
ABUJA, Nigeria (AP) — Nigerian military forces have once again caused massive civilian casualties in an airstrike intended to target militant fighters, marking another deadly error in a troubling pattern that has emerged over recent years and calls into question the effectiveness of a key U.S. security ally.
Sunday’s devastating attack claimed the lives of at least 100 innocent people, including young children, according to Amnesty International’s Nigerian branch. The strike hit a marketplace in Tumfa, located in the northwestern region of Zamfara state. A local Red Cross representative verified the aerial bombardment to The Associated Press, confirming that “multiple civilians” lost their lives.
Nigerian military leadership, however, disputes claims of civilian deaths. Major General Michael Onoja acknowledged that forces did conduct an airstrike on the market area but insisted there was “no verifiable evidence of civilian casualties.” He stated that military operations in the region are ongoing.
These types of deadly incidents have become routine across Nigeria’s violence-plagued northern territories, where armed forces depend extensively on air attacks to strike at bases used by numerous militant organizations. Armed fighters typically travel in large motorcycle convoys through isolated forest areas and remote settlements that ground forces cannot easily access.
Research conducted by SBM Intelligence, a Lagos-based analytical organization that compiled reports and information from impacted communities, shows that military airstrikes have resulted in more than 500 civilian deaths since 2017.
The Trump administration has recently deployed military personnel and drone aircraft to provide intelligence gathering and logistical assistance to Nigerian forces. Whether American-supplied intelligence played a role in Sunday’s strike remains unclear.
On several previous occasions, Nigerian officials have acknowledged responsibility for civilian deaths from airstrikes, characterizing these incidents as unintentional. However, residents and security experts report that such occurrences are happening with increasing frequency.
Defense Minister Christopher Musa has stated that the military is working to enhance its human rights practices and ensure accountability among its personnel.
Numerous armed organizations operate throughout Nigeria beyond Boko Haram, the most notorious extremist faction that began its violent campaign in 2009 seeking to impose its radical Islamic ideology across the northeastern region.
Many of today’s fighters were previously cattle herders who became involved in disputes with agricultural communities over land and water resources. These groups have evolved from carrying traditional weapons to conducting assaults with firearms smuggled across borders, leading to thousands of annual fatalities.
Certain militant factions conduct large-scale killings and abduct victims for ransom money in northwestern and central areas. According to analysts, they also demand “tax” payments from local populations to fund their activities, supplementing income from kidnapping operations.
Assaults can continue for multiple days in villages that lack sufficient security protection. Fighters typically avoid staying in any single area for extended periods, constantly moving locations and mixing with civilian populations to avoid capture.
Nigerian government officials explain that preventing civilian casualties during airstrikes proves difficult because armed groups frequently use innocent people as protective shields.
“Bandits and terrorists, unlike professional soldiers, don’t respect the rules of engagement. They don’t care about killing their hostages if they come under attack,” former President Muhammadu Buhari previously stated.
According to Senator Iroegbu, a security expert based in Abuja, the repeated military errors that result in civilian fatalities can also be traced to gaps in intelligence collection and inadequate communication between ground units, aircraft crews, and other key participants.
Nigerian government and military leaders routinely pledge to examine airstrikes to prevent future mistakes. Security analysts note, however, that such reviews typically fail to produce meaningful changes.
In 2024, military authorities took the unusual step of pursuing legal action against two service members following an airstrike that killed more than 80 civilians in Kaduna state. Officials also committed to publishing their investigation findings but have yet to do so.
Oluwole Ojewale from the Institute for Security Studies, which focuses on African issues, emphasized that Nigeria requires better investment in pilot education and training programs, along with modernized aircraft and targeting technology.
He added that military forces must also work to establish trust and gain cooperation from local communities, whose knowledge of militant group movements is essential for accurate targeting and successful operations against these organizations.
ANKARA, Turkey (AP) — In a symbolic move toward better diplomatic relations, Turkey has lifted trade restrictions with Armenia on Wednesday, marking progress between the two nations that have been at odds for decades.
The neighboring countries have maintained no official diplomatic ties, with their shared border remaining sealed since the 1990s. Tensions have persisted due to historical disputes and Turkey’s close partnership with Azerbaijan.
Both nations committed in late 2021 to working toward better relations, naming special representatives to explore reconciliation options and border reopening possibilities. These diplomatic efforts have already led to restored direct air travel and relaxed visa requirements.
Turkish Foreign Ministry Spokesman Oncu Keceli announced on social media platform X Wednesday that technical and administrative efforts to reopen the shared border continue moving forward.
The new policy allows goods shipped between Turkey and Armenia through third-party countries to properly identify their actual origin or destination, removing previous labeling restrictions, according to Keceli.
“In the light of the historic opportunity seized to strengthen lasting peace and prosperity in the South Caucasus, Türkiye will continue to contribute to the development of economic relations in the region and to further advancing cooperation for the benefit of all countries and peoples of the region,” Keceli stated, using Turkey’s official spelling.
Armenian officials praised the development.
“We would like to emphasize that this is an important step toward the establishment of full and normalized relations between the two countries, which could logically continue through the opening of the Armenia-Turkey border and the establishment of diplomatic relations,” Armenian Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Ani Badalyan responded on X.
Turkey closed its Armenian border in 1993 to support Azerbaijan during its territorial dispute with Armenia over the Karabakh region, also called Nagorno-Karabakh internationally.
During 2020, Turkey provided substantial military support to Azerbaijan in a six-week war against ethnic Armenian forces supported by Armenia over Karabakh territory. Azerbaijan reclaimed significant portions of the region and surrounding areas, utilizing Turkish military equipment including combat drones.
The two countries also share a painful historical legacy concerning the estimated 1.5 million Armenian deaths during massacres, deportations and forced relocations beginning in 1915 under Ottoman rule.
Most historians classify these events as genocide. Turkey strongly disputes this characterization, acknowledging casualties occurred during that period while arguing death counts are exaggerated and resulted from civil conflict.
SALISBURY, Md. — Salisbury officials will hold a special ceremony on Friday, May 15, 2026, at 11 a.m. to dedicate Henry T. Stephens Way and commemorate National Police Week.
The event is scheduled to occur at 110 W. Church Street, which previously served as the Salisbury Police Department’s main headquarters, and will pay tribute to Henry T. Stephens’ service and sacrifice during the national observance of Police Week.
The public, elected officials, law enforcement officers, and other invited guests are welcome to participate in this dedication event.
Attendees are advised to use the downtown parking structure at 111 Circle Ave. or find spaces in nearby downtown locations. Officials will suspend parking enforcement throughout downtown from 11 a.m. until 4 p.m. on Friday, May 15, 2026, to help accommodate those attending the ceremony.
Street closures will begin Thursday, May 14, 2026, at 4 p.m. and remain in place until Friday, May 15, 2026, at 4 p.m. to allow for event preparation and ceremony activities.
The affected area will be W. Church Street from St. Peter’s Street to N. Division Street exclusively.
Mayor Randy Taylor commented, “We want to take this opportunity during National Police Week to honor the officers who gave their lives in service and thank those who continue to stand watch over our community every day.”
Police Chief David Meienschein remarked, “During Police Week and Police Memorial Day, we forever honor those who made the ultimate sacrifice in service to others, especially Salisbury Police Officer Henry Stephens, who gave his life in the line of duty on September 6, 1958. The honorary renaming of the 100 block of West Church Street ensures his sacrifice will never be forgotten.”
Drivers and area residents should make alternative travel arrangements and expect longer commute times while the road restrictions are active.
Salisbury officials express gratitude for community understanding and support as residents come together for this meaningful tribute.
Delaware Department of Transportation crews are performing painting work that requires a temporary lane shift on the southbound Route 202 ramp leading to Route 141.
The lane adjustment will remain in effect until 4:00 PM today while maintenance crews complete their painting operations in the area.
Motorists traveling through this corridor should allow extra time and exercise caution while navigating through the work zone.
A months-long investigation into a suspected fatal drug overdose has led to the arrest of a Wilmington man on serious drug and weapons charges, according to New Castle County Police.
Kane Stanford, 32, of Wilmington, was taken into custody by detectives from the department’s Drug and Human Trafficking Investigations Team on multiple felony drug-related charges. The investigation began in March 2026 following a suspected overdose death.
During the course of their investigation, detectives secured search warrants for a residence as they worked to build their case against Stanford. The specific details of what was recovered during the searches have not yet been released by authorities.
The arrest represents the culmination of a two-month investigation by specialized detectives who focus on drug trafficking and related crimes in New Castle County.
BARCELONA, Spain — Spanish government records reveal that a Russian cargo vessel which went down in Mediterranean waters more than a year ago following engine room explosions was potentially transporting nuclear submarine reactor components.
The vessel Ursa Major went down on December 23, 2024, in waters between Spain and Algeria during what was reported as a voyage from St. Petersburg to Russia’s Pacific port of Vladivostok. Fourteen crew members were rescued by Spanish maritime teams, though two sailors were lost.
According to a written government response to parliamentary opposition members, the vessel’s commanding officer “confessed” the ship was transporting “components for two nuclear reactors similar to those used in submarines.”
The parliamentary document, dated February 23 and first disclosed by CNN on Tuesday, has been reviewed by The Associated Press.
When the vessel sank, Russian state shipping company Oboronlogistika claimed the Ursa Major was the victim of sabotage. The company reported three major explosions struck the vessel near the waterline in what they characterized as a “terrorist attack.”
Oboronlogistika operates under Russia’s defense ministry and faces sanctions from both the United States and European Union due to military connections.
Ship records indicated the vessel was transporting 129 containers, two large cranes, and “two well covers,” according to the government document.
When questioned by Harbor Master officials in Cartagena, Spain, following the rescue, the ship’s captain disclosed that the well covers were actually nuclear components. The captain clarified that no nuclear fuel was aboard the vessel.
Spanish officials explained they could not inspect the ship to verify this information during rescue operations, which prioritized crew safety and searching for missing personnel. The wreckage lies approximately 2,500 meters below the surface.
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov stated during a Wednesday press briefing that he had not reviewed reports about the ship’s cargo, adding “there is nothing for us to comment on here.”
KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia (AP) — Malaysian maritime authorities acknowledge they possess limited authority to prevent vessels linked to Iran from conducting oil transfers in waters off their coastline, a practice that enables Iran to circumvent international sanctions and has sparked increasing international condemnation.
According to United Against Nuclear Iran, a U.S.-based advocacy organization, satellite surveillance has documented 42 ship-to-ship oil transfers involving Iranian vessels in waters approximately 70 kilometers (45 miles) from Malaysia’s southern Johor state since February 28, following U.S. and Israeli military actions against Iran that initiated Middle East hostilities.
Shipping industry groups and UANI have condemned these transfer operations, with the advocacy group claiming Malaysia demonstrates insufficient enforcement measures.
Mohamad Rosli Abdullah, Director-General of Malaysia’s Maritime Enforcement Agency, explains that these transfers frequently occur in international waters beyond Malaysian authority, and these vessels, referred to as a “shadow fleet,” successfully avoid detection through various tactics including disabling tracking equipment, using fraudulent identities, conducting nighttime operations, and utilizing complicated ownership arrangements.
“The issues raised do not align with the actual situation on the ground and do not reflect the operational realities of maritime enforcement conducted by the MMEA,” Mohamad Rosli told The Associated Press.
American officials have previously indicated that Iranian petroleum exports depend significantly on service providers and ship-to-ship transfer operations conducted near Malaysian territorial waters.
This region, designated as the Eastern Outer Port Limits, or EOPL, within the South China Sea, sits along one of the planet’s most heavily trafficked maritime commercial routes and provides a midpoint between Iran and China, which purchases approximately 90% of Iranian petroleum.
Secret open-ocean transfers involving Iranian-connected tankers have continued for years, enabling Tehran to market its crude oil while providing purchasers with reasonable deniability regarding the petroleum’s origin.
Although not prohibited by law, Malaysia discourages unauthorized transfers conducted outside designated zones, where such activities can receive proper oversight since they significantly heighten spill risks, involve deteriorating vessels, and occur far from ports where accidents could receive better containment.
Representatives from both the Iranian Embassy in Kuala Lumpur and the U.S. State Department did not provide immediate responses to requests for comment.
Even with a U.S. naval blockade of Iranian ports beginning in mid-April, UANI continues tracking Iranian-connected tankers still in operation, although the number successfully passing through remains unclear.
As of Tuesday, two dozen Iranian-linked vessels monitored by UANI were positioned or waiting near the EOPL transfer area off Johor, though determining how many departed before the blockade implementation remains uncertain.
“It’s business as usual,” senior UANI adviser Charlie Brown told the AP.
“Because of Malaysia’s inaction, it is facilitating this business model by Iran and China and dark fleet actors,” he said, warning Malaysia is becoming “a facilitator rather than merely a transit point” for illicit activity.
UANI argues that Malaysia could implement environmental regulations requiring advance notification for ship-to-ship transfers, prohibit Malaysian companies from supporting involved vessels, and mandate adequate insurance coverage for accidents and oil spills, among other measures.
However, Mohamad Rosli stated Malaysia has limited options since the “activities are typically conducted outside Malaysian territorial waters, particularly in areas located near maritime boundaries or international shipping routes.”
He emphasized that enforcement follows Malaysian law and applicable international agreements strictly, and authorities have “never compromised nor provided any special treatment or privileges to any country.”
While the transfer location is generally considered part of Malaysia’s broader economic zone, it borders the Riau Archipelago, which belongs to Indonesian territory.
Indonesia’s Foreign Ministry indicated authorities are examining the situation to assess the activity’s legality.
“Indonesia does not permit its territory or maritime zones to be used for unlawful activities,” said Foreign Ministry spokesperson Yvonne Mewengkang.
“At the same time, Indonesia continues to uphold legitimate navigational rights under UNCLOS (the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea), including the right of innocent passage, transit passage, and the right of passage through Indonesian maritime zones.”
Mohamad Rosli mentioned that Malaysia had previously seized two vessels this year, one without national registration and another flying a Cameroon flag, participating in transferring 2 million barrels of crude oil within Malaysian territorial waters.
Both vessels received later release on bond for conducting unauthorized oil transfers. Brown noted one vessel was observed earlier this month performing a ship-to-ship transfer of suspected Iranian petroleum in Johor waters.
Malaysian authorities “will continue to strengthen monitoring and enhance strategic cooperation with relevant agencies to ensure that the nation’s maritime domain’s safety and sovereignty are consistently safeguarded,” Mohamad Rosli said.
MANILA, Philippines — Shots were fired Wednesday evening at the Philippine Senate building where Senator Ronald dela Rosa has been taking refuge from law enforcement officials seeking his arrest on International Criminal Court charges, according to an Associated Press reporter and other witnesses present.
The cause of the shooting and whether anyone was wounded remained unclear. Dela Rosa has been under the protection of fellow senators inside the legislative building while Philippine officials attempt to apprehend him for potential transfer to the ICC.
Senate President Alan Cayetano made a brief statement to reporters, confirming that building security informed him of the gunfire before quickly departing without offering additional information.
“The emotions are high here,” Cayetano said. “This is the Senate of the Philippines and we are allegedly under attack.”
The ICC made public its arrest warrant for dela Rosa on Monday. The 64-year-old former national police commander oversaw President Rodrigo Duterte’s drug enforcement campaigns that resulted in the deaths of thousands of suspected low-level offenders.
The warrant, initially issued in November, accuses dela Rosa of murder as a crime against humanity involving “no less than 32 persons” during his tenure leading the national police from July 2016 through April 2018 under Duterte’s administration.
Dela Rosa has pledged to challenge the ICC warrant through all available legal channels. On Wednesday evening, he urged his supporters to come to the Senate complex to help block what he described as his imminent detention.
When National Bureau of Investigation officers attempted to take dela Rosa into custody Monday, he escaped to the Senate chamber and requested assistance from colleague senators. Cayetano announced at that time he would hold the government agents in contempt.
WASHINGTON — Wholesale inflation surged dramatically last month, with producer prices climbing 6% compared to the same period last year, marking the steepest annual increase since December 2022. The escalating 10-week conflict involving Iran has driven energy costs substantially higher, forcing businesses to consider passing these elevated expenses on to consumers.
Wednesday’s report from the Labor Department revealed that the producer price index, which measures inflation before it reaches retail customers, jumped 1.4% in April alone — the largest single-month increase since March 2022.
Energy costs experienced dramatic increases, rising 7.8% between March and April and climbing 22.7% year-over-year. Gasoline prices skyrocketed 15.6% from the previous month, while diesel fuel, crucial for transportation and shipping, surged 12.6%.
When removing unpredictable food and energy prices, core producer costs still increased 1% monthly and 5.2% compared to April 2025.
These figures significantly exceeded economic forecasts and could reshape the Federal Reserve’s approach to combating inflation.
The price increases come as Americans already struggle with elevated living costs. Economic affordability is expected to play a major role when voters head to polling stations on November 3 to decide whether President Donald Trump’s Republican Party will retain control of both congressional chambers.
“This report will set off alarm bells at the Fed and add fuel to the political conversation about affordability,” commented Carl Weinberg, chief economist at High Frequency Economics. “The results are so far above expectations that this update will set off alarm bells in the financial markets, too.”
The conflict escalated when the United States and Israel launched attacks on Iran on February 28, prompting Tehran to block access to the Gulf of Hormuz, a critical waterway handling one-fifth of global oil and liquefied natural gas shipments. This action sent energy prices soaring.
Producer price data provides early insight into potential consumer inflation trends. Economists closely monitor these figures because certain components, particularly healthcare and financial services measurements, influence the Fed’s preferred inflation metric — the Commerce Department’s personal consumption expenditures price index.
Earlier this week, the Labor Department reported that its closely monitored consumer price index increased 3.8% last month compared to April 2025, representing the largest annual jump in over three years as energy costs continued climbing.
Major retailers are feeling the pressure. Walmart, known for its commitment to low prices, implemented unusual price increases last year and may face intensifying pressure for additional hikes. The company is not facing this challenge alone.
Whirlpool, manufacturer of KitchenAid and Maytag appliances, announced this month that quarterly revenue fell nearly 10% and described the war’s impact as creating a “recession-level industry decline” that has damaged consumer confidence. The company implemented a 10% price increase in April, its steepest in ten years, and plans an additional 4% increase for July.
Previously, the company had absorbed higher costs rather than burden customers, but this strategy is changing.
Prior to the Iran conflict, the Federal Reserve was anticipated to reduce its benchmark interest rate in 2026. However, officials have adopted a more cautious stance, waiting to assess the conflict’s duration and whether elevated energy prices will spread to other sectors, potentially triggering broader inflation.
President Trump has criticized the Fed and outgoing chair Jerome Powell for declining to cut rates to stimulate economic growth. Kevin Warsh, Trump’s nominee to replace Powell, awaits Senate confirmation this week, though it remains uncertain whether Warsh would pursue rate reductions given war-related uncertainties or successfully convince fellow committee members to support such measures.
NEW YORK — The Open Society Foundations, established by billionaire philanthropist George Soros, announced Wednesday a $30 million initiative to combat religious hatred targeting Jewish and Muslim communities over the next three years.
The human rights organization made the commitment to build stronger interfaith alliances and safeguard vulnerable communities as religious violence escalates globally, particularly amid tensions surrounding the Israel-Hamas conflict and recent ceasefire developments.
Data from Tel Aviv University’s latest annual report shows that violence against Jewish people reached unprecedented levels last year — the worst in more than 30 years — including incidents like the December shooting during Hanukkah festivities in Australia. Simultaneously, anti-Muslim sentiment has surged, with some congressional Republicans making inflammatory statements suggesting Muslims “don’t belong in American society.”
Open Society Foundations President Binaifer Nowrojee addressed the crisis in a statement, saying: “The deep injustices occurring in the Middle East are fueling indiscriminate prejudice, dehumanization, and violence directed against both Muslims and Jews. Entire communities cannot be targeted simply because of their religion. Bigotry and intolerance in any form must be called out and confronted.”
This represents the organization’s most prominent public initiative since reports emerged last fall that federal prosecutors were exploring potential charges against the foundations. Former President Donald Trump specifically mentioned Soros while directing law enforcement to investigate what he termed “left-wing terrorism” — allegations the organization has consistently refuted while emphasizing their democratic mission.
Alex Soros, who assumed control of the family foundations in late 2022, brings personal perspective to the cause as both the child of a Holocaust survivor and spouse of a Muslim American. The organization noted that George Soros, despite his prominent role as a progressive political donor, frequently becomes the target of conspiracy theories that transform his influence into antisemitic narratives about shadowy control.
“At a moment like this we need to stand together and act,” Alex Soros stated in a social media video. “This investment is about keeping people safe and pushing back against hate.”
The funding will support educational programs addressing discrimination, empower community leaders who foster trust between groups, and defend free speech protections. Several organizations have already received grants, while others can apply for support. Beneficiaries include the Jewish Social Justice Roundtable, the Jewish Council for Public Affairs, and the Nexus Project. Shoulder to Shoulder, an interfaith coalition training religious leaders to combat Islamophobia, leads anti-Muslim discrimination efforts.
Amy Spitalnick, who heads the Jewish Council for Public Affairs, praised the comprehensive approach addressing both issues simultaneously. The funding will expand JCPA’s collaborative work with Muslim and Arab American organizations, relationships that have grown stronger since the Israel-Hamas war began. She highlighted joint programs including a fellowship and Capitol Hill event on Jewish-Muslim cooperation developed with the Muslim Public Affairs Council.
Spitalnick stressed the interconnected nature of hatred, explaining that normalizing Islamophobia, racism, and broader extremism creates conditions where antisemitism thrives.
“We need funders and others to recognize that treating any of these issues in silos doesn’t get at the root cause, doesn’t get at the broader resiliency we need right now,” Spitalnick explained. “The fact that Jewish safety requires Muslim safety, that Muslim safety requires Jewish safety.”
The foundations did not specify their definition of antisemitism — a contentious topic on college campuses and in state governments where debates continue over whether Israeli criticism constitutes anti-Jewish hatred. The selected grant recipients suggest a more flexible interpretation than organizations like the Anti-Defamation League, which publishes yearly antisemitic incident reports and considers anti-Zionist views as antisemitic.
The Nexus Project, by contrast, advocates for antisemitism definitions that exclude criticism of Israeli government policies. When the National Education Association considered restricting ADL educational materials, Spitalnick emphasized that “one does not need to align with the ADL on every issue.”
Andrés Spokoiny, who leads the Jewish Funders Network, estimates philanthropic organizations have invested hundreds of thousands of dollars in antisemitism prevention efforts, regardless of definitional differences. Other major initiatives include New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft’s $25 million “Stand Up to Jewish Hate” advertising campaign launched in March 2023 through his Foundation to Combat Antisemitism.
However, continued antisemitism has prompted some funders in Spokoiny’s network to question their strategies.
“There’s a lot of perplexity around what actually works,” he observed. “So many funders are very frustrated.”
A leading executive at JPMorgan Chase has indicated the American banking giant would be willing to meet with France’s far-right National Rally party as the group prepares for the 2027 presidential race.
Matthieu Wiltz, who serves as co-chief executive for JPMorgan’s operations across Europe, the Middle East and Africa, made the comments during a conference in Paris on Tuesday when reporters asked about potential engagement with the National Rally.
“We try to have dialogue with all of (the political parties). I’m happy to talk to anyone,” Wiltz stated. “I really want to explain why it’s important to have strong banks and strong European corporates, and why that would benefit France in the long term — and the European Union as well.”
The statement represents a notable shift in corporate strategy toward the National Rally, which major French businesses have historically kept at arm’s length. However, with polling data indicating the party could potentially secure victory in 2027, companies are now attempting to better understand and potentially shape its economic policies.
This corporate outreach has already begun in earnest. National Rally president Jordan Bardella held discussions with France’s top employer organization last month. Additionally, sources report that Marine Le Pen, the party’s longtime figurehead and three-time presidential contender, attended a Paris dinner gathering in April that included executives from major French companies such as oil giant TotalEnergies and luxury conglomerate LVMH.
Nevertheless, the National Rally has not yet secured widespread support from France’s business community, where leaders remain wary of the party’s evolving economic positions.
Current polling shows the party as a serious competitor for power, though questions persist about Le Pen’s eligibility to run. She faces a 2025 embezzlement conviction that bars her from seeking office for five years, with an appeal decision expected in July.
Wiltz’s comments also addressed JPMorgan’s European strategy following Britain’s departure from the European Union. The bank has been working to maintain operations in both London and Paris since Brexit took effect.
“Brexit happened. We live in a world now where we have to be balanced between the UK and what we have here in France and the EU,” he explained.
“As it stands today, honestly, there is nothing that would push us to move outside of France. France is still very appealing.”
JPMorgan currently maintains a workforce of more than 1,000 employees in Paris and has been expanding its French operations in recent years, including developing plans for additional office space to accommodate growth.
Health officials in southwestern France have temporarily barred passengers and crew members from leaving a cruise vessel docked in Bordeaux following reports of numerous gastroenteritis cases aboard the ship.
The Ambassador Cruise Line ship Ambition, carrying approximately 1,700 people, arrived from Belfast and Liverpool before being held at port as a safety precaution. French television reports indicate one passenger has died during the voyage.
Regional health authorities emphasized that this apparent stomach illness outbreak bears no connection to a separate hantavirus incident that occurred on the luxury vessel Hondius during its journey from Argentina to the Canary Islands.
Ambassador Cruise Line announced through social media that they have put stronger cleaning and safety measures in place on the Ambition. “Once clearance is granted, guests will be permitted to disembark,” the company stated.
Officials described the passenger restriction as temporary while they await results from medical examinations.
Stomach-related illnesses frequently occur on cruise vessels. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has already documented four separate outbreaks this year on cruise ships, including two cases of E.coli and two instances of norovirus.
Gastroenteritis, commonly known as stomach flu, primarily causes nausea and loose bowel movements. While highly transmissible, the condition typically resolves without serious complications, though severe cases may result in fluid loss requiring medical attention.
This illness differs significantly from hantavirus, which carries a much higher death rate but rarely spreads between people except through prolonged direct contact.
A major American spirits company has announced its latest investment targeting younger drinkers, backing a canned cocktail brand that features a popular social media personality as an investor.
Sazerac, the company behind Buffalo Trace Bourbon, revealed Wednesday it has made a financial commitment to SIPMARGS, a sparkling margarita brand that counts TikTok influencer Alix Earle among its backers. The companies have also established an exclusive distribution partnership, though financial details of the investment remain undisclosed.
This move represents Sazerac’s continued effort to capture Generation Z consumers through strategic partnerships. The company recently announced backing for Kendall Jenner’s 818 Tequila brand and has acquired multiple ready-to-drink brands including BuzzBallz, recognized for its distinctive round containers, and Dirty Shirley.
Meanwhile, Sazerac has been pursuing larger acquisition targets. The privately-owned company submitted a roughly $15 billion offer last month to acquire Brown-Forman, the maker of Jack Daniel’s whiskey, but saw that proposal turned down this week. Brown-Forman had previously been in merger discussions with France-based Pernod-Ricard, though those talks have concluded.
SIPMARGS launched in 2020 and secured $3 million in funding this year from various investors, including Earle and Palm Tree Crew, a venture capital firm co-established by musician Kygo.
Earle, age 25, commands approximately 8.5 million followers on TikTok and has previously invested in beverage companies such as Poppi and GORGIE.
“We’ve built an incredibly engaged community around SIPMARGS, but partnering with Sazerac gives us the infrastructure and distribution power to reach consumers on a completely different level,” Earle stated. “It allows us to expand nationally, grow faster, and compete alongside some of the biggest names in the beverage industry while still staying true to what makes us special.”
The Goldring family owns Sazerac, which dates back to the 1850s and reports annual net sales exceeding $6 billion. The company’s portfolio includes more than 500 brands such as Svedka Vodka and Fireball Cinnamon Whiskey.
Sazerac has maintained an active acquisition strategy, purchasing approximately 60 brands over the past ten years.
Delaware anglers planning weekend surf fishing trips will need to book ahead starting May 23, as the state’s five busiest drive-on fishing beaches implement mandatory reservation systems for weekends and holidays.
The reservation requirement affects only the most heavily used coastal fishing spots, while seven additional drive-on locations will continue operating without advance booking needs thanks to policy adjustments made in 2025.
The new system aims to manage crowding at Delaware’s premier surf fishing destinations during peak times when angler traffic is heaviest.
Worcester County officials have issued an advisory regarding a scheduled water service interruption that will affect residents living on East Hopetown Lane in West Ocean City on May 15th.
The planned outage notice was posted by county administrators on May 13th to provide advance warning to customers who will experience temporary loss of water service during the maintenance period.
County officials have not yet released specific details about the duration of the service interruption or the exact nature of the work being performed that necessitates shutting off water to the area.
Residents on East Hopetown Lane are advised to prepare for the temporary water outage by storing water for essential needs during the scheduled maintenance window.
Motorists traveling on Cave Neck Road should plan for potential delays as construction crews continue work that requires intermittent lane closures.
The affected stretch runs between Front Street and Hudson Road, where drivers may encounter temporary lane restrictions throughout the day.
According to DelDOT officials, the construction-related lane closures will continue until 6 PM today. Drivers are advised to allow extra travel time and exercise caution when passing through the work zone.
The department recommends seeking alternate routes when possible to avoid potential traffic backups in the area.
ANNAPOLIS, MD – A longtime Baltimore Orioles executive has taken on a new role overseeing plant health and pest control for the state of Maryland.
Agriculture Secretary Kevin Atticks revealed Monday that Nicole Sherry has been named assistant secretary for Plant Industries and Pest Management at the Maryland Department of Agriculture. The appointment, announced on May 13, 2026, brings Sherry’s decades of field management expertise from professional baseball into state government.
Sherry’s career with the Orioles organization spanned 23 years, where she most recently held the position of senior director of field operations. Her extensive background in turf management and field maintenance will now be applied to broader agricultural challenges across Maryland.
The Maryland Department of Agriculture oversees plant health regulations, pest control programs, and agricultural inspection services throughout the state.
The basketball world is mourning the loss of Memphis Grizzlies forward Brandon Clarke, who passed away at the age of 29. The team, his representation agency, and the NBA have all confirmed his death.
According to sources close to the investigation, medical examiners will conduct an autopsy to establish the precise cause of Clarke’s passing. His representatives at Priority Sports expressed their grief on social media, stating they were “beyond devastated” by the tragic news. Clarke had faced legal troubles recently, having been taken into custody on April 1st in Arkansas on charges of speeding and controlled substance possession before posting bond the following day. The Gonzaga product was selected 21st overall by Oklahoma City in the 2019 draft and earned All-Rookie honors in 2020, though injuries restricted him to just 72 appearances over his final three seasons out of a possible 246 games.
In playoff action, Victor Wembanyama delivered a dominant performance to help the San Antonio Spurs defeat the Minnesota Timberwolves 126-97, putting San Antonio one win away from the Western Conference finals with a 3-2 series advantage. The young star recorded 27 points, 17 rebounds, and three blocks in what served as redemption following his first career ejection. Keldon Johnson contributed 21 points, while De’Aaron Fox added 18 and Stephon Castle chipped in 17 for the Spurs. San Antonio can secure their spot against Oklahoma City with a Game 6 victory this Friday in Minneapolis. Minnesota’s Anthony Edwards managed 20 points despite being held to just eight in the opening half.
Los Angeles Dodgers superstar Shohei Ohtani will sit out the next two games as the designated hitter while dealing with an offensive struggle. Despite breaking an 11-game home run drought with his second long ball in 24 contests during a 6-2 victory over San Francisco, manager Dave Roberts announced Ohtani won’t appear in Wednesday’s lineup when he takes the mound, nor Thursday’s game. Ohtani finished 2-for-4 with two runs, one RBI, and a walk, while his teammates managed just two hits in 25 at-bats. This marks Ohtani’s inaugural complete season as a dual-threat player with the Dodgers.
The Philadelphia 76ers have dismissed president Daryl Morey while retaining head coach Nick Nurse following their Eastern Conference semifinal sweep at the hands of the New York Knicks. Morey’s six-year tenure ended after another disappointing postseason, prompting the organization to seek new leadership for their basketball operations. Former Golden State Warriors executive Bob Myers will spearhead the search for Morey’s successor and oversee operations temporarily. Under Morey’s leadership, Philadelphia posted a 270-212 regular season record but struggled in playoff situations with a 28-26 mark, never advancing beyond the conference semifinals.
A Florida judge has ordered that Tiger Woods’ prescription medication records be released to prosecutors in connection with his March DUI arrest. The ruling came after a brief four-minute court session in Martin County, where an agreement was reached between Woods’ legal team and prosecutors. The subpoena requests all prescription drug documentation for the golf legend from January through March. Woods’ lawyer conceded that privacy rights have limitations and acknowledged prosecutors presented a strong case for accessing the records. In exchange, the defense secured a protective order restricting who may view the sensitive medical information.
World number one golfer Scottie Scheffler aims to break a pattern of second-place finishes as he defends his PGA Championship title. Despite his dominance on tour, Scheffler has recorded three straight runner-up results since the Masters. “It’s a little bittersweet but at least he knows he’s playing well,” Scheffler commented on his recent performances. Victory would place him alongside Brooks Koepka and Tiger Woods as the only players to capture consecutive PGA Championships in the stroke play era. Standing in his path are golf’s strongest major championship field and Aronimink’s challenging layout, which Xander Schauffele characterized as having “diabolical greens.”
Pavel Dorofeyev netted his second goal of the contest 4:10 into overtime, lifting the Vegas Golden Knights to a 3-2 triumph over the Anaheim Ducks and a 3-2 series lead. The Golden Knights need just one more victory to reach the Western Conference final, with Game 6 scheduled for Thursday in Anaheim. Vegas hasn’t appeared in a conference final since capturing the Stanley Cup in 2023. The Ducks, making their first postseason appearance in eight years, will attempt to force a decisive Game 7 back in Las Vegas this Saturday. Tomas Hertl ended a 29-game goalless streak dating to the regular season and now has two goals in two playoff games. Vegas goaltender Carter Hart made 34 saves in the victory.
Zach Benson celebrated his 21st birthday in style, scoring the game-winning goal on a third-period power play as the Buffalo Sabres defeated the Montreal Canadiens 3-2 in Game 4, evening their Eastern Conference semifinal series. Benson received a pass from Josh Doan in the slot, controlled the puck with his skate, and fired a backhand past goalie Jakub Dobes at the 4:41 mark of the final period. Game 5 returns to Buffalo on Thursday, with the series victor advancing to face Carolina in the conference final. Tage Thompson equalized for Buffalo in the second period with an unusual goal and also recorded an assist. Defenseman Mattias Samuelsson opened the scoring while Doan contributed two assists. Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen replaced Alex Lyon in net and stopped 28 shots.
Major League Baseball players and team owners have commenced collective bargaining discussions more than six months before their current agreement expires on December 1st. The negotiations, expected to be lengthy and contentious, will likely feature management’s push for a salary cap system that the players’ union has consistently rejected. The initial two-hour meeting took place at the MLB Players Association offices, located just a short walk from league headquarters in Manhattan’s Rockefeller Center. Both sides used the session to present their perspectives on the sport’s current state and financial landscape, though no formal proposals were exchanged.
Drivers traveling through a local intersection should plan for delays this morning due to ongoing construction activity.
Work crews are operating at the intersection where Lochmeath Way meets Brookfield Drive, creating slower traffic conditions for commuters and other motorists passing through the area.
According to DelDOT traffic reports, the construction-related delays are expected to continue until 11:00 AM today.
Drivers are advised to allow extra travel time or consider alternate routes if possible to avoid the affected intersection during the morning hours.
Delaware Department of Transportation crews are conducting construction work that has resulted in a temporary lane closure on a busy stretch of U.S. Route 13.
The right lane of northbound Route 13 is currently blocked to traffic from Midstate Road to Canterbury Road while the work is being performed.
DelDOT officials indicate the lane restriction will remain in place until 1 PM today, after which normal traffic patterns are expected to resume.
Motorists traveling through the area should expect potential delays and are advised to use caution when passing through the construction zone.
Motorists traveling through Sussex County should plan for potential delays on Walt Messick Road today due to ongoing construction work.
The Delaware Department of Transportation reports that the right lane of eastbound Walt Messick Road at Vernon Road is currently closed to traffic. The closure affects the stretch of roadway between Farmington Road and Whitelysburg Road.
According to DelDOT, the lane restriction is scheduled to remain in place until 4 PM today. Drivers are advised to use caution when traveling through the work zone and allow extra time for their commute.
The construction activity is causing traffic to merge into the left lane in the affected area. Officials recommend considering alternate routes if possible to avoid potential backups during peak travel times.
Albrecht Weinberg, a centenarian who lived through the horrors of Nazi concentration camps and dedicated his later years to sharing his testimony, passed away Tuesday in Leer, Germany, at the age of 101, according to local officials.
The survivor had experienced unimaginable suffering during World War II, imprisoned in multiple concentration camps including Auschwitz, Mittelbau-Dora, and Bergen-Belsen, and forced to endure three death marches. Weinberg’s passing occurred just weeks following his 101st birthday celebration and the debut of a film documenting his experiences, titled “Es ist immer in meinem Kopf” (“It Is Always in My Head”), which attracted hundreds of viewers.
Weinberg entered the world on March 7, 1925, in Rhauderfehn, a community close to Leer. As a young man, he was taken into custody for forced labor and managed to survive some of the most infamous facilities in the Nazi camp system. The Holocaust claimed the lives of most of his relatives, including siblings Dieter and Friedel, based on records from the Claims Conference’s survivor testimony project.
According to Leer Mayor Claus-Peter Horst’s public statement, Weinberg devoted his remaining years to continuously sharing his survival story. “Since returning from New York to his East Frisian home 14 years ago, Albrecht recounted tirelessly and with incredible energy his terrible experiences during the Nazi era and warned again and again against forgetting,” Horst said.
During Germany’s struggle with both the declining population of living Holocaust witnesses and rising concerns about far-right political movements, Weinberg established himself as a regular presence in educational institutions and community events. Though he was honored with Germany’s Order of Merit in 2017, he made the decision in 2025 to return the award following a parliamentary migration vote that received backing from the far-right Alternative for Germany party (AfD). This legislative action shattered a decades-long postwar tradition of avoiding dependence on far-right support for parliamentary majorities.
Israel’s ambassador to Germany, Ron Prosor, honored Weinberg’s memory, describing him as “a bridge—between past and present, between pain and hope, between the dead he could never forget and the young people whom he encouraged to seek the truth,” according to The Associated Press.
According to a Reuters investigation, Saudi Arabia conducted secret airstrikes on Iranian territory in late March, marking a retaliatory response to attacks the kingdom endured during recent regional hostilities, four sources told the news agency.
The military operations represent the first documented instance of Saudi forces striking targets within Iran’s borders.
A source familiar with the situation described the military action as “tit-for-tat strikes in response to attacks Saudi Arabia had suffered.”
The Reuters investigation revealed that these strikes exposed vulnerabilities in Saudi Arabia’s defensive capabilities, despite the nation’s strong military partnership with the United States and its longstanding dependence on American security guarantees. According to the report, hostile attacks during the conflict managed to breach the U.S. protective security framework safeguarding the Gulf nation.
Sources indicated that Saudi officials notified Iran following the completion of their military operations. Reuters documented that extensive diplomatic communications ensued, accompanied by Saudi threats of potential further military action. These diplomatic exchanges ultimately resulted in mutual agreements designed to lower tensions between the rival nations. This informal de-escalation pact reportedly became effective approximately one week prior to the April 7 ceasefire agreement reached between Washington and Tehran.
The revelation of Saudi military action emerged one day following The Wall Street Journal’s disclosure that the United Arab Emirates had similarly conducted strikes within Iranian territory during the same conflict period. The publication reported that the UAE operation took place in early April, coinciding with President Trump’s ceasefire declaration, though the exact timing relative to the announcement remained unclear.
During the conflict, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates employed contrasting approaches, Reuters found. While Riyadh worked to prevent further escalation and kept diplomatic channels open with Iranian representatives, including Iran’s ambassador stationed in Riyadh, the UAE pursued a more aggressive stance focused on punishing Tehran.
Israeli Eurovision contestant Noam Bettan secured his place in Saturday’s grand final following Tuesday’s semifinal performance in Vienna, though his appearance sparked both enthusiastic support and vocal opposition from audience members.
Bettan performed his entry “Michelle” as the tenth act of the evening, ultimately earning enough votes to advance alongside nine other nations: Greece, Finland, Belgium, Sweden, Moldova, Serbia, Croatia, Lithuania, and Poland.
The performance was marked by disruptions, with venue security removing multiple spectators who engaged in anti-Israel demonstrations. Local authorities escorted out one protester who yelled “genocide” during Bettan’s time on stage.
Speaking to Israeli media afterward, Bettan acknowledged the hostile reception but remained focused. “The calls were really, really loud. But I focused on the performance,” Bettan explained following his stage exit. He continued, “I searched with my eyes for the Israeli flags in the crowd. That strengthened me.”
Upon learning of his advancement to the final round, Bettan expressed gratitude to his supporters, stating he was thankful “to all the people of Israel, to all the Jews in the world, and to everyone who voted for us.”
“Wow, I had an amazing performance, I enjoyed every moment, see you in the final. I truly felt like I was singing for the State of Israel. I was simply channeling the people and felt like I was a conduit,” he added.
Meanwhile, Eurovision organizers issued a warning to Israel’s Kan public broadcaster regarding an online promotional campaign supporting Bettan, citing updated competition regulations designed to restrict external promotional efforts.
Eurovision director Martin Green revealed that officials quickly contacted the Israeli delegation after discovering online videos featuring Bettan. “Within 20 minutes, we had contacted the KAN delegation to ask them to immediately stop any distribution of the videos and remove them from any platforms where they had been published. They immediately acted to do this,” Green stated.
When questioned by The Times of Israel, Kan responded that it “is following all of the rules of the competition.” A delegation insider noted that contestants from Malta and Romania had conducted similar promotional campaigns this year.
BRUSSELS (AP) — Palestinian musician Bashar Murad took the stage at an elegant Brussels venue Tuesday night, delivering an emotional rendition of Nina Simone’s “I Wish I Knew How It Would Feel to Be Free” in both English and Arabic. The crowd responded with thunderous applause as the last notes echoed through the hall.
Murad’s performance was part of a growing movement of alternative concerts protesting Israel’s inclusion in this week’s Eurovision Song Contest in Vienna. Critics are voicing opposition to Israel’s participation amid its ongoing military operations in Gaza and surrounding regions.
This year’s Eurovision, celebrating its 70th anniversary with the theme “United by Music,” has seen five nations — Spain, Ireland, the Netherlands, Slovenia and Iceland — refuse to participate. Despite the boycotts, 35 countries are still competing, with ten nations including Israel and frontrunner Finland securing spots in Tuesday’s semifinals.
The “United for Palestine” concert in Brussels brought together European performers with Palestinian musicians like Murad, who nearly represented Iceland in the 2024 competition.
“It’s always amazing to be in the same room with people who believe in the same things as you and people who believe that we can’t just let the show go on,” Murad explained.
Murad’s parents, including his father who helped found the prominent Palestinian band Sabreen, had previously tried without success to get Palestine admitted to Eurovision in 2007 through the European Broadcasting Union in Geneva.
Israel has been a Eurovision participant since 1973, claiming victory four times and maintaining strong cultural ties to the annual competition.
However, Israel’s continued involvement has generated increasing controversy as international anger mounts over casualties in Gaza, the West Bank, Lebanon and Iran. Mass demonstrations have swept from Rome to Madrid, with European Union officials considering additional sanctions.
“We have to create an alternative because the participation of Israel is problematic,” stated Katrien De Ruysscher, who leads activist organization SOS Gaza. Her group partnered with rights organization 11.11.11 to coordinate the Brussels gathering.
Previous Eurovision events in Malmo, Sweden in 2024 and Basel, Switzerland the year before witnessed significant pro-Palestinian demonstrations demanding Israel’s removal. Allegations also surfaced that Israel’s government violated competition guidelines to assist their representative.
Contest organizers have strengthened voting procedures this year following claims of ballot manipulation, though participants continue to be evaluated by national panels and global audiences.
The European Broadcasting Union rejected calls to exclude Israel, prompting the five-nation boycott.
Amnesty International’s secretary general Agnès Callamard argued Eurovision should remove Israel just as it did with Russia in 2022 following Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine.
“Songs and sequins must not be allowed to drown out or distract from Israel’s atrocities or Palestinian suffering,” Callamard declared.
Similar protest concerts are occurring across Austria, Germany, Slovenia, Italy and Spain, according to Brussels event organizers.
Spanish public television, which traditionally broadcasts Eurovision, will instead air an alternative program Saturday evening called “La Casa de la Música.” The special will honor the network’s 70-year history with performances by 20 established and emerging artists, including Benidorm Fest winners who would typically advance to Eurovision.
Despite these alternative events, none will match Eurovision’s massive reach — the contest attracted 166 million viewers in 2025 and maintains its devoted fanbase.
Murad expressed hope that counter-programming might encourage reflection on Eurovision’s founding principles of musical unity.
“The purpose of these alternative programs that are happening is to remind Eurovision what it’s actually about and to try to hopefully bring it back, to correct its course, and make it actually live up to the things that it claims to be about,” he said. “A lot of people in the world feel that the competition has lost its meaning.”
President Donald Trump touched down in Beijing Wednesday evening for critical discussions with Chinese President Xi Jinping during a turbulent period marked by global concerns over warfare, trade disputes, and artificial intelligence developments.
Trump’s visit comes during a challenging period for his administration, with domestic approval ratings suffering due to the ongoing U.S.-Israel conflict with Iran and subsequent inflationary pressures from that war. The president aims to secure victory through new agreements for China to purchase additional American agricultural products and aircraft, stating he plans to discuss trade matters with Xi “more than anything else.”
Upon Air Force One’s landing, Chinese officials rolled out a red carpet welcome for the American president.
Chinese Vice President Han Zheng, Washington ambassador Xie Feng, executive foreign affairs vice minister Ma Zhaoxu, and U.S. Beijing envoy David Perdue were scheduled to receive Trump, the White House confirmed.
The elaborate welcome featured approximately 300 Chinese young people, along with a military honor guard and band performance.
The leaders will conduct bilateral discussions and attend a formal state dinner during the visit.
Trump’s team hopes to launch discussions for creating a bilateral Board of Trade with China to resolve ongoing disputes between the nations. This proposed board could help avoid future trade conflicts like the one sparked last year following Trump’s tariff increases, which China responded to by restricting rare earth mineral exports. Those tensions led to a temporary ceasefire agreement last October.
While Trump has no scheduled public appearances Wednesday following his arrival, he’s planned for multiple meetings with Xi Thursday and Friday.
Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng and U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent conducted what Chinese state television CCTV described as “candid, in-depth and constructive” discussions Wednesday regarding economic and trade concerns while exploring expanded cooperation opportunities.
The trade negotiations between the world’s largest economies took place in South Korea just hours before Trump’s Beijing arrival.
According to CCTV, the talks followed important agreements previously reached by both nations’ leaders and emphasized mutual respect, peaceful coexistence, and mutually beneficial cooperation principles.
The White House initially indicated Huang’s schedule prevented his participation, but later changes allowed him to join the delegation.
His last-minute inclusion sparked widespread online discussion and humorous content across Chinese social media platforms.
Users on Xiaohongshu and Weibo created and shared doctored photos showing Huang gripping Air Force One’s exterior with his hands.
A White House official confirmed these prominent American business leaders from technology and agriculture sectors received invitations to accompany Trump’s China trip:
1. Elon Musk – Tesla and SpaceX CEO 2. Tim Cook – Apple CEO 3. Kelly Ortberg – Former Rockwell Collins CEO 4. Jensen Huang – Nvidia President and CEO 5. Larry Fink – BlackRock Chairman and CEO 6. Stephen Schwarzman – Blackstone Chairman, CEO and co-founder 7. Brian Sikes – Cargill Chairman and CEO 8. Jane Fraser – Citi Chairman and CEO 9. Jim Anderson – Coherent CEO 10. H. Lawrence Culp – GE Aerospace Chairman and CEO 11. David Solomon – Goldman Sachs Chairman and CEO 12. Jacob Thaysen – Illumina CEO 13. Michael Miebach – Mastercard CEO 14. Dina Powell McCormick – Meta President and Vice Chairman 15. Sanjay Mehrotra – Micron Chairman, President and CEO 16. Cristiano Amon – Qualcomm President and CEO 17. Ryan McInerney – Visa CEO
Iran’s control over the Strait of Hormuz continues strangling global energy distribution while causing worldwide economic hardship, though the Islamic Republic’s domestic economic struggles are challenging its capacity to sustain the conflict and resist Washington’s pressure.
Iranian citizens face skyrocketing costs for food, medical supplies, and other necessities. The nation has simultaneously experienced massive unemployment and business failures due to strike-related damage to critical industries and the government’s extended internet shutdown.
“The economic cost of the war and the U.S. naval blockade has been very substantial and unprecedented for Iran,” explained Hadi Kahalzadeh, an Iranian economist and Brandeis University research fellow.
However, Kahalzadeh noted that Iran has survived decades of economic pressure and sanctions, and its adaptive capabilities remain intact.
The International Monetary Fund projects Iran’s economy will contract by approximately 6 percentage points over the coming year.
