Israeli authorities expelled two humanitarian activists on Sunday following their detention for more than a week after leading an aid convoy that attempted to breach Israel’s naval blockade around Gaza.
The expelled activists were identified as Saif Abukeshek, a Spanish-Swedish national of Palestinian heritage, and Thiago Ávila, a Brazilian citizen. Both individuals served on the leadership board of the Global Sumud Flotilla, an organization working to challenge Israel’s maritime blockade while delivering humanitarian supplies to Palestinian territories.
In a Sunday statement posted to X, Israel’s Foreign Ministry labeled the pair as “professional provocateurs,” declaring that “Israel will not allow any breach of the lawful naval blockade on Gaza.”
When initially apprehended, Israeli officials stated the duo was being held for interrogation, with Abukeshek “suspected of affiliation with a terrorist organization” and Ávila “suspected of illegal activity,” though no supporting evidence was presented. No official charges have been made public.
The governments of Spain and Brazil jointly denounced what they termed “the kidnapping of two of their citizens in international waters by the Government of Israel” when the detention occurred. The incident prompted solidarity demonstrations across multiple nations.
Israeli naval forces intercepted a total of 22 vessels carrying 175 activists. According to the activists, Israeli military personnel boarded their ships, destroyed engines, and arrested several participants. The confrontation took place several hundred miles from both Gaza and Israel during the overnight hours between Wednesday and Thursday.
Israeli representatives justified their preemptive action against the flotilla, citing the substantial number of vessels involved as requiring intervention before they could enter Israeli territorial waters.
This flotilla mission represents the group’s second attempt to reach Gaza in under a year, following Israeli authorities’ successful prevention of an earlier effort. The previous operation included approximately 50 ships and 500 activists, featuring notable participants such as Swedish environmental activist Greta Thunberg, Mandla Mandela (Nelson Mandela’s grandson), and various elected officials.
Israel had previously arrested, detained, and deported those participants, including Ávila, who alleged mistreatment during custody. Israeli authorities rejected these allegations.
Meanwhile in Gaza, an Israeli airstrike targeted a vehicle, resulting in at least two fatalities including a Hamas police official, according to Nasser hospital records.
The attack occurred late Sunday morning in the Al-Amal district of Khan Younis in southern Gaza, according to civil defense officials operating under the Hamas-controlled Interior Ministry.
Among those killed was Col. Wessam Abdel-Hadi, who directed the police investigation unit in Khan Younis, hospital officials confirmed.
Israeli military officials stated they were examining the incident.
These deaths add to the Palestinian casualties in the coastal territory since a fragile ceasefire agreement in October aimed to end more than two years of conflict between Israel and Hamas in Gaza.
Although major combat operations have decreased, the unstable truce has witnessed nearly daily Israeli military action.
Israeli forces have conducted numerous airstrikes and routinely opened fire on Palestinians approaching military-controlled areas, resulting in at least 850 Palestinian deaths, according to Gaza’s health ministry.
The ministry, operating under Hamas governance, keeps comprehensive casualty documentation that UN agencies and independent analysts generally consider credible. However, it does not distinguish between civilian and combatant deaths.
Armed groups have conducted attacks against Israeli troops, with Israel claiming its strikes respond to these incidents and other ceasefire violations. Four Israeli soldiers have died since the ceasefire began.
Recent primary elections in Ohio demonstrated that economic concerns remain at the forefront of voters’ minds, particularly in contested congressional races around the Toledo area.
When residents cast their ballots in last week’s primaries, candidates and voters alike emphasized that rising costs for essential items like fuel and food have become the dominant political issue in competitive districts.
The electoral outcomes in Toledo’s congressional district reflected a broader trend where economic pressures and household budget concerns are driving political decisions across the state.
Three Palestinians lost their lives in Israeli airstrikes across Gaza on Sunday, medical officials reported, with two victims being members of the Hamas-controlled police force. The deadly incidents raise fresh questions about the durability of the U.S.-mediated truce agreement.
According to medical personnel, one fatality occurred when an airstrike hit the Maghazi refugee camp within the Gaza Strip. In a separate attack, the commander of Khan Younis criminal police, Wessam Abdel-Hadi, was killed alongside his assistant, as confirmed by Gaza’s Hamas-controlled interior ministry.
Previous Reuters reporting has documented Israel’s increased targeting of Gaza’s Hamas-operated police units, which the militant organization has deployed to reestablish administrative control in territories under their authority.
Israeli military officials have not yet provided statements regarding either attack.
Despite the October 2025 ceasefire agreement, hostilities in Gaza have continued, with Israel launching strikes on an almost daily basis.
Local medical sources report that no fewer than 850 Palestinians have died since the truce began, while Israeli officials state that militants have killed four Israeli soldiers during the same timeframe.
Both Israel and Hamas have accused one another of breaking the ceasefire terms.
Gaza health officials report that more than 72,500 Palestinians have died since the conflict began in October 2023, with the majority being civilians.
LA PAZ, Bolivia — Fed up with fuel shortages and rising gas prices, Simón Huanca decided to take action.
The 53-year-old Indigenous craftsman purchased a Chinese electric vehicle to get around El Alto, Bolivia’s highest-elevation city, using it to transport his family and alpaca wool for his textile business.
Huanca even put in his own charging station at home for convenience, since only three public charging points exist for the entire metropolitan region of El Alto and nearby La Paz — an area with over 1.6 million residents.
“Since last year, I’ve been trying to get an electric car to save on costs,” Huanca said while driving his electric SUV through a working-class district.
Huanca represents a small but increasing group of Bolivians switching from gas-powered vehicles to electric ones as the South American nation faces fuel shortages and a presidential order that eliminated longtime fuel subsidies, essentially doubling gasoline costs.
Bolivia’s energy problems intensified in 2023 during former President Luis Arce’s administration, which maintained government subsidies where the nation bought fuel at world prices but sold it domestically at half the cost.
However, Bolivia — which brings in 80% of its diesel and 55% of its gasoline from other countries — slowly exhausted its foreign currency reserves to buy fuel, with the subsidy costing the government over $2 billion annually.
Extended lines of cars at gas stations became routine.
In December — just one month after assuming office — President Rodrigo Paz eliminated the subsidy, causing energy costs to nearly double and severely impacting Bolivians.
Several weeks afterward, transportation workers complained that inferior gasoline was harming their vehicles. The administration blamed sabotage, with Paz stating that fuel distributed by state oil company Yacimientos Petrolíferos Fiscales Bolivianos contained gum and manganese residue left in storage tanks from the previous Arce government.
The contaminated fuel controversy sparked widespread strikes and demonstrations among transport workers and led to two senior officials at the state oil company stepping down.
The final breaking point for many Bolivians was the Iran conflict. Confronted with potential additional fuel price increases, some exchanged their gasoline vehicles for electric alternatives.
“The investment exceeds $36,000, but I no longer waste valuable working hours searching for fuel or managing vehicle repairs,” said Ever Vera, a 54-year-old attorney.
Electric vehicle registrations in Bolivia increased from 500 to 3,352 over the past five years, based on Single Registry for Tax Administration data tracking tax-registered vehicles. The biggest jump occurred in the last two years during the fuel crisis. These still represent only a small portion of approximately 2.6 million vehicles in the nation of nearly 12 million people.
Most of these vehicles came from China, with the United States as the second-largest source.
“The growth is exponential,” said Freddy Koch, an electric mobility specialist with nonprofit organization Swisscontact. While noting these vehicles are currently purchased by wealthier buyers, he anticipates broader market appeal and projects the electric vehicle total could triple within two to three years.
Paz also removed import duties on all automobile types, increasing the number of importers competing to bring these vehicles into Bolivia at reduced prices.
The growing electric vehicle market has opened new business prospects for 38-year-old electrician Marcelo Laura. A month ago, he discovered a profitable specialty installing home and business charging stations.
“There aren’t many public charging stations,” he said. “A year ago, I thought it was practically impossible to think that people would actually be bringing in electric cars.”
A traffic accident has prompted the closure of Red Mill Road, blocking travel between Darwin Drive and Old Red Mill Road.
Delaware Department of Transportation officials report the roadway is currently impassable due to the vehicle collision. Crews are working to clear the scene and restore normal traffic flow.
Motorists are advised to seek alternate routes while the cleanup continues. No timeline has been provided for when the road will reopen to traffic.
Ukrainian authorities say Russian forces launched drone attacks and engaged in close to 150 combat encounters during the last day, even though a US-mediated ceasefire was supposed to be active, officials reported Sunday.
President Donald Trump announced Friday that both Russia and Ukraine had committed to a three-day truce running from May 9 through May 11, part of broader diplomatic efforts to resolve the conflict that has now stretched beyond four years.
Regional governor Ivan Fedorov reported Sunday morning that one person died and three others sustained injuries from Russian attacks in Ukraine’s southeastern Zaporizhzhia area.
In Ukraine’s northeastern Kharkiv area, regional governor Oleh Syniehubov confirmed that eight individuals, including two minors, were injured during drone assaults targeting the main city and surrounding communities.
Regional governor Oleksandr Prokudin announced Sunday that seven people, including one child, suffered wounds from Russian drone and artillery bombardments in the southern Kherson area since early Saturday.
Regional administrator Oleksandr Hanzha reported that a minor was also injured and critical infrastructure sustained damage during Russian attacks in the southeastern Dnipropetrovsk area.
Ukraine’s air force reported separately that Russia deployed 27 long-distance drones against Ukrainian targets during overnight hours — fewer than typical numbers — though Ukrainian air defenses successfully intercepted all incoming threats.
Ukraine’s General Staff documented 147 separate confrontations occurring across the front lines in their morning briefing.
While these incidents occurred, Ukrainian leadership has refrained from making public statements regarding any breaches of the US-facilitated truce, which was also designed to facilitate an exchange of 1,000 prisoners of war from both nations.
Both Russia and Ukraine had previously declared independent ceasefires earlier in the week — beginning Friday and Wednesday respectively — but rapidly blamed each other for violations.
Delaware transportation officials have shut down a portion of Route 9 following a vehicle collision in the area.
The affected roadway spans from Whaleys Corner Road to Experimental Station Road, with authorities blocking all traffic through this section while emergency crews respond to the incident.
DelDOT has not yet provided details about the severity of the crash or an estimated timeline for reopening the route. Motorists are advised to seek alternate routes while the investigation and cleanup continue.
Saudi Arabia’s national oil company Aramco announced a significant 25% increase in first-quarter earnings on Sunday, demonstrating strong performance despite ongoing tensions between the U.S. and Iran that have disrupted shipping through the strategically important Strait of Hormuz.
The world’s largest oil exporter generated $32.5 billion in net income during the first three months of the year, surpassing analyst predictions of $30.95 billion according to LSEG estimates.
Company revenues climbed nearly 7% compared to the same period last year, reaching $115.49 billion thanks to increased oil prices and higher sales volumes of both crude oil and processed petroleum products.
Iran’s interference with shipping traffic through the vital Hormuz strait during the ongoing U.S.-Israeli conflict has disrupted energy deliveries and driven up global oil prices, leading Aramco to maximize crude oil transport from its eastern facilities to the Red Sea terminal at Yanbu.
Company CEO Amin Nasser emphasized the importance of maintaining steady energy flows during the crisis. “Our East-West Pipeline, which reached its maximum capacity of 7.0 million barrels of oil per day, has proven itself to be a critical supply artery, helping to mitigate the impact of a global energy shock,” Nasser stated, adding that “reliable energy supply is critical.”
The cross-country pipeline delivers approximately 2 million barrels daily to domestic refineries on Saudi Arabia’s western coast, while the remaining 5 million barrels are available for international export.
Following Iran’s blockade of the Hormuz waterway, which previously handled one-fifth of global oil shipments, Saudi Arabia reduced production by 2 million barrels per day. The pipeline primarily transports Arab Light crude and some Arab Extra Light varieties, while heavier oil grades have been reduced.
Aramco’s adjusted quarterly earnings reached $33.6 billion, exceeding the company’s median analyst forecast of $31.16 billion. This adjusted figure excludes $1.06 billion in non-operational accounting adjustments.
Investment spending decreased modestly to $12.1 billion during the quarter from $12.5 billion in the previous year, representing a substantial drop from the $13.4 billion spent in the fourth quarter. The company has projected capital expenditures of $50-55 billion for the full year.
Aramco announced a first-quarter base dividend payment of $21.9 billion, representing a 3.5% increase from the previous year and scheduled for distribution in the second quarter, aligning with projected total dividend payments of $87.6 billion for 2026. The company also implemented a performance-based dividend program in 2023 tied to free cash flow generation.
The Saudi government depends significantly on Aramco’s dividend distributions to finance public expenditures and address budget shortfalls. The state maintains direct ownership of nearly 81.5% of the company, while the Public Investment Fund controls 16%.
Free cash flow declined to $18.6 billion from $19.2 billion in the prior year, affected by a $15.8 billion increase in working capital requirements. The company’s debt-to-equity ratio increased to 4.8% as of March 31, up from 3.8% at the end of 2025.
Jackson Blake found the back of the net 5 minutes and 31 seconds into overtime Saturday night, lifting the Carolina Hurricanes to a 3-2 victory over the Philadelphia Flyers in Game 4 of their Eastern Conference semifinal series.
The 22-year-old forward received a pass from Taylor Hall and fired a wrist shot that deflected off Flyers netminder Dan Vladar’s left shoulder before crossing the goal line. With the victory, Carolina achieved their second consecutive playoff series sweep and matched a historic feat not accomplished since the 1985 Edmonton Oilers – winning their first eight postseason contests.
“We’re getting some huge performances, but everybody is doing it,” Carolina coach Rod Brind’Amour said. “That’s how we have to get it done and, go down the list, every guy has had his hands in these two series wins.”
Carolina now moves on to the Eastern Conference finals, where they will have an extended rest period while waiting to learn their opponent. The Buffalo Sabres and Montreal Canadiens remain deadlocked at one game apiece in their series, with Game 3 scheduled for Sunday in Montreal.
“There’s positives and negatives to it,” Hall said of the long layoff between rounds. “The big positive is we’re on to the third round relatively unscathed and healthy.”
Blake contributed two points in the opening frame and set up Logan Stankoven’s third-period tally. Hall recorded assists on all three Carolina goals, while Frederik Andersen turned aside 15 shots for the Hurricanes.
“We are playing well and it’s great to get the sweeps, but I think we do have another level to get to,” Stankoven said. “I’m sure if you asked any of the guys, they would agree with me.”
Philadelphia received goals from Tyson Foerster and Alex Bump, with Vladar stopping 37 shots in the losing effort. The Flyers managed just one power-play goal in 19 opportunities throughout the four-game series.
“We squeezed as much juice from this team. I can’t ask for more,” Philadelphia coach Rick Tocchet said. “We hung in there. That’s a good hockey team over there. They roll four lines, they were flying.”
Foerster opened the scoring with his first playoff goal at the 7:50 mark of the initial period, giving Philadelphia an early 1-0 advantage.
Porter Martone sent a pass up ice to Trevor Zegras, who used his speed advantage as both players entered the Carolina zone. Zegras positioned himself along the boards and delivered a pass through the slot to Foerster, who moved to the right hash marks before beating Andersen with a wrist shot.
Blake evened the score at 12:35 of the second period when his shot from above the right faceoff circle struck Flyers defenseman Jamie Drysdale in the midsection as he battled Stankoven near the crease, deflecting the puck into Philadelphia’s own net.
Carolina thought they had taken the lead when Mark Jankowski scored at 13:03 of the second period, but Philadelphia successfully challenged for goaltender interference on William Carrier, who had made contact with Oliver Bonk in the crease area.
Hall set up Stankoven during a 3-on-2 rush in the third period, with Stankoven redirecting the pass home for his postseason-leading seventh goal at 4:13, putting Carolina ahead 2-1.
Philadelphia responded quickly when Travis Konecny created a turnover behind the Carolina net and found Bump in front, who fired a one-timer from the slot area to tie the game at 5:52.
“Bumper, he makes a mistake on the second goal, he gets the tying goal,” Tocchet said. “He gets right back out there. That’s the stuff you want to see. He’s not on the bench sulking. He knew he made the mistake. He goes out there and, bang, it’s in the net. That’s the growth you like to see.”
ST. PAUL, Minn. — For the first time during their playoff run, the Colorado Avalanche switched goaltenders mid-game Saturday night, benching Scott Wedgewood early in the second period after Minnesota scored three times in their second-round NHL playoff matchup.
Minnesota dominated the contest, winning 5-1 and giving Colorado their first defeat of the current postseason.
“I thought Wedgie was playing hard. I think maybe he looked a little like too aggressive on a couple of those,” coach Jared Bednar said. “It just felt like they had all the momentum and the steam early in that game, and we needed to do something to kind of get our guys fired up and going, and I was hoping that would be part of it.”
Wedgewood recorded nine saves before being replaced by Mackenzie Blackwood, who hadn’t seen game action since April 14. During the regular season, both netminders shared duties with Wedgewood earning 43 starts and Blackwood getting 36, leading to their team receiving the William M. Jennings Trophy for best goals against average.
Despite being a career backup, Wedgewood capitalized on Blackwood’s early-season injury and finished the regular season leading all goalies with a .921 save percentage and 2.02 goals against average. He entered Saturday’s game with a perfect 6-0 playoff record, posting a 2.12 goals against average and .923 save percentage.
However, defensive lapses and undisciplined penalties by his teammates created difficult situations for Wedgewood.
Kirill Kaprizov found the net during four-on-four play after Colorado’s Parker Kelly and Minnesota’s Ryan Hartman received matching roughing penalties for fighting.
A hooking penalty against defenseman Devon Toews then gave Minnesota extended four-on-three power play time, which Quinn Hughes capitalized on with a skillful toe-drag goal from the slot area, maneuvering from the left wing into open space in the middle.
Early in the second period, with Minnesota again on the power play following Kelly’s holding penalty against Hughes, Hartman deflected an airborne puck to make the score 3-0, prompting Bednar to make the goaltending change.
Blackwood, who started every game in last year’s first-round series when Colorado fell to Dallas in seven games, stopped 12 shots in relief.
Bednar remained noncommittal about his starting goaltender for Monday’s Game 4 in Minnesota.
“We’ll have a decision to make, but there’s a decision to make every night. Some of them are easier than others,” Bednar said.
Minnesota has also juggled their goaltending situation this postseason. After rookie Jesper Wallstedt led the Wild past Dallas in the opening round, he naturally started this series. Following a wild 9-6 opening game loss, coach John Hynes turned to Filip Gustavsson for Game 2.
Gustavsson, who served as the team’s main goaltender for three seasons and made 49 regular season starts compared to Wallstedt’s 33, struggled in Tuesday’s 5-2 defeat. This led Hynes to return to Wallstedt for Game 3, a decision that paid off as the rookie made 35 saves.
“I had no doubt he was going to be back — just kind of who he is,” Hynes said. “He’s a competitor. He’s got confidence. He’s been very solid, and I just thought he got right back to his game tonight. He’s proven throughout the playoffs that the moments don’t get too big for him.”
LOS ANGELES — Oklahoma City Thunder’s remarkable roster depth has become legendary throughout the NBA, serving as the foundation for their championship ambitions.
The latest player to emerge from that deep bench and capture national attention is Ajay Mitchell, a Belgian guard who has stepped into the spotlight while filling in for injured teammate Jalen Williams during the current playoff run.
Mitchell turned in a spectacular performance Saturday night, recording career-high playoff numbers of 24 points and 10 assists without a single turnover as the Thunder dominated the Los Angeles Lakers 131-108. The rising star has become another key piece in general manager Sam Presti’s championship puzzle, demonstrating he’s prepared to help Oklahoma City’s title pursuit.
His teammates, however, weren’t caught off guard by his excellence.
“Yeah, he’s a gamer,” said MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. “Works super hard. He’s never shaken by the moment. It might be a shock to the world, but it’s no shock to us. We knew who Ajay Mitchell was the day he stepped foot in our building, and he’s just showing it to the world.”
Oklahoma City remains perfect in postseason play, now holding a commanding 3-0 advantage in their second-round matchup and appearing destined for the Western Conference finals.
Mitchell’s contributions have been crucial to that success, as he quickly adapted to an expanded role following Williams’ hamstring injury five games ago. During this series against Los Angeles, Mitchell has also compensated for the Lakers’ focused defensive pressure on Gilgeous-Alexander, who has struggled to maintain his typical dominant form.
“I know what I can do, and when I go out there, I just want to compete and help this team win and play freely,” Mitchell explained. “Every time I step on the court, I want to be a winning player and help my team. That’s really what’s been on my mind every time I play.”
Mitchell’s impact was most evident in Saturday’s second half, where he tallied 18 points and seven assists while taking control at the beginning of both quarters. He spearheaded a decisive 21-6 Thunder surge coming out of halftime that led to another dominant victory.
Against the Lakers, Mitchell is posting impressive averages of 20.7 points per contest while shooting an efficient 53.3% from the field and committing just three turnovers total. He’s also contributed 20 assists while maintaining solid defensive play.
When Williams was sidelined during Game 2 of the opening round against Phoenix, Mitchell earned a starting spot for Game 3 but struggled initially, shooting just 5 for 20. His teammates continued supporting him, and Mitchell has been exceptional ever since that rough debut.
“He’s just finding his footing,” Gilgeous-Alexander noted. “It’s his first run in the playoffs, and it’s obviously a different ballgame. He’s just getting more and more comfortable as the game goes on, as the series goes on. … I was never worried that he wasn’t going to figure it out, and he’s shown that.”
Mitchell, who grew up in Europe, completed three college seasons at UC Santa Barbara, located about an hour from downtown Los Angeles, before being selected in the second round of the 2024 draft.
During his rookie campaign, Mitchell saw limited action, averaging 6.5 points across 36 regular-season games while earning early rotation minutes before a turf toe injury sidelined him for most of the season’s second half.
He played minimal minutes during last year’s playoff run, averaging just 8 minutes per game, but Presti and coach Mark Daigneault witnessed enough potential to offer Mitchell a three-year, $9 million extension — a contract that appeared valuable even before his current playoff breakout.
While Mitchell has demonstrated his ability as both a playmaker and scorer, he gained Daigneault’s confidence through his defensive contributions. Despite recognizing Mitchell’s postseason inexperience, Daigneault hasn’t hesitated to make him central to their game plan.
“He doesn’t have a ton of basketball (playing time) in the NBA,” Daigneault observed. “The growth curve of players young in their career is steep, and he’s a guy that’s hungry, (but) he’s also humble. So he grows from all of his experiences. He’s been great in the postseason so far, but he hasn’t been wholly efficient yet. I think that’s a little bit the intensity of the games, the physicality, the length. … And yet he stays aggressive and he just keeps playing.”
TENERIFE, Spain — The MV Hondius cruise vessel, carrying over 140 individuals during a hantavirus outbreak, has docked at Tenerife in Spain’s Canary Islands off West Africa’s coast, where passengers and select crew members will leave the ship.
According to the World Health Organization, Spanish officials, and cruise operator Oceanwide Expeditions, no one currently aboard the vessel is displaying virus symptoms. The outbreak has claimed three lives, while five passengers who previously departed the ship have tested positive for hantavirus, a potentially fatal illness.
WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus will oversee the ship’s evacuation alongside Spain’s health and interior ministers. Officials have confirmed that disembarking passengers and crew will remain isolated from local residents and will only leave the vessel when evacuation aircraft are prepared to transport them to their final destinations.
PESHAWAR, Pakistan — Officials confirmed Sunday that fourteen police officers lost their lives in a coordinated assault on a security station in Pakistan’s northwest region. A militant organization identifying itself as a breakaway Taliban faction has taken credit for the deadly incident.
The attack occurred late Saturday evening in Bannu district, located in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province along the Afghan border, according to senior police official Sajjad Khan. Armed attackers detonated a vehicle packed with explosives at the security facility, sparking a prolonged gun battle. Some officers perished during the firefight, while others were killed when the station building subsequently collapsed.
Emergency teams worked through the night using heavy equipment to recover victims trapped beneath the debris, Khan reported. Three additional officers sustained injuries in the assault.
Law enforcement agencies have initiated a manhunt to capture those responsible for the attack.
The militant organization Ittehad-ul-Mujahideen Pakistan issued a statement to media outlets claiming responsibility. Though this group asserts it consists of former members of the Pakistani Taliban, also known as Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan, government officials believe it operates as a cover organization for the TTP.
The country has experienced an uptick in extremist violence recently, with much of the activity attributed to the TTP. This organization maintains ties with Afghanistan’s Taliban movement, which regained control of Afghanistan in 2021.
Pakistani leadership frequently alleges that Afghanistan’s current government harbors TTP militants, accusations that Kabul consistently rejects.
Relations between the neighboring countries remain strained, with both nations engaging in border conflicts that have resulted in hundreds of casualties since late February.
Chinese mediators facilitated discussions between Afghan and Pakistani representatives in early April. Despite these diplomatic efforts, intermittent border skirmishes persist, though with reduced frequency compared to previous months.
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — A cargo vessel experienced a fire on Sunday following an attack by an unidentified projectile while traveling in waters near Qatar, according to British maritime officials.
The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations Centre reported that the incident resulted in a minor blaze aboard the bulk carrier, which crew members successfully extinguished.
The vessel was struck approximately 23 nautical miles (43 kilometers) to the northeast of Doha, Qatar’s capital city, according to the UKMTO.
No injuries were reported from the incident, officials confirmed.
This marks another in a series of attacks targeting ships in Persian Gulf waters following an unstable ceasefire that ended hostilities between the United States and Iran.
The Texas Rangers delivered a dominant 6-0 shutout victory over the Chicago Cubs on Saturday in Arlington, bringing an end to Chicago’s remarkable 10-game winning streak.
Josh Jung and Justin Foscue provided the power for Texas, each connecting for solo home runs. Jung had an outstanding day at the plate, going 3-for-4 with two runs scored. Alejandro Osuna contributed two hits and drove in two runs, while Joc Pederson added two hits and one RBI for the Rangers.
On the mound, Texas starter Jack Leiter worked through 4 2/3 innings, surrendering three hits while issuing a season-high five walks and recording six strikeouts. Jalen Beeks (2-1) took over and was flawless through the next 1 1/3 innings, allowing no baserunners.
The Cubs entered the game having won 20 of their previous 23 contests before being held scoreless for the fourth time this season. Chicago struggled mightily with runners in scoring position, going 0-for-13 in those situations and stranding 11 runners on base.
Chicago’s starting pitcher Edward Cabrera (3-1) was tagged for five runs on seven hits across five innings, walking one and striking out six batters.
Braves 7, Dodgers 2
Ozzie Albies and Matt Olson each drove in two runs with singles during a big second inning as visiting Atlanta defeated Los Angeles, spoiling Blake Snell’s season debut.
Atlanta right-hander Spencer Strider (1-0) was dominant in his second start of the year, allowing just one hit across six innings while striking out eight and walking two. The victory improved the Braves to 5-3 on their current nine-game road trip. Michael Harris II added an RBI double in the fifth, and Drake Baldwin contributed a run-scoring single in the eighth.
Snell (0-1) struggled in his return from shoulder fatigue, giving up five runs (four earned) on six hits in three innings with five strikeouts and two walks. This marked his first appearance since throwing four outs in Game 7 of the World Series when Los Angeles beat Toronto. Andy Pages connected for a two-run homer in the ninth to prevent Atlanta’s shutout.
Reds 3, Astros 1
Chase Burns delivered six solid innings and Cincinnati capitalized on a crucial fifth-inning fielding mistake to defeat visiting Houston, ending a season-worst eight-game losing streak.
The victory sets up a decisive rubber match on Sunday in this three-game interleague series. Cincinnati broke through with three runs in the fifth against Houston right-hander Spencer Arrighetti (4-1), who suffered his first loss in five starts this season.
Burns (4-1) only retired the side in order once during the third inning and matched his season low with two strikeouts. However, he induced Isaac Paredes to ground into an inning-ending double play in the first and successfully worked around runners in the second, fourth, fifth, and sixth innings.
Blue Jays 14, Angels 1
Brandon Valenzuela capped a seven-run fifth inning with a three-run homer as Toronto crushed visiting Los Angeles.
Valenzuela finished with four hits while Ernie Clement recorded his second career five-hit performance, including a solo homer, as Toronto collected 20 hits to win their second straight in the three-game series.
Jesus Sanchez also went deep with a solo shot as the Blue Jays padded their statistics against infielder Adam Frazier, who was pressed into pitching duty during a four-run eighth inning for the Angels, who have now lost four of five games to Toronto this season.
Royals 5, Tigers 1
Michael Wacha scattered two hits across seven scoreless innings, Bobby Witt Jr. raced around the bases for a two-run inside-the-park homer, and Michael Massey broke the game open with a three-run blast as host Kansas City defeated struggling Detroit.
Wacha (4-2), who will turn 35 in July and carries a 2.63 ERA, allowed only a single to Kerry Carpenter and a double from Spencer Torkelson to help the Royals claim the first two games of this three-game series. Kansas City, which secured its first series victory over Detroit since August 2024, has gone 12-5 since dropping eight consecutive games.
Riley Greene drove in a run with a double in the eighth for the Tigers, who managed just four hits while tying a season high with their fifth straight defeat. Detroit had swept a three-game home series during Kansas City’s extended skid last month but now faces the possibility of that favor being returned this weekend.
Athletics 6, Orioles 2
Brent Rooker launched a three-run homer and the Athletics captured their third consecutive victory by defeating host Baltimore.
Aaron Civale (4-1) continued his strong pitching with his third straight quality start, throwing five scoreless innings despite allowing six hits and three walks while striking out six. Hogan Harris, Scott Barlow, and Joel Kuhnel each contributed one shutout inning, while Mark Leiter Jr. was responsible for Baltimore’s two runs.
Pinch hitter Colton Cowser delivered a two-run single for the Orioles, who dropped their third in a row and eighth in their last 10 games. Baltimore starter Shane Baz (1-4) lasted only 4 2/3 innings, charged with five runs on five hits with three walks and five strikeouts.
Phillies 9, Rockies 3
Alec Bohm smashed two home runs and drove in four runs in his return to the lineup as host Philadelphia evened their weekend series with a victory over Colorado.
Bohm, who had been without a homer since March 26, led off both the third and fourth innings with solo shots before adding a two-run double in the eighth. Kyle Schwarber broke a 1-1 deadlock in the third with a three-run homer, his third in consecutive nights.
Willi Castro homered and Kyle Karros doubled in two runs for the Rockies, whose starter Kyle Freeland (1-4) was hammered for seven runs (six earned) on 10 hits over five innings.
Marlins 8, Nationals 7
Jakob Marsee belted a three-run homer in the eighth inning and host Miami held on to defeat Washington.
With the game knotted at 4-4, Kyle Stowers opened the eighth with a single off Mitchell Parker (2-1) and Connor Norby drew a walk. After both runners moved up on a wild pitch, Marsee delivered his decisive blast. Xavier Edwards also homered, Andrew Nardi (3-2) threw a perfect inning, and John King recorded his first save.
Luis Garcia Jr. collected three hits and two RBIs, James Wood homered and doubled, and CJ Abrams drove in two runs for the Nationals, who had their three-game winning streak snapped.
White Sox 6, Mariners 1
Miguel Vargas homered twice and Colson Montgomery also connected to power Chicago past visiting Seattle.
White Sox starter Anthony Kay (2-1) allowed three hits, all singles, and one run across five innings. Relievers Grant Taylor, Bryan Hudson, and Tyler Schweitzer combined for four shutout innings to complete a four-hitter that ended Chicago’s three-game skid.
Mariners starter Luis Castillo dropped to 0-4 after giving up five hits and four runs in four innings. He surrendered two homers for the second time in three outings. Seattle’s lone run came on a Rob Refsnyder sacrifice fly.
Twins 2, Guardians 1 (11 innings)
Byron Buxton’s RBI double in the 11th inning delivered Minnesota a victory over host Cleveland in a game where each team managed only two hits.
Buxton accounted for both of the Twins’ hits, leading off the game with his 13th homer to snap Minnesota’s three-game losing streak. Cleveland’s only run came on consecutive fourth-inning singles, with Kyle Manzardo providing the RBI.
Cleveland’s Tanner Bibee allowed one run on one hit in six innings. Minnesota’s Joe Ryan surrendered one run and two hits across six innings.
Brewers 4, Yankees 3 (10 innings)
William Contreras delivered a walk-off sacrifice fly with the bases loaded in the 10th inning to give Milwaukee a comeback victory over visiting New York.
The Yankees took a 3-2 lead in the top of the 10th before Fernando Cruz (3-1) entered for the bottom half. Automatic runner Garrett Mitchell reached third on a wild pitch and Luis Rengifo walked. After pinch hitter Gary Sanchez flew out, Jackson Chourio tied the game at 3-3 with an RBI infield single.
Tim Hill came in but threw wildly to third on Brice Turang’s grounder back to the mound, loading the bases. Contreras then lifted a fly ball deep enough to right field to score Rengifo and secure a series victory for the Brewers. Aaron Ashby (7-0) worked the final two innings for his major league-leading seventh win.
Pirates 13, Giants 3
Braxton Ashcraft pitched seven innings of one-run ball, catcher Joey Bart tied his career high with four hits, and Pittsburgh used a 20-hit offensive explosion to rout host San Francisco.
Nick Gonzales also collected four hits and Brandon Lowe drove in four runs for the Pirates, who have won six of their last eight contests. Oneil Cruz scored three times and had three hits, while Lowe and Spencer Horwitz each scored twice. Ashcraft (2-2) held the Giants to six hits, striking out six without issuing a walk.
Bryce Eldridge hit his first career home run to put San Francisco on the scoreboard in the fifth. Heliot Ramos had two singles and scored once for the Giants, who won Friday’s series opener 5-2. San Francisco has dropped nine of its last 11 games.
Padres 4, Cardinals 2
Ty France and Manny Machado went deep, while Fernando Tatis Jr. provided a go-ahead hit during a three-run fifth inning that carried host San Diego over St. Louis.
Starter Randy Vasquez (4-1) gave up six hits across five innings while allowing just one run. The right-hander issued no walks and struck out six before San Diego’s high-leverage relievers finished the job. Mason Miller earned his 12th save in 12 opportunities.
Right-hander Dustin May (3-4) pitched effectively for the Cardinals except for the fifth inning. He allowed three hits and three runs (two earned) over six innings with two walks and seven strikeouts.
Diamondbacks 2, Mets 1
Ildemaro Vargas delivered a two-run single, Merrill Kelly turned in his sharpest start of the season, and Arizona defeated New York to split the three-game series in Phoenix.
Kelly (2-3) surrendered one run on three hits across seven innings in his fifth start since returning from an early-season back injury. Vargas’ bases-loaded single off Clay Holmes (4-3) in the third came after two-out singles by Corbin Carroll and Geraldo Perdomo and a walk to Adrian Del Castillo, providing Kelly with all the run support he needed.
The Mets (15-24) sit just one-half game ahead of the Los Angeles Angels (15-25) for the worst record in the majors. They had won four of five games entering this contest. New York managed three hits, none after Tyrone Taylor’s two-out double in the fifth.
A commercial cargo ship sailing in international waters near Qatar was struck by an unidentified projectile on Sunday, according to the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations.
The vessel was traveling approximately 23 nautical miles northeast of Doha when the incident occurred. The projectile impact caused a minor fire aboard the ship, but crew members were able to extinguish the flames quickly.
The ship’s captain confirmed that no crew members were injured in the incident and that there was no damage to the marine environment, UKMTO officials reported.
Maritime authorities have launched an investigation to determine what type of projectile struck the vessel and where it originated from.
In response to the incident, officials have issued safety advisories for ships operating in the region. Vessel operators have been told to exercise extra caution while passing through the area and to immediately report any suspicious activities to UKMTO.
DHAKA, Bangladesh (AP) — After losing his life savings when his clothing venture failed 18 months ago, Tariqul Islam began driving a motorcycle taxi to support his family. Recently, he has spent countless hours waiting in fuel lines as energy shortages connected to the Iranian conflict have reached Bangladesh.
The 53-year-old father of four worries the economic pressure will intensify if the conflict continues, explaining that extensive waits for fuel have dramatically reduced his earnings and made it increasingly challenging to provide for his family in Dhaka, Bangladesh’s capital, including supporting a daughter and son in higher education.
“My family was managing fairly well through ride-sharing,” he said. “But after the fuel shortage began, I would buy fuel one day and run the bike for two days. As a result, I had to sit idle for one day, which reduced my income.”
Islam’s financial struggles mirror a wider economic crisis in Bangladesh, which depends heavily on fuel imports. Energy shortages have disrupted everyday activities, reduced manufacturing production, and raised alarm about economic expansion as international conflicts drive up prices and limit availability.
The situation has improved modestly recently, with shorter lines at gas stations following government efforts to boost supplies, though worries remain throughout various industries.
Throughout Asia, nations are experiencing comparable difficulties as conflict-related energy price increases affect economies that depend on imported petroleum and natural gas.
The region faces vulnerability because it depends on fuel imports, with much of the supply traveling through the Strait of Hormuz — a critical passage for approximately one-fifth of worldwide oil and natural gas commerce.
Increased fuel expenses are causing inflation and pressuring family budgets, while sectors ranging from manufacturing to transportation confront higher operational costs and supply chain interruptions.
The Asian Development Bank reduced growth projections for developing Asia and the Pacific in late April, cautioning that conflict-related energy disruptions would decelerate economies and increase inflation. The bank now anticipates 4.7% growth in 2026, with inflation climbing to 5.2% as petroleum prices rise and financial conditions become more restrictive.
Many hope for a swift resolution to the conflict and a return to stability.
“If this situation continues, we will have to move back to our village and find some other way to earn a living,” Islam, the struggling father said. “It is not possible to survive in Dhaka by doing ride-sharing under these conditions.”
Escalating energy prices are anticipated to burden Bangladesh’s budget, with officials likely spending an extra $1.07 billion on LNG subsidies during the April-June period alone if worldwide prices stay elevated.
Bangladesh has requested supplies from neighboring India, which has responded favorably as it has diversified fuel sources, including purchases from Russia.
Officials have already implemented cost-cutting measures to address the crisis as international lenders predict slower growth in the nation of over 170 million residents. Natural gas and diesel shortages have caused more frequent electricity outages in manufacturing areas.
The administration has also closed fertilizer plants to redirect gas to power facilities, limited evening operating hours for shopping centers, and established fuel rationing programs.
The World Bank stated in April that it anticipates Bangladesh’s growth to decrease to 3.9% in the fiscal year concluding in June 2026, cautioning that an extended Middle Eastern conflict could increase inflation, expand the current account deficit, and strain government finances through higher energy subsidies.
Jean Pesme, the World Bank’s division director for Bangladesh and Bhutan, noted the economy already confronted “pre-existing vulnerabilities and challenges, in particular on the economic and employment front.”
The increasing expenses are “obviously making the fiscal situation more difficult.”
He also cautioned that officials should be careful about raising fuel prices, noting that higher costs could damage farmers and agricultural production.
The energy shortage is also increasing expenses and endangering Bangladesh’s clothing exports, which form the foundation of its economy, according to business executives.
Anwar-Ul Alam Chowdhury, president of the Bangladesh Chamber of Industries, indicated exports to Europe and the United States could experience a major decline. Shipments have decreased between 5% and 13% in recent months, he reported. He expressed concern that buyers could lose trust in Bangladesh’s delivery capabilities and that competing countries such as India, Vietnam, and Cambodia could capture market share if the crisis continues.
Chowdhury reported that factory production has declined by 30% to 40% for multiple reasons and that conditions have deteriorated since the United States and Israel launched their war against Iran, while business expenses have increased by approximately 35% to 40%.
Bangladesh, the globe’s second-largest clothing exporter following China, generates roughly $39 billion yearly from the industry, which employs around 4 million workers, primarily women from rural regions.
Alvi Islam, director of Arrival Fashion Limited, explained that manufacturers face higher expenses for petroleum-derived materials such as sewing threads, poly bags — plastic packaging materials — and shipping boxes, while spending more on diesel generators to manage frequent power outages.
His company, which exports products valued at approximately $40 million annually, now operates generators for at least four hours daily during production.
“For that reason, the cost of doing business for exporting garments has increased quite significantly in past one month,” he said.
Garment worker Mosammet Runa, 35, expressed concern about her family’s prospects if the conflict persists.
“Millions of people like us depend on this industry. It is how we survive,” said Runa, who, together with her husband, makes about $400 monthly to support their six-member family.
She indicated that an extended conflict could eliminate employment opportunities and urged for an end to the violence.
“We are innocent people. The world should not make us victims,” she said.
Germany is making a renewed push to acquire Tomahawk cruise missiles from the United States, according to a Financial Times report published Sunday that cited sources familiar with Berlin’s defense strategy.
German officials are hoping to convince the Trump administration to approve the sale of Tomahawk missiles along with their accompanying Typhon ground-based launching systems, the newspaper reported.
Neither the White House, U.S. Department of Defense, nor Germany’s Ministry of Defence provided immediate responses when contacted by Reuters for comment on the report.
According to the Financial Times, German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius is planning to travel to Washington in an attempt to restart Berlin’s request for the long-range weapon systems. The original proposal was submitted in July of last year but has not yet received a response from U.S. officials.
Sources speaking anonymously to the Financial Times indicated that Pistorius’s planned visit depends on whether he can arrange a meeting with Pete Hegseth, the U.S. Defense Secretary.
Tomahawk Land Attack Missiles are sophisticated, long-range cruise missiles designed for deep-strike operations and are traditionally fired from naval vessels to hit distant targets.
The Pentagon announced in February that it had entered into a seven-year contract with Raytheon to boost Tomahawk missile production, as military stockpiles have been reduced due to the ongoing conflict with Iran.
A deadly car bomb attack targeted a police station in northwestern Pakistan on Sunday, resulting in the deaths of twelve law enforcement officers, according to a senior police official.
The explosive attack occurred at a police facility in Bannu, where militants detonated a vehicle bomb before engaging officers in armed combat. Following the initial blast, a gun battle ensued between the attackers and police personnel.
Emergency responders managed to rescue three officers who survived the assault, and they have been transported to a local medical facility for treatment, the police official confirmed.
A luxury cruise vessel affected by a fatal hantavirus outbreak reached the waters near Tenerife’s Port of Granadilla early Sunday morning, where Spanish authorities began coordinating an emergency passenger evacuation operation.
Health officials plan to transport all passengers to shore using smaller vessels before conducting mandatory health screenings. None of the travelers aboard the MV Hondius have shown symptoms of the deadly virus, Spanish authorities confirmed.
Following medical evaluations, passengers will board sealed transportation vehicles for the brief 10-minute journey to Tenerife’s primary airport, where international flights await to return them to their home countries.
European health officials have classified every passenger as a high-risk contact as a safety precaution, according to a rapid scientific assessment released Saturday evening by the continent’s public health agency.
The complex evacuation operation was scheduled to commence between 7:30 and 8:30 a.m. local time, with Spanish citizens departing first, followed by other nationalities in organized groups. Thirty crew members will stay aboard to sail the vessel to the Netherlands for complete sanitization.
The ship departed from Cape Verde’s coastline Wednesday after the World Health Organization and European Union requested Spain manage the emergency passenger removal following the virus detection.
WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus touched down in the Canary Islands Saturday evening, joining Spain’s interior, health, and territorial policy ministers to oversee the vessel’s arrival coordination.
Health authorities reported Friday that eight individuals became ill during the voyage, with three fatalities including a Dutch couple and a German passenger. Six cases have received laboratory confirmation, while two additional suspected infections remain under investigation.
While rodents typically transmit hantavirus, rare instances of human-to-human spread can occur. Global health officials assess the risk to the general population as minimal, though passengers and crew face moderate exposure levels.
San Francisco Giants ace pitcher Logan Webb has been sidelined with right knee bursitis, ending an impressive streak of not missing a single start in five years.
The Giants placed Webb on the injured list Saturday, with the move backdated to Wednesday. His last outing came Tuesday when he struggled against the San Diego Padres, giving up six earned runs and seven hits over four innings before leaving with knee discomfort in a 10-5 defeat.
To fill the roster spot, San Francisco brought up right-handed pitcher Trevor McDonald from their Triple-A affiliate in Sacramento.
The 29-year-old Webb, who has been selected as an All-Star in each of the past two seasons, had started 157 consecutive games for the Giants dating back to his last injured list stint in July 2021.
“I haven’t missed a start in a long time, so it’s been eating at me a little bit,” Webb told reporters Saturday prior to the Giants’ matchup with the Pittsburgh Pirates. “But I think it’s best for me, best for the team, best for the longevity of my career. That sort of thing. I’ve got a lot of good people in my corner that talked me into it, pretty much. But I’m glad I did.”
According to Webb, the knee problem has been ongoing and worsened during an April 30 contest against the Philadelphia Phillies when he had to cover first base on a play.
Giants skipper Tony Vitello acknowledged that Webb required some persuasion to accept the time off for his knee to recover.
“It’s a little bit more of a, I don’t want to say day-to-day thing, but a little bit more of a, give it a few days and then see where he’s at,” Vitello explained Saturday. “Better to keep the long run in mind.”
Through eight starts this season, Webb holds a 2-4 record with a 5.06 earned run average, having walked 15 batters while striking out 42 across 48 innings of work.
Over his career, Webb has compiled a 72-57 record with a 3.45 ERA, issuing 265 walks and recording 1,036 strikeouts across 1,110 1/3 innings in 188 regular-season appearances (185 as a starter). He earned the Gold Glove award for National League pitchers last year.
The 25-year-old McDonald brings a strong performance from his recent appearance, posting a 1-0 record this season with a 1.29 ERA and eight strikeouts in seven innings during a 3-2 victory over the Padres on Monday. The rookie has appeared in five games (three starts) since 2024 and carries a 2-0 record with three walks and 23 strikeouts over 25 total innings.
Additionally, the Giants promoted catcher Logan Porter from Sacramento after trading Gold Glove-winning backstop Patrick Bailey to the Cleveland Guardians earlier in the day.
Two international activists were sent back to their home countries by Israeli authorities on Sunday following questioning about their involvement in a flotilla attempting to reach Gaza, according to Israel’s foreign ministry.
The men identified as Saif Abu Keshek from Spain and Thiago Ávila from Brazil were released after officials completed their investigation into the May 10 incident.
According to the foreign ministry, Abu Keshek faced suspicions of connections to a terrorist organization, while Ávila was suspected of engaging in illegal activities. Both men rejected these accusations against them.
The deportations concluded the investigation into their roles in the Gaza-bound maritime convoy.
Traffic officials have shut down P.O.W./M.I.A. Parkway at Wyoming Mill Spur following a vehicle fire incident.
The roadway closure is currently in effect as emergency responders work to address the burning vehicle situation. Motorists are advised to seek alternate routes while crews handle the emergency.
No additional details about the cause of the vehicle fire or potential injuries have been released at this time.
ARROYO GRANDE, Calif. — Law enforcement officials concluded their search of a California residence connected to a convicted killer without locating the body of Kristin Smart, a college student who disappeared nearly three decades ago, authorities announced Saturday.
The San Luis Obispo County Sheriff’s Office wrapped up their investigation at the property belonging to Susan Flores in Arroyo Grande, a Central Coast community located over 150 miles northwest of Los Angeles. Her son, Paul Flores, received a murder conviction in 2022 for Smart’s death, though investigators have never recovered the victim’s remains.
Officials refused to share further details about their investigation. Earlier this week, law enforcement indicated that evidence pointed to the possibility of human remains being located at the residence, prompting specialists in human decomposition and soil analysis to collect ground samples.
“The Sheriff’s Office remains fully committed to finding Kristin and bringing her home to her family,” the department stated.
Smart disappeared from California Polytechnic State University in May 1996. Legal officials argued that she died during an attempted sexual assault and that Paul Flores, a classmate, was the final person spotted with her. Courts officially declared her dead in 2002.
Flores received his murder conviction in October 2022 and was sentenced to serve 25 years to life the following year.
This long-standing case has drawn widespread public attention, partly due to a podcast creator who assisted investigators by encouraging additional witnesses to come forward. Chris Lambert, who produces the “Your Own Backyard” podcast, was first to report on the property search.
A right-wing populist political party in Australia that seeks to mirror former President Donald Trump’s deportation policies has secured its first seat in the nation’s lower house of parliament, promising to prioritize ending large-scale immigration.
Farmer David Farley claimed victory for the One Nation party in Saturday’s special election in the rural Farrer district, located approximately 340 miles south of Sydney. While this win doesn’t impact the parliamentary majority held by center-left Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, since the seat was previously occupied by a Liberal party member representing the main conservative bloc, it marks a notable milestone for One Nation.
The victory represents major progress for One Nation, which currently holds four Senate positions. Recent polling shows the party ranking second behind Albanese’s Labor Party, surpassing the traditional conservative coalition. Party leader Senator Pauline Hanson enjoys higher public approval than both Albanese and the Liberal party leader.
Following the electoral success, Hanson took to social media platform X on Saturday evening, declaring: “The people of Australia will not be forgotten. One Nation will fight for you on the floor of Parliament. We will fight to lower cost of living, end net-zero and stop mass migration.”
Immigration has emerged as an increasingly contentious topic across Australia, where approximately half of the nation’s 27 million residents were either born in other countries or have at least one foreign-born parent. Anti-immigration demonstrations drew thousands of participants in Australia’s major metropolitan areas during the previous year.
Liberal shadow treasurer Tim Wilson acknowledged that One Nation’s electoral success “showed there’s a lot of work we’ve got to do.” During Sunday television interviews, Wilson stated: “We need to outline very clearly a bold and confident vision for the country about where we want to take it.”
Albanese’s Labor Party, which has never controlled the Farrer seat and chose not to field a candidate in this special election, has characterized One Nation as harmful to Australia’s social cohesion.
Golden State Warriors head coach Steve Kerr has committed to a two-year extension with the franchise after spending over a decade at the helm, multiple media outlets including ESPN and The Athletic have confirmed.
The 60-year-old coach will continue to hold the distinction of being the NBA’s top-earning coach annually, building on his previous $17.5 million salary from this past season. Kerr’s previous contract had reached its conclusion during the recent offseason.
Over the past two weeks, Kerr engaged in extensive discussions with Warriors owner Joe Lacob and general manager Mike Dunleavy to hash out the terms of his new deal. According to ESPN’s reporting, financial considerations took a backseat to making the optimal basketball decision during these negotiations.
Throughout his tenure that began in the 2014-15 campaign, Kerr has led Golden State to four championship victories in 2015, 2017, 2018, and 2022. His coaching record includes 604 wins against 353 losses during regular season play (.631 winning percentage) and a 104-48 mark in postseason competition (.684 winning percentage).
Despite this success, the Warriors failed to secure a playoff berth this year after falling to the Phoenix Suns in a play-in tournament matchup. This marks the second time in three years that the franchise has been excluded from the playoff picture.
The team also concluded the season with a 37-45 record, representing just the second time under Kerr’s leadership that Golden State finished with a losing record.
Following the team’s 111-96 defeat to Phoenix on April 17, Kerr acknowledged the possibility that it could have been his final game as the Warriors’ coach.
“I still love coaching, but I get it,” Kerr told reporters. “These jobs all have an expiration date. There is a run that happens, and when the run ends, sometimes it’s time for new blood and new ideas.”
Kerr had previously indicated that if he continued coaching for another season, it would exclusively be alongside superstar point guard Stephen Curry and the Warriors organization.
“That’s part of the equation,” he said. “I don’t want to walk away from Steph. I’m definitely not going and coaching somewhere else next year in the NBA. I would never walk away from Steph. But all this stuff has to be aligned and right. Those are all discussions that will be had.”
Prior to leading the Warriors to their first championship in four decades during 2015, Kerr captured five NBA titles as a player with the Chicago Bulls from 1996-98 and the San Antonio Spurs in 1999 and 2003.
JAKARTA – Rescue operations for two missing hikers from Singapore remain severely challenged by ongoing volcanic activity and harsh weather conditions at Mount Dukono in Indonesia, according to local officials who expressed little hope for finding the pair alive.
Local rescue agency chief Iwan Ramdani reported that approximately 150 rescue workers equipped with two thermal drones have been conducting search operations since Sunday morning, concentrating their efforts within 100-150 meters of the volcanic crater’s edge.
“However, Mount Dukono continues to erupt and rain is also falling in the area. We carry out rescue efforts during intervals when there are no eruptions,” Iwan told Reuters.
The volcano, situated in North Maluku province along the Pacific Ocean, initially erupted Friday and launched ash columns reaching 10 kilometers into the sky. Smaller-scale eruptions have persisted since the initial blast.
According to Iwan, volcanic ash still covers the crater area, while search teams are combing approximately 1.25 kilometers around where the missing hikers were last seen.
Search teams have discovered backpacks believed to belong to the two Singapore nationals. Police chief Erlichson Pasaribu previously stated that survivors reported the pair had died.
Indonesian authorities confirmed Saturday that one missing Indonesian hiker was found dead.
The volcanic incident left 17 people alive, including seven from Singapore and 10 Indonesians.
Singapore’s Foreign Ministry announced in a statement that the surviving Singapore citizens would return home Sunday.
Indonesia’s volcano monitoring agency documented at least three eruptions by Sunday morning, with the largest sending ash 1.3 kilometers skyward.
The agency continues enforcing its third-highest danger warning for Mount Dukono and prohibits all human activity within 4 kilometers of the crater.
Delaware transportation officials have shut down all southbound lanes of Route 1 at the Kirkwood Saint Georges overpass following a vehicle collision.
The closure is affecting traffic flow in the area as emergency responders work at the scene. DelDOT has not yet provided details about the severity of the crash or when the roadway might reopen.
Drivers traveling southbound on Route 1 should plan for significant delays and consider using alternative routes until further notice.
Southbound traffic on Route 1 has come to a complete standstill as Delaware Department of Transportation officials have shut down the roadway at the Kirkwood St. Georges overpass.
The highway closure is impacting one of the state’s busiest north-south corridors, with motorists being forced to find alternative routes around the affected area.
DelDOT has not yet provided details about what prompted the closure or when normal traffic flow might resume on this heavily traveled stretch of Route 1.
Delaware Department of Transportation has implemented a temporary closure along River Road, blocking traffic between Woodland Ferry Road and Clark Road intersections.
The roadway shutdown affects drivers using this route in Sussex County. DelDOT has not provided details regarding the duration of the closure or the specific reason for blocking this section of River Road.
Motorists planning to travel through this area should seek alternate routes until the roadway reopens. Delaware transportation officials typically post updates on their traffic incident website as conditions change.
Golden State Warriors head coach Steve Kerr will continue leading the franchise after reaching agreement on a two-year contract extension, according to a source familiar with the negotiations.
A person with knowledge of the talks confirmed to The Associated Press that while Kerr has agreed to the deal in principle, he has not yet put pen to paper on the contract. The source requested anonymity since the agreement still needs to be completed.
The contract extension comes after a disappointing season that saw Golden State fail to reach the playoffs for the second time in three years. The Warriors finished with the 10th seed in the Western Conference and were eliminated by Phoenix in the play-in tournament.
During his dozen years at the helm, Kerr has guided the Warriors to four NBA titles and six consecutive Finals appearances alongside stars Stephen Curry and Draymond Green. Following the playoff loss in Phoenix, Kerr embraced both players, acknowledging afterward that he wasn’t certain if they would continue working together.
This past season proved challenging as the Warriors posted a 37-45 record while battling multiple injuries. The team lost Jimmy Butler for the remainder of the season in January due to a right knee injury, while Curry missed 27 games with his own knee problems.
ESPN was first to report news of Kerr’s contract extension.
The 60-year-old coach took over the Warriors in 2014-15 and immediately delivered the franchise’s first championship in four decades. The following season began with Kerr sidelined as assistant coach Luke Walton guided the team to a historic 24-0 start. Kerr missed the first 43 games while recovering from severe complications related to two back surgeries, and the Warriors went on to win a record 73 games. He later took additional time away in 2017, with Mike Brown stepping in while Kerr had a procedure to address a spinal fluid leak.
Green had speculated on his podcast after the season concluded that Kerr might not return to the team.
Beyond basketball, Kerr has consistently used his position to advocate on issues including gun violence and social justice. His father, Malcolm, who served as president of the American University of Beirut, was killed in Beirut when Kerr was an 18-year-old college freshman at the University of Arizona.
In March 2018, Kerr participated in the Oakland March for Our Lives event. That same month, he joined Democratic Representatives Ro Khanna and Mike Thompson — who chaired the House Gun Violence Prevention Task Force at the time — along with local students at a Newark Memorial High School town hall focused on school gun violence, praising young activists across the nation.
Kerr has expressed that balancing his roles as both a basketball coach and public advocate comes naturally given current events.
“I think in some ways the balance is presented to us, given what’s happening around the country,” Kerr said. “I know that when I played, players and coaches were never — maybe not never — rarely asked about politics and voting.”
A man from Diamond Bar has withdrawn his guilty plea in connection with a devastating wrong-way collision that claimed the life of a Los Angeles County sheriff’s recruit and left numerous others injured during a training exercise, according to his attorney.
Nicholas Gutierrez pulled back his plea following testimony from more than a dozen crash survivors in court on Friday, when the judge opted to impose a one-year jail sentence, defense attorney Alexandra Kazarian announced Saturday.
“Based on the fact that he has been diagnosed with a seizure disorder, we have withdrawn the plea and will go to trial,” Kazarian stated.
Under his previous agreement with prosecutors, Gutierrez was set to receive an eight-year suspended prison term along with five years of probation after entering guilty pleas to vehicular manslaughter with gross negligence and nine charges of reckless driving resulting in injury.
The Los Angeles County District Attorney’s office has not yet responded to requests for comment.
According to law enforcement officials, Gutierrez was operating an SUV that crossed into oncoming traffic in suburban Whittier during 2022, colliding with 25 recruits during their morning training run. The group had been running together in formation at the time of the incident.
The investigation revealed that Gutierrez had apparently dozed off behind the wheel. The crash left ten recruits with severe injuries, including Alejandro Martinez, who succumbed to his injuries eight months following the accident.
European health officials have designated every traveler aboard a cruise ship affected by a fatal hantavirus outbreak as high-risk contacts as a safety precaution, according to statements released Saturday by the continent’s public health agency. The announcement comes as the vessel prepares to dock Sunday near Spain’s Tenerife island.
The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control announced that travelers showing no symptoms would be returned to their home nations for self-isolation using special transportation arrangements rather than standard commercial airline services.
Nations were making preparations to retrieve their citizens from the MV Hondius between 6:30 and 7:00 GMT. The World Health Organization reported Friday that eight individuals have become sick, with three fatalities including a Dutch couple and one German citizen. Health officials have confirmed six cases of the virus, with two additional suspected infections under investigation.
The ECDC noted that while passengers will be classified as high-risk during departure, this designation may not necessarily continue once they return to their respective countries.
The health agency recommended that passengers displaying symptoms receive immediate priority for medical evaluation and testing upon arrival. These individuals may remain in isolation on Tenerife or be transported home for medical care based on their health status.
While rodents typically transmit the virus, human-to-human transmission can occur in uncommon circumstances. Health officials have stated that the likelihood of widespread transmission remains minimal.
Chinese e-commerce giant Alibaba is getting ready to announce a groundbreaking merger between its Qwen artificial intelligence system and its popular Taobao shopping platform, according to an insider with knowledge of the plans. The ambitious project aims to revolutionize how people shop online by replacing traditional keyword searches with natural conversation.
This technological advancement will allow shoppers to discover, evaluate, and buy products through the Qwen application simply by talking with an AI assistant, eliminating the need to manually scroll through countless product pages.
The Qwen application will gain access to Taobao and Tmall’s massive inventory of more than 4 billion items, supported by a comprehensive “skills library” that can handle shipping arrangements and customer service tasks. Additionally, the system will provide personalized product suggestions using customers’ previous purchases and shopping habits.
Within the Taobao platform itself, Alibaba plans to introduce an AI shopping helper powered by Qwen technology, featuring capabilities like digital fitting rooms and month-long price monitoring tools.
This AI-focused shopping initiative demonstrates the differences between Chinese and Western online retail approaches. China’s system enables artificial intelligence to be woven directly into real-time purchases. Meanwhile, American platforms operate differently: Amazon has implemented AI to enhance shopping experiences within its platform but maintains careful limits on complete automation. Canada’s Shopify permits the integration of outside AI tools instead of operating its own unified consumer AI system.
Motorists should avoid the area around River Road and Woodland Ferry Road as authorities have blocked traffic following a vehicle accident.
The roadway closure is currently in effect at the intersection while emergency personnel work at the crash site. No timeline has been provided for when the road will reopen to normal traffic flow.
Drivers traveling through the area are encouraged to find alternative routes until the situation is resolved and the roadway is cleared.
A section of Delaware Route 7, also known as Limestone Road, has been shut down due to police activity currently underway in the area.
The Delaware Department of Transportation reports that the roadway is blocked between Kirkwood Highway (Route 2) and Hendry Avenue while law enforcement handles the situation.
Motorists are advised to seek alternate routes and expect delays in the area until the road reopens. No timeline has been provided for when normal traffic flow will resume.
This is a developing situation and additional details have not yet been released by authorities.
Seattle Mariners pitcher Bryce Miller is set to return from the injured list and take the mound Wednesday when his team faces the Houston Astros, according to manager Dan Wilson’s announcement to media on Saturday.
The right-handed pitcher has been sidelined since the beginning of the season due to an oblique injury he suffered during spring training.
At 27 years old, Miller had an outstanding 2024 season, recording a 2.94 earned run average, a 0.976 WHIP, and striking out 171 batters over 31 games started and 180 1/3 innings pitched.
His performance took a downturn during his injury-plagued 2025 season, though, as he managed only a 5.68 ERA, 1.406 WHIP, and 74 strikeouts across 18 starts covering 90 1/3 innings before being sidelined for more than two months with elbow problems.
Miller’s comeback will strengthen Seattle’s pitching staff, which currently holds the 12th-best team ERA in Major League Baseball at 4.00. Wilson informed reporters that the team plans to operate with six starting pitchers, at least initially, following Miller’s activation.
A former New York Jets linebacker is set to compete for a coveted UFC contract through Dana White’s Contender Series, according to multiple sports media outlets.
Anthony Wint, who transitioned from professional football to mixed martial arts, will step into the octagon seeking his shot at the premier fighting organization. The 30-year-old athlete originally played collegiate football at Florida International University, earning All-Conference USA honors three times during his college career.
Following his college success, Wint joined the Jets as an undrafted free agent in 2018. During his brief NFL stint, he saw action in two games, registering one tackle and forcing a fumble before his football career ended.
The heavyweight fighter made his transition to combat sports in 2023 and has compiled an impressive undefeated record of 6-0. His victories include four knockouts and one submission, demonstrating his versatility in the cage.
Standing 6 feet tall and weighing 224 pounds, Wint is scheduled to face Matt Adams, who holds a 6-2 record, on August 11. The bout will take place at the Meta Apex venue in Las Vegas as part of the Contender Series program.
DAMASCUS, Syria (AP) — Syria’s transitional president conducted a major government reorganization on Saturday, dismissing his brother from a senior administrative role amid growing criticism over family favoritism while working to rebuild the war-torn nation following years of devastating conflict.
Maher al-Sharaa, brother of President Ahmad al-Sharaa, had been serving in the role of secretary-general to the presidency based in Damascus. The family appointment had sparked criticism and comparisons to the governing style of Syria’s ousted President Bashar Assad and his predecessor father, Hafez Assad.
President Ahmad al-Sharaa spearheaded the rebel campaign that successfully removed Bashar Assad from power in December 2024, ending nearly 14 years of civil warfare. Throughout Assad’s tenure, he similarly installed relatives, including his spouse and brother, into positions of power and influence.
Maher Assad, the former president’s brother, held command of the Syrian military’s 4th Armored Division — a force that opposition groups accused of murder, torture, extortion and narcotics smuggling. Assad’s spouse, Asma Assad, led the powerful Syrian Trust for Development organization.
Through an official order issued Saturday, al-Sharaa named Abdul Rahman Badreddine al-Aama — who had been serving as Homs province’s governor — to take over his brother’s responsibilities, according to state media outlet SANA.
Officials have not announced what role, if any, Maher al-Sharaa will assume moving forward. The physician had previously held the position of Syria’s temporary health minister.
The interim administration also named new provincial leaders for Homs, Latakia, Deir el-Zour and Quneitra regions, along with selecting a new information minister, Khaled Zaarour, a university professor who recently served as media faculty dean at Damascus University. Zaarour is taking over from Hamza Mustafa, a former broadcasting industry leader who had directed the private Syria TV channel before joining the government as information minister.
FREDERICKSBURG, Va. – Salisbury University’s baseball team demonstrated incredible resilience once again, overcoming a deficit in their final turn at bat to defeat Mary Washington 4-3 in a nail-biting 10-inning championship game Saturday at Dickinson Stadium.
The nationally seventh-ranked Sea Gulls, seeded second in the tournament, faced elimination against the tournament’s top seed but managed to pull off their second consecutive come-from-behind victory in as many days during the 2026 Coast-to-Coast Athletic Conference Tournament finale.
This championship marks Salisbury’s fifth conference crown in the past six seasons and represents the 20th conference title in the program’s storied history. The victory extends the team’s current winning streak to an impressive 12 games as they prepare for next week’s NCAA Division III Tournament competition.
The Sea Gulls’ ability to perform under pressure was on full display as they once again found themselves trailing late in the game, only to mount another successful rally when it mattered most. This clutch performance continues a pattern that has defined their recent tournament run.
A UCLA senior made softball history this weekend by shattering a three-decade-old NCAA record with a powerful swing that sent the ball soaring into the record books.
Megan Grant launched her 38th home run of the 2026 season during Saturday’s matchup with Nebraska, surpassing the previous NCAA Division I softball record of 37 home runs that Arizona’s Laura Espinoza established back in 1995.
The remarkable achievement came in the third inning when Grant connected on a deep drive to left-center field. What makes the feat even more impressive is that Grant accomplished this milestone in just 55 games, compared to the 72 games it took Espinoza to set the original mark.
Mike Candrea, who served as Espinoza’s coach at Arizona, offered his congratulations to Grant. “Records are made to be broken,” Candrea shared with The Athletic. “It’s a pretty phenomenal record to be able to break, so tip my hat off.”
Despite Grant’s historic moment, Nebraska claimed victory in Saturday’s contest with a 7-2 win to secure the Big Ten championship.
Grant’s record-breaking performance capped off an incredible weekend for the Bruins’ offense. During Friday’s semifinal victory over Wisconsin in the Big Ten tournament, UCLA’s team reached 181 home runs for the season, breaking the previous team record of 161 that had been set in 2021. Grant’s Saturday blast pushed that total to 182.
The multi-sport star, who also contributed to UCLA’s 2026 NCAA basketball championship, reflected on her achievement with reporters. “When I first came into college, I wanted to put myself in the books as one of the best, and I didn’t really know how to at the time, but throughout my career, just more and more has gone on, and to be able to do that, it’s just, it’s surreal,” Grant explained. “I am just so grateful for the opportunity I was blessed with, and just to follow the people that were before me. It’s just honor.”
Grant’s path to the record included matching UCLA’s previous single-season mark during an April 18 doubleheader against Cal, when she tied Stacey Nuveman’s school record with her 31st homer. She then broke Nuveman’s UCLA record on April 24 in a game against Washington.
Both Grant and Nuveman now stand as the only Bruins players to reach 80 career home runs. While Nuveman, who finished her career in 2002, holds the program’s all-time record with 90, Grant currently sits at 85 career homers.
Grant has also made history alongside senior teammate Jordan Woolery, who has hit 33 home runs this season. The duo became the first teammates in NCAA softball history to each hit 30 or more home runs in the same season.
The Bruins, who finished the regular season with a 47-8 record, will learn their postseason placement during Sunday afternoon’s NCAA Division I Selection Show. UCLA is pursuing its first Women’s College World Series championship since 2019, which would be the program’s 13th NCAA title overall.
Following the college season, Grant plans to continue her softball career alongside teammates Woolery and Taylor Tinsley in the Athletes Unlimited Softball League this summer.
University of Delaware baseball player Wolf turned in an exceptional offensive performance, collecting four hits during the Blue Hens’ matchup against Sam Houston.
The standout batting display showcased Wolf’s ability to consistently connect with the ball throughout the contest. His four-hit effort provided a significant offensive boost for the Delaware baseball team during their game against the Bearkats.
The performance represents a notable individual achievement for Wolf and demonstrates the type of offensive production that can help drive team success for the Blue Hens baseball program.
Recent polling data from the Pew Research Center shows that voters across Central and South America strongly favor presidential candidates who will champion their religious values as multiple nations prepare for elections this year. Approximately two-thirds of respondents in these countries expressed desire for leaders who would protect their faith traditions, with similar numbers believing biblical principles should guide national legislation. Remarkably, even half of those who don’t practice religion agreed with this sentiment. Separate research suggests religious faith remains more influential in Latin America compared to declining trends elsewhere globally.
The Public Religion Research Institute has published new findings about America’s LGBT community, showing that individuals identifying as Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual or Transgender now represent roughly ten percent of the nation’s population. This marks the highest recorded percentage since researchers began tracking this demographic. Young adults between 18 and 29 years old show the greatest likelihood of identifying as LGBT. The survey reveals this population tends to support Democratic candidates and hold liberal political views, while 51 percent report having no religious affiliation.
International Christian Concern reports remarkable expansion of Iran’s underground Christian movement, with current believer numbers exceeding those before the 1979 Islamic Revolution that triggered severe religious persecution. The organization states: “Some estimates point to a million or more Iranian converts to Christianity. These converts come from all sectors of society — from street vendors and taxi drivers to intellectuals, artists, and public servants.” House church networks have emerged throughout Iran, spanning major urban centers to remote rural communities.
Australia launched a comprehensive investigation into antisemitism this week, with the Royal Commission hearing initial testimony from Jewish citizens describing increasing hatred that has made them feel unsafe and exposed. The inquiry was established following a December shooting at a Bondi Beach Hanukkah gathering that claimed 15 lives when two gunmen attacked the celebration. The Royal Commission on Anti-Semitism and Social Cohesion, representing Australia’s most serious form of investigation, will conduct hearings for two weeks examining how antisemitism manifests within Australian institutions and society, with additional sessions planned throughout the year before releasing final recommendations.
A nationwide fight over congressional district boundaries shifted in favor of Republicans Friday, following a Virginia Supreme Court decision that struck down Democratic redistricting efforts and new legislation in Alabama setting up potential primary elections if courts approve GOP-drawn maps for November’s midterm contests.
Republican Governor Kay Ivey quickly signed Alabama’s legislation into law, marking another step in a broader Republican strategy across Southern states to take advantage of a recent Supreme Court decision that substantially reduced Voting Rights Act safeguards for minority communities.
Tensions ran high at Alabama’s state capitol, where security personnel removed a demonstrator from the crowded House viewing area. Similar confrontations occurred in Louisiana and South Carolina, where Republican legislators faced strong pushback from civil rights advocates and Democratic opponents while unveiling their congressional redistricting proposals Friday.
These developments followed Thursday’s passage of new congressional boundaries in Tennessee that split apart a Democratic-controlled, majority-Black district in Memphis. The Tennessee Democratic Party filed a lawsuit Friday, arguing the maps should not take effect until after this year’s elections due to timing constraints.
The redistricting conflict had already intensified before last week’s Supreme Court decision in a Louisiana case, with both major parties fighting for advantages in midterm elections that will decide control of the narrowly divided House. Republicans gained further momentum when Virginia’s highest court ruled Friday that Democratic legislators had broken constitutional procedures when putting a redistricting measure before voters.
Republican strategists believe they could pick up as many as 14 House seats through new district maps across multiple states, while Democrats estimate they might gain up to six seats following redistricting efforts that began after former President Donald Trump supported Texas redistricting plans last summer.
Alabama’s special primary elections would only occur if courts agree to remove an injunction that currently keeps a court-approved map in place through the 2030 census. That judicial order mandated a second district with a Black majority or near-majority, leading to the 2024 election victory of Democratic Representative Shomari Figures, who is Black. Should courts remove the injunction, Republican leaders plan to implement a 2023 legislative map that federal courts previously rejected, potentially allowing them to regain control of Figures’ district.
“With this special session successfully behind us, Alabama now stands ready to quickly act, should the courts issue favorable rulings in our ongoing redistricting cases,” Ivey said in a statement.
However, a three-judge panel rejected Alabama’s Friday evening request to remove their injunction and clear the path for new maps. The matter remains under consideration by the U.S. Supreme Court.
Virginia Democrats had anticipated gaining up to four additional House seats under new districts that voters narrowly approved in April. The state Supreme Court invalidated the measure, determining that the Democratic-controlled legislature failed to follow proper procedures.
Virginia’s Constitution mandates that lawmakers approve constitutional amendments during two separate legislative sessions, with a state election occurring between the votes. The legislature’s first approval of the redistricting amendment happened last October while early voting was already underway but had not yet concluded for the general election. The second legislative vote took place after the new session began in January.
The state’s highest court determined the initial approval came too late, pointing out that more than 1.3 million ballots had already been submitted, representing approximately 40% of all votes eventually cast.
In Louisiana, a Senate committee reviewed multiple redistricting proposals Friday from Republican state Senator John “Jay” Morris that would eliminate one or both existing Black-majority House districts.
“Every one of these maps reduces Black voting power in every one of the districts. And I think that’s a problem,” Democratic state Senator Sam Jenkins told Morris.
Morris rejected claims that his proposed redistricting maps discriminated based on race. He explained his objective was to be “respectful of the traditional boundaries” of Louisiana’s six congressional districts.
“I don’t think we should care that much about race,” Morris said.
South Carolina legislators convened an unusual Friday session to examine a proposed congressional map designed to give Republicans control of all seven of the state’s House seats.
The House hearing represented the initial phase of redistricting. However, the proposal’s future remains uncertain, as the state Senate has not yet agreed to consider new districts later this month, which requires a two-thirds majority vote.
The University of Maryland Eastern Shore Hawks delivered their most powerful offensive display of the season but came up just short in a thrilling 16-15 defeat to Le Moyne on Thursday.
The Hawks connected for six home runs, marking their highest single-game total this season, yet couldn’t quite match their opponents’ firepower in the back-and-forth contest.
Among the standout performances was Marco Davila, who belted his first home run of the campaign during the slugfest. The offensive explosion showcased the Hawks’ potential at the plate, even as they fell one run short of victory.
The loss highlighted both the team’s emerging power and the challenges of containing opposing offenses in what proved to be one of the most entertaining games of the season for both squads.
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — Iran’s Revolutionary Guard naval forces issued stark warnings on Saturday, threatening massive retaliation against U.S. military installations in the region and enemy vessels if Iranian commercial ships or oil tankers face any strikes, despite an ongoing fragile truce that appears to be maintaining stability.
UK Sends Naval Vessel to Middle Eastern Waters
The British defense ministry announced plans to dispatch a warship to Middle Eastern waters as part of preparations for a possible mission safeguarding commercial vessels traveling through the Strait of Hormuz after current hostilities conclude.
Officials stated that the HMS Dragon would establish a strategic position in the area, prepared to participate in a security initiative spearheaded by the United Kingdom and France. This week, France declared it was repositioning its aircraft carrier battle group to the Red Sea as part of these preparations.
The UK and France have organized discussions with dozens of nations regarding an alliance aimed at restoring safe passage through the waterway. However, officials emphasize that operations will not commence until a lasting truce is established and shipping companies feel confident about vessel safety in the strait.
Round-the-Clock Diplomatic Efforts Continue
President Donald Trump has restated warnings about resuming comprehensive bombing campaigns unless Iran agrees to reopen the strait and scale back its nuclear activities. On Friday, Iranian foreign ministry representative Esmail Baghaei stated through state media IRNA that the nation was disregarding imposed “deadlines.”
Diplomatic negotiations persist. Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif revealed his nation has maintained continuous communication with both the United States and Iran “day and night” while working to extend the current truce and achieve a comprehensive peace settlement.
Russia’s foreign ministry announced that both Russia and Saudi Arabia are advocating for diplomatic initiatives to establish a “sustainable, long-term agreement” that would conclude the conflict.
In a separate development, Putin informed Moscow reporters that removing enriched uranium from Iran as part of settlement negotiations would provide transparency regarding “how much of it there is, and where it is located,” adding that “all of this would be placed under the control of the IAEA,” referring to the United Nations nuclear monitoring agency.
Senior diplomats from Egypt and Qatar emphasized that diplomatic solutions represent the only viable path forward, according to an official summary of a telephone conversation between both nations’ foreign ministers.
Iran’s new Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei has remained absent from public view and has not made any public statements since hostilities began, generating questions about his current situation.
On Friday, a senior Iranian official confirmed that Khamenei was in “complete health” and would eventually make public appearances. Mazaher Hosseini, connected to the office of Iran’s former supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who died when the war started, spoke at a government-supporting event. Hosseini explained that Mojtaba, the late Khamenei’s son, sustained knee and back injuries during the conflict’s initial attacks but has mostly recovered.
Hall of Fame baseball manager Bobby Cox, who transformed the Atlanta Braves into a dynasty during the 1990s and led them to their 1995 World Series championship, passed away Saturday at age 84 in Marietta, Georgia, the team announced.
Cox had been battling health issues since suffering a stroke in 2019. The legendary skipper guided the Braves through their most successful era, turning around a franchise that had been struggling in last place when he took control in June 1990.
Just one year later, Cox orchestrated one of baseball’s most remarkable turnarounds, leading Atlanta from worst to first and into the 1991 World Series, where they fell to Minnesota in a thrilling seven-game series. That dramatic season launched an unprecedented run of 14 straight division championships.
During his 25-year tenure with the Braves, Cox became synonymous with the franchise’s success before stepping down following the 2010 season. His contributions to the game were recognized in 2014 when he was enshrined in the Baseball Hall of Fame.
In other sports news, the Cleveland Cavaliers kept their playoff hopes alive with a 116-109 victory over Detroit in Game 3 of their Eastern Conference semifinal series. James Harden delivered when it mattered most, nailing three crucial shots in the final two minutes, while Donovan Mitchell led all scorers with 35 points. The win cuts Detroit’s series advantage to 2-1, with Game 4 scheduled for Monday night in Cleveland.
Harden’s performance was a significant bounce-back after struggling in the previous two games, finishing with 19 points alongside Jarrett Allen’s 18. Mitchell reached a career milestone, becoming the fastest player to score 2,000 postseason points, achieving the feat in just 73 games. Detroit’s Cade Cunningham recorded his second career playoff triple-double with 27 points, 10 rebounds, and 10 assists, though he was hurt by eight turnovers.
The WNBA season kicked off with much fanfare as the highly anticipated matchup between Caitlin Clark’s Indiana Fever and Paige Bueckers’ Dallas Wings drew a sold-out crowd at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. After a 10-month wait to play at home, Clark and the Fever fell just short in a thrilling 107-104 loss to Dallas.
Arike Ogunbowale paced the Wings with 22 points, while Bueckers contributed 20 in the victory. Clark had a chance to force overtime with a deep three-pointer but came up short, finishing with 20 points, seven assists, five rebounds, and five turnovers. Kelsey Mitchell topped Indiana’s scoring with 30 points, and Aliyah Boston added 23.
In Major League Baseball transactions, the San Francisco Giants have shipped struggling catcher Patrick Bailey to the Cleveland Guardians in exchange for minor league pitcher Matt Wilkinson and the 29th selection in the 2026 draft. Despite winning two Gold Glove awards for his defensive prowess, Bailey’s offensive struggles prompted the move, as he was hitting just .146 with one home run and five RBIs.
The New York Giants began their rookie minicamp under new head coach John Harbaugh, who described the weekend sessions as a rehearsal rather than a competition. Top draft selections Arvell Reese and Francis “Sisi” Mauigoa participated in Saturday’s activities, with Harbaugh emphasizing preparation for upcoming workouts when veterans return.
UCLA’s Megan Grant made college softball history by launching her 38th home run of the season, breaking the Division I single-season record during the Big Ten Championship Game against Nebraska. The senior slugger connected on an 0-2 pitch from Jordy Frahm, sending it deep to left-center for a solo shot that gave UCLA a 2-0 lead in the third inning, though Nebraska ultimately won the conference title 7-2.
The Phoenix Mercury delivered a statement victory in their WNBA season opener, crushing the defending champion Las Vegas Aces 99-66 and spoiling their ring ceremony. Alyssa Thomas led the way with 20 points as Phoenix gained revenge for being swept by Las Vegas in last year’s finals. The 33-point margin represented the Mercury’s largest victory since August and marked the Aces’ most lopsided defeat since early last season.
Looking ahead to Sunday’s NBA draft lottery in Chicago, several teams are positioned to benefit from strategic rebuilding efforts. Washington is guaranteed a top-five selection, while Brooklyn and Utah could be rewarded for enduring historically poor seasons. The lottery will be determined by four ping-pong balls drawn in a secure room, with the resulting combination determining which team earns the coveted first overall pick.
Finally, Shane van Gisbergen celebrated his 37th birthday by capturing the pole position for Sunday’s NASCAR Cup Series race at Watkins Glen. The New Zealand driver, who has dominated road course racing with five wins in his last six attempts on road and street circuits, will start ahead of Michael McDowell and Austin Cindric when the green flag drops.
Bahraini officials revealed Saturday that security forces have detained 41 individuals suspected of operating within an intelligence network connected to Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, with allegations including espionage activities and assistance to Iranian operations.
According to the Interior Ministry, security services discovered this organization while conducting investigations overseen by prosecutors examining cases involving “espionage on behalf of foreign entities and sympathy for Iranian aggression.”
These detentions occur as Bahrain has strengthened domestic security protocols amid escalating regional conflicts involving Iran, Israel, and the United States. The island nation serves as home to a significant US military installation and was among Gulf states impacted by Iranian strikes that followed American and Israeli military actions against Iran.
Saudi Arabia’s Foreign Ministry released a statement Saturday expressing Riyadh’s complete backing of Bahrain’s actions to counter efforts designed to undermine the kingdom’s stability.
The ministry additionally lauded Bahraini security personnel, highlighting what it characterized as their success in thwarting attempts to compromise national security.
Following the start of regional hostilities, Bahraini officials have implemented measures targeting individuals suspected of publicly backing Tehran. In the previous month, Bahrain stripped citizenship from 69 people charged with demonstrating support for Iran.
The Bahraini Interior Ministry reiterated Saturday that this case originated from previous investigations connected to foreign-sponsored intelligence operations and assistance to Iranian activities.
Three Israeli soldiers sustained injuries Saturday when explosive drones launched by Hezbollah detonated close to the Lebanese border in the Shlomi region, amid ongoing military exchanges between the two sides.
According to Israeli military reports, one reserve soldier from the Israel Defense Forces suffered serious injuries, while an officer and another reserve soldier received moderate wounds. Medical teams transported the injured personnel to a hospital, and their families have been informed of the incident.
Israeli forces successfully intercepted multiple aerial attacks targeting troops operating in southern Lebanon, with no additional casualties recorded from those incidents.
Reports from Lebanese media outlets indicate that Israeli airstrikes resulted in 12 fatalities in southern Lebanon on Saturday. Prior to the strikes, Israeli military officials ordered civilians in multiple southern Lebanese villages to leave their homes.
Army spokesman Col. Avichay Adraee issued a statement to local residents, saying: “In light of the Hezbollah terror organization’s violations of the ceasefire agreement, the IDF is forced to act against it with force and does not intend to harm you.”
Israeli military officials reported conducting operations against more than 85 Hezbollah infrastructure sites throughout various regions of Lebanon during the previous 24-hour period. The targeted facilities included ammunition storage sites, rocket launchers, and buildings used by the militant organization.
Additional Israeli operations targeted a subterranean weapons production facility located in the Bekaa Valley, along with militant fighters positioned in southern Lebanon.
In separate military actions, Israeli forces attacked storage facilities containing military equipment and destroyed a Hezbollah drone launch site in southern Lebanon that had been used for attacks against Israeli forces. The military also eliminated two rocket launchers that were loaded and ready for deployment.
Warning systems for drone infiltrations activated across the Western Galilee region on Saturday before the Home Front Command declared the threat had passed and authorized residents to exit protective shelters.
Israeli Air Force units intercepted several suspicious aerial objects launched from Lebanese territory toward Israel, according to military statements. Near the border town of Metula, security forces identified an explosive drone deployed by Hezbollah. Military officials confirmed no injuries or property damage occurred, and investigators are examining the location.
Washington remains in a holding pattern as Iranian officials deliberate over a comprehensive peace proposal designed to halt the conflict that started in February.
Iranian leadership is examining a detailed 14-point plan from the United States that would establish a two-month cessation of hostilities, restore access through the Strait of Hormuz, and halt Iran’s uranium enrichment activities for a minimum of 12 years in return for lifting economic sanctions.
The wait extended into Saturday despite earlier expectations for a quicker response. Secretary of State Marco Rubio had indicated Friday that Washington anticipated hearing from Tehran within hours, while Donald Trump suggested the Iranian decision would come “tonight.” As of Saturday, no official word had emerged regarding Iran’s position on the offer.
Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif confirmed that Islamabad continues intensive diplomatic efforts with both nations “day and night” to maintain the current ceasefire and advance broader peace negotiations.
Ali Safari, who advises the Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson, spoke with Lebanon’s Al-Mayadeen network about Tehran’s perspective on the strategic waterway dispute. “Iran’s priority is to stop the war, open the Strait of Hormuz and stop American maritime piracy,” Safari stated.
Safari elaborated on Iran’s comprehensive approach to ending hostilities: “When we say ending the war, we mean all fronts, especially Lebanon. We decided to use the Strait of Hormuz card for the Lebanese front. We are in contact with official parties in Lebanon.”
The Iranian advisor also leveled accusations against the United Arab Emirates regarding military involvement. “The United Arab Emirates is among the countries that participated in the war against Iran. We have evidence,” he claimed.
United States Central Command reported Saturday that American forces had “diverted 58 commercial vessels and disabled four, since April 13, to prevent ships from entering or leaving Iranian ports,” characterizing these actions as components of the Strait of Hormuz blockade operations.
The past several days have witnessed the most intense confrontations in the critical shipping corridor since a ceasefire began one month ago. The United Arab Emirates also experienced additional attacks on Friday.
Iran’s ISNA news agency published details of diplomatic exchanges that revealed Tehran’s concerns about American military activities in the Persian Gulf. “The recent escalation of tensions by American forces in the Persian Gulf and their numerous actions in violating the ceasefire have added to suspicions about the motivation and seriousness of the American side in the path of diplomacy,” according to the Iranian diplomatic account.
Emergency responders rushed 11 people to area hospitals Saturday afternoon following what authorities are calling a suspected boat explosion near Miami Beach.
Miami-Dade Fire Rescue crews were dispatched to the scene after receiving reports of a “possible explosion” at 12:48 p.m. Eastern Time near Haulover Sandbar, a well-known recreational spot that draws many visitors. The U.S. Coast Guard and Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission also responded to assist with the emergency.
All 11 individuals aboard the vessel were transported to nearby medical facilities for treatment, though officials have not disclosed the extent of their injuries.
The exact cause of the incident remains unclear as authorities continue their investigation. However, according to the Miami Herald, one person who was aboard the boat suggested a gas leak may have been responsible for the explosion.
According to a Wall Street Journal report published Saturday, Israel established a hidden military facility in Iraq’s desert region to bolster its aerial operations against Iran, with sources including U.S. officials providing details to the publication.
The covert installation served as a base for Israeli special operations forces and functioned as a supply center for Israel’s air force operations, according to the newspaper. The facility was constructed with American awareness prior to the commencement of joint U.S.-Israeli military actions against Iran, the report states. Search-and-rescue personnel were also stationed at the location to provide assistance to any Israeli aviators who might be shot down, the Journal reported.
Reuters was unable to confirm the Wall Street Journal’s account independently. Israeli Prime Minister’s office did not provide an immediate response when Reuters sought comment on the matter.
The hidden facility nearly came to light in early March when Iraqi state television reported that a local herder had observed suspicious military operations, including aircraft activity in the region.
When Iraqi military personnel were sent to examine the area, Israeli forces conducted aerial bombardments to maintain distance and avoid detection of their position, according to the newspaper’s sources.
The Journal referenced a formal complaint Iraq submitted to the United Nations in late March, alleging that foreign military forces and aerial attacks were responsible for the incident, with Iraq pointing to U.S. involvement. However, the WSJ reported that a source knowledgeable about the situation stated the United States did not participate in the strikes.
The New York Knicks received encouraging news regarding forward OG Anunoby’s availability for Sunday’s pivotal Game 4 matchup with the Philadelphia 76ers, as the team upgraded his status from doubtful to questionable due to his hamstring injury.
The 28-year-old forward has been a cornerstone of New York’s impressive playoff run, contributing 21.4 points per game along with 7.5 rebounds, 1.9 steals and 1.1 blocks while connecting on an outstanding 53.8 percent of his three-point attempts.
Anunoby delivered a strong performance in Game 2 against Philadelphia, recording 24 points and four steals before sustaining a strain to his right hamstring that sidelined him for the following contest.
Despite missing their key contributor in Game 3, the Knicks maintained their momentum with a commanding 108-94 victory over the Sixers, powered by Jalen Brunson’s exceptional 33-point, nine-assist showing.
New York now holds a commanding 3-0 advantage in the series and has the opportunity to complete a sweep when they travel to Philadelphia on Sunday.
Houston has acquired outfielder Rhylan Thomas through waivers after he was released by the Seattle Mariners, the Astros announced.
To make room on the roster, Houston moved right-handed pitcher Hunter Bown from the 15-day injured list to the 60-day IL.
The 26-year-old Thomas began his professional career when the New York Mets selected him in the 11th round of the 2022 MLB Draft. Seattle acquired him in 2024 through a trade that sent veteran right-handed pitcher Ryne Stanek to New York.
Thomas made his major league debut this season with Seattle, playing in three games where he collected one hit in eight at-bats, including a double, and drove in two runs while drawing one walk.
At the Triple-A level this year with Tacoma, Thomas has compiled a .260 batting average with a .313 on-base percentage and .328 slugging percentage over 31 games. During that stint, he has hit two home runs, driven in nine runs, and stolen six bases.
The Salisbury University Sea Gulls men’s lacrosse squad delivered a dominant performance Saturday afternoon, overwhelming the Roanoke Maroons 19-3 during NCAA Division III tournament action at Sea Gull Stadium in Salisbury, Maryland.
Ranked sixth nationally, the Sea Gulls wasted no time establishing their dominance, finding the back of the net just 11 seconds after the opening faceoff. From that early strike, Salisbury maintained complete control against their 25th-ranked opponents throughout the second-round tournament matchup.
The lopsided victory advances the Sea Gulls deeper into the 2026 NCAA Division III Men’s Lacrosse Tournament bracket. The commanding win showcased Salisbury’s offensive firepower and defensive prowess as they outscored Roanoke by a margin of more than six goals per quarter.
Saturday’s performance demonstrated why Salisbury earned their high national ranking heading into tournament play. The Sea Gulls will now prepare for their next tournament opponent as they continue their championship pursuit on home turf.
Transportation officials have temporarily shut down a portion of Bi-State Boulevard following a motor vehicle accident in the area.
The roadway closure extends from Allens Mill Road to Old Racetrack Road, blocking all traffic flow in that section. Motorists are advised to seek alternate routes until the roadway can be safely reopened.
Delaware Department of Transportation officials have not yet provided details about the severity of the collision or an estimated timeline for when the road will reopen to traffic.
Drivers traveling in the area should expect delays and plan accordingly while emergency crews work to clear the scene.
Iran’s football federation announced Saturday that the nation will “definitely” compete in the 2026 FIFA World Cup, while demanding that host countries address Tehran’s concerns about player travel and treatment.
Football Federation Islamic Republic of Iran president Mehdi Taj stated that “All players and technical staff, especially those who served their military service in the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, should be granted visas without problems,” according to Iranian media reports.
The request comes as Iran maintains a delicate ceasefire with the United States following military conflicts that began with US and Israeli strikes on Iran in late February, and while Iranian citizens face travel restrictions implemented during the Trump presidency.
Speaking to the state-run IRNA news agency on Friday, Taj outlined conditions for Iran’s participation, including visa guarantees, security assurances, and proper treatment of Iranian personnel. He emphasized that the Islamic Republic would compete “without retreating from our beliefs, culture and convictions.”
The visa issue gained prominence after Canadian officials blocked Taj’s entry last month prior to a FIFA Congress, allegedly due to his connections to Iran’s Revolutionary Guard, which both the United States and Canada classify as a terrorist organization.
Taj has consistently sought FIFA’s commitment to respectful treatment of Iranian officials, athletes, and national symbols throughout the tournament.
The visa concerns could impact key player Mehdi Taremi, Iran’s team captain and striker, who fulfilled his required military duty with the Guard. Iran’s conscription system randomly assigns service members to various branches including police, army, or the Revolutionary Guard.
Iran has been placed in Group G alongside Belgium, New Zealand, and Egypt, with their opening match scheduled against New Zealand in Inglewood, near Los Angeles.
The Iranian national team has secured World Cup berths in four straight tournaments and seven total appearances, though they have never progressed beyond group play. Currently holding the 21st world ranking, Iran suffered only one defeat during Asian qualification rounds.
Community leaders and elected officials gathered Saturday to honor eight young lives lost in a devastating mass shooting that shocked Shreveport, Louisiana last month.
Seven siblings and their cousin, all between ages 3 and 11, were gunned down on April 19 when the children’s father opened fire in an attack that spanned two neighborhood homes.
The memorial service at Summer Grove Baptist Church during Mother’s Day weekend featured a somber procession as mourners walked past eight white coffins, each adorned with large photographs of the children, golden crowns, and white flower arrangements. Musical performances from a choir and solo artists provided comfort throughout the ceremony.
“In spite of how you may be feeling today, we still need to know that God is still good,” declared Bishop Bernard Kimble of Mount Olive Baptist Church as he opened the service.
Memorial programs honored each child individually, revealing loving family nicknames for the victims. Three-year-old Jayla Elkins went by “Jaybae,” while 6-year-old Kayla Pugh was known as “K-Mae,” and 10-year-old Mar’Kaydon Pugh answered to “K-Bug.”
The program described 6-year-old Khedarrion Snow as having “a sweet and loving heart” whose “light was mighty” despite his brief time on earth. Seven-year-old Layla Pugh was remembered as “bright, intelligent, bold, and full of love” who loved creating TikTok content with her relatives.
Gospel artist and pastor Kim Burrell encouraged grieving family members and community members struggling to understand the tragedy, emphasizing that “God is still on the throne.”
“To ask the question, ‘Why is this fair, God? How could you, Lord?’ He’s still God,” Burrell stated. “The same God that healed you from the stuff that you don’t want to tell nobody about. But he is a God that doesn’t have to give us all the clues. Just know that he makes no mistakes.”
The perpetrator, Shamar Elkins, carried out the attack using an assault-style firearm despite a 2019 felony weapons conviction. His estranged wife, who had filed for divorce, and another woman sustained injuries during the violence.
Elkins perished following a police chase after fleeing the scene. Authorities have not determined whether he died from police gunfire or took his own life.
The incident remains under investigation as the nation’s most deadly mass shooting in more than two years.
City Councilwoman Tabatha Taylor spoke during the service, acknowledging that “there are no words sufficient to ease this pain.” Fellow Councilman James Green urged attendees to “take off our funeral face” because “this is a celebration” of the children’s lives.
Congregation members frequently rose to applaud speakers and musical performances. The victims’ names were repeatedly honored throughout the ceremony, where Shreveport Mayor Tom Arceneaux offered the city’s sympathies.
“May we honor them by carrying forward the gentleness, joy and love they so freely shared,” Arceneaux remarked.
Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry directed that American and state flags fly at half-mast for one week at government facilities statewide. His statement described the victims as “the light of their homes and the heart of their classrooms” who “were full of promise and found joy in the simplest things, such as dancing, playing outside and sharing laughter with family and friends.”
“It is incumbent upon us to honor the memory of those lost by standing together against such senseless violence,” the governor’s message continued.
Former Congresswoman Gabby Giffords, who survived a 2011 assassination attempt that ended her political career, attended the service.
“She just wanted to come and just let the family know that this pain is not just in Louisiana,” explained U.S. Representative Cleo Fields, D-Louisiana. “This pain is all across the nation.”
Transportation was provided following the church service to take mourners to the burial site. Bishop Kimble concluded with a prayer for the healing process to begin.
“Help us as we move from this spot,” he prayed. “Because we know, oh God, grief is only temporary. And if we’ll put our hands in your favor, you’ll lead us through this.”
A major cybersecurity incident this week has exposed the personal information of millions of students nationwide after hackers targeted Canvas, a popular educational management platform used by schools and universities across America.
The cyberattack brought down the widely-adopted classroom software system, which serves as a digital hub for coursework, grades, and student communications at educational institutions throughout the United States.
Both higher education institutions and elementary through high school districts that depend on the Canvas platform were affected by the data breach, leaving student records vulnerable to unauthorized access.
A devastating militia assault in the Democratic Republic of Congo has claimed the lives of no fewer than 69 individuals, according to reports from Agence France-Presse on Saturday.
The deadly violence was confirmed by both local authorities and security officials in the region, AFP reported.
The attack represents the latest incident of violence to plague the central African nation, which has struggled with ongoing conflict and instability.
Toronto FC made history Saturday night, welcoming their biggest crowd ever to BMO Field as nearly 45,000 soccer fans came out to witness Lionel Messi and Inter Miami in action. The match doubled as a crucial preparation exercise for Toronto’s upcoming role as a World Cup host city.
The stadium was packed with supporters wearing Miami’s distinctive pink and black jerseys alongside Argentina’s traditional blue and white colors, all eager to see the legendary eight-time Ballon d’Or champion in person. Messi delivered for the crowd, finding the net in Inter Miami’s 4-2 victory over Toronto FC.
Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow acknowledged the weekend’s significance on Friday, stating: “This weekend will serve as a real life test run with a number of high attendance sporting events in town.” The mayor was also referencing concurrent Toronto Blue Jays games and the Sporting Life 10K race happening in the city.
The attendance figure of 44,828 provided Toronto officials with valuable insights into crowd management, from stadium entry and exit procedures to public transportation coordination. Security personnel faced their own challenges when multiple fans attempted to storm the field in the final minutes, hoping to get close to the 38-year-old Argentine superstar.
Sharon Bollenbach, who leads the World Cup 2026 Toronto Secretariat, emphasized the event’s importance in a Reuters statement: “This weekend’s match is a valuable opportunity for city divisions, emergency services, transit agencies, venue operators and other partners to work together in a live event setting, to test and refine as required before the matches begin.”
City officials anticipate more than 300,000 visitors will descend on Toronto during the World Cup tournament. Saturday’s game marked Toronto FC’s last home appearance before the June 11-July 19 competition begins.
BMO Field underwent significant renovations worth $158 million, including the installation of 17,000 temporary seats positioned behind both goals to satisfy World Cup capacity requirements. These additional seats made their debut during Saturday’s match.
The towering temporary structures sparked safety concerns on social media back in March, with one user posting on X: “Just saw a photo of BMO’s temporary seating. Respectfully, you couldn’t pay me to climb, stand or sit on that.”
However, fans seemed comfortable with the new seating arrangements on Saturday. Many supporters in the uppermost sections chose to stand with their backs to the railings, taking in panoramic views of Lake Ontario after the final whistle.
Metrolinx, the agency operating the city’s GO train network, announced Wednesday it would treat the match as a “readiness test,” implementing increased service frequency to the station serving BMO Field along with enhanced safety protocols and crowd control measures.
The transportation authority expects roughly 500,000 additional passengers to use their services during the World Cup, which will be jointly hosted by Canada, the United States, and Mexico.
Canada’s World Cup journey begins June 12 when they face Bosnia and Herzegovina at BMO Stadium. The Canadian squad will also take on 2022 World Cup hosts Qatar and Switzerland as part of Group B competition.
A devastating coordinated assault on a police station in northwestern Pakistan resulted in the deaths of at least three law enforcement officers on Saturday, with officials warning the death toll could climb significantly higher.
The attack occurred at a police facility located on the outskirts of Bannu, where a vehicle packed with explosives was detonated at the station. Police official Sajjad Khan expressed grave concerns that most of the 15 officers who were working at the post during the incident may have perished, noting that the facility was completely destroyed in the blast.
Khan stated that combat operations were still underway and that the full scope of casualties and destruction would not be determined until the fighting concluded.
An unnamed police official described the multi-phase nature of the assault, explaining: “The terrorists first attacked the police post with an explosives-laden car, and then militants entered its premises and opened fire on the police personnel.”
The official continued: “Other law enforcement personnel were sent to help the police, but the terrorists ambushed them and caused some casualties.”
According to police sources, the attackers also deployed drones during the operation, adding another layer of sophistication to the assault.
Emergency response teams and ambulances from rescue organizations and civilian medical facilities were immediately sent to the location. Officials announced that all government hospitals in Bannu had been placed on emergency status to handle the influx of casualties.
The militant group Ittehad-ul-Mujahideen has taken credit for orchestrating the deadly attack.
Such violent incidents threaten to escalate tensions and resume hostilities along Pakistan’s border with Afghanistan. Earlier this year in February, the most severe clashes in years broke out between the former allies, resulting in Pakistani air strikes within Afghan territory that Pakistan claimed were targeting militant bases.
While the intensity of conflict has diminished since then, sporadic border clashes continue to occur, and no formal ceasefire agreement has been established between the two nations.
Pakistan’s government continues to accuse Afghanistan’s Taliban leadership of providing safe haven to militant groups who use Afghan territory as a base for planning attacks against Pakistani targets.
Taliban officials have rejected these accusations, maintaining that Pakistan’s security challenges with militant groups represent domestic issues rather than cross-border problems.
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — New York Giants head coach John Harbaugh is taking a measured approach as he settles into his new role, with his first meaningful game still more than four months away.
Saturday’s concluding rookie minicamp session intentionally avoided physical contact. Harbaugh emphasized to high draft selections Arvell Reese and Francis “Sisi” Mauigoa, along with other participants, that the weekend served as preparation for upcoming offseason workouts rather than a competitive evaluation.
“This is not a camp where you’re trying to go out there and make plays,” Harbaugh explained. “There really are no plays to be made. It’s a rehearsal type of camp. … We’re going to kind of do the dance, so to speak, of football. We’re not actually competing against one another.”
The real competition will emerge during organized team activities, mandatory minicamp, and training camp, which kicks off in late July at The Greenbrier in West Virginia. Following an 18-year tenure with Baltimore, Harbaugh is implementing a methodical strategy for his fresh opportunity, with genuine evaluations still months ahead.
“The true competition comes in the preseason games,” Harbaugh noted. “That’s when you can say it’s the most competitive. I’d say it’s kind of a ramp up to that.”
Harbaugh’s credentials include a Super Bowl victory and 12 playoff appearances with Baltimore, plus six additional postseason trips as a Philadelphia assistant coach.
During his time with Philadelphia, Harbaugh coached defensive back Rod Hood. Now, the Giants selected Rod’s nephew Colton Hood, a Tennessee cornerback, in the second round. The rookie minicamp marked Colton Hood’s first chance to work under Harbaugh’s guidance.
“My uncle told me what to expect, and it was everything that I expected,” Hood commented after making Saturday’s standout play — an interception where he stripped the ball from tryout running back Miles Davis. “Just hard-nosed coach, old-school, but he loves his players. He wants them to be great, so it’s that tough love kind of thing.”
Given Harbaugh’s special teams expertise, the upcoming months will feature an intriguing kicking battle. The Giants signed Michigan’s Dominic Zvada as an undrafted free agent to challenge returning kicker Ben Sauls and newly acquired veteran Jason Sanders.
“We’ll kick field goals, I think, every other practice,” Harbaugh said. “We may be kicking them every practice because we’ve got three guys to kick, and we’ll just see how it shakes out.”
Zvada connected on 95.5% of his field goal attempts in 2024, leading the nation, but dropped to 68% the following season. Standing 6-foot-3, Zvada is “big for a kicker,” according to Harbaugh, who praised his leg strength.
“More than anything just the consistency,” Harbaugh said. “He does a nice job of getting downfield through the kick, and because of that he tends to kick a straight ball consistently. If you do that, you probably have a chance.”
Reese’s availability at the fifth overall pick caught some by surprise, and the organization is now working to optimize the Ohio State standout’s potential, as assistant general manager Brandon Brown described.
The team envisions Reese as a weak-side linebacker rather than an edge rusher like other franchises might, and his rookie minicamp debut left a positive impression.
“Picks things up really quick,” Harbaugh observed. “Very serious-minded, very diligent about the assignments. I don’t think he got one assignment wrong throughout the two days, which is great to see.”
Despite receiver Odell Beckham Jr.’s workout with New York last month, no contract has emerged and may not materialize. Harbaugh revealed he spoke with Beckham multiple times recently while the 33-year-old trains in Arizona, though no deal appears close.
“It’s got to be right for both parties,” Harbaugh explained. “I’m pretty sure that he can make a team in the National Football League right now, but can he make a difference? It’s something he wants to do. Is his body going to hold up in the way he wants it to? And all those things are questions that need to get answered for anybody at that age.”
Beckham hasn’t appeared in an NFL contest since December 8, 2024.
NASHVILLE, Tenn. — At Tennessee’s storied Iroquois Steeplechase, while jockeys and horse owners vie for substantial prize money, the crowd’s beloved highlight remains the traditional foxhound parade that has charmed audiences for 85 years.
On Saturday, more than 20 foxhounds — specially bred to accompany horses and hunters — paraded across the grass course to launch race day festivities as thousands of fans cheered and captured the moment on camera.
The huntsman and his assistants, known as whippers-in, face the challenging job of guiding the pack along the proper route, particularly when the dogs become distracted by the massive crowd of spectators and their tempting tailgate spreads in the infield area.
Charles Montgomery, who serves as master and huntsman for the Mells Foxhounds — the hunting organization that provides dogs for the steeplechase — recalled one particularly social hound who abandoned her route for fan interaction. “She had the best time. She loved going into the beer tents,” Montgomery explained.
The dog enjoyed the experience so thoroughly that she made a beeline for the beer tent again the following year, resulting in her permanent exclusion from future races, Montgomery noted.
The Iroquois Steeplechase ranks among America’s top steeplechase competitions, offering $730,000 in total prize money on a grass course featuring hurdles. The venue opened in 1941 through a Works Progress Administration initiative, with the Nashville event established by members of the Hillsboro Hounds, a local fox hunting organization.
According to Stephen Heard, an Iroquois Steeplechase trustee and Mells Foxhounds member, steeplechase racing and fox hunting share deep historical connections. This tradition originated in the British Isles, where horses raced between church steeples and learned to clear obstacles like fences during hunting expeditions with dogs.
“Many of the horses that we use fox hunting are ex-steeplechase horses,” Heard noted.
With 25,000 attendees eating and drinking throughout tents and grandstands, the dogs require adjustment time to handle the overwhelming sounds and aromas.
“I took one dog last year and he heard the speakers and he said, ‘This is not for me,’” Charles Montgomery recalled.
“It’s high pressure,” explained Boo Montgomery, one of the whippers-in. She remembered when a child extended a fried chicken leg through the railings, creating irresistible temptation. “You couldn’t fault Brightly for stopping and having a snack,” she said, referring to one of the foxhounds.
Charles Montgomery typically brings experienced hunting dogs to mentor younger hounds along the course. On race morning, the eager dogs leaped from their trailer, ready to explore the grass, chew sticks, and roll in clover.
The hounds sport GPS-enabled collars during both hunting activities and racetrack appearances. This technology proved valuable last year when a frightened dog fled into the surrounding wooded parkland.
Despite the unfamiliar racetrack environment, the hounds appear to relish their role in launching the horse races, Boo Montgomery observed.
“It’s a great exposure for hunting to get to see these hounds and the horses,” Boo Montgomery said. “It’s nice to be able to show off.”
The Los Angeles Dodgers have acquired left-handed pitcher Charlie Barnes through the waiver claim process from the Chicago Cubs, while simultaneously moving utility player Tommy Edman to the 60-day injured list to create space on their 40-man roster.
The 30-year-old Barnes had been placed on waivers by Chicago earlier this week. His only major league outing this season came on April 13 against Philadelphia, where he allowed four runs (three earned) across three innings. At the Triple-A level with Iowa, Barnes posted a 3-1 record and 3.04 ERA through seven games, including four starts.
Throughout his major league career, Barnes holds a 0-3 record with a 6.15 ERA across 10 appearances, eight of which were starts. His last MLB action came in 2021 with Minnesota, the team that selected him in the fourth round of the 2017 draft.
For the past four seasons, Barnes played professionally in South Korea with the Lotte team, compiling a 35-32 record and 3.58 ERA over 94 starts.
The 31-year-old Edman had right ankle surgery in November, just after helping the Dodgers capture the World Series championship. He is expected to be cleared for return from the injured list before the end of this month.
Over seven major league seasons split between St. Louis and Los Angeles, Edman has maintained a .258 batting average with 72 homers and 291 RBIs across 730 games.
Former Major League Baseball star and Hall of Famer Wade Boggs has received the all-clear from doctors after his battle with prostate cancer.
The 67-year-old baseball legend shared the positive update following his participation in Friday evening’s celebration at Fenway Park, marking 125 years since the Red Sox played their first home game. Boggs joined fellow Red Sox legends David Ortiz, Pedro Martinez, Jim Rice, Carlton Fisk, and Carl Yastrzemski in throwing ceremonial first pitches.
“I’m a cancer survivor now. Prostate cancer is null and void. Thank God,” Boggs stated on Friday, referencing his latest medical examination.
The former third baseman received his prostate cancer diagnosis in September 2024 and completed radiation therapy and hormone treatments in Florida. On November 13, 2024, he posted on social media platform X to announce the completion of his treatment regimen.
“Praise God! Had my last treatment this morning, now it’s in the hands of God 🙏,” Boggs wrote in his November post. “Can’t thank my family, friends and my fans for your continued support throughout this difficult time. Also my wonderful team at Tampa General Hospital Cancer Institute 🙏🙏🙏.”
Boggs emphasized the importance of early detection in his successful treatment and urged men to prioritize regular health screenings.
“It’s a process that you have to go through, and I encourage all young men to get your PSA tests,” Boggs explained Friday. “Please go out there. Because mine, it wasn’t even on the radar. It was a 3.3, and they don’t even start talking about it until it gets to four. But I had the bad one, and we caught it early. … I had my checkup a month ago, and I’m completely cancer-free.”
During his 18-season MLB career, Boggs played for the Boston Red Sox from 1982 to 1992, the New York Yankees from 1993 to 1997, and finished with the Tampa Bay Devil Rays from 1998 to 1999. Both the Red Sox and Rays organizations have retired his jersey number in his honor.
In 2005, Boggs earned first-ballot induction into the Baseball Hall of Fame, receiving recognition on 91.9% of submitted ballots.
His impressive career achievements include five American League batting titles, 12 All-Star Game selections, two Gold Glove Awards, and eight Silver Slugger Awards. He captured a World Series championship with the Yankees in 1996. Boggs concluded his playing days with a .328 batting average and membership in the exclusive 3,000-hit club, tallying 3,010 hits along with 1,513 runs scored, 118 home runs, and 1,014 RBIs.
Baseball Hall of Fame manager Bobby Cox, who became synonymous with the Atlanta Braves during their dominant run in the 1990s and 2000s, passed away at 84 years old, the organization confirmed Saturday.
Throughout his managerial career with the Braves and Toronto Blue Jays, Cox amassed 2,504 wins, placing him fourth all-time in major league history. His remarkable achievements include leading teams to 15 division championships, five National League pennants, and the Braves’ 1995 World Series title.
“We are overcome with emotion on the passing of Bobby Cox, our treasured skipper. Bobby was the best manager to ever wear a Braves uniform,” the Braves organization stated. “His Braves managerial legacy will never be matched.”
Cox entered the world on May 21, 1941, in Tulsa, Oklahoma, before relocating to Central California at age three. The Los Angeles Dodgers signed him as an infielder straight from Selma High School in 1959, with scout Red Adams making the discovery.
Following nearly ten years in the minor league systems of the Dodgers, Chicago Cubs, and Braves, Cox’s playing career remained modest. He spent his inaugural major league season in 1968 with the New York Yankees, playing alongside Mickey Mantle during the legend’s final year. Cox recorded nine home runs and posted a .619 OPS across 220 games over two seasons with New York.
Yankees general manager Lee MacPhail subsequently presented Cox with a managerial opportunity at their Class A affiliate in Fort Lauderdale, where he spent six seasons before joining Billy Martin’s major league coaching staff as first-base coach for the 1977 World Series champions.
In the following season, former Braves owner Ted Turner provided Cox his initial big league managing opportunity, though he struggled with a 266-323-1 record during the franchise’s rebuilding phase. Turner dismissed Cox in 1981, later remarking about his replacement: “It would be Bobby Cox — if I hadn’t just fired him. We need someone like him around here.”
Cox continued his managerial journey with the Toronto Blue Jays for four seasons, leading them to their inaugural division championship in 1985.
Despite the earlier dismissal, Turner praised Cox as a “terrific manager and a terrific person,” which explained his decision to bring Cox back to the Braves organization in 1986 as general manager. Despite lacking front-office experience, Cox spent four years developing, acquiring, and selecting future stars including Tom Glavine, John Smoltz, Steve Avery, and Chipper Jones, whom he selected first overall in the 1990 MLB Draft.
Cox returned to managing duties during the 1990 season and took full control the following year as the Braves launched their historic streak of 14 straight division titles. His teams captured five National League pennants during the decade, culminating with Atlanta’s first major professional sports championship in 1995.
After stepping down as manager following the 2010 season when the Braves earned a wild-card berth, Cox remained with Atlanta’s front office as a senior advisor.
Across 29 seasons of managing, Cox finished with a 2,504-2001 record and a .566 winning percentage, earning Manager of the Year recognition four times.
“Bobby was a favorite among all in the baseball community, especially those who played for him. His wealth of knowledge on player development and the intricacies of managing the game were rewarded with the sport’s ultimate prize in 2014 — enshrinement into the Baseball Hall of Fame,” the Braves noted.
While earning widespread respect throughout baseball, Cox also established the record for most ejections in league history with 158 during regular season play and three more in postseason games, many featuring lengthy and animated arguments.
“And while Bobby’s passion for the game was unparalleled, his love of baseball was exceeded only by his love for his family,” the Braves added. “It is with the heaviest of hearts that we send our sincerest condolences to his beloved wife, Pam, and their loving children and grandchildren.”
The British Foreign Office confirmed Saturday that officials called in China’s ambassador to the United Kingdom on Friday in response to a recent court ruling that found two individuals guilty of conducting espionage operations for Hong Kong and China.
The diplomatic summons came after a London court delivered guilty verdicts in a national security case involving the two men, who were convicted of carrying out spying activities that ultimately benefited Chinese interests through Hong Kong connections.
The Foreign Office announced the ambassador’s summons the day after the diplomatic meeting took place, highlighting the serious nature of the espionage convictions and their impact on UK-China relations.
A Brazilian Supreme Court justice has temporarily blocked legislation that would have significantly shortened the prison term of former President Jair Bolsonaro, who is serving 27 years for attempting to orchestrate a coup following his 2022 electoral defeat.
Justice Alexandre de Moraes issued the suspension order on Saturday, preventing the implementation of the sentence reduction measure while the nation’s highest court examines its constitutionality, according to court documents.
The controversial legislation, which received congressional approval last month after lawmakers overrode President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva’s veto, would have slashed Bolsonaro’s sentence to approximately two years. Under this reduced term, the former right-wing leader could have been released as early as 2028.
Two political parties in Brazil, along with the press association ABI, filed separate legal challenges this week arguing the law violates the constitution. The measure would also have reduced penalties for individuals convicted in connection with the January 2023 uprising, when Bolsonaro’s supporters stormed and damaged the presidential palace, Supreme Court building, and congressional offices.
Justice Moraes determined the law cannot take effect until the Supreme Court completes its review of two separate cases seeking to invalidate the measure on constitutional grounds.
Bolsonaro’s legal team has not yet formally petitioned the court to apply the sentence reduction to their client. However, on Friday, his attorneys submitted a motion requesting criminal review to have the Supreme Court overturn his conviction entirely.
The former president is currently serving his sentence under humanitarian house arrest conditions, which were initially granted for 90 days based on medical considerations.
ATLANTA — Bobby Cox, the legendary Atlanta Braves skipper who transformed a struggling franchise into a National League powerhouse throughout the 1990s and delivered the city’s first major championship, passed away Saturday at age 84.
The Hall of Fame manager died in Marietta, Georgia, the Atlanta Braves confirmed. Cox had been battling health complications since suffering a stroke in 2019, including cardiac problems that hindered his recovery.
“Bobby was the best manager to ever wear a Braves uniform. He led our team to 14 straight division titles, five National League pennants, and the unforgettable World Series title in 1995. His Braves managerial legacy will never be matched,” the team stated.
After inheriting a cellar-dwelling squad in June 1990, Cox orchestrated one of baseball’s most remarkable turnarounds, guiding the Braves from worst to first in 1991. Though they lost that World Series to Minnesota in seven games, it launched an unprecedented streak of 14 straight division championships — a professional sports record.
During his 25-year tenure with Atlanta, Cox delivered the franchise’s first World Series crown in 1995, stepped down following the 2010 campaign, and earned Baseball Hall of Fame induction in 2014.
“Bobby was a favorite among all in the baseball community, especially those who played for him. His wealth of knowledge on player development and the intricacies of managing the game were rewarded with the sport’s ultimate prize in 2014 — enshrinement into the Baseball Hall of Fame,” the organization noted.
Cox’s statistical achievements place him among baseball’s managerial elite: fourth all-time with 2,504 victories, fifth with 4,508 games managed, first with 15 division crowns including that record 14-year run, first with 16 playoff appearances, and fourth with 67 postseason wins.
Only Connie Mack, John McGraw and Tony La Russa accumulated more regular-season victories than Cox. He also holds the record for most managerial ejections with 158.
“He is the Atlanta Braves,” former catcher Brian McCann said in 2019. “He’s the best.”
McCann characterized Cox as an “icon” and “one of the best human beings any of us have ever met.”
The Braves honored Cox by retiring his No. 6 jersey in 2011 and inducting him into the team’s Hall of Fame.
Across 29 major league seasons as a manager, including four years with Toronto, Cox guided 16 teams to the postseason. He brought traditional baseball values to the dugout, always sporting cleats and stirrups while earning fierce player loyalty through his paternal leadership style.
DAKAR, Senegal — Rebel forces operating in the Democratic Republic of Congo have criticized the United States for inadequate mediation efforts in the ongoing conflict plaguing the nation’s resource-rich eastern territories, as the Trump administration works to secure access to the area’s strategic mineral deposits for American interests.
Congolese rebel commander Corneille Nangaa penned a letter to Secretary of State Marco Rubio, alleging that Washington has not adequately confronted the Congolese government regarding its purported breaches of peace agreements.
The correspondence, obtained by The Associated Press on Saturday, bore the signature of the Congo River Alliance, an organization that encompasses the M23 rebel faction supported by Rwanda.
Last year, Congo and Rwanda entered into a peace agreement facilitated by the United States, designed to halt the prolonged violence in eastern Congo. The arrangement outlined economic cooperation terms among the three nations and promised to facilitate agreements concerning rare earth mineral extraction.
President Donald Trump lauded the heads of state — Congo’s Felix Tshisekedi and Rwanda’s Paul Kagame — when the deal was reached. Trump has frequently highlighted his role in brokering the agreement. Despite the accord, combat operations persist in the area, with rebel and government military units each claiming the other side has broken the peace terms.
Nangaa’s letter to Rubio also condemned American sanctions targeting “actors critical of the authorities in power” in Kinshasa, Congo’s capital city. This appears to reference recent U.S. penalties imposed on former Congolese leader Joseph Kabila for his suspected involvement in financing and assisting rebel groups. Washington previously sanctioned Rwanda’s armed forces and four high-ranking officials for their support of M23.
“Your administration has neither imposed any sanctions nor issued even a simple warning to the leaders in Kinshasa, whose intransigent and arrogant attitude calls into question the impartiality and neutrality of the American Facilitator/Mediator,” the letter stated.
“The absence of clearly identifiable corrective measures fuels questions regarding the facilitation’s ability to preserve, over time, the requirements of impartiality and neutrality that are essential to its credibility,” it continued.
Congo, the United States, and United Nations specialists maintain that Rwanda provides backing to M23, which has expanded from several hundred fighters in 2021 to approximately 6,500 combatants, according to UN data.
Eastern Congo has endured decades of violence as government troops battle over 100 armed organizations, with M23 being the most formidable, frequently competing for control of the region’s mineral wealth. M23 forces launched a significant offensive in the area in early 2023, capturing Goma and other strategic locations while rapidly extending their territorial control.
Although American diplomatic intervention has helped reduce regional tensions, it has not halted the intensifying ground combat, according to Kristof Titeca, a University of Antwerp professor who specializes in Central African governance and conflict issues.
PESHAWAR, Pakistan (AP) — Three law enforcement officers died Saturday night when militants launched a coordinated assault on a police facility in Pakistan’s northwestern region, authorities confirmed.
The deadly incident occurred in Bannu district within Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, which shares a border with Afghanistan, according to police official Zahid Khan. Attackers used a vehicle packed with explosives while armed fighters engaged officers in combat.
Khan reported that numerous blasts echoed through the area following the initial explosion, which destroyed both the police facility and several residential buildings in the vicinity due to the powerful detonation.
The police official declined to provide additional information, noting that gunfire continued between security forces and the attackers. He added that some officers sustained injuries and may be buried beneath debris from the collapsed structures.
Authorities have not identified which organization orchestrated the assault.
Intelligence experts anticipate the Pakistani Taliban, formally called Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan or TTP, along with associated extremist organizations, will likely emerge as suspects given their history of conducting comparable operations. The nation has experienced an escalation in extremist attacks over recent years.
The TTP operates independently from but maintains ties with Afghanistan’s Taliban movement, which assumed control of the neighboring country in 2021.
MOSCOW, May 9 – Russian President Vladimir Putin declared Saturday that he believes the ongoing war in Ukraine is approaching its conclusion.
The conflict, which began with Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022, has created the most severe tensions between Russia and Western nations since the Cuban Missile Crisis of 1962, a period when many feared global nuclear conflict was imminent.
“I think that the matter is coming to an end,” Putin stated when speaking with reporters about the Ukrainian war.
Recent reports from the Financial Times on Thursday indicated that leaders across the European Union are making preparations for possible negotiations.
When questioned about his openness to discussions with European officials, Putin indicated his preference would be to work with former German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder.
Russian government officials stated last week that European nations must initiate contact first, since they were responsible for cutting off diplomatic communication with Moscow when the Ukrainian conflict began in 2022.
Milwaukee has added outfielder Brandon Lockridge to their 10-day injured list following a leg injury, with the team bringing up Blake Perkins from their Triple-A affiliate in Nashville, according to Saturday reports from the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel.
The 29-year-old Lockridge sustained his injury during Friday’s matchup with the New York Yankees when he collided with the wall while pursuing a foul ball in the fourth inning. Medical examinations ruled out fractures, but doctors found a deep cut that reached the bone.
This season, Lockridge has posted a .294 batting average across 28 games, recording four doubles and driving in 12 runs. Throughout his three-year major league career with San Diego and Milwaukee, he maintains a .251 batting average with one home run and 24 RBIs over 107 games.
The returning Perkins, also 29, struggled during his recent stint with Milwaukee, managing just five hits in 46 at-bats for a .109 average before being sent down to Nashville earlier this week. Over his four seasons with the Brewers organization, Perkins has compiled a .224 career average with 13 home runs and 87 RBIs in 261 games.
Seven people lost their lives, including one child, when Israeli forces targeted the Lebanese town of Saksakiyeh on Saturday, according to Lebanon’s health ministry. Fifteen others sustained injuries in the attack.
Israeli military officials confirmed they conducted the operation against Hezbollah fighters in the area, claiming the militants were preparing assaults on Israeli troops.
“The IDF is aware of reports regarding harm to uninvolved civilians in the structure in which the terrorists were struck. The details of the incident are under review,” military officials stated.
The deadly confrontation marks continued violence between Israeli forces and the armed group Hezbollah in southern Lebanon, where Israel maintains what it calls a security zone. This ongoing conflict persists even after a ceasefire agreement brokered by the United States was announced on April 16.
Earlier this week, Israeli forces reported killing a high-ranking Hezbollah commander from the elite Radwan unit on Wednesday. The strike on Beirut’s southern suburbs was the first of its kind since the ceasefire declaration.
Meanwhile, diplomatic efforts continue as the United States facilitates discussions between Lebanese and Israeli representatives. These meetings represent the most significant diplomatic contact between the two nations’ government officials in many years.
State Department officials confirmed that Israeli and Lebanese ambassadors to Washington will participate in a third round of negotiations scheduled for Thursday and Friday this week.
A traffic accident has forced the closure of two left lanes on northbound Route 1 at the Biddles Toll Plaza, according to DelDOT officials.
The crash is causing significant delays for drivers traveling north on the busy highway. Traffic is being diverted to the remaining open lanes as emergency crews work to clear the scene.
Motorists are advised to seek alternate routes if possible or allow extra travel time when passing through the area. DelDOT has not yet provided an estimated time for when the lanes will reopen to normal traffic flow.
The Atlanta Braves organization confirmed Saturday that Bobby Cox, the Hall of Fame manager who guided the team through its most successful era, has passed away at 84 years old.
Cox transformed the Braves into a baseball dynasty throughout the 1990s, culminating in the franchise’s sole World Series title in 1995. His managerial career with Atlanta concluded following the 2010 season, capping off decades of excellence on the diamond.
The veteran skipper became synonymous with Braves baseball during an unprecedented run of success that made Atlanta a perennial contender and household name across the sport.
A cruise vessel called the MV Hondius is currently experiencing a hantavirus outbreak, with over 140 individuals aboard including both travelers and staff members.
The situation aboard the affected vessel has been documented through a series of photographs compiled by Associated Press photo editors.
Motorists traveling on Interstate 95 northbound are experiencing delays near the US Route 202 interchange due to a broken down tractor-trailer blocking multiple lanes.
According to the Delaware Department of Transportation, the disabled commercial vehicle has forced officials to shut down the right lane and turn lane leading to the Route 202 ramp.
Drivers heading toward the Route 202 exit should expect delays and consider alternate routes while crews work to clear the disabled truck from the roadway.
DelDOT has not provided an estimated time for when the lanes will reopen to normal traffic flow.
Federal health authorities are working to calm public concerns about hantavirus, emphasizing that the chances of a major outbreak spreading across communities remain very low.
Despite recent media coverage that has generated anxiety about the potential for another pandemic-level health crisis, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention maintains that the likelihood of extensive transmission is minimal.
The virus has captured significant attention in news reports recently, leading to public worry about whether the nation could face another widespread health emergency similar to previous pandemic experiences.
The Houston Astros have sidelined left-handed pitcher Bennett Sousa for at least two weeks due to an elbow injury, the team announced Saturday. The club has brought up right-handed reliever Jayden Murray from their Triple-A Sugar Land affiliate to take his place on the roster.
Sousa is suffering from inflammation in his left elbow, with his placement on the injured list dating back to Wednesday of this week.
The 31-year-old reliever has struggled this season, posting an 8.10 earned run average across five appearances out of the bullpen. Over his four-year major league career spanning three different organizations, Sousa holds an 8-1 record with a 4.54 ERA. He joined the Astros organization in 2023.
Murray, who is 29 years old, appeared in four relief outings earlier this season and recorded a 6.00 ERA during that stint. Since breaking into the majors last year, he has compiled a 3.06 ERA over 13 total games, including one start.
In additional roster moves, Houston acquired outfielder Rhylan Thomas through waivers from the Seattle Mariners and immediately assigned him to Sugar Land. To create space on their 40-man roster, the Astros moved right-handed pitcher Hunter Brown to the 60-day injured list due to a shoulder issue.
Chicago has added veteran wide receiver Scotty Miller to their roster as a free agent, according to confirmation from his agents on Saturday.
Representatives Drew Rosenhaus and Robert Bailey verified the signing to ESPN but did not reveal contract details for the 28-year-old player.
During the previous season with Pittsburgh, Miller recorded nine receptions for 62 yards across 13 appearances, though he did not start any games or score touchdowns.
Throughout his NFL career spanning 93 games with nine starts, Miller has accumulated 99 receptions for 1,216 yards and six touchdowns while playing for Tampa Bay (2019-22), Atlanta (2023), and Pittsburgh (2024-25).
Tampa Bay selected Miller in the 2019 sixth round of the draft, and he contributed to their Super Bowl championship during the following season.
Chicago’s current wide receiver roster features Rome Odunze and 2026 third-round selection Zavion Thomas among others.
Minnesota Twins right-handed pitcher Taj Bradley was added to the 15-day injured list Saturday due to inflammation affecting his right pectoral muscle.
The roster move was made retroactive to Wednesday, which came one day after Bradley delivered a strong performance against Washington, striking out eight hitters across six innings in an 11-3 Twins victory.
The 25-year-old pitcher has posted a 4-1 record with a 2.87 ERA across eight starts this season. In 47 innings of work, he has recorded 52 strikeouts while issuing 17 walks.
Throughout his major league career, Bradley holds a 23-28 record with a 4.64 ERA over 83 games, including 81 starts. He previously played for Tampa Bay from 2023-25 before Minnesota acquired him in a trade deadline deal that sent right-hander Griffin Jax to the Rays.
To fill Bradley’s spot on the 26-man roster, the Twins brought up right-hander Travis Adams from their Triple-A affiliate in St. Paul.
Adams, 26, has appeared in five relief outings this season for St. Paul, compiling a 3-0 record with a 9.00 ERA.
The Goldey-Beacom Lightning baseball team’s remarkable postseason journey concluded with a disappointing 12-3 defeat against Wilmington University in the Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference championship game held in Waterbury, Connecticut.
The Lightning had put together another impressive tournament performance to reach the conference final, continuing their tradition of strong showings in the CACC Tournament. However, their championship aspirations were dashed by a dominant Wilmington squad that controlled the title game from start to finish.
The loss marks the end of what had been a successful season for Goldey-Beacom, which once again demonstrated its ability to compete at a high level in conference tournament play despite falling short of the ultimate prize.
CHICAGO — This Sunday’s NBA draft lottery could deliver top picks to teams that spent the season deliberately losing games, with Washington guaranteed a top-five selection and Brooklyn and Utah positioned for premium picks after enduring some of the worst seasons in franchise history.
The lottery process involves drawing four ping-pong balls from a secured container, witnessed by team representatives and select media members in a private room. These balls create a numerical combination that corresponds to one assigned to participating teams, determining who receives the first overall pick in next month’s draft.
“June 23rd, I’ll know where I’m at,” said AJ Dybantsa, the BYU standout who declared for the draft after leading college basketball in scoring this past season.
Dybantsa will likely learn his destination Sunday, as he joins Kansas’ Darryn Peterson and Duke’s Cameron Boozer among the projected top three selections.
Washington, Brooklyn, and Indiana each hold identical 14% chances of securing the number one pick — though those remain relatively modest odds.
The Wizards compiled a dismal 3-26 record following the All-Star break, including allowing Miami’s Bam Adebayo to score 83 points in a single contest. Washington cannot drop below fifth position and faces essentially even odds of landing exactly there, with a 52.1% probability of a top-four selection versus 47.9% for fifth place.
“This was going to be a season of development and opportunity,” said Wizards coach Brian Keefe during his end-of-season press conference. “And that is something that we really focused on all the way up to Game 82.”
Washington anticipates significant improvement next season after acquiring Trae Young and Anthony Davis through trades, making another basement finish unlikely with a potential top pick added to the roster.
Accusations of tanking — intentionally losing to improve draft position — have surrounded Washington, Brooklyn, and Utah this season.
Brooklyn suffered their worst point differential in franchise history, being outscored by 975 points and losing 43 games by double digits. Utah endured their own historic low, getting outscored by 858 points with 41 double-digit defeats.
Nets owner Joe Tsai acknowledged the rebuilding approach before the season began.
“We hope to get a good pick,” Tsai stated at the All-In Summit last fall. “So, you can predict what kind of strategy we will use for this season.”
The league fined Utah $500,000 during the season for benching top players in fourth quarters, though the Jazz still managed to win one such game in Miami. Their poor finish secured a top-eight pick that otherwise might have transferred to Oklahoma City.
Remaining lottery odds for the top selection include Utah and Sacramento at 11.5%, Atlanta at 9.8%, Memphis at 9%, Dallas at 6.7%, Chicago at 4.5%, Golden State at 2%, Oklahoma City at 1.5%, Miami at 1%, and Charlotte at 0.5%.
Atlanta’s percentage combines two separate scenarios that could deliver them the first pick.
In a potentially controversial outcome, the defending champion Thunder could claim the top pick despite their success. If the position typically belonging to the Clippers wins the lottery, it transfers to Oklahoma City through the trade that brought Shai Gilgeous-Alexander to the Thunder.
The Clippers maintain a 48% chance of moving up if Indiana lands in fifth or sixth position, as those picks would convey to Los Angeles rather than staying with the Pacers.
“Call it a coin-flip chance of getting a high, high lottery pick in a loaded draft,” said Clippers president of basketball operations Lawrence Frank.
The NBA expects to implement a revised lottery system next season, with framework established last month to further discourage tanking behavior. The Board of Governors will likely approve these changes in coming weeks, following Tuesday’s general manager meeting in Chicago.
This season featured an unprecedented race to lose, with five teams — Washington, Indiana, Utah, Memphis, and Brooklyn — posting sub-.180 winning percentages after the All-Star break, marking the first time in league history so many franchises performed this poorly in the season’s final stretch.
“The incentives are not necessarily matched here,” NBA Commissioner Adam Silver said in February regarding teams with the worst records receiving the best lottery odds. “I think the tradition in sports where the worst-performing team receives the first pick from their partners, when any economist comes and looks at our system, they always point out you have the incentives backwards there. That doesn’t necessarily make sense.”
SAN FRANCISCO — Cleveland has acquired two-time Gold Glove catcher Patrick Bailey from San Francisco in a Saturday trade that addresses both teams’ catching situations.
San Francisco received minor league southpaw Matt Wilkinson and Cleveland’s 29th selection in the 2026 amateur draft as compensation for Bailey.
To create roster space for Bailey, Cleveland sent Bo Naylor down to Triple-A Columbus. Naylor had served as the Guardians’ primary catcher since the 2023 season.
Since his major league debut in 2023, Bailey has established himself among baseball’s premier defensive backstops, particularly excelling at pitch framing. Over the past two-plus seasons, he leads all major leaguers with 69 catcher framing runs and 42 defensive runs saved.
However, Bailey’s offensive production has been problematic and reached new lows this year. Through 89 plate appearances, he was hitting .146 with just one home run and five RBIs. Among 286 players with at least 75 plate appearances this season, his .396 OPS ranked dead last.
San Francisco could afford to move Bailey with Daniel Susac and Jesus Rodriguez positioned to share catching responsibilities, along with Eric Haase available as depth. These alternatives have delivered significantly better offensive production for the Giants, who entered Saturday averaging just 3.16 runs per game — worst in baseball — and sharing the National League’s poorest record with New York.
Bailey, who celebrates his 27th birthday later this month, captured Gold Glove honors in both 2024 and 2025. Throughout his career, he maintains a .224 batting average with a .611 OPS.
Naylor posted a .237 average during his 2023 rookie campaign but has battled offensive struggles over the subsequent two-plus seasons. His .143 batting average this year ranks last among the 29 catchers with at least 90 plate appearances.
Since 2024, his .192 batting average places him second-worst among catchers who have played in at least 200 games.
Cleveland entered Saturday with a 21-19 record atop the AL Central standings. Bailey was scheduled to join the club before Saturday night’s game against Minnesota. Austin Hedges has also received consistent playing time at catcher.
The 23-year-old Wilkinson represented Canada in this year’s World Baseball Classic. This season at Double-A Akron, he has compiled a 1-2 record with a 1.59 ERA across six starts, striking out 36 batters in 28 1/3 innings.
A liquefied natural gas tanker from Qatar was making its way toward the Strait of Hormuz on Saturday, heading to Pakistan after leaving Qatar’s Ras Laffan terminal, maritime tracking information from LSEG reveals.
If the vessel completes its journey successfully, it would represent the first time a Qatari LNG ship has made it through the strategic waterway since Iran began its military campaign. QatarEnergy has not yet responded to requests for comment.
The tanker Al Kharaitiyat operates under a Marshall Islands flag and is operated by Nakilat Shipping Qatar Ltd, with storage space for 211,986 cubic meters of cargo, maritime records indicate.
In early April, Iran’s Revolutionary Guards stopped two LNG vessels from Qatar – the Al Daayen and Rasheeda – as they approached the Strait of Hormuz on April 6, ordering them to remain stationary without providing any reasoning, according to a source who spoke to Reuters.
As the globe’s second-biggest LNG supplier, Qatar primarily ships its energy exports to Asian markets. Iranian military actions have damaged 17% of Qatar’s LNG shipping capabilities, with reconstruction work anticipated to keep 12.8 million tons annually of the fuel offline for three to five years.
Robert Griffin III has stepped away from Team USA’s flag football program as the sport gears up for its first-ever Olympic appearance at the 2028 Los Angeles Games.
The former NFL signal-caller, now 36, made the announcement Friday through social media, revealing he was pulling out of USA Football’s 2026 selection process because of a timing issue.
“A commitment honoring our military veterans is preventing me from attending training camp and that’s not fair to the other 23 guys competing for a spot this year,” Griffin posted. “Looking forward to seeing the squad go to Germany and win Gold and still excited for LA28.”
Griffin had been selected in March as one of four quarterbacks for the 24-player training camp roster. The upcoming camp is set for May 21-24 in Chula Vista, California.
From that group, coaches will trim the roster to 12 players who will compete for the United States at the 16-nation International Federation of American Flag Football World Championships. Those games will take place August 27-30 in Dusseldorf, Germany.
Griffin hasn’t suited up in the NFL since the 2020 campaign and currently serves as a football commentator for ESPN and Fox Sports.
Washington selected Griffin as the second overall pick in the 2012 NFL Draft following his standout career at Baylor. He captured NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year recognition and earned a Pro Bowl selection in his debut season. Throughout his professional career spanning 56 games with 42 starts, Griffin accumulated 9,271 passing yards along with 43 touchdown passes and 30 interceptions while playing for Washington (2012-14), Cleveland Browns (2016), and Baltimore Ravens (2018-20). He also contributed 1,809 rushing yards and 10 rushing touchdowns.
Toronto Blue Jays outfielder Addison Barger made his return to the active roster Saturday after spending time on the 10-day injured list, while the team sent rookie Yohendrick Pinango down to their Triple-A Buffalo affiliate.
The 26-year-old Barger had been sidelined since April 5 due to ankle sprains affecting both feet. His season got off to a rough start with just one hit in 19 at-bats across eight games, a stark contrast to his strong 2023 campaign where he connected for 21 home runs and drove in 74 runs over 135 games. He followed that regular season performance with an impressive postseason showing, posting a .367 batting average along with three homers and nine RBIs in 17 playoff contests.
For Saturday’s matchup against the Los Angeles Angels at home, Barger was slotted into the starting lineup in right field, hitting in the second spot in the batting order.
Looking at his overall major league statistics since breaking into the big leagues in 2024, Barger carries a .224 career batting average with 28 home runs and 104 RBIs across 212 games in a Blue Jays uniform.
The corresponding roster move involved sending down Pinango, the 24-year-old who earned his first major league call-up on April 26. During his brief stint with Toronto, he posted impressive numbers with a .423 batting average, one double, and four RBIs over 10 games.
Tennessee has completed contract negotiations with their top 2026 draft selection, wide receiver Carnell Tate, securing him on a four-year rookie deal.
The Ohio State product, selected fourth overall in this year’s draft, will earn $51.1 million in guaranteed compensation, which features a $33.6 million signing bonus. Friday’s announcement revealed the agreement also contains a fifth-year team option for the young receiver.
With Tate’s contract finalized, Tennessee can now focus on completing deals with their remaining unsigned rookies: edge rusher Keldric Faulk from Auburn (selected 31st overall) and linebacker Anthony Hill from Texas (second-round selection).
During his final collegiate season, the 21-year-old Tate recorded 51 receptions for 875 receiving yards and nine touchdowns across 11 games for the Buckeyes. Throughout his three-year career at Ohio State, he accumulated 121 catches for 1,872 yards and 14 touchdowns over 39 total games.
The Cleveland Guardians made a major roster move Saturday, trading with the San Francisco Giants to acquire defensive specialist Patrick Bailey, a catcher who has earned Gold Glove recognition in consecutive seasons.
Cleveland sent their 29th overall selection in this year’s draft along with left-handed pitching prospect Matt Wilkinson to San Francisco in return for the 26-year-old Bailey. The move strengthens Cleveland’s catching corps, which already includes Austin Hedges and Bo Naylor, though the team immediately sent Naylor down to their Triple-A affiliate in Columbus.
While Bailey’s offensive numbers have struggled this season – posting a .146 batting average with just one home run and five RBIs across 30 games – his defensive prowess has been consistently elite. Over his entire major league career spanning 383 games with San Francisco, he has compiled a .224 batting average while contributing 22 home runs and 154 RBIs.
The Giants expressed their appreciation for Bailey’s contributions in a social media post, stating: “From unbelievable defense to unforgettable walk-off home runs, we thank you, Patrick, and wish you good luck.”
In return, San Francisco receives Wilkinson, a 23-year-old southpaw who was Cleveland’s 10th-round selection in the 2023 MLB Draft. This season at Double-A Akron, Wilkinson has posted impressive numbers with a 1-2 record and 1.59 ERA through six starts.
BEIRUT — Saturday’s deadly Israeli military operations resulted in 17 fatalities across Lebanon, with drone attacks targeting vehicles south of Beirut claiming four lives and separate airstrikes in the country’s southern region killing at least 13 others, according to state media and Health Ministry reports.
The vehicle-targeting drone operations south of Lebanon’s capital represent a significant escalation in hostilities, occurring despite a ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hezbollah that took effect on April 17. Despite the truce, both sides have maintained daily military operations.
Earlier this week on Wednesday evening, Israeli warplanes conducted an airstrike on a southern Beirut suburb, with Israel claiming the operation eliminated a high-ranking Hezbollah military commander. That attack marked the first strike near the capital since the ceasefire agreement was established.
Saturday’s drone operations included two strikes along the major highway connecting Beirut to the southern coastal city of Sidon, injuring several individuals, while a third attack occurred on a roadway leading to Lebanon’s Chouf region, resulting in three deaths, the state-operated National News Agency reported.
An Associated Press correspondent at one scene observed a fatality on the highway in Saadiyat.
Health Ministry officials confirmed that an Israeli airstrike on Saksakiyeh village in southern Lebanon resulted in at least seven deaths, including one child, with 15 people wounded. Ministry representatives noted this represented preliminary casualty figures.
Additional strikes hit various southern Lebanese communities, including an attack on Bourj Rahhal village that killed three people and another in Maifadoun that claimed one life, according to agency reports.
In a particularly tragic incident, Health Ministry officials said three Israeli drone strikes killed a Syrian man traveling by motorcycle with his 12-year-old daughter in Nabatiyeh city.
According to ministry accounts, following the initial attack, the man and his daughter managed to escape the immediate area before being targeted again by the drone, instantly killing the father. The wounded girl then moved approximately 100 meters away before being struck a third time by the drone. The child later succumbed to her injuries at a medical facility, NNA reported.
“The Ministry of Public Health denounces this barbaric targeting and the deliberate violence against civilians and children in Lebanon,” ministry officials stated, describing the attack as part of an ongoing pattern “of grave violations of International Humanitarian Law.”
Israeli military representatives reported that Hezbollah launched explosive drones into Israeli territory near the Lebanese border, with three soldiers wounded in one attack, including one seriously injured. Military officials added that Hezbollah also deployed drones within Lebanese territory, with one striking an Israeli vehicle without causing casualties.
Hezbollah acknowledged responsibility for multiple attacks within Lebanon and confirmed firing a drone at an Israeli military installation in the northern community of Misgav Am.
The current conflict between Israel and Hezbollah commenced on March 2, when Hezbollah launched rockets into northern Israel, occurring two days after the United States and Israel initiated military action against Hezbollah’s primary supporter, Iran. Israel has subsequently conducted hundreds of aerial bombardments and launched a ground offensive into southern Lebanon, seizing control of numerous border towns and villages.
Subsequently, Lebanon and Israel engaged in their first direct negotiations in over thirty years. The two nations have remained technically at war since Israel’s establishment in 1948.
A new round of diplomatic discussions is planned for Washington beginning Thursday and continuing for two days.
A 10-day ceasefire announced in Washington became effective on April 17, with the agreement later extended for an additional three weeks.
In Syria’s capital Damascus, Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam conducted discussions Saturday with Syria’s interim President Ahmad al-Sharaa, focusing on strengthening bilateral relations and enhancing security cooperation amid regional conflicts.
Addressing reporters before returning to Lebanon, Salam stated that Lebanon would not again be utilized to harm “our Arab brothers, on top of them Syria.” The Prime Minister was making an indirect reference to Hezbollah’s participation in Syria’s civil conflict that began in 2011, supporting the five-decade Assad family regime that concluded in December 2024.
British health officials announced Saturday that passengers and crew members from the United Kingdom aboard a cruise ship struck by a deadly hantavirus outbreak will be placed in hospital isolation upon their return home.
Twenty-two British citizens are currently on the MV Hondius, which is scheduled to dock near the Spanish island of Tenerife early Sunday morning before the passengers are transported back to Britain by aircraft.
The hantavirus outbreak aboard the vessel has sickened eight individuals, with three fatalities reported. Spanish authorities indicated that multiple nations including the UK, Germany, France, Belgium, and Ireland have arranged evacuation flights to retrieve their citizens from the affected cruise ship.
Upon arrival, British passengers will undergo medical evaluation and testing during a precautionary isolation period lasting up to three days at a supervised medical facility, according to a collaborative announcement from northwestern England health departments, law enforcement, and local government officials. Sky News identified the location as Arrowe Park Hospital in the Liverpool area.
“The risk to the general population remains very low,” officials stated in their joint announcement.
The UK Health Security Agency announced Friday that returning passengers and crew members will be required to remain in isolation for 45 days following their homecoming.
A fatal incident occurred at Denver International Airport when a person who had breached security perimeters was struck and killed by a Frontier Airlines aircraft.
According to airport officials, the individual had climbed over a security fence and ran directly into the path of the moving plane. The deadly collision happened just minutes after the person had illegally entered the restricted tarmac area.
The incident highlights ongoing security concerns at major airports across the country, where unauthorized access to aircraft operating areas poses serious safety risks to both intruders and aviation operations.
LOS LLANITOS, Mexico — In a dusty field along Mexico’s Pacific shoreline, five young cousins ranging from 8 to 13 years old remove their clothing and footwear. Adults nearby assist them in putting on traditional pre-Hispanic gear called “fajado” — loincloths and leather belts wrapped around their waists.
The Osuna youngsters take hold of a solid rubber ball weighing 3.2 kilograms — approximately 7 pounds, making it seven times heavier than a standard soccer ball — and start their game. Players can only strike the ball with their hips, requiring them to jump high in the air or drop low when the ball bounces near the earth.
With Mexico set to co-host the 2026 FIFA World Cup, the country is reflecting on a sport that dates back 3,400 years — ulama, one of humanity’s oldest team competitions. This ceremonial practice was almost completely destroyed during Spanish colonization and only endured in isolated areas of northwestern Mexico until experiencing a renaissance in the late 1900s. Now, officials and contemporary players are using soccer’s global popularity to bring attention to this ancient game once more.
Though players recognize that tourist interest helped revive the sport, many express concern that promoting an “exotic” image damages a tradition that defines their cultural identity.
“We must rid the game of the notion that it is a living fossil,” said Emilie Carreón, a researcher at the National Autonomous University of Mexico, UNAM, and director of a project aimed at studying and practicing the sport.
The Osuna family exemplifies this mission. Following the death of ulama player Aurelio Osuna, his wife María Herrera, 53, has carried on his work by instructing their grandchildren in the ballgame within their small Sinaloa village, located 1,000 kilometers (620 miles) northwest of Mexico City.
“This seed will bear fruit someday,” she said.
The Popol Vuh, the holy Mayan text, describes how the universe began through a ballgame where light battled darkness to create balance between life and death and set everything in motion.
Before the Maya civilization, the Olmecs — Mesoamerica’s earliest known society — participated in this sport. This reenactment of opposing forces was widespread among various pre-Hispanic cultures. Archaeological evidence includes ancient rubber balls discovered throughout Mexico and nearly 2,000 ball courts spanning from Nicaragua to Arizona.
Historical records show the game in codices, stone engravings, and sculptures, revealing multiple variations and purposes — from fertility and war rituals to political demonstrations and even human sacrifices.
Although some participants faced execution — potentially the defeated players — Guatemalan archaeologist and anthropologist Carlos Navarrete clarified this happened only during certain time periods and in specific areas. The physically challenging game primarily served as a major social gathering, attracting crowds for entertainment and gambling.
Spanish conqueror Hernán Cortés admired the display presented by Aztec ruler Moctezuma, but the Spanish eventually prohibited ulama and commanded the demolition of its courts, likely considering the practice as opposition to Christian beliefs. According to the Catholic Church, “the ball was the living devil,” Carreón explained.
The sport — involving striking the ball with hips, forearms, or mallets — only persisted along Mexico’s northern Pacific coastline, where Jesuit-led colonization was gentler and ulama became incorporated into Catholic celebrations, according to Manuel Aguilar Moreno, an art history professor at California State University.
During the opening ceremony of the 1968 Mexico City Olympics, audiences witnessed muscular men twisting their bodies in surprising ways to maintain the rubber ball’s movement for extended periods. This demonstration inspired research about the ballgame and preservation efforts in subsequent decades.
Luis Aurelio Osuna, 30, Herrera’s oldest son, started playing hip ulama after classes, following his father’s example from decades earlier in Los Llanitos, a ranch near the port city of Mazatlán. Today his three children also participate.
Osuna and his mother instruct the children on ball-striking techniques and explain the complex regulations, including a point system where scores can be gained and lost.
Their motivation combines love for the game with practical concerns in a state where criminal organizations are widespread.
“We need to find a way to keep them entertained with good things,” said Osuna.
Hip ulama squads can include up to six participants, and the Osuna family occasionally competes in tournaments or demonstrations.
Years ago, competitions were major occasions connected to religious celebrations, sometimes lasting an entire week. However, those times have passed as enthusiasm declined and rubber balls became difficult to obtain.
During the 1980s, filmmaker Roberto Rochín recorded the work of possibly the final rubber ball craftsman in Sinaloa’s mountains. The artisan created them using methods similar to the Olmecs, who learned that combining heated rubber sap with plant materials produced strong, flexible, and long-lasting material. This civilization manufactured some of the world’s earliest balls.
Throughout the 1990s, employees from a Mexican Caribbean resort traveled nationwide seeking Sinaloan families who could demonstrate the ballgame as entertainment in the Riviera Maya, where the sport had disappeared.
“It’s pure spectacle: they paint their faces and put on feathered costumes,” Herrera said. Still, she recognizes its importance. “That’s where the revival began.”
The ballgame started expanding and gaining recognition beyond Mexico’s borders. Osuna, playing with his father’s team, eventually performed hip ulama in an Italian Roman amphitheater. The attention was so significant they were recruited for a deodorant advertisement, he recalled.
As the World Cup nears, government agencies and companies are organizing exhibitions in Mexico City and Guadalajara, and including ulama players in advertising campaigns celebrating Mexican culture — a development that has created conflicted reactions.
“We’re not circus monkeys,” says Ángel Ortega, a 21-year-old ulama player from Mexico City who recently participated in a TV commercial alongside football players.
Ilse Sil, a player and member of the UNAM project led by Carreón, thinks institutional backing will help preserve ulama, but officials must promote the game in communities and schools to attract more young participants, as it remains a niche sport with roughly 1,000 players primarily in Mexico and Guatemala.
In Los Llanitos, Herrera’s grandchildren enjoy playing. Location doesn’t matter to them — whether in the dirt field, on a proper court, or even in their home hallway — but they always use their treasured inheritance: a handcrafted rubber ball from Sinaloa’s mountains that’s decades old. They claim it absorbs impacts more effectively.
Eight-year-old Kiki shows the greatest passion. He declares his commitment to continue training until he achieves his goal of captaining his own team.
LONDON – British officials announced Saturday that the Royal Navy has moved its HMS Dragon destroyer to the Middle East region as part of advance preparations for a possible international mission to safeguard merchant vessels traveling through the Strait of Hormuz.
The air defense warship had been stationed in the Eastern Mediterranean since March, where it was assigned to help protect Cyprus following the outbreak of conflict involving Iran.
Britain’s decision to reposition the vessel comes as France has also moved its carrier battle group to the southern Red Sea region, with both European nations collaborating on defensive measures designed to rebuild trust in the vital shipping corridor.
A representative from Britain’s Ministry of Defence explained the strategic move, stating: “The pre-positioning of HMS Dragon is part of prudent planning that will ensure that the UK is ready, as part of a multinational coalition jointly led by the UK and France, to secure the Strait, when conditions allow.”
The coordinated European response comes as tensions between the United States and Iran appear to be moving toward a possible resolution after 10 weeks of conflict, with British and French officials developing proposals to establish secure passage through the waterway once regional stability returns.
Any protective operation would require cooperation with Iranian authorities, and approximately twelve nations have expressed interest in participating in such an initiative.
However, Britain’s capacity to contribute to any naval protection effort faces constraints due to the Royal Navy’s reduced size compared to previous decades, with some vessels being decommissioned before replacement ships become operational.
Economic concerns remain at the forefront for many Americans this week as rising costs at grocery stores and gas stations continue affecting household budgets and business decisions nationwide.
The latest economic developments show a mixed picture of the nation’s financial health, with some encouraging signs amid ongoing challenges.
U.S. employers exceeded expectations by creating 115,000 new positions last month, even as the ongoing conflict with Iran created economic uncertainty. This job growth nearly doubled the 65,000 new positions that economic forecasters had predicted, though it represented a slowdown from March’s stronger performance of 185,000 jobs added.
The nation’s unemployment rate held steady at a relatively low 4.3%, according to Friday’s report from the Labor Department.
The healthcare sector led job creation with 37,000 new positions, while retail businesses contributed 22,000 jobs. Manufacturing, however, continued struggling with 2,000 job cuts in April alone. The manufacturing sector has eliminated 66,000 positions over the past twelve months, despite President Donald Trump’s trade protection policies designed to boost factory employment.
Home financing costs climbed higher this week as mortgage rates responded to bond market instability caused by rising oil prices linked to the Iran conflict and growing inflation concerns.
Freddie Mac reported Thursday that the standard 30-year fixed mortgage rate increased to 6.37% from the previous week’s 6.3%. While still below last year’s average of 6.76%, this marks the second consecutive weekly rise, returning rates to levels seen a month ago.
Applications for unemployment benefits increased last week but continue reflecting a historically strong job market despite inflationary pressures and other economic challenges.
New unemployment claims for the week ending May 2 rose by 10,000 to reach 200,000, the Labor Department announced Thursday. This figure came in below the 205,000 applications that FactSet-surveyed analysts had anticipated.
The prior week’s claims total, originally reported as the lowest since 1969, was adjusted upward by 1,000 to 190,000.
These weekly unemployment filings serve as an immediate gauge of layoff activity and provide real-time insight into job market conditions.
Job availability remained relatively stable in March while hiring activity strengthened before the Iran war’s full economic effects took hold.
Companies advertised 6.87 million open positions in March, slightly down from February’s 6.92 million openings, according to Tuesday’s Labor Department data.
Employment trends have fluctuated throughout the year following a challenging 2025, with the Iran conflict that began February 28 adding uncertainty to economic and hiring forecasts.
The Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey revealed increased layoffs in March, but hiring activity improved significantly. Employers filled 5.55 million positions, representing the strongest hiring month since February 2024. Additionally, more Americans voluntarily left their jobs, typically indicating worker confidence in finding better opportunities.
Stock markets advanced toward record levels to close the week, buoyed by encouraging employment data and strong corporate earnings reports from major American companies.
The S&P 500 gained 0.5% and moved closer to an all-time high following news that employers added 115,000 more jobs than they eliminated last month, despite rising fuel costs and economic uncertainty from the Iran war.
Although hiring slowed compared to March, the results nearly doubled economist expectations. The positive news kept the S&P 500 positioned for its sixth consecutive weekly gain, which would mark its longest winning streak since 2024. U.S. markets have surged since late March, partly due to optimism that the war won’t create worst-case economic scenarios and hopes that the Strait of Hormuz will reopen for Persian Gulf oil shipments.
NANYUKI, Kenya (AP) — Known as the phantom of Kenya’s forests, the mountain bongo earns its nickname through remarkable camouflage abilities that help it blend seamlessly into thick vegetation.
This critically endangered antelope species is now the focus of an ambitious conservation effort aimed at boosting the population of these native Kenyan forest dwellers through careful reintroduction programs.
Distinguished by their rich brown coats adorned with striking white stripes, mountain bongos number fewer than 100 in their natural habitat. A Kenyan conservation facility is working to breed these magnificent creatures and gradually release them back into the wilderness, setting an ambitious goal of 750 wild bongos roaming free by 2050.
Nestled on the foggy mountainsides of Mount Kenya and bordering pristine forest land, the Mount Kenya Wildlife Conservancy spans 1,250 acres in the Nanyuki region. Here, staff members work to rebuild the natural survival skills of zoo-raised bongos, teaching them to forage independently, evade predators, and develop resistance to wild diseases.
The facility recently welcomed four male bongos from the European Association of Zoos and Aquaria via the Czech Republic. These newcomers remain in quarantine under careful monitoring before they will breed with offspring from 18 bongos that came from the United States in 2004, creating a healthier genetic mix.
According to conservancy director Dr. Robert Aruho, preventing inbreeding among genetically similar animals is crucial for successfully rebuilding this endangered population.
“We want bongos that are not only strong in body, but strong in the genes they pass to the next generation,” he said.
These antelopes originally inhabited Kenya’s Mount Kenya, Aberdare, Eburu and Mau forest regions, which serve as crucial guardians of woodlands essential to the nation’s water resources.
The final wild bongo sighting in Mount Kenya’s forest occurred in 1994, decades before the conservancy successfully released the first group of 10 bongos back into their natural environment in 2022. These animals now wander freely among orange climbing vines and bushes that make up their preferred vegetation.
Disease epidemics during the 1960s devastated bongo numbers, killing thousands of the animals. Conservationist Don Hunt shipped 36 of these creatures to America in the 1980s as a safety measure, planning to breed them in controlled environments until wild conditions became suitable for their return.
Following the Mount Kenya Wildlife Conservancy’s establishment in 2004, 18 descendants of Hunt’s original bongos arrived and began reproducing, expanding the facility’s current population to 102 animals.
Local resident Caroline Makena, 33, recalls childhood tales from her grandmother about bongos being prized as bush meat in their community. Despite these stories, Makena never encountered one until beginning work as a gardener at the conservancy.
“I never knew the bongos were this beautiful, and I think my community loved them not just for the meat but because of their beauty,” she said.
Their timid nature and camouflage capabilities, despite those distinctive white markings, prove essential for wilderness survival.
Andrew Mulani, who assists with the bongo program, explains that animals undergo months of observation before wild release to identify the most cautious individuals, since tame creatures would become easy prey.
His greatest satisfaction came when a fourth calf was born in the wilderness last year, proving these antelopes are flourishing in their ancestral home and confirming population growth potential.
Nine-month pregnancies slow population recovery efforts, while bongos show greater sensitivity to certain plants and weather patterns compared to other antelope species sharing their ecosystem.
While Mount Kenya’s conservation team works urgently to rescue this endangered species by supplementing their natural shrub diet with specially formulated nutritious pellets, thousands of annual visitors admire their spiral horns and hope this forest phantom will once again become a regular sight throughout Kenya’s woodlands.
A Palestinian family in the West Bank reports they were forced to dig up their elderly father’s remains after Israeli settlers confronted them at a village cemetery, demanding the body be removed from what they claimed was settlement land.
Mohammed Asasa says his 80-year-old father Hussein died of natural causes on Friday and was laid to rest that same evening in the cemetery of Asasa village, located near Jenin. The burial proceeded with all required permits from Israeli military authorities, who were present during the ceremony.
However, the family received an urgent call from villagers shortly after the funeral, informing them that settlers had arrived at the gravesite and were demanding the grave be excavated.
“They said the land was for settlement and that burial was not allowed. We told them that this is the village’s cemetery, not part of the settlement,” Mohammed Asasa explained.
When the settlers threatened to use heavy machinery to dig up the grave, the family made the difficult decision to remove their father’s body themselves, according to Asasa.
“We found that they already dug the grave and reached the body,” he stated. “We continued digging and got the body and buried him in another cemetery.”
Social media footage appears to document the disturbing scene, showing settlers observing as individuals excavate a hillside grave. The video then captures people carrying what appears to be human remains while Israeli soldiers follow behind. Reuters confirmed the footage was recorded in Asasa.
Israeli military officials acknowledged that the funeral had been properly coordinated with their forces and stated they never instructed the family to relocate the burial. Troops were dispatched to the location after receiving reports of a confrontation involving settlers who were “digging in the area.”
“The soldiers confiscated digging tools from the Israeli civilians and remained at the location in order to prevent further friction,” military representatives said, adding their condemnation of actions that violate the “dignity of the living and the deceased.”
The United Nations Human Rights Office strongly criticized the incident.
“This is appalling and emblematic of the dehumanisation of Palestinians that we see unfolding across the OPT (Occupied Palestinian Territories). It spares no one, dead or alive,” declared Ajith Sunghay, who leads the OHCHR Palestinian office.
Attempts to contact settlers from the adjacent Sa-Nur settlement were unsuccessful.
Sa-Nur was among 19 settlements dismantled during Israel’s 2005 disengagement plan, which also involved removing settlers and military forces from Gaza.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s administration authorized Sa-Nur’s reconstruction one year ago, and building activity has progressed quickly, according to Peace Now, an organization that monitors Israeli settlement activity.
The West Bank represents territory that Palestinians hope will become part of a future independent state. Israel justifies its presence there based on historical and biblical connections to the region, along with security considerations.
Netanyahu’s current government, which firmly rejects Palestinian statehood, has been expanding settlement construction while increasing settler violence against Palestinians has prompted international concern.
The United Nations and most nations consider Israeli settlements on West Bank territory seized during the 1967 conflict to be illegal under international law, though Israel challenges this interpretation.
Peter Magyar officially took the oath of office as Hungary’s new prime minister on Saturday, riding into power on campaign pledges to transform the country after years of economic struggles and deteriorating relationships with Western partners during Viktor Orban’s lengthy tenure.
The center-right politician toppled the nationalist Orban in a decisive April 12 electoral victory, ending Orban’s 16-year grip on power. Magyar’s Tisza party secured a constitutional majority in the vote, positioning him to reverse institutional changes that opponents argue undermined Hungarian democracy.
Markets and citizens have responded positively to Magyar’s election win. Hungary’s currency, the forint, reached four-year peaks against the euro, government bond yields dropped, and polling conducted after the election shows increased support for the Tisza party.
However, the 45-year-old leader faces immediate challenges, as he must quickly secure billions of euros in frozen European Union funds essential for reviving Hungary’s struggling economy and addressing the country’s financial difficulties.
“Hungarian people have given us a mandate to put an end to decades of drifting,” Magyar stated. “They have given us a mandate to open a new chapter in Hungary’s history. Not only to change the government, but to change the system as well. To start again.”
The new prime minister takes control of an economy that barely escaped recession in the first quarter and now confronts new challenges from rising energy prices connected to Middle Eastern conflicts, which could significantly impact Europe’s import-dependent economies.
Government financial data released Friday revealed Hungary’s budget shortfall had already consumed 71% of the annual target by April, largely due to Orban’s pre-election spending spree. Magyar has warned the deficit might climb to 7% of the country’s economic output this year.
Magyar has committed to restoring Hungary’s alignment with Western nations. The NATO member country had been perceived as moving closer to Moscow under Orban, who resisted European Union initiatives to assist Ukraine in defending against Russia’s military invasion.
The new leader has also announced plans to halt public media news programming after assuming power, claiming state-controlled media and pro-Orban outlets helped the former prime minister retain control while limiting coverage of opposition voices.
Magyar, who has vowed to launch an extensive anti-corruption campaign, is working to negotiate an agreement with EU officials to release the suspended funding by May 25.
