North Korean leader Kim Jong Un reinforced his nation’s alliance with Russia in a congratulatory message sent to President Vladimir Putin on Saturday, marking the anniversary of Nazi Germany’s defeat in World War Two.
In his communication, Kim emphasized North Korea’s stance to “give top priority” to its relationship with Russia and pledged continued adherence to “the implementation of the obligations of the inter-state treaty,” state media KCNA reported.
The two nations established a “Comprehensive Strategic Partnership Treaty” in 2024 when Putin traveled to Pyongyang, with the agreement containing provisions for mutual defense cooperation.
North Korea has deployed approximately 14,000 soldiers to assist Russian military operations in the Kursk region amid the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. Intelligence sources from South Korea, Ukraine, and Western nations report significant losses among these forces, with casualties exceeding 6,000 North Korean troops.
Russia conducted its most limited Victory Day military parade in recent years on Saturday, scaled down due to security concerns over potential Ukrainian attacks. Moscow’s campaign has faced challenges more than four years into what has become Europe’s most devastating conflict since World War Two.
Both Russia and Ukraine confirmed Friday their acceptance of a three-day ceasefire brokered by U.S. President Donald Trump, scheduled to last from May 9 through May 11.
Health officials announced Friday that a deadly hantavirus outbreak has struck passengers aboard a cruise vessel bound for Spain, resulting in three deaths among eight people who became sick.
The World Health Organization confirmed that laboratory testing has verified six cases of Andes virus, a form of hantavirus, while two additional cases remain under investigation.
When authorities first became aware of the health crisis on May 2, the vessel was carrying 147 passengers and crew members, though 34 individuals had previously departed the ship.
Medical facilities in South Africa, the Netherlands and Switzerland are currently treating four patients from the outbreak. A suspected case transported to Germany has since tested negative for the virus.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced Friday that it is actively tracking the situation involving American travelers on the affected cruise ship. Federal health officials plan to arrange a medical evacuation flight to transport U.S. passengers to Omaha, Nebraska.
According to cruise operator Oceanwide Expeditions, 17 American citizens are currently aboard the vessel.
The ship departed from Cabo Verde on May 6 and is traveling toward Spain’s Canary Islands, where passengers are scheduled to leave the vessel.
While the WHO assessed the threat to the general global population as minimal, officials described the risk level for those aboard the cruise ship as moderate.
Health investigators believe the initial infection may have occurred before the person boarded the ship, potentially during travel through Argentina and Chile, with subsequent transmission happening among passengers and crew during the voyage.
Ben Crane carded eight birdies during Friday’s opening round to grab the lead at the Insperity Invitational at The Woodlands Country Club in Texas.
The veteran golfer’s 7-under-par 65 put him one stroke ahead of a group including Shane Bertsch, Boo Weekley, Richard Green of Australia, and Thailand’s Thongchai Jaidee.
Sitting two shots behind Crane at 5-under 67 were New Zealand’s Steven Alker, South Africa’s Ernie Els, Slovakia’s Rory Sabbatini, and South Korean players Charlie Wi and Y.E. Yang.
The five-time PGA Tour winner celebrated his 50th birthday in March and continues his quest for a maiden Champions Tour victory. Crane came close with a second-place finish at last month’s Senior PGA Championship.
Crane’s hot start included six birdies over his opening 10 holes before his round slowed down. Following his only dropped shot at the par-3 14th hole, where his tee shot missed the green, Crane bounced back with birdies on the following two holes, capping it off with a long putt at the par-3 16th.
Bertsch, 56, captured his lone Champions Tour title in 2020 and hopes to return to victory lane. The golfer entered this week’s tournament as the second alternate.
“I’ve been in this position this year, unfortunately, just because of, you know, I’m not the greatest player last year, so I’ve been hanging around as first alternate a couple weeks,” Bertsch said. “… You could have a chance to get in and be out all of a sudden if you’re not around (at the course). So it’s kind of nerve-wracking. But it was nice to get in.”
Starting on the back nine, Bertsch posted four birdies against one bogey before reaching the green in two shots on the par-5 first hole for an eagle that boosted his position. He closed with another birdie at the par-5 sixth hole.
Defending champion Stewart Cink, who has won the season’s first two major championships, posted an opening-round 4-under 68.
South Korean golfer Sungjae Im captured the halfway lead at the Truist Championship on Friday, carding three back-nine birdies during his round at Quail Hollow Club in Charlotte.
Im’s consistent 69 brought him to 9-under 133 for the tournament, giving him a narrow one-stroke advantage over England’s Tommy Fleetwood, who recorded his second consecutive 67. Justin Thomas and England’s Alex Fitzpatrick share third place at 7-under after both shot 68s on Friday.
The South Korean professional is chasing what would be the most significant triumph of his career. While Im has captured two PGA Tour victories, his last came in October 2021, though he did claim a win on the Korean Tour earlier this year.
Thursday’s opening round of the $20 million signature event faced weather delays, forcing 20 players to finish their first rounds Friday morning. Im had just recorded an eagle to reach 7-under when play was suspended, completing his opening round with two pars on Friday.
Starting his second round, Im recorded nine consecutive pars before making birdie on the 10th hole and dropping a shot at the 12th. He drew even with then-leader Matt McCarty at 8-under by birdieing the short par-4 14th hole, then moved to 9-under with a skillfully executed birdie on the par-5 15th.
McCarty, who established the first-round lead with a 63, struggled in his second round and was 2-over with one hole remaining late Friday.
Alex Fitzpatrick holds a nine-shot advantage over his older brother Matt Fitzpatrick, who ranks third in the world but shot 70 on Friday to sit at 2-over for the tournament. The younger Fitzpatrick earned his PGA Tour credentials and entry into remaining signature events after he and his brother captured the Zurich Classic of New Orleans team competition last month.
SALISBURY, Md. – In a stunning display of resilience, Salisbury University’s nationally-ranked baseball squad pulled off an incredible comeback victory Friday afternoon, overcoming a five-run deficit to defeat Christopher Newport University 8-7 in the Coast-to-Coast Athletic Conference Tournament semifinals.
The Sea Gulls, ranked seventh nationally and seeded second in the tournament, found themselves in a desperate situation trailing 7-2 with only six outs remaining in the game. However, the team mounted an extraordinary rally, scoring six consecutive runs to complete the dramatic turnaround.
The thrilling conclusion came in the bottom of the ninth inning when Griffin Shirk connected for a walk-off RBI single, sending the home crowd into celebration at Donnie Williams Sea Gull Baseball Stadium. The clutch hit capped off the remarkable comeback against the third-seeded Captains.
The victory advances Salisbury to the championship round of the 2026 C2C Tournament, keeping their postseason hopes alive after what appeared to be a certain defeat just innings earlier.
PHILADELPHIA — New York Knicks forward OG Anunoby will miss Friday night’s Game 3 matchup against the Philadelphia 76ers due to a right hamstring strain, though the injury doesn’t appear to be severe and he’s being evaluated daily for the Eastern Conference semifinals.
The injury occurred during the final moments of Game 2, where Anunoby had contributed 24 points to his team’s effort.
New York currently leads the best-of-seven playoff series 2-0.
During Wednesday’s contest, Anunoby was performing well before he appeared to experience leg discomfort and signaled to exit the game. He departed for the locker room and didn’t rejoin his teammates on the sideline before New York secured their 108-102 win.
Throughout this postseason, Anunoby has been averaging 21.4 points per contest while maintaining impressive shooting percentages of 61.9% from the floor and 53.8% beyond the three-point arc.
The 6-foot-7 player, regarded as New York’s premier defensive specialist, previously dealt with a hamstring issue two seasons ago during the second round when the Knicks held a 2-0 advantage over Indiana. That injury forced him to sit out four consecutive games, and he managed only limited minutes in Game 7 as Indiana mounted a comeback to claim the series.
HAVANA — Secretary of State Marco Rubio stood behind the Trump administration’s latest sanctions against Cuba on Friday, with the most significant penalties targeting GAESA (Grupo de Administración Empresarial S.A.), a massive business empire controlled by Cuba’s military forces.
The penalties announced Thursday also hit Moa Nickel, a Cuban-Canadian partnership involving Sherritt International of Canada. The Canadian company responded immediately by announcing its complete withdrawal from Cuba, bringing to a close more than three decades of operations on the island.
According to Lee Schlenker, who researches at the Quincy Institute’s Global South program, the May 1 executive order and May 7 designations dramatically broaden Washington’s ability to impose penalties on foreign individuals and companies.
“Not only are they subject to having their assets frozen but their U.S. accounts as well as their travel to the U.S., that of their shareholders, investors or employees,” Schlenker explained. “This is bound to have an extremely significant impact of the presence of foreign companies” in Cuba.
Cuba specialist Pavel Vidal from Pontificia Universidad Javeriana described the new restrictions as “very concerning” for an economy that’s already “practically paralyzed.” Since January, Washington has prevented fuel deliveries to Cuba, worsening the nation’s prolonged economic troubles. Vidal predicted the sanctions would discourage GAESA’s existing business partners, noting that “very few will risk defying them.”
Vidal characterized the fresh measures as creating “total isolation,” powered by the fear they create among global financial institutions, insurance companies and multinational corporations.
Having examined GAESA’s internal records, Vidal emphasized that the organization’s extensive involvement across virtually all Cuban economic sectors makes any business relationship with the island potentially problematic under Washington’s new regulations.
Based on Vidal’s analysis of available data, GAESA controls approximately 40% of Cuba’s total economic output. By early 2024, the conglomerate possessed $14.5 billion in available cash, generating yearly income three times larger than Cuba’s entire government budget.
Created during the 1990s under military leadership, GAESA represented the Cuban Armed Forces’ calculated answer to the economic devastation following the Soviet collapse and intensified U.S. economic pressure during that period.
Though government-owned, GAESA operates without financial scrutiny from the Office of the Comptroller General. Former director Gladys Bejerano acknowledged this absence of oversight in a 2024 discussion before stepping down shortly afterward.
Luis Alberto Rodríguez López-Calleja ran GAESA for many years until his passing in July 2022. Married to former President Raúl Castro’s daughter, he represented a cornerstone of the ruling family — a position now carried forward by his son, Raúl Guillermo Rodríguez Castro. Though officially working as his grandfather’s personal security chief, the younger Castro has recently become a key go-between in delicate negotiations with Washington.
This week’s sanctions also placed Ania Guillermina Lastres on the U.S. penalty list. Taking over from López-Calleja, she now leads GAESA as executive president, directing the organization’s extensive global financial operations.
From available information, GAESA controls numerous retail businesses selling products ranging from groceries and clothing to household goods, plus an extensive service network including vehicle rentals and tourism agencies. The conglomerate also runs Cuba’s banking sector, currency exchange operations, and manages the nation’s primary hotel properties.
Speaking to reporters Friday, Rubio emphasized the sanctions targeted the regime rather than ordinary Cubans, describing GAESA as an organization that “is taking anything that makes money in Cuba and illegally putting it into the pockets of a few regime insiders.”
Cuban officials argue the sanctions represent “collective punishment” intended to devastate the island’s economy, claiming the Trump administration’s approach prioritizes political gains over Cuban citizens’ well-being.
These latest penalties against Havana arrive amid an ongoing U.S. energy embargo that has triggered widespread electrical and water service disruptions plus acute fuel and water shortages.
COHUTTA, Ga. — Town council members in a small northern Georgia mountain community scheduled an emergency session Friday night to address the reinstatement of their police force after Mayor Ron Shinnick dismissed the police chief and every officer on the force.
A public notice displayed at Cohutta Town Hall indicated the council would also review a demand for Shinnick’s “immediate resignation.”
Earlier this week, residents of the approximately 930-person community discovered a posted announcement declaring the police department had been “dissolved” by the mayor’s order. The notice directed citizens needing assistance to contact the county’s non-emergency line.
The police chief and roughly 10 officers lost their positions effective Wednesday morning. Specific explanations for the dismissals have not been made public, leaving residents seeking clarification at Friday’s council session.
Shinnick stated he acted due to social media posts made by officers. Former Sergeant Jeremy May explained the situation stemmed from complaints he and fellow officers filed regarding the mayor’s spouse, Pam Shinnick, who had worked as town clerk.
“This all comes to personal vendetta from the mayor, and I wholeheartedly believe that,” May told WRCB-TV. “We took a stand for transparency, and in result, every one of them has lost their jobs.”
Former Cohutta Police Chief Greg Fowler informed WRCB that he could not provide detailed comments while officers removed their equipment from the department building this week. The mayor expressed uncertainty about future plans to the television station.
Attempts to reach the mayor by phone and email Friday were unsuccessful.
Town attorney Bryan Rayburn stated via email, “Mayor Shinnick and the Town Council remain committed to transparency, accountability, and the responsible administration of town business.”
Rayburn declined additional comments but expressed confidence that the community’s “operations and public services will continue without interruption, including Municipal Court.”
The Whitfield County Sheriff’s Office issued a statement confirming deputies would provide assistance to Cohutta residents during the absence of local law enforcement. The community sits near the Tennessee border, approximately 100 miles northwest of Atlanta.
Several residents attempted to broadcast Friday evening’s meeting through social media platforms, but poor cellular reception in the area prevented successful streaming.
A Utah judge has decided to keep television cameras rolling during court proceedings for the man charged with murdering conservative activist Charlie Kirk, while agreeing to push back a crucial hearing.
District Court Judge Tony Graf on Friday turned down Tyler Robinson’s legal team’s request to eliminate live television broadcasts and photography from the courtroom. The judge stated that streaming video provides the greatest public transparency for court proceedings and ensures accountability within the judicial system. Graf noted the court has implemented safeguards to protect potential jurors from bias, including keeping Robinson’s restraints out of camera view.
Robinson’s defense attorneys had contended that live courtroom broadcasts were generating biased and sensationalized news reports that might influence prospective jurors in the aggravated murder case.
Erika Kirk, the victim’s widow, along with news organizations and prosecuting attorneys, pushed for continued camera access during hearings. They maintained this approach would best combat false information and conspiracy theories circulating about the case.
Judge Graf did approve the defense’s motion to reschedule a preliminary hearing from mid-May to July 6-10. During this hearing, prosecutors must demonstrate adequate evidence for Graf to determine whether a crime occurred and if proceeding to trial is warranted. Robinson’s attorneys explained they required additional time to analyze data files that allegedly contain Robinson’s DNA evidence on the weapon used to kill Kirk, along with other crucial evidence. The court’s next session is scheduled for May 19.
If convicted of Kirk’s September 10 killing, prosecutors plan to pursue capital punishment for Robinson.
The 23-year-old defendant was pursuing electrician training when the shooting occurred. Authorities allege he discharged a single shot from a building rooftop that fatally wounded Kirk while the activist was engaging in debate with students at Utah Valley University in Orem.
Kirk had gained recognition for encouraging young voter participation that contributed to President Donald Trump’s 2024 electoral victory. His public assassination before thousands of witnesses represented a disturbing example of escalating political violence across America.
A Tampa-based insurance company announced Friday its plans to go public on the New York Stock Exchange, revealing financial results that show revenues nearly doubled in the past year.
Safepoint Insurance submitted its initial public offering documents, showing the company earned $516.3 million in revenue for the year ending December 31, marking a dramatic 96.9% increase from the previous year’s $262.2 million. Net profits also jumped substantially, climbing from $24.3 million in 2024 to $165.6 million last year.
The strong performance comes as Florida’s property insurance sector has benefited from legislative changes implemented in 2022 that have transformed the marketplace. These reforms have made the state more attractive to insurers after years of challenges from frequent natural disasters that drove some major national companies to reduce their Florida operations.
One key improvement has been a substantial reduction in the number of litigation claims, which has encouraged new companies to enter the Florida market.
Safepoint joins several other Florida-based insurers that have recently gone public, including American Integrity Insurance, Slide Insurance, and Exzeo Group, all of which launched public offerings in New York during 2025’s strong year for insurance company debuts.
Established in 2013, Safepoint specializes in property and casualty coverage for coastal areas including Florida and Louisiana, along with other regions across the United States. The company focuses primarily on specialty homeowners insurance and commercial coverage.
The founder-controlled business remains majority-owned by its management team. Both the company and some current shareholders plan to offer shares in the upcoming public sale.
Deutsche Bank Securities and Morgan Stanley will serve as the lead underwriters for the stock offering. When trading begins, Safepoint shares will be listed under the ticker symbol “SFPT.”
WASHINGTON – Federal officials announced Friday they have imposed financial penalties on 10 people and businesses accused of helping Iran’s armed forces acquire weapons and materials needed to manufacture Shahed drones.
The Treasury Department’s action targets several entities located in China and Hong Kong that allegedly assisted Tehran’s military procurement efforts. The sanctions were revealed just days ahead of President Donald Trump’s planned trip to China for discussions with President Xi Jinping, while diplomatic initiatives to resolve the Iranian conflict remain at an impasse.
Treasury officials stated their commitment to continued economic measures against Iran’s defense manufacturing infrastructure to prevent Tehran from rebuilding its production capabilities and extending its influence beyond Iranian borders.
The department also warned it stands ready to take action against any international companies supporting illegal Iranian trade operations, including aviation firms, and may apply secondary sanctions to foreign banks that facilitate Iran’s activities, particularly those linked to China’s smaller independent oil refineries.
“Under President Trump’s decisive leadership, we will continue to act to Keep America Safe and target foreign individuals and companies providing Iran’s military with weapons for use against U.S. forces,” Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent stated.
General Motors has reached a $12.75 million settlement agreement with California officials to resolve accusations that the automotive giant unlawfully shared personal driving information from hundreds of thousands of state residents with third-party data companies, California Attorney General Rob Bonta announced Friday.
The proposed settlement, which requires judicial approval, encompasses $12.75 million in financial penalties along with new limitations on how GM can utilize customer driving information and a complete prohibition on selling such data to data brokerage firms.
The investigation centered on claims that the Detroit-based automaker improperly transferred location tracking and driving behavior information from California vehicle owners to data broker companies without proper authorization.
Personal belongings from Hollywood legend Marilyn Monroe are set to go under the hammer next month, providing an unprecedented look into the private life of the beloved actress and model.
The auction features items from Monroe’s personal collection, including clothing, accessories, correspondence, handwritten notes, artwork, and poetry that belonged to the iconic star.
“Marilyn is just an icon,” said Brian Chanes, senior director of Hollywood and entertainment at Heritage Auctions, during a preview of the collection on Friday. “People love and adore Marilyn to this day.”
Monroe, born Norma Jeane Mortenson in Los Angeles in 1926, rose to fame as an actress, model, vocalist and cultural icon recognized for her platinum blonde locks and distinctive figure. She passed away in 1962.
Heritage Auctions will begin accepting public bids on June 1st for items from the collection of poets Norman and Hedda Rosten, who maintained close friendships with Monroe. The timing aligns with the star’s centennial birthday celebration and showcases personal effects spanning 1955 through 1962.
The most compelling items include previously unseen documents that illuminate Monroe’s private thoughts and experiences. These papers detail her romantic entanglements, anxieties about a pregnancy loss, and contemplations about death.
“It’s really special because this isn’t material that’s been bought and sold over the decades,” Chanes said. “This is something that’s a discovery.”
The collection spans from costume jewelry Monroe owned to artwork she personally handled, giving potential buyers unprecedented access to her personal sphere. Also featured are letters from former spouse Arthur Miller, the celebrated playwright, which expose the emotional intricacies of their union, plus a previously unknown letter from Monroe’s mental health professional detailing her final day.
Chanes drew attention to one especially poignant item from Monroe’s time working on “Some Like It Hot.” Using Hotel del Coronado letterhead, she expressed desperation for assistance as her personal battles nearly stopped filming.
“Right before she was about to overdose and they had to halt filming, she wrote, ‘I feel like I’m drowning,’” Chanes recalled.
“You can feel the anguish in her writing,” he added, noting that Monroe sketched a stick figure submerged in water on the same stationery, begging for help — an image that highlighted the mental health struggles she faced throughout her career.
Good evening, Delmarva! We’re wrapping up this Friday with pleasant partly cloudy skies and temperatures settling around 53 degrees tonight. You’ll notice a southwest breeze picking up at 10 to 15 mph, so it’s a great night to leave the windows open for some fresh spring air.
Looking ahead to Saturday, get ready for a significant weather change! Temperatures will climb to a warm 74 degrees, but we’re tracking rain showers moving in during the day. By afternoon and evening, those showers could develop into thunderstorms, so keep an eye on the sky if you have outdoor plans.
Saturday night brings continued storm activity with temperatures dropping to 55 degrees. We may see some patchy fog developing late Saturday night into early Sunday morning.
The good news? Sunday looks much brighter! After any morning fog clears, expect mostly sunny skies with temperatures reaching a beautiful 81 degrees – perfect for those Mother’s Day celebrations!
Stay weather-aware this weekend, and I’ll see you back here tomorrow. Have a wonderful Friday night, Delmarva!
Motorists traveling along Rosedale Lane are experiencing periodic lane restrictions today as construction crews continue their work in the area.
The Delaware Department of Transportation reports that drivers should expect intermittent lane closures on Rosedale Lane in the stretch between Seeneytown Road and Pearsons Corner Road. The construction-related traffic disruptions are expected to continue through 5:30 PM this evening.
Drivers are advised to allow extra travel time when using this route and to exercise caution while passing through the work zone.
Delaware State University’s softball team pulled off a dramatic comeback victory Thursday, defeating Norfolk State 9-8 in an exciting matchup that showcased the Hornets’ resilience.
The star of the game was Ordonez, whose bat came alive at crucial moments to drive in four runs and power Delaware State’s rally from behind. Her clutch hitting proved to be the difference-maker as the Hornets overcame an early deficit.
The thrilling contest saw both teams battle back and forth, with Delaware State ultimately prevailing in the high-scoring affair. The victory demonstrates the team’s ability to fight back under pressure and highlights the offensive firepower that can emerge when players step up in key situations.
The win adds another chapter to Delaware State’s season as they continue their campaign with momentum from this hard-fought victory over their conference rivals.
An exhausted single mother caring for three children by herself reached her breaking point when faced with a pile of unwashed dishes in her kitchen sink. Instead of tackling the chore, she decided to throw the dirty dishes away entirely.
What happened next restored her faith in human kindness. A compassionate neighbor discovered the discarded dishes and took it upon themselves to wash every single item until they sparkled. The neighbor then returned the clean dishes to the struggling mother, accompanied by an uplifting note filled with encouragement.
The simple act of kindness came at a moment when the young mother needed it most, showing how small gestures can make a tremendous difference in someone’s life during difficult times.
DALLAS — The Dallas Mavericks announced Friday they have selected Mike Schmitz as their new general manager, bringing the Portland Trail Blazers’ assistant GM into the role just three days following the appointment of Masai Ujiri as team president and alternate governor.
Schmitz now assumes the position previously occupied by Nico Harrison, who was dismissed in November. Harrison’s firing came nine months after he orchestrated the trade sending Luka Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers, a decision that proved disastrous for the franchise.
According to the team’s announcement, Schmitz will be responsible for supervising daily operations and ensuring strategic coordination within the basketball operations department.
The hiring leaves questions unanswered regarding the future of Michael Finley and Matt Riccardi, who were appointed as co-interim general managers following Harrison’s departure. The duo successfully completed the trade sending Anthony Davis, who was the primary asset obtained in the Doncic transaction, to Washington.
Both Schmitz and Ujiri, who was born in Nigeria, share connections to African basketball development. Schmitz has contributed to youth basketball programs in Ujiri’s native country and has worked as an assistant coach for Uganda’s national team.
Before joining Portland in 2022, Schmitz worked for five years analyzing draft prospects at ESPN.
“I have tremendous respect for Masai, this ownership group and the vision they have for the future of the franchise,” Schmitz said. “I’m excited to get to work alongside the talented people already in place and help build a championship-caliber organization.”
MOSCOW – Russia conducted its most diminished Victory Day celebration in years on Saturday, citing security concerns from potential Ukrainian attacks as Moscow’s military campaign continues to face challenges more than four years into Europe’s bloodiest conflict since World War Two.
The annual May 9th ceremony in Red Square represents Russia’s most honored national observance – an occasion to commemorate the Soviet Union’s triumph over Nazi Germany and honor the 27 million Soviet citizens, many of whom were Ukrainian, who died in the war.
Traditionally used as a showcase for Russia’s military might, including nuclear-capable long-range missiles, this year’s ceremony excluded tanks and other military hardware from rolling across Red Square’s historic cobblestones.
Military personnel still marched and celebrated near Vladimir Lenin’s Mausoleum, fighter aircraft soared over the Kremlin’s towers, and President Vladimir Putin delivered remarks before placing flowers at the Unknown Soldier’s memorial.
“In general, everything is as usual, except for the demonstration of military equipment,” Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov told reporters.
Russia, which launched its invasion of Ukraine in 2022, has threatened that any Ukrainian attempt to interfere with the ceremony would trigger extensive missile attacks on Kyiv. Moscow advised foreign diplomatic missions to evacuate personnel from the Ukrainian capital should such strikes occur.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy indicated his nation’s May 9th activities would depend on Friday’s developments, while accusing Moscow of breaking its own ceasefire agreement.
Multiple layers of air defense systems and electronic countermeasures protect Moscow, designed to intercept and destroy incoming drones and missiles targeting the capital and its surrounding region of 22 million residents.
THE UKRAINE CONFLICT OVERSHADOWS RUSSIAN CELEBRATION
Following Nazi Germany’s 1941 invasion of the Soviet Union, the Red Army ultimately drove German forces back to Berlin, where Adolf Hitler took his own life and the Soviet Victory Banner was hoisted over the Reichstag in May 1945.
Nazi Germany’s complete surrender took effect at 11:01 p.m. on May 8, 1945, recognized as “Victory in Europe Day” by Britain, the United States and France. Since it was already May 9th in Moscow, that date became the Soviet Union’s “Victory Day” in what Russians term the Great Patriotic War of 1941-45.
However, this year’s parade occurs during heightened anxiety in Moscow regarding the Ukrainian conflict’s eventual resolution.
The war has claimed hundreds of thousands of lives, devastated large portions of Ukraine and strained Russia’s $3 trillion economy, while European relations have deteriorated to their worst point since the Cold War’s peak.
“The crisis is still deepening gradually, but any sharp movement can send the economy (and not only the economy) into a tailspin,” imprisoned pro-war Russian nationalist Igor Girkin, who has criticized the Kremlin’s war management, wrote on Telegram.
Girkin, a former Federal Security Service official, used maritime imagery to suggest that Russia’s leadership was more concerned about losing their positions than preventing national disaster.
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov rejected CNN and other Western media claims that Putin’s security had been enhanced due to coup or assassination concerns. Russian officials have called reports of coup plotting absurd.
However, just 21 years earlier, Putin hosted President George W. Bush at the Moscow parade alongside France’s Jacques Chirac and Chinese President Hu Jintao.
This year’s attendees included Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko, Malaysia’s King Sultan Ibrahim and Laos’ Prime Minister Thongloun Sisoulith.
Bank of America has recruited a seasoned technology investment banker from UBS to fill a senior mergers and acquisitions role, according to an internal company memo obtained by Reuters on Friday.
Richard Hardegree will assume the position of vice chair of mergers and acquisitions at the nation’s second-largest bank starting in August. The veteran banker brings over three decades of M&A investment banking expertise, with particular focus on semiconductor industry transactions, and will work from the bank’s Palo Alto, California office.
In his new role, Hardegree will answer to Eamon Brabazon and Ivan Farman, who jointly lead Bank of America’s global M&A investment banking division.
Major financial institutions on Wall Street are aggressively recruiting talent from competitors as dealmaking activity shows signs of recovery. Bank of America has already brought aboard four experienced bankers from rival firms this year as part of its strategy to capture a larger portion of the technology dealmaking market.
Hardegree holds a law degree from Columbia Law School and previously held the position of vice chair of technology investment banking at UBS.
His track record includes providing advisory services on several high-profile technology sector transactions, such as guiding Broadcom through its VMware purchase, assisting Veeco with its Axcelis merger, and advising SAP on the Qualtrics sale to Silver Lake.
Industry professionals specializing in dealmaking express confidence that merger and acquisition activity will gain momentum through 2026, driven by expectations of more moderate regulatory oversight in the United States and continued investment in artificial intelligence technologies.
Deal announcements have totaled approximately $2 trillion so far this year, representing a 32% increase compared to the corresponding timeframe last year, based on Dealogic’s compiled data.
A Bank of America representative verified the accuracy of the internal memo’s contents.
The United States has modified its United Nations resolution calling on Iran to cease attacks and mining operations in the Strait of Hormuz, though diplomatic sources indicate China and Russia remain poised to block the measure, according to Friday reports.
The timing presents diplomatic challenges as President Donald Trump prepares for his China visit next week, where the Iran conflict is anticipated to dominate discussions.
The revised draft, distributed to Security Council members Thursday afternoon, eliminated language referencing Chapter VII of the U.N. Charter, which would have enabled the council to authorize actions from economic sanctions to military intervention.
Despite this change, strong language condemning Iran persists, along with provisions stating that if Iran fails to comply, the council would “meet again to consider effective measures … including sanctions measures, in order to ensure the freedom of navigation in the area.”
No timeline has been established for when the Security Council might hold a vote on this resolution.
Although the current text stops short of explicitly authorizing military force, it doesn’t prohibit such action and “reaffirms the right of member States … to defend their vessels from attacks and threats, including those that undermine navigational rights and freedoms.”
Last month, Russia and China blocked a similar U.S.-supported resolution within the 15-member Security Council that appeared to create pathways for legitimizing American military response against Iran.
According to diplomatic sources, the initial version of this resolution, co-authored by the United States and Bahrain and circulated earlier this week, faced significant opposition from Chinese and Russian representatives.
One U.N. diplomat indicated that removing the Chapter VII language, which was also done with last month’s failed resolution, has not addressed the fundamental concerns raised by China and Russia.
China’s U.N. representatives declined to comment on the updated draft, while Russian officials did not provide immediate responses.
Thursday’s statement from Russia’s mission emphasized that Security Council members should avoid “pushing through one-sided and confrontational draft resolutions” that might “trigger a new wave of escalation in the Middle East.”
“It is precisely for this reason that on April 7, Russia, along with China, blocked the adoption of a draft resolution on the situation in the Strait of Hormuz,” the statement explained.
Earlier this week, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio characterized the proposed resolution as a measure of the United Nations’ effectiveness and appealed to China and Russia to refrain from vetoing the proposal.
NEWPORT NEWS, Va. – Salisbury University’s softball squad watched their season conclude Friday afternoon following a narrow 5-4 defeat to the University of Mary Washington in the Coast-to-Coast Athletic Conference Tournament semifinals at Captains Park.
The Sea Gulls concluded their 2026 campaign with an overall record of 24 wins and 15 losses, while Mary Washington advanced with a 17-24 season record.
The one-run loss marked the end of what had been a successful season for the Salisbury program, as they were unable to advance to the conference tournament championship game.
Motorists traveling eastbound on Hardscrabble Road should expect delays this afternoon and evening due to ongoing construction work.
Delaware Department of Transportation officials report that the right lane of Route 20 eastbound is currently closed between County Seat Parkway (Route 9) and Landfill Lane. The lane restriction is scheduled to remain in effect until 7 PM today.
Drivers are advised to use caution when traveling through the work zone and allow extra time for their commute. Traffic is being directed around the construction area using the remaining open lanes.
The National Football League and its officials union have successfully negotiated a seven-year labor agreement, preventing any disruption to game officiating through the 2032 season. The NFL Referees Association deal eliminates the need for replacement officials that the league had begun preparing last month when talks stalled. This agreement helps avoid a repeat of the 2012 situation when a 110-day lockout forced the use of substitute referees.
In New York, the Jets have secured running back Breece Hall with a three-year extension valued at $45.75 million, according to a source familiar with the negotiations. The Friday agreement makes Hall the NFL’s third-highest compensated running back at $15.25 million annually. The Jets had previously placed the franchise tag on Hall before finalizing this new deal. Hall achieved a career-best 1,065 rushing yards last season, though he missed the final game due to a knee injury. The source requested anonymity since the Jets have not officially announced the extension.
The Philadelphia 76ers are giving away 500 tickets for each remaining home playoff game in the second round to community organizations. This strategy aims to maintain a strong home crowd presence and counter the influx of New York Knicks supporters. The team had earlier attempted to restrict ticket sales through Ticketmaster to Philadelphia-area residents only. Friday’s Game 3 featured 250 healthcare workers and 250 local teachers as guests, while Sunday’s Game 4 will host 500 mothers and children from various community groups. With the Knicks holding a 2-0 series advantage, Joel Embiid has appealed to 76ers fans to keep their tickets rather than selling to opposing supporters.
This year’s Major League Baseball newcomers are demonstrating exceptional performance in the season’s opening weeks. Standout rookie hitters including Konnor Griffin, Kevin McGonigle, and JJ Wetherholt have excelled during the first six weeks of play. Young pitchers Nolan McLean and Parker Messick have also shown promise among the primarily offensive-minded rookie standouts. Arizona Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo noted that today’s young players arrive better equipped for major league competition than previous generations.
Miami’s second-ranked pitching prospect Robby Snelling is preparing for his major league debut against the Washington Nationals. The left-handed pitcher was already signing autographs for young Marlins supporters a day before his scheduled first start. Snelling was promoted this week from Triple-A Jacksonville after being acquired from San Diego in 2024 as part of a trade package that sent Tanner Scott and Bryan Hoeing to the Padres. The Padres originally selected Snelling 39th overall in the 2022 amateur draft.
Tennis veteran Novak Djokovic suffered an upset loss to Croatian qualifier Dino Prizmic at the Italian Open in Rome. The 20-year-old Prizmic defeated the 24-time Grand Slam winner 2-6, 6-2, 6-4, clinching victory with an ace on match point. This marked Djokovic’s return after a two-month absence due to a right shoulder injury, his first competition since falling to Jack Draper in Indian Wells during March. The 38-year-old Serbian player wore visible shoulder taping that became apparent when he changed shirts between sets.
Kansas City Chiefs assistant coach Dave Merritt has seen his misdemeanor domestic battery charges dismissed without prejudice. The dismissal comes less than three weeks after the 54-year-old Merritt pleaded not guilty and was released from Johnson County, Kansas jail. Merritt has served with the Chiefs since 2019 and contributed to five Super Bowl victories, including his previous tenure with the Giants. He took part in the Chiefs’ rookie minicamp last weekend. Head coach Andy Reid stated Saturday that Merritt has been transparent about the situation and stressed allowing law enforcement to handle the matter.
Formula 1 officials have approved engine modifications for the 2027 season that will boost internal combustion power output. The sport began this year with significant changes including equal power distribution between traditional engines and onboard battery systems. However, drivers immediately voiced concerns about the new configuration. The governing FIA conducted an online meeting Friday with teams and F1 representatives, reaching agreement in principle on the upcoming changes.
Lionel Messi’s remarkable journey toward a potential sixth World Cup appearance traces back to the Grandoli youth club in Rosario, Argentina. The 38-year-old star’s career began in 1992 when his grandmother brought 5-year-old Lionel to watch his older brother compete for the Grandoli team in Argentina’s third-largest city. The story of how young Messi ended up playing that day has become legendary at the club, whose members will be watching their former player on soccer’s grandest stage.
Palestinian runner Mohamad Al-Assi marked a personal milestone by finishing second in a West Bank marathon, just six months after resuming training following his release from Israeli detention. The 27-year-old from Dheisheh refugee camp was among thousands who participated in Friday’s race through the Bethlehem area, including sections along the barrier separating Israel from the occupied West Bank. Al-Assi had spent 32 months in Israeli custody before returning to competitive running. Race organizers emphasized how the marathon showcases the challenges facing the territory, where military checkpoints disrupt daily travel and expanding Israeli settlements continue claiming land.
Virginia’s highest court delivered a significant blow to Democrats on Friday, invalidating their congressional redistricting effort that had been approved by voters earlier this year.
In a narrow 4-3 decision, the Virginia Supreme Court determined that the Democratic-controlled legislature failed to follow proper procedures when they put the constitutional amendment before voters. Although the amendment passed by a slim margin on April 21, the court’s decision nullifies that electoral outcome.
Justice D. Arthur Kelsey, speaking for the majority, stated the legislature presented the proposed constitutional amendment to voters “in an unprecedented manner.”
“This violation irreparably undermines the integrity of the resulting referendum vote and renders it null and void,” Kelsey explained in his written opinion.
The invalidated redistricting plan could have potentially secured up to four additional U.S. House seats for Democrats in Virginia, which party leaders viewed as crucial for countering Republican redistricting victories elsewhere.
This decision, along with a recent U.S. Supreme Court ruling, has strengthened Republican advantages in congressional redistricting as the midterm elections approach.
Former President Trump celebrated the outcome on his social media platform, calling it a “Huge win for the Republican Party, and America, in Virginia.”
National Republican Congressional Committee Chairman Richard Hudson characterized the ruling as evidence of growing GOP momentum before the midterms.
“We’re on offense, and we’re going to win,” Hudson declared in his statement.
Virginia House of Delegates Speaker Don Scott, a Democrat, acknowledged his party’s acceptance of the court’s decision while expressing disappointment that it overruled voter preferences: “They voted YES because they wanted to fight back against the Trump power grab.”
The Virginia case represents part of an unusual wave of mid-decade redistricting efforts that began when Trump endorsed Republican redistricting initiatives in Texas last year.
This trend has spread nationwide, with California implementing new voter-approved districts favoring Democrats, while Utah’s supreme court mandated a congressional map that also benefits Democratic candidates. Conversely, Republicans have gained advantages through new House district maps in Florida, Missouri, North Carolina, Ohio and Tennessee. Additional Republican gains may emerge following the U.S. Supreme Court’s recent Voting Rights Act decision, which has encouraged other Republican-led states to consider map revisions before this year’s elections.
WASHINGTON — The nation’s job market demonstrated unexpected resilience in April, generating 115,000 new positions even as economic turbulence from the Iran conflict continues to impact global markets.
The monthly employment gains surpassed economist predictions of 65,000 new positions, although growth slowed compared to March’s robust 185,000 job additions. Unemployment held steady at 4.3%, according to Friday’s Labor Department data.
The ongoing Iran conflict has triggered unprecedented disruptions to worldwide oil distribution, pushing U.S. gas prices beyond $4.50 per gallon this week. However, America’s employment sector has largely withstood these pressures, while President Trump’s tariff policies from the previous year have proven less economically damaging than initially projected.
“The labor market is not booming, but it is proving harder to break than many feared,” economist Olu Sonola of Fitch Ratings observed.
Healthcare sectors led job creation with 37,000 new positions, while transportation and warehousing industries contributed 30,000 roles. Manufacturing bucked the trend, eliminating 2,000 positions in April and shedding 66,000 jobs annually despite Trump’s protectionist measures designed to boost factory employment.
“Businesses to some extent are viewing the conflict in Iran as temporary,” explained Gus Faucher, chief economist at PNC Financial. “We’re seeing strong business investment, particularly around tech and AI. The economy continues to expand. We’ve weathered some shocks. The worst of the tariff impact is likely over.”
However, Faucher warned that “the longer conflict in Iran lasts, the higher energy prices go, the longer they stay elevated the greater the drag on the economy.”
Department revisions reduced February and March employment figures by 16,000 positions.
Worker wages increased 0.2% monthly and 3.6% annually compared to April 2025, aligning with Federal Reserve inflation objectives of 2%.
The nation’s workforce contracted last month, with labor force participation declining to 61.8% — the lowest level recorded since October 2021.
Nevertheless, employment growth has maintained momentum throughout the year.
Economic activity has received support from substantial tax refund distributions this spring, stemming from Trump’s tax reduction legislation. These refunds enable increased consumer spending, encouraging businesses to expand their workforce in response to growing demand.
The employment landscape shows gradual improvement following a challenging 2025. Last year’s job creation averaged just 9,700 monthly positions — the weakest performance outside recession years since 2002. Elevated interest rates and uncertainty surrounding Trump’s economic agenda constrained hiring decisions.
March and April represented the first consecutive months exceeding 100,000 job gains since late 2024.
American military forces struck and incapacitated two Iranian oil vessels Friday following combat exchanges in the strategically vital Strait of Hormuz, according to reports from Dubai in the United Arab Emirates.
The confrontation puts additional strain on a fragile ceasefire agreement established one month ago, which Washington maintains remains active. American officials are currently waiting for Tehran’s response to the most recent diplomatic proposal aimed at ending hostilities, reopening the waterway, and scaling back Iran’s controversial nuclear activities.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio expressed optimism about receiving what he termed “a serious offer” from Iranian leadership Friday.
Pentagon officials confirmed their forces had neutralized two Iranian vessels attempting to break through America’s naval blockade of Iranian harbors. Earlier military reports indicated successful defense against strikes targeting three U.S. Navy vessels, followed by retaliatory attacks on Iranian military installations within the strait.
Since America and Israel initiated military action on February 28, Iran has largely shut down this crucial global energy corridor, triggering worldwide fuel cost increases and destabilizing international markets. Washington has responded by implementing its own embargo of Iranian shipping facilities.
UAE Defense Ministry officials reported three casualties after their air defense systems engaged two incoming ballistic missiles and three unmanned aircraft launched from Iran. Officials could not confirm whether all projectiles were successfully intercepted.
American military footage released Friday showed strikes against the smokestacks of both Iranian tankers by U.S. fighter aircraft. Earlier this week, American jets damaged the steering mechanism of another vessel allegedly attempting to violate the blockade.
Thursday evening, Pentagon sources reported successfully repelling Iranian assaults on three Navy ships in the Strait of Hormuz and conducting counter-strikes against Iranian military targets. No American vessels sustained damage in the engagement.
“They threaten Americans, they are going to be blown up,” Rubio declared to media representatives Friday.
Tehran’s Foreign Ministry denounced what officials characterized as “hostile” American military actions, claiming they breached ceasefire terms. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi wrote on social media: “Every time a diplomatic solution is on the table, the U.S. opts for a reckless military adventure.”
An overnight American attack resulted in one sailor’s death and injured ten others aboard a cargo ship that subsequently caught fire, according to reports from an Iranian judicial news service. It remains unclear whether this vessel was among the two tankers the U.S. confirmed targeting.
President Donald Trump continues to assert the ceasefire remains intact while reaffirming warnings to resume comprehensive bombing campaigns should Iran reject agreements to reopen the strait and curtail nuclear development.
Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif revealed his nation has maintained continuous communication with both Washington and Tehran “day and night” working toward ceasefire extension and peace negotiations.
Satellite imagery analyzed by The Associated Press reveals what appears to be an oil contamination zone in the Persian Gulf extending from the western coastline of Kharg Island, Iran’s primary crude oil export facility.
Friday’s satellite data shows the contamination covering approximately 71 square kilometers (27 square miles) with evidence suggesting continued leakage from the terminal, according to Ami Daniel, chief executive of maritime intelligence company Windward AI.
Daniel calculated that roughly 80,000 barrels worth of oil has leaked from Kharg Island since satellites first detected the contamination Tuesday. The cause remains undetermined, whether from equipment failure, aerial bombardment, or other factors.
“This is the risk of fighting in an oil-rich area,” Daniel explained, noting that cleanup operations are unlikely in Gulf waters that have become an active combat zone.
The contamination appears to be moving southwest and could potentially reach coastlines of the UAE, Qatar, or Saudi Arabia within two weeks, Daniel warned.
Nina Noelle, an international crisis operations specialist with Greenpeace Germany, said Friday that initial evaluations and recent imagery suggest the spill is beginning to break apart and likely won’t impact land areas. She noted that depending on wind patterns, wave action, and current conditions, portions of the contamination could still potentially affect sensitive marine ecosystems.
“More likely, it will dissipate offshore under prevailing conditions,” Noelle stated.
Pentagon representatives declined to discuss whether American forces are monitoring the spill or whether recent strikes occurred on the Iranian island. Based on earlier imagery from this week, the contamination began before the latest round of U.S. military action.
Rubio declared Friday that Iranian establishment of a government entity to inspect and tax vessels seeking strait passage is “unacceptable.”
Lloyd’s List Intelligence, a maritime data organization, reported Thursday that Iran has established this agency, designated as the Persian Gulf Strait Authority.
Iran’s move to establish formal oversight of the channel has generated fresh concerns about international maritime commerce, with hundreds of commercial ships trapped in the Persian Gulf and unable to reach open waters.
“Is the world going to accept that Iran now controls an international waterway?” Rubio questioned. “What is the world prepared to do about it?”
Iran has essentially sealed the strait, a critical passage for transporting oil, natural gas, fertilizer, and other petroleum derivatives, while America maintains its blockade of Iranian harbors.
A Chinese-operated oil tanker came under attack near the strait. China has maintained oil imports from Iran despite the effective waterway closure.
China’s Foreign Ministry voiced concerns, confirming the tanker held Marshall Islands registration with Chinese crew members aboard. No casualties were reported from this incident.
An oil vessel that transited the Strait of Hormuz in mid-April reached South Korean waters Friday carrying 1 million barrels of crude oil. South Korea, which imported over 60% of its crude through the strait last year, has implemented price controls on gasoline and other petroleum products.
Saturday’s WNBA season opener brings together the defending champion Las Vegas Aces and the Phoenix Mercury in a highly anticipated rematch of last year’s championship series.
The Aces enter the 2026 season having captured their third title in four years, powered by superstar A’ja Wilson, who just completed her record-breaking fourth MVP season.
Wilson made history by overtaking WNBA legends Lisa Leslie, Sheryl Swoopes and Lauren Jackson for most MVP awards in league history. This season, she has the opportunity to become the first player to earn the honor three years in a row.
As the WNBA welcomes an influx of emerging talent, Wilson begins her ninth professional season determined to maintain her position as the league’s premier player, according to her comments to the Las Vegas Review-Journal.
“I like proving people wrong,” Wilson said. “I like to let people just burn because me and my team are doing great, or they never could have imagined it could have been me in this situation or my team in this situation.”
Wilson’s 2025 campaign featured averages of 23.4 points and 10.2 rebounds per game, along with a career-high 3.1 assists. She earned Finals MVP honors after a dominant postseason where she scored 26.8 points per game — the highest mark across her seven playoff appearances — while adding 10 rebounds, 3.3 assists, 2.5 blocks and 2.1 steals.
The Aces completed a four-game championship series sweep over Phoenix, with Wilson delivering back-to-back performances of 34 and 31 points in the final two contests, ultimately ending the Mercury’s unexpected playoff journey.
Phoenix surprised many by reaching the Finals as the fourth seed, defeating top-seeded Minnesota 3-1 in the semifinals. Ten-year veteran Kahleah Copper contributed 17.8 points per game throughout the postseason.
Veteran leadership proved crucial for the Mercury, as 18-year league veteran DeWanna Bonner recorded two double-doubles in the Finals, while 12-year veteran Alyssa Thomas notched three Finals double-doubles and a triple-double in the series finale.
Though the experienced trio helped Phoenix reach the championship round, Thomas acknowledged during Wednesday’s media day that the playoff experience served as valuable education for the team’s younger players.
“We had a lot of people on our team who were … first time going through playoffs,” Thomas said. “I don’t think you can prepare people enough for how hard playoffs is.”
The Mercury’s young core includes Monique Akoa Makani, who started throughout her rookie campaign last season.
Makani and Phoenix’s backcourt will face the challenge of containing Las Vegas’ talented perimeter group featuring Jackie Young, Chelsea Gray, Jewell Loyd and new addition Chennedy Carter.
Delaware Department of Transportation crews are currently working to remove litter from the median strip along Summit Bridge Road (Route 896) in both northbound and southbound directions.
The cleanup operation is taking place between Pulaski Highway (Route 40) and Red Lion Road (Route 71), with work expected to wrap up by 4:30 PM today.
Motorists traveling through the area should expect to see DelDOT vehicles and crews working in the median during the cleanup efforts.
Delaware Department of Transportation officials have temporarily shut down a stretch of Coverdale Road as crews perform bridge construction work in the area.
The roadway closure affects the section running between Hastings Farm Road and Seashore Highway, according to DelDOT traffic incident reports.
Transportation officials have not provided a timeline for when the construction work will be completed or when the road will reopen to traffic.
Drivers are advised to seek alternate routes while the bridge work continues.
A Milwaukee-based food manufacturer has issued a voluntary recall of white cheddar seasoning products sold to consumers after discovering potential salmonella contamination.
Jonco Industries, Inc. announced the recall affecting certain consumer-sized packages of their White Cheddar Seasoning. The company took action after identifying the possibility that their products could contain salmonella bacteria.
Health officials warn that salmonella exposure can lead to severe infections that may prove life-threatening for vulnerable populations, including young children, elderly individuals, and people with compromised immune systems.
The recall specifically targets consumer-sized packaging of the seasoning product, though the company has not yet released additional details about specific lot numbers or distribution areas affected by the contamination concern.
Republicans have scored a major victory in Virginia’s contentious map-drawing dispute after the state’s highest court ruled against Democratic efforts in the redistricting fight.
The Virginia Supreme Court’s decision represents a significant setback for Democrats who have been battling Republicans over how electoral boundaries should be redrawn in the state.
The ruling marks the latest development in the ongoing redistricting conflict that has pitted the two major political parties against each other as they fight for control over the map-drawing process.
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To properly report on this Delaware State University grant award, additional information would be needed about the funding agency, specific infrastructure improvements planned, project timeline, and statements from university leadership about the impact on research programs.
When parenting three children on her own became too much to handle, one single mother reached her breaking point over something as simple as dirty dishes. Facing a mountain of unwashed plates and cups in her sink, she made the desperate decision to throw them all away rather than deal with the overwhelming task.
What happened next restored her faith in human kindness. A thoughtful neighbor discovered the discarded dishes and took it upon themselves to wash every single item until they sparkled. The good Samaritan then returned the clean dishes to the struggling mom, accompanied by an encouraging note filled with hope and understanding.
The heartwarming act of compassion highlights how small gestures can make an enormous difference in someone’s life during their darkest moments. For this mother, what started as a moment of defeat became a powerful reminder that she wasn’t alone in her struggles.
FLORHAM PARK, N.J. — The New York Jets have locked up their offensive centerpiece after reaching a lucrative contract extension with star running back Breece Hall on Friday.
Hall and the organization finalized a three-year deal valued at $45.75 million, a source with knowledge of the negotiations confirmed to The Associated Press. The franchise had previously placed the franchise tag on Hall, and his new agreement averaging $15.25 million annually positions him as the NFL’s third-highest compensated running back.
The source requested anonymity since the Jets have not yet made an official announcement regarding the extension.
“Cried for the first time since I tore my ACL,” Hall shared on X, referencing his devastating rookie season injury in 2022. “This day really hit different for me man.”
Hall’s yearly earnings trail only Philadelphia’s Saquon Barkley at $20.6 million and San Francisco’s Christian McCaffrey at $19 million in terms of average annual value. His compensation edges out Baltimore’s Derrick Henry, who earns $15 million per season.
The 24-year-old back achieved a personal milestone last season, accumulating 1,065 rushing yards despite sitting out the final contest due to a knee issue. This performance marked the first time a Jets player had surpassed 1,000 rushing yards in a single campaign since Chris Ivory accomplished the feat in 2015. Hall has now recorded three consecutive seasons with at least 1,000 yards from scrimmage, joining just five other players in franchise history to reach this benchmark.
Selected in the second round of the 2022 draft from Iowa State, Hall will celebrate his 25th birthday on May 31. Unlike first-round teammates Sauce Gardner and Garrett Wilson, who received extensions last offseason, Hall’s future with the team remained uncertain. Trade speculation surrounded the dynamic back leading up to last year’s deadline.
However, head coach Aaron Glenn and general manager Darren Mougey consistently expressed their desire to retain Hall’s services.
“He’s a playmaker and we want to keep playmakers around on both sides of the ball,” Mougey stated during February’s NFL combine. “He’s a proven playmaker and a good player, a good person, so want to find a way to keep Breece around.”
The Jets initially envisioned a three-back rotation featuring Hall alongside Braelon Allen and Isaiah Davis last season. However, Allen’s knee injury that placed him on injured reserve left Davis as Hall’s primary backup.
With offensive coordinator Frank Reich and quarterback Geno Smith bringing new leadership to the unit, New York opted to franchise tag Hall, providing additional time for contract negotiations during the offseason.
The deadline for reaching an agreement was July 15, after which Hall would have been required to play under the one-year franchise tag worth $14.3 million.
Following the draft two weeks prior, Mougey suggested contract discussions would intensify. The organization completed the deal several weeks before voluntary organized team activities commence and well ahead of their mandatory minicamp.
New York’s restructured offense anticipates improved production this season after struggling with Smith at quarterback. The unit should benefit from Wilson’s return to full health following a knee injury that limited him to seven games, plus the addition of rookie tight end Kenyon Sadiq and wide receiver Omar Cooper Jr., both first-round selections.
Hall’s versatility as both a runner and receiver made securing his services beyond this season a top organizational priority for the Jets.
Three western states have unveiled an emergency water conservation strategy to address the Colorado River’s declining levels after experiencing the most severe winter drought in recorded history.
This month, Arizona, California and Nevada revealed their commitment to conserve as much as 1 million acre-feet (equivalent to 44 billion cubic feet) of Colorado River water by 2028. When combined with previously announced reductions by these states and Mexico, the total water savings would reach 3.2 million acre-feet (139 billion cubic feet) – sufficient to supply over 25 million people annually.
“We have kind of a crisis situation that this past winter has created,” Tom Buschatzke, Arizona’s lead negotiator, said earlier this week. “We need to do everything we can, and that’s what our plan does, to find a short-term fix.”
The U.S. Bureau of Reclamation has already announced it will discharge additional water into severely depleted Lake Powell earlier than normal to maintain hydroelectric power generation at one of the nation’s largest reservoirs.
Federal authorities and state legislatures must approve the three-state proposal, though officials describe it as comprehensive and beneficial to the entire river system.
The Colorado River provides water to 40 million residents across seven U.S. states, two Mexican states and Native American communities. Agricultural operations depend on it for irrigating vast farmlands, while approximately 155 utility companies rely on it for hydroelectric power generation.
Current water-sharing agreements are set to expire this year, but interstate negotiations have largely collapsed. The states haven’t engaged in meaningful discussions for roughly four months. Upper Basin states – Utah, Colorado, Wyoming and New Mexico – have called for mediation, while the Bureau of Reclamation is developing contingency plans in case states fail to reach agreement.
Kevin Moran from the Environmental Defense Fund expressed optimism that the water reduction commitment could spark collaborative solutions among all states.
“The Colorado River is tanking,” he said. “We are at the 11th hour in needing to have strong and collaborative solutions to protect the health of the river.”
Under the Lower Basin proposal, Nevada and Arizona would reduce their annual Lake Mead allocations by approximately one-third. California, holding the most extensive and established water rights, would decrease consumption by roughly 13 percent.
States have until August to determine how these reductions will be implemented across different sectors.
Arizona’s water allocation flows through the Central Arizona Project’s 336-mile canal network, serving 6 million residents in central and southern Arizona. The distribution system operates on a priority basis affecting farmers, municipalities, tribal communities and industrial users.
Agricultural operations consume the majority of the river’s water, particularly in areas like the Imperial Irrigation District – the largest single user of Colorado River water and a major producer of the nation’s winter vegetables.
The Metropolitan Water District of Southern California serves 19 million people and depends on the Colorado River for approximately 20 percent of its water supply. Board member Mark Gold noted that reducing Colorado River dependence will help prevent more severe shortages, though risks remain.
The Lower Basin strategy requires both state and federal financial support. Conservation measures may include farmers leaving fields unplanted or switching from water-intensive crops like alfalfa to drought-resistant alternatives.
Urban areas could experience higher water costs for residents and businesses due to reduced supply availability, Gold explained.
Persistent overuse, extended drought conditions and climate change-related temperature increases have reduced the river’s flow below allocations established over a century ago.
Lake Powell and Lake Mead, critical indicators of the river system’s condition, continue declining over time. If water levels drop below certain thresholds, hydroelectric generation would cease and downstream water delivery would become impossible.
The Bureau of Reclamation recently announced plans to release up to one-third of Flaming Gorge reservoir’s water upstream of Lake Powell to prevent this scenario. The Glen Canyon Dam’s hydroelectric facility powers more than 350,000 homes.
Bureau officials are evaluating the Lower Basin proposal while maintaining their focus on achieving a comprehensive interstate agreement.
Colorado’s lead negotiator Becky Mitchell called the Lower Basin plan a positive initial step but insufficient for protecting Lake Powell.
Upper Basin states want Lower Basin states to commit to avoiding legal challenges, which appears unlikely.
“While the Lower Division States have made progress, more is needed to protect the Colorado River System now and into the future,” she said in a statement. “These differences highlight the urgent need to come back together with the help of a mediator.”
All seven states continue disputing water reduction responsibilities and amounts during a drought spanning more than twenty years.
Upper Basin states recently agreed to federal plans sending nearly one-third of their annual water allocation to Flaming Gorge for Lake Powell protection. Water rights holders are also implementing earlier seasonal cuts, with some receiving only 14 percent or less of their normal allocations.
NEW YORK — ABC has submitted a forceful legal response to federal regulators, claiming the Trump administration is attempting to suppress constitutionally protected speech and obstruct open political debate.
At the center of the controversy is the morning talk show ‘The View’ and questions about whether it must comply with equal time broadcasting regulations.
The network’s submission to the Federal Communications Commission, released publicly on Friday, stems from a disagreement involving ABC’s Houston affiliate, KTRK-TV. However, the language suggests the network is preparing for a wider confrontation with the administration.
‘The Commission’s actions threaten to upend decades of settled law and practice and chill critical protected speech, both with respect to The View and more broadly,’ the document stated on behalf of both KTRK-TV and ABC.
The FCC responded through a statement sent to The Associated Press, saying equal time regulations ‘encourage more speech and empower voters to decide the outcome of elections. The FCC will review Disney’s assertion that ‘The View’ is a ‘bona fide news program’ and thus exempt from the political equal time rules.’
This filing represents another clash in the ongoing tensions between American news media and the Trump White House regarding what reporters view as presidential attacks on press freedom and journalism. Trump has consistently criticized news organizations whose coverage conflicts with his policies and preferences.
Current court battles include conflicts between the Pentagon and The New York Times regarding access rights, disagreements between the White House and The Associated Press about Gulf of Mexico terminology, and Trump’s criticism of The Wall Street Journal’s Jeffrey Epstein coverage.
The controversy involves material broadcast on ‘The View,’ ABC’s established morning program that blends entertainment with political interviews and frequently includes commentary opposing Trump. The filing referenced the FCC’s renewed examination of whether ‘The View’ should be governed by equal time requirements, which mandate providing equivalent airtime to rival political candidates.
News programming receives exemptions from these regulations. Trump’s FCC chairman, Brendan Carr, has signaled his intention to challenge ‘The View’s’ classification as a legitimate news program. This determination could impact other shows that similarly mix entertainment with political content.
ABC contended in its filing that ”The View’ has been broadcasting under a bona fide news exemption granted to it more than twenty years ago, consistent with longstanding Commission interpretations designed to minimize the serious First Amendment problems inherent in the equal time regime.’
The network further maintained that the decades-old equal time doctrine fails to reflect current media consumption patterns, noting that ‘the broadcast airwaves account for a slice of the numerous media options through which Americans get their political information. Indeed, the marketplace of ideas has never been more robust, and people can hear virtually any brand of political commentary by listening to a podcast, watching cable, scrolling social media, or streaming on a phone, computer or connected TV. The free flow of ideas flourishes on these non-broadcast platforms even though the equal opportunities rule does not apply there.’
Restricting the FCC’s established approach to news exemptions, the network argued, ‘would risk restricting political discourse exactly when it is needed most.’
The administration’s objections to ‘The View’ mirror its dissatisfaction with late-night television hosts who mock Trump, particularly ABC’s Jimmy Kimmel.
Both Donald and Melania Trump recently demanded ABC terminate Kimmel following a joke where the comedian characterized the first lady as having ‘the glow of an expectant widow.’
This joke aired two evenings prior to the White House Correspondents’ Association dinner, which ended abruptly when an armed individual attempted to breach the Washington venue where the Trumps were present alongside much of the nation’s political leadership and Washington press corps. Kimmel explained the joke was a lighthearted reference to the couple’s age gap and definitely not an assassination reference.
In a footnote, ABC emphasized that ‘The View’ has historically featured a diverse panel of women discussing current events.
‘Although the lineup of the co-hosts has changed over the years, ‘The View’ has consistently prioritized having a panel of women from different backgrounds in order to facilitate interesting discourse and the exchange of divergent perspectives,’ the filing stated.
The Biden administration is reportedly weighing the appointment of Kyle Diamantas, currently the FDA’s Deputy Commissioner overseeing food operations, to serve as interim leader of the federal agency, according to three individuals with knowledge of the deliberations.
This potential move comes as the White House has already approved plans to dismiss current FDA Commissioner Marty Makary, as Reuters reported earlier Friday. The Wall Street Journal was first to break this development.
Sources indicate that several candidates are under consideration for the permanent position leading the agency. Among those being evaluated are Stephen Hahn, who previously served as FDA commissioner, and Brett Giroir, who held roles as both acting commissioner and assistant Health Secretary.
The leadership shake-up at the Food and Drug Administration represents a significant change for the federal agency responsible for regulating food safety, pharmaceuticals, and medical devices across the United States.
The Colombian government has called upon mining giant Glencore to engage in discussions with regional officials and community leaders about shutting down the Cerrejon coal mine, according to a Friday announcement from the nation’s Ministry of Mines and Energy.
The massive mining operation, recognized as among the globe’s largest open-pit coal facilities, is situated in Colombia’s northern La Guajira province. Glencore currently runs the facility through a concession agreement scheduled to terminate in 2034.
Ministry officials emphasized the importance of including both provincial authorities from La Guajira and local community representatives in any closure planning discussions.
New York Jets running back Breece Hall has secured his financial future with a substantial three-year contract extension valued at $45.75 million, multiple sources confirmed Friday.
The lucrative agreement pays Hall an average of $15.25 million per year, positioning him as the NFL’s third-highest compensated running back. Only Philadelphia’s Saquon Barkley ($20.6 million annually) and San Francisco’s Christian McCaffrey ($19 million per year) earn more at the position.
Hall, who will celebrate his 25th birthday on May 31, confirmed the news on social media platform X by sharing the announcement and adding: “Shoutout everyone in my corner. Lot of work left to do. God Bless.”
The contract resolution comes after the Jets placed a non-exclusive franchise tag on Hall in early March, though team officials expressed their preference for negotiating a long-term deal.
Under the franchise tag terms, Hall would have earned a guaranteed $14.293 million for 2026 while retaining the ability to negotiate with other franchises. A transition tag would have provided $11.323 million for one season but potentially made him more appealing to competing teams.
“Ideally, we’d find a way to get a deal done and keep Breece around,” Jets General Manager Darren Mougey stated during the NFL Scouting Combine in late February. “I think I’ve said that for the last year since I’ve got here. Breece is a good player. We want to find a way to keep him around.”
Since New York selected him in the second round of the 2022 NFL Draft from Iowa State, Hall has accumulated 3,398 rushing yards and 18 touchdowns across four seasons.
The 2025 campaign marked a career milestone when Hall reached 1,065 rushing yards, making him the first Jets player to eclipse 1,000 rushing yards since Chris Ivory accomplished the feat in 2015.
Hall’s versatility extends beyond rushing, as he has contributed 188 catches for 1,642 receiving yards and nine touchdowns through 56 NFL appearances, including 50 starts.
The parent company behind beloved restaurant chains including Dunkin’, Arby’s, and Jimmy John’s announced Friday that it has quietly submitted paperwork to become a publicly traded company on U.S. stock exchanges.
Inspire Brands, headquartered in Atlanta, made the confidential filing as the market for consumer company stock debuts shows renewed strength following a sluggish 2025.
The restaurant conglomerate was established in 2018 under the ownership of private equity giant Roark Capital, serving as an umbrella organization for a vast dining empire. Today, Inspire’s portfolio encompasses over 33,000 restaurant locations across multiple popular brands, including Buffalo Wild Wings, Sonic Drive-In, and Baskin-Robbins ice cream shops.
In 2020, the company made headlines with its massive $11.3 billion acquisition of Dunkin’ Brands, marking one of the restaurant industry’s most significant transactions in recent history.
According to a March report from Bloomberg News, Inspire Brands’ stock market launch could potentially generate approximately $2 billion in funding as soon as this year.
The timing of this confidential filing coincides with mounting challenges facing major restaurant operators like McDonald’s and Domino’s, which have reported consumer spending pressures linked to rising fuel costs amid the ongoing U.S.-Israeli conflict with Iran.
This year has witnessed a notable resurgence in public offerings for retail and consumer product companies, following a period of uncertainty driven by tariff concerns that dampened market activity in the previous year. Investors appear increasingly willing to overlook previous obstacles that had previously reduced their enthusiasm.
Several consumer-focused businesses have successfully launched public offerings in New York markets this year, including Once Upon a Farm, an organic children’s food company backed by actress Jennifer Garner, furniture retailer Bob’s Discount Furniture, convenience store operator Yesway, and organic beverage producer Suja Life.
Additional companies, including clothing retailer Tailored Brands and sandwich franchise Jersey Mike’s, have also submitted confidential paperwork for New York stock exchange debuts.
Inspire Brands indicated it intends to allocate the funds raised through its public offering toward debt reduction and other corporate purposes.
The company has not yet disclosed specifics regarding the number of shares it plans to offer or established a pricing range for the proposed stock sale.
Confidential submissions to federal securities regulators allow companies to develop their public offering plans without immediate public market oversight or scrutiny.
A defense contractor that supplies equipment to the government announced Friday it wants to become a publicly traded company.
Applied Aerospace & Defense, headquartered in Huntsville, Alabama, submitted paperwork for an initial public offering that would allow investors to buy shares of the space and defense equipment manufacturer.
The company was created in 2023 when Greenbriar Equity Group, a private investment firm that focuses on mid-sized businesses, merged two companies – Applied Aerospace and PCX Aerosystems – into one entity.
When the stock offering moves forward, Applied Aerospace & Defense shares will trade on the New York Stock Exchange using the ticker symbol “AADX.”
Investment banks Morgan Stanley and Jefferies are serving as lead underwriters for the public offering.
A former attorney who worked at a prestigious Wall Street law firm before moving to an investment bank has been linked to one of the largest insider trading conspiracies prosecuted in recent years, according to sources close to the investigation.
Avi Sutton, who joined boutique investment firm LionTree in 2022, has been identified by two knowledgeable sources as the unnamed former Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz lawyer mentioned in federal charges unveiled Wednesday. The massive case involves 30 defendants in a scheme that allegedly ran for ten years and produced tens of millions in illicit gains.
While Sutton has not been formally charged and remains an unindicted co-conspirator, sources say he is the individual prosecutors refer to as “CC-2” in court documents – someone they describe as actively participating in the conspiracy. The sources requested anonymity because they were discussing non-public information.
Sutton worked as an associate at Wachtell from 2013 through 2022 before taking on roles as general counsel and chief operating officer at New York-based LionTree. He has not responded to multiple email requests seeking comment on the allegations.
LionTree, which specializes in technology, media and telecommunications transactions, had featured Sutton’s photograph and biography on its website as recently as Thursday morning. By Thursday afternoon, however, his information had been removed from the site. The company has not returned calls or emails requesting a statement.
Federal investigators did not name the firms directly in charging documents, instead referring to them as “Investment Bank A” and “Law Firm F.” Reuters identified the companies through merger transaction details described in the indictment, Sutton’s professional profile, and information provided by the two sources. Wachtell has acknowledged it was among the law firms prosecutors identified as victims of the scheme.
The renowned New York law firm, which handles hundreds of billions of dollars worth of merger transactions annually, released a statement Wednesday without naming Sutton specifically. The firm noted that the individual in question departed more than four years ago.
“There are no allegations of wrongdoing against the firm,” Wachtell stated. “Wachtell Lipton has cooperated fully with the U.S. Attorney’s office and will continue to do so.”
A representative for U.S. Attorney Leah Foley, whose office is handling the prosecution, declined to provide additional comment.
According to federal prosecutors, the elaborate conspiracy operated from 2014 through 2024, with lawyers at major firms systematically stealing and sharing confidential information about nearly 30 pending merger deals to fuel the trading scheme.
Authorities say the operation was led by Nicolo Nourafchan, a corporate attorney who held positions at Sidley Austin, Latham & Watkins and Goodwin Procter, working alongside personal injury lawyer Robert Yadgarov. Both men were among 19 individuals arrested Wednesday in connection with the case.
Eric Rosen, representing Nourafchan through the Dynamis law firm, declined to comment on the charges. Yadgarov has not responded to requests for comment. The Securities and Exchange Commission has also filed related civil charges against several defendants.
Multiple law firms implicated in the case, including Goodwin and Latham, have confirmed their involvement and characterized the alleged activities as serious breaches of their trust and internal policies.
Court documents allege that Nourafchan and Yadgarov spent years building a network to access confidential merger and acquisition information from Nourafchan’s employers and other firms where they recruited participating attorneys.
The indictment indicates that the lawyer identified as CC-2 – whom sources say is Sutton – began providing insider information about upcoming deals involving Wachtell clients in 2014, receiving payment in return for the tips.
The earliest instance cited occurred in August 2014, when he allegedly leaked details about the potential acquisition of Canadian coffee and restaurant company Tim Hortons, which Burger King publicly announced days later. Over the following years, prosecutors say he provided advance notice of deals involving companies including Actelion, C.R. Bard, Qualcomm, and Express Scripts.
Even after moving to LionTree, the indictment alleges he continued the illegal activity, providing information in August 2023 about a potential transaction involving Adevinta, an online classifieds company backed by eBay.
Motorists traveling through a section of Wilmington are dealing with temporary lane restrictions today as construction crews work along a busy corridor.
DelDOT reports that Baynard Boulevard is experiencing periodic lane closures between Concord Avenue and Washington Street while construction activities are underway. The lane restrictions are expected to remain in effect until 5 PM this evening.
Drivers are advised to plan for potential delays and consider alternate routes if possible while crews complete their work in the area.
Delaware State Police have taken into custody a 33-year-old Harrington man who previously served as a law enforcement officer in Delaware and Maryland on charges of rape stemming from a sexual assault investigation.
Authorities began looking into sexual assault allegations against William Paskey this past May through the Troop 3 Criminal Investigations Unit. According to investigators, Paskey connected with a female victim through a dating application in September 2022 and brought her to his Felton home. The woman told police that Paskey turned aggressive during their encounter and forced her into sexual acts against her will, ignoring her repeated demands for him to stop. At the time of the alleged assault, Paskey was working in law enforcement but was off duty.
Following discussions with the Delaware Department of Justice, authorities secured an arrest warrant and apprehended Paskey on May 5, 2026, without any complications. He was transported to Troop 3 headquarters where he faced charges of second-degree rape, a felony offense. After appearing before Justice of the Peace Court 2 for arraignment, Paskey was released on a $20,000 secured bond.
Records show Paskey previously worked for multiple Delaware law enforcement agencies from 2014 through 2021, including departments in Dagsboro, Ellendale, and Blades. His most recent position was with the Town of Ridgely Police Department in Maryland.
Investigators suspect other victims may exist and are encouraging anyone with relevant information or who may have been victimized to reach out to Sergeant P. Taylor at (302) 698-8547. Tips can also be submitted through private messages to the Delaware State Police Facebook page or by contacting Delaware Crime Stoppers at (800) 847-3333.
Victims of crime or those who have experienced sudden loss and require support can access assistance through the Delaware State Police Victim Services Unit and Delaware Victim Center, available around the clock at 1-800-VICTIM-1 (1-800-842-8461) or via email at [email protected].
The Pentagon has unveiled classified records documenting decades of investigations into unexplained aerial encounters, providing the public with unprecedented access to military UFO research.
The newly disclosed documents detail encounters ranging from Cold War-era accounts of spinning disc-shaped craft to contemporary observations of metallic oval objects hovering motionless in the atmosphere. These incidents fall under what the military now classifies as unidentifiable anomalous phenomena, or UAPs – the official designation for what were previously called UFOs.
Among the released materials is imagery captured during the 1969 Apollo 12 lunar mission, which according to Defense Department analysis shows astronaut shadows on the Moon’s surface along with a marked section above the horizon displaying what officials term ‘unidentified phenomena.’
The document release represents a significant shift in government transparency regarding aerial mysteries that have puzzled military personnel and researchers for generations.
PHOENIX (AP) — Twenty-year-old Pittsburgh Pirates sensation Konnor Griffin approached home plate Tuesday evening facing the Arizona Diamondbacks and launched a scorching 110.1 mph line drive that ricocheted off Chase Field’s center field wall, allowing him to coast into second base with a double.
Arizona manager Torey Lovullo watched in amazement from the dugout.
“Twenty years old and driving the ball off the center field wall,” Lovullo remarked. “Let’s go back to being 20 years old. I was just getting hair under my armpits, and this guy’s in a big-league baseball game. It’s impressive.”
Griffin — who celebrated his 20th birthday just weeks ago — represents a Major League Baseball freshman class that has delivered immediate results as spring transitions into May. His current statistics include a .256 batting average, two home runs, 16 runs batted in, and a perfect 8-for-8 stolen base record, all while excelling defensively at shortstop for Pittsburgh’s 21-17 squad.
The Pirates’ confidence in Griffin became evident when they offered him a nine-year, $140 million contract in April.
Lovullo, who has managed Arizona for a decade, observes a significant improvement in young players’ preparedness upon reaching the majors.
Statistical analysis supports this observation. According to Wins Above Replacement measurements, three of the top five most effective rookie batting classes since 1950 have emerged within the last four seasons: 2023 (67.5 WAR), 2022 (53.7), and 2024 (49). Current projections suggest this year’s group is tracking toward 47 WAR, which would place them fifth historically.
The 2025 rookie class, while less deep overall, still produced players capable of rapid major league success. Nick Kurtz accumulated only 210 minor league at-bats before joining Oakland, then posted a .290 average with 36 home runs and 86 RBIs across 117 games to capture American League Rookie of the Year honors.
“Everything is fast-forwarded now, everything’s on speed dial, everything happens really quick,” Lovullo explained. “These kids are developing. It’s the same message I send to our group about player development. We aren’t going to be the L.A. Dodgers or the Padres. Spots won’t be filled by Player ‘X’ coming off of free agency. Spots will be filled by someone in this clubhouse.”
Additional standout rookies have emerged throughout the season’s opening six weeks:
This 21-year-old secured his roster spot through excellent spring training performance and continues delivering results with a .299 batting average, two homers, 16 RBIs and an .845 OPS while alternating between shortstop and third base. He has arguably been Detroit’s top performer on an otherwise disappointing team, prompting the organization to secure him with an eight-year, $150 million deal in April.
Selected seventh overall in the 2024 draft from West Virginia, this highly-touted prospect has connected for seven home runs with a surprisingly competitive Cardinals squad in the National League Central. His performance suggests long-term stability in St. Louis.
DeLauter achieved the rare distinction of making his major league debut during last season’s playoffs, becoming one of few players in baseball history to receive their first call-up during postseason play. This spring has validated Cleveland’s decision to promote him for those high-pressure situations, as he maintains a .306 average with six homers and 23 RBIs.
The experienced Japanese power hitter has translated his success immediately to American baseball, smashing 14 home runs in just 37 contests. While strikeouts remain an issue and consistent batting averages may prove elusive, his power potential is undeniable at age 26.
At 29, this player is the oldest among featured rookies and initially struggled adapting from Japanese baseball. Recent weeks have shown improvement, bringing his numbers to .246 with 10 homers and 23 RBIs.
After making a positive impression during limited action last season, this 22-year-old has maintained his hitting success in expanded opportunities this spring. Operating primarily at first base, he shows a .245 average with 10 home runs and 30 RBIs.
While New York has disappointed overall, McLean provides a rare bright spot. Following an impressive eight-start introduction last season, the 24-year-old has continued his strong pitching in 2026 with a 2.97 ERA and 51 strikeouts across 39 1/3 innings through seven starts.
The former Florida State standout ranks among the American League’s top pitchers this season, posting a 3-1 record with a 2.40 ERA through seven outings. This left-handed pitcher has been instrumental in Cleveland’s current position atop the AL Central standings.
Electric vehicle manufacturer Tesla has announced two major safety recalls affecting hundreds of thousands of vehicles nationwide.
The first recall involves 173 Cybertruck vehicles due to potential wheel stud failures that could lead to dangerous driving conditions. The affected models include 2024-2026 Cybertrucks equipped with 18-inch steel wheels.
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s findings, driving on rough terrain and taking sharp turns can put excessive stress on the wheel rotor’s stud holes, leading to crack formation. Continued operation of the vehicle could eventually result in complete wheel stud failure.
When wheel studs fail, drivers may lose control of their vehicle, significantly raising the chances of a serious accident.
Tesla will provide free replacement of front and rear brake rotors, hubs, and lug nuts with improved, more robust components for all affected Cybertruck owners.
Vehicle owners can reach Tesla’s customer service department at 1-877-798-3752 regarding recall number SB-26-33-003.
In a separate recall, Tesla is addressing software problems affecting more than 200,000 vehicles across its Model Y, Model S, Model X, and Model 3 lines. The issue causes the backup camera system to temporarily stop functioning.
When the rearview camera fails, drivers lose crucial visibility while reversing, which could result in collisions.
This camera-related recall carries the identification number SB-26-00-016.
Tesla reports that neither recall issue has been linked to any crashes, deaths, or injuries to date.
The technology company Google has agreed to pay $50 million to settle claims brought by Black workers who accused the firm of engaging in discriminatory employment practices regarding compensation, hiring decisions, and career advancement opportunities.
The class-action case originated in 2022 when former Google worker April Curley filed suit against the tech company, alleging it maintained systematic unfair treatment of Black staff members. According to the legal filing, the company directed these employees toward positions with lower compensation and fewer opportunities for growth, while creating hostile conditions for those who raised concerns about such treatment.
Civil rights lawyer Ben Crump, who served as legal counsel for the workers bringing the case, issued a statement saying: “This case is about accountability, plain and simple. For far too long, Black employees in the tech industry have faced barriers that limit opportunity. This settlement is a significant step toward holding one of the world’s most powerful companies accountable and making clear that discriminatory practices cannot and will not be tolerated.”
The company has not yet provided a response to requests for comment regarding the settlement agreement.
These allegations mirror previous concerns raised by Black workers at the California-based company, including well-known artificial intelligence researcher Timnit Gebru, who stated she was forced out of her position in 2020 following disagreements over her research examining potential societal risks associated with emerging AI technology.
The legal complaint filed two years ago accused the Mountain View-based corporation of evaluating Black job applicants using negative racial assumptions and claimed hiring personnel rejected Black applicants for not being sufficiently ‘Googly,’ which the lawsuit characterized as coded language for racial bias.
The court filing also alleged that during the interview process, Black candidates faced intimidation tactics and were deliberately placed in subordinate roles with reduced compensation and limited career prospects due to their race and associated stereotypes.
While the financial agreement does not require Google to acknowledge wrongdoing, the settlement terms mandate the company conduct regular pay equity reviews, increase salary transparency, and restrict the use of forced arbitration for workplace disputes until at least August 2026, according to attorney Crump.
An 18-year-old man faced murder charges in a Michigan courtroom on Friday following a deadly shooting that stemmed from a disagreement over children playing soccer at a school.
Rafael Martinez-Lopez appeared before a judge three days after authorities say he fatally shot a teenager and a woman who attempted to assist the boy during Tuesday’s incident in Grand Rapids. According to police court documents, Martinez-Lopez also attempted to fire at another child, but his weapon failed to discharge.
The western Michigan community has been shaken by the violence, prompting officials to temporarily shut down two local schools this week.
“Somebody stole from me, and that’s something I can’t get back,” said Mildred Griffin, whose 15-year-old son Jeremiah Griffin-Cuevas lost his life in the shooting.
Griffin described her son to WOOD-TV as a devoted young person. “Youth group every Wednesday, church every Sunday as a 15-year-old young man,” she said. “I know what I was raising, a young man, not no young thug.”
During his court hearing, Martinez-Lopez entered acknowledgments to the murder charges and additional counts. The judge ordered him held without bail. Defense attorney Craig Jenison noted that his client had no prior criminal history. Jenison did not respond to requests for further comment.
According to investigators, the violence began when Martinez-Lopez’s younger sibling requested to join a group of children playing soccer but was refused permission to participate. This rejection led to the confrontation that ended in gunfire.
The second victim, 38-year-old Savanah Rubio, also identified as Savanah Villarreal, was killed while attempting to aid Jeremiah, authorities reported.
“She gave her life to save my son. He considered Savanah his auntie,” Griffin said of the woman who died trying to help her child.
President Donald Trump announced Friday that both Russian and Ukrainian leadership have accepted his proposal for a temporary halt in fighting, along with a major prisoner exchange that could mark a turning point in the ongoing conflict.
The ceasefire will span three days from Saturday through Monday, coinciding with Russia’s Victory Day celebration that honors their World War II triumph over Nazi Germany, Trump revealed on social media.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy confirmed his country’s participation in the agreement, though Russian President Vladimir Putin and Kremlin officials had not yet issued public statements about the deal.
“I am pleased to announce that there will be a THREE DAY CEASEFIRE (May 9th, 10th, and 11th) in the War between Russia and Ukraine,” Trump posted. “The Celebration in Russia is for Victory Day but, likewise, in Ukraine, because they were also a big part and factor of World War II.”
The Republican commander-in-chief explained that all combat operations will cease during this period, while both nations will release 1,000 prisoners each as part of the arrangement.
This development comes after a previous Russian-declared ceasefire for Friday and Saturday fell apart quickly, with each side accusing the other of violations, similar to how Ukraine’s earlier unilateral ceasefire attempt also failed.
Trump revealed he contacted both leaders personally to request the ceasefire. “Hopefully, it is the beginning of the end of a very long, deadly, and hard fought War,” he stated.
The president indicated that discussions about permanently ending the conflict that started in February 2022 are ongoing, saying “we are getting closer and closer every day.” Trump’s stance on the war has shifted between optimistic predictions of resolution and suggestions that the warring parties should continue fighting until a decisive outcome.
For Ukraine, the prisoner exchange component proved crucial in their decision to participate, as Zelenskyy noted that securing the return of captured soldiers has remained a top priority throughout the war.
“Red Square matters less to us than the lives of Ukrainian prisoners of war who can be brought home,” Zelenskyy wrote on Telegram, referencing the location where Russia traditionally holds its Victory Day military parade.
Following his initial statement, Zelenskyy issued an official presidential order “authorizing” Russia’s parade to proceed, while declaring Moscow’s Red Square off-limits for Ukrainian attacks during the celebration. This move appeared calculated to demonstrate Ukraine’s military reach into Russian territory while publicly linking their restraint to the ceasefire terms.
Zelenskyy credited American diplomatic efforts for facilitating the agreement and expressed gratitude to Trump and his administration for their involvement in the negotiations. He emphasized Ukraine’s expectation that Washington will ensure Russian compliance with the deal.
“We are counting on the United States to ensure that Russia fulfills its commitments,” Zelenskyy said.
The Ukrainian leader also directed his staff to immediately begin preparations for the prisoner exchange process.
Trump’s optimistic announcement contrasted sharply with earlier comments from Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who expressed pessimism about diplomatic progress in ending the four-year conflict.
“While we’re prepared to play whatever role we can to bring it to a peaceful diplomatic resolution, unfortunately right now, those efforts have stagnated,” Rubio told reporters during a visit to Rome and the Vatican. “But we always stand ready if those circumstances change.”
April’s employment statistics surpassed predictions for the second month running by a significant amount, with unemployment rates remaining stable despite ongoing geopolitical tensions and inflationary concerns from the U.S.-Israeli conflict with Iran.
However, beneath these positive headlines lies a more complex picture of the nation’s job market. Though businesses report unprecedented employment numbers, household surveys indicate declining employment levels. Additionally, America’s workforce is contracting rapidly, with participation rates hitting nearly five-year lows and hiring concentrated in fewer industries than typical.
CONFLICTING EMPLOYMENT MEASURES
The Department of Labor’s monthly jobs data combines two separate surveys: one tracking business and government payrolls, and another surveying American households about employment status. These surveys are painting vastly different pictures this year.
According to payroll data, which serves as the standard for monthly job creation figures, total employment reached an all-time high of 158.7 million workers, growing by 304,000 positions year-to-date. Conversely, household survey data, which determines the national unemployment rate, shows employment dropping by 1.37 million in 2026.
WORKFORCE CONTRACTION
America’s labor force – encompassing both employed individuals and those actively seeking work – has contracted since President Donald Trump began his second term. Approximately 700,000 fewer people participated in the workforce in April compared to January 2025, with declines occurring in four of the last five months.
UNPRECEDENTED WORKFORCE EXODUS
The workforce has been contracting at an extraordinary pace since late 2025. Roughly 1.55 million people have exited the labor force since reaching peak levels last November, representing the largest departure wave outside of the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic shutdowns. The substantial drop in labor force participation has prevented unemployment rates from rising despite household reports of significant employment losses.
PARTICIPATION RATES DECLINING RAPIDLY
Although unemployment rates remain steady, the participation rate – representing the percentage of the total population either working or seeking employment – continues falling. This key labor market indicator has declined for five consecutive months, reaching its lowest point since the mid-1970s, excluding the pandemic period.
IMMIGRATION POLICY EFFECTS
Trump’s return to office with promises of stricter immigration enforcement has significantly impacted labor market dynamics. Under his predecessor Joe Biden, immigrant workers drove most workforce and employment growth. Trump’s policies initially reversed this trend during early 2025, with all job gains and workforce expansion coming from native-born workers while immigrant participation declined. Since the fourth quarter, these patterns have largely shifted back, with native-born worker employment and participation returning to January levels. Immigrant levels remain down but less dramatically than mid-year.
LIMITED HIRING SCOPE
Beyond total job creation numbers, the breadth of hiring across different sectors remains important. Current hiring has concentrated heavily in select service industries, particularly healthcare. The Labor Department’s diffusion index, which measures hiring breadth, shows slightly more industries expanding than contracting recently, though the 12-month average still indicates narrowing employment patterns. Manufacturing, a key focus of Trump’s revival efforts through import tariffs, continues showing poor hiring breadth. April data revealed 2,000 manufacturing job losses, ending three months of factory employment gains, with 77,000 fewer factory positions than when Trump resumed office.
An artificial intelligence company has struck a massive cloud computing partnership worth $1.8 billion with technology firm Akamai Technologies, according to a Bloomberg News report released Friday that cited sources with knowledge of the agreement.
The deal between AI startup Anthropic and Akamai is designed to handle the rapidly increasing demand for Anthropic’s artificial intelligence software services.
Wall Street responded enthusiastically to news of the partnership. Akamai’s stock price jumped 25% on Thursday following the company’s earnings announcement, which revealed a major long-term cloud services contract with an unnamed AI provider. By Friday’s trading session, shares had climbed approximately 28% to reach $149.05.
Representatives from both Akamai and Anthropic refused to provide comments when contacted about the reported deal.
The cloud computing and cybersecurity company projected its second-quarter revenue will fall between $1.08 billion and $1.10 billion, which aligns closely with Wall Street analysts’ expectations of $1.10 billion, based on data from LSEG.
Akamai CEO Tom Leighton explained to Reuters that his company is well-positioned to obtain necessary computing components, including CPUs and GPUs, despite rising costs for these essential parts.
This partnership announcement comes just days after Anthropic revealed another significant computing agreement. On Wednesday, the AI company announced it would utilize computing infrastructure from Elon Musk’s SpaceX operation, representing a notable reconciliation with Musk, who had previously criticized the company. This SpaceX deal provides advantages for both organizations as they compete in the intensely competitive artificial intelligence marketplace.
NEW YORK – A chaotic scene unfolded at a New York City housing meeting Thursday night as officials took a preliminary step toward potentially fulfilling Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s campaign pledge to freeze rents for roughly one million regulated apartments.
The city’s Rent Guidelines Board conducted its provisional vote amid shouting and chanting from hundreds of tenants packed into a college auditorium. The board established ranges for rent adjustments ahead of their final June decision: zero to 2% for one-year lease renewals and zero to 4% for two-year renewals.
This annual process determines rent increase limits for rent-stabilized apartments, which house approximately 25% of New York City residents. Board members consider tenant incomes, landlord revenues, inflation rates, tax burdens, housing supply changes and various other economic factors in their deliberations.
During Thursday’s vote, which passed 7-1 with one abstention, tenant advocates repeatedly shouted “Freeze the rent!” and erupted in applause whenever board members mentioned zero percent increases. They booed any number higher than zero and chanted “Fight! Fight! Fight! Housing is a human right!”
The six board members appointed by Mamdani continued their proceedings despite the vocal demonstrations from hundreds of New Yorkers in attendance.
Mamdani campaigned for mayor as a democratic socialist, vowing to freeze rents and address rising costs for groceries, childcare and other essentials in a city where newly leased apartments average $3,950 monthly, according to StreetEasy data.
His electoral victory has drawn attention from fellow Democrats seeking to regain political ground nationally and even caught the notice of Republican President Donald Trump.
Since taking office in January, Mamdani moved from a $2,300 monthly one-bedroom Queens apartment to the five-bedroom Gracie Mansion. New Yorkers are watching to see if his straightforward campaign promises will become reality.
“We have a new mayor, and he also lived in a stabilized apartment, he worked in the past with the people who had housing issues,” said Moreom Perven before showing reporters her rent-stabilized studio in Jamaica, Queens. “He understands the situation of New York City, how we are suffering, and I expect this time, we’ll have the good news.”
Perven, 49, has occupied her apartment since 2000, currently paying just under $1,300 monthly to a real estate management company controlling over 2,000 city apartments. Her building houses 187 units with 270 active complaints and 66 open housing code violations, according to city records. Residents continuously battle their landlord over basic maintenance issues.
“Roaches, mice, broken tiles, then water leakage, mold, bed bugs,” Perven listed while sitting beside a second refrigerator-freezer she purchased after the landlord-provided unit stopped working. “They don’t want to invest money to fix the issue.”
Perven works part-time as a tenants counselor for a housing advocacy organization and attended Thursday’s meeting with neighbors.
Hundreds of tenants gathered outside the venue, carrying signs in English, Spanish, Chinese and Bengali while beating drums and blowing whistles that security prohibited inside the building.
Tenant groups have split into two factions. The Tenants Bloc demands a rent freeze, which has occurred only three times during 50-plus years of rent stabilization laws. The Rent Justice Coalition, including Perven, seeks an unprecedented “rent rollback” to counteract the cumulative 12% increases imposed during former Mayor Eric Adams’ four-year tenure.
Property owners have testified through the Real Estate Board of New York and similar organizations, arguing that operating expenses are climbing, especially for older buildings.
Despite appointing most board members, Mamdani cannot directly influence their decision beyond stating his preferences. He has utilized city resources to educate New Yorkers about their rights and boost attendance at the four remaining public hearings before the June 25 final vote.
Thursday evening, Mamdani issued a statement encouraging both tenants and landlords “to make their voices heard and speak directly to what this housing crisis looks like in their lives.”
REBNY executive Basha Gerhards, representing property owners, argued that the board’s preliminary ranges “ignore the clear financial distress shown in the data” and declared that “a freeze or near-freeze is unjustifiable.”
Perven departed the meeting disappointed as a rent rollback appeared unlikely this year. While pleased the range included zero, she and other tenants worried that final votes typically settle somewhere in the middle of proposed ranges.
“We need to organize. We need to fight back,” she stated. “Hopefully we’ll see the same energy until June, for the final vote.”
The shutdown of budget airline Spirit Airlines last week may offer unexpected relief for a critical aircraft engine shortage that has plagued the aviation industry, according to industry professionals and market analysts.
Spirit Airlines stopped all operations on May 1 after struggling with elevated fuel costs. The carrier’s bankruptcy has resulted in nearly-new Airbus A320neo aircraft being taken apart for components — continuing an industry pattern driven by a serious lack of available RTX Pratt & Whitney Geared Turbofan engines.
Following Spirit’s collapse, more A320neo aircraft have become accessible in the U.S. market, with their fuel-efficient GTF engines often proving more valuable than the planes themselves.
“We are seeing some of the GTF engines from the Spirit A320s being removed from the airframes and leased out to customers to support (aircraft on the ground),” explained Austin Willis, CEO of Willis Lease Finance Corp. He noted that rental costs for GTF engines remain unchanged.
“This is providing some limited temporary relief from the supply/demand imbalance,” Willis added.
The engine shortage has forced hundreds of A320neo aircraft to remain on the ground, partly because of extended wait periods for engine maintenance and repairs, combined with production issues at Pratt & Whitney that have limited GTF engine availability.
GTF engines are installed in no less than 40% of operating A320neos and face competition from CFM International’s LEAP engine for airline contracts.
Airbus has expressed frustration about GTF shortages affecting new aircraft production amid ongoing disputes over engine allocation priorities between new plane assembly lines and airlines awaiting repairs.
Lars Wagner, who leads Airbus’ Commercial Aircraft division, chose not to discuss the GTF situation during a Wednesday interview.
Dick Allewelt, who founded and operates Allewelt Aviation Consulting GmbH in Germany, stated that dismantling some Spirit aircraft “could have an easing effect on the spare engine market going forward.”
Sumisho Air Lease, which provided recent aircraft to Spirit, refused to provide comments. Aircraft lessor AerCap could not be reached for statement.
RTX, which also declined commentary, announced in April that fewer A320neo aircraft are remaining grounded thanks to expanded repair facility capabilities.
Arizona-based parts supplier KP Aviation reports that multiple former Spirit Airlines aircraft are currently being offered for dismantling and breakdown.
“There’s a lot of money in the engines,” stated KP Aviation Chief Commercial Officer Scott Butler. “The airframes, there may not be as much appetite” as additional Spirit aircraft enter the market, he explained.
In February, Dublin-based aviation asset manager EirTrade Aviation and Chicago-based aviation and rail lessor RESIDCO announced plans to break down two nearly-new Spirit A320neos for components.
KP Aviation intends to disassemble five-to-six-year-old aircraft from an earlier group of distinctive yellow Spirit planes that returned to the marketplace in late 2025.
Beyond engines, Butler mentioned strong demand exists for auxiliary power units, landing gear systems and flight control equipment.
Earlier this week, Spirit Airlines obtained approval from a U.S. bankruptcy court to speed up its liquidation process, including faster aircraft sales.
Spirit’s May fleet consisted of 114 Airbus A320-family aircraft, with 66 under lease agreements.
Court documents show the airline possesses 17 GTF engines owned by leasing companies. Lessors also control approximately 30 aircraft equipped with GTF engines, according to bankruptcy filings.
These aircraft won’t reach the market for several months, Butler indicated, as leasing companies gather technical documentation about the assets.
Agricultural producers nationwide experienced a boost in peanut pricing during the first week of May, according to new federal data.
Farmers received an average of 23.2 cents per pound for their farmer stock peanuts during the week that concluded on May 2, marking an increase of 2.0 cents compared to the prior week’s rates.
The pricing information comes from the latest agricultural market report tracking commodity values paid to producers for their harvested crops.
Salisbury, MD – Major construction work has begun at the Truitt Community Center as the facility undergoes significant improvements to better serve local residents.
The comprehensive renovation focuses on the gymnasium, featuring fresh insulation throughout walls and ceilings, protective wall padding, and new metal wall surfaces designed to withstand heavy recreational activities.
The gymnasium shut down on May 4th to accommodate the construction work, with outside contractors expected to complete all improvements before the facility reopens at June’s end.
“These upgrades will provide a more updated, suitable space for the community,” said Muir Boda. “We’re looking forward to reopening the gym and welcoming residents back into an improved environment.”
Mayor Randy Taylor emphasized the city’s dedication to community facilities, stating: “This is part of the City of Salisbury’s ongoing commitment to providing quality community center facilities. An investment in kids is vital to a successful city.”
Beyond the physical improvements, officials plan to launch a new booking system in early July designed to simplify the reservation process for individuals and groups wanting to use the center.
The Truitt Community Center remains a vital hub for local residents, and these enhancements will strengthen its position as a key location for recreational activities, social gatherings and community events.
Residents can stay informed about construction progress and reopening announcements through the City’s official communication platforms.
Salisbury University’s women’s lacrosse program is preparing for their upcoming NCAA tournament appearance as the 2026 championship competition approaches its opening stages.
The Sea Gulls are set to compete in the initial rounds of the national tournament, with the team focusing on their preparation for what promises to be intense competition ahead.
The tournament’s first and second rounds represent crucial opportunities for the program to advance deeper into the championship bracket and continue their season on the national stage.
Salisbury’s women’s lacrosse team will be looking to build on their regular season performance as they enter this high-stakes phase of collegiate competition.
Delaware State Police have taken an 18-year-old Dover man into custody following allegations that he menaced multiple residents in a Smyrna neighborhood while wielding a knife last month.
Aaron Jernigan now faces several serious charges, including three felony counts of aggravated menacing, after the April 18th incident at Holly Hill Estates community around 6:30 in the evening.
According to investigators, law enforcement officers were called to the Smyrna residential area following reports of a disruptive individual making threats against community members. Police say their initial findings showed that an unidentified male had become involved in a heated shouting match with multiple residents before pulling out a pocketknife and making threats to cause physical harm. The individual had left the scene by the time officers arrived.
Detectives continued working the case and eventually identified Jernigan as the alleged perpetrator, leading to an arrest warrant being issued.
Authorities apprehended Jernigan in Dover on May 5th and transported him to Troop 9 for processing. Following his arraignment before Justice of the Peace Court 11, he was sent to Howard R. Young Correctional Institution where he remains held on $16,100 secured bond.
The widely-used Canvas educational platform has resumed operations after experiencing a significant data breach that caused widespread disruption during final exam period at universities across the country.
A ransomware organization has taken responsibility for the cyberattack that temporarily knocked the learning management system offline. The incident affected approximately half of all higher education institutions throughout North America that rely on Canvas for coursework delivery and student assessments.
Despite the platform’s return to service, many universities are advising their students and faculty to hold off on accessing their Canvas accounts while additional security measures are implemented. The timing proved particularly problematic as the outage occurred during the critical final examination period when students needed access to course materials and online testing platforms.
Educational technology officials at affected schools are working to assess the full scope of the security incident and determine what student and faculty information may have been compromised during the breach.
Motorists traveling on northbound Route 15 should expect delays this afternoon as construction crews have shut down the right lane between Bison Road and Willow Grove Road.
The Delaware Department of Transportation reports the lane closure on Dundee Road (Route 15) is scheduled to continue until around 4:00 PM today.
Drivers are advised to use caution in the work zone and allow extra travel time when using this stretch of roadway during the construction period.
Climate forecasting models are indicating the development of an El Niño weather pattern that meteorologists say could shatter historical records and deliver unprecedented extreme weather conditions across the globe.
“I think we’re going to see weather events that we’ve never seen in modern history before,” said Jeff Berardelli, WFLA-TV Chief Meteorologist and Climate Specialist based in Tampa, Florida, speaking on Friday.
The World Meteorological Organization anticipates this El Niño phenomenon will emerge around mid-year, significantly affecting temperature and precipitation patterns worldwide. Though forecasting models suggest this could be an exceptionally powerful event, the WMO notes that springtime predictions tend to be less reliable.
This cyclical natural occurrence involves the warming of specific areas in the equatorial Pacific Ocean, which subsequently disrupts global weather systems. La Niña represents the opposite phase, characterized by below-average ocean temperatures.
According to Berardelli, El Niño essentially moves heat around the planet. Currently, warm water beneath the Pacific’s surface is traveling eastward and rising from deeper layers to the surface, marking El Niño’s early development phases.
The WMO’s Global Seasonal Climate Update documented rapidly increasing sea-surface temperatures. Wilfran Moufouma Okia, WMO’s chief of climate prediction, expressed strong confidence in El Niño’s emergence, followed by continued strengthening over subsequent months.
The WMO reports that El Niño events generally happen every two to seven years and persist for approximately nine to 12 months.
Daniel Swain, a climate scientist with the California Institute for Water Resources, believes the forecasting models appear accurate. He explained that the size and strength of the subsurface warm water anomalies — unusual warm water pulses that drive El Niño’s mechanics — rank among the largest observed in recorded history.
Meteorologists classify the most powerful occurrences as “super El Niños.”
“One of the key building blocks to make it fully materialize is, in fact, occurring,” Swain stated Friday. “We still don’t know exactly what’s going to happen. It’s not guaranteed it’ll be a super El Niño. But the potential is there for something genuinely remarkable.”
When the Pacific Ocean releases substantial amounts of heat, it amplifies the climate system and creates weather chaos, Berardelli explained. Increased heat will generate more severe heat waves and worsen drought conditions in certain regions, while simultaneously adding moisture to the atmosphere that produces more devastating floods.
El Niño also reduces Atlantic hurricane activity because the Pacific’s intense heat overshadows the Atlantic, Berardelli noted. Areas like the Caribbean will experience particularly dry conditions this summer with fewer tropical weather systems expected.
The phenomenon creates worldwide consequences. Throughout the United States, this summer appears likely to be hotter than typical, featuring substantial heat waves, Berardelli said. While precise details remain difficult to determine this far in advance, Berardelli also anticipates more regular daily thunderstorms across the southwestern United States.
Amazon forest deterioration, caused by wildfires, logging, and drought, currently impacts approximately 40% of the region. A strong El Niño could worsen this situation in 2026.
The additional heat that El Niño brings to the surface, combined with ongoing planetary warming from climate change, will produce record-setting global temperatures, Swain predicted. He anticipates seeing unprecedented global warm temperatures either later this year, next year, or during both periods.
“All indicators are, at this point, that the next year is going to be a pretty wild year from a global climate perspective,” Swain said.
University of Pennsylvania climate scientist Michael Mann noted that while El Niño temporarily increases global temperatures for one to two years, it represents essentially a “zero-sum game.” The pattern typically shifts back toward La Niña, which subsequently decreases global temperatures for a similar duration. The real concern, Mann emphasized Friday, is the long-term, consistent warming trend that will persist as long as fossil fuel consumption continues.
GABORONE, Botswana (AP) — Festus Mogae, who led Botswana for a decade and transformed the nation’s approach to combating HIV and AIDS, passed away Friday at age 86, according to government officials. Authorities did not release details about what caused his death.
Current President Duma Boko announced that Mogae’s decade-long presidency from 1998 to 2008 brought the African nation international recognition for responsible financial stewardship and democratic values. The country will observe three days of official mourning to honor the late leader.
The southern African nation, known for its sparse population and dry climate, leads the world in diamond production by value and ranks second globally by volume, trailing only Russia. Diamond exports represent approximately 80% of Botswana’s total exports and contribute one-fourth of the nation’s economic output, based on International Monetary Fund data.
During his presidency, Mogae elevated the battle against HIV/AIDS to a top government priority and established no-cost antiretroviral treatment programs at government healthcare centers starting in 2002, later expanding access to non-citizens in 2019.
These initiatives resulted in a substantial reduction in HIV/AIDS rates throughout Botswana, which previously ranked among nations with the world’s most severe infection levels.
Boko praised Mogae for representing Botswana honorably on the global stage while consistently advocating for rational thinking, national unity, and advancement.
“Today Botswana mourns a distinguished statesman, a patriot whose life was devoted to the service of his country,” Boko declared during his national address.
Mogae received the Ibrahim Prize for Achievement in African Leadership, among Africa’s highest honors for governmental excellence, acknowledging his democratic governance and smooth transition of power.
The diamond-rich nation has discovered all of the world’s largest uncut diamonds during the past ten years, including a 2,492-carat gem found in the previous year that became the second-largest diamond ever extracted from a mine and the biggest discovery in over 100 years.
Before assuming the presidency, Mogae worked as an economist and held the position of central bank governor for the Bank of Botswana.
The Trump administration is directing managers of national parks, wildlife refuges and wilderness areas across the country to significantly reduce hunting limitations, sparking concerns about public safety and wildlife conservation.
Interior Secretary Doug Burgum signed a directive in January instructing federal agencies to eliminate what he called “unnecessary regulatory or administrative barriers” to hunting and fishing activities, while requiring justification for any restrictions they wish to maintain.
“Expanding opportunities for the public to hunt and fish on Department-managed lands not only strengthens conservation outcomes, but also supports rural economies, public health, and access to America’s outdoor spaces,” Burgum wrote. “The Department’s policy is clear: public and federally managed lands should be open to hunting and fishing unless a specific, documented, and legally supported exception applies.”
The directive affects 55 locations in the continental United States overseen by the National Park Service, according to the National Parks Conservation Association. Site administrators have already removed bans on tree stands that harm vegetation, dog training for hunting, using motorized vehicles to transport harvested animals, and hunting near recreational trails, based on an NPCA analysis of updated site rules conducted after the organization learned about the order.
Specific changes include extending the hunting period at Cape Cod National Seashore in Massachusetts into spring and summer months. At Lake Meredith National Recreation Area in Texas, hunters would be permitted to process their harvested animals in public restrooms. Meanwhile, alligator hunting would become permissible at Jean Lafitte National Historical Park and Preserve in Louisiana.
The directive comes amid a continued decrease in hunting participation as the nation becomes more urbanized. Federal data from the Fish and Wildlife Service and Census Bureau shows only approximately 4.2% of Americans over age 16 identified as hunters in 2024, reducing funding for state wildlife departments that depend on license fees and taxes from firearms and ammunition sales.
Supporters of hunting and conservative officials have pursued various strategies to maintain interest in the activity, including outreach to women and youth, establishing seasons for additional species, and increasing hunter access to government-owned property.
Currently, hunting is permitted on roughly 51 million acres managed by the National Park Service across 76 locations, though only about 8 million of those acres are in the continental United States, with the remainder in Alaska. Fishing is authorized at 213 locations. Park Service sites generally follow state hunting and fishing rules but can implement additional restrictions to ensure public safety and protect natural resources, such as prohibiting firearms use near trails or facilities.
Dan Wenk, who previously served as Yellowstone National Park superintendent and National Park Service deputy operations director, explained that park administrators developed their current rules through stakeholder consultation, resulting in widespread acceptance of most restrictions. He questioned the Trump administration’s decision to dismantle this framework without extensive public input.
“Process never seems to stand in the way of many things with this administration,” Wenk said in a telephone interview with The Associated Press. “This was never a big issue. I’d love to know the problem we’re trying to solve. Then I could understand the costs that it’s going to take to solve it in terms of resources and visitor safety.”
Interior Department spokesperson Elizabeth Peace described the order as a “commonsense approach to public land management” in an email statement, emphasizing that necessary closures or limitations for public safety, resource protection or legal compliance would continue.
“For decades, sportsmen and women have been some of the strongest stewards of our public lands,” she said, “and this order ensures their access is not unnecessarily restricted by outdated or overly broad limitations that are not required by law.”
Peace did not respond to additional questions about whether the department conducted public outreach before issuing the directive.
The Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership, which advocates for hunting and fishing access, released a statement online in January describing the order as balancing wildlife management with outdoor traditions supported by hunters and anglers. Ducks Unlimited issued a statement in March saying Burgum’s directive acknowledges duck hunters’ “vital role.”
“This process will streamline federal regulations, make them more consistent with existing state rules, and provide more public-land access for outdoor recreation. Thank you, Secretary Burgum, for prioritizing America’s hunters and anglers,” the statement said.
Elaine Leslie, former director of the National Park Service’s biological resources department, criticized Trump for undermining a well-intentioned process, arguing the order lacks scientific foundation.
“I don’t want to take my young grandchildren to a park unit only to have a hunter drag a gutted elk they shot across a visitor center parking lot. Nor enter a restroom where hunters are cleaning their game,” Leslie said in a text to the AP. “There is a time and place for hunting, trapping and fishing … but that doesn’t mean every place has to be open to every activity especially at the expense of others and degrading our public resources.”
NEW YORK – Federal officials filed an appeal Friday following a judicial decision that rejected the legal foundation for a 10% worldwide tariff implemented in February.
The U.S. Court of International Trade determined Thursday in a split 2-1 ruling that Section 122 of the 1974 Trade Act was not designed to tackle trade imbalances that result when America purchases more foreign goods than it sells abroad. The judicial decision specifically prevented tariff collection from three parties that filed suit – two smaller companies and Washington state.
Although the decision affects levies scheduled to end in approximately two months, it represents another judicial obstacle to Trump’s worldwide tariff strategy and arrives one week before his planned trade discussions with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing.
The ruling establishes groundwork for an extended legal fight concerning billions of dollars in potential tariff reimbursements, occurring three months following the U.S. Supreme Court’s rejection of Trump’s broad international tariffs enacted through national emergency legislation.
Speaking with reporters Thursday, Trump criticized the trade court’s decision, attributing it to “two radical left judges.”
In February, the Supreme Court determined Trump lacked legal power to enact the previous tariffs through the International Emergency Economic Powers Act, prompting Trump to establish substitute 10% levies on all imports through Section 122 of the Trade Act.
These newer tariffs served as an interim measure, scheduled to end July 24 without congressional extension.
Health officials in Argentina have ruled out their southernmost province as the source of a deadly hantavirus outbreak aboard a luxury cruise vessel, according to statements made during a Friday news conference.
Juan Petrina, who oversees epidemiology and environmental health for Tierra del Fuego province, explained that investigators analyzed the timeline between when passengers visited the region and when they began showing symptoms of the disease.
“The calculations don’t add up for them to have been infected in our province … the possibility is practically nil,” Petrina stated during the briefing held in Ushuaia.
The determination eliminates Argentina’s southernmost territory as a potential infection site for the cruise ship passengers who contracted the dangerous virus.
The National Football League has successfully avoided potential chaos for the upcoming 2026 season after finalizing a seven-year collective bargaining agreement with the NFL Referees Association on Friday. The new contract extends through the 2032 season.
Union members and the NFLRA board of directors approved the new collective bargaining agreement during a Thursday vote. The previous contract was scheduled to end on May 31.
Specific terms of the agreement have not been disclosed, though the NFL stated the new deal addresses “economics, performance and accountability.”
“This agreement is a testament to the joint commitment of the league and union to invest in and improve officiating,” stated Troy Vincent, NFL executive vice president of football operations. “It also speaks to the game officials’ relentless pursuit of improvement and officiating excellence. We look forward to working together for the betterment of the game.”
The successful negotiations eliminate the possibility of using substitute referees when the 2026 season kicks off September 9, with the Super Bowl champion Seattle Seahawks hosting the season opener.
The league previously experienced significant controversy with replacement officials during a 2012 matchup between Green Bay and Seattle. In that game, substitute referees awarded Seattle a victory on a final-play touchdown despite what appeared to be simultaneous possession by both teams. The NFL subsequently acknowledged missing a pass interference call against Seattle that should have resulted in a Green Bay win.
Following two weeks of replacement officials in 2012, the league resolved its referee lockout just two days after the controversial Packers-Seahawks contest.
“We see this new CBA as a partnership with the league that benefits our membership but also seeks to make our game better,” commented NFLRA president Carl Cheffers on Friday. “It is good to get these negotiations behind us so we can focus on preparing for the 2026 season.”
The path to this agreement involved extended discussions between both parties.
After two years of negotiations resulted in a deadlock last winter, the NFL had begun preparing for the possibility of using replacement referees for the 2026 season. Reports indicated the league started identifying potential substitutes from lower-level college officiating ranks and planned to begin their training this month.
Both the NFL Players Association and the referees union expressed safety concerns regarding the use of replacement officials.
Just one month ago, league insiders informed ESPN that team owners were “alarmed” by the status of negotiations with the NFLRA. One source suggested it would require “an act of God” to resolve the financial disagreements between the parties before the contract expired.
The league had previously proposed a six-year contract featuring an average annual salary increase of 6.45%, according to ESPN. The typical NFL official earned $385,000 during the 2025 season.
President Donald Trump has reportedly approved the dismissal of Food and Drug Administration Commissioner Marty Makary, according to a Wall Street Journal report published Friday that cited sources with knowledge of the situation.
Neither the White House nor the Department of Health and Human Services, which has oversight of the FDA, responded immediately to requests for comment.
Speculation about Makary’s possible removal has grown over the past week amid criticism related to disputed choices regarding drug approvals, vaccine policies, and the agency’s approach to mifepristone, commonly known as the abortion pill.
A White House insider indicated they were informed the FDA commissioner “is done” and that Trump had given his approval for the dismissal.
This departure would continue a pattern of turnover within federal health organizations, as top officials have already left positions at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Institutes of Health, and other agencies. The FDA currently has interim leadership overseeing its primary drug development divisions.
Makary, who serves as a surgical oncologist at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, received confirmation as FDA commissioner in March of last year. He has authored popular books addressing healthcare expenses and what he characterized as shortcomings in contemporary medical practice, and has served as a prominent supporter of the Make America Healthy Again initiative championed by Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
The Wall Street Journal noted that these plans remain preliminary and subject to modification.
Delaware’s Department of Agriculture is recognizing a significant achievement within its Plant Industries division as staff member Olivia Everett becomes the inaugural graduate of a new national certification program for seed inspectors.
Everett has successfully finished the AOSCA Turfgrass and Small Grains Inspector Credentialing Program, earning her place as part of the program’s very first graduating class to receive this specialized certification.
The certification program was created by the Association of Official Seed Certifying Agencies and represents a new standard in professional development for agricultural inspection personnel.
This accomplishment highlights Delaware’s commitment to maintaining high standards in agricultural oversight and ensuring qualified professionals are monitoring seed quality and certification processes throughout the state.
Delaware transportation officials are alerting drivers to prepare for overnight lane restrictions along a busy stretch of US Route 13 in Camden starting this Monday evening.
The Delaware Department of Transportation reports that both northbound and southbound lanes of US Route 13 will experience nighttime restrictions beginning Monday, May 11, and continuing through mid-June 2026. The affected area spans from Voshells Mill Road to Old North Road.
These temporary lane restrictions are necessary to accommodate the East Camden Bypass construction project. Transportation officials explain the overnight work will allow construction crews to complete milling and repaving operations along US Route 13 within the designated work zone.
Drivers who regularly travel this section of US Route 13 during evening and overnight hours should plan for potential delays and consider alternate routes when possible during the construction period.
Four Delaware residents with deep agricultural ties have been named to the Delaware Farm Bureau Foundation’s Board of Directors, the organization revealed recently.
The newly appointed board members are Sarah Bell from Camden, Harry Daisey from Bridgeville, Kathryn Simpson from Harrington, and Stacie Warner from Georgetown. All four individuals combine professional expertise with a commitment to farming, educational initiatives, and community involvement.
Bell works as an Education Associate and serves as the Agriculture, Technology, and CTE Program Quality Lead with Delaware’s Department of Education. She also advises the Delaware FFA Association. Growing up on a small farm near Felton, Bell participated in both 4-H and FFA programs, which ignited her dedication to agricultural education. She attributes her motivation to give back to the agriculture teachers and 4-H extension agents who influenced her. Bell is eager to collaborate with the Foundation to create more agricultural learning experiences for Delaware students. When not working, she enjoys outdoor activities, livestock care, and watching her sons compete in lacrosse.
Daisey operates as an insurance agent with Daisey Insurance in Bridgeville and spent his childhood working on the family farm, assisting with chicken house operations and crop planting. His farming upbringing inspired his commitment to educating the public about food origins and the dedication required in farming. Daisey views his Foundation position as a chance to help people recognize the value of a robust farming community. During his leisure time, he pursues hunting, woodworking, and canning activities with his granddaughters. Daisey also aspires to create a foundation supporting veterans, as a tribute to his late son who served in Iraq.
Simpson holds the position of Ag Relationship Manager at Horizon Farm Credit and contributes both personal and professional agricultural knowledge to the board. She was raised on her family’s farm and comes from generations of farmers on both her mother’s and father’s sides. Simpson participated in dairy cattle raising and showing with her siblings at the Delaware State Fair and has recently launched a farming venture with her brother. Her career background includes time with Hanover Foods Corporation before moving to Horizon Farm Credit in 2023. Simpson aims to leverage her hands-on farming knowledge to teach young people about agriculture and food production. She has a unique Farm Bureau connection, as her great-grandfather held the position of Delaware Farm Bureau’s inaugural president in 1945. In her personal time, she enjoys activities with her boyfriend Ryan and their dogs Bandit and Annie, including boating, gardening, and walking their farm property.
“Growing up on the farm instilled in me the values of responsibility, determination, and grit, which are all traits that guide me through my work today,” said Simpson. “I believe that the younger generations deserve to have similar experiences, or have the opportunity to learn more about agriculture and its importance.”
Warner serves as Vice President Relationship Manager at First Citizens Community Bank and brings over two decades of agricultural finance experience to the board. Raised on her family’s farming operation, Warner obtained a Bachelor of Science in General Agriculture from the University of Delaware and has dedicated her career to supporting farmers through financial services. She is driven to help connect consumers with producers, particularly as fewer people today maintain direct agricultural ties. Warner aims to assist the Foundation in enhancing public awareness of agriculture’s status as Delaware’s leading industry. Beyond her professional duties, she maintains lifelong membership at Providence Community Church and enjoys family time, four-wheeling in West Virginia, and attending musical performances.
The current DEFB Foundation Board also includes Chair Bill Powers, Vice Chair Steve Breeding, Troy Dickerson, Laura Hill, David Holtz, Kitty Holtz, Chuck Hoober, Stewart Ramsey, and June Unruh.
The Delaware Farm Bureau Foundation operates as a non-profit organization dedicated to building awareness, understanding, and positive public perception about Delaware’s farm operations, promoting fresh local food, and sponsoring the Ag Education Mobile Classroom. More information and support opportunities are available at www.defb.org/foundation/.
The National Football League and its referees union reached a labor agreement on Friday that prevents a potential work stoppage and eliminates the need for substitute officials through the 2032 season.
The seven-year contract received approval from the NFL Referees Association’s executive board and was confirmed through a membership vote.
“We see this new CBA as a partnership with the league that benefits our membership but also seeks to make our game better. It is good to get these negotiations behind us so we can focus on preparing for the 2026 season,” union President Carl Cheffers said.
Contract talks between the league and referees union started during summer 2024, with the previous agreement scheduled to end on May 31.
Last month, the NFL started recruiting substitute officials as contract discussions stalled, but those backup plans are no longer needed.
Both organizations released a joint statement explaining the contract addresses multiple areas including financial terms, job performance standards, and accountability measures.
“This agreement is a testament to the joint commitment of the league and union to invest in and improve officiating,” said Troy Vincent, NFL executive vice president of football operations. “It also speaks to the game officials’ relentless pursuit of improvement and officiating excellence. We look forward to working together for the betterment of the game.”
Specific contract details remain confidential.
However, sources familiar with negotiations told The Associated Press in March that the NFL had proposed a 6.45% yearly increase in referee pay over a six-year contract.
Back in 2012, contract negotiations broke down, leading to a 110-day lockout that forced the league to use substitute referees.
The replacement officials made numerous high-profile blunders, most notably the infamous “Fail Mary” incident when Russell Wilson threw a last-second touchdown pass to Golden Tate, giving Seattle a Monday night victory over Green Bay. Tate committed offensive pass interference that went uncalled and appeared to steal the ball from a Packers defender, yet officials still awarded him the touchdown catch despite conflicting calls on the field.
The league also deployed replacement officials during one preseason week and the 2001 season opener before resolving that labor dispute shortly after September 11th, allowing regular officials to return when play resumed after a one-week hiatus. That situation produced fewer notable officiating errors.
MIAMI — Before even throwing his first major league pitch, Robby Snelling found himself signing autographs for eager Miami Marlins fans a full day ahead of his anticipated debut.
The organization is hoping this scene becomes commonplace for their second-ranked pitching prospect, who earned a promotion from Triple-A Jacksonville this week to start Friday’s game against the Washington Nationals.
“It’s pretty surreal,” Snelling shared from Miami’s clubhouse Thursday, moments before heading to the dugout where supporters called out for his autograph. “Still trying to just kind of soak it in and get acclimated with all the guys again that I was around in spring and really take it all in and not let the moment get too big.”
The southpaw pitcher, who was chosen 39th overall by San Diego in the 2022 amateur draft, came to Miami as part of a 2024 trade that sent relievers Tanner Scott and Bryan Hoeing to the Padres.
Despite showing promise during spring training, Snelling failed to secure a spot on the Marlins’ opening day 40-man roster. He described the setback as both disappointing and inspiring.
“I was upset and not necessarily at anybody in general,” Snelling explained. “Just being told that you’re not going to get to do what you really had wanted to do as early as you wanted to do is a tough pill to swallow.
“But then you kind of come back down to earth and realize, ‘Alright, what do I need to do to get to that point where I want to be?’”
His response involved focusing on reducing his walk totals, particularly by throwing more first-pitch strikes. Through six outings with Triple-A Jacksonville this year, Snelling compiled a 3-1 record alongside the second-lowest ERA (1.86) among qualified hurlers. He issued more than three walks in just two of those six appearances.
“It’s exciting because Robby’s a great competitor,” commented Marlins skipper Clayton McCullough. “He’s worked really hard. He’s performing in a manner that he’s very deserving of this opportunity.”
Snelling’s opportunity arose when the team designated struggling starter Chris Paddack for assignment on Tuesday.
The veteran Paddack, 30, had signed a one-year, $4 million contract with Miami during the offseason with expectations of filling a back-end rotation role. However, Paddack faltered through seven starts, recording an 0-5 mark with a 7.63 ERA while lasting six innings just once.
While Miami had other veteran alternatives available, including southpaw Braxton Garrett, Snelling’s impressive recent work convinced the organization he had earned the chance.
“Coming into it we were certainly very high on Robby,” McCullough noted. “He performed incredibly well last year. This spring, he came into it in competition potentially for a spot in our rotation. Robby’s done well down there and continued to perform.”
Following the Jumbo Shrimp’s walk-off victory Wednesday, Snelling received word of his call-up. Triple-A manager David Carpenter summoned him to his office afterward, commending his concentration throughout the week despite uncertainty about whether his big league opportunity would materialize.
“I was like, ‘Man, it’s really hard to keep my sanity knowing that potentially it was an option for me to go up,’” Snelling remembered telling Carpenter, who responded with a casual inquiry.
“He’s like, ‘Yeah, you’re still good to go on Friday right?’” Carpenter said, referring to Snelling’s scheduled Triple-A start. “I was like, ‘Yeah.’ And he goes, ‘Well, you’re going to be throwing in Miami.’”
Snelling characterized the recent days as a reunion with teammates he bonded with during spring training, including catcher Joe Mack, another top prospect who also received a promotion this week. Mack crossed home plate with the game-winning run on a throwing mistake during Thursday’s ninth-inning victory over Baltimore.
The experience has also given Snelling appreciation for his path to the majors.
“It was always fun competing with those guys (in the minors),” he reflected. “It didn’t really matter where I was in my mind. Obviously this is the goal — being up here and staying up here is the goal.”
NEW YORK — New York Yankees pitcher Carlos Rodón reflected on the severity of his elbow problems from the previous season.
“I couldn’t really bend my arm. I couldn’t button a shirt,” the left-handed pitcher explained. “I couldn’t scratch my face. I couldn’t take a drink of water. … I could definitely never comb my hair.”
After seven months of recovery following elbow surgery, the 33-year-old athlete is scheduled to take the mound this Sunday when the Yankees face the Milwaukee Brewers. Though he’s feeling significantly better, Rodón acknowledges his arm isn’t what it was when he first entered the majors with Chicago a decade ago.
“That’s almost a virgin arm then,” he joked.
Throughout his 11 seasons in Major League Baseball, Rodón has compiled a 93-72 record with a 3.73 ERA. Since joining the Yankees on a six-year, $162 million deal in December 2023, he’s posted a 37-26 record.
Despite his arm troubles, Rodón managed an 18-9 record with a 3.09 ERA during last season. His four-seam fastball speed, which averaged 95.3 mph during his initial Yankees campaign, decreased to 94.4 mph in the first half of last year before falling further to 93.8 mph in the season’s latter half.
“He was great last year. So, just had to do it a different way. He didn’t have the range of motion,” Yankees manager Aaron Boone commented. “But I think if you talk to major league pitchers, especially ones that have done it for a while, you’re kind of always dealing with different stuff. So credit to him for being able to navigate it last year and with excellence.”
During his Division Series appearance against Toronto, Rodón’s fastball velocity fell to 93.4 mph as he surrendered six runs in just 2 1/3 innings.
“They were mending to him every day to get him to post,” pitching coach Matt Blake noted.
According to Rodón, his elbow problems developed gradually over three to four years. Despite the discomfort, he chose to push through last season rather than step away.
“Did it hurt? Sometimes sure, pitching, but I’d rather go out there and compete,” he stated. “I was throwing well, so I couldn’t just say, ‘Oh, I can’t pitch,’ but it was manageable.”
On October 15, Rodón underwent surgery to extract loose debris from his left elbow and smooth down a bone spur. His recovery hit a snag in late March when he experienced hamstring tightness while training at the Yankees’ Florida facility.
His rehabilitation process included two platelet-rich plasma treatments.
“The first one was early. I really remember it because it was vivid because my arm felt like it got ran over by a bus,” he recalled.
When spring training began, Rodón weighed in the mid-to-upper 250s, roughly 10 pounds over his ideal weight, though he expected to shed the extra pounds as he prepared for his comeback.
“I guess a happy offseason,” he said with a laugh. “I enjoy food.”
Starting April 24, Rodón completed three minor league rehabilitation starts, posting a 3.38 ERA with 16 strikeouts against three walks and three home runs across 16 innings.
His final rehab outing saw him throw 83 pitches, and he’ll face a similar limit when he takes on the Brewers.
“Not as daunting as Tommy John’s surgery,” said Rodón, who had UCL repair surgery in 2019. “You never want to go under the knife, for sure, but it’s good to be at the end of the road.”
Blake has observed improvements in Rodón’s pitching mechanics following the surgery.
“You can see there’s just a little more freedom of motion in the arm action,” he explained. “It looks a little easier. It’s not as much body creating the power.”
However, with his improved range of motion, Rodón must work to regain his pitching precision.
“I’m happy with the recovery,” he said. “So just keep going.”
WASHINGTON — Defense attorneys for the man accused of opening fire at the White House Correspondents’ Association dinner want senior Justice Department leaders removed from his prosecution, claiming their presence at the event creates a conflict of interest.
Cole Tomas Allen’s legal team filed court documents Thursday evening requesting that Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche and U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro be barred from making prosecutorial decisions in the case. Both officials were at the Washington Hilton on April 25 when Allen allegedly breached security and discharged a shotgun at a Secret Service agent.
Defense lawyers Eugene Ohm and Tezira Abe, both assistant federal public defenders, contend that having potential victims oversee the prosecution raises serious ethical concerns.
“As this case proceeds closer to trial, the country and the world will continue to wonder — how can the American justice system permit a victim to prosecute a criminal defendant in a case involving them?” defense attorneys Eugene Ohm and Tezira Abe wrote.
The defense team suggested appointing a special prosecutor and asked U.S. District Judge Trevor McFadden, nominated by Trump, to remove Pirro, Blanche and potentially other department officials from direct participation in the case.
“Both heard gunshots, which presumably forced them to duck below the tables with the rest of the occupants. They were quickly evacuated. Shortly thereafter, they learned that law enforcement believed the target was certain administration officials,” Ohm and Abe wrote.
Pirro announced her office would file a response to the defense motion and issued a strong statement about the case.
“We will not tolerate people who come to the District of Columbia to engage in antidemocratic acts of political violence; and we will prosecute all such acts to the fullest extent of the law,” Pirro said in a statement.
Allen faces arraignment Monday following Tuesday’s grand jury indictment in Washington. The charges include attempting to kill President Donald Trump, who maintains a close friendship with Pirro. Blanche previously represented Trump as a private lawyer before joining the Justice Department last year.
When contacted for comment, Blanche’s spokesperson directed inquiries to Pirro’s office.
Additional charges against Allen include assaulting a federal officer with a deadly weapon and two firearms violations. The attempted assassination charge alone carries a potential life sentence upon conviction.
During the incident, the targeted Secret Service officer sustained one gunshot to his bulletproof vest and returned fire five times without striking anyone. Allen, 31, from Torrance, California, suffered injuries but was not shot.
MIAMI — A federal jury in Miami has delivered guilty verdicts against four men who participated in the deadly conspiracy that led to the assassination of Haiti’s President Jovenel Moïse in 2021.
Federal prosecutors successfully argued that South Florida became the operational headquarters where conspirators organized and funded their scheme to remove Moïse from power and install their preferred replacement.
The defendants — Arcangel Pretel Ortiz, Antonio Intriago, Walter Veintemilla and James Solages — were convicted on multiple charges including conspiracy to assassinate or abduct Haiti’s democratically elected president and supplying resources for the deadly operation. Additional convictions for breaking the U.S. Neutrality Act mean each man could receive a life sentence behind bars.
The Haitian leader died on July 7, 2021, during a brutal assault on his residence outside Port-au-Prince carried out by approximately two dozen international hired soldiers, primarily from Colombia. His spouse, Martine, sustained injuries in the attack and was transported to the United States for medical care.
After nearly eight weeks of testimony in the Miami courthouse, the jury reached their decision. Moïse’s murder plunged the Caribbean island into chaos, with criminal organizations gaining unprecedented control and unleashing increased violence.
Court records show that Ortiz and Intriago operated Counter Terrorist Unit Federal Academy and Counter Terrorist Unit Security, companies known collectively as CTU, while Veintemilla ran Worldwide Capital Lending Group. All three businesses operated from South Florida locations.
Investigators identified Christian Sanon, who holds both Haitian and American citizenship, as the person conspirators originally wanted to install as Moïse’s successor. Meanwhile, Solages worked as CTU’s Haiti representative, maintaining contact with Sanon and other participants in the plot. Sanon awaits his own trial proceedings.
Five additional individuals have already admitted their guilt in the assassination conspiracy and received life prison terms.
Pro-life advocates are set to gather with White House officials on Friday amid mounting concerns that President Trump hasn’t pursued their agenda with sufficient intensity, particularly regarding enhanced abortion restrictions and stronger enforcement of current regulations.
The scheduled discussion follows recent criticism from Marjorie Dannenfelser, who leads Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America, a prominent advocacy organization. Speaking to the Wall Street Journal, Dannenfelser pointed out that abortion numbers have increased nationwide following the Supreme Court’s 2022 decision to overturn Roe v. Wade, stating bluntly that “Trump is the problem.”
These developments highlight rising friction between Trump and segments of the anti-abortion community that previously served as crucial political supporters during his initial White House bid.
Though activists acknowledge Trump’s role in facilitating Roe’s reversal through his Supreme Court nominees, several organizations argue his administration hasn’t delivered on promised federal measures to limit abortion availability, particularly regarding stricter controls on the abortion medication mifepristone and crackdowns on internet-based pill distribution.
White House representative Allison Schuster pushed back against these criticisms, defending the administration’s accomplishments.
“President Trump is the most pro-life and pro-family president in American history, and his Administration has announced a series of bold actions to safeguard life and uphold Americans’ fundamental freedoms, including ending federal funding of abortion abroad,” Schuster stated.
Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America declined to provide additional comments when contacted.
Research from the Guttmacher Institute indicates abortion procedures have actually increased since the high court’s 2022 decision that eliminated nationwide abortion protections. The organization estimates approximately 1,126,000 abortions were performed by medical providers in 2025, marking the highest total since 2009. This surge stems primarily from greater reliance on abortion medications, which now represent 65% of all procedures in states where abortion remains legal.
Political pressure has intensified recently as Republican legislators and anti-abortion organizations urge the Food and Drug Administration to reconsider safety protocols for mifepristone, the drug involved in more than half of American abortions. Senate Republicans initiated an investigation into abortion pill manufacturers in March while calling on the FDA to restrict online medication sales.
The mifepristone controversy has grown following multiple court decisions regarding mail-order availability of the medication.
Earlier this week, the U.S. Supreme Court issued a temporary order maintaining access to the drug via telemedicine and postal delivery while legal challenges proceed.
BUENOS AIRES – Argentine officials successfully stopped an aircraft carrying 400 kilograms of cocaine through a joint operation with United States drug enforcement authorities, the country’s security minister announced during a Friday briefing.
Security Minister Alejandra Monteoliva revealed the international drug interdiction operation during her press conference, highlighting the collaborative effort between Argentine forces and the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration in the major narcotics seizure.
Cleveland Browns linebacker Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah faces another full season away from football after the team officially placed him on the reserve/physically unable to perform list on Friday, marking his second consecutive year on the sidelines.
The 26-year-old defender has been recovering from a severe neck injury sustained on October 27, 2024, during a devastating collision with Baltimore Ravens running back Derrick Henry. The impact occurred when Henry’s right shoulder struck Owusu-Koramoah’s head and neck region during a 10-yard rushing play, forcing medical personnel to cart the linebacker off the field.
Following the frightening incident, Owusu-Koramoah spent one night in the hospital before doctors cleared him for release the following day, confirming he retained full movement in all extremities.
Prior to suffering the injury, Owusu-Koramoah had been a cornerstone of Cleveland’s defense, starting every game through the first eight weeks of the 2024 season. His impressive performance included leading the team with 61 tackles while recording three sacks and 10 tackles for loss. The Browns demonstrated their confidence in the linebacker by signing him to a three-year contract extension valued at up to $39 million in August 2024.
Cleveland originally selected Owusu-Koramoah during the second round of the 2021 NFL Draft following his collegiate career at Notre Dame. His exceptional play earned him Pro Bowl recognition in 2023.
Throughout his professional career spanning 49 games with 41 starts, Owusu-Koramoah has compiled 308 total tackles, 40 tackles for loss, 14 quarterback hits, eight sacks, six forced fumbles, and three interceptions.
PHILADELPHIA — In an effort to maintain home-court advantage and prevent visiting fans from taking over their arena, the Philadelphia 76ers announced they will provide 500 free tickets to local community organizations for each of their remaining second-round playoff home games.
This latest move comes after the team’s earlier attempt to limit ticket sales through Ticketmaster by restricting purchases to buyers in the Philadelphia metropolitan region, aimed at keeping New York Knicks supporters away.
For Friday night’s Game 3, the organization will welcome 250 healthcare workers from the front lines at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia and Penn Medicine, along with 250 educators chosen through Learn Fresh, Breakthrough of Greater Philadelphia, and school districts in both Philadelphia and Camden, New Jersey.
Sunday’s Game 4 will see 500 mothers and children attending as guests, selected by organizations including the Uplift Center for Grieving Children, Boys and Girls Club of Philadelphia, and La Liga del Barrio.
Currently, the Knicks hold a 2-0 advantage in the best-of-seven playoff series.
During their first-round matchup two seasons ago, visiting New York fans flooded the Philadelphia venue, prompting Sixers star center Joel Embiid to make an urgent appeal to home supporters before this current series began.
“Last time we played the Knicks it felt like this was Madison Square Garden East. So we’re going to need the support,” Embiid said. “Don’t sell your tickets. This is bigger than you. We need you guys. The atmosphere we’ve had the last couple games in Philly, especially the last one pushing it to Game 7, I mean, we need all of it.”
OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — Following a disappointing 125-107 defeat to the Oklahoma City Thunder on Thursday evening, the Los Angeles Lakers coaching staff and players expressed strong displeasure with the game’s officiating.
Head coach JJ Redick took issue with how referees handle calls involving LeBron James, while guard Austin Reaves felt he was treated inappropriately by the officiating crew. Multiple Lakers players approached the referees at center court following the contest, with Reaves directly addressing crew chief John Goble about an incident during a jump ball situation.
“At the end of the day, we’re grown men and I just didn’t feel like he needed to yell in my face like that,” Reaves said. “I told him that. I wasn’t disrespectful. I told him if I did that to him first, I would’ve gotten a tech. I feel like the only reason I didn’t get a tech was because he knew he was in the wrong. I felt disrespected.”
The foul trouble was evident for Los Angeles, with Reaves, Marcus Smart and Jaxson Hayes each accumulating five personal fouls. Oklahoma City attempted 26 free throws compared to 21 for the Lakers. The defeat puts Los Angeles in a challenging 2-0 series hole as they return home for Saturday’s Game 3.
Redick expressed frustration that a top-seeded team led by reigning MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander appears to receive favorable treatment from officials.
“They’re hard enough to play,” Redick said. “They’re hard to play, and you’ve got to be able to just call them. They foul. They do foul.”
Despite his continued ability to drive to the basket at 41 years old, James has only attempted five free throws through the first two games of the series.
“LeBron has the worst whistle of any star player I’ve ever seen. The smaller guys, because they can be theatric, they typically draw more fouls, and the bigger players that are built like LeBron, it’s hard for them,” Redick said. “They get clobbered, and he got clobbered again tonight a bunch.”
Throughout the game, Lakers players showed visible frustration with both calls and non-calls from the officiating crew. Meanwhile, Thunder players maintained their composure, which Redick believes may work in their favor.
“I think some of the reason that they’re officiated the way they are is because they don’t show emotion,” Redick said. “And that’s a credit to them. I mean, they really take the emotion out of the game. They’re super tight-knit. They don’t complain to the officials, and maybe they’re the beneficiaries of that, I don’t know.”
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Prosecutors in Johnson County, Kansas have dropped domestic battery charges against Kansas City Chiefs assistant coach Dave Merritt without prejudice, just under three weeks after the veteran NFL coach pleaded not guilty and was freed from custody.
Merritt, 54, previously played linebacker in the National Football League before establishing himself as one of the top defensive backs coaches in professional football. Since joining Kansas City in 2019, and during his earlier tenure with the New York Giants, he has been part of coaching staffs that captured five Super Bowl championships.
The coach participated in Kansas City’s rookie minicamp this past weekend.
“Dave’s been very up-front with everything,” Chiefs head coach Andy Reid commented on Saturday. “We’re still going through that whole procedure. In this case, you always let the law enforcement part take care of itself and work its way out.”
Spanish health officials are making emergency preparations as a cruise ship struck by a deadly hantavirus outbreak makes its way toward the Canary Islands.
The MV Hondius, carrying more than 140 passengers and crew members, is expected to dock in Tenerife either Saturday or Sunday. At least three people aboard the vessel have lost their lives to the virus, with additional passengers falling ill. Currently, no other passengers or crew are showing symptoms of the disease.
Emergency officials will conduct a carefully orchestrated evacuation when the ship arrives. “Passengers will arrive at a completely isolated, cordoned-off area,” Virginia Barcones, Spain’s head of emergency services, announced Thursday.
Both American and British governments have committed to sending aircraft to retrieve their citizens from the stricken vessel. The U.S. will dispatch a plane to evacuate 17 American passengers, while Britain plans to charter a flight for nearly two dozen British nationals on board.
International health authorities are working around the clock to locate passengers who departed the ship before officials detected the outbreak. On April 24, more than two dozen individuals from at least 12 nations left the vessel without proper contact tracing, according to the ship’s operator and Dutch authorities. The hantavirus wasn’t confirmed in a passenger until May 2, according to the World Health Organization.
The tracking efforts span four continents as officials attempt to monitor those who disembarked and identify anyone who may have encountered them afterward. One Dutch passenger whose husband died aboard the ship became too sick to continue on an international flight to Europe and was removed from the aircraft in Johannesburg, where she later died.
A KLM flight attendant who worked on the April 25 flight from Johannesburg to Amsterdam later became ill but tested negative for the virus. She was placed in isolation at an Amsterdam hospital Thursday.
Health experts explain that hantavirus typically transmits when people breathe in contaminated particles from rodent waste. While these viruses have existed for centuries worldwide, they don’t spread easily between humans.
“This is not the next COVID, but it is a serious infectious disease,” explained Maria Van Kerkhove, director of epidemic and pandemic preparedness at the World Health Organization. “Most people will never be exposed to this.”
The World Health Organization maintains that the risk to the general public remains minimal. The disease received increased attention recently following the death of Betsy Arakawa, wife of late actor Gene Hackman, from a hantavirus infection in New Mexico last year.
The MV Hondius operates under a Dutch flag, and Dutch officials confirmed Friday they maintain close communication with the ship’s owner and authorities from nations whose citizens are aboard the vessel.
TEHRAN, Iran — In an unexpected cultural moment amid ongoing tensions between Iran and the United States, Tehran’s Museum of Contemporary Art has unveiled a striking exhibition featuring American artwork that critiques war and violence.
The display showcases six pieces by renowned 1960s American Pop artists Roy Lichtenstein, Robert Indiana, and James Rosenquist, specifically selected for their anti-war messages. The exhibition opened this week while anti-American imagery continues to dominate Tehran’s streets through billboards and posters.
These masterpieces belong to an extensive collection of American and European modern art purchased by former Empress Farah Pahlavi during the 1970s. Since the 1979 Islamic Revolution that overthrew the Western-allied shah, most of these valuable works have remained locked away from public view.
Young Iranian visitors have found deep connections with the displayed pieces after enduring weeks of U.S.-Israeli military strikes. Many spent time examining Rosenquist’s “F-111,” a Vietnam War-era collage that challenges America’s military-industrial complex through imagery combining aircraft components, nuclear explosions, and a child’s portrait.
Another featured work, Lichtenstein’s “Brattata,” presents his signature comic book-inspired style depicting a fighter pilot destroying an enemy aircraft.
“American artists have always had a really interesting way of ridiculing war, and that’s always fascinated me in their work,” said Ghazaleh Jahanbin, a Tehran artist visiting the show. “Maybe part of it, I don’t know, comes from their geographical distance from war itself.”
Museum director Reza Dabirinezhad explained to Iran’s ISNA news agency that the exhibition, called “Art and War,” was designed to address current regional developments. The government-operated facility, overseen by the Culture Ministry, chose works “that were either shaped by the experience of war or created as reactions to wars,” he stated.
The collection’s origins trace back to Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi’s government, which established the museum and acquired artistic treasures during the oil-rich 1970s when Iran served as America’s primary Middle Eastern ally. Former Empress Farah Pahlavi personally selected works from masters including Pablo Picasso, Vincent Van Gogh, Mark Rothko, Francis Bacon, and David Hockney.
However, the museum had operated for only two years before the shah’s overthrow led to Shiite clerical rule. Officials then stored the collection in museum vaults for decades to prevent conflicts with Islamic principles or perceptions of Western favoritism.
Beginning in 2012, museum staff occasionally organized temporary exhibitions featuring select pieces from the multi-billion-dollar collection. Despite Iran’s economic struggles under Western sanctions, officials have protected the artwork from sale. The country did exchange one Willem de Kooning painting in 1994 for a treasured Persian manuscript from an American foundation.
Current warfare had forced museums and cultural institutions throughout Iran to close until a fragile ceasefire in early April permitted reopening. Dabirinezhad noted that only limited pieces were exhibited in case renewed conflict required rapid return to secure storage.
Iranian culture enthusiasts welcomed the reopening as relief from wartime stress and an opportunity to reconnect with artistic expression.
“It was a such a great thing to happen. A couple of weeks ago I was talking with my friends and everybody was talking about how much they missed visiting museums,” said Jahanbin.
Concerns persist about potential conflict resumption as Iran and the United States maintain their military standoff, with Iran controlling the Strait of Hormuz while the U.S. blockades Iranian ports during ongoing diplomatic negotiations.
“This state of being undecided leaves you dazed and confused, everything is up in the air,” said Mohammad Sadegh Abbasi, one of the visitors perusing the exhibit. “I hope everything ends well soon and we get a secure and calm life.”
“Some of the works remind me of the scenes I saw (during the war),” he added.
The current six-piece display continues through May 10, with museum leadership planning weekly rotations of additional war-themed works from their extensive collection.
Joni Lamb, co-founder of the Daystar Television Network who helped build the Christian broadcasting empire into a global ministry reaching billions, passed away Thursday at age 65.
The network president had been battling significant health problems that worsened following a back injury, according to a statement from the organization. Officials did not disclose the specific cause of death.
“Joni’s love for the Lord and for the people we serve shaped this ministry from the beginning,” the network’s board of directors said in the statement.
Network officials confirmed that the ministry will move forward and that Lamb had ensured proper leadership succession was established.
Joni and Marcus Lamb launched their broadcasting venture in the Dallas region with a single station in 1993. By 1998, Joni had started hosting her popular daily women’s program that became her trademark show.
Operating from Bedford, Texas, Daystar expanded its reach to over 200 nations and features programming from prominent evangelical leaders such as Joel Osteen and T.D. Jakes.
The organization reports reaching 2.3 billion households across the globe.
The ministry embraced Pentecostal beliefs, emphasizing spirit-filled worship practices and teachings about contemporary miracles and spiritual warfare against dark forces.
Beyond her executive role as network president and behind-the-scenes work, Joni Lamb appeared regularly on-air hosting “Joni Table Talk,” where she addressed current topics and issues.
She supported her late husband during a difficult 2010 public admission when he confessed on television to having an extramarital relationship years earlier. Marcus Lamb also claimed three individuals attempted to blackmail him over the matter.
At that time, Joni Lamb revealed that discovering his unfaithfulness left her heartbroken, but she sought guidance through prayer to the Holy Spirit, who responded, “He’s worth fighting for.”
The pair stated they had rebuilt their marriage and wished to handle the situation privately.
“All you can do is tell the truth and take your pain and use it to try to help someone else,” Joni Lamb said.
After Marcus Lamb’s death at 64, she remarried Doug Weiss two years later. The couple co-hosted the program “Ministry Now” together.
Colleges and universities nationwide are dealing with major disruptions to final exams after hackers targeted Canvas, a widely-used online learning platform. The cyber attack occurred during one of the most stressful times of the academic year when students and faculty depend on the system for testing, grades, and course materials.
Instructure, which owns Canvas, announced late Thursday that service had been restored for most users following the security breach.
According to Luke Connolly, a cybersecurity analyst with Emsisoft, the hacking collective known as ShinyHunters took credit for the attack. By Friday, Canvas and Instructure were no longer listed on the website where ShinyHunters posts information about their targets.
Despite the restoration, some educational institutions continue restricting Canvas access as a precautionary measure while they evaluate potential security risks.
Canvas serves as a central hub for academic activities, functioning as a digital gradebook, repository for lecture materials and videos, discussion forum for class projects, and communication tool between educators and students.
Many courses also conduct quizzes and tests through the platform, or require students to submit final assignments and research papers through the system by specific deadlines.
Connolly explained that ShinyHunters operates as a loosely organized group of teen and young adult cybercriminals from the United States and United Kingdom, previously connected to major breaches including the Ticketmaster incident. The group’s website describes their activities as “rooting your systems since ’19,” referring to gaining unauthorized access to computer networks’ core systems.
This week, ShinyHunters threatened to release sensitive information from approximately 9,000 educational institutions and 275 million individuals unless schools paid their ransom demands by a May 6 deadline. The group later pushed back this deadline, suggesting some institutions had begun negotiating with them.
Educational institutions have become attractive targets for ransomware criminals due to the vast amounts of personal data they maintain on students, faculty, and staff. These attacks can target individual school districts, such as those in Minneapolis or Los Angeles, or strike third-party platforms like Canvas and PowerSchool that schools increasingly depend on for scheduling, coursework, and testing.
While most schools have regained Canvas access, the timing during finals week will likely cause ongoing complications throughout the remainder of the academic period.
The University of Massachusetts at Dartmouth announced it would delay Friday and Saturday examinations to give students additional time to access study materials that were unavailable during the system outage.
The University of Illinois postponed all Friday, Saturday, and Sunday exams for every course, including those that don’t typically use Canvas.
Montgomery County Public Schools in Maryland maintained restricted Canvas access on Friday, stating they were proceeding “with an abundance of caution while we work to better understand the full impact of the incident and any potential vulnerabilities involving information connected to the platform.”
Federal authorities in Miami are taking steps to remove U.S. citizenship from Manuel Rocha, the former American ambassador currently serving prison time for operating as a covert Cuban intelligence agent since the 1970s in what represents one of the most extensive betrayals in diplomatic service history.
Miami’s U.S. Attorney’s Office submitted a civil denaturalization lawsuit on Thursday that would finalize the downfall of the Colombia-born Rocha, removing the American citizenship he obtained after relocating to New York City at age 10 alongside his widowed mother and two brothers.
The 75-year-old Rocha was taken into custody in December 2023 and subsequently received a 15-year federal prison term following his confession to operating as a covert operative for communist Cuba across multiple decades. FBI undercover recordings captured him lauding Fidel Castro as “El Comandante” and boasting about his service to Cuba’s communist regime, describing it as “more than a grand slam” against the American “enemy.”
His guilty plea to 15 federal charges prevented a trial that could have revealed specific details about Rocha’s assistance to Cuba while he occupied high-ranking State Department roles including Bolivia’s ambassadorship and senior positions in Argentina, Mexico, the White House, and other U.S. locations. The timeline of when federal investigators initially suspected Rocha’s espionage activities remains unclear.
According to his plea agreement, Rocha admitted his initial contact with Cuban intelligence occurred in 1973 — five years prior to seeking U.S. citizenship — during his participation in a student exchange program in Chile near the conclusion of socialist President Salvador Allende’s administration. Following Havana’s instructions, he subsequently pursued graduate studies at Harvard and Georgetown Universities before securing employment with the U.S. State Department.
Federal law establishes significant evidentiary requirements for citizenship revocation, mandating prosecutors demonstrate compelling proof that an individual obtained citizenship through illegal means or achieved naturalization via “concealment of a material fact or by willful misrepresentation.”
Court documents show prosecutors claim Rocha provided false sworn testimony regarding his “belief in the U.S. Constitution” and denied any connections to Cuba’s Communist Party during his 1978 citizenship application process.
“The Southern District of Florida helped take down one of the most prolific Cuban spies ever uncovered in the United States,” said U.S. Attorney Jason A. Reding Quiñones for the Southern District of Florida. “This civil denaturalization case is about finishing the job.”
The Justice Department has substantially expanded its emphasis on denaturalization proceedings recently and released internal guidance last year instructing prosecutors to focus on individuals who “pose a potential danger to national security,” particularly through terrorism and espionage activities.
An Associated Press examination of Rocha’s case identified multiple warning signs that went unaddressed, including intelligence received by a veteran CIA officer nearly twenty years ago suggesting Rocha operated as a double agent. Additional intelligence indicated the CIA knew by 1987 that Cuban leader Fidel Castro had positioned a “super mole” within the U.S. government structure, with some officials suspecting Rocha’s involvement.
During the past two years, the FBI, U.S. State Department, and CIA have worked to determine the case’s most significant unknown element: precisely what classified information the career diplomat potentially compromised to Cuba. Rocha underwent several months of federal debriefing sessions during his early imprisonment period, though the value of information obtained from these interviews remains undisclosed.
For the seventh consecutive year, Olivia and Liam have maintained their positions as America’s most favored baby names, according to new data released by the Social Security Administration.
The federal agency unveiled its annual baby name rankings on Friday, just ahead of Mother’s Day, drawing from Social Security card applications submitted throughout 2025. This yearly compilation has been documenting American naming trends since 1880, providing insight into how cultural and demographic shifts influence parents’ choices.
Among girls’ names, Charlotte made a notable jump to claim the second spot, bumping Emma down after her six-year reign as runner-up. Meanwhile, Ava dropped from the top 10 entirely, with Eliana taking her place in the rankings.
The boys’ top four remained unchanged, with Liam, Noah, Oliver and Theodore holding their ground from the previous year.
The complete boys’ top 10 includes:
1. Liam 2. Noah 3. Oliver 4. Theodore 5. Henry 6. James 7. Elijah 8. Mateo 9. William 10. Lucas
For girls, the top 10 features:
1. Olivia 2. Charlotte 3. Emma 4. Amelia 5. Sophia 6. Mia 7. Isabella 8. Evelyn 9. Sofia 10. Eliana
Some names experienced dramatic surges in popularity. Kasai, which means “fire” in both Japanese and Swahili languages, jumped an impressive 1,108 positions to break into the top 1,000 for the first time. Among girls’ names, Klarity — an alternative spelling of “clarity” — saw the biggest climb, rising 1,396 spots to reach the top 1,000.
Conversely, several names lost favor with parents. Boys’ names showing the steepest declines included Karim, Khaza, Khai and Landen. For girls, Aubrie, Cattleya, Jaycee and Zendaya experienced the most significant drops in popularity.
The administration’s statistics reveal that 3.6 million babies were born in the United States during 2025, representing a small decline from the previous year’s total of 3.61 million births.
Parents and expectant families can explore the complete database of baby names through the Social Security Administration’s website.
SALISBURY, Md. – Two standout players from Salisbury University’s women’s tennis program captured multiple honors from the Coast-to-Coast Athletic Conference on Friday.
Gibelle Beaujon and Cleo Solomon both earned recognition on the All-C2C Second Team for their individual singles performances during the 2026 season. The talented pair also received All-C2C Second Team honors for their doubles partnership.
The dual recognition highlights the strength of Salisbury’s top tennis performers, with both athletes excelling in both individual and team competition formats. Their achievements represent the university’s leading singles competitors and premier doubles combination.
NFL quarterback Taylor Heinicke has called an end to his professional football career, announcing his retirement Thursday after seven seasons in the league.
The 33-year-old signal-caller shared his farewell message on social media, expressing gratitude to fans who supported him throughout his journey with seven different teams, including Minnesota, New England, Houston, Carolina, Atlanta, Washington, and the Los Angeles Chargers.
Heinicke’s most notable chapter came during his stint with Washington, where he compiled a 7-8 record across 15 starting appearances in 2021. His remarkable story began in December 2020 when Washington brought him onto their practice squad as a COVID-19 safety measure, keeping him isolated from the other quarterbacks on the roster.
At the time of Washington’s call, Heinicke was living on his sister’s couch in Atlanta while completing his degree through online courses at Old Dominion University. His most recent football experience had been serving as a backup in the XFL during 2019.
Just one month after joining Washington’s practice squad, Heinicke found himself starting in a playoff game against Tom Brady’s Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Despite the 31-23 defeat, his impressive performance – 306 passing yards, one touchdown throw, and one rushing score – secured him a starting role for the 2021 season.
“Many ups and downs throughout the years, but the ups outweigh the downs tenfold,” Heinicke wrote. “Never in my wildest dreams did I think I would’ve been able to live this life. … Excited for this next chapter of my life.”
Following his Washington years, Heinicke spent a season with Atlanta before joining Los Angeles for the 2024 campaign. The Chargers cut him last August, and he remained without a team for the rest of the season. During his brief 2024 appearance with the Chargers, he participated in four games with just five pass attempts.
Throughout his NFL journey, Heinicke started 30 games, including that memorable playoff appearance, accumulating 6,969 passing yards with 40 touchdown passes and 29 interceptions. He also contributed three rushing touchdowns to his career statistics.
NEW YORK (AP) — The brooding Danish prince is everywhere these days. William Shakespeare’s timeless tragedy “Hamlet” is experiencing an unprecedented cultural revival across screens, stages, and social media platforms.
The National Theatre’s production featuring Hiran Abeysekera has arrived at Brooklyn Academy of Music. Meanwhile, a contemporary film adaptation starring Riz Ahmed showcases the story within London’s South Asian community. At 88 years old, Anthony Hopkins has captivated TikTok users by performing portions of Hamlet’s famous “To be, or not to be” monologue. Jessie Buckley received an Oscar for “Hamnet” — a fictional account exploring the tragedy that supposedly inspired Shakespeare’s masterpiece. Taylor Swift’s “The Fate of Ophelia,” referencing Hamlet’s former love interest, reached the top of Billboard’s singles chart. Eddie Izzard continues her solo interpretation of the complete play during a global tour.
After four centuries, this tale of a troubled protagonist contemplating action following his father’s murder by his uncle remains remarkably relevant to contemporary audiences.
The cultural momentum shows no signs of slowing. A stage adaptation of Maggie O’Farrell’s “Hamnet” novel is touring throughout the United Kingdom with the Royal Shakespeare Company. Shakespeare & Company has scheduled a northeastern United States tour of “Hamlet” for this year. Canada presents “Hamlet, Sweet Prince” through a modern, queer perspective. New York’s Acting Company will feature a contemporary verse adaptation led by a female performer. Teatro La Plaza, a Peruvian theater group, recently staged an off-Broadway version featuring eight Spanish-speaking performers with Down syndrome.
According to Harvard Shakespeare expert Jeffrey R. Wilson, “Hamlet” perfectly captures our current moment, when overwhelming negative news prompts constant existential questioning about how everyone is coping.
“People are exhausted from the onslaught of awfulness in the world,” he says, “and ‘Hamlet’ gives audiences both permission to ‘go there’ to explore those emotions and a tool kit of ideas to help us process angst.”
These contemporary interpretations demonstrate remarkable creativity and energy, featuring everything from a beanie-wearing Hamlet in Brooklyn to one enjoying Bollywood-inspired choreography in London.
“Great plays survive not because they remain untouched, but because they can continue to be transformed,” says director and playwright Chela De Ferrari, from Teatro La Plaza, whose neurodiverse “Hamlet” is a visceral and urgent call from those often excluded from cultural narratives.
“Working with actors with Down syndrome and cognitive disabilities brought me back to something essential in ‘Hamlet’: that beneath its philosophical brilliance there is an exposed human being asking, in one way or another, how to exist in a world that keeps misreading him,” she said.
During one particularly powerful scene, a performer attempts to recreate Laurence Olivier’s famous delivery of Hamlet’s signature soliloquy while the legendary actor’s image appears on screen. The moment gains additional significance when delivered by someone whose presence in public or artistic venues is frequently challenged.
“I like to imagine a kind of continuity between our actors and all the great actors who have carried the play before. I believe Shakespeare lives in all of them,” says De Ferrari.
Filmmaker Aneil Karia recalls feeling disconnected during school visits to Shakespeare productions.
“I felt like I was primarily watching an intellectual experience unfold and I had to use my brain to keep up with the plot and the language and everything like that,” he says.
Karia collaborated with Ahmed and screenwriter Michael Lesslie to create a streamlined, contemporary retelling that emphasizes the protagonist’s discomfort with participating in corrupt business practices.
“That feels so pertinent to the moment we’re in politically and everything. It feels like the question a lot of people are asking,” says Karia. “It feels like these stories are actually a conversation through time itself.”
This modern Hamlet celebrates in neon-lit nightclubs and delivers his famous monologue while speeding through rain-soaked London streets in a BMW, removing his hands from the steering wheel as an oncoming truck approaches. The existential question becomes literally life-or-death.
“The best best-case scenario here is that it’s opening up Shakespeare to audiences who didn’t think it was for them, or who struggled with it previously,” says Karia, whose film starts streaming Tuesday. “This is a big call, but I feel like Shakespeare would approve. I feel his whole thing was like, ‘Take this stuff and do your thing.’”
The Brooklyn production emphasizes the play’s comedic elements for a practical reason: the actor portraying Hamlet possesses natural comic timing.
Abeysekera brings manic and playful energy while highlighting the work’s physical comedy, speaking directly to audiences during soliloquies and sometimes positioning himself at the stage’s edge to make direct eye contact.
“It’s a very self-aware play. It sort of really knows that it’s a play, if that makes any kind of sense,” says director Robert Hastie. “Hamlet knows he’s in a play called ‘Hamlet,’ like Deadpool knows he is in a film called ‘Deadpool.’”
Abeysekera approaches his “To be, or not to be” speech as a spontaneous reflection rather than the traditional planted-feet, theatrical delivery style.
“Rather than thinking, ‘Oh, here’s the big speech coming up and that’s freaking me out,’ I started thinking, ‘It’s such a thought that most of us kind of have,’” he says. “Sometimes, in front of the mirror, we just see ourselves and go, ‘Oof. Today’s a tough day.’”
Hastie considers “Hamlet” among those works that consistently reveals fresh insights. Rooted in universal human experiences, it communicates different messages to each audience while allowing us to uncover elements that were always present.
“One of the reasons I think why we’re still talking about Shakespeare, and this play in particular, is that whenever those words fuse with a new actor or a new group of actors, it becomes a different play,” he says. “Maybe that’s a good working definition of a classic.”
Caitlin Cardile works diligently to maintain the 400-year-old playwright’s relevance in today’s TikTok-dominated landscape. She and her three-member Mad Spirits Theatre Company maintain presence across virtually every social media platform to spread awareness.
“We wanted to bring Shakespeare to a modern audience and make it understandable,” Cardile says. “We want people to feel more comfortable with Shakespeare and not think that it’s old English and such a hard thing to understand.”
While they share live readings and play analysis on YouTube, their Instagram and TikTok content showcases true innovation. They discover popular audio clips — ranging from “The Office” dialogue to Lady Gaga songs — and assign Shakespeare characters to perform them.
Kitty Forman’s memorable “I may have been a little irrational today” line from “That ’70s Show” gets lip-synced by an actress portraying Ophelia. Dialogue between Scar and Simba from “The Lion King” is performed by actors playing Claudius and Hamlet.
“We’re like, ‘Hey, wouldn’t it be funny if we took these silly trending sounds that everybody’s doing and what if we put them to Shakespeare characters?’” says Cardile. “This has ended up being so much fun.”
Cleveland Browns management completed contract negotiations with eight of their 2026 draft selections on Friday, headlined by offensive lineman Spencer Fano who inked his rookie deal.
The Utah product, selected ninth overall in this year’s draft, secured a four-year contract worth $32.2 million in guaranteed compensation, featuring a $19.9 million signing bonus. The agreement includes a fifth-year option that remains under team control.
During his collegiate career, Fano appeared in 37 contests with 36 starts across three seasons, demonstrating versatility by playing both left and right tackle positions. His outstanding performance earned him the 2025 Outland Trophy, recognizing the nation’s top interior lineman.
The Browns simultaneously finalized deals with seven additional draft picks: Washington receiver Denzel Brown (second round), Florida tackle Austin Barber (third round), Alabama center Parker Brailsford (fifth round), Alabama linebacker Justin Jefferson (fifth round), Cincinnati tight end Joe Royer (fifth round), Arkansas quarterback Taylen Green (sixth round), and BYU tight end Carsen Ryan (seventh round).
Two selections remain unsigned: Texas A&M receiver KC Concepcion (first round) and Toledo safety Emmanuel McNeil-Warren (second round).
SALISBURY, Md. – Three members of Salisbury University’s men’s tennis squad received recognition from the Coast-to-Coast Athletic Conference on Friday, earning spots on the 2026 All-C2C teams.
The Sea Gulls had two players honored in singles competition, with Bobby Stabile and Aron Bursztyn both securing positions on the All-C2C Second Team Singles roster.
In doubles play, Stabile earned additional recognition by partnering with Nicholas O’Dea to claim All-C2C Second Team Doubles honors.
The conference awards recognize outstanding performance throughout the season, highlighting the strength of Salisbury’s tennis program and the individual achievements of these three student-athletes.
DOVER – Delaware has a new leader for its technology operations after Governor Matt Meyer officially installed Robert Osmond as the state’s Chief Information Officer on Thursday.
The appointment of Osmond to head the Department of Technology & Information came after Delaware State Senate members approved his nomination in a confirmation vote earlier in the day.
In his new role, Osmond will direct Delaware’s technology initiatives, oversee cybersecurity operations, and manage digital government services for residents across the state.
The Department of Technology & Information serves as the central hub for Delaware’s technological infrastructure and digital transformation efforts.
THE HAGUE, Netherlands (AP) — International authorities are coordinating efforts to manage 140 passengers and crew aboard a cruise vessel affected by a deadly hantavirus outbreak as it approaches Spain’s Canary Islands.
The ship is scheduled to arrive at Tenerife, located off West Africa’s coast, early Sunday morning.
The outbreak has claimed at least three lives, with additional passengers showing signs of infection.
Hantavirus typically spreads through breathing in contaminated particles from rodent waste. The disease’s symptoms emerge between one and eight weeks following exposure. While the World Health Organization states the general public faces minimal risk from this outbreak, the specific Andes strain involved in this incident can occasionally transmit between humans.
Officials and the cruise company continue releasing updates, though significant details remain unclear.
Here are the unanswered questions:
Argentine health investigators believe a Dutch couple initially caught the virus during a bird-watching excursion before joining the cruise in Argentina on April 1. However, no agency has verified the exact location or method of their infection.
Argentina’s Health Ministry has focused attention on Ushuaia, the country’s southernmost city. According to a written statement to The Associated Press, officials plan to visit the area in upcoming days, though no reason was provided for the postponement.
Spanish officials are making preparations to receive the remaining passengers and crew at Tenerife. Authorities announced Friday that upon the vessel’s arrival, passengers will be transferred via small boats to buses only after their homebound flights are confirmed ready for departure.
The United States has committed to dispatching an aircraft to the Canary Islands for American citizens, with Britain making similar arrangements. Other nations have not yet announced their evacuation strategies, leaving uncertainty about passenger wait times.
Virginia Barcones, Spain’s emergency services director, stated Friday that the country had requested medically equipped aircraft for symptomatic passengers, though availability remained uncertain.
Cruise operator Oceanwide Expeditions reports the MV Hondius left Ushuaia on April 1, making two port calls before the outbreak began.
Six additional passengers joined at Tristan da Cunha, a remote island. The vessel subsequently stopped at St. Helena island, where 30 passengers departed, including a Dutch woman and her deceased husband’s remains. Two of those 30 passengers have unknown nationalities, believed to be Chileans who boarded at Tristan da Cunha, the company stated.
Stephen Doughty, the U.K. minister of overseas territories, reported Friday that a Tristan da Cunha resident has been hospitalized with hantavirus symptoms. Whether this individual traveled on the ship remains unclear.
Oceanwide Expeditions initially reported the ship departed Argentina with 114 passengers plus an undetermined crew count. Updated company figures indicate 61 crew members from 12 nations were aboard, though potential crew changes during the voyage remain unknown.
The cruise company was compelled to revise passenger numbers and nationalities for those who disembarked at St. Helena after finding errors in their original data. Their revised count differs from Dutch Foreign Ministry estimates, with the discrepancy unexplained.
Numerous passengers who left at St. Helena continued to other destinations, including the Dutch woman whose husband perished aboard. She traveled to Johannesburg before briefly boarding an Amsterdam-bound flight. She was removed due to severe illness and later died.
South African and Dutch authorities are tracking anyone who contacted the deceased woman during her journey. A flight attendant who interacted with her tested negative for hantavirus after developing symptoms.
Certain governments, including the United Kingdom, have confirmed their citizens’ locations after leaving the vessel. U.K. health officials report two are self-quarantining at home, four remain on St. Helena, and one “has been traced outside of the U.K.” However, British officials have not disclosed or determined how many others these individuals may have contacted since departing.
BETHLEHEM, West Bank — As dawn broke over Bethlehem, Mohamad Al-Assi’s footsteps echoed along the concrete barrier separating Israel from the occupied West Bank. The 27-year-old Palestinian runner was participating in Friday’s Palestine Marathon, the first time the event had been held in three years.
The marathon represented a personal milestone for Al-Assi, who was freed from Israeli custody just six months earlier. Footage from his release shows a dramatically different man — thin and weak-looking, his athletic build diminished after spending more than two and a half years behind bars.
Since beginning his comeback training in December, Al-Assi has steadily increased his running distance each month. His fitness tracking app shows he covered 62 miles in that initial month, building up to 135 miles by April.
Training hasn’t been easy in his home at Dheisheh, a Palestinian refugee camp filled with cinderblock houses and narrow streets. His mother wakes him each morning for his runs through the challenging terrain.
“The main difficulties we face are the cars on the roads and the presence of Israeli security forces along the route where I train,” Al-Assi explained.
Military operations in the camp forced him to halt his preparation multiple times.
“I would return home feeling hopeless because I couldn’t do what I had intended to do,” Al-Assi said.
The unique geography of the West Bank means marathon runners cannot complete a full 26.2-mile course without encountering checkpoints or military barriers. Friday’s route addressed this by having participants complete the same circuit twice.
The course wound through narrow streets of two Palestinian refugee camps before descending to agricultural areas near Bethlehem, where farmland is divided by concrete walls, razor wire, and surveillance equipment. Runners concluded at Bethlehem’s historic Manger Square.
Race organizers emphasize how the event illustrates the movement restrictions Palestinians face in the occupied territory, where security checkpoints can interrupt daily travel and where Israeli settlements increasingly limit access to open spaces for recreation.
“Marathon runners anywhere may ‘hit a wall’ under the physical and emotional strain of completing the 42-kilometer race course,” organizers noted on their website.
However, in the West Bank, they noted, “runners literally hit the Wall.”
Despite economic hardships in the West Bank and ongoing tensions following Gaza’s fragile ceasefire, Bethlehem embraced a festive atmosphere. Spectators gathered near the Church of the Nativity to support runners at both the early morning start and finish. Traditional music filled the streets as bagpipers and drummers provided encouragement along the route.
Meanwhile, in Gaza’s Nuseirat area, a separate event took place along a beachside stretch roughly equivalent to marathon distance. Fifteen disabled participants, including amputees, completed a 2K race, while thousands more ran a 5K distance. The inclusion of women marked a significant change from 2013, when the UN refugee agency canceled a similar event because Hamas had prohibited female participation.
Haya Alnaji, a 22-year-old who participated in Gaza’s 5K race, viewed the turnout as evidence of Palestinian resilience after more than two years of conflict devastation.
“All of Gaza loves sports,” she stated.
Al-Assi’s imprisonment began in April 2023 under administrative detention, a system allowing Israel to hold individuals for extended periods without formal charges. Israeli human rights organizations and the Palestinian Prisoners Society report that 3,000 to 4,000 Palestinians currently remain under this system.
By October 2023, Al-Assi received a sentence for allegedly transferring funds to suspicious organizations, charges he disputes. Israel maintains strict oversight of financial transfers, particularly those involving Gaza, due to concerns about money reaching militant groups. Palestinians argue that legitimate donations and charitable contributions often get caught in these investigations. Israeli military, intelligence, and prison officials declined to comment on Al-Assi’s specific case.
During his incarceration, Al-Assi said widespread hunger affected nearly all detainees due to insufficient food provisions. The weight loss destroyed the endurance he had developed through a decade of athletic training.
“I have more muscle mass than fat, so when I lost weight, the loss came from my muscles rather than fat,” he explained. “This had a major impact on my physical fitness.”
Beyond physical recovery, he also needed to rebuild his mental strength for marathon competition.
“I was emotionally shattered after spending such a long period in prison,” he said.
After crossing Friday’s finish line in second place overall, Al-Assi dropped to his knees in gratitude as supporters and media surrounded him. He dedicated his performance to Palestinians still held in Israeli facilities.
“After 32 months in prison, Mohamad Al-Assi is first in his class!” he declared through tears, raising his arms skyward.
A Wisconsin snack manufacturer has issued a voluntary product recall for certain Giant Eagle brand pita chips over concerns about possible salmonella contamination.
Legacy Snack Solutions, based in Waukesha, Wisconsin, announced on May 7, 2026, that it is pulling specific production runs of Giant Eagle Baked Pita Chips With Parmesan, Garlic & Herb from store shelves due to potential bacterial contamination.
The company’s decision to recall these products comes after California Diaries, Inc. issued a recall for milk powder ingredients.
Salmonella contamination can cause serious foodborne illness, particularly in young children, elderly individuals, and those with compromised immune systems.
Consumers who have purchased these pita chips are advised to check their packages and dispose of any affected products rather than consuming them.
A food manufacturer based in Grove City, Pennsylvania has initiated a voluntary product recall affecting more than 13,600 pounds of sunflower seeds that potentially contain cashew allergens not listed on the packaging.
The George J. Howe Company announced the recall covers exactly 13,619 pounds of their sunflower seed products due to the presence of undeclared tree nut allergens, specifically cashews.
Health officials warn that consumers who have allergies or heightened sensitivity to tree nuts could experience severe or potentially fatal allergic reactions if they eat the contaminated sunflower seeds.
The recall affects products that may have been distributed to retailers and consumers without proper allergen labeling, creating a significant health hazard for individuals with tree nut allergies.
A California-based bakery company has issued a voluntary product recall after discovering they mistakenly labeled muffins containing tree nuts as a different variety that doesn’t include allergens.
The Brownie Baker, Inc., located in Fresno, announced the recall on May 7, 2026, for Nouria Banana Nut Muffins that were incorrectly packaged and sold as blueberry muffins. The error means consumers with tree nut allergies could unknowingly purchase and consume products containing walnuts, which are not disclosed on the packaging.
The mislabeling poses a potentially dangerous situation for individuals with tree nut sensitivities, as the product contains walnuts but the packaging fails to warn customers about their presence.
The company has voluntarily initiated the recall to address the labeling mistake and protect consumers from potential allergic reactions.
